It’s been a long half-a-year, but last episode, Sailor Moon Crystal wrapped up its first story arc. And while it is no doubt a flawed anime on several levels—especially by today’s standards—for many of us, it is a nostalgia trip like none other. The Nostalgia Goggles While I’ve talked about my anime viewing origins before,…
Final Fantasy Explorers is a game all about venturing out into the world and slaying monsters—including the summonable creatures that have appeared in numerous games from across the franchise. To make these battles especially epic, the summons have pre-fight cutscenes—each of which looks just as cool in gif form. Shiva Ifrit Ramuh Cúchulainn Diablos Fenrir…
What happens when you take a bit of Mario and cross it with a bit of Tetris? You get the cutest little box-person in the world. Good – So Very Cute Box Boy is the story of a square (the titular Box Boy), his girlfriend (a square that has a bow and eyelashes a la…
If you were to watch an episode of Cross Ange this week as it continues into its second half, you’d be tuning into a story with an excellently developed main character and well-built world. If you decided to watch from the beginning, however, you’d be in for a completely different experience. Cross Ange is the…
Ever wonder how an anime is made? Good – Dreams Versus Reality Shirobako is the story of five girls who, after making a short anime while members of their high school animation club, promise to come back together as adults and make their own full anime. Aoi, the main lead of Shirobako, dreams of being…
While each Final Fantasy tends to be set in a different world, there are a few staples you can expect in each one—most prominently, a character named Cid. And the newest game in the franchise, Final Fantasy Explorers, is no exception. Over the years Cid has gone through some changes since his first appearance back…
This past weekend, needing a bit of zombie killing in my life, I joined some friends at a local arcade to spend some time with Left 4 Dead Survivors. Honestly, I wish I’d just stayed home and played Left 4 Dead 2 Left 4 Dead Survivors is largely a port of Left 4 Dead 2…
While everyone was learning about the new 3DS and the re-release of Majora’s Mask, Nintendo quietly released their newest game, Box Boy, in Japan which is half-Tetris, half platformer. So let’s play it. (Full disclosure: It’s really cute, you guys.) Update: Stream is over, you can see it below! Watch live video from BiggestinJapan on…
Some anime get the adrenaline pumping. Others tug at the heartstrings. Some are mindless adventures while yet others make you think. And then there are those like Amagi Brilliant Park that are just fun for the sake of fun. Good – A Plot You’d Never Expect One day, high schooler Seiya is asked out on…
This past month a new Final Fantasy spin-off title, Final Fantasy Explorers, came out in Japan. So of course, the Up All Night Stream is here to play it with you all. Let’s find out together what happens when you mix Final Fantasy and Monster Hunter, shall we? Update: The stream is now complete but…
It’s winter. It’s cold outside. So stay in and bundle up next to a cozy fire; there are 35 new anime airing this season to keep you company. But how do you know which ones to watch? Check out the trailers and brief blurbs below to see which of them catches your interest. [*Note: Series…
Can you turn two young girls into master wizards in just three years? Girlish Grimoire: Littlewitch Romanesque is set in a world where magic is in decline. A thousand years before the start of the game, wizards lived in magical towers and wielded god-like magical powers. Now, wizards are just another guild—more concerned with money…
Hot on the heels of Psycho Pass’ second season comes Psycho Pass: The Movie. But as a movie that builds yet another layer to the franchise’s lore and catches up with some old familiar faces, it is less the completion of the final picture and more just another piece in the puzzle—though an interesting one…
After the fall iteration of the Monogatari franchise, I must admit to being a bit worried. Luckily, on New Year’s Eve, Tsukimonogatari quelled my fear with a story all about consequences, character building, and storytelling—all in the beautiful art style the series is known for. [Note: Tsukimonogatari is the sixth iteration of the Monogatari series.…
Attack on Titan: The Last Wings of Mankind -Chain- is an update of last year’s similarly titled Attack on Titan: The Last Wings of Mankind. And while it has only one major new feature, it is one that changes the entire game for the better. Good – Harder Than It Looks When it comes down…
Over the past 365 days I have given you my recommendations for the anime you should be watching in the winter, spring, summer, and fall and followed that up with dozens of reviews. So now, as the year comes to a close, it’s time to take one more look at them all to find the…
Sword Art Online is an anime with a great first half plagued by a mediocre second half. Luckily, Sword Art Online II does not suffer from a similar affliction. Vastly different from its murder-mystery first half, SAO II ends strong with a powerfully human tale that serves as the emotional high point of the franchise.…
A few months back, I got to see the second Persona 3 musical—and I rather enjoyed it. So needless to say I was excited heading in to the new Persona 4 Arena musical. Sadly, I got my hopes up for nothing because, even being charitable, Arena is an uneven mess of a play. Good –…
Each week I found myself faced with a quandary when it came to Psycho Pass 2. If I watched it when I got up, I would feel unsettled the whole day. And if I watched it before bed, nightmares followed. Yet despite this, it is one of the series I found myself dying to watch…
Earlier this month we learned that there was a Naruto musical on the horizon here in Japan. Today, to coincide with Jump Festa 2015, we got a first look at the main cast in costume. And I’ll be darned if they don’t look the part. Kodai Matsuoka as Naruto Ryuji Sato as Sasuke Yui Ito…
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