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- BirthdayAug 22, 1997
- LocationSouth Carolina, USA
- JoinedMar 22, 2016
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Apr 21, 2021
Through two seasons, I believe Dr. STONE is one of the most consistent series out right now. Dr. STONE's 2nd Season, "Stone Wars", picks up right where Season 1 left off and it doesn't skip a step bringing me right back into the action of the Kingdom of Science's mission to return civilization to where it once was before an unprecedented event turned all of humanity into stone. Stone Wars starts off really well, immediately pulling the viewer back into the conflict between Senku and Tsukasa. A war is coming, after all. Excitement, nervousness and a looming sense of urgency are all running rampant in
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the village and I think these feelings were captured well during the prepping for the war that's soon to come.
I do have one prominent misgiving with Dr. STONE as a series. There has been an ongoing issue where the series can rely a bit too much on these pretty lengthy montages which are meant to get the characters from Point A to Point B when inventing new items and Stone Wars ramps these montages up even more to the point where it becomes a little more for me than a slight nuisance. I feel at this stage in the series these grinding moments could be executed a bit quicker, keeping the viewer in mind. For me, these sequences can get to be pretty repetitive and somewhat dull. The middle section of Stone Wars especially is full of these moments. Not at all a deal-breaker for me when I'm watching Dr. STONE, but I couldn't help but feel some of Season 1's magic was starting to ware off during the middle section of Stone Wars.
The visuals were pretty good overall, staying very consistent to how Season 1 looked. The art for the most part is well-done and the animation overall gets the job done (while it admittedly may not be flashy enough for some viewers). The sound-work is still pretty poor though, a trend that sadly carries over into Stone Wars from Season 1. This season may just be a bit too slow-paced for it's own good in the middle stage of the season but it reaches a really strong conclusion that leaves me feeling pretty hopeful for the future of the series as I feel now more than ever there needs to be a good change of scenery and a new focus on the bigger picture of their predicament as the last hope for humanity's complete revival.
I'm feeling a solid 7 overall, just one point down from Season 1's 8 rating.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Apr 20, 2021
I can't help but feel that Paprika wanted to be a lot more than what it ended up becoming. Setting out to find deeper meaning inside of the vast worlds only possible in dreams, for me it became nothing short of a random, convoluted mess of outstanding visuals that can only really be taken at face-value. Having seen Perfect Blue as well, I feel Paprika lacks direction and lacks a lot of the "meaning in the madness" Perfect Blue was able to achieve. I only make this comparison because they are both from the same director and share some similarities as the narrative continues.
While Paprika
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is a stunning movie visually, this is sadly the only strength this movie offers for me. With such an ambitious set-up, I can't help but want much more than this movie was able to deliver as far as the narrative goes. Any movie can look fantastic if given the resources necessary, but to me it just isn't all that special when nothing else seems to stand out besides who is animating the project.
With a cast that ranges from sub-par to painfully one-dimensional, Paprika is automatically at a huge disadvantage from the start of the movie when none of the characters can manage to steal the show and carry the narrative forward. While the detective character is probably my favorite this movie offers, I feel that it isn't presented all that well and missed opportunities to make his time on-screen more bearable to watch.
None of the events in this movie feel even the slightest bit cohesive and with such a huge emphasis on the inner-workings of the subject's psyche to create a world out of their dreams, there is not much sense to be made during these dream sequences besides a yet another opportunity to showcase the stellar art and animation capabilities of Madhouse. If that's all we're judging here, Paprika barely misses a step. Taking the whole experience into consideration though? It can't seem to catch it's balance and constantly relies on the same crutch to make it until the end-credits start rolling.
None of the resolutions really seem to satisfy me and left me feeling like my time had been wasted by even wondering about it as I watched. The nonsensical and almost meaningless way the villain is defeated, a rushed and completely unnecessary romance between two characters with no chemistry and an ending scene that only wishes it could be as impactful as Perfect Blue's similar (but way better executed) ending shot.
In short, Paprika is a breathtaking experience for the eyes that still somehow manages to be painfully mediocre as a full-fledged movie. Paprika lacks much direction and it wasn't much of a memorable watch. Again, I can't help but feel that Paprika wanted to be a lot more than what it ended up becoming. In the end, I'll remember Paprika as an overly-ambitious project that misses much more than it hits.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Mar 24, 2021
I have just completed Re:Zero 2nd Season Part 2. Taking a break from the usual intense suffering of Subaru, this season took a great deal of time focusing on the triumph over many of the tribulations our cast has had to endure and everything it took to get there. From developing it's side-cast in a major way to delivering answers to questions that have been proposed since Season 1, this season delivers in every way. It even takes some time to worldbuild and while I think it still needs a bit more in this department going forward, it's a very welcomed addition to Re:Zero.
White Fox
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did a phenomenal job animating Season 2 overall, but their skills really shined in Part 2 specifically. Many emotional hard-hitting scenes wouldn't have had nearly as much impact if it wasn't for White Fox delivering these moments with the love and care you can clearly tell they have for this series. From many fantastic backstories that give much more depth to characters that were lacking a lot beforehand to the epic, climatic battles that take place near the end of the season, Season 2 Part 2 will always be a very memorable experience for me.
This cast (as dysfunctional as it may have been at first) really rallied together in a special way to make the conclusion to Season 2's arc very satisfying. I was pleased with this Part so much that I have decided to award this Part of Season 2 with a 10. No longer relying on the intense death scenes and constant shortcomings of Subaru to drive home the drama, this is where Re:Zero absolutely stands out and I start to find a deeper meaning within the series.
While no series can be absolutely perfect in every way as that kind of statement feels very arrogant and pointless to make, for me Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu 2nd Season Part 2 gave me everything that I wanted and even more. Personally, this Part is more than deserving of a 10. This all goes without going in-depth with the top-tier voice-acting, an immersive soundtrack as well as memorable opening and ending themes/sequences as I want to keep this review relatively short.
Re:Zero has been my favorite isekai series ever since I watched Season 1 as it aired back in 2016 and Season 2 has only solidified this view that much more. If you have completed Season 1 and you want more, this 2nd Season as a whole I believe will give you even more than you expect. I absolutely recommend this series for anyone who wants to give it a chance. The payoff is so worth it. This release was borderline perfect for me and it was an amazing time. Waiting for the next episode every week was worth each agonizing second and I can only hope that a 3rd Season will be green-lit at any moment. I apologize for any grammar mistakes or anything I may have left out, this is actually my first review ever on MAL. I felt compelled to give my opinion in a review for the series because of the impact it made on me. Thank you for reading.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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