May 5, 2016
I have not written a review on this website since I was 12 years old, and they were terribly written *cringe*. This anime inspired me to actually give a shot at writing a review again.
First and foremost, the largest controversy surrounding this anime is the art -- some people outwardly refuse to watch this anime because of the way it is animated. Please, I beg of you, try and see the beauty in it! I have never had much of a problem getting used to unique animation styles, but I won't deny the preference, I often favor the more conventional approach when it
...
comes to animation in an anime. BUT I, honest to god, would not change a thing about this anime's animation style.
NOT A THING
I know that the original fans of this story (I have not read the manga) view it as a gore/horror type of show and find the creepiness/scary factor hindered by this animation style. For myself, this alternative animation style enhanced the creepiness of the anime! In fact, I look back on some of my favorite gore animes and wish this style had been done! I am, for the most part, desensitized to classic representations of anime gore. I very rarely find anything "creepy" or "scary" based on animation anymore -- it became the voice acting that I relied on to make animes feel menacing for me. Ajin made the hair on my arms raise with just basic scenes or facial expressions. Instead of just the common "anime pupils shrink to 1/2 their size to indicate an emotion" it felt like I was looking at real expression that these characters felt... just like people. For example, in the very first episode a character sees something they believe is a hallucination and their facial expression looks like genuine surprise mixed with a tinge of fear. This scene wasn’t meant to have a lasting impact, it was just a plain scene moving along the story and yet it encompassed my view of these characters having emotions written on their faces. To me, there is nothing creepier than feeling like I am seeing hurt on an animated character's face.
This isn’t always the case, sometimes the expressions do look very comical -- but I believe at those times it was the animators intention.
Do the movements sometimes seem a bit awkward? Yes, sometimes the character walk as though they are obese (like they should have a beer belly or something), but it is not enough to take away from the story.
Animation: 9/10
Now the story:
As I said earlier, original fans of this anime champion gore as a huge motivator behind their love of this story.
I believe the story is good enough on its own that a simple reduction in gore does nothing to detract from the show’s overall quality. Since I have not read the manga, I do not really feel like gore has been marginalized, I think it was done in a rather 'mature' way. I am not saying that anime with loads of gore are immature, but there is a sense sometimes of “gore for the sake of gore.” I can totally get into an anime with bloody carnage every turn and I don’t believe it always hinders a story -- but at times to me it feels like overdone fanservice. This totally makes sense if the anime’s story can’t hold the show up on its own and gore is its selling point. Although I tend to favor meaningful story driven gore, but that is my own personal viewpoint on the gore genre in general. When I say “mature” in this instance -- I mean it’s trying to get you to feel horror not because you see a lot of blood, but because you can feel the character’s intentions/emotions/desires/fears. When a villain in this story has blood all over the walls from the people he’s killed, it isn’t the blood that fills me with dread or even the way he’s killed them, it’s his smile when it’s all over. That to me is real violent merciless gore, not endless slaughter (not to say this show doesn’t have blood spills everywhere), but the desires of evil characters intentions of creating gore.
Originally (just episode one), the story gave me a Tokyo Ghoul feeling, but they are different animals, this show does not deal in "filler" of any kind. I had a lump in my throat from some form of anxiety/worry/disgust/confusion/pain the entire time I watched. There was never a chance for "Ahh I can relax, nothing unpredictable or painful will happen."
(I plan on reading the manga, so later I may eat my words)
Story: 10/10
Characters:
Now as much as I love the story, it is definitely the characters that carry this show. There is something mysterious and unique about every character they introduce. Even the more "bland" ones are interesting in the fact that motivations are not introduced haphazardly. Many animes suffer from jamming painful back stories for EVERY character down the viewer's throat. Or every character's motivations are laid out in front of the audience as plain as day without leaving it to the imagination.
This show is a master at subtlety! I over thought why a character was doing something, and I also had things fly over my head and ate the explanations/motivations/actions/choices up with no questions asked.
The main character and the main villains are by far some of the most well paced character development I have ever seen. Yet, they still can surprise -- just like real people, no matter how well you know them, you cannot ever predict everyone's actions, and that is main reason these characters are so amazing.
Characters: 10/10
I have never really been one of the anime fans that focused on the soundtrack. In fact, I was oblivious to the background music of all animes until Ajin. I do love anime openings and ending songs, but during a show I never could pick out a time where the music impacted how I took in a scene. Ajin is now the first anime to open my eyes to the use of a good soundtrack during a show. I could tell that a certain song choice during a scene was guiding my thoughts. For example, there is a scene where a guy says an eye opening statement to one of the villains and the guys facial expression changes only very slightly, but not enough to indicate surprise. The music playing was definitely the driving force behind getting viewers to believe the villain was surprised and that in my opinion is a fabulous use of music. So in an entirely new field of opinions, I say Ajin’s soundtrack was beautiful and the best I have ever come across.
Music: 10/10
Opening: 10/10
I loved this anime, and I recommend it to everyone!
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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