Samurai Girl: Real Bout High School Part 3 Episodes 8-10

The tumultuous times of Ryoko Mitsurugi continue and this time she’s going up against her toughest opponent yet: unrequited love.  But before she can even think about confessing her feelings for her Senpai, Tatsuya, she’s got a mystery to solve on a haunted island before leading a band of Magical Girls (and Shizuma) to rescue a pair of young corporate Heirs.  Ryoko might be up to all challenges but there’s one even she might be unprepared for: her own broken heart.

Samurai Girl: Real Bout High School isnt a good show but I have been pretty lenient on it due to my love for the Manga.  I like the characters a lot and the initial concept of the K-Fight System is great.  However, both of those can only get you so far and in this penultimate set of episodes, the cracks are starting to show.  What’s even more worrisome is that we barely had any Magical Solvania stuff today outside of one bad dream sequence.  So normally taking that out of the equation would be cause for celebration.  It's too bad then that two of the three episodes are still not great and a third is doing the one thing I’ve been wondering if the show would from the get go: just rehash an entire arc from the Manga almost beat for beat.
 

FIF#255-Galaxy Express 999: The Series

In a future where trains deliver all species across the cosmos, young Tetsuro wishes to travel aboard the legendary Galaxy Express 999, to attain a body that can never die.  Through twist of fate, he gains an unlikely ally in the beautiful and mysterious Maetel, who offers him the chance of a lifetime to travel with her aboard the 999 itself.  It’s the beginning of a journey that spans the stars and beyond with dangers and wonders alike awaiting Tetsuro in his galactic quest.

 
The Galaxy Express 999 film from 1979 is one of my favorite Anime films of all time.  It’s a gorgeous space age fairy tale filled with wonder, excitement, terror and endless possibilities.  I’ve always known there was a TV version but there was so much I didn’t know going in to the first episode.  For starters, I didn’t know the movie came out during the TV Series, nor that the show wouldn’t wrap for another couple of years, and probably led into the theatrical sequel Adieu Galaxy Express 999 in 1981.  Not to mention, the TV Series is pretty long, clocking in at more than 100 episodes.  Does the Premiere inspire the urge to board that old space age steam locomotive once more?
 

FIF#254-Those Who Hunt Elves

Junpei, Airi and Ritsuko are Japanese citizens from different walks of life, mysteriously transported to a Fantasy world.  In an attempt to send them home, High Elven Priestess Celcia fumbles the spell and sends five spell fragments across the land.  The only way to complete the spell is to track down the fragments…which are now tattooed on the skin of beautiful Elven maidens.  It doesn’t matter if it’s wrong or not.  To get back home, Those Who Hunt Elves will strip as many Elves as it takes. 

*Note: This isnt the official start of Season 11 of First Impression Friday.  This is just a special treat for the Katsucon weekend.  So you’re getting two episodes today.  The new season of FIF officially kicks off either in April or May depending on when I get off my butt to work on it.  Anyway, enjoy the new FIF’s and have fun if you’re at Katsu this weekend.* 

Those Who Hunt Elves is another Anime title from way back when I first started getting into the genre that I only knew through word of mouth.  Though I never got a chance to see it then, I always heard the same major detail: this was not a kid friendly Anime.  Heck the way the show was talked about, this was about as raunchy a mainstream Anime as you could get at the time, far from the more age appropriate Pokemon or Dragon Ball Z.  Well since I’ve seen many a naughty Anime (that aren’t Hentai), I’d say that Those Who Hunt Elves has some lofty claims to live up to.  So does the Premiere of this little legend live up to the “not for kids” hype?  Or is its legend way overblown.
 

T5W#548-Top 5 Reasons Why I’m Skipping Katsucon in 2026 (and Maybe 2027 too)

I’ve been going to Katsucon since 2015.  In the 10 years I’ve been attending, I’ve only missed 2: 2021 was cancelled by the Pandemic and I skipped 2022 cause I was still being cautious about attending a full weekend con even with lifted restrictions (Otakon 2022, no way I wasn’t missing that).  As much as I do enjoy the location and the nightlife of the con in particular, Katsu’s felt kind of different for me since coming back in 2023.  It’s hard to describe but it’s not the same winter con I started going to back in 2015 and I’m not the only one to share those sentiments.  I was actually thinking about skipping Katsu 2025 but ended up going cause it was the 10^th Anniversary of my first one and it was ok, still had its problems but it was ok.  But yeah, I wont be attending Katsucon 2026 and might even be giving the con a longer break even past that.  Why?  Well on todays Top 5 Wednesday I’m sharing my Top 5 Reasons Why I’m Skipping Katsucon in 2026 (and Maybe 2027 too).

 

Samurai Girl: Real Bout High School Part 2 Episodes 5-7

Ryoko Mitsurugi cant seem to catch a break can she?  Not only is she the most popular student in school thanks to her being a K-Fight Champion, she’s also become the Chosen One to save another reality called Solvania.  What’s worse, now even her friends are being pulled into the battle as well.  Between deadly gangs, giant gangs and a cooking competition, Ryoko continues to be put to the test but this beautiful Samurai Girl is always ready for a fight.

I’ll say this for Real Bout High School.  Theres a lot about the Anime I do not like at all and I’m sad to say the show doesn’t look to be getting rid of those negative parts any time soon.  However, when the show is focused on the original premise of the Manga and sticking to high school antics, I freaking love it.  Yes the animation isnt the greatest and some of the fights leave a lot to be desired but dammit, I still love this world and it’s characters and want to see more of it.  It just sucks it has to include a No Rules Isekai component that sticks out like a sore thumb.