Fullmetal Alchemist (Manga)

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Name: Fullmetal Alchemist
Type: Manga

Author: Hiromu Arakawa

Books: 27
Genre: Action, adventure, military, science fantasy
Age Rating: 15+

Review:
After the death of their mother, Edward and Alphonse Elric try to bring her back to life using alchemy, leaving Edward without an arm and a leg and Alphonse's soul attached to a suit of armor. Join them as they travel the country looking for clues on how to restore their bodies. 

I loved this series! No wonder it is one of the most well-known and well-liked. Some themes that were included human possession by Humunculi, messing with the spirit world and trading arms and bodies for hollow reflections of dead people. Though some of these ideas were based heavily on the Alchemical world these characters lived in, the morale behind these lessons was serious and thought-provoking. The whole concept of Alchemy was very well thought-out and the author included background and historical context in order to better explain the idea behind it. The actual magic was inoffensive, but some of the ideas behind it and the explanations contradicted the Bible.

There were a lot of references to evolution, magic, and God, though none of it was Biblical. One character called the power of God because he was below him and now one believed in God. One thing I did enjoy was how Arakawa incorporated Biblical the seven deadly sins into her story. It added a lot of depth and originality, even though some of the characters personifying the sins didn't always seem to posses the sin that they represented. The Humunculi were perfectly creepy and fun to hate, despite the occasional exception, like Greed. 

 The characters in this manga were well-developed and in many ways I felt connected to the Elric brothers--not because I've lost my mother or my body by magic, but because they fought desperately for what was right, and were able to empathize with the pain of those around them because of what they went through. It was heartbreaking in some ways to watch their transition from who they are at the beginning to the end, and the emotions they evoked in the reader were part of the reason I was continually compelled to read. 

This series was one of my favorites because the author simply incorporated so many wonderful genres in at once, and really took the time to plan out the story and provide adequate and interesting backstories and historical accounts that made the setting really come to life. There were several strong women in this series, which added to the array of characters that while mostly male-based, didn't seem uneven in any way. Just the fact that the author was a woman makes me want to throw my fists into the air and scream, "yeah!"

Mature Content:

• Sexual References- Mild sexual tension between characters
• Magic- Many of the characters use alchemy, which is a form of magic
• Spiritual- Some of the villains compare themselves to God, one even goes as far as trying to control God because he is "more powerful"
• The use of alchemy
• Evolution- Evolutionary explanations of Humunculi, Alchemy, etc. 
• Violence-   Battles and graphic deaths (blood is drawn)
• Profanity- Use of "damn," "ass," "bastard," and "shit"
• Intense Scenes- In one scene a little girl has been cruelly mixed with her dog by the use of Alchemy
• The true forms of the seven deadly sins are quite frightening

Personal Note: 
Roy and Hawkeye <3

Sword Art Online (Anime)

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Name: Sword Art Online
Type: Anime

Official Rating: TV-PG

Director: Reki Kawahara

Seasons: 2
Genre: Action, adventure, science fantasy, romance
Age Rating: 17+

Review:
Thousands of players around the world suddenly find themselves trapped inside the video game universe of Sword Art Online. Hero Kirito must fight his way to the top level in order to defeat the game and release the players.

There were a lot of surprisingly heavy themes in this anime including suicide, kidnapping, heartbreak and the definition of the term, "hero." The art was good, and the whole idea of being able to experience a video-game firsthand--as if you were actually there--is certainly an intriguing one. SAO stands as one of the most popular anime in the genre, as it appeals to both genders and delivers adventure, romance, and virtual reality. I loved all the cool elements in the game, and it managed to provide believable aspects such as instant messaging, a trading system, and juggling finances within the SAO universe.

Though not set in a distant future, the technology presented in SAO greatly surpass our own, giving the show a more futuristic feel. Ironically it doesn't list romance as one of the genres, because that is a major focus of the show later on. The romance between Kirito and Asuna is sweet, though a little forced and somewhat stifling at times. Kirito appears as a quiet, brave, and handsome hero who wants to do the right thing and save the world of Sword Art Online (and later on rescue his beloved Asuna). The amount of females who fall in love with him is sad, considering that Kirito is your typical oblivious male. 

In all honesty, this wasn't one of my favorite animes because I felt it had a lot of elements and scenes that just weren't needed, didn't flow well with the plot, or simply made no sense. The whole "kidnapping Asuna" story line changed what the show started off as in the beginning episodes, and it was completely unnecessary to have a creepy sexual predator as the villain. The ending scenes in the first season with Asuna in chains while "Fairy King Oberon" ripped her clothes off and licked her face was absolutely sickening and uncomfortable to watch. And why did there have to be a whole side-plot about Kirito's stepsister's loving feelings towards him? I like the idea of this show, but it wasn't as good as I could have been, in my opinion, and was more about romance than I was expecting to be.

Mature Content:

• Sexual References- Oberon kidnaps Asuna because he is physically attracted to her. Later on, he chains her up, and rips her clothing and touches her in inappropriate ways against her will
• Asuna is fondled quite intimately by two alien-like creatures when she tries to escape from her prison
• Suguha, who was raised as Kirito's younger sister, is in love with him
• All the girls fall in love with Kirito's character
• Oberon laughs sadistically about raping Asuna in real life
• Nudity- Asuna's breasts are almost fully revealed (all but the nipple are drawn) when her shirt is ripped off
• Some excessive cleavage is shown
• Asuna's thighs are exposed in later scenes
• Violence- Video-game violence and death
• A few suicides take place (when they die, people explode into sparkles)
• Profanity- Use of the word "ass," "damn," "dick," and "shit"
• Intense Scenes- This anime is very emotionally intense

Personal Note: 
The voice actor who voices King Oberon was the same voice as Prince Raj in Snow White With the Red Hair!

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (Movie)

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Name: Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
Type: Animation

Official Rating: PG

Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Genre: Adventure, science fantasy, drama

Age Rating: 11+

Review:

A movie set in a future where the world has been overrun with a toxic gas that has effects fatal to humans. A Valley where a young girl named Nausicaa lives, is protected from the gas by the ocean wind. Nausicaa is a girl with an uncanny knack for taming creatures.

This was a great movie! I really enjoyed watching it, and appreciated the lack of romance. It was a refreshing change of pace. The creatures were creative--I felt like I was in one of Jim Hensen's sets-- and Nausicaa herself was a very delightful, curious main character. I thoroughly enjoyed following her on her adventures and seeing how she interacted with the people, and creatures around her. The fact that there was no romance in this film was also quite refreshing. Romance is a major theme in many movies nowadays, even children's films, so it was nice to watch a movie that was strictly about adventure, courage, and friendship.

The art was interesting, though somewhat blurry in some parts. It fit the movie well, however, and I always appreciate Hayau Miyazaki's use of actual illustrations rather than pure animation. Each new beast or creature was fascinating and it was exciting to figure out the mystery behind the poisonous fog along with Nausicaa. It is never clarified when exactly the movie takes place, but the viewer does get the feeling that it takes place in the distant future. The plot flows very well, and it is easy to connect to all the different characters.

There were some scenes involving titans, or giants who destroyed much of the world before. In the end, a giant is created from a flesh-colored egg, and starts to melt, which created a sort of disturbing image, which may be scary for younger viewers. Nausicaa's father is killed, but no blood is shown, and it is quick. Other than the mild violence and the strange monster at the end, it is an enjoyable movie that you can enjoy as a family, or with a group of friends. I watched it by myself, and I regret not having someone there to appreciate this movie's greatness.

Mature Content: 

• Violence: There are some battle scenes, and a princess dies in an aircraft crash
• Several towns are seen as destroyed

Personal Note: 
Teto was the cutest! Where can I get one?!

Dragon Ball Z (Manga)

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Name: Dragon Ball Z
Type: Manga

Author: Akira Toriyama

Books: 26
Genre: Martial arts, science fantasy, comedy
Age Rating: 13+

Review:
Saiyan Son Goku and his friends are back, and their enemies are bigger and stronger. Join them as they fight together using Chi to locate their enemies and defeat them in epic battles!

This series was violent and full of team fighting, much like Yuyu Hakasho, or, on a different approach, The Avengers. It had a more science-fiction approach to it mixed with humor (though it was more subtle than most). There wasn't a lot of plot to the book, but it was entertainment in the fact that it gave me something to read. True to its martial arts' nature, there was never a dull moment, and the scenes between fights were short-lived. Its main focus was the battles between Son Goku, his friends, and opponents that became stronger with time to balance out the strength of the main characters, who are all pretty much invincible.

There was some language in the series, but it didn't divert from the character development, and there were no other inappropriate scenes other than the violence. It had its funny moments, and I thought it was full of weirdly miraculous yet somehow still predictable scenarios. The way everything always worked out in Son Goku's favor was a bit unrealistic despite the many "evil defeats good" fake-outs. The Dragon Balls themselves did not really follow their own rules. There are a lot of convenient loopholes the author introduces to keep the main characters alive. You only get three wishes from the genie? No problem--just have it summoned again! The Dragon Balls can only raise someone from the dead two times? No problem--just speak Namekin! Another eye-roller was the fact that everyone kept their "true" power-level concealed until the fights progressed. Just as you think someone is about to be beaten, they laugh and say something along the lines of: "This isn't even my full power, yet! Haha, this is my REAL form!" or, "I've never been able to show anyone my true power before! Behold: my REAL form!" and then they proceed to become even stronger than they were before.

The series picked up after the whole thing with Cell was ended and Son Goku died. (To be frank, I didn't even believe that he had been killed for good even though Toriyama says so in his beginning author's note, and the cover of the volume itself has Son Goku saying goodbye. He died too many times.) I appreciated the break between fighting scenes, and it was fun to see how all the characters developed over a time-jump of seven years. To sum it all up, this was a good series, as far as action/martial arts manga go, and it will appeal more to boys than girls. That being said, I'm a girl, and I enjoyed reading them, so you never know!

Mature Content:

• Violence- Intense battle sequences
• Sexual References- Master Roshi is a pervert. He finds women attractive and sometimes touches their boobs.
• Profanity- "Piss" and "Damn" and "Bastard"
• Spiritual- The characters rely on "Chi" a type of spiritual sensitivity power
• Some of the character have magical abilities
• There is a character named "Lord of Lords" who is the "god of gods" of the planets combined
• The character Dende is referred to as "god" several times
• Many of the villians are demons

Personal Note:

Piccolo and Dende were my favorite characters.

Wolf's Rain (Manga)

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Name: Wolf's Rain
Type: Manga

Author: BONES, Keiko Nobumoto

Books: 2
Genre: Adventure, post-apocalyptic, science fantasy
Age Rating: 14+

Review: 
In the post-apocalyptic future, wolfs are thought to have gone extinct long ago. However, they are very much alive, disguised as humans. One wolf named Kiba hears of a legendary "Lunar Flower" and becomes determined to find its scent that will lead him and his pack to paradise. 

A very short, easy read. I found myself thrust into a future where there are no wolves (or so they say) and a fight lurks behind every corner. The characters were for the most part enjoyable and I liked how they were different from the usual. Though it was short, it ended well, and I understood what was going on most of the time, which was nice. I find that in a lot of manga, it can be confusing at times, and Wolf's Rain was straight to the point. However, it wasn't very memorable, and the story didn't stick with me after I'd read it.

Some of the characters were underdeveloped due to length of the series. They also did not all get along, which distressed me at times. I really enjoy it when a team works together and has the bond of friendship. It helps me connect with characters on a personal level better. It went with the story, however, and the differences between characters smoothed out and I was more satisfied with their relationships in the end.

Because of violence and some language, I'd recommend this to middle-school readers and up. Some of the characters were underdeveloped, but the length of the series was probably the main reason behind that. On a whole, the story was somewhat unremarkable and not really my type of thing, though I'm sure it would prove more entertaining for other people, particularly boys.

Mature Content:

• Profanity- "Damn" and "hell"
• Violence- Fights and graphic deaths (draws blood)

Personal Note:
When I first met Toboe, I thought he was a girl. It took me quite a while to figure it out. Oops!