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Jun 19, 2021
For some time, I have been wondering what is the main drive that keeps me going with grinding anime after anime despite a considerable chain of disappointment in the past. But what do I know, out of the blue, this anime, Vivy Fluorite Eye's Song introduced itself and incoherently reminds me that, even though anime itself carries a variety of distinct drawbacks, it is also the one medium packed with unlimited potentials to become something much more than a mere piece of entertainment.
## STORY & WORLD-BUILDING
The plot of VF is not something too groundbreaking I'd say, but the selling point lies in the way it
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is catered to detail. It has coherent plotlines loaded with twist after twist and engaging revelations followed up by emotional and dramatic outcomes. To be more specific, this series doesn't entirely rely on a formulaic approach which in turn succeeded in subverting expectations in a good way.
Apart from that, while it does contain some predictable events, the execution never went astray in order to deliver the highest quality possible of a momentary outburst. Hence, even if you already know what is going to happen, you can still expect to get pumped up by the brilliant resolution they came up with. Moreover, no matter how big an event or incident has been laid out/focused on, they all serve a purpose and have a meaning, and even get a callback later on in the story, which is pretty commendable from a writing standpoint. And to put the cherry on top, Vivy Fluorites would often feature thought-provoking themes regarding the meaning of being "alive" and such which can get very cathartic.
If there's anything to complain about, well, it's funny because Vivy Fluorite's advantage also contributes to its own shortcoming. Given how grandiose the A.I subject can get, oft time the flow of the story might get rather convoluted and feels awfully convenient, especially when it comes to character's resolve in general.
On top of that, having a fast-paced story is not always good a thing. While it does ensure substantial plot progression and shaping up world-building, sometimes the expositions appear to be hastily assembled or rushed in the middle of the heat, which kinda ruins the atmosphere. That said, these are not really major issues as the anime knows how to ride on its momentum and world-building to make up for this predicament, so not bad I'd say.
Speaking of world-building, this is a big plus in my book. I mean the A.I/cyberpunk-ish theme is not something new nowadays but they do present us with a clear system and striking venue designs which constantly got me hyped and be in awe of those "scenery". I'd dare say it gives off a strong fantasy vibe despite being 90% cyberpunk-ish. Simply put, an ambitious setup that totally has what it takes to back up the stake and sure as well delivered.
On a different note, whether it was intentional or not, I constantly ran into references from other media such as: Ergo Proxy, Perfect Blue, Baldr Sky, Heaven's Feel, Dies Irae, Kikokugai, Oblivion, Tron Legacy, Blade Runner 2049, Matrix. So, man, I must say that I'm really glad to have run into this anime because rarely have I been treated this much.
##CAST
Moving on to the cast of Vivy Fluorite, I must give it to them that they are really well crafted from design, to voice acting, to development throughout the show.
Whether they are assigned a minor role or be of paramount importance to the plot, there's always room for each of them to shine. Vivy is the protagonist that underwent a considerable amount of character "shift". At some point, it is physically (well, somewhat), some other time, mentally (again, not literally but whatever). As mentioned above, while there exist some shenanigans or simply AI "hack" with the humanization thingy, the end result is that with every action that Vivy takes, it always comes with consequences, be it positive or not, which also came up as a myriad of poignant development as the journey continues.
As for the side characters, what else can I give but praise for the balanced amount of entertainment and heartfelt value that they have to offer? Not just that, at some point of the ride, would come two characters who absolutely stole the spotlight away from Vivy (E4), and to me, that has been one of the most spectacular thematic showdowns I've had in a while.
## ANIMATION & DIRECTING
Coming from studio Wit, it's no surprise that Vivy Fluorite will shower the audience with sublime aesthetics to kick it up a notch. In other words, eye-candy animation, first-rate choreographed action sequences, and exquisite still-frame are common occurrences in this anime.
What's more, the components are all well thought out with careful planning to make the most out of the story and character. To name a few, majestic closed-up shots to emphasize character expression, gestures which are taken great care to bring out subtle interactions, and the eye expression is no doubt the best in this regard.
However, to me, it is the astounding display of directing that pretty much interlinked all of the key segments together. I mean, Vivy Fluorite has some seriously insane color palette and lighting that all blend in together to create a matching atmosphere and content delivery.
The transition is nothing but visual treats, featuring a clear formating of 21:9 for flashback or premonition then fluidly switch back to 16:9 for the presence, in other words, good ol' "show not tell" technique.
Occasionally, symbolism is added to further enhance the overall picture of the series. Not to mention the elegant venue design and landscape shot that radiates nothing but Blade Runner energy (apologies for repeating myself but I'm still hype for that).
Regardless, at certain points of the show, there would arise inconsistencies in quality such as clunky flow and transitions or inappropriate choice of tone in the context of certain arcs, thus provoking more contrast than usual and somewhat dampened the experience.
## SOUND DESIGN
When it comes to anime, sound is usually the least interesting factor to many people. However, just this one time, I'm forced to revalidate that mindset. The supreme sound system of Vivy Fluorite is easily the single best element the anime has at its disposal. From the OP, ED, insert tracks, hype battle music, to even ambient background sound (BLADE RUN... ok I'll stop), Vivy Fluorite wholeheartedly poured out the best of the best of its capability to create such a delicate sound system.
For once, as standalone instances, they are remarkable tracks. But for this anime, it's not just about composing a nice piece of music or possessing dedicated singers, but more so about giving them a goal, just so they can shine very brightly on the "stage" without being treated as mere decors. To put it bluntly, depending on the "version" of a track or the context of the story, you will have a complete change of perspective or the manner a song is received. Not only that, I'd even go as far as saying when putting 2 different songs side by side (the 2 OP), you get a complete picture of a certain character, how her conflict is portrayed in a very roundabout yet effective way.
To go beyond that, the "sound" element doesn't stop at having a concise aim and purpose in the story, it even "invades" the meta by having a clear structure to squeeze out the absolute most of its potential and value, which is an excellent decision from the production team. Not only does it break the cycle of "adding music just for the sake of adding music", but it also delivers a rarely seen side of anime, which is to use sound as a reliable foundation for almost everything else in the series (well, it's still an idol show in the end so lel).
On a different note, while being a heavily music-centric anime, Vivy Fluorite does get its priority straight. Sound is sound, it's only a means to an end, which is why it's crucial knowing how to use them rather than cranking them up without any plan nor consideration for the context of the story. For example, at battle scenes, the volume is toned down, just so they won't overshadow the actual content that's running on the screen. Or given the circumstance of an event, sound distortion was also put into good use to captivate the tragedy or bitterness of the grand scheme of things. Timing is also of paramount importance, especially when the flow of the event needs to be coherent. In short, having the right material (composer, voice actors) + solid outlining + seamless execution = supreme sound system of Vivy Fluorite.
## BOTTOMLINE
To wrap this up, Vivy Fluorite's Eye Song truly deserves the hype it has been gathering IMO. The fact that it is an original anime (despite being influenced by other works), has a daring approach in its storytelling/execution, on top of being backed by an arsenal of remarkable assets like top tier animation and sound design just prove that anime as a medium has so many possibilities that could individually morph into something phenomenal their own. Even if this series is flawed and might not have a fitting story for some, the insanely high production value should be able to guarantee a fun and entertaining experience at the very least. If anything though, at last, I have found an entity that is capable of denouncing the notion that "anime is dead" which is very easy to encounter as of late.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Dec 25, 2020
Taken in a cyberpunk mixing a bit of steampunk (I'd say around 10%) setting, Akudama Drive has got to be the most ambitious original work of Fall 2020, if not, the entirety of 2020. However, the higher they climb, the bigger the fall. Okay, maybe the latter is an exaggeration but frankly, I'm just not satisfied with how the 2nd half of the anime played out. Nonetheless, overall speaking this series did manage to deliver quite a substantial amount of entertainment with a lot of cool substance and rarely seen approach in anime as a whole.
First thing first, world-building, and BAMM, it's truly a killer.
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I kid you not, it might seem a bit weird at first but as I got invested in the first two episodes, this anime knows what it is doing in this regard. From a full view shot to constant location transition (probably my favorite part) to the whimsical introduction of the cast and A LOT of technical details on-screen, combined with the very stylish art and, of course, dope music, man, I would be lying to say I was not fired up for such overwhelming premise.
That being said, I'd have preferred them spending at least one or two episodes into exploring and providing a solid background for literally everything instead of jumping right onto the heat of the game from the get-go, which turns out to backfire in the endgame (will cover this later on). Apart from that, the info dump with cartoonish tone can get rather abrupt and dumb instead of serving its comedic purpose, but not too much of a big deal to me.
Plot-wise, Akudama Drive started off not too shabby with the straightforward and playful nature of things, which I also would have preferred remaining consistent till the end of the ride but sadly things got off the rail as they hit the halfway checkpoint. To put it in layman's terms, the main problem I have with this anime is how they didn't take things seriously in the beginning but then suddenly chose to switch gear to a more dramatic approach that resulted in a confusing and convoluted air at the late-game period.
I will still have to give it credit for being aware of the entanglement it has got itself into and maybe this was intentional after all since I've noticed a blend of some Western media like Blade Runner, the Matrix, Equilibrium, Mad Max, or in the anime medium which are Ergo Proxy and NGE. I might have read too much into this but I wholeheartedly believe that Akudama Drive was trying to subvert the audience's expectation by breaking down well-known tropes and form its own path, which didn't end up well but a solid effort regardless.
On a different note, I don't enjoy how the show relies too much on plot convenience with all-over-the-place expositions that makes things forced or even unconvincing (like there was an entire episode full of talking and tons of transition that made me go wutttt). I would have not minded this if there had been a solid foundation or build-up in the early stage, which again is what I've mentioned above. Another minor concern is how awkward the power scale is in this series because at some point it turned from hype to confusing and predictable to whatever lol.
Moving on to the cast, this is where the big letdown reside but well not like I should expect too much out of this given the fact that it is an original anime and only has one cour. With the "Akudama" being the central theme of the anime, while they did make one hell of an entry, as the story progresses I failed to find anything refreshing about them nor decent development because let's get real, the only distinguishing feature they have is their catchphrase like "eat sh*t" which also grow very dull over time. If anything, some of them have fitting conclusions that resonate pretty well with the story. Yet again, the lack of build-up and rushed manner in the climax failed to make me identify with them in many ways, thus greatly mitigate the impact it had on me.
On the other hand, the "antagonist" of this anime is pretty much wasted. Much as I tried, I could only get one good thing out of this aspect, the rest is just there for plot's sake and even got trashed very badly in some scenarios (glaring at a certain short-hair girl). On top of that, the "twist" near the end that turned the table on the grand scheme of things was badly handled if I have to be honest.
Despite falling behind with plot and story, what truly makes Akudama Drive a ride to remember is the astonishing animation and direction that obliterate any doubt you've ever had about Studio Pierrot (urgh, I know that staff varies in every anime but whatever). What can I say, style point is a +200 or more depending on how you view it but for real, the neon color usage is just way too awesome that goes super well with the funky music. The selling point in this regard to me is how they actually managed to nail the atmosphere befitting that of a futuristic and semi post-apocalyptic setting. Last but not least, the action sequence is simply a feast for the eye. I don't know about you but I got hyped really fast in the early stage (which sadly didn't last long) where everyone in this anime was going rampage. Some of the climaxes were really well done, to say the least, from lighting to camera angle, and the closed-up shots to emphasize the characters' expressions.
Regarding sound, I must say they didn't hold any punch to match the nature of this anime. The sick OP and ED are one thing but the BGMs are real treats to me because they just go so well with the atmosphere and story at some point. A prime example of this would be the final episode where everything comes together. Additionally, the seiyuu also did their best to convey the characters' feelings in the most honest way possible so that is also a plus.
To wrap this up, Akudama Drive is arguably the most surprising entry of 2020 with pretty solid production value. Even though I complain a lot about the main contents of this anime, I'm still gonna give it that how bold it was to set the bar so high while remaining unwavering toward the finish line. It sure has serious problems regarding plots and characters, but for an anime that doesn't rely on any source material (though it is still influenced by some famous fictional works mentioned above) to come out in this modern time, I sure as hell was entertained and highly recommend this for people looking for something refreshing and daring.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Dec 18, 2020
Majo no Tabitabi, or Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina, is a rather interesting work that chose to walk a different path than your typical slice of life, cutesy stuff. While it is not the first of its kind, I'm still giving it credit for adding more substance to an overused formula. With all that being said, execution matters. While I did my best to enjoy the show as naturally as possible, there are flaws that I can't overlook and thus dampened my experience for Tabitabi.
Some of the highlights that this anime has to offer is a refreshing world-building. Though it can use some more
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polishing, I can still emerge myself in this fantasy realm of Tabitabi, especially when switching to locations that feature beautiful landscape shots. The magic mechanism is probably the only thing that bugs me somewhat during the ride. I don't know if they explain stuff in the light novel but anyway from how I see it, they're too convenient for some of the dramatic events for me to fully appreciate it. However, it's not really a terrible thing since the creator sure knows how to captivate on that to bring forth a worthwhile climax.
Now come to the main complaints. First and foremost, too many incoherencies. The structure of this series is annoying if you ask me. I've heard that it takes non-chronological order but even so, that's a bad decision because I can't quite take this show seriously when they head over the depressing and daunting route with some well-done episode. Simply put, there were only 3 "good" episodes in my book, which quickly got undermined by the random cringe humor and annoying segments. I know some people would beg to differ but that's just how I see it. I'm acknowledging that it is trying to balance between light mood and upsetting tone but with this kind of half-baked execution and content, it more or less has no clear direction than being wholesome.
The cast, in general, isn't too grandiose. The protagonist has raised quite a lot of debates but I'd rather not delve too much into that. I can see where all those take from, and my stance for her is most likely neutral, but only as a character. Confused? Well, Elaina isn't really a bad person from an in-verse perspective but to me, as an audience, I can't say I enjoy her personality or attitude to be more specific, even though it is more or less justified.
The side cast, on the other hand, is one giant mixed bag if I have to be honest. The yuri overtone IMO is the most obnoxious part in this regard. Not to say I'm entirely against it but I just can't stand how are they so adamant on this topic without giving a clear direction. Either bring them together for once or just cut it out, no in-between please. On another note, though there aren't many villains, they're mere decors that are just horrendous to get over with in any way. Nonetheless, some arc-characters were neatly handled such as Estelle or Fran. Apart from that, Elai-mom could be further fleshed out but not really a major issue to me.
Technical-wise, Tabitabi is quite modest but still sufficient enough to get the job done. The best part of this aspect is probably the sublime background artwork that befits the atmosphere of a fantasy world. To top it off, the use of sound is really what kept me in awe when it comes to dramatic moments. From the diversity of elemental sound (episode 4) to the unsettling ring from the Great Tower (episode 9) signifying a turning point of an event, details like that were what helped enhance the ride of tabitabi to me. The OP and ED are fine at best, but I do like the animated sequences for them.
The directing, however, is a bit inconsistent. Sometimes I feel like they're trying too hard to emphasize a key event but ended up dragging into the point of negating any potentially poignant value it has. It does have some great use though such as a chill talk between the characters, or some grim revelations. Lastly, I don't know why but I just can't seem to find the character design being 100% compatible with the background art because at some point I feel like they're just out of place or having reduced quality lol, but that's just me.
Final verdict:
Tabitabi has intriguing concepts and a potentially good cast but not really well presented. Furthermore, though it can contain nice themes, execution is always lacking behind, thus results in a rather spoiled feeling and a sense of incompleteness. All said and done, I'd still recommend giving it a watch if you're looking for a decent fantasy anime for a change of pace, or a bit of chilling.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Nov 29, 2020
Seikai no Senki II unravels yet another story act of Jinto and Lafiel as they continue the voyage into space and planar space (yep, they have two different types of space here woohoo). Admittedly, the plot this time can be a bit predictable, especially with the pretty awkward spoiler-ish prologue in the first episode. Nonetheless, just as I thought my enjoyment was soiled from the get-go, SnS II threw me in a rollercoaster trip of emotion while barely reaching the half-way point. By the time the end credit rolled, I had already found myself being overwhelmed by a rather indescribable sense of catharsis.
Though Jinto and
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Lafiel are undoubtedly the focal points of the series, the anime doesn't solely rely on them to keep the ride engaging. Far surpassing my anticipation, the creator managed to further expand world-building compared to the previous installments with intricate politics and enthralling lore, which can get very hyped IMO. The best part is that, despite all those interludes, the relationship between Lafiel and Jinto could still progress and develop so seamlessly. I'm not even exaggerating. For a 10-episode work, they really outdid themselves with so many quality contents. The anime can indeed get a bit long-winded at some points, but those moments are like short breaks from tension, and as soon as I got bored, they threw me back in the rabbit hole.
Although politics is a recurring subject, it is usually accompanied by engaging dialogue with well pacing and good directing that focus on characters' facial expressions and the likes to emphasize their meaning and subtle foreshadowing. By doing so, it is easy to get a better understanding of the situation and how the world of Seikai operates in general. On top of that, there was virtually no loose end despite having so many subplots going on at once. And to add the cherry on top, the show even managed to sneak a top-notch space battle in the late game for hype material, yet that's not even all to it. While these events run discretely, they can still connect one another from a bird-eye view, which is pretty sick as I've always enjoyed this kind of multi-scale, multi-layered level of storytelling.
One of the best things about Seikai no Senki II is the strong presence of the opposing faction, which barely had any focus in the earlier works. In this act, the context can be a bit messy at first glance, but there's more to it than meets the eyes. In the beginning, I wholeheartedly thought it was a bad idea to include so many different viewpoints, four to be more specific, from extra new side characters. However, as the curtain unveils the full picture, everything makes perfect sense.
For real, no matter how hard I tried to find a hole in their logic, it really can't be helped that things ended up this way. Each side has its motive, reasoning, and circumstance to justify their actions. I never thought I'd be invested in these 4 temporarily introduced factions in this act. In all honesty, some of them can be flawed, such as, uhhhh, capturing women for the sake of having children just because they want to see kids running joyfully in a hellhole, but I digress. What really matters here IMO is how it grants these characters a purpose, a compelling drive to fully commit themselves, thus be able to deliver one hell of a performance in the climax. For one thing, I do not agree in the slightest with their actions but rather find them to be compelling as characters, not as some sort of cheap, shallow, 2nd rated kind of villains with taking over the world non-sense that we usually see.
Moving on to the main cast, I cannot describe how well they were handled. Frankly speaking, I never really liked Jinto as a character early on, for he seems too ordinary and well, kinda a wimp lol. However, SnS II pretty much solidified his ideal and position in the story. He is well aware of his shortcomings, yet continued to stay firm to himself and yeah, I kinda enjoy his decisions in this act as well. Though they appear to be naive, there’s no sign of ill-will which is cool. Furthermore, his tiny bit of internal conflict between being originally a lander and his current position as an Abh noble is a nice touch to his character.
That said, Lafiel stole the spotlight for me and I'm not even fanboying… yet. She easily underwent the most sophisticated transformation as a character in the whole series. Spanning across the entire season, we get to see Lafiel in a myriad of emotional states, such as chilling, fury, resolve, melancholy, sadness, despair, and hope. Looking back at the Lafiel from Crest of the Star, she sure has come a long way, from being a Yolo-ish young lady who had a propensity toward rash acts, to the Lafiel of Banner II with an extremely calm attitude filled with rational thoughts and a decisive mindset, but not without compassion and, of course, soft nature inside, WOW, it simply boggles the mind. In the end, I guess what really sold me on Lafiel and Jinto is how well are they meant to be for each other, fr, just get married already lmao.
Other than that, admiral Spoor did not disappoint despite being a supporting character. Part of the reason is that she has a bit of privilege for playing a crucial role in this act. Anyhow, I just can't get enough of the constant switching between her trolling and no non-sense mode, which is both hilarious and awesome. Apart from that, her capability as a commander is a sight to behold, for she truly lives up to her reputation and hype provided early on. It would be a lie to say I was not fired up whenever her fleet is on a roll. The other admirals have their quirks, still, I feel like the time spent on them is a bit excessive with so many lengthy random talks that barely add anything to the plot. Nonetheless, the cast of SnS overall is very diverse and well-built with compelling interactions.
Visual-wise, SnS is quite ahead of its time given the limited resources in the early 2000s. The aspect ratio bump from 4:3 to 16:9 is hands down the most welcomed change ever. Some scenes rely on reusing old sequences, yet when it comes to the moments of truth and climax, the directing is basically on steroids. It is not just about having the right detail but more so about getting the right angle to highlight the subjects or their expressions.
As a space opera anime, it is no surprise that SnS will feature majestic spaceships and the likes to cater to sci-fi enthusiasts. For something that came out in early 2000, I must say it is a bit illegal for an anime to be this epic of many scales. While there aren't many battles in this season, the constant fleet formation assembles shots are more than enough to satisfy me. Furthermore, the perspective of a commander from a higher plane is a very refreshing aspect since it prompts a much better and definitive view of the entire situation at some major events.
What's truly mesmerizing to me is how insanely synergized the animation and sound are since, at some point of the ride, I felt like I was being engulfed in a tranquil atmosphere mixing some melancholy vibe. Moreover, having spent so much time on space segments must have probably dulled my mind a bit, but damn, these breathtaking landscape shots in a planet almost filled with oceans are just so refreshing and astonishing. There weren't many of them, yet the timing is so on point that it emits a rather ataraxy vibe in this mildly depressing story.
Lastly, the creator even went to extra mile to explain the mechanism behind the sci-fi concepts of SnS with spectacular animation sequences. The prime example of this is the Basroil's battle configuration moment, which showcases the launching logic of the assault space ship, legit the most 'kino' moment to me in this anime as it incorporates so many factors in a short span of nearly 1 minute.
In terms of the sound effect, I'm more than satisfied. I actually disliked the OP in the beginning, but somehow over time, it grows on me a great lot. The opening sequence is also spot on by going full starry theme that resonates well with the epicness of the OP. The ED, on the other hand, just simply hits right at the feel. They really know how to make the most out of this track, as it is usually played at the turning point of the main characters, thus further deepen the already desperate atmosphere.
On a side note, the BGMs are rather powerful assets of SnS II. They're not just there for the sake of having music but rather to serve as an indication of something sinister or theatrical is about to commence, or at least, implied in those specific scenes. This goes double when a closure to certain moments was drawing near, as the music kicked in, I could not help but YOOOOOOOOOO.
As for voice acting, it’s pretty standard for the most part I’d say. The cast is relatively big, yet not all of which have frequent appearances, so I can’t commend much here. If anything, the switch between the Abh language and Japanese at some pivotal scenes can be very wholesome indeed. Apart from that, Lafiel’s VA really did an incredible job at expressing the various emotional outbursts, especially that one moment where all that is left on the screen is but Lafiel’s heavy breathing in tandem with a surreal time-frozen atmosphere, which completely took me aback.
The bottom line is, Seikai no Senki II is a visually stunning anime packed with an intricate and tangible plot, a splendid cast, and distinguished soundtracks. Seldom can I find an anime that is capable of masterfully blending all those essential elements, let alone being constrained by a limited duration. Throughout the journey, I got to experience a plethora of reactions. Even though I was quite sure of what was going to happen next, it didn't stop me from being on edge all the time. And just as I thought everything was already over when the end credit rolled, the epilogue just had to deliver one last tiny bit of surprise to properly conclude this story act, which is 100% HHHRRRNNNGGG.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Nov 12, 2020
From the premise or synopsis of the anime, you might end up wondering whether this is gonna be another forced drama kind of show that has been rising in the modern anime? Well, IMO, it's kind of yes AND no.
To be frank, in the end it's all up to how you interpret the messages transmitted through the main characters in this anime. However, I do personally think it's pretty simple and there isn't any need to think too much about it. I've seen people brought up the usual "criticism" being "forced drama" and the likes, which I think is completely off the mark. This work
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has never been about "making us feel sad", it's not even about romance, instead there's only one thing it tried to show us, that is "what does it mean to be alive", and I think they did a solid job in presenting that idea.
I know I know, it's nothing revolutionary, it's nothing special, it's been used in other great works before. Then why did I manage to enjoy it? I guess it's simply because of the atmosphere. One advantage that anime as a medium has is the fact that it can make full use of special effects, but of course under the right hand of a good director, to further enhance storytelling, thus making the experience more wholesome and less boring, and IWTEYP just did well in that regard.
From the beginning of the film to the end, I was hooked by the serenity that it offered. Whether it be typical daily activity scenes or chilling out, dramatic moments, etc, all of them was handled neatly to mitigate the impending "forced drama" that many people claim to be (I can somewhat agree tbh). That's the thing about it, you might have seen "that" coming from miles away, even with the not so subtle foreshadowing with the TV news, it didn't feel like it was meant to make us feel sad or anything about it. That's just part of "life" as the anime was trying to convey through the interaction of the characters, and I gotta give them that.
Speaking of characters, don't think there's much to say about them in all honesty. I kinda like them but at the same time not, especially Haruki the anti-sociable protagonist. Both of them did undergo constant developments throughout the ride despite the constrained duration, which is a good thing. However, I can't say I enjoyed everything about it, mostly from the beginning though because to be frank Haruki was kind of an ass, and Sakura is just…hmmm..scary and pushy I guess?
That said, as the story went on I got to know more about them and came to be okay with that. Bottom line is, neither terrible nor special. The highlight of the anime to me is probably Sakura's idea of the meaning of living, which was pretty intriguing and quite refreshing to watch because I'm a sucker for this kind of theme lel, so welp. If anything, the relationship between Haruki and Sakura is probably the only thing that got me hooked, they are neither friend nor lover which is something rare to see in anime.
"What happened to Sakura" near the end was quite obvious from the get-go, though taken quite a bit of a different direction than how they'd normally opt for. People complained that it was unnecessary and lame, but I digress, Sakura entrusting Haruki with her "wish" is just that beautiful IMO.
Overall, "I want to eat your pancreas" was a rather enjoyable trip that is accompanied by a well-developed cast, a wonderful theme, and a serene atmosphere.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Nov 12, 2020
It's not my everyday life to see a slice of life anime having an actual plot and to me, that could hardly go wrong. However, the main concern lies in how it is executed, and sadly, Castle Town Dandelion (Joukamachi no Dandelion) failed to take that matter seriously and thus resulted in kind of a mess at the late game period. IMO, the idea itself isn't terrible to say the very least, all they had to do is put more effort into it and the show could have become something.
At first glance, this seems to be just an ordinary slice of life story, but it
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took no time to reveal the whole context behind the gist of all things, and yeah, I think they sure managed to have a strong start on building up the setting and what's going on, but then something got in the way immediately, at least to me, which is the fact that how they trivialize the premise in order to maintain the lighthearted nature of the story, which pretty much backfired IMO.
Like cmon, having a royal family leading a casual life is an interesting way to make it refreshing, but should have stopped right there, or at least tweak the whole deal with the election, like why would you give the crown to an elementary school girl, that makes no sense whatsoever. And anyone can vote, even a 4-5-year-old kid, which is pretty dumb no matter how I look at it as it makes this more of a gag show lol.
Anyway, that's probably my biggest complaint about the anime, because frankly if I turned off my brain and just pay attention to the slice of life content then yeah, it's a pretty solid show overall. Each episode focuses on a different topic and a set of characters, which is commendable as they actually cater to the whole cast, not just milking on the same one for cheap attention (except the panty joke but whatever).
Additionally, it gave me lots of laughs, be it some really dumb moments or genuinely hilarious scenes. Not to mention that some episodes subtly mixed in some drama to yield a proper character interaction and development, which is cool. Still, the last episode felt like it's been rushed badly with everything running randomly and kinda failed to make a strong impact.
The cast is definitely what I like the most about this anime. There are many characters (9 MCs), but they all got their own moment to shine and none was left behind so that's a plus. If anything, however, I feel like Akane and Aoi could have used more polishing to justify their role in the story. It's not that they didn't have any development but I just wish they had more since one is the primary MC (with tons of meme materials) while the other got so much hype yet barely any feats to back it up, which is quite a shame tbh.
To me, Kanade is the most fleshed-out character and got everything done right throughout the ride. Like, in the beginning, I thought she was the selfish and bitchy type but as I kept watching her motive was revealed and it's pretty compelling given the context of the story (guilt and family). On top of that, her actions in the anime are mostly mature (for someone her age) and dignified, befitting that of royal blood, thus quickly caught my attention, and yeah, it's very satisfying to see her on the screen all the time.
Followed up in this regard are Shuu and Misaki, while not as great as Kanade, they managed to score a few impression on me with their thoughts and actions. Shiori is actually up there as well but not enough screentime sadly (but really, she can literally cure cancer with her presence alone).
In a nutshell, Castle Town Dandelion is best described as the "Dumb fun slice of life" show. It's deeply flawed but has its own charm to keep me entertained and not falling asleep like many other slice-of-life animes out there, so I'd say it's worth a shot if you're looking for something to kill time.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Nov 12, 2020
Welp, can't get a more straightforward title than this (Gakkou no Kaidan sounds much cooler though). I came into this anime with barely any expectation, got to know it randomly from a magazine that I was reading but seriously I wasn't even taking the whole topic seriously, just saw a small shot from this anime and then my mind just went "why not?".
First thing first, let's have a quick check-up at the anime's peripherals. Packed with an episodic format and a relatively obvious formula, at the first glance the anime sure appears to be bland, and while it does have a major drawback with a
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really slow build-up in almost every episode, the climax always managed to leave something behind to mull over, sometimes a good one even. The OP is pretty chilling but, not gonna lie, it feels a bit out of place. If anything, I really like is how the details are meticulously handled in this anime. However, oft-time there were some pretty out-of-place moments, and they kind of spoiled the mood, but not that much of a big deal when viewed as a whole picture so meh.
Plot-wise, there's nothing special about it, to be honest, pretty much can be summed up in a single phrase: "group of friend solving supernatural incidents after school". In fact, if I were to go on full nitpicking mode the anime has a lot of problems scattered in many segments, mainly plot hole and some really dumb moments that either made no sense or just annoyed me greatly. Fortunately, I was in a rather good mood while watching this and frankly, those things didn't amount up to the whole scale of the anime so they could be somewhat overlooked.
That being said, the major highlight of this anime lies in the good uses of sound effects and directing to bolster the turning point and invoke some major positive feelings toward the story. For real, they sure know how to nail the atmosphere of the climax, especially the BGM which is pretty fire. Pretty sure Ghost Stories is not the first of its kind but it's always a sight to behold to see how the major elements are blended so well together in an anime (very typical of the 2000s I'd say, and Ghost Stories does give off a "Cardcaptor Sakura" vibe to me).
The "scary" parts are no doubt hit or miss, just like every single "horror" story, but I prefer to let that one a bit on the loose side because I personally think it's not the main focus of the anime, but more about adventure and stuff. If anything though, it's the random fanservice that kinda got in the way and thus renders me unable to take the show seriously sometimes.
The cast is probably what gives me the most mixed feelings. On one hand, I do enjoy the slice of life elements that came from them and the banter sometimes works, but when the plot actually kicked in, I lost count of the number of times that I got really irritated for their inability to "develop" through the course of almost 20 episodes. Not to mention they can be annoying at times (can't be helped because it's a really fitting nature of elementary schoolers).
Honestly, I expected a lot more than that, I get it that it's in episodic format and the characters are all very young, but cmon, they have been through all that for dozens of times and still got the usual reaction to how things went through in the mid to late game, which is pretty stupid no matter how I look at it. One can argue it's just "plot" to create suspense but even so, it's really badly handled. The only good thing I can say about this is how based af Momoko is, and it goes double when Satsuki's mom is involved.
What really got me on the salt train is the fact that there were so many wasted potentials in terms of the development of plot and characters. They really nailed the introductory chapters with lore and some mysteries, but then they just all got tossed away or simply neglected, downgraded to being mere plot device which is really lame. Not until the very very concluding moments that those elements came into play, which was kinda late from how I see it as it just felt forced and thus failed to deliver a wholesome experience.
With all that being said, I did have a lot of enjoyment. There were some really well done dramatic scenes that almost took my breath away. Like the anime's main theme is about ghost stories or urban legends but they didn't forget to mix some extra drama in to spice it up, which is commendable. Simply put, I had some laugh, I had some chills, and I had some awe, so well, not bad of a ride I guess.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Nov 12, 2020
Adolescence is probably one of the most influential periods in our lifetime. It is at this stage that we got to experience first hand all sorts of different emotions such as love, envy, hate, or even despair. And Madoka Magica pulled no punch in taking full advantage of this theme given how the setting is also very compatible.
The story is very captivating if I have to be honest. It is not without flaws for sure when it comes to expositions, like, they felt very contrived and awfully convenient. Nonetheless, the general idea was very meaningful and packed with a lot of substance such as a
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powerful cast and dramatic revelation to further enhance the experience. Some plot twists were cleverly disguised in the form of cheesy, cutesy pretense, which is pretty commendable given the contrast the show was trying to depict.
That being said, my biggest complaint is that at some point Gen was trying so hard to impose his ideal on the audience. The best example of this case is how the characters and plot all seem to align at the idea that “good” and “bad” must always balance out to maintain the order of the universe. I understand where that came from, but seriously, the execution felt pretty dumb and pretentious as hell.
For the record, I’m not totally against this concept, for it bears a great resemblance to our daily life as well. It is just that the way it was conveyed that didn’t click with me at all. Anyhow, that’s probably the major flaw of the anime to me. Long story short, good idea, but badly presented.
The character of the anime is definitely its strongest point. I wholeheartedly enjoy every single one, from the main cast, the supporting, to the supposed “antagonist”. They all have some noticeable flaws for sure, but damn, I can’t find any annoyance about that, to be honest. I have to give some props to Gen for managing to balance out the characters well in a relatively short series. Each of the main girls carries their own ideals and has neat development from their introduction to their closure.
Madoka: while mostly appears to be helpless, she is kind and observative. Her ideal took some serious build-up to be revealed but IMO it was worth it in the end.
Sayaka: a typical naive young girl who seems to be the most fitting character at the beginning only turned out to be the biggest punching bag of the show. I must say she was really well handled, but that’s a given because Gen Butcher just “enjoys” this kind of character a lot.
Mami: a very nice person on the surface but deep inside she has her own doubt and problems as well, very nicely portrayed indeed.
Kyouko: probably the best girl to me. She had a rough start and appeared to be beyond redeemable but managed to have a spectacular comeback at the late-game. Her theme is most likely “independence” or “solitude” which I can somewhat resonate as well.
Homura: the star player of the show, no doubt the most developed and fleshed out character. I like her a lot despite her being a bit edgy sometimes. But in the grand scheme of things, it’s justified and not big of a deal. I think her theme is learning to let go or move on, but yeah, that’s up to how you interpret her story.
What I really like about this part is the diverse interactions between the main cast. In the beginning, one might think they’d stay like this forever, but as the story progresses, so do their relationships. They could be friends, they could be enemies or even neither at the same time.
On another note, MadoMom managed to catch my attention a great many times as well. For a supporting character, she did her job well in providing a different view of some of the problems and not without some funny or comfy interaction with Madoka. Kyuubey is quite a debatable character. Some say he’s entirely evil. Some argue that it was not his intention and was justified given the way his kind was portrayed. Personally, for me, he falls into that kind of “I understand why you’re an ass, but you’re still ass in the end”. For real, it’s like when you sign a contract, and they didn’t point out the significant terms. Not until things went south did you get to learn the truth about everything. Logically speaking, it was our fault, but he was also responsible for trying to “evade” the issue.
Animation-wise, Madoka Magica truly was a bomb for 2011. I mean, it’s not perfect in every way, there are some serious inconsistencies with the design and animation, but overall, I was still fascinated by it in the end. The sublime background is one thing but what defines Madoka Magica’s art is its peculiar, out-of-this-world style, especially when it comes to fighting sequences. A bit of light-hearted mixing dark and grim tone is a clever way to illustrate the world of Madoka, as it also goes well with the main theme and atmosphere of the anime.
That being said, there exists a minor issue being the awkward pacing when it comes to this. Some fights were great but some felt like it was dragging on a lot to “show off” their animation skill or something which kinda backfired tbh because I wanted to focus on what was going on instead of being distracted by pointless motion. It’s not a big deal in the end but yeah there’s that to take into account. The directing is brilliant anyhow. In particular, character’s expressions were made full use to avoid needless wordy conversation. Additionally, some symbolism was nicely placed to further amplifies the atmosphere, thus resulted in powerful shots during the ride.
Lastly, the sound is one of the best things Madoka Magica has to offer. From the astonishing ED to the moe-bait OP and the battle themes, not a single one of them was wasted to complete the orchestra of hope and despair in Madoka Magica. Voice acting is also on point, I enjoy Sayaka’s voice in this regard, for she was probably the one who underwent the most emotional transitions and the Seiyuu did not fail to deliver.
The bottom line is, Madoka Magica managed to bring forth a rare breed of Magical Girl show. The “dark” tone under cutesy pretense was a bold move. Even if you have already anticipated that it is still backed by a solid cast, splendid animation, and uplifting music. Had I not found the plot intriguing, I would have still been entertained regardless. I’m sure it’s not the first of its kind, but it has high production value and delivers quite a performance despite the flaws mentioned above.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Mar 21, 2018
There was a time that I used to think of "cute girls doing cute things" shows as nothing but cups of water with neither taste nor substance to keep things standing out or original. However, Lucky Star is probably the first anime that hit me enough to ~~make~~ force me to have a different view. And you know what, it's not that bad to set myself loose once a while.
When I first got into the show, episode 1, to be more specific, I must say it was downright awful and empty that I almost drop the damn show, no kidding. I mean, why would you
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waste eight precious minutes of your life for a scene with girls discussing how to eat food...properly. Gosh, I still remember that one as if it was yesterday. However, my instinct was right, as I kept watching, I found myself engulfed in a rather strange phenomenon that refused to let go of me.
One of the main problems people often find with Lucky Star is probably its lack of effective humor. While I am in no position to judge anything, I'd like to say that when it comes to such personal taste matter, as humor, drama, philosophy, etc. you can't expect one anime to be able to satisfy all the need. Think about it, what this person "A" thinks is funny can't guarantee that I or YOU would feel the same way. It's all subjective, so yeah, Lucky Star might have had this one as its "supposedly" flaw, I don't see any problem with that, and in fact, I did find some of the references in this anime funny and well, nicely executed.
On a side note, the thing that bugs me the most during my watching is perhaps the "Lucky Channel" at the end of almost every episode. I think of it as nothing but "filler" to lengthen the duration of the show. Although I don't hold any grudge against that section of Lucky Star, I just can't seem to find any of it enjoyable or funny.
Plot-wise, we all must know that Slice of Life anime has no definition of "plot", but that doesn't mean they would all be boring and pointless without one. Lucky Star simply depicts the very typical daily activities of the girls, nothing more, nothing left. This anime can also be treated as a "healing" product, not for something so complicated or powerful to inflict some impact on the viewers. That said, I do think that some parts of this anime were sort of repetitive, thus giving me mixed feelings about the ride as a whole.
That is not to say this anime has nothing special in terms of progression. Though I can't explain why but there were some moments in Lucky Star that I find very "genuine", it's like the characters are literally doing our everyday life activity. Kyoto Animation sure did a good job of executing those comfy moments, I'd dare say there wasn't a wasted scene in the process of making the anime. To me, that is one of the strongest points of Lucky Star for it doesn't cling onto one joke too long (well, except that 8-minute food talk but whatever) but would instead swap place with the next one as soon as possible, just so if you don't find this scene funny then yeah, maybe the next one would work.
As for the character, this is by far the best thing that Lucky Star has to offer, just my 2cent that is. The cast is relatively small in the beginning, just 4 ordinary "moe" girls with nothing stands out. As more episodes count, more join the fun and thus making it more "colorful" in many ways. However, this can indeed be a double-edged sword as it resulted in some of the cast being "left behind".
To me, the girls in Lucky Star play their part well as the popular demand, by doing what they do best: cute things. Lame as it may sound, I can't deny that I got hooked several times just by staring at them doing these absolutely casual things. On top of that, there was that one particular being that constantly popped up on my radar, which is Kagami, the short-tempered, twin-tail sister-like character, and this is also, in my opinion, the best character of the show.
At first glance I didn't pay attention to her much, I thought she was just another generic Tsundere that would keep going on my nerves just like many others, but in the end, Lucky Star once again surprised me with this little "moe" thing. This is also from this anime that I finally got to know (and feel) what moe truly is. Mere words can't simply describe how weird this feeling is whenever I see her (definitely not love though), but well, I guess this is why there are so many people succumbed to these kinds of shows.
Enough with the rambling, from my observation, Kagami isn't just some cliche character that would remain the same till the rest of the show, but instead, has developments. It may sound stupid, but when I think about it, it's not really something to be made fun of. Though the development isn't that grandiose, mind-blowing, or dramatic like many other great shows, I still find it commendable and noteworthy for an anime like Lucky Star. It proves that through little things we can slowly change to be something else without even being aware of it, this is also one of the special things about Lucky Star.
Animation-wise, Lucky Star has a rather odd art style, to say the least. However, I got used to it after a few episodes and eventually grow to like it. The direction is quite brilliant, as mentioned above, they won't keep you stuck inside a single joke for a long time, it's like a train to visit many different places in a park that will at least make you feel not "condensed". The character design is, as expected, seemingly sparkling and kinda irritating if you're not familiar with these kinds of shows. Still, I think it's quite remarkable for Kyoto Animation to make me enjoy the girl's design before I even knew it. It just simply happened that way, I couldn't even tell why but you get the idea, moe sure is a dangerous thing.
Lastly, an anime cannot be completed without sound, and Lucky Star sure did a great job in this aspect. The opening is probably the highlight of the show. Admittedly, I didn't like it, no, I must say I hated it in the beginning. It was too cheesy with the annoying voice of the characters that made me skip a few times. Nonetheless, strangely enough, when I got tired of skipping I decided to just let it slide and enjoy whatever it got, and the result after a few episodes later was astonishing, I fell in love with the opening without question.
The voice acting sure is interesting, I usually do not enjoy the typical "cute" voice of the girls since it can easily get on my nerves, but I guess Lucky Star is an exception. The background music is also well-distributed, there were moments that I instantly laughed when the music started playing since they fit the mood so well. The Endings are not really to my taste but well at least I can say it's not boring watching people doing weird things behind the scene.
Unexpectedly, an anime that I had little interest in outwardly turned out to be something very entertaining and unforgettable. Though there flaws that could not be overlooked due to my nitpicking nature, I think if you're someone who's really into slice-of-life then this anime is a must-watch. For those who seek "healing" anime, give this one a try, at least 2 episodes like I did before deciding to drop. And well, if you're the type who only enjoy action, drama, especially those who strictly seek humor then I don't think this is the right place for you.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Mar 15, 2018
"They seem strange and alien, primitive and peculiar. They are unlike any flora or fauna known to us. From time immemorial, men have feared these shapeless entities which came to be known as “Mushi”."
Speaking of slice-of-life anime, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say Mushishi is one of the "conductor" in this "train". I myself was curious about it when I first got into anime 2 years ago, and it sure had my attention since then. However, took me long enough before I got the chance to finish it, and wow, what a ride it was.
To begin with, Mushishi is, IMO, not an anime for
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everyone. Yeah, you must have been sick of hearing this kind of excuses but I think this one small description fits Mushishi perfectly. If you have a mindset of a geezer who’s tired of all the noise in the city and just wanna have something peaceful, a bit dramatic, and a touch of life, then yeah Mushishi is definitely your cup of tea. Other than that, people who don’t have enough patience would leave in less than 3 episodes (maybe).
When I first watched Mushishi I was in awe of how studio Artland handled the mysteries as well as fantasy in this slice of life anime. Though I must admit the pacing can be a problem sometimes which might trigger uneasiness-es, in the end, the solution for each episode always paid off.
Mushishi doesn’t have an overarching plot, it’s rather straightforward with nothing really complicated or contains some pretentious, 2deep4u philosophies. Mushishi is a journey, a voyage to find the value of living beings while at the same time, witness and uncover some of the human traits that we rarely get to see on the media as a whole.
In the process of solving a problem, Ginko, our protagonist, usually has to struggle to find the most optimized answer for both humans and the Mushi side. With the metaphor used in almost every episode, we, the audience, get to see and know a bit more about the whimsical trend of Japanese’s folktale, cultural stuff, such as their concept about heaven and earth, life and death, etc. which is, IMO, a good add-on that helps spice things up a bit.
Simply put, Mushishi has no clear direction. It’s just there to show us the story from Ginko’s POV and unravel different scenarios each episode, constantly changing side characters but not without maintaining its substance.
What really separates Mushishi from most conventional slice-of-life animes is that it doesn’t hesitate to challenge the “depressing" side. Slowly but surely, you’ll get to bear witness to some certain disturbing subjects accompanied by a little bit of horror for the change of tone. This is IMO one of the best things about Mushishi since it harvests an innumerable amount of themes regardless of their “color”, thus enriches and expands the scale of this fantasy saga.
Watching Mushishi is like sitting down and “listening” to a tale of a guy who traveled a great lot in his life. What’s more, this kind of tale is reinforced with marvelous animation and beautiful soundtracks to enhance your experience. Character design is simple yet very effective, I don’t really have trouble remembering their faces because it’s all almost the same (absolutely no sarcasm). The breathtaking landscapes simply nail the “feel” as they make me wanna chill out for a bit and forget about all the tiring mood from a day at work.
The sound and BGM is also one of Mushishi’s strongest assets. It wasn't just about the quality of the tracks, but also about how they were played at the right moment in order to fully augment the highlight of a particular episode. The OP is pure magic, I can listen to it every time without getting bored. The EDs vary from each episode and thus making it even more prolific and wholesome. My favorite one is probably no.7 track of Zokou shou SS1.
While Mushishi doesn’t have a great cast, Ginko alone is sufficient to make up for the lack of quantity. Throughout the journey, we get to see more about his story, his personality, and some of his humorous qualities. He isn’t some kind of OP or godlike genius that can practically get or figures out everything. But that’s what makes him the star of the show, a faithful and easygoing fella that is capable of keeping the show away from feeling dull.
Despite all the praise I gave, Mushishi is not flawless. However, IMHO, that is still up to how the viewers' perception to decide the magnitude of said issue. I myself think Mushishi should have stopped at Zokou, the OVAs are nice but I can’t say they’re on the same level with the main series, mostly due to the pacing as well as “recycled” ideas. I admit that sometimes this anime makes me feel very sleepy, but the end result really made up for that.
In conclusion, Mushishi was a great tour with many memorable moments. I laughed a lot, I learned a lot, I “felt” a lot, I shocked a lot, and it’s all worth it. So long Ginko, have a nice trip and good luck.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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