Any of you who’ve been reading my blog for a long time may have seen my love for anime and manga creep into the “Books I Loved” series I wrote a few years ago. (Like here, here, here, and here.) I more often talk about anime, manga and video games on my Twitter. (But I’m not above using some anime images on my Facebook to celebrate my writing milestones.)
I became obsessed with Sailor Moon when I was 12 years old and it didn’t take me long to realize my beloved “cartoon” about kick-ass lady superheroes was from another country, where they made lots more “cartoons” I loved just as much. Anime is a medium for every style story you can think of, from comedy to action to fantasy to sci fi. There hasn’t been a time in the nearly two decades since that I stopped loving it. A shared love for anime and manga is how I met a lot of my friends (including author Melissa Giorgio) and my boyfriend. The really good series have influenced my writing because I always strive to tell stories just as well as the anime that sticks with me years later. And in the past few years, with legal free, streaming anime available on sites such as Crunchyroll, Funimation, Viz, Hulu and Netflix, it’s never been easier to have near-instant access to the anime currently airing in Japan as well as classic series and films on demand.
But with so much available, there comes a problem: What to watch? When I was growing up as an anime fan, I watched practically every anime that made its way here, even ones that barely appealed to me, because the options were limited. Now there are simply too many shows to watch. That’s where Anime News Network’s Daily Streaming Anime reviews come in, and I’m one of the first reviewers in the program on a trial basis.
For the rest of the summer season, I’ll be the one giving out my opinions on Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun, Magimoji Rurumo, and Naruto: Shippuden. (Apparently I’m the rare creature “someone who’s watched ALL almost-600 episodes of Naruto and actually enjoys it” among those who applied. That, and my cat is an official “Ninja Pet” in Naruto: The Official Fanbook.)
I’d appreciate it if you follow me on Twitter and Facebook and re-post links to my reviews as they appear! Or just head straight to Anime News Network so you can read all of the reviews for the shows this season.
Amy McNulty 