Geek of Oz

Based on the PSP game of the same name, La Storia Della Arcana Famiglia is exactly what the title suggests, a story about an arcane family. What ensues is a series which delivers on so many levels except the one that really matters most - story. It’s an all out battle for her hand in marriage! Felicita has had her hand in marriage unwillingly brought to the table to determine the future heir of the family. Not only does she have no choice in husband, it seems her suitors must come from the family itself! But Felicita is not going down without a fight. As the head of the Swords Division, Felicita has decided that she will win herself back and claim the title that is rightfully hers. Although it might be easier said than done when your family is Italian mafia, and working with guns and knives is just a simple way of life. It’s now a race against family to determine who wins, and Felicita is placing all bets on herself. Let the battle begin! - Hanabee The har...

There's no shortage of tsudere anime series out there. From Asuka in Evangelion to Haruhi in Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, we're all aware of the brash female lead who, by the end of the series, is making doe eyes at the male lead. Well, in no series has the female lead been quite as difficult as the young palm-top tiger, Taiga Aisaka. The title of Toradora! is derived from the names of the two main characters, Ryuji Takasu and Taiga Aisaka. The name “Taiga” sounds like the English word “Tiger,” which in Japanese translates to “Tora.” “Ryuji” literally means “Son of Dragon” in Japanese, and “Dragon” in Japanese is pronounced “Doragon.” Using the first two syllables of each, and combining them together gives us “Toradora!” Due to his frightening appearance, Ryuji lives a rather unfortunate life. On the first day of his junior year of high school, he meets a strange girl named Taiga. She is better known as the Palm-top Tiger. Despite looking small and cute, she is e...

One of the first releases from Australia's newest anime company, Hanabee, is Dream Eater Merry. Based upon a manga series of the same name it is a psychological thrill ride that impresses in so many ways although would have benefited from more straightforward storytelling. "Sometimes daydreaming can get you into trouble, but what do you do when it’s OTHER people’s dreams that you have to watch out for? For the last ten years Yumeji Fujiwara’s life has been getting progressively stranger, beginning with the sudden ability to predict what kind of dreams other people will have! Then, his own dreams take a bizarre turn in which he’s being pursued by armies of cats. Now, the weird-o-meter has just maxed out: Not only has Yumeji learned that the leader of the dream cats needs Yumeji’s body to access the Real World, but a beautiful girl suddenly drops on top of him and announces that she’s a Dream Demon who needs to return to HER world! The fabric that separates reality and fa...

Siren Visual is releasing animation as shown in the noitaminA project. Originally broadcast on Fuji TV noitaminA showcases a number of different series in an attempt to expand on the usual anime demographic. The series are all varied in both visual style and story and produced by some of anime's biggest studios including Madhouse, JC Staff, Production IG, Bones and more. Siren are releasing the first two series, Welcome to Irabu's Office and The Tatami Galaxy, on the 18th of February and the 18th of March 2011 respectively and with even more to follow. If you find yourself getting border with the usual mecha/horror/fantasy anime you should give noitaminA a go.