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Jun 21, 2016
I run an exploitation film group. In between the feature films I often show the odd anime episode (like Elfen Lied, Gantz, and Berserk) because with animation and Japan's open-minded sensibilities, there is often exploitative material to be found. Funny then that I finally get round to seeing this, and it is not only perfect for my group, but also FAR better than I expected it to be.
First things first, this is straight-up exploitation so it's not for everyone. There's violence, foul language, enough panty shots to make a drinking game out of, and even a scene of full-on nudity with women making orgasmic sounds.
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If this offends you then just steer clear. For everyone else, it's all part of the fun. And that's a major factor in this series: fun.
The story is pretty 'ticklist' of the zombie genre, featuring pretty much everything you would both expect and want from this kind of tale. Things progress at a decent pace and quite a lot happens throughout the 12 episodes. I think my only real problem with the entire show is that episode 4, for some unfathomable reason, contains a lot of flashbacks to events of the first 3 episodes. I have no idea why and it almost makes the entire episode skippable filler if not the fairly important scene in the second half. Perhaps more time could have been spent on certain incidents, like the corrupt teacher trying to weedle his way into groups and take over, but personally I prefer it the way it is. With this particular example, I hate it when obviously evil characters are allowed to be evil whilst the heroes do nothing. In this, those possibilities are just cut short and that's refreshing.
Now let's get onto the good stuff: the characters. This was easily the best part of the series. Every character, though particularly the main cast, is unique, likeable, skilled, relatable, visually attractive, and decently developed over time. Like Kouta, the chubby otaku who seems only like a bit of a whiner until he gets a gun, shows an in-depth knowledge on the tool, shows an evil glint in his eye, then kicks all sorts of ass. Or Saeko, the icy yet good-natured warrior carrying a kendo sword. Little details are revealed about them as the series goes on (like how Kouta is so good with guns, or Saeko's darker side) but the enjoyment comes in discovering these for yourself. And the way in which these characters interact with each other is also brilliantly done (again using Kouta, how he is quite brotherly to a little girl the group rescues). Though I've used the same two characters a few times for examples, I must say I really liked the whole main cast here. Yeah they follow some tropes and stereotypes but this is a zombie flick after all, come with that in mind and enjoy the characters you get.
Presentation-wise I'll begin by saying I was impressed by the English voice cast. I felt like each actor brought a good level of energy to their performance and enjoyed their characters. It all felt part of the characters and the world they were in (if that makes sense). Sometimes I hear swearing in dubs and it just feels awkward. Here, they mean it. And it brings strong emotions with it. The art is pretty decent too with a kinetic feel to it, a varied palette, pretty environmental details, and some silly flashiness (like the infamous 'matrix-boobs' which is a definite highlight). The soundtrack is largely forgettable but enjoyable whilst experiencing it. I feel like it could've done better but the music here pretty much suits the tone it was going for. The opening theme isn't bad, and ending theme seems to change almost every episode which is something I haven't come across in an anime before. Again, none of them are astounding but certainly some are better than others.
Overall I really enjoyed this series, much to my surprise to be honest. As much as I enjoy exploitation, the bottom of the barrel stuff is indisputably terrible if not just boring. Here however, HOTD manages to hit all the expected notes of the zombie genre whilst offering up an engaging cast and a fast-paced story, all whilst being incredibly fun. Sure there's some missed potential with the rather pointless flashbacks of episode 4, but really the major disappointment is just the fact that a season 2 probably won't happen. Which is a huge shame when there's so much potential for the series to grow and the characters to continue developing. Still, if you can appreciate this for what it is, then I think it's a surprisingly good and watch a go.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jun 7, 2016
The ADV English Dub of Ghost Stories exists as an interesting experiment: an official abridged version that has transformed an otherwise pretty poor kid's show into an amusing series for adults. With that said, there's some issues that prevent Ghost Stories from reaching comedic glory. For one, there's often no getting away from the original's badness. By the end of the series, a few of the episodes blur together either by being pretty forgettable, similar to each other, or just downright confusing. The dub often points this out and while it can hit the nail on the head, here's the other issue and it's a
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pretty key one: the dub just isn't always great.
It's a shame really because you can tell the cast is having fun (most of the time) with ripping the material a new one but certain things could have been revised. Oftentimes the actors will just speak phrases in random languages or spout plain nonsense. There's plenty of fourth-wall breaking and tons of Western references too. At times, especially early on in the series, these work wonderfully and will no doubt tickle the viewer. Same with some of the blunt lines with characters insulting each other or casually confessing dirty secrets. As the show progresses all of this can get very repetitive and tiresome, feeling as if the dub studio were running out of ideas and just wanted to get through it. And I guess that's part of the joke; hell, they even outright say it at certain points. But if that was the case then perhaps they should have only dubbed half of the episodes. Perhaps it just isn't the kind of material that anyone can successfully rip off of for a full 20 episode run (and yes, contrary to MAL's info, there are 20 episodes).
Still, with all of that said the series was pretty enjoyable overall. Certain episodes had fun little plots with some hilarious lines; the newly added characters (like Momoko's born-again preachy Christian with a history of drug addiction) are oddly endearing and props in particular to Rob Mungle for the voice of Amanojaku who is at once funny, charming, and awesome, capturing a sleek 'I'm cooler than you' attitude whilst still having you want to pat him on the head.
So, should you watch Ghost Stories? Yes definitely. English Dub. Admittedly, some episodes are completely forgettable whilst others are frustrating. A full marathon is not advised as the recurring material will become more obvious and quickly tire you. However, in bitesize chunks I wholly recommend getting through this series. The first ten or so episodes in particular are very funny and the kind of entertainment you can gather even non-anime fans around to watch for a fun night-in. The studio may have missed their mark at times but it's clear they tried their damnedest with some poor material and may Amanojaku bless them for it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Mar 5, 2016
If you're after a light and short series to while away 50 odd minutes of your time then this is certainly worth it. The characters are nicely written and designed, meeting a certain level of Shoujo fanservice whilst remaining fun and interesting enough for 13 short episodes. The world of anthropomorphic sea creatures that it builds up is charming and engages with the imagination and yet intentionally traps itself within the mundane confines of a bathroom. Whilst all the aesthetic aspects of this show are pretty average, the characters and the humor are charming and effective enough to keep the viewer engages and enthralled.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Feb 10, 2016
Instead of 6/10, think of this review as 3 out of 5 stars. I say this because this anime leaves one with a 'glass half full' perspective despite knowing that it's not brilliant.
Admittedly the first episode is pretty terrible, rife with all of the show's major flaws packed into 20 minutes including some dodgy animation, crappy dub (which is only marginally better than the bog-standard original Jap audio), a forgettable soundtrack, and some ridiculous cliches (the matrix-style 'come here' gesture will make you cringe). However if you can survive that, you will see what the series can truly offer behind its 'badass action' exterior; a
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strangely involving mobster drama.
After the initial setup, showing an undead gunman take on the ghoulish 'org-men', we launch into a lengthy flashback that, most of the rest of the series, builds back up to that point. And despite the cliches, the so-so dubbing, the arguable animation, and so on, I ended up quite attached to these characters. We see their struggle to the top over time and how each of them truly believes in their cause. Even the bad guys, for the most part, are relatable in some way, which of course pulls the viewer in for the climactic finale that pits the two best friends against one another.
At times the even the way the story is told is pretty well done, constantly switching up the narrative between past and present to show how deep the bond is between the cast and how actions from decades ago can carry on a ripple effect.
It's a deeply flawed series but for one that has such an unimaginative core concept at its heart, I was surprised to find how much Gungrave made me care about what was going to happen to the cast, and how it constantly kept me guessing with just who was going to survive the chaos by the end of it all.
It's an anime that can be a slog to begin with but by the time the arguably silly fantasy content returns toward the end of the series, you may well find yourself far more invested and even hooked until the end. I'd say give it a go and you may well enjoy the ride, even if it doesn't particularly stay with you for very long.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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