- Last OnlineNov 12, 2023 3:45 PM
- GenderMale
- BirthdayMar 13, 1994
- LocationChristchurch, New Zealand
- JoinedSep 10, 2012
Also Available at
RSS Feeds
|
![]()
Oct 2, 2012
"My desire to save you: the first emotion I had that started this all. And now that I've come this far, the only star left that will help guide my way... You don't have to understand. My words don't have to resonate within you. But still, I beg you. Let me protect you."
Maybe its how Shaft grabbed me visually, perhaps its how unique it is to the rest of its genre, but when I finally decided to give the Magical Girl genre a chance again by watching Madoka★Magica, I was rewarded with one of the greatest animes of its time, one that tears apart the
...
stereotypes of Mahou Shoujo and creates from the ashes a breath of fresh air that made me ponder the very ideas of morality, power and most of all, the bittersweet tragedy of sacrifice itself. Normally I would break it down for individual ratings, but once, here is an exception, because it would take me an entire booklet to describe its intricacy. That day when I picked it from a shelf will be the day I consider a turning point in my belief.
In fact, I remember when I first collected the anime from a convention. Normally I avoid Mahou Shoujo's because frankly, the frills, sweet, moe characters with magical powers created by wishes or whatever wasnt appealing to me. It always seemed like a genre meant for 13 year old girls that wanted hope and a new world to entrance in, and being an 18 year old university student...thats rather embarrassing. Suddenly, it was in my hands...and so without much to care for, I watched the first episode, and from then on, I knew that this was the one that would change my perception completely. I saw black darkness and checkered beauty all within the dream of the girl who would become the main protagonist later on. In only 5 minutes, my perceptions of the Mahou Shoujo genre was shattered.
What shocked me most though was the intricacy of the storyline itself. Unlike Naruto or other "big" anime that constantly drag me to hell with fillers, this was a delightful exception, with every minute of the storyline leaving me on the edge of my seat, weaving the basket of plot thicker and thicker as our curiosity increases at what will happen next. There are no "fillers", you cannot skip an episode or you have basically missed out on a large chunk of the story for that. That is what makes it so perfect, its execution, but not only that, its sound.
The music of Madoka★Magica entranced me and thrust the series deeper into the world of psychological manipulation in terms of twisting my soul into pure emotion as time progresses. In fact, I even downloaded the OST and discovered my favourite interpretation of "Ave Maria" by Charles Gounod, interpreted by the legendary Kajiura Yuki, whose use of the violin moved me to tears by its intense feeling. Not even being roundhouse kicked in the face years back made me cry, so that says enough really.
Artistically, I had to get used to it, but then again, the characters were bubbly too, and speaking of that, after only 3 episodes, I felt like I was watching a different anime entirely, the character development being just so deep in such a short span of time, that it is almost impossible to top.
Ive never been a fan of the overly bubbly (unless its K-On!!), and picking this up, I expected disappointment. Yet now I realise how wrong I was, and my only regret was that I didn't give this a chance sooner. I smiled, I was thrilled, I felt my emotions tingle and at times even teared up, and although Im hopeful that the Anime industry can continue to produce perfect worlds like the one created here, but in this genre, I doubt I will ever see something this beautifully perfect again, and although it only spanned 12 episodes, I have nothing but fulfillment from this, and cannot wait to see the trilogy of movies airing soon. 10/10, and well deserved.
~Katsuro-chan
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
What did you think of this review?
Nice
 0
Love it
 0
Funny
 0
Confusing
 0
Well-written
 0
Creative
 0Show all
![]()
Sep 16, 2012
Supremacy, Tragedy, Love, Survival. As far as im concerned, this is the way Mirai Nikki works, as something deceptive at the very start, yet psychologically grabbing, until we meet Deus Ex Machina, which is where the story begins. So where does this place in my heart? Well there is a lot I could say, but how about one word to start me off? Addiction.
Story (9.3/10): The first episode should be enough to understand why its been rated well in this category, for not only does it stick to its manga roots, but the way it deceives you at the start and suddenly pulls you in
...
is what makes this Story almost like a drug I cannot have enough of. Every plot twist was almost perfectly executed, and the amount of ways the director can make you believe something that turns out to be false is almost scary. The ending felt a bit slack though, hence the non-perfect rating.
Art (9.4/10): Very consistent, and very crisp for the most part, Mirai Nikki is able to successfully depict a psychological thriller, as well as make characters show their inner personalities, whether shy or malicious. Especially when it comes to Yuno Gasai, I don't know a moment where the art fails to show how deeply terrifying and obsessive she can be.
Sound (8.5/10): Ill be fair, the Opening Song for the first 13 episodes felt...cliche in terms of choir? Although the last 13 episode openers presented an edgier rock feel to it, which was far more catchy and listenable. Another successful part of Mirai nikki though is the ability for sound to appear only when needed, and you could say the lack of sound in some parts only made this even more interesting and thrilling in many areas in which sound would kill the mood entirely. Brava!
Character/Enjoyment (18/20): Holy god Yuno, it is no wonder you are the queen of all Yanderes, for I have never felt intrigued yet so unable to predict such actions from anyone but you yet. Whether it is Tsubaki, or the weak yet mentally developing Yukiteru, there is hardly any criticism I could provide, for there is no-one that is static, and some of the backstories can easily shed a tear to your eyes, especially at the end of their journey.
During this anime, I didn't know what to expect, even after I had read the manga volumes. But somehow, I was shocked by how true to the story it was, and how they managed to literally capture the dazzling essences of most of the characters. Some may call this a slasher, some may even call it a waste of time. St. Luminous Mission High School was a waste of time. This, is a work of Supernatural, Psychological Art that deserves acclaim (minus perhaps the abruptness in a certain place *cough*) 9.5/10, rounded to a 10. and a well deserved score at that.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Sep 15, 2012
Well, what else can I really say about this anime, other than calling it a seed of potential that blossomed into a beautiful anime that made me emotionally attached to the story itself as well as connect to my life? Such gems are rare, and im glad i gave this anime a chance to make me laugh, smile and cry without overdoing the "moe moe kyun" factor.
So where do i start? K-On, initially a, as many people call it, "fluffy slice of life" depiction turned from that into what I would personally call a coming of age story, one in which each character is thoroughly
...
explored and developed well, and one in which you see them mature since the end of Season 1. But the key here is that kyo-ani didn't overdo it either. So here is my breakdown:
Story (8/10): To be fair, people will dispute me, but in K-On!!, the story is something we all live through in our own realities. When watching this Anime, it reminded me of my days in High School, a place where you not only experienced new opportunities, but grew in maturity, and most importantly, developed memories and friendships that would transcend the years themselves. At first, the tone was lulled, but Im not afraid to say that by the end, the way the story developed made me reminisce my final days, and I too got caught in the emotional moments before the end of the Season. I didn't want it to end, but sometimes, thats what makes the best endings, because you know it ended so wonderfully, and that emotionally you were satisfied. Clannad (After-Story), Kanon, Air, Angel Beats! and now K-On!...Kyo-Ani, you have successfully reeled me in again.
Art (10/10): Has K-On!! improved since the first season? All you need to do is look at the opening theme songs and compare the artwork. Brighter, crisper, smoother, and especially with the live-action scenes, more atmospheric, my eyes were bedazzled by what Kyo-Ani had done, and one can tell they knew how to get their moneys worth from the animation software. Especially with a certain scene in Episode 10 (I think), It was beautiful.
Sound (10/10): Absolutely astounding, thats all I can say. Every time a new song played, whether it was the first few minutes of Episode 1, the new Op of GO! GO! Maniac or Utauyo! Miracle or even something as beautiful as U&I or Tenshi ni Fureta yo, nothing disappointed me, I even laughed a little at the lyrics. I remember disliking Yuis voice initially as well, but oh damn, has it grown on me as time gone on, and even Death Devils songs have revived my love for Japanese speed metal. Either way, the songs make up just another reason why I didn't want this season to end, it reminded me of my days on a Fender Bass or my Grand Piano, the two instruments I consider my life and soul.
Character Development (9.5/10): The fact that I almost cried at the end of the final few episodes are enough to justify my personal score, because it felt like losing something special to me when i realised the anime was ending so soon, and the manga as well (New manga apparently announced...
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
|
