I've been trying to make a point of putting in a review update with a generally pleasant show to end the year with. Last year's Secret Santa brought me Natsume Yuujinchou, so I felt no real need to make an extra update. However, Shigurui -- while a great series in its own right -- was a bit too harsh and cruel for that, so to even things out a bit, here's another update.

And my favorite light-hearted show of the year is none other than Tamayura, an OAV with a pretty clear inspiration, and made by the director responsible for the anime version of said inspiration. So kick back and prepare to let Tamayura's healing waves take you away to another quiet, quaint little seaside village.

- Stig Høgset.

Tim: My other two choices for the Secret Santa project were:

GA Geijutsuka Art Design Class. I decided not to review it because I saw the first episode and it didn't compel me to watch more.

Millennium Actress. I've wanted to see this for a long time, but we already have a review of it on the site, so I did not review it.

Stig: While my two other choices for the Secret Santa project were:

Guin Saga - Which had recently been licensed, so I couldn't get a hold of neither DVD nor sub.

Rainbow - Which.... had recently been licensed, so I couldn't get a hold of neither DVD nor sub.

Merry Christmas, everyone! See you all in 2011!

- Tim Jones and Stig Høgset.

And this is the part where I burst in through the brick wall in your living room, knocking over the Christmas tree and scattering presents all over the carpet while saying, "But what about meeeeee?" What indeed- I'm gone for nearly six months and what do I have to show for it? A little more progress in my Computer Science degree, hundreds of hours logged into various DotA-clones, and my Secret Santa review. Because how could I miss the chance to be forced to watch something someone thought I might like?

I remember when it seemed everyone had seen .hack//Sign- even my roommate, who is the furthest thing from an anime fan, remembers seeing the series on Cartoon Network. I've been curious about the series for awhile now, and seized the chance to watch it when it came in as choice for my Secret Santa. That was a mistake- you can read about why here.

Until next time, may you get fewer sweaters and more gift cards this holiday season.

Bradley

Hello, everybody. We're back once again for yet another round of "letting someone else pick our shows for Christmas Eve". (Also known as "the aforementioned".)

Tim takes us back to 18th century France with his review of Le Chevalier d'Eon, a 2006 Production I.G. production loosely based on the life of Cheavlier d'Eon.

Stig also takes on a bit of a historical anime in Shigurui: Death Frenzy, a series focused around a school of swordplay, and is a show filled with stark violence, horrible battlescars, blood and death. In other words... MERRY CHRISTMAS!

With that, we wish all our readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

- Stig Høgset and Tim Jones.

Well, one can always dream, I guess.

Today's show isn't as much MOE as just... an oddball of a sequel. So strap on your strike units and prepare yourselves for Strike Witches 2, the sequel to... well, the first season, obviously, but also the answer to the life-long question: "what happens when you put propellers on the feet of cute girls and send them to war without any pants on?" Tim and I set out to find the answer, and this is the result of our collaboration.

As for what's up next, be on the lookout for our entry in the Secret Santa Reverse Review project, which will actually be up on the 24th -- right on Christmas eve.

- Stig Høgset.

And the review for today is for Asobi ni Iku Yo: Bombshells from the Sky, which apparently translates as "I've come to play". Judging by what's going on, though, it looks like the aliens in this show has come to eat and take in the sights -- in other words, typical tourist fare -- but there's more about this show than just that.

Anyway, while this review was mostly mine, I still invited Tim to add a little footnote. For our next review, however, Tim and I will be doing a full collaboration. If you want a hint about which show; it's yet another title we both watched on Crunchyroll.

Later.

- Stig Høgset.

Squid Girl is up tonight as the newest review on our site. I planned to only do a partial review originally after my initial feelings for the series, but I plan to do a full review in the future after I watched some more after Stig and I stopped watching it together.

That's it for me for standalone reviews for the rest of the year until near Christmas. Stig will take over for the next two weeks, one of which is a collaboration with me.

See you around later.

- Tim Jones