La storia della Arcana Famiglia (2012) アルカナ・ファミリア

The Arcana Famiglia was an organization that kept peace on the trading island of Regalo. Arcana had mystical powers they were derived from tarot cards. the current leader was Mondo, who wished to choose a successor through a tournament. as an incentive, the winner will marry Felicita, his daughter. Liberta and Nova were keen on protecting Felicita's freedom. together the trio defended each other. Felicita had an ability to read minds, she discovered more about Liberta's violent past and Nova's troubled family history.

despite the promising plot, La storia della Arcana Famiglia (2012) came short. even though the first episode shown true potential, the remaining episodes tend to lack the enthusiasm. the hidden powers however, continued to be interesting to watch until the very end. the love story between Felicita, Liberta and Nova never did advance to the next level. most episodes showed only the rivalry between Liberta and Nova, yet nothing towards the romance with Felicita. instead of building these 3 characters for us, the series focused more on introducing their backgrounds and abilities. thus in the end, i was still unable to feel connected to any of the characters.

Muse: Follow Me (2012)

Follow Me (2012) was released in December 2012, as the second single from Muse's sixth album, The 2nd Law (2012). the first single was Survival (2012), which was released in June. like their previous albums, Black Holes and Revelations (2006) and The Resistance (2009), Muse incorporated instrumental elements into their songs. The 2nd Law (2012) is also electronically inspired. according to Bellamy, Follow Me (2012) was about having a baby and all that comes with it. at the beginning of the track was the heartbeat of Bellamy's 1-year-old son, recorded with his iPhone. the song was thus described as Bellamy's fatherhood.

Hakuouki (2012) 薄桜鬼

Chizuru was the daughter of a doctor. her father left to work as a volunteer doctor and moved to Kyoto without his daughter. as time passed by, Chizuru started to worry about her father and decided to go to Kyoto in search of her father. she was attacked on the way after witnessing a fight between an Oni and the Shinsegumi. she was rescued by the Shinsengumi and was brought back to their. Chizuru discovered that the Shinsengumi were also looking for her father. she then tagged along with their search and adventure.

the story had a historical and political background to it. unfortunately, Chizuru was a frustratingly helpless character. the overly protective male characters made the anime felt like a Reverse Harem. despite the tiresome Chizuru, the rest of the male characters each shone in their own ways, not to mention the fight scenes that had one so caught up with it. besides Chizuru, the other downside of the series was not having a strong plot. the search tended to just went on and on.

Alicia Keys: Brand New Me (2012)

Brand New Me (2012) was recorded for Alicia Keys' fifth album, Girl on Fire (2012). the first single was Girl on Fire (2012) itself, while Brand New Me (2012) was released as the second single in November 2012. the song was a soft ballad, which Alicia stated was her autobiography. the lyric pictured personal growth and becoming a brand new version of oneself. Alicia mentioned that Brand New Me (2012) was one of her favorites since it said everything about everywhere that she had come and who she is now. it also showed that she was completely happy with finding herself.

Oda Nobuna no Yabou (2012) 織田信奈の野望

Yoshiharu was an ordinary high school boy, who accidentally time-traveled into the Sengoku period, where all the Samurai were female. he met with Nobuna, who recruited him as her assistant to replace the one who was killed earlier, to help her in her quest to rule the world. she had to take on rival clans and handle internal affairs. with his knowledge from the game he played, Yoshiharu became a great help to Nobuna on her conquest.

when almost all characters were female, Harem was a high possibility. but surprisingly, there were more to it than that, not every female characters were attracted to the male lead, nor fighting over him. the plots were as interesting to watch as the real historical events that took place in the Sengoku Era. the only difference was having Nobuna as a female character instead of male. the storyline was interesting for actually teaching some real Japanese history. the banters between Yoshiharu and Nobuna were the best humor in the series, nor does it ruined the seriousness of the plot.

Pink: Just Give Me a Reason (2013)

Just Give Me a Reason (2013) was a song recorded featuring Fun's lead singer Nate Ruess. the previous singles for her sixth album The Truth About Love (2012) was Blow Me One Last Kiss (2012) and Try (2012). Just Give Me a Reason (2013) will be the third single from this album. originally they only wrote the song together, but Pink realized that she needed someone to sing the song with her since there was a conversation in it. Nate was reluctant at first but finally agreed to do it.

Campione! (2012) カンピオーネ！ ～まつろわぬ神々と神殺しの魔王～

Godou was a high school boy, who killed the God of War and acquired the tile of Campione (God Killer) just a year earlier. Erica was from the magic society, who had assisted Godou during the fight. as the result of obtaining the tile, Godou was confronted by numerous Gods who wanted control. it also attracted female followers to worship Godou, aiding him in battles while following him everywhere, where Erica who was also interested in the power, seemed to be planning the whole thing.

Campione is Italian for Champion. it was easily confusing at some point of the story, where Greek mythology were often referred to. the series was fast paced and felt somewhat shallow, especially difficult to feel engaged with its character. Harem aside, the battles were typical as well. the whole idea of god slaying was promising, if the series were less rushed, perhaps it could be much more successful.

Phillip Phillips: Home (2012)

Phillip Phillips won the 11th season of American Idol in May 2012. he came out with his debut album named The World from the Side of the Moon (2012). Home (2012) was released as the debut single on May 2012. the song was performed during the American Idol finale. he originally wanted to sing a song that he created himself, but later stated that he didn't have enough time to complete it. the music video had a simple storyline behind it. most part of the video was black-and-white imagery of landscapes where Phillips jamming on the tour bus. the director's intention of creating such a simple video was to show people who Phillip is.

Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon II (2012) 境界線上のホライゾン II

the floating city Musashi sought refuge in England after the Mikawa Conflict. but a sudden chaos took place and sent Musashi in the middle of the invasion of England by the Spanish. the students of Ariadust Academy were forced to use their unique abilities to fend off the enemy while defending Horizon, the resurrected heir to the Mikawa throne.

like in Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon (2011), the story setting can be very confusing at times. it was futuristic, historic and fantasy at the same time, leaving us feeling rather conflicted. romance in Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon II (2012) was very satisfying. it applied not only on the main characters, but also the supporting characters. the humors were random, though sometimes not exactly appropriate. it some ways, the series reminded me of Gurren Lagann (2007), especially for being whacky, but in a good way.

Maroon 5: Daylight (2012)

after releasing singles Payphone (2012), One More Night (2012), Maroon 5's third single from their forth album Overexposed (2012) was Daylight (2012). Levine had stated that Daylight (2012) was his favorite track of the album Overexposed (2012). the song was often critiqued to sound like a Coldplay song. it had an anthem feel to it, especially the chorus.

Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse (2012) マブラヴオルタネイティヴ トータル・イクリプス

an alien species known as Beta was invading upon earth, nearly collapsing the human civilization. to fight against Beta, mankind had developed TSF (Tactical Surface Fighters) and deployed them as defense throughout the world. however, these efforts were not enough to stop Beta. mankind were forced to abandon multiple area where Beta had took over. for 30 years the endless war continued without much success. when all hopes failed, the countries agreed to work together. Yui and Yuuya, surface pilots from different countries, were sent to Alaska to fend off the new wave of Beta, starting a new friendship that changed their destiny drastically.

even though Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse (2012) evolved around mecha and actions, it was also partially a romance. there were lighthearted humor, there were also bits and pieces of brutal, depressing scenes. while Yuuya was prone to be a Harem character, surrounded by tones of girls with different personalities, his development with Yui was the highlight. they started out hating each other, then slowly developed feelings for each other. the series started out on a rocky ground, but one could get caught up with its storyline at the second half of the series.

Adele: Turning Tables (2011)

after releasing singles Rolling in the Deep (2010), Someone like You (2011), Set Fire to the Rain (2011), Rumour Has It (2011), the fifth single of Adele's second album, 21 (2011) was Turning Tables (2011). the song was written after an argument with her ex-lover. thus lyrically, the song described a domestic dispute between lovers. as always, Adele's strong vocal was enough to overwhelm us.

Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate (2012) 恋と選挙とチョコレート

Yuuki was a member of the Food Research Club at his high school, together with 7 other friends, one of them Chisato, his childhood friend. the members often spent their time in the club room doing nothing. but when the election for the next student council president came up, the possible candidate Satsuki proposed that all clubs with no merits shall be abolished. they sought out the current president for advice, and were told to send Yuuki to run for the election, as an opposing candidate to save their club.

Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate (2012) was another Harem series. what made it different and more interesting was its plot. for once, the series wasn't focused on the male character getting tackled while he picked one of the various girls he was given access to. as the plot progressed, deeper and darker truth surfaced, and there were more serious things to look at. the depth gave Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate (2012) an extra attractions that most Harem lacked. other than the election, the remaining fillers and comedy were also enjoyable moments, where each character stood out in their own ways.

Gotye: Somebody That I Used To Know (2011)

Gotye is a Belgian-Australian singer. Somebody That I Used To Know (2011) was written by him, featuring a New Zealand singer named Kimbra. Somebody That I Used To Know (2011) was the second single from his third album, Making Mirrors (2011). the first single in Making Mirrors (2011) was Eyes Wide Open (2010). his previous albums were Boardface (2003) and Like Drawing Blood (2006). Somebody That I Used To Know (2011) was written based on his experience with relationships. the uniqueness of the song was its indie ballad theme. it easily held our attention, assuming it was sung by an Indian singer. since the released of Somebody That I Used To Know (2011), it had became Gotye's most successful song, also his signature. the video itself was a unique art itself, a little daring, a little mesmerizing, and definitely enough to have us paying attention to him.

Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita (2012) 人類は衰退しました

the story took place in a world where human population had decreased over the centuries. food had became harder to find. the richese species on earth are the Fairies, a 10cm tall creature with high intelligence and love for sweets. the main character was a nameless girl, who lived in the village with her grandfather. one day, the village received some strange products from a company called Fairy Co. the villagers were wary of using the unknown product, thus the girl and her grandfather, together with a boy decided to go to the factory and find out more about the mysterious product.

the nameless characters made Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita (2012) a funny series to watch. while each of the character had their different personality, the nameless girl easily outshone the rest of them and obviously had more about her under the surface. she was interesting and easy to fall for. instead of being as simple minded as she seemed to be on the surface, there was a maturity in her that made her even more lovable. in overall, Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita (2012) was a strange yet successful series. it was fun to watch despite the out of order episodes that could be frustrating at times.

Love on the Edge #1: Going Too Far (2009)

Meg wanted to get away from everything. from her school, from the small town she lived in, from her parents who seemed determine to keep her imprisoned in the small cafe they owned. but one out of control evening involving a dare on a forbidden railroad tracks, she went too far, and almost didn't make it back. John choose to stay in the small town. to enforce the rules, to serve and protect. having caught Meg at the bridge, he wanted to teach Meg a lesson she won't forget. Meg pushed him to the limit by questioning everything he learned while he pushed back, demanding to know the reason she won't be tied down.

there were some obvious flaws in Going Too Far (2009), such as how did a 19-year-old turned out to look like a 40-year-old, or how special was John to have finished police academy and had his own cruiser at the age of 19. but despite these hard to accept facts, Going Too Far (2009) was delicious to read. them pushing each other to the limit made it even better! Meg started out being all crazy and not so likable. her past might made some empathized her, but that was as far as it went. fortunately the plot was engaging enough to have my attention until the very end.

Sword Art Online (2012) ソードアート・オンライン

in a world where VRMMORPG (Virtual Reality Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) exist, a game called Sword Art Online was released where players were able to control their avatars using a piece of technology called the Nerve Gear. one day, players found out that they couldn't log out. they were being held hostages by the game creator. in order to log out, they had to reach the 100th floor of a game tower to defeat the final boss. however, if they died in the game, they would die in real life as well. Kirito and Asuna rely on each other to survive the game, with the hope of logging out.

SAO - Sword Art Online (2012) had a very promising plot. however it failed at delivering it. it was difficult to get into the story because of its jumping timeline. at some point, it felt like missing episodes. for most of the episodes, Kirito and Asuna were fighting against bosses and proceeding through levels game-wise. after the game creator was mentioned in the first episode, who held the players hostage virtually, he was never mentioned again in later episodes. with so much skipped time, i found it sad to not having the chance to fall in love with the characters, especially the beautiful Asuna. there were little character development, even the romance between these 2 characters felt rushed and unconvincing.

Love on the Edge #2: Forget You (2010)

there were plenty things Zoey would love to forget. like her father knocking up his 24-year-old girlfriend and her mother's nervous breakdown. despite her life being in a complete mess, Zoey fought back the only way she knew how, obtaining attention by being the perfect student, the perfect daughter, even the perfect girlfriend to the school popular football player Brandon. but after a car crash that involved bad boy Dough the night before, the only thing Zoey couldn't remember was what happened before the accident.

Forget You (2010) started out being overwhelming with its vast amount of characters. but by the second half of the story, things started to get clearer as i had a clear background of each of the character, including the role they played in Forget You (2010). Zoey was especially a confusing character, caused by both her lost memory and messed up life. to uphold a "normal" status and life, she desperately tried to grab hold of people that she doesn't necessarily need. but as she discovered later, there were people that she didn't realize but cared for her secretly, sorting out her mess and clearing up her name. it was such a sweet gesture that it was difficult, even for us readers, to not fall in love with the duo!

Rinne no Lagrange: Kamogawa Days (2012) 輪廻のラグランジェ 鴨川デイズ

Kamogawa Days (2012) was a summary and recap of Season 1 (2012), an extra episode before Season 2 (2012) was aired. it was also included in Season 2 (2012) as Episode 00. unfortunately there were no spoiler for Season 2 (2012), which at the same time, made the recap completely unnecessary. in Japan, Kamogawa Days (2012) was released in theaters starting June 23, as a movie for cinema goers.

The Secret Life of the American Teenager: Season 5 (2012)

Amy and Ricky left suddenly, which caused suspicions to arise that the duo had gotten married or eloped. but soon they return. the friends were accepted into college, where Ricky got to meet some old and new friends, getting excited over the new stage of life. Amy however, felt left out and looked for Ben to talk about their relationship problems. the duo had gotten close since their broke up. in the meanwhile, Jack got into an accident and was in coma. Grace wished for a Christmas miracle for Jack.

after Adrian, the next teenage that got pregnant was Kathy. for almost every season there was one. but unlike Amy and Adrian, Kathy's pregnancy wasn't the focus. for this final season, everyone was only anxious to know whether Ricky and Amy would finally tie the knot. ABC Family announced on February 2012 that Season 5 (2012) would be the series final season, which turned out to be partially a relief. having a bunch of teenagers overlapped in hooking up with one another was neither relaxing nor a comforting thought.

Rinne no Lagrange: Season 2 (2012) 輪廻のラグランジェ: Season 2

it had been several months since Lan and Muginami left Earth. Madoka is now in her final year in high school. she spent her days thinking about her friends while Lan suddenly returned. a new character named Yurikano was also introduced at the later half of the series, making their life even more interesting than it originally was.

even in Season 2 (2012), friendship continued to be the main focus of the series. the Jersey Club where Madoka was originally the only member of was once again reformed to help those in need. having the 3 girls together brought much joy and entertainment, not forgetting the emotions as well. watching cute girls doing cute things, especially the Jersey Club, successfully made the series absolutely relaxing and enjoyable.

The Secret Life of the American Teenager: Season 4 (2011)

after Adrian's lost of her stillborn baby, she shut out the whole world. friends and family were uncertain how to help her with her grieving. by now Amy had been sleeping over at Ricky's quite frequently with their son. Ricky requested that she move in permanently. but in light of Ben and Adrian's happening, Amy felt guilty about their positive direction. in the meanwhile, Ashley prepared to travel across the country with her boyfriend. at school, Ben looked for Amy to talk about his problems.

Adrian's lost was quite a shock. didn't see that coming at all. the way she handled it made that very few episodes equally depressing no matter how happy Amy seemed. it was somewhat difficult to agree having Amy getting back together with Ricky. he just didn't seem worth it at some point. but since it made things interesting at the same time, it was reluctantly welcomed.

Rinne no Lagrange (2012) 輪廻のラグランジェ

Madoka was the only member of the Jersey Club of her high school. she was an energetic and positive girl, searching the school for those in need. one day, she was recruited by a mysterious girl named Lan, to pilot the robot named Vox. motivated by her desire to protect the people in her city, Madoka agreed to pilot Vox and fight against extraterrestrials that arrived to attack earth. soon they were introduced a third girl, named Muginami.

despite being Science-Fiction, i was glad to find that Rinne no Lagrange (2012) did not have a complicated plot. knowing that it was a 2-seasons series made it slightly lengthy if not long-winded to catch, but it made the ending in Season 1 (2012) completely acceptable since it would be followed closely behind by Season 2 (2012). the atmosphere was lighthearted as we followed the high school life and friendship drama of the 3 girls, which also made the darkness of war less terrible than what was expected.

The Secret Life of the American Teenager: Season 3 (2010)

having baby John to look after, Amy was overwhelmed with not being able to join her friends for activities anymore. she was generally angry and had an attitude with everything at this point. Grace decided to go ahead with having sex with Jack despite her father's warning. while it turned out to be amazing, her father plane crashed just moments later, causing her to feel at fault. in the meanwhile, Anne, Amy's mother was pregnant again, which the child might be her ex-husband, George's, or her new boyfriend's.

there were so many immature characters in the series that it was quite a huge task to decide who to like or hate. while the children went crazy looking for sex, the adults filed for divorce and continued having sex. the story evolved completely around sex, which sometimes made it rather tedious listening to the conversation. there were also the pairing problem. everyone tend to switch partners every now and then, testing compatibility, having sex, again. it was difficult to believe who really love who at this point.

Hagure Yuusha no Estetica (2012) はぐれ勇者の鬼畜美学

Akatsuki was a Rogue Hero in a fantasy world called Arezard. he decided to defeat the Demon King with the intention of taking Miu, the Demon King's daughter home with him. after bringing her back to the world he came from, Akatsuki signed Miu up in Babel, an academy that specialized in training those who came from the other world. Miu had to put up with Akatsuki perverted side to survive the new community that she was put in.

Hagure Yuusha no Estetica (2012) was a refreshing change, where Akatsuki was not a weakling even though his macho side can be quite annoying. he was strong and confident, had all the girls he wanted, and not forgetting being a pervert as expected. the story started off promisingly, but the following episodes soon focused on how awesome Akatsuki was and how shy Miu was of her breast. at some point, the fight scenes too, were dragged slightly too long, making the last few episodes frustrating to watch.

The Vampire Diaries: Season 4 (2012)

being a new vampire, Elena struggled with her new situation while Bonnie attempted to save her human soul. Stefan and Damon were at odds with each other due to this situation. in the meanwhile, Pastor Young executing his plan to destroy all vampires, first by abducting whoever he found. among those abducted was Elena. Klaus was still possessing Tyler, together with Caroline and Rebekah, rescued Caroline. he was anxious to get his body back, forcing Bonnie to perform forbidden magic to do so. as a result, angry spirits punished the ghost of Bonnie's grandmother, throwing Boonie in dismay.

despite not being happy waking up a vampire, Elena eventually learn to accept the ways of vampires. as always, romance was the main focus of the series. while magic solved some problems, it caused others as well. the Pastor and his church were an interesting add for the beginning of the series. however, it was also obvious that mere humans were impossible to win against these experienced vampires. it didn't take long for them to lose and die. it was as usual long-winded, but its emotions were finally able to reach us, making us feel further more absorbed into the characters. Tyler getting possessed by Klaus was surprisingly convincing, adding points to the acting.

Natsuyuki Rendezvous (2012) 夏雪ランデブー

Ryosuke worked at the florist and had a crush on Rokka, the store manager. unfortunately, Rokka was still grieving for her husband Atsushi, who died 8 years ago. one day when Ryosuke went to her apartment looking for Rokka, he ran into a half naked man at the apartment. he was upset, assuming that the man was Rokka's new boyfriend. however he soon found out that the man was the ghost of Atsushi, Rokka's deceased husband. to Ryosuke's advantage, Rokka was unable to see Atsushi. but the trio soon became involved in a strange love triangle.

Natsuyuki Rendezvous (2012) was a rare and unique romance. reminded me of Anohana (2011). despite the involvement of a ghost, the romance was lighthearted and had nothing to do with horror. the storyline was slow paced but rewarding nonetheless. the rivalry between Ryosuke and Atsushi was the spotlight of the series and what kept the story going. they were entertaining and humorous in a realistic sense, adding twists to the supposedly ordinary romance. the only downside of the series was its artwork. visually it wasn't as impressive as what would be expected of series these days. but story wise, it was definitely enjoyable and worth watching.

True Blood: Season 5 (2012)

the fifth season of True Blood were taken from the fifth book of the Southern Vampire Mysteries series: Dead as a Doornail (2005). the story picked up immediately where Season 4 (2011) left off. Sookie and Lafayette were in the kitchen with the bodies of Tara and Debbie. Pam appeared and made a deal with Sookie, if Pam resurrects Tara by turning her into a vampire, Sookie would help repair Pam's relationship with Eric. in the meanwhile, Bill and Eric were arrested by the Vampire Authority for murder. Sam were confronted by a wolfpack outside him bar, who kidnapped and tortured him.

like all past seasons, Season 5 (2012) followed the story of the many characters in Sookie's life. more visible in this season was their overlapping lifestyle, which made the story much more engaging. the scene where Sookie was being fed by Russell, Eric's sire was actually quite terrifying. but the moment Eric staked Russell, who took slightly longer to die but absolutely satisfying. there were a lot more bizarre moments, including Sam's latest shift, Bill's horrific transformation, and also Jason's creepy vision.

Kono Naka ni Hitori, Imouto ga Iru! (2012) この中に１人、妹がいる！

Shougo was the son of a rich man. but his father passed away recently. to inherit the family legacy, he had to attend a certain new school and find a nice girl to marry from there. while the condition seemed very straightforward, Shougo found out that among all the girls in his new school, one of them was actually his long lost sister. things became tricky as he tried to find a sister that he could not recognize, while looking for a future bride.

one had to be a fan of Harem to fully enjoy Nakaimo (2012). it was like any typical Harem, it has 1 boy and many girls, where all the girls just happened to fall for the same boy, fighting over him. the girls had different vibes and characteristics, just to make Shougo's experience richer and the plot lengthier. there weren't much development in both character and plot. everything was predictable and completely cliche. the only entertainment worth mentioning was its beautiful visual. the art was light and comfortable, perfect for a romance series.

Steamroller (2012)

Carson was the popular boy in school, a superstar quarterback so often surrounded by everyone. Vince was a nerdy biology student, loner and spent all his time studying and doing part time ever since his family threw him out for being a gay. one encounter brought them together, with Carson forcing his way into Vince's life. Vince couldn't get himself to believe that the superstar was falling for him, but when the news of Carson's injury reached him, he was desperate to fly to his side to check how he was doing.

Steamroller (2012) was absolutely delicious! everything was so beautiful and sweet that Vince had no idea how much his life was going to change after meeting Carson. he was overwhelmed by the attention and unsure of Carson's and his own feelings for each other. the incident happened at a perfect timing, forcing Vince to face his fears and insecurity, accepting the special treatment he received. it was easy to enjoy every moment they had together, the banters were both sweet and hilarious to get into.

YuruYuri Season 2 (2012) ゆるゆり♪♪

the story followed the 4 girls who out of boredom, took over the former room of a tea ceremony club in their school. they hung out, spending their time together, and getting into mischief while messing with each other.

like Yuru Yuri (2011), YuruYuri ♪♪ (2012) was equally entertaining. it was a pleasant and lighthearted series to catch. the story focused on the relationship between each character. although it might seemed like there were something inappropriate going on, there wasn't. it was clean and simple, plainly enjoyable. it was all about cuteness and comedy. although at some point the story was forced, the remaining worked perfectly together, making it extremely hilarious.