'March Comes in Like a Lion' Marches Into My Heart (Review)

3-gatsu no Lion (March Comes in Like a Lion)

Studio: Shaft
Producer: Aniplex, Dentsu, NHK,Hakusensha, Asmik Ace Entertainment,Toy's Factory
Genre: Slice of Life, Drama, Seinen, Game
Episodes: 22
Episode Length: 25 minutes

Having reached professional status in middle school, Rei Kiriyama is one of the few elite in the world of shogi. Due to this, he faces an enormous amount of pressure, both from the shogi community and his adoptive family. Seeking independence from his tense home life, he moves into an apartment in Tokyo. As a 17-year-old living on his own, Rei tends to take poor care of himself, and his reclusive personality ostracizes him from his peers in school and at the shogi hall.

However, not long after his arrival in Tokyo, Rei meets Akari, Hinata, and Momo Kawamoto, a trio of sisters living with their grandfather who owns a traditional wagashi shop. Akari, the oldest of the three girls, is determined to combat Rei's loneliness and poorly sustained lifestyle with motherly hospitality. The Kawamoto sisters, coping with past tragedies, also share with Rei a unique familial bond that he has lacked for most of his life. As he struggles to maintain himself physically and mentally through his shogi career, Rei must learn how to interact with others and understand his own complex emotions.

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NOTE: To be taken to the original picture, click on the picture. Credit goes to the original creator(s).

March Comes in Like a Lion was an anime that took me by surprise. I watched the first episode when I had time but couldn't watch another. So, months later, I finally got to finish this anime. The animation and the darkness of the first episode made me love this anime, but, as I watched the show progress, the darkness faded away to light, and the animation just got better and better. Even though the original reasons why I loved this anime might not have remained, this anime is still quite amazing.

The one thing I can say about this anime is that it is character focused. And animes should be. Without good characters, even the best plot can't save that anime. 

But I adored each and every character I met. With the exception of Masamune Gotou, but that's because he's an abusive little -insert expletive here-. I even loved Kyouko Kouda, and she was a little bossy and annoying. 

The main character Rei Kiriyama was broken and sad. He had lost his parents and sister a long time ago, but their deaths still haunted him. He played shogi for his father, not necessarily for himself until recently. Furthermore, he experienced terrible suffering because of his skills in shogi and what that did to his adopted brother Ayumu Kouda and sister Kyouko. I related to his loneliness and isolation. The last episode showcases his isolation in a flashback to his childhood. Rei reminisced about having an empty seat next to him (Implying a lack of friendship and even the presence of hatred) when he was on a school trip. He had to find a place to eat lunch alone. While I don't eat lunch alone, I don't necessarily have the same close friendships as one may think. 

I understand his loneliness. After all, two lonely souls only have each other.

While he didn't change dramatically, (He even says that he didn't change in the last episode) I could tell that something had changed. The first half of the series is spent in his head. I swear most of the dialogue I heard was monolog. It was depressing but put things in perspective. Rei was alone. He had no one to talk to but himself. And that fact forced him into this fortress of solitude (Haha.) This made the scenes with the Kawamoto family brighter. 

But the second half highlighted a change. He had people to talk to. He had friends and rivals. He no longer spent time monologuing in his head. He talked to people.

AH. I loved the Kawamoto family. They were so adorable. Momo Kawamoto was an adorable fluffball. I just wanted to hug her. Hina Kawamoto was bright and loveable as well. But Akari Kawamoto might be my favorite. She was a family person, someone who loved helping her sisters out. She could have left them; she was an adult after all, but she stayed and helped. I'm a sucker for family stories because they're sometimes better than cliche romance stories. And Akari understood things. She was wise. 

I just wish we saw more of them. They were definitely a major part of why I loved this anime, but they faded away in the second half. I can't explain why except because of the emphasis on the Lion King Tournament. 

Plus, the cats could talk. Their food-obsessed commentary kept my spirits up.

My favorite character, next to the entire Kawamoto family, was Kai Shimada. Most of the second half of the anime was spent with him and Kiriyama's burgeoning friendship. I loved seeing this high-ranked player in his natural element, talking to his family and friends. Something I noticed about Kai was that he loved shogi and his family. He was a strong character. Even in the face of defeat, even when struggling through pain, he smiled. I respected that. 

The art was gorgeous. I adored this one scene in the first episode. It was meaningful and symbolic. I loved it. This anime is full of scenes like that. There is also the recurring theme of water. Just amazing. And the background art was gorgeous as well. 

My only complaint is a major one: there was a dire lack of plot. Sure, the anime started out with Rei's tournaments, but the anime didn't really come off as a competition anime. It was more of a development anime, and, even so, it wasn't that much of a development anime either. You could take it episode by episode, but then Rei's little character development is lost. You could say it was all for the Lion King Tournament, but that is only half of the anime. I'm still confused as to how I should explain this anime. Is it episodic in nature? Or does it have an overarching arc?

But I have high hopes. The last episode is full of hints about a season two. There is the shogi-science club and Rei joining his friends at a shogi table. There is Shimada's determination to win a Master title in episode 21. There is Rei and Souya's possibly similar personalities. There are many hints to a plot in a season two, and I would watch that because I would be able to see Rei grow more as a person.

Have you seen this anime? What are your thoughts? Comment below!

Summer Successes and Slip-Ups: Summer 2016 Anime Recap

As the summer season ends, I have to state my thoughts. This was, after all, the first season I've ever watched all the way through.

I'll be ranking the top three animes as well as giving out other awards and recognitions to the animes I liked the most. This means that, of course, there will be repeats. If you want a quick review of all the animes I've watched this summer, don't forget to check out my mid-seaosn recap. I went over the animes I was watching and the ones I wasn't. I might even write a few short reviews on the animes that impacted me the most this season on a different post. But until then, let's review the season.

Top 3

Mob Psycho 100

Honestly. I am so surprised. This anime was crazy amazing. The animation style stuck out. I haven't seen anything like it before. The main character Mob was so unlike any other main character. He was cute in a quirky way. And he definitely didn't have the charisma of a typical super-superpowered guy. He was humble about it. It was...refreshing. One (The original webcomic's writer) continues to defy the current standards of anime with amazing characters who are kind and caring. He breaks the conventional norms in a way that makes me realize how wrong anime is sometimes. We have bishounen boys, and, while I do love a nice Free-esque, six pack, we take people such as Mob and Saitama for granted. Definitely a 5/5. 

Re:Zero

Okay. I admit, I didn't watch this until the summer. It is technically a spring anime that is 20+ episodes long. But I wasn't interested. It seemed like another fish out of water anime. But it isn't. Subaru isn't the most likable character. He goes through an amazing character arc. And it's not just him. Rem is fantastic too. (Ehem...Best Girl in the house.) She's so kind and loving. She cares for Subaru and Ram. Her love is open and vast. I know she'd never let Subaru get hurt. This anime had vivid colors and unforgettable OPs. The story was a little boring in the middle, but the beginning and ending were awe-inspiring. It's a new take on the reincarnation story. (Unlike ERASED and its take with Revival.) I want to see another season of this. After there is more light novel/manga material.

Amanchu

This is another anime that surprised me. It was so moving. I wanted it to be a yuri anime, but, instead, I got a new take on friendship. And I'm not upset by the lack of yuri. Teko and Pikari's story of acceptance and love is just fantastic. The colorful world underwater takes my breath away. And Teko changes too. She starts out demure and shy, but she turns into a mildly confident person. She begins the process of coming out of her shell. I want to see more of her. I want to see her dive with Pikari. But, currently, I know that Teko's starting an amazing, life-changing journey.

Best Story

Orange

I can't be the only one who doesn't particularly like episodic animes. Orange is one of the only animes of this season with a non-episodic arc. All the events in this anime are leading up to Kakeru's death, or near-death experience. We know it's going to happen. But the journey between Point A and Point B is what the story is about. We follow a typical high school journey, but there are unexpected bumps. And, truly, as someone who hasn't read the manga, that twist in the middle was not expected.

Best Male Character

Natsuki Subaru: Re:Zero

Subaru, as stated before, has an amazing change. He's snarky at first. Even a little cocky. But he sheds this self-absorbed exterior and lets his inner strength shine. He does care for people. Deeply. And Re:Zero is the story of him realizing how far he'll go for the people he loves.

Kageyama Shigeo: Mob Psycho 100

Kageyama Shigeo or Mob is amazing. He's unassuming. You'd never realized the amazing power within. Honestly, I was surprised how much I liked him. He's so quiet; if I went to his school, I'd never notice him. (I can't say the same for his brother, though.) He is truly kind. I'm happy we have an anime about a different sort of main character, one who isn't in the spotlight often. Because, often, the best heroes are the ones we don't even know about.

Best Female Character

Rem: Re:Zero

Rem is Best Girl. Honestly. She's so sweet and so kind. She seems aloof at first, but then you realize she's just an adorable puff ball of puff and sweetness. With a mace. (Not Mace. But A mace. The medieval weapon.) I would love to meet Rem in real life. She loves so deeply. She fights in Subaru's honor even after being ---------ed. (Fill in your blank. Though, this is a correct answer.)

Naho: Orange

Honestly, I put Naho on this list because she's hesitant. I know that sounds strange, but it's true. She doesn't immediately act when she gets her letter. She doubts it. And that's what would happen in real life. No one would immediately trust a letter from your supposed 'future self'. No one. Her hesitance to react and hesitance to love Kakeru is what truly makes her stand out. She's not a typically, froofy shoujo girl. She's human.

Teko: Amanchu

Teko's character development is what I love about her, much like why I love Subaru. She starts out shy and standoffis (Seeing a trend?) And becomes this beautiful butterfly. (I'm kidding...maybe?) But she's such a sweet character. I love seeing her develop with Pikari. I love seeing her learn more about diving and life and living and fun. She might be mentally in Tokyo at first, but she moves to the ocean. (This is me trying to be funny.) 

Best Couple

Rem and Subaru: Re:Zero

Okay. These two aren't really together. But I count them as a couple. Rem loves Subaru unconditionally. Even if he doesn't love her. Subaru's love for Emilia doesn't waver. Ever. It's quite amazing. Rem would do anything for Subaru. And Subaru does know that. He loves Rem for that. Not romantically. But as friends. And that's just...amazing. 
Rem x Subaru FOREVER.

Teko and Pikari: Amanchu

Is it weird that I actually thought that Amanchu was a yuri diving anime at first? Because...that's what I wanted. What I got was a complex friendship that definitely surpasses yuri. Their friendship is amazing. I want what Teko and Pikari have. I want it. You never forget a friend like Pikari. Never. 

Ko and Rin: New Game

If anything's yuri, it's these two. They work so well together. There was one episode where they were basically playing out. I swear, the studio WANTS us to think they're a couple. Rin cares so much for Ko. And Ko might not see it. (She's kinda...daft in matters of the heart.) But she's loved. It's such a cute relationship. Relationship goals.

Best OP

Amanchu

This is such a peaceful anime. It makes me want to smile whenever I think about it. The OP does reflect that. It's a song that starts out tentative and cautious before diving right in. The animation that goes along with it is just breathtaking. I feel like I'm plunged into the ocean every time.

Mob Psycho 100

1. 2. 3. 4. 
The counting part of this OP is a bit confusing to most at first until you realize that the resounding 99 is when Mob is about to explode. Thankfully, we get enough scenes of Mob reaching his breaking point. This song pumps you up. Soon enough, you'll be singing along. Mostly to the counting parts. And the animation is confusing. It's as if you're on an acid trip, but the snapshots of the Body Building Club or Teru or Reigen eating takoyaki all up in the anime. So it's an interesting peek into the going-ons.

KonoBi

Okay. This is my guilty pleasure song. It's so cute and pop-y. I love it. Plus, the animation is pretty amazing. (Except for that one creepy part when we're ogling at the teacher's body. Not that she's not cute or anything. I just...feel awkward. She's a teacher. Geez.) I love the beginning when Usami is running with a paintbrush. Amazing. It really sums up what this anime is about: art and cute middle school kids doing cute things.

Best Art Style

Mob Psycho 100

I'll say it once. I'll say it twice. Mob Psycho 100 has a unique animation style ever. It's a different art style. I constantly complained...until I got used to it. It's flashy and constantly moving. It's so unique which makes it memorable. I won't forget Mob's 100% explosions. Or Teru's insane hair. Or...anything about the art. 

Re:Zero

I love the colors. So much. And the realism. Subaru and Rem look fantastic. Not to forget Emilia or Puck. The entire anime is in this up-and-coming style which is focused on details and colors and just...ahhh. It's so amazing. I love this style. It's so good. 

Underappreciated Anime

Morose Mononokean

Okay. Truthfully, I loved watching this anime. It's cute and kinda lackluster, but Ashiya was such an interesting character. I loved how sweet he was, how compassionate. One of the few things I disliked, though, was the lack of character development. Fuzzy was cute and all, but that doesn't overshadow the lack of plot or character development. Cute but not amazing.

What was your favorite anime of the season? Who was your favorite character? 

Lost in the Adventure: 'Let's Get Lost' Review

Let's Get Lost

Author: Adi Alsaid
Goodreads / Amazon

Five strangers. Countless adventures. One epic way to get lost. 

Four teens across the country have only one thing in common: a girl named Leila. She crashes into their lives in her absurdly red car at the moment they need someone the most. 

Hudson, Bree, Elliot and Sonia find a friend in Leila. And when Leila leaves them, their lives are forever changed. But it is during Leila's own 4,268-mile journey that she discovers the most important truth—sometimes, what you need most is right where you started. And maybe the only way to find what you're looking for is to get lost along the way.

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I've always wanted to go on a huge adventure. I have terrible wanderlust. My dream is to travel the world and speak all the languages. It's far-fetched, but it's something I would love to do. And books like this help me travel. Even if I'm not physically moving (Okay, I moved from the couch downstairs to the bathroom upstairs. But still.)

The main theme of this book was 'finding yourself'. All five characters were lost (As implied by the title.) They were lost in the confusion of life. I felt connected to each of them in their lost-ness. I, too, am lost. (But in a more mental sense than physical.) 

I really liked how the author portrayed this lost-ness. It felt...real. It felt as if I could be Hudson (Not that I'm some mechanic prodigy. I'm a laziness prodigy, though) or Bree (I don't have a sister) or Elliot (I'm not crushing on anyone right now, thank you very much) or Sonia (But I doubt I'd get ONE guy much less TWO.) And Leila's lost-ness was more lost than anyone else's. She was lost in her memories. And, man, did I feel for all of them. 

I'm happy that Leila was there. I'd quite like a Leila in my life to help me get un-lost. (I'm truly a wordsmith. Un-lost. Nice one.)

One of the main selling points for this book is its unique storytelling. It isn't told by Leila throughout but has chapters told by different people during different points of Leila's journey. And it rounds things out by giving you Leila's perspective at the end. 

You got a chapter to really connect with the characters. And I felt like this succeeded. I felt for all the characters. We saw them at their worst, and they kept fighting. It's amazing that this happened in such a short time period.

Leila was truly an intriguing character. She was lost, in almost every way imaginable. Physically and mentally and emotionally. I felt so bad for her. Even before I knew what happened to her. She was such a great character. I didn't share any personal traits with her, but I truly do want to be her friend. Or her to be my friend. Either way, I want us to be friends. She was a candle of hope in the dark. And who wouldn't want a candle to be their friend? (Oh wait...) 

I only really didn't like the ending. Sure, happily ever afters are great, but it fell flat for me. With this whole adventure, I expected fireworks and cannons and cheerleaders in a pyramid. I expected a lot more from the ending. It felt so...un-Leila. She went back, and love interest appeared. It's cute, I guess, but not shocking enough.

Verdict:

Lost in the adventure

You're Losing Me, Kid: 'Phantom Limbs' Blog Tour

Phantom Limbs

Author: Paula Garner
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Death, Realistic Fiction, Disability, Romance, LGBT, Coming of Age, Family
Publisher: Candlewick
Page Number: 368 Pages

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

How do you move on from an irreplaceable loss? In a poignant debut, a sixteen-year-old boy must learn to swim against an undercurrent of grief—or be swept away by it.

Otis and Meg were inseparable until her family abruptly moved away after the terrible accident that left Otis’s little brother dead and both of their families changed forever. Since then, it’s been three years of radio silence, during which time Otis has become the unlikely protégé of eighteen-year-old Dara—part drill sergeant, part friend—who’s hell-bent on transforming Otis into the Olympic swimmer she can no longer be. But when Otis learns that Meg is coming back to town, he must face some difficult truths about the girl he’s never forgotten and the brother he’s never stopped grieving. As it becomes achingly clear that he and Meg are not the same people they were, Otis must decide what to hold on to and what to leave behind. Quietly affecting, this compulsively readable debut novel captures all the confusion, heartbreak, and fragile hope of three teens struggling to accept profound absences in their lives.

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Loss. It's something that we all experience. But do some people feel it even more than others? Does losing your best friend/crush feel worse than losing your limbs? This book explores the complex pain of loss in a unique fashion by following a horny teenage boy and his long lost crush now found.

Dara was the best. She was the only character I truly liked in this entire book. She was sassy and snarky. I'm a sucker for sassy and snarky. But she was too harsh on everybody for me to love her. But she was cool. I wouldn't ever hang out with her; she's probably hit me a lot and verbally abuse me. But I wouldn't mind watching her from a mile away. Like watching a tiger in the zoo. Because Dara is a tiger.

The emotions that Meg had were so...painful. It hurt to read it. I felt so sorry for her. And I know that people who've gone through loss aren't strangers to pity. She would hate the pity, but I still pity her. She had such a strong connection to Mason's death. It was so awful for her to go through that. I can't even imagine. The author wrote this pain so well. I feel, though, if this was Meg's story, I'd like it more.

But, I couldn't stand Otis. He is a horny teenage boy. There is no way to censor that. He thought about sex constantly and stared at every girl's ass. Even Dara's. I know that this is probably true with horny teenage boys all across the world, but we could have had less of this. It was a slap in the face. I'm used to people being perverted, but this is way too far. There is no reason for me to read this. I could talk to my Florida friends and get much funnier, perverted stuff.

I typically don't encourage people to chase after someone who doesn't want them. Not that I typically give relationship advice. But if this girl is gone, she's gone. Don't get hung up on her. Honestly, if I was Otis's friend, I'd give him some crazy good advice. For example, "Dude, she's gone. Leave it be" or "She has a boyfriend. Quit it." Stuff like that. But Otis's stalking is too far.

ABOUT PAULA GARNER:

Paula Garner spends most of her time making food, drinks, and narratives, despite being surrounded by an alarming TBR pile and a very bad cat. Her debut YA novel, Phantom Limbs, comes out from Candlewick in 2016. Paula is represented by Molly Jaffa of Folio Lit, and lives in the Chicago area with her family.

LINKS: Website | Twitter

Tour Schedule:

Week 1:

9/5: Such A Novel Idea - Guest Post

9/6: The Litaku - Review

9/7: The Irish Banana Review - Top 10

9/8: Pretty Deadly Reviews - Review

9/9: Resch Reads and Reviews - Guest Post

Week 2:

9/12: The Plot Bunny - Review

9/13: Go Read A Book - Q&A

9/14: Buried Under Books - Review

9/15: Novel Novice - Playlist

9/16: The Young Folks - Review

Giveaway:

3 Finished Copies of PHANTOM LIMBS (US Only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

'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

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.

History with a Twist: 'My Lady Jane' Review

My Lady Jane

Author: Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows
Genre: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical, Romance
Publisher: HarperTeen
Page Number: 491 pages

Goodreads / Amazon

The comical, fantastical, romantical, (not) entirely true story of Lady Jane Grey. In My Lady Jane, coauthors Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows have created a one-of-a-kind fantasy in the tradition of The Princess Bride, featuring a reluctant king, an even more reluctant queen, a noble steed, and only a passing resemblance to actual history—because sometimes history needs a little help.

At sixteen, Lady Jane Grey is about to be married off to a stranger and caught up in a conspiracy to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But those trifling problems aren’t for Jane to worry about. Jane is about to become the Queen of England. 

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History can be written over and over, but history can be boring. That's why people rewrite history. 'What if's can be interesting things. That's why we write them and read them. I don't typically read these books. Why? I'm not a fan of history. It's over and done for me, and that's all that needs to be said. The hype of this book was crazy, though. People were talking about it for a long time. Of course, this leads me to think 'Hey, why not?' After a long drought of books, this was something that people loved. I am a person, and, using logic, I should love it too.
And, yes, I kinda do love it.

The Lady Janies crafted a unique take on the story of Jane Grey. I have never read anything about her. I know more about Roman emperors than English monarchs, and I don't know a lot about Roman emperors (I used to, though. I was in Latin for three years.) With my lack of knowledge, I soldiered through this book. Thankfully, the authors supplied us with tidbits of history here and there. I know this isn't a completely accurate depiction of history, (After all, there are no shapeshifters...or are there?) but the story continued to be enjoyable. The alternate world this book takes place in is strange and unique. Many customs do stay the same, but there are major changes that make this world stand out.
I do hope we see more books set in this alternate world. I'd love to see how these shapeshifters work in real life.

Most books are written without any involvement of the authors, but this book had hilarious commentary from the authors. Their comments were throughout the entire book, and it made it every enjoyable. I learned about the invention of the modern pen and pencil and lots about the standards of society through these three ladies. I laughed out loud at their commentary at times.
Also, their hilarity seeped into the characters. G(ifford) had lots of snarky remarks, and Jane had her good share as well. (I mention them in this order since I last remember laughing at G's comments, not Jane's.) These characters were witty and sassy. But I'll talk about that in a second.

The main character Jane was sassy. But let's not forget Gracie who was a fireball too. I loved the fierce girls. They stood up for themselves and didn't take anyone's nagging. I imagine that people will brandish this book when girls ask for role models. Jane would be an amazing role model; she promotes literacy and bravery and love and compassion. Who doesn't love that? Gracie was tough and rough around the edges, but she still held her chin high. We didn't get a lot of her character because she did come at the end. Yet, she is a well-written and developed character even if she isn't one of the main characters. Both these girls were stars in their own right.
Not to say that the guys weren't done well either. The two main guys are funny. Edward is a bit of a stick in the mud, but, again, I'll address that later. G was quite a character. He was snarky and hide his feelings. I would typically fall for this type of character if I hadn't already approved of Jane and G's relationship (Which was adorable.) The split perspective of the book was done well. We got to know each of the characters. Even if some of us (Ehem me) didn't like all of them.

Although the book is titled 'My Lady Jane', two of the three main characters were guys. (Not that I have a problem with that.) I do have a minor problem with Edward the King of England. He was a bit of a sexist (Or...he was a sexist.) The reality is that men back then were sexist, and women were treated as lessers. It's the sad truth. I do understand that was how men thought, but Edward could have lessened the harsh words. A ruler of a kingdom is a good one if they are just and fair. You shouldn't judge on their gender. It's rude. Admittedly, he began to change his ways after meeting the foxy Gracie (I mean that literally.) Thank goodness for that change or I'd hate him.

I didn't expect to like it as much as I did. I laughed at the commentary and marveled in the unique world. The characters were fascinating, female and male alike. While I could do without Edward's sexist thoughts, it's something that was common in the time period and, therefore, mildly understandable.
Truly, this book is good for anyone looking for a good laugh or a new spin on the tale of Lady Jane Grey.

Did you read this book? If so, what did you think? Did you like Jane? How about G? And Edward?