Back to KaaaashMoney's Profile KaaaashMoney's Profile

*SPOILER FREE REVIEW*
Who would've thought that trying to cram 3 books into 12 episodes wouldn't go well?
When it was revealed that ENGI would be taking on the adaptation for a wonderful, exciting, well-written light novel series in Unnamed Memory, I braced myself for dissapointment, just so I wouldn't get my hopes up. I did not expect it to be THIS bad.

1 Sentance Review:
The anime adaptation of Unnamed Memory is an incoherent mess with no respect for source material.

Recommendation: If the synopsis peaked your interest, just read the light novel or manga. Please. Don't even think about touching this.

Here's a quick overview:
Plot - ... Chopped up and half-heartedly put together with horrible pacing.
Art - Completely disparate from the Manga and the LN.
Animation - Low effort and poor.
Music - Uninspired and bland.
Voice Acting - The only beacon of hope, which extends only to our pair of leads and nobody more.

The Characters:
Tinasha, the beautiful and powerful witch, who was once intimidating yet an enchanting enigma, is now a typical anime tsundere with hardly any flavor.
Oscar, the cursed prince, who was once a respectable, charismatic man of a main character, just comes off as a creep now.
The side characters? Not even worth talking about. Hard to beleive the characters, whose only depth is their names, are the same members of the book's lovable cast.


Review:
As mentioned earlier, the anime is an insult to the source material, trying to cram way too much plot into a 12 episode season. Great animes take their time with one LN volume in a season. Some are able to get away with two. None, in good faith, have tried three.

Keep in mind, this isn't a comedy where just select great scenes can be included without regard to continuity. This is a story driven drama/romance in a fantasy world, where every plot point serves a purpose and requires careful crafting to formulate a quality world and story. It's something the author of the LN did incredibly, and it's something ENGI chose not to follow.
Put it this way, you are a fan of a novel series, and you have a list of 10 favorite scenes, a mix of vital plot points, entertaining relationship/character development, and relaxing moments. You're excited to see all those scenes get animated.

Instead, they all got skipped.

This isn't just a couple scenes getting skipped, ENGI took all the meat off the bones and left nothing but a skeleton that could hardly be considered to be in one piece. If there was anything that was consistent, it was the constant skipping of content. For reference, out of the first 10 chapters of the Manga, about 7 of them were cut from the anime. A good beginning is the foundation to great anime. This didn't even have a foundation to begin with.

The most obvious victim of this is the main characters' relationship. This is a romance, and to cut out the majority of their interactions is criminal for the genre. What was once a moderately paced burn in LN became a speeding mess that'll leave watchers bewildered with the question "when did they get so close?"
Another victim is the side characters. A great deal of the cast feel as if they were thrown in with no background or personality, which wouldn't be so terrible if they weren't meant to be adored companions of the main characters. What's missing is the introductory scenes that made readers care for these side characters, leaving them wanting to learn more and see them again. The side adventures that built not only them but their relationship with the main characters too. All that was cut from the anime, and instead those characters are tossed into the story without a care.

Enough complaining about cut content, what about the content that's actually there? Well, it's not much better. Even if a scene does get adapted, a majority of the time it is structured and portrayed in such a way that completely ruins the tone seen in the Manga or LN. Serious moments of self reflection and realization is ruined by music that doesn't fit, subtle actions are portrayed with exaggerated animation, and the soul of what was written by Kuji Furumiya, the author of Unnamed Memory, is completely misrepresented with shoehorned tropes. Hardly any scene matches the original, which begs the question, did ENGI even try?

What's unfortunate is, this had immense potential. Unnamed Memory is unique in how it's a non-isekai fantasy that strays from the typical anime storytelling tropes of adventurers guilds, video-game-like magic systems, and a world filled with creatures such as goblins, slimes, elves, etc. It's a romance that--rather than having a single MC with a harem or a power imbalance with the love interest--follows a pair who make for an absolute power couple, while still being interesting individuals themselves. The story was written with carefully crafted scenes and progressions. The world was built to have magnificent kingdoms and societies, filled with politics and history.
It was all already there, fit to become an incredible anime. Instead, ENGI decided to turn it into a generic, bland, low-effort adaptation that'll leave the audience dissapointed and disoriented.

My fear? They've turned people off from picking up the Manga or Light Novel. And that, amongst everything else, is a tragedy.

Updated from my 2022 Preliminary Review:
As someone who enjoys a good Fantasy/Romance, finding one that isn't an Isekai is like striking gold. When I was looking for a new series to get into at my local Barnes and Noble, I stumbled upon Unnamed Memory, and picking it up was one of the greatest decisions I ever made.

Unnamed Memory is the story of the centuries-old witch, Tinasha, and the cursed prince Oscar. Set in the Kingdom of Farsas, we get to see the daily experiences and interactions that these two have. The storytelling is refreshing. It does not focus solely on the big, dramatic events at ... all times. Rather, it slowly but gracefully shows the growing bond of our two main characters through small occurrences as well as the big events. The side characters get gradually introduced and they never seemed forced in, nor are they ever forgotten. The worldbuilding is done expertly through both dialogue and narration in a way that feels natural, and leaves you with enough relevant information to understand what is going on.

For me, this story had a little bit of everything I would want in a fantasy novel. There’s the grand kingdoms, the inner and outer politics of them, a loveable cast of characters, a detailed magic system, incredible battles, and so much more. One of the best things about it is that it moves away from the generic fantasy tropes we see in so many other light novels. Adventurer guilds, a video game like system, the same old monsters such as slimes and goblins. Not that any of those tropes are bad by any means, but it’s really nice to see a story that feels like a true, original fantasy.

And whenever I would think I knew where the story was going, Kuji Furumiya always found a way to say “no you absolutely don’t”. The twists and turns throughout the story are heart-racing, gut-wrenching, and sometimes comically priceless. I cry-laughed more than once while reading.

As for the “romance” part, the relationship between the witch and the prince actually feels like it’s seriously progressing throughout the story, and it’s truly a joy watching the two of them. Oscar, for one, isn’t the basic male MC we have so often that is either childish, edgy, perverted, or a combination of multiple. He is simply a good, charismatic dude who wants to make sure his kingdom succeeds (and also wants to make the witch his Queen). Tinasha on the other hand is a mystical, elegant beauty who exuberates a frighteningly powerful aura to seemingly everyone (except Oscar). Deep down, she’s kind and sweet, but also hilariously stubborn at times where she comes off as just cute. Main characters aside, seeing the side characters comment on and discuss the relationship between the two feels so great, because it feels like you, the reader, are there with them, sitting down with friends, gossiping over tea about the progress in the Prince and his contractor’s relationship. I think that speaks for both the characters as well as the storytelling done by Kuji Furumiya. There simply is never a dull moment with any of them.

Another thing I love about the way Unnamed Memory is written is that the main climax of each volume is done close to the middle of the story. This allows for the rest of the book to delve into the aftermath of the main event, where changes to the world and characters can be explored in a way that is uninterrupted, rather than waiting for an entire new book or worse, simply being forgotten. I’ve used this word before, but the best way I can describe it is simply “relaxing”.

All in all, Unnamed Memory is an underrated work of art, with excellent storytelling and characters that make for a wonderfully enjoyable experience. I would 100% recommend it to anyone interested in a good romance in a fantasy setting.

Also, the anime is on the way, and I really hope it does this series justice.

As someone who has read the Light Novel, I was initially worried that the manga would not do the series justice. I am glad to say, I was absolutely wrong, because the Unnamed Memory manga is a beyond faithful adaptation that captures the beauty of Kuji Furumiya’s story.
I’ve already left a review on the Light Novel that goes over the general plot, so I will keep this overview brief. Unnamed Memory is the story of the centuries-old witch Tinasha, and the cursed prince Oscar. As a child, Oscar was cursed by the Witch of Silence so that he could never bear children. Many people have ... tried to help, but to no avail. So after exhausting every other option, Oscar decides to go to the Witch of the Azure Moon who is said to grant the wish of whoever conquers her tower.
Oscar conquers this tower and meets the witch, Tinasha. His initial plans were to ask her to help him break his curse, but after seeing her and realizing that breaking a curse is not so simple, he settles on a different request. He asks that she marry him.
Now I ask you, do you think that is an absurd jump from plan A to B? Tinasha definitely thought so, and when I say her reaction was hilarious in the Light Novel, believe me when I say that the Manga does an incredible job of capturing her priceless befuddlement. And that just goes to show how great of a job the artist Naoki Etsumi did, along with the writing of Kuji Furumiya.

It’s a good time to talk about the art now.
If anyone could make a comedy manga using purely character’s facial expressions and minimal dialogue, Naoki Etsumi definitely could. All the characters of the Unnamed Memory manga feel alive and animated. Their body and faces convey so much emotion that is so often lost when adapting a novel into manga. Things such as humor, happiness, despair, and agony all are excellently delivered through the art.
Do you want an example?
Remember that Tinasha is a witch who has lived for centuries. She has seen many people live their lives and pass on, always leaving her behind. Oscar isn’t the first Farsas royalty she has met either, she was well acquainted with his great grandfather. Someone who has long left their world.
These experiences lead to a tremendous loneliness in a person. But at the same time, Tinasha is someone who wouldn’t like to let that show, and she plasters a smile and marches on.
The art of Unnamed Memory perfectly captures that loneliness. Simply from her face, you can see the pure willpower of Tinasha, while also the depths of loneliness in her eyes. It’s truly an incredible feat the artist has done, and I think it should be recognized more.

Art is the main topic when it comes to manga, but how about the characters and story?
Starting with characters, there is an entire cast of loveable characters each with their unique quirks, relationships and stories going along with the main story of our two leads. Speaking of the leads, Oscar and Tinasha have such a relaxing dynamic between them. Their relationship is not forced nor rushed. This seems a bit odd to say, since in their first interaction with each other, Oscar proposed to her, but that just goes to show how good the writing is. Their relationship and romance progress very smoothly and as a reader, the best way I could put it is that it’s really relaxing.

To the story, it follows the same pros that the characters have, and that is that it has a excellent blend of depth and detail while also progressing at a relaxing pace. Every chapter, we as the readers are learning something new, not only about the characters, but also about the world.
Something the series does extremely well is that is doesn’t discount the years Tinasha has. Though the story’s plot starts with Oscar ascending the tower, the world’s plot starts well before, and Tinasha is a witness to a lot of it. Whether it be the prior Kings of Farsas, or the many nations that have risen and fallen, Tinasha was there for it, and through her the reader is able to learn more. This also adds to the aura of mystique and elegance that the Witch has going for her.

All in all, this is a definite recommend for me. Not to mention, the series is getting an Anime soon! To anyone interested in giving the series a try, the manga is definitely what I would recommend to newcomers. If you enjoy the manga, then head on over to the Light Novel (who’s main-line story is complete now, with a sequel series ongoing) and learn the secrets to the world of Unnamed Memory!

Alicization is a weird one.
As somebody that who has been critical on previous iterations of SAO, it feels weird to say that I genuinely "enjoyed" this season. This however, is also because I was comparing SAO:A with the likes of season 1 and 2. In the end, are there flaws? ABSOLUTELY. Can you still watch it and have a above average time? Yes as well.
Here are the major points I found.

+ Kirito is no longer overpowered
Our edgy protagonist has gotten somewhat of a make over in terms of power. He no longer can just whip out handy 'ol Yui to bail him out of ... situations, nor can he go against someone seemingly x10 his strength and win anymore, .

+ Side characters are actually useful
Our "sidekick" for Kirito is Eugeo, and sometimes we forget that its not him thats at the center of our story. We are introduced to a large group of characters also, some we love, some we hate.

+ Not every female character has a crush on Kirito
Thats quite the revelation right there

- Whatever happens in the real world is forgettable at best
Whenever the setting reverted back to the real world, the story simply becomes boring. Leaving you wanting to just go back to the world where Kirito and Eugeo are.

- Lack of on-screen growth for Kirito
Its evident that Kirito is growing, both as a person and in skill. But these pieces of evidence is only called upon when they are absolutely needed, and appear to all be off-screen. You can see growth for the side-characters however, but its not really seen in Kirito.

-Time skips are still a thing
Dont want to spoil to much here but, though it is explained and recapped, it does somewhat get annoying as it was one of the big critiquing points against the Aincrad arc.

So in conclusion, is it anime of the season?
Absolutely not
is it for everyone?
No
should you watch it?
Give it a try, it may surprise you