JK's Wing

Senorita - Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello

2019-06-25T14:30:00.001-04:00

Have you watched Senorita song by Shawn and Camila yet? If not, you are missing out this steamy song!! Shawn and Camila have been friends for so long and this is their second collab.

They have also released

Behind the Scenes video. It is labelled as part -I. So, hopefully there will be more coming out. In the part -I, you can see Shawn dropping Camila when rehearsing. Camila posted this on her social media and labelled “remember when you DROPPED ME?!!!!!”

Tamako Love Story Anime review

2015-03-21T06:03:00.003-04:00

Type: Movie

Episodes: 1

Status: Finished Airing

Aired: Apr 26, 2014

Producers: Kyoto Animation

Genres: Comedy, Romance, Slice of Life

Duration: 1 hr. 18 min.

Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

"Everybody loves somebody."

"Bitter memories are proof that you did something".

Do you ever get that choked, somehow disappointed feeling when you finish a great show or movie? A void that lingers in your mind, trying to piece together everything you just watched? You curl up in your bed or floor, both incredibly happy but sad at the same time, thoughts racing through the mind? Yep! This particular movie will definitely leave you with that feeling. Tamako love story is a small, nice, pleasant, sweet, adorable and touching film. Highly recommended and a must watch!

Tamako Love Story is that closure to Slice of Life anime that many don't have. The romance between the characters were apparent in the original series, but nothing really happened. Even though this movie is only an hour and 26 minutes long, it's the perfect ending to a series that was good. Tamako and Ooji are both in their third year of high school, and times are changing. While both are still the same character, you see development in both of them about perspective for the future, and just about each other.

Sometimes you don't need a romance filled with actions everywhere, and also sometimes you don't need a serious dramatical romance. You just need a simple, but profound love to find the perfect beauty of romance. That feeling of embarrassment after telling someone you love them and same for the one being confessed, every step was in this movie. This movie shows just what it's like if you are confessing to a friend, or even anyone, and what it can do to a relationship.

Development in all the characters are something that was really emphasized, even besides the main two. Tamako and Ooji are the main ones with development in the film, but the side characters are also moving on along side the both of them. Tamako Market and the movie itself has really nice art, I can't deny that. Kyoto Animations have always been praised for their excellent art, but there's one problem with it for me. Stunning backgrounds and quality are nice, but their diversity in character design just isn't there, not for this series at least.

Music was always said to affect many people in different ways, but it's shown in this movie that music is definitely something that can help people. Aside from this aspect, the music was beautiful and sound clips were soothing. Take the stream scene for example, the scenery was visually stunning, but the sound of the water enhanced it to the next level to bring the feeling to life. Sound was certainly a department that didn't drop in this movie.

"Everybody loves somebody." as the preview suggested has perfectly fit the theme of this movie. This has probably made more of an impact than the series itself, It's breathtaking, light, and brings serenity to your heart. It was quite enjoyable for me, if you are a fan of light story I fully recommend Tamako Love Story. If you have watched Tamako Market (The series) or not, you should definitely watch this Movie.

Trailer:

Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji Manga review

2015-03-21T05:14:00.002-04:00

Synonyms: Ookami Shoujo to Kuroouji, Wolf Girl & Black Prince

Type: Manga

Volumes: Unknown

Chapters: Unknown

Status: Publishing

Published: Jun 11, 2011 to ?

Genres: Comedy, Romance, School, Shoujo

Authors: Hatta, Ayuko (Story & Art)

Serialization: Bessatsu Margaret

Check out the Anime review here

"A secret no one can say, a true nature that can't be shown, everyone has an 'underside'!" --cover page of Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji

"Generally a high school life is all decided in the first two months."

Do you agree this? Maybe you don't but this is what the main character of this stroy, Shinohara Erika, believes.Trying to build a reputation in school is what Erika needs to survive. But when you're a 16-year-old that has never even dated someone it's way harder. The solution? Lie.

So she pretends she has a boyfriend. The only one who knows the truth is her friend, San-chan. But without any proofs of having this "perfect boyfriend", Erika sees herself wrapped in her own lie. Her new friends start doubting her. Trying not to be called a liar, she takes a picture of a random cute guy walking on the street so she can show her friends.

Okay. Problem solved, right?

WRONG! In fact, this guy she took a picture of studies in the same school as her. The famous "Prince", Sata Kyouya. She then asks him a favor: prentending to be her boyfriend.

Cute adorable sweet and understandable guy agrees happily and a beautiful cliche love develops?

YOU'RE WRONG AGAIN! This so called "Prince" is a great sadist. He accepts the deal, but... now, Erika is his dog! Here begins the journey of the Wolf Girl!

Kyouya is unafraid to voice his most cynical views. Heck, if he sees an old lady struggling to walk across the road, he may as well be that person to send her to her doom. The refreshing part of his personality is that he shows no signs of other personalities. He's just being himself. It may get over the top at times but it's interesting but poor Erika has to put up with that. She knows this as well and tries her best to cope with it. It doesn't come as a surprise that other characters are not as unique as Kyouya or Erika. The friends of Erika feels static. But from Kyouya's side, one of them turns to be more interesting to read than how I thought he'd be. He's chirpy and friendly, a striking opposite of Kyouya, but is equally enjoyable.

What really made me into the story was the original plot. In shoujo manga, the story is almost always fluffy, cute, adorable and heartwarming. There are also those heartbreaking, tragic and sad love story. Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji is a totally nonsense and new love story. A sadist and an almost-masochist making so much success is a little new in the shoujo industry.

The artwork are nicely drawn, not mind-blowing but enough to get the storyline/characters conveyed. After all, if the artwork wasn't at least decent, how will Kyouya be such a yummy eyecandy? Putting superficial preferences aside, its characters and plotline are top-notch. You've got to love Kyouya's cynicism and Erika's struggle to deal with that. But it is not recommended for everyone.... because some might find both protagonists absolutely worst....well think about it - Will you date this guy if he was real? If yes... then its for you :)

Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji Anime review

2015-03-21T04:41:00.001-04:00

English: Wolf Girl and Black Prince

Synonyms: Ookami Shoujo to Kuroouji, Wolf Girl & Black Prince

Type: TV

Episodes: 12

Status: Finished Airing

Aired: Oct 5, 2014 to Dec 21, 2014

Producers: VAP, Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation, TYO Animations, Sentai FilmworksL, Nippon Television Network Corporation

Genres: Comedy, Romance, School, Shoujo

Duration: 24 min. per episode

Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

Check out the manga review here.

A desire for acceptance is something that most of us can relate to, and at times that can drive us to certain extremes. It's a premise that is not necessarily unique, but for a shoujo series it actually is. The clichéd trope of a spineless heroine and her tsundere love interest is all too common. However this series provides us with a slight variant; our main character is a compulsive liar and her love interest is a two-faced jerk who is content to treat her like a dog.

The story centers around Erika Shinohara, a vain 16-year-old girl who tells her friends about her romantic exploits, but she actually has no boyfriend. She claims that a handsome boy in a candid photo is her boyfriend, but it turns out that boy is a schoolmate named Kyouya Sata. She has no choice but to make him her fake boyfriend. Unfortunately, Sata may look like a sweet person, but he is actually an ultra-black-hearted sadist. Sata takes advantage of Erika's weakness and treats her like his dog.

Erika is not your traditional shoujo heroine, she's actually a plucky, resilient lead who actually seems to enjoy Kyouya's treatment. When situations arise that would stereotypically end in an angst-filled fight between our couple, Erika maintains her usual headstrong, blind determination to win over her ice-hearted prince. She does actually develop as the series progresses. Kyouya is, quite frankly, a jerk to Erika constantly and only occasionally showers her with some vague form of affection. But the series doesn't try too hard to redeem him—he has no sad backstory to fall on and his behaviour is not entirely without cause - being cynical and misanthropic seems to run in the family. The supporting cast is entertaining but they receive minimal attention or development. That is a disappointing fact about the series

In regards to the animation, the colour palette is vibrant and charming. In comparison to the manga, it actually has adapted all of the character designs quite nicely. Although it is like any other shoujo style, each design is unique and rather fitting giving each character's unique persona. Unfortunately another weak area is perhaps the soundtrack. The opening is catchy and adorable, but during the course of the series there are a few scenes with background music that just seem utterly out of place in an almost comedic sense.

Overall, the series has enough merits to warrant it being a good shoujo anime. This certainly is not for everyone, it's not about a sweet couple that fall in love gradually—it's about two characters who are so entirely human that they are flawed and utterly unlikeable, but as a result of which, happen to be highly entertaining together.

Opening titles:

Hana Yori Dango Anime Review

2015-03-06T04:45:00.000-05:00

English: Boys Over Flowers

Synonyms: HYD, Boys Over Flowers: Jewelry Box, End of the Century

Type: TV

Episodes: 51

Status: Finished Airing

Aired: Sep 8, 1996 to Aug 31, 1997

Producers: Toei Animation, Viz Media

Genres: Drama, Romance, School, Shoujo

Duration: 25 min. per episode

Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

I am absolutely positive that everybody must have heard about Korean Drama called "Boys over flowers" with 'Lee Min Ho' and' Kim Hyun Joong' as the lead actors. Or The Taiwanese drama called "Meteor Garden" or the Japanese drama that goes by the same name "Hana Yori Dango".When I started this anime, I have seen all the versions of the dramas based on this anime. Hana Yori Dango, being the original version, beats all the other versions out there. It sticks to the manga. Though the animation is old, the art and sound are not good, the emotions involved are raw and powerful. I recommend it to the people who haven't seen any versions of the dramas yet and also to who have watched all of them. Trust me guys. you gonna enjoy it more than anything that's out there in this genre.

The anime starts out in a most likely way that you wouldnt expect any romance to develop from. Tsukushi Makino is ranked as a lower class student at an all exclusive high school with the majority of the students coming from a wealthy background. The school is crontrolled by the F4 known has the Flower 4, a gang of 4 guys that come from extremely rich and powerful families. Basically, the entire school idolize them but also lives in fear of getting on their bad side and getting the red card, a declaration of war by the F4, which basically means your school life becomes a living hell until you transfer out.Tsukushi goes about her day just trying to be unnoticed until she graduates, leading a fairly miserable existence. This all changes when she jumps to her freind's rescue against F4. As Tsukushi fights back and starts to gain the respect of many classmates and even begins to befriend the F4, we learn that they are not quite as bad as initially thought. About the romantic aspect of this anime is quite difficult to say without giving away any spoilers. The journey is quite an unforgettable ride that you dont want to miss out on.

Tsukushi Makino in my opinion is a boss bitch. She is tough, honest, loyal and no-nonsense type of girl Viewers will be drawn to her, She is overall a very inspirational character.

Tsukasa Domyoji is the leader of the F4 and one of Tsukushi’s love interests. He has all the classic elements of a shoujo love interest. He's wealthy and handsome. Initially he will be seen an extremely frightening character making him almost impossible to like at all. However has the series progresses he becomes less and less cold spoiled little brat and turns into a decent and sympathetic human being. Although I tried my best to keep hating him, he wore me down into actually loving him.

As for Rui another member of F4 and another main love interest of Tsukushi. He is almost the complete opposite of the hotheaded Tsukasa. While still from an enormously wealthy family and suitably good looking, Rui is far more introverted and shy. I liked him far more at first than any of the other men in the cast but he really isn’t any nicer that Tsukasa is. My feelings for him are pretty much the reverse of what I felt for Tsukasa. I lliked him at the beginning of the series but towards the end, I actually got tired of his personality.

Given the age of this series, the animation and visuals aren't very much a fair site to look at. And I know some people really do care about the outer appearance of anime and won't even give this show a chance which is really a shame because like they say don't jude a book by its cover the same goes for this anime. Even though the hair styles and fashion are extremely dated. The artwork given for the anime does match the one for the manga. The audio for me gives me mixed emotions. There are time where i would despise the background violon music which obviously dated. But overall the voice acting is outstanding

Overall Hana Yori Dango is a series that should be on your number 1 must watch list of animes for a serious romance anime fans like me. When I say there is no other anime like Hana Yori Dango i mean it. This show is very intense and it will bring you so much emotion as a viewer. I can say that it is one hell of a rollercoaster ride.

Horimiya Manga review

2015-02-24T12:03:00.001-05:00

Type: Manga

Volumes: Unknown

Chapters: Unknown

Status: Publishing

Published: Oct 18, 2011 to ?

Genres: Comedy, Romance, Shounen

Authors: Hagiwara, Daisuke (Art), HERO (Story)

Serialization: GFantasy

Horimiya may look like your average shoujo romcom manga but its not! Horimiya is the shining light amongst the excessive flood of rehashed high school romances. There, I said it! So pick it up and read it cause this manga is very special and unique. But what makes this manga so special? It has the same cliché scenario, after all: a popular female lead, a shut-in otaku male lead, high school setting; the list goes on and on. The premise may be unoriginal, but Horimiya excels greatly in the one aspect that most romances fail to deliver.

Intimacy!!

The amount of intimacy that can be felt between our two lovers, Hori-san and Miyamura-kun, never ceases to amaze me. Unlike most romances, their love for each other never feels forced. Author did a delicate job of developing the relationship between Hori and Miyamura so that their romance doesn't seem strained but rather genuinely real.

Horimiya's story has refreshingly fast pacing, unlike other romances where it seems to take forever for the main couple to realize their feelings for each other. The moment from when Hori and Miyamura meet to when they start dating moves along without any conflicts that feel stretched out into many chapters. The drama of the series is dealt with immediately and any misunderstandings aren't painfully drawn out. Hori is a very popular girl at her school, so she has to face the doubtful and negative reactions from people discovering that she's dating a "closet otaku." Miyamura, who had been ostracized all of his life, struggles to gain the self-confidence to see himself as someone who can make a great girl such as Hori happy. The story brings in a fresh air through Hori and Miyamura overcoming their individual flaws and the problems that arise from an odd couple such as theirs.

The characters are what makes this manga above average. Especially Miyamura Izumi. In school, he is seen as a shady guy with glasses and a possible otaku. Looks can be deceiving though. Miyamura is in fact, not a otaku and looks like a a punk rock kind of guy with 9 piercings and a bunch of tattoos. In reality, he is actually an airhead that only excels in physical education and health despite his looks in school. Hori Kyokou is the MC of the manga. In school, she is cute, smart, and popular. After school though, she goes straight home and becomes similar to a housewife. She is also a sadist. Despite the uncertainty Hori and Miyamura have about their relationship, Horimiya is a very lighthearted and sweet read. The interactions between not only Hori and Miyamura, but also the rest of the cast feel very natural and often caused me to grin or chuckle.

Every character is distinguishable from the others and the designs are simply eye-candy. Yet, even though Horimiya's characters look great, its background detail isn't anything special. The school windows, desks, and so on are average in terms of how high school settings go. In many panels, it's even just the characters on a white and gray background. Despite this flaw, I find the characters' designs to make up for the lack of detail, especially Miyamura's transformation from his school image to his true image.

One notable fact about Horimiya is that author continues to develop Hori and Miyamura's relationship past the confession scene and shows the hurdles they must cross to maintain their romance. Horimiya is a fresh read among the many romances who call it quits after their main characters finally start dating. Horimiya is the manga that kicks clichés to the side and stands firmly atop

Bokura wa Minna Kawaisou Anime review

2015-02-22T04:23:00.001-05:00

English: The Kawai Complex Guide to Manors and Hostel Behavior

Type: TV

Episodes: 12

Status: Finished Airing

Aired: Apr 4, 2014 to Jun 20, 2014

Producers: Brains Base, TBS, Sentai FilmworksL

Genres: Comedy, Romance, School, Slice of Life

Duration: 24 min. per episode

Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

What is love? The Oxford English dictionary defines the word "love" as: a strong feeling of affection. However is it really just that? The definition for love is different for everyone is it not? It's complex, it’s unique, it’s a roller coaster and above all love requires time and work. And with that resonating definition, we have Bokura wa Minna Kawaisou. It is a good light romantic and little comedy themed anime. The story is very unoriginal, stereotypical and blatant. Nonetheless it's a good romance anime that people can enjoy watching, get a good giggle out of, and feel happy about. Of course, I love almost all romance anime, so if you don't like romance anime, then this anime probably isn't going to be that appealing to you.

(Check out the manga review of Bokura wa minna kawaisou here)

Anyways, the plot is very simple. It's about a high school freshman, Kazunari Usa who movies into a boarding house and it turns out that the love of his life, Ritsu Kawai is living there too. The story focuses on the development of the relationship between these two. Basically Ritsu loves books (a little too much), and is easily bothered/annoyed with other people, especially those that talk too much. She really doesn't show any kind of emotion towards other people, and doesn't show any sign of "love" towards Usa. Usa basically tries everything he has to get Ritsu to notice him, but sort of fails due to his shyness. But that's where the other fun characters who also live in the same boarding complex come into play!

In terms of character development, we have Ritsu as our pupil. Her development is based off the main plot of this anime, which is flowering relationship between herself and Kazunari. If I were to use the caterpillar, cocoon, butterfly analogy; I would say that Ritsu evolved from a caterpillar to a cocoon by the end of the series which I find perfect because it just makes the concept of love more authentic and leaves an air of mystery for the audience. .Of course you have to deal with stereotypes for the most part, but they are overall a good relatable cast, which have their flaws and never feel too one sided.It's also funny how characters become more likable the further the show progresses. It is evidence of character progression.

The art in the anime is nothing special, nothing that stands out particularly.he sound is perfect; everything from the pedalling of the bikes to the rustling of the bed sheets when someone wakes up is heard, it’s all there. The opening was nice to listen to; I watched/listened to the opening every episode. The voicing didn't disappoint either, each character's voice fit their personalities.

I was going into this series expecting two people to eventually fall in love, confess to each other and by the end have their first kiss and that would be the end of this anime; just like and typical romantic comedy. To my surprise, it was the complete opposite of what I thought. If you like romance comedies, then this anime is one that you might want to check out. I enjoyed it despite it's obvious, unoriginal plot. Kind of a relaxing anime, that isn't very serious, and there's absolutely nothing scary or confusing about the anime.

Opening titles:

Bokura wa Minna Kawaisou Manga review

2015-02-22T02:35:00.001-05:00

English: The Kawai Complex Guide to Manors and Hostel

Type: Manga

Volumes: Unknown

Chapters: Unknown

Status: Publishing

Published: Apr 30, 2010 to ?

Genres: Comedy, Romance, School, Slice of Life, Seinen

Authors: Miyahara, Ruri (Story & Art)

Serialization: Young King Ours

Bokura wa minna is not anything spectacular, in fact, in five years when I've read more this and that, I'll come back and call it slightly generic. But in a industry that thrives on re-using scenarios and ideas, you always have to have something special to succeed. Some cases it's a twist that has never been seen before and for some cases it's as simple as a well written story and characters like this one.

(Check out the anime review of Bokura wa minna kawaisou here)

Driver on the story is romance, seen mainly from the focus point of Usa Kazunari, the male lead. The struggle for the attention of Kawai Ritsu is full of embarrassment, hardship and heart-warming moments. I'd call it basic moe, if not for the realistic way it is presented. The series does give you a scent of comedy from the very beginning, but you'll be surprised just like I was. At times the comedy goes deep, and for many beyond the borders of their comfort-zone.

Naturally, the comedy comes mainly from the characters and their interactions. The small community of the Kawai complex includes two males and four females. And in my eyes, every single one of them deserve the title of a main character. The adult trio that is tasked with the dirty jokes and being a nuisance to Usa, the lovely but surprisingly scary grandma, and our main character couple that are in charge of the awww-moments. They all play a significant role in making this manga what is is, and their chemistry is either freakishly good luck or work of a genius author.

Usa Kazunari is not a main character who would be in the finals when world championships are held, but he is a likeable and not in any way a bland boy, who's job is to be the foundation of the romance and a gear in the comedymachine. Kawai Ritsu / senpai / Rit-chan is a female lead that can be described with one word: absolutely adorable. She is the quiet type with character, in other words a bookworm with cool personality.

The overall quality of the art in the manga is high, and when the artist goes for the close-ups on characters showing various emotions, I froze and stared at the screen for a moment in awe.

Bokura wa Minna is different. There is no need to rip your hair out out of frustration, no need for unnecessary screaming at the monitor for not giving us what we want, because the progress is smooth and natural. Yes, the story has a slow pace, but that comes as a given when one of the tags is Slice of Life. I encourage you to pick it up, and witness the joys and horrors of living in the Kawai complex.

Sket Dance Anime Review

2015-02-21T12:23:00.001-05:00

Type: TV

Episodes: 77

Status: Finished Airing

Aired: Apr 7, 2011 to Sep 27, 2012

Producers: TV Tokyo, Avex Entertainment, Dentsu, Tatsunoko Productions

Genres: Comedy, School, Shounen

Duration: 24 min. per episode

Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain."

There are some stories that end up having a lot more to them than was initially expected. They aren’t perfect, they might not even be completely logical – but they’re something that managed to catch you off guard in the best ways possible. Take a look; there’s a chance that SKET Dance might blossom into such a series for you…

The core plot is just a simple, mainly episodic story about a quirky trio of friends that solve problems and help people out. But there are also some very tightly written and amazingly powerful (multi-episode) storylines within it . Just know that they don’t come off as abrupt, but rather fit smoothly into the ‘narrative’ and add a lot to it. Don’t let the comedy-oriented episodes fool you into thinking that that’s all the show has in store for you. The overall tone you are first introduced to is that of a school-life comedy. The drama picks up slightly near the beginning, but truly picks up a little farther in. The balance struck between the two is well-done, as neither overwhelms the other. They work together to create a fantastic atmosphere. One thing should be noted though. When the show ends, there’s no solid culmination for the characters. It just kind of... ends. So be prepared for that. (or continue the manga of sket dance for more of it)

The main three characters are pretty unique and unconventional, having a lot of depth and personality. Switch, the genius otaku, who talks through his computer… Himeko, the occasionally violent Okinawan “Yankee” with a soft-spot for cute things… And finally the leader of the SKET club, Bossun. He's a rather interesting choice for a main character, as at times he’s almost completely inept and useless - but at other times he really shines. It’s actually quite refreshing. Interestingly, these aren’t the main character’s real names, but rather their nicknames. They go almost entirely by those nicknames - each of which has a story behind it. There are also almost too many side characters to mention (which can be a good thing or bad thing depending on your tastes). Most of them are great, having something of worthwhile value to contribute. A few serve almost no purpose – but they don’t overstay their welcome. The characters are the true heart and soul of this anime.

The art is very high-quality. Frenetic motion (due to the fast-paced comedy within the series), facial expressions, backgrounds and lighting are all above par. Character designs have had a lot of thought put into them – almost everyone is unique. And the best part is that the quality stays consistent through all seventy seven episodes.

SKET Dance utilizes music in a very effective way. It plays songs that match the current scene. If it’s comedic, the music will be bombastic and crazy. If it’s serious and dramatic, the music will fit that. It helps enhance the presentation. But it also does one thing that is greatly appreciated: it shuts up when it needs to and lets what’s happening play out with no influence from the music at all.

This was, honestly, one the funniest anime series I’ve had the pleasure of watching. It was also very emotionally powerful at times. That experience being the character interactions, and also the lessons the show teaches. Almost everyone can find something of value in this anime. If the comedy doesn’t do it for you, the serious bits of the show probably will, or vice-versa.

Opening titles

Sket Dance Manga Review

2015-02-21T11:59:00.001-05:00

Type: Manga

Volumes: 32

Chapters: 288

Status: Finished

Published: Aug 28, 2006 to Jul 8, 2013

Genres: Comedy, Drama, School, Shounen

Authors: Shinohara, Kenta (Story & Art)

Serialization: Shounen Jump (Weekly)

This manga is a great choice if you want to relax from your busy time or when you want to read together with your friends. This is the manga that can make you laugh as hard as you can and also teach you many things. However, the characters themselves are what truly make the manga. The way the characters and stories are panned out is really great. And there's a depth to this manga that no one would see coming and really gives it a powerful feel.

(Check out the anime review of sket dance here)

Sket Dance has no all consuming story with a beginning and an end, rather it's composed of episodes. Each chapter chronicles a new case for the Sket Dan and occasionally certain arcs (which can span up to 3-6 chapters) like the: "Sket Dan vs. The student council" arc. The cases are most of the time nonsensical and random: Like the chapters in where they have to deal with the Roman, the girl who sees everything in her 'otome filter' (in short Shojou manga vision). However they may equally be touching and at times sad and very deep. The most touching arcs in my opinions are the ones that explore the pasts of the three leads and how they came to join the Sket Dan. For spoiler reasons i wont explicit on the content of these chapters. Just know that you are guaranteed to get teary-eyed at at-least one of them. The story mixes ridiculously funny humor with ,at the same time, drama and suspense worthy of a shojou manga.

The three leads are: Fujisake Yusuke otherwise known as "Bossun" (the protagonist), Kazuyoshi Usui or "Switch", And Onizuka Hime a.k.a "Himeko". Obviously these three characters receive the most development of the cast. Bossun acts rather childish and hot-blooded and in one chapter is even made out to be a "useless shonen hero" by an amateur manga artist. However it's thanks to his talents that the Sket Dan is able to solve many cases. In a way you could describe him as being a sort detective because he is able to analyze, and logically solve most dilemmas that come his way. Then we have Himeko the "straight-man", who ironically used to be a Yankee so feared that she was nicknamed "Onihime" a name which she she, nowadays, rejects. And finally Switch, the apparently good-looking otaku who uses a voice synthesizing software on his laptop to speak.He is stone faced but often willingly gets involved with the nonsensical situations of the show. The supporting cast equally receives varied levels of development. The most notable being Tsubaki, the student council vice president and possibly Shinzo the phony Samurai.

Sket Dance's art is generally varied in terms of quality. It ranges from a little below average to holy-shit-that's-freaking-godly. But the most notable instance of absolutely mind blowing art is arc which explained Bossun's past. IYou really connect with the characters regardless of who they may be. Not to mention certain expressions can just make you laugh so hard.

Overall Sket Dance is an extremely good and cleverly written manga,definitely one of my favorites . I enjoy it very much, most notably ,of course, because of it's comedy but also because of the characters and it's ability to have "a different and truly unique approach to the same idea". There are no overly negative aspects to the manga. However some may argue that the humor can get a little repetitive, i personally love it. Definitely recommended.

Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu anime review

2014-04-18T02:28:00.003-04:00

English: Haruka Nogizaka's Secret

Type: TV

Episodes: 12

Status: Finished Airing

Aired: Jul 3, 2008 to Sep 25, 2008

Producers: Geneon Universal Entertainment, Diomedea, ASCII Media Works, Studio Mausu

Genres: Comedy, Romance

Duration: 25 min. per episode

Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu (Haruka Nogizaka's Secret) is an Ecchi, Romantic, Comedy about a relationship formed from a secret shared between two high school students. This anime doesn’t offer anything remarkably different to your average Rom/Com; however it certainly has a refreshing feel to it.

Yuuto Ayase is a fairly normal guy and Haruka Nogizaka is the school idol but their separate lives soon intertwine when Yuuto discovers Haruka’s secret hobby (Anime). Hardcore anime fans may enjoy the concept because it’s easy to relate to the stigma that may comes along with being an ‘open anime fan’, even though it does go a bit overboard. Though what makes this anime worth watching is the sweet romance that develops. The story moves at a steady pace, dealing with one issue at a time however the problem with this is that the episodes feel very disjointed, as there’s no real flow between one episode and the next. Also once the major issue about Haruka is resolved, this ends up becoming yet another typical romance anime.

Like in most romance anime, this one centres on the characters in the main relationship. Well unlike most protagonists in these kinds of Rom/Coms, Yuuto is quite the appealing guy and acts how a guy is supposed to be and is a welcome change from all the spineless loser-kuns. Then there’s the main attraction, Haruka who is seemingly perfect and has a cute timid personality, however she also comes with her own problems. The supporting characters do an alright job providing some comedy, but can be a real nuisance when it comes to the story.

Just from looking at this series’ picture, anime fans can expect this anime to go for animation and music that we are used to. The art style is very typical for this type of anime, with very simple big-eyed character designs but the way it is animated is certainly better than some similar looking anime (Myself; Yourself, H20, etc.). On the other hand this series doesn’t perform too well in the sound department. The music is sub par and can easily go unnoticed during the non-dramatic scenes.

Overall Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu is one of the decent Rom/Com of its season, though I feel that there can be an unnecessary amount of fanservice. The comedy is okay, especially on the rare occasions that it includes some obvious anime references but it does get stale after a while. Nevertheless the endearing romance is the only real reason worth watching this anime. It’s a shame the romantic relationship lacks a sense of progression and is littered with trivial problems.

Opening:

Rio 2 movie review

2014-04-18T02:07:00.001-04:00

In RIO 2, rare blue macaw lovebirds Blu (voiced by Jesse Eisenberg) and Jewel (Anne Hathaway) are now married with three juvenile birds of their own, living in the bird sanctuary established by their married human friends Linda (Leslie Mann) and Tulio (Rodrigo Santoro). During a trip to the Amazon, Linda and Tulio discover that there are more blue macaws living in a remote cluster of Brazil nut trees deep in the rainforest. When news gets out about their discovery, Jewel decides that her overly domesticated family needs to go to the Amazon and find out about their roots -- and, as it turns out, her father, Eduardo (Andy Garcia), and old boyfriend, Roberto (Bruno Mars), are the leaders of the flock. Blu has a tough time acclimating to his new wild environment, but even more trouble is brewing: A greedy logging CEO and Blu's old nemesis, Nigel (Jemaine Clement), are both set to destroy the macaws and their habitat.

Director Carlos Saldanha continues his visual love letter to his home country of Brazil with a second adventure exploring the natural beauty of his native land. The plot of Rio 2 may not be as thorough or exciting as the original, but moving the adventure to the Amazon adds even more colors and animals to a franchise that differentiated itself with its detail to landscapes and location. And thanks to spectacular singers like Mars, Kristin Chenoweth (as Gabi the hilarious poisonous frog), and Janelle Monae joining will.i.am, Clement, and Hathaway, the music is once again fabulously memorable.

Rio's "fish out of water" plot line for Blu already felt played out by the time the original movie was over, so it's a bit of a drag to see him still struggling to fit in with his wild(er) mate Jewel's idea of home. And Fernando, the orphaned boy who played such a prominent role in the original, is only seen once in this installment. But even though it's not quite as singular as its predecessor, Rio 2 is still a fun and thoughtful sequel that will make families leave the theater happy and ready to samba, learn capoeira, and adopt a capybara.

Trailer:

Oculus movie review

2014-04-18T02:01:00.003-04:00

This surprise packet of a horror chiller marks the arrival of promising newbie director Mike Flanagan. Expanded from his own half-hour short film, Oculus builds up a palpable sense of dread from the get-go. Tantalising the viewers’ imagination without resorting to shock tactics or gratuitous violence, Flanagan gets more scares from an antique mirror than most genre directors can scrape together with ghouls, gore and what have you.

Serving also as the film’s editor, the auteur adroitly melds events occurring in parallel time frames 11 years apart. The set-up is simple but it would be futile to expect clear-cut explanations for the supernatural elements here.

A decade after the mysterious death of their parents, 20-something siblings (Gillan-Thwaites) set out to investigate the malevolent forces unleashed by a century-old mirror in their family home.

It seems that their parents (Katee Sackhoff-Rory Cochrane) had inexplicably gone berserk under the influence of the demonic mirror. Now, the focus is on the psychological impact of the tragedy on the two parentless siblings who have to relive their childhood nightmare.

Low on special effects but high on horror and intrigue, here’s a rare small-scaled Hollywood film which delivers the goods and how. Karen Gillan is outstanding as the sister determined to unravel the mystery. Brenton Thwaites is equally impressive as her beleaguered brother.

The sparse background music score by The Newton Brothers is extremely effective. A compelling experiment in terror, Oculus is a must-experience.

Trailer:

Kim Hyun Joong's world tour and Secret dating.

2014-04-18T01:47:00.000-04:00

"Inspiring Generation" actor Kim Hyun Joong will be kicking off his world tour this June in Korea!

Kim Hyun Joong recently concluded the KBS 2TV drama "Inspiring Generation" successfully, and he's planning to greet his fans with a new album and world tour. Kim Hyun Joong said, "I'll be starting my world tour on June 28th in Korea. Although the visiting countries have not yet all been confirmed, it looks like there will be quite a lot. Before my world tour I'll also be releasing a new album." This will be Kim Hyun Joong's first solo album since July last year.

He also said, "I want to present music that's worthy of the World Cup," and threw hints about his new music.

"For the upcoming World Cup, I need to celebrate with chicken & beer. And I want to prepare an exciting album that's worthy of the World Cup. Apart from chart ranks, I'm more concerned about creating music that will give you the feeling that Korea is going to win, with music that can gather many hearts in one place. I want to make music that the fans in the audience can enjoy rather than just broadcasts. But I'm not just aiming at the World Cup (laughter)."

Kim Hyun Joong's 2nd drama "Inspiring Generation" came to an end on the 3rd. He played the role of loyal Shin Jung Tae, through which he received high praise for his acting. He said, "I still cannot believe that the drama has ended. It was a work where I really immersed myself. It's not easy to let go of the character Shin Jung Tae. I've been feeling really down lately." He continued, "I really liked Shin Jung Tae, and was obsessed. Although it's unrealistic to protect the people you love with your life, but it was warm."

But now it's time to say goodbye to Shin Jung Tae. He should reduce the consumption of such feelings and focus on his own. That's why he's decided to attend a popular music concert all by himself.

"I wanted a diversion, so I went to Nell's concert by myself. However it was such an emotional concert and I returned feeling even more down. I often go alone to concerts. I'm kind of embarrassed that my realest emotions are being shared with others."

He'll also be leaving on a trip to Jeju Island on his time off. He's planning to go scuba diving, which is his hobby, as well as go bike riding. He will be joined by his agency's CEO and senior actor Bae Yong Joon.

"I was planning to leave for vacation alone, but Bae Yong Joon said he'll be coming with me. I want to take this opportunity to teach him how to scuba dive."

Meanwhile, Kim Hyun Joong is also seriously considering his next work. When asked how he would respond if he received an offer for a work of action as a sequel, he answered flatly, "I absolutely won't. My pride won't allow me to do what I've already shown you." He added, "While I'm young I want to show you many faces."

What about a romance like "Boys Over Flowers"? Again he rejected the idea, saying, "For one, I'm not going to be wearing the uniform. And I don't think I can do content like 'Boys Over Flowers' because I'll be too uncomfortable. I want to do something that can appear in a documentary, a possibly true story among ourselves, as an ordinary character," and raised expectations for his next work.

Kim Hyun Joong remained firm on his decision that he will never go public with a relationship.

In a recent interview with Newsen, Kim Hyun Joong was asked about marriage given that he is in his late twenties. He shared that marriage might not be in the cards for him, "I don't think I will be able to... I have to go to the military and if I do other things, I will be over 35 years old... In the past, I thought that I really have to [get married someday] but now I don't have confidence. I love work so much so I don't think I will be able to be faithful to my family. If a dilemma suddenly comes about in my drama, singing, and concerts one day, then I think I will do it."

He was also asked about his love life to which he honesty remarked, "If I say I don't date, that would be a lie... I dated in secret about a year ago, but I am not dating currently."

He also added, "I want to date a bit more comfortably now. I think a relationship based on impulsive passion and clinging on are not that great... A normal dating relationship is the best. Rather than buying flowers and doing surprise events, eating and holding hands while walking is better. I didn't realize that sometimes normal and ordinary things are the best when I was younger, but I am feeling it now."

"I will never go public with a relationship. I noticed that when people date publicly and breakup it's the woman that has to suffer for it. I don't think there is any need for a woman, who may be later married, to have the title of being 'someone's woman' following them... If I'm not going to marry that person, I will never go public with a relationship out of respect for that person's life."

Kim Hyun Joong previously denied dating rumors with After School's UEE and after reading his stance on never going public with a relationship, shippers are left wondering if this could mean that there was some truth to the rumors. However, it seems we will never know as Kim Hyun Joong seems like a man who will fight to protect those close to him and kudos to him for that!

Kim Hyun Joong’s 김현중 Interview - Kim Hyun Joong, A Man With Surprises, promotional images

2014-04-18T01:39:00.001-04:00

Q: It's a tough journey. How do you feel about 'Inspiring Generation' for the past 3 months?

A: The 3 months was as if one year. (laughs) 'Inspiring Generation' started its production since June last year. I was (always)contemplating how should I bring out the character of 'Shin Jeong-tae' throughout the 10 months. Although there were tough times during the timing, it ended perfectly thanks to the love and supports from the viewers.

----

Q: There were quite a few characters that left a deep impression. How did you able to adapt to that?

A: Every scene was shot with 100% effort. The best was given for every moment/shots. If I couldn't receive a positive approval, I will accept the fact that I might not have done enough yet.

----

Q: There were concerns on the comparison between you and the top actors, but your crying scenes in the early-mid part of the drama have wiped out the concerns.

A: I did cry a lot during the crying scenes, but it’s a little pity if the focus of acting skills was only zooming into those scenes. In fact, a lot of emotions that were as much as crying scenes, were put into angry scenes, funny scenes and even sad scenes. It was up to the point that I contemplated on how should I hold a spoon during acting. I’ve always tried my best to imagine the scenario whenever I received the script. When I looked at the father’s (Shin Yeong-chul) picture, I imagined how his life and actions would be. I’ve also tried to imagine the little habits that Chung-ah have when looking at her picture, and even tried the speech intonation I (as Shin Jeong-tae) when speaking to her. Perhaps I was always thinking about all these, I even dreamed about ‘Inspiring Generation’. When I was napping for around 2-3 hours, I dreamed about Shin I-chi and Wang Baek-san chasing after me. (laughs) Then I realised ‘I’ve really fallen for IG’.

----

Q: Have you ever thought you could erase the clear image you’ve got in the long run from KBS2 ‘Boys Over Flower’ through ‘Inspiring Generation’?

A: I’ve never thought of breaking the ‘flower boy’ image. The ‘image’ choice belongs to the viewers, isn’t it? However I think there is a limitation in which acting skills can reach in romantic comedy genre. It was one of the reason why I chose a more manly period drama so I make a turning point through my acting skills. As much as the preparation was done, in order to express the right emotions of the characters, I think it’s best to choose the right character (first that suits yourself).

----

Q: There were positive feedbacks on your acting skills, including your action scenes. It wasn’t easy to try action scenes for the first time.

A: I attended action schools for a few days, but I haven’t practiced a lot. I learned martial acting and there’s a line that I can still remember very well, ‘Action is not about synchronicity, it’s emotions’. It feels a whole lot different when you were fighting against a stranger and someone you loved. The latter one consists of a more complex actions and emotions. ‘Inspiring Generation’ have changed a big part of my mindset on martial acting.

----

Q: Are you personally satisfied with the production this time? Have you gained any meaningful experiences?

A: The feedbacks were more than what I was expecting. But I think it could have been better. I will not stop here nor will I choose to act a character that is similar to ‘Shin Jeong-tae’. Instead, I will show something that is beyond what I have achieved now. Since there is no endpoint to martial arts, I will continue and show something different in the future.

Q: From the change of scriptwriter and the production cost scandal, it was quite an interference to the broadcast of ‘Inspiring Generation’. Were you affected by it?

A: I had a hard time too but I did not have any dissatisfaction about it since I was one of the lead cast, I have to continue with the filming. I have to prepare to bring out the best for the scene even if I have no more than 5 minutes to memorise the script. So I wasn’t really affected by changing of the scriptwriter. A part of me had become one with ‘Shin Jeong-tae’, so almost everything I do was to bring the best of the character. Besides, there was a good collaboration between the casts. To be able to make a production up to this standard under such condition, the casts deserve large credits. Everyone were able to focus, no matter during filming or off filming.

----

Q: Although it was said after filming, ‘Although it was a 150million KRW mass production, the viewerships ratings were just so-so’. And ‘Inspiring Generation’ was highly anticipated by outsiders from the start. It’s another task for you to shake off this burden.

A: I don’t know how I should say this, but I did not feel any burden. When it comes to ‘Kim Hyun-Joong’, it’s surely thrilling & nervous. However I was ‘Shin Jeong-tae’, not ‘Kim Hyun-Joong’ in ‘Inspiring Generation’. It was also a reason why tears fell naturally when Jeong Jae-hwa (Kim Seong-oh) and the Bangsamtong’s people kneeled before me. Rather than feeling stressed towards the expectations for the drama, I felt sorry for the people together with me whom I cannot protect. Whether it’s the cast or the factors beyond the production.

----

Q: You have experience in acting from modern drama to period drama throughout your short acting journey. What do you think that matches you between the two?

A: To be honest, it was hard filming for a period drama. (laughs) Because we had to play a lot with the intonation and moves. It was hard to express your emotions in a limited area. On the other hand, if I were to point out a good point about period drama, it’s going to be ‘stepping into the past through acting’. If ‘time machine’ really does exist, wouldn’t it be ‘period drama’? The historical sentiments, culture and incidents that I wanted to feel so real. I’ve felt/learned a lot of things from ‘Inspiring Generation’. For example, ‘So 1930 era was such a depressing era’, ‘The only way to protect your family was only through fighting’, ‘Without handphones (text messages), there’s no misunderstanding’. (laughs)

----

Q: The steady fandom since your days as a singer idol seemed to have become more solid while you were engaged in both activities. Have you have any thoughts of expanding your acting career overseas?

A: I don’t know, honestly. Even with dubbings and subtitles, I think there ought to have problems if I’m filming just because of my popularity, using a language I do not know. No matter what, I do not want to do it just because of the money value. I’m the type whom I will not do anything that I am not confident in. Although I wanted to learn foreign language, but it’ll not be Japanese or Chinese. It’s likely to be English since it’s a more widely used language. I’m not a person who can absorb a variety of languages well. (laughs)

----

Q: Then what do you think about ‘actor Lee Byung-hun’? He’s one of the very few Korean stars who officially entered Hollywood.

A: Ah, I really respected him. If you watched his acting, it seemed as if he’s a native(English) speaking in mother tongue language. An acting skills whom he did research on the proper language pronunciation alongside with the sentiments it brings along. If I’m going to do this, I wanted to do it like that as well.

----

Q: You are a singer and actor to the public at the same time. Especially there are sayings that ‘There’s a lot of burden as an actor’. So how did you manage to balance between the two?

A: There are ups and downs for both singer and actor. Although I didn’t want to be outstanding on one career over another. (laughs) Rather than choosing what I should be doing, a lot more thoughts are need to be given when running the both activities at the same time. As I’m thinking about ‘Why can’t an idol-turned actor received appraisals for their acting skills?’, I came down with the conclusion that viewers weren’t expecting much about their acting skills, aside from the ‘misleading’ image they have (as an idol). No matter on which side, I think more time is needed to be given for viewers to forget about the image. So I think I’m going on a tour as a singer for a while.

----

Q: You made your first turning point via ‘Inspiring Generation’. And you have also reached the ‘important age’ of an actor. Have you got any plans ahead?

A: I want to try a beautiful melodrama as an actor. For a romantic comedy, it’s ‘Wherever there’s wind, I’m able to go travel freely’ (Kim Hyun-joong used his famous line from Boys Over Flowers and said ‘Isn’t that line referring to a kite?’. But for this famous quote, I don’t think it’s still usable in the next century. (laughs) Just like the previous quote, there are many lines that do not quite make sense. Since melodramas are more related to our daily lives, I want to focus more on that.

----

Q: What do you think as a man who reached 29 this year.There are many things you should think of now.

A: I’m planning to enlist next year. To be honest, I’ve postponed the date of enlistment so I’ll make it a memorable one. In other words, before I enlist, I’ve done everything I wish I could do. With no regrets, with no worries. (laughs) Maybe I’m afraid I will forget about it (things he wish to do), so instead of worrying about it, I bring along the the memories of myself (accomplishing the things he wished to do) into the army. After I come back, I’m going to show a more steady acting skills, more band-liked music of different style as compared to now, in order to repay fans. Also displaying a more diverse personality as a public figure, as well as keeping the profile as low as possible. *laughs* (P/S: meaning less public criticism and less scandals).

Taylor Swift Surprises Ohio Fan at Her Bridal Shower

2014-04-18T01:24:00.001-04:00

Taylor Swift spent Saturday evening in New York City. With her friend and former tourmate Ed Sheeran performing on "Saturday Night Live," Swift was not only in attendance but also made a cameo during host Seth Rogan's opening monologue.

But if you pegged the 24-year-old to stick around Sunday for a trendy brunch in the West Village, think again. Instead the songstress hopped aboard a plane, flew to Columbus, Ohio, and surprised a fan during her bridal shower.

"There's this girl named Gena who's been coming to my shows for years, and she's been really, really dedicated and very loyal," Swift explained in a video diary she posted about the trip on her YouTube channel. "I was at the management office the other day, and we were going through fan mail and invitations and stuff. And I got this wedding invitation, and I noticed I couldn't make it to the wedding. But in the wedding invitation, there was a bridal shower invitation. And I've never been to a bridal shower. So we're going to fly to Ohio today."

Miley Cyrus tweets official statement on her health after concert cancellations

2014-04-18T01:21:00.003-04:00

The pop star was forced to cancel two shows this week due to a severe allergic reaction and has been tweeting from her hospital bed during her stay to keep fans updated on her status. Fed up with stories misrepresenting her condition, Cyrus tweeted a full official statement — typed in iPhone Notes — Thursday afternoon detailing what antibiotic caused her allergic reaction and requesting privacy.

“Miley is devastated about missing shows and possibly disappointing her fans,” the note reads. Judging from Cyrus’ Twitter feed, she truly is upset about canceling shows — “can’t quit crying,” she tweeted Thursday morning, “I wanna go back on tour.” We want you to too, Miley.

Selena Gomez Signs With WME, Brillstein

2014-04-18T01:14:00.001-04:00

Selena Gomez has found a new representation team. After she relieved her mother and stepfather of their managerial duties in early March, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that the actress and singer, who previously was with CAA, has signed with WME as well as Brillstein for management.

The rep changes are a crucial piece of the Disney alum's strategy, long in the works, to move on into more adult-oriented fare in film and music. After getting her start on the Disney Channel's Wizards of Waverly Place, Gomez recently starred in Harmony Korine's girls-gone-wild crime drama Spring Breakers, and as a mysterious street urchin in the action thriller Getaway, opposite Ethan Hawke.

Gomez, 21, recently completed shooting on the comedy Behaving Badly opposite Nat Wolff and Mary-Louise Parker and appeared opposite Billy Crudup in the musical dramedy Rudderless, William H. Macy's directorial debut. Her other screen credits include Hotel Transylvania and Monte Carlo.

Gomez's first solo album, Stars Dance, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 last summer on the strength of triple-platinum lead single "Come & Get It." She previously released three albums as part of her band, Selena Gomez & The Scene, all on Disney's Hollywood Records.

Emma Watson celebrates her 24th on muddy Canadian set of new movie Regression

2014-04-18T01:10:00.002-04:00

She must be truly dedicated to her job.

Emma Watson spent her 24th birthday on Tuesday on the muddy set of her newest movie Regression.

It was the pretty British star's first day filming the new flick - in which she stars alongside Ethan Hawke - and she was sure to tell her fans via Twitter that it was a 'very cool birthday present.'

Canada clearly had a dose of rain the night before, as Emma was spotted dodging puddles around the film set.

There wasn't much time for the birthday girl to slip into party attire either, with her costume consisting of an array of greys and dirty greens.

The actress wore what looked much like a waitress's uniform, with a faded green pinafore over a green shirt, teamed with ripped grey tights and scuffed leather boots.

She kept warm between takes with a black trench coat, but otherwise looked to have had to put up with the elements in order to play her character in the upcoming thriller.

Emma's brunette tresses were pulled into a casual ponytail and held back with a pink pin - a stark contrast to the look she sported on the multitude of red carpets over the last few weeks on her European promotional jaunt.

Daniel Radcliffe lure Teens to Broadway

2014-04-18T01:05:00.000-04:00

During the curtain call of a recent preview performance of "The Cripple of Inishmaan" on Broadway, star Daniel Radcliffe looked up and beamed his world-famous "Harry Potter" smile into the second balcony between each bow.

Was his mother up there? A girlfriend? Nope—the balcony was filled with young teenage fans who got to see the show for a mere $27 a ticket. Each time Mr. Radcliffe looked up, the whole balcony cheered, adding a burst of youthful excitement to a normally staid Broadway evening.

Director Michael Grandage, whose production company is one of the show's producers, has insisted that 10,000 tickets be offered at $27 throughout the 14-week limited run. The strategy is aimed at attracting a crowd that would normally be priced out of the show. The rest of the tickets to "Inishmaan" are going for between $62 and $142 apiece at the box office. There is no guarantee that the discounted seats—which are available on a first-come basis at the box office and online—will go to young people. But producers say younger buyers seem to snapping up the tickets for most performances.

Mr. Grandage says having those screaming teenagers in the balcony "changes the energy in the house" and gives the performers a thrill. Although more money could be made selling the tickets to the traditional middle-aged theatergoer, it's just not as much fun, he says.

What's more, the strategy is about more than fun, Mr. Grandage says. To save what he sees as an art form in peril, the director says it's imperative to get young people into theaters. "We will eventually be dead, and if there is no one to replace us, there won't be any theater," says the former head of London's Donmar Warehouse. The best marketing tool for theater is the show itself, he says, but it's so expensive that young people can never go.

Michael Grandage, the director of the new production of "The Cripple of Inishmaan" starring Daniel Radcliffe, has had success in London with a program that lures young people to theaters with cheap tickets. Will he try it on Broadway? WSJ's Stefanie Cohen discusses. Photo: "The Cripple of Inishmaan."

His own interest in theater began that way—he grew up in the remote area of Cornwall and got to see "Jason and the Argonauts" when the production "pitched a tent on the local green," he says. Later he got to see Ian McKellen in "Twelfth Night" when the Royal Shakespeare Company sent out a small-scale tour of the show to Mr. Grandage's local sports center.

"I wouldn't be here if those two things hadn't happened," he says.

After leaving the Donmar in 2012, Mr. Grandage formed his own production company with his former Donmar producer James Bierman. Together, they developed a model that allowed for lower-priced tickets. They produced five shows on London's West End over 15 months that offered 102,000 seats—25% of the available tickets—for 10 pounds ($17) each. Because they asked investors to put up money for all five shows across the entire season instead of a single show, they were able to create a "spread bet for our investors which offset some of the individual risk if any one of the shows failed to perform at the box office," says Mr. Bierman.

The model brought in profits, they say, (although they wouldn't disclose a figure,) and was also successful at bringing new faces to the theater. Out of 392,000 tickets sold to the five plays, 120,000 were to first-time theatergoers, according to Mr. Bierman, who says ticket bookers tracked how many sales went to first-time buyers.

The flip side of their mission, they admit, is that if they attract young people to the theater and they hate what they see, the theater has lost them for life. For that reason, the two have targeted top talent for their shows. In the last year, Jude Law starred in "Henry V" and Judi Dench headlined "Peter and Alice," about the meeting between Alice Liddell Hargreaves of "Alice in Wonderland" and Peter Llewelyn Davies of "Peter Pan." Mr. Radcliffe, who has starred in "Equus," and "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" on Broadway, signed up for "Inishmaan," which is transferring to New York from a successful run on the West End.

The play, by Martin McDonagh, is a tragicomedy that follows the effects on a small Irish town in the 1930s when a film crew arrives to make a movie about their lives. The town turns upside-down when "Cripple Billy," Mr. Radcliffe's character, decides to try out for the movie.

"We have been able to recoup for our investors in the U.K.," says Mr. Grandage. "Were making less than we could, but we are still making money."

Kamisama Hajimemashita Anime review

2014-04-03T12:22:00.001-04:00

English: Kamisama Kiss

Synonyms: Kami-sama Hajimemashita, Kami-sama Kiss

Type: TV

Episodes: 13

Status: Finished Airing

Aired: Oct 2, 2012 to Dec 25, 2012

Producers: TV Tokyo, Dentsu, TMS Entertainment, FUNimation EntertainmentL, Pony Canyon

Genres: Comedy, Demons, Fantasy, Romance, Shoujo, Supernatural

Duration: 24 min. per episode

Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

In a nutshell, I would say that Kamisama Hajimemashita is a romance with a drop of supernatural element.

The plot has it all: beautiful animation, interesting story, spiritual world, current world and school life as well as different handsome male characters. Everything is perfectly combined and thus great romance and comedy has been created. If you are looking for a heartwarming romance, don’t forget to give a shot to Kamisama Kiss.

The series tells the story of a young girl named Nanami Momozono, who is alone..abandoned, and helpless. The innocent little lamp makes an interesting encounter with a strange man (Mikagi) and from there, her life changes forever. But wait, it doesn't stop there. She also encounters the big bad wolf (or rather familiar) Tomoe. Along with him comes the package of two other spirits (Onikiri and Kotetsu). After a contract sealed by a kiss, the two forms as peculiar relationship. This series details their relationship and what's to come from it because the world is never fair. It's not perfect.

The relationship between Nanami and Tomoe is one of the most strange, amusing, and interesting part of the series. A human and a familiar relationship has trouble written all over it especially the gap of difference between the two. Nanami is a normal human girl who has normal skills in life with normal friends attending a normal school. On the other hand, Tomoe is a supernatural being with supernatural abilities and able to accomplish feats with supernatural degrees.

The animation is really amazing! Color palette made my heart tremble. It’s so charming…

And also I am Positively surprised by the pleasant opening and ending music, I must admit the anime has really charmed me. Right from the start you get drawn into it and sing along :) a… a a a… kamisama…

Opening:

Ending Song (Love it):

Amnesia Anime review

2014-04-03T11:56:00.003-04:00

English: Amnesia

Japanese: AMNESIA

Type: TV

Episodes: 12

Status: Finished Airing

Aired: Jan 7, 2013 to Mar 25, 2013

Producers: Brains Base, Sentai FilmworksL

Genres: Mystery, Fantasy, Romance, Shoujo

Duration: 23 min. per episode

Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

Are you a lonely, boy-less teenage girl? Do you wish you could have many hot guys surrounded by you, astounded by you ? What about living in a world where you get to date and be submissive to no, not just one attractive male, but over FOUR of them in many different worlds? Does that sound like the dream life to you? Have no fear, "Amnesia" is just what you need to fulfill this!

In case you don't get the vibe, this is pretty much a reverse harem used primarily for female wish-fulfillment. The story centers around our lead girl, erm, I guess we just call her Heroine? Because her boyfriends that love her oh so dearly never bother to call her by her name? Yeah. Heroine finds herself awakening with no memories, and it's up to her and a spirit called Orion to collect her memories. She's also trapped in this sort of "time loop." Basically, each time she dies, the date resets. By date I mean both the month and day and her current boyfriend.

The story has two main issues: the pacing and the Heroine. The pacing moves by pretttty damn slowly, to the point where even when we hit episode nine, nearly nothing is known about the main plot.

And here comes our other issue, the Heroine herself. This girl is so bland, so personality-less, and used as such a wish-fulfillment device that she doesn't even have a name. she provides little to no advancement to the plot herself and has to rely on everyone else to push her in any direction possible.

Speaking of Heroine's reliance, this also brings another issue: she's submissive. Too, too submissive. Almost all the guys do extremely improper things to her, like shoving her against a tree in the middle of the dark against her will or forcefully kissing her, getting too close to her, anything. And she just accepts all of this. She never sticks up for herself, and is even willing to stay with a man whom she pretty much knows will dump her when his time limit is up. Great example, right guys? The male characters ain't any better. Some want to play her, others want to lock her up in a cage. You know how it is.

Oh uh, the positives? Well, the art is pretty crisp, as expected of Brain's Base. The eyes look downright gorgeous and the opening theme is pretty much eyecandy. The men are attractive, which is a key for these anime, and the backgrounds are well-created.

Soundtrack is merely mediocre and unmemorable, though bonus points are awarded for such an awesome opening song. And over all watch it if you really like pretty boys in different worlds wanting the same girl. Then its your thing.

Opening titles:

Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev Back Together?

2014-04-03T11:33:00.000-04:00

Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev may or may not be together in real life, but fans are still hoping for a kissing rain scene starring "TVD" characters Elena and Damon.

During PaleyFest 2014, 35-year-old Somerhalder and his rumored 25-year-old girlfriend addressed the fact that fans want to see Damon and Elena kiss while in the rain again.

"First of all, it's really cold in Georgia, so I don't think that's such a good idea," Somerhalder said at the PaleyFest panel for the CW series, according to Entertainment Wise. "It was below 30 degrees, and it got so cold the muscles in my jaw froze and I couldn't speak. I looked like I had Bell's palsy."

Dobrev agreed, adding, "I got icicles in my hair and I got really sick."

And it looks like no one is safe if the kissing rain scene happens.

"You write another rain kiss and I quit," Somerhalder said, threating the show's co-executive producer Julie Plec.

Damon and Elena are seemingly back together in season 5 of the popular CW vampire TV show, at least in a romantic hooking up type of way.

"Friends with benefits never ultimately work," Somerhalder recently told Zap2it. "They are wonderful for a spell. But hey, you never know."

Dobrev agreed.

"Well, we've all seen the movie 'Friends With Benefits' with Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake, right?" Dobrev tells Zap2it. "Everyone always goes into that whole arrangement with optimistic views and wanting it to work but it always gets messy. It's hard to just separate sex and emotions. Those just go together."

During PaleyFest, both agreed that their onscreen romance was "toxic," with Somerhalder saying, "When you have grown-up conversations, you have to put your big boy pants and big girl pants on and have the conversation. But they keep taking their pants off, and that's what gets in the way of the grown up conversations."

Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart Reunion: Twilight Star Rushes to LA for K-Stew's Birthday

2014-04-03T11:30:00.002-04:00

Looks like Robert Pattinson is adamant about being with Kristen Stewart on her 24th birthday.

The Twilight star is back in Los Angeles after a long stint of filming overseas – and just in time for former girlfriend Kristen Stewart's birthday, which is on April 9.

"He wanted to make sure he was in LA for Kristen's birthday," a source revealed to Hollywood Life. The on-again, off-again couple is planning a special, long-awaited reunion, according to an insider.

Pattinson has been busy with his films, Queen of the Desert and Life, filming back-to-back in different parts of the world.

On March 30, Pattinson was spotted filming scenes for his upcoming film Life at West Hollywood's swanky Chateau Marmont.

"Rob is back in town and he's super psyched to spend some quality time with Kristen," a friend of Pattinson told Hollywood Life. "He just arrived to film some scenes for the movie Life, which he was working on in Toronto."

Wonder if the shooting schedule was simply a coincidence or if the actor really wanted to make sure he was in town for Stewart's special day.

"They haven't actually seen each other yet, but plan on reuniting in the next day or so with all of the dogs in tow. It's been like four months since they've seen each other. He wanted to make sure he was in LA for Kristen's birthday," the friend said.

Selena Gomez trespasser gets jail time

2014-04-03T11:06:00.000-04:00

Prosecutors say a man charged with trespassing at Selena Gomez's home has been sentenced to 45 days in jail and ordered to stay away from the singer-actress.

Los Angeles district attorney's spokesman Ricardo Santiago says Che Cruz admitted trespassing at an initial court appearance Wednesday and was immediately sentenced.

Cruz was arrested Sunday in Gomez's guesthouse and was charged Wednesday with one count of misdemeanor trespassing.

Santiago says Cruz was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to stay away from Gomez and her home in Calabasas, Calif.

Authorities say Gomez arrived home Sunday night and called security after hearing noises on the property.