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(This is a spoiler-free review adapted for this site)

[Synopsis]: After a crushing defeat during the Grand Prix Figure Skating Final in Sochi, Russia, a crestfallen Katsuki Yuuri (Toyonaga Toshiyuki) returns to his hometown in Japan. Unsure of himself and whether or not to proceed with his career, Yuuri’s life takes an unexpected turn when a recording of him performing the routine of his idol and world champion figure skater Victor Nikiforov (Suwabe Junichi) goes viral. To his surprise, the video attracts the attention of Victor himself who abruptly flies to meet with him and offers to become his coach. With Victor’s help, Yuuri redoubles his ... efforts to win the upcoming Grand Prix and overcome the other accomplished skaters and his newfound rival Yuri Plisetsky (Uchiyama Kouki).

[Characters]:

The story of Yuri!!! on Ice can best be distilled within two primary focuses. The first is the growth Yuuri experiences over the course of his journey, both as a figure skater and as a person. The second is Yuuri’s relationship with Victor which matters a great deal in regards to both of the previous facets of the show. When we first encounter Yuuri after his defeat in Russia, he sees himself as a failure and a lot of his development and his interactions with Victor are aimed at overcoming this self image – of coming into confidence and self-worth. This transformation is very pronounced and you get a keen sense of where Yuuri is at each step of his transformation. In this way Yuuri is a fairly endearing character.

Yuuri’s relationship with Victor is an interesting one. He idolizes him as a figure skating champion and is endlessly appreciative of his offer to mentor him however above all else there is unquestionably a romantic element to their relationship. In some ways this is well executed and in other ways it becomes rather problematic. The way Yuuri attempts to discern his feelings is very vague and is reflective of his own uncertainty. This feeds well into his meek personality and the unconventionality of the romance. Their bond has some charm to it and it adds meaningful depth to both of the characters.

Conversely, Yuri!!! on Ice opts to be far more suggestive than concrete in how it portrays their relationship. It leads the viewer along with insinuations and fan-service rather than truly committing to what in all reality should be an authentic relationship. The way the show skirts around a genuine portrayal of romance is profoundly infuriating and while some viewers might invest themselves in the show’s allusions more easily, I found its execution to be rather irritating. Moreover, Yuuri and Victor’s dialogue is very overt which means that they often speak their thoughts out loud. This approach of straightforward, internal exposition renders the dialogue a little plain and the show could have found a more tactful or artistic way to convey the emotions and thoughts of these characters to the viewer.

Yuuri and Victor aside, Yuri!!! on Ice presents a rather extensive supporting cast. Some characters such as Yuri Plisetsky, Christophe Giacometti, Jean-Jacques Leroy offer fairly memorable characterization and stand on their own within the scope of the show’s narrative. Yuri!!! on Ice is very interested in portraying a tournament scene full of potential champions and rising stars and to some degree it succeeds. Many of the other skaters and the remainder of the supporting cast leave a lot to be desired however. The way in which the tournament introduces them, provides them with an almost token backstory and motivation for winning, all before dismissing them felt awkward and forgettable. They exist for an ephemeral moment only to provide the audience with a less interesting story and the sense that Yuuri has some measure of competition before him. Some of these characters are better than others but many of them they don’t feel like they exist beyond the story they are given – they are written in simply to lose.

[Art/Animation]:

Perhaps the most striking component of the first episode of Yuri!!! on Ice was its fantastic character animation and choreography. With figure skating sequences choreographed by professional skater Miyamoto Kenji and the visionary Yamamoto Sayo at the helm, the visuals of Yuri!!! on Ice sported a lot of promise. This potential manifests in full form during the show’s first episode however it has a hard time ever rising to the same degree of execution afterwards. Yuri!!! on Ice was plagued by a variety of quality drops and issues and while they didn’t entirely compromise the show’s presentation, there were countless instances of very off-model character designs and awkward bits of animation. These things somewhat undercut the show’s strong sense of choreography and otherwise fluid animation.

On the topic of animation, there was a great deal of reused animation throughout the show. This is spruced up in various ways as to not be too obvious however once the sequence makes its 3rd or 4th appearance it starts to wear on the performance. This is somewhat forgivable however as most of the reused shots and sequences can be seen as a necessary evil in how the figure skaters repeat their choreographed performances. Though the characters often don’t look quite like themselves, their performances generally capture the kind of emotion they are channeling. There’s a kind of integral emotion, sex appeal, and femininity within figure skating and the way this manifests within the routines of the characters and their personalities is an interesting element of the show.

The last thing I’ll touch upon are the character designs of the cast which were quite good. Yuuri is very average-looking and unassuming which goes hand-in-hand with his self-conscious personality. The dissonance between Yuuri’s ordinary design and the person he becomes while skating is utilized well by the show to explore the changes within his mentality. Victor’s design is sensuous and poised and although this often obscured by the show’s crude sense of comedy, his design speaks well of his characterization. The other characters all sport both distinct and memorable designs as well and visually fit very well into the tournament setting though some fail to follow through on their individuality with their respective characterization. In a similar vein, the wardrobe of each of the skaters is flashy and dynamic and adds another visual element to their performances.

[Story]:

The core narrative of Yuri!!! on Ice is pretty straightforward. The story follows Yuuri, Victor, and the rest of the competition as they work to improve themselves and subsequently compete within the tournament bracket culminating in the Grand Prix Final. What’s interesting is that the show doesn’t proceed as traditionally as one might expect. The first few episodes establish a fairly standard underdog story however this isn’t the ultimate tone of the show. Though lacking in self-confidence, Yuuri really is a professional skater and is even more accomplished than some of the people he competes against. The story then becomes more focused on Yuuri himself as an individual and how he interacts with Victor rather than playing into such a conventional setup. It’s a story of self-exploration and empowerment threaded together by themes of competition, love, and romantic discovery.

Another important element of Yuri!!! on Ice are the figure skating performances which dominate the show in its later half. To some degree, the way in which each character skates is reflective of their mentality off the ice and the way their mindset drives their performance is one of the primary ways the show imparts significance to each performance. This is especially important for Yuuri and Yuri Plisetsky whose transformations are most apparent in how they skate. The show doesn’t allow for a lot of time outside of the competition and so the way it manages to explore characters is by using cutaways and flashbacks during their sequences. This can feel pretty disruptive at times and occasionally even felt like a means of cutting around animation corners. Rarely are the performances allowed the room to breathe and progress uninterrupted but when they are they are quite spectacular to watch.

The primary issues of the show stem from its problematic portrayal of Yuuri and Victor’s relationship and the lackluster characterization of the supporting cast. Given the numerous fan-service scenes and instances of suggestive dialogue, too often does Yuuri’s relationship with Victor feel like it exists for the sake of the viewer rather than for the characters themselves. It’s presented in such a way that, while their romantic interest in each other is genuine, the show skirts around ever actualizing what they are talking about. It implies that they are boyfriends, lovers, partners, etc. but only through the veil of humor and Victor’s own levity. It’s not as black and white as some of the relationship ‘baiting’ you might see in other shows but it certainly plays off of the viewer’s own desired perception rather than offering something authentic. It has a handful of endearing scenes that attempt to sincerely progress their relationship however these steps forward are somewhat undermined by the other aspects of their portrayal. There’s something legitimate in their attachment to one another but it would have been far potent had all of their scenes been explored as honestly as some others.

[Sound]:

While it’s a hard thing to find concrete value in, I thought Yuri!!! on Ice had strong sound design. Within the presentation of figure skating there are a lot of minute details that you can play off of to heighten the immersion of the scene and the show follows through on a lot of these. The acoustics of the skating, the crowd in the distance, and the way in which the sound of the performance seemed to fit the size of the venue were impressive details.

The soundtrack was decent but didn’t present anything that stood out in my memory. The tracks to which the skaters performed to were varied and some were pretty engaging but others were far less memorable and distinct.

[Final Thoughts and Rating]:

One aspect of the show that I enjoyed but wasn’t able to highlight earlier was its use of social media. Through various media platforms and commonplace social networks, Yuri!!! on Ice is able to introduce characters, places, and events in a quintessentially modern way. The very premise of the show is derived from a video of Yurri’s skating going viral. The characters feel integrated in a true-to-life way and it was a very interesting and fun addition to the show’s presentation.

As a whole Yuri!!! on Ice is a bit of a mixed bag. It’s strength lies in the development of its protagonist and the various figure skating routines that attempt to distill the passion, personality, and drive of the show’s cast. Yuuri’s relationship with Victor, while compelling in several aspects, is somewhat tarnished by the underhanded way it is portrayed within the scope of the show. Art quality issues permeate the length of its run and the writing and dialogue is all a little too straightforward which leave a lot of the side-characters feeling uninteresting. The comedy feels natural within the tone of Yuri!!! on Ice however the gags and levity of the show somewhat upset the dramatic potential of its story and characters. The show’s stellar first few episodes set an incredibly high standard that the show had a hard time surmounting afterwards.

Rating: 6

I gave Yuri!!! on Ice a 6 because, despite its various faults, it still managed to present something both charming and at times even beautiful. Though it had its share of production issues, the figure skating was often graceful and while it wasn’t executed to the degree that I wish it was, the way in which the routines of the skaters reflected upon themselves was engaging. At its core, the relationship between Yuuri and Victor was a good one and it worked well in regards to Yuuri’s development however I think a less manipulative display would have gone a long way for the show. Yuri!!! on Ice was

[Recommendations]:

I would recommend Yuri!!! on Ice to those interested in the premise of the show and in its sport. There’s plenty of figure skating to go around and while it doesn’t handle itself in the same manner as a traditional sports show, it should appeal to that interest all the same. An additional facet of the show that may attract some viewers is that in dealing with Katsuki Yuuri and Victor Nikiforov who are 23 and 27 respectively, Yuri!!! on Ice presents a more mature cast of characters. Those uninterested in the bond between Yuuri and Victor may want to stay away from the show as it accounts for a significant amount of the show and what it sets out to accomplish.

(This is a spoiler-free review adapted for this site)

[Synopsis]: In 1940, the world is racked by its Second World War as the powerful military nation of Germania turns its attention towards the small country of Eylstadt. The crown Princess of Eylstadt, Ortfiné Fredericka von Eylstadt (Hayami Saori), does what she can to defend her meager country but in doing so falls into the hands into the hands of the Germanians. Through this series of events, Finé is reunited with her childhood friend Izetta (Akaneya Himika), the last remaining descendant of a family of witches. After escaping, Izetta pledges her magic and loyalty to Finé in ... order to defend Eylstadt against the encroaching forces of Germania and to realize the ideals of her dear friend.

[Characters]:

At its heart, Shuumatsu no Izetta revolves around the pair of Finé and Izetta with a light interest aimed at the show’s fairly extensive supporting cast. Their friendship makes a lot of sense within the story. Finé came to Izetta’s rescue as a child and showed her kindness when nobody else would. Though Izetta saw her magic as something that made her an outcast, Finé was enamored and enchanted by it and these things gave Izetta a great deal of admiration for her. To Finé, Izetta represented somebody who saw her for who she was – someone who appreciated her outside of the context of her royalty. Within this give and take between the two characters, the groundwork for their personalities and their relationship is pretty good.

Finé herself is strong-willed, idealistic, and fully embodies the kind of self-sacrifice and poise of a just ruler. She puts others first at every turn and most of her dialogue is spent agonizing over the fact that because she herself doesn’t have the power to protect her country, that she must risk the well-being of her friend Izetta. Her conviction and care for her people is endearing but at the same time she presents such a paragon of idealism and devotion that she often comes off as kind of bland and cliche. Her unflinching loyalty to the people of Eylstadt consumes her to the point that the only significant characterization that remains is that she is a ‘good person’ and that she cares for Izetta. Though she has these issues, watching Finé struggle to come to terms with what needs to be done is a compelling part of her character.

While Finé can at times be a little uninteresting, Izetta, the titular witch of the show, features this quality to a more extensive degree. She adores Finé, her personality is kind and innocent, and that’s about it. Almost all of her time is spent staring starry-eyed at Finé and wanting to do her best and pay back the kindness she once received as a young girl. Izetta herself is somewhat symbolic of Finé’s penchant for sacrifice and how she empowers herself. In the same way that Finé laments having to send her soldiers off to fight the war, she must send Izetta out onto the battlefield if she wants to have any chance at victory. This conflict of interests is what drives their relationship but whereas Finé becomes more interesting because of it, Izetta remains the same, earnest character she always was. She becomes wrapped up in the characterization of a more interesting person and between her overwrought simplicity and total lack of development fails to become an engaging character in her own right.

While the two central characters have their ups and downs, the rest of the cast is woefully uninteresting and impressively forgettable. Despite hosting a relatively large cast of characters, you’d be hard-pressed to find one that couldn’t be entirely summarized by a one-word description. There’s a maid, a pilot, a spy, a reporter, a captain of the imperial guard – the list goes on. They just have no depth or personality to them whatsoever and so when the focus of the show turns to them to be interesting or meaningful, their scenes fall utterly flat. The Germanians are about as typical of a depiction as you can render of Nazi-Germany and the motives of the antagonists present in the story either don’t make much sense or don’t matter in respect to the story at large.

[Art/Animation]:

Shuumatsu no Izetta boasted a visual style that at times wavered in quality but was for the most part fairly consistent. There were lots of pastoral backgrounds, villages, and castles and so the setting itself looked pretty decent. The show as a whole often came off as major WWII fan-service in its depiction of trenches, tanks, infantry, and dogfights. If you came to the show seeking European wartime imagery than Shuumatsu no Izetta delivers. The explosions look fantastic and the general combat looks pretty good as well. There are a number of action scenes and battles throughout the show but they are far too infrequent in their appearance to carry it through some of its more mind-numbing friendship-building scenes. For what it’s worth, Izetta flies around on an anti-tank rifle which is probably the most compelling image in the entire show and the most representative of the show’s duel subject matter.

Speaking of fan-service, Shuumatsu no Izetta features a surprising amount of it in the form of suggestive camera angles and unnecessary nudity scenes. While it doesn’t appear too frequently, the early mid-section of the show becomes rather bogged down with this extraordinarily out of place content. Izetta just doesn’t bill itself as the kind of show where this kind of sexualization feels necessary or meaningful. The first episode establishes political intrigue, war-centric imagery, magic, and drama. What follows is awkward and very tonally disruptive, going as far as to sexualize Izetta during combat scenes when she should be most appealing and engaging.

[Story]:

The central narrative of Shuumatsu no Izetta is pretty straightforward. The Germanian empire seeks to invade the land of Eylstadt and Finé does everything she can to stop them and save her country. With the appearance of Izetta and the powerful magic she wields, the rules of combat are fundamentally changed. Suddenly, this small, nearly insignificant country which lay at the mercy of its attackers stands a fighting chance as it rallies behind Finé and Izetta who strongly resembles a famous witch from the county’s folklore. It’s a promising start but the show ultimately fails to capitalize on what made its story initially appealing.

The failing of Shuumatsu no Izetta’s story is twofold. What starts out as a promising blend between WWII European wartime and magical fantasy quickly becomes dull and uneventful as the focus of the show turns away from politics and warfare and towards the antics of Izetta, Finé, and the supporting cast. The scenes of battlefields, tanks, and planes are quickly forgotten in place of scenes about bathing, eating pie, and incessantly going on and on for episodes at a time about whether or not Izetta should fight on behalf of Eylstadt. In this respect, Shuumatsu no Izetta should have quite literally stuck to its guns. What made the show interesting was its take on warfare, magic, and the historical intrigue of its depiction.

This subject matter doesn’t run the length of the entire show but it really bogs down the early episodes when it would be most important to be developing something meaningful. Moreover, hardly anything happens for long stretches of time. The battles are highly infrequent and the developments between Eylstadt and Germania happen very intermittently. One bit of praise I will give the show is its use of propaganda and information warfare which is only spotlighted upon for a brief time but which captures a bit of Shuumatsu no Izetta’s earlier magic.

Though the show eventually arrives at its ultimate conflict somewhere in its later episodes, the other thing that really hamstrings the story is just how many plot contrivances it has. Too frequently are characters sent out of their way simply for the sake of manifesting some crude development down the line. It feels unnatural and often involves the show busing itself with its supporting cast which leaves each of those respective scenes completely drained of meaning and personality. Simply put, the bulk of the show is spent investigating the relationship between Izetta and Finé and at other times attempting to spin some sort of story out of the show’s other far less interesting characters. The story is predictable to a truly unfortunate degree and never really shakes its propensity for behaving in the most obvious of ways even as it winds down.

[Sound]:

The soundtrack of Shuumatsu no Izetta is actually quite an interesting one. Some of the tracks fit better than others but for the most part they attempt to distill the show’s sense of magic and war through various orchestral styles, occult singing, and occasional rock influence. The music gives Shuumatsu no Izetta a kind of unique sound which works to its benefit however some tracks don’t fit into the scenes as well as others which can leave them feeling out of place.

[Final Thoughts and Rating]:

It’s easy to write-off Shuumatsu no Izetta as a case of wasted potential and it’s certainly true that the show doesn’t take its image of a rifle-riding, magical witch in World War II quite far enough but for the most part I feel the show hit upon most of what it could have done. Themes of helping yourself through others and self-sacrifice give the two central characters some thematic significance but also contribute to the show’s more stereotypical elements.

Rating: 3

I gave Shuumatsu no Izetta a 3 because it was uneventful, poorly written, and its cast was exceedingly under-characterized. Though its premise sported some potential

[Recommendations]:

If the premise of a witch flying around in a WWII setting, dodging gunfire and upending tanks sounds appealing then, despite its faults, Shuumatsu no Izetta will probably still deliver. Its depiction of war is a pretty entertaining one though it hardly apologizes for the show’s other many faults. Outside of its specific premise appeal, the show doesn’t have much going for it and probably isn’t worth watching unless you’re in love with the idea itself.

(This is a spoiler-free review adapted for this site)

[Synopsis]: With the conflict between the Armed Detective Agency and the Port Mafia already raging on, the appearance of The Guild further endangers the balance of the city. The stage has been set for a three-way gifted war between the organizations and by the end, only one will be left standing. Atsushi (Uemura Yuto), Dazai (Miyano Mamoru), and the rest of the Armed Detective Agency confront their strongest foes yet as the city wavers on the brink of destruction.

[Characters]:

Perhaps the most marked difference between the first and second season of Bungou Stray Dogs is the second ... seasons’ first 4 episodes which feature a stand-alone, prequel arc centering around Dazai’s past and the founding of the Armed Detective Agency. It offers a far more serious tone than the season that proceeds it and the characters and subject matter are similarly adjusted to fit this alternative kind of story. Gone are the dopey gags and whimsical suicide jokes and in their place is a mystery thriller full of organized crime, action, and subterfuge. It’s a promising start to the new season and it does away with many of the aspects of the first installment that most significantly hampered its success.

Due to the shift in tone, the cast of the prequel arc behaves fundamentally different from that of the first season. The characters have actual depth to them. Dazai isn’t bogged down by his cripplingly stupid suicide gag – he’s menacing and intellectual. Oda Sakunosuke, a newcomer, is wonderfully compelling and offers a genuinely engaging personality, skill set, and moral awareness that really embodies what makes the first 4 episodes of the show so interesting. For the first time you get a sense of purpose from these characters that isn’t derived from asinine comedy or Atsushi being hung up on the same orphanage flashback for over a season. In this regard, Bungou Stray Dogs pulled off the impossible and actually made me enjoy watching its characters.

So what then when the story shifts back to its previous setting and cast of familiar characters. Does it relax into its old ways and forget its recent progress? Luckily this isn’t the case but its not a complete turn-around either. The tone lightens up a good deal after the prequel arc concludes however in its wake remains a sense of gravity and seriousness that continues to influence the show for the better. The tonally disrupting humor makes a return but appears far less frequently than before, almost disappearing entirely during the show’s later episodes.

The cast remains much the same as they were before. Atsushi is still Atsushi and the rest of the Armed Detective Agency and the Port Mafia go about their business just as they did before. The majority of the characters remain fairly one-dimensional and the things that motivate them are pretty underwhelming but there are a handful of interesting additions to this season. While the convention of slapping the names of renowned authors on to various characters and giving them superpowers had about as little depth as it did before, Lovecraft and his style of horror beyond comprehension was fairly well conceived. The cast features a small number of improvements in this regard but as a whole remains almost insultingly simplistic and leaves a lot to be desired.

[Art/Animation]:

In respect to Bungou Stray Dogs’ visuals, not much has changed and the second season maintains the fluid and consistent style of the first series. There are a number of new flashy abilities to look at and the fight sequences are well animated and generally entertaining to watch when they don’t boil down to play-by-play ability exposition. Bungou Stray Dogs is a good looking show and if it could stand by its solid animation, great environments, and vibrant colors alone, it would be a relatively strong show.

[Story]:

As highlighted earlier, the beginning of the new season begins with a flashback arc consisting of 4 episodes that immediately surpassed all of the proceeding content. The more serious tone and far more measured approach to the show’s poor sense of comedy does it a lot of favors. It doesn’t escape moments like Dazai screaming his head off about a mobile game while his men recover the bodies of 3 of his underlings but this initial arc presents a significant step forward for the show none the less. It plays out as more of an organized crime mystery than the superpower action show that makes up the rest of Bungou Stray Dogs. It’s got a good character story at its core centering around Dazai, Oda Sakunosuke, and Sakaguchi Ango and features some compelling plot developments and action scenes.

The rest of the show that follows is far more in the vein of the previous series though as I’ve said it thankfully takes a slightly more serious approach this time around. While the offbeat comedy doesn’t get in the story’s way in the same way it once did, there are still a handful of narrative issues afoot that keep the second season of Bungou Stray Dogs from creating anything as compelling as its introductory arc. The season as a whole revolves around the three-way conflict between the Armed Detective Agency, the Port Mafia, and The Guild however what they are actually fighting over and what drives their conflict is a bit obscure. To some degree, its the city itself but the Armed Detective Agency is mostly out to save people, the Port Mafia is out to… do bad stuff and The Guild wants to capture Atsushi the weretiger… or find a book… or some such thing.

Though their reasons for fighting each other are a little flaky, what’s perhaps even more disconcerting is the way their bouts actually pan out most of the time. Despite boasting truly powerful and terrifying abilities and spending most of their dialogue threatening opposing faction members, none of the characters seem to have much of an interest in killing anyone. Sometimes two opposing factions clash and they fight to the death but in other instances, they simply nod and see each other on their way. It’s supposed to speak to this high-minded elegance behind the scenes but when each faction-head claims they want to win and don’t seem to be taking the most straightforward steps to doing so, it somewhat compromises the seriousness of their conflict.

Though it presents these weaknesses, between the prequel arc, the shift in tone, and the more interesting subject matter, the second season of the show is markedly more entertaining than the first. It tends to repeat itself for the sake of oversimplification, the characters are pretty one-dimensional but its got good production standards, plenty of fight scenes, and somewhat inciting character interactions to keep things fresh.

[Sound]:

The soundtrack sees a return of the previous themes that made up the bulk of the show’s music with a few new additions. For whatever reason, the music stood out to me more this season than it did during the first and I can say it supported each scene reasonably well.

[Final Thoughts and Rating]:

This second season of Bungou Stray Dogs was more entertaining than I would have expected it to be going in after such a forgettable first season. The conclusion of the show was fairly tight but the mentalities of all of the characters involved left me kind of baffled as to why any of them would act the way they did. This season was a significant step in the right direction but not to the degree that it became anything ‘great’.

Rating: 5

I gave the second season of Bungou Stray Dogs a 5 because, while it still suffers from uninteresting characters and a handful of narrative complications, the more sincere tone allows for the show to take itself more seriously and thus adds at least some legitimacy to its conflict and cast. The prequel arc was engaging and the action scenes that crop up throughout the rest of the show were entertaining. Bungou Stray Dogs isn’t a show with a lot going on behind the eyes. Its predictability renders it rather uneventful on some occasions but its action scenes and animation at least provide something stimulating to tide things over.

[Recommendations]:

If you already enjoyed the first series and are looking into checking out this sequel season, then I’m sure it will meet and surpass your expectations. If you enjoyed it for its comedy, it’s still present. If you liked its action scenes or supernatural abilities – there are more of them than ever. If, like me, you didn’t care for the first season, I’d give the first 4 episodes a shot and see if it catches your interest any.

Initially I wasn’t going to write anything on the topic of Shelter because I felt that the music video kind of spoke for itself. However, given the general buzz surrounding it and the various reactions I’ve seen, I thought I’d submit my own contrasting thoughts on the video. That isn’t to say that I disliked it – quite the opposite. I was on the lookout for its release because of my familiarity with Porter and Madeon and of course A-1 Pictures and the video offered a nice little vignette put to music I found enjoyable.

Where I would differ from the alleged majority of people is ... in my emotional reaction to the video. Watching anime these days, half the time I can’t tell whether the dramatic narrative possesses a critical flaw in its presentation or if I’ve just been desensitized to the point where I can’t enjoy it in the same way other people can. With that said, I’m able to invest myself in plenty of shows and I find myself emotionally involved often enough so for the time being I’ll have to side with the former possibility and that I’m not some kind of cruel, robotic person devoid of feeling. At least not yet.

Now before I go any further, I want to preface that those people who did have a genuine, tear-filled, emotional response to the video – I’m not belittling them. The fact that they were able to enjoy the video to that extent is wonderful and I wish I were able to get so much out of so little. But this is perhaps Shelter’s most problematic element. It’s brevity speaks to an inherent inability to conjure up a story with the capacity for any grand, emotional investment. It’s 6 minutes long and that’s an incredible challenge in terms of storytelling.

Shelter is beautiful. It possesses a nice, vibrant aesthetic and a handful of breathtaking visuals both in and outside of the flashback that takes place later in the video. Its settings and imagery are highly evocative of exactly what the music video wants to say. Rin’s digital world is vast, colorful, lively, and subject to change at her slightest whim. It’s easy to sense the kind of wonder and and fantasy through the video’s visuals in this way. Similarly, we get a strong impression of the world outside of the one she knows, through her flashback and the ending imagery of the cold and mechanical artifice keeping her alive and immersed in this digital plane. It’s barren, lonely, and full of devastation and these concepts directly parallel the scenes before them.

So the imagery is spot-on, wonderfully directed, and gorgeous to look at. And this is first and foremost what a music video should be. The fact that it’s telling a story is compelling yet comes secondary to the nature of the video. This can be seen in how it actively neglects telling any kind of story for the better part of its run – instead opting to illustrate the wonder and beauty of Rin’s world in juxtaposition to the song rather than fully delving into the potential story at hand. This isn’t a bad thing but simply a choice that was made.

So what of the emotional story that Shelter does exhibit? It’s a touching vignette but for me, a far cry from anything tear-inducing. I feel that, the people that were able to attach themselves to the 6-minute video to the point of emotional reaction, would have reacted much the same and suffered the same pang of sadness had I simply described the story to them in what would likely be one-sentence. That isn’t to downplay the impact the visuals have upon Shelter’s presentation but it’s ultimately more style than substance. There isn’t much in the way of interpretive imagery and while you can sense Rin’s loneliness and isolation, this is done in a fairly straightforward way.

So in short, I liked the video. It was well-animated, put to music I enjoyed, and presented a brief yet touching story. The emotional impact and narrative longevity however I feel isn’t quite there and that, unless the face-value of the story is enough to evoke a sense of sadness in you, then there isn’t much else to it. Which is perfectly fine. It’s good, but not some kind of masterwork of dramatic storytelling. To add a quick note about a somewhat comical critique I’ve seen about the video – why didn’t her father just build a pod for two people? I think it’s charitable to think that, given his clear ability to invent such an apparatus for his daughter that he was some kind of capable scientist and that he was likely needed elsewhere in such a dire time. Perhaps not an issue of practicality but rather one of responsibility. I hope to see more of this kind of artistic collaboration in the future.

(This is a spoiler-free review adapted for this site)

[Synopsis]: Seven years ago, a dispute within the mafia lead to the violent murder of the Lagusa family save for their youngest son who escapes into the night. Years later, hollow and lusting for revenge against the Vanetti Family, young Angelo Lagusa (Kondou Takashi) is offered an opportunity to fulfill his ambitions when he receives a mysterious letter detailing the family members involved that night. Returning to Lawless, a town steeped in the black market liquor sales of the prohibition, Angelo takes up the name Avilio Bruno and befriends Nero (Eguchi Takuya), the eldest son of don ... Vincent Vanetti as he takes the first steps towards exacting his terrible revenge.

[Characters]:

Being the organized crime drama that it is, 91 Days hosts a fairly substantial cast of characters in order to really flesh out the mafia dynamic of each of the families and provide a genuine feel to the cast. And that’s what most stands out about the characters of 91 Days, their authenticity. The show focuses heavily upon Angelo and his relationship with his close friend Corteo as well as Nero as they each subtly develop as the narrative progresses. While the supporting cast isn’t given this same kind of attention, the number of named characters, of family allegiances, and minute character details brings them to life. None of these people are good or evil – they all operate based on circumstance, because of their past, the family, and their future. They might not all stand out distinctly in the long run, however the atmosphere they provide and the legitimacy of their portrayal is striking and adds immensely to the story.

To talk briefly about Angelo, he’s a husk of a person. He lost everything when the Vanettis killed his family and ever since has fostered a deep-seated hatred for them that drives his revenge. He isn’t all that diverse of a character as he keeps his emotions quite muted and though the show at times eludes to his underlying feelings or humor he mostly conducts himself in a stiff and methodical manner. This isn’t somebody who has been driven mad by his hate but rather someone who feels they have nothing left to live for, who desperately latches onto this chance of retribution in order to give their life meaning again.

Angelo’s humanity, whether he fully throws himself into his vengeance or finds a new way to live again, is what is held in contention throughout the show – at times wavering and solidifying with each dramatic movement. To Angelo, his very existence is pain. His cleverness makes him interesting to watch as well and the way in which he goes about manipulating others and steadily carrying out his plans paints an engaging story even early on in the show.

Nero is an interesting character as well. As the eldest son of the Vanetti Family, he embodies the mafioso ideals of family above all else. The Vanetti’s continued existence and image mean everything to him. His relationship with Angelo, known as Avilio to him, influences both characters a good deal and is one of the major cruxes of the show. In the same way that the supporting cast doubles and triples down on their excellent portrayal of the 1930’s mobster atmosphere, Nero breathes life into the narrative through his strong sense of family and responsibility.

[Art/Animation]:

Perhaps more than anything else, 91 Days is a show about presentation. The setting, the character designs, the color palette all ooze that iconic mafioso charisma and panache. The most outstanding visual quality of the show is its directing which features great shot composition, a film-esque sense of perspective, and great subtext which feeds into the show’s foreshadowing and complicated appeal. Homages to other famous gangster films as well as The Godfather were also included, emphasizing the passion and vision behind the show’s visuals.

The animation has a lot of emotive movement which further emphasizes the authenticity of the cast however the character designs can admittedly look off-model at times and low quality. Small details such as attention to gun handling and reloading bring everything together atmospherically in a believable and immersive way. The various backgrounds and scenery of the show look fantastic and while they are delivered in a slightly different style, their subdued colors and earthy tones fit the setting incredibly well.

[Story]:

The story starts off to a thrilling beginning, opening on the appropriately brutal murder of the Lagusa family and young Angelo’s escape from the residence. It was a strong hook into the show, starting off with the flashback to 7 years ago and ending with a bootleg deal gone wrong while establishing the setting and various mafia names and interests. From the get-go, 91 Days makes it clear what kind of show its going to be – a bloody period piece delivered in a muted aesthetic with a western-style dramatic narrative. It follows up on this over the rest of the show substantially well, launching right into Angelo’s revenge plot very early on and featuring tons of world-building details such as family politics and territory disputes.

While not all that thematically complicated, the show’s use of foreshadowing and imagery is put to good use and underscores its presentation-centrique style. 91 Days is slow and methodical in how it unfolds, placing a lot of its appeal in its grounded atmosphere and stylish cinematography. It’s not so much thrilling as it is tense and high-strung, slowly building to a grand finale at the end of the show but for the most part avoiding doing so on a scene by scene basis. This generally will mean that 91 Days will expect a bit of patience out of its viewers and might seem to drag on or loose focus for those that aren’t as invested. While it’s slow to unfold, the show lives for its big, payoff moments which happen frequently enough. These are big developments in the plot and sometimes quite interesting twists in the story which keep things entirely engaging as the show builds towards its ultimate conclusion.

[Sound]:

The soundtrack of the show was great. In more lighthearted times it was jazzy and upbeat but once the drama and intrigue set in it was able to match the tonal shift. This is what I feel the soundtrack did best. While its tracks weren’t individually memorable, the music’s ability to match the show’s different modes and accentuate the story at each turn was impressive. As the narrative sat brooding, as it climbed, and as it climaxed, the music was there at each stage emphasizing the scenes exceptionally well, especially towards the end.

[Final Thoughts and Rating]:

91 Days was thrilling and dramatic and absolutely overflowing with style. While it wasn’t as engaging at every step of the show as it was at its peaks, those big, dramatic moments that strung everything together were highly entertaining.

Rating: 8

I gave 91 Days an 8 because of how each of its elements, its characters, its story, and visuals, all fed into one grand, immersive presentation. While the characterization of the cast was kind of subdued, they were a good deal of fun regardless of this. The show had a handful of unexpected twists and a great ending which tied together its most decisive elements.

[Recommendations]:

I think because of how heavily the show relies on its sense of style and subject matter, that those viewers who know they enjoy the kind of gangster, mafia stories will undoubtedly enjoy the show more than others. That isn’t to say it can only be enjoyed by those people as I myself don’t have a history with those films or shows but it certainly lends itself better to some audiences. It’s got a lot of great drama and should entertain anybody looking for a solid revenge story.

(This is a spoiler-free review adapted for this site)

[Synopsis]: Tales of Zestiria takes place in a world where long ago, humans and supernatural beings called seraphim lived alongside one another. Over the years, humanity lost the ability to perceive the seraphim and they grew scarce as the negative emotions of humanity, a corrupting force called ‘malevolence,’ took root in the land. Legends speak of ancient saviors called Shepherds who would bridge the gap between the two beings however none have appeared and the world grows darker by the day. The story begins when Alisha Diphda (Kayano Ai), princess of the Highland Empire, encounters a young ... man named Sorey (Kimura Ryouhei) who is able to perceive the seraphim and who may be the world’s only hope of purifying the world’s proliferating malevolence.

[Characters]:

As one might expect given the show’s RPG roots, Tales of Zestiria centers around Sorey and his party of friends consisting of both seraphim and humans. The show has a moderately sized supporting cast but they are mostly there for the main group of characters to bounce off of and don’t receive much in the way of characterization themselves. Even the majority of Sorey’s companions are fairly one-dimensional, typically sporting a pretty clear-cut personality and not much else. Alisha at the very least represents a controversial, pacifistic ideology which both drives her actions as well as the narrative near the end of the show. The cast is lightly entertaining but there isn’t much in the way of depth to speak of.

Sorey himself is about as bland as protagonists come. He’s upbeat, kindhearted, and his idealistic aspirations of the seraphim and humanity once again coexisting alongside each other paint him as a self-sacrificing, good-guy. There is a genuine sense of comradery between him and his close friend Mikleo however beyond this bond his interactions with others are pretty generically amicable. There isn’t anything that sets him apart from other characters and his painfully straightforward, good-nature just further homogenizes him.

Outside of the cast’s straightforward personalities and Sorey’s own uninspired characterization, the thing that is most lacking in regards to the cast is good, character-exploring dialogue. Tales of Zestiria has plenty of scenes about world-building, politics, and the supernatural elements that populate its world however there’s hardly any time where the characters take a moment to flesh each other out. This wouldn’t be so dearly missed if the show didn’t revolve around a tight, party of friends. Their exchanges are amicable and everyone gets along but the vast majority of their dialogue is just spent on the exposition of what it means to be a Shepard and continuously reiterating the importance of Sorey’s quest.

[Art/Animation]:

Undoubtedly, it is in Tale of Zestiria’s visual presentation where it best succeeds. The visual effects are marvelous and possess a grand sense of scale that really accentuates the fantastic world the characters live in and the magic present in each of the show’s story elements. The background settings are gorgeous though sometimes they don’t blend as well as they could with the characters, leading to an awkward effect where they look slightly out of place in juxtaposition to the vast and colorful backdrop behind them. This is infrequent and very minor however.

The city the cast stays in for a time felt alive and bustling – shop owners stood outside their stalls and stores, people gathered and passed each other in the streets, and they really brought the setting to life. The show’s action scenes were well-animated, fluid, and exciting. As a whole, Tales of Zestiria is a great-looking show. It’s grandiose and vibrant presentation did well in executing the feel of a fantasy world and though the characters were lacking in appeal, it remained exceedingly pretty to watch. Whether or not these fantastic visuals and great production are enough to fully carry one’s interest in the show will depend on the viewer.

[Story]:

While Tale of Zestiria’s cast of characters aren’t as compelling as they could have been, the most significant blow to the show’s quality stems from its horrible pacing. The epilogue drops the viewer into a a dark and sinister fantasy world full of ancient ruins, political intrigue, and a sinister, looming mist on the horizon. It’s very light on exposition and the characters go about their tasks as they normally would though the viewer isn’t really clued into the implications of what is happening – what the mist means, why the kingdom is in the state that it is, who the characters are, etc. The first episode then delves a bit further into the mythology behind Tales of Zestiria mentioned in the epilogue and doesn’t do much to explain the previous events though it introduces us to Sorey and Mikleo. With Sorey’s introduction, a critical issue arises.

From the very beginning, it is painfully obvious that Sorey will become the Shepard of legend. His good-nature, belief in the legends of the Shepard, ability to see the seraphim, and dream of humans and seraphim coexisting once again all point directly at this. With that knowledge in mind, the show then proceeds to take 4 entire episodes (or 5 if you count the prologue) to finally unveil him as such when he takes up the sacred blade. Tales of Zestiria drags its feet in the extreme after introducing its characters and takes far too long to magnificently affirm for the viewer what they already knew. Just as the show finally arrives at the starting point of Sorey’s epic quest to cleanse the malevolence from the land and save the world, we are launched into a two-episode side-story.

The midsection of the show presents a brief, two-episode flashback concerning the characters and events of a different game in the Tales franchise – Tales of Berseria, which takes place many, many years before the events of the current show in the same world. Just like the epilogue, the viewer is tossed into an unfamiliar setting full of new monster types, magic powers, world rules, classifications, histories, and implications. It unapologetically immerses the viewer in this new, darker story and the show never bothers to connect it to the overarching show the viewer is familiar with which leads to it feeling pretty much purely promotional.

Perhaps the worst part of this is that Velvet Crowe, the protagonist of this two-episode interlude, is far and away more interesting than Sorey. Her story as well as the setting is grim and dark compared to the cheery and colorful aesthetic of Tales of Zestiria. Between what characterization she receives and her dramatic quest for revenge, Velvet and the story of Berseria are far more enticing than the story at large and despite our complete inability to understand a lot of the terminology being bandied about, it’s more immediately interesting than the show it interrupted. It has a sense of purpose and direction that up until that point, Zestiria wasn’t able to deliver on.

Finally, with the advent of episode 8 and the end of the flashback, Sorey and his companions at last embark on a journey. Even then the direction of the story is a bit vague in what Sorey is actually supposed to be doing and how he is going to cleanse the world of malevolence but at least they leave the capital city and start fighting monsters and dragons. So to reiterate, the key issue with Tales of Zestiria is that it takes 5 episodes to tell the viewer what they already knew, takes 2 episode off to explore a completely different story, and then features one final episode of bustling around before it can finally develop the sense of adventure that the premise of the show initially promises. While it has a second cour waiting in the wings, this is no excuse for how painfully drawn out Tales of Zestiria’s storytelling is and how underdeveloped its characters are.

[Sound]:

While not distinctly memorable, the music is grand and adventurous like the show’s visuals and is well situated to the narrative. It’s hard to recall any part of the soundtrack individually but its a good deal of fun and supports Tale of Zestiria’s visual presentation very well.

[Final Thoughts and Rating]:

Tales of Zestiria is kind of a mixed bag in that, while it’s characters are enjoyable, they are also very plain – especially in the case of Sorey. Though the world, aesthetic, and overarching plot of the show might be interesting, the narrative dawdles and needlessly draws out what should take a far shorter time to explore. It’s gorgeous to look at, wonderfully animated, and exhibits some really exciting action scenes however it never fully steps beyond the realm of ‘eye candy’ in its attempt to drum up a compelling story.

Rating: 6

I gave Tales of Zestiria a 6 primarily because of its fantastic visuals but also due to its moderately entertaining characters and narrative. While it doesn’t present the most engaging of stories and it takes far too long to arrive at its adventurous core, the show was entertaining to watch. Hopefully the subsequent installment of the series can better flesh out what the first season found lacking and really begin to develop a stronger narrative overall.

[Recommendations]:

If you’ve enjoyed other game adaptations and enjoy that kind of ‘party-dynamic’ that the main cast represents, you’re likely to enjoy Tales of Zestieria. Anybody looking for a visually stunning, very straightforward action, adventure show won’t be disappointed with the show’s subject matter. Tales of Zestiria is pretty much what it promises to be and so anyone intrigued by its premise or genre will likely find what they go looking for.

This is a spoiler-free review adapted for this site)

[Synopsis]: Returning from a convenience store late at night, Natsuki Subaru (Kobayashi Yuusuke) blinks to find himself inexplicably standing in the middle of a busy street in a fantasy world. Enthusiastic about this incredible development, Subaru is quickly beaten to a pulp by some back alley thugs before being rescued by a mysterious girl (Takahashi Rie) chasing after a thief and her prized possession. After agreeing to help the girl search for her stolen property and touring around town, Subaru eventually comes to find where the girl’s trinket has been taken however, upon attempting to retrieve it, ... both of them are assassinated. Suddenly Subaru finds himself standing back in the street where he arrived, discovering that he has gained the ability ‘Return by Death’ allowing him to rewind time by dying and change his and the girl’s ultimate fate.

[Characters]:

As opposed to most light-novel-esque, dropped into a fantasy type shows where the story primarily revolves around a relatively identifiable protagonist, the enigmatic and attractive girl he first meets, and a reasonably large cast of purely supporting characters, Re:Zero presents something a bit more complex. Like most of Re:Zero, the setup is remarkably similar however how everything ultimately plays out is fundamentally different. Natsuki Subaru aside, the number of the cast members are fairly one-dimensional but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Their personalities and more importantly their dialogues are quite entertaining and add a lot of value and distinction to the show’s large cast despite their straightforward designs.

The character most important to talk about here as he is both absolutely integral to understanding what Re:Zero is about and is one of the most heatedly criticized characters to emerge in the last couple years, is Nastsuki Subaru himself. Unlike the other characters who appeal to their audience through their interactions with Subaru rather than their own personal intricacies, Subaru features a very weighty and meaningful character arc. Upon arriving in the fantasy world, he possesses all the hyper stereotypical traits that one has come to associate with his archetype. He was a shut-in gamer who’s genre savviness leads him to expect certain things from the world and look forward to his own heroic feats and adventures though he is quickly disappointed in this regard. He gives off this kind of reckless, 4th-wall-breaking abandonment in how he addresses other people which in some ways is endearing and provides a good sense of camaraderie between him and the characters he converses with.

With this mindset come a few complications, the most important of which is his blatant white-knight mentality – where someone grounds their self-importance in helping or saving others they deem requiring their aid. It’s a common character trope that is strongly tied to Subaru’s archetypal design as the protagonist however its where the show goes with these initial traits and how it perverts and subverts them that Subaru’s characterization becomes interesting. His personality spurs him to often make shallow, ill-informed decisions and rather then everything falling neatly at his feet despite his inadequacies, he pays for his ignorance and nearsightedness constantly and often in horrific ways.

This drives a lot of people to hate Subaru and subsequently hate the show but his development is approached very purposefully. Re:Zero, for a time, wants you to hate Subaru. It challenges the wish-fulfilling otaku to self-insert with him. The show isn’t afraid to paint Subaru in an unflattering light in order to provide development and commentary and this is a huge part of what sets Subaru apart from other protagonists. What’s more is how his experiences effect him. In a world where he effectively cannot die and the only thing that carries over are his recollections and sensations, the mental stress from the agony of death and of having his memories invalidated places an immense psychological toll on him.

He doesn’t just make poor decisions because of his shoddy ideologies and self-perception but because his priorities and values are warped by his own pain, fear, and trauma. He has to cope with a lot of horrible experiences and these things very clearly influence who he is at each step of his journey. Ultimately one’s own enjoyment of Subaru and probably of Re:Zero itself will depend upon how well they think the show justifies his characterization. He can either be extremely compelling and subversive, or a total turn-off.

[Art/Animation]:

While Re:Zero’s visuals aren’t the most crisp at times, it does have plenty of instances of good animation and if anything can be generally agreed upon it’s that the show has an excellent production. The character designs are distinct and memorable and really lend themselves to this fantasy world that Subaru has stumped into. There are a few CG demi-humans that populate the background of the city whenever the characters visit but beyond that the show is pretty aesthetically consistent and looks pretty good all throughout.

What’s impressive is the show’s attention to visual detail, often attempting to trick the viewer, highlight certain elements of a shot, and even unveil a sequence of events in a very cinematic way. While Re:Zero has fewer action scenes than one might expect from its premise and design, when they do roll around they are exciting to watch and at times even possess surprisingly inventive choreography. While the show’s visuals aren’t extravagant, I would cite them as a considerable strength of the show if only because of their intricate focuses and production value.

[Story]:

As evidenced by the premise, the story of Re:Zero starts out very quickly and abruptly – Subaru simply closing his eyes before he is transported to another world. It’s a nice way to skip the pleasantries and dive right into things. We know everything we need to know about Subaru at the time based on his actions in the convenience store and his reaction to arriving in the fantasy world. He starts out his journey in the same way any game-savvy protagonist would. He gathers information, tests certain things like currency and language and wonders where the cute girl is who summoned him before lamenting his own ordinariness and lack of magic abilities. The early episodes are pretty dialogue driven which sets the tone of the show pretty well. Some of the most important aspects of the show are how Subaru forms relationships with other characters and this dialogue-heavy approach both offers compelling character interaction and sets the show up to be something else entirely later.

The setting of the story and the characters that populate it are an additional appeal of the show. The world presents its own lore and landscape which lends to the fantasy elements of the show but also to its foreshadowing and many narrative mysteries. There’s a great deal of world-building minutiae as well which adds a lot to the story though at times can feel too openly expository. Many of the characters as they are introduced are fairly stereotypical to go in-line with the kind of ‘false-premise’ of the show however a number of them develop over the course of the story into more complicated, distinct, and memorable characters. The dialogue in particular is especially engaging.

In much the same way that discussing Subaru is necessary to understand the characters of the show, discussing his ability to reset his experiences after dying is equally essential to understanding the plot of the show. How does Re:Zero make a show interesting when its first episode teaches the viewer that Subaru is only ever one misstep away from starting all over again? How does the show maintain its engaging qualities for long periods of time when the viewer can’t forget that they are only one reset away from all of what’s happened meaning nothing. Within the premise of the story, there are only two things that carry over after Subaru’s death – the knowledge from his experiences and their psychological toll on him. Re:Zero correctly places its emphasis on this.

By establishing early on that the protagonist can die and die repeatedly, ‘Return by death’ becomes an engaging storytelling concept by effectively illustrating that everyone is constantly hovering right above death. Normally the narrative or plot would dictate whether a character lived or died – aptly named plot armor, but the show upends this dynamic by resetting the story in dramatic twists which allows it to do anything it wants with its characters. It’s engaging and a strong use of the show’s premise. When things are at ease, there is an inescapable tension to the proceedings. The viewer is taught to fear for the worst when things look dire but it’s when victory seems assured and everything is going well that the show becomes the most unsettling. That is when you should be most worried. It conditions you to never trust a scene in how it progresses and only those of the greatest importance shine through the misery and gloom.

Though Re:Zero is initially bright and adventurous and returns to that tone with varying frequency, it also becomes grim beyond measure. The schism between what has happened before and what is currently happening in the show creates a discomfort for the viewer which speaks directly to Subaru’s own feelings on a more distant scale. The show really beats Subaru down until a point of absolute misery, despair, and horror which some viewers may view as gratuitous and unwarranted yet it’s certainly grim and thrilling. Between the constant cliff-hanger endings the fear that Subaru might die and all his effort amount to nothing, there is an ominous apprehension to the show. It’s a story about determination, resolve, and development – of how Subaru copes with his self-perception, psychological trauma, and attempts to form relationships with other people, all set against a detailed fantasy world and plot. It sells you a stereotypical, tired, and unapologetically run-of-the-mill setup before gradually transforming into an exciting fantasy thriller that sets itself apart.

[Music]:

The soundtrack was great. Much like some of the show’s visual sequences, the music at times possessed a very cinematic feel to it. The tracks were enjoyable and highly varied. The music really embodied the various tones of the show phenomenally well – the sorrow, the pain, the grand scale of the story, the adventure and drama. Re:Zero had a very effective and memorable sound track that doubtlessly aided in the show’s great presentation of its story.

[Final Thoughts and Rating]:

As a whole, Re:Zero has proved to be one of the most contentious shows of the past several years surrounded by some of the most volatile of opinions. It would seem that one’s enjoyment of it will depend heavily on what the individual viewer brings to the show. Personally I thought that it was an exceedingly enjoyable show that repurpsosed and breathed new life into what has become an incredibly tired and troublesome genre. It managed to incorporate new twisted and provocative elements while not losing sight of what made the style of story it’s playing off of fun and enjoyable in the first place.

Rating: 8

I gave Re:Zero an 8 because it was a highly entertaining fantasy thriller with a lot of great dialogue, fun characters, and an engaging world. Subaru’s character arch and the way in which ‘Return by Death’ affected the narrative were both very captivating and the story presented plenty of action and adventure to stay just as exciting as it was dark and grim.

[Recommendations]:

Anybody looking for a solid high-fantasy, dramatic, action thriller ought to find that Re:Zero delivers on all the elements they are looking for in excess. For those who have grown tired of the typical, parallel world story – Re:Zero may offer them some insightful reprieve or double-down on why they dislike the genre in the first place. It’s reception seems extremely case-by-case and so I recommend that any prospective viewers just head right into it and personally see if its the right show for them.

This is a spoiler-free review adapted for this site)

[Synopsis]: Picking up around 2 years after the events of the original 1997 series, Berserk (2016) follows the story of Guts on his quest for vengeance after being betrayed and branded as a sacrifice. Haunted by spirits everywhere he goes and driven nearly mad by his rage and pain, he seeks out the demonic Apostles of the God Hand in order to find the man who took everything from him. In his travels he encounters an elf named Puck who accompanies him despite his protests. Guts’ journey of revenge is interrupted when he learns that the only ... person left that he cares about may be in danger.

[Characters]:

As a story, Berserk is absolutely loaded with a prodigious number of themes and parallels about dreams, evil, free will, and fate. While the world and grim dark setting of the story is integral in its appeal and presentation, many would argue that its most important aspect is its cast of exceedingly complicated, human characters. Their personalities and experiences are the vehicles for all of the incredible, thematic details the narrative has to offer and the impeccable writing surrounding them is one of the major elements that makes Berserk so endlessly engaging.

Where Berserk (2016) missteps in this regard is in how simplistically it portrays its characters. The cast of the show falls into the very same trap as its story which lacks sufficient context for the adventure being told to be truly compelling. Guts himself should appear quite familiar. Clad in a black suit of armor and wielding his iconic Dragonslayer, his characterization touches upon how the eclipse has changed him and how he’s far more bitter and contemptuous than he once was. But that’s about as far as it goes. What’s lacking is a sense of emotion – all the madness, hurt, and misery that made Guts so compelling, callous, and different from the man you once knew are reduced to their most basic traits. You get a sense that Guts has changed for the worse but the scope of it all is greatly diminished and what the viewer is left with is a man who allegedly hunts down Apostles with a giant sword and a fatigued wit.

This is the issue with the cast as a whole. We are introduced to a handful of moderately interesting characters with their own unique personalities and motivations however the intricacy and subtext that made them all so impossibly intriguing and complex has been neglected. You can clearly sense that Farnese possesses a set of questionable morals and undergoes a crisis of faith and you can discern Serpico’s cunning but both are presented very straightforwardly and those attributes are all the characters are made out to be. What’s more, the scenes that speak directly to the more complicated traits of the characters then seem awkward because you can’t tell what purpose there is behind them. What remains are the character’s most rudimentary attributes which leave them feeling stiff and even bland in many instances.

[Art/Animation]:

The show’s production, art, and animation are by far the most discussed and criticized elements of Berserk (2016) and for good reason. The heavy reliance on CG is the most relevant and obvious of the qualms surrounding the show’s visuals however I don’t think that it is in itself the most problematic part of the show’s presentation. The quality of the character models starts off at a horrific low in the first episode and gradually over the course of the entire show improves by an moderate amount. At least by the latter half of the show the characters generally look like themselves with less frequent exceptions. The real damage done by the CG is not just in how off-model a lot of the characters look but in how their rigid and choppy animation cycles and movement drain would-be dramatic scenes of their intensity and seriousness. The juxtaposition of the CG characters against other two-dimensional supporting cast members that share the screen with them further accentuates their outlandish appearance.

The most pervasive visual problem with Berserk (2016) is in its directing and camera movement. The cinematography shifts between being relatively smooth and even reasonably inventive at times to being uninspired and obnoxious at the drop of a hat. The ‘camera’ has to do extra work and be over-active to compensate for the low quality of a lot of the scenes but what results is a presentation that feels overly busy and needlessly restless. The camera jolts and darts around to create a sense of action and combat however there is very little cohesion between the different shots so the whole composition falls apart. The directing shows signs of improvement near the tail-end of the show but fails to become anything entirely redemptive. There are some decent key-frames thrown into the mix and occasionally the rather lengthy action shots develop in an interesting way however for the greater part, the whole look of the show is unfortunately pretty disastrous.

[Story]:

Given the other rather immense shortcomings of Berserk (2016) it comes as some surprise that the show follows its source material fairly closely once it gets rolling. Even within the show the first episode stands out as both visually and narratively different. While the second episode and onward tell a reasonably coherent story, the first episode tries to compensate for an immense amount of content missing from the adaptation – attempting to catch the viewer up with who Guts has become since last seeing him in the eclipse. The show throws together a few characters and concepts to do so but its poor visual design and subject matter predictably aren’t able to fully capture Guts’ missing characterization. This lack of context is what most damages the story.

A lot of Berserk’s appeal is grounded in its ability to snowball intricate backstories, character development, and themes into a grand interweaving narrative and the show completely fails to follow through on this. The show neglects prefacing a lot of its scenes and characters, not just in regards to Guts’ shift in personality over the years. The show follows the story rather closely but it gives no weight to what happens. There is no significance or united meaning behind each scene as it transpires and what results are moments with very little build up and little to no payoff. Everything just happens without hardly any justification. Not only does it undermine one of the key elements of what makes Berserk good but its a lackluster example of storytelling in its own right.

Berserk (2016) does arrive at moments of importance and is able to execute them with some degree of emphasis and the storytelling like the show’s visuals and sound design improve towards the end of the show. Though the story lacks the implications it originally had, the plot as it unfolds still has interesting developments and characters. This is all to say that, the show is not without its standalone moments but they aren’t impressive enough to fully outweigh the negative elements it possesses elsewhere.

[Sound]:

Somewhat unexpectedly, it’s the show’s music and sound mixing which is its second biggest shortcoming after its shoddy directing. The sound that Guts’ Dragonslayer makes when it swings through something was comical to the point of becoming a joke. Whether he was hacking through wood, armor, stone, or bones, his sword would emit the same absurd ‘clang’ which felt progressively more and more out of place until it was changed sometime in the show’s latter half. Though the sword example is the most obvious one, this issue of mismatched audio and even poorly timed effects was highly pervasive in the show and led to a lot of scenes feeling very awkward and poorly put together. Things would frequently make inappropriate sounds out of time with the visual presentation. In short, the show couldn’t sell a punch. The audio undermined believably and made the action scenes feel uncomfortable on most occasions instead of impressive or exciting.

The music is the other half of this issue. The soundtrack itself is actually quite good. It fits the tone of the show well enough and features an impressive, memorable track from Susumu Hirasawa. The problem that arises is in how the soundtrack is executed within the scene. These otherwise impressive tracks chime in at the weirdest times, starting and stopping at a moments notice and in complete disregard to what is happening on screen. It’s a case of wasted potential. Each track presses up against the next unceremoniously and the manner in which they come to an abrupt halt before the next starts in is downright disconcerting.

[Final Thoughts and Rating]:

I’ve done my best not to review this show as a fan of Berserk but as a fan of anime. Berserk (2016) didn’t just fail at being a Berserk adaptation, it failed on its own merits as a show. The story being told wasn’t uncompelling and the show captures fleeting instances of Berserk’s narrative charm however its lack of context and the shoddiness of its audiovisual design greatly hampers what could have been a decent anime.

Rating: 4

I gave Berserk (2016) a 4 primarily because of its incredibly awkward production. While the CG and audio mixing improved slightly towards the end of the series, it was still of pretty poor quality all throughout. The groundwork that is Berserk and the show’s faithfulness in adapting the actual narrative and bits of dialogue is what spares the show from a lower score and for all of its issues its still reasonably entertaining to watch.

[Recommendations]:

It’s hard to recommend this show for any reason but if there was one it would be for people that can look past an unattractive visual presentation and still enjoy the story being told. If poor CG or bad visuals are typically a turn off for you then I would stay away from this show but if you are intensely curious as to where Berserk’s story goes after the golden age and don’t mind how the show looks or sounds, then you may very well enjoy it. In all seriousness, read the manga – that’s the best recommendation I can give.

(This is a spoiler-free review adapted for this site)

[Synopsis]: Kenzou Tenma (Kiuchi Hidenobu) was a renowned, genius, neurologist and a rising star in the medical world until he disobeyed a direct order from Eisler Memorial Hospital’s chief director. Instead of operating on the newly arrived Mayor who had promised to fund the hospital in the near future, Tenma made decision based on his own morality to save Johan Liebert (Sasaki Nozomu), the adopted son of an East German diplomat who had arrived first. At the cost of his social standing, Tenma saves the young boy though, soon after, the director and several doctors at the ... hospital are found poisoned and Johan and his twin sister Anna (Noto Mamiko), missing. Years later, Johan’s reappearance in front of Tenma reveals him to be a callous murderer which sparks Tenma’s own journey to discover Johan’s true identity and right the wrong of saving him years ago.

[Characters]:

It should immediately speak to the strength of Monster’s many attributes that it is hard to say which one of them is truly the most beneficial or compelling given how powerful each of the show’s components are. The cast of the show is terrific and expansive and while the main group of characters is highly engaging, the supporting cast is captivating in its own right. The show hits upon a means of instantly humanizing certain characters, often through their relationships with others and this leads to majority of the cast feeling overwhelmingly familiar and understandable.

Though at times Tenma fades in and out of the story in favor of exploring the current events from other perspectives and gaining insight elsewhere in the world, he is doubtlessly the protagonist and an important person to highlight. He is well characterized from the beginning – more than simply a meek doctor under the thumb of the hospital director, he is frustrated and conflicted, concerned and at a times full of regret. One can clearly see why he behaves the way he does and his sense of morality both influences his character heavily as well as the themes of the show. His development is as subtle as it is substantial and over the course of 74 episodes he is tasked with continuously reevaluating what he believes in and what he must do to continue moving forward.

Given the nature of the story, the other character of greatest import to elaborate upon is Johan, though the main cast of characters features highly compelling and interesting characters across the board. The titular ‘Monster’ of the series, he is certainly characterized as such though it is not purely his mercilessness and cold intelligence that sets him up as such but rather also his charisma and frightening ability to bring out the worst in people and manipulate them to his will. Johan is treated much like a horror monster, rarely seen but effectively ever-present though sometimes far away with many layers between him and the events transpiring. Though he himself is only intermittently seen, he is utterly core to the narrative and learning about his past – what drives him and what made him the way he is, is the focus of much of the show. His relationship with Tenma is endlessly engaging and through each horrific action and tragedy he seems to ask of Tenma whether or not he still believes that all human lives are truly equal.

Though characters such as Anna and Lunge are wonderfully complex and fascinating, the supporting cast deserves special attention here. Monster employs an immense number of people to tell its story, many of whom are surprisingly deep and memorable. A news reporter is more than simply an exasperated man with deadlines – he has a wife that left him and he wants to get back together but can’t figure out how. The gun instructor is more than a gruff, military man – he raises a daughter whose mother he killed in Myanmar during the war. Everybody is interconnected though it rarely if ever feels overly coincidental. Johan’s presence has warped these people together for better or worse and watching how they interact is like observing the ominous wake of a monster as it passes. Though the cast exhibits a myriad of personalities, a propensity for development, and a complicated parallelism that binds them together, it is the way their experiences and the events that transpire inform their identities that is the true masterwork of the show.

[Art/Animation]:

Following the character discussion, it is pertinent to highlight the many varying character designs featured. Not only are the designs distinct and set apart each member of the massive cast from one another but their variety in facial structure, body-type, and mannerisms complicate the cast on a visual level immensely. Characters aside, the show goes a long way in establishing the atmosphere of each scene and a great deal of Monster’s intensity and anxiety can be attributed to it’s darker and more brooding tones. The countless environments and townscapes are beautiful and distinct as the story travels to each location.

[Story]:

Just as Monster’s characters are endlessly compelling and interesting to watch, so too is its narrative which exhibits numerous strengths and relatively no weaknesses. The first episode is quite gripping – it begins with the introduction of Dr. Tenma and his position within the hospital and one gets an immediate sense of it’s hierarchical nature and the politics at play as well as the source of his frustration and conflicted feelings. The subject matter of the first episode ties very well into the theme it introduces – the equality or inequality of human lives and it ends on a cliffhanger involving the murder of Johan’s adoptive parents. The second episode doubles down on the thematic ideas expressed in the first and its events really draw the viewer into a haunting and unfair world. The first several episodes serve as a great hook into the series yet can hardly anticipate the epic and sprawling story to follow.

Of all of Monster’s qualities it is perhaps its pacing that will be what challenges most viewers. The story moves at a very methodical and deliberate pace and while the subject matter of each episode is usually quite thrilling it has a tendency to hint and prod at many realizations and future scenes rather than rushing into them quickly and this slower pace may detract from the show for some viewers. There are no real filler episodes and effectively everything that happens has a place within the overarching narrative. After the show gets rolling, it does pan away from Tenma for periods at a time to investigate and develop other characters and plots which are equally if not more interesting. The latter half of the show is, if possible, even more exciting and the revelations roll in one after another in a way that makes Monster very hard to put down.

The story is positively fascinating but it would not share in the success it does without its pervasive and intelligent use of themes to tie everything together. The list of themes is extensive and includes such ideas as the equality of human life, the implication of names and identities, amnesia and memories, good and evil, and whether or not the titular ‘Monsters’ exist. These themes form an ongoing dialogue with the events of the show and its characters and enliven each development hugely. The interconnected nature of the cast and the parallelism shared between them is further complicated by these overarching ideas which make Monster both assertive and engrossing.

The last thing to touch upon is the show’s use of allegory which, in juxtaposition to its themes as well as the backstories of its characters, provides uniquely thrilling and mysterious insight into its cast. Through the presence of picture books and certain repeated phrases and stories, Monster continuously creates intelligent, narrative implications and foreshadows future events which are a major factor in the overall strength of the show. Monster exhibited some of the most pertinent and well organized allegory I have seen.

[Music]:

Though Monster’s visuals were electrifying and gripping, the presentation wouldn’t have been nearly as strong had they not been set against such a strong soundtrack. The music was wonderfully dramatic and very tonally focused, sometimes slow and brooding but at other times swelling to a climax alongside the visuals and subject matter. As a whole the sound design was excellent and on top of the soundtrack, the use of certain techniques like a progressively faster beating heartbeat and the downpour of rain slowly becoming deafening as the scene builds added an unexpected grandeur to the scenes. The creak of a door, the sound of scuffling footsteps, and the like were very atmospheric elements and when combined with the music were integral to the success of Monster’s presentation.

[Final Thoughts and Rating]:

Monster represents a show that was engaging and gripping on all levels and the intelligence of its design shone through in each scene and development. Though the initially slower episodes that followed the story’s lengthy introduction unfolded rather leisurely, the majority of the show and particularly its latter half were incredibly captivating and increasingly hard to put down.

Rating: 10

I gave Monster a 10 because it was intelligent, insightful, provocative, complicated, and a myriad other things that augmented its tenacious story and brilliant characters. The way in which people were shaped by their experiences, the thematic implications layered across scenes and events, the atmospheric presentation, the compelling supporting cast of characters, and the inventive use of allegory all coalesced to make for an incredibly captivating show.

[Recommendations]:

Monster occupies a variety of different genres and features some of the best content of each. Those looking for a fantastic, psychological drama will be thrilled with the manner in which the show operates. The mystery and horror elements are executed to perfection as well and will likely keep fans of those genres captivated practically all throughout. The only concern I would voice is that the length of the show and its pacing require some patience from the viewer and on a case by case basis the show may be too long-winded for some people.

(This is a spoiler-free review adapted for this site)

[Synopsis]: Twenty years ago, the Kabane inexplicably appeared – undead, humanoid monsters possessing an infectious bite and an iron cage around their hearts. Their aggressive and resilient nature quickly pushed humanity to the brink, forcing them to flee behind the walls of fortress-esque stations connected by a network of rails and ironclad locomotives. When the walls of Aragane station are breached by an out of control train and it is overrun by Kabane, a young engineer named Ikoma (Hatanaka Tasuku) is forced to fight for his life and has a chance encounter with Mumei (Senbongi Sayaka), ... a girl who is neither Kabane nor entirely human.

[Characters]:

Perhaps Kabaneri’s most overwhelming weakness was its frustrating cast of characters and their individual characterization. Though there are a handful of outlying characters that are introduced later in the show, Kabaneri focuses primarily upon the crew of the Koutetsujou – the titular, armored train that hails from the Aragane station. There are several characters of at least some import within the crew however whatever convictions or goals they have are ultimately pretty dismissible due to plot revolving so heavily around the Kabaneri Ikoma and Mumei.

Ikoma is quite a mixed bag in that, he possesses a number of traits that feel over-typical of a protagonist such as his stereotypical revenge story and never-back-down personality however he also exhibits a few refreshing characteristics. His guilt ridden conscience in both abandoning his sister to the Kabane years ago as well as his station’s abandonment of other people speaks well to his initial cynicism and underlying anger. These traits back up his otherwise conventional quality of facing his problems head on and at least gives the viewer something to chew on when the story starts out. Unfortunately for Ikoma, whatever interesting ideologies or quirks he at first possesses are quickly forgotten for the most part as the show blunders forward and he receives very little in terms of meaningful development.

Mumei is a different story altogether and has her own unique set of problems. Kabaneri attempts to establish her as a young and arrogant girl who slowly, over the course of her journey, opens up to others however this is executed rather ineffectively. Her propensity for changing her personality from scene to scene makes her feel very inconsistent as she switches constantly from impulsive to sincere to uncooperative. Mumei at her core represents what is probably the biggest singular issue within the cast which is their staggering lack of communication. Many issues that arise within the plot are almost solely to blame on Mumei’s own failure to communicate either what she is doing or what important information she knows. This results in the many dilemmas and developments born out of this miscommunication to feel frustrating and avoidable and many of the cast members are guilty of this beyond Mumei. People act how they want when they want and fail to convey themselves properly despite being contextualized as intelligent people.

The rest of the cast doesn’t offer much in order to make up for Kabaneri’s lackluster protagonists. The show initially paints the elders and nobility of the Aragane station as hardheaded and superstitious in order to develop an ‘Us versus Them’ scenario where we can more easily sympathize with Ikoma’s plight. This leaves them feeling one-dimensional and unhelpful before they eventually fade into the show’s backdrop. The antagonist is similarly problematic in that, though his reasons and goals have some legitimacy about them, Kabaneri does a horrific job in conveying what they are to the viewer and he ultimately appears cartoonishly evil in how he behaves – manipulating children and scheming genocide.

[Art/Animation]:

With the advent of Kabaneri, the show marks Wit Studio’s third stab at the post-apocalyptic monster story after Shingeki no Kyojin and Owari no Seraph. Given the studio’s familiarity with the premise, especially of the former, Kabaneri’s visuals are its singular worthwhile attribute. The first episode does well in exhibiting the kind of steampunk atmosphere and art style used by the show and with a couple flashy action sequences, promises impressive quality going forward. What’s more is that the quality is pretty consistent and between the feudal, steampunk environment and the action animation, the show is visually pretty entertaining to watch.

[Story]:

Were it not for Kabaneri’s generally frustrating cast and lack of compelling characters, the story would certainly represent its biggest issue. After their station is overrun with Kabane, Ikoma and Mumei as well as the remaining nobility and the rest of its residents flee on the Koutetsujou in hopes of making it safely to another station. Though its first episode is rather exciting and compelling, the plot slows to a crawl and stagnates significantly afterwards. Kabaneri doesn’t visit more than 3 or 4 locations and despite the constant action and conflict the show itself is rather uneventful. Combine this with the show’s other issues of poorly implemented plot devices, a generally predicable progression of events, plot contrivances, and a cast full of infuriating characters and the show as a whole becomes uninteresting and disappointing.

The Kabaneri – the half-human, half-Kabane hybrids capable of inhuman strength and speed are effectively the heart of the show as they are integral to the plot and an important trait of it’s main characters. The way their abilities are executed however presents an additional problem for the show. The Kabane, outside of their zombie-esque ability to ‘turn’ other people, are defined by their resilience – to the point that Ikoma’s development of a pressurized gun capable of punching through the iron cage surrounding their heart is a notable development and achievement.

When Mumei is then shown capable of dispatching entire groups of them almost effortlessly it sacrifices some of the tension of the show in exchange for a cinematic experience. Ikoma often exhibits the Kabaneri’s regenerative properties as well and as he pulls through each near-death experience, his and Mumei’s own fortitude further weakens the show’s tension.

In a similar way, the Kabane themselves too are characterized problematically. What is initially kind of a refreshing zombie design turns into something more as each episode reveals more and more features of the Kabane. As we learn more about them, what they are capable of grows steadily more and more outlandish and by the end of the show it is hard to say what the Kabane can and can’t do. This uncertain characteristic makes them feel too flexible to the situation as if they would become capable of whatever the story wanted them to be or what ever would be most theatrically pleasing.

[Music]:

While the presence of Sawano Hiroyuki is typically reason-alone enough to pick up a show, his appearance here does very little to alleviate Kabaneri’s problematic elements. While the soundtrack is exactly what you would expect out of him, it delivers only the most typical attributes of his style – many of the songs sounding completely indistinguishable from one another and collectively more akin to a continuous bridge than anything else. Barring the intermittent use of a few insert songs, the soundtrack was rather forgettable though fans of Sawano’s music should enjoy it just fine.

[Final Thoughts and Rating]:

Kabaneri is a visually exhilarating experience littered with poor writing and bad characters. The plot was slow to arrive at any interesting events, the cast was frustrating in how they conversed and dealt with one another, and the latter half of the show exacerbated the issues it had run into early on.

Rating: 4

I gave Kabaneri a 4 because it suffered from numerous issues with its only beneficial trait being its flashy, visual presentation. The characters acted like idiots giving way to frustrating developments and foreseeable outcomes. The story was poorly written and involved far too many awkward plot contrivances to actually evoke any of the drama or tension it was aiming for.

[Recommendations]:

I would recommend Kabaneri primarily based upon its subject matter of post-apocalyptic human versus monster survival. It’s quite similar to other shows that share a comparable premise to it and those that enjoyed those shows will likely be entertained by Kabaneri as well. While it leaves a lot to be desired in the writing and character departments, its a pretty decent action show if your aim is to sit back and enjoy the explosions.