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Nov 5, 2018
As someone who enjoyed Oreimo and, to a lesser extent, Eromanga Sensei, I felt a strong desire to watch this series. The synopsis of the series jived with the aforementioned titles. I also know the subject matter (sibling love/incest) is utter trash. This review is not an attempt to compare the series, but rather provide my opinion on a series that seemed promising before the season began. I typically will wait until a series has concluded, but in this case I felt it necessary to review what I've seen from this particular series through present.
Story (5): Mediocre sums it up pretty well. It is a
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run of the mill brother/sister relationship story with the anime/manga industry serving as a vessel for their relationship to grow. It is in line with Oreimo and Eromanga Sensei where a little sister is unexpectedly involved with some sort of "otaku" practice. The brother serves as a intermediary to either hide or foster the younger sister's activities. Constants and variables. Through 4 epsiodes, nothing has stood out to differentiate this series from its genre-related counterparts.
Art (1): This is where my compulsion to write an early review was sparked. The art in this series is SO BAD. The animation is choppy and "melty"; and character design is hardly consistent. Facial expressions leave characters cross-eyed or lazy-eyed, and faces widen and narrow in simple movements. General anatomy is a mess. There has not been an episode where these glaring animation defects aren't present. There is no artistic flow and everything feels like an afterthought or plainly, rushed. After episode 2, I wanted to believe that it would get better, but has not done so. In fact, it appears to be getting worse. Visually, this has been one of the worst anime I have seen in some time. To be fair, there are scenes where the animation team put in great effort and characters are drawn well and aesthetically pleasing ONLY to make the scenes horizontally (like flipped 90 degrees) and basically wipe their good efforts out. It's infuriating to watch this show.
Sound (4): Decent. Nothing astounding about the music or voice acting. Older brother has a generic voice, and little sister has a very dere dere voice. The other characters have voices. Openings and endings are forgettable.
Character (5): Mediocre. As with the story, the characters are pretty run of the mill. Apart from the siblings, the supporting characters are all other members of the industry: author, editor, illustrator, voice actress. The supporting characters add to the older brother's harem. It's all stuff we've seen before and is kind of tired at this point.
Enjoyment (5): All said, I am a sucker for this garbage genre and there are parts of the show I enjoy. I do like the overall design of Suzuka and Mai's characters. The execution is what kills it. I did enjoy the first couple episodes enough to continue this series, but am otherwise disappointed with its progress. It's kind of slow. I will continue to watch going forward and will adjust my enjoyment rating accordingly. However, the past few episodes have been plainly boring and I am admittedly falling asleep while watching. Overall enjoyment remains to be seen.
Overall (4): It's nothing special, but it isn't awful. If the animation wasn't as bad as it is, it would probably drive my rating over 5. Even mediocre animation would make the show more enjoyable. Certain things just can't be ignored. As I mentioned before, watching this show be a visual failure makes me irate. If you watch this show, just keep in mind that the animation leaves A LOT to be desired and even then that could be an understatement. If you are able to ignore these failings the show could be very enjoyable to watch -- especially if you are a fan of the genre. Just be warned.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Jul 10, 2018
Darling in the FranXX is fine, I guess. Just...fine.
Story (3) - The first half of the show had a cliche, but clear direction: These kids were chosen to complete a specific mission. The earlier episodes were pretty episodic, slice of life style episodes with some mecha fighting scenes sprinkled in. The format was rather predictable and wasn't anything inspired, but it at least presented itself in a way that was easy to follow. The second half of the show is where the wheels start to fall off. Plot twist after plot twist for seemingly no reason and an ending that really made no sense.
Art (7)
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- In typical Trigger fashion, the art was rather well done. Characters were well illustrated and rather pleasing to look at aside from Hiro's milquetoast male protag look. Battle scenes were reminiscent of Kill la Kill, but more cumbersome due to the nature of the fighting scenes (more enemies, faster pacing, less central focus, etc.). I just simply cannot forgive Trigger for blatantly ripping off Tauburn's design from Star Driver when designing Strelitzia.
Sound (7) - Above average. The voice cast was great on paper and the voice acting was rather well done -- for the most part. The OST was decent. The openings and endings were good. Nothing to set itself apart from other anime, but the sound department didn't hurt this show at all.
Character (5) - Ugh, so much wasted potential. There's some semblance of character development throughout the series but it isn't anything that you'll remember. The main protagonists have a see-saw affair of emotions behind their actions but really never waver in who they are. The characters are pretty set in their ways and even in the finale they have the same traits that they started the show with despite learning new things along the way. No one really changes much except for Mitsuru and Kokoro who serve as the foils to the main protagonists.
Enjoyment (2) - I wanted to like this show a lot. I enjoyed it through the first half despite its flaws, but honestly this show was a slog to finish. I don't like dropping shows, especially if I devoted that much time to it, but this one really tried my patience. In order to make this show watchable towards the end I would have to let episodes build up and binge them. Even so, the final episodes still didn't make much sense to me and the finale itself frankly sucked. When this show ended I really didn't feel much of anything. I had no emotional attachment to any of the characters and was just relieved it was over.
Overall (5) - Show started out rather strong for what it was, but there were so many missed opportunities for and contained an ending that just sucked the life out of you.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Aug 15, 2017
I am admittedly a huge fan of the Fairy Tail anime. Since the last anime run had concluded I have had serious Fairy Tail withdrawal. Imagine my excitement when my girlfriend and I received a notification from Funimation that Fairy Tail: Dragon Cry was playing in select theaters; and after looking up screen times, we were fortunate to have it showing at our local theater. Without hesitation, we purchased tickets and saw the film last night. Who could complain about more Fairy Tail content? It turns out that you can.
Story (4) - As a movie, you go into it with the understanding that this is
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a standalone story and really does not fit in canon-wise with the overall timeline of the series. That said, the story was by far the weakest facet of this movie. In short, the central plot revolves around an ultra-powerful magic item that has been stolen and it is up to Fairy Tail to retrieve it or else the entire world is in jeopardy. The film opens up with a rather muddled time-skip sequence that seems rather unnecessary considering the short amount of time needed to resolve said time-skip. They could have played it straight and made more sense. Conversely, within this time-skip sequence is a rather brutal scene that sets a tone for how serious the matter is, as well as how ruthless the antagonists can and should be. It begins with a dark theme. From there, it fails to sustain that feeling and the ruthlessness takes a huge dive. The climax and resolution of the story ultimately feel very compact and rushed. I think ultimately I was disappointed with the execution of the story and also feel with a longer run-time they could have probably presented it better. The biggest let-down was how generic the story played out. It all felt like I've seen it before. On the flip-side, where the story actually excels is in three notable areas: a rather nifty clandestine team operation by the guild that felt fresh and different, an unexpected plot-twist that felt out of nowhere, and an extra scene that sets the table for the next anime run.
Art (7) - I enjoyed the art quite a bit all things considered. New areas looked visually pleasing but right at home in the Fairy Tail universe. New characters had that classic Fairy Tail feel to them. There were even some new looks for our familiar friends -- including a side-ponytail design for Wendy that was so adorable. The movie was not without it's "quality" issues that you see in week to week programming, but was more noticeable given this was a movie production. The film was also pretty stocked with CGI scenes. I am personally indifferent to the use of CGI in anime so long as it blends with the rest of the art. I thought it did ok in that regard -- not great. Another area where this film suffered, and it is unfortunate, is the battle scenes. For a show with magic battles as a foundation, the battles were very boring. Multiple battles go on at once and the focus is essentially a short struggle followed by the heroes pulling out their trump cards. Battles were over before they ever really began. OK PERSONAL GRIPE TIME: can we please leave Lucy's boobs alone? I get it, they are large, but throughout the movie it felt as thought they kept getting bigger and bigger scene to scene. It is absolutely comical and you can't help but laugh at how awful the artists treat her sometimes. She's actually an awesome character that just seems burdened by these balloon tits and it is sometimes really hard to take her seriously.
Sound (10) - Fairy Tail has had some of the best, if not the best, soundtracks. Whether it is in insert music, openings, or endings; the music is always fantastic. This feature film is no exception. The regular cast returns reprising their roles which is already solid. New characters' voices were also well cast. Sound is not an issue in this film in the least.
Character (6) - There's the classic adage in regards to standalone anime films that movie villains will never be seen nor heard from again, but for the next hour and a half they are the most important and dangerous enemy there is. That statement aptly applies to this film. New characters are presented but feel rather hollow. They have no substance, or are rendered moot. You have your main villain and cliche henchmen 1 through 3. Trying my best to avoid spoilers, the supposed antagonist of this movie is present in the brutal scene I reference in the "Story" section; but does not maintain that ruthlessness throughout. He is presented as this powerful badass, only to be neutered by comic relief. It is rather disappointing considering how they present him from the beginning of the film. By the end of the film he feels like a cowardly heel and had zero credibility. The henchmen are forgettable and are there merely to give the supporting cast something to do. On the contrary, one character is given tremendous development and actually can be linked to the main storyline of the series in some way. She comes off as feeling important and not just a milquetoast movie character. That said, a large chunk of this film's characters are the main cast where we already know them from watching weekly. I believe this film suffers from over-saturation of main cast because for the most part they stood around doing nothing while the story was being resolved. While you can say it was nice to see them, they were there merely for token screen-time and offer nothing to the story.
Enjoyment (8) - Despite my harsh criticisms, I found the film enjoyable. It was more Fairy Tail content! I can't be mad with that. It's a lot more enjoyable when you watch it knowing it isn't directly tied to the story and can take it for what it is. Not once did I feel like I was wasting my time watching it and it was honestly a lot of fun. I did leave the theater thinking the film was rather rushed and probably suffered a lot from that. Had they had two hours as opposed to the hour and twenty five minutes it had, they probably could have executed the story better or presented the characters more favorably. The part that was perhaps "too much" was the over-abundance of fanservice. Fairy Tail has always had its "puff puff" moments, but personal gripe regarding Lucy's bust aside, the fanservice was rather extensive. Also, as someone who is not up to date on the manga, there were some parts that were spoilers for the main story. However, that is my fault for not reading the manga. The material is out there to familiarize yourself with beforehand.
Overall (7) - Fairy Tail: Dragon Cry was a perfectly fine way to spend a Monday night. It is by no means a masterpiece, but is perfectly acceptable. The first film was much better by and large. Really what this film does is give you some animated Fairy Tail content to hold you over until the final weekly run airs and does that well. What it accomplished for me personally was to get me excited for the final run and conclusion of the series, no matter how sad that really makes me.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Mar 10, 2017
I was fortunate to have a theater in my area screen Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale. I am extremely satisfied with my decision to go. The Ordinal Scale special was a new twist on the Sword Art Online experience as we know. No longer is it related to life in a virtual world, but rather a new reality that is endangering the familiar faces in the Sword Art universe.
Story: Years following the events of the initial Sword Art Online Series, a new technology has surfaced that has taken Japan by storm. This new device, the Augma, creates an augmented reality in real-time as opposed to
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devices like the Amusphere or Nerve Gear that requires players to "deep-dive" into a virtual world. Immersing yourself in this new technology can apply to mundane daily tasks or be used for a new gaming style. This new style of AR game is dependent on your own latent abilities, whereas in virtual reality you can cultivate your skills through character customization. However, the dangers of this new augmented reality world show themselves over time and our heroes face a new evil that must be stopped.
Art: There is a definite improvement of art, specifically being sharper than its preceding series. The movie, while not a recap feature in any way, does flashback to moments in SAO where you do notice the differences in production quality. Furthermore, the character designs have new variants that resemble their real-life appearance. This is since the AR world is set in real-time. It allows for some more creativity in the character representation that expands on who the characters are outside of the SAO and ALO universes -- their clothing styles, their preferred aesthetics in their homes, etc. These art directions allow us to know more about the actual characters themselves, and not their VR counterparts. For a specific example, in the VR world, Sinon exposes a lot of skin; however, her first IRL appearance (not really a spoiler) in Ordinal scale shows her in a frumpy, loose-fitting cardigan and pants. Completely covered. This choice in attire more accurately reflects her reserved nature. Lastly, the animation used in the action sequences is vastly improved from the Sword Art Online series. While some battles may not have the same impact, for a very good reason, they are animated very well, albeit sometimes a little clunky. The art is not flawless, but it is darn superb.
Sound: All the familiar faces are back and with that comes the great voice cast from the main cast of characters. The recurring cast in Sword Art Online already sets my opinion of the sound rather high. New characters are voiced very well also; namely Yuna, who you may know as the former singer from TRUSTRICK. Not only is she a talented singer, but her voice acting in this feature is quite impressive despite not having many credited roles to her name. Her insert songs are quite enjoyable to listen to. She doesn't have that irritating idol quality. LiSA returns with another theme song which provides some continuity from the preceding series in a way. Where the viewing experience suffered, at least for my experience personally, is that the audio was mixed rather aggressively. During battles especially, the audio was almost too loud and actually hurt at times.
Character: Once again, the recurring cast of characters return in some capacity throughout the film. Some welcome cameos also appear at times which can either give you goosebumps, chills, or simply a wide grin across your face. There also is a lot of character development for our main heroes Kirito and Asuna as they adjust to life in this new AR world. The new antagonists are portrayed well and while they are rather telegraphed from the beginning of the movie, their motives aren't immediately known which keeps you guessing. I feel the characters are all portrayed well aside from Leafa. Poor Leafa...
Enjoyment: I sat there from start to finish with a huge grin on my face. I laughed, I cried. I enjoyed the hell out of this movie from start to finish. I will add that seeing this in a theater setting probably amplified my viewing experience, but that aside this is a very, very good addition to the Sword Art Online franchise. I think the only thing that I did not enjoy was that I did not win the poster they were raffling off. 10/10 would see again (and definitely will).
Sword Art Online is one of the most polarizing series I can recall to date. There are those that absolutely love it and those that absolutely hate it. I am one of those that absolutely love it. That said, the complaints I hear from others as to why the series is trash are understandable and I see where they are coming from. I feel like this film avoids those issues quite well for the most part, although some tropes from the preceding series do return, but in a limited fashion. If you are not a fan of this series because of things you did not like in the TV runs, I would suggest giving this movie a try. I hope that the strength of this film is used as a stepping stone towards a bright future for this franchise.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Jan 6, 2016
The first season of Hidan no Aria is quite under-appreciated among anime fans. Some bemoan the original series of being unoriginal and boring; mostly obtaining its sparse popularity from troll-subs resulting in people treating the original run as a joke. On the other hand, I thoroughly enjoyed the first season of Hidan no Aria for what it was. The one thing I really hated about the original run was how it ended, and an ending that felt empty and incomplete. As such, I was excited for a second season continuing what I enjoyed. This was not that. Not at all.
Despite the title of "Hidan no
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Aria", Aria is not the main protagonist. It is essentially a parallel story to the original focusing on a clumsy, underachiever named Mamiya Akari. The role Aria has is limited to a mentor role for Akari who strives to be just like Aria and is determined to become her apprentice. The show mostly revolves around the tenable relationship of Aria and Akari, Akari's circle of friends, and the mystery of Akari herself. (4)
The art style has somewhat carried over to the second season, but seems to have devalued a bit. Aria's character design remains constant from the parent season, but the animation is just not as crisp as Hidan no Aria had been. However, I am a big fan of the Tokyo Butei High School uniforms, so that gets above average marks from me. Akari's design is rather bland and has a "Kaname Madoka" vibe to it. My god did I hate her sneakers. They just looked so frumpy with the uniform. (7)
For sound, I typically break the category up between two categories: the voice acting and the music. The voice cast for this show is solid -- with recurring characters from Hidan no Aria retaining their original voices. Kugimiya Rie is so perfect for Aria, so I am glad she reprised the role. Some new characters have elite-level voice acting to provide a sense of familiarity while others have some newcomers; resulting in a nice blend of voice acting. There is also is an established familiarity with Sakura Ayane and Minase Inori playing siblings. While their characters are completely different, the sibling dynamic hearkens back to Kokoa and Chino in Gochuumon wa Usagi desu ka? However, while I love Sakura Ayane -- I really do -- I really cannot stand when she plays these perceived pathetic, "under-achiever" type characters. She has a immense talent and good range, but these characters coupled with her voice always comes off as annoying to me, which is difficult for me as I really enjoy her work most of the time. Transversely, the music for this show is average. The opening, "Bull's Eye" is a terrific track and one that is playing on my iPod quite frequently. The ending, "Pulse," performed by Kugimiya Rie and Sakura Ayane is cute and fluffy, but admittedly I wound up skipping the ED once I got to about episode 5. (7)
Character is an area where I felt the show struggled. I try to remove myself from the disappointment of this being a spin-off series from the original run and be impartial, but what made me enjoy the original run so much was the dynamics between Kinji and Aria, Kinji and Riko, the rivalry between Aria, Riko, and Hitogi; it all seemed to work for me. This season has none of that and those characters are reduced to, at best, cameo roles. Even Aria herself feels like an afterthought in this series -- her name is in the title for Pete's sake. Even Aria's combat abilities seem watered down (aside from the opening scene). Despite that, Hidan no Aria AA did very little to develop the new characters it introduced. My biggest complaint is that none of them seemed to distinguish themselves or fit in the show's setting, except besides Akari's friend Raiko. Remember, this is a show set in a school that trains students to be de facto police. Raiko was the only who seemed combat capable, while the others just seemed to be "cute-ish girls with guns." For a large portion of the show, at least. (4)
All of which leads me to my enjoyment of the show. Taking this show for what it is, it was very poor for the vast majority of the series run. I try once again to distance the original Hidan no Aria series from this series as they are two completely different shows, but by giving the show the title of Hidan no Aria AA it lends itself to comparisons and criticisms of the original. This show took everything fun, likable, and enjoyable about the original series and threw it out the window. After episode 1, where the show actually drew me in for having similar qualities to the original series, it divulged into hot garbage. The early and middle episodes came off as yuri-goggled pandering and it feels like there was at least 3 episodes revolving around one of Aria's friends trying to "get with her" -- possibly more as they are all just one large blur at this point. Even Raiko's positive character was diminished by a relationship with her apprentice and the apprentice's friends for that matter (aka the loli swarm, ugh...). The show got admittedly much better by the end of the series with the actual plot coming to fruition, an actual villain being introduced, characters receiving the MUCH needed development they needed, and feeling like a Hidan no Aria series. Doing what Butei do if you will. However, with all that awful filler in the interim, the ending came too little, too late for me to even care. (3)
Overall, while I harshly criticized the show, I still found it average. It wasn't bad enough to make me drop it, but it wasn't good enough for me to watch it faithfully every week. I'd fall weeks behind and catch up when I felt like it. A second season of Hidan no Aria just could have been so much more if it only had stuck with what made the first season enjoyable, or even continue the story and provide some much needed closure since the OVA didn't either. Instead, this show diminished whatever credibility the original had and that saddens me. The ending of the show raises its marks a bit, but it honestly felt like a slog to get there. All I will say is that if you a fan of the original, stick with that. This season only perpetuates the joke.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Mar 30, 2015
Harem anime is always a tough genre to judge because it all seems to follow the same formula with slight variations to separate one from another. However, the anime adaptation of Unlimited Fafnir does not present itself in the way a typical harem anime does. This show had a different feeling; one that if I had to describe it, would be that it feels emptier. That does not mean the show doesn’t have it strong suits, because it excels in other areas.
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STORY - From a story standpoint, the premise of the show outlines what appears to be a classic harem foundation: a boy with "dragonic"
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powers specifically reserved for females enrolls in a school full of girls with similar powers. This group of people are known as “D.” The purpose of this school is to train the students to combat dragons that threaten the well-being of the female students. Aside from the harem underpinnings, the story is rife with fantasy and science themes. From a technical standpoint, the show is split up into mini-arcs surrounding a specific character or dragon and does a fairly good job of moving from one arc to another without leaving open a lot of plot holes. However, Unlimited Fafnir loses me with the characters and the lack of development they truly deserve. (7)
CHARACTERS - I feel the need to address the character issue in this show and this may seem like a rant, so excuse me if I seem to be heavily biased. Typically when you watch a harem anime, you find that one character that you really connect with that you root for to "win" (even though most times the status quo is intact by the series end and no one truly wins). The difficulty I faced with Unlimited Fafnir is that it presented no characters that I wanted to win. When that happens it does not feel like a harem anime and becomes just a show that has a hefty female to male ratio, which isn’t a bad thing, but when a show is billed as a harem, it leaves you a bit wanting. Additionally, throughout the series it felt like only a small portion of the group actually WANTED to win. The main class is split up between the male protag a group of seven or females. The series run focuses mostly on the male protag, Yuu and four of the seven females: Iris, Tear, Mitsuki, and to an extent Lisa. At least that’s how it was observed. Broken down even further, only two of the main four actually seemed to be “going for it,” or in the harem pool at that. EVEN FURTHER, both of those characters had the same character traits – both were exceedingly clingy and child-like to the point of annoyance. This would be fine if there was another character that provides a sort of foil to these characters, but it never happens; at least not in this series run. By the series end there were hints that a character would provide that foil, but way too late in the series to really matter.
Aside from the criticisms regarding the characters within the harem, this show does a disservice to the characters by providing them with the absolute minimum development that they could. While the show progresses pretty well from arc to arc, aspects of the characters are introduced but not expanded upon, or outright abandoned. Other aspects of the characters are not resolved until they are just dropped in at the end of the series. It all feels really clumsy and unorganized compared to the main plot. Furthermore, outside of the four primary characters mentioned above, the three remaining classmates receive very little moments to reveal themselves. In one episode, one of the three has a moment and she reveals more about herself and looks like she will enter herself into the equation. By the next episode, that interaction is completely abandoned. This is excruciatingly frustrating. While one of the remaining two, gets small, but noticeable dialogue and is integral to the story, the other is completely invisible. Literally the only thing we know about this girl is that she’s shy and likes computers. I understand there is a deviation from main and supporting characters and that not all characters can be treated equally, but I feel like this show did not do a good enough job to properly portray the characters. When you have a class size that small and you have every class member on the cover art, there should not be a character that is completely ignored. (4)
ART – This is where I find the show to excel. Quick, picture a dragon in your mind. I guarantee you that this show presents dragons in a completely different light than you are picturing. The dragons deviate from the preconceived image of what a dragon is. Some are bipedal, some are quadrupedal, some can fly, some walk, some swim. They are all different and have different skills and abilities. They are not just different in shape, but size as well. They are enormous, overwhelming creatures that provide you with the idea that they are a viable threat. They are far different from any dragon I have ever seen portrayed outside of YuGiOh cards. It is unique and shows originality. The scenery is also quite above average.
The character designs are pretty well done as well. When an anime is set in a school, one thing I look for in the character design is the uniform. Some shows will try to make their uniforms too unique to a point where they are too flashy and distract from the character design rather than accentuate it. Unlimited Fafnir provides us with a basic black and white uniform for the ladies with a built in shawl that drapes over the upper torso, hiding the bust. The characters also have, for the most part, standard hair-color. It makes them look more realistic and human, aside from Tear who has horns and pink hair. In this aspect, Tear’s character design is very reminiscent of Eco from Seikoku no Dragonar. Yu, the male protag rocks a rather badass looking black suit with white accents, black dress shirt, and white tie. It’s a clean look that accentuates his character design, which would be rather bland and generic without. (8)
SOUND – It’s a pity that the characters are done so poorly because the voice cast is excellent. Yoshitsugu Matsuoka continues to be every male protag in a harem series, but in this case it fits really well. His very soothing voice is a welcome change of pace to the sometimes loud and obnoxious voices used by some of the female cast. However, I think this was more of a sound mixing error than the voice actors’ fault. The female voices are all recognizable names if you’ve watched a good share of anime, but they show great range; deviating from the voices they’ve used in notable roles they were cast in the past. The voice acting is rather well done and fit each character rather well.
The music is pretty good too. The opening track, “Flying Fafnir” is a nice, driving but mellow song with a pretty stellar piano/vocal lead in. It sets a good mood for the show. I also have a serious soft spot for voice actors adding to the musical track, so the ending, “Ray of bullet” is very welcome, especially episode 12 which includes all seven of the female classmates. Why they didn’t do that for episodes 1-11 is beyond me. (9)
ENJOYMENT – Even with all the criticisms I have over the characters and how hollow I feel they are; the show is still enjoyable. This was one of the shows I was looking forward to this past season because of the premise and the voice cast. Despite my disdain for how the characters were handled, the story was very good, albeit rushed in some spots (this is a commonality in short run series, so it is to be expected). There is a very good dynamic in this show between fantasy and science. It combines fantastical themes where the D use weapons like spears, bows, hammers, etc. with new age tech where the military uses airships and hi-tech doomsday devices. The combat scenes were nothing special, but got the job done. Unlimited Fafnir does have its spots of predictability, but also has a few swerves that you won’t see coming.
Another aspect of this show I really enjoyed was the general lack of fanservice throughout. I mean it's there in spots, but not overwhelmingly there. In many harem series, there is an abundance of fanservice that is supposed to rile up male viewers. Aside from Iris’s low-cut nightgown, a steamy hot-tub scene, and some bikini scenes, it is pretty barren of that aspect. The female uniforms also hide the bust so there aren’t humungous boobs in your face. All the female characters are badass warriors who fight dragons and not sex symbols, and I find that exceptional and refreshing. If you want boobs, panties, or fap material, this show is not for you. (8)
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I would assert that if you are a fan of harem series, you might want to shy away from this series. You’ll likely be disappointed. There isn’t a huge contest for the male protag’s love amongst a throng of women, nor is there multiple character types that appeal to various different viewers. If you like super detailed character backstories, this show will disappoint you. If you just want to watch some cute, badass girls fight some dragons, then yes watch this show.
Perhaps a lot of this show’s shortcomings are the fact it is a short run show of 12 episodes. It is pretty common that in these short series, the creators try to jam pack as much as they can. Sometimes it works, but sometimes it doesn’t. This show falls right in the middle of that where they are able to keep an organized story, but fail in providing sub-stories and creating and resolving character development. I have a feeling if they had a longer series run, the adaptation could have been better and maybe a second season would help close the gaps the first season created. Will it get that chance? (7.2 Overall)
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Dec 29, 2013
Every once in a while, you come across a show that seems very plain, boring, and not worth the time. You read the synopsis and it still doesn't draw you in. However, you give it a shot. Non Non Biyori was a show that fit this description on the surface, but taking the chance on it was well worth it. In fact, its simplicity was the major strength of the show and Non Non Biyori was by far my favorite show of the season.
The story itself is rather basic, as are most slice of life shows. It follows a group of four young ladies (aged
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7, 10, 13, and 14 approximately) and their lives in the Japanese countryside. Away from the life in the big city of Tokyo, Hotaru Ichijo (age 10) must adapt to a more simpler way of life and assimilate into the community. The episode titles are quite vague and the series follows a more episodic sequence complete with shorts within an episode. Even as it jumps along, the story is easy to understand, and more importantly, to enjoy.
My favorite part of Non Non Biyori is the art style. Being set in the Japanese countryside, a lot of detail rests within the landscape. The background settings are lush with vibrant greens, blues, and pinks. It's a beautiful setting. Within this setting are homes with a dull brown colors (aside from Hotaru's higher end home which is a nice white with colored accents). The school is a run-down shack that is made completely of wood. The character designs are succinct and well executed. The colors of Komari and Natsumi Koshigaya's school uniforms are a very bland scheme of tan and dark blue. The very colorful backgrounds couple with the dull houses and clothing creates a very stark color contrast which is easy on the eyes. The show is beautiful and pleasing to look at. Viewers receive an added bonus during the end cards where a photo of the real-life Japanese countryside are shown. It is a part of Japan life and culture not commonly conveyed in anime.
The music, sound effects, and voice cast is also well done. Right from the get-go you get a reoccurring OST along with Renge Miyauchi (age 7) providing an off tune accompaniment on recorder. It's a rather basic melody and sets the tone for the entire show. The openings and endings have a playful feel. The background effects provide a comforting feel. They display a serene and peaceful environment that is very different than shows set in the city or in large schools. Where I am most impressed is the ability of grown adult women being able to provide voices to children and do it effectively. Renge's voice is the most impressive. Being 7 years old, her voice actor is able to capture a very juvenile tone. The show loses points for not having Nii-chan, Sugaru Koshigaya, speak once (just kidding).
The characters are well done and they all have very distinguishable traits. Starting from the oldest, Komari Koshigaya is a 14 year old girl who is just starting to enter womanhood. However, she is very short and has stunted development which causes her grief. Natsumi Koshigaya is a 13 year old girl who is Komari's little sister. However, she is already taller than her sister which irritates Komari. She is tomboyish and athletic, but not very good at school and is always getting into trouble. Hotaru Ichijo is the main protagonist and is a 10 year old transfer from Tokyo. She is rather wealthy and is well developed for someone her age. She looks up to Komari, her senpai, and admires her in an almost obsessive way. Renge Miyauchi is an eccentric 7 year old who has an understandably childish outlook. She provides a lot of the show's comedy with her mannerisms and preferences. Despite her age, she melds well with the older girls. The supporting cast provides a nice community effect and rounds out the show in a nice way.
What sets this show apart from other shows is its simplicity. It's easy to follow because there is no complex plot or unanswered questions. What you see is what you get, which is extremely refreshing. There is a warm friendship among the four main characters that is very uplifting. As an adult male, I was not sure how I would relate to a show focused on elementary and middle school girls, but the show resonated with me because their daily lives were so realistic that it draws you into the show. Where this show fails, is it's tendency to drift into the mainstream anime scene, most notably the unnecessary fan-service. I feel like that has no place in this show, especially with a group of characters aged so young. Even so, what little fan-service was present in this show did not detract from the enjoyment of Non Non Biyori. I highly recommend it as a departure from the norm that exists in today's anime.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Jan 17, 2013
24,000 Years later the story of Aquarion comes full circle. This review will often elude to Sousei no Aquarion and at times compare the two. The aim of this practice is to show how the span of 7 years allowed the creators to expand on the foundation and improve greatly on Sousei no Aquarion’s flaws. As it is part of one gigantic story, I feel as though it futile to speak of Aquarion Evol as a standalone series.
Aquarion Evol takes place 12,000 years after the events of Sousei no Aquarion. The world has changed a lot and no longer is there a struggle over Earth,
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but a clash between the "Abductors" of the planet Altea (Altair in some translations) and the humans of planet Vega. Altea is a dying planet struggling for survival while Vega is a prosperous, Earth-like planet. As the conflict continues, the world hurdles toward disaster and history is set to repeat itself once more.
Story:
While Aquarion Evol still references the legendary battle of old between the Shadow Angels and humans (often referenced by an in-series film titled Skies of Aquaria), that conflict has been laid to rest. DEAVA has given way to a new organization named neo-DEAVA under new leadership while operating as an academy for young pilots, or Elements. Men and women are separated and there are two "Aquaria," one for each gender, meaning merging is strictly unisex. The Aquaria are similar to the Aquarion of old as it is also a three form, three component mecha composed of Vectors. During the first encounter with the “Abductors,” Sora Amata and Mikono Suzushiro, two civilian teenagers who both claim to have no special talents, take control of a Vector and form AQUARION with students of neo-DEAVA, much to neo-DEAVA’s surprise and dismay.
Unlike Sousei no Aquarion, the story in Evol progresses much cleaner and each episode builds on the episode prior. Additionally, the plot does not seem to disappear compared to its predecessor. An explanation may be due to the fact that the plot is only slowly revealed episode by episode, not totally laid out for you as Sousei no Aquarion had. Additionally, gone is the formula Sousei no Aquarion used to mold their episodes that revolved around some special training that were just simple team-building exercises that added nothing to the plot. While there are some training aspects in Evol, they do not consume the entire episode. What may be the biggest departure from Sousei no Aquarion is that it also is no longer predictable in that not every episode leads up to some grand merging of Aquarion to combat an enemy. In Evol, characters also rely on hand-to-hand combat in some instances, while other instances show the characters in their daily lives outside of neo-DEAVA. Ultimately, what makes Evol’s story so compelling is that it keeps you guessing. If you had watched Sousei no Aquarion, you often wonder when what you already know about the story comes into play. It makes going from episode to episode much more enjoyable than watching meaningless battle after meaningless battle waiting for the plot to return. However, Aquarion Evol does tend to fall into the same corny traps as Sousei no Aquarion—mostly from attack names—and also does get a little too “cute.”
Art:
What a difference 7 years makes. The animation is much more vibrant and consistent. The clipping and quality issues that led to unflattering appearances are no longer there. The animation is very crisp with a wider array of colors. I recommend watching Aquarion Evol in HD to fully appreciate how beautiful this series is drawn. The scenery, the cities, the character designs, everything is leaps and bounds beyond what was presented in Sousei no Aquarion. The CGI is on par with what was presented in Sousei no Aquarion and the fight and merge scenes are very good. One welcome change is the introduction of Aquarion Gepard which features projectile weapons, signs of evolution and adaptation to the changing world. The character designs are a little more “fan-servicy” as most all the females have enormous breasts and some wear highly revealing clothing.
Sound:
Much like its predecessor, Aquarion Evol earns high marks for music. Akino returns with two very loud, vigorous, and exciting tracks for both its openings. The endings are dialed back into somber ballads; the second performed by voice-cast member, Yui Ogura. As you learn more of her character, Yunoha, it becomes a very touching track. Many OSTs from Sousei no Aquarion return, namely Genesis of Aquarion. The consistency of OSTs and opening artist is much appreciated and lends to the idea that it is indeed one big story spanning many generations. There is a heavy reliance on the track “Aquaria Mau Sora” which appears in the in-series film, Skies of Aquaria. The voice cast in Aquarion Evol is stacked with tremendous talent and is executed brilliantly. Aquarion Evol also scales back the orgasmic moans and grunts that were far too prevalent in Sousei no Aquarion. While merging still seems intense and full of bliss and passion, it no longer seems to equate to sex, though it still is inferred by character interaction.
Character:
In my opinion, this is where the biggest upgrade Aquarion Evol has over its predecessor. Where Sousei no Aquarion had no overly spectacular characters where they all seemed somewhat annoying, Aquarion Evol has more characters, and most of them are thoroughly appealing and likable. There are two areas of character that Aquarion Evol far outdoes its predecessor. First, the characters receive a lot of development throughout the series apart from their own character-centric episodes. This makes characters a lot more likable as you see their development episode by episode. This makes the characters highly relatable and sympathetic. Second, the formation of character relationships is far more prevalent in Aquarion Evol than Sousei no Aquarion. Sousei no Aquarion focused much on the relationship between Apollonius and Celiane. While other characters often intimate at love, nothing ever develops. In Aquarion Evol, deep friendships are forged, romance is found, loss is experienced, and heartbreak appears. This also leads to characters being relatable and sympathetic. Aquarion Evol also has a clear evil that needs to be defeated.
I highly recommend that Sousei no Aquarion be watched before watching this series, though it not be entirely necessary. However, it alludes to the story quite frequently and may seem confusing to those who are unfamiliar with the events of Sousei no Aquarion. While Sousei no Aquarion seems, at times, boring, Aquarion Evol takes the story to a whole new level. For 7 years, the creators were sitting on this thrilling conclusion to a highly captivating story. In watching the story in whole, the plot twists are much more twisted and you may even start to question what you truly even know. As a standalone series, it still is very strong. It carries its own rendition of the legend that sets it apart from Sousei no Aquarion (even though both renditions come into one plot-line in the latter part of the series). A story of love and betrayal, a story of vengeance, a story of survival, a story that spans 24,000 years, Aquarion Evol is a must see.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Jan 16, 2013
As a casual fan of mecha series, I was looking forward to watching Sousei no Aquarion. While I found it enjoyable, at times, I couldn't help myself from being relatively bored throughout the series.
Story:
The story is laid out in the first few minutes of the series as the narrator describes the legendary war between the Shadow Angels and humans as well as the tragic love story between Apollonius and Seliane. 12,000 years later, history is about to repeat itself as the Shadow Angels have re-emerged and the humans at DEAVA must use the power of Aquarion, a three part mecha in three different forms, to
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repel their advances. The reincarnated souls of the heroes and villains from 12,000 years ago must first realize who they are, and what they must do to save the world from total destruction.
The story is very compelling and lays the groundwork for an exciting plot. However, that plot tends to show up and then casually leave without fully understanding what is really going on. Most episodes share very little in common with one another and revolve around some aspect of Gen Fudou's training and team building exercises. It seems as though there is a set formula where they receive some unconventional training, initially struggle with the concept, alarm sounds as a Cherubim soldier shows up, beats up Aquarion a tad, characters switch out, characters learn basis for training, beat Cheribim with a corny, aptly named attack, rejoice. It becomes quite trite and predictable, and its really not all that fun to watch. Within these episodes there tends to be character development: back-stories, tragic events, etc. That being said, where the plot does show up again, the show is at its best. As you advance, you gain a little more insight to the truth of the events from 12,000 years ago complete with quite a few juicy plot twists. The last 7 episodes are very, very plot -heavy and very, very good.
Art:
It's tough to rate this show's art in 2013 knowing what we have available now as compared to 2005 when this show aired. That being said, I wasn't a big fan of the animation in the show. The basic animation was sketchy and inconsistent. This led to a bunch of clipping issues and some very unintentionally interesting, and unflattering faces made by the characters. Character designs are very basic and nothing special. They aren't ugly by any measure, but no one is particularly beautiful either. The CGI during fight scenes and the merge sequences is very good and is probably the saving grace for this show's animation. Something changes in episode 19; however, where the animation is downright poor. I'm aware that the animation change is pivotal to the plot-line of the episode, but the areas of "normalcy" should not have changed. It almost seems like the illustrators said screw it, which is upsetting. Additionally, while the show uses a lot of sexual imagery, there is practically zero fan-service aside from silhouettes and goo-covered bodies. Take that for whatever it's worth. It is not necessary a dig at the show, but it is something I find inconsistent.
Sound:
The Openings, Endings, and OSTs in this anime are by my opinion the strongest facets of the show. When you have someone as well known as Yoko Kanno taking care of your music, it is normally a good sign. Most notably, the opening Sousei no Aquarion by Akino is a beautifully sung and arranged song. It's invigorating and gets you excited to watch. It's English counterpart, Genesis of Aquarion--an inset song introduced in the series--is an a capella arrangement in English, in which English speaking viewers can understand the powerful lyrics through a very soulful performance.* The voice acting is solid, but nothing spectacular. One facet of the voice acting that you'll either love or hate is the excessive sexual innuendo during the merge sequences. Each episode contains copious amounts of orgasmic moans and screams where you can draw the conclusion that merging=sex, which may or may not be the case. Supposedly the feeling of merging with someone is pure bliss equitable to sex. This is a bold approach that could alienate some viewers.
*I have an English version of Genesis of Aquarion on my iPod, but the actual track in the anime is in Japanese. My mistake.
Character:
One thing I always look for in any anime I watch is characters that I am drawn to, not necessarily attracted to, but a character who I can relate to or is very likable. I found no such character in Sousei no Aquarion. For the most part, I found most characters annoying aside from Gen Fudou and Toma. Whether it was Apollo's animalistic behavior, Silvia's brother complex, Sirius's arrogance, or Reika's constant negativity, the main characters just bugged me. There were some likable major/minor characters such as Rena and Sophia Belin, but their likability was overwhelmed by the major characters.
Despite its flaws, Sousei no Aquarion is an an enjoyable anime. I can honestly say that while I did not love it, I by no stretch hated it either. I admire Sousei no Aquarion for what it is, a solid mecha with an exceptional story and good action scenes. As a casual mecha fan, that is all I can ask for. I'm not entirely sure it needed it be 26 episodes as well. However, it is not easy to put aside its flaws. The characters and animation are bland and uninspiring. Sticking through the overly mundane middle episodes and reaching the final episodes is very rewarding, and well worth the wait. Also, if you plan on watching Aquarion Evol, I highly recommend watching this series to lay the foundation for what is to come.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Sep 14, 2012
It's been a while since I've wrote one of these, so I thought I'd come back with a show that I generally enjoyed.
First, I'll start off with the story. To avoid a long winded summary, basically, 12 people are given a power to predict a future (each power is different than the other) in the form of a diary. These 12 people were given this power by the god of time who is on his way out. God concocts this "game" to determine his successor, which will only happen when when one diary-holder is left. The premise and concept is very clever. It takes a
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classic concept like Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None" of elimination through death and gives it a 21st century twist. However, the story isn't as straightforward as that. There are many twists and turns that keep you guessing. While it has slasher flick elements, it takes more of an appearance of a mystery. By the end of the anime the story comes full circle. It is a very well-written anime and they do very well not to leave any holes in the story. Even things that appear to be story holes throughout the anime are generally answered in the end. (10)
The Art is solid. It does not have the best animation I've ever seen, but it is well above average. The character designs are near perfect and fit their character types well. For example, Yukiteru is drawn as a short boy always wearing layered clothing and a wool cap, almost as if he is trying to hide from the world. Likewise, Yuno is drawn very cute and adorable, as to try and capture Yukiteru's attention. There is quite a lot of Yuno fanservice, so be prepared for that. The chamber of Deus, the God, is very well drawn and the color is very fitting for a "decaying" god. It seems appropriate to mention the "gory" elements in this section. Caution: there is a lot of blood and body-mangling in this show. However, as someone who thoroughly enjoys Hellsing Ultimate, the gore in this show is rather tame. (9)
In terms of sound, I break it down to both music and voice acting. For music, the openings and ending are very good. The first opening has an operatic tone to it which fits the serious premise, as well as a pop-rock feel to it as well. The second opening makes much more sense as the show goes on and the lyrics fit so perfectly. The second opening is also entirely in English as well. The voice acting is very well done, and the voices fit the characters quite well. My only complaint is that Yuno's voice gets a tad annoying at times. (9)
I have trouble writing about character because it's hard to avoid spoilers for me. In addition, Mirai Nikki has so many characters in this show that it is hard to really describe them all. The main protagonist, Yukiteru is someone who prefers to be invisible and lacks self-confidence. I found myself really wanting to hit him for how pathetic he seems. I mean, really, man up dude. However, he, just like all the other long-running characters, encounters a lot of character development, most of it unexpected. I found myself really enjoying the character development of Uryuu Minene the most. It is my sincerest opinion that the characters are what make this show so enjoyable. While I find the story and premise interesting, it lacks substance without solid characters to build on it. The writers did a great job not only creating good characters, but making all of them enjoyable in some way, shape, or form (except for Murmur...couldn't stand her). Each character has a dark backstory that you can really relate to, and whether they be friend or foe, you really want to root for them and you hate the show for eliminating them. (10)
Many people who I've recommended this show to were averse to watching it because of the blood, or killing, or whatever. It really isn't anything that you should avoid. The basic fact is that this show is really enjoyable. It is a roller coaster ride that keeps you guessing. Just a note of bad, for me, there are two episodes that don't really seem to fit and add nothing to the plot (13 & 14). They really have no importance to the outcome of the show's ending and seemed like they were just thrown in. Just bear with them as they are still enjoyable. For any anime fan, there's plenty for everyone in this show. I thoroughly recommend you give this show a try. (10)
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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