Though cute and entertaining in its execution, Ah! My Goddess: Season 2 is beset by a problem typical of some "seinen" manga: It just doesn't translate well.

Ah! My Goddess: Season 2
2008 TV Series (24 episodes). Director: Hiroaki Goda. 600 minutes. DVD, bilingual, $69.98. Distributor: Funimation.

Based on the long running manga series -- appearing first in 1988 -- tells the story of college freshmen Keiichi Morisato. In a nutshell, Keiichi accidently calls the Goddess Technical Help Line -- yes, I actually said that -- and the goddess Belldandy appears offering him one wish. Thinking it a joke, and quite taken with the young divinity, he wishes that she stay with him forever. Based on a comedy of errors, the hilarity thus ensues. Keiichi must navigate his divinely problematic love over waves full of crazy mortals and sex-pot goddesses.

Though cute and entertaining in its execution, this series is beset by a problem typical of some "seinen" manga. It just doesn't translate well. Aimed at a young male Japanese audience, its comedy abounds with a distinct propriety. Keiichi's long and awkward courtship of Belldandy is defined by its morality, as much as it is colored with slight innuendo and scantily clad, intervening goddesses. Yet, for the average teenage American boy these days -- for better or worse -- such romantically comic titillation is often considered mundane and boring. Ironically Ah! My Goddess will probably be deemed a "chick-flick." At any rate, I'm not sure what to do with this.

The story for When They Cry Vol. 5 is steeped in Japanese mythology, especially pertaining to rural areas.

When They Cry Vol. 5
2008 TV Series (four episodes). Director: Chiaki Kon. 100 minutes. DVD, bilingual, $29.98. Distributor: Funimation.

Okay, the plot. Set in the rural village of Hinamizawa, Keiichi Maebara becomes entangled in a supernatural murder mystery. For the past four years, a death has annually coincided with the Watanagashi Festival. Caught between the rustic population and the local god Oyashiro, Keiichi and friends rapidly descend into a deadly cycle of paranoia and murder. Volume five, in particular, tracks the events surrounding the disappearance of Satoshi, the younger brother of Satoko -- one of the principal characters.

Originally an interactive visual novel (a subtly interactive PC text with multiple story lines and endings, often compared to a Choose Your Own Adventure book), the immense popularity of When They Cry (originally titled When The Cicadas Cry) instigated the production of both manga and anime. The story is steeped in Japanese mythology, especially pertaining to rural areas, and undoubtedly found its fan base in the rising popularity of the horror genre in Japan. Be that as it may, this series failed to grab me. It's beautifully drawn. Its characters are alluring and edgy. Its violence is even disturbing and unexpected. But I found it a bit slow and somewhat disheveled. Nevertheless, if supernatural murder/crime is your thing, have at it. You may like it.

My Santa is pure comic fantasy and is good for a chuckle.

My Santa
2008. Director: Noriyuki Nakamura. 55 minutes. DVD, bilingual, $14.98. Distributor: Funimation.

Well, since it's the Christmas season, here you go. So, what would you do if your parents were absent during the Yuletide season, your birthday was on Christmas Eve, and someone had the grand foresight to name you Santa? Obviously, and much like the Santa here, you wouldn't be a fan of reindeer, sleighs, and catchy little tunes that tickle your gut to the point of vomiting. But all that is about to change. Enter crazy girl Mai, a sexy Santa-in-Training -- again, yes, I actually said that! She'll do just about anything to lift this boy's spirit.

Needless to say, My Santa is pure comic fantasy. More precisely, it's an adult version of learning to believe in the power of Christmas. After all, the reward for believing in old St. Nick is not a cozy family gathering, nor even that first kiss under the mistletoe. Instead, believing in Mai only physically transforms her into a curvaceous and voluptuous bombshell. Yep, it's like an instant visit to Dr. 90210.

A cute, typical love story peppered with adult content, My Santa is tolerable. At the very least, it's good for a chuckle. And the sight of Mai riding that sleigh in her sexy Santa outfit resurrects that familiar pun: ho ho ho!

Hunter x Hunter first appeared almost 10 years ago and may seem too outdated.

Hunter x Hunter
2008 TV Series (15 episodes). Director: Kazuhiro Furuhashi. 300 minutes. DVD, $49.98. Distributor: Viz Media.

Brought to you by Yoshihiro Togashi, the creator of Yu Yu Hakusho, Hunter x Hunter is a typical coming-of-age tale. Young Gon lives a serene life on Whale Island under the watchful eye of his aunt. This serenity, however, is shattered when Gon leans his father is not only alive, but is also a renowned Hunter, legendary trackers of men, beasts, and even treasure. Determined to fallow in his father's footsteps, Gon embarks upon an epic journey of tests and contests as he labors to achieve the status of a licensed Hunter.

This animated series first appeared in 1999, and herein lays the rub. Hunter x Hunter may seem too outdated. Visually speaking, its animation definitely shows its age. More important, Gon's path of martial arts training and developing friendships closely parallels anime like Naruto. It's dicey whether or not a young audience, who has clearly been indulged in cutting edge tech and content, will buy into Gon's tale. Don't get me wrong. This anime is not at all bad. Although the initial story arc of Gon's training is slow, the later perfection of his techniques in daily fighting tournaments invokes the action that made Yu Yu Hakusho's reputation.

Raised on such iconic, westernized giants as G-Force, Voltron and Robotech, James Brusuelas is a literary scholar and freelance writer based out of Orange County in Southern California.