- Last OnlineMar 20, 2017 4:27 AM
- JoinedFeb 28, 2013
RSS Feeds
|
![]()
Aug 25, 2015
Imagine you had a friend named Bob. Bob is a great guy, nice, interesting, and you like having conversations with him. He's also a non-active pedophile. What do you think of Bob? Do you disregard all his good points because of this TERRIBLE thing? Or do you continue associating with Bob because those good points outweigh his disgusting side?
This is what I struggle with when thinking about Kodomo no Jinkan, there is a reason why this manga is controversial (And the controversy is what made me want to read it). However, at the same time, it's actually quite well written, well thought out, and brings
...
up some interesting questions. So join me as I walk you through this... thing. Let's break it down:
~Story~
Okay, before I get into story content, I'll give credit where credit is due: KnJ is pretty decently written. The majority of the time the pacing is very balanced, and the progression of the story makes sense. However, there was one major section that was very emotionally heavy and seemed like it was going to lead into some interesting story developments... until it is just glossed over, as if the mangaka thought to herself "Oh hey, this kinda makes the story hit a wall, let's just pretend it never happened". So it was disappointing to see that story thread kinda just fizzle out. Also the final major 'thing' that happens lacks any sort of foreshadowing, so its insertion felt a bit rushed and awkward. Other than that, yeah, for a manga that is quite sexual towards young girls, good job.
BUT SPEAKING OF SEXUALISING YOUNG GIRLS (And this is a big but) - I am conflicted.
So here's some trivia - The Mangaka Kaworu Watashiya is a woman. The sex of the author never matters to me, but for a series that is quite sexual, I have to make an exception. Was this manga intended to be highly sexualised, or was it its subject matter that made it so? Perhaps it was the choice of the editor to make the manga more sexual? These questions (of which I can't find a clear answer) would give much better context to better judge this manga with. Here is why: First, let me make it clear that I love it when manga and anime address controversial topics - however, how they handle these topics is key. For a manga to criticize the sexual assault of children (And it certainly does), and also have a theme of 'if you love the person, have self control' - but then show overtly sexual images of young girls masturbating, chest fondling and a girl who literally says (though this may be a translation thing) "As long as it had been with you I would have been fine with you raping me" (She's 11 or 12); IT COMES OFF AS INSINCERE.
And this is what I have as an issue with the manga in general - it comes off as hypocritical, at least in this regard.
But enough of that, instead I'll briefly mention the OTHER things it tackles; and for that I give it praise. There are a lot of heavy topics covered in KnJ, sexual assault, child abuse, the confusion around sexuality and growing up, as well as many more. For the most part, it tackles these well - bringing a view that it seems can only be accessed when taken from the experiences of children.
~Art~
It's a pleasant looking 'round and smooth' style of art. Y'know, apart from all that sexualisation of children thing.
~Characters~
It's a mixed bag, being completely honest.Some characters are quite well developed and sympathetic like Kokonoe and her brother. Other characters seem to make it halfway like Mimi and Shirai, but just don't get enough exploration to fully flesh out their characters. The others are like Oyajima, sincere and good for a laugh - but not really explored too deeply.
THEN THERE IS OUR PROTAGONIST. Geez, why does the protagonist have to be the weakest character. He's just a standard sincere, nice, innocent, virgin dude; finding himself pulled by his emotions and his situation. Honestly, by the end of the manga, apart from his sexual preferences I don't know anything about him other than that he has a sister. No idea what drives him, any sort of hint why he'd be attracted to grade schoolers, no deep exploration into his history or what makes him 'him'. He's defined by what happens TO him, not what causes him to react the way he does in these situations. That is not character.
~Enjoyment~
I guess I enjoyed it. I mean, all the sexualisation of young girls (Still can't stress that enough) made me feel a bit uncomfortable - and I can't help that they could've done the same manga with less overt sexual imagery. But I guess they wanted it to sell, and the only way was to... sexualize little girls... *sigh*
But still, yeah, I guess I enjoyed it.
~Overall~
Depending on your answer to the opening question about Bob will pretty much answer how you approach this anime. There is some good stuff here, I won't lie about that, but if you can't shake the slight feeling of distaste due to the subject matter I won't blame you. I will, however, read Watashiya's other works; hopefully they cover just as many controversial and taboo topics - with less preteen chest-baring.
Toodles~
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
![]()
Aug 10, 2015
Legend of the Galactic Heroes is incredible. There is really no other word to describe it. Truly, an anime of such epic scope and proportion will never be made again, and really - it shouldn't be; for if anyone ever reattempted LOGH, they would surely fail to capture what I can't describe as anything less than a magnificent work of art. While I am certainly not someone who believes that 'old' anime are better than modern series, I can't help be feel as if what I have just finished watching less than a dozen minutes ago has profoundly changed my perception on what I now
...
consider to be 'great' anime. But I'm going on and on without really reviewing, so let me break it down:
~STORY~
If you are reading this review having not watched the series, I'm not going to spoil it for you, I wouldn't want to do you the disservice of preparing you to watch LOGH. It's a grand interstellar political drama, where those with power rise and fall. Eras will end, civilizations will crumble and all for what? Honour? Ambition? Greed? Perhaps for the strength of one's beliefs? For it is human nature that, even centuries into the future, remains unchanged.
And really, this is how LOGH shines. While set far in the future, LOGHs does not lose its human element, its sense of realism. I've heard a few people say that the first dozen episodes are quite slow, but I was enamoured with them; because it takes the time to intricately set up a world - a grand and well put together stage for its actors to present themselves within. It brings you into this detailed place, helping you understand what its inhabitants value. It provides context to shape the future of the show's plentiful clashes of personalities and ideologies.
This is another success of LOGH, its display and very balanced discussion of the ideologies that shape the two primary sides of the galaxy - A democratic rule against an autocratic rule, which one is 'better'? As a westerner who has been taught the value of democracy my whole life, I of course lean towards the government by the people for the people. But a democracy can become corrupt, and an autocracy can have a just and fair ruler - so then, who is to say which one is truly superior? I'll let you watch and find out for yourself.
Another grand achievement of LOGH is its many space battles. While I did enjoy Code Geass, I did start to find it boring that the fights came down to 'who has the strongest single robot'. LOGH does not have this problem. The ships involved in the various battles are evenly matched, so it all comes down to strategy and tactics. "The Art of War" must have been read by a great multitude of the fleet commanders in the series, as they display stratagems that are obviously inspired.
Progression is clear and logical, the various challenges that arise for both sides make sense, and are dealt with in a way that makes sense. And that is a good tell of a story: it makes sense. It is also very evenly paced (depending on your taste for the previously mentioned world building). I would say something about the ending, but I don't want to give anyone that hasn't watched it yet any sort of indication of what happens!
The final thing I'll say about the story is that it is deep, and I do not use that word lightly. And I don't mean the sloppily executed, poorly written "deep" - where the creators forcibly try and shove their views, their 'message' down your throat. No, it's just the very human nature of the anime, coupled with extensive cast that allows for so many different sorts of people to experience the same thing, and react to it differently - thus causing the viewer to think about how they react to it. No more is this obvious than how the anime deals with death. Those who fear it, those who accept it, those who try and run from it, and those who appear to actively pursue it. Death can come quickly without warning, or maybe it's given you obvious signs of ends approach. It does not differentiate between those of different class or belief, from those who 'deserve' it, or do not. Legend of the Galactic Heroes shows all sides, and that's how I'll end this enormous story section.
~ART~
The quality greatly improves from the initial dozen episodes - though while watching I hardly noticed until I rechecked the first episode right after I had finished the last. It's style is definitely of its time, but I really love the older anime art styles. Just keep in mind that this anime was made when everything was hand-drawn, hand-coloured, hand-everythinged - so you'll see a few clever shortcuts they did in order to save time in animation, but it certainly didn't bother me. I can't fault an anime for being old, and this is one of the best looking 'old' anime I've watched in a long long while.
~SOUND~
The soundtrack is fitting for an anime of this calibre. While I'm not sure whether it contained any original songs, LOGH contained a very wide variety of Baroque, Classical and romantic period music - all used very appropriately and to great effect.
~CHARACTER~
I love every single character in this anime. I mean, a few of them are absolute scumbags, but I love how they are written. Since the cast is so huge, I can't possibly hope to cover them all - but they are all wonderfully diverse, so wonderfully well written and developed. They all of varying degrees of honour, courage, ambition and... well, I can't say it much better than "foppery and whim" (you'll understand once you watch it). And you know what's the best? You see characters develop, while sticking to their core values. I also must say, I predicted various characters to do certain things, and they didn't - and other characters I expected to react in certain ways - but they reacted differently. It's not that the characters were erratic, but rather I had misread their intentions and character - which is refreshing! If you can predict a character, they don't have much character to begin with!
But there are two characters I must mention - two whom I cannot go without mentioning; and that is of course the two main characters: Reinhard and Yang Wenli. I love anime where characters are given other character to compare with for great results - and these two are my favourite. Reinhard of the imperial side, with much honour and ambition; and Yang of the Alliance who is honourable and has no ambition other than to get his pension when he retires. They are both so similar, yet so very very different. When they clash, my heart sings. They are both flawed, they both fall short, but they are both also so strong as to carry the hopes of nations on their backs. I will end this section from a speech that Yang Wenli gives early on, which perfectly sums up his character "Because we can only drink good tea while we're living. Everybody, let's fight so we don't die.
~ENJOYMENT~
No yeah of course I loved it, if you couldn't already tell. 10s all the way across the board.
~OVERALL~
While I'm tempted to say that this is my new favourite anime of all time, I'm not sure I can. Not because of any flaws (and mind you, there are some - just none that I can really mention without spoilers), but rather that I have nothing that can really compare to it on the same level. I love the writing of Monster, but can a thriller compare to a epic space drama? I love the characters in Ping pong, but can they compare to an anime with 99 extra episodes to work with? I love the ideas and execution of Fate/Zero, but can I really compare ufotable's enormous budgets to an anime made 17 years ago? All I can say it that Legend of the Galactic Heroes is brilliant, masterful, and unlike anything I've ever seen before. Please, go watch it; don't let it's age or high episode count deter you.
Now I really have to think of what to watch next... maybe something that isn't good so I can lower my standards and acclimatize to the regular standard of anime again. Either way, Toodles~
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
![]()
Jul 3, 2015
Toradora! is, in my opinion, a pretty solid stab at the Shonen-Highschool-Comedy-Romance genre that breaks the mold enough to be more interesting than other entries. However, due mostly to my personal tastes, a pretty lackluster ending and what felt like a rushed final few episodes; it fails to stand out as a great overall anime, and rather just a rather good Shonen-Highschool-Comedy-Romance. But let me break it down:
~STORY~
I have a big issue with the story, one that took me until around episode 16 to really forgive - that is that it should never have started at all. I don't count anything that happens in the
...
first 2 episodes to be spoilers, but others may differ so... SPOILERS I guess - Here is my issue: When a violent bitch of a girl breaks into your house and attempts to severely injure you and causes property damage because that was her first response rather than "Hey, I put something in your bag that I wasn't supposed to, can I have it back please?" YOU DO NOT BEFRIEND AND ULTIMATELY LOOK AFTER THAT PERSON. You should call the police instead. And look, I get it, it's a thing of the genre that Toradora! is in; that people don't react normally to crazy violence. But it caused me to stop being engaged with the anime!
But moving on - The rest of the story actually handles quite nicely, there are very few episodes that I'd consider 'wasted', rather each episode is used to reach the final goal (Unlike Nisekoi, amiright?) which is something to be admired in the genre. It helps that, save for our main protagonist, the cast aren't as dumb as a sack of bricks, which means the story can move about unhindered by needless stupidity.
However, even a great journey can be soiled by a lackluster destination, and this is where Toradora! stumbled over the finish line. First non-spoilers: To sum it up, pretty much the big emotional scene feels like it happens too suddenly (though to its credit, the show handles it well), then when the story seems like it may pay off to a satisfying conclusion, a hideous trope rears its head to create fake drama - but then almost completely undoes itself in the span of an episode with little rhyme or reason.
**SPOILERSPOILERS - Of course I'm referring to Taiga suddenly disappearing. It is hardly telegraphed, it serves no purpose except to serve up some kindergarten-style moral message (painstakingly given, mind you), it supposed to make you feel 'WHERE DID SHE GO, I WANT HER BACK' sentiment, but it invoked a "well that was stupid and a let down" sentiment (in me) instead. Not to mention that she appears, quite literally out of nowhere, at the very end, which desperately begs the question - WHY THE RADIO SILENCE IF YOU WERE JUST GOING TO SHOW UP ANYWAY!? Is it just to stupidly reenact a scene from at the start of the anime? What is the point? END SPOILERS**
And really, that is what bugged me about the ending - "what is the point", I would've been happy if it finished midway through the previous episode. ugh.
~ART~
I watched the bluray of Toradora! and there were some weird visual issues. I mean, no animation is perfect (unless it's done by ufotable anyway), but irregular proportioning and facial features being out of whack seemed to happen a fair bit more than other anime I watch. Other than that, it's just pretty standard, I guess.
~SOUND~
With the exception of one or two bits of OST, I didn't really notice or care about the Toradora soundtrack. Just more standard affair.
~CHARACTERS~
The story section made this review a bit long, so I'll try and be fast:
Ryuuji - Our main protagonist is as standard as they come. He can cook and clean, he's "nice" and he's thick as mud. He also has blue hair. His specialist perk is his 'scary' face. Really nothing else to say, so I won't.
Taiga - Ugh. I hate Tsunderes with no concept of self-control. It's such a tired cliche. Though, once she starts to stops being an annoyance, she actually starts to build character and become interesting. However one of her later 'developments' seems to happen way to quickly, though is still kept relatively quiet until the audience has already guessed it a thousand times over. Still, I haven't seen a pain-in-the-ass tsundere turn out so well in a long while.
Minori - Now we get to the good stuff. I actually quite enjoyed Minori, the... uh... dammit, if I talk about why she's a good character, it's spoilers! That being said, her bizarre 6th sense-type capabilities did make me roll my eyes a bit too frequently.
Ami - Apart from the whole "protagonist made me a better person" moment early when she is introduced, I felt like Ami was the most realistic character of the main cast. The way she interacted with the rest of the characters was actually pretty refreshing.
Yuusaku - I like him, he's great. He's quirky and silly; but also a serious-but-smiling character. There's a whole undertone of knowing more than he lets on, but doesn't try to directly interfere. I was really disappointed when he faded out near the end.
The rest - I like the teacher, she's a good laugh. The other side characters are... one dimensional, but not too disappointing.
~ENJOYMENT~
All in all, I did enjoy Toradora! more than I had expected I would. I finished it over the course of a couple of days, and even had a couple of instances of "just one more episode, I swear", which is always a point in the anime's favour. However, what I found to be a disappointing ending, and my annoyance with the beginning, colours my view of the whole show probably a little bit more negatively that it probably deserves.
~OVERALL~
Although it certainly wasn't a genre I particularly enjoy, and one that is rife with cliches, I did enjoy Toradora! and found it to be a stand-out in its field. I guess it wasn't frequently recommended to me without reason. Hopefully what bugged me doesn't bug you, and you may enjoy it more that I did!
Toodles~
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
![]()
Apr 9, 2015
Mod Note: This review was written for Gintama OVA, the entry page of Gintama OVA has been merged with Gintama: Jump Festa 2014 Special.
Well then~ This was a slightly confounding OVA - appearing almost around the exact same time as the first episode for Gintama 2015 (Gintama°), so initially I thought it WAS the first episode! And really, this OVA feels very much like a first episode for a new season of Gintama, so it was understandable if people were confused! So, for such a nice little surprise; here is a nice little review: Let me break it down~
~STORY~
Gintama's episodic storytelling at its finest. Starting
...
out with a small 'skit' about how its been a year, scared that the voice actors have forgotten how to do the character's voices, worrying that they're ripping off other shows with their opening. You know, all the good 4th wall breaking stuff that Gintama is great at~
After this brief intro, it cuts to the main story, a return of a character that only appeared in episode 89 of the original series. And, same as last time, he is determined to teach them an ULTIMATE MOVE! But not to become stronger. No! The ULTIMATE MOVE is to get SPONSORS, the true power for any anime! Cue cameos of some of the other side characters, references, and a couple of jokes that run throughout the episode~
It's certainly the Gintama I know and love!
~ART~
Gintama's new look (this OVA looking very similar to the new season) is just a slightly cleaner and shinier version of the previous season a couple of years ago~
No major changes - though I thought Shinpachi and Kagura's eyes look just a tiny bit larger and shinier.
~SOUND~
Pretty much all the same sort of music from previous seasons, which (I do have to say) is becoming increasingly noticeable after over 265 episodes.
~CHARACTERS~
I don't know why I possibly had reason to worry~ All the characters are still the same lovable bunch from before~ Never change~
~ENJOYMENT~
It's Gintama. It's funny. I laughed many times. Of course I enjoyed it!
~OVERALL~
Gintama is back! This OVA is a nice little taster of the season that is to come! It's like an alternative episode 1 for the new season, with different episode 1 style jokes! Watch it, though if you're reading this, you probably have already~
Toodles~
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
![]()
Apr 7, 2015
There are great anime, there are bad anime, and there is Binan. There are anime with great twists, anime with contrived plots, and there is Binan. There are anime with well developed characters, boring one dimensional characters, and there is Binan.
Binan Koukou Chikyuu Bouei-bu LOVE! (Or Binan, if you haven't gotten that already) is an amazing anime. I don't mean amazing as in 'good', I mean amazing as in that you will be amazed. However this anime was possibly spawned, whatever stars aligned to get us here today, I am very VERY happy that I watched this. This is certainly a polarizing anime, everyone I've
...
talked to have either hated it or loved it, but why? What is so special about Binan? Let me break it down:
~STORY~
So, you've seen magical girl shows right? Sailor moon, Tokyo Mew Mew, that sort of thing? Well, what if the those magical girls were instead boys? And what if those boys were completely self aware? And... hear me out, what if the great threat was a small green hedgehog in the student council president's pocket?
I honestly don't know what to say about the story of Binan, it's just like any other normal magical girl show; it's episodic with a new minor bad guy each episode that the boys have to stop, using love. Except the bad guys that they stop are so ridiculous! Actually, everything is ridiculous! I don't count anything shown in the first episode as spoilers so here: The first enemy is a giant chikawabu. Yup.
This is a magical girl parody taken to the extreme - every trope from the transformation scenes that strip the transformer naked, stopping things with the power of love, attack names, catch phrases yelled at the bad guy, etc, etc, etc. They're all here, but they're all played for laughs. While Sailor moon had a talking space cat, Binan has a talking pink space wombat that gives the characters their powers. Give an inspiring speech to a villain to have them turn back to normal? Binan's got you covered... though the speech may not make any sense to anyone with common sense!
But somehow, SOMEHOW, it walks the fine line of parody and keeps it funny. That is to say, for me at least. To others, they think that it falls on the wrong side of parody, where it becomes indistinguishable from what it is parodying. It all depends on the mindset you watch Binan with. Every episode I was watching, looking out for the tongue-in-cheek comedy, the sly nods and the double entendres (of which there are many). I mean, the flashing, thrilling, sparkling and roaring prince? Tranformation sequences that are set off with a shout of "Love Making!"? Love it.
But all I've been talking about is the "writing", not really the story. Truth be told, there isn't really much of one - nothing more than the usual 'stop the great evil, one episode at a time' that most other magical girl shows have. THAT IS UNTIL THE LAST TWO EPISODES. And oh my goodness yes. Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes. I won't say anything more other than that I LOVE the last two episodes. Watch Binan just for those if nothing else.
~ART~
The art is kind of average, with wavering quality throughout the show. From what I've seen, I don't think the show got much of a budget to work with, so I can excuse the wavering visual quality. That being said, it never is 'bad', just nothing too special.
~SOUND~
In a similar vein to the art, the sound is also pretty average. Though I do like the transformation sequence music~
~CHARACTERS~
For me, Binan did something that doesn't often happen: It made pretty basic characters, and made them lovable as all hell! Thinking about how I'm supposed to describe how they did it is actually quite difficult. I mean, each character clearly has their own 'thing'. Whether it be money, women, friendship, freedom or... cuddles? But they all just emit their own sincere energy that you can't help but like them. Despite being pretty one dimensional, they all have they're moments of odd realism - like their reactions to being turned into magical boys - and the effect is quite endearing. The villains are also entertaining in their own right - each clearly having a theme (even if that theme is not having one) that they stick too, and their 'evilness' seems almost so quaint.
On the most basic level, these characters are parody characters, with 12 episodes to shine. They aren't supposed to be fleshed out, deep or meaningful. They're supposed to be there to make the funnies, and for me they certainly did!
~ENJOYMENT~
I enjoyed Binan, a whole lot. Every episode had me laughing, and the final two had me choking with laughter. Most of all, I enjoyed watching it WITH people - while I did enjoy watching it by myself, watching it with others and laughing with them made the show all the funnier.
It is certainly true that the series hits a lot of things that I specifically find funny, so it catered to a lot of my own distinct comedy wants and needs - so if you don't enjoy the first episode, you certainly won't enjoy the rest of it. But after now watching the first episode 4 times with different people, and laughing each time, I can certainly say for sure that I enjoyed this series. Cheers to you Binan~
~OVERALL~
Comedy is subjective. That is the fact that will determine whether you enjoy Binan or not. Despite average sound and visuals, and a pretty basic story, I did find it very funny and so I gave it an 8/10 - its humour overcoming its flaws. If you don't like Binan's humour, I can certainly see it being scored below 5, since all the things I liked about the story and characters will instantly become worthless.
Binan Koukou Chikyuu Bouei-bu LOVE! was an ambitious series, coming out of nowhere, and I really hope that it finds some measure of success. It's weird and wonderful, and hit all my funny buttons. So yes, good work Binan, and remember to LOVE MAKING!
Toodles~
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
![]()
Apr 4, 2015
Tekkon Kinkreet. I have mixed feelings about this anime. After watching it a second time, I finally feel ready to give my opinion on it. What bothers me most about this anime is that I feel as if I should like it. The style and themes are very much things that I appreciate in anime, but Tekkon Kinkreet just doesn't fully bring me over the line of enjoyment or engagement. But as I write it out, maybe I'll find out why; so let's break it down.
~STORY~
For a movie that is quite long by anime standards, there isn't much story to be had. There are two
...
prominent stories in play, playing off a single scenario. The scenario is this; a rich foreign entrepreneur comes to Treasure Town, intent on turning it into an amusement park. To this end he will tear down the existing town, and remove any 'obstacles' which stand in his way of success. Such an obstacle are the two orphans called Black and White, the main characters of the movie, and the focus of the first main story. The two of them are, in a way, the strongest duo in Treasure town, even more so than any thug or yakuza. The majority of their story revolves around the foreign entrepreneur sending assassins after them, in order to make sure they don't scare away potential customers to his future amusement park.
Yup, that's kind of it. The rest of it is more or less a character study between Black and White, so I'll cover that in characters.
The second story is about the yakuza of Treasure town, and how they respond to the entrepreneur and his plans to change the town. Some clinging onto their fond memories of the past, others serving him despite his corruption in order to save themselves. And really, I find this story a lot more interesting than the one of Black and White. While Black and White's story is almost fantastical with some of the things that happen, but the story of the yakuza is much more human and believable.
At the core of both stories is that of change. How people resist it, are changed by it.
However, I have an issue with the story structure. There are big scene changes in the movie as it switches between seasons (Another indicator of the theme of change), and rather large portions of time happen between these scene changes. To me, these seem to be a lazy way to not explain some changes in character personalities, especially in Black and White's story. I won't spoil it - but between a season change, some large changes occur to both characters, which I think require more fleshing out rather than the blatant "Well it's this now" sort of way it displays this change.
It also comes dangerously close to running into the same issue that the Gantz ending has - where the creator spends a little bit too much time expounding their own ideology on the audience. While it doesn't really go to Gantz levels, there is a long scene involving Black near the end which essentially says the same thing over and over again for a little too long. At least it's animated beautifully.
The final issue I have with both stories are that they both end abruptly and in a way that's not satisfying. But obviously that's spoilers, so go watch for yourself.
~ART~
The character designs are very different from most anime. The closest comparison is ping pong the animation, which isn't surprising since they both originate from the same creator. I don't mind it, but some people do have issues with it - so to each their own. However, regardless of the designs, they are animated beautifully. Very smooth, and when the 'camera' rotates around the characters, it looks smooth and consistent - unlike most other anime.
The background art is amazing. It's some of the best I've seen. Very detailed and intricate, nicely coloured with great simulated shadows and light.
~SOUND~
The sound is quite impressive, when I noticed it. I wasn't constantly aware of it like some other anime, but when I did notice it, normally in the more atmospheric scenes, it fit well and added to the emotion that the scene is trying to convey.
~CHARACTERS~
Here's the thing. I don't think Black or White are nearly as 'deep' as the movie is making them out to be. Their names, for one, are far too indicative of their nature. Black is the one with a 'darkness' inside him, and White is the 'pure, innocent' one. By confining them both to these broad labels, I think the movie ultimately cripples them from becoming more three dimensional. Black is literally displayed as having no sort of self control of his own, that any sort of positive self control is a result of white, and I think that makes him boring. His fight with his inner darkness, not nearly as deep as the art implies. White is 'different, but all it seems to be is high-functioning autism. And while I can appreciate a solid depiction of a mental disorder, the disorder does not equal a character. I mean, White states a couple of times that he's afraid of death, but nothing comes of it. It doesn't deepen him in any way, it's a throwaway line which could reveal something deeper inside him, but it reveals nothing.
The villains, the entrepreneur and his 3 assassins are crap. They have no presence, they just exist to bring the conflict, and nothing beyond that. There are no motivations or explanations, just "I have money and am corrupt for whatever reason! I'm a bad guy!".
The two yakuza who are the focus of the second story do feel much more human and developed, though Kimura, the younger of the two, does not adequately explain his motivations for doing some of the things he does. Without spoilers, there are two distinct moments when I thought to myself: "Why did you even do this in the first place?" and "Why didn't you do this sooner?!" And it just made me remember how much I was watching a narrative, arbitrarily waiting for something to happen. And when you become aware that you're watching something, it takes you out of the experience and lessens it.
They aren't anything special, and that's what I have issue with. With an anime which is clearly supposed to be an insightful look at the characters, the characters do not hold under scrutiny. Brooding does not equal developed. Throwaway lines do not equal deep. The characters are like the movie as a whole, on the surface they give the impression of being deep and meaningful, but looking closer - I simply just don't think it is.
~ENJOYMENT~
Having finally sorted my thoughts with that last section, realizing what makes me not like this anime as much as I think I should.
It's beautiful, it sounds good, and it has great potential - but in the end it amounts to nothing. By the end of the movie, a movie which core theme is change, Black and White have not changed. ***SPOILERS I GUESS*** Black fails to stand on his own without White, succumbing to his inner darkness. By the end of the anime, he still does not have any indication of having overcome this darkness, not without White. The town being changed into an amusement park is the start of all of this, and is supposedly such a big change, but by the end there is no real indication of what the change has been. Apparently there is an old strip club which is a landmark, or so we're told. But once it is gone? Has anything changed? We don't know about the street life, the regular people. Hell, is the antagonist right? Is the amusement park the best thing to happen to the town? We don't know, we don't have a comparison. We have to just have to take the movie's word that it's bad because the main characters disagree. *** SPOILERS END***
~OVERALL~
It feels good to finally understand why I don't enjoy this anime. Writing it all out has finally put my thoughts in order.
So yeah, Tekkon Kinkreet, something that looks and sounds great, but ultimately ends up being disappointing.
HOWEVER, I would still recommend that you watch it. Different may not always mean good, but it's important to encourage different anime to one day see the different thing that is good. When you do watch it, ready the spoilers bit, it will better help explain what I felt about the movie, and why I ultimately found it disappointing.
I do apologize for the evolving tone of the review as I sorted out how I thought about it! But now I have clearly made up my mind on how I feel about the movie. Next time I'll try and have my opinion down before I start typing!
Toodles~
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Apr 3, 2015
Every so often an anime comes around that, while certainly not perfect, fully deserves a 10/10 rating. There are anime which get their 10/10 rating by being masterful works which envelope your senses and bring you on an exciting journey - but then there are also anime which change your perception, and change the way you think about certain things, which make them equally deserving. Shirobako is the latter. When initially hearing about and watching the first few episodes of Shirobako I certainly expected to find it interesting and insightful, I never would have thought that it would change my perception on anime, and ultimately
...
help me appreciate the entire medium in a whole new way.
So, all that being said, I'll do my review the usual way, but when I get to the "enjoyment" section I'll explain my above section~ Let me break it down:
~STORY~
Shirobako, in short, is an anime all about making anime. Starting with a short scene with five girls in their high school animation club declaring to pursue their dreams to make anime together, we then follow Aoi Miyamori, Musashi Animation studio and the other four girls in the club as they work in the anime industry. The show is split into two distinct halves: 1-12 is about the creation of an original anime series, and 13-24 is about adapting a popular manga into an anime series. We then see the various struggles associated with creating anime, going across all of the various people and stages involved in anime - and seeing how the studio overcomes them. I thought it was a really great idea splitting the series this way, since both an original series and adaptation have their own difficulties during creation.
Aside from the creation of these two series, across both arcs we see how the five girls from the animation club develop and determine how they wish to spend their futures in the anime industry, or whether they want to be in the anime industry at all. This shows a good perspective of how to initially become involved with the anime industry. Shizuka Sakaki's journey as she tries to become a voice actress was one of my overall favourites.
Overall, what the story does is greatly humanise the anime-creation process. Which is wonderful, and what I'll certainly get into more detail later.
~ART~
I'm going to have to break down the art into two sections: Firstly, just the normal scene-to-scene animation; and secondly, the big set-piece moments and the animation of the anime they're animating (It'll make sense in a bit).
First off, overall the show looks pretty average. The character designs are quite standard (which is understandable, these are supposed to be relatively 'normal' people), and the backgrounds aren't particularly imaginative (90% of the show is set in the various locations that anime is made, so mainly at desks, in offices). The colours don't particularly stand out as anything special. Honestly, it doesn't do much above what would be considered standard for anime today.
HOWEVER, this is an anime about making anime - so they also animate the anime that they're making. And I don't just mean complete scenes, I'm talking about the line drawings, the storyboards, without the backgrounds, etc. I love it. It may be easier to animate, but seeing behind the curtain at how anime looks at each stage of production was fantastic, and it looked genuine (which it probably was). Then there are the big set pieces, every now and again there are these moments where the show really shines - where this big sweeping scenes take place. I won't spoil them, but I would be lying if I didn't say I wasn't occasionally moved to tears when watching them.
But speaking of tears, just one final thing to add - while sometimes expressions were exaggerated, I have to say that it all felt so human. There are a couple of crying scenes that, while slightly exaggerated, just felt so real (and once or twice I cried along with them)! For an anime that humanises the anime-creation process, the art had a big part to play in making that humanisation succeed.
~SOUND~
The sound is mixed. Half the time it's just pretty standard slice-of-life soundtrack, nothing worth focusing. BUT THE OTHER HALF, oh yes, this is what's important. Shirobako helps illustrate the importance of sound in various scenes (when they're making anime), like when the sound is supposed to come in, what type of music is appropriate for which scene, etc. So, to not be hypocrites, in various important scenes Shirobako nails it. The final two episodes especially are fantastic demonstrations of how music can add to the weight of a scene, and really the majority of those final two episodes showcase the best the soundtrack has to offer (not to say that the rest of the anime's music is shoddy in comparison, but the final two episodes stick out in my memory). Aside from that, Shirobako also knows how to use silence to their advantage, able to add tension to a scene when appropriate.
~CHARACTER~
(Man this is definitely my longest review!) To keep it short, while the five girls from the animation club are the main five of the series - each and every supporting character in Shirobako plays an important role, fleshing out and humanising the anime. You can tell that the staff behind Shirobako clearly were drawing from the people they have worked with in order to make these characters. Whether it be from the inexperienced but passionate go-getters, the slightly jaded and experienced cynics, those who talk big but ultimately fail to deliver (Tarou anybody?), and those who wish to simply better themselves at their craft. Shirobako's very extensive character list covers it. And you know what else? While, due to simply the enormous cast that the anime offers, I think the anime succeeds in fleshing out the majority of them to an extent which helps you connect to the characters. Not to the level of something like Cowboy Bebop, but it's definitely up there.
The characters offer up different perspectives on anime as well, which is why I truly love them. Some of my favourites were Shigeru-san, the old animator who is struggling to find purpose in the modern anime industry as it shifts towards newer, more moe art styles than the era in which he was in his prime. Endou, who feels as though his skills as an animator are less appreciated as more and more CG is included in the anime-making process - and his complimentary character Shimoyanagi, the 3D director, who simply loves anime and being a part of the processes, but lacks the art skills to do key-frame animation.
The key point in all of this is: They are all human. The people that make anime, from the director to the key-frame artists, from the production desk to the character designers; they all have lives, likes and dislikes, preferences and, most importantly flaws. The director is the best example. He loves anime, he loves making it, he loves creating a world and a story and seeing it come to life - but he's also childish, he doesn't like responsibility, he struggles. But ultimately the passion he has for what he does wins out. This is a story about making anime, but beyond that, the people that make it happen - and how they're so passionate about it.
~ENJOYMENT~
If you, for some reason, skipped everything before this - here is the short of it. I love Shirobako. As the episodes went on and I got more and more attached to the characters (and I mean ALL the characters), I cried with them, became stressed with them, but above all became passionate with them. I felt as if I was a part of their failures and their victories, even as an onlooker.
Before watching Shirobako I knew that anime had a lot of people behind it, but I never really knew what that meant. Or, better than that, I never appreciated what that meant. Watching Shirobako has been as if I've looked behind the curtain and seen even just a little bit of what is involved in making this medium that I love. The way I've watched anime is now changed, I'm now more sympathetic to what goes on, even if I don't see it. The anime that I already love, I appreciate even more the obvious love and effort that went into them. And even those that I look down on, or don't enjoy, I can appreciate that human being dedicated their time into creating it - and that is astounding.
This is not a documentary, there is certainly exaggeration for dramatic purposes, and there are certainly some things that are added to make the show a little more interesting (Everyone involved in anime are somehow very skilled in drifting and street racing?). But if even 10% of Shirobako displays some resemblance to the truth of how anime is made, then I applaud it. Some anime have made me think about things, made me look within myself, but Shirobako is the first to change my perception of anime, all anime, an entire medium after I have been loving it for as long as I can remember.
But, even aside from all that, the anime is still fun. It's definitely the most authentic slice-of-life anime I've seen in a long time that is actually happy, and an overall positive experience.
So in short: Enjoyment - 10/10. I will certainly watch this anime multiple times over my life for as long as I watch anime. I'm hoping that Australia gets a DVD release so I can actually buy it.
~OVERALL~
If you have any sort of feeling for the anime medium, if you enjoy anime as a whole, even if you're just tangentially interested in anime: Watch Shirobako. Not, "you should watch" or "if you're into slice of life, you should watch"; No, straight up watch Shirobako.
Even if you're only into action series, moe series, meccha series, whatever - you need to watch Shirobako. If it changes your perception only slightly of the anime industry, then that's enough.
Shirobako is not perfect - I said that before - but it is what it needs to be, and it does what it needs to do. It humanises anime, gives the viewer an insight into the world of Japanese animation. The only thing I would've added to it would be the end-credit scenes actually showing the real-life process of making Shirobako itself, having the actual animators, artists, etc talking directly to the audience about what they do. But hey, that would simply be a bonus for what is already a great anime.
So do it. Watch Shirobako. I hope it does to you what it did to me~
Toodles~
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
![]()
Apr 1, 2015
Durarara!!x2 Shou - or should it be called DRRR S2 P1? Either way, this was an anime I was very VERY excited for. And now at the conclusion, I am still VERY excited for the next two parts. This second season did not disappoint me, sure there were some changes, but nothing that bothered me very much at all. But - to talk about why I liked this first part of season two, I'll certainly have to mention season one. So SPOILER WARNING for the first season of DRRR (though I'll try not to spoil anything for season two). Let me break it down:
~STORY~
This is
...
what will determine whether you love or hate DRRR. Much like the first season, DRRR excels in non-linear, unfocused storytelling. Non-linear means that the story jumps back and forth chronologically between events to show a different perspective of the event; and unfocused means that there isn't a single story happening, rather multiple different story-lines happening simultaneously - occasionally intersecting and affecting the other stories.
Because of my opening bit, you can probably tell that this form of storytelling is something I LOVE. And no other series I know comes close to the execution that DRRR has, except for its predecessor "Baccano!". DRRR S2 has a bit of an edge over its predecessor since it is a sequel - meaning that it doesn't have to spend time introducing the characters. This solves a problem that the original DRRR had, that the opening episodes were a little slow.
But as for the content of the story? Maybe because it is being split between 3 parts that I felt as if S2 is less substantial than the original, a lot of new elements are introduced, but not much is done with them. But I also have to give credit where credit is due: I like the direction it's heading - even if some of it was unexpected, and the lead in for part 2 has definitely got me excited. I can't say more than that, else I enter spoiler territory, but if Season 1's gang war was the big finale confrontation - I feel as if by the end of part 3, there will be something spectacular to look forward to!
~ART~
I've seen some people complaining about the art - and really it doesn't bother me at all. It's been 5 years, and it's a new studio; If the art is a little sharper than the original, that's fine, hell, even expected. The overall look is much the same, and props to the new studio being able to capture the original atmosphere. If it the art really turns you off so much, you are watching DRRR for the wrong reason.
~SOUND~
I don't often talk about the openings and endings of anime in reviews, rather I talk about the background music. However, for DRRR S2 P1, I'll make an exception: They nailed it. As soon as I heard the opening I quite literally shouted for joy, before I even saw anything the opening made me know I was watching DRRR. Same type of music, same style animation, even the great instrumental section with a quick recap. The ending also looks and sounds almost exactly like the original.
Now for the rest of it: Yes. Just Yes. The original DRRR soundtrack is an interesting soundtrack - it is not a soundtrack that you would necessarily listen to by itself (though I went to Tokyo and listened to it in Shibuya, and man it just felt right), but it is PERFECT for creating the atmosphere that the anime desires. Sometimes is relaxing, sometimes it's crazy, and sometimes it's just plain weird - but hey, that's just how the Ikebukuro of DRRR is. Season 2 pretty much has the same soundtrack, with a couple of extra songs added. So yeah, nice work.
~CHARACTER~
Have you ever been separated from someone for a time, then after you see them again they're almost exactly the same as when you left them? That's how I felt watching DRRR S2 P1. So, for the majority of characters from the original series, just assume they're as quirky and lovable as they were originally. HOWEVER, there are a couple of exceptions. First off: Celty... In season 1, she had a cute scared side that showed up around that police officer, but I felt like she was just a bit TOO nervous and emotional in season 2. I mean, maybe it's character development from S1 - she did become a much friendlier person, falling in love and all that - but it sometimes seems just a bit too much. Also, Masaomi... he's kinda boring in S2 so far (I feel like he'll play a larger role in parts 2 and 3), but once again it feels like the character development from S1 just slightly overdone. Oh and Mikado... not really something wrong, but I'm certainly interested in where his character is going - though they could have played his development in this new season just a little bit more gradual, to me it kind of came off as a bit jumpy.
As for the new characters? They all seem to blend well with the setting and existing cast, though it is a bit of an overload. DRRR's cast is big, and I feel like it has now doubled, and so many of them seem important that it's a bit much keeping track of them all, and who is important in what storyline. Though... Izaya's sisters... They're interesting and all, but... I feel as if they don't serve a purpose in this season. Once again, because it's being broken up into 3 parts, it's hard to judge whether they're there for no specific reason, or because they'll play an important role in the later parts. I mean, this is DRRR, the kind-hearted black-russian-sushi-seller doesn't play more than a comic relief role until the last episode where he punches Izaya in the face (Season 1 I'm talking about). So who knows what all these supporting characters will do!?
~ENJOYMENT~
While I recognise Season 1 and Season 2 as not being perfect anime, I certainly enjoyed them a great deal. I was always keen to see the latest episode and at no point did I ever think "this is boring" or anything along those lines. Certainly, many of the elements that may divide an audience appeal to me, but that's why I enjoyed it so much~
~OVERALL~
It's so strange having a sequel of something come out 5 years later, especially in anime. Normally when an anime is successful, a sequel is soon broadcast on the horizon. So, with that in mind, despite my excitement I was worried that DRRR season 2 may lose what made DRRR special.
Yes, there are some changes, and indeed it is not yet fully complete, with many loose ends waiting to be tied up in later parts - but I can certainly say with confidence, this is a sequel that, overall, manages to capture the charm of the original.
It is the mark of an enjoyable anime that it leaves you wanting more, and oh yes I certainly want more! I can't wait for part 2 in July!
Toodles~
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
![]()
Feb 11, 2015
No Game No Life is another one of those light-novel adaptations about a someone, or in this case two someones, being thrown into a game world. And you know what? It's completely fine, 100%. I'm not going to deduct points because it's wish-fulfillment, fiction is supposed to be escapism. Hell, even though I'm not a fan of fanservice, it doesn't make that anime any worse for simply having it - it depends on how they utilize it. But hey, let me break it down:
~STORY~
NGNL's story is, for lack of a better phrase, a slightly more imaginative take on the now very common story of 'people
...
go into a game world'. Rather, instead of being stuck in a game world where you're essentially living in a video game, health bars and skill trees included; NGNL's world is one that is run BY games. Want to do something that would normally be done by violence? Nope, play a game to decide the outcome instead! This difference in plot compared to similar shows of its kind is what gives NGNL more possibilities. Add magic (Since it is a fantasy world) and you can make these games as complicated (or convoluted) as you like. When the brother-sister, NEET, gaming genius pair are brought into the fantasy world they are finally able to shine with their gaming abilities (See where the wish-fulfillment comes from?). The overall story is... pretty simple. "What" will be done is predictable, but "how" they do it is a completely different, and that's where NGNL's actual GAMES come into play.
The games that are played in NGNL are... interesting. This is where opinions will vary when discussing NGNL. I personally like Liar Game style games, and NGNL does have that sort of out-think your opponent mindset in most of its games. However, there is a point where cleverness (like the Shiritori game, my favorite) turns into 'Really? I know it's fiction but REALLY??'. Depending on your tolerance levels for that sort of thing, where you've thought 200 steps ahead several days before something even takes place (exaggeration, but not by much), will determine how you enjoy them.
~ART~
You know what? I really enjoy the art of NGNL. The backgrounds look pretty, the fantasy world looks nice and the effects that they give to the more magical elements is just fine. The character designs are a bit... standard, I guess is the word I'd use. Moe-blob loli's; big-breasted, large-eyed girls; and a male protagonist looks like a cross between Steins;gate and Bakemonogatari's protagonists. But where the art in NGNL really shines, and I mean REALLY is the colouring. Oh man it looks great and shiny and clean and oh I just love it~
~SOUND~
No tracks I particularly care about, but it did fit and it worked fine. Nothing outstanding, nothing terrible.
~CHARACTERS~
Let me set aside the main character and get to the side characters first...
They're just kind of okay. There. I said it. The princess girl, angel girl, mysterious anti-hero (sorta) girl and elf girl are all just okay. One is bad at games but means well, one pursues knowledge and is a pervert, one seems to be a 'baddie' but is misunderstood and can't trust the protagonist, one is... uhh... almost completely undefined but she knows magic so yay. They'll get stripped and be embarrassed, blush and dress provocatively and whatever. They can be funny, they can be annoying, but what they don't do is be any more than average side characters that will either endear or annoy you based on their quirks.
The main pair Sora and Shiro, together known as the blank, are a little better. First Shiro, the moe-blob, imouto genius girl; she's cute, she's (unexpectedly) bad-ass, and she was actually pretty fun. Aside from all the genius stuff, I'd say her personality is more like a kitten, all cute and cuddly and cute and cute. Yeah okay, she's cute. She's also 11, so I wish I didn't get so many panty-shots of her. Sora is, however, my favourite character with the widest range of expression. Yeah, he's a straight up NEET and pervert, a strategist that thinks a hundred turns ahead, he'll suddenly get bursts of confidence and he'll have moments where he gives nice little speeches. But above all, he's fun. In lots of shows about playing games, often you see hardly anyone having 'fun', but not NGNL. Sora has fun, so I have fun. The interactions between the two are also very enjoyable, and they nicely highlight each others character differences. The two of them certainly aren't deep, but they're enjoyable to watch.
~ENJOYMENT~
If it weren't for the two protagonists being a enjoyable, I feel like I would've enjoyed the show a lot less. If it went the Yu-gi-oh! route of game playing where everyone is serious despite playing games all the time, the show would've certainly fell flat. However, NGNL is fun, and it is enjoyable, and it gets it. It understands that, despite often high stakes, they're playing games and they're having fun (well, the main characters anyway). So well done NGNL.
~OVERALL~
I like a well written story and well written characters, and to be honest, this show has neither. But it has a solid core that allows for variety, it has energy, and it has fun. And hey, it tells you that it's going to have fun from the get go, so props to it. So while I can't say it is a "great" anime, it is definitely an enjoyable one. I'll be watching for a second season.
Toodles~
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Jan 6, 2015
Nisekoi is a trope-filled, cliche, completely unoriginal romance anime wrapped in Shaft's signature style. However, despite it's complete and utter unoriginality (which I can not stress enough), it is still an enjoyable watch. But let me break it down:
~~STORY~~
Minor spoilers? I guess? You can't really spoil Nisekoi, since if you have watched a single high-school romance anime you'll instinctively know most of the story. Childhood promises of marriage where no one remembers who, no one ever successfully confessing to the other, hot-spring episode, beach episode, a whole lot of misunderstandings. Is there a festival? Of course! Is there a test of courage? You bet! The
...
premise is fine... probably the only original-ish thing in the whole series - but its more of a background reminder as to why the main pairing are forced to be together at all. If you're looking for a romantic story, Nisekoi is NOT for you. There isn't anything special at all about it. Convenient and inconvenient timing, chance and coincidence are what control the plot, nothing else.
~~ART~~
This is where opinions will differ greatly about Nisekoi, as Nisekoi is definitely a Shaft anime. Expect bright colours, changing backgrounds, fast sporadic cuts, head tilts, close zooms into character's eyes, random blocks of text, etc, etc. If you're into Shaft's style Nisekoi will not disappoint you, but if you don't like their previous works (probably most comparable would be Arakawa under the bridge), then you won't like this one.
~~SOUND~~
Not bad, not good, just there. I literally just finished the series and I don't remember any of the music. Not remembering is better than hating though.
~~CHARACTERS~~
Oh boy, here we go. This is where this review will get its most dislikes. The main (romantic) cast are well executed but completely cookie cutter tropes. This is an issue because I really REALLY don't like Tsunderes - and as per usual one of the main girls is one of the biggest I've seen. Oh, and she's also scared of the dark and of lightning, so let's not forget those cliches as well. Other main romantic interest is the flawless moe girl who has a crush on the main character... and of course she can't cook. Oh, and they introduce a third girl mid-way who pursues the protagonist in a more obvious way of course (most shows wait till season 2 to introduce her). They're well executed, but they're all so... typical. Of course my favorite characters in these shows are the best friend characters, both of which were the best part of Nisekoi for me. They were also the only ones who weren't completely brainless. The other side characters are also enjoyably quirky as well. As long as people recognize that Miyamoto is best girl, I'll be happy.
~~ENJOYMENT~~
Despite my criticism, I did enjoy the show. While the story is oh so bland and cliche, it is still funny. When it wants to be cute, it is cute. When it wants to be tense, it's tense. When it wants to be funny, it usually succeeds. It's well executed if nothing else. The people behind Nisekoi KNOW how to make anime, they just chose a cliche IP to work with.
~~OVERALL~~
This anime doesn't require your full attention - it's a good show to have on in the background as you do something else. The story is cliche and hits all the tropes of a romance anime, but if you like that sort of thing, go nuts. But if you're looking for a unique look at romance in anime - move along.
Toodles~
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
|
