I have been enjoying Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate to the point that I dropped every other anime to focus solely on learning more about it. This is an adaptation that strays away from the omnibus format (think Amagami SS), using a formula as some call a “super route” where bits and pieces of each route are placed in various areas of the plot. What we have instead is a nice mix of routes that addresses the importance at a different time without reducing plot value. This is because KoiChoco has a luxury other adaptations did not: a central focus, which is the election. The benefit is that you can have a core directional event — a focal point that you can craft the rest of the show around.

To better illustrate my point, let’s take a look at a counter-example: Clannad. Unlike KoiChoco, the first season of Clannad doesn’t really have a central focus. Rather, it more resembles the omnibus format I mentioned earlier; Kotomi and Fuuko are essentially background characters outside their respective routes. That’s not how stories work — that character development for them may as well have been for naught. During the routes, the focus girl is indeed the most critical and you learn important things about her. However, Kotomi and Fuuko’s relevance after the route were extremely minor. In the grand scheme of Clannad, the routes that deviate from Nagisa’s plot actually harm the overall plot because of sidetracking. When we encounter routes that cannot possibly coexist with Nagisa’s route, namely Kyou and Tomoyo’s, it’s in the same mentality as the routes of Kotomi and Fuuko. (more…)

Let’s face it, CNN has not had a good track record this decade in covering Japanese subculture. To the embarrassingly inane piece a few months ago about Bad Apple to this week’s speechlessly inaccurate, mindlessly sensationalized vitriol on the Japanese eroge industry, I begin to question the journalistic integrity of this news network which I respect deeply.

I have trouble watching the entire video, since I cannot bring myself to sit though some parts. The ignorance of context and blatant sensationalism is too much. The background sounds added in for good measure are a combination of disturbing and funny. (more…)

When the game was first announced (like 2 years ago) the title led me to expect School Days with crossdressing. Alas...

After being delayed six times (close to the limit of the number of delays you can have before becoming Duke Nukem Forever), the highly anticipated Cross Days, the third installment in the School Days franchise, is due out in stores on the 19th. Kotonoha, Makoto, and the rest of the crew are back in a new, extended, parallel storyline to the original game. As if School Days didn’t have enough angsty romantic tension, Cross Days adds a few love triangles to the mix. To my chagrin, Kotonoha’s little sister still doesn’t have a route…

You can read up on more about this game (and watch the opening theme) on m3rryweather’s blog. Till next time, happy homicides!

I’m going to go out on a limb here and write about two things I never mention here in Desu ex Machina: eroge and manga. I’m an anime nerd, sorry. I don’t read mangoes and play games where they force you to do work for porn. It’s not my style, yo.

I hate to be Slowking.rmvb but Eternal kindly entertained me on Twitter that there exists a fishing eroge. Awesome. When I’m out angling in one of the ten thousand lakes here in Minnesota I just constantly think, “you know what I need? Cute bishoujos all around me.” Granted, I think that constantly, but still.

Mother fuck Sega Bass Fishing, does it have cute anime girls? I think not. With Chou Kanojo you can bait fish and bishoujos and enjoy both. Hell yes.

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