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Feb 6, 2020
I'm going to write a blob rather than a point by point for this anime, since most of what I'm saying certainly applies to the Manga as well.
You should watch Vinland Saga. There's depth to the characters, there's good action and violence, and there's an actual delving into the motivations and lack of motivations that drive men's hearts. For some it's greed, for some it's violence, for some it's honor and loyalty, and for some it's revenge. Regardless, all men who follow any path all end up in the same place at life's climax. The beauty and ugly behind the stories of those who suffer
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all for different people's "wills" becomes much more apparent in the face of what seems to be a meaningless existence. Now that I've told you the entire "point" to this show, you should still watch all of it. The historical backdrop lends to the credence of the story. You technically know that this story you see has an ending, these books have already been finished for all of these character's lives. Regardless, they still fight, drive, and live as if they're immortal. Not because they are, but because they're a slave to their emotions and other men's wills. You'll see characters that are downright despicable, but at the end of the day you understand the motivations they have behind their actions. It's not some comic book super villain plan that drives them, but things like family, race, creed, and even cowardice. The same that drives almost any other individual on the planet. I am trying not to gush too much about any details because I think going in blind is best. To see it not knowing exactly what it's about (as far as the main characters are concerned) and then suddenly realizing you're in Viking Game of Thrones. If you've got a free weekend, binge these 24 episodes and leave yourself starving for more.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Feb 6, 2020
I'm not quite sure why, but even with most of the new characters and my peanut brain having trouble making sense of the plot after watching most of the two first seasons hammered in college, I thoroughly enjoyed Season 3 of Psycho Pass. I have a bad habit of giving out 7's since I don't generally watch anime I think I'm going to hate, but I can't justify an 8 unless I think it's truly unique and groundbreaking. Saying that, a 7 is right in the sweet spot for this season for me. It was good at making me care about what I should, but
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it didn't really break the mold. It did exactly as expected.
Story: So for story I'm going to focus on the more contained arc of this season rather than the overarching narrative that I think the show will get to... eventually? The idea of a group outside of Sibyl taking control, almost like a game of high stakes Illuminati poker, vibes really well with the aesthetic of the show. The drab, safe, and contained lives of those who live in the Sibyl system is contrasted to the heart pumping, colorful, and intense games that these high influence characters play. The contrast of those who actually "live" versus those who just want to feel safe is much more pronounced than before. Past that, a theme of racism and fear of immigrants is front and foremost in the season. It might be more from a Japanese cultural standpoint, but I found it really weird that characters who personally knew a certain politician could let their hatred of immigrants slide and still just want to be friends and be around them. Maybe it was the theme of the frustration with the system, or how Sibyl could only work with native born citizens, but it was jarring coming from my cultural standpoint. Still, I'm interested in seeing how they capitalize on this in the future.
Art: The art gets the job done, but there was nothing that made me think "wow, this is Monogatari 2.0". There's nothing really jarring or out of place, and I didn't notice any insanely garbage CG or animations (besides cars, but usually I give transitions a pass). I felt like the color scheme was more enunciated in certain scenes than previous seasons, but they still could do more with color to draw attention. I should mention that I thought the OP was really decent this time around! It gave me a Pulp Fiction vibe at the end, and quite a nostalgic feeling.
Sound: All good, crisp and clean. I'd say it lends itself better to the combat. The sounds of punches, the music, things breaking. The OP was pretty stellar this time. There's not much to write home about here. Nothing to out of place, but nothing that made me rewind a scene and say "damn".
Character: Overall, I think the character arcs are what I ended up caring most about in the end. Our two main characters obviously have some past history that makes them confused as to why they were allowed to partner together, but they also have a clear common goal in their minds. Honestly, the show built a past that I care about better than most shows you see today. So many shows try to info dump you in the first episode, but this season sprinkled out most things. In the first episode you learn that Mikhail is a Russian immigrant, but they don't dump you with everything. First you learn there's a reason why they left, then you learn his wife's motivations, then you learn more and more that adds to the mystery. You really get a sense of "this will be important later" and it gives you time to breathe with these characters that most shows can't do in 12 episodes, let alone the 7 hour long episodes you get here. The pacing was very appropriately done to expand the character's backstories at a brisk pace. Not only that, but while I cared about the side characters, they didn't have to steal the show constantly to remind me who they were. People just naturally gravitated towards other characters and I became familiar with them through their interaction.
Enjoyment and Overall: I wouldn't necessarily say to start at Season 3, but if you've watched the previous 2 then this one should cleanse your palette and fill your stomach. There's nothing that's too jarring or different, other than I think they were much better at investing me in the characters. Exposition dumps don't mean "remove any mystery from this character at all," but "enhance what you already know about this character while learning more about the overall narrative".
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Oct 2, 2019
El-Melloi as a series has a lot of things going for it considering it's a spinoff of a massive franchise. I mean that half sarcastically, everyone knows Fate at this point however that's only what draws people in. What keeps them are well developed characters and/or amazing visuals and battles. El-Melloi does both of these well, with a lot of visual and lighting effects that come off pretty well in most fights(a noticeable lack of CGI which I always love), and I genuinely want to see the development of the cast of characters. Waver returns from Fate/Zero in a strong upfront drive: to make his
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king proud. The giant arc of his development is him trying to find what his liege from Fate/Zero would want him to do to further their goals. It's honest in the simplicity of what Waver needs, yet still touches on so many magical concepts that the main series' never really have time to delve in to. Although it is based on a game, the thought that went into the series seems further than a cash grab (I'm looking at Fate Apochraphya), yet it still saves time by introducing typical characters that have appeared in much more than this single anime (i.e. Luvia, Waver, a Sabre-knock off, etc.). Truth be told, I kept telling my roommate "Yeah I'm just watching Sherlock Holmes but if it was a fate anime," and I really mean that. The sense of mystery and intrigue that goes around the entire Clock Tower is engrossing. In fact, for most this is the first real look at the Clock Tower politics besides some small ending bits from UBW. Overall, this series is just a really nice tie-together between Fate/Zero and Fate/SN to really establish why the Grail War was so small in future, or why so many families were apathetic towards another so soon. If you've invested heavy time into the Fate series, "Lord El-Melloi II Sei no Jikenbo: Rail Zeppelin Grace Note" is a great way to fill the void between now and the third Fate Heaven's Feel movie.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Sep 30, 2019
I'm not really much of a shounen watcher so take my word for what it's worth but I really enjoyed Demon Slayer.
I usually don't worry about power leveling until the end, but I was really curious as to how they would expand the powers of the protagonist throughout the show. With enemies having such diverse forms of attack, how would they step up? The forms were beautiful to see however, and I really loved the animations for most of the fights. CGI could be pretty off putting depending on when it appeared. It was jarring if it appeared around or in fights, but outside of
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that I usually didn't mind. However, the animation served in great service to the story. Each character, their story, and style feels unique from the ground up. The distinct differences in the main three characters really highlights the humanity they have and their difference from most demons. Additionally, just having a demon sister isn't for fanservice, but honestly has heartfelt moments with the dedication of the protagonist to save his sister's soul and life. While I can't say some moments didn't feel predictable, I enjoyed my romp through the backstory and world they crafted. A mash of old style samurai themes and new technology, the show offers a lot to keep me intersted, and I honestly hope that a Season 2 comes around soon.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Sep 19, 2019
I think this is one of those shows that you're really better off knowing less and less about what's going on ahead of time. It's been almost 25 years since Evangelion came out, yet it's considered a cornerstone among the anime community. From what I can tell it's for two reasons: the reaction at the time; and the youth of yesterday are now the writers and reviewers of today. Evangelion comes with a heavy pedigree that can be hard to get past, so really all I can say is what I like and what I don't like about the series (I'll watch the movie at
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a later date).
Story: So I was one of the lucky few that never got the full story ahead of time. I got snippets of the religious iconography and the mind grind of an ending, but past teasers I never got someone to sit me down or give me an outright line to spoil it. That being said the story and world are easily the greatest thing to get lost into. The creepy nature of the NERV shadow government, the participation of Shinji's dad, and then the intense feeling on the ground versus the almost dispassionate observation from the operations room all come together to construct a world that feels "lived in". You come to understand there is history and lore from before the story starts, and that the important bits aren't just starting "right now." This lore building does wonders for keeping me fully invested regardless of character interaction, because I want to solve the mystery. The only real time I felt the story was lagging was around the second half where it felt like the story was going to retread the same ground, and while it sort of did, it's so close to the end I don't really have too much issue with it.
Art and Sound: I really, really, REALLY loved the robot fights for this. They felt like there was some actual weight to these robots that I feel like modern mecha anime (let's say Darling in the Franxx) don't seem to capture as well. I really got a feel for the sterile world that they seemed to live in while humanity holds on to their one chance for survival, since that sterile environment is designed to be "bland," it really means the flavor comes from the characters and story to develop this laboratory-like atmosphere. While the sounds still seem a little samey, the music still could get me hyped for the next battle without a problem. I appreciated something that seemed more orchestral than the rock guitar that seems so common today for a hype instrument. It honestly felt more like a Jaws movie, which made the enemies seem more like animal-like beings rather than a defined and known enemy.
Character: I really kept flip flopping to have the Character at a 7 or 8. Some decisions characters make seem almost nonsensical to me, only to suddenly be flipped around where it turns out they were deluding themselves the whole time. Other times the character traits seem obvious, and really take the entire series to explain something you already knew. Still Shinji wasn't near as insufferable as so many reviewers and watchers seemed to make sure you understood before. Rather, I came down closer and closer to Shinji's side as the series went on. My theory for his fate didn't pan out, however I still think their choice is a narrative satisfying one.
Enjoyment and Overall: I binged this anime a lot harder than I do some others, but less so than when I binged the Monogatari series; thus, my excitement lies between that grey area. Still I was usually excited to start the next episode, and I found the cliffhangers actually drawing as opposed to cheap. Overall, the series really does show kinda the new anime structure right before jumping into the 21st century. You can see some areas of influence from Evangelion still today, while also noticing trends or tropes that died out not too long after it came out. Neon Genesis Evangelion is an very interesting and thoughtful show that even 24 years later is still worth the time invested, and I highly recommend watching it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jul 10, 2019
Absolutely stellar.
The second part of Season 3 of Attack on Titan really brings in the heat. A whole host of plot development happens in a very short span. Characters die, plot points are revealed, and setup is given for what happens next (as shown in the manga). Interestingly enough I felt this was a pretty decent setup for the change in Eren's attitude from Season 1 to where he is currently in the manga today.
Story: 10/10, they really just drop you in the deep end with the reveals this season. Without any spoilers, suddenly the story becomes less about existential threads as a species, and
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more as a race. Races are brought into the balance of power, as well as more insight onto how these titan powers have played into the history of the world. The show makes you feel for both oppressor and oppressed, as both sides unwillingness to let go of past grievances means they must participate in limitless battle.
Art: I always thought the art has been a step down since Season 1 as I liked that bold lined comic style they always had. Animations for titan fights are still stellar though, and I'll not forget the last season with Levi and Kenny fighting in that bar. The animations make for some memorable moments, while the art services the story in a big fashion.
Sound: The sound has never been a big part of Attack on Titan, and most are serviceable.
Character: Eren really got what I needed out of him for this. You really see why later on he's gonna make some of the decisions he does. He was more in story as I'd argue he's the protagonist. However, great character development also appeared for characters like Armin and Erwin since Levi and Mikasa have already had their time in previous seasons. This really is starting to flesh out the circle of characters we'll be following going into the final acts.
Enjoyment and Overall: I mean overall it's a real banger. I enjoyed every single episode whether I was watching a titan battle or pages of exposition laid out for me. There wasn't a single second I wasn't invested, and I think this is really worth your time whether you read the manga or you are watching the show.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jul 10, 2019
So I just finished OPM Season 2 as I'm writing this, and I'm just gonna give a hot take on parts I thought were important to this series or talk about points that others thought were important.
First off, I'll be honest I think the animation discussion was blown way out of proportion. Objectively it's not as good as the first season, which had way better animation in fights. However, the new animation are far from the worst they have ever been. I understand the disappointment, but the amount of bandwagon going on to convince everyone before they've seen it that it looked worse than Satan's
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anus was staggering. If you're just looking at the artstyle and hype when you watch One Punch Man, you're not really watching it. So much goes into the character development and arcs that I would more readily believe you if you said your disappointment stemmed from Saitama's mitigated involvement this season. So while the animation isn't as top tier as it used to be, it's nowhere near as bad as everyone early on was claiming it was.
The character development is a mixed bag for this season. Oddly enough, Saitama got the least development, and only really served as a catalyst for other heros to use him as a model to strive for. The only real issue with this is it's more of what happened last season, with less of the bombastic examples for them to base it off of. It's unfortunate the main character is starting to take more of a backseat role in his own show. That being said, the characters they are developing beside him are phenominal to watch. Genos is familiar and unrelenting, the King has his struggles with fame, Bang is trying to stop his former disciple, and the human attempting to be a monster actually had the most compelling arc of all. I was invested in almost all of them and that never really faded. Rather than one strong central narrative, it was more like a serviceable and decent selection of narratives. These arcs really bring up the whole season with good story and character, which is really what makes this season worth watching after the first.
The main part of the series that was off was the pacing. For example, the tournament Saitama participates in repeats it's formula of 2 fights where someone easily wins, then one where Saitama does. It really only served as filler for an outcome we expected, which really curbs your investment. However, making the fights that weren't Saitama boring as well really mitigated any impact of the arc since it's a joke we've already heard and we're just waiting for the punchline for our cue to laugh. The tournament wasn't the only pacing issues. They'd introduce interesting and compelling characters, only to cut off their time for the rest of the season. The last time you see Metal Bat doesn't feel like the last time you'll ever see him this season. In fact, I had to look up the episode count because I didn't realize last week was the season finale. There's no climax, no buildup, and no payoff for this whole season. It just leaves me a bit miffed. It's like I enjoyed all the toppings on a pizza but the sauce used really brought the whole thing down and then someone tossed pineapple on at the last second. You're happy you got pizza, but it's not really what you wanted.
Overall, the pacing is what crumbled the story for me. The art wasn't atrocious, just not as good and the compelling characters kept me coming back for more. I hope a 3rd season is in the works to really fill out what felt like it should have been two cours.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Mar 30, 2019
I'll come in upfront with my bias: I'm rating this more as an adaption than a standalone, since I have been keeping up with the manga for more than half a year now.
Thus, I'm judging not just on what was done well, but also what was adapted well. This makes my review more stilted towards a positive review and should be seen as such.
I really liked this adaptation, even compared to other manga or LN's I've read before their adaptations. I want to section this review into animation/sound, narration, and characters.
Animation and Sound: I thought the animation for this was absolutely top tier. I had
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heard there were Studio Shaft animators hired for this project that had jumped to A1 Studios and it really shows. I get real Monogatari vibes, and that never really ended from the visceral backgrounds to the interesting close-ups, transitions, and stills. Vibrant colors contrasted the darker tones of the school uniforms and backgrounds constantly. Past this the emphasis on over the top emotional moments of dread or romance with similarly excessive animation really added some life to the narrator and the show. Essentially these were used to great effect to emphasize similar feelings that only the narrator could really pull off in the manga.
Narration: While I don't just mean the narrator for this portion, I want to say that the narrator picked for this was absolutely phenomenal. I was always wondering how they would adapt the narrator from the manga who almost acts as an "outside character" with their own observations and comments about the situation. I was leaning towards a lighter voiced character (Similar to Okabe's from Steins;Gate) however the deeper voiced chosen actor pulled off the situations just as well. Narration went beyond the narrator though, as background sets played an important role as well as the title and subtitle screens. Constantly gags could be represented through over enunciation, bombastic title entrances for minor characters, or even background service to characters from the manga that really didn't play a part in the story (Maki, being the most obvious generally). Even then, side characters like Erika from the spinoff are seen pretty regularly as well, and added some flair to those who really have to read everything related to the manga.
Characters: Honestly, I don't have too many complaints about the characters. Their voice actors did a phenomenal job, with a specific shoutout to Fujiwara's for really bringing the type of voice you'd imagine for that kind of whimsical character. Kaguya's VA really brought the heat with small witticisms and noises that are often just grunts or screeches in most other anime. While the male VA's stood out less, I think the writing that was taken from the manga really made up for it with the attitudes these characters show. Ishigami quickly became a fan favorite for anime only watchers, and his reactions to situations beyond his control (although he appeared later in the season) still left quite an impression.
Honestly, if you're not gonna watch this you should simply just go read it. However, if you're on the fence and unsure if this is the right thing for you, the show provides a good preview for much of the material and gags present throughout the series. If that's not your cup of tea, you might want to give it a pass, but if you want some decent romcom fun without too much of the drama (since most is played for gags) you shouldn't have to look any further.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Mar 29, 2019
I wanted to say off the bat I liked this anime, but there's a few reasons why I gave it only a fair value.
I'm going to be blunt, this really should have been two cours. For a shounen anime to end right after the buildup to a main part with no real sense of what's coming next, it doesn't really help to build the world or future for the series. So as for now, it seems to just simply be a manga advertisement.
The characters and pacing was absolutely phenomenal for the single arc, but the problem lies that the story isn't really fleshed out. We're
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given stark details about the world that are never really seen or put into practice. The moral dilemmas inside of the compound seem like a taster of what they would need to prepare for outside the walls, yet we never get to that point. Since I've been watching simultaneously, I'd compare it to S1 of Boku no Hero Academia. Both are 12 episodes and Shounen, but BNHA focuses first on the admission of the main hero, which sets the tone and then followed it up for a presentation of the villains. Villains were hinted at in the first arc, but never the focus. It seems The Promised Neverland would have been better served focusing on the plans of escape at the first part, then flesh out the demons world in a second similar to BNHA. The second section is important for investment, because while the first tone setting arc sets up the spike, the focus on the threat of the second arc would be the point to drive home "why I should keep watching/reading".
This is the sad part: I enjoyed what I watch but I felt no investment to continue with. I mean I can wonder what happens, however, I already know how they operate and ending it there just leaves it open ended enough to where if this had been just a bit more horror based I could have been completely satisfied with it. The knowledge that they live again to fight another day? The escape isn't so much of a spoiler, since there's plenty of twists and turns along the way, however the success of it makes much of them moot without a follow up.
If this show gets a Season 2, for all I know it could recover astoundingly and be a best loved series. However, with the lackluster end and no carrot to string anyone along, I really feel this season falls flat without supplemental materials that we honestly shouldn't need.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Mar 29, 2019
I wish I had more to add for this review based on the ones I did for the first two seasons, however honestly not much has changed from the second. While the second was definitely my favorite, this season was great in it's own right. The work done in the summer camp was a great way to introduce and flesh out not only the hero classes, but also the villains as well.
Characterization of the villains is an often forgotten about story marker in anime (In my opinion at least), which doesn't always amount to sympathy either. Even some of the underlings have their own motivations,
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desires, and reasons for doing what they're doing. Some are influenced by Stain, while others simply live for chaos (a bit cliche, but I like some variety). Even then, the arc with All for One and All Might was about characterizing both of them and All for One's protege, not just All Might himself. Even Bakugo got some decent screentime that really fleshed out his frustrations with Deku, better than the previous two season.
This season felt a bit more like going through the motions than Season 2. While S2 still had arcs, the arcs for this season felt a little more disjointed for me. Even then, the characters made really nice progression and the sense of dread at All Mights waning strength and Deku's attempt to step into the role is palpable. Overall it felt more like a commercial for Season 4 but I'm on board.
Side Note: I did feel the Uraraka sideplot of her crush on Deku was only put in so that they didn't have to really talk about it for a while. I'm not sure if I wanted that only because I really like the side interactions characters have outside of class or work.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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