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Some works unintentionally capture something deeper than the author seems to intend to. I am of the opinion that good horror confronts you with a true kind of evil. Great horror helps you know how to defeat the said evil. There is something deeper going on within Japanese society. On face value, the evils that consume a civilization or a culture are typically in the urban centers, and they are usually tied to abandonment of traditional ways of living and understanding. This one presents us with a different kind of problem. This I think makes it worth talking about, as it's work that comes from ... the late 90s Japan.

The best part of the work is the art, and there is a quite a bit of creativity in the compositions. It's an easy read, well easy for a work of horror. The setting has some interestingly unique characteristics. The characterization is weak, and the plot could do with some improvements. The author does great work with motifs. Infact there is a consistent artistic motif, creatively expressed in the art of the story and thus adds to the quality of the work.

So, this is why I have mixed feelings about this work. There is a lot of good, creative work within it, but there is also emptiness in confronting the kind of evil presented in the work. On one end the horror and evils of madness and obsession can be discussed. As well as civilizational cycles and the nature of civilizational and cultural death. There are ways of fighting old gods, ways of defeating demons. Demons that cannot be faced by the power of friendship, common sense and refusal to quit. It is a fact that those that will not fight demons will be consumed by them. Perhaps the author too sees this evil in his world. Seeing the beauty of something precious consumed by some ancient evil beyond his understanding. He doesn't know how to face it. So, the plot thus lacks this element.

Fans of body horror would like this work. Those that prefer horror that leans more on fear and dread won't be as impressed as much. People oriented towards true horror mystery won't be impressed, but for those with an interest in the intersection of religion, politics, history, economics, social theory, art and philosophy. This will be something worth the time. But eliciting disgust is a tool of horror that I think isn't useful.

So, all in all.

It gets a 7 from me. It is good in some parts, bland in others. Creative and interesting. Bland in some aspects of character works. Can be read in a Saturday afternoon.

In a genre has been bereft of new stories due to not spawning many hits. It's nice not to have another attempt to capture the magic of Swordart online. The first thing that jumps out is that the heroine of the story is of an archetype rarely seen in anime.

There is good quality of voice work and sound design, and the things done really well in the show are not the kind of things that make waves in the general anime community.

The story would have benefited I think from more detailed backgrounds to aid with the world building. As the plot will ... take time to get going, setting could have done a little more to make it more worth people's time. Violet Evergarden benefited alot from more detailed art and animation. The art direction here gives the show a more grounded feel, and melancholy seems to be where the artists wanted to take this story.

The character design is a bit lacking in comparison with other works of the genre but it works well for what I think the director wanted to accomplish. This is a story that benefits from realism. The more the characters seem like real people the more immersive one would find the story. Three episodes in some seeds of conflict has been planted and much of the world building and character introductions are yet to be done.

If you are interested in a story with a different kind of archetype of a heroines; a slow burn romances with conflict hinging around character. This might just be the work for you. Not every shoujo anime can be Toradora, neither can they be Nana.


Music 8
Art 7
Setting 6
characters 7
Plot 6

Very few works attempt to answer the philosophically meaningful questions that most of us have to make sense of in our adulthood. This season I think explores human nature is a fascinating manner; and in a manner I grow appreciative of as I grow older. Human nature was one of the more under rated aspects of the themes and plot of the first season; and this season does more of the same.

The music and animation is doubtlessly beautiful. The themes are rich, that left me at times wondering if I should think of Vinland Saga as a Christian work, and presenting to us a ... theodicy. The settings are richly developed and the characters masterfully done. The plot was handled competently. Though the most elite aspect of this season will be characterization.

I think the strongest aspect of this season is the character work. Characterization has been done well and i doubtlessly think this season gives a message much needed in the zeitgeist of our age post Covid.

Where does one move on to, once we have lost everything? What does it mean to move forward? What is it "to love" contrasted "to lust"?

I consider this a great anime. Well worth the time of watching and reflecting upon.

A great work of horror storytelling hampered in some parts by anime tropes.

First thing that will stand out is the art and the music. They really set the atmosphere and are a central part why this show is so excellent. The show is worth ones time purely off the back of these two elements. Art and music however isn't enough to make an anime very good.

Horror story telling has been stale for a long while, mostly because few authors find creative ways of combining the tools of story craft and the tropes that fans of the genre expect. Made in Abyss is ... unique in this regard as anime horror is usually a pointless gore fest the strength of this series is the unique blend of beauty in the midst of the horror it presents to us.

The primary strengths of the strength of this season lies in characterization, and plotting. The author takes on the difficult task of combining an ensemble cast and tying them together as we follow two timelines. There are a few cheap tricks used to make certain characters sympathetic, this however by the midpoint is forgivable, as we are guided to the climax in which the two timelines would converge, into the conflict within a character that embodies all the plot and character threads of the season.

The horror elements tie in well with the story arc and themes; as allusions Thomas Hobbes theory of man's life in the state of nature (pointing to assault, molestation, cannibalism, infanticide, rape and the hard choices necessary to build a functional, relatively safe society) are presented masterfully (and pointing to the vice of society in contrast to the brutality in nature); and the eventual consequences and choices the victims and casualties of these circumstances make attempting to come to terms with their suffering, and find meaning.

Which ties to an element horror stories rarely manage to capture, and why modern horror harms the psyche with no other purpose than give twisted pleasure. This is a horror with a kind of Theodicy (very rare in horror stories); pointing to some degree to the role of the good, the beautiful and true in being able to endure tragedy and injustice (found both in society and nature). Horror being a genre notorious for works that harm the psyches of it's consumers (looking to generate negative emotions such as disgust, terror, shock); these authors we see community and beauty as the sources of comfort for the horrors we experience even in the face of a nasty, short, brutish existence.

The only element missing is God and how central God is in meaning making. At which point, it'd be a work you can shelve alongside Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia, Crime and Punishment, Fear and Trembling and works of that level of philosophical and theological insight. Still they only had 12 episodes to do all this, which they did, a commendable effort for all the themes the author was exploring.

I have never seen horror like this. With beautiful music and Scenery; with sympathetic and sometimes hateful characters; with ways to tie the narrative to important concepts in social theory, political philosophy, ethics, aesthetics, and theology.

The strongest elements of the series is it's art and sound; the sound in particular I think was great. The weakest elements are the plot, in some places is quite bland and predictable. As far as Anime characterization goes I think is fair, shounen typically lacks strong characterization, and this series is no exception.

If one is looking for a simple series, with admirable themes connected to family, loyalty, and the need for creativity and grit to overcome obstacles in life, and why both are important for survival it's available here.

The action isn't particularly impressive sense of weight is particularly ... lacking and there are tonnes of plot holes. I'd expect those particular about good plotting, and characterization not to enjoy this.

If you have come from a weekend of watching Zankyou no Terror, Samurai Seven and Wolf's Rain back to back, then this is the kind of anime to bring back a little levity.

Now as a series it's not as good as the original. If there was a 6.5 I think it would be a more accurate reflection of the series overall. 6 seems to low a rating, 7 seems too high. The original had better comedy and perhaps maybe due to length better characterization and plot.

I think most value in this series lies with those who've watched Inuyasha. It's a good anime, and lends itself well to skimming with those short of time. In every episode there are skippable bits, and one still can follow the narrative.


Note (spoiler warning):
In some of the reviews; some expressed unhappiness on moral grounds that Sesshoumaru and Rin got married and had children. This indignation comes on the basis of age and her relationship with Sesshoumaru . However it's one of the better narrative choices in the series. Firstly in the context of Sesshomaru's characterization and interactions with humans if there was any chance a human would be his spouse and mother of his children it would be Rin. Human females also have a strong tendency towards hypergamy and few characters in the series match Sesshoumaru in status and power. Rin, a human girl who grew up raised by Janken and Sesshoumaru, facing danger from yokai and humans; and encouraged by Sesshoumaru to do as she pleases: what is the logical outcome of such sequences of events? Rin as well being characterized as being courageous, kind, and considering humans as more scary than demons...

I'm pretty certain there is no moral injunction for sex and childbearing in the context of marriage and those who feel Rin was too young for marriage are just conflating their sensibilities with moral imperatives. So this as a basis of marking down the series is a terrible way of doing a review.