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This review is for anyone on the fence about whether or not they should watch Citrus (or anyone that has already seen it). Up front: I really enjoyed the show. It was probably the most entertaining (of what I watched) this season (Winter 2018). So much so that it is the first review I've written in a long time. Anyway...

Citrus is yuri. So girls kiss.

It is also trashy romance. So sensuality is paramount and consensuality is... well, let's be generous and say... ambiguous.

To be fair, Citrus is not particularly amazing at anything. It is alright.

Animation: fine.
Character design: fine.
... Backgrounds: fine.
Music: fine.
Cast: fine.
Voice acting: fine.

Where I feel it excels though is in the writing. Skeptics, hold your gasps.

This is tricky to qualify because whatever good is there is overshadowed by the show's more... polarizing aspects. I won't summarize the plot, you can read the synopsis for that. Instead, the best arguement I can make is by summarizing one particular scene (or series of events) that occurs towards the end of the show.

This is only like 5% - 10% of the show, at best, so consider this a minor spoiler of sorts. Again, this is an arguement for why the show is good in spite of its flaws, or why it is worth watching, so if you have ANY intention of watching the show spoiler free, please do that first.

Now then, beneath the smutty surface, I posit that there is an unappreciated font of talented writing at play here. Bear in mind, that no matter how good the writing, trashy fantasy just may not be for you, but otherwise, I will present this ironically long summary as evidence:

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The main character, Yuzu, runs into another girl, Sara, and her sister, Nina. Sara is looking for Mei, Yuzu's step-sister and love interest, who had helped her out earlier when she was lost. It was love at first sight. Destiny.

Yuzu helps little lost Sara (who is technically the same age) and over the time spent together, the two become fast friends. Dramatic irony ensues.

Yuzu gets into multiple dumb fights with Mei during the course of the show (as happens in any relationship, semi-incestuous or otherwise) and Sara confirms her resolve to confront Mei and confess her feelings to her.

Yuzu admires Sara and is supportive of her romantic endeavor but, more importantly, Sara encourages Yuzu to do the same, saying (and I’m paraphrasing): "If there’s a chance, you have to act!”

This is, more or less, the central tenet of Sara’s personality and the ultimate theme of the show. The positivity and support for each other is all very heartwarming and uplifting, despite the cliché of "not being aware they are both in love with the same person".

Fast forward and things come to a head and then get… complicated. What Citrus did that inspired me to write this, and will stick with me for many years to come, is thus:

Nina loves her sister, Sara, dearly and is concerned. Sara is a very selfless person and is always putting others before herself; sacrificing her own happiness in the process. So, Nina interferes, trying to coerce Yuzu into giving up. She guilts Yuzu into promising that she won’t get in the way, because, after all, is Sara not her friend? But… Yuzu cannot keep that promise because she still loves Mei and was convinced of one thing: to not give up.

"If there’s a chance, you have to act!"

Final scene; Sara and Yuzu meet. Sara tells Yuzu to go to Mei. Nina objects, but Sara has already determined it was not meant to be. It is Yuzu that Mei is waiting for.

Yuzu leaves at Sara’s behest, and Nina rebukes Sara. What about your destiny?

To which, Sara replies (paraphrasing again): “I was drawn to Mei and met Yuzu. Isn’t it wonderful to think that my destiny was to bring those two together?”

Nina objects again, tearfully saying (essentially): “No, it’s not wonderful. What about you? Don’t you want to be happy?”

To which, Sara concludes: “With a loving sister like you, how could I not be?”

And so, I wiped a tear (or two) from my eyes and brought my hands together in applause.

Bravo, Citrus.

I don’t care who you are, that’s good drama right there.

I did not dislike Koi Kaze. I want to phrase it this way to emphasize that this is a hard show to like and difficult to recommend. Unless you have an open mind and a strong tolerance for possibly offensive material this is a pass. Most people have no interest in a story about incestuous and possibly pedophilic relationships. Myself, I just happened to be curious as to how responsibly (or irresponsibly) the show handled this subject matter. Those caveats out of the way, to its credit, I thought Koi Kaze handled the dramatic elements very well. It dragged on a little at parts, but ... the tone, atmosphere, and emotions were all respectable. It even had some interesting, if questionable, bits of humor. However, as my intro may have alluded, there were some flaws I felt that prevented Koi Kaze from being a really good (and well regarded) show. This review may contain spoilers so read on at your own risk.

As is made evident by the synopsis/premise of the show, it is about a brother and sister (Koshiro and Nanoka), their parents, the sisters two school friends and the brothers two coworkers. Most of the time is primarily focused on the brother and sister, as it should be, and the show goes through great lengths to establish a sense of "normalcy" to the pair. They are not dislikable or unrelatable characters and for the most part they even seem to be completely rational and realistic. This is simultaneously the greatest strength of the show but also the source of its greatest weakness.

If you are going to address a topic as divisive and controversial as incest and want it to be taken seriously, then it is of the utmost important that everything remains consistently and absolutely believable. Now this is no minor task or simple feat but unfortunately I feel Koi Kaze fell short in this area in two major ways. First, the siblings. The show asks a lot from the audience in regards to suspension of disbelief. That a fully grown adult man, Koshiro, would be so overwhelmed by love at first sight over a young 15 year old girl already raises one eyebrow. The fact that the revelation of said girl being his sister does nothing to overcome his inexplicable passions raises the other. The show never makes the effort to convince you of why he would go against his surely average upbringing and exposure to social norms. In fact, it even establishes that he is not some inept sex-starved otaku pervert who longs for the touch of a woman (or little girl). That distinguishing honor is reserved for Koshiro's comedy relief creepy coworker Odagiri. Even the sister, Nanoka, shows some embarrassment when her friends introduce the idea of a "brother complex". So it is clear that there is no misunderstanding that such a thing is wrong (or at least not pragmatically desirable). That the show doesn't eschew the morality and acceptability of such thoughts/feelings is its saving grace, but it also makes the characters actions all the more bewildering. When Nanoka does a complete 180 and develops a sudden onset of "hot for brother" your eyebrows are blown clean off your face. These kinds of extreme reactions defy all reason and experience.

For the show to have any real meaning or merit the foundation must be sound and you have to convince the audience that characters are motivated by more than merely what the plot demands. That's really what it feels like when watching this. Like the plot is only advancing in order to fulfill the wishes of those who want to see the brother-sister relationship bloom. Why doesn't Koshiro ever consider psychiatric help? How does Nanoka go from regular platonic sibling relationship to a romantic one over the course of a few days (or one train ride)? Why do neither of them have interest or even try to seek relationships elsewhere? Developing a relationship with someone you've recently met and barely know is already tricky enough, but to be so instantaneously attracted to someone despite various factors and incentives to do otherwise is a very tall order. This has to be thoroughly explained and fleshed out and not something you can just hand wave away. I get the idea that since they have hardly ever been around each other that them being related is almost "not even real". Sure, but Koshiro's other coworker, Chidori, clearly lays out the hardships and misery that will follow and these consequences are very, very real. I also get the idea that "true love conquers all" but you don't just develop that out of thin air either. It'd be one thing if they had been seeing each other for a long time and gotten emotionally involved at some point before the revelation, that would at least make sense. It's hard to take back feelings once they've matured. Alternatively, had they at least slowly developed these feelings over a LONG period of time, and after trying everything else, then it could be understandable. To just shoehorn in this forced romance however is disingenuous and condescending to the audience and the show itself.

Second, the ending. I'm very critical and unforgiving about how endings are handled, and I was already disappointed by where the show went so this was crucial. For all its intent and even-handedness the ending to Koi Kaze is probably the greatest disservice. I say this because the show doesn't end with any kind of point. It doesn't try to proclaim that love is never wrong without exception, which at the very least I could respect if not exactly agree with. It just ends with a day in the life scene and everything is fine and there are no visible problems. There are multiple ways this show could have ended, but at the very least I would've liked it to have ended with some representation of Chidori's warning, making it unmistakably clear that following such a path is dangerous and alienating. But the show doesn't have any strong feelings one way or the other. This came across as intellectually dishonest, because it's clear the creator knows better and knows the realities of such endeavors but doesn't leave on such a note. To ignore this is escapist fantasy at best and naive encouragement at worst.

I watched this dubbed and found the actors to be good enough that I didn't feel compelled to go to subs. My problem was mostly with the writing and direction so I don't think there's any extra emphasis or emotion that the Japanese audio would have to make me feel any differently. The music was fine and complimented the show well. The animation was about average, varying from looking pretty good to pretty bad at times. Let me reiterate, I did not dislike Koi Kaze. I still think it was a very interesting if flawed attempt at a very daring and difficult subject. I just think had some more bold choices been made and more thought put into it I wouldn't even need to write this review as there would have been plenty of praise in its place.

AD Police is the kind of show that would really benefit from being condensed into a movie or an OVA. If you stripped out about half of the dragged out scenes and needless exposition you'd have an accidentally entertaining piece. There is no denying that AD Police is bad, the only question with these kinds of shows is "can you squeeze any kind of amusement out of it?" Or as the show itself likes to phrase it, "Just how bad can things get?" Indeed, an astute observation on the part of the creators of this show. That is the question you will find yourself asking ... after every installment. This show gets pretty ridiculous and there are a handful of scenes that are unintentionally funny. Unfortunately there are also a lot of scenes that are definitely not funny (read: stupid and/or boring.)

AD Police is based on the universe of Bubblegum Crisis. There's the AD Police (not to be confused with "the normal police"), there are Boomers, and the comparisons pretty much end there. Other than that AD Police tries to be a relatively serious show about "life on the force" and uncovering some kind of crazy conspiracy (of course). Robots have gone bad and someone has to stop them, unfortunately it's the AD Police!

Right from the beginning you are introduced to two things: cheap animation and Kenji in his bad-ass shades. Let's start with Kenji. The show tries to make one thing unmistakeably clear, and that is that Kenji is a jerk. Now he's not a disgustingly unrespectable jerk like Kei from Gantz, but clearly he is portrayed as a jerk nonetheless. The show makes you aware of this in two ways: 1) his reputation and 2) his actions. His reputation is that of a hotshot loner who seems to always get his partners injured/killed. As for his actions, well, he likes to put people in danger so he can use them as distractions as well refusing to visit his grandfather (which the cast goes through great lengths to give him a hard time about later).

To drive home the point about what a loose cannon Kenji is, and to show how tragic life on the force can be, his partner Paul gets injured (or killed? Who knows!). There's this big dramatic remorse scene afterwards and Paul becomes a big deal like "poor Paul" and "let's do this for Paul!" and so on. But don't worry, this isn't a spoiler because after the second episode Paul never shows up again! This kind of absent minded narrative is really at the heart of AD Police. Nothing really matters and there's all sorts of throwaway philosophical mumbo jumbo and nonsense metaphors. And ice melting in glasses. Can't forget that; lots of that. Deep stuff.

Now for the animation. It seems most of the budget was spent on the CG that randomly makes sparse appearances throughout the show, because the rest of the animation is definitely bottom of the barrel nineties quality. I will say there is sort of a nostalgic appreciation for the hand drawn look, but just because I like home-cooked meals doesn't mean I want one prepared by hobos. Character proportions fluctuate unreliably and you often get scenes where they'll be standing still (and maybe their mouths will move) or the animation will just be looped for prolonged periods of time. There are other shoddy giveaways like "running in place" animation or like when Kenji gives his "we're cool" introduction and as the camera pans away you see a colored overlay on his shades jerking about that just can't align with the image properly. The ending theme is just a slow pan of like four still images. This is not to say that the animation here is so horrid that it is unwatchable, but there's no way to describe it other than "cheap."

The cheapness doesn't stop with just the visuals though. If you listen to the opening sequence, you'll notice that behind the dubbing you can still hear the Japanese audio except it's turned down really low. I mean, come on, what the hell guys? The voice acting is the bad kind of dubbing you expect from these kind of shows and perhaps even necessary to lighten the mood. If you try to take this show seriously at all you will probably find yourself getting bored pretty quickly. Even then it's hard to watch more than a few episodes of AD Police at a time. Like partner Paul in the first episode, he speaks so out of rhythm it's like he's being metered by a retarded metronome. The choices in music are questionable as well. Brace yourself for drowsy violins. There's also a lot of weird jazz going on and eerily erotic saxophones at the most inappropriate times. It's like an ambiguously gay Cowboy Bebop.

Although there is some humor to be taken away from this travesty it is important to remember that this is a show that is practically schizophrenic and only loosely makes sense. Minor things like why would A.D. be an abbreviation for advanced? And more significant things like why is the overarching plot threat of secret cyborgs so controversial but everyone's fine with the mass production of worker androids that frequently go on homicidal rampages?

Seriously, it's like everyday a boomer is going bad somewhere and wildly flailing it's tentacles around. Why would you keep making these things? Other than as an excuse to insert tentacle rape jokes of course. They surely destroy just as much stuff as they help make. The boomers sometimes take over vehicles or are given guns, but they can't drive or shoot worth a damn. And this is what keeps the AD Police busy (and somehow dying). The most unsettling part about the boomers is that they make this weird ass squealing noise whenever they get killed. It's like they are being operated by ferrets on hamster wheels. It almost feels like you are watching animal cruelty. I want to throw in a joke about how it's more like human cruelty but that's reserved for Spriggan or Psychic Wars.

Anyway, this show is really deceptive. In the opening theme, aside from colorfully parading the characters, nothing you see in it actually ever happens in the show. If the show were anything like what you see in the opening it would probably have been a lot cooler. The intro makes it look like you are about to watch a show with bad-ass cyber detectives fighting all sorts of mechanical mayhem. There are no humanoid power robots leaping through the air however. No one bursts through the streets on their cyber bikes armored up as cyber beasts explode either. The only robots they ever fight are the same bare and dull doll type "boomers" with only some slight occasional variations. If you watch the show you will find what you are actually treated to instead is mostly a mediocre cop drama with an anime twist. It's not even as futuristic as you might be led to believe. In fact the most advanced technology they have are their nifty visors.

Mind you a lot of the stuff I'm mentioning are all within just the first episode, but a lot of the stuff I'm leaving out is how mind numbingly dull this show gets when it's not being absolutely ridiculous. Everything goes at the speed of snail, including the stiff dialogue, so it all develops much slower than I might make it seem. So now let's talk about just how crazy and droll the story/plot is. Paul is not the only person who dies and then everyone forgets about. For being a special force against rogue boomers, they sure don't seem to be very good at it. They have all sorts of equipment and vehicles and even though you clearly see other people on base the AD Police is apparently really only six guys. Or at least they seem to be the only ones ever actually doing anything. Of course "doing anything" should be taken lightly as they are always getting jerked around and made to look like idiots by the main antagonist Liam Fletcher.

Speaking of which, there's this awkward confrontation between the AD Police and some Genom workers that's supposed to be an intense and dramatic twist (I assume because it's in slow motion and has a piano accompaniment) but it just comes off as really retarded and overdone. At least it's kind of funny though. On top of that it seems any progress they try to make is immediately defeated by their employer the Genom Corporation. The gist seems to be that they are simultaneously working for and fighting against their boss. Crazy.

Add to this that half the show takes place in this bar that almost no one seems to go to other than the AD Police. Like I mentioned earlier there's one episode where nothing goes on other than all the character's giving Kenji crap about his grandpa and relaying inane stories of their own. This is also where the majority of the intense ice melting action goes down. There's also the awesome side plot of Kenji and his girlfriend and her violin. This is where you get to see... Kenji's girlfriend? I'm not really sure what the point of including her at all was, but have some caffeine handy.

The world of AD Police is definitely crazy, but it is also one where things happen overnight. Partners come and go, dispositions change and people fall for or fight with each other in the blink of an eye. It's also a world of remarkable coincidences. The setup is almost like one of those double take comedy gags. Kenji beats on some random bar dude only to partner up with him. That same partner hits on a nurse who turns out to also be a Genom employee? Also he has amnesia. So you know this writing is pure gold.

The craziest part is that despite their love of slacking off and all their incompetence, the AD Police apparently possesses a crack squad of scientists and technicians that put CSI to shame. From a simple video-camera image they are able to pick out four lights located in a tiny corner, determine that they belong to an airplane, what type of aircraft it was and its landing site. But wait, there's more. Not only could they figure this out from some dots on a screen but they were also able to tell its angle and speed and then extrapolate where it would be visible from the ground and at what time of day. After determining the distance the video-camera was from the lights, they were then able to approximate the location of the hostages. Simple. WOW. Screw the AD Police. Just get more of those guys. They would've single-handedly solved the whole boomer nonsense while eating lunch.

The shows ending is probably the most generic part of it. I won't spoil it for you, but if you don't see it coming, you have not watched enough of... anything in the past 20 years, at least. Let's just say that with the kind of laughable security Genom maintains at their headquarters it's no wonder their robots have a failure rate comparable to that of Microsoft.

Finally, there are some truly great/awful lines in this show. Lines such as:
"And unless I miss my guess, this is what the AD Police call a firing range am I right?"
Yes, you are, it is also what EVERYONE calls a firing range.

And:
"They've finally figured out how to fuse living tissue with cyborg technology."
Yes, living tissue is also kind of a crucial part of CYBernetic-ORGanism technology.

Overall/Enjoyment:
Where to begin. First the disclaimer: RahXephon is definitely not for everyone. It's usually best to have little to no expectations so as to not contaminate the experience. With RX there are some things you should, and a lot of things you should NOT, expect.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention how significantly challenging of a show it is to get into. You certainly have to be in the right mood/mindset for it. It is easy to label this show as an action, drama, sci-fi mecha romance (or whatever), but what does any of that mean? If you've seen Neon Genesis Evangelion, expect this ... show to have a very familiar... setting. This is usually the first thing people notice (and usually complain about). Mecha is probably the least important aspect of this show however. The story is also very heavily character driven, so the pacing is very slow and the action is sparse. Coupled with this, the sci-fi aspects of the show are limited and more of a sub-plot if anything. At its heart however RX is ripe with drama and romance, but above all else, it is a very well written and a stunningly artistic show.

That being said, if you are the kind of person who likes to analyze things and gestate them and appreciate the fine art in works, then RX has a lot to offer. This is not to say that RX is an intellectual tour de force meant only for the highest of brows, but rather as a hint for people who like that kind of stuff. If this is not your style or what you are in the mood for, then there is a very good chance you will find this show simply boring, meaningless, and/or just an inferior version of NGE.

I initially tried to watch this show with my brother and we were both wondering "when does anything cool happen?" Some months later I tried watching the show again, by myself this time, late at night. Under these conditions I was able to just sit back and enjoy what was going on. So I definitely recommend watching this under similar settings where you have time to view at least a few episodes and focus on them.


Story:
There's not really much to say about the story that isn't covered in any synopsis. There are elements of mystery that can be confusing at times, but get more or less resolved/explained eventually (with minor exceptions). Some of the temporal ideas they play with are kind of interesting. The way information is revealed is pretty well done. You slowly get immersed into the world(s) and things become more intriguing and entertaining the more you get to know the characters. What's more, it actually has a conclusive and COHERENT ending, which is more than I can say for the majority of anime. There's nothing I hate more than getting really into a series only to have it end in some crazy, sudden, ambiguous, and/or arbitrary manner. I HATE THAT SO MUCH. *deep breath* Ok, so, stories with good endings get high marks from me. I can't really say what it was I liked so much about the ending without essentially spoiling it, but suffice to say I found it very.... emotionally satisfying.

Do not be fooled. Even though the Japanese love to throw robots into almost everything, RahXephon is scarcely a mech show except in the most token of ways. The fights involving mechs are brief and mostly forgettable. They really serve more of a symbolic and artistic purpose than any kind of technical combative entertainment. This is most prominently exemplified in episodes 19 and 26. The sci-fi part of the story is mostly nonsense, but it's very pretty looking and sounding nonsense. This is what really counts here. It doesn't matter if the plot is silly or has been done before, what matters most isn't what is said but HOW it is told. The real story lies beneath the surface of the sci-fi mecha mumbo jumbo, and if this isn't clear by the end then you've really missed something.


NGE vs. RX:
If you've already seen Neon Genesis Evangelion then you might be put off by how strikingly similar this show appears to be. It's true; the parallels between RahXephon and NGE are uncomfortably pervasive. They both have a young male lead thrust into piloting a mech for some organization to fight against abstract enemies. They both have an older female character who introduces and protects/shelters the main character. They both take place, obviously, in (post-destruction) Tokyo and of course are mankind's last hope against a prevailing alien threat. Coincidences like these will probably catch your eye throughout the show, however, RX is not the blatant ripoff one might think. These common threads are superficial and are no more egregious than two shows having the same "harem of girls fawning over an awkward guy" plot.

Here's where the shows stop being similar: NGE provided a more realistic mech story with deep psychological overtones and Christian themed undertones; RX centers around capturing a certain... aesthetic more than anything else. So if you are going to watch RX, it is important to bear in mind that the thing you'll take away most from it is not the "edge of your seat action" or the "mind blowing concepts" but one thing: aesthetics. Here RX triumphs over NGE most magnificently; it is simply and stunningly beautiful.


Art:
The character designs put me off a little bit in the beginning. There was something so simple and plain about them that didn't sit right with me. Their colors were too solid and too flat. The designs are definitely different, and after a while I either grew used to them or stopped caring, because everything else about the art in RX is just amazing. The time and effort they put into the backgrounds are absolutely breathtaking. The other thing I liked about RX is that even though the enemies are abstract looking, they're not just weird floating giant eyeballs or anything obnoxious like that. The abstraction in RX actually retains a certain "realistic" genuine design, they look like something someone might actually build.

Sound:
I'd say the sound in this series shares in the same spirit of aesthetics. I mean, how could it not? The plot revolves around the idea of a world suffused with sound. If you are spinning a story that is largely character driven and are trying to immerse the viewer in visuals then it is equally important that the music draws them in as well. Some of the melodies are really solid/memorable, but the most important part is that the mood and tones are always set just right. Since music/sound is supposed to be a big theme of the show, it would've been nice if there had been more distinguishable harmonic singing as opposed to the mostly tonal chanting that goes on. In this area I don't feel they really tapped into their full potential beauty and the incessant droning can get a little annoying...

The Op/En themes were alright, maybe a little too tranquil for my tastes. The dubbing was surprisingly good. I usually watch an episode or so dubbed and then watch a couple subbed before deciding how to watch the series, but the dub was so well done that the thought to switch over never even came to me. This is not to say it was flawless, Vic Mignogna's voice didn't seem to quite fit, but whatever. Comparing it to the subtitling, I might even go as far as saying that the dubbing was possibly better...


Characters:
The main character is a refreshing alternative to your typical amoral badass or whiny, obnoxious brat. No stupid sidekicks or comic relief here, no retarded antics and none of the usual cliche archetypes that make up your usual lineup. Most of the characters are really well done, a few of the minor characters could've been better developed, but they're all fairly believable and likable. With the exception of Makoto, who is just an unbelievable prick. It's never really explained why he's such an insufferable douche bag either. This ultimately doesn't matter, some people are just bastards for no good reason, but it would've been nice if at least A reason was given. In fact, it would've been better if some of the characters motives had been elaborated on more.

If you've seen and liked Eureka 7 (also by Bones) then you already have an idea about what a story driven by wonderful characters is like. Of course, having good characters alone is not what makes this show unique. More so than the visuals or the sound, where RahXephon really excels is how heart warmingly romantic it is. I don't mean this in some cheesy, lovey-dovey, soap opera kind of way. It's somewhat hard to explain. You can watch this show and not even pick up on it, but that's part of the magic. It's not overdone and it's sort of subtle about it but still effective.

Even the characters are beautiful in a way. I hate stories where characters act or react in ways that have no bearing to real life, so when they interact believably it just makes it that much more enjoyable for me. Let's take harem shows for instance where the main male lead is either painfully oblivious to (or shows no interest in) any of his would-be female suitors. Or, when there's some ridiculously breasted female character (and there's a lot of them in anime) and people just act as if it's the norm, when you know, YOU KNOW, every single male (and lesbian?) eye would be locked on to that woman all-the-time; everywhere she went. I HATE when shows do that.

So I was SO glad to see RahXephon took that extra step to make the characters feel more real rather than just inundate the viewer with more of the usual idealistic/innocent baloney -- and I'll always love it for that. The characters are so sincere and so genuine with one another that it made watching them gripping. In that same vein of realism, I absolutely loved how... amorous the characters were. You'll see scenes where cleavage might catch someone's eye, or where there will be an air of sexual tension, or proximity promiscuity, and all these other sensual elements that were deliciously but tastefully mature. This extra layer made the characters so much more... human. I really loved this about the show, and it is probably what I'll remember most: just how playful and fun and passionate and real they appeared to be. So by the time I got to the end, it was such a memorable and moving journey that I was sad when it was over. The characters were just so alluring and endearing.


Other:
There are a lot of mysteries in the show I never understood like who Kamina's parents were, or how Haruka found him at that gateway after the disappearance, or the whole clone craziness, or the whole elaborate setup at the end, or why the mu were on earth or where they came from... but none of that really matters. I can't really do justice to how much I liked this show, but there's a review of it on ANN that puts it into much better words than I have. This is a show anyone who values substance owes to themselves to watch.

What can be said about Gantz season two that hasn't been said about season one? Sex. Gantz really ups the ante in this season by starting out with a bang, or two. *hits snare*

Seriously though, one of Gantz strengths, and probably the majority of its appeal, is that despite its flaws it is still pretty creative. Maybe not in overall plot, but the type of enemies they fight, the weapons they have, their suit's abilities, and the way people die. The range of aliens they encounter are pretty out there and bizarre, and I suppose that's fitting. They have an... interesting assortment of future technology ... that makes for, let's just say, different fights. The ways in which people die are pretty crazy and... unexpected to say the least.

Even though people are constantly getting screwed left and right, and the world is devious and merciless, something keeps drawing you in. There's some kind of perverse entertainment in Gantz sadistic nature. No matter how much he toys with people or what cruel conditions he inflicts on them, it's hard to hate the big black sphere. He always has humorous descriptions and nicknames for people, and he always starts off every deadly mission with a cheerful tune and this message:
"Your lives are now over, you bastards.
What you do with your new lives is for me to decide.
So there you have it."

Along with increasing the sexuality and possibly gore, the second season of Gantz actually does a good job of resolving dubious elements of the previous season. Absurd mysteries like guns with two triggers and delayed shots are given some kind of explanation. Characters even out more and the storyline comes to a head and wraps everything up neatly. There's even a good twist towards the end. I also realized that I really like the "next episode" theme and wished it was used in the actual episodes. These things might not be canon, but as a way of capping a series they were just what the show needed.

Of course this season is not without its weaknesses. The dub is still terrible, the dialogue is still belabored and the legendary glacial pacing of the first season is back with even more fervor than ever. The characters are as stale as they were before. The animation still oscillates between good and cheap with plenty of CG inbetween.

Unfortunately this season is still riddled with needless flashbacks and ridiculous bodily blood fountains. And soooooo much "speeching". You get only ONE alien encounter, and the moment ANYTHING happens, it can always be followed up by: "let's talk about it."

"Oh no! Kei is in danger. What should we do?"
...Let's talk about it.

"OMG! Is that an alien?"
...Let's talk about it.

"Hey... guys... I'm dying."
Let's talk about it.

This garrulous orgy is complimented by the shows love of still shots and still standing. You are treated to such action packed scenes as:

* Kei standing still and screaming while slowly shooting a statue, who is also standing still and screaming

* A statue slowly walking towards someone

* A statue waiting his turn to slowly walk towards someone


This actually ceases to be a problem towards the last few episodes where the final arc plays out. This was probably the best part of the season/series. Kei even redeems himself a little by the end of it...

And then everything gets thrown out the window. The last few episodes of Gantz are some of the greatest offenders of the flaws I mention above. They even throw in a debate about moral relativism and modern warfare while they're fighting. By this point the show gets ridiculous and it's obvious where it's going. The nosedive into inane territory is tremendous and the end couldn't come soon enough.

I'm not sure how to feel about Gantz because there are things about it I like, but so many things I don't... I don't necessarily regret watching Gantz, but I can think of many far better and less painful shows to recommend. See this only if you have a real fetish for sadism and ecchi gore, otherwise you are probably better off just reading the manga.

Unless you are a hardcore "Shadow Skill" or 'shonen fighting' fan, I have a hard time seeing how someone might enjoy this. It's not unforgivably terrible, but a lot of the elements in it are generally generic. It has all the classic fighting staples (such as learning more about others and oneself through fists rather than words) and it also possesses plenty of the exaggerated combat cliches one might be familiar with in this genre (such as destroying the surrounding landscape and gushing fountains of blood).

Unfortunately there are also disproportionate amounts of awkward exposition which don't lend themselves well to this kind of anime. Most ... people watching this kind of show probably want lots of action with healthy doses of plot and history introduced gradually. There are some interesting aspects to Shadow Skill (such as its magic system and special techniques), but this OVA does a mediocre job at best at developing them.

The characters are kind of rushed/forced, and the supporting characters are reduced to the roles of mysterious inexplicable cameos.
The animation is ok although it can look rather unappealing at times.
The music wasn't memorable and the dubbing is some of the worst I've heard, down there with Silent Mobius.

Finally, despite the fact that it is called Epilogue, it appears that this OVA somehow comes before the proceeding one, oddly enough. Furthermore, epilogues are usually a conclusion of some sort, so not only does this OVA have nothing to do with the other one, it also doesn't really conclude anything...

Anyone familiar with Satoshi Kon is probably also already familiar with what would make this movie intriguing. His works have a real appeal to fans of the surreal. It can be very mentally and visually stimulating. I've enjoyed other things by Kon, and I was really beginning to like this movie, however, by the end I had several problems with this film...

Perfect Blue tries way too hard to synchronize the psychosis of multiple characters, all the while being far too vague about filling the viewer in on this objective. The result being an overtly complex attempt at immersing the viewer in utter confusion. The movie ... does a thorough job of making it literally impossible for most (any?) people to figure out whose psychosis they are witnessing. The juxtaposition of reality with dreams, fantasies, hallucinations, and apparently even premonitions, make for a potently perplex cocktail. I'm not sure why the movie prolongs the ambition of remaining so intentionally and completely vague, but even by the end of multiple viewings some things remain unclear. Perhaps there is some secret demand for this kind of gross ambiguity I'm not aware of, but it strikes me as inconsistent imagination or lazy writing -- or worse, pretentious writing. Like, "Oh, look at how confusing and misleading I can be. You'll never figure this out."

In general, Perfect Blue is fun to watch just for the surreal visual elements. It has very nice use of colors (darks, lights, illumination, etc.) and some trippy scenes. As a whole however, for me personally, this enjoyment was countered by the movies refusal to allow the audience to be able to discern reality from illusion. Now of course, I don't want to have things spelled out for me. I enjoy having my perception toyed with as much as the next person, but by the end of a movie, especially after watching more than once, I expect to at least have some grasp on what was "really" going on. Otherwise I just feel confused and frustrated wondering what the point to the whole thing was. Maybe with Perfect Blue that was the point...

Gantz is gritty. Gantz is gruesome. Gantz is a show where a bunch of people who have died essentially become the Japanese MIB, only with a Battle Royale twist.

Now that may sound like an intriguing premise, but let me continue. I'm a pretty easy going guy and I can tolerate more nonsense than most people. For instance, I've actually watched (and in some cases enjoyed) Ikkitousen, Elfen Lied, Mezzo Forte and even some hentai, so I know tasteless when I see it. Gantz is many things, but someone would have a hard time trying to defend it as tasteful. Everyone, including old folks, kids, ... and women, get treated like utter crap. They are either getting humiliated and/or abused (physically or sexually). What I'm trying to say is: Gantz is pretty F'd up.

The funny thing is I don't even really dislike Gantz, but I'd be lying if I said Gantz had any kind of depth. They do a lot of talking, but they don't really ever say much. The plot could be described in a paragraph but is stretched out over 13 episodes where you only get two encounters with Gantz/aliens and lots of discussions about whether to shoot or not.

Let's start with the easy part, the pros:

1) So where does Gantz go right?

Well... I suppose the idea behind the show is interesting? Guys with special suits and secret missions caught up in some bizarre intergalactic excursion. The opening theme isn't bad, at least at first, it starts to get old pretty fast though. The sectioned layer teleportation was kind of cool. There's quite a bit of funny "engrish" like "You can be RIDER powful" and "hear are your skores" that amused me. I also enjoyed the Dragonball Z, Fist of the Northstar and possibly Akira references. If you like violence with a lot of nudity mixed in, Gantz has you covered. I guess there is a certain level of... honesty(?) in Gantz's sadistic depiction of humanity. Kato is the only real trace of decency and dignity in the whole show. Gantz is probably the funniest/best part of the show, you bastards.

At best Gantz is a cutting criticism of the dark side of human beings and a hard look at the many flaws that can make people detestable. As such, people are mostly portrayed as weak, cruel, manipulative, inconsiderate and degenerate. Now to some extent I suppose one could consider this seemingly realistic, but more likely, Gantz is the cynical machinations of a misanthrope with deep seated resentment towards the world and some deviant wish fulfillment. Now I'm not passing judgement here, if that's what you are into, then... ok... but let's call it what it is.


2) So what does Gantz do wrong?

First, the main character (Kei) is, to be blunt, an insufferable, lecherous prick who doesn't know that he's an unlikeable, pathetic prick. Almost every other character is as well, or they are gullible and naive. As if that's not bad enough, the show seems to actually attempt to glorify or sympathize with Kei's adventures in douchebaggery. Now, I'm not allergic to douchey characters, I've liked both Light from Death Note and Lelouche from Code Geass. I liked Light's perseverance and determination, and Lelouche's cunning and bravado, but Kei... he's cowardly, perpetually perverted, selfish, and kind of stupid. I'm not just "hating" or saying this out of some kind of predetermined bias, in all honesty, he really just doesn't have a single redeeming quality to speak of. I didn't think this character could get any worse, but, the dub somehow manages to make him sound like even more of a shameless creep.

Then there's the animation. I'm not like some people who gripe and complain about the use of CGI in anime, and I don't even mind it here either, but some of the actual animation is so lazy and terrible...
There are scenes with random pixelation and (intentional?) ghosting and plenty of still/pan scenes where it looks like they were cutting corners in order to afford preserving the CGI to animation ratio that makes up half the show.

Lastly there's the female main character. Her method of death was apparently suicide (bathtub cutting). So we are introduced to one of Gantz dubious and faulty premises. Let's be serious for a second. Does this girl even seem like the suicide type? The reasons they give for her "motive" aren't very convincing. She's not ugly, she's well endowed (i.e. HUGE breasts) and she shows none of the trademark signs of mental scarring. It's not like she would have trouble finding someone willing to employ her or a boyfriend. I think we can all admit someone like that is not in living hell just because of some bad grades. So we are forced to conclude that the whole bathtub scenario is merely a contrived device just to have an excuse to throw in a big boobed girl completely naked.

Here is where Gantz shows its true colors. As if it's not bad enough that 99% of the show seems to be populated by complete jackasses, within seconds of Kishimoto's introduction we are treated to a scene where the girl is very nearly raped, by MULTIPLE people AND a dog. The rest of the show either flashbacks to this or comes up with new ways to have her naked and/or molested.

Classy, and this is just season one. This is pretty much all you need to know to make a decision on if Gantz is the kind of show you'd be interested in watching. Did I mention this show is also kind of gay? Like, literally.

All that aside, the character motivations and plot development are erratic. Characters ask stupid questions and have to repeat the same answers continuously over multiple episodes. They also do very stupid things. Such as, doing nothing and just gawking like dumbfounded idiots. The best was the genius plan of inviting yourself into someone's home, offering yourself as a pet, getting in their bed, and then expecting it to NOT lead to sex... yeah, that makes a lot of sense... wait, no, IT DOESN'T.

It's kind of hard to like Gantz because it's a very dark and absurd show. There really aren't any likable characters other than Kato and maybe Kishimoto. The worst is how deliberate everything is. Characters take FOREVER to make a decision about ANYTHING. It's really kind of deceptive that way. They look like a bad-ass action squad, but in actuality they're a way-too-chatty and indecisive INACTION squad. For example, in this one episode they spend the whole time arguing over whether or not to put on their super powered suits. Sheesh. The only things one can really take away from watching Gantz is maybe appreciating it for its harsh depictions of reality or basking in its scattered brutality and rampant depravity.

This won't be your typical review. There are already plenty of those. Instead I just wanted to share my final thoughts about something usually overlooked about Moonphase. Moonphase/Tsukuyomi is a very strange show. I don't just say that because of its reputation for loli level moe. What I mean is, the series as a whole is hard to summarize. Moonphase is easily the kind of show that can give the somewhat misleading impression of "typical". By no means is it some amazing original masterpiece, but the point I'm going to make isn't meant to slam it or demonize it either. In fact, the sole purpose ... of this "review" is merely to elaborate on the one thing I did find interesting about it. For the most part Moonphase is a very average show in every way. It's not very exciting but it can be very amusing and endearing (or uncomfortable) depending on your tastes. Mostly it's the ending portion of the show that I think deserves some credible mention.

The show starts off generically enough. Annoying/cute young female character, awkward/clumsy older male character, and fairly familiar supporting character archetypes. The first 13 episodes adhere pretty closely to a story about watching the daily antics of a boy/girl and human/vampire relationship. This is where the show brandishes most of its cuteness and comedy (whether you find any of it funny or cute is another matter). Along the way a plot gradually develops with the climax involving defeating the first major villain. This all develops very slowly mind you, so you should not be watching Moonphase if you are expecting fast paced (or a lot of) vampire action.

Everything about the show is still only slightly interesting and mostly mediocre up to this point. Nothing's unforgivably terrible, but there's also nothing new or noteworthy. If you didn't like the show at the beginning, you wouldn't like it any better yet either. It's somewhere after this though, particularly around episode 17, where things really start to change. Like really change. It doesn't become a completely different show or throw in some crazy plot twist, but the overall atmosphere takes a complete change in course.

The setting changes, for one. The previous situations and conditions you may have grown used to change as well. Even the general tones and styles change. Ending themes get new animation, comedy gags get a little more bizarre and random and characters interact in a more straightforward and developmental way. If you liked the show as it was, this is probably the point in the show where you didn't like it the same anymore. The cuteness theme is toned down and the story gets a little more serious. Or perhaps I should say a lot more serious? Where as the first half of the series was very laid back and casual, the latter arc starts to resemble an actual dedicated plot. New villains are introduced and the regular cast adopt more meaningful roles. The story progresses steadily and is now at the forefront of the show instead of in the background. So the whole look and feel of the last third of the show is significantly different than the rest. By the end it is obvious that there is still more story that could be told but everything that could be wrapped up neatly is, and that's really all one can ask for. I thought the show was actually genuinely funnier and more entertaining, so much that it made me wonder if some new director took over halfway through it.

The funny thing about Moonphase is that I originally watched it because I had very, very low expectations and wanted to bear witness to just how creepy or moe it really was. Although elements of both were present that were a little weird/disturbing, it wasn't nearly as bad as I had been led to believe. So like I said before, it's not really awful, but it is awfully average. It's a shame because I kind of liked what the show had become, so if the whole series began the way it ended Moonphase would've probably been much more well received.

There were some interesting artistic choices, like the whole dollhouse point of view, and the dubbing was good for what they had to work with. The opening/ending themes grow on you, if you can bring yourself to watch more than a few eps. Definitely not for everyone, and I wouldn't recommend to anyone who doesn't really like overly cutesy or silly anime, but there are worse things you could watch...

Overall/Enjoyment:
I personally liked the show, but not sure if I liked it enough to own it, or even recommend it. It's not that the show was bad, but that there's nothing really outstanding or amazing about it. It was fine to watch and I finished it in about two days, but after I was done the only thought that came to mind was "ok, what to watch next..."

Story:
The story was about what one would expect from an action oriented show. It was good in so far as it didn't do anything unforgivably stupid or inane. The action was also decent, but surprisingly, not as much ... as I was craving. The first episode is pretty much the high point as far as the action goes and it never quite meets or surpasses that level again. The most surprising thing about the show was, compared to Gurren Lagann or Kiddy Grade, the amount of fan service present was almost negligible.

The series seems to continue from the OVA, and in that sense it's a good addendum for those curious to know a little more about the characters backgrounds and the workings of their world. Each episode tells a little story with a very thinly strung together overall plot that wraps up neatly at the end.

Still, all-in-all there's this inescapable feeling of "averageness". Something about it just didn't feel very inspired. The most interesting thing about the show, ironically, were some of the side plots. As an action fan, watching a show geared towards action, I think this says a lot. It would also explain why the OVA stands out and the series gets little mention. So there's a good chance you'll be entertained watching this series, and you'd have nothing to lose, but I'm not sure how much you'd gain either...

Characters:
This was probably my biggest problem with the show. It's not that there was anything wrong with the characters personalities, or development or anything like that. But they introduce this little sidekick girl that felt completely unnecessary and they give Mikura this younger/cuter makeover that just made things more awkward. I understand the logic behind it, probably to draw in more of the average fandom, but it's hard(er) to take shoot outs, over-the-top-ass-kicking, and the occasional perversion "seriously" when little girls are involved.

THAT aside, the characters were fine... they more or less retained their original persona's and each one had something different and interesting about them. I think the show would've benefited more from just concentrating on the three main characters and probably more focus on the three main antagonists, who did very little antagonizing in all actuality.

Art:
The art was solid. I liked quite a few of the designs and backgrounds and whatnot, but much like the action and the story, there was a very run-of-the-mill feel to this too. A lot of times the colors seemed flat and too many times the characters seemed too shiny or had weird facial proportions. The other weird thing about the art was that in two of the episodes they would "flashback" with scenes cut straight from the OVA. So it was a little weird (cheap?) seeing two different animations spliced together.

Sound:
The sound was ok, of course, nothing (good or bad) stood out. Well, except for the opening/ending songs, those were pretty terrible. The dub seemed ok as well, except for anything remotely emotional, those moments sounded really forced and cheesy. The dub also uses some swearing which isn't present in the subs. I don't have anything against this necessarily, but it doesn't do anything to undo or counter the whole younger/cuter element I mentioned earlier.