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Apr 17, 2021
Despite the controversial ending, Shingeki no Kyojin as a whole still stands as a titan of manga. That being said, there are certain aspects about the manga that weigh it down in the story's attempts to flesh itself out.
One of Attack on Titan's strongest aspects, initially, is its characters. It has a cast of well-developed, complex characters that carry its grandiose yet sometimes bloated story on their backs. Some start off weak but become very interesting, some start off on the wrong foot and never pick up the pieces, and others, unfortunately, build up to a pinnacle before crashing down in the last few chapters.
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The last few chapters of Attack on Titan is perhaps its greatest disservice. Whether this was Isayama's vision from day one or not, whether this is was executed as he planned for the final chapters, it undoes a great deal of Attack on Titan's themes that were paved from the very first chapter and walked upon until the last fifty pages. It is the last few chapters, the damage they do to the characters, and the seemingly sudden divergence from what the plot had been building to, that hamstring my enjoyment and overall score for Attack on Titan.
That being said, Attack on Titan is still worth a read for those who want to catch up with the biggest manga of the past decade. Even with the final chapters in mind, the evolution, and journey the characters take throughout the story make it well worth the read. The plot blossoms into a spider's web that, while sometimes tedious and difficult to follow, leads the reader to unexpected areas that grow the world beyond the confines of Paradis. Isayama's art evolves with the plot as well. His black-and-white, sparsely detailed drawings from the early chapters grow into complex, richly shaded scenes that truly show the world and monsters he's created.
Prior to the final chapter, I would have given this an 8, maybe a 9. The reason I wouldn't give the manga a 10 initially is due to its sometimes drawn-out plot that becomes less engaging to follow in the early stages of what could be considered the final act and the new characters who, quite frankly, do not end up offering much to the story in the end. The ending, however, is such a disappointment and slap to the face of the story that it bookends that I would not ever consider giving the manga a higher score than 7. However, to give it less than that would be just as much an insult to the hard work Isayama clearly put into the chapters before it and the fact that Attack on Titan is still very good outside the ending. I won't say how or why it undoes all of the story's good work out of fear of spoilers, but you can decide for yourself how well the ending caps Attack on Titan. I've seen some people praise it, others who hate it more than I do, and others who became totally apathetic to Attack on Titan as a whole because of it. Whether you're reading just to see what the fuss is all about with the ending, why Attack on Titan blew up into the most popular manga in years, or for some other reason, I would say to read the manga at least once. It is, overall, a good series that will likely see its reputation rebound after the last embers of the ending die out.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Mar 9, 2021
Chainsaw Man absolutely rules. It's a character-driven story that has an interesting cast from the main character, to his family figures, to his boss/love interest, and so on. It revolves around the maturing of the main character, Denji, as he uses his ability to summon chainsaws from his body to fight devils, corpses inhabited by devils, yakuza members, and the like. It sounds like a dumb action manga, and it even flaunts that facade at points, but don't get it twisted: this is a very well-written manga.
The absolute crowning achievement in Chainsaw Man is its characters. It features a cast where every important character
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feels very real. Denji, the main character, is dealt the worst hand in life but still manages to find joy in his dreams. When he finally achieves his first dreams, simple as they are, he wants more and more despite acknowledging how odd it is that people who get what they want inevitably want more than they need or wanted originally. There's Power, his fiendish buddy, who begins the story with an innate malevolence towards humans but slowly grows close to Denji. Hayakawa is a dead serious member of the bureau that Denji gets roped into. He thinks Denji's simplistic dreams means he isn't cut out to hunt devils, but he begins to understand why Denji acts and lives the way he does. Then there's Makima, who carries a shroud of mystery from her very introduction that reveals something truly awesome as it is lifted over the course of the story.
Those are just a few examples of some of the very memorable and relatable characters in this story. Not everything is a home run when it comes to the characters (a lack of development for some side characters, namely) but the effort is put where it matters most and it is extremely well done. The plot isn't the most original in the world and its premise is pretty similar to some manga of past and present, but its execution and what the story focuses on is what sets Chainsaw Man apart from other Shonen Jump manga (plus all the extreme violence and gore, but that's beside the point).
The art in Chainsaw Man stands out during the fights and with the devils. Fujimoto clearly spends a great deal more time on these panels than he does with, say, Denji getting a burger at a store. There isn't anything wrong or bad about the art style outside the fights and the focus on devils, but it is much more rough looking than some of the other panels. Still, it is never poorly done or distracting, and the panels that are given the extra effort range from beautiful to terrifying. What truly elevates his art is how the panels are framed. Fujimoto is a well-known cinephile, as seen in one of his previous works and chapter 39 of Chainsaw Man, and he draws his panels the way a director would make storyboards. He is able to convey emotion and story in several wordless panels more than some authors can in a whole paragraph.
Overall, I would give Chainsaw Man the highest of recommendations. It is very fast-paced and less than 100 chapters, enough to be read in an afternoon. It isn't for everyone, though. There is a great deal of violence and a lot of characters are introduced, only to be killed off in a few pages, making it sometimes hard to keep up (especially in the middle-to-late chapters of the International Assassins arc). Regardless, if you're looking for something that carries that Shonen flair with a very dark edge and standout characters, I would give this my #1 with a bullet.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Jan 13, 2021
Murder Princess is a very fine anime. There's nothing really great about it, but there isn't anything really bad about it either. The plot twists have all the twists of a ruler, the characters aren't stagnant (but then again don't have enough time to grow stagnant), and there's nothing wrong with any of the animations or art. The music isn't stand-out save for some heavy guitar work, but it isn't distracting. Overall, for a six-episode OVA series, it's worth a watch. You can kill an unfilled afternoon with this show. I give it a six since I feel like it's better than mediocre but so
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middle-of-the-line that I can't give it a 7.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Nov 23, 2020
Koyomimonogatari is essentially a collection of side stories featuring the girls we've met throughout the series. These stories are set in different parts of the story; some taking place near the start of the series, others towards the end of Owaramonogatari Part 1. While it is nice to see some characters we haven't seen in a while, many of these stories are inconsequential. Compared to the rest of Monogatari, this one is probably the weakest. That being said, the last two episodes are essential to the series.
I'd give this a 5 but it also is a borderline 6; if any of the episodes aside from
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the last two have any impact on Owarimonogatari Part 2, then I might give it a higher score after watching it. One saving grace is that the episodes are only around fourteen minutes long. That's still ten fourteen-minute episodes where the stories often revolve around Araragi and his friends/harem vastly overestimating the importance of small things around town. It can take some heavy suspension of disbelief to get through these.
Overall, the most important episodes of Koyomimonogatari are the last two. In fact, I might even suggest just watching those and maybe the first two as well to understand the structure of the episodes. If you really love the Monogatari characters, then there's no harm watching the whole thing. I enjoyed seeing some characters who'd fallen by the wayside, even if I thought the episodes themselves weren't much in terms of story, comedy, or drama barring the finale.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Jul 6, 2020
While it may not be the weakest of the Monogatari series story-wise and brings some much-appreciated focus to a side character, Hanamonogatari ultimately comes up short in the face of its predecessors. There are enjoyable parts of the show: the return of a previous character, the aforementioned returned focus, and the interesting start. However, one of the new characters brought into the world of Monogatari creates a headache that lasts for the last half of the series. This antagonist nudges the viewer to turn off the series rather than hope to see the protagonist succeed against them.
The new antagonist is a package of flaws
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and cliches that are seen in Monogatari and other anime: there is nothing truly good/evil, doing good hurts something else, etc. Never mind the fact that a lot of these faux-philosophical stances can be proven untrue by even the simplest mind, but they're tired and cookie-cutter in execution and dialogue. While the character's motivations for their actions provide a small amount of reprieve, it is not enough to keep the show from dragging. Hanamonogatari may be 5 episodes long, but the last three or so feel three or so times as long as your standard 24 minutes.
There was a great deal of potential here in Hanamonogatari, and I was excited going into it. In the end, it comes up almost as a weak epilogue to a truly tremendous series, a hollow mould of anime that came before (and after) it, and a blip in the radar of some truly great shows. The saving graces are the protagonist, the second episode, and the usual titillating art style and music of the Monogatari series. As it is only 5 episodes long, I recommend watching it to complete the Monogatari series (placing it between Second Season and Tsukimonogatari) but go in with tempered expectations. You may like it more than I did, but I have to say that it's the weakest sliver of the Monogatari series.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Jul 3, 2020
This is a very interesting adventure anime with a great amount of lore you want to learn more of, a deceptively dark story that becomes much more apparent halfway through the series, and is a consistently enjoyable show. While the characters aren't exactly standout or the most memorable, their stories and the mystery surrounding many of them create an air of intrigue other anime of this genre do not possess. It has enough to keep you coming back every episode. It isn't a lighthearted anime, but it isn't overwhelmingly dark. If you want a very good adventure anime with its own dark twist and unique
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lore, this is a good series to give a shot.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Mar 23, 2020
On a grand scale, I've seen worse anime, but it's hard to think of one that is as poorly constructed as Pupa. I don't know what the original manga is like, but I can tell you the anime is just terrible. It's like an Uwe Boll directed anime, with an awful story and horrible visuals. Everything from the start to the last episode (and oh boy, what a last episode it has) will leave you shaking your head or laughing from how badly made this anime truly is.
The premise is one of the least problematic things about this anime for me since I like some
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good ol' blood and gore, senseless violence type of media (Song of Saya, Mandy, etc.). However, the plot itself does an incredibly weak job of setting up the conflict and resolving things. It becomes a rather generic "fighting for my monstrous loved one" type of plot seen in titles such as "Crimson Gray".
What is the true "standout" is the art and animation. The backgrounds look like rough drafts. While the character models aren't terrible, the way they move makes me wonder if they fired the in-betweener animators. Lip syncing is constantly off, movements are stiff, and frames appear to be missing. I will say that it gets a little better as the show goes on, although that may just be my brain acclimating to the animation.
Overall, Pupa could be worth a watch if you're into "so bad, it's good" type of material. It will help if you're into the horror genre as well. There's really nothing good I can say about Pupa, except that it can make you laugh and probably will.
Reviewer’s Rating: 2
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Aug 22, 2019
The only reason I know of this song is because Okaa-san Online adapted it for its ending theme. As a full song, it is a singalong for Japanese kids and parents, ostensibly detailing how a mother goes about her day: caring for her kids, cooking for her family, etc. It's in the same vein as "I Love You" from Barney or "Won't You Be My Neighbor" from Mister Rogers.
As a music video, it uses cut-out puppets. While it clearly didn't break the bank to make, it has a nostalgic charm to it that adds to the enjoyment. It's an interesting piece of media from Japanese
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television that people outside the country almost certainly wouldn't have seen before. "Pata Pata Mama" is an enjoyable blast from the past that's interesting to contrast with the modern adaptation from Okaa-san Online.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Jun 21, 2019
Violet Evergarden is an anime that revolves the main character, a former child soldier who’s cold as ice, integrating into civilian life and learning what emotions and feelings mean. It’s a touching story, at times powerful, and slightly inconsistent in quality.
First off, the art in this is hands down the best I’ve seen in any TV anime and a lot of anime films. The soundtrack compliments it beautifully, turning touching moments into tearjerkers. These are its strongest points, and I’d do so far as to say the art (especially background art) is near untouchable.
The characters in this story are all likable and relatable,
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but the antagonists tend to be less impactful or well written. The story is both the best and worst part of this show. The first five or six episodes are nothing special, but they all set up and build to Violets experiences in the seventh through eleventh episodes. The twelfth episode kinda falls off a cliff and the final episode is fine, but not quite the emotional climax that it could have been. You can watch up to episode eleven and probably have just as good an experience.
Overall, even though this show has weak points in the story and antagonists, I would give it a 9. No other show comes even close to the emotional turbulence in the middle of this show. It’s the only anime to make me cry. For that matter, no other medium (film, TV, manga, etc.) has done that since I was a child. If you’re good with slower stories, this is one for you.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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May 10, 2019
This show is kind of like a mediocre adaptation of an early Stephen King book. It has a very interesting and intriguing setup and a ton of characters with great potential, but it doesn't hit the mark quite right and ends up being a good horror anime, but nothing spectacular outside of that. The art isn't bad, but the design for the characters is pretty ugly and just weird looking (not just with the monsters, either). Most of the music is average, nondescript, but some just seem completely out of place. The three main characters range from mediocre, to good, to great. Most of the
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side characters are rather forgettable, but some stand out.
In terms of being scary, this show was at its strongest at the start before hitting a climax at the end; nothing out of the ordinary for horror. This is one of the few anime that are truly "horror" that I'd say is decent. It tries, and often hits, but some potentially creepy moments are ruined by the music.
I also just wanna say that I don't really recommend this show's English dub. It lacks emotion for many characters and has odd pronunciations for Japanese words.
Overall, if you want an anime that is different from the rest, give Shiki a shot, especially if you are a fan of classic horror. It isn't the best and doesn't always hit the mark, and avoid the English dub if you can, but it serves as one of the only true horror anime out there.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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