Lychee Light Club: My Little Obsession

The month is October. The year was 2012 and I had just fallen in love with a short, two to four minute, anime called Lychee Light Club. I thought nothing of it then. I was laying on my friends couch when I decided to shot gun the series. My mind exploded, literally melting into nothingness as I watched any IQ points I had awoken with drain from my body, through my nose and unto the floor. Little did I know, that this random short would become such an obsession for me. This especially rang true when this February, I got a hold of the manga it was based on. I was completely was floored by how different the manga is from the anime.

Lychee DE Hikari Club (Lychee Light Club the Anime)

First let me preface this with the following. The anime is intended to be a comedy. Which is what I think throws people off. If you are a fan of the manga, the anime will piss you off to an extent. If you are a fan of the anime, the manga will ruin everything you thought prior to watching it. They are as different as Day and Night and yet the same.

Lychee DE Hikari Club is the kid friendly version of this tale which takes place in the tiny town of Keiko-cho, where there is nothing to do and nowhere to go. The story centers around a nine-member club of middle school boys called the Light Club. Who take residence inside an abandoned oil factory for use as their club house and secret lair. Their purpose is to create an AI in order to abduct beautiful girls. The anime picks up with them already having abducted a woman named Kannon. Who seems to be able to control their AI, Lychee, better than they can and the hilarious antics that ensue in them trying to convey "justice" among each other as well as them progressing their AI.

The anime is 8 episodes long, totaling 30 minutes combined. It's listed as a Psychological, Horror, Comedy and can be viewed by any age.

Check out the first episode here at Crunchyroll.com, because posting screen shots won't do it justice and the episode is only 3 minutes long.

Which now brings me into the manga.

Oh the manga. It touched me in places I didn't know a manga could. Being a huge fan of Junji Ito's works (Uzumaki, Tomie, Frankenstein just to name a few) I thought I was prepared for anything. So upon finding the horror manga of Lychee Light Club and having seen the manga first. I thought I was ready for anything. 

I was not prepared for this.

But I love it all the same.

The manga follows the same premise. Kids in a small town, playing in a abandoned factory, building an AI to capture beautiful girls (because what middle school boy doesn't think of girls?) and what happens in between. It also follows the previous leader (and one of the nine) Tamiya who tries to gain his club back from the tyrant (and current leader) Zera.

However, the manga is far, far, far from a comedy. It's full of socialism, murderous paranoia, homoeroticsm, violence, dismemberment, rape, death, jealousy and for a added flair love. Because of all this, it is definitely a 18+ read. I wouldn't suggest this to kids, at all.

I don't want to ruin much of the manga so I will keep this part short and fairly sweet. These boys will do anything and I mean anything for the sake of Zera and the progress of building, evolving and controlling their AI, Lychee.

They have a perverse sense of 'beauty'. It's more based on looks and age, aside actual beauty.

But in this search for beauty, the main story comes into play once Lychee kidnaps Kannon. Who has become someone for Zera to worship. Kannon helps Lychee evolve into a self aware AI and the two in a very Frankenstein meets Beauty and the Beast manner fall in love.

The story is immediately engrossing and the pacing is fast enough that it doesn't drag, though the real victor here is the artwork. The art itself is immediately eye catching. The cover alone makes you want to pick it up and examine it thoroughly and once you open it you get sucked in. It's dark and gritty with a real Gothic feel too it. It's not harsh on the eyes and the contrast between light and dark leave it so that everything is perfectly clear, even what you're looking for in the shadows. The gore is amazingly detailed (so are the backgrounds) but not too over the top. Which is a good thing considering that the story will be over the top for many. It's really not something for the weak of stomach.

I highly suggest both of them though. Personally, I would read the manga over watching the Anime first. The most interesting part of the Lychee Light Club fan base is how it's in all media formats.With being based off a play preformed by the Tokyo Grand Guignol, I feel little to nothing is left out of the feel of being there watching it unfold as I read. It just engrosses the reader which sometimes is hard to come by. Sadly, it is a one shot manga. However, there is a two part prequel manga as well.

Lychee Light Club can be watched in full at Crunchyroll.com

The manga can be purchased from Amazon.com

Witchcraft Works: One of Winter 2014's Must See Series.

     

It's sad to see this one end. Witchcraft Works, while not one of the best anime's to air this Winter season, it came pretty damn close. Visually appealing, enthralling fight scenes and a grand sense of fun set this anime apart and adds to it's worth not to mention that ending song. 

Witchcraft Works plot is pretty basic for your typical Romance/Action/Fantasy/Comedy. It follows, Takamiya Honoka, a regular student whose only problem seems to be that he sits next to Kagari Ayaka, the school's "Princess" (which get's him beat by her fanclub). In trying to escape them, and through a series of rather unfortunate events, he ends up being saved by Kagari (she is mad OP). Resulting in him finding out that she is actually a witch and there is an almost like "gang" war between the Workshop and Tower witches. This is the story of Takamiya trying to survive and Kargari and his love. But don't let this horrible synopsis deter you from watching it.

The characters are highly likable, even if some lack real importance, they all grow on you to some extent. You even begin to want to know more about secondary characters than some of the main characters.

Takamiya's Mom has got it going on!

What makes Witchcraft Works amazing is everything else.

J.C. Staff have always managed to deliver us visually appealing anime. In fact they are a personal favorite when it comes to animation studios (Bones being another personal favorite). Having delivered us quality anime for years (from things like Slayers and Utena to Railgun. Golden Time and everything in between. (Excel Saga, anyone?)). It was no wonder why I was immediately taken in by Witchcraft Works. I was hooked, by the time the first episodes ended, I was telling my friends to check it out. The show was beautiful. I looked forward to Wednesdays

I craved the bright, vibrant colors of the world they painted. The world of Witchcraft Works always managed to keep me entertained. Humor is everywhere here from highly comedic "bad guys" to simple background characters antics (Llama anyone?) it keeps your attention and often demands it or else you will miss tiny, funny background quips. Everyone just wants to have fun, be it protecting the one they love or running around the background trying hard just to progress themselves.

Look at this. Stunning.

The fight scenes and magic are as equally stunning when it comes to artwork. The way the characters 'transform' and evolve was simply beautiful. I personal love each costume change Kagari goes through. 

One of my personal favorites.

The OST is decent, nothing to write home about but not horrible. The Opening is is very well done however it was cut very awkwardly. If you were to listen to it, look up the full version, it's much better. The ending however (see the video up top) is perfect. Catchy, cute, humorous and absolutely adorable. I never thought I would be one to enjoy characters being tortured so much but there it is. All the chibi cute torture glory.

Overall, if you're looking for something funny, visually appealing with the potential to grow on you and can get past the mild lack of story structure. The bonus, there are so many characters to fall in love with and so many options when it comes to awesome outfits, it's a cosplay dreamworld. Witchcraft Works is a must to check out.

Witchcraft Works can be found Streaming at Crunchyroll.com

Recently, My Sister is Unusual: Subtle Doesn't Exist Here.

It figures. I am a bit late to the game. I've been meaning to write up this 'review' for a while now but I never got around to it. There was just too much to this train wreck that I couldn't pull myself away from. However, now I feel the time is right. The series just recently ended and now I can give a full review and bring together my thoughts accurately on the subject.

But first, let's talk for a moment about subtly. Anime has never been much for it. It's something (much like life) you either have or you don't. Recently, My Sister is Unusual takes subtly and throws it out the damn window. From the first ten minutes of episode one you're already guaranteed a trip into some form of perverted hell. At least it becomes an enjoyable hell.

If you're a fan of the Imouto (little sister) genre of anime or into anime that pushes the fan service border. Then Recently, My Sister is Unusual is right up your alley.

The story for Recently is fairly simple. It follows the story of Kanzaki Mitsuki who reluctantly 'inherits' a older brother (Yuuya) when her mother remarries his father. Not long after, the parents are transferred over seas leaving Mitsuki alone with her new step brother.

Typical story, right? Wrong.

Let's add in the fact that one day, Mitsuki is visited by an angelic ghost named Hiyori who is the lost spirit of a girl who died. She can't reach the gates of heaven or obtain eternal peace unless she manages to sever the ties that bind her here. Those ties unfortunately seem to be the fact that she was in love with Yuuya and never got to tell him/get those feelings reciprocated and thus periodically kicks Mitsuki out of her own body in order to use it.
At least Hiyori has a cute rape face.

Still kind of typical, right?

How about we add in the only way to reach the gates of heaven is to create the stairway using sexual feelings. These feelings fill a heart shaped gauge on the chastity belt that magically appeared on Mitsuki (thanks to Hiyori). Yes, that is right...poor Mitsuki has to gain sexual feelings from her now step brother Yuuya.


I mean who wouldn't want to wear a black thong when it has such a cute little heart?

But wait! There is more! Queue the obnoxious over sexual fan service. Hiyori, missing the fact she no longer has a body has decided that the best way for her and Mitsuki to bond themselves is by vigorous amounts of masturbation. It's even portrayed a lot as a if you're in a dating sim. However, the choice is not yours...or Mitsuki's for that matter. Hiyori doesn't believe in no.

All aboard the Ra...no...just No.

Aside from the fact that the anime appears to just want to cater to fan service of the adult variety or for those who don't know or care for subtly, the more I watched it, the more it grew on me. The story does in fact unfold past the fan service and for the most part it's a rather cute story. The characters grow on you and you even feel bad for them at one point. Mainly the main character, Mitsuki as her feelings are all over the place. Not only in the fact that she inevitably ends up crushing on Yuuya but the feelings she has due to her family life and always being alone/ having to adjust to now having a family, but the bond she ends up forming with Hiyori made me a bit sad when it ended.

Overall, if you want a cute story with a great art style (and you can handle gross amounts of sexualization and fan service) I highly suggest checking it out. It's definitely a mature anime and not suggested to be watched by kids (even though it's censored by hearts, it's still obvious what's going on)


Even with that heart, there is no hiding that moistness.

Recently, My Sister is Unusual can be found streaming at Crunchyroll.com