This episode of Darker Then Black starts off with Russian Intelligence Agency finding out that Dr. Pavlichenko hid his son and that a SVR agent in Japan has found out that Dr. Pavlichenko is still alive. I thought that that way that Hei, Suou, July and Mao escaping Hokkaido was interesting by using an underworld transporter was interesting. Despite their underground taking July to try an sell as a doll, I thought that the scene where Suou pokes out her tongue at Hei was funny, as I find it that no other character in the series could get away with doing something like this.
Also I though that the scene where Suou uses broken glass fragments to attack their underground contact was cool, as Hei’s training has come in use in this episode. I thought that the new contractor that appeared in this episode that uses a brain narcotic
as his power was interesting.

Overall, I though that this episode was quite interesting as Suou treats July with some degree of dignity and respect, while Hei doesn’t. I thought seeing the different morals and value system that Suou and Hei have was interesting in regards to dolls.

Being a big Macross Frontier fan, I just would like to mention that movie 1 of Macross Frontier is finally released today in Japan. Hopefully it won’t be to long before the wider anime community can access this movie.

This episode of Kiddy –And is broken into two parts with the first part being very interesting with Zoma and Director Hiver doing odd things with one another with their final excuse being practicing for a magic show. I thought the scene of Zoma kissing Ascourer, Q-feuille and Dia was interesting though not as interesting as Zoma kissing Director Hiver.

The second part of Kiddy And- six deals with Ascourer, Q-feuille, Dia (along with Tama), Alisa and going to a BL café and Tama causing trouble when Tama kisses Dia. Overall, I thought that this episode of Kiddy –And was pretty much a mixed bag, as I didn’t mind the first half of this episode, but disliked the second half of this episode. I felt that this episode of Kiddy –And may have been put together because the production crew couldn’t think of anything else to further the plot of this series or not. Still hopefully next week’s episode is better than this week’s episode of Kiddy –And.

This episode of Kobato deals with Kobato going to the park with all the children, with Kobato answering the phone where the nursey School owns money to. While Kobato goes off with the children Ioryogi decides to gather some information at the Baumkuchen bakery in the middle of the forest. I thought that Genko was an interesting character, as he happily is more then happy to do some investigating on Ioryogi’s behalf on the nursery school.

I also thought that Ginsei also was a new interesting character for this series that I may end up liking, mainly due to his character design. Despite Ginsei questioning Ioryogi to return back to the other world and leave Kobato alone. I thought is was interesting to learn that the nursery school used to be run by Sayaka’s father, who is now dead, and was tricked into borrowing the money. I thought the twist that one of people that tricked Sayaka’s father is someone related to Sayaka. I’m guessing that this person will end up being Fujimoto.

Overall, I thought that this episode was rather interesting mainly due to Ginsei’s and Genko’s introduction in this episode.

I thought that this episode of Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood was quite interesting as Armstrong informs Edward about May and Scar are heading north, Armstrong informs Edward that there is a general that guards the Drakam border holds the title of another name, the “Northern Wall of Briggs” and holds the rank of Major General Armstrong. I thought that the conversation that occurred between Roy and Mrs.(?) Grumman was interesting as it provide some interesting hints about what may occur in future episodes of Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

As in the previous series of Full Metal Alchemist that Selim Bradley played a significant role in the death of Fuhrer King Bradley of the Army, I though it was interesting to see some character development and interaction between Ed and Al with Selim Bradley.

Overall, I thought that this episode again was more of a build up episode, though am wondering where Homeheim Elric will reappear, as his screen-time as been rather minimal in this series so far.

I managed to have a browse of this month’s December 2009 issue of Newtype Japan, and noticed some Macross Frontier spreads contained some images of the costumes that people may want to cosplay in the future or not of Ranka and Sheryl Nome. Below are images that are in this months Newtype.

As my only experience with the Black Jack franchise is the trailers I have seen of the Black Jack movie from Madman Entertainment, I thought that after to long that I would give Black Jack 21 a play by plat review, because I like the character of Black Jack.

This episode of Black Jack 21 deals with Black Jack are dealing with the people and medical association of Japan, due to Black Jack practicing without a license, and charging high fees for an operation. This episode starts of three months a go at the Machinaka Hospital where Black Jack is arrested for practicing medicine without a license. The arresting officer has a story where is son was treated by a quack like him, and now can never recover. Instead of taking Black Jack to the police station, the Japan Medical Association has given Black Jack the chance to get his medical license in a test, where the patient suffers from Paget’s disease.

After the 3 months after the operation, the result of the operation is that the patient that Black Jack worked on is okay. I thought Black Jack’s reason(s) for going against the President of the Medical Association of Japan was cool, and just shows that a person’s life is worth the high fees that he charges in a interesting way. I thought that this series introducing Pinoco as Black Jack’s assistant/nurse in surgery is interesting, as Pinoco can be viewed is cuteness/moeness for this series of Black Jack 21, or an annoyance, which will be determined by the director and production crew of this anime series.

I thought the way this episode ended was cool with Black Jack saving a patient’s life for 500,000,000 Yen and ripping up the President’s of the Medical Association gift of a medical liscence to save his son life, when no one else beside him could save his son.

Despite this episode containing no action sequences the well written story of this episode, more then enough made up for the characterization that occurred in this episode. I’m really looking forward to see what the remaining sixteen episodes of Black Jack 21 will have in store.

This special is divided into three parts with the first being a review/clip part in Usagi, Luna and Artemis explain/talk to Chibi-Usa about how Usagi become Salior Moon, and then defeated Queen Beryl and her generals. The second part has Michiru and Haruka fight an evil puppet. The third and final part has a new student appearing in Chibi-Usa’s class but that person is actually a vampire.

Overall, I thought that this special was fairly entertaining and from an animation point of view I thought that it was that standard of normal episode of Sailor Moon. From a musical point of view the soundtrack mainly that is used in this special is that used from the TV soundtrack of Sailor Moon. I still thought that this Sailor Moon special was still cute, funny and entertaining against anime that is currently produced today.

Special Rating: A