Back to Bararaq_Saiqa's Profile Bararaq_Saiqa's Profile

As a longtime fan of Tsutomu Nihei's works, I can tell you this is NOT a faithful adaptation, but it is a pretty good one. As long as you understand that, this will be an exciting watch.

Blame! is a manga unlike any other. It's absolutely vast in scope. It's shocking, disturbing, thought-provoking, and it's one of those reads you won't ever forget. I have to say this movie absolutely nails the atmosphere of Blame!. Initially, I didn't think the CGI animation would do the manga justice, but I was way off the mark. The City looks cold and haunting. The Safeguard move as inhumanely ... as I expected them to and their sound is traumatizing. The movie is beautifully produced and is visually very stunning.

So why am I saying this isn't a faithful adaptation? Well, without spoiling anything, the movie centers primarily around Killy and his time with the electrofishers. In the manga, the electrofishers appear pretty briefly and Killy certainly doesn't interact with them as much as in the movie. Still, I understand and respect the decision to inject a bit of a story into the movie. Blame! is a manga that takes place over several millions of years, so it would make sense for them to create a single story for the movie to focus on, and in that regard, it succeeds admirably. It's haunting and tense from beginning to end, but it's nice to see emotion and character -- something the manga pretty much lacked (though that was probably the intention and it's still a masterpiece).

The movie also adds a great deal of action over the original source material. Don't get me wrong, Blame! has a lot of epic fight scenes, but I think the movie may have taken it just a step too far. The last fight scene is pretty extended, but it's not inaccurate. The levels of power of the characters is adapted faithfully.

Overall, I only really take issue with the soundtrack. It's not bad. It just doesn't quite match at times. Still, this is a great adaptation. It's the best kind of adaptation that will leave fans of the manga in awe, but is also accessible for newcomers to the world of Blame!. Watch the movie. If you enjoyed it, read the manga. It will blow your mind.

Ladies and gentlemen, another big fish in the vast sea of tropey anime (featuring unrealistic story elements, an odd sibling relationship, and token side characters) which succeeds largely because of its cuteness and passable comedy.

Himouto! Umaru-chan is pretty brainless. It's the kind of anime I'd put on as a last resort or to watch in passing while I'm doing other things so that I can have the occasional laugh or giggle, and for that purpose, it's pretty good. Its got comedy, an MC who you'll either love or hate, occasional fan service, etc. etc.

The show suffers terribly from tropey story elements -- absentee parents, ... the sister living in with her brother, the big boobs best friend, that one token beach episode, and a whole dump truck's worth of other nonsense. But while these things have grown to be known as red flags for bad anime, Himouto! Umaru-chan is one of those anime that was clearly created solely for the sake of entertainment -- because that's all it offers. It offers no valuable insight or lasting effect. It's on your mind when it's playing and gone when it's not. And I know there's definitely an audience for shows like this.

I'm not going to give this a bad review. It's not a great show. It isn't a masterpiece, but it's pointless to punish it for failing to do something it never sought out to do in the first place. It's cute. It's entertaining. It's funny SOMETIMES. And if you're into that, well, you just hit the jackpot my friend.

Mononoke is one of those shows that many tend to drop after just the first few minutes. And it's not hard to see why. Its art sticks out like a sore thumb, it starts out rather slowly, the direction and the framing can be confusing at times... in short, it's different. But it's also one of those shows that is extremely rewarding if one is committed to finishing it.

Like many other "spirit hunter / exorcist" stories, Mononoke is very episodic and features a new set of characters at the end of each short arc (every 2-3 episodes), except of course for its MC, the ... medicine seller. It's that typical "spirit hunter sticks his nose into strangers' businesses to help them out with spirit problems" scenario, but it's done in such a compelling way -- with less focus on the exorcism and more focus on characters and why they're tormented by spirits in the first place. The result is off-kilter, mysterious, and emotionally charged as the sins of each character are brought to light and the mystery of each mononoke unfolds.

While it did not resonate with me right away, Mononoke's art and direction do the show a great service. Every scene matters, no matter how difficult some of them are to understand. There is tension in every scene -- even the slightest bit in calmer moments. Stunning visual and even aural effects are used purposefully. The first arc might be hard to pick up at first, but once you get into the rhythm of the show, you'll find yourself immersed in the later arcs.

There really isn't much else to say without spoiling. Mononoke is a unique and powerful entry in Japanese supernatural / mystery anime and it features a wonderful historical setting. As you would expect, it's dark and almost void of humor and lightheartedness. But at least it has a great op...? Just watch it already. It's easily among the top of my list.

I wanna start by saying the first review on this page with the most 'helpful' hits does this manga a great disservice. This is one of the more wholesome manga series out there and its humor is hardly ever perverse.

Teasing Master Takagi-san is my personal escape. Bad day? Getting over a bittersweet show? Just looking for something light to pass the time? It doesn't really get better than this for sheer good vibes and a decent laugh.

Boasting a lovable set of characters, Teasing Master Takagi-san is a wonderful middle school romance comedy which is composed almost entirely of verbal exchange and banter between ... its two protagonists, Nishikata and Takagi (with the exception of several more emotional chapters or filler chapters with the supporting characters).

There isn't much to say story-wise since the chapters don't appear to have any sequence or serious story line. But that isn't what Takagi-san is about. It's a flower-hearted story and it succeeds in its aim of creating lovable characters, good comedy, and a sugary adolescent love story that does not appear to be taking any sort of direction (yet).

In other words, if what you're egging for is a more serious high school romance/drama/comedy, this really isn't it. Try Toradora or even Clannad.

Notes on the anime adaptation: it doesn't follow the manga. Instead, it takes some chapters and weaves them into a more coherent story. Also, it takes the cuteness to a different level. It's a great adaptation.

~Tried my best not to mention spoilers~

I started reading Gunslinger Girl because of its (frankly) ridiculous premise. I was kind of looking for something to kill my brain with. I mean, Italian cyborg assassin girls working for an agency that fronts as a charitable organization -- it certainly isn't a cliche, but I got the impression that this would be a hefty action story with a poorly chosen setting and with story elements that didn't make sense. But in the end, I was way off the mark and I found myself almost in tears after I had finished this short 100 chapter gem of a ... manga.

Gunslinger Girl is a very character driven story. Sure, there's a lot of action, and peaks that excite and leave you afraid (but desperate) to turn the page, but for the most part, it's an evocative piece that tackles serious themes of the loss of innocence, crime, terrorism, revenge, etc. Each character gets the time they need to develop in order to feel like they're actually a part of the story, and none of them stick out or feel out of place. The manga has a shocking amount of depth -- the kind that demands a deep breath before you move page to page. But where Gunslinger Girl shines so much brighter than a lot of manga is in its pacing. The pacing and the use of flashbacks is well-thought out -- it's clear the author took the time to actually think about the story rather than cram it between chapter releases (believe me, it's incredibly refreshing to see this for a change).

Now, let's address what is arguably the most random setting choice ever in a manga: Italy. I still smirk and chuckle a bit thinking about it. Not that there's anything wrong with Italy, but it's certainly a first for me in a manga. Still, Gunslinger Girl does not cease to amaze me. The setting choice was actually an interesting change for once and there are no sacrilegious Japanese tropes carried over from the genre. Without going into detail, the author definitely did his/her research (there are literally dozens of footnotes for every detail, musical piece, cultural reference, monument, etc. scattered throughout the manga to aid the setting) and to that end, I completely respect this setting choice -- the way it is presented makes it feel real rather than something the author thought of on a whim.

Gunslinger Girl also feels unbelievably realistic despite its unbelievably unrealistic premise. And it does this with a good implementation of its setting (as I already mentioned) but also with plot points that are historically informed, though I cannot reveal any more than that as it would give away some story points.

The only thing I would really take issue with in the story is the epilogue... or should I say epilogues? Don't get me wrong, Gunslinger Girl was perfect up to the very end, but I suppose the author just wanted the whole thing to end on a relatively happy note and without any open ends. In other words, the ending/epilogue just feels pretty extended and a little bit out of place, but it's still a nice addition and it doesn't harm the story in any way.

Overall, this is a beautiful manga with a premise and title that may do it disservice to those who aren't willing to look beyond them. It feels real, it's emotional, it's exciting, it may even teach you a few things about life, and the best part: no fan service, inappropriate relationships, or anything of the sort. Be prepared for violence and heavy crime themes though, and don't expect any humor. Go ahead and read it already.

(P.S. With regards to the anime adaptation, don't bother.)