Puella Magi Madoka Magica Review

Anime in the USA has never been that popular with the general public. Ironically, it often transcends writing that is often seen in many American cartoons. The Japanese aren't afraid to utilize themes such as religion, death, emotion, and other things which make many shows being aired on Cartoon Network look just sad. But, an article comparing American vs. Japanese animation is for another day. The anime in question for today is known as Puella Magi Madoka, which follows 14-year-old Madokda Kaname. She's given the option to make a contract with a creature, which afterward she would be given power to become a Magical Girl in order to battle witches! If the show had gone that route with simply Madoka fighting off evil entities with her friends and in the final episode fight the biggest one, it would have still been a cool show. But that's not what this anime is about.

"Madoka" deals with themes such as friendship, sacrifice, the greater good, selling your soul, and ultimately hope. It captures viewers with compelling dialogue and makes the viewer really think abut life, the world, and what it means to love others. On the outside the show appears to be much like Sailor Moon where these middle school girls in costume fight evil monsters. This show takes that concept and turns it upside down. The intro scene to anything is what grabs a viewer; to see the city in ruins and a lone girl trying to fight is enough to pique interest here. After that scene the show takes some unique routes to the finisher.

The main character is of course Madoka. The theme song constantly teases her in her getup as a Magical Girl so the viewer is wondering, "Well, when is this going to happen?" since episodes go on with her still just in a normal form. Then the show turns this thought process around later on, making the viewer decide they actually don't want her to become one. For the first few episodes the show is somewhat identical in plot to other monster-of-the week programs. It's when we start to learn a little bit about Homura Akemi, the other main character, that things start to change drastically. Unlike long-term shows such as Naruto or Digimon, "Madoka" doesn't have the luxury of being over 100 episodes, clocking in at only 12. It is truly astounding what is accomplished in just these episodes. Characters are deepened and viewers grow attached. For example, Kyoko, who at first was the most annoying and unlikable character, ended up being one of the most likable just a few episodes later. Her death, and all the main deaths were extremely sad, which means the writing succeeded at engaging the viewer.

Back to Madoka, in some other show she could come across as weak and annoying for all her crying, but not here. She's a true friend, and very few shows today display what true friendship is all about. (Other than My Little Pony, try finding an American cartoon where it perfectly displays the love of best friends!) The other main character is Homura Akemi. She is obviously fantastic. Too often we have "tough" characters in shows with no real reason why they are like that. They're just there to be cool. Homura's backstory in episode 10 breaks this trope. We see that she knows Madoka in a different timeline and comes to know her as a true friend. So, what happened in the present day for the previous nine episodes is given a whole new meaning.

The plot twist with Homura being a time traveler was a very cool one, though might be one of the show's only plot points which wasn't explained properly. Her wish was to be able to meet Madoka all over again, which she does, but then she's able to repeat the process over and over. Perhaps the wish meant that she would be able to do that continually, but it could have been worded a little better. It's not a major thing in the long run. Her love of Madoka is perfectly looked at in two scenes: the one where she falls on the floor in tears and the one where she hugs Madoka inside the former's house near the climax. Again, you have to give credit to the writing for making the viewer feel invested and share in the sentiment with just a few episodes 

Obviously the most intriguing character might just be Kyubey. In another series, this cat-like creature would have been the mascot and companion like Luna in "Sailor Moon" or Snarf in Thundercats. But once again, all magical girl tropes are dropped here as the viewer slowly learns just who Kyubey is. He is quite a brilliant character, being basically a manipulator without evil intent, in his mind anyway. According to him, emotion is a disorder in his species, and by using his contracts to turn girls into witches it serves a greater good for counteracting the spread of entropy in the universe. When one thinks about it for a second, Kyubey is never actually portrayed as purely evil, just as an entity keeping a balance. It's brilliant writing when something like this creature can be portrayed as evil and not evil at the same time.

Still, despite any thought process about greater good, at the core viewers knows what Kyubey is doing is wrong, and they can feel the despair as Madoka desperately tries to convey that. Throughout, I think the show harkens witches, Kyubey himself and the Labyrinth to demonic influences. In episode 4 we have a bunch of people being fed with the thoughts that it's better to leave the Earth by killing yourself. In that same episode Madoka is flooded with unwanted memories where she's made to feel guilty about almost everything. (With angel-like beings playing the images, making it appear like she's even more wrong, and then being pulled in every direction.) Not only that, but in Homura's backstory there's a voice prompting her to just die. Then we have Kyubey whom is basically manipulating Madoka into accepting a contract with him, which is basically a deal with the devil. He uses things such as telling her that only if she transforms could she save her friend (the scene near the climax where he basically tells her that Homura holding on to hope is meaningless comes to mind) to simply just saying whatever wish you want can be granted. The classic question the show asks is, "Is there a wish you'd be willing to trade your soul for?" It's a classic scene of the devil as he tries to get a person to see what kind of temporary satisfaction is alluring to steal that person's soul. I don't know if the show intended for these things to be a comparison but with the religious themes present throughout I wouldn't be surprised. 

Mami is another main character, whom dies way too early. Her death was handled well, and her presence is still felt afterward. Again, she didn't appear long but somehow the writing made her one of the most likable characters in anime history. That's why the viewer feels a sadness when we see her get chomped by a witch because it was right after she revealed she had a found a true friend in Madoka. The emotion in this show is incredible. The scene when Sayaka, (we'll address her in a sec) breaks down at the fact that her friend is going to steal the guy she's been in love with forever away would have been groan-worthy if this were any other show, but it's handled wonderfully here.

The friendship established between Sayaka and Madoka is established very well. That's why the former's death was perhaps the most heart-breaking to watch. The fact that she got turned into a witch added an extra dimension of emotion. It's important to now mention perhaps the most iconic aspect of the show: the imagery. For the most part it's normal animation (and pretty crisp too) but when the girls delve into a Labyrinth the graphics become trippy. When the butterflies appeared in Episode 1 I had no idea what I was watching anymore. The insane cartoony, creepy, and unique graphics never got old. Seriously, there's nothing quite like this show for those scenes alone.

You might hear this show be compared to Serial Experiments Lain, and for good reason. That show has so many different thought-provoking themes which one never truly forgets. People still debate what exactly the series even meant. "Madoka" goes down some similar routes, especially with the final episode. When Madoka finally decided on her wish to become a Magical Girl she found a loophole where she managed to essentially rewrite time & reality. The fact that Kyubey was shocked and said, "Are you trying to become a god?!" when before he tried to coerce her into becoming a Magical Girl with the words, "You could become the god of this world!" gives proof that he's truly a manipulator. The writing truly succeeded at making one one of the greatest anime villains of all time. Now, about that final episode...

The final episode of a show like this is usually 3 things: 1, a finisher, 2, controversial, and 3, open to interpretation on purpose. "Lain" is a perfect example of this. While Puella has some of these elements, it's definitely more clear-cut than "Serial Experiments" in providing a finisher. Since Madoka basically became a god, she rewrote time where things preceded as normal, just without her existence. Somehow Homura is the only one that remebers. Why? Well, perhaps being a time traveler herself has given her that ability. Or perhaps being a god, Madoka put her memories inside her. It's a fascinating ending, and the entire scene in space displays what it means to love your friend. 

The soundtrack is definitely a highlight. The main theme is fantastic, and the use of a heavy violin upped the mood. (Case in point in Episode 8, against the rain.) As mentioned already, the show asks some tough questions. The subway scene for example was definitely off-putting. But it wasn't there just to display language, it was there to show how a good chunk of humanity operates. Sayaka is there wondering if it's worth truly fighting for them when she hears a conversation like this. Is it worth it when most of humanity is like this? The answer is of course yes, as when Madoka in the final episode says, "If someone ever tells me it's a mistake to have hope, well then I'll just tell them they're wrong, and I'll keep telling them until they believe, no matter how many times it takes." At the end of the day, there's always hope. Despite all the crying, deaths, and end of the world, Madoka at the end displays that hope does exist. The show's ending might appear open-ended to some, but to me I think it's nicely showcased with 1. true friendship & sacrifice and 2. a person standing up the devil's schemes, or in this case Kyubey. Her saying of, "I'm here to take that burden for you" is reminiscent of the Cross of Jesus Christ, and in many ways she's represents that: a second chance. Right before the world is about to be destroyed by evil, she comes, offers her life to give everybody another chance of redemption. The Magical Girls who were basically under condemnation because of their contract are lifted of that burden. Likewise in the real world, because of the Cross people who were under condemnation are given a second chance through faith. Whether or not this was the intent of the ending I'm not sure, but one thing I can say with certainty is that the show did a great job showcasing the love of a friend, and someone whom inspires hope in others. I'm reminded of the verse from John 15:13, "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends."

Puella Magi Madoka is a much-watch. It takes a popular genre and modifies it extremely. What appears to be a happy show is much more interesting. While not going to perhaps the surreal levels of Serial Experiments Lain, it nonetheless is a show along similar lines. The plot twists are astounding and you get very attached to the characters. The insane imagery when they battle witches in the labyrinths is worth the watch alone. Then in the real world the subtle imagery with things like flies forming together on a streetlamp to look like a skull and the classic portrait of "The Creation of Adam" above in the scene with Madoka's mom and the teacher add to the overall atmosphere. The hype for the final battle against Walpurgisnacht was excellent. (Not to mention the epic choir!) All of this is accomplished in just 12 episodes. Madoka definitely belongs in everyone's top 5 anime of all time.

5/5

Serial Experiments Lain Review

When one thinks of anime usually things like Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, Bleach, or One Piece come to mind. Dynamic fights, grand storylines, and bombastic characters. But underneath all that stuff you see in Shonen Jump lies a dark side. This darkness contains stories featuring human characters with pretty psychotic plots. This is stuff Western animation would never dream of doing. Serial Experiments Lain is one such anime. Much like the movie Inception, you can't turn away for a second otherwise you'd be completely lost. It's a show that will probably require a second and maybe even third viewing to fully grasp. It is by far one of the most intriguing things to come out of animation.

Picture the most psychotic and thought-provoking movie you have ever seen. Times that by two and expand it into thirteen episodes. That is Serial Experiments Lain. It's so complex that even trying to give a general outline of the plot is challenging. In starts out with a girl named Chisa Yomoda that commits suicide...while smiling. When something starts out with a schoolgirl smiling while committing suicide, you know this is not going to be a happy ride. The main character is an 8th grader named Lain. She at first is the definition of a shy, meek girl, someone you feel sorry for right off to bat. At home we see her parents are rather absent minded around her. Her dad is computer-obsessed and her mom just doesn't seem to care about her. Her older sister, 16, seems to be the only that's actually 'there.' This all seems pretty normal, right? Well, once the Wired gets involved, the strange happens.

What's interesting about this anime is that it can be viewed from different perspectives. One can view it as a psychotic story about a girl realizing she's not real. One can view it as a social commentary on the addictive use of computers. Or one can just see it as some weird anime that makes absolutely no sense. The Wired is the internet, just a slightly more futuristic version. The computer itself is explored in many different ways. Lain appears to become addicted to being in the Wired, and it becomes more of a reality than 'real life.' One of the parts I most liked was when 'taking on a different personality' was brought up. One said that most of the time a personality in the Wired is completely different than who the person really is. This mirrors internet users taking on a different identity than what they truly are, it's an easy thing to do. Now keep in mind this was made in 96, yet is still relevant today. It's a timeless anime.

Past the computer stuff, the show quickly becomes really strange. As you're struggling to keep up with it all, you're struck with quotes such as, "The other side is overcrowded. The dead will have nowhere to go." It's up to you to try and piece together everything for something coherent. Alice is Lain's one true friend, a likable character from beginning to end. She is a human, she convinces Lain of that. The general thing is the 'god of the Wired' says is that one doesn't truly need a body. This god was maybe the most interesting character. (His design is also something straight out of Bleach.) He claims to be god, and says one doesn't really exist in the 'real world.' He twists things, making Lain believe the real world isn't real and the Wired actually is. Lain challenges him with the question of what gave him the ability to do all the things he could. He explodes saying how can this be, that there had been a god all this time. You see, along with talking about computers/internet, the show also deals with theology, on the subject of the existence of a god. It's pretty interesting how one show manages to accomplish all of this.

While it may not seem too complex by the way I'm describing everything, the truth of the matter is that it's more complex than Inception. In the later episodes the Roswell Incident is brought up, complete with history and real life images. An actual alien appears in Lain's room, classic martian look. He doesn't stay long, he quickly disappears. It's important to mention he looks exactly like the alien on Dell's hardware, Alienware. Whether or not that was intentional is beside the fact. I was quite shocked by the appearance of this extraterrestrial, came out of nowhere. How it relates to the overall story is a mystery to this day. In the final episode we're hit with these thought provoking pieces of dialogue...

"What isn't remembered never happened."
"Memory is merely a record."
"You just need to rewrite that record."

When I saw those it instantly reminded me of 1984. In that story it's stated that if you change memories you can reshape the past. To destroy all remembrance of an individual or event would render it non-existent. There's plenty of stuff I didn't touch upon, but that's all things you need to see cause my descriptions wouldn't do them justice. Serial Experiments Lain is a must see, whether you like anime or not. It's something not easily forgotten, for it challenges the viewer with many subjects and allusions. You will fathom how human minds came up with this 13 episode story.

"What's it like when you die? It really hurts! :)" (I guess the smiley face was even used in the 90's.)

5/5

Week in Review: X-Men G4 Premiere

The first two Marvel animes, Iron Man and Wolverine, were good starts. Iron Man at least anyway. I've been hearing some really positive things about the X-Men one, now that it has aired in the States also, I can say what I thought.

The story follows the aftermath of the death of Jean Grey. The X-Men have disbanded. However, when a teenage girl is kidnapped, Professor Charles Xavier calls in the team once more.

Sure, the Phoenix is probably the most overused plot point in the X-Men shows, though it's only used for the flashback, which is a good thing. The last X-Men show was the canceled Wolverine and the X-Men. After a season, the show didn't come back sadly. So we have to this for now. Of course, when Japan takes our characters, we can only hope for the best. They produced Iron Man, which kept the core concept well. Wolverine on the other hand, did NOT keep the core concept, changing Wolverine himself into someone who would better fit in with something like Bleach. So when you adapt something as big as the X-Men, you can't afford to mess up. We want to see our characters kept to the core, with a hint of anime style. And the X-Men premiere succeeds.

I actually found the premiere similar in tone with Wolverine and the X-Men. This episode was surprisingly slow-paced, there wasn't any big fight, it's basically the X-Men coming together. If handled wrongly, this could have been dull, but thankfully it's handled right. The character dynamics from the comics are here, from Wolverine's constant chatter with Cyclops, to Beast and Xavier being the two big brains of the group. It's good stuff.

One of the few negative things about this premiere was.......Cyclops. Man, he was awful in Wolverine and the X-Men, but here he's just about the same, if not worst. Why is he now always painted as this mellow-in-self-misery guy? You just feel like you want to slap him. Thank goodness it looks like we won't have to deal with that for the rest of this series, unlike Wolverine and the X-Men, where he was just plain awful the whole time. Wolverine.....now that is what I'm talking about. Now it's hard to even imagine what that other Wolverine was, this is the REAL deal, complete with Steven Blum as his voice. A true highlight of the premiere. Storm on the other hand is vastly different than all of her previous incarnations. She's more care-free than her serious goddess-like character from previous appearances. She still is the voice of reason though. Beast is portrayed similar to that of his Wolverine and the X-Men, albeit cooler. He's going to be a major player in this one, something the other show was lacking. Professor X is the same as always, no difference. Which is a good thing.

Like I said, there's really no fights to speak of. That was surprising, usually the first episode of anything is pretty explosive. The dialogue here is pretty solid. (save for the ridiculousness of the humans in the classroom scene, nah, scratch that. All non-Mutant people look pretty ridiculous) Watching Wolverine arguing with Cyclops is worth the watch itself.

Overall, the X-Men anime is off to a great start. The characters are for the most part, adapted from the comics. It has potential to be a great X-Men show, maybe one of the best. Plus, after the Wolverine anime, it's good to see our clawed friend back in action with his real voice.

9/10.

Week in Review: Iron Man and Wolverine Series Finales and Look-Back

After twelve episodes, the Iron Man anime has finished. It was by far the most popular and least-bashed of the two. I myself have enjoyed both, but more on that soon. I will present to you first my review of the series finale. Some major spoilers for both reviews.

The plot is coming to a close, with the death of Captain Sakurai, Tony is ready for the big battle. The stage is set for the final conflict between him and ZODIAC leader Minister Kuroda.

This episode had it all. Big fights, lots of drama, and Tony Stark showing everyone why's he's Iron Man. A very cool part with Dr. Tanaka was her transformation into a ZODIAC member. Though at the beginning, her getting suicidal didn't feel right, it felt forced. I was a bit surprised by her death, though it makes sense, since she technically can't interfere with whatever this show's continuity's in. There was this cheesy scene where Stark somehow got new strength to beak free of Kuroda and fly into the sky, just a bit too cheesy if you ask me.

I really liked Tony in this episode. While so many things are happening, he doesn't crack or get too emotional.  Prime Minister Kuroda is a decent villain, but lacking the pizzazz Yinsen brought. His armor is still pretty awesome. The other characters, such as Nanami, still bring nothing to the table.

Overall, this episode was definitely one of, if not the best episode of the series. It's a fine closure, with some epic fights backing it up. There might have been a bit TOO much melodramatic, but the fights and Tony keep this episode from getting drained by it.

9/10.

Looking back, the Iron Man anime was a success. It provided a very good portrayal of Tony Stark, with the animation and fights being top-notch. ZODIAC was a good choice for the villains, since them being an established force in the comics. The problem was that a member would appear each episode, and die very fast. No characterization, only Minister Kuroda and Yinsen are get any real character. Useless characters, like Nanami could have been cut, since she and some others have no significance. The romance between Stark and Dr. Tanaka felt a bit forced, it could have used a little more build-up. The whole Yinsen thing was unexpected, and got fans angry. This guy wouldn't have turned evil, so I didn't like it either. (I forgave it once we found out the power controlled him.) This show succeeds in having real drama and sad flashbacks, not to mention the awesome fights. (I think I mentioned that.) It would have been nice to get to know Captain Sakurai more, he was portrayed as the "cool cat," but ultimately failed, becoming more laughable than anything. Still, his suit was pretty awesome. The Iron Man anime was a good watch, I would recommend it to fans and non-fans alike.

The series gets an 8/10.

Ah, now for Wolverine. While you might hear some good things about Iron Man, Wolverine gets bashed A LOT. I fully understand, and will address those things in the look-back, after my review of the series finale.

The plot comes to a close as Logan and Shingen duke it out for a battle of ages.

My major thing with this episode was WHY IS WOLVERINE SO DARN WEAK?! Seriously, this bald samurai guy was slaughtering him, Wolverine got knocked around, it was almost unbearable. I can't get over how pitiful they made him. If this was a comic, Wolverine would have eradicated that guy in under five minutes.

They really do try to make Kurohagi an interesting character, flashbacks and everything. It fails miserably. This guy is one of the most un-threatening beings in existence. Mariko continues to be an even more useless damsel in distress than Princess Zelda herself. Kikyo is one of this show's saving graces, bringing something new to the table every time he's on screen. Yukio gets a moment of glory, and an unbelievable plot twist that I never saw coming. Wow.

The fight between Wolvie and Shingen was good, but could have been a lot better, The fights in general with this show could have been better. Nice music though.

Overall, the final episode of Wolverine was a bit underwhelming. Mariko dies, therefore this whole story feels like a waste now. At most, a decent finish, but the ending felt un-fulfilled.

6/10.

Looking back, the Wolverine anime was a lot more mixed. The Wolverine portrayed here seems to be more easy going and more of a "dude" than the hardcore one us fans are use to. The Wolverine in this show would better fit in something like Bleach. It doesn't help that he looks so darn weak. (And don't get me started on the voice.) Only thugs he seems to be able to beat easily, everyone else he has trouble with. It doesn't help that whereas in Iron Man, Tony Stark is always the main focus, Logan is put to the side in favor of the journey and side characters. The sometimes awful writing is a major downside. In the middle of his battle with Vadhaka in one of the later episodes, he randomly says "I'm the best there is at what I do, but I what do is-" before getting slapped away by the statue. What? We got a very nice appearance from Cyclops, the dialogue between him and Wolvie ranks as the best scene in the whole show. A lot of the side characters work, and succeed at being interesting to watch. Kikyo is by far one of the best characters in the show. But what on earth happened to his final battle with Logan?! The show kept hyping it up, but there was no pay-off! Major fail there. It's hard to recommend the Wolverine anime. I think non-fans would enjoy it better than us fans. Still, it was great to see him slice and dice with no Y7 rating holding him back for whatever reason.

I give this show a 6/10.

Week in Review: Iron Man and Wolverine G4

The Iron Man anime has been a good watch thus far. Keeping true to the character, mixing with some great fight scenes makes this series worthy of the Iron Man name. (Unlike a certain other series currently airing on Nicktoons.) We are three episodes away from the end, I'm kinda disappointed to see it go. So, how does this episode compare? Was it better than last week's average one?

This one was an important one, we find out why Yinsen really dislikes Tony, we also find out his plan. This guy has emerged as the main villain, for Zodiac is behind the scenes, but their people lose in about five minutes every time. Yinsen is really the only one with a threatening presence.

I'll be honest, I mainly watch this show for the fights. While a certain other show is tame with the battles, this show lets you have it. Surprisgly, the last couple of episodes were lacking really stand-out fights. We got a nice, but super short last time with Stark and Captain Sakurai , but a lot of the episodes are lacking scope. The first couple had some really good ones, but for awhile, lackluster. After some episodes of that, this one is the payoff. This is one action-filled one, the most actually. We get some satisfying action between Stark and his blue counterpart. The animation is really solid, I'll give a hand to Japan for that, they know how to do fights well.

Just cause there's lot of punching and banging doesn't mean the plot stays still, we get a few ramifications, AND a big cliffhanger.

Yinsen still comes off as forced, even with the flashback. This whole thing with him still doesn't look right, to bring him back in the first place was an odd idea. Unexpected for sure, but I think unwise. He comes off as brash, for it's obvious what Tony was saying, is he really that stubborn that he can't see what's in front of him? I hope all this time he's half-brain washed or something. Adrian Pasdar continues to do a great job with Tony, unlike the other anime, this voice fits the character well. His portrayal has been super, matching more of the early 2000's Stark with just a hint of the movie's version. (In short, he's serious, but knows how to take the whole system of things and make it funny.)

Zodiac is a real organization from the comics. (I know them personally from the 90's Avengers show.) Their inclusion in this show was welcome, but they really haven't done anything. Each of their members are the definition of one-shot, they get cleaned off in about five minutes with no characterization whatsoever. Their just plot devices and nothing more. Seriously, Yinsen is the only real threat right now.

The other characters actually don't do much. Chika goes back to being in the building giving orders and warnings, the romance between her and Stark isn't touched upon. I wonder, with three episodes left, how far can they go with it? Tony will most likely leave Japan......and will she come? Or is this a passing thing for good ol' Mr. Stark? The supposed to be "cool guy" Captain Sakurai appears, though does nothing. The anime makes him to be the "rival" and the "cool cat," but it hasn't worked for me. He's trying to be epic, but really, it fails. That suit he has is awesome, but so far, underused. Hopefully we'll get some action with it next episode.

Overall, this episode of Iron Man might just be the most important, and best. Great fights, great script, this show has been good with the drama too. You should definitely be checking this out, fan or not.

8/10.

The Wolverine anime has been more mixed. I have read a lot of hate for this show, and I can understand. Iron Man's obviously the better show, better pacing, the plot moves smoother, and the character is better adapted. This episode is purely a prelude to a big fight, so it really didn't have much.

This show has been very fast-paced, but surprisingly, there haven't been that many fights to write home about. I don't like the frequent use of stills, and this episode was no different. Again, thugs are the ones Wolverine dishes out his claws on, so nothing big here.

This episode is basically used to get Wolverine from the beginning to the end of the road. Along the way, thugs and traps. We do learn that the Underground movement is even more sneaky than thought. Still, Wolverine's script is fun enough to get us the whole way through without boredom kicking in.

Speaking of Wolverine. The character himself has been a complaint. I could see why and agree with some of the points. First of all, the voice. He doesn't sound like the deep mean Wolverine, he sounds like a dude on a skateboard. Would it have been really hard to hire Steven Blum? Kurohagi continues to be the most annoying and unbearable villain in existence. When he's trying to be menacing it's so laughable because you know he's one of the weakest beings ever. Seriously, anyone can stop this guy, even a mindless thug. Mariko continues to be the most useless damsel in distress ever since Princess Peach. She gets some more useless inner monologue. Yukio makes this show a heck lot more interesting, the dynamic between her and Logan is fun. Without her, this show might just be dull.

The pay-off is the cliffhanger at the end, with the only cool villain, kikyo. This guy could pass off as someone from Bleach, complete with the long hair and strange sword move. Still, the only villain from the comics that has appeared so far is Omega Red, (not counting A.I.M.) it would have been nice to see some others. I was confused when this series took place. I thought it took place in Logan's early days, but no, his call for Cyclops three episodes ago says that this is in his X-Men days. (The scene in the Blackbird still ranks as the best in the whole show thus far.) This Wolverine seems to be more care-free than the one we're use to. Still, it's nice to see him dish out his claws with no holding back, something his past animated appearances does.

Overall, this episode is probably my least favorite, it's really just used to get him across the road. This show has been hit-or-miss. (A lot of miss I've been reading.) I have been enjoying it, though I will say that it has a lot of flaws. Casual people will probably like this show, but the die-hard purists, (as seen in the comments and forums) cannot stand anything about it.

5/10.