December Anime Favorites

Hello everyone! I'm starting a new segment here on Ragamuffin talking about one of my favorite hobbies: watching anime. I've been watching anime ever since I was first introduced to it by LittlePlum in high school. The first anime I ever watched was Ouran High School Host Club, a very funny and heart-warming show about a group of guys at a prestigious private high school who create a host club (think: male geisha). Haruhi, the new scholarship student accidently breaks an expensive vase the host club owns and must work off the debt first by being an errand-boy and then working as a host. But when the disheveled looking new student, who everyone thought was a boy, ends up being a cute girl all the guys in host club seem to fall for her! It's seriously the cutest show ever.

Today I am going to share the anime's that I have been watching over the past few weeks of December. Most of the anime I watch I get off of Crunchyroll.com, a website that operates much like hulu. I feel that the short commercials are worth it since the site is safer than others such as megavideo or truveo.

Ragamuffin's December Favorites

Chihayafuru is a compelling and interesting slice-of-life, high school romantic anime which centers around three childhood friends: Chihaya, Arata, and Taichi. The trio first become friends through a Japanese card game called Karuta, in which players must listen and quickly determine which card is being called and then grab it before the opponent does. There are 100 cards and on each card is a poem from the Edo period. The show focuses mainly on the three friends goal of becoming Karuta champions, while at the same time showcasing a love triangle between the two guys and Chihaya. The show is currently on-going and there have been 12 episodes subtitled in English so far. 

The second anime that I've been in love with this past month is Gosick. This anime is based in a fictional country in Europe during the year 1924, the story follows Victorique and Kujo as they solve the crimes Victorique's detective brother fails to do. The show has an almost Sherlock Holmes feel to it because Victorique, like Holmes has a brilliant mind and can solve any case put in front of her, while Kujo is her faithful sidekick and friend, like Watson. The only problem I have with the show is that I usually solve the mysteries before the big reveal, and that's no fun. But overall, I really enjoy the show and I'm super sad that it only has one season and that I'm coming up on the last few episodes!

---

Well, I hope you enjoyed my picks for this month and check them out! So, what's your take on anime? Do you have any favorites, have you not seen any yet, or do you think it's silly and a waste of time?

-E

Why Netflix is Evil and Nikita is Awesome

My family has had a Netflix account for some time now and I am completely and utterly addicted to the instant movies and television shows. But Netflix is not all rainbows and sunshine. Oh no! It will consume your life! Within this last week I have spent about 16 hours watching an entire season of a show that I am loving right now! It's called Nikita and it's the best spy T.V. show I have ever seen. EVER.

Nikita was trained to be an assassin/spy by a covert agency of the government called Division that has now gone rogue. She escaped and is now trying to take down Division, "one mission at a time". Sure, the idea behind it is nothing new but the plot and characters are. Unlike most Bond or other spy type women, Nikita is not always seen in sky high heels or short mini skirts. Instead, she is comfortable and practical (But always sexy!) in dark, sleek clothes and boots. She is more often seen in long sleeves and jeans than a cocktail dress. But when she does have to dress up, it is always to the nines! Nikita is such a role model for women and teen girls, not only with her fashion but also because of how she is strong in the face of adversity, sticks up for what she believes in, and always helps out those in need. As you could probably tell, I would recommend this show to my friends (and I have!).