Ane Log (2014 - 2015 Mini-Series)/Is the Order A Rabbit? BLOOM: Complete Collection (2020)/Kakegurui XX: Season Two Collection (2019)/Samurai Girls & Samurai Bride: The Complete Series (2010 - 2013/all Sentai Blu-ray Sets)

Picture: B+/A-/A-/A- Sound: C+/B/B+/B+ Extras: C/C/C/A Main Programs: B+/B+/A-/A

Up next is a very strong group of anime releases...

When Moyako and Akira were little, her younger brother once said he would marry her when they grow up, but what sounded like something sweet kids would say, Moyako could never forget his words. Now, ten years later, she still worries if Akira remembers it and if he was serious about her and how does he feel now? On the outside they are picture perfect loving older sister with younger brother, but Moyako continues to fantasizes her little brother 'fantasizing' about her. She claims her brother is the pervert, but somehow, she ends up looking more like the perverted one. Drama ensues within Moyako's mind ...but then who IS the really the pervert?

In the TV mini-series Ane Log (2014 - 2015,) Moyako is the picture perfect beautiful older sister, with long black hair, big breasts, and long legs. Every girl wishes she was like her and every boy wishes they were dating her, but you can only go so far loving a younger brother, right? Her only problem is her 'little brother' whom she has fantasies about him having fantasies about her. Everything he says turns into a double entendre to her and in her mind (and her imagination) is about him plotting or she thinks he subconsciously trying to win her over. Her friends are aware of Moyako's little problem and they laugh at her that she is over thinking things and are amused by her fantasies and antics. Now, it's up to a big sister Moyako to set her little brother on the 'correct' path, but everything she does seems to just make HER look like the one with the brother complex.

This is a short anime series with only three episodes, it makes fun of a sister and brother's relationship in which one has a brother/sister complex. The show's title is short for 'older sister monologs'. It's a comedy suited for a more adult/mature audience and makes fun of the Japanese language and culture. The jokes come in the usage of formal words/wording having different levels intimacy, the comedy comes from the main character's misunderstandings and the monologs. The more proper a girl tries to be, the funnier it seems when she goes into fantasy mode. Extras include clean closing animation and trailers.

Episodes include:

My Younger Brother is a Pervert - Moyako is convinced her little brother has a thing for her. In school or at home do people see them as the perfect older sister and younger brother ...or the perfect couple?

My Younger Brother is So Much of a Pervert it's Laughable - Moyako tries to convince her friends that Akira is really a perverted little brother when they all hang out together, but how should a little brother act when he is surrounded by a bunch a beautiful older 'sisters'?

My Younger Brother is a Pervert Who Becomes Uninhibited in the Summer - Moyako and her friends go to the beach with little brother, she becomes totally convinced Akira is trying to put the 'moves' on his sexy older sister ...or is she the one putting the 'moves' on him?

Welcome Back to Rabbit House, a trendy tea house for girls. Cocoa, Chino and Rize work, live and go to school together and learn what it means to run a tea and coffee shops as well as make friends, but as time goes on, Chino graduates and starts wondering what high school she will attend in Is the Order A Rabbit? BLOOM: Complete Collection (2020).

Chino has gotten used to living at Rabbit house and living with Cocoa. To Cocoa, Chino is the capable little sister that is more responsible than her, but to Chino, Cocoa is her lazy 'big' sister and always needs looking after. Chino is determined to get Cocoa to follow her and to get her act in gear.

This is a cute anime with a bunch of little girls running a coffee/tea shop. They live together and explore what it means to be independent and cute girls at the same time. The show is about girls and their girlfriends and a slice of life in a picture-perfect world for little girls. Every scene seems like flowers will suddenly bloom in the background behind the girls. Extras include clean opening and closing animation and trailers.

Episodes this time include:

The Magician at the Cafe of Smiles - It's a new season and the girls are off the to market to buy materials to make cute new maid outfits.

The Case of the Childhood Friend's Stolen Heart - The girls play/pretend to be their favor TV show heroine 'Lapin' (knock off of Lupin) and steal people's hearts with her cuteness.

Everything in the World Serves as My Experience Points - Chino and her friends visits Cocoa's high school, a high school for prestigious/rich girls.

A Potential Everyday Life - Cocoa and Chiya get ready for their school festival and plan a tea house for their classroom.

She is a Fierce Whirlwind, She is a Carefree Breeze - Chiya starts training for a marathon in the morning to run with Cocoa, but can they get Cocoa to rise and shine in the morning?

A Fluffle of Rabbits is Also Most Welcome - The girls must come up with ideas to get more people to come to Rabbit House and come up with new ideas for their menu.

We Shall Dance with Ghosts Until Morning on this Halloween Night? - It's Halloween and the girls get to dress up in costumes, but does Cocoa meet a magical spirit, the ghost of Chino's mother?

Stamp, Sleep, Study, Smile - Rize runs away from home and stays with Cocoa and Chino, but can they convince her to go home and make up with her father?

Chamomile with a Dash of Jealousy - Rize gets a makeover to be more feminine and 'adult', but can the girls recognize it's her?

A Request for Backup From a Full Heart - It's Christmas and the girls are working more part time jobs to afford Christmas presents.

The Cafe of Smiles and the Rainbow Magician - Chiya and Syaro and their friends help out at Rabbit House, Cocoa's position as Chino's big sister is in danger.

and I Can Take That Step Foward Because I'm Watching You - As Cocoa, Rize and Chiya graduates, will Chino be ready to become the new 'big sister' of Rabbit House?

Welcome back to Hyakkaou Private Academy where everything decided by gambling. With the presidential election coming, the votes are all up for grabs and gambling, but now, the women of the Momobami clans are joining Hyakkaou Private Academy and the games. Whoever is the President is also the head of the clans. Yumeko must now team up with past rivals and enemies as they face new gambling games, risking fortunes, life and limb in Kakegurui XX: Season Two Collection (2019).

Hyakkaou Academy is the school for the children of the wealthy, elite and famous. Whoever is the President literally holds and controls the future of Japan. However, everything is determined through gambling where one's fortune and life can be betted, if you win the world is your oyster, but if you lose you gain massive debt, your future is decided by others and you become a 'house pet' and you are no better than a 'slave' to the system. Ever since Jabami Yumeko arrived however, she has defeated the members of the student council, but now there is even a greater enemy, the ruthless women of the Momobami clan. Yumeko has the skills of master dealer, a fearless and compulsive gambler and she is able to see past the game and how people are cheating. But will it be enough to stop the Momobami clan who will use to poisoning, blackmail, even torture win the games? Yumeko and her classmates now must gamble together to save the school of gambling they love.

The crazy school of love of gambling returns in Kakegurui XX. It is basically about students gambling and how they outwit each other and drama of high stakes gambling. For some reason most the characters in the show are female and they become orgasmic when gambling. The characters are sadistic when beating their opponents and afterwards explaining how they loss and take even greater pleasure causing psychological trauma. Extras include clean opening and closing animations and trailers.

Episodes include:

Gambling Women Again - Yumeko and Midari are challenged by Erimi in a finger cutting torture game in whoever pulls out their finger first loses, but the longer you finger is in, the greater chance of losing your finger.

The Women of the Momobami Clan - The woman of the Momobami clan enter Hyakkaou Academy to gamble to win all the votes for the Student Council President position.

Do Not Touch This Woman - Miri and Miyo challenges Yumeko, Mary and Suzui to card game match, but they secretly poison Yumeko and now Mary and Suzui must gamble for the antidote in order to save Yumeko's life.

Communicating Woman - Mary realizes Miri and Miyo are cheating by silent communication of what cards they have, but then Mary counter attacks when she figures out the card decks were not randomly shuffled and but with a 'Gilbreath shuffle' and the cards were predictable.

The Changing Woman - Yumemi ask Yumeko to team up with her one more time as the Dreaming Creaming Sisters to beat Natari in another gambling 'acting' contest, but Natari is a real Hollywood star and completely blows Yumemi and Yumeko in the first opening act. Yumemi realizes both sides are cheating and the audience has been bribed.

The Hollywood Star - Yumemi and Yumeko ties the second round in a Death Macaron, guessing which macaron has super-hot spice inside, but in the final round, they played double or nothing in a card game in guessing when the cards go above 63 and bust. Yumeko and Yumemi win the round and they beat Natari.

The Treacherous Woman - Yumeko, Itsuke, Kaede play against the Momobami clan in the 'Greater Good Game' in which everyone is suppose to pay taxes, but they have to find out who is the cheater and didn't pay the taxes.

The Undefeatable Woman - Itsuke wins the Greater Good Game, but then she loses all her winning when she reveals she made a side bet on the number of coins Kaede would win or lose. Itsuke 'wins', but she still loses everything.

The Woman By Her Side - Sayaka the student council secretary challenges Yumeko and faces her in the Tower of Doors where they are to solve various IQ games.

The Logical Woman - Sayaka beats Yumeko going down the tower, but then Yumeko beats her going back up and Sayaka loses and is forced to jump to her death. Sayaka is however saved by Kirari and tells her even if she loses everything, it means they can start over again.

The Woman Who Bears the X - Rei Batsubami invites the top gamblers in an 'auction gamble' for votes, however whoever loses the round loses whatever they bid and only the winner gets to keep the winnings and the auctioneer gets to keeps all the 'losers' bets. Mary points out the auction is rigged, Rei is cheating as the auctioneer and she is also betting, forcing everyone else to up their bets.

and The Null Woman - Rei reveal that she was born into servitude of the Monobami clan and how she vowed to get revenge and win the student council election and become the next head of the Monobami clan. Rei has secretly gathered all the non gambling students votes to take down all those who gamble. Yumeko figures out Rei's tactics and instead of being disheartened she seem excited to continue to play Rei's game. Rei loses when Yumeko figures out Rei's strategies and the simplest solution is for everyone only bet one, forcing Rei to lose all her coins. Yumeko wins most the votes, but afterwards loses most her winnings back to student body in regular gambling and nothing much really changes for the election.

The great nation of Japan is under another impending disaster (again). Muneakira returns to his dojo to only find it's been taken over by samurai girls, including Jubei, a mysterious naked girl who fell from the sky. When Muneakira kisses them, the girls turn into almost invincible Master Samurai, making Muneakira the hottest thing in town when it comes to saving the Japan from evil demons, monsters or evil spirits, but Muneakira has a bigger problem, none of the girls can be satisfied with just one kiss, sooner or later they all want Muneakira to walk them down the aisle and which one of these samurai girls will Muneakira pick?

In Samurai Girls & Samurai Bride: The Complete Series (2010 - 2013,) Muneakira is a samurai, but when he discovers his kisses can turn girls into master samurai, he becomes their 'general' and the girls fight to protect the great nation of Japan from supernatural disasters and doom. Muneakira finds himself with a few ninjas, samurai and even a princess and they are burdened with saving Japan from evil and conspiracy, but in order bring out the girl's full potential, Muneakira must 'master' and train the girls, who are just a happy fighting each other for Muneakira's affections. Can Muneakira save himself from being seduced by female wiles much less keep disciplined and fight evil at the same time?

This a definitely a harem anime mixed with samurai girls named after famous samurai in a historical fiction of Japan mixed with fan service. The female characters fight one another and always either end up with their clothes ripped off or almost nude. In the end, the story makes less sense and it's more just watching scantily clad girls fight. Extras include narrated comics, blushing maidens in the pack, uncensored production sketches, samurai bride shorts, clean opening and closing animations and trailers.

Now for episodes of both series:

Samurai Girls

The First Kiss - Muneakira meets Yukimura and Matabei and while being chased, a naked girl falls out of the sky and kisses Muneakira and become a Master Samurai.

Naked Body Reincarnation - Sen and Hanzo investigate Jubei, not convinced she is a Master Samurai. Sen however more worried how close Jubei is getting with Muneakira.

The Identity of the Master Samurai - Jubei is confirmed with a mark on her body that she is master samurai, but she only becomes a master samurai when Muneakira kisses her.

Hey, Give Me a Kiss? - Sen and Yukimura theorize any girl Muneakira kisses can become a master samurai and compete with one another on who gets to kiss Muneakira next. After many failed attempts, Yukimura 'accidentally' kisses Muneakira and she becomes a master samurai.

Here Comes the Warrior of Love! - Kanetsugu arrives, she is a spy for Yoshihiko and she is shocked to find out Muneakira's kisses can create master samurai. Sen kisses Muneakira and awakens her ability as a master samurai and defeats Kanetsugu.

The Sea Monster Attacks! - Muneakira and the girls head towards to beach to investigate the cases of the missing students, but when Kanetsugu gets captured by a gigantic tentacled sea monster, Jubei, Sen and Yukimura work together to save her.

The Shadow Over Great Japan - Kanetsugu is abandoned by Yoshihiko after her many failures. Muneakira and the girls take her in and together they fight an invisible enemy.

The Slave of the Kiss - Gisen, another mysterious girl falls out of the sky, but she seems intended on seducing Muneakira and catching him literally with his pants down and the girls catch them in the act.

The Return of the General - Yoshihiko returns with a master samurai of his own, Nia and reveals that he has been kidnapping the missing students to create 'artificial' master samurai. That he intends to 'save' Japan with his experiments.

The Prison of the Evil Eye - Jubei and Muneakira are captured by Yoshihiko and he intends to experiment on them to help him create more 'artificial' master samurai. The girls escape and try to free Jubei and Muneakira.

The Samurai From France - Nia reveals her past with Yoshihiko and how she became a prototype artificial samurai, but because of Yoshihiko's lack of empathy, his connection with her is weak and she loses to Jubei and Muneakira. Jubei reveals the next time Muneakira kisses her they will have a true pack and her true awakening as a master samurai.

The Goodbye Kiss - Jubei awakens as a true master samurai and along with Sen and Yukimura they taken on Gisen who is trying to resurrect Amakusa, an evil general that is reincarnated once every 100 years to take over Japan.

Samurai Bride

True Shadow, Now Open - Muneakira returns to find out the dojo has been turned into a maid cafe and the dark samurai challenges the girls.

Kiss Again - A new master samurai appears... Sasuke, a samurai girl ...monkey?

Love & Kisses - The girls compete in who is the number 1 maid at the maid cafe. Kanetsugu runs away, but then is saved by Muneakira and she becomes the newest master samurai.

Samurai Bride - Gisen returns and joins Muneakira and tells the girls about becoming the Samurai Bride, a samurai even more powerful than a master samurai, but in order to do so, they must become even more intimate with Muneakira.

Supremacy of the Underworld - The girls have a beauty contest at the beach and the Dark Samurai show up and join the contest.

The Legendary Stylish Samurai - Muneakira and the girls train under Keiji Maeda in increase their 'ki' (chi) power.

Unable to Unlock! - Jubei reawakens as the Master Samurai, but is unable to turn back into 'normal' Jubei, however if she stays a master samurai she will eventually burn out.

The Mysterious Shadow - Muneakira and the girls investigate a series of mysterious attacks in the middle of the night.

The New Master Samurai - The Mysterious shadow turns out to be dark samurai possessed by evil spirits. Hanzo and Matabei kisses Muneakira and they become Master Samurais to help save Sen and Yukimura.

The Secret of the Chingo Stone - Yoshihiko reveals to Muneakira and the girls that the Chingo Stone protects Japan from supernatural disasters and evil has always tried to either take control of it or destroy it and the Master Samurai were born to protect it. However, Muneakira and the girls also learn, the Samurai Bride only comes to be when all other Master Samurai gives up their life force and channels it into one single Master Samurai.

The Showdown - As the Dark Samurai beings their attack, can Jubei and the other girls find another way to become the Samurai Bride and save Japan?

and Samurai Bride is Born - One by one the girls fall and are consumed by an giant evil kaiju until only Jubei is left, but just about when Jubei is about to lose, the girls within the kaiju grant Jubei their strength and Jubei becomes the Samurai Bride and she defeats the monster. After defeating the monster, the girls are released and they continue to fight over Muneakira.

Now for playback performance. All four releases offer 1080p 1.78 X 1 digital High Definition image transfers that look really good and even great, again making us wonder when Sentai will get around to issuing any of their catalog in the 4K format. Color, detail and depth are impressive and play very well. All four releases also feature DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) Japanese 2.0 Stereo lossless sound mixes, with Pro Logic-like surrounds, but Ane is a little weak and Rabbit has some weakness too. Kakegurui and Samurai have the strongest sound and also offer English dubs in the same DTS-MA 2.0 Stereo format, but they are not as good as the original language presentations, as usual.

- Ricky Chiang