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Feb 8, 2021
I greatly enjoyed the first 12 episodes. The concept of a music anime that took place in a sci-fi world while simultaneously following the journey of two aspiring singers sounded like my cup of tea. Add to that the guy who is responsible for Cowboy Bebop and a pretty good soundtrack and I was sold...... then the second half happened. Oh boy.... where do I start? Well, as a background of why I got into anime in the first place, I started watching anime mainly because it was apolitical. Politics is so oversaturated in western entertainment, and I got so
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burnt out from it that I needed something else. I missed the feeling I got as a kid where I could be excited for a new movie to come out and not have to be preached by it. Anime made me feel that again..... until I saw this. It's a shame too. Had it not become so bent on being an "orange man bad" allegory, I might have given this an 8. But nope. I got invested in these characters and this world just to have all of it turn into something I could see on any American major network show.. I should have known this show's affiliation with Netflix was a red flag... I should have known. I seriously thought anime was above this... I really did. How foolish I was.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Sep 16, 2020
I will proceed to demonstrate my thoughts on Shinkai Makoto's work in terms of David Bowie's Berlin trilogy (bear with me guys). "Garden Of Words" is to "Low", as "Your Name" is to "Heroes", as "Weathering With You" is to "Lodger". That is, Shinkai Makoto created his magnum opus with "Garden Of Words", and made lightning strike twice with "Your Name". "Weathering With You" on the other hand is very solid, but following up those two masterpieces was such a daunting task that even comparing the third to the previous two does the film an injustice of sorts.
For starters, let's look at
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what this film does right. The premise of this movie is incredibly original and derives heavily from Japanese legend in order to create something new and refreshing, much in a similar way to what "Your Name" did but to a much greater extent. The visuals, as always, are absolutely breathtaking as one would come to expect from a Shinkai Makoto film. Finally, while this film isn't dark by any means, in comparison to other Shinkai Makoto films in recent days it does go a tad bit dark in a couple places. It's always nice to see some risks be taken in a film that definitely warrants some pre-viewing expectations, even if those risks are incredibly major ones.
Without giving away too much, the one major downfall this film has is that the ending is extremely predictable. It isn't a bad ending by any means, but because of how rehashed it felt it kind of sucked out the dramatic tension a little. That's about the only complaint I have, but for me, it's kind of a relevant enough issue that it knocks what should be another masterpiece down a couple of pegs.
Overall, I still highly recommend this film, especially if you, like me, loved "Your Name" so much that you desperately want to see more stuff of the same style and caliber.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Apr 23, 2020
Okay let's make this quick.
Story: On the positive side, this movie ends the story on a more satisfying conclusion than the manga, and does a better job at keeping the story focused both in terms of the plot and tone. That said, the manga was far better at character expression and exposition (an advantage that mostly comes from the difference in medium.) Overall, still pretty solid as far as story goes, just a couple essential things from the source material I think they missed a good chance to include here. 8/10
Art: It's a Kyoto Animation feature length movie, of course it's going
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to look amazing. Captures and translates the manga's art style flawlessly (plus with some of those unique, signature, "camera shots" that Naoka Yamada is known for to give it an extra layer of charm). 10/10
Sound: For a movie about deafness, the sound design is ironically great. The music adds a unique touch, and the dub is quite good also. (I have not seen the subbed version, so I can't speak for that other than a few clips.) 9/10
Character: As mentioned previously, some of the character development and expression was lost in translation from the manga. That said, they are still well written and handled well also. 8/10
Enjoyment: I enjoyed it very much. 8/10
Overall: I'd say overall I enjoyed this as much as the manga. I'm almost tempted to rate it higher than the manga, but I think it'd be smarter to give it time to settle before I reevaluate my thoughts on it. That said, from the get-go I much prefer the ending to this movie, I like a lot of the movie only additions they put in there (such as the way the events are organized, the stuff with the ear scars, etc.) However, while the tone is more focused here as a straight-forward drama, I prefer how the tone was handled in the manga a little more as it was more balanced in terms of dramatic moments and comic relief. That said, I do think treating this film as a straight drama was probably the wiser decision in the long run considering the subject matter. A solid film. 8/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jun 3, 2019
WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD FOR BOTH THE MANGA AND ANIME!
Instead of doing the typical pros and cons lists, instead I think it's better to just compare the things I liked and didn't like about the manga with what I liked and didn't like about the anime.
To start things off, I saw the anime first, so I am admittedly more partial to it. Despite this, the manga I would say was just as good. The two follow essentially the same story, only differing in a couple minor points and the ending which I will touch upon later.
As for the manga, it did one
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thing that in hindsight was a pretty stupid plot point in the anime that didn't need be there, and omitted it (or rather the anime unnecessarily added it in.) That being the mentioning of L and Naomi's former colleagueship. The fact that the manga didn't include this made the brilliant, but admittedly, already confusing plot that much less confusing.
My one main gripe about the manga comes in the form of how L's death is handled. It just came out of nowhere and didn't give the reader any time to really feel the impact of it. As cheesy as the foot-washing scene in the anime was, it did give the audience a reminder of L and Light's supposed friendship after a long period of seeing them interact as business partners. While I do think the manga does a much better job of making it's biggest surprise that much more surprising, it lacks the emotional weight that made that part so powerful in the anime.
I really liked the way the manga ended....well.... sort of. The added epilogue of Aizawa and Matsuda conversing about previous events on their way to helping Near with another case was a very nice addition and led to a very satisfying conclusion to these characters. The way the manga ends, also, with the reveal of a secret Kira worshipping cult, I thought was brilliant. The only thing I liked better about the anime was the implication if Misa's death. Granted, they don't mention anything about it in the anime, but in the manga they don't even bother to trying close the arc of her eminent death caused by trading the eyes twice.
Anyways, this was still a great read. It made me appreciate the anime that much more due to the sheer faithfulness it had to the source material. The source material in itself, on it's own though, is still pretty great also. Check it out when you can.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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May 26, 2019
Well now. I've now seen this one. I don't know if there's anything I can say that hasn't already been said much better by other people, but here we go.
Pros:
- Probably the greatest story ever told in anime. The calmer moments, the action scenes, and even the backstory moments do nothing except aid the story resulting in one of the greatest climaxes and conclusions I've seen maybe ever.
- Amazingly fleshed out characters which the audience is able to relate with you watch them on this massive, epic, journey.
- Villains are written great as unlike a lot of shows/movies/etc. they pose an actual
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threat. There are no OP protagonists here. Each character is given very believable strengths and weakness that make the action scenes that much more entertaining and awesome.
- Japanese voice actors do a flawless job for these characters (especially Edward).
- Soundtrack is great. It feels very cinematic and huge which is perfect for this anime which also feels very cinematic and huge.
- Animation looks quite good also. The final 10 or 15 episodes especially stand out in my memory as having very good art and animation quality.
- Some interesting ideas thrown around regarding the place and purpose of government in society. There's actually quite intelligent commentary throughout about how a country can disservice it's people simply by being overpowered and lacking transparency and mutual trust with its citizens.
- Without giving anything away (although I'm sure most of you know by now what I'm referring to) Thanks a lot episode 4, you now have the distinction of being the first anime episode that was so screwed up that I had to take a break from this series altogether.
Cons:
- Not really a legitimate criticism, but this series suffers from a serious case of sakuga.
- While I do think such a grand-scaled story deserved to have tons of characters in it, I do think that maybe there were possibly a bit too many characters (mostly minor ones). Often there'd be characters that were introduced in a couple episodes and served a purpose for that arc, and then about 20 or 30 episodes later they'd show up out of the blue after I'd forgotten about what purpose they served earlier. Kind of a minor nitpick, and one that's mostly due to the fact that midway I took an extended break from it, but I still think it is something that needs addressing.
Overview:
The best way I can describe this anime is that it's sort of like a Japanese, steampunk version of Lord Of The Rings. Similar to Lord Of The Rings it is a massive story that needs to be visited at least once in your life. So much goes on throughout the course of this 64 episode series that the only way they could have done it true justice is by adding 64 more episodes. For what we got, though, it still manages to captivate the audience and engage it in the journey of these heroes whose quest descends deeper and deeper into hidden, undesired, truths taking their journey in many different directions. This is truly one of the most fascinating epics I've encountered, and I highly recommend it if you are looking for a fantastic fantasy adventure that is intelligent and adult it nature while also being very accessible and not overwhelmingly complex. An absolute recommendation. See it now if you haven't already.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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May 5, 2019
Talk about drastic improvement.
Pros:
- Characters are more well developed and likable than the first season. There were parts in this season that actually had a bit of an emotional impact on me.
- Writing is also drastically improved in comparison to the previous season. Incredibly charming and quite humorous once in a while.
- While not too much different from season 1, the colors are more vibrant and well suited to the series.
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Cons:
- Not much I can really think of. Anything I can think of would mostly be nitpicks or things related to differing preferences in anime.
Overall:
While I wouldn't skip it entirely (namely for certain context clues and the immortal line "fun things are fun") you could almost skip the entire first season and go on straight to this one. In some cases I would actually recommend it. I now finally understand why this anime is so beloved. It's not deep or anything, its just simple, charming, adorable fun. If that's what you're looking for, this is where I would direct you towards.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Apr 30, 2019
Probably the best Ipad commercial ever.
Pros:
- Voice acting is very good.
- Very creative take on the old "your dreams become reality" thing we've seen a few times in movies before. I like how in this the lines are so blurred that at times you don't even know which is real life and which is the dream.
- The description was not lying when it said this was a "blending of genres" to paraphrase. The weird blend of slice-of-life, mecha, and fantasy really add something to what I would otherwise consider a mediocre film.
- The climax of the film is so stupid it enters the
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realm of "so bad it's good". Incredibly entertaining ending.
- I like the Japanese version of "Daydream Believer" at the end. (although would somebody please explain why this song seems to be almost more popular in Japan than the US.)
- I quite liked the animation and character designs, also.
Cons:
- Villain is extremely boring. Typical rich, evil, businessman we've seen a million times in other things.
- While the soundtrack isn't bad, it isn't anything too spectacular either. Some of the cartoon-y sound effects also are a bit distracting and unfitting. (SPOILER: the sound effect for the villain's death being a literal toilet flushing, though, I thought was so random, yet hilarious. SPOILER END)
- While it wasn't THAT difficult to follow, the plot could get a bit confusing at times.
Overview:
This was a somewhat strange, yet still quaint and enjoyable film. It's not a masterpiece by any means, but it's still a good watch that I would recommend. I especially recommend it for some of the incredibly odd choices they make in certain parts that range from being cute to being simply utterly random and kind of laughable at times (either that or I'm just really tired). Quite creative artistically. A bit cliche in some areas, but not so much so that it's unwatchable. 7/10.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Apr 24, 2019
Pros:
- Extremely creative concept, and great execution as well
- Story is very good
- Animation looks amazing
- Background music is quite diverse, yet still creates the desired effects for each scene
- Great world building. You feel very immersed into the world created here.
- Tense scenes work amazing (especially if you are afraid of heights like I am.)
Cons:
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- Villain is rather cliche and boring.
- (SPOILERS) It might be nice to know if the gravity in this world becomes fixed for people. Perhaps, also, it might be nice to see some sort of after credits scene where we see peace between Aiga and the inverts. (SPOILER END)
Conclusion:
As a kid, I had an idea for a story similar to this one in which the Earth's gravity becomes reversed and people have to live indoors at all times. For a long time I had this idea in the back of my mind, but could not create any sort of story around that idea. Luckily for me, I discovered this film which took this idea and turned it into something truly unique. That being said, I did get something completely different from what I expected. I expecting something similar to the idea I had, in which everybody was subjected to the reversal of gravity. Instead they opted to go into the direction of the people affected being a small minority of people in an Orwellian totalitarian regime. While I have seen this kind of enemy a million times, I think it actually works here because the overall concept is something that I have never seen presented in any film. With all this said, is it still a good movie? Yes. If you're looking for something to satisfy the Haiyo Miyazaki shaped hole in your heart with some elements of "1984" and acrophobia mixed in, this is the film for you.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Apr 22, 2019
Pros:
- An old concept made fresh again through great use of incorporating new ideas and unique world building
- Well developed characters that you immediately connect with and want to see succeed, yet still flawed enough so as to make the stakes high and the tension that much greater.
- Great usage of cliffhangers. Every episode ends on a cliffhanger that keeps the audience guessing and saying "OHHH OH nooo!"
- That OP song is LIT!!! It will be sorely missed when season 2 comes.
- This is just a minor detail, but I noticed in a lot of episodes it opened up with the sound of
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ticking clocks. This is really effective in not only creating a feeling of uneasiness, but also in symbolizing the short time span these kids have to escape.
- Amazing villain. One of the best villains I've seen in anime in a long time.
Cons:
None
Conclusion:
Probably one of the best psychological mystery thrillers I've seen since Death Note (yeah I just went there). Every moment feels important and like nothing is wasted. It succeeds amazingly at delivering that feeling of tension and desperation to avoid being found out. I'm really glad this caught on. I absolutely LOVE these kinds of psychological thrillers with dark twists to them. I think this anime did a phenomenal job at not only succeeding in that area, but also succeeding in making this kind of show accessible to a wider audience. Great show. Can't wait for season 2.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Apr 22, 2019
Pros:
- Absolutely breathtaking artwork (as you would expect from a Shinkai Makoto project)
- Characters are well written, and relatable.
- While I prefer the sub for this, this is good example of a film where both the sub and dub versions are both good.
- The sound in this is absolutely gorgeous as well. It may be the highlight of the whole movie for me.
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- Amazing use of simple, effective storytelling.
- Manages to fit all of the aforementioned pros in a span of only 41 minutes, and still not feel rushed, forced, or contrived in any way.
Cons:
- Just one minor nitpick that has nothing to do with the quality of the film. Is this technically a film or a short? Please, I need this answered.
Conclusion:
I think I may like this more than "Your Name". While there certainly isn't all the plot twists and grandiosity that "Your Name" has, it succeeds by being masterful on the opposite of the spectrum and using its simplicity and relatable and realistic events to make a big splash from a film that isn't even the length of an average feature film. This is a must see, especially during spring or during a rainy day.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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