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Aug 9, 2020
I don't normally go for movies due to their length and my limited time. But I was pleasantly surprised to see that there was a sequel to the Seibuta anime and that it seemed to have done well by MAL rating standards. I decided to check it out.
It's been a while since the Seibuta anime aired, and my memory is foggy, but this movie really fell short of the anime and my expectations for it.
Let's start with the easier parts to review. The art is basically the same as the anime's. I read one other review after watching the movie, and I do agree that
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a movie should have a bigger budget and therefore at least better art, but to me this is not a dealbreaker for a series that had decent art to start with. The soundtrack part could have been better for sure. The Seibuta anime OP was catchy and brilliant. I don't remember the anime ED too much but there was nothing in the movie soundtrack that caught my ear.
Now, the story and characters. I personally saw the Seibuta anime as falling inbetween the Monogatari Series and Oregairu, the former being firmly supernatural and the latter being firmly realistic. What these series have in common is how they 1) lead viewers to consider thought-provoking concepts and multiple viewpoints; and 2) utilise dialogue and interactions to bring their characters to life through highlighting their motivations and emotions. Seibuta took a leaf from each through utilising a 'realistic setting' combined with a supernatural plot device to drive its story.
However, the movie threatened this impression. Now, I really would rather not spoil, but since I'm recommending that you don't watch this, I have to divulge some generics without going into details.
Our protagonist, Sakuta, has a dilemma. He is forced to choose between Mai, his girlfriend, and his first crush, Shoko, who interestingly shows up in both an adult version that is a rival to Mai, and a middle-school version, who turns out to have a fatal illness. Using the "Puberty Syndrome" as the plot device which we saw throughout the anime, we find out how there exist two Shokos, what is the relationship between them, and how Sakuta is forced into his dilemma. This summary covers up to the middle of the movie - which was ok, but by then, the tension is built-up and the audience is made to wonder - what will Sakuta do?
There's nothing wrong with a dilemma - what viewers care about is how it is resolved - it's usually more about the process over the outcome. Sakuta's dilemma is then followed by a catastrophe. Again, process over outcome. But the movie butchered them both. There is a sudden disappearance of logic which is replaced by melodrama and a soap opera plot. The earlier part of the movie had some similar aspects, but I thought it was a one-off and paid it no heed. Nope. It wasn't. The melodrama/soap opera grew from there and proved that it was going to stay. It became clear that the intent was less to present a good story but rather to pull at the viewers' heartstrings and force empathy that would lead one to feel that 'because it made me feel, it was good.' I fell for it too - there were points when I went "oh wow that's so sad." And then I went "oh wow that's so sad" for an entirely different reason when I saw exactly where the plot was going.
It went for an asspull (a plot-device-turned-asspull, to be precise) - the vulgar, disguised form of "Deus ex Machina." And since it's an asspull, there's no logic that explains how it works either.
From there, it became entirely predictable. The plot, characters, their emotions, etc. I did not expect so many tears from this movie, but the primary characters become wishy-washy and super-teary. One of the major problems with an asspull however, is that because it allows for a reset, everything that happened up to that point and after - the plot, character development, emotions, etc - becomes unconvincing at best, and void at worst.
While we're on primary characters, as the movie progressed, it was clear that the side characters - an important part of the Seibuta anime - were being phased out to make way for a love-triangle between the primary characters. By the end, while each side character gets their appearance, and some of them do play a role in the plot, I did not feel like they had really developed in any meaningful way. But then again, I didn't feel that way for the primary characters either.
What happened? The Seibuta anime had proved to me that it was much more than all these things. Its characters were decently fleshed, there were thought-provoking-but-believable plot points, and it was enjoyable. Despite being a sequel to the anime, the movie did not follow the anime's successful formula.
Now, I note that this movie adapted 2 volumes from the LN (which i have not read). The question then is did all this melodrama, unhinged emotions and poorly-developed plot points come from the LN too? Considering the anime's source material, I find it hard to believe. One would need to read the LN volumes, but my guess is that the intent was to force a feels reaction from the audience - an emotional hook, if you will.
In conclusion, the movie was a disappointment in how it sought to pander to the emotions to cover up for its inadequacies (and even then it failed in its deception). I watch shows for the plot and characters, and while some series/movies don't really promise you too much, 'thought-provoking' series like Seibuta, Monogatari and Oregairu invite viewers to judge them on these aspects. Well, Seibuta's movie failed. If you are a Seibuta fan, you, like Sakuta, may be faced with a dilemma - watch so you know what happens after the Seibuta anime ended so you won't FOMO should a new anime season come out - or sacrifice 90 minutes of your time on something which may affect your impressions of this series. Let's hope you make a better, more reasonable choice than Sakuta (and I) did, and remember, you have no asspull to save you after you make your choice.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Jul 2, 2015
This will be a very long review (I dare to call it an essay!), and while it may not exactly contain spoilers, I have included 'hints' which one may wish to look out for in watching this anime.
Personally, out of all the other studios, I find myself following and noticing trends in Kyoani's releases the most. After all, while the moe wave was not (exactly) started by them, K-On contributed hugely to it, and from there, I found myself observing how Kyoani seems to have very acute marketing tendencies - they would just somehow hit the demographics right, appealing to various clusters of viewers while
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still producing what are basically decent anime.
I was not expecting very much from Hibike! Euphonium at all. After all, its resemblances to K-On are pretty eerie, and not being a great fan of how K-On turned out, I was not anticipating much out of this either. Still, I decided that I would give it a try - such is my inclination towards music.
It was only after I finished watching the whole series that I discovered something that pretty much explained why I felt Hibike was so successful. Just like one of Kyoani's previous works, Hyouka, Hibike is an adaptation of a novel. In my opinion, the novel as a medium presents a view quite distinct from that of the manga and the light novel. Mangas and Light novels are by no means simple or immature, in case you misunderstand, but the target audience and marketing intention behind those two mediums as opposed to the novel is quite different. I would argue that the novel is in general less geared towards entertainment than it is towards art. As such, the novel as a medium gives the studio a better base to build their anime upon - for its style and language offers a different perspective and vision to those reading it as opposed to other forms of media.
In this respect, the first important feature of Hibike that sets it apart from many other anime is its focus on the music itself. I played in a Jazz Band during my high school years, so I do have some experience in the field, albeit in a different context. Either way, I found that some of the scenes portrayed in the music room were indeed real - although dramatized. Furthermore, as a musical anime, Hibike actually shows the band playing music, with both individuals and the collective struggling to 'find their sound.' Even more impressive is the level of detail in the performances; I think that for a skilled player to play badly on purpose is difficult. Yet when the band plays badly, it is obvious enough to tell who went wrong. The pieces themselves were indeed impressive - every time that trumpet solo played, I would feel myself tingle, going, "My goodness that is indeed a beautiful solo." That the studio would even go so far as to get the fingerings and etc correct for each instrument is impressive.
One indisputable thing about Kyoani is their art. They have always been famous for taking actual scenes in real life and casting them into the anime mould - and with such detail and precision! I could even recognize some Kyoto scenes from the images in the anime itself! The studio has taken realism in anime to another level in this sense. Yet I couldn't help but feel that this was the best I'd seen from Kyoani just yet.
The story itself is nothing very complicated. In fact, it is precisely because it is not complicated that it relays what it should be about: music, and the things that stem from people trying to get that music together. As such, certain plot developments were not entirely unexpected (meaning that some others were, of course :P). In speaking about Slice of Life anime though, I find it crucial to speak about characters in relation to the plot - for it is the characters and their reactions that drive the plot forward. Yes, the characters have the typical cute Kyoani design, but none of them are moeblobs, or 'useless,' in the broad sense of the word.
The protagonist of the story, Kumiko, is arguably nothing very special. I didn't expect very much from her. I perceive her as sometimes being more of the sort that 'just wants things to go by smoothly,' even if she does not give such a strong vibe of that sentiment. This begins to change once she starts coming into contact with all the different personalities of the band. This is Hibike's greatest strength: for with such a diverse cast of characters, I find that they have fleshed out a large number of them very well, such that the events and drama between each one actually has effects on the others. What is more amazing is that each one of them is actually very unique in their own right; just like how we humans are in real life. We all react to situations differently, and Hibike's characters are no different. For example, I find that contrasting the attitudes of 'Ribbon girl' with Asuka-senpai would be one combination where the viewer can see two highly contrasting attitudes to a situation. For me to list out all the combinations and characters would be impossible, for that is precisely how much development and thought has gone into many of them.
Life is a magical thing, and Hibike has shown that to be true. For only certain moments can be deemed magical in order for them to stand out and make a deep impressions upon us. While most of our lives may come across as mundane, there are times we reflect upon in great wonder, having been enchanted by the atmosphere of the moment. There are such moments in Hibike, the most prominent of these being the development of the relationship between Kumiko and the mysterious Reina. Amongst all the characters in Hibike, Reina is the one I find most enchanting, for she is so distanced from everything else. Yet when she finally gets close to Kumiko, even i was left mesmerised by her entire being - such was the beauty of that scene and moment that I replayed it many times - for it was then that the novel's art reveals itself through in the monologues of Kumiko's mind and later the exchange between the two. For there is a depth and grace surrounding Reina that is an indescribable inspiration - and that portrayal is undoubtedly the product of Kyoani's vision. Yet in the episodes thereafter, that magic did not last - exactly like what life is, for nothing that's good can last; we can only hope to continue developing it slowly and cherishing what we were honoured to have.
Hibike is however, by no means a show drowned in unreachable sentiments. There's definitely plenty, but it has many other elements in it as well that constitute the various aspects of school life. One example would be the hints and touches of vague romance within it, for I find that any anime not focused on romance yet display it are some of the sweetest that there can be - and trust me, there are plenty here. It leaves one guessing - but love comes in many forms, and it is our decision as to how we wish to perceive it. For romance to be a feature in an anime focusing on high school life is nothing surprising - but it is merely a part, even if it could be a big one. I would challenge all potential viewers to not dig too deep onto the romance portion of this anime, even if it is so tempting and inviting.
Such are slice of life animes. They aim at portraying the world to us viewers in a certain manner and form that is familiar to us, yet they are filled with more drama and sentiment than our lives would typically be - because that's how we are entertained. I believe that Kyoani has attained a certain peak with this anime that have not seen in a while. In all the studio's attention to detail is the creation of an anime that while simple - is art in itself. For it has been executed so well that I felt myself vicariously going through much of what the characters did. Again I cannot help but make it clear that this is nothing like K-On; here, I felt that Kyoani decided to get serious. They were fully intent on creating something great, something worthy of the lives that we live and aspire to live, even if we may not be successful in doing so. In the process, it has shown that there are no means more suitable than through the expression of music - as each note rings in this anime, be it from an individual character, or when bonds are made between groups, I find it hard to feel otherwise, for even it made me want 'to be something special.'
Full kudos to Kyoani on what I think is their best anime so far in a while, for it is the culmination of the ideals I feel they had been looking to achieve. Through adapting a novel with an excellent foundation, Kyoani's Hibike surpassed all my expectations, and while it is not a true masterpiece, I don't know how else to rate this series.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Oct 21, 2014
"A Beauty risen from Ashes..."
Such is one way to describe Tamako Love Story, and its relation to its prequel, Tamako Market.
For those of you that have watched Tamako Market, perhaps this question crossed your mind, "What was KyoAni thinking in making this?"
I could not answer that question convincingly.
Tamako Market was arguably conceived on the principles of Slice-of-life/Moe that occupy a niche in the anime industry - and with titles such as K-On and Chuunibyou under their belt, Tamako Market was yet another to add to the list.
Yet, Tamako Love Story is a whole world apart from the movies of the other two titles.
The plot is
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simple, and needs no explanation - the title and brief synopsis leaves you enough to be able to guess what this is about. In comparison to the relatively aimless and blurry storyline of Tamako Market, this movie does not attempt to do anything other than what's necessary. The dismissal of the anime's mixing of 'small plots' and its primary centrepiece (Dera's reasons for going to Usagiyama) are barely missed. Instead, focus on the relationship between two childhood friends takes the stage. The sequence of events keeps true to the label, 'slice of life,' and while it is neither very original nor brilliant, the plot's simplicity is its strength - it addresses themes that anyone can relate to and understand.
While keeping to the same artistic style as the prequel, there is notable improvement in the backgrounds of the movie. Yes, characters are the focus, but just as how an island is nothing without the water around it, the background art has defined the atmosphere of this movie. It is beautiful, pleasant, and does not visually assault the eye in either displeasure or splendour. It is, like the plot, straightforward, and where it sparkles, it is in harmony with the very characters that they are meant to be complementing.
The soundtrack was decent - a decent BGM usually being one that stays in the background and adds to the atmosphere. Most notable was the song that Tamako's father wrote for his wife. I saw it as more than a nice tune that formed the basis of the OP and ED - it carries forward the motif of young love from the anime, and a sort of encouragement from one generation to the other. It is wonderful that in this movie where music technically has no major emphasis, it plays a subtle role in the plot that I daresay could not have been made possible by other means.
As with slice of life stories, the characters are the primary emphasis. While Tamako Market tried to juggle a whole host of characters, Tamako Love Story cuts down heavily on the numbers and thus roles of many characters, allocating screen time where it matters. The character development occurs and turns as expected, but it has been presented in a delightful manner, ultimately revolving around the idea of 'change' in how our characters realise such inevitabilities, and their struggles in dealing with them. Naturally, youth and its subsequent innocence too play an important role in this movie - the struggle is real and (hopefully) one we can all relate to, somehow. In this sense, the characters have been presented as they should be: as representations of real people.
I personally find it impossible, having watched Tamako Market, to not compare between the two. Could I blame my exceedingly high enjoyment levels on lowered expectations? I could, certainly. But even on its own, Tamako Love Story stands strong. Tamako Market may not have been a very good anime in its own right. However, the foundation that it built for this movie cannot be ignored.
What is undoubtedly an achievement on the part of the movie's staff is how they managed to turn the series around. In contrast to K-On's and Chuunibyou's movies, Tamako Love Story offers redemption for the series and closure for the viewers who wanted something more than what its anime counterpart offered. No one needed to tidy up Tamako Market, but the production team looked back, realised that the Elephant in the Room had not yet been addressed... and fortunately, they dealt with it whilst implying the seeming vulnerability of the world we live in, and the need to accept it through moving on, or fighting to ensure that we do not lose what is precious to us.
It's no award-winning masterpiece. It's nothing mindblowing... but there is no denying that this movie is something very special, most particularly with the tender impressions it leaves upon the viewer by the end, especially for those that could perhaps utter, "Been there, done that... and truly, everybody does love somebody."
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Mar 31, 2013
This title was one that was referred to so many times that eventually, I could no longer afford to ignore it.
I am glad that I finally made the choice to give it a shot, and my Lord, that was an incredible ride on so many fronts.
I have not had any prior experience with the manga (I've only gone through 3 chapters, just to see how much different it could be), and the previous anime TV adaptation i have left untouched as... well, mainly on the basis that this was something far more mind-blowing.
Story: 8
There is one word that best describes this: Grand. Yes, the
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entire plot behind the OVAs operates on a massive scale. In fact, I could say that Hellsing's plot is like one massive movie split into 10 parts, for the story has (effectively) only 1 arc, and it encompasses everything.
This primary story has an absolutely incredible build-up. In fact, I daresay that it is incredibly unbelievable. When I first saw one of the genre descriptions of this, I saw "Nazis." Hmm, right, Nazis. Finished by 1945. When I watched it, I was just shocked, and amazed at how this entire idea of Nazis was being brought about. This is just one aspect of many unbelievable things that Hellsing introduces in its story (another would be vampires using artillery and ammunition... I don't see that too often...)
The reason I did not give this as high a rating as the other factors is mainly on the basis that at times, the OVA seems to leave out several important points, or things that should have been said, especially in OVAs 8 and 9 (and maybe 10 as well). I was sometimes left confused by what certain developments that seemed almost haphazardly thrown in, and was always waiting for an explanation. Those explanations did kind of come, but at the same time, they were not well-explained enough. In addition, Hellsing should not be just noted as purely violence. It does have its comedic moments, but personally, i often found them out of place amidst the torrent of blood that dominates the story.
In general, however, the story is mainly focused on that one single event, and it barely stays away from that focus. If anything, I have qualms in how the world of Hellsing could have certainly been better developed, and more aspects to the overall story explained (something I hope and believe the manga does), but yet, it stays entirely true to the idea and concept of bloodshed, and it has worked. Hellsing is by no means a world of fantasy. If I wished to describe it as such... it is a world of an enjoyable nightmare bathed in crimson red...
Art: 10
Hellsing is violent. Incredibly violent. The animation gone into this puts it on the pinnacle of everything classified under "Violence and Gore". Prior to this, the goriest I had seen was "Mirai Nikki." And i thought that was pretty extreme. Then I saw this. I had no idea that blood could be spilled in so many ways. And the way that each and every fight progresses is absolutely incredible. At times, I couldn't stop laughing simply because of the incredibly high level of destruction. Each and every scene exhibits animation that truly is beyond the level of 'masterpiece'; even in a non-battle scene, one can see from the colours and backgrounds used that this anime is all about serious business. In this respect, particular attention should be taken to the usage of red and black throughout the series. The character designs for Hellsing are certainly worth commendation, and kudos goes to the level of detail that can be seen for... well... just about everything.
Sound: 10
Hellsing uses a certain variety of soundscapes in its soundtrack, and i was impressed throughout with how well the sounds fitted in with the scene, the battles in particular. The choral parts written for the OVAs are nothing short of amazing, though, especially at the end-credits scenes. They are certainly worthy of any requiem, and herald the idea of death magnificently. (I do have a slight qualm with how I wish there was more rock music for this.)
The voice acting for each character is top-notch, and the entire cast of voice actors has been well-chosen. There is no doubt that (pretty much) every single voice actor (major or minor) has played a really massive role in making this series such a success. Sound effects are by no means any different: Each sound effect has contributed a wonderful amount to each and every action scene.
Character: 9
There are a wide spectrum of characters in Hellsing. However, the main protagonists and primary supporting characters of Hellsing are outstanding, and unique. And certainly, each one of them contributes to pulling off the grand storyline. And they are indeed a whole showcase of many personalities. As unbelievable as some of them may be, I found that each one of them carried a purpose; something which I didn't quite expect. I often found myself questioning, "what exactly is this guy's deal?" and this is not something which I find myself doing very often for many other high-paced, action series. It is certainly nothing incredibly mind-blowing or psychological, but when the focus of the anime is clearly on violence and gore, to be thinking about the nature of the characters was certainly a surprise for me. At any rate, though, each and every single one of them were all veered with the single purpose of bringing the viewer into this world of carnage that Hellsing focuses on: a world where War rules above all.
Enjoyment: 10
I have no doubts about how much I loved this series watching it. I already had incredibly high expectations for it, and I was not to be disappointed, especially whenever it came to a battle, or a scene of carnage. To be honest, I am not a fan of violence, gore, military, that sort of stuff. I am more often the kind that enjoys romantic comedies, and laughing my ass off at jokes, or sometimes tearing at something dramatic. But this was entirely different. This is a drama that speaks in terms of how many ccs of blood is spilled (although you may shed tears at times). It is a comedy in how much you laugh at every single act of violence. It is a romance beween death, and the battlefield.
In short, the ease with which I was pulled into this world was beyond me.
Overall: 10
There have been many words I have used to describe Hellsing over the course of this review, but I would think "Awesome" is what fits it best as a whole.
And there are indeed many reasons why Hellsing was such an awesome ride for me (many said above, and many others, indescribable with words). However, one very particular quality of Hellsing that simply makes it different from just about... every other story I've exposed myself to so far would be the animation that has gone into its production. I have watched my fair share of anime, and movies, and certainly some have tagged under these same genres. But none of them even compare to how this has been executed. I might sound like I'm over exaggerating, but I cannot deny that Hellsing is an absolute masterpiece. It is here that one can truly glimpse anime as more than entertainment; it is art. It is art that shows the beauty of bloodshed, death, carnage, violence, and pure Badass.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Mar 15, 2013
First off, I'm writing this review more as a review for the entire series, rather than just this OVA itself, as the OVA itself does not contain the entire essence of this series. In addition, I have neither read the light novels, nor it's manga adaptation, so my memory of the anime itself is my only gauge for this.
As you would know, the basic premise of this story lies in the development of the relationship between the series two main protagonists, Nogizaka Haruka, and Ayase Yuuto.
Story: 6
Essentially, this story is best described by the evil "C" word - Cliche. You can roughly expect to
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know what comes next throughout this entire series, for both TV seasons, and this OVA. Twists and Turns are not to be expected, and if you enjoy that kind of story, this is certainly not for you. However, you can expect that the essential points of a series focused on a pure teenage love would be shown, and it eventually does end well (as seen in the OVA). One other big issue about the story is how when there is a case of conflict... it somehow gets resolved WAYYYYY too easily. It fails to demonstrate the problems and issues of a teenage couple being in a relationship of such nature, and often these issues are either not brought out, or are easily resolved. If you are hoping for some real good drama, this story may disappoint you (hence, lower your expectations).
Art: 8
The art improves with each season of the series. Not to say that I believed that Season 1 had bad art, but i certainly would've given it a 6. At least with the passing of time and improvement of technology, the art for this series has gotten better. Basic character designs stay the same throughout (a good thing, because they generally appealed to me, save for a few characters), but the backgrounds and color quality improve, and in a pretty obvious way by the time it reaches this OVA.
Sound: 8
The OPs and EDs for the entire series do not always fit, particularly the OP for the 2nd season, but they don't entirely disappoint (they do encourage me to unleash my ultimate skill of fastforward though). I'm mainly giving points here to the overall soundtrack. The inclusion of many classical themes (as fitting of a story involving a rich ojou-sama, yes?) suits the story of each episode, and the music fits well with the series in general.
Character: 6
The characters are generally not unexpected. As this is not a harem romcom, we get a decent individual for a main character, and a really shy ojou-sama as the other. However, sadly, while they are given lots of screen time, they do not come across as strong main characters. The best characters in this story are in fact the side/supporting characters. I'm not even speaking of "almost-main," but definitely recurring characters that don't always need to make an appearance (Nobunaga!) However, even with the issue of the main characters, it is not a complete failure, and the strength of the protagonists sometimes does show, normally more with Ayase Yuuto (i'll attribute this to the story component).
Enjoyment: 7
Since the story is cliche, the most important thing that will make this series a success is the execution. However, the execution does some massive acrobatic yoyoing tricks at times. For example, the first two episodes of the 1st season were thoroughly enjoyed, but it slumped really badly for the next few, to rise again, and then fall, and then balance. However, it has it's moments, as when it does do well, it really can match with the top animes in terms of enjoyment. Consistency is the greatest issue here. When I got to laugh, i really did, but when it fell, it really plunged a massive hole of disappointment in me. If there's one thing this OVA does do that the rest of the series doesn't (oh, producer, why you dragging on the story?), it gives closure to the series.
Overall: 7
Overall, this series is not a waste of your time. It is certainly not a must-watch, and you must be prepared to not have high expectations for it. However, the important points of the story are covered, and throughout, it is best if you don't compare it to better series in the genre of a pure romantic comedy. It is slightly unique in it's own way with how it treats the problems of a rather... draggy relationship, but it will not spoil your day, and at it's best, it may actually be quite a fun ride.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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