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Nov 2, 2023
I came to Initial D after having watched the first epiode of MF Ghost and learned that it was a sequel. Until very recently, I was never into mechanics, racing, speed, cars or even wheels. You do not care, but this shows that such an anime can have a very strong appeal (and Wangan Midnight after it) on even this kind of audience.
Basically, the whole plot is : "Okay guys, let's see who's the best street racer around here and… who's this youngster with that old car?". It's paper-thin, but it manages to deliver a very straightforward story, good characters, passion, and loads of adrenaline
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until the very last episode, which is six seasons (and much better visuals) later.
Despite its old age, Initial D was still a great watch, to my own surprise. There are two reasons to that, which I would like to point out:
Firstly, the direction and the rhythm more than make up for the lack of better animation and overall art. The cars could be rocks, you still would feel thrilled by each and every eurobeat-themed race. And we are talking early Playstation-level of CGI, here, which is definite proof that the shounen-style storytelling and the direction outweigh the not-that-bad looks of it. A point that remains valid for the following seasons.
Secondly, the story is very focused on its main theme—street racing; there are very few episodes that deal with what directly concerns our protagonists and their cars. Races are the most prominent part of the series and can easily last 3 or 4 episodes without you feeling robbed of its conclusion because many things did happen during the episode. Consequently, there is a lot of action, meaning a lot of races, which are supported by interesting competitors.
So, yes, it's great! And the racing genre being underrepresented in anime, the only risk you take in watching this oldie is of quickly feeling wanting more and not finding much after having binged the six seasons.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Nov 1, 2023
Wangan Midnight chronicles the lives of people whose passion for speed, street racing, and tuning is reignited by the return of a legendary car on the wangan, which is the part of the highway that runs alongside the coastline outside of Tokyo. And nothing else, really. The passion for race cars is palpable throughout the anime and as far as the protagonists are concerned, every scene is related to that passion and to the impact that legendary car had on them, as well as the life-altering choices they make or not after that.
I insist on the fact that it is more a chronicle than a
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story: the protagonists tuning their cars to beat that legendary car on the wangan, examining their motivations for doing so, and struggling to reconcile their youth passion and the shackles of getting older and further in their adult life is the entire plot, with the legendary car and its young, new driver at the center of it.
Like some of you perhaps, I came to Wangan Midnight after having watched Initial D. And though there are similarities, the two happen to be quite different from each other. Initial D is more thrilling and shounen and it offers some sort of a storyline nonetheless, whereas Wangan Midnight has an initimate vibe, a slower pace, and leans definitely more on the seinen side without any real plot. That being said, Wangan Midgnight does not fall into melodrama or pathos and remains mature and appropriate to its characters, which is great. No eurobeat either, but a sparsely-used score that fit the atmosphere and action very well, including a few mystical touches of Enigma-like music.
All in all, it is an excellent anime but one that can ben quite difficult to binge-watch because this is roughly 26 episodes of more of the same. But if you fancy its theme and its cocooned atmosphere, if you get hooked on those adult characters that get together as a friendly community of people united by the same passion, then it becomes an odd delight to watch.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Mar 13, 2017
Giant Killing is to soccer as One Outs is to baseball. Both rely on a main character who's an underdog trickster, both heavily resort to psychological battles. But the comparison stops here and the soccer one ends up behind in every aspect so far.
Giant Killing is somehow a soft show, not intimate but close enough, in a way, and there's an overall nostalgic feeling about it. There isn't any spectacular ambition showing, nothing is really fancy and the viewer's emotions rely on the story in its unraveling, more than on an audiovisual ride. Be it the art, the animation or the score: we're miles away
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from recent blockbusters like Kuroko no Basket or Haikyū!! Fortunately, the story here is better than in many shōnen in the sport category.
About the art, you will probably notice that the chara design's focus on noses is very pronounced, and literally adds a fit sharpness mirroring the treatment of the characters, intensifying each personality. So, even if you should find the chara desin unattractive or old school, paying attention to that particular detail may help you bear with it in an interesting —and not-so-common— way. At least until you get familiarized with it.
Despite following a rather slow pace at times, and despite not being as tricky, gritty and inventive as its baseball counterpart, the show's action is always both interesting and entertaining, and is supported by many likeable characters. Still, something is lacking. The narration tries to keep it real, goes seinen and refrains from showing-off; but most characters in the show are presented under a positive light. It almost feels like watching Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends playing soccer! I exaggerate, of course, but that positive feeling, even if very enjoyable for the viewer, tends to soften the treatment and minor every dramatic event. When you get where the story is heading, 26 episodes seem a bit short and frustrating, but as the show progresses without switching gears despite any occurring event, you realize it may eventually be for the best. Because you're not sure you could follow some 52 to 100-episodes saga with that kind of pace.
But don't get stuck on such pessimistic impressions, if they should ever come up. Because in the end, when you'll be watching the last closing credits of Giant Killing and it will have turned out the 26-episodes course was really for the best, it won't be out of disappointment or frustration. At worst you might feel a bit nostalgic.
But you will know you just watched a good story.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Mar 11, 2017
Major tells only one story throughout the course of its six seasons. That fact holds more than it seems, but talking about the construction of the story or the characters couldn't come without necessarily spoilers (it also holds the advantage of needing only one review for the whole saga). So, in order to prevent it, we'll focus on some general elements, the ones able to translate the qualities of the show. And yes, qualities only, for even when not at its best, Major never fails on any aspect.
That particular steadiness shows up in the art, the animation and the sound. Although there is nothing really
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worth noticing about those, the job is still very well done, and you can't really tell if there's a difference between the first and the last episode on a 155-run.
Consistency is also the key in both narratives and characters. The storytelling is minimalist but remarkable, keeping any off-baseball topic (if any at all!) to a minimum, but without exhausting the audience with to much action at the same time. The story's focus is excellent, and the rhythm brings out better than what we'd expect at first, wiping out every chance of boredom or ease the focus could bring.
In other words, the alchemy works great!
You may find maybe a few episodes slightly under the wind, but no season has a slow start, a bad finish, a soft belly, or even a boring/uninteresting/fan service episode.
If you like baseball shows, Major is probably one of the bests you could find. More recent series such as Battery or Dia no A don't even come close to it. Remember it's a shōnen: don't be surprised to find sometimes a bit of Goku or Seiya into the main character's psyche or drive! But don't worry: no super powers here! Nothing unbelievably extravagant and still great action! By sticking to a rather simple canvas of a story and its main protagonist, the writing concentrates on quality and details to make even clichés characters interesting and/or surprising.
So, what to say about Major?
Take it home.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Feb 23, 2017
Disappointing. Area no kishi starts as an interesting new take on high school soccer with formidable expectations. And with 37 episodes to go, you expect them to be quite fulfilled.
Sadly, not.
First things first : the art and animation are a few years back ! Nothing awful, but nothing remarkable anyhow. Even the greatest moments are below 2016-17 standards, especially after seeing the intensity of some pearls like Haikyū vs Shiratorizawa. The overall art feels like the nineties, when sports anime were still cheap and relying only on the contagious rage to win of the main protagonists. You'll even notice a drop in quality after half
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the show, when some characters change from one scene to another. Fortunately, the seiyū do a great job, enough to compensate for that little annoyance.
And the story is rather good ! It starts with one, immediately goes to two, then three, then it becomes everyone else story. The pathos is surprisingly light, the characters are interesting and everything seems to go well, despite the slow rhythm.
Up to this point, it's okay.
The problem is... multiple !
First : even with 37 episodes, the show starts slow and ends up slugish ! The starting ambitions are being cruhed along the way for no reason - storywise. One reason could be that they aimed for a 70-100+ show from the beginning, but couldn't do it.
And there comes the second problem...
Second : the main protagonist is being sucked up by the show's background. In its seinen take, Area no kishi gives a lot of importance to the surroundings of the main protagonist. Excepting the family and the pathos that goes with the inner tragedy from which the story is built upon, which is a clever move, we expect progression. Sadly, we only get dilution. To the point the main protagonist gets too little screen time for a presupposed hero (Daiya no A anyone?), and his performances barely improve, naturally putting him on the sidelines.
Frustrating and, most of all, pointless. Ambitions that fall short are never a good sign.
And it doesn't stop there.
When you're in the second half and you have already noticed the very few comedy routines being reused poorly, there come two episodes of fan service ! Two beach-themed filler-like useless episodes! And suddenly, the 37-run you thought might be too quick for your taste becomes a real drag. Because you know it won't go anywhere, despite its promises, because everything that you thought was slowed in a way to build a great atmosphere and deeply likeable characters ends up being treated with little to no regard, almost clumsiness.
Third : the music is lame ! The action comes with sounds (I think they call it music) that will
remind the oldest of you of arcade gaming! Yeah! That ridiculous! Compared to more recent works, it just doesn't stand the comparison. That's all the obvious I can state.
So, what is Area no kishi?
It's a fair high school soccer show (with almost no school part), even if disappointing. Remember the feel of Ginga e Kick-Off, extract the quality of the art and the animation, add world ambitions but stick to your short-sighted "ginga" and, base story aside, you've got it. It's one of the last sport shows produced with disregard for the genre I guess. Before very strong scores pulled up even the weakest shows, before they decided to try stuff with direction and episode's construction (not the bad half of Area no kishi by the way), before they put enough money in it, maybe.
Fair as it is, it still feels wasted. But don't get me wrong: there are numerous reasons to enjoy it anyway!
I just don't feel like pointing them out.
That's how disappointment works.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Jan 28, 2017
For those who love tournament fights only! Preferably with aberrant and gore-ish martial prowess among masters. Because there is nothing else to it. Well, almost.
You have a story, a script the size of a matchbox, but fairly right for the purpose it serves. Characters' backstories easily fill that purpose too, being side stories on their own, keeping us entertained. It only stretches a bit much around the end, otherwise, there's nothing to get bored of: plenty of fights!
On the artistic side, Grappler Baki is a failure. Everything from the chara design to the animation is cheap to the point even Baki doesn't look the same
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from one one scene to another. Thankfully, he has red hair, but you should see him trying to smile: it's sometimes dreadful! The only thing worth saving is the tension, the grim side of the show. The savagery accommodates well with the poor design and animation and the good but unremarkable music.
Oddly enough, the flaws are nothing much compared to the enjoyment procured. You can forgive easily when you seek fights and the show offers you fights. There is a scent of Bloodsport, backstories with the assumed flavor of 80s' american action movies, mixed with chinese kung fu flicks. It doesn't promise much, but it delivers.
(Like an undertalented Morricone-like, but taken as a compliment.)
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jan 5, 2017
When you watch Boku no Hero Academia, you may feel a void in yourself. A strange one, not clearly understandable at first. And it grows from the first episode to the thirteenth. Whatever enjoyment you may gain from the show is not enough to fill that void.
Then you realize it's a good thing.
That void is your brain knowing the enjoyment will last thirteen episodes and no more. At least not for a year. That void is frustration, and it comes like this because the anime has incredible potential and is good enough to make you desire for more.
I exaggerate a bit, but there are really
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few blames to put on Boku no Hero Academia. Art is good, even if, like me, you're not a big fan of that style. Animation is good. The score is great and fits perfectly. The story is trending but, like One-Punch Man, it transcends the boundaries of the genre by playing with the rules and expectations of both shōnen/nekketsu and super heroes to bring something fresh, something new, something intelligent, and the entertainment that goes with it.
Even the aforementioned blames we could cast on the show aren't really flaws. At worst they are narrative choices and their worth lies on personal appreciation more than a scholar one. With so few episodes, the story is only at it's beginning, but it's a promising one since it succeeds in every delivery: action! comedy! thriller! drama! But —and maybe this is a flaw— the characters are great and well-written, we follow the lead all the way, but they aren't bigger than the world and the promises the show brings to us. So, even with everything else running smoothly, some coldness lingers. You can't really put a finger on it, but you've got the feeling.
Or maybe it's because you want more and already know you can't have it right now!
Anyway: a kid's feeling!
And that's why it's so good.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Dec 31, 2016
If you're pondering over watching Nanatsu no taizai or not, there is one question you should ask yourselves: do I like shōnen anime? Because here's your typical one, surfing on familiar waves such as Fairy Tail and Dragon Ball, bringing its own share of epic. So, if the answer is yes, it's unlikely you won't enjoy the show.
Even without spoilers, you know what to expect of that kind of anime simply from the genre they belong to; that's the problem with stereotypes and this show is no exception. In fact, it doesn't even try to break the stall, doesn't try to run free and surprise
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you, or to amaze you in some way or another. Instead, it gives the feeling of honestly doing its job, and with enjoyment. What could be seen as a flaw leaves eventually a rather good impression. Yes, it's classic! Nevertheless, the story is very decent and the protagonists offer enough interest in every aspect of their characterization to make them more than likeable (now, I love giants). In the end, everything contributes to a very entertaining show, well-paced, which doesn't take his audience for fools and simply shares a common passion for the genre.
The art might look a bit weak or old-fashioned, but it's not a bother and, somehow, it contributes to the charming and colorful Dragon Ball side. That, and fist fights, super powers, transformations and the quest side. From Fairy Tail we got more of a general tone, with heroic fantasy, magic, mysterious pasts and motivations, friendship and dedication. So, once again, even without exploits in the direction and average animation, the job is pleasantly done.
Enough to say the best part is there will be sequels.
Enjoy!
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Dec 25, 2016
Nothing surprising here as it continues the story. Same qualities, same flaws.
The characters and the actors playing them are mainly to blame for the last ones. They tend to overplay a little, and more than they should, from a western acting's point of view. The result being the protagonists aren't that much convincing in their roles, and the actors do not succeed in making up for the monolithic characters they portray (for most). With maybe a bit less tension about the IBM despite a very dense story, probably due to the fading of the element of surprise, there is also a slight decrease in progression,
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making the show a bit slow, sometimes.
Nevertheless, the story is good and interesting in itself, and well-paced too. So, if you liked the first season, there is no reason you won't make it to the end of the second.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Dec 25, 2016
Adapting the core story and the protagonists of Shichinin no samurai in a fantastic world with a strong Moëbius feeling (and maybe a bit of Jodorowski) is a perillous feat.
Fortunately, it is well-accomplished here.
The world of Samurai 7 is both grandiose in its perspectives and simple in its ways, without showing off. Diluted into a rather slow contemplative atmosphere and sci-fi, the story becomes fascinating thanks to its characters, slightly imbued with shōnen stereotypes to hold its part even during fight sequences.
Overall, the execution is remarkable to the exception of the CGI, which were not bad for a 2004 show but it was 12 years
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ago. The soundtrack dwells into the old Kurosawa movie era, and the modifications in the original story bring the best.
There are few shows that work their decorum to the point where you have the feeling you could be there. It draws you in, as well as the characters; it reflects on them, and yet it remains intriguing. In a very different way, the Junkyard in Gunnm has that same feeling, or the world of Blame!. It looks delicately crafted and carefully thought upon, enough for you to want to go and discover more about it.
Samurai 7 allows you to become that kind of tourist.
Add a fantastic samurai story upon that and you've got something close to a masterpiece.
Even if it doesn't concern me personally, I'd like to point out that the rhythm and the (mostly) old-fashioned music may be a bit slow at times, if you're not absorbed by the show. And as magnificent (joke intended) as the art is, it differs from the usual and also brings western influences in the mix, which can be of less appeal to some viewers. Again: Moëbius seems obvious inspiration.
So, if you're okay with it, and if you enjoy being transported far away for 26 episodes of a good story with samurai: try this one.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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