| This was part of a project I wanted to write blogs about in my home page section, but I couldn't formulate exactly which anime I should start with. I thought about Katekyo Hitman Reborn, as that is a show I'm barely trudging my way through for reasons I've forgotten. I chose Kuroshitsuji, as I believe it's the anime title that fits the credentials of how a minus show is verified. As a complete package, Kuroshitsuji isn't even all that bad. it's pretty funny in spots, even if the jokes run dry after a bit, and the side characters are fun and colorful. It's visual style (clever uses of black, grey, and silver in contrast backgrounds to some character designs like Madam Red) is awesome. I'll try not to quote my review verbatum to keep repetition to a minimum, but this show does not work because even if it's painstakingly average overall, it's failure to try anything remotely new or refreshing. It plays it's cards right and targets an easily exploitable demographic (13 to 17 year old girls) while trying not too hard to scare off guys (que the scenes of Sebastian dispatching armed assilants with kitchen knives in an Evil dead-ish fashion). I understand this is a business and all, but authors like Osamu Tezuka and Masamune Shirow became the heralded directors and authors they are today. Even if some of their material isn't 100% authentic, putting your own unique spin on what's been done isn't a bad thing. Masamune Shirow's Black Magic M-66 is a glorified version of James Cameron's The Terminator is the respect of a machine trying to kill someone. In today's flooded anime market of copycat plots, uninspired sequels, and tired remakes of older, more successful titles, something like Kuroshitsuji should've strived to be a revolution of a genre instead of a macabre, paint-by-numbers fangasm television full of gimmicky characters and a forgettable plot created for a numb fanbase who have been trained by the industry to accept less. Yeah, my generation had it's fair share of sewage remains that hyped itself into believing it's better than it actually is (like Evangelion and Full Metal Panic!), but at the very least, those titles and many like them have one thing that shows like Kuroshitsuji lacks, and that's heart. It's a very hollow, teflon anime that will stay around for as long as people are paying attention. Once everyone flocks to the next latest craze, whether it's Guilty Crown, Magical Madoka, or The Shameless Self-Promotion of Haruhi Suzamiya, Kuroshitsuji will quietly wander into obscurity, only being mentioned as one of those flash in the pan shows that had a brief run of phoned in Grell cosplayers and disturbing fan fiction. Meanwhile, I'll enjoy timeless classics like Cowboy Bebop and Samurai X as anime today struggles to find out who it wants to be. |
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