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Jan 9, 2018
UQ Holder! is definitely an anime with so much potential especially since the manga is very good in my honest opinion as was its prequel Mahou Sensei Negima (the manga, not the anime because that was just bad) but unfortunately it suffered so much from being rushed, left out arcs, and a big focus on the RomCom elements which would have been much more cohesive if they took their time on adapting the source material. It should also be noted that there are many things that require knowledge about the previous work, Negima, which I recommend for you guys to read the manga as the
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anime never really went far especially with the Magical World arc.
The story starts out with our main protagonist, Touta Konoe and his friends attacking their teacher and Touta’s guardian, Yukihime (Evangeline A.K. McDowell). Their dream is to get out of the village and go to capital and reach the top of the space elevator. However Yukihime is a mage and isn’t so easily defeated. A crisis that develops leads to Touta finding out about his curse of immortality that was given to him by Yukihime and eventually he and Yukihime leaves the village and make their way to the capital where he can make new friends.
On their way there, Touta meets an immortal immortal hunter, Kuroumaru, who later becomes his best friend. While the three of them travel they eventually come into contact with Yukihime’s organization UQ Holder. UQ Holder is an organization of immortals that help the world much like a guild and they also operate an inn. This is the how Touta Konoe’s everyday life begins, one filled with romantic comedy as the staff and even guests eventually develops feelings for him, even his best bro. But not everything is sunshines and rainbows as Touta’s past is trying to capture him and he must uncover the truth as well as his connection to his grandfather who is the greatest mage, Negi Springfield.
The problem here is that J.C.Staff is trying to cram so much material (over 100 chapters worth) into just 12 episodes. So much doesn’t make sense that I kept asking myself stuff like “why this character is showing up so early” or “wasn’t there an arc or 2 before this scene happens?”, the result being that it is an obvious mess and destroys something that could’ve been nothing less than epic. If the studio had been given a chance to do a 2-cour (24 or 25 episodes) of this adaptation then it would’ve been undoubtedly much better than what has been presented to us. It also doesn’t help that they completely erased one arc that introduced us to a really strong character and another male in this Touta-centric anime, they also omitted the training arc where pretty much all the kids get ridiculously strong because they were taught by none other than Evangeline’s master. The training arc was somewhat shown in the OVA but it focused more on Eva and Touta’s relationship which was really sweet but the climax was omitted to my dismay. Also for those who haven’t read the manga you guys should watch the OVA after the anime because of the last line in the anime for it to make more sense.
The art was decent enough and the action scenes were quite fluid but they lacked the punch that could be found in the manga. It also doesn’t help that some of the more intense fights were cut out due to time constraints. I was also incredibly pissed they never once showed Yukihime using her Magia Erebia form to fight which makes one of the best fights in the whole series when she used it against Fate. Being a romcom anime as well there are many fanservice scenes but I question the censorship using Kamo, while it was cute and unique first time watchers will wonder who the creature is.
I can’t really say much about the soundtrack but the battle music was quite good and manages to sound right when the mood gets heavy or dramatic but it wasn’t exactly memorable in my opinion. The voices were alright but Touta’s was annoying or didn’t sound right at first but I eventually got used to it. The opening and ending had some fanservice and it was too cheery in my opinion, they could’ve just went for some Fairy Tail like songs and it would’ve been much better although that’s just my opinion.
In the end UQ Holder! had so much going for it but definitely is only subpar at best. A truly epic series despite all the fanservice and slapstick comedy was again afflicted by Ken Akamatsu’s (the creator) curse of having bad adaptations of his works. But despite all the negatives, the few positives helped alleviate my impression of the series. It was so nostalgic to see Negi and the class of 3-A all over again especially Asuna. It reminded me so much of the Negima manga that it makes me want to read it all over again. Also Kuroumaru’s case of his/her feelings for Touta retains the same amount of hilarity as it did in the manga. I also had fun watching Evangeline but that could just be my bias as she is my favorite character in the Negima universe. In a way it is also unique to see a romcom for immortals.
If you want to get the full experience of UQ Holder! then I wholeheartedly recommend that you read the Negima manga if you haven’t yet as its 2 major arcs are some of the best if not the best I have ever seen in any medium, then after that you can read the UQ Holder! manga which I will do so soon because the anime just doesn’t do it the justice and exposure it deserves.
P.S. You can also read my review here and some video game reviews if you're interested:
sirusgaming.com/2018/01/anime-review-uq-holder/
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Jan 9, 2018
Dance, an artform, a competitive sport, a form of social interaction, a way of communication, a look at human history and evolution, a way to rediscover a different side to someone you already know, and a way to rediscover one’s self.
Welcome to the Ballroom was nothing short of spectacular. I was already aware of how taxing and strict dancing is but never have I enjoyed seeing a dance as enjoyable as watching the whole anime.
Welcome to the Ballroom begins with Fujita Tatara and his quest to find something that he can love and give his all for. The boy is filled with drive and passion
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but has no means to channel it nor has no way of knowing which direction he can take it. That is until he was saved by a man named Sengoku who forces him to watch a dance class. After seeing Sengoku dance in a DVD that was forced on him, he had found the direction he had so longed for.
Tatara may be a weak-willed guy that has a lot of negative traits about him but if anything, he is a very real person in my eyes. He can be overconfident, a nervous wreck, and a fool but that is just like who we humans are at many points in our life. But the thing that shows us that he can be someone we can root for is that Tatara has potential and even Sengoku and the other very experienced dancers can see it and are often at times mesmerized by his dancing.
He makes many rivals along the way who in turn would also become his friends as they not only respect his ability (though not at first) but they are also infected by his emotions when he is on the dance floor. Tatara can be quite creepy for them as they are amazed by the things that he can do and also the fact that he can’t be trained in a normal way. But once he knows what to do then all he needs is one practice to show that he has the steps down pat which is nothing short of amazing.
Throughout the show, Tatara becomes a couple with a few girls and it is there that he forms bonds with them and on the dance floor he forms bonds with the males in the anime as they eventually acknowledge him as someone to watch out for especially during competitions. When he paired with Shizuku he lit a great fire in one of the greatest young dancers in Japan, Hyoudou (Shizuku’s partner), and it elevated his dancing to new heights. When he paired with Mako, Tatara turned her into a blooming flower at his sacrifice of the leader role into a full support role and it gave her newfound courage and respect from her partner who is also her brother.
In the 2nd half of the series, Tatara finally gets his own partner and it was actually the most difficult partner anyone could ask for as it was like trying to control a wild but beautiful horse but in the end they somehow made it work. It should also be noted that the key characters in the 1st half don’t get as much screen time as they did in the 2nd half as the focuses was less on their issues but changes direction on to Tatara, his new partner, and his new rivals. It should also be noted that there are a few romcom scenes but there really isn’t much of a mention of anything romantic between any of the characters at all though save for one guy but one can easily notice the tension between each one of them.
The anime really goes into a lot of detail about the many types of dances and the techniques and training required in order to execute them. It was also very informative about the roles of the dancers, the leader and follower. For anyone who has an interest in dancing, this anime may be able to give you some pointers should you ever decide to go into that world.
The animation was definitely dazzling and intense as they really showed how expressive the dancers are and their faces are pretty accurate for how I imagined it would be if I was ever at their shoes. There were even plenty of times where they changed the animation to something that looked like it came from a famous painting just so they could illustrate how chaotic the dance floor actually is. Even the subtlety of the lighting was beautifully animated though it can be hard to notice.
The art was also very well done as the dancers looked amazing especially on the dance floor, not to mention the beautiful dresses our heroines were wearing. Even the necks which looked kinda weird looked cool as that is probably how it looks even in the source material. Also the intensity in their faces was also quite notable and even their expressions can be somewhat erotic in a way but it fits with the theme and emotion of their dance quite well. The way the art looks for the character’s eyelashes was also quite something unique and was the center of focus of my eyes almost all the time the camera is close up on their faces.
The OST that was used matched the show very well as the music was engaging and something that I believe we can all easily dance to. They even changed a few notable sounds to fit with the mood a particular scene of the anime was going for. The 1st opening was amazing and something I expected nothing less of UNISON SQUARE GARDEN who makes me wanna dance to almost all of their songs. The 1st ending was also something that I could dance to but it wasn’t as catchy or as fevery as the opening. The 2nd opening felt more dramatic since the series was going for a different direction anyway and the 2nd ending just didn’t leave much of an impression with me.
Overall, Welcome to the Ballroom is an anime that is intense, passionate, and every bit of a sports anime as any. It is also one of the few sports anime that has gotten me interested in a sport even though this one doesn’t have an Olympic event. The 1st and last one that influenced me to take the sport was Slam Dunk and I have never regretted loving basketball since but this anime just may make dancing my 2nd sport. I just want to see more of this anime and learn more about dancing right now. Just like in the anime, I can feel the infectious emotions of the dancer and it might also infect you.
P.S. You can also read my review here and some video game reviews if you're interested:
sirusgaming.com/2018/01/anime-review-welcome-ballroom/
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Sep 30, 2017
Gambling for the sake of gambling. Gambling for going deeper into madness. Gambling for the thrill of losing everything with one wrong move. This is what Kakegurui which literally translates to Compulsive Gamble is all about. In a way it is a love letter to gambling and the madness that entails it.
Kakegurui starts out with the main protagonist, Jabami Yumeko, enrolling in Hyakkaou Private Academy. The academy’s most centralized of traditions is gambling as it helps their students who come from rich and influential families learn how to negotiate and read people better. Jabami Yumeko looks like an ordinary beautiful girl but all that changes
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when gambling is involved. She suddenly becomes a sociopath that easily gets off from the thrill of gambling and becomes so enraptured in it that she can easily swallow those around her to take the bet with her. She can easily read all the possible tricks through deduction and all in a calm manner but she is by no means perfect as she can also lose even by luck.
In the academy, the student council reigns supreme and imposes a tax law for the gambles. If the participants are unable to pay the tax then they become “livestock” which is basically the lowest of the lows in the academy’s social hierarchy. Since the students come from very well-off families, the amount of money being gambled start off at really high amounts and the debts can even go into the billions range. It doesn’t stop at just money as even more can be placed on the betting table.
Watching Yumeko-san read her enemies and beat them is as fun as it is erotic since nearly everyone in the academy is nuts in one way or another but Yumeko takes the cake 40 levels higher than the limits. The anime is much more depraved and entertaining than Kaiji which is a gambling anime from a decade ago. It would be fun if the two ever meet in some crossover though most likely that will never happen.
The characters are quite questionable especially the viewpoint main character Suzui, Ryouta, as he is quite the opposite of Yumeko-san and is the only truly sane person in the whole anime. The relationships between them are also quite odd and does not make much sense except for one of them who is just using Yumeko-san for their own ends.
Gambling has never looked so animated before and I mean that in both a figurative and literal sense. The animation quality is so high that it easily trumps those action oriented anime to shame. This has been the most impressively animated non-action anime I have ever seen that is not done by the legendary KyoAni, so kudos to MAPPA. The level of art was also as equally impressive as the characters would show off their gambling faces which showed so much emotion and detail that it was downright disturbing. Even the iris had so much detail to it that I couldn’t help but wonder how much did the producers pay for this level of detail, though with Square Enix being one of them I wouldn’t really be surprised how they managed to achieve this quality. This animation style was the closest I have ever seen to be a match to hentai animation as I felt like I was literally watching hentai in many scenes. The level of eroticism in this anime is so prevalent that some characters got so wet and drooled so much, they were an open book. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen an ahegao (intense amount of sexual pleasure that is translated in facial expressions) in this anime, the frequency made this the number one anime of all time (to my knowledge) to have so many ahegao.
The OST was also quite exceptional as they were very distinct and matched the mood so well especially at the height of a gamble. The opening was one of the most, if not the most, animated opening sequences I have ever seen. It didn’t take me long to guess what theme they were going for with the animation which is “devour.” Gambling can easily devour anyone, so the opening fits quite well with it. The ending was also fun to watch since it shows Yumeko-san’s descent (or ascent) into madness in a very erotic catwalk. The voice acting was also very well done as the characters felt so alive whenever they talked and especially when they showed their gambling faces. The most exceptional case was Hayami Saori’s voice of Yumeko as it was one of her most memorable performances ever.
So if you are ever in the mood to watch a thrill, some gambling, or girls getting wet and show ahegaos in a non-hentai (or even hentai) way, then go ahead and descend into the madness that is Kakegurui.
P.S. You can also read my review here and some video game reviews if you're interested:
sirusgaming.info/2017/10/anime-review-kakegurui-compulsive-gambler/
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Sep 27, 2017
If there was anything I learned from this anime, it’s that no one should ever underestimate an otaku and his “hobby”.
Knight’s & Magic is an anime about mechas and magic. Yes the combo might sound very contrasting but the anime does so well to execute the combination of the two elements that I couldn’t help but be entertained throughout the whole way. The magic is actually the source of power for the mechas and since they live in the middle ages, modern conventional power sources haven’t been invented yet. They certainly executed the machines being powered by magic trope far better than Broken Blade, the
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only other anime to my knowledge that uses magic as the catalyst to piloting a mecha.
The story begins in modern day Japan where a gunpla otaku who is an extremely efficient programmer dies of an accident. He is then reincarnated into another world as Ernesti Echevarria (man that’s a mouthful). In his new world, giant mechas called Silhouette Knights are common sight and they are constantly fighting against big monsters called demon beasts. Thanks to his new life, Ernesti can finally realize his dreams of creating mechas, so he got to work fast on learning about magic and how the robots work. A little too fast though since he had already started creating revolutionary machines and soloing fleet worthy giant demon beasts at the age of 12.Eventually Ernesti and his friends don’t just fight demon beasts but also other nations who have their own Silhouette Knights, which is a dream come true for the young boy since his sense of aesthetics is that Mechas should only be destroyed by other mechas. And while he’s busy making more powerful mechas and demolishing his enemies with it, he takes them and studies how they make them work. All of this is done for the sake of his “hobby”.
Isekai (reborn in a new world) stories are my guilty pleasure since I love to see the implications of what would happen if you had a 21st century mind in an era of walls, steel, and magic. And this anime showed a great deal of it since Ernesti was creating new advancements in the Silhouette Knights industry 1-4 mechs in a month or two compared to having a new design every 3 centuries. Yes he was going at a centuries century’s pace. He was also busy making miniature suits that would benefit him and his friends on the side to boot. To the boy, magic is basically a program, so casting fire is as elementary as “Hello World”. Another great thing about it is that it is not a harem anime. Ernesti doesn’t even realize the girl beside him and only cares about cold steel.While the story is pure escapism, I have to applaud the very impressive way the direction was executed. Not only did they create an entertaining anime but the plot was very consistent and was devoid of any filler to the untrained eye. The pacing was definitely rushed but it never gave you that feeling, it took me a while to realize it and was amazed how they managed to do it. It was a surprisingly complete story from beginning to end, everything is so straightforward and there are no flashbacks or anything that holds back the plot. It was so straight to the point that they ended all of it in just 13 episodes. It is quite rare for an anime to do all of that especially if the source material is a light novel.
Sometimes even a 2nd season can’t finish the entire plot. Usually the the author and studio would just agree that if fans want to find out what happens next then we have to buy the novels and for us fans outside of Japan, we have no access to buying them and we still have to face the language barrier. So I nearly couldn’t be any happier than seeing this anime tell us a story from start to finish given the number of episodes that were allotted to it. Hopefully more light novel adaptations can be more like this.
The art was definitely a treat since the character designs were really well done but kudos to the design of Ernesti since he was a cute trap throughout the anime. The mechas were incredibly detailed it was like mecha porn. The anime had the 2nd most realistic mechas I have ever seen with the 1st being in Broken Blade. The demon beasts had probably the best CGI and were amazing to behold while a certain few mechas suffered from it. The weapon designs could have been better like the rods while only a few blades showed some cool or authentic designs.
The anime also has one of the best opening sequences I have ever heard in my life and while the tune got me excited for another adventure of another episode, the main reason was that they added SFXs to go with the sequence. From tiny ones like a mecha head turning to blasting all the firearms, that little bit of detail captured my ears and it instantly became one of my favorite opening sequences of all time. Unfortunately the background music didn’t have anything that was memorable while the ending sequence was also forgettable but it did have an epic picturesque scene that captures the trap beauty of Ernesti and the mechas surrounding him.
The anime really does a great job in what it would be like if you were a mecha architect who wanted to make some of the most revolutionary mechas in as fast as possible. The development process was basically design and innovate but it was so well done that I had no complaints sine the technical jargons would usually diminish any form of enjoyment in the long run. I also love how they captured Ernesti’s childish innocence in pursuing his passion, nearly nothing was as consistently enjoyable in the anime as seeing a happy enthusiastic smile from our OP trap MC.
This is an amazing anime to just binge watch, which I did and I was so excited to see the next episode as soon as the last one was finished. While it did suffer a bit from the character development of the side characters, it didn’t detract a bit from my overall enjoyment of the entire show. Had the anime continued on to that one story in the ending then I would have lost it since they stated where my true passion lies.
This is one of the best animes I have ever seen and I easily recommend it to anyone who loves mecha, isekai stories, and adventure.
P.S. You can also read my review here and video game reviews if you're interested:
sirusgaming.info/2017/09/anime-review-knights-magic/
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Aug 26, 2017
When mortals gain the ability to determine the deaths of their neighbors, they start to believe themselves to be God. Death Note is without a doubt, one of the best anime of all time where a game of wits plays out between a young man with a God complex and an eccentric investigator who is obsessed with solving the case.
It all starts when a notebook falls from the sky and a young man named Yagami Light picks it up, he later finds out that it is called the Death Note and that if someone writes somebody’s name on it, then they can kill them in
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any way. Light begins to believe that he should just kill all the criminals in the world so that he can cleanse the taint and feels that he should rule over everyone. He then starts murdering them in ways that has baffled the police.
This anime will make one question what is right or wrong. Is it alright to kill convicted felons? Was their crime severe enough that they deserve the death sentence? Do we have the right to pass judgement on to those we don’t even know? But this isn’t where the anime excels at, it is when a famous investigator catches wind of the strange phenomenon. L plays the guessing game to find out just who the killer is, while Light continues his killing spree and tries his best in avoiding the eyes of L while trying to learn his true name in order to kill him through the Death Note.
The way the story moves is something that will leave you on the edge of your seat each episode. There is something amazing in how it draws you in and always gives you a great sense of thrill and amazement as to how they are able to continue playing the game of cat and mouse.
Light and L are what drives the show to its full potential. Light is charismatic, extremely smart, good looking, and is a psychopath who is hell bent on ruling the world through his perceived notion of justice. Not to mention he can make eating a potato chip look cool.
L is creepy, eccentric, beyond brilliant, observant, and has a sweet tooth. He is the only one who can truly fight Light on equal footing despite his feet always being on the chair. The two compliment each other so well that it is nothing more than the perfect rivalry between two of the greatest minds in anime.
The anime is one hell of a ride in the 1st half but the 2nd half just feels bland in comparison. Things could have ended in a nearly perfect sense at one point but the creators decided to stretch it out even further and it doesn’t ever feel as satisfying towards the end. Although there was a decent amount of satisfaction to be had at the very end of this amazing journey where it sort of redeemed the entire 2nd half but still felt lackluster when compared to how far the 1st half went.
This anime is complex with a lot of twists and turns that will put ones mind to the test. This is one of the most satisfying series to have ever existed and it is the perfect one to watch for those who are looking for a suspenseful show with deep psychological and morally impacting lessons that would make one question what they would ever do if they ever had that kind of power in their hands. Would they follow in the path of Light and cleanse the world of their own definition of evil people? Would they be just like L and find out the truth of the mysterious power and ensure that no mortal would ever use something that is beyond the level of curses? Or would they create their own definition of justice that they will then show to everyone else in the world?
P.S. You can also read my review here and video game reviews if you're interested:
sirusgaming.info/2017/08/anime-review-death-note
I'll also leave this here for those of you who wanna read the disaster of Netflix's Death Note version:
sirusgaming.info/2017/08/movie-review-death-note-netflix
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Aug 15, 2017
I’m not sure how anyone would react when if they ever found out their little sister is a famous artist in the light novel industry but has the penname “eromanga sensei”. This is the story of the step-siblings Sagiri Izumi and Masamune Izumi who are a light novel duo with Sagiri being the artist and Masamune being the writer. It should be noted that the siblings are in love with each other so its basically Oreimo version 2 but this time its legal since they’re not blood related so that means they can get married.
The anime starts out with the 2 siblings living alone a
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year after their parents died. Due to the loss, Sagiri refuses to go to school much less come out of her room and Masamune understands what she’s going through ever since he lost his 1st mom, so he takes care of her by doing the cooking, laundry, and other chores. He doesn’t force her to go to school and all he really wants is for her to go out of her room so he can see her face. Masamune is just a high school student but he is also a semi-famous light novel author that just finished his debut series. The high school kid is the one who brings the bacon.
It didn’t take him long to find out that his NEET little sister is also the one who does the ecchi illustrations for his light novel. Chaos ensues and some ecchi remarks were said but the two managed to come to an understanding. While Masamune-sensei tries to create his 2nd publicized series he encounters a more prominent author that becomes an obstacle to his works and later on another author who’s even more famous that tries to destroy his dreams.
While it may seem like its about Masamune-sensei’s journey to fame as a light novel author, the anime is actually about how he can have a normal relationship with his sister. Masamune is a good brother, he does what he can to support his sister’s current lifestyle, and is just happy to see her smiling genuinely like when she’s streaming her drawings to her pervy fans. Though he confesses to her that he is genuinely in love with her, he follows up by saying that he wants to be her brother most of all and is just satisfied with that.
Speaking of confessions, this romantic comedy shake things up a bit with nearly all of the harem characters confessing to the MC at different points in the anime with one of the confessions being incredibly romantic and actually heavier than a normal confession. The anime is also very perverse with the imouto actually acting like a pervy old man and living up to her penname of eromanga sensei. There was even a character who’s only in middle school, just openly say she loves dicks. I gotta give props though to the level of detail the pantsus have with one of them even having that tag you see in the back with details like size or material used.
It was also nice to see that there was no problem with copyright issues where we can actually some real titles of light novels like Toradora, Sword Art Online, Shakugan no Shana, and many more. This was probably only the 2nd anime I’ve personally seen that does that (the 1st to my memory is Bakuman). This anime is also probably the closest one that portrays the light novel industry though very lightly. The other ones that portray the industry are Bakuman for manga, Shirobako for anime, New Game! for video game development, and Sore ga Seiyuu! for Voice Acting.
I was also shocked that it took me 11 episodes to realize that the author and illustrator of the source material are the very same ones of Oreimo. It was also great seeing the Oreimo cast make cameo appearances including the Gokou sisters. While I did enjoy Eromanga Sensei, it felt lacking when compared to how I enjoyed Oreimo but it was still enjoyable in and of itself.
Eromanga Sensei is a solid anime that’s good just to have some laughs and chill out. I actually found it quite enjoyable. It was pretty good seeing Sagiri slowly coming out of her shell and go out of her comfort zone (her room) and even try to make friends with others. Her transformation to becoming a normal person is a sight to see throughout the anime, though sometimes its out of jealousy for the other girls that interact with her brother and they even had a great backstory episode that really fleshes out the siblings before they became siblings.
P.S. You can also read my review here and video game reviews if you're interested
sirusgaming.info/2017/08/anime-review-eromanga-sensei/
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jul 18, 2017
Let the winds of adventure never stop blowing. Beyond the skies is a realm of endless possibilities, where new discoveries are awaiting, new friends to meet, and where we realize how big the world truly is. This was the feeling I was experiencing when I was watching Granblue Fantasy The Animation.
Granblue Fantasy is without a doubt what a great Final Fantasy anime would have been if SquareSoft (back in the day) or Square Enix (these days) ever made one that embodies the core elements of what makes Final Fantasy such a beloved and memorable franchise. The game this anime was based on had used
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so much material from the Final Fantasy series that it is pretty much Final Fantasy and at the same time it is its own identity. When I first heard about this anime I thought it was gonna be a cool fantasy RPG anime that I could just watch in a relaxing fashion, then I saw a review with the words Final Fantasy in them. It was at that instant that I was gonna have this anime as my highest priority after I finish the one I was curently watching back then. Also it should be noted that Nobuo Uematsu is part of the staff and art director Hideo Minaba designed the game’s characters, they are also notable for their previous collaborations which are Final Fantasy V, Final Fantasy VI, Final Fantasy IX, and Lost Odyssey, no big names really.
For the fans of Final Fantasy this anime will be a real treat, it has plenty of action, story, adventure, summons (yes summons), and most of all airships, AIRSHIPS!!! To be honest I’m a sucker for airships especially since Final Fantasy IX is my all-time favorite video game and that game had the most airships in any Final Fantasy. The way the anime incorporates these elements unto the story is amazing, I found that the summons are very distinct and even some that were never summons but your enemies can become your summons. The airships were amazing as well and were breathtaking to behold. Just like in Final Fantasy IX, they are everywhere and it just gives me that sense of adventure, where I can venture out into the open and just sail beyond the clouds. For fans of the Granblue Fantasy game, there’s no need to worry since the anime does justice to the game by faithfully following the Main Quests.
The story starts out with Lyria running away from the Empire with the aid of the now ex-lieutenant Katalina. During the escape from the Empire’s airship, they run into Gran, a boy who longs to go on an adventure to meet his dad who is waiting for him at a mythical island that is considered a fairy tale by the people, and his bestfriend, a flying dragon, named Vyrn. And that was how their journey began and there was no better way to kick things off than with a Mega Flare of all things. Throughout their journey the encounter more allies and even get their own airship which I couldn’t help but be in awe each time it shows up since it looks like the combination of the Hilda Garde III and Invincible. There were also some surprises like someone literally doing a slam dunk to beat a boss. They also have to face bosses and the summons before acquiring them, just like the usual JRPG of old. They literally have them all except for random encounters which would have left me no choice but to give this adaptation a perfect score if they had done that.
The story is great and with each new arc they go to a new island in the skies as well as get a new party member along the way or atleast meet some interesting people that could potentially become allies in the future. The journey is very much what one would expect if they ever wanted their life to be a JRPG, they go to a new town, be amaze when looking at the architecture, the people, the shops, shop for new gear and food. All that before you are faced with your new obstacle that ruins destroys your brief merriment.
The anime really captures all that and it makes for a relaxing and balance formula that ultimately gives you a sense of immersion to a certain degree, well atleast that’s what I felt. The characters were all interesting and the development felt just right. Each character got their chance to shine and contributed to the plot in both big and small ways. The side characters also showed promise and were interesting and only one antagonist proved bland. The only thing that would make this area perfect would be if Rackam had the voice of the sophisticated yet sexy Sky Pirate Balthier. It would be amazing to see how everything would fit if we ever get a second season since the potential party goes beyond a raid party or what the anime shows.
Now let’s talk about the animation and art, due take note the animation does not equal art which many did not know of when watching anime, like KonoSuba for example. Animation wise it was a thrill to watch with enhancements, spells, the Primal Beast’s powers, explosions and the fluidity of the action. Now for the art, the aesthetics were great overall and the only thing that bugs me is that there are times where the characters outlines show in a sketchy style. Not sure if that’s intentional but it is the only problem I have with the art.
The art was exceptional when it came to the Primal Beasts, they were distinct and made for some unique variations while staying true to their generally perceived image. Then we have the sound department, no complaints since the background music was fitting but I was too engrossed in the story to appreciate it fully. The only exception though would be when everyone fought the season’s final boss. The opening, Go by BUMP OF CHICKEN, was amazing and it really does kickoff the whole journey that I never got tired of it, so much so that I’m listening to the same song on repeat while writing this entire review. The ending song was also well done, it gave me the sense that the journey was not over and the promise of more adventures is just on the horizon.
Everything wrapped up neatly in episode 12 and episode 13 was where the studio pulled off the biggest “what if” instance any anime adaptation could ever pull off as well as being the episode to distract yourself from knowing full well that it’s the last one. Despite the show ending, there is a lot more that is left unclear and there is so much more the story can offer. I can only pray that there would be a second or even third season with a 2-cour if we ever do get it.
Granblue Fantasy the Animation gave me the sense of adventure that I find lacking in most video game to anime adaptations. It is one of the rare gems in that specific category. This was also the anime where I saw the most airships in any anime and as I’ve previously mention it’s my ultimate attention bait. For those who love to see an anime with a great adventure, awesome summons, and AIRSHIPS! I wholeheartedly recommend this anime. This was without a doubt enjoyable from start to finish and with so much left to explore in the story, it leaves you wanting for more. So give it a shot and have an adventure.
P.S. You can also read my review here and video game reviews if you're interested
sirusgaming.info/2017/07/anime-review-granblue-fantasy-the-animation
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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May 23, 2017
Mod Edit: This review may contain spoilers.
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True to the title it is about having one more game and what better way to do it then with the ultimate dream team.
Watched this in SM cinema Cebu, Philippines on 5/23/17.
The best streetball team in the world who are from America have come to Japan for an exhibition match and decimated their opponent and have insulted all of Japan's basketball players. In retaliation a coach decided to gather the generation of miracles featuring Kagami and a few benchwarmers to slay the Jabberwock team.
The opposing team keeps getting surprised by the level of talent the Vorpal Swords displays
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but that doesn't mean that they themselves don't have their own abilities to counter even the almighty zone. Ability after ability, skill after skill and even an eye for an eye the game continues with each shot, dribble, pass, block, steal, rebound and sweat being countered at every turn.
Eventually the generation of miracles would use new abilities to counter the malevolent force of their enemies. From using multiple zones, zone technique combos, natural ability fusing, reawakenings and even old tricks just to get an edge over the opposition. The last game truly has alot of show off as a final sendoff.
Unfortunately not everyone goes into a zone here and there's also no 5 man zone present but it is still fun regardless of my personal disappointments. We also get to see one guy finally going 100% full power despite not going into zone.
It just goes to show that basketball is a truly fun game where even the most ridiculous of shots can go in. My personal motto in basketball is "No matter how perfect the form of your shot is, it is never 100% guaranteed while no matter how ridiculous or far your shot is, it is never a true 0% probability". So while Kuroko's basketball maybe full of unbelievable powers it doesn't mean it's not impossible for anyone. Though the consistency of theirs is where the true question of improbability lies. I myself personally am similar to Aomine since I do circus shots that amaze people with the consistency and even the level of ridiculous range and poses, like a 3-point skyhook now and then.
It also shows how far they have to reach if they ever want to play again on an international stage, especially if any of them ever want to aim for the NBA. Which is of course the aim of Kagami.
So give it a go and don't forget to stay and watch after the credits rolled for an extra farewell scene.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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May 23, 2017
The review will be split into 3 categories so pick which ones correspond to you.
For those that have never seen Persona 4 The Animation or played either Persona 4 or Persona 4 Golden:
Don't bother with this anime cause it requires knowledge from the previous season or the games.
For those that have seen the Persona 4 anime or played the 1st Persona 4 game:
This adaptation will give you all you need to know about what happens in Persona 4 Golden. With the addition of Marie and the backstory of the main antagonist. And it won't bother with showing you stuff you have already seen
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or played before with the exception of the 1st episode but with awesome action since the animators treated it like you imported your old save to start new game+, so you already have max stats and an Izanagi with Maziodyne. However it's focus is mainly on the characters and slice of life mode except until the later parts where the action picks up again.
For those that have played Persona 4 Golden:
This adaptation will show you all the added content in the game and more. It will show scenes that were never in the game especially with Marie and later for a couple of episodes with Adachi. The focus is on Marie's development as a character and on the slice of life comedic antics of the group with some really hilarious twist that I wish was also in the game, especially the Christmas Eve episode which was Golden!
It's a great adaptation assuming you already know Persona 4 beforehand. I myself had beaten Persona 4 Golden just so I could purchase my Persona 5 "Take Your Heart" Edition the day after. Then binge watch every Persona anime from Trinity Soul, Persona 3 Movies, All Persona 4 series & OVA's and the Persona 5 Day Breakers.
So give it a go and delve deeper into the Persona Universe.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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May 22, 2017
To completely empathize with Clannad as a whole is nigh impossible however it hit me in the most unexpected and powerful way I never could have predicted. I came in to watch it after hearing my friend cried watching Clannad so I was really curious and skeptical. Never did I expect to have had so much fun, laughter and tears naturally flow out of me as I did when watching this anime in it's entirety.
Clannad as a whole changed my life and how I perceived things. The story was beautifully laid out and the pacing was really well done. It might seem long and dragging
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but that's because there are so many characters and each one was properly developed and got a good amount of light shedded on their backgrounds, even a cat got a story in and it was one of the best and most unexpected of stories Clannad could have offered.
Clannad was so enjoyable from the most littlest of things like with their repetitive routines, slice of life moments, romantic/comedic antics and many others all the way to the character's dramatic stories, whether individual or as a group.
The anime gives so much insight to life that we can all definitely learn from their experience. Even the most cheerful of characters will just show you that facade, but as you get to know more about them you will learn their struggles, woes and what it is that drives them. Ultimately you will sympathize/empathize with them for they are only human and are as fragile as anyone if not more so.
The art was great and was animated with a great amount of details that were based on real life locations. The characters look as cliche as possible however they were all lovely, cute and beautiful. The art in itself would make you want to immerse yourself in to their world, even the alternate world as it was just amazing to watch.
The sound in all aspects whether OST's or Voice Acting was nothing short of amazing and powerful. I have only watched this in DUB and I have to honestly say this is the best dub I have ever heard in anime. I personally feel that they got the characters right. They were cute, funny, sad, angry and empowering when they needed to be. The OST's on the other hand was divine. They perfectly compliment the anime and even just hearing tracks of it while remembering the anime would make me cry tears even in public, it was just that powerful to have moved me like the way it does even till now.
When watching just be prepared for the dramatic episodes as they will hit hard and sometimes won't know when to stop, even if the episode is finished the manly tears will just follow up on the next episode once you reach the climax of the main story. Never have I cried for as long as watching this anime. I cried for atleast 3 episodes straight once I reached the climactic scenes of the After Story, and all the while my heart was hurting badly for the feeling that were surfacing when watching the what the characters were going through.
Clannad was also the anime that got me into really watching alot more anime. It's powerful and carries so many messages just waiting to be seen and heard. And who knows it might be the same for you or even change your life or your perspective in some way. Clannad has alot to offer so give it a shot and disappointment or love for the series is entirely subjective.
I have recommended this anime to most of my friends and found that they all loved it with some hilarious feedback sometimes. This was also my first review of an anime despite watching this series years ago back in 2011 and have watched 500+ anime since and before then already. Even till now it is still my #1 most favorite anime of all time.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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