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Jun 25, 2015
A review of *Assassination Classroom, the popular shounen anime with a ridiculous concept.*
*Plot: 5.5/10-* AssClass follows an episodic and arc format with episodes that either focus on a student or a specific event, and as with many episodic anime, the results are hit and miss. Episodes can range from great to okay to an absolute mess. Many of the individual episodes that focus on nothing of note to the overall story are often the most entertaining and contain the best humor. Those episodes are the ones that kept me coming back. On the other hand, the mediocre episodes, and the occasional terrible episodes, are the
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ones that try to expand on the main plot. Sometimes the elements introduced work fairly well, but other times, the plot falls flat on its face.
*Entertainment Value: 7.9/10-* For me, AssClass' main draw is the humor and entertainment value. While technically being a comedy, AssClass does not seem to try to be funny often enough. It does not make me laugh-out-loud more than one or twice an episode at most and yet the majority of episodes are still amusing throughout. This is best aspect of AssClass; it is simply fun to watch. It might not be engrossing, and it starts to wear out its welcome at points, but the series often kept me entertained.
My review might make Assassination Classroom sound like a bad anime and that is not the case; it is a fun show to watch. However, whether or not you will like AssClass depends on how enjoyable you find the essentially "pointless" episodic episodes, because if you apply any logic to the main plot, it falls apart. With its insane popularity in Japan and a second season on the way, you will be seeing more of Assassination Classroom in the future.
_Watch if you like:_ Shounen, Comedy, Lack of progression
*-6.5/10*
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Jun 12, 2015
A review of *Triage X, an anime by Shouji Satou, the creator of Highschool of the Dead.*
Based on a manga by the creator the infamous *Highschool of the Dead*, *Triage X* is the latest anime about guns, explosions, and over-the-top fanservice that follows a group of assassins that eliminate the "cancers" of society.
After the first few episodes, Triage X showed promise beyond its fanservice exterior thanks to its intriguing concept. The focus on an individual character for a two to three episode arc actually provided slight character development and fun action sequences. Unfortunately, after a decent start, the writing takes a turn for the
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worst to the point where it is not even that entertaining anymore.
As with any work based on a manga by Shouji Satou, the characters have insanely oversized breasts. Fanservice in a fanservice series is not necessarily a bad thing. If that is the point of the anime, at least do the fanservice well, and that is not the case for *Triage X*. During the dramatic scenes, taking the series seriously is almost impossible with two large things that defy the laws of physics sticking out all the time. Even during the fanservice scenes, it is rarely “sexy.” Maybe it will appeal to a certain demographic, but not me.
Even at a light 10 episodes, *Triage X* does little to make itself a worthwhile experience. Unless you are a fan of the manga, Highschool of the Dead, or offensively large breasts, do not waste your time with Triage X; it does not even manage to be a guilty pleasure.
_Watch if you like:_ Action, Highschool of the Dead, Fanservice,
*-3.5/10*
Reviewer’s Rating: 3
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Apr 17, 2015
A review of *Isuca, an ecchi with a surprisingly interesting world.*
Isuca's first three episodes led me to rate it as the worst anime of the winter season, and yet the series turned everything around to make arguably the best ecchi of the winter season.
At first, Sakuya is the typical old school tsundere that annoyingly kicks the protagonist for absolutely no reason, and while she still retains much of her tsundere-ness, it is toned down later in the series. Shockingly, a romance between Sakuya and Shinichirou forms towards the later part of the series. It is not prominent or conclusive, but it goes to the
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point where it is clear that those two characters are together rather than the usual indecisiveness of harem protagonists.
Isuca's best aspect is its world of east vs. west society of mages and magical. While the concept is not explored nearly enough, and it may not be all that original, the overarching story is somewhat interesting for a harem. Unfortunately, there is no conclusion, but the combination of Japanese lore and western magic creates an interesting dynamic.
For an ecchi, Isuca is an above average with a decently executed world, concept, and characters. With that said, saying that those aspects are good “for an ecchi" does not mean all that much compared to anime in general, but it has just enough positive elements to make me actually want to see another season to further expand upon the fantasy world.
_Watch if you like:_ Ecchi, Harem, Supernatural-Ecchi,
*-5.0/10*
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Apr 8, 2015
A review of *Tokyo Ghoul √A*, a disappointing second season to an already disappointing anime.
From the beginning, Tokyo Ghoul √A was advertised as an anime original story by the of Tokyo Ghoul manga, Sui Ishida, and this idea is an exciting one to me as an anime-only-watcher. With so many fans complaining about how the anime butchered the manga, creating an alternate story by the mangaka himself should be an interesting way to appeal to both the manga and anime fans, right? Well, not if the story itself is more disjointed than Kaneki’s fingers at the end of the first season....
Just like the first
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season, Tokyo Ghoul √A kicked off with three strong and interesting episodes that made me interested in Tokyo Ghoul for the first time since the beginning of the first season. Unfortunately, Tokyo Ghoul √A's plot turns into an absolute mess. Various events are taking place without any impact or explanation, thus leaving the viewer confused and aloof. Manga readers might know what is happening, but for everyone else, the plot is all over the place.
Ken Kaneki is effectively sidelined throughout the majority of the series with only the action sequences focusing on his character until the final episodes, thus wasting all of his character development from the first season. The majority of the screen-time goes to first season's antagonists, the CCG, specifically Investigators Kōtarō Amon and Akira Mado. Thankfully, Amon continues to be the only worthwhile character in the entire anime, and his relationship with Akira, as rushed as it may be, is the best aspect of the series.
Sloppily written and just plain dull, Tokyo Ghoul √A is an absolute narrative disaster that lacks any semblance of cohesion. With that said, it is not entirely irredeemable thanks to a few minor aspects being executed surprisingly well amidst the gory mess of a plot.
_Watch if you like:_ Tokyo Ghoul's first season,
*-3.5/10*
Reviewer’s Rating: 1
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Apr 2, 2015
Let’s review *I Can't Understand What My Husband Is Saying (Danna ga Nani wo Itteru ka Wakaranai Ken)*.
Danna ga Nani's humor revolves around Otaku jokes and mature humor. Being that the Otaku comedy genre is one of my favorite sub-genres, Danna ga Nani is a series that satisfies my interest in the genre. As with most comedies, Danna ga Nani is often hit and miss; sometimes the jokes hit the mark, while others miss completely. With that said, the more mature humor and marriage jokes are not something you often see in anime, even if many of the jokes involving Hajime’s fushoji obsessed younger
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brother often fall flat.
An anime revolving around a married couple is a rarity in anime, and Kaoru and Hajime are certainly a cute and entertaining couple to watch. A few episodes even give the characters develop with the final episode leaving us on an unexpected cliffhanger, which the upcoming season is sure to resolve. After thinking about it, I am a lot like Hajime, almost to a scary degree! It is surprising how relatable he is at times, especially with most of his friends being on the internet (the above gif is my life, haha), although he is more hardcore.
Studio Seven’s animation is simple, yet effective, for a short, and the ending song, "Iikagen ni Shite, Anata," fits the series well with the full version being even more fun (watch it in the full post).
With a total runtime around 40 minutes, I Can't Understand What My Husband Is Saying is an easy watch if you want a quick laugh. My recommendation is to watch the first episode, and if you like, watch the entire series.
_Watch if you like:_ Otaku Comedies, Mature humor, Marriage jokes,
*-7.0/10*
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Mar 31, 2015
My abridged review of *The Rolling Girls*, a visually stunning anime that makes absolutely no coherent sense!
From the studio that brought us Attack on Titan comes The Rolling Girls, the winter season's Kill la Kill, well, at least until episode three...
The Rolling Girls' first two episodes feature over-the-top colorful battles that introduce the viewer to the world's concepts, and the series arguably peaks in these episodes. The rest of the series follows the other girls, and the plot becomes more and more convoluted and confusing as it progresses. As much as I wanted to enjoy The Rolling Girls, the usually two part adventures are, more
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often than not, incomprehensible. At times you can make sense of what is going on with some stories working better than others, but many times I found myself saying: "What the heck is going!?" A simpler approach to each episode arc would have worked best with an easier to follow story. Towards the end, the series tries to bring together an overall plot, and while it works to a degree, it still does not save the series as a whole.
Thankfully, the characters are at least cute and likable, and sprinkled throughout are moments of heart, especially the very end of the series.
Wit Studio's animation is what makes you continue to come back to watch The Rolling Girls. Visually, The Rolling Girls is a splash of crazy colors, and it so visually appealing! From the use of watercolor like art for the backgrounds to the soft character designs, the series is a pleasure to just look at. During the occasional action sequence, the animation shines even more with explosions of color and fluid animation.
Another highlight is the J-Rock soundtrack with the OP being one of the better ones of the winter season, and I watched every episode (watch it in the full post).
With appealing visuals and a potentially fun concept, The Rolling Girls should have been a sure bet to at least serve mindless entertainment. Unfortunately, the completely incoherent style of storytelling makes watching the series a chore at times; however, if you really love the art style, then it might just be worth watching.
_Watch if you like:_ Colorful art
*-6.1/10*
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Mar 28, 2015
My abridged review of Absolute Duo, an ecchi harem that is actually not half-bad.
The main character, Tōru, is a generally likable main protagonist, who is an example of the new harem trend where the main character is neither deathly afraid of female contact nor a lecherous pervert. With that said, Tōru is still a typical bland hero.
Julie is a foreign girl with a very direct and non-aggressive attitude. Julie's backstory is equally tragic, and her general lack of shyness around Tōru is refreshing. My favorite aspect of Tōru and Julie's relationship is that, despite advances by nearly every female supporting character, Tōru is unwavering in
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his oath of partnership (or rather dou-ship) to Julie. Also, unlike most other harems, Tōru and Julie actually need each other in the sense that they are both emotionally damaged characters. Unfortunately, all of this interesting subtext is pushed to the point of almost nonexistence in favor of fanservice, ecchi-ness, and a random bunny costume wearing teacher...
Narratively, Absolute Duo is an Absolute mess (see what I did there?). Many episodes are disjointed and full of poor writing and plot holes. Conceptually, the story is more or less the same thing that we have seen time and time again with a high school for teenagers with magic powers.
Surprisingly, the action sequences are a highlight of the series. Each character's Blaze offers a unique fighting style, and the action sequences rarely use CGI. A final mention should go to the opening sequence, which is one of the best of the winter season (you can watch it in the full post). The animation, editing, and choreography are stunning.
With above average action and surprisingly likable main characters, Absolute Duo could have been great if not plagued by the distracting tropes of the ecchi harem genre. With that said, for an ecchi harem, Absolute Duo is fairy entertaining, albeit nothing special.
_Watch if you like:_ Action, Harems, Ecchi
*-5.1/10*
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Mar 27, 2015
My abridged review of Parasyte (Kiseijuu), one of the best anime in years...
*Plot: 10/10-* Parasyte is paced to near perfection. Every episode moves the plot towards its ultimate destination with even the slower episodes providing greater insight into the characters and plot.
Constantly throughout the series, plot twists are thrown at the audience to always keep you on the edge-of-your-seat. Countless times I would catch myself holding my breath due to the amount of suspense the anime creates. This tension is able to be built up because early in the series you are shown that anyone can die, and yet it never overplays the death-card to
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the point of exploitation with just enough characters dying to always keep you on your toes. Despite the thrills, Parasyte is often genuinely emotionally impactful.
Thematically, Parasyte portrays various thought-provoking ideas without ever allowing the themes to overshadow the story or characters (read the full post for a further discussion of the themes).
If a negative had to be stated, it would be episode 22. It slows down the story before the big rush towards the conclusion, which some viewers might dislike, although I had no issue with it. The only other minor issue is that the environmental message is overstated ever so slightly, although it is one of the better uses of said message.
*Characterization: 10/10-* Shinichi Izumi is the protagonist of the story, and he starts out as a likable and compassionate guy. As the series progresses, he slowly begins to lose his humanity, thus turning into the one thing that is trying to kill him: the parasites. His journey is a compelling ride that makes you feel for him as character, especially when his actions cause conflicts with his family and girlfriend. From beginning to end, Shinichi transforms into a different person with a very organic sense of growth, which is reflected by the series’ themes.
Migi is one of the most unique anime characters in recent years. He is literally a hand that can morph into deadly weapons, and yet, his development is a minor image to Shinichi's transformation. The characters symbiotic relationship is rife with conflict and distrust as neither side wanted to be in this partnership. As the series continues, their relationship slowly changes as each one begins to understand the other, which makes for compelling drama and thought-provoking material.
*Overall: 10/10-* Virtually flawless, Parasyte: the maxim (Kiseijuu: Sei no Kakuritsu) effortlessly balances riveting suspense, emotional character drama, and thought-provoking themes without ever allow one aspect to overshadow the other. No other anime has ever been able to execute all these aspects to such an effective and mature degree in the past. Undoubtedly one of the best works of fiction in years, not just anime, Parasyte receives my first ever 10 out of 10 as an anime that is about as close to perfect as an anime as can be.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Mar 26, 2015
My abridged review of Your Lie in April (Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso), an anime that is taking the anime community by storm with its beautiful visuals and emotional storytelling.
No better word decides Kimi no Uso than beautiful, simply beautiful. Ever since episode four, Kimi no Uso has been a standout anime from the last season.
*Plot: 8.0/10-* Kimi no Uso's setup is simple: a love-triangle with Kosei, childhood friend Tsubaki, and the free-spirited violinist Kaori. Despite the few clichés, the execution is superb. Kosei's backstory of an abusive mother is a controversial topic to cover in anime, and his mother's constant presence in Kosei's
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mind is often haunting, which creates compelling conflict for him to overcome.
*Characterization: 9.2/10-* One of the series' main draws is its emotional storytelling. Throughout the series you will be sucker-punched with moments of tragedy, and if you also enjoy this type of anime, then Your Lie in April is highly recommended (for a discussion about each character, please read the full review).
*Direction: 10/10-* Kimi no Uso's audio and visual presentation sets it well apart from the entirety of the genre. Combining the beautiful visuals with the emotionally charged piano and violin performances, the viewer is presented with an audio visual experience like no other. Each performance conveys the emotional of the character through the music, symbolic visuals, and poetic inner monologues that is reflected in the exquisite pieces of classical music. When including the context of each scene, the emotion is increased even more. Director Kyōhei Ishiguro and the various episode and music directors should be given special praise for crafting one of the most impressively directed anime in recent years.
*Overall: 8.8/10-* Potentially melodramatic for some viewers, Your Lie in April (Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso) is a truly beautiful anime that uses audio and visuals to produce an experience that is both pleasant and emotionally resonating.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Mar 25, 2015
My abridged review of *Inou-Battle,* from the creators of *Kill la Kill*, comes a series that follows a high school Literature Club, whose five member receive mysterious new powers without explanation, and with no enemies to fight, the characters live out their daily lives with their newfound powers.
*Plot: 7.8/10-* Conceptually, Inou-Battle, aka *When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace,* delivers the most unique twist to a club series since Kokoro Connect by giving the characters powers, yet not giving them superpowered adversaries to fight, at least not at first. The first half of the series tells slice-of-life stories with a superpowered twist. However, after the first few
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episodes, the series shifts focus from superpowered antics in daily life to almost straight up slice-of-life romantic comedy, and even though it somewhat squanders its fascinating concept, the development given to the characters is rather excellent. While I wish that it have balanced both elements, the heavier focus on the characters made me genuinely care about each one.
*Characterization: 8.0/10-* Inou-Battle uses the harem aspect of multiple girls vying for the affection of one guy better than most other harems because it gives specific attention to each individual girl and her story, while providing ample reason for why the girls are interested in the main male protagonist, in this case, Jurai Andō.
Andō himself is chuunibyou, roughly translating to "Middle School 2nd Year Syndrome." Chuunibyou generally refers to someone who has delusions that they have magical powers or are someone of great importance, although there are many different varieties of chuunibyou. Andō pretends to have special powers trapped within his hand, and eventually, he does receive a power, albeit a seemingly useless one. However, his previously useless knowledge of what are the morally right and wrong ways to use certain powers that come from reading manga, light novels, ect, is what makes him incredibly useful to the club.
As for the girls, each one is surprisingly fleshed out with moments of unexpected emotion. Of course it is nowhere as powerful as top notch drama anime, but for a comedy harem, it will surprise you.
*Overall: 7.9/10-* Providing you have the correct expectations going in, Inou-Battle is fun, pleasant, and often sweet anime that uses the harem concept to further develop the characters. Sure, it might not be the over-the-top madness fest that Kill la Kill was, but it is a well executed comedy drama that desperately needs another season.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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