Yotsuba&! (Manga)

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Name: Yotsuba&!
Type: Manga

Author: Kiyohiko Azuma

Books: 14+
Genre: Comedy, slice of life
Age Rating: n/a

Review: 
Follow the ordinary life of five-year-old Yotsuba, a strange yet adorable girl with green hair who is being raised by her adopted father.

This manga series is adorable! You get to read the surprisingly realistic stories about the everyday life of five-year-old Yotsuba. She is being raised by her adopted father, along with his goofy friends and their kind neighbors. The only character who is truly developed is Yotsuba, though the other characters are just as enjoyable in their own way, by their own right; Jumbo is a big teddy-bear, Ayumi is mature and creative, Ena is open and always smiling. Each character is so sweet to read about, and they treat Yotsuba kindly.

Yotsuba is written by the same author who wrote Azumanga Daioh. Needless to say, this series is full of humor and crazy antics. I will say, though, that many of the stories are about Yotsube learning about every-day life, much like a real five-year-old might. She learns about where milk comes from, she practices drawing, she loves her teddy bear Duralumin, and one day she pretends to be a princess after reading a fairy tale and learning that they really do exist. As someone who looks forward to having children one day, this series was so sweet and made me even more excited. 

The art is simple, yet the normal doe-eyed anime characters aren't as exaggerated, and the simple tones really fit the way this story is read. Unlike some of his other work, Azuma does a good job at differentiating the characters. It's like a funny, care-free daydream featuring a cute little green-haired fairy. Perfect for a rainy day, or when you just need something to wind down with. Suitable for all ages. 

For more from Kiyohiko Azuma, click here.

Mature Content:

• n/a

Personal Note: 
Danbo the robot made of cardboard!

Spirited Away (Movie)

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Name: Spirited Away
Type: Animation

Official Rating: PG

Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Genre: Family, adventure, fantasy

Age Rating: 11+

Review:
Chichiro and her parents become captives of the spirit world by accident while on their way to their new home. It's up to Chihiro to free her parents and escape the supernatural beings that keep her there.

The characters in this film were all so imaginative, not surprising since it's another Ghibli film. Miyazaki is one of the most creative directors out there; he is the Jim Hensen of Anime! I loved all the different creatures involved in the movie. They gave the story an almost magical feeling instead of simply being drab. cliche ghosts from the spirit world. The sound effects were once again spot-on, and the art was absolutely stunning. One thing to appreciate with Miyazaki films is the genuine art he uses. 

I really appreciated the themes of greed and family in this anime. Chichiro never gave up on her parents, and was able to remember them while she was working in the bathhouse trying to figure out how to release them from their spell. When No-Face begins throwing money around, everyone but Chichiro is desperate to be given some money, even though No-Face tries several times to give her some. Chichiro's childlike innocence prevents her from focusing on things that are not important, and she helps the spirits around her realize that a lust for money can lead to many a downfall.

Some parts of this anime might be scarier to younger viewers, such as the sight of the spirit in charge of the bathhouse Yubaba, the spider-man Kamaji, and the character, No-Face. It also mentions the "spirit world" a lot, which is where the story takes place, and implies that everyone in the bathhouse are either spirits, or somehow trapped there. Humans who live there have forgotten their names and are "owned" by Yubaba, which could seem confusing to young believers. It is important that those watching it understand that while the spirit world is real, and there is a battle against the forces of good and evil, it is not as vividly real as it is portrayed in this film. 

Mature Content: 

• Violence- Haku is wounded during a battle while he is in his dragon state, and blood is shown
• Spiritual- The movie takes place in the spirit world, and many of the characters are spirits
• Magic- Some of the characters seem to posses some sort of magic

Personal:
This movie was first introduced to me by my friend, Marina.

Chi's Sweet Home (Manga)

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Name: Chi's Sweet Home
Type: Manga

Author: Hajime Isayama

Books: 12
Genre: Comedy, family, slice of life
Age Rating: n/a

Review:
Follow the world from a cat's perspective as she learns the meaning of home and family after getting separated from her mother.

An absolutely adorable read! Chi is a cute kitten found by a loving family who takes her in as one of the family. The art is simple, but endearing, and the author does a fantastic job of distinguishing other cats from Chi. I could always tell which one she was and did not find myself confused even when she was with her sisters. Every facial expression Chi made was dramatized and delightfully charming (not to mention so adorable!). It was fun to watch Chi grow and learn alongside her human friends.

I really enjoyed reading a series that was easy to digest. A refreshing change to many fast-paced, hard-to-follow comics that I have read. The reader was only responsible for remembering a few characters, mostly centering Chi and her family. All of Chi's relationships with other cats were sweet; I especially appreciated her relationship with Blackie, an older black cat who mentors Chi on cat behavior. The whole idea of Chi being something who needs a little instruction on how to be a normal cat was humorous, and added a great effect to the comic.

The story itself is not overly stretched out; I didn't feel numbed by filler or side stories that had nothing to do with the plot. The books were fast and easy to read, and the series ends on a happy note, leaving the reader feeling warm inside, albeit a little sympathetic towards Chi's mother. I recommend these unoffensive books to lovers of cats, and people who enjoy refreshing, out-of-the-ordinary tales featuring our furry friends.

Mature Content:

• n/a

Personal Note:

Can I please get a Chi of my own?!

Ponyo (Movie)

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Name: Ponyo
Type: Animation

Official Rating: G

Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Genre: Family, adventure, drama, fantasy

Age Rating: n/a

Review:
A 5-year-old boy named Sosuke develops a relationship with Ponyo, a goldfish princess from the sea who longs to be human after falling in love with him.

This adaptation of the little mermaid story is equipped with stunning visuals and an all-star cast. The movie itself dragged on after a while, so it might be harder to watch with a restless child. The action, however, was reasonably paced throughout. The summary sounds more romantic than it actually is; Sosuke and Ponyo's relationship seems sweet and innocent rather than entirely romantic. It was also a bit strange how Ponyo was referred to as a "fish," when she possessed a human head, and what looked like little arms and legs.

The characters were all very charming and easy to fall in love with. Sosuke's mother, Lisa, and Ponyo's father, Fujimoto, are especially hilarious. Lisa was a crazy driver and took risks I never would with my child in a terrible storm, and got into a funny argument with her husband via Morse code. The long haired, bedazzled Fujimoto was portrayed by Liam Neeson, which is in its own right worthy of a laugh. This movie was really fun to watch with my brothers; we took a lot of delight out of the light-heartedness and crazy scenes. 

There were a lot of interesting and refreshing themes in Ponyo, including family and adoption, respect for elders, and the importance of staying young-at-heart. There was a scene that talked about breastfeeding a baby after Ponyo and Sasuke offer some food to a woman's baby, though it was never named directly. Overall, this was a great family-friendly movie that can be a delight for children of all ages and stages of life. It was so much fun watching it with my brothers!

Mature Content:

• Magic- Ponyo's father is a sea wizard and gathers magic from the ocean
• Ponyo transforms from a fish to a human via magic, and the transformation is a bit strange looking
• Spiritual- Ponyo's mother is the "goddess of mercy" and queen of the ocean
• "Wave Spirits" save take Ponyo back to the ocean

Personal Note: 
B-U-G-O-F-F-B-U-G-O-F-F

My Neighbor Totoro (Movie)

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Name: My neighbor Totoro
Type: Animation

Official Rating: G

Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Genre: Fantasy, family

Age Rating: n/a

Review:
Satsuki and her sister, Mei move into a new home and meet and befriend a forest spirit named Totoro.

This film was a very simple yet sweet and easy-to-grasp, family-friendly movie. It is definitely aimed more towards younger viewers, but it is a film that older children can enjoy as well (though probably not as much). However, I saw this flick with my brother and father, and my father pointed out during the movie that, "this movie is for little girls." And so, perhaps, it is, but both my brother and myself had a good time watching it together.

This story is lighthearted despite the mother's sickness, and has a good ending. The sound effects weren't as on point as they were in The Secret World of Arrietty, but the visual realistic positions the characters took on was very poignant. There was one scene that was surprising--Satsuki and Mei were taking a bath with their father. Nothing was shown, and it actually strengthened the already suggested bond the girls had with their dad.

Overall, this movie was touching and a sort of "coming-of-age" story for a family forced to move due to health problems in the family. The characters were believable, and even though a Totoro type creature isn't a realistic friend to have, the adventures they share are endearing. The plot is a bit slow, which may be frustrating to older viewers, but what it lacks in action, it makes up for in character.

Mature Content:

• Nudity- In one scene the father is bathing with his daughters; nothing but a fleeting view of a butt is shown
• Spiritual- Totoro and some of his friends are known as "forest spirits," and can do magical things, like growing trees and flying

Personal Note: 
Woo! Cat bus!

The Secret World of Arrietty (Movie)

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Name: The Secret World of Arrietty
Type: Animation

Official Rating: G

Director: Mitsubishi Toho
Genre: Adventure, fantasy, family

Age Rating: n/a

Review:

A retelling of the bestselling novel: "The Borrowers." Arrietty and full-size human Sho become unlikely friends in this tale of adventure and mystery.

This is such an endearing movie, I loved every minute of it! Not only were the characters sweet and well-developed, the art on a whole was absolutely breathtaking. It isn't very often anymore that you see a movie that uses actual hand-illustrated art in the place of computer animation. The sound effects were easily the best part: the ticking clock, the rain on the roof, their footsteps, doors opening and closing...the sound in this movie was a masterpiece in-and-of-itself, and deserves critical praise.

Apart from being a great stand-alone movie, "The Secret World of Arrietty" follows its inspiration, "The Borrowers" by Mary Norton, surprisingly well. I would say that it is a better representation of the book than the live action movie. That being said, this was my first time seeing an animated movie that is based on a book apart from manga. The character development was rich, and the dialogue was simple and sweet. It was a slow-paced movie, but what it lacked in action, it made up for in plot.

This film can be enjoyed together as a family, and has no offensive content giving it a specific age rating. I saw this with my friend and my younger brother, and we were all on the edge of our seats at the beginning when Arrietty and her father were out for sugar and tissue, and were very worried about Sho and his heart whenever he ran. I like to think he went on to live a great life after his surgery. I'll definitely be watching this with my kids!

Mature Content:

• n/a

Personal Note: 

If you are looking for an animated movie with great filmography, check out any of Studio Ghibli's flicks.

From Up on Poppy Hill (Movie)

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Name: From Up on Poppy Hill
Type: Animation

Official Rating: PG

Director: Goro Miyazaki
Genre: Drama, romance, family

Age Rating: n/a

Review:
Umi and Shun become friends in the school's newspaper clubhouse. They start liking each other, but when Umi shows Shun a picture, things start to change. To top it all, the principal is threatening to shut down the clubhouse! 

A touching story with not too many plot twists. There wasn't too much of a point to this movie, other than for simple enjoyment. Because of this, I will probably never watch it again. Still, it was enjoyable and had a lot of endearing moments. The story, while a little slow, was easy to follow and it was easy to appreciate both Umi and Shun's characters. Their romance was fluffy and they never kissed. They held hands once, and I thought it was cute. I think if they had gotten any more serious, it would have been awkward and interfered with the script. 

There is implied incest when Shun believes he shares the same father with Umi. Later on, Umi tells him she "doesn't care" if they are related, because she loves him. Aside from her stubbornness, Shun decides not to pursue Umi any longer, and begins distancing himself from her. While it is a bit uncomfortable for older audiences who can understand what is going on, I appreciated that they frowned upon their feelings for each other based on the thought of being related to one another. If they had gone ahead and continued furthering the relationship in the direction it was going, it would not have been right. Thankfully they learned that they were not related, and got everything sorted out. 

This is a family-friendly movie that is suitable to watch together, because there isn't one group that it specifically tries to draw in. Younger kids might not like how slow it is, and might not understand all that is going on because of this. Despite this, it is entertaining, and while it can get boring at times, it is pretty unoffensive. I didn't love this movie, but I hardly disliked it either. If you are a die-hard anime fan, or love Studio Ghibli, then you should watch it. Otherwise, it can be skipped.

Mature Content: 

• Sexual References- Implied incest between the main characters, but it later turns out not to be true

Personal Note: 
I really enjoy Studio Ghibli.

Wolf Children: Ame and Yuki (Manga)

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Name: Wolf Children: Ame and Yuki
Type: Manga

Author: Mamuru Hosoda

Books: 3
Genre: Drama, fantasy, family
Age Rating: n/a

Review:
Follows the life of Hana and her 2 children, Ame and Yuki whom she raises alone after the death of her husband. The children can transform into wolves, and must eventually decide between living as a human, or becoming a wolf forever.

This is such a heartwarming story! The characters were all very sweet and lovable, and the interactions between Hana and her children were all very realistic and relatable. I don't have kids, but her hard work pooped me out, too. I felt really attached to this family, and was sad when it was over. It's nice because this story is appropriate for all ages, and I believe it would appeal to both sexes. It did throw me off that Yuki was a girl because in Faruba (Fruits Basket) that's a boy's name!

It was a very interesting idea, and a fresh look at how the story followed not only Ame and Yuki, but Hana as well. I quickly fell in love with her story, and sympathized with her during times of grief, frustration, and loss. It was great to get the perspective of an adult figure, especially one as motherly and nurturing as Hana was. She is a good example of a strong individual who loves her children feircely.

The themes in this story were important and good for young readers to learn. The importance of family being one, and the idea that not all decisions have to be scary. I really appreciated the friendship that developed between Yuki and Sohei, and Ame's development was fun to watch. It was refreshing to see an anime more based on family and parental love. I would recommend this manga to everyone, young or old, boy or girl!

Mature Content:

• n/a

Personal Note:
This story was so sweet, I cried! Also, I really wanted to hug Ame...