Kyofushibibi's Profile - Reviews

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JoinedSep 29, 2015

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Mar 18, 2017

Super Lovers 2 (Anime) add

Recommended

This review is long overdue. I had wrote one earlier but it got deleted so that's a shame. Anyhow, Super Lovers 2 takes off right after the completion of the first season. Those who have completed the first season should know by now that this relationship is between an adult and a minor. Who are step brothers by registry. So if you know that's not your cup of tea, don't give Super Lovers 2 the time of day. You'll only come to dislike it more because of the couple's new problems that arise in this season. Most of which yes, involve the age gap and ... the fact that Ren is still young when compared with Haru. Now if you're a fan, well that's great! You'll love how steamy it becomes between Haru and Ren. The second season covers the Natsuo arc almost flawlessly so his character is fleshed out and understandable.

I am writing this review as a gay individual so I don't want people to pull the “only gross straight females will enjoy this anime” because that is not the case. I don't go digging for “LGBT rep” in anime or manga and I especially don't look for any in BL or Yuri. I enjoy works that have good stories to tell and I don't base my likeability of the series on if the story has a canon gay couple or anything. If we're being honest, this is the only BL I've ever enjoyed. I've tried a few ever since I was younger but none appealed to me. Anyway, I want to make clear before I start this review that people can enjoy any piece of work they want no matter their sexuality or age. We shouldn't generalize people and I know it does happen but I've seen it happen more often than naught with BL works but that's the way the cookie crumbles. I know I'm preaching to the wind here but my thoughts and reviews are always full of heart. Enjoy!

The soundtrack was memorable for me! It had a nice country and slice of life feel to it. There were moments where if the scene was funny, a nice melody would play while if the scene was serious, an ominous track would play. I really love the music that was composed for Super Lovers. This season definitely made good use of all the melodies. There was never a moment where music wasn't playing which I am grateful for. Sometimes in a series, if something serious were to happen, no music would play and personally, I think adding music adds a layer of suspense to a scene. The soundtrack isn't elegant nor is it "one of its kind" but it definitely is unique. We rarely get such soft music in anime since it's frequently elegant strings or upbeat tones. I have no problem with either but this anime's soundtrack is immensely refreshing. Another thing I love about the music is how the actors sing the ending song and they take turns! I know it's a lot of work for some series to do this so just the fact that the director thought it would be a wonderful thing to do, which it was, isthe best! The ending song and opening song always left you feeling refreshed and in a cheery mood. At least for me. There are definitely some tracks I'm more of a fan of than others. I'm sure if you listen to the music while watching this anime, you'll find just what I'm talking about when I say a scene feels even better.

I've been watching anime since I was a baby so animation isn't a big deal to me. Though I have to admit, there were some sloppy parts but BL series never seem to get beautiful adaptations with the exceptions of the series being short. Thankfully, Super Lovers had cute end cards and illustrations to make up for such moments. Ahh, they're so pretty. I loved the ones from the first season so the fact that they did it with season 2 is even better. I believe my favorite animation slip-up is with Natsuo's mouth in episode 8. Though not too noticeable, it's there for like half a second. However, I gave it an 8 since the stupid animations got to me and I thought they were unique and laughable. To be honest, the animation could have been far worse. I'm sure we're all familiar with "yaoi" anatomy. So really, I'm just happy the anatomy was on point! Even in the manga, Abe's art is simply flawless and beautiful. One of my favorite manga artists really. I'm happy to that see the anime managed to make some moments beautiful. I especially love the shadow on Ren's nose, it's a very unique shading style. Tanuki had the best animation. All the budget went to the dog and I'm not even upset. A cute dog deserve grand animation. People that are saying it was horrendous and unwatchable are exaggerating. While the frames were anything but beautiful, it's not as if we had sliding characters or choppy animation. My only problems lies with the designs for some still frames but other than that, it was watchable and I didn't mind it at all!

The characters are memorable! I have so much to say about the relationship between Haru and Ren. We get to learn more about Haru’s past and his personality so that's definitely a ton of points from me. People complain about Haru going back and forth between viewing Ren as a brother or love interest but the real issue is hardly black or white. It lies within his mental state that even he can't crack. I don't blame Haru for not seeing Ren only as a love interest but I do agree that sometimes he can be rough. However, Ren is dense when it comes to other’s influences and the outside world. The Natsuo arc is especially full of this. Ren and Haru both make stupid decisions but I can without a doubt say that I've done just as much or even worse than what Ren has done. This season especially digs into Ren’s insecurities and doubtful attitude towards Haru. Ren really loves Haru and Haru really loves Ren but they both have such overwhelming emotions that, speaking from experience, can truly be difficult to convey to a loved one. It's not Haru’s fault for bouncing between the two feelings he has towards Ren because Haru has attachment issues while Ren knows he unfortunately can't fill the void in Haru’s heart of having a little brother and someone to take care of. Ren loves him and he just doesn't want to harm Haru emotionally because of Ren’s own feelings. I can say so much about Haru and Ren and why this season really digs deeper into their personalities and all the insecurities that surround them both as a couple and as brothers.

The twins are important. Just as the first season, they're both Haru and Ren’s pillars of support. They make sure Haru doesn't cross over the line too far while also keeping Ren steady emotionally. They're like real brothers to Ren and Ren finds a deal of great comfort and reliance on them. Haru on the other hand will try his best as he takes the harsh but truthful words from his brothers. Aki and Shima don't beat around the bush and are there to support the couple in whatever way possible. The characters are hardly bland and nor is there “no development” because in season one, Aki was more possessive of Haru and seemed to not care one ounce for Ren but this season, he connects with Ren and even provides support for him while agreeing that this time, Haru is the one at fault. Natsuo plays a major role since he pretty much tests Ren’s feelings towards Haru and isn't afraid to cause an uproar. Compared to the first season which only consisted of minor arguments between Haru and Ren, the second season involves everyone around them. It's not just their own little world anymore. Natsuo is there to poke at it and challenge them in as many ways as possible. However, Natsuo is hardly just a “fanservice” character. His past is important in providing sufficient evidence for why Haru acts the way he does.

All in all, don't overlook the side characters and don't think the creator doesn't know what she's doing. If you just take the time to understand Haru and Ren's feelings and even listen to what the therapist has to say about them, you'll see why they're simply perfect for each other no matter the challenges they come to face. Haru isn't manipulative and this season further amplifies just how far Ren is willing to go in order to “possess” Haru. He wants this man no matter the cost and will try everything in his power in order to make it happen. Ren is one intelligent individual who knows how to get Haru riled up but some people seem to overlook just how much Ren seems to control what happens behind the scenes. If it wasn't for Ren and Haru’s insecurities and back and forward personalities than Super Lovers would truly be a bland and generic BL series. Abe makes sure to keep attitudes and reactions realistic to some degree. You have Kiyoka and Juuzen’s initial reactions to Haru and Ren’s relationship and then you have Aki and Shima who eventually accepted the feelings between the two. There are many others but these are a few, minus manga only characters, that immediately come to mind.

Overall, I really enjoyed this season because all of Ren and Haru’s fights felt so realistic in a sense. Relationships aren't all candies and rainbows nor are conflicts resolved so easily. I see people getting angry at the fact that conflicts remained unresolved but I'm just confused as to what isn't resolved? Without spoiling, I can say that no conflict is annoying or childish or overused. The problems that arise really interest me because of how fitting they are with the characters. Ren reacts to a conflict in his own way while Haru tries to understand why Ren did this or that. What I really love is when they both apologize or one apologizes first and that's hardly anything you see in series. Not just anime or manga but it really reminds of the laughable trope that you can silence your partner if they're angry just by kissing them. I was never a fan of that because the conflicts were never resolved and it felt like the feelings beforehand were never carried over to their partner. That really isn't the case for Super Lovers. Haru and Ren care for each other, they value each other’s feelings, they want to support one another in anyway possible and they are both willing to take the blame for anything that goes wrong even if it's not their fault. That's a difficult thing to do considering pride exists but both do not care if it means the other will be fine and comfortable again.

This is my review of season 2! I may add on when I feel like it but I thank anyone so much for reading this far. I say give this season a shot if you liked season one because this one is just a wild ride in general!! Many characters, development and situations that will indeed leave you fulfilled!

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Nov 4, 2016

Super Lovers (Anime) add

Recommended

My review for this would be so long so I'm a just cut it down from pages and pages to a few paragraphs.

Super Lovers, the most controversial thing out there right now is one of my most favorite series. I've been delaying on making this review because I've been writing my own thoughts in essay format for my own personal enjoyment. Anyway, this is a boys love series, this is labeled with shounen-ai themes and homosexual relations. If you are not a fan or are squeaked out by even the mere sight of light same sex relationships in anime/manga then I suggest not giving ... this episode a try. You will not like it at all. My reason for making this a crucial point in this paragraph is because the comments and reviews I've seen both on MAL and on other anime sites are written by non-bl fans so you can just imagine how biased and narrow-minded some of the comments are. If you're a fan of bl but not shounen-ai or age gaps then once again, I suggest skipping this anime and moving on with your anime lifestyle.

When it comes down to the controversial aspects, I'll cut it down to the two major issues people seem to have with this series. The age gap is the most primary complaint. Ren and Haru have a 8-9 year age gap yet people are mistaken for when the relationship between Ren and Haru start. Haru meets Ren when he is just an eight year old boy and Haru is 16 years old himself. That's the premise for episode one, chapter one. Haru sees Ren as a little brother, someone who his mother forces him to take care of over summer break and Haru, being the caring teen he is, decides to brave the storm and lend his mother a hand. Eventually, Haru has to leave and go back to Japan so he makes a promise with Ren about them living together in the future. He wants someone to baby, someone who he can cook for and look after. This episode was cute as it emphasized Haru's worrywart self and Ren's stoic personality.

People seem to have a problem with Haru's kiss on Ren's lips in episode one but I fail so see why everyone is so up in arms? Haru is a foreigner, he stated (in the manga and later on in the anime) that Aki and Shima (his step siblings) told him to cut it out because it was embarrassing since they grew out of his brotherly affection. A pretty normal occurrence and reaction for siblings. Ren responds by punching him and saying how it's not normal for him. So, Haru listens and resorts to giving him a peck on the forehead to which Ren doesn't argue against. Nothing is particularly wrong or "controversial" in episode one. I mean, Alex from Kuroko no Basuke kissed everyone on the lips, even though it made people uncomfortable within the show, viewers had no issue whatsoever. Anyhow, there's multiple time skips and if you pay close attention, you'll see that the platonic love (on Haru's side) turns into a romantic one once Ren turns 15 and makes it clear that he's in love with Haru. However, his first confession was when he was 13 but since Abe decided to make Haru into such a dense character, he didn't really process the information and only did what he could to make Ren happy, which was go after him when he moved back to Canada and after lots of unsuccessful attempts, they move back to Japan. Ren is 15 when it happens so he's not a child anymore but he's a freshman in high school.

The second major issue with viewers is the supposed incest. Pseudo incest if you wanna be technical. However, Ren and Haru are only siblings on the family registry. This is because of what happens in episode 3 but basically, Haru and Ren never knew they'd be siblings five years later and Ren never ever sees Haru as an older sibling. He makes it explicitly clear to both Juuzen (a student he befriends at his new school) and even adults (like Takamura-sensei) that him and Haru are not brothers because Ren has fallen for him and thus just can not see him as anything but a lover. This is where the viewer's personal opinions come into play because if Ren does not want to be seen as Haru's brother then who are we (and the other characters of course) to tell Ren what he can and can not say or think. There is a point later on where Ren and Haru talk about the siblings thing but pretty much come to an agreement on the subject.

The last thing I want to comment on is how some viewers and well, complainers for lack of better word, seem to say how Ren is too young and Haru is too old cause he's 23/4 while Ren is 15/6 but I think they're missing a crucial point in Ren's mental abilities. Ren at a very young age was home-schooled, taught multiple foreign languages, and even learned enough math, English, and other studies that he's basically on equal footing with college students. I think people have an issue with the age of consent laws more so than Ren's own well developed choices and decisions. Haru makes a comment about how Ren can not skip grades in Japan so he has to deal with taking easy classes until he graduates. Ren was taught by Harvard graduates when he was a child so it's really unlikely for him to still think and act like a naive kid. He's pretty clueless when it comes to emotional thoughts but he isn't a defenseless child that some reviewers seem to imagine him as.

Anyway, I like the series because Abe managed to take such..."taboo" and problematic elements of the fictional world and combine a few to make such a detailed well developed story. The manga is indefinitely better than the anime. Shoving 60+ pages worth of large amounts of text and art just can not be compressed accurately in a 23 minute episode. That's what the anime tried to do, compress these chapters into these small episodes so details are often overlooked and well, it made the anime awkward in some parts. The story was told wonderfully but I have to admit, it can get wonky and confusing unless you read the manga. Still, I gave the story a 10 only because the blend of all these different tropes make for an interesting plot. There's a TON of comedy so you'll be laughing at the most stupidest things! The soundtrack wasn't anything too wild or crazy but it was pretty...Exotic since it was mostly country. It gave me that nice slice of life feel. The characters, they feel relatable, some more so than others but my major complaint is the lack of screen time for the side characters and timing felt a bit off when it transitioned between the main couple and others' problems. Still, I give Studio Deen props for including more issues and such of the other characters rather than just focusing on the fanservice that some studios cater towards nowadays. Overall, I rate it a nine! If I had chosen to only watch the anime, my rank could have possibly been lower but the manga made me understand more and did a real good job of keeping me on my toes! I'm not even a fan of yaoi/bl/shounen-ai so this series was an honest surprise for me! It did not fit into any of my preferred tastes.

In the end, if you're an open-minded individual who does not care for trivial matters in fiction such as age, relations, and such then I say give Super Lovers a chance! The art is pretty too, the studio makes the scenery stand out more so than the characters sometimes ahaha. This probably isn't the best of reviews but I just wanted to calm down new viewers nerves before they get into something they dislike and end up hating that thing forever.

Enjoy!

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Sep 30, 2015

Aldnoah.Zero Part 2 (Anime) add

Not Recommended

Just no. The development was out of wack, like Inaho saves the day as always. Even when the almighty arrogant martians start working together (a feat that seemed impossible due to their leader like behavior), he still manages to pull something out of his ass.

Asshime's personality was warped just so the plot could thicken.She starts off as a peace loving princess which if you've seen the first cou, was all because of her meeting with Slaine. Slaine soon becomes her best friend and all that jazz but then during the 2nd cour, she has the audacity to point a gun at the person who ...

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