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Jan 29, 2025
Minor spoilers
First things first. Just getting to hear Kylie McNeil in another anime film was well worth the price of admission. It still blows me away that Belle was her first voiceover role. And her work as Kimi in this film was also phenomenal and completely distinct from her performance as Suzu. And the rest of the cast was just as fantastic! Really happy for her and hoping I'll continue to hear from her in the future!
But ya, other than that... this film was just fine. I guess I went into it with a bit too high of expectations. Not just with having Kylie involved,
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but also having this come from the creator of A Silent Voice. I was expecting a really emotional experience, but instead I was left with some absolutely stunning animation and not much else. It kept feeling like they were setting up each character's backstories to be heavily involved in the plot, and also planning to have their relationships go somewhere as the film progressed. But it all just sorta stayed stagnant from beginning to end. The whole gimmick of the movie, Totsuko seeing the colors of the people around her, also doesn't really amount to anything. I feel like it was just an excuse for the animators to play around with some of the visuals. But even without it, the animation looked phenomenal. So you really didn't need those extra segments or incorporate it into the story, in my opinion. You also don't really get to hear any singing until the end, which was a bummer. And once you finally do, the film just... ends. Like, there REALLY wasn't any sort of resolution to anyone's stories, nor did they even end up having relevance to the overall narrative. And some people may be totally fine with that; just a chill slice of life experience. But with the people who were involved and their portfolios of immensely emotional pieces that they've made in the past, I was just left feeling kinda disappointed. It was just... ok.
6/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Jan 27, 2025
WOW. Simply. WOW. This is a collection of three short stories, all from the same studio but with completely different creators behind them, and every single one of them was absolutely phenomenal. All of them had a completely different and gorgeous art style, entirely different setting, music, "world rules", everything. They were all completely unique but all equally impressive. I'd be just as impressed if I had just seen one of these on its own. But seeing three masterpieces back to back like this was exceptionally enjoyable. I'd gladly be first in line to see this studio do something like this again. It said "Volume
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1" when the title appeared, so I'm hoping more than ever that I get to be amazed and impressed by this studio all over again in the future.
10/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Jan 27, 2025
Holy... stinkin... heck...
This is from the same studio that brought us Mary and the Witch's Flower. AKA one of the worst movies I've ever seen in my entire life. I don't know how many of the same people worked on this film, but this is a perfect testament as to why you should never give up creating. You may have noticed throughout my ratings that I never once give anything a 0/10. Because I personally don't believe that's right. I think the fact that a group of individuals came together and brought some sort of artistic creation to life will always be worthy of 1
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point of some kind. To give something a 0 is essentially the same as telling someone to stop creating. Which I would personally never feel right doing.
I hated their first piece. But I wouldn't dare write off an entire company filled with hundreds of creatives because of a single project. Sometimes it's the timing. The budget. The restrictions from higher ups. Whatever it may be. It's never any one person's fault for how a movie or a show or a game turns out. And likewise, a movie or a show or a game is never solely one person's doing. That's why I continue to love something like Balan Wonderworld, despite the one person on that game's dev team who gained the most infamy. The rest of the team deserved to be prideful of their work on that game, and to not be blamed for that one person's actions. And they deserved to move on for it and create something new. And they did just that with Sonic Superstars. That's why I still have faith in ILCA and look forward to what they'll create in the future. Not because they disappointed me with Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. But because they changed my life with their perfect work on THE iDOLM@STER Starlit Season. And this is why I'll continue to look forward to everything Studio Ponoc puts out in the future. Not because of Mary. But because of Tomorrow's Leaves. Because of Modest Heroes. And because... of The Imaginary.
This was a spectacle of complete and total childhood wonder. Everything that comes with growing up and navigating the world for the first time. All the joy, all the sorrow, all the fear, all the hope, all the endless possibilities when you believe in the power of imagination. It was sincerely beautiful and heartfelt, while not shying away from the dark and twisted elements of the story it wanted to tell. The visuals are a stunning mix of gorgeous hand drawn 2D animation with 3D lighting and shading that gives it a unique look all its own while standing alongside its distant Ghibli cousins. The music is phenomenal, with a downright AMAZING credits song that I'm STILL listening to on repeat as I'm writing this review! How in the world this wasn't nominated for an Oscar... Heck, how in the world anyone, let alone the CEO OF STINKIN DISNEY can still think that animation is meant to be "just for kids" or that animation doesn't need to be intelligent or isn't capable of telling gripping and emotional stories that can stand alongside or even surpass anything live action is BEYOND me. Absolutely wild to think that people still believe such nonsense.
This wasn't a perfect film. There were some bits here and there that didn't entirely make sense, which I will openly admit. I don't even think things needed to be changed. Just cut those bits out and you're good to go. I'm trying not to get hung up on those few pieces that didn't quite hit as strongly as the rest of the film, but I also know that there are people who'll have their entire opinion on this film defined by those moments. Which is a shame, really. But I guess that choice is on them. If I'm being completely objective, this film is like an 8. There are some bumps in the road, but I'm sorry. I simply don't care. The parts that I loved, I REALLY loved. The parts that were great were perfect. It's one of the best works of art I've ever seen and handled a very special subject matter better than anyone else I've seen attempt a story like this before them. It's made me a fan of this studio for life and will have me looking forward to every single thing they create in the future. Thank you for not giving up. Thank you for continuing to create. To dream. To imagine. And thank you... for sharing your imagination with the rest of the world. And for encouraging others to do the same.
10/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Jan 25, 2025
This is my favorite of Yoshitoshi ABe's works, without question. He's known for being attached to very complex, often hard to understand stories that require you to theorize and piece together the symbolism of each episode long after you've finished it. This one definitely has its air of mystery as well, but it isn't as abstract as Lain or Texhnolyze in which I literally had zero clue what was going on. But at the same time, it doesn't spell everything out for you either and you'll be left to think about what it all meant, even after finishing the show. Not every question gets answered,
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but a conclusion can be found if you take time to think about it or go the extra mile to look into what inspired this story. It may not be the answers you were hoping for, but they're answers, nonetheless. And for the subject matter in question, I honestly can't think of an alternative way they could've handled a story like this. I can see myself liking this show more and more if I were to rewatch it in the future. I'm glad I didn't give up on ABe's work after having as rough of an introduction as I did. I really think anyone can find enjoyment from this series and get something out of it, and I'd love to hear other's thoughts on the events that transpired.
8/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jan 25, 2025
I can't believe it... A Yoshitoshi ABe series where I actually understood what the fruit was going on!? It's a Christmas miracle! This was very surprising after seeing his other works and having to look up episode descriptions on Wikipedia for every single episode. It almost feels like an anime version of Attack of the Friday Monsters, but with aliens. Just a simple comedy/slice of life that doesn't take up too much of your time or take itself too seriously. Nothing too grandiose, but it was just such a shock for me to actually understand this series in any capacity, let alone enjoy it! There
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are some... questionable decisions made throughout the show, however. Such as the opening theme being sung by the HEAVIEST chainsmoker I've ever heard. Or the show's OST consisting almost entirely out of stock jingles and sound effects I'm sure you've all heard a million times before (including the "Hi, I'm Paul!" jingle from Jimmy Neutron!?!? For some reason???) Oh, and uh.... some very, very, VERY poorly aged cultural representation..... that was unfortunate..... But ya. Other than that, it was a perfectly serviceable slice of life comedy. If you had told me this was from the same creator as Serial Experiments Lain, I never would've guessed!
6/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Jan 24, 2025
So when I was finally putting everything on my to-watch list instead of trying to just memorize all the shows I've wanted to watch over the years, this stinkin fever dream of a show arose from the deepest, darkest part of my memory banks and I was like "OHHHHHH GOOOOOOOD, I FORGOT ALL ABOUT THIS!" But now that I remembered, there was no way I would ever forget. Which means I HAD to put it on the list and watch it at some point. I've known about this show from my early anime days since it kept popping up in my YouTube recommendations. Ya know,
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back when people would just upload entire shows in 360p and slice each episode into 3 parts to accommodate for the 11 minute time limit YouTube had back then? Good times... ANYWAY! MIDORI DAYS! Surprise surprise, it's a very stupid show. But it manages to be SO stupid, it ends up being funny? Like, I legit had fun with it, even though I'm well aware of how trashy it is. I could've done without all the uncensored nakey bits, but the overly cheery Midori and obnoxiously stupid Seiji and the one brain cell that the two of them share carried this show and made it legitimately entertaining. It's such a short show, too. So there's not much you gotta commit to if you do try to check it out. Feels so weird to have finally watched this. And to have enjoyed it, no less. Guess I gotta HAND it to the creators! (sorry, had to)
8/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jan 24, 2025
I seriously can't fathom how a group of human beings came together and orchestrated this entire thing into existence. It's a masterpiece of art and creativity in every sense of the word. It's a shining example of why I continue to watch anime; because they boast the most unbelievably incredible works of art that can't be matched by anyone else on the planet. Seriously. Not to sound elitist, but once you've had the best, you just can't ever go back. These creators worked painstakingly on this film for almost a DECADE. HAND-DRAWING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF FRAMES just so they could bring this one of
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a kind work of art to life. Very in tune with the film itself in which they didn't give up until the bitter end. And it most definitely paid off. It's animation at its finest. It's a testament to how the animation medium, especially Japanese animation, is in a league of its own and completely unmatched to other forms of storytelling. And it's a loud and proud statement that anyone who thinks AI can come even close to reaching the heights that this film managed to achieve is just ludicrously ignorant and simply doesn't care about art in the slightest. You have zero excuse not to watch it. It's an absolute must for the human experience.
9/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jan 23, 2025
I never wanna see a butt or a boob ever again for as long as I live.
This is just a stylish as heck show. Every single episode is a constant visual and audible treat. I only wish I was more attached to its cast, however. I didn't dislike any of the main or one-off characters. I was more or less neutral to them all. The outcome of a lot of episodes almost felt like an episode of "The Twilight Zone", which in turn led me to not care as much about the outcome of events that I knew wouldn't ever get mentioned in the future
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or have any long-lasting impact on the characters. There were a couple episodes sprinkled throughout that developed the main cast, which were definitely the highlights of the series for me. However, the main enjoyment came out of simply seeing the artistic mastery of each episode, rather than watching the characters who were leading each storyline. Which may be perfectly fine for some people, but I'm always looking for deep and compelling characters to get attached to. I still highly recommend you check out this show, if only for the stellar animation and OST.
7.5/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jan 21, 2025
This is a review of seasons 1 and 2
First and foremost, this show DESPERATELY needs an epilepsy warning at the beginning of each episode. If you haven't watched this series and are sensitive to flashing lights, I'd suggest you steer clear of this one, altogether.
At first, it felt sorta like a toned-down version of Danganronpa, which on paper I'd be all for. But it just sorta felt kinda boring as a result, which is a VERY strange thing to say about a show called "Assassination Classroom". Thankfully it does pick up more and more over time and I found myself enjoying it quite a bit.
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I wasn't sure if I could fully understand the relationship the characters were having with their new teacher. But sure enough, Koro-sensei's charms got ahold of me eventually, as well. It's a very funny and surprisingly heartwarming series that offered a lot more than I was initially anticipating. It's also filled to the brim with references to other shows that'll make you rewind just to see if they really went there. And sure enough, they did. The second season definitely ups the ante with the content it provides. I was originally finding myself struggling to get attached to anyone since the cast is so large. But the second season did a great job in making the star players of Class 3-E stand out a whole lot more. I'm really pleasently surprised in the end. I was expecting this to be just a complete and utter non-stop nonsense and violence show, but I wound up finding something with a lot of heart and humor all throughout. Definitely a perfect example of why you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover. Especially if it's cover is a literal smiling emoji with tentacles.
7.5/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jan 15, 2025
This is a review of seasons 1 and 2
I feel like the fact that I haven't seen this until now has been a big red flag on my credibility as a Kyoto Animation fan. I think at the time I was just confused at the shift in art style and kinda put it on indefinite hold for that alone. Looking at it now, it's a stunningly animated show in its own right. And I'd much rather have a wide variety of art styles in the animation medium than to have everything assimilate into one singular construct. It's art! Be fun! Be expressive! Be unique! But
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back to Dragon Maid. I think it stands alongside other classic 4-koma series such as Azumanga Daioh and Nichijou with its quick wit and slapstick humor. This show definitely leans more into..... ecchi humor.... than those other shows do, but that's thankfully not the only type of comedy this show has to offer. There are also several sweet and heartwarming moments, especially with the relationship between Tooru and Kobayashi. As well as lots of ultra cute moments with Konna, aka the best girl by a landslide. It even tries to tell a serious story on top of all of that though the origin of the dragon characters, which I wasn't too crazy about. I'm all for trying to pull at our heartstrings when we least expect it, but a lot of the monologues revolving around the "before times" just sorta felt like exposition that I was waiting for them to move on from. It sometimes felt like it was trying to juggle too many genres at once when it really only needed to focus on the comedy and heartwarming slice of life moments. It's a fun watch, for sure. But I definitely much prefer Kyoto Ani's previous comedy phenomenon, Nichijou. But of course, there's no reason why you can't enjoy both of them. And with a new movie coming out this year, it seems like the perfect time to join the fun if you haven't already done so!
7/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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