On the Verge of Lunacy

Elantrians were like gods before an event known as the Reod changed everything. The beautiful creatures became cursed wretches despised and hunted; their powers, which were known the world over, vanished; and the once beautiful Elantris became a home for the outcasts cursed by the Shaod, the process which turns a person into an Elantrian, years after the Reod. It is in this backdrop that Raoden, Sarene and Hrathen must try to survive and outwit the people and forces that try to threaten the already tense Arelon which is situated near Elantris. Raoden is a prince of Arelon who one morning discovered he had become an Elantrian. To the rest of the world he is considered dead and is secretly dumped in Elantris. Sarene of Teod was supposed to be Raoden's bride. But with the "death" of Raoden, Sarene's position in the political affairs of Arelon and Teod changed. She suspects however that there's more to Raoden's death than what the people are willing...

Just like the first series, Mushishi Zoku Shou is intriguing and beautiful. The sequel was able to retain the mood and the quality of the previous series. Still episodic, it has the same qualities the fans loved in the first installment.  It almost feels like you're just continuing the first series.In a short 10-episode series, the viewer is taken by Ginko to the strange world of the mushi. The cases involved here are more complicated and mind-boggling. How the series can be so effective with such format and pace however is still amazing. One factor probably is how each case is concluded. The art is one of the best and it is consistently good from the opening song up to the last. Mushi are neither good nor bad. They exist because they do. Whatever purpose they have is as mysterious as the question of the purpose of life. The series has managed to consistently put forth that idea. What was slightly different however is that people who are affected by strange phenomen...

Mushi are basic lifeforms, but to name them only as such is insufficient. Neither good nor bad, the mushi are not so different from animals and plants. They can affect and imitate other living creatures and cause phenomena. Unlike other living beings however, most people cannot see them although they are everywhere. But a few gifted people can. Ginko, a mushi master (mushishi) travels all over Japan searching for answers about the mushi. He has a tendency to attract mushi so he never stays in one place. In his travels, he helps people affected by mushi. Mushi is episodic and has no overarching story. It has 26 episodes that are not directly related but when put together add to the understanding of the nature of the mushi. The pace is slow just like the laid-back Ginko and the calm, mysterious feel of the places he visits. Ginko acts like a sort of detective as well and that is why it's amazing how such a series with a relaxed pace can get your mind racing at certain m...

Tokyo has had a rise of murders lately that authorities can only blame on the ghouls. These ghouls appear as and mingle with humans. But unlike the latter, they can only consume human flesh. The recent murders are attributed to binge eaters, ghouls who eat more than they are supposed to consume. Kaneki Ken almost became another victim, but his survival meant changes he was not prepared to accept.  Some time during his operation, something changed in his body. These changes became manifest when symptoms began to appear. This 12-episode dark fantasy series shows how Kaneki's entire life changed because of a seemingly normal encounter with a girl. Not only does he have to fight for his humanity and accept his life as a ghoul at the same time, but he also has to deal with forces who are after him. Kaneki Ken Confused, terrified and unwilling, Kaneki makes for a perfect tragic (though sometimes too whiny) hero. The series starts off strong with so much promise. ...

Noah's Ark Circus has gained a lot of attention for their grand presentations and breathtaking stunts. Disaster seems to follow the group however as they leave a wake of several disappearances in the towns they visit. Children have gone missing wherever Noah's Ark Circus shows up, but the authorities have yet to find proof that the two are related. Set within but not included in the events of the first season of  Kuroshitsuji , Ciel Phantomhive and Sebastian Michaelis are sent by the queen to investigate the disappearances and find a link to the Circus. To do so, the duo has to join the group. This 10-episode third installment of the series released after Kuroshitsuji II , focuses on the hilarious but not without the bloody encounters of the young master and his demon butler with the mysterious Noah's Ark Circus. A few characters from the first two seasons will reappear but most of the events will happen within the circus. Less morbid tha...

Several months after the events of Kuroshitsuji, the series introduces a new pair quite similar to Ciel Phantomhive and Sebastian Michaelis. Like Ciel, Alois Trancy has a tragic past. He does not know his parents because he was taken when he was a baby. He grew up and worked in a village and everything seemed fine until a massacre took his best friend from him. Alois then later turned up in his real home with a very skilled butler named Claude Faustus. How Alois and Claude will affect Ciel and Sebastian is at the heart of this 12-episode sequel to Kuroshitsuji . Most of the cast from the previous season will reappear. The events after the final episode, whether Sebastian was successful at devouring Ciel's soul, will also be revealed in this sequel. Although the opposing pairs of master and servant are similar in their circumstances, they're very different in their motives and methods. Whereas Ciel is calculating but fair, Alois is sadistic and needy. How ...

Set in the Victorian era, the queen's watchdog Ciel Phantomhive is a name to be feared in underground London. The ten-year-old head of the Phantomhive household is just biding his time to exact revenge on the people who murdered his parents and put him through a humiliating torture afterwards. After his brief disappearance, Ciel reappears with a mysterious butler Sebastian Michaelis who seems to be capable of doing everything, even the most impossible tasks. The others are unaware however that Ciel and Sebastian formed a contract so the boy can accomplish his goals. With very few leads, Ciel's best hope to find the perpetrators is by solving crimes the investigators could not handle. Members of the Phantomhive household; Ciel in front This 24-episode series with a title like Black Butler might seem frivolous and a stuff for girls to squeal over, but it does have some interesting twists near the end. There is also a significant change in the overall mood when C...

This 25-episode series tells of a young boy's quest to find the meaning of what it is to be a magi. Aladdin's adventures take him to different places and allow him to meet different people including Alibaba Saluja. The latter dreams of conquering a dungeon occupied by Djinns, which are scattered throughout the world and hold treasures and power. The two become instant friends but that friendship will be tested when they are separated. Transported to a foreign land, Aladdin gains some understanding on what a magi is. Meanwhile, Alibaba is forced to face a task he has avoided for most of his life. Set in an alternate ancient world and inspired by the tales from the Arabian Nights, the series takes the viewer to familiar yet strange places, ruled by by various powerful forces. Whether the two young boys will be able to achieve their goals will be determined by the alliances they forge and the difficult decisions they have to make. The magic system used in the seri...