- Last OnlineJan 6, 8:20 AM
- GenderNon-Binary
- BirthdayApr 16, 2004
- Locationvibing in space
- JoinedJan 25, 2020
Also Available at
RSS Feeds
|
![]()
Jul 11, 2024
This movie was honestly great. The only downfall was the short run time and if it was 2-3 hours it would have been a 10 honestly. The movie did an amazing job adapting the manga material, the director and writers definitely understood the content and understood the main points that needed to be emphasized upon in this match. There were some important moments that were cut out however it didn’t overly hurt the movie for me. (However, because I came in with context from the manga I was extremely disappointed by the arcs that were cut out, because they felt very necessary to the characters
...
and team dynamic. But I acknowledge that these cuts were made out of necessity due to screen time and it did not impact my enjoyment whatsoever.)
This movie felt like a love letter to Haikyuu with how much care was put into it. The movie felt very high stakes high tension the entire time, and I liked how much emphasis there was on Nekoma, especially Kenma, as he was the protagonist of this match. However, I do wish we got more insight from other characters and a bit more time to flesh out the sets, they went by so fast due to the material that had to be cut and due to the run time. (please make the 2nd movie 5 hours i’m begging) Despite the movie’s limitations due to screen time, every scene put in felt and was intentional. The director and writers did a good job with picking and choosing what to include, and the movie felt cohesive and not overly clunky. This movie understood the NekoKara match at its very core and adapted it very well with what they could.
What completely made it for me was the animation HOLY MOLY. Guys the amount of crazy turnarounds there were that were on model and smooth. As an animation student I was tweaking in my seat the entire time. The end of the movie was beautiful, the lines and frame were so energetic, the perspective and short focal lengths of the shots were so dynamic and unique. They took some very unique visual storytelling techniques with this movie that really pushed the boundaries and I’m completely FLOORED. As a manga reader, art wise, THIS is the animation that Haikyuu deserves. I watched this movie with my brother who plays VB in high school and chatted with my friend who plays VB for fun and they both said that the movie felt extremely realistic to what it feels like to play volleyball. From the first POV shots, the court banter, the on-court-communication, and the shots that imply motion and impact perfectly, and the subtle nuances of the animation, they recreated the feeling and energy of an actual volleyball match.
I definitely recommend this movie, it was such a fun and emotional watch. I’ve watched it around three times now and I would watch it twenty times more. I wished it was longer, and I 100% urge anime watchers to READ THE MANGA. It has the material that was missing from the movie and it’s so good. This movie understood and adapted the source material well despite it’s limitations.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
What did you think of this review?
Nice
 0
Love it
 0
Funny
 0
Confusing
 0
Well-written
 0
Creative
 0Show all
![]()
Mar 10, 2023
Vinland Saga got off on a rocky start for me. It took me a while to pick it up but I genuinely do not regret it.
From the beginning there has been anti-war subtext woven into the fabric of the story that I felt was shallow and unresolved--I was extremely wrong.
While watching this series, I felt that the characters were one-dimensional--I felt this way especially about Thorfinn. Thorfinn as a main character is immature, and sometimes, it is hard for us to want to root for him (at least it was for me). But I must say, everything resolves itself in the conclusion of the
...
season and I was pleasantly surprised.
The season is extremely slow in the middle for me, but everything was worth it with the masterful handling of the season finale and the resolution of everybody's character arcs. I won't go into detail to avoid spoiling, but Vinland Saga depicts and portrays the complexities of human relationships, and the grim reality of war and politics. Writing wise, it's a beautiful story, and rewards its viewers well for those patient enough to stick out through the more mundane parts. The director has an eye for depicting moments of grief, and grand spectacles of death, though I will criticize them for their clumsier handling of smaller moments that are just as important as the climax.
The animation itself is alright--it gets the job done. Though my standards may be biased because I am an animation student. Overall, I do not mind CGI as long as it's done intentionally and well. There were some shots that used CGI that felt lazy and clumsy to me--and used to save budget instead. Honestly, I feel as though this series could've been done well if they decided to experiment with CGI instead of using it as a crutch to save budget.
The fight scenes and gore become repetitive, and they lose meaning as the story progresses, though perhaps that is the point of the series. I find that even thought the animation was serviceable, it did not do some fight scenes the justice they deserved. I feel as though the animation could have been pushed more in terms of the choreography and shot composition. There were too many times where the shot was set too far away during a fight scene and the characters looked silly instead of intimidating and imposing--which took me out of the series. This may have been a budgeting issue, however, because the finale was insane--every shot felt intentional and well directed.
I am going to close this review before I begin to ramble further. Vinland Saga handles its character arcs very well--nothing felt like a loose end. At first the series may seem slightly shallow, but if you stick to the end everything is perfectly resolved, recontextualized, and becomes even more complex. Vinland Saga challenges its viewers to get through the grueling, but in the end it rewards its viewers greatly. I definitely would give it a chance, as the story is unique, and the character relationships were masterfully crafted.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Jan 25, 2020
I've read the entire manga and honestly it’s a masterpiece. Furudate is extremely skilled at setting up thematic arcs with great symbols and motifs—amazing at crafting meaningful friendships and rivalries too.
Hinata as a protagonist IS cliche but honestly it works so well in this story, a story where it’s about a sport that values height. His optimism is realistic and you see him fail and stumble over himself as he tries to improve and become the best. Hinata and his team don’t suffer from the plot armor cliche you see many shonen protags get, which is extremely refreshing. They fail, struggle, and improve. The plot
...
line is somewhat unpredictable in the later half of the series which is a nice breakaway from the formula most sports mangas take. You will see what i mean.
All the volleyball matches here are written so purposefully—Furudate writes with so much intention and it’s admirable. Most matches are set up with teams with opposing philosophies, or similar ones. These matches further develop characters and give them profound character arcs that feel realistic. They also force the characters to confront their issues head on and come to terms with them. Issues that occur in real life, and issues that readers can relate to. To me, volleyball is just a vehicle that Furudate uses to portray real life struggles and conflicts, and it’s done well. What’s nice is that most of Haikyuu’s themes (like talent vs hardwork for example) is applicable to everyone and anyone pursuing their passion—this is mainly why I took to this manga so well.
In terms of art there is not much to say other than the fact that it is phenomenal. At first it is somewhat rough and clumsy but within 20 volumes Furudate certainly finds their footing within their art style. It grows and develops with the characters, and supports the themes very well. The paneling and calligraphy is innovative and gorgeous. The double spreads are breathtaking and whenever I lay my eyes on one, I find myself staring for a couple minutes. The paneling shows the dynamic matches very very well, Furudate is extremely ambitious with their composition and it’s always fun to look at their spreads and see how they choose to portray a match. The usage of angled panels contribute to the high energy, and the amazing perspective shots of the characters are accurate as well as stunning. The style itself is endearing as well as amazing. Furudate’s stylistic language is so cool and portrays motion extremely well—which is important in a manga about volleyball.
if you are a character driven reader who enjoys meaningful character arcs and found family, this manga is definitely for you. (maybe not much so for more plot driven people.) Haikyuu’s character writing is what mostly drives it—I found myself rooting for rival teams and empathizing with them. Furudate is also insane at writing rivals in a way that is profound and relatable, but also serve to move the plot forward, and develop Hinata more as a volleyball player.
There is much more I can say about Haikyuu--it has grown along side me all these years and I am extremely fortunate to have witnessed it. It's a series about volleybal first and foremost, but as you read more and more you will find that it is beyond that. It portrays the human passion, bonds, and rivalries that drives us to get up every day and live and do what we love. Furudate poured their heart on these pages and panels, and these characters are forever an extension of their optimism.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
|
