KOREANOVELA: Princess Hours

Most girls dream of marrying a dashing prince, and this 25-episode series allowed us to get a glimpse of how it is to be a modern-day Cinderella, the Korean way. The producers certainly made the right choice of actor to portray the prince, as Joo Ji Hoon’s stoic stare and silent demeanor are enough to emit excited squeals from its estrogen brigade of viewers. 2/3 of the show is guaranteed to inspire giggles for the sheer hilariousness of the lead actress’ antics, and several cutesy teeny bopper love scenes from the royal pair. As the koreanovela neared its ending, though, a veil of despair cloaked every episode, and can left one with a heavy feeling after watching it. But if bubbly-girl-melts-apathetic-boy stories are your cup of tea, then Princess Hours is an enjoyable way to waste, er, pass time. Although I am very dissatisfied that the ending is a bit hurried and did not do justice for the resolution of conflicts that have developed in the progression of the story…


RATING: 4 out of 5.

ANIME: Papa to Kiss in the Dark by Nambara Ken

warning: contains explicit scenes, mature and sensitive themes - definitely not for the close-minded.

scattered comedy filler scenes prevented this ova from being classified as a full-blown romance drama. this is only my second time seeing a shota yaoi and, already, its magic is wearing down on me. on another note, the graphics is really good, suiting of a fan girl cult-aimed anime. i would willingly bet my one week's worth of allowance that viewers would fall in love with the characters' appearance at first sight. story-wise, i do not think there's anything new. but if you are a hardcore love story fanatic, i would still recommend watching this (after all, kiss in the dark has only two episodes). expect lots of dreamy sigh-inducing scenes and lines. i just have to say that the main character's lover looks a lot like gravitation's scorching bishounen yuki eiri (insert ear-splitting squeal here). and yeah, i know, the title is just crappy, not catchy - what was the creator thinking?


RATING: 2 out of 5.

ANIME: Ouran High School Host Club by Bisco Hatori

this anime should be in the master to-watch list of every rabid and raving fan girl in the face of the earth! aside from the fact that it boasts of numerous bishounen to suit every girl's fantasy, err... taste, its several fan service scenes would certainly make every yaoi-dependent creature go gaga and ballistic (i sure did!). of course, do not expect a twisting and winding plot for you will find none of it here, but i assure you that the humor and (may i emphasize) shounen-ai hints would have you catching your breath for dear life. ouran high school host club is the kind of anime that is light, and would leave a smile on your face (okay... and also make your nose bleed) after watching every episode.

an ultimate estrogen brigade experience!


RATING: 4 out of 5.

ANIME: Get Backers by Yuya Aoki

though it is undeniable that you would absolutely fall in love with the characters' looks and personality, i can not say the same with this anime's story line. aside from the numerous cliches present - last survivor or descendant of some known tribe, giving up your dreams because of friendship, tragic past, best friends turned mortal enemies, revenge, rekindling lost ties with your estranged friends (hell yes, you can find all these and more!); fight scenes and techniques that defy all laws of nature, chemistry, and physics are also present. series of events get pretty much predictable which makes watching it boring. if not for ginji's ubber cuteness, obvious juubei-kazuki yaoi hints, and some dose of humor every now and then, i do not think i would be able to bear finishing the total of 49 episodes. soundtrack is not bad, though not really remarkable. furthermore, i have noticed that the recurring theme is the characters' past catching up on them (definitely not a good example since i do not believe in letting yourself being imprisoned by your memories), and believe me, it gets tiresome after being exposed to it episode after episode. i do not hate this anime though, it is just i am rather disappointed since it appeared to be very promising. anticipating ban's use of evil eye has become my habit the whole time.


RATING: 3 out of 5.