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Feb 28, 2022
I've been meaning to review this one for such a long time already, but Azumanga Daioh is probably my favorite anime on the entire planet. There is no other series that has warmed my heart quite like this one, despite it barely having a plot to call home with. What it does succeed with the most is having some amazing characters that will stay with you until the end. The oddball sense of humor sprinkled in throughout the anime is extremely whimsical and it can be down right funny if you're into the humor that this anime provides. Some of the jokes might not even
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make you laugh all that much if your sense of humor isn't too down to earth. For some anime fans this series is just nothing more than just slow paced nonsense with no story at all. But what's here is worth spending time with for the 26 episodes that are provided for you to enjoy.
Azumanga Daioh's main cast of characters are fantastic because they all display so many fun personalities in one go. Chiyo is our main protagonist throughout most of the time. A ten year old child prodigy who's practically terrified of everything that she sees and is usually seen as the scapegoat from the bigger high school students. Osaka is the slow patient type who doesn't take everything seriously and just goes with the flow in life. Sakaki is the quiet type who seems a bit rough on the inside at first, but once you get to know her love for cats, she begins to open really open up more as a character. Tomo is the abrasive type to rush into any situation that she sees, also a massive loud mouth who's not afraid to get into any trouble. Yomi is probably the most serious out of the entire group, as she's always worried about maintaining her weight at all times and trying to keep up being the smartest one in the group. Kagura joins up with the main group a little bit later into the anime, she's also the super athletic type who wants to prove herself with how good she is at the sports she is committed to. The six main high school girls all have a lot to show throughout the anime. Plus, the teachers like Yukari and Nyamo are constantly butting heads at each other for no reason whatsoever other than to prove a point that one can give a better lesson to their students. Then, there's Mr. Kimura being the token weirdo and one of the few male characters found within the story. Let's just say, he's got a lot on his mind.
If you've seen plenty of slice of life anime's at this point in time. Then you absolutely know what to expect. The characters might not be the most original you'll ever see, but they definitely know how to display themselves.
Azumanga Daioh's short story presentation seems like a terrible idea to put into anime form, but it honestly gets the job done to set a humorous impression that'll have you laughing from time to time. Some of these gags don't even last more than a few minutes at best and then the show moves on to another joke right away to keep the viewers interested, despite the fact the anime is meant to be taken at a very slow pace, since it is a slice of life after all. Experiences like seeing the group take a vacation to beach house and then having Tomo lose the keys intentionally to make their lives harder. Having an uncurbable case of the hiccups, wondering about how Chiyo's pigtails can defy gravity or how Sakaki can get the attention of a cat who despises you so much. The short stories in Azumanga Daioh are all intentionally done in a genius way that really leave the viewer in a happy state. These segments are all a part of the funny and nonsensical experiences that come with the anime loveable charm.
Azumanga Daioh's anime adaptation is now two decades old at this point in time, the art style and animation have aged a lot since 2002. But I think the simple visuals get the job done for the aesthetic that the anime is really going for. The simple watercolor styled art backgrounds and basic high school setting visuals aren't much to write home about, but they are a very nice part of the background. Japan is visualized very well in the show and it captures the spirt of the culture very well. The music provided in the anime is all very relaxing. Traditional instruments like flutes and guitars are all melded into the OST, which sets the simple mood that the anime is going for. The intro theme is a happy high energy showcase that gives a sample on what you can expect to happen throughout the anime, while the ending theme is a quiet but calming piece that's makes you reflect on what you saw during that episode.
I have a huge soft spot for the English dub, I gotta say the voice acting provided for the characters really hits the nail on the mark. Chiyo's childish personality, Tomo's energetic pace, Sakaki's quiet tone, Kagura's competitive demeanor or Yomi's cool but collective nature are all on display perfectly in the English dub. With the most notable being Osaka's southern accent, it is hands down the most hilarious thing I've ever heard and I gotta say it really suits her character extremely well. I know the argument for sub vs dub is still being fought to this day with so many different anime's But I think Azumanga Daioh's English dub is extremely underrated to no end.
Azumanga Daioh is an anime I highly suggest you check out if you wanna see a slice of life series that really hits home in the best way possible. It is hands down my favorite anime series of all time. Sometimes, an anime doesn't have to provide a lot of story or a massive journey to get its message across at full force. Sometimes, it is all about the moment that you are currently in and Azumanga Daioh does that perfectly. Definitely consider sitting down with this series.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Nov 28, 2020
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure is a fan favorite as a manga series, to think that it took about 25 years for the original series to finally get a full blown anime adaption outside of minimal OVAs. but Jojo got the treatment it finally deserved as an anime. I never truly knew much about Phantom Blood or Battle Tendency at first. But, finally sitting down to watch the first two part's of the Jojo saga was an absolutely wild ride that I'm glad I got to take.
This era of Jojo takes place during two arcs. Phantom Blood takes place in the 1800's and Battle Tendency takes
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place during the 1930s. Phantom Blood focuses on the teenage years of Jonathan Joestar as his adoptive brother, Dio Brando makes his life an absolute living nightmare, so Dio could own the estate of the Joestar line and be a corrupt being of power. Battle Tendency focuses on Joseph Joestar who currently lives in New York City as a delinquent. Eventually, he will discover the power of a stone mask that will change the world around him forever. The story has a great premise for both arcs to be set up with, there will be plenty of twists and turns that will absoutely keep you on your toes. Many of those had my jaw drop in awe because of how insane the premise setup got. Jojo absolutely nails the execution in its plot and it doesn't let go of you at all until the climax hits for good.
There are plenty of fantastic characters thrown into the world of Jojo throughout. Whether it be the chaotic antics of Dio's incredibly morbid hatred towards the Jojo estate. Jonathan's very calm, but cool exterior as an English gentleman. Robert Speedwagon and Will Zeppeil have very eccentric personalities that help Jonathan learning the most powerful of alll hamon.
Joseph's chaotic nature but cunning antics also make him a forced to be reckoned with in a fight against all of his opponents. Caesar is a great rival for Joseph and it's really fun to see those two always go at each other for everything they do. Every major character that is thrown on screen is absolutely impeccable at what they do and they're all so much fun to see. If it's a dire situation or a funny one, all of these characters show off so much in the most eccentric way they can.
Jojo's enjoyment comes from the sick action you'll see on screen. The incredibly violent scenarios from the Supernatural abilities of each character is a sight to behold. You'll see some crazy things happen at once and you'll be cheering for more craziness to come on screen. Jojo never let's up with the action, the dialogue is also very well written and keeps the story flowing throughout. The English voice acting is also solid with many characters having a really slick accent tossed in. It makes the anime feel super unique and very interesting to hear so many different forms of dialect thrown in. Some people may scoff at the line delivery in the English version, but I think it's done in an excellent way that shows off the unique characteristics of Jojo's anime.
The presentation is also very well done, featuring a number of eccentric backdrops and wonderful locations you'll see throughout the anime. Places like New York City, Mexico, Venice and Switzerland are just some of the locations you'll be viewing throughout Jojo. The music is also very well done, the songs that play throughout Jojo include very tense orchestras, high end trance songs for sick battles and some well done rock beats to keep the action going. The two opening themes "Sono Chino Sadame" by
Hiroaki "Tommy" Tominaga and "Bloody Stream" by Coda all really set the tone for what every episode of Jojo is about to provide. Plus, English Rock band YES provides an ending theme called "Roundabout"! That song was a really fun listen!
Overall, the first two arcs for Jojo's Bizarre Adventure should not be missed at all. If you're looking for a series that will tug you ultra hard and leave you wanting more, then this is it. I can't express how much I recommend this series for everyone to watch. This anime absolutely gets my highest regards. Do not skip out on this Adventure.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Apr 26, 2020
Death Note was an anime I originally only watched bits and pieces of on Adult Swim back when the anime was brand new in North America. I honestly had no idea what I was seeing but the clips I did see were really engaging despite knowing not too much about it. Finally, I sat down to watch Death Note in its entirety and I can fully say I am not disappointed at all. There has never been an anime I've seen with this much class, care and story put into it.
The story is all about a teenager named Light Yagami who stumbles upon
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a note book while in class called the "Death Note". The book features an extreme number of rules such as a Shinigami who appears when the book is touched. The book is able to kill anyone within 40 seconds. Light then decides to use this book as a power of justice to make a better world to end criminals after testing out a crime on TV. But, then the power of the book corrupts him ultra hard. With the number deaths rising because of the book, the name "Kira" is given out in the media! As it roughly translates to "Killer" in English. Light then uses that name to his advantage to fear into people and corrupt everyone who stands in his way. The story takes plenty of turns and many unexpected situations will definitely occur throughout.
The major reason why Death Note appealed to me so much was because of its characters. Many of the main ones are fleshed out very well and really begin to draw you into its story. Light himself is very likable and super intelligent. As he is always able to come up with a thought provoking statement no matter what situation comes before him. "L" who is another major character and a massive rival to Light is always trying to be one step ahead of him. He is also very intelligent like Light and has a massive obsession with sweets. His love for food adds to some of the small bits of humor you see on the show occasionally. Misa Amane is utterly obsessed with Kira and wants to do nothing more but serve him. A bit of an airhead, but she's a fun character to see every so often. Ryuk is Light's Shinigami who does tags along with Light all the time. He has an insane obsession for Apples and watches over the owner of the Death Note at all times. He's a fun character to see whenever he pops up. These are just some of the characters you'll see throughout Death Note, there's many more that'll you'll either cheer for to succeed or loathe at them.
The voice acting in Death Note works very well for all of its characters. Nobody seems out of place and I'm watching this from the perspective of the English dub. All of the characters sound very professional and you really begin to feel the emotion throughout. You can definitely tell the dubbing team really wanted to make sure the viewers would really be invested into Death Note.
The presentation in Death Note was incredibly well done for its time and it still holds up very well. You'll see how Japan typically looks, but its animated very well. The art style really pops up when an action scene takes place or when you see a character die. A good use of animation, that's for sure! The music in Death Note is also a very ambient experience that fits the mood. Usually consisting of Alt-Rock styled instruments, Incredibly epic orchestras that add tension and a few portions of Lo-Fi beats. This is truly a musical score that fits the mood really well and adds to scenes that go on in the show. The intro's are also really sick being provided by both Nightmare and Maximum the Hormone. One intro is just your flashy J-Rock song, while the other is quite the trip.
Overall, Death Note is quite the experience. It runs at a good length also and it doesn't overstay its welcome at all. There's a lot of great tension throughout the series and some excellent characters who truly begin to show their true colors. This is an anime that needs to be seen to be believed.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Aug 3, 2019
I don't believe there is much that needs to be said that hasn't been said before about Dragon Ball Z at this point in time. By far, the most popular anime on the planet and one that has stood the test of time. While some aspects of the original anime have aged really poorly, some features remain just as timeless as ever before. This review is mostly going to focus on the prespective of the Funimation dub. The Japanese voice cast is not my cup of tea at all and the Ocean dub never existed to me outside of that "It's Over 9000!!!" Meme that
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popped up. But nonetheless, let's get into this one.
A few years after the original Dragon Ball storyline arc ended, Goku is living peacefully. He has settled down with his wife Chi-Chi and things are looking normal for him in life. Until a Saiyan named Raditz comes, kidnaps Son Gohan and invades the Earth. With that in mind, Chaos spreads across the earth in just a short amount of time. Goku and his former enemy Piccolo manage to defeat Raditz but at the cost of Goku's life. However, a warning heeds that two more powerful Saiyans named Vegeta and Nappa will arrive in a year. Which leads to an intense training session for the rest of the warriors on earth. (Note, from there you probably already knows what happens.) I had to put this summary in because how else could I describe Dragon Ball Z's eccentric setup.
Now, you probably know the main reason why people watch Dragon Ball Z's testosterone fulled action. It is for no doubt the action and frenzy that come with it. Dragon Ball Z's action remains the absolute best 30 years on since it's original Japanese debut. It is incredibly chaotic and really action packed. You see huge explosions, seemingly buff dudes throwing massive energy beams at eachother to defend a planet like an intense game of ping-pong and the universe's greatest warriors beating eachother to death in a satisfying way. Weather they are heroes or villains, you can't help but stay on your toes.
Dragon Ball Z also thrives and sometimes fails on it's character interaction. It is also one of the reasons why the original anime hasn't aged as well as you imagined. While the dialouges between hero and villians are sometimes really interesting to see. Trust me, I was seriously on my toes when Vegeta was interacting with Freiza. Or when Goku was pushing his son Gohan to defeat Cell on his own. But the amount of waiting around for the best parts of the anime to start can really grind the pacing to a halt. It's like waiting around for fillers but they can be a thousand times worse. You might find yourself scoffing waiting for the best parts of DBZ's portions to start. It might be tedious, but trust me. Once you get to the action or when you really see the characters interact. Then, you'll be hooked.
The characters, oh boy. Are they super eccentric and really fun. What makes Dragon Ball Z so memorable are the characters that you see on screen. Goku's aloof mind but incredibly strong will is so much fun to witness. Espeiscally when he conquers over his enemies. Vegeta's tough but hard working demeanor is prove that the underdog can succeed. His jealously towards Goku or "Kakarot" is the reason why he wants his "Prince of Saiyans" title. Many more of the characters you can either feel for and really relate to them for the better. Plus, whenever you see a villain you just want their reign to end. Dragon Ball Z truly succeeds because of its memorable characters. Lots of great supporting characters, villians and heroes to see in one place.
As an anime that came out in the late 80's its presentation has really taken a massive hit in terms of quality. Lots of the backdrops look incredibly plain and super basic. While the artwork for the characters look absolutely timeless, the backgrounds themselves look pretty awful. While they pretty much represent what they need to be, it doesn't look very pleasing to the eyes. We've truly come a long way since 1989.
The music for the Japanese version is okay to me, but it will definitely depend on your preference on what type of music you like to hear more. While the "Cha La-Head Cha La" intro is pretty fun. I'd much rather be head banging to "Rock the Dragon", as that into gets me way more hyped to be watching Dragon Ball Z. The American music provided by composer Bruce Faulconer absolutely sets the tone and makes the fights in the English dub feel way more intense. The music provided in the Japanese version is nice, but their is definitely much less variety featured. The American music gets the job done and sets the stage right for DBZ's intense and visceral action.
I probably don't need to say much about the voice acting at all. The Funimation dub has such a solid cast of voice actors. Everyone sounds on point and fits their character traits very well. Whenever I see images of the characters the English voices always come to mind for me ASAP. That's how you know the dubbing team did an excellent job.
Dragon Ball Z was truly the first anime I can remember that really pushed the action boundaries really well. It has fantastic centerpieces that feature intense action, memorable characters that people will always adore and a goofy but well admired storyline. While the pacing issues can really hinder your experience if you're a newer fan and the artwork really leaves a lot to be desired for. Dragon Ball Z is an experience I can't recommend enough for those who've never seen it. You'll truly see why this anime has defined a generation of fans.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jul 30, 2019
Street Fighter II set the bar for not only future fighting games, but also future anime movies. Loosely based off the video game series, this short but sweet action film follows from the perspective of Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li and Guile most of the time. Lots of different things are told throughout the movie, such as the scene where Ryu gave Sagat his scar throughout the beginning of the Street Fighter series. Chun-Li is also following the traces of M.Bison's organization known as Shadowlaw (Shadowloo in the video games). Lots of things during this film happen and you don't really have to pay attention. Remember, you're
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here to see your favorite characters do what they do best. Fight. The story in Street Fighter isn't very important to me but the lore with the characters really flesh the world out for me.
The action in the Street Fighter II is extremely intense and super fun to watch. There is one scene in the beginning of the flim where Ryu fights off against Fei Long in classic Martial Arts styled fashion. This scene is extremely intense and very well executed. The best part about this scene is that you get a taste of Ryu can do, as he pulls off his famous Hurricane Kick against the Martial Artist in full Street Fighter II fashion. It's always fun seeing what the main character does in game translate so well into animation form. Many more fights will take part throughout the movie and plenty of characters are shown throughout the film. My only issue is that I just wish some characters got way more screen time. Some characters like Balrog, Vega, Zangief and Blanka only show up for a few minutes. Then, they just vanish like that. It would have been nice to some of the characters get a bit more time. But, you can't always fit everyone you wanna see. Atleast, they got the most important characters in the movie down.
The animation for its time was absolutely superb in this movie. Everything is drawn out so well and all of the action scenes look super vivid in motion. If you haven't seen the SF II movie, let me tell you. It looks absolutely stunning in motion. Voice acting gets the job done, all of the characters fit their respective roles. This was my first proper time ever hearing Ryu or Ken speak english. So whenever I hear the characters speak English, this movie always comes to mind for me. The music for the scenes really appeal to me. Very nice blistering heavy metal plays throughout the soundtrack which includes bands like Korn, Alice in Chains and KMFDM. Espesically when a few of the songs play during the fight scenes. BTW, if you do own this movie on DVD. You can get the original Japanese score. But, since I grew up with the American version the added soundtrack to me is incredibly nostalgic.
Overall, Street Fighter II The Movie is a fantastic roller coaster ride that'll keep you entertained. The animation is absolutely fantastic and the fight scenes are all super top notch. I really enjoyed seeing this movie, you'll get way more mileage out of this film if you're a Street Fighter fan. But, even if you're not into the series. I believe you will enjoy this movie if you're looking for some sick action.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Dec 23, 2018
Let me start off by saying the major reason I became a fan of Hajime no Ippo was because of a Playstation2 game called "Victorious Boxers: Ippo's Road to Glory", little did I honestly know that feint discovery I made back in 2005 would legitimately evolve into something much more than I could ever imagine. Hajime no Ippo is an anime that is truly all about rising to the top. It's about becoming a stronger person than you could ever be and you won't stop til you reach that goal.
The plot for Hajime no Ipoo is all about underdog Ippo Makunouchi. He is a
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character that has been bullied for his entire life and he can't seem to do anything about it. One day, he's beaten senseless by a group of bullies and a guy named Takamura Mamoru comes in to save his life. Afterwards, Ippo starts to fully believe in himself much and then he is fully immersed in the the world of professional boxing. He practically rises to the ranks in a very short time period in major professional circuits. The pacing for the story is super effective, there's no real major amount of tedium or filler at all when watching the anime. So there's a lot of episodes to see, but many of them will keep you busy.
There's also a bunch of real world references to many famous boxers in Hajime no Ippo. There's are nods taken to professional legends like Rocky Marciano and Jack Dempsey. If you are someone who is indeed a huge fan of the sport as well, then Hajime no Ippo can provide tons of interesting tidbits to the sport in a number of efficient ways.
The characters in the series are absolutely wonderful as well. Sure many of them fall under a few of the typical anime stereotypes that you often see throughout, but it's literally nothing that will hinder your experience. Masaru Aoki is the clown in Ippo's training but he provides a lot of humor to an otherwise serious sport. Plus, Takamaru also adds on to the humor even more with some extremely smart ass remarks to his partners but he is a extremely powerful and tall guy that you don't want to mess with. But there are plenty of different characters that are all entertaining to see. Such as Alexander Volg Zangief who is an extremely powerful Russian Boxer but he shows respect for Ippo in a very postive way, in both the ring as rivals and out of respect as friends. Ryo Mashiba who is extremely cruel and unwieldy in the ring due to an extremely dark past. Ichiro Miyata who never wants to give up and prove that he can be a worthy rival to Ippo. The characters are all generally motivated and uplifting. There's many more character's to see in this wonderful series.
The action in anime during the boxing matches is top notch to say the least. The stuff that you see on screen will always keep you glued to the screen. To say that the boxing action is fast and visceral in Hajime no Ippo is an absolute understatement. You are getting one of the best representations of the sport in anime form, but the action that is provided on screen is just intense. Props to the animators for keeping everything at a brisk but manageable pace.
The animation quality is solid, get's the absolute job done. The music is nothing to write home about. But once in a while you do get a extremely solid song during a match that will really get you excited. The Japanese voice acting is well done and the emotions are all captivated extremely well. It is an anime that is well produced and super fun to watch.
Overall, Hajime no Ippo is an anime that Boxing fans can appericate but those who are looking for a good piece of action with great hints of comedy and drama will truly get that here. A jack of all trades anime with a good amount of sportsmanship. Hajime no Ippo is truly a fantastic run for all.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jul 23, 2017
This series honestly changed my life.
Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star) is possibly the most influential anime or manga series of all time for me. Every Shounen or Seinin series that came out afterwards owes themselves to the series. The two biggest influences the post Apocalypse film Mad Max & Martial Artist Bruce Lee mesh together so well for a series like this, it's mind blowing how well it all worked out in the end. Also just watch this in Japanese, the few English dubs that exist are absolutely horrendous and do not convey the emotion or tension that HNK feels. Do yourself
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a favor and just stick to the original Japanese version. Now let's begin.
Now the story premise goes like this, in the year 199X, Human Civilization was demolished by Nuclear War. Everyone who surived is left to fend for themselves or die. A man named Kenshiro is left to die by his rival Shin and is given scars on his chest. His lover Yuria is then kidnapped and for the next whole year he is left to survive on his own in the wasteland. Eventually though, he comes across a town with two children named Bart & Lyn. He is left in a prison due to suspicion but then is set free because a rouge named Zeed comes to attack the village. Eventually, Ken kills the rouge and sets off to find his lover. While the two kids join him on support. Basic synopsis on the prologue, but it gets the job done. The story takes a whole bunch of twist and turns. Plus, it gets incredibly deep once you reach the second or third arc.
Now I really gotta say, the fight scenes in HNK are super intense for an 80s anime. My God, now the blood is censored out for depending on which version you watch but don't let that ruin your enjoyment. This is a white knuckle action anime that will keep you on your toes to watch til the end. It is absolutely gritty, dark & brutal from the moment you start. As the anime wants you to know that people are suffering in this world.
The music is just absolutely classic with the most badass intro song. Its part of the era but man, it gets you excited. While the animation is super basic and some of the special fight animations repeat. It gets the job done, the backgrounds all look quite decent. Nothing but grey skies and deserts, but since its the apocalypse, you really can't do much. But for its time, it looked absolutely incredible.
Also I gotta say, the characters in this anime are super epic. Let me just tell you this, Kenshiro is a badass. If you know the "ATATATATA" or "You're already dead" thing, then you already know why. Just seeing this guy walk straight sends chills down my spine. The villains like Jagi honestly terrify me because you don't know what's gonna happen but they're so full of it, that you just wanna see Ken end this guy. Plus, the hulking mammoth Raoh will keep you on your feet throughout when Ken encounters this guy. Trust me, its a sight to behold. Plus the other Martial Artists like Rei & Toki really add to the show with it's characters. It gives you some hope that they are fighting for something and it's amazing that Ken has such amazing partners to help him throughout the adventure.
Overall, Hokuto no Ken is a relic but an absolute classic of anime. By far, one of the most influential to ever exist & one of my all time favorites. Sit down with this anime one day, trust me. If you've never seen HNK you will be doing yourself a favor. Plus, with all the modern lore that exists today. There's a reason why people still hold HNK with so much value after all this time.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jan 27, 2017
So I'm gonna be quite blunt here, I've watched Kirby Right Back at Ya maybe two and a half times. Once fully in English & about halfway through in Japanese. Based upon a popular video game series by Nintendo & Hal Laboratory, the anime did it's own strange adaptation based upon the video games. There's one thing to note about the anime also, most notable the English dubbing company. Apparently, while some people claim that 4kids is the butcher of all decent anime *cough Sonic X, *cough One Piece.* With the Kirby anime, honestly to me it's not all that different from English to Japanese.
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While some forms of "American Dubbing" have been put into place, however we'll get into that soon.. To me it wasn't all that different. But now let's get into the concept of this anime.
Now basic story, Kirby lands on Pop Star he found by two children named Tiff & Tuff (lots of puns in the english dub). Kirby lives with the family to fit in more with society and in Cappy Town. King Dedede & his minion Escargoon try to defeat Kirby for a profit for the company Nightmare Industries. Basically that's the jist of the story. Nothing more to say honestly, it's basic but it gets the job done. All of the characters speak except for Kirby, which is similar to how he is in the video games. So I won't complain. They got the source material right for that.
Most episode basically follow a similar path, Kirby is loafing around being himself, the characters give a lecture on how Kirby should act. Like Kirby has the personality of a child & he honestly doesn't know any better. Dedede hires a monster or a setup or Kirby and his two friends get lost somewhere. Plus, Kirby once in awhile gets a copy ability to win the fight. This sort of set up runs for about a hundred episodes most of the time and honestly does get extremely tiresome. However there are some unique episodes that sometimes come out if you do pay attention. Plus, it's a shame that Kirby rarely gets an screen time sometimes. Most of the attention is either given to Dedede trying to end Kirby or Tiff/Tuff giving a pointless lecture. Kirby is either seen in the beginning eating food or in the end fighting an enemy. A better build up would have worked way more honestly.
There are some small bits of censorship such as the removal of guns, the context of Japanese food has vanished & even English text was cleaned out of the anime. It's minor though, cause to me it doesn't effect the quality of the anime but it's just a notice for some of you. Lots of characters from the games make tons of cameos such as Meta Knight, Whispy Woods, tons of Waddle Dees, Chef Kawasaki & lots of enemies. The art style is also decent to me, the colors are quite vibrant and the main characters do pop out. But a little flat in terms of the art direction and scenery. The music is nothing to write home about either, even in the English or Japanese dub.
The voice acting in English is quite funny honestly. Nothing too terrible considering the source material. But it leaves a lot to be desired for. The Spanish accent of Meta Knight is honestly insanely cringy to no end but King Dedede's Southern accent is absolutely hilarious though if you don't take it seriously. The puns in this anime are insanely noticeable, some of them don't make sense but you have to realize it's an anime for children so it does make sense why.
Overall, Kirby Right Back at Ya is something you'd probably enjoy if you're a huge fan of the video game series. But as an anime itself, it leaves a lot to be desired for. The lack of Kirby himself really diminishes the value. Plus the typical plot, generic OST & questionable voice acting will probably get you scratching your head asking why. Though some of the source material is there and a few episode are enjoyable. You should probably look at this anime not as a tribute to the video games, but as a massive joke. Think of it like fan fiction, but it's not that painful.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Apr 19, 2014
Here's the thing about Berserk if you have read the manga before watching the anime you may come away slightly disappointed. Most likely because the Manga is so much better when it comes to content. In fact while Berserk is a good anime, I think it is one of the best Manga series ever. The anime does try to adapt the Golden Age Arc in 25 Episodes which is quite amazing. The violence is still there with some of the blood toned down. But most of the storyline is still intact overall. But if you really want to get into Berserk watch the anime first
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and if you are really interested read the manga.
Now the first episode actually starts off with a bang. As our main character Guts is longing for revenge. As in the past something has happened to him and now we wants to end this. But my main problem with the anime is this. The anime explains a premise to the story but then the next 24 episodes are a prequel story. So you will have to read the Manga to see what happens after the Golden Age Arc. While also cutting off a portion of the story as well. Everything else however is quite good. The Action scenes are quite awesome from raids on castles, A fight to the death with a demon named Zodd, A really epic 1 vs 100 battle and so much more.
Also in the beginning of the prequel Guts is forced to join a group known as The Band of the Hawk. As the leader Griffith wants Guts to be one them. After beating Guts in a battle. Since Griffith wants Guts to be really strong and to keep the Hawk going. Also Guts meets a Woman named Casca as at first they do not get along with each other. They always argue over everything with there battle tactics and nothing seems to go right for them. But eventually they grow very close and they seem to share something very special. The other characters also are very interesting throughout The Band of the Hawk. They all have distinct personalities and try to help with the wars that are going on.
Now Berserk's presentation is so awesome for what it does. The art style is really good. For an anime that came in out in the late 1990's it seriously looks stunning. The quality all looks really good and it keeps you interested on what's going to happen next. The music is perfectly outstanding in my opinion. From epic Orchestras, Beautiful ambience and dramatic musical pieces the music score in Berserk is some of the best I heard in an anime. Also the opening theme and ending theme are basically poorly translated engrish that sounds like something that should belong in an MTV music video. But it's so bad it's good in my opinion. The intro song reminds me of the Red Hot Chili Peppers on acid and the ending theme is if Alice in Chains had a chick singer. I just had to put that in since the themes always stuck out in my head every time I watched it.
The action is all really good in Berserk once again. Though the Manga has way better action. Though what Berserk's anime adaption does it's still alright. Once again it is sad that the blood and gore have been toned down. But hey it's more then what you see in most shonen anime I'll give it that. The action is kept at a very fast pace and the anime always keeps moving along. It keeps Berserk going and going which is what I love the most about it.
Overall the Berserk anime is a good adaptation of an amazing Manga. If you want to check out something awesome here is your chance. Though it's sad that some of the story was cut out. Plus some of the violence was toned down. But there is some good news though. The manga will be adapted into a movie series so hopefully more anime fans will have a chance to check out Berserk. But check this adaption out if you really want to see what Berserk is all about.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Apr 14, 2014
There is so much wrong with the Pokemon Diamond & Pearl anime in every general way. Such cringe worthy dialogue and an awful attempt to make Pokemon's fan base even more childish then ever before. While also repeating the same formula over and over... The original Pokemon anime did so much for me as a child. Now we already know the video games were a perfect match made in heaven for both adults and children. While some people thought the Pokemon anime was take it or leave for many of us who did watch it, We enjoyed it to death. It had a lot of
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great moments, some awesome character growth and of course seeing Ash mature even more. Also I watched the Pokemon anime for a good solid 9 years. Until this came out...
Pokemon Diamond and Pearl attempt to continue the anime even more is just painful for me. Ash still continues his own quest to become a Pokemon master... Something we have been seeing for nearly 10 Years at that point when this arc was new. He's joined by Brock once again and the newcomer Dawn. But all 3 characters are quite annoying to me. The growth and character development is so lackluster it's not even funny. The first 3 anime arcs did so much better for growth when it came to it's characters. I feel like Ash is back at square one once again despite the new region. Also some of the new characters thrown in the anime are just so unlikeable. The storyline is almost non existent at the point in time. Pokemon never had the deepest amount of story but this is just lazy.
The only thing in my opinion that saves Pokemon Diamond and Pearl is the art style. Seriously it is the best Pokemon has ever looked in so long. Really everything looks so well in the anime and the art style might have been the best at the time. Also the battles look great but sometimes you'll see the same thing over and over the deeper you dig into the anime. Music is also very bland as nothing sticks in your head. Most of the original voice actors have also been replaced but this happened in the Battle Frontier arc before it. Very poor voice acting and I must say it's dialogue is very cringe worthy most of the part. Also it's seems that the 4Kids voice actors fitted their roles more then the Pokemon USA dub. But this is just my opinion.
But also here's how a typical episode goes. Ash and Co wander through the area, A Person needs help, They tell some story that the audience doesn't care about, They go help the person, Team Rocket gets involved, They battle Team Rocket, BLASTING OFF AGAIN!!!!! Stupid Conclusion. Rinse and Repeat asides from some of the gym battles and the final Pokemon league. Seriously this has gone on too much... It's also an attempt to drag on the anime even more which makes this filler so painful.
There was only one villain in the anime I also found interesting BTW. She was a Pokemon Hunter named J who shows no remorse for any Pokemon. It was the only thing that got me interested in Diamond and Pearl. As she actually tries to kill Ash at one point. The sad part is she is killed off about Midway through the anime. Destroying any promise for that the rest of the anime would be enjoyable. Seriously it's the only thing I found worthwhile in Diamond and Pearl. But other then that the rest of the villains in the Pokemon anime are typical. The other villains are Team Galactic and they are typical. Just a bunch of evil people trying to "Make The World Better"! Also of course the Team Rocket trio makes multiple attempts to make Diamond and Pearl funny but whatever... They are just there for stupid attempt at humor or of course breaking the fourth wall... Once again putting Pokemon into it's kiddy stigma that it's always gotten.
Overall Pokemon Diamond & Pearl is just something I should have stopped watching. Seriously this is just a painful way to show off the Pokemon anime. The anime reached it's peak but this is a sad showing. The non existent storyline, awful character development and lack of anything enjoyable make this hard to stomach. Asides from one villain Pokemon Diamond and Pearl has lost so much from me. But the more the Pokemon anime continues the worse it will go on in my opinion.
Reviewer’s Rating: 2
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