Back to Ginga_Daiuchuu's Profile Ginga_Daiuchuu's Profile

Evangelion- You Can (Not) Rewrite


Is there really a reason for me to review Eva? The show ran its original run almost 25 years ago, it’s relevancy should have overstayed its welcome. But the internet continues to commend its accomplishments, develop its world, wage war with its waifus. and masturbate to put it bluntly. I guess you could say Eva made some sort of impact on people. So naturally, there’s no shortage of analysis, wish fulfillment semi-conspiracy theories, and bluntly; porn. Many people have reviewed Eva. Far fewer have done it competently. This brought my desires to a figurative ledge. For a long time, this fear ... of failing to accurately dissect Eva led me to hesitate to expand my thoughts and share them on paper. But much like a certain young legend, we must choose to push past the discomfort and rise to the occasion.


I fucking love Eva. It’s a masterpiece; lightning struck the machine at the stroke of midnight and magic spontaneously occurred. You can (not) contest its everlasting impact (yes, I will continue to do this). The show has saved lives and moved hearts, while crafting a world filled with characters that inspires fascination and adoration. And don’t get me started on the MOARchandising. Eva sells like free crack to the homeless. That’s many many billions to those keeping score at home. It’s not just the stellar designs and aesthetics, unbelievably out of this world OST, or the mixed elements incorporated from past robot shows into a super anime that create the sales. It’s the fact that every single one of us can possibly identify with at least one character. There’s a widespread interview with Anno in which he suggests his surprise that anybody could possibly find commonality with the “horrible” people he invented. This man is contentious, and I couldn’t disagree more. He engineered characters that mirror reality, and perhaps he simply projects his pessimistic worldview onto them. Actually, he’s admitted on multiple occasions that each character represents a piece of his (sub)conscious. So basically, he’s exhibiting Shinji’s classic behavior of self-deprecation.


It’s not classified information that former to the creation of Eva, Anno had recently emerged from a deep and drastic depression. Anno however, bounced back on the rope like a heavyweight champ, primed and loaded to succeed his epic magnum opus; the shining Gunbuster. It wasn’t easy; script rewrites and rapidly approaching deadlines resulted in an incomplete final two episodes among other various issues. But all of this was just the spark that lit the fire of creation. Art is not planned; that’s called propaganda. Fruition is born from struggle, and Eva is a testament to that; I wouldn’t dare alter a piece of that strife.


Today, Eva is once again finding itself at the forefront of discussion. With the recent announcement of 3.0+1.0 (more like trash+garbage), as well as Netflix making Eva available to a brand-new mass audience, many are finding themselves in a re-watch. Or maybe you’re a normie noob newly captivated in the clutches of excellence. More power to you. I happen to have some advice though; screw Netflix. It’s almost as if at every turn they have purposely done a disservice to the production of Eva. The Japanese staff came up with secondary episode titles that would appeal to a western audience, while also functioning as fantastic track titles. But the baby geniuses at Netflix decided to go with horseshit inferior Japanese translations. God damn it, it’s called Dance Like You Want to Win. There’s a Rei I, II, and III. Asuka doesn’t arrive, she STRIKES. And that ear drum, painfully penetrating, harpy shrieking dub. None of these voice actors have any talent, energy, charisma or an iota of a clue about the characters they are supposed to be breathing life into. Misato is borderline bearable, but everyone else destroys my ears and tears apart my soul. Shinji’s wildly unskilled voice actor is a worthless hack, hired entirely due to disgusting identity politics; give me back Spike onegai. Say what you want about the original dub, but you cannot argue against the love put into it. Don’t give me that copyright bullshit about Fly Me to The Moon either. Netflix could buy the rights to every bowl movement you make for the rest of your life as well as the air you breathe, and their wallet would still destruct the Richter scale. I’m unsure about how to feel about the new subtitles, my ears can pick up Japanese adequately and I found about just as many irritations as I usually do; though many others have ruffled feathers over Kaworu. Your best bet; straighten up and fly right the fuck away from Netflix.


Hipsters who pretend that Eva is simple otaku-pandering trash (partially granted, but mostly Rebuild) and nothing special are arrogant snobs. They are so high on their own farts that they overlook such a crucial fact. Just because something is simple, that doesn’t make it easy. The message that human contact is unavoidably painful but necessary to combat the terrors of isolation is well-known and simple; that doesn’t make it an easy endeavor in daily life. You’re so intelligent because you arbitrarily act like a contrarian to façade your lack of a viewpoint! But hey, when Tatami Galaxy employs the exact same techniques to tell an extremely similar message it’s all good, because I jack off to Masaaki Yuasa’s nose hairs nightly. Hey, it’s okay if Eva ain’t your thing, if it doesn’t hit the spot no sweat. We cool. But, pretending you somehow have a superior viewpoint combined with the impudence to judge it as awful, when its impact on anime as we know it is so appallingly self-evident; you have been exposed as a buffoon. I struggle to delineate whose brains have deuterated worse; the aforementioned walking jokes or Rebuild apologists. I’ll say this once and move on before I have an aneurism. The hack of a director who shat out Fooly Cooly needs to onboard the next flight OUT of Eva.


Eva is often termed as a deconstruction of the Mecha genre, and that’s true to the extent that it did indeed tear down the contemporary notions that held robot shows up. But Eva didn’t only change the Mecha genre forever, it morphed the clichés of all anime and configured the traditions we know today. It needs to be stated that it does owe much to every show that came before it. Nadia, Gunbuster, Gundam, Macross, Akira, Wings of Honneamise, Ideon, among many others. These are the predecessors that birthed the grandchild that is Eva; their vast influence cannot be understated. From here, Eva originated many children itself. Gurren Lagann, Nadesco, RahXephon, Code Geass, Gundam, Aquarion, Diebuster, and every Anime which has attempted to rip off Human Instrumentality as an ending. That’s a lot by the way. Are you getting the picture? It doesn’t matter what your opinion happens to be, Eva defeats your argument and stands supreme as the legend of Japanese animation that it is.


Maybe I’ll talk about the show now. Most garbage reviews start off as “here’s the plot and I liked it hehe”. I’ll assume and respect your intelligence by never doing that; I don’t need to write a Wikipedia summary article. Instead I’ll try to introduce some ideas of my own.


This show is unironically truly the definition of deep. Eva has what I like to dub the three penultimate layers; the plot, the characters, and the lore. The lore is mostly ambiguous, cryptic, and explained completely by a video game. However, this never hinders the enjoyment of the show and can mostly be pieced together by a hard look into the lines anyway; though you could take this as a legitimate criticism if you want to get picky. The lore involves Lilith’s black egg, Adams white egg, the lance of Longinus and dead sea scrolls, and their many interactions. The plot is obviously the actual events and their progression. As you move forward throughout the episodes, the plot speeds up and becomes harder to follow; but this only adds to the entertainment. Repetition is intentional because Eva demands consecutive watches to comprehend it entirely. I’ve seen Eva approximately ten times and I catch new foreshadowing and details every time. It’s worth noting that the further down into Tokyo 3 you go, the more mysteries multiply and pieces of the puzzle come together. Again, literally deep. Hopefully, I don’t need to explain the element of characters. Shinji, Asuka, Rei, and Misato; you know, those people.


Eva aesthetically is one hell of a drug. Just looking at the mech designs gets me a stiffy. The fights are memorable because of their fabulous direction and cinematography; who can forget Asuka cramming two battleships into an angels’ mouth, or Unit 1’s moments of berserk and battery. I actually cream my pants to Dance Like You Want to Win and must pause to clean myself up. Religion as a theme follows accordingly to the Rule of Cool; it’s purpose to add visual flare. Cross explosions are substantially well used; another feature Rebuild proved it fundamentally misunderstood. Eva takes its lack of budget, laughs, then proceeds to give it an aggressive suplex. Gainax creatively employed scenes that stood still, I.E Kaworus death and Asuka throwing a fit in an elevator (every elevator in the entire show really). These scenes simultaneously cut corners while improving the show, and that just stands as a demonstration of the team’s extraordinary talent.


Oh, thou lord in heaven, hallowed be thy name, my man Shiro Sagisu. Has anyone else ever arranged such a beautiful, diverse, and downright marvelous OST in Anime? He who disagrees, stand up so we may stone you. Cruel Angels Thesis is the best anime opening theme ever; no hyperbole or room for debate. You do (not) decide. When you first hear ZANKOKU, your endorphins even understand what time it is. This jam has a million versions; jazz, choir, orchestras, bike horns, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and calculators. Though Fly Me to the Moon has double the variations even and sets the atmosphere of every ending. For the tracks I’ll lay down some standouts. Decisive Battle and A Step Forward into Terror create the tension and hype for each battle; while The Beast I and II let you know shit’s getting scary. Good, or Don’t Be as well as Both of You Dance Like You Want to Win are beyond lovely and concoct poignant instantizes of grandeur. Someone shoot me if I ever forget to mention Thanatos. I don’t want to attempt description, listen yourself. And finally, the ever lovely Komm Susser Todd; yes, it all does keep tumbling down. This soundtrack is godlike. You can’t see right now, but I’m currently pouring one out for my homie. This ones for you Shiro.


1800 words in and maybe I can now talk about the episodes. The show really does change its colors as it progresses, and I like to break down the first 24 episodes into three arcs. Episodes 1-6, Angel Attack through Rei II can be called the Methodical first arc. Everything moves at a much slower pace; it’s very character oriented and the cast is incomplete. Angel Attack is a solid pilot that retains your attention by remaining interesting, though it is a bit contemporary. However, The Beast is another story entirely; a directional masterpiece that slices the plot up to present the action during the beginning and the end of the episode. This is where Eva proves its competence. Three and Four provide the highest hurdle; I wouldn’t blame an initial viewer for being turned off to the pace. However, The Hedgehogs Dilemma is strong dramatically and emotionally which sets the basis for Misato and Shinji. Rei I and II turn up the heat; Ramriel the malevolent geometry provides us with an incredible sniper showdown that is impossible to forget. The Works of Man is sadly, ultimately forgettable because it doesn’t have an Angel, but serves its purpose as a decent transition into a new type of show.


Episode Eight kicks off what I term, “Angel of the Week”. This is the part of Eva that is most marketable and palatable to mass audiences, and for good reason. The show turns into a remarkably enjoyable thrill ride that presents a new scenario and Angel in each episode for Rei, Shinji and Asuka to defeat. This cycle runs up to episode 17, the 4th Child. So yeah, Asuka Strikes. She crashes into episode 8 like a kamikaze on meth. Her bombastic flair and tsundere attitude have captivated the hearts (and crushed the balls) of uncountable otaku worldwide. I believe this episode to be a significant factor in the upcoming Eva phenomenon. Dance Like You Want to Win is infinitely more badass, the grandest 61 seconds of your life. Backflips ladies and gentlemen. Oh, I almost forgot Magmadiver. The Day Tokyo 3 Stood Still carries on character development by placing the trio of pilots into an uncomfortable scenario. Speaking of new ideas, whoever thought of catching an Angel from SPACE can have my internal organs when I die. Lilliputian Hitcher is superb; the Magi have been referenced and built up to this point, and it's worth noting this is the only Angel to be defeated not by an Eva. 14 dares to be a clip show, but a relatively inoffensive one that gives us a second half of good shit. Who was Unit 0 trying to hit? Every re-watch I come up with a different way to answer that question. 15 is a break and a breath of fresh air; unless you're Shinji. Splitting of the Breast is the final transition episode, plunging Eva forward into the accelerated conclusion people hate and love until the end of time.


Eva's final arc while starting slow, menacing and uneasy with Toji becoming the 4th Child, hastens quickly like a runaway train up until the breaking point; and it becomes difficult to make out the passing surroundings from the inside. Everything becomes blurred, your first watch will be disorienting and leave you confused. But, it's an exhilarating feeling. The mystery and ambiguity keeps you intrigued and hungry for more. It starts with the torture of Shinji; so many people give this poor kid shit for being a pussy, but he can be admirable as hell. Shinji continues to get rise back up throughout the series despite constantly being smacked down by everybody around him. In my favorite episode, Introjection, Shinji proves his inner strength. Due to Kaji's inspirational watermelon watering (is this scene a hallucination lol wtf), Shinji sprints through Armageddon to arrive at Nerv HQ, orders his autistic dad to give him the damn robot, and kicks Zeruel’s ass by ejecting him through the launch shaft in one of the most appallingly preteen displays of manliness I have ever witnessed. But then once again, events spiral down with the rampage of Unit 1. I cannot stress enough how terrifying these scenes can be (mostly due to their scarcity, fuck you Rebuild for making this a power-up).


Every episode after this point is a display of masterful storytelling. Episode 20 Oral Stage, which I call Return to the Womb, complements 21 as two episodes of stellar background setting that works so well because Eva refused to put the cart before the horse. Eva started with the characters, made them human and nuanced, then dumped their background information. So many shows get this wrong for no good reason. Then Asuka and Rei each get their own respective episodes, and man do I love Don't Be. Asuka's destruction, mind rape and introspective is so entertaining and shines literal light on her character. CHANTSU. How about Knockin' on Heavin's door? Kaworu single handily deconstructed the yaoi genre and enticed uncountable orgasms from fujoshits worldwide. Personally, I enjoy the under(over)tones; it makes sense that a literal Angel wouldn't let gender be a barrier to the emotion of love, and at this point Shinji would act like a puppy for just about anyone. If anyone wants to fight me with knives over the long pause scene, I'll dm you my address.


Ah, how many words later and we've arrived at the final two episodes. You should watch these on your first go around, but no one will hire a hit-man if you skip these later. I don't need to write a thesis on Gainax's infamous budget blowing, boku no google. First, understand the fact these episodes take place during instrumentality when everyone is LCL; Second, don't argue. 25 is more tolerable than 26 but extremely repetitive. Here's what you do with 26. Take the chunk out at the end with Shinji in the chair and the famous ending scene (Where Good or Don't Be plays) and insert that sweet shit into End of Eva right before Shinji rejects instrumentality. Bam, you've solved the production problem.


Screw separating this shit, I'm talking about End of Eva here and mods, you can (not) stop me (please don't). For anyone unaware, End of Eva takes place during episodes 25 and 26. It simply includes the two penultimate layers that were missing from the original cut, the plot and the lore. Asuka's comeback scene against the mass production Eva's is by far the number one animated scene in the series; each machine and their interactions with the environment conveys a sense of weight and realism that exhilarates the audience. Watching the infiltration of NERV HQ and the brutal extermination of its employees is jaw-dropping as well. However, EoE is ultimately about Armageddon and Shinji's finger on the nuclear button. Misato thrusts Shinji into the robot after some inappropriate workplace interaction (Misato, why don't you have a seat over here), where thereafter he's forced to witness not only the death of Asuka, but a giant space Rei head. And he thought he was having a bad day before this. Gendo begins his master plan to reunite with his waifu, only to be betrayed because he was a shit father. With the unification of Adam and Lilith, Third Impact and Human Instrumentality as well as one of the most glorious scenes in animated history, Komm Susser Todd, begins.


“Don't kill me”
“No”


After Shinji must choke a bitch, our wonderful ode to death plays and our protagonist is granted a choice by his immortal alien robot mother. Everyone can become orange soda, our consciousness and the images of selves that others perceive can all come together as one; or humanity can continue to struggle to understand one another. Here’s where you cut out the filthy sewage dredge of a live action arthouse scene that some intern worked on for 30 minutes and insert Congratulations. Ultimately, there’s a Shinji in every single one of us that must choose between Instrumentality and harsh reality every day. It really is true that the greatest gifts in life are at the end of the road filled with struggle. Shinji overcomes the failings of his father and his own oppressive fears of inadequacies to pick the path paved with hardships; he understands the worthiness of that choice. As do we all, even if we refuse to admit it sometimes. Adam and Lilith/Yui say peace homie, and then Third Impact comes tumbling down.


There’re a million reasons why Shinji would want to choke Asuka on the beach, and there’s five million people for every reason to tell you why you’re retarded. Look here kids, a lot of ideological hacks will tell you all art is subjective with no measurable standards; we call these people lobotomites. If that was true, I could shit on the floor and say it was a better painting than the Mona Lisa and I couldn’t be wrong. But the interpretations of good art are often exceedingly subjective. The series ends with a bang by knocking you off your feet and then asking you to question what just happened. Do yourself a service and answer this question yourself.



God, I could write another 3000 words on just these characters, but my cat keeps jumping on my keyboard and my PawSense subscription is running out. Shinji is the cumulative results of characters like Noriko and Nadia, and the predecessor to Simon types. Yeah, he's weak and whiny, gives up and runs away, and has zero clue about human interaction. Yet your criticism is unjust. People forget so often that he's 14; when you were 14 you couldn't even get in the locker room let alone the robot. His ultimate decision to accept the world where the only way to reject loneliness and find happiness is through the inevitable pain of interacting with others is something extremely admirable and not spontaneous, but rather something developed throughout the show. Of course, this is Anno's message to otaku and NEETs to accept reality and reject their isolation. He's not just preaching, he's empathizing and reaching out a helping hand. The ultimate irony is that people would continue to use Anime and Eva to escape, and Anno would inevitably sell out by whoring out Eva with the Rebuilds. Misato is the strength in the face of adversity, the facade people in pain put up to protect their vulnerability. Asuka can never grow up until she admits she's a child, can never connect until she admits she's alone, and never feel love until she learns to give it herself. Rei is a character but not really a human, more an element of the plot. Ritsuko and her mother are an extreme example of the fatal desire to unite with someone despite the obvious impossibilities. I know it's a cliché, but Gendo is a fantastic character who uses the ends to justify the means. His inability to understand and his fear of being understood by anyone but Yui makes him out to be somewhat tragic. He is manipulative and cruel, but he also can make difficult and necessary decisions. As stated he does receive retribution, and I always interpreted his rejection by Yui as fatal; meaning he doesn't get to become LCL as we never see him pop. As for Kaji, he's a goddamn hero, and I salute him. The cast is truly as sophisticated as it is solid and stands supreme at the top of anime as a medium.


The AT field as stated in the show, is the physical manifestation of the difficulties of humans to bond with one another. These fields are overwhelmingly real. Daily interactions make people cry and break down, launch into laughter filled with joy, and cut the line between life and death. The extreme pain that comes with connecting incites people to pull up their fields and retreat into themselves. Starting young I was surely stuck in the mindset of an Otaku. Who needs real life friends, girls, or social groups? All I ever received was the pain of rejection or the friction of conflict. Anime and video games were all I needed. And for a while I wasn’t wrong, but something would always be missing. Eventually the sheer weight of my loneliness would compel me to try to take a tiny step outside of the circle I enclosed myself into. From there it would become easier and easier to take more steps. Much like Shinji I would get somewhere and receive some sort of positive interaction, only to have a ton of bricks cast down upon me compelling me to retreat inside again. But I’d make another attempt. Even though the pain would never fade, each time it would become easier to bear and the rewarding lights of life would shine ever so brighter. Though we are all different, we all bear resemblance to a character in Eva. Misato, Asuka, Gendo, Ritsuko, Kaji, (Rei? Lol), or most likely Shinji. We all will arrive at the same decision.

And to those of you out there, who have already rejected the seduction of instrumentality;
ありがとう!
Congratulations!

(If you're 11 and haven't experienced JoJo, skip to the safe space for my 'spoiler free' interview)

1999
"Let the joy of love give you cancer"-Araki

There's a reason why DiU sits near the top of almost any JoJo fans ranking.

Because its an absolutely and positively inspired piece of work.


...
Let's get the obvious criticism out of the way first. While the voice acting is grade A, this show puts the ugh in ugly, (I.E Quality Queen). But some episodes (I.E Bug Eaten) are stellar looking, with strong color pallets and character design. It's just quite obvious the budget from part 2 isn't there, which, while a shame, isn't deal breaking. At this point the Duwang scans have made me feel like Oliver Twist, I just want some more you know? I'll take what I can get from David Productions, as long as they deliver my beloved part 4, from Tony to Rock Paper Scissors to Ambulance, we're cool.

Which is what they did.

A common criticism leveled at part 4 is it's lack of focus. It doesn't start the "plot" and introduce the main villain until a third of the way through; but can you blame Araki for not knowing (at first) how to follow up a planned trilogy with a clear conclusion? While its unfortunate the first section of DiU isn't so smoothly connected to the rest of itself (Josuke time traveling, Araki how did you forget that), it is an undeniable fact that when Araki is provided breathing room to experiment, he gives his best work (See SBR).

Stands positively SHINE in part 4; gone are the "monster of the week" stands of part 3, which are replaced by a variety of stands that complement their given user. Echoes evolves alongside the growing Koichi, Heavens Door fits a mangaka such as Rohan like a glove, and The Hands overwhelming power is balanced only by the sheer stupidity of Okuyasu. Some stands have zero combat potential whatsoever (Cinderella, Pearl Jam) and exist solely to further the atmosphere of Morioh. While punch ghosts are fun, and Jotaro gets plenty of strong screen time, it's Araki's unbounded creativity that makes DiU so fun and unforgettable.


I'd be lying if I said the lack of Josephs mannerisms and catchphrases doesn't leave a bit of a hole in my funny bone. However, Araki does manage to preserve the magical humor of previous parts in DiU. If anything, JoJo has never been funnier. Jotaro's straight faced autism remains strangely both bad-ass and comedic, and Josuke's new personality mixes well with characters like Rohan and Okuyasu to create those bizarre situations we love. Then there's stands such as Stray Cat, Boy 2 Man, Earth Wind and Fire, and of course, Cheap Trick. Cheap Trick will leave you in a pool of piss on your hospital bed that you can't clean up because you're restrained and sedated. It's unfortunate that part 5 and 6 didn't take some notes.


If someone asked how Araki could possibly follow up DIO, then I imagine Kira as the proverbial slap in the face as his response. Whether or not you think he deserves a quiet life, the sheer presence Kira exerts on the show from the get-go is undeniable. Kira has personality, wit, motivation, luck (are those sirens?) and mother-fucking Killer Queen. A serial killer is a logical conclusion to the question of a villain in a setting such as small town Morioh, and Kira is as competent as his real life look alike. (R.I.P David Bowie)


JoJo op's are legendary, and for good reason. They're love letters; with hand-crafted songs tailored to fit certain parts of the story, bundled with little references for veterans to the series. As songs, CNBT and Chase are worthy successors, but as opening videos, they fall just short of Stand Proud or Sono Chi no Sodome. Still good op's, but the budget just doesn't seem to warrant a video I could call gre...

Then there's Great Days.
I've never seen or heard an opening embody a series so perfectly. And the rewind version features absolutely genius cuts and sound effects, making the DiO version of End of the World look like a linkin park amv.

And "1999 Bizarre Summer"? Holy shit that's a lyric?

I got a boner.


The only proof anyone should need to understand that David P is the studio worthy to adapt JoJo to the end, is Morioh Radio. It's a foreign element to the manga, but who would know? That high energy radio jingle only seeks to heighten the atmosphere of bizarre Morioh; and it speak volumes about the love and dedication the series is being shown by its creators.

Sasuga David.



(Kiddie friendly zone)

Me: How's the show, Josuke?

J: Great.

I've only watched Fate/Zero. It's like super epic and stuff and I've never read Fate/stay Night but this is so boring and the characters aren't nearly as good. I'm going to have to give it a 7 because it sucks oh well back to Fairy Tale.






Are they gone? Ok good.


As a journeyman of ALL of Type's Moons works, both in their original forms and their respective adaptions, and with clear understanding of all of Fate/Stay Night including Heavens Feel and Angry Manjew, I can tell you with sincerity that this is an excellent adaption. Most of the complaints I've seen just stem from misunderstandings involving ... Fate's 3 route process; an easily avoidable mistake if you have read the Vn. I understand some people haven't read it and simply don't want to, so I'll break it down. Nice. And. Slow.


Fate/stay night is split into 3 routes; Fate, Unlimited Blade Works and Heavens Feel. Each route has it's own entirely different story arc, character focus and development, and lore information. Some characters die almost instantly upon reveal in some routes, and live to the end to be your favorite in another. Each of the routes rely on each other like puzzle pieces to create a coherent world; Reading Heaven's Feel before the previous two is like closing your eyes in a dark room and wondering where your pants are. So here in lies the problem. The biggest challenge to any adaption of Fate/Stay Night is attempting to present all of this information in one or two cours of anime. It's really only conceivably possible to adapt one at a time, bite off more than you can chew and you end up like Studio thereisnotsukihimeanime Deen; Dead, in the gutter, wondering where your pants are.


As the second route, there is quite a bit of knowledge UBW expects you to already have gained. As a reader, you're already supposed to connect with and understand Saber, because most of her development is primarily in Fate. To someone who's never had that experience, it can seem like UBW is putting a whole lot of stress on a side character for no good reason. Sure you could blame UFOtable for not including all of that info, but as stated above though, it's truly impossible to create one anime for the two routes. If anything, UFOtable did a great job at making this anime accesible by connecting it with Fate/Zero, what with the extra Kiritsugu scenes. If you truly want to point fingers, you're just being a careless audience with no awareness of what you're getting into. If you're a casual watcher, I get that you aren't going to take the time to clue yourself in and that's fine. Enjoy yourself, grab a chair and maybe some lemonade. But if you're attempting to criticize this show for your lack of information you better find your pants sister.


So how do we adapt this correctly? Well, faithfully, which is almost exaclty what UFOtable has done. Sticking to the books in 99% of scenarios, they chose to preserve every character interaction and even the pacing of the novel itself. Slow dinner conversations were saved and the action of the story doesn't overburden and strain the characters. We don't want to end up like a particular thereisnotsukihimeanime movie, now do we? But it really helps that Unlimited Blade Works is a pretty suitable route to adapt. It isn't as simple and introductory as the first route nor as burden of knowledge as the third. It finds a middle ground between the two, revving up the engines compared to Fate with a more intricate narrative, but still a few knotches down from Heaven's Feel. Unlimited Blade Works logically make the best conclusion to Fate/Zero as a show.


And for the content of UBW itself? Well it's really hard to point out its virtues without spoiling and getting to the meat of things, but basically it's one scenario of Shirou's ideals and the path he goes with them. Archer virtually shines throughout the whole route as he becomes a fully fleshed character and single-handedly painstakingly creates many memes even though his hands will never hold anything. This is my personal favorite route for Shirou as well because he sees his ideals out to the very end without abandoning them and it pays off. And well, Rin is great!


If you like Rhinos.


Outstanding production values. In the actions sets, every move is articulated with precision and outstanding visual flare which makes the show very easy to watch. There is no obtrusive flailing but rather high speed true combat. But where the visuals exceed the soundtrack droops. It isn't bad, it's just very meh. Where is Trapped Thoughts? And saving This Illusion until the very end? How distasteful.


While it was nice that Fate/Zero was all wrapped in pretty ribbons and crafted to be accessible, it was far from perfect. You kids sure as shit didn't understand what went on inside the grail at the end without reading Heaven's Feel or being informed beforehand.


"Oh but Ginga, I don't waste my time with dumb visual novels for big dumb nerds unlike myself on this website for ANIME. I want my anime dubbed when I stream it!"


Learn to read.

[REUPLOAD]

"I'm going to kill all the Titans!"

Why, of course you are.



"Zombie" is a genre. It's not survival horror, it's "Zombie" respectively. This is because Zombie follows a completely different set of rules, tropes and clichés, while survival horror is a vague category that could really be much broader. Shingeki no Kyojin is not a horror show, not a serious Seinen, or a well written show. It's a disappointing mess of a Shounen zombie show.

To qualify as a Zombie show, several plot points are required. You need a menace/zombies, the survivors/prey of the menace, as well as a location where supplies are limited or scarce. ... The Titans, humans, and the 3 walls fit under these points. Congratulations, SnK qualifies in the preliminaries. But does it hold up?

Absolutely not; SnK completely lacks the themes that make a Zombie media good, or at least entertaining. It's predictable with a lack of tension thanks to plot holes, Gary Stu protagonists who for some reason can't die, and no direct relation to what’s happening to the characters on the screen. The main selling of a Zombie media is emotions akin to fear or anxiety. Basically never knowing who's going to die, or how and when people do die, it should mean something, since you as the viewer feel a connection as if you were surviving with that person all along the stories direction.

Now you'll say, "But people die in SnK all the time! Have you even seen the show?!?!?”

People don't die in SnK, cardboard backgrounds SHAPED like people die in SnK. These "people" have no memorable names or development going for them, just one trait that you remember them by; like black kid or short kid. These "people" die like frogs in a grinder, for nothing more than mere shock value, which is an ironic saying because there is no value in it at all.

The main characters that have names, but not any actual depth mind you; don't die at all. They are beaten, eaten, and torn, yet they still live. Why?

Because Eren is Naruto. He's going to save the day, defeat the enemy, keep his friends alive, and obtain a secret power that makes him near invincible (a terrible shounen trope). He's a bland and unlikable shounen protagonist straight from the box o' clichés, written by a third grader in purple crayon. He also has his girlfriend who is super strong, and together they can take on entire titan armies. This reincarnation of Jesus is what breaks the whole atmosphere of a Zombie show. Zombie shows are supposed to bring out the human aspects of its inhabitants, mortality being a major theme. Having a Gary Stu with more plot armor than a castle has bricks, breaks the human formula.

My biggest problem with SnK is that it has the nerves to use the, "IT HAPPENED OFF SCREEN" tactic. 5 years of training that's supposed to make everyone stronger? Skipped, and even with this aforementioned training, hundreds die on the FIRST mission. 20% of the population dying? Skipped dawg. Titan behavior observation? Haven't seen him. All these plot points could be used for character development, a concept unknown in SnK.

And don't talk to me about the pacing. This show takes its god damn time on absolutely the most irritatingly absurd predicaments. Eren and friends spend an entire episode (That takes an eternity mind you) about to be fired upon from his allies, all for them finally to come to the conclusion that they should ask their allies not to fire. What?!?! Anyone could have done that without a second thought, and it wouldn't take them Armin's "special tacticool talent", which by the way, doesn't exist. He's just a useless whiny annoyance, but at least he's under human restrictions, unlike Mr. KILLALLTITANS.

The menace of a Zombie show usually has a set of rules that are observed by the characters and then exploited in order to survive. Example, zombies are attracted to humans to eat. While a few general rules are known about the Titans, every different Titan acts randomly. Some Titans are slow, sluggish and easily killed; while others jump super high and grab you lightning fast with their mouths. Some Titans can run faster than humans with gear, and then again some can't even walk properly. The only explanations we ever get, is that any Titan that acts differently is an “abnormal." Thanks to this asinine bullshit, not only are the humans broken, but the menaces are as well!

On Music and Animation…
A very solid sound track; all that can be said is that it's wasted on SnK. The animation is poor quality with 50 million stills in every episode. No such praise is deserved in this category.

As a reminder, SnK is a SHOUNEN, when it could very easily be a quality Seinen with its original exposition. It’s majorly disappointing that all this potential is to go to waste. SnK might look good in comparison to other shows it’s competing with, but a rock isn’t a diamond just because it’s surrounded by dirtier rocks.

Pop quiz. What do we do with poor Shounen?
We forget about them.

"It's shit right?"

"It's shit."


Shit Art Online, is essentially, shit. I don't even need to delve deep into this. It's laced with god awful writing, and panders to every autistic teenager on the planet. It's like a kid's fantasy, put onto paper and given a budget. Any teenager with angst could write this plot, and write it better than the hack of a writer that got it published.

Our protagonist, Gary Stu, is the best ever. He gets the best drops and weapons. He's one of the only players to get a unique skill. He gets the boss kills. He gets the most beautiful girl in ... the game, who also, coincidentally, is one of the best players. He also gets his own harem of good looking females, in a game which is supposed to make up of a small female population. He beats the game (Hurr Durr what a surprise) and saves everyone. My hero!

But why? Was it through character development? The power of friendship? Luck? No, no, and no. It's just because he does. Because he's the main character. Because the author loves his fantasy, where he is the alpha male, and where every desire can be fulfilled.

It's called self-insert. It's what you are doing. Stop it. It ruins the fun for everyone else.

Now, there is nothing wrong with having a fantasy. But when you go and rate a show a 10, which has more plot holes than a hooker has STD’s, we have a serious problem.

Despite the whole "death game" concept, there is no danger whatsoever thanks to Mr. Emoangstsoloplayer. Anyone who dies does it off screen, or we are told about it. Or, we meet them for as long as it takes to remember their vague design, and then they get killed off. What was her name again? Huh funny, I can’t remember since she was on screen for 10 minutes. So it's almost like they didn't die at all. Now that kept me on the edge of my seat. And then the one time someone should die, he doesn’t! Holy shit how’d that happen?!? Fucking magic, man I tell ya.


And there’s plenty of times where someone should die, but through some magical ass pull, save themselves and accomplish what they set out to do anyway. What’s the point in suspense if we already know the outcome? Jumping on a dragon to escape a giant pit? Why even have scientific laws that prevent people from doing the impossible when they can pull shit like this? This isn’t a super robot show, where the explicitly tell you to kick logic to the curb. Pathetically, the show tries to force a sense of realism down my throat I can’t swallow.

There's also a lack of depth to every character. The villain makes the game because HE CAN, Asuna stands there and looks pretty, the more interesting side characters (Klein, Gilbert and I had to look those names up, I wanted to say red hair and black guy) get swept aside by Mr. Gay personified and become wallpaper. The protagonist couldn’t be any more of a teenage faggot. I've had enough with these cardboard thin backgrounds and personalities; kill them off and be done with it. I'm in a kiddie pool and drowning here, even though it's shallow like this stories writing.

The Op by LiSa is by far the best thing about this show besides the quality budget. It's a good thing Asuna's ass won't look ugly, because there is nothing else to look at here folks. Seriously, I found at least 10 moments where a females ass took up half the screen in plain sight. Have the decency to at least put it in the background. We all know who your marketing is targeted towards.


Don’t even mention the horrid pacing. The show attempts to cram big chunks of story into singular episodes and falls flat on its face. How am I supposed to come to relate to a character if I only know them for a short period of time? Yet somehow these girls come to fall in love with the main character, within 10-15 minutes of meeting the! It’s asinine how a logical human being can call that development. I shall point it out again; it’s all for the sake of the fantasy. A romance show you say? Excuse me while I fall into a fit of uncontrollable laughter.



Shit Art Online’s writing is equivalent to that of an Inuyasha fan fiction written by an overweight fujoshi. The writer was a very young man when he wrote the first novel, as apparent by his lack of talent or any of resemblance of skill. “Two years’ worth of semen made a glopping noise as it flowed endlessly into Asuna.” Now I realize this line is novel only, but it does mean something when it comes to the show. Do you really think a man, who could seriously and EARNESTLY write a line like that, could write a good story? Doesn’t that line just make you want to crack up? And can anyone tell me what a glopping noise sounds like?


Must sound like shit.

"No, Blue is a thousand times better than Red!"

"Yellow is a pure maiden."

"Purple has sucked 20 dicks."

"Green is my waifu."

"Peterhausen is obviously the best girl."
...
I'll start by posing a question. What makes an anime good?

Are you perhaps, looking for a great story? One that hooks you from the beginning, and doesn't let your balls go until they're blue and screaming? Maybe characters that grow on you and feel like actual people, or how about stunning visuals that breathe life into the show, and an OST that kicks ass? A masterpiece, if you will?

Then stop reading here, because that's definitely not what the Color Wars is.

However the Color Wars is one thing. Infinitely entertaining. Explosions, panties, giant tentacle monsters, dragons fighting airships, ninja, pedophiles, and sexual innuendo that pass right over the main characters head, it's all right here. The Color Wars is like watching some of the best and worst things in anime come together and have an explosive tea party. It won't be like anything else you've ever seen, and it won't even make any fucking sense. But I can assure you, it'll be entreating to watch.

Why is it called the Color Wars? This is simple arithmetic my unobservant friend. Even after spending a substantial amount of time watching the Color Wars, you'll find it challenging to recall the names of the harem members. So how do we refer to these characters? Just call them by their abnormal hair color of course! You've got the rainbow at your disposal, all that's left is to pick your army, and fight with all you’ve got. Throw as much shit as you can at anyone who picks any girl besides your favorite, because they have a disorder my friend. A disorder called Shit Taste.

12 episodes isn't a very long period of time to tell a story. Adaptions seem to suffer from this minuet overlooked detail. The Color Wars doesn't have much of a story; well it does, but it doesn't make much sense. All the details are smashed together, especially in the final episodes, and explanations are locked up like a child who asks too many questions in the basement, never to be seen again. It doesn’t even matter that the pacing of events is wacked like a drugged hooker. If I have one piece (Shut up, that's not funny) of advice to offer, it's don't take anything anyone in the show says seriously. Decide not to think about anything anymore!

While the animation is fairly good, character designs completely lack in any sort of diversity. Green hair goes with green eyes, and blue hair with blue eyes. And just like colors, we've got all sorts of personalities too! Tsunderes, aloof types, lolis, and even a Rei; the fun never really stops. Characters never break out of these cookie cutter archetypes that chain them; not like I ever expected them to anyway. You need to constantly keep in mind that this is a bad harem. I'll reiterate the point, don't think about it.

However there is still a group of characters that really get my blood pumping, Primarily Peterhausen (Hah! An alliteration!) and the lead Sai Akuto. Peterhausen is a giant dragon that fights airships and fires drills from his mouth. His character is perfect, never requiring a second of development, by far the best part of the show. Sai Akuto hates the system called god, and would do anything to rebel against an oppressing force. He really keeps the show interesting, playing both the good guy, and the bad guy. While he seems to shy from girls like most harem leads, he also takes shit from no man. You might be surprised at some of his more daring actions.

So what is a good anime? I think that's mostly up to you to decide, but for me as a general rule, a good anime, is one that achieves what it strives for. The Colors Wars tried to force a horribly written plot down my throat, and I ended up just laughing in its face. By my logic, it isn't qualified to be classified as a good show.

Even though the show misses at its primary target, it still manages to impress me by how over the top and endearing it is. I found myself grinning at the corny lines and colorful fight scenes, even if the context of the situation didn’t quite make sense. In essence, it could be summed up as fun.

But I need to tell you something Yui. Fun doesn't mean good.

Here we go, once more, from the top.



Fighting Shounen like to correspond to a particular formula and list of tropes, one of the most consistent and predictable genres of anime in existence. That being said, it’s also the most popular genre out there, pandering to the mentally challenged section of the anime community. Bleach is an unholy tragedy that follows the, "This isn't even my final form!" trend that seems to last forever and Naruto has the biggest fan base of fat losers I've ever had the displeasure to see or know.


But way back before the dinosaurs became extinct, good Shounen existed. Something had to ... set the stones that the next generation would step on (Or just copy the shows that came before it; same difference). Dragon Ball, by far the most famous of any fighting show. Without it, we wouldn't have the horrible shows we have today. For however much shit you want to give Dragon Ball and its sequel Z, it came in a time where these types of shows were received with an open heart and, well, excuse my French, but when Shounen wasn't completely fucking shit. I'm not saying Shounen couldn't be bad (Ex: Inuyasha) but it wasn't nearly as bad as today.


Then there's Yu Yu Hakusho.


Yu Yu Hakusho is literally the greatest fighting anime ever made. This isn't an exaggeration or hyperbole. I'm being dead serious. It's imaginary and creative, holding a profound meaning that is more than what the eye can see or comprehend. It's a journey of life, constantly bringing depth to its world and characters, never ceasing to be gripping and fantastic. The amount of work and detail put into its script is shocking; every second is used wisely. There is no filler. There are no episodes and episodes of powering up. There are no pretentious philosophical rants that take away enjoyment and realism. There is only show. It is a masterpiece by no other name.


Extremely influential to boot, there's a number of reasons why it beat DBZ in its air time. Bleach didn't only copy their entire premise from Yu Yu Hakusho; they also copied a section of episodes straight from the Chapter Black arc for their first shitty filler saga. While Kubo can't write his way out of a paper bag, he had good taste to look at Yoshihiro Togashi for inspiration.


Yusuke Urameshi is angry. He really doesn't know why he's angry, and that makes him even angrier. Other people don't understand him either, which just makes him even angrier. He even gets angry at people who try to help him, and he gets angry at getting angry at people. He's a normal 14 year old boy, angst and anger included. Without ever finding a meaning to his life, nor accomplishing anything, he dies.

Ironically, in dying, he finds his answer.

Yusuke is given the job of his dreams. To take all his anger out on the creatures that helped make life so miserable, by kicking demon ass. As the Spirit Detective of the afterlife he's able to finally make something of himself. Never send a man to do a boy's job.

Yu Yu Hakusho doesn't barrage you with a cast of characters. Instead it opts to keep a set cast and develop them along the stories direction. Watching these characters grow is one of the most satisfying aspects of the show. Whether it be Yusuke finding his place in the universe, Kuwabara keeping his morals and ideals in a dark world or Keiko chasing after Yusuke, these developments are as interesting as they are real. Characters aren't black and white cutouts. Villains can prove to be good guys with their own reasons to fight that aren't cliché like "world domination", and the heroes can have dark pasts too.


The anime for Yu Yu Hakusho is so well made; it surpasses even the manga in almost every aspect, which is unexpected and rare for a fighting series. There isn't a speck of filler in its 112 episodes, which are considerably not that many episodes if you compare it to some shows. Cut into 4 sections, or seasons, that each hold their own story line that flows smoothly into the next section but still have a definite conclusion and solution.


The English dub is a gift from the gods. Unnecessary lines from the original dub were cut, and localization that didn't make the show awkward was added. English actors bring the characters to life in ways that the Japanese could never do, the dub is an absolute must watch for any English speaker. All the opening and ending themes were changed to English and sung by talented professionals (produced by Carl Finch), making all the songs sound much better comparatively. Unlike some show's that have the nerve to change their theme songs every 10 episodes, "Smile Bomb" is the opening for the whole run time, and it's so good you never get tired of it. "Sayonara Bye-Bye" and “Homework Never Ends" are fantastic songs that you'll never skip, along with the other ending themes to make a completely satisfying OST.


Yu Yu Hakusho has managed to leave an imprint for a reason, if not several. It's a classic, a must watch for any fighting fan. It pulls out all the punches and leaves you with a taste in your mouth wanting more after every episode. 112 episodes go by fast with Yusuke and the gang, and at the end of it all, you'll have mixed feelings of satisfaction and craving more.

Life isn't an easy ride, it's constantly challenging, and those who rise to meet those challenges will gain the most out of what they do. You have to face the sun and shout, never giving in to yourself. Believing in your own strength, and most importantly, the strength of others to the end no matter what the conclusion.

You aren't alone. That's the detail that people forget very easily, but retains more meaning than you believe. Several fists pack more of a punch than one.


And I think we can sum all this up in one word. C'mon, all together now. Let's take it from the top.


Bang.

No good reviews for this manga? None?

Ok, tuck the kids into bed, because it's fucking story time.

Please note your opinion doesn't matter two shits until you've read at least until the end of the Minus arc.

Medaka is a BATTLE SHOUNEN. No, not fucking hurr durr king of the ninjas, not a fucking rip off of Yu Yu Hakusho called Bleach (It's named that because when I watch it, I feel the need to drink Bleach), it's a real BATTLE SHOUNEN.

Medaka Box is constantly examining the tropes of Battle Shounen manga, and making fun of them. It's asking these questions.

Can a character truly be ... perfect?
What are the implications?
How will real people react to this?

An example of this is Medaka herself. Here's a pro tip, you're not supposed to like her one bit. She's not just a Mary Sue, she's the god damned literal definition of Jesus. She lives for humanity sake, she loves everybody, especially her enemies, and she constantly fights to reform them into good guys.

Also she's invincible. Later on, an antagonist refuses to fight her because "If this was a weekly Shounen Jump, she would be the main character, and the villain never wins against the main character."

Medaka is special. By the age of 3 she could solve any problem on Earth. She can beat up the bad guys, she's always right, and she's got the biggest rack in the show. At one point, she wins a tug of war contest, while the entire opposing team consists of the rest of her school.

Now after processing all this information I could have condensed better if I wasn't so lazy, you either hate her or like her. If you like her, that's fine too. But if you hate her, you're missing the point. You won't ever like her. Once you realize you aren't supposed to, maybe you'll be able to enjoy the series.

Have you ever read a story in which you hated the villain? Or despised the little sniveling coward who always tried to cling to the main character's coat-tails? There's a difference between a badly written character and an intentionally unlikable character. And ironically, that's what Medaka is as the main character. The best side supporting character ever made.

Zenkichi is the one you are supposed to like, him and a bunch of other supporting characters, and then Kumawaga steps in and you hate how much you love him. Or maybe you love how much you hate him? Shiranui is incredibly mischievous and cute, while Kouki and Maguro are both bros respectively. All these people, who are weaker than Medaka, make the show what it is.

Now, if you took this plot serious, Niso trolled the living shit out of you. You should feel ashamed for being such a stupid fuck. Example, at one point 6 villains are introduced that are supposed to be super strong, but then they all get their asses kicked in one page by a newcomer to the set-piece. Forget the plot, that's not what matters in the least, and that's exactly why I didn't open up this review with the story section. It's all about the theme. Which is the whole, is there such a thing as perfection, and if so, what does this imply? Does always winning make you perfect? Does being beaten down, but constantly standing back up to fight make you perfect? Are you born with it? Can it be obtained? That's where the categories of normality, specials, abnormalities, minuses, and not equals come into play. Niso is playing a literary masterpiece on the grand scales, he's cranking the volume to a double forte, he's putting one foot on the gas, and one in the grave.

And then there's Kumagawa. YES. He is just the greatest character. Here's a little bit of his dialog.

"Even though I'm not cool, or strong, or just, or beautiful, or cute, or pretty, I want to beat the cool, strong, just, beautiful, cute, and pretty people.
Even though I wasn't blessed with talent, even though I'm stupid and have a bad personality, have bad grades, am misguided and am a good for nothing, I want to beat the talented, smart, likeable, overachieving people.
I want to beat those with friends when I can't have friends.
I want to beat the people who work hard when I can't work hard.
I want to beat the victorious people when I can't win.
I want to beat the happy people when I'm miserable.
Even if I'm hated, even if I'm despised, even if I'm useless, I want to prove that I'm better than the main characters!"

Even though this is a Shounen, each page is more text than fight. This isn't because of the normal, making a speech in the middle of a battle, cliché. This is because words get the theme across better than action.

Please be aware.
Chapters 1-12 is a mediocre/ok comedy.
Chapters 13-53 is an OK battle manga that sets up the next arc.
Chapters 54-93 is what gives this manga a 10.
And then up to 140 is a series of Arcs that play on what the previous chapters set up. Lot's of Meta elements.

The chronicle of Araragi Koyomi and his harem of supernatural girls have been influencing the anime industry since Bakemonogatari's release. While Bakemonogatari was a complete success, there were a number of hitches it had that prevented it from reaching its full potential. Animation cuts, frames with absolutely nothing during a key point (Nadeko snake fight?) in the story. It was unfortunate it couldn't reach its full potential and take flight. I can securely say, Shaft has lived up to its expectations of clever dialog, multicolored characters, and wacky animation with Nisemonogatari.


... Nisemonogatari is an entertaining watch. The story is literally about almost nothing but the smallest of occurrences. This is due to the original source material, being entirely written for the authors own personal amusement. One episode is wholly about Araragi brushing his sister’s teeth, and that's it. But remarkably, I never cease to have interest in what's going on. The story has a way of enveloping its finger around the viewer and immersing them in its tale of idiotic and amusing antics.


An example of this boarding on insane attitude and approach to storytelling, is meeting one of the main antagonists, right inside a donut shop. Wait, what are you doing here? To be fair, Kaiki was only attempting to enjoy his drink. Shaft has a weird sense of pace. It'll spend most of the episode on courage jokes (The courage to not give a fuck about pace!) just to get to the "plot" at the end. It's verging on asinine and impractical, but it works.


That's another important issue you want to take into consideration, the "plot". Yes, there is a ton of fan service. Final boss of the internet anyone? This is generally a fan service show. But it just so happens to be, an enjoyable beyond expectations and restrictions fan service show. From erotic twister to being inside your sister with a toothbrush, hell, even a Loli vampire that loves donuts! It's an entirely amusing show, whether anyone wants to argue if it's deep or not (HUR DUR DEEP DARKNESS) is another page in the great big book of fucking retards.


In my opinion, Shaft is a very good company when it comes to animation. No, I'm not a Shaftfag; I just particularly enjoy some of their shows. Back on track, the animation is literally out of this world. No I'm serious. It's like Shaft hired a group of children, drugged them with cocaine, gave them a box of 64 color crayons and told them to get to work. People are going to argue that the wacky and wild structures are "deep" or are a form of symbolism. Mistaken, they’re simply there for the purpose of looking fucking cool, and to benefit the immersion of the world of Monogatari. Even Anno said the ton of religious symbols in Evangelion were only there, because he thought it looked cool.

Shaft has this weird plot device, where the only people in their universe are the actual main characters; you never see a single background character. It's very weird, but it's also very original. Interpret this how you wish.

The OST spews directly from the fountain of fuck yeah, I am platinum mad about not being able to find Platinum Disco anywhere though. Each Op is catchy, each ED is catchy, and it’s exactly what you would presume from a fucking show like this.


Araragi is the personification of a bad ass, sort of Dracula with an ahoge. Dare I say deconstruction of the harem genre main character? He has his girlfriend, but at the same time, runs all the other girls around his finger. Of course not on purpose, he's not a jerk with a capital fuck you. They all just crave his supernatural cock. He enjoys each of their company, and is not afraid to get his ass cut up into small pieces for their sake. Each girl is god tier, from his imouto's, the Fire Sisters, to Kiss-shot Acerola-orion Heart-under-blade and her mister donut obsession, to his deconstruction of a tsundere girlfriend Senjougahara. They all have their quirks and crazy oddities that make them who they are, and I personally find them to be some of the most enjoyable characters in Anime today.


Yeah, sure this is fan service. But its enjoyment meter high rating compensates completely its lack of a solid story. But some of the greatest stories ever told, just so happen to be the simplest.


Nisemonogatari has the courage to be simple.