Hot and Bothered: 'A Court of Mist and Fury' Review

A Court of Mist and Fury

Author: Sarah J Maas
Genre: Fantasy, New Adult, Young Adult, Romance
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Page Number: 640

Goodreads / Amazon

Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas's masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.

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There are three types of people who have read both 'A Court of Thorns and Roses' and 'A Court of Mist and Fury'. 
1) People who liked ACOTAR and liked ACOMAF.
2) People who didn't like ACOTAR but read ACOMAF and liked it.
3) People who didn't like either book.
Guess which one I'm in?
(If you guess option 3, you're correct!) 

Honestly, I didn't really like the world of the fae in this series. Something about the courts or whatnots. I wasn't a huge fan. Like most people who didn't like ACOTAR, I was peer pressured into reading this book. (Not by any one person in particular. Just ACOTAR fans as a whole.) There were aspects of the book I did like, though. (As there are with most books.)

I really liked the romance. Strange as it sounds. The two of them were very complicated together. Their relationship was strange. It was tense at first, but it changed completely by the end. Their banter was funny. I didn't expect to like it so much. Since I knew what would happen in the end (Or some part of it), I was surprised by the changes in their romance. It was cute seeing them come together and get close. I don't necessarily ship it, but I approve. 
The chemistry, though, was insane. My heart was racing whenever they had intimate scenes. 
I do want to acknowledge the sex scenes, though. They ARE there. And there are maybe...three or four of them. And they are pretty descriptive. They don't have vulgar language or anything, but they have words like 'cock' and stuff. A lot of it is implied. It's not straight up erotica. So if you don't know what sex is before this book, you'll definitely find out. (Also, was anyone else more 'hot and bothered' about Tamlin's sex scene and not Chapter 55's? Because...that's me. Strange...)

Rhysand was a broken character. My heart went out to him. Antiheroes are amazing, and I was completely caught off guard about his reasons for his actions Under the Mountain (Still wondering why we have to use capital letters for the U and M.) Feyre's acceptance of that is amazing. She felt for him. She understood him. Honestly, we need people who are like Feyre. She isn't the nicest person in the bunch, but she is caring. And that's a breath of fresh air.

On the other hand, I felt like I couldn't connect to the story. There was something about it that made me not connect. Maybe the characters or the more adult nature of the book...I'm not sure. But I didn't feel like Feyre was someone I could truly relate to or open up to. 

The plot was fine, but I felt like it could have been better. It was interesting to see Feyre come into her powers and seeing her argue with Rhysand, but I wanted more action. We had action scenes mostly at the end and scattered throughout the middle, but these weren't like the action scenes from the last book. Plus, who wouldn't want to see Feyre unleash her powers on someone?

At the end, we're given a completely random Rhysand chapter. The entire book is in Feyre's point of view, yet we get this ONE Rhysand chapter. Sure, it revealed some important information, but Feyre could have explained it on her own. Seems a tad redundant to me.

'Spells and Sorcery' Didn't Cast a Spell on Me

Spells and Sorcery

Author: S Usher Evans

Goodreads / Amazon

You have magic.

One sentence, three words, four syllables. Enough to change my life forever. And I'm not talking about the whole spells and sorcery thing.

Lexie Carrigan thought the weirdest thing about her was she preferred watching documentaries and reading the newspaper to reality TV and Twitter. But on the eve of her fifteenth birthday, her aunt and sisters drop a bomb--she's magical.

Now the girl who never made waves is blowing up her nightstand and trying to keep from wreaking havoc on her school. When a kind stranger shows up with all the answers, Lexie hopes he'll be able to help her control her newfound powers. But Gavon may not be as kind as he seems, and soon Lexie finds out that being magical is the least weird thing about her.

Spells and Sorcery is the first YA fantasy from S. Usher Evans, author of the Razia series, the Madion War Trilogy and Empath.

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I actually haven't read anything by this author before. I had heard a lot about her books, though. So I was excited to read this.

I got this as an eARC from the publisher. 

This was an interesting story. I didn't know a whole lot about the plot at first. And the plot wasn't that interesting, but things DID get very interesting towards the end. 

Likes:

• Typically, you don't get a lot of history on the magic. The only fiction I can think of that has details on magical history is the Harry Potter series. And Harry Potter is the exception to the rule in almost every way. There is a lot of magical history in this book. I really liked it. Books about magic seem to gloss over the origins and history of magic. But these things exist. It's as if you write a dystopian novel with no clue how the dystopia formed. That sort of thing. I'm happy this book does have a magical history. But it's kinda ironic that it came in the form of a book. Book within a book, you know?
• The ending is pretty interesting. We have an interesting clan v clan thing going on. I'm not exactly sure of the details. (I read the ending as I was beginning to doze off...) But I did kinda guess the plot twist. I am interested in seeing what happens next. Will he come for her? Or no? Hm...

Dislikes:

• Lexie made me mad. She was so whiny. I got tired of her fast. She kept pushing Gavon. If I was Gavon, I'd drop it like it's hot. She was such a brat. She kept complaining and forcing people to do things. I have no clue how any of her family put up with her. Plus, she seemed fine at first. What changed?
• The plot wasn't extravagant. That could be on purpose. But with magic books, I expect a lot of pew pew WHOOSH EXPLOSIONS sort of thing. I didn't mind the little sparring, but it didn't feel like enough. I know Harry Potter (Which is also about a person finding out 'yer a wizard) isn't all fight scenes AT FIRST. But the training exercises get boring unless you ramp up the stakes. Which this book didn't have a lot of.

Verdict:

Magical history is a plus, but, otherwise, it's okay

Battle of the Four Fantasy Animes

As I write this post, Re:Zero is on its nineteenth episode. Re:Zero was the main event of the spring 2016 season and continued to be a hit during the summer 2016 season. This anime follows a 'fish out of water' premise. Subaru arrives in a fantasy world and has to solve problems when he dies and is revived. It's combining the fantasy world elements of KonoSuba with the revival elements of ERASED. Many people compare Re:Zero to KonoSuba, (Whose second season will be released later in 2016) No Game No Life (Sorta), and even Sword Art Online. I have seen all four animes and will be comparing them to one another in three categories.

Here are the Myanimelist (MAL) links for each anime:
Re:Zero
No Game No Life
KonoSuba
Sword Art Online

Since I already have set opinions of these animes, I'll try to be as unbiased as I can.

FISH OUT OF WATER

Let's start with the basic premise: the fish out of water concept. This is when a character is plucked from their world and plopped down in another one.

• With Re:Zero, Subaru is out shopping for groceries when he is taken to his fantasy world. The world he is introduced to has many different races, and he encounters trouble right off the bat. This concept is done well here. Subaru doesn't know anything about this world, but he adapts quickly. This is a good example of the concept done right. He learns the language or tries to. And he tries to adapt to its customs. 
• No Game No Life has the sibling duo Shiro and Sora are taken by the childish god Tet to a world where games. They immediately take on an opponent. This duo easily takes on the fish out of water concept. They don't hesitate to participate in games. They aren't exactly the typical characters in a fish out of water scenario, but they are still surprised by their new surroundings. They don't adapt well to their new world. Instead, they push back and use their old world devices. They do learn the language and some modicum of the government, but they leave most of the heavy lifting to the side characters. This is a good example of taking the concept and adding a twist to it. 
• KonoSuba starts with Kazuma being hit by a tractor in a feeble attempt to save a girl's life. The first world we see is actually limbo, the place between life and death. He is then taken to a fantasy world. The way he acts in his world is as if he assumes he is the hero of the entire world. He acts like everything will be handed to him, and with only video games as his basis of knowledge, it's obvious to see why. I disliked the way this anime handled the concept. It wasn't funny to see him act all pompous when things needed to be done. He didn't adapt to this environment, and it made me mad. Adapting to different environments is how you live life. Kazuma seemed to forget that.
• Sword Art Online has Kirito willingly putting on his NerveGear and entering the game. Out of the four animes, this is the one with the least amount of the concept. He isn't in a new environment; he was a beta tester and had already been exposed to the world. But then there are changes in the playing of the game. After all, the selling point for Sword Art Online is kids locked in a video game. That's the new part of the story. Kirito doesn't adapt to this, much like Kazuma. He plays solo and completely ignores the many deaths. That isn't how the concept is supposed to be taken. Again, adapting equals survival. 

Out of all the animes, 'No Game No Life' and 'Re:Zero' use this concept the best.

Fantasy Elements

What's more important than the fish out of water concept in all four animes? Fantasy elements.

• Re:Zero introduces half-elves and magic and demihumans. These are all used fantasy elements, but Re:Zero introduces other elements that are unique. Take the mabeasts for example. They're creatures that look like they've been possessed. But we truly don't know a lot about them. I haven't seen creatures called mabeasts before. Sure, I've been possessed animals but not of the size of the White Whale. It's different. And while some elements of Re:Zero have been used before, there are different things that I haven't seen before.
• The game element of No Game No Life is completely different. Before this, I hadn't seen anything like that before. The game element was what drew me in the first place. The rules are complicated at times, but some games are simple. The games aren't just chess and Texas Hold Em, though. There are simple games such as rock-paper-scissors as well.
• KonoSuba shows a world with the typical fantasy elements. There are magical powers and guilds. The goddess part threw me off a bit because goddesses don't typically interact with characters. But it's still a typical fantasy world.
• The sword fighting in Sword Art Online combined with its unique bosses and items makes it stand out. Sure, the video game setting isn't unique, but some of the parts of the world are different. There isn't a lot of fantasy within Sword Art Online, but there's enough for it to be different. The bosses do set it apart compared to other fantasy worlds. But with the advanced technology, some might label this a science fiction world. To me, it is all set in a FANTASY video game, so it's fantasy. 

The best fantasy world has to be 'No Game No Life's. It's completely unique and stands out from the crowd. 

Main Character

What makes an anime? The main character, of course. I'm warning you now that this might turn into a bit of a rant.

• Subaru is a bit of a sore spot for me. At first, he seems great. He's a kind character who doesn't take it too far. But he turns into more of a brat as the anime goes on. At this point, he's redeemed himself, but he's still driving me nuts with his whining. At least, they haven't pulled the 'he has unlocked potential' on me.
• Shiro and Sora are funny. Much like the fantasy world of that anime, they're unique. They're silly and smart and NEETs. I kinda love them for that. They whine, but it's funny. 
• Kazuma is whiny. He constantly complains why he doesn't get a sword immediately upon entering a guild. It made me mad. He thinks that everything will be handed to him on a silver platter. And I can't stand stuck-uppities like that.
• And, of course, Kirito. I didn't really see his godly powers until I watched Digibro ranting on him. So I can't definitively say whether or not he was overpowered. But he was annoying as a 'badass' brooder. He was so antisocial. Even an introvert like me thought he was too antisocial. He cut himself off from the rest of the world. And that's not healthy. 

Shiro and Sora top this category with Subaru right behind them.

Personally, Re:Zero tops both Sword Art Online and KonoSuba. 
Sword Art Online has a terrible history of being overdone, (Especially with the main character Kirito) and its second season has been sullied multiple times. 
And KonoSuba simply didn't work out for me. The fanservice was overdone, and both of the main characters were brats. I couldn't stand them. The first episode really did it for me. 
But No Game No Life isn't a bad anime. It has a lot of good elements. I'm just not a huge fan.

What do you think? Which of these animes is your favorite? Which one is the worst?

Kamis, Kitsunes, Tengus, Oh My!: 'Kamisama Kiss' Review

Kamisama Hajimemashita (Kamisama Kiss)

Studio: TMS Entertainment
Producer: TV Tokyo, Dentsu, Sotsu,Pony Canyon, Hakusensha, DAX Production
Genre: Comedy, Demons, Fantasy, Romance, Shoujo, Supernatural
Episodes: 13
Episode Length: 24 minutes per episode

Nanami Momozono dreams of living a normal life, just like any other average high school girl. Instead, she must cope with the fact that her deadbeat father accumulated a bunch of gambling debts and abandoned her. And since she can't afford to pay the rent, she's now homeless. Despite this unfortunate turn of events, Nanami still maintains a kind heart.

One day in the park, she saves a poor man from a vicious attack, and in a perfect example of how good deeds are rewarded, the man thanks her by giving her his home. The offer sounds suspicious, but beggars can't be choosers. When Nanami arrives at the man's home, however, she discovers it isn't a house at all. It's a shrine. She learns that the man she saved was actually a god and that by giving her his home, she has now assumed his godhood and all of the duties that go along with it.

The role seems daunting but it turns out that the previous god had a familiar named Tomoe. A powerful and skilled fox demon, Tomoe should be able to help Nanami transition into her new role as a deity... if the two of them don't kill each other first, that is. Kamisama Hajimemashita follows Nanami's life as a human god, her quest to win Tomoe's trust, and the romantic feelings she develops for him along the way.

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For me, Kamisama Kiss is Noragami (The gods part) + Fruits Basket (The kind main girl part) + Inu x Boku SS (The protector of main girl part.)

Admittedly, I like all of those animes (Except maybe Fruits Basket. That's just okay.) I didn't expect this anime to combine some of the best elements from those animes into one. And it's not the best or the worst.

Nanami was a great character. Typically, I don't like the sweet, kind characters because they're Plain Janes (or Mary Sues. Same idea.) They're boring, to say the least. It's hard to do a kind character justice because everyone sees them as someone to assist. That's why they're TERRIBLE main characters. But Nanami has pizazz. She was feisty and fierce. I loved that. She could sass someone into submission, but she truly cared for people. We need more Nanamis in the world. People who truly care for others. It's refreshing. 

(Just saying, but another good example of this character type done well is in Tohru from Fruits Basket. She too is very kind, but this makes her likable and a good ally for the Sohma family.)

When you introduce two people who are supposed to fall for each other, there is some drive within me that screams 'KISS NOW'. I'll definitely root for you (With a few grumbles) if you're meant to be together. (Typically, though, my favorite ships are non-canon.) Canon ships are the easiest to root for because the creator makes them that way. It's instinctual for me to root for a canon ship.

But Tomoe and Nanami weren't too bad to root for to begin with. I knew that this shoujo anime would follow a romantic subplot, but that's the kicker. The romance IS a subplot. It's not essential to the anime. We could have the two stay as friends, and things would be fine. (Most people would jump in here and claim "But it'd be awkward!" I defy you and ask a single question: "Can a guy and girl be friends without having feelings for each other?" The answer is a resolute yes. So no, you're wrong in this case. It won't be awkward unless you MAKE it awkward. Wrenisms.)

These two had this cute, little chemistry going on. The romance seems uncalled for in the beginning, but you truly see how much they care for each other. If you show me that they truly have feelings for each other, then I'll ship it a little bit. 

Also, on a sidenote, chibi Tomoe is adorable. Seriously.

While I like Nanami, Tomoe is another story. To me, he's a prick who shuts everyone out. People will cry, "BUT HE'S SOO HOT." I deny that too. Brooding boys can be cute. But they can't be pricks. Tomoe was REALLY toeing the Prick Line. (That line divides the pricks of the world from the nice people. Or mildly nice people in my case. Haha.) 

I know that I didn't like him as much was because there was a lack of backstory. We had TWO trips to the past, but we didn't learn a lot about Tomoe. 

I can sum up the knowledge in two statements. A) He used to date a cute human girl and B) He used to kill people. But that's all. We don't learn about WHY he killed people or anything like that. We don't even learn how he met Mikage one of the unseen forces that drives this anime! 

(Again, let me refer to Fruits Basket. That anime did the Brooding Badass character pretty well. Kyo isn't the most lovable character, but you begin to love him as you learn his...wait for it...BACKSTORY. Backstory is KEY for any character. It builds them up, and it drives them forwards.) 

Perhaps, in season two, we learn more about his past. But I'm kinda done with this anime...

And the plot, which is a driving force for ANY anime, felt odd. It felt disjointed at times. Sure, I loved seeing Nanami's love for Tomoe when she went into the past to get the eye, but I didn't see much relevance to her being a god and all. This anime is very episodic. I typically can swallow episodic animes, but this felt weird. The episodes seemed scattered. Some were about Nanami as a god and others as bonding moments between the couple. It didn't feel normal. I didn't like it. 

Verdict:

Would kiss again. Maybe.

'Attack on Titan' Copycat? Not Really: 'Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress' Review

Koutetsujou no Kabaneri (Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress)

Studio: Wit Studio
Producer: Aniplex, Dentsu, Fuji TV,Kyoraku Industrial Holdings, Kansai Telecasting Corporation
Genre: Action, Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Episodes: 12
Episode Length: 22 minutes per episode

As the world is in the middle of an industrial revolution, a monster appears that cannot be defeated unless its heart, which is protected by a layer of iron, is pierced. By infecting humans with its bite, the monster can create aggressive and undead creatures known as Kabane. On the island Hinomoto, located in the far east, people have built stations to shelter themselves from these creatures. People access the station, as well as transport wares between them, with the help of a locomotive running on steam, called Hayajiro. Ikoma, a boy who lives in the Aragane station and helps to build Hayajiro, creates his own weapon called Tsuranukizutsu in order to defeat the creatures. One day, as he waits for an opportunity to use his weapon, he meets a girl named Mumei, who is excused from the mandatory Kabane inspection. During the night, Ikoma meets Mumei again as he sees Hayajiro going out of control. The staff on the locomotive has turned into the creatures. The station, now under attack by Kabane, is the opportunity Ikoma has been looking for.

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Many people called 'Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress' a copy of 'Attack on Titan'. But I disagree. Sure, there are elements that seem similar, but nothing is outright copied. It's a different anime with a different story. 

My favorite part of this anime had to be the main characters. 

Ikoma was this complex character, and I absolutely adored him. He was caring and kind, but he also had a troubled past. I wanted to know more about him. He was admirable for all the things he did. He risked his life for these people. He risked his humanity for them. 

Something I felt was a bit lacking was his motivations. His backstory was great, but I felt like it didn't explain why he became a Kabaneri. Was it his will to live? Was it his want to continue his research? It's never really explained, and I wanted to know why. 

Mumei was the best. She was all sweet and innocent until she whipped out her gun and turned you into a slice of swiss cheese. I loved how badass she was. But she still kept this air of innocence which made me love her even more. Through all that she's been through, you forget she's just a kid until she flashes you a sweet smile. It really shows what this world's kids have to go through on a daily basis. Even if Mumei is a bit of an exception.

She was this intricate character who went through a lot. She had an awful experience in her childhood with people wanting her to be killed, and she really saw Biba as her savior. It's something I find interesting. She loved Biba to death, and him being the opposite of sunshine and rainbows threw her for a loop. At times, the people you can trust aren't trustworthy at all. And Mumei really shows a good example of this.

I want to touch upon the supposed 'villain' of this anime for a second. Biba is also very interesting. I felt like his motivations fell a bit flat. He really seems like an antihero to me. Sure, he unleashed hell onto lots of different places, but I felt like he did it from a good place. He was all for lots of bad things, but I felt like his motivations were good. If we had more information about Biba, I might understand him better. He just didn't seem like an obvious villain to me.

I'm a huge fan of animes/books/anything that picks up the issue of human versus -insert monster here-. This anime does a great job of showing the human versus Kabane problem. Most people would turn on the Kabaneri because of the tiny portion of the Kabane in them. The Kabane terrify everyone, and they would do anything to get away from them. But Ikoma and Mumei are different. They're more human than the humans expect, and they do want to protect their loved ones. The Kabaneri can be more human than Kabane, and it's something the humans have to come to terms with. It's this struggle that is really interesting in this anime.

This is the best one I could find...

The OP was gorgeous. It's by EGOIST one of my favorite Japanese bands out there. They did the soundtrack. (OST) to 'Guilty Crown' which has the BEST OST ever. I love the OP to death. It's something I'd play on repeat forever and ever.

It's a beautiful song, and it really works with the anime. Especially the line about fighting for your friends. That's so true for Ikoma. He would die for his friends. And he almost does. Many, many times. 

On the other hand, though, the story was a huge problem for me. It felt way too drawn out. We had multiple scenes of Ikoma and Mumei fighting Kabane. Not that I don't love the animation, but I felt like the Biba arc could have come in earlier. The action truly comes from that arc and not mindlessly fighting Kabane. 

But the worst of all? The ending. I couldn't believe it. For a good second, I thought a certain important someone would die. That would have been interesting. Not every anime has to have a happy ending. Anyways, if he had died, then certain people could have had a sequel where they deal with their grief and try to figure out what happens next. The last episode felt rushed and abrupt. I couldn't believe it was the last episode. So many things that could have gone right were totally wrong.

Again, not everything has to have a happy ending.

Verdict:

If you like lots of action scenes and little story, this is for you.

Are You a Monster? 'This Savage Song' Review

This Savage Song

Author: Victoria Schwab

Goodreads / Amazon

There’s no such thing as safe in a city at war, a city overrun with monsters. In this dark urban fantasy from author Victoria Schwab, a young woman and a young man must choose whether to become heroes or villains—and friends or enemies—with the future of their home at stake. The first of two books.

Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city—a city where the violence has begun to breed actual monsters. All Kate wants is to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes the humans pay for his protection. All August wants is to be human, as good-hearted as his own father, to play a bigger role in protecting the innocent—but he’s one of the monsters. One who can steal a soul with a simple strain of music. When the chance arises to keep an eye on Kate, who’s just been kicked out of her sixth boarding school and returned home, August jumps at it. But Kate discovers August’s secret, and after a failed assassination attempt the pair must flee for their lives.

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I'm so honored to have an ARC of this book. Thank you, Emily for this ARC. Love you!

I wanted to like this book way more than I did. Sure, I did quite like it, but there were some things lacking.

First and foremost, August Flynn is amazing. He's so human it hurts. I adored him. He's not my favorite Schwab character, (By a landslide, that's Victor Vale) but I could really connect to August. He was caring. And he truly didn't want anyone hurt. A human in a monster's skin. Doesn't everyone feel like that sometimes?
His side of the story hurt my heart. I'd love to see more from him. Really.
(By the way, does anyone else read his name as Augustus? I'm not sure why, but I do.)

I want to touch upon Kate Harker for a quick second. She had an intersecting backstory. And if the story was just her story, I might have liked her more. But she acts so brash, so sometimes that it doesn't work. Yes, I know that's contradictory since I liked the brash Lila Bard from A Darker Shade of Magic, but Kate pushes it too far. And while she seems monstrous, her humanity is so significant that it negates her acts and just makes her a brat.

The second half of the book (With August and Kate on the run) was way more interesting than the two of them talking and getting to know each other. I'll touch upon my thoughts on the first half of the book later, but the second half was much better. I felt more engaged in the story and less bored.
As a reader, I prefer stories with action compared to long pieces of talking. Even if I write lots of dialogue in my own pieces.

And the twist ending. Man, I never expected that. It really shocked me. I never expected that. I guess, looking back, I could have guessed it. But still.

Per usual with Schwab books, the action was amazing. It was heart pounding and descriptive. I felt immersed in the fight scenes. I definitely wanted more.

Victoria Schwab is known for her A+ storytelling and worlds. But the world for this book was a bit confusing. I was a bit lost on how these monsters were created. (Just saying, if a Sunai went dark, wouldn't a new Sunai be created?) Admittedly, it's a new and strange world. But I felt like there were some gaps. Why did the Sunai use music? How exactly are these monsters created? What are their weakness? I was lost on whether this was a book about the monsters or the people in this monstrous world.

And the thing that I disliked the most was the slow start. There is too much time spent with August and Kate at Colton. I honestly didn't care much for the boring talk between the two of them. As I said, I prefer action. If the second half with the action and running had happened earlier, I might have been more interesting. This was a main sour point for me since I really couldn't get into the story. I actually had to put the book down. It was that hard to swallow.

What did you think of the book? Who was your favorite character? And are you a monstrous human or human monster?

Why 'Magi: Labyrinth of Magic' Works

Magi: Labyrinth of Magic 

Studio: A-1 Pictures
Producer: Aniplex, Dentsu,Shogakukan Productions, Mainichi Broadcasting, Movic
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Magic, Shounen
Episodes: 25
Episode Length: 24 minutes per episode

Dispersed around the world, there are several bizarre labyrinths hiding incredible treasures within them. These mysterious places, known as "Dungeons," are said to be the work of Magi, a class of rare magicians, who also help people build their empires by guiding them to a dungeon. Djinns, supernatural beings that rule over the labyrinths, grant successful conquerors access to their immense power and choose them as potential king candidates to rule the world.

Having spent life in isolation, Aladdin, a kind and young magician, is eager to explore the world upon finally leaving his home behind. He begins his journey only accompanied by his mentor Ugo—a djinn that Aladdin can summon with his flute. However, Aladdin soon becomes friends with the courageous Alibaba Saluja after causing the destruction of a local merchant's supply cart. In order to pay for the damages, Alibaba suggests that they attempt to conquer the nearest dungeon, taking the first step in an epic adventure that will decide the fate of the world itself.

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I recently finished the amazing anime that is 'Magi: Labyrinth of Magic'. This anime is really popular. (I mean...there are Aladdin and Alibaba plushies out there!) I've heard about it before (Many times over.) But I never really got into it. (I went through a 'No mainstream ANYTHING' phase. Yeah, that was not fun...)
So, basically, this summer is 'Wren catches up with popular animes'. Derp. ~(._.)~
But, gosh, this is an amazing anime. It's so amazing. I can't stop gushing about it. (Well...I'll stop as soon as I start 'Your Lie in April'. Then ALL my Tweets will be GIFs of me crying. Can't wait for that, am I right?)
Even though I wasn't a huge fan at first. (Truth.)

This anime blew me away. (Which is another way to say 'I LOVE MAGI' subtly. Subtle.) You're probably wondering why. I mean, that's what this review is for! And you're obviously reading this review. Sooo. You know.

1) I actually felt something. 

In my cold, stone heart, I felt something. This anime seems like a lighthearted shounen until it slams you in the gut and screams "NO" really loudly. And flips the table. And steals your drink. (This anime is very cruel at times.)

I had so many feels while watching this. Okay...I'll admit the first half or so with the 'Morgiana and Alibaba and Aladdin are separated. Oh no!' stuff, I got bored. Very so. But I persevered! That's when I hit the jackpot. 

This anime turns into a ball of deadly kill-your-feels scenes with a little dash of tears. Okay...more like a lot of tears. 

(I'm going to direct you to my analysis of episode 17. Ehem. Episode 17 Crying and laughing at the same time is a sign of madness...I meant an amazing anime. Hahahaha...ha.)
My emotions were constantly on a rollercoaster once this anime started to pick up. This really happened with the Balbadd episodes. And, man, was that a good arc... 
But really. The emotions behind Alibaba's decisions and his rough past were really moving. And then the whole light and dark thing in the Zagan/the Organization arc? WOW. That was gorgeous. 

There were also many scenes that made you root for the underdogs. All the fight scenes for example. You cheered for Alibaba and Aladdin and Morgiana. I might have actually shouted loudly...once...or twice...or thrice... Yeah, this anime got me really riled up. (Not to mention all the times I yelled 'Democracy!')

So, yes, this anime will make you cry. And scream. And cheer. But it's great because of it.

2) The power of light is tainted with lies and deceit but ultimately gets through it all.

Yes, this is a typical shounen with the light versus dark theme. But this anime does it better than I've seen before. The rukh symbolizes the light and dark (As does the Sindria arc's growing purple-ish bruise-ish thing.) 

The fight between light and dark is fantastic, and it starts when Judal is introduced really. (Which is really early on.) The Sindria arc focuses more on the dark and light, but the Balbadd arc touches upon it (With Kassim. You can hear my wailing now.)

I want to talk about the Organization instead. I talked about Kassim in my episode analysis. (Another shameless plug.) 
This is a group of bad guys. As typical of a shounen anime. But they infuse themselves with 'depravity'. In case you need to know the definition, I've pasted it below:

"Depravity: noun

moral corruption; wickedness."

Thanks, Google.
This is really interesting. The Organization has good intentions. (They want to avoid something...that seems unavoidable. Yup, no spoilers!) And they just chose the wrong way to do it. Then they try to bring everyone else to the dark side (Which I am a member of. I have fun here. We have cookies. And Darth Vader. And Victor Vale. WOOT WOOT.) 
But while the Organization is very stereotypical, the approach is different. This is focused on depravity and infecting people with darkness. Which is very interesting. Most 'organizations' just want to destroy everything. But this one doesn't. Hm. Interesting, no?

3) Alibaba isn't your stereotypical hero. 

He debates between light and dark. He falters. 
I would say a spoiler here...but I won't. You're welcome. But I'll SHOW a spoiler instead! -evil laughter-

Constantly, he's teased by the dark side. But he has friendship and hope. And this brings out the best in him. He doesn't succumb to darkness (Or depravity as in this anime.) He fights through it. And that's amazing. He's not this insane hero of the light. He's a hero of the gray. 
And that makes him real. Not every real life hero has the most amazing scruples. They might fall. Maybe a little smoke or a little drink. Or, in Alibaba's case, a little DESTRUCTION OF AN ENTIRE KINGDOM. You know, small stuff. But they bounce back. And so did Alibaba. 

I admire him. That's for sure.

4) Aladdin and Alibaba are FRIENDSHIP GOALS.

The two of them are so close. They barely know each other in the beginning, but, by the end, they're best friends forever and ever and ever. They go through so much together. And they grow a connection because of it.

And, the thing is, Aladdin is Alibaba's light. He saves Alibaba many times. Sure, this gets a bit awkward if Aladdin was, say, Alibaba's love interesting, but this anime pulls the friendship card. And this works really well. 
You get invested in their friendship. And you just want them to be together. Forever. 

And last, but not least, the best reason of all.

5) Cute boys.

Yes, this is petty, I know. But still! These boys were very attractive. And that's a nice touch for a viewer. And I will now rate them on their level of attractiveness. The results are surprising.

Numbah One: Ugo

He's blue and cute. And really helpful. The first glimpse of him is deceiving, but his face is extremely attractive.

Numbah Two: Hakuryuu

I mean...brooding, distant prince is attractive. Plus, that scar, though. It reminds me of Zuko from 'Avatar: The Last Airbender'.

Numbah Three: Alibaba

Alibaba is awesome. He's cool even without his childish, chubby face. But the face tops things off.

Numbah Four: Sinbad

You're probably wondering why he isn't higher on this list. It's because UGO IS LIFE. Sinbad isn't that bad. He's really ripped, though. But you know...I like Romano and all. So.

So have you seen this anime? What did you think?And how cute is Ugo? SUPER DUPER RIGHT?

How Episode 17 of 'Magi: Labyrinth of Magic' Made Me Cry So Hard

Aka a picture of me during the end of this episode

Oh my god. I just watched this episode. To get an idea of how much of a rollercoaster it was, I'll tell you this: I ended up crying and laughing at the end of the episode.

Here's a bit about the episode if you forgot or something. By the way, SPOILER ALERT.
We're in Balbadd, Alibaba's home country.  We have the Fog Troupe that attacks nobles and government officials in the fog. Aladdin and Sinbad and Morgiana go to fight the Fog Troupe, but they discover Alibaba, and his childhood pal Kassim, are in charge.
Of course, things are thrown off course by the Kou Empire's arrival and want to annex Balbadd. The king Ahbmad is a weakling who succumbs to the wants of riches and gold and accepts this annexation. Ahbmad is to marry a Kou princess and sign an agreement to hand over his people as slaves to the Kou empire.
The people, though, are thirsty for blood, and the Fog Troupe prepares to attack. Alibaba, on the other hand, sides with Sinbad and Aladdin on a mission for peace. He tries many different strategies, including trying to talk to the king, but none work.
His last solution is to announce a republic and tear down the agreement. The Kou princess agrees, but the king is reluctant to give up his power. He finally does, but Kassim comes in with his weapon of smoke/fog and turns into a monster. Alibaba has to defeat the Kassim demon...but can he?

And that's a short recap of the goings-on so far. Now, onto the episode itself.

Aladdin has returned from his comatose state and comes to help Alibaba. He's been out of commission for a good few episodes after trying to help Alibaba and that group fight the other magi Judal. His magoi was depleted, and Ugo seemed to be lost to him. He, of course, is fine and is just resting. Aladdin returns and gives Alibaba (who has little to no magoi left) some power. This power helps Alibaba go through the black demon and to its heart--where Kassim is. And this is where I get emotional. Kassim acknowledges his faults and his reasoning for this whole mess (which can be pinned on him.) And this scene crescendos to this masterpiece of light and sound.
And Kassim is saved.

And that's what happened in this episode. So why do I care so much?

The thing that hit me the most about this episode was not the magic but the emotions behind the episode. Sure, Judal and Aladdin had lots of fun destroying each other (Or trying to), but the real heart of this episode is in the connection between Alibaba and Kassim. I felt so many emotions watching their exchange in the glassy otherworld. Kassim finally opening up to Alibaba was a knife to the heart.
There were so many things he did wrong, but he did have a good heart. Really. I know that the show might try to paint him as a villain, but he had this good heart. And it showed.
We got to see his change from cocky to open in this episode, and it really resonated with me. I know not everyone is as open as they should, but Kassim really was an extreme form of closed off. If he had spoken to Alibaba more, something else would be the result.
Also, we got to see what their lives could have been if Kassim was more open. And, man, was that gorgeous. I love seeing things where the possibilities from other options are seen. (Maybe that why I love 'Steins;Gate' so much.) It really hit the nail on the head. If things HAD been different, live would have been drastically changed. (Then again...Alibaba wouldn't have met Aladdin.)

And another thing. The ending scene where Aladdin grants the dead souls a chance to be with their loved ones? I started to cry. And laugh. Because that was such a good deed. I can't even imagine.

So, overall, this episode was gorgeous. I adored it, and it really got me in love with this show. I'm not done with it yet (At least as I write this post), but I do appreciate it's awesomeness.