http://track-shun.tv Anime review vidcast of the latest series straight from Japan. Each episode covers three anime television series, most of which have yet to be licensed for export to the U.S. Each series is rated "Track" or "Shun". Feeder 1.5.10(880) http://reinventedsoftware.com/feeder/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss en Sat, 14 Mar 2009 20:44:02 -0400 Sat, 14 Mar 2009 20:44:02 -0400 http://animetracker.com/tracker_kitty.jpg http://track-shun.tv 144 128 Chris Swett no no http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_75.avi Sat, 14 Mar 2009 20:38:48 -0400 trackshun-75-divx Chris Swett Episode 75 looks at "Toaru Majutsu no Index", "Chrome Shelled Regios" and "Tower of Druaga". Episode 75 looks at "Toaru Majutsu no Index", "Chrome Shelled Regios" and "Tower of Druaga". Toaru Majutsu no Index in a near-future drama-comedy that pairs a Japanese High School boy with the power to dispel magic and a diminutive English nun who has memorized the entire index of banned books on magic. Chrome Shelled Regios follows a cadet platoon of military students in a world where mutant bugs are the main threat. Tower of Druaga is a swords and sorcery adventure series based on a 1984 Namco game of the same name. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 30:23 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_74.avi Wed, 25 Feb 2009 16:24:42 -0500 trackshun-74-divx Chris Swett Episode 74 looks at "Kurogane no Linebarrel", "Shikabane Hime" and "Akaneiro ni Somaru Saka". Episode 74 looks at "Kurogane no Linebarrel", "Shikabane Hime" and "Akaneiro ni Somaru Saka". Kurogane no Linebarrel is the latest giant robot/battle suit anime pairing a wimpy nerd with an indestructible giant fighting machine (and a cute girl). Shikabane Hime pits an undead schoolgirl against all the country's other undead monsters. Akaneiro ni Somaru Saka is an "unexpected fiancee" anime, where a queen of tsundere comes to live with the unsuspecting son of secret agents. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_73.avi Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:25:44 -0500 trackshun-73-divx Chris Swett Episode 73 looks at "Akikan!", "Tytania" and "Kannagi". Episode 73 looks at "Akikan!", "Tytania" and "Kannagi". In Akikan, a loser high school student lucks out when a can of melon soda suddenly turns into a beautiful girl while he's taking a drink, but she's not nearly as friendly as he might have liked. Tytania is a space opera of the grandest kind, complete with well-dressed nobles having tea on the bridge during battles. Kannagi pairs a slightly confused female deity in a middle school body with the middle schooler who carved that body from a sacred tree, then introduced her to magical girl anime. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 31:11 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_72.avi Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:26:06 -0500 trackshun-72-divx Chris Swett Episode 72 looks at "Kemeko Deluxe", "ToraDora" and "Skip Beat!". Episode 72 looks at "Kemeko Deluxe", "ToraDora" and "Skip Beat!". Kemeko Deluxe follows a high schooler who ten years earlier made a promise to marry his first love, and now she's here to collect. ToraDora pits the son of a mobster and the estranged daughter of neighbors in a battle of wills, which just might end in romance. Skip Beat! follows the spurned girlfriend of a newly-crowned pop music prince as she gets revenge on him by besting him at his own game. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 31:38 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_71.avi Tue, 13 Jan 2009 11:13:00 -0500 trackshun-71-divx Chris Swett Episode 71 looks at "Sekirei", "Tales of Symphonia" and "World Destruction". Episode 71 looks at "Sekirei", "Tales of Symphonia" and "World Destruction". Sekirei is a straight-forward tribute to the female chest, massively endowed, with some supernatural street fighting and mumbo jumbo thrown in. Tales of Symphonia is a lavishly produced fantasy/sci-fi mix OAV typical of Geneon. World Destruction is another fantasy/sci-fi with more of a doomsday element. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 34:37 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_70.avi Tue, 23 Dec 2008 22:37:00 -0500 trackshun-70-divx Chris Swett Episode 70 looks at "Eve no Jikan", "Hyakko" and "Casshern - Sins". Episode 70 looks at "Eve no Jikan", "Hyakko" and "Casshern - Sins". Eve no Jikan is heavily inspired by Isaac Asimov's "I, Robot", but in this series two high school boys discover that androids are people, too. Hyakko is a shoujo high school angst anime, wherein four girls struggle with ineptitude and being at the bottom of the class. Casshern - Sins is a retelling of a very old anime, where a sort of anti-hero cyborg battles robots in a decaying world. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 36:40 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_69.avi Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:28:29 -0500 trackshun-69-divx Chris Swett Episode 69 looks at "Chaos;HEAd", "Earl and Fairy" and "Neo Angelique Abyss (Second Age)". Episode 69 looks at "Chaos;HEAd", "Earl and Fairy" and "Neo Angelique Abyss (Second Age)". Chaos;HEAd is a point-of-view study of a Hikikomori, or person completely withdrawn from society, and how he copes with his psychotic delusions and his inability to distinguish reality from fantasy. Earl and Fairy is a 19th Century shoujo intrigue, with addition of some supernatural elements and dangerous romance. Neo Angelique Abyss Second Age is the second installment on a bishonen fantasy adventure/hack and slash. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 32:04 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_68.avi Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:07:14 -0500 trackshun-68-divx Chris Swett Episode 68 looks at "Telepathy Shoujo Ran", "Monochrome Factor" and "Nogizaka Haruka's Secret". Episode 68 looks at "Telepathy Shoujo Ran", "Monochrome Factor" and "Nogizaka Haruka's Secret". Telepathy Shoujo Ran begins like a high school romance, but quickly changes when Ran's previously latent esper powers are unleashed by a school antagonist. Monochrome Factor is yet another light vs. darkness series where the protagonist is co-opted into the fight, but this time with a definite yaoi twist. Nogizaka Haruka's secret doesn't stay secret for long, as she's exposed to one of the "normal" students as a closet otaku, and romance ensues. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 35:32 http://media.libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_on_HD.avi Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:26:05 -0500 trackshun-on-hd Track-shun is now available in HD at www.lulu.com/wcswett, or click on the link at www.track-shun.tv. Track-shun is now available in HD at www.lulu.com/wcswett, or click on the link at www.track-shun.tv. no 0:13 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_67.avi Sun, 02 Nov 2008 00:07:19 -0400 trackshun-67-divx Episode 67 looks at "Vampire Knight", "Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsuna Koto - Natsu no Sora" and "Strike Witches". Episode 67 looks at "Vampire Knight", "Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsuna Koto - Natsu no Sora" and "Strike Witches". Vampire Knight is a shoujo high school romance set in a unique boarding school, where human high schoolers attend class during the day and vampires at night. Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsuna Koto - Natsu no Sora is a spin-off of a five year old story, but this version uses photo-realistic backgrounds and high production values with a slice-of-life plot and glacial, almost real-time pacing. Strike Witches is a lolicon fan service series that strives to showcase "bloomers" (Japanese girls' athletic shorts) from every possible camera angle. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 32:16 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_66.avi Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:36:46 -0400 trackshun-66-divx Episode 66 looks at "Kyouran Kazoku Nikki", "Zettai Karen Children" and "Kanokon". Episode 66 looks at "Kyouran Kazoku Nikki", "Zettai Karen Children" and "Kanokon". Kyouran Kazoku Nikki takes a haphazard collection of beings bio-engineered from divine flesh and casts them in the role of a human family, with both predictable and unpredictable results. Zettai Karen Children follows three super-esper girls who work with police to corral criminal espers, usually with excessive collateral damage. Kanokon is a shota-loli meets fox girl high school romance, with heavy petting. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 30:05 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_65.avi Sat, 20 Sep 2008 21:07:49 -0400 trackshun-65-divx Episode 65 looks at "Shinkyouku Soukai Polyphonica", "Rocket Girls" and "Seirei no Moribito". Episode 65 looks at "Shinkyouku Soukai Polyphonica", "Rocket Girls" and "Seirei no Moribito". Polyphonica is a run-of-the-mill shapechanging girl fighting evil series, with some musical occult mumbo jumbo thrown in. Rocket Girls is a top flight production, where young girls have a chance at manned space flight due to their low weight. Seirei no Moribito is a theatrical epic for the small screen, and casts a female medieval spear thrower as guardian to a disinherited Japanese prince. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 38:56 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_64.avi Sat, 23 Aug 2008 01:23:30 -0400 trackshun-64-divx Episode 64 looks at "Tetsuwan Birdy Decode", "Nanoha StrikerS" and "Over Drive". Episode 64 looks at "Tetsuwan Birdy Decode", "Nanoha StrikerS" and "Over Drive". Tetsuwan Birdy Decode is a remake of a 12 year-old OAV series, based on an even older manga, but the new version is more exciting, if less sexy, than the original. Nanoha StrikerS is the latest in a series of series, and it lives up to the reputation for sequels. Over Drive is a bicycling sports anime that aims to put a very unlikely novice in the yellow jersey in the Tour de France. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 34:45 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_63.avi Mon, 11 Aug 2008 17:12:46 -0400 trackshun-63-divx Episode 63 looks at "Prism Ark", "Amatsuki" and "Itazura na Kiss". Episode 63 looks at "Prism Ark", "Amatsuki" and "Itazura na Kiss". Prism Ark is a run-of-the-mill mini-skirt fantasy with the usual number of stereotyped bishoujo characters, magic and monsters. Amatsuki milks the genre of back-to-the-fantasy-past, ie. Old Edo, series, monster hunting included. Itazura na Kiss takes high school angst to new levels when a girl is nastily rejected by her prospective boyfriend, then is forced to move in with him the same day. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 29:59 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_62.avi Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:35:51 -0400 trackshun-62-divx Episode 62 looks at "Allison & Lillian", "Romeo & Juliet" and "Lovely Complex". Episode 62 looks at "Allison & Lillian", "Romeo & Juliet" and "Lovely Complex". Allison & Lillian is a high-budget NHK series about cold war intrigue in an alternate (or regressed, far future) land. Romeo & Juliet takes great liberties with the Bard's play, but grabs the attention with fast-pacing and a fantasy twist. Lovely Complex is an ironic high school romantic comedy that plays heavily on the protagonists' Kansai dialect and their rapid-fire comedic delivery. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 31:59 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_61.avi Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:58:44 -0400 trackshun-61-divx Episode 61 looks at "Macross Frontier", "Rosario & Vampire" and "Kaibutsu Oujo" (Monster Princess). Episode 61 looks at "Macross Frontier", "Rosario & Vampire" and "Kaibutsu Oujo" (Monster Princess). The long-lived Macross franchise gets a huge facelift in this latest series, which has lots of detailed CGI and exciting action, as well as the usual bitchy voice talent. Rosario & Vampire is a high school harem anime with a demonic twist, as well as copious gratuitous underwear modeling. Kaibutsu Oujo slaps together a little goth with some monster-of-the-week action to create another re-tread of a series. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 39:57 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_60.avi Wed, 04 Jun 2008 21:09:08 -0400 trackshun-60-divx Episode 60 looks at "Wolf & Spice", "Masked Maid Guy" and "ToLove Ru - Trouble". Episode 60 looks at "Wolf & Spice", "Masked Maid Guy" and "ToLove Ru - Trouble". Wolf & Spice pairs a clothing-averse pagan wolf goddess with a traveling merchant in medieval Europe at the time of the spread of Christianity. Masked Maid Guy is the anime incarnation of a comedy manga featuring a large-breasted high school girl and her over-the-top masked male maid bodyguard in drag. ToLove Ru reprises the age-old formula of cute alien girl who drops in out of the blue and stays, thinking she's engaged. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 30:47 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_59.avi Fri, 25 Apr 2008 20:52:00 -0400 trackshun-59-divx Episode 59 looks at "Mushi-Uta", "Kimi Kiss Pure Rouge" and "Zero no Tsukaima II". Episode 59 looks at "Mushi-Uta", "Kimi Kiss Pure Rouge" and "Zero no Tsukaima II". Mushi-Uta is a lackluster monster-chaser, with some high school angst thrown in for no good reason. Kimi Kiss starts out in the vein of the return of the childhood friend, then turns into just another harem anime. The second series of Zero no Tsukaima is no better than the first series, and may even be somewhat worse. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 31:09 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_58.avi Sun, 10 Feb 2008 22:55:02 -0500 trackshun-58-divx Episode 58 looks at "ef - a tale of memories", "Bamboo Blade" and "Blue Drop". Episode 58 looks at "ef - a tale of memories", "Bamboo Blade" and "Blue Drop". ef - a tale of memories follows three teenage couples, but little is revealed in the first episode, drawing the audience in through cinematic direction and mystery. Bamboo Blade is a straight-forward girl group anime, themed around kendo fencing. Blue Drop is an "aliens among us" series with very high production values and a tangible creepiness. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 31:45 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_57.avi Sat, 05 Jan 2008 17:41:14 -0500 trackshun-57-divx Episode 57 looks at "Night Wizard", "Clannad" and "Dragonaut". Episode 57 looks at "Night Wizard", "Clannad" and "Dragonaut". Night Wizard is a rather cheezy high school comedy with some supernatural elements and monsters thrown in. Clannad is the latest in high school supernatural romances-wrapped-in-enigmas produced by top shelf Kyoto Animation. Dragonaut follows the life of shuttle disaster survivor Jin, but has little in the first episode to recommend it beyond the involvement of Gonzo Animation. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 36:14 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_56.avi Sat, 22 Dec 2007 21:17:52 -0500 trackshun-56-divx Episode 56 looks at "Kyoshiro to Towa no Sora", "Murder Princess" and "Rental Magica". Episode 56 looks at "Kyoshiro to Towa no Sora", "Murder Princess" and "Rental Magica". Kyoshiro to Towa no Sora starts out as a saccharine shoujo series, then quickly sprouts yuri and mecha elements, leaving one to wonder where it's really headed beyond the first episode. Murder Princess is an original anime video series that sets up a soul swap between a princess on the run and a monster-chasing bounty hunter, but having little or no fan service, it gives the impression of a TV series that never found a broadcaster and ended up on DVD instead. Rental Magica is just another modern day fantasy series with a cast of weird archetypes, a main character few would want to identify with, and a tired ghostbuster plot. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 41:02 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_55.avi Wed, 28 Nov 2007 08:34:57 -0500 trackshun-55-divx Episode 55 looks at "Ikkitousen: Dragon Destiny", "Doujin Work" and "Sketchbook - Full ColorS". Episode 55 looks at "Ikkitousen: Dragon Destiny", "Doujin Work" and "Sketchbook - Full ColorS". Ikkitousen: Dragon Destiny is a half-hearted sequel to the original high school blood battle series, so originality isn't a factor here. Doujin Work revisits the cult of comic self-publishing, with some clever double entendres and other subtle and not-so-subtle humor. Sketchbook - Full ColorS is a pleasant, laid back anime where nothing important ever happens but the audience doesn't really care. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 36:07 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_54.avi Fri, 26 Oct 2007 23:45:53 -0400 trackshun-54-divx Episode 54 looks at "School Days", "Zombie-Loan" and "Devil May Cry". Episode 54 looks at "School Days", "Zombie-Loan" and "Devil May Cry". School Days is a straight high school romance that quickly turns into a romantic triangle, but surprisingly it doesn't get sappy and the guy isn't a total dork. Zombie-Loan combines shoujo character designs with a macabre theme that may leave the viewer just feeling weird. Devil May Cry is a high production value, low story content series about a demon-killing bounty hunter and his sharp-tongued, pre-pubescent female sidekick. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 43:07 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_53.avi Wed, 03 Oct 2007 21:58:48 -0400 trackshun-53-divx Episode 53 looks at "Gurren Lagann", "Umisho" and "Moetan". Episode 53 looks at "Gurren Lagann", "Umisho" and "Moetan". Gurren Lagann is a humorous take on adventurers and battle suits, with super-deformed, yet giant, enemies. Umishou is a combo "mysterious transfer student", "harem" and "sports" anime, centered on the swim team, where there's always an excuse for scantily clad female characters. Moetan, with the main character being a high school girl who looks like she's eight years-old, is an unabashed lolita anime with few, if any, redeeming qualities beyond the cute character voice of the female lead. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 38:05 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_52.avi Tue, 18 Sep 2007 18:27:14 -0400 trackshun-51-divx-1 Episode 52 looks at "Kanon II", "Gigantic Formula" and "Sky Girls". Episode 52 looks at "Kanon II", "Gigantic Formula" and "Sky Girls". Kanon II is a high budget HD remake of a low budget laid back harem-style romance from 2001. Gigantic Formula is yet another giant robot and middle-schooler battler, ie. an extended toy commercial. Sky Girls is a post-apocalyptic epic about girls and aircraft, heavy on story and light on action. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 35:00 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_51.avi Wed, 29 Aug 2007 20:47:26 -0400 trackshun-51-divx Episode 51 looks at "Gintama", "Bokurano" and "Kaze no Stigma". Episode 51 looks at "Gintama", "Bokurano" and "Kaze no Stigma". Gintama is a long-running comedy based on a manga of the same name, but it's perhaps not as fun as its long television run implies. Bokurano is a combination of the giant robot and alternate game universe genres, with the persistent uncertainty as to whether the characters might actually be in the Matrix. Kaze no Stigma combines fantasy with family feuding, then sets up a prickly romance for future episodes to explore. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 42:47 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_50.avi Wed, 18 Jul 2007 16:54:31 -0400 trackshun-50-divx Episode 50 looks at "Busou Renkin" (Arms Alchemy), "iDOLM@STER Xenoglossia" and "Nagasarete Airantou". Episode 50 looks at "Busou Renkin" (Arms Alchemy), "iDOLM@STER Xenoglossia" and "Nagasarete Airantou". Busou Renkin is your standard monster-of-the-week anime, not too bad but not good, either. iDOLMASTER Xenoglossia lifts its characters from a date-sim-like idol trainer arcade game and re-casts them as mecha pilots who destroy asteroids in some strange future where the moon has exploded and left a debris ring 240,000 miles closer to Earth than it should have. Nagasarete Airantou is a classic stranded-on-an-island with a hundred girls anime, but that's pretty much to be expected from sponsors Starchild and King Records, which make their money from singers and drama CDs. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 35:40 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_49.avi Sat, 07 Jul 2007 21:40:42 -0400 trackshun-49-divx Episode 49 looks at "Hayate no Gotoku!", "Darker Than BLACK" and "Souten no Ken". Episode 49 looks at "Hayate no Gotoku!", "Darker Than BLACK" and "Souten no Ken". Hayate no Gotoku!, also known as Hayate the Combat Butler, is a somewhat romantic comedy about a teenage boy abandoned by his parents and left as chum for the loan sharks, who befriends a rich girl and through a series of misunderstandings becomes her personal valet and bodyguard. Darker Than BLACK is a near future occult mystery series with a pack of riddles wrapped in conundrums to draw in the audience. Souten no Ken (Fist of the Blue Sky) is a prequel to Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star), and has all the camp and violence of the original. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 32:53 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_48.avi Sun, 17 Jun 2007 15:38:25 -0400 trackshun-48-divx Episode 48 looks at "Claymore", "El Cazador de la Bruja" and "Deltora Quest". Episode 48 looks at "Claymore", "El Cazador de la Bruja" and "Deltora Quest". Claymore is a dark fantasy slasher, featuring loads of vicious monsters and the female sword-wielding warriors who routinely slay them. El Cazador de la Bruja is a girls-with-guns anime set in Mexico, pairing a top gun bounty hunter with a lab escapee psychic. Deltora Quest is a classic "find the gems and save the world" story, ideal for mindless Saturday morning fare. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 35:13 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_47.avi Wed, 30 May 2007 20:46:32 -0400 trackshun-47-divx Episode 47 looks at "Lucky Star", "Ayakashi Ayashi" and "Saint October". Episode 47 looks at "Lucky Star", "Ayakashi Ayashi" and "Saint October". Lucky Star is a slice of life anime that follows the day-to-day activities of a handful of girls, and is every bit as boring as that scenario implies. Ayakashi Ayashi is an historical fiction set in the first half of the 19th century, with monsters and exorcists thrown in. Saint October looks like a lot of "defender of justice" shoujo anime, except that in many places it takes a sort of creepy turn towards lolita-ville. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 35:21 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_46.avi Tue, 15 May 2007 16:48:13 -0400 trackshun-46-divx Episode 46 looks at "Seto no Hanayome", "Giniro no Olynssis" and "La Corda de Oro". Episode 46 looks at "Seto no Hanayome", "Giniro no Olynssis" and "La Corda de Oro". Seto no Hanayome follows the romantically comedic adventures of a middle school boy and his yakuza-mermaid shotgun-wedding-fiancee. Giniro no Olynssis pits kids in battle machines against mechanized monsters in what appears to be a throw-back to mid-eighties anime. La Corda de Oro is yet another shoujo high school music anime, with a mild magical twist. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 38:01 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_45.avi Sun, 29 Apr 2007 15:07:55 -0400 trackshun-45-divx Episode 45 looks at "Heroic Age", "Mamoru-kun ni Megami no Shukufuku wo!" ("Mamoru-kun Gets a Goddess' Blessing!") and "Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru" ("The Maidens Are in Love With Me"). Episode 45 looks at "Heroic Age", "Mamoru-kun ni Megami no Shukufuku wo!" ("Mamoru-kun Gets a Goddess' Blessing!") and "Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru" ("The Maidens Are in Love With Me"). Heroic Age is a grand sci-fi battle epic with mecha, space ships and ancient god-like beings in a war for the future of humanity. Mamoru-kun ni Megami no Shukufuku wo! is a cross between a magic-imbued fantasy and a high school romance, with plenty of lolicon character designs and up-skirt camera angles to go with the mildly-amusing humor. Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru is a gender-bender of the first order, where a boy is forced to attend a Catholic girls' boarding school to fulfill his grandfather's dying wish, and if it weren't produced for television would be a shoo-in for a porn. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 39:37 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_44.avi Fri, 13 Apr 2007 22:58:46 -0400 trackshun-44-divx Episode 44 looks at "Gift - Eternal Rainbow", "Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight" and "Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge". Episode 44 looks at "Gift - Eternal Rainbow", "Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight" and "Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge". Gift - Eternal Rainbow is a harem anime with some fantasy thrown in, but the story drags like some melodramatic shoujo series. Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight follows the antics of a bunch of high school girls, who are drawn to look more like fourth-graders, and it appears to be aimed more at promoting voice actresses than in presenting an entertaining story. Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge is a cross between "My Fair Lady" and "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy", which wouldn't be too bad if the character designs of the main characters weren't a hideous parody of bishonen. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 38:14 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_43.avi Sat, 24 Mar 2007 17:00:23 -0400 trackshun-43-divx Episode 43 looks at "Magical Pokahn", "Shounen Onmyouji" and "Venus vs. Virus". Episode 43 looks at "Magical Pokahn", "Shounen Onmyouji" and "Venus vs. Virus". Magical Pokahn follows the misadventures of four Netherworld princesses: a witch, vampire, werewolf and Franken-human, along with different ways to look up their skirts. Shounen Onmyouji is a well-produced supernatural monster hunter series set in Dark Ages Japan. Venus vs. Virus pairs girls with special anti-body guns and sets them against "viruses", which much more resemble supernatural shadow-dwelling monsters than tiny microbes. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 38:19 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_42.avi Sun, 11 Mar 2007 21:51:22 -0400 trackshun-42-divx Episode 42 looks at "Code Geass", "Ghost Hunt" and "D. Gray-man". Episode 42 looks at "Code Geass", "Ghost Hunt" and "D. Gray-man". Code Geass takes place in an alternate reality of a post-modern Britannia Empire, and the Japanese rebellion against it led by a Britannian student with a dark power. Ghost Hunt is a slow high school shoujo drama, which in spite of the name has little suspense and no action. D. Gray-man casts a young exorcist as a leader in the fight to rid the world of demonic "Akuma". [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 36:47 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_41.avi Tue, 20 Feb 2007 20:31:27 -0500 trackshun-41-divx Episode 41 looks at "Galaxy Angel Rune", "Bokura ga Ita" (We Were There) and "Death Note". Episode 41 looks at "Galaxy Angel Rune", "Bokura ga Ita" (We Were There) and "Death Note". Galaxy Angel Rune tries to be a lively sequel in a series that already has too many sequels. Bokura ga Ita pairs a whiney girl with an unapologetic liar in what may be the best alternative to drugs for insomniacs. Death Note is a chilling psycho drama wherein a top notch student suddenly finds himself in possession of a grim reaper's death book, and with it he will change the world. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 36:45 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_40.avi Tue, 06 Feb 2007 00:10:18 -0500 trackshun-40-divx Episode 40 looks at "Soukou no Strain", "Hataraki Man" (Workaholic) and "Sumomo mo Momo mo" (Plums and also Peaches). Episode 40 looks at "Soukou no Strain", "Hataraki Man" (Workaholic) and "Sumomo mo Momo mo" (Plums and also Peaches). Soukou no Strain is a mecha war drama that pits a young, female mecha pilot against her turncoat older brother. Hataraki Man showcases a magazine writer working girl who puts doing her job ahead of everything to become the best in her office, at the expense of any kind of social or home life. Sumomo mo Momo mo is a sexually charged comedy about a young female martial arts expert who seeks out a boy she believes to be her equal, with the intent of bearing his child. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 38:55 http://libsyn.com/media/wcswett/Track-shun_39.avi Thu, 25 Jan 2007 17:53:06 -0500 trackshun-39-divx Episode 39 looks at "Joshikousei" (High School Girls), "Bartender" and "Asatte no Houkou" (Towards the Day After Tomorrow). Episode 39 looks at "Joshikousei" (High School Girls), "Bartender" and "Asatte no Houkou" (Towards the Day After Tomorrow). Joshikousei is another venerable entry in the pantheon of up-skirt late night anime that highlights the importance of clean underwear, especially for high school anime girls. Bartender casts the title role as a miracle worker with a cocktail shaker, whose prescriptions are as efficacious as the best of medicines. Asatte no Houkou pairs a little sister who wants to escape her childhood with a jealous ex-girlfriend who wants a fresh start... so they magically swap ages. [Japanese clips are subtitled in English.] no 32:26