Back to MentalSyndrome's Profile MentalSyndrome's Profile

A show where the name itself, ChäoS;HEAd, is meant to be taken literally. Your head will be filled with chaos as you attempt to understand what is going on.

The beauty of ChäoS;HEAd is that the show itself is a mystery. The rushed pacing of the show in combination with the intentional mysterious plot made it difficult to keep a handle on what was going on. I cannot count the number of times I said, out loud, "What the hell is going on?" I feel like the writers were trying to make this something unique that stood out as a gem among the crowd. They did ... manage to make ChäoS;HEAd unique, but not necessarily in the way they intended.

Before watching this, I did take a peek at other reviews to see what the general consensus on the show was, or lack thereof. Some outright call the show a flop, while others appreciated the uniqueness of it. I decided to give it a go and make my own opinion on it. The first episode had some interesting lead-ins, places where a highly interesting story would have developed. I was looking forward to something special, though I figured I was setting myself up for disappointment. Oh boy did I set myself up. Like a bat out of hell, the story jumped off a cliff. Or so it seemed. For the vast majority of the show, the viewer is left confounded by "technobabble", unsound science, and plot twists, all of which were bundled up into a mysterious burrito for you to eat. It is not until episodes 10 and 11 that answers to the many questions brought up since the beginning receive answers. As a mystery genre anime, the show excels at keeping the viewer thinking about the possibilities of what could have happened. The mystery aspect aside, the plot line itself is rather iffy. While the lead up to the finale seemed to fit, a sudden deus ex machina sent thing astray. Had this anime been 24 episodes instead of 12, I think things would have been able to develop at a more appropriate pace and it likely would have been a far better series.

Moving on to the story itself, ChäoS;HEAd follows the life of Takumi Nishijou, a shut-in otaku who is so out of touch with reality at times that his mind synthesizes his favorite game character into being his wife. His quiet life is suddenly cast into disarray as a series of gruesome murders and suicides, known as the New Generation Madness, spring up in his home city of Shibuya, Tokyo. His distaste for the "three dimensional world" leads him to initially brush this off as not important to him; however, as fate would have it, he is thrown into the mix as he witnesses one of the murders first hand. His already fragile mind is snapped and he (and by extension the viewer) gradually becomes unable to differentiate his delusions from reality. The way he reacts to his distorting situation mirrors how the viewer reacts to this show - immense confusion, accompanied by a lack of words. "Errors," as they are called by Sena Aoi (one of the main characters), are causing the world to collapse and it is up to those who can see them to prevent them and "save the world." Scientifically unproven concepts are also brought up, especially from episode 5 onwards. What are known as lunar-biorhythms, the effect of the moon on our body, are an example of such. For the sake of avoiding spoilers, I wont go any further with the story aspect.

Going on to the cast, there is an overload of "main" characters present in ChäoS;HEAd. For a 12 episode anime, seven characters to focus on is too many. I found myself confused for the first several episodes as to the purpose of these characters, especially as to why they were being given mixed personalities. With many characters present, many "magically" disappeared for periods of time, only to return with details that would advance the story in a confusing, and somewhat forced, manner. That said, they all had a purpose and each had their necessary roles. Sadly though, their personalities remained mostly static, especially the MC who was consistently annoying to me. Though development of the characters is lacking, their portrayal improved the show and I would consider this part of the show "mediocre" overall.

The artwork proved to be par for the course, I think. The main characters are all high school students, so it's generic dress code galore! But seriously, who the hell makes students wear PLAID pants/skirts!? The Di-Swords (those giant purple things in the cover picture) are pretty cool looking, in both forms they are depicted in, though. Aside from that, there's nothing that really makes the show stand out from the artwork perspective, in my opinion, but there's nothing bad about it either. This is a different story when looking at the audio. The series' opening and ending themes are "F.D.D." and "Super Special" (performed by J-pop artists Kanako Itō and Seira Kagami, respectively). While "F.D.D." felt appropriate as the opening, I was woefully displeased by "Super Special." Initially, I found myself laughing hysterically when the words "You're always super special..." were uttered. For a non-romcom show, "Super Special" felt completely out of place. Within the actual show, there isn't much to speak of with the audio. Most of the time it was appropriate and enhanced the situation, while sometimes it fell short of expectations.

It's easy to see why ChäoS;HEAd has received such mixed reviews. Due to the confusing and rushed nature of the story, one can quickly become disinterested in it and fail to appreciate the mystery portrayed. I wouldn't recommend this as a light watch, though it's not something deep either. It's more of a mentally stimulating show, getting you to think about things in a different way. If you are one who enjoys mystery, I definitely would give this show a go. You'll appreciate the many twists and turns this show takes in attempts to throw the viewer off from where the truth lies.

Uu~! Nyaa~! Uu~! Nyaa~! Uu~! Nyaa~! (dun-dun-da-dunn) Let's Nyaa~!

Er-herm....First off I just want emphasize that the nature of the show makes reviewing it difficult. Enjoyment of it is highly subjective to the viewer so please take that into account.

Haiyore! Nyaruko-san is a comedic parody on a rampage. It's essentially the epitome of mindless entertainment with consistent gags, references, and over-used humor. It has a very clear audience: people with significant history and interest in anime. Outside of this group, the quality of show will likely be lost. With humor also being a subjective quality, appreciation (or lack thereof) of Haiyore varies from person to ... person, so it's not for everyone. This is a show geared towards those with more extensive histories in anime due to the sheer volume of references crammed into each episode. Personally, I don't have that great a history and many of these blew right past me. That said, almost everything is constructed from parody, meaning that aside from the characters themselves and the basic plot line, there is almost no original content within Haiyore. You could even go as far to saying figuring out all of the references in each episode is a game since there are so many. I believe there are several dozen in the first episode alone.

What little story there is comes from the Cthulhu Mythos written by H. P. Lovecraft. The various events that take place loosely stem from the various deities portrayed within the Mythos. I have not read these stories so I cannot comment on how connected they really are, however. Little focus is placed on the story but it serves as possibly the only thing to keep the events from rocketing off into deep space.

The characters are what makes the show entertaining. Despite a lack of significant development, each have defined personalities which promote the wacky humor present in Haiyore. The story's hero, Mahiro Yasaka, appears to be an ordinary school boy but is thrown into a chaotic situation. Forcibly placing herself beside him is the extremely energetic and upbeat Nyarlathotep ("Nyaruko"). She one of the many "Great Ones" from the Mythos sent to protect Mahiro, though there are ulterior motives behind her appearance. Think of the two of them as a parody on the generic romance genre relationships, but with insanity thrown in. To top of the trio of main characters is Cthuko ("Kuuko Cthugha"). Sworn enemy of Nyaruko by virtue of their heritage, she is beyond smitten with her, much to Nyaruko's displeasure. Though these characters don't develop much, they are enjoyable by virtue of their various antics.

With little focus on the development of story and characters, the artwork and audio received more attention. The artwork is appealing and smooth throughout, with scenery covering a vast range of areas. I wont say where though, that would spoil some of the fun. Each of the main characters has a defining design, well except for Mahiro since he's just an ordinary boy. With aliens present, expect some funky looking characters scattered about, but they're nothing displeasing. I enjoyed how they designed each character and animated them. The audio keeps pace with the non-serious nature of the show, though remains appropriate for each situation. I greatly enjoyed the opening song as well, if you can't tell with the start of this review. I have no qualms with the visual/audio aspects.

If you're looking for a one word summation of Haiyore, it would have to be chaos. Chaotic turns are everywhere. Haiyore is meant to be watched with your brain turned off. It's nothing amazing and enjoyment ranges dramatically from person-to-person. If you're someone who enjoys gag-related humor, parodies of shows you've previously watched, and nonsensical progression, you fit right into the niche of Haiyore. If you fall outside this niche, I would be hesitant to watch it as you'll likely miss where the entertainment value is coming from.

Thanks for reading my review of Haiyore!, Nyaruko-san. Remember that the helpful and not helpful buttons are not agree/disagree buttons. If you disagree with my views feel free to message me and discuss. Also, if you did not find my review helpful, please let me know what I can improve upon to make future reviews more useful. Thanks again!

"And this is how our fucked up teenage life begins."

Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Come wa Machigatteiru (My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU; I'll just refer to it as RomCom) hit home for me on multiple occasions. I was never the most outgoing of people, generally keeping to myself while being somewhat bitter that others were having a social life without compare. The series' main character, Hachiman Hikigaya ("Hikki") is someone who goes beyond a normal social outlier. A self-proclaimed "bear" (in that he prefers the solo life and avoid being social) he is confronted about his behavior in his second year of high school. At ... the whim of one of his teachers, he is forced into a the Volunteer's Club where social life is forced upon him through the help of the only other member in that club: Yukino Yukinoshita. Dubbed the "Queen of Ice" by Hachiman, she shares a similar disposition but has a different outlook on it, providing fodder for arguments between then. It also allows for even more relatable circumstances among viewers. Two people, both with twisted views on society, are forced to work together and hilarity ensues.

The social outlier focus of the main characters allows for a special aspect of this show to shine - an outside look in on how high school students function (albeit in anime form). It's a viewpoint not often used and RomCom delivers with it. I greatly enjoyed watching how the characters dealt with daily life when faced with not just other people, but themselves as well. Their development may feel slow at first, but I take it as a more realistic way of getting to know them. When you meet people, rarely do they spill everything about themselves. Time and experiences open the doors to finding out about people. It appropriately follows how people who would be considered social outcasts (but not necessarily to an extreme) would be hesitant to get to know others and works very well with the story.

A comedic slice-of-life anime, the story focuses on how a socially awkward guy deals with being forced into interacting with others, especially girls. It delves into the world that many people do not see, and for obvious reasons - those people purposefully keep themselves hidden from the masses. Alongside the loneliness usually comes intellect, which sparks confrontations and promotes snarky humor. RomCom's story is well structured, appealing, and successfully avoid falling into the trap of being a generic high school romance. However, to me, it felt a bit derailed in the final two episodes, with very little happening. The last episode was a bit of a let down, actually.

Sarcasm and witty remarks are the major components of the show's humor and provides consistent entertainment. This is coupled with idealistic arguments and agitated banter between Hachiman and Yukino as well as with classmates. As would be expected, a counter-balance character to their hilarious debates is presented: Yui Yuigahama, the third main character.

As expected from a 2013 anime, the art and sound are great. The character designs are not overly-flashy or revealing (something common in high school romances) which allows for more appreciation of the story itself. Background music is consistently appropriate and enhances the mood of scenes and even the humor.

Overall RomCom is a highly entertaining show that not only provides effective humor, but relatable characters that enhance the quality of the show. With a believable story, people who have been through high school or are in it at the time can place themselves somewhere in the show. The show successfully avoids falling into the cast-iron romance mold and holds true to the comedy aspect with wonderful use of wit and sarcasm.

Watching Sword Art Online (SAO) is kind of like watching a baby bird learning how to fly. At first is stumbles a bit, but then gets the hang of it and takes off. However, once it's in the air, one of two things can happen: it's able to keep its strength and fly safely, or comes crashing down as its unable to hold its own. SAO, in my opinion, is like the latter of these two situations. After getting going a few episodes in, it got really good, then halfway through everything changed and it fell apart. From what I'm gathering, there appears to be ... a fairly large difference in opinion on the show itself, some love it and some hate it. Personally, I loved it but that's from a mostly enjoyment standpoint. When you look deeper into the show, the flaws are pretty obvious.

So, lets get on to the breakdown!

Story - 4/10
I was very torn on how to rate the story of this show. The overall concept behind it, a virtual reality MMORPG was amazing to me. It's something I've thought about for years. However, it feels like something was lost when they translated this idea into a show. At first, things are too fast-paced, events move faster than I was comfortable with. But a few episodes in it was wonderful. The original action-based plan of the anime turned into a smooth more romance based one with action. The concept of losing your life in reality if you die in the game added a nice touch of suspense and drama to the whole story, though this only applied to the first half. There was a ten episode stretch where this show probably would have ranked a solid 8 or 9. Once the first arc ended, however, it just collapsed.

The second half of the season, which I honestly thought was a spin-off show at first, was a game changer and greatly took away from the quality of the show. If you're content with the story at the end of the first half, feel free to stop there. The aforementioned romance aspect took over and the show fell into the dark cast-iron mold of romance anime. Unnecessary aspects, such as ideas of incest, were also tossed in. The previous idea of dying in the game means death in life disappeared, removing a major piece of drama that could have been better utilized. The focus on romance took over the show and seems to have taken away from other story aspects - everything revolved around a single girl far more than what seemed appropriate for the show.

Overall, the story pans out to be about 4/10 ("decent") to me.

Art - 10/10
In contrast to the violently fluctuating story quality, the visual aspect of SAO was incredible. As to be expected from an anime produced in 2012, the artwork is crisp, clean, and smooth. The character designs are highly appealing and the landscapes portrayed within the story are beautiful. Based in virtual reality, any scene was possible and the ones shown were highly detailed.

Sounds - 8/10
Audio was appropriate in most situations but nothing made it stand out from any other show. I did greatly enjoy both openings, Crossing Fields and Innocence, though.

Character - 3/10
To me, this was the most problematic part of SAO. Due to the pacing issues, some characters initially introduced magically vanished for many episodes while others disappeared shortly after being introduced. With the concept of losing your in place for the first arc, you would expect many emotional moments to be possible, and they were presented. However, failure to develop character backgrounds and personalities allowed emotional moments to fall through. I'm generally a very emotional person so I can be swayed by these scenes pretty easily, yet they only managed to make me tear where I imagined I would be fully crying.

The massive amount of characters thrown in with off-paced story-telling just leads to disaster. Even the two main characters suffered from stunted character development and left me quite disappointed. Additionally, the final villain just feels utterly out of place and awkward to me. All this said, there still manages to be "enough" character development to allow the show to work but still only gets a 3/10 ("poor")

Enjoyment - 8/10
Despite the major issues in the story and sub-par character development, SAO manages to be a very entertaining show. At first, I somehow completely overlooked these flaws and fully enjoyed SAO at a basic level. It wasn't until I looked back on it that I realized how flawed it was. This is likely where the split in opinions stems from (once again, my opinion). If you're looking for something to just pass time and enjoy a show without any deep meanings, SAO fits the bill. However, if you're looking for a solid storyline with characters you can fall for, you probably want to look somewhere else.

Overall - 6.6/10 (6)
SAO was generally worth the watch and I did enjoy it. The artwork and sound are really holding this rating up (though I deducted a bit to give a 6). It's a show that had massive potential to be something amazing and fell flat on its face.

I took a bit of thought and self-coaxing to actually criticize this show since I enjoyed it quite a bit. Hopefully the time I spent mulling this over and analyzing was worth and you all find this review useful. Thanks for reading!