Today Reckoner takes a look at the latest incarnation of the Monogatari franchise, Nekomonogatari Kuro, and likes what he sees. These four episodes dive into the story of Hanekawa Tsubasa and take on a slightly darker, more serious tone than before.

On the other side of the spectrum is Takahata Isao’s My Neighbors the Yamadas, which is a lighthearted look at family and the quirks of everyday life and one of the most overlooked Ghibli entries.

And as you might have heard, we have some new staff members! Be sure to head over to the forums to congratulate them and look for their official welcomes and first reviews coming soon.

Hello again, friends! Would you like more reviews? Of course you would! First on the docket is Shadowmage‘s look at K. The abundance of appeals to various niches dilutes the experience in his view, and while the action can be fun, the characters and plot never quite match. Meanwhile, Kaikyaku reviews Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust. The film doesn’t stretch too far outside a familiar scenario, but there’s enough spice in the form of beautiful art and animation and an interesting antagonist to make the story more compelling.

The Getter Robo series features gore, gore, and more gore, whether the OVAs deal with Invaders, Oni, and psychopathic pilots.  In this update, Shinmaru finds the level of ultraviolence to be pretty satisfying overall even if Getter Robo: Armageddon had problems after the fallout from a few staff issues and New Getter Robo‘s mindscrew is a tad weird.

Also, don’t forget about the Nihon Review Staff Contest!  Deadline for getting your entry in is Monday, March 11, 2013 at 11:59pm GMT -7:00!

Hello, everyone! AC is here with two views of one of the most popular series of the 1990s. First up is the TV anime adaptation of Rurouni Kenshin. While the series is notably hampered by filler arcs, its main story explores its characters well and is worth watching even today. He is less impressed, however, by the live-action film adaptation of the story. Despite a running time of more than two hours, it squeezes entirely too much into the story by taking bits and pieces of the original plot and sticking them together into a “new” story that is barely coherent. However, AC does appreciate the casting and the action scenes.

Also, be sure to take a look at the post below this and enter The Nihon Review‘s staff contest if you’re interested!

This year’s NHRV Staff Contest has now officially started! We’re looking for two new staff members to help us with writing anime and live action reviews and/or contributing to the Behind The Nihon Review blog. Applications will be open until Monday, 11 March, so if you’ve ever contemplated joining the NHRV staff, submit yours today! It will be the best opportunity you’ll have to get on board for the foreseeable future.

What type of person are we looking for?

• Insightful writers. We’re looking for people with a keen interest and knowledge of anime and/or Japanese media who are enthusiastic and confident about their opinions, and are able to back them up with reasoned, sensible criticism. We’re also looking for people who like to scratch at the surface of the titles they watch.
• Distinctive writers. You need not agree with everything we write. We’re not trying to be a hive-mind here, we’re looking to provide a diversity of opinions. We want writers who are opinionated, but also considered and fair.
• Competent writers. Writing ability is important, and while it’s advantageous to be a competent writer, we’re also looking for people who recognize the deficiencies in their own writing, and are willing to listen to advice, learn from mistakes and improve their skills.

Reasons to join us.

• Culture. The Nihon Review is an ever growing review site with a long tradition of writing reviews and editorials that are insightful, analytical and fair. Our site and blog are dedicated to sharing our insights on anime, Japanese film and television and otaku culture, and to developing understanding of these fields, both among our readers and our writers.
• Team support. Being part of a friendly team, you’ll constantly have people around who are able to help you out every step of the way, from the writing itself, to the editing and fine-tuning, and promoting your publications. You’ll also have the opportunity to actively take part in discussions and interact with many writers who share a love for the medium, as well as access to Anime Instrumentality Blog at any time of your choosing. There will also be minimal in the way of “set up”.
• An existing readership. You’ll be writing to a moderate yet growing readership (almost 400 subscribed readers on the main site and blog combined, as well as more than 2500 visitors daily on the main site). The demands aren’t high. If you can contribute an average of 4-6 reviews and/or articles each season, that’s ideal.

Why we’re recruiting.

We’ve had several resignations at the end of last year, including some members who have been with us for quite a long time but ultimately felt they’ve given us their all. We shall use this year’s staff contest to replace some those positions, and to also bring a new start to the website. Applicants who are interested in contributing to our underloved live action section and blog will be given particular consideration.

How do I apply?

Simply go here and follow the instructions. You may submit a sample review (400-600 words with a ~100 word synopsis) or an article (500-900 words). Your application will be gauged on your sample review/article, your short essay, and your responses to the first two questions. Email your entry to appl…@nihonreview.com. (Solve the reCAPTCHA to get the full address.) Applications will be open until Monday, 11 March, and the results will be announced soon after that. However, keep an eye on your email in the meantime, as we may try and get in contact with you if you’re in contention. Good luck to everyone who enters.