We’re finally ready to release more details about the NHRV Staff Contest 2012, which begins later this month. The question set for this year has finalized, and is available here. The contest will open from 16th January, and we’ll begin accepting applications from that date. The final deadline with be Monday, 6th February. We currently have two vacant positions, and we’ll be looking to fill both of them during the staff contest. That basically means that we don’t have any plans to do any mid-year recruiting this year (as we have in previous years), so you should assume this will be your last opportunity to join the NHRV staff for the year. As is usual, we’re looking for good writers, but this year we’ll be giving extra consideration to writers keen to contribute to our blog and live action section.

If you wish, you may register your interest by emailing this address: appl…@nihonreview.com. Doing so shall allow us to contact you directly, and keep you up to date with any developments during the staff contest as they happen. We’ll also be sending out regular alerts as key dates (particularly the final deadline) become close.

Today we have two new reviews of fantasy anime at opposite ends of the spectrum: Children Who Chase Lost Voices from Deep Below and, in a case of “I can’t believe they got away with showing this on TV”, Queen’s Blade: The Exiled Virgin. Enjoy.

More reviews of Fall 2011 series are trickling in! Today sees Sorrow-kun pleasantly surprised by The Idolm@ster. It’s a bit light-hearted at the beginning, but the series becomes suitably dramatic by the end. AC, on the other hand, was not that keen on Kimi to Boku. The series has pleasing aesthetic elements, but he finds that the show does not do enough with its characters.

It’s become an anticipated moment on The Nihon Review’s calender, as we’ve just turned in our seventh annual review of the year in anime: 2011: A Year in Review. This year we all agreed that we liked what we saw from the best series that anime had to offer, even in spite of yet another decrease in the total number of series made. Perhaps it was a coincidence, or perhaps anime is turning a corner after a couple of disappointing years. Time will tell, but for now optimism is the best way to play the game. Hope you enjoy it. Feel free to drop by and discuss the article on the forum if you have some thoughts you wish to share.

The impending new year means that one anime season has finished and another about to begin.  Our two latest reviews focus on shows that have ended recently: Nurarihyon no Mago - Sennen Makyou and Un-Go.  The former isn’t anything too special since it’s still laden with shounen tropes (though it is better than the first season), but the latter is an enjoyable mystery anime that stands out as one of the best shows of the Fall season.

I’ve always heard good things about Five Star Stories but seeing how it predates me by three days I’ve never been compelled to watch it.  Eternal has an overall positive view of it, but it’s certainly not the glowing recommendation I expected.  

Also, AC reviews Mashiro-Iro Symphony - The color of lovers which lies dead center between good and bad.