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What is right? What is wrong? Who do I follow? Who do fight? Do I forgive? Do I avenge?

Tell me, what path would you choose?

These are exactly the kind of questions viewers are faced with when watching Akame ga Kill! It’s more than just bloodshed and assassinations – there’s a very distinct underlying theme behind this series. Unless you are ready to open your mind and explore the validity of what you and others have believed before, I suggest you not watch this anime until you are. However, if you are in fact ready to accept that some things are undeniably true and false, ... then proceed and see how great this anime is.

Note: From episode 21 and onwards, the anime differs from the manga, mainly due to the fact the anime covers a lot more than what had been published in the manga at the time.


BACKGROUND INFO
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Before I begin, I want to provide a brief background info on what led me to this anime. Back in 2012, I was going through a phase where I only wanted to read manga. Not just any kind of manga – I wanted to read a manga that had characters engaging in fast-paced battles with one another in hopes of achieving their respective goals that their ideologies manifested. I wanted to read a manga that provided me, the reader, more than one perspective to which I could ponder about what is “right” or “wrong”.

I searched through at least a dozen manga until I stumbled across Akame ga Kill! Initially, it was the manga’s cover art that caught my eye because it was done very well; that feeling was compounded further as I read through the first chapter. It was just one chapter, yet it had everything I had been searching for already. It had been a while since a manga was able to make me confidently say “this is it”.

Fast-forward to the present: When I heard that the Akame ga Kill! manga was going to be adapted into an anime, I was so excited. I was anticipating the release with great optimism, especially when I heard White Fox was going to be the studio taking on this task. And now with its release, I can finally write and share my review!


STORY: 10/10
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With a story revolving around politics and sociology, it’s easy to see how many viewers can pass up the opportunity to watch Akame ga Kill! (AgK!). In real life, these disciplines are complex insofar that those who do not have enough information on a particular issue cannot even begin to decide on what’s true/false or who’s right/wrong. However, passing up on AgK! because of that reason would be a huge mistake.

AgK! does a brilliant job of breaking down these political/sociological boundaries so that every viewer can see how some issues surrounding these areas affect the average person. Although it may be more exaggerated in comparison to real-life, AgK! offers viewers an unobstructed view of the corruption of power (namely, those with high authority) that control societies. These corrupt individuals and groups prey on the innocent – oppressing them and using them as nothing more than tools to fuel their selfish desires. Some are not even aware that they are being manipulated, at all.

As a consequence, there are individuals that unknowingly grow up to become pawns. They live thinking that they exist to defend peace, justice, and their homeland, but in reality they are doing the opposite – defending, and thereby nourishing the corruption. However, some individuals grow to realize this peaceful and orderly world they supposedly live in is an illusion to hide the evil that exists. Therefore, unable to stand by and watch, they go against society to try and save it. This is exactly what AgK! is about – choosing your own path and proving it’s the right one.

In regards to the story’s pace, I think it was done extremely well. Every event that took place had its own purpose, was not rushed nor was stretched to unreasonable lengths, and more often than not it advanced the story in a logical direction. I was a bit concerned that the anime adaptation would result in some loss in detail from the manga, and of course there would be. Some miniature story and characters from the manga are omitted from the anime to save time, but the main story remains unchanged for the most part. In regards to the anime's pacing, White Fox did a wonderful job of choosing where to start and end each episode, in respect of the story.

Looking more closely at the story itself though, many viewers will be surprised at how fast things happen to unfold. We (viewers) are accustomed to having important people practically survive until the story’s end, but in AgK! this will change that belief quickly. People die a lot during the course of AgK!’s story. It gets to the point where you start saying, “Of course they would die – at the end of the day, they’re human!” as if every other show you have watched before had characters that weren’t human, after all. It can be absurd to many viewers, but I consider it a breath of fresh air.

No matter how you look at it, AgK!’s story reflects some basic truths about the reality we live in. Whether in small or large amounts, many, if not all, countries around the world are affected by corruption in some form. Taking everything so far into account, I give AgK!’s story a 10/10.


ART: 8/10
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In my opinion, AgK!’s art is above-average, but not quite the best I’ve seen. Starting with the background art, sceneries are drawn clearly without overpowering the main focus (the characters and other important objects such as weapons). Viewers can appreciate the amount of detail that goes into landscapes that have been destroyed. Studios often do a poor job on this, but White Fox clearly put some effort into doing a better job. Animals (namely monsters) and weapons are drawn with more detail than I expected, which is always good.

However, characters look rather simple despite each one having unique physical features about them. One thing that annoyed me a bit was how the “eye-liner” or eyeliner around the top of a character’s eye was sometimes a different colour than the traditional black. That made it seem like they had bushy eyelashes. To me, it really diminished their aesthetic look. I’m aware that that’s how they may have been designed to look like, but I didn’t really like it.

Having said that, I find everything else about the characters really satisfying. The majority of male viewers (and not unlikely, female viewers) will enjoy some of the eye candy in AgK! They are done rather sparingly and appropriately more often than not, which helps in maintaining the overall heroic tragedy theme. I wouldn’t say AgK! would be ruined it didn’t have any typical fan-service, but it does provide relief when events get a bit too depressing.

Now, regardless of the type of emotion felt, the characters’ facial expressions are spot on. Very expressive. I particularly like it when a female character blushes and smiles – it was often exaggerated but man, it was like staring at a manifestation of true beauty. Not only that, these facial expressions are often accompanied by backgrounds that support them whatever they may be. Can you imagine how beautiful it is to not only see a female character blushing and smiling, but doing so while the sun was setting in the background? Talk about gorgeous. Furthermore, changes in the characters’ physical conditions are drawn really well. Whether caused by things like injuries such as burn, an amputation, or even a small scratch, it was done sensibly and tastefully.

In regards to animation, it was great for the most part. The fighting scenes were fluid, the special effects looked amazing, and the characters’ movements were just as good. Except for their walking animations – they were terrible. Granted, many studios seem to have a hard time animating a character walking so I’m not that annoyed. There may be times where it can get annoying though, so be prepared!

All in all, I’m satisfied with the drawing, but because I can’t overlook some its nuances I have decided to give AgK!’s art an 8/10.


SOUND: 8/10
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For viewers who have never heard of AgK! prior to this anime, the characters’ voices may sound reasonably good. However, coming from a person who started off reading the manga before watching the anime, I found that some of them weren’t as I expected them to be. A few sounded too young or old for their age or physical appearance, as well as having voices that did not suit their personalities really well. It’s really hard say exactly what I mean by this, but then again it really boils down to personal preference. As objectively as possible, I would say that each of their voices are memorable and have enough expression in them to convey the right meaning in any given context. Heck, even though I know there are better voice actors/actresses out there, I’ll admit that some of the voices kind of grew on me.

Briefly speaking, sound effects like swords clashing, guns firing, and explosions are “normal” – they are what you expect it to sound like. Nothing really fancy. Although, I do want to point out that the sounds monsters make are pretty cool.

Last but not least, the OP and ED songs in AgK! are beautiful. All of them. The songs used in the OPs are really intense which help maintain the viewer’s attention; the songs used in the EDs are much softer which prolong the feeling of tragedy usually seen every episode. I think White Fox did an excellent job with song selection.

After reviewing these aspects, I would have to give AgK!’s sound a 7.5/10 (which I have to round to an 8/10 because of MAL’s scoring system at the time of writing this review) I didn’t factor in technical things like stereo and stuff, but I mean it sounds good with 2.1 sound. I don’t believe it would diminish the quality of this anime by any significant amount having done so, nor would it be exceptionally better if it was surround sound but again, it’s only my opinion.


CHARACTER: 10/10
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The characters in AgK! are downright amazing. There are just so many of them, and with various personalities, too! Whether you enjoy seeing a character act sneaky, intelligent, tsundere, courageous, stubborn, or evil – it’s all there. Viewers are bound to find at least one character they like. They often possess background stories of some sort which lends to the creation of pretty complex and in-depth personalities. AgK! isn’t afraid of making viewers like characters that are supposedly “bad”.

Furthermore, who the characters are as individuals often defines what their advantage and disadvantage are. Anyone can be susceptible to manipulation, regardless of how powerful they may be. For example, underestimating your enemies is one characteristic that many of characters possess, ultimately leading to their demise.

In fact, viewers may end up kind of frustrated at AgK! because many of the likeable characters die. It may be extremely absurd to some, no doubt. However, in the end, I think AgK! aimed to get the majority of viewers to come together and ultimately scrutinize the actions of a particular group of individuals: the corrupted authorities that use their power to deprive societies of their liberties.

Despite being brief in this section, I think it was more than enough to justify giving AgK!’s character aspect a score of 10/10.


ENJOYMENT: 10/10
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I really enjoyed watching AgK! I honestly cannot find any reason to hate it other than those minor things like having bad walking animation or unsuitable voices. I always get excited when the latest episode airs. Lucky for most of you though, the series has probably ended by the time you manage to read this review, so you can watch it back to back. I do enjoy the weekly anticipation though, so all was not lost.

From a purely objective standpoint, I would have to give this AgK! a 10/10 in terms of enjoyment.


OVERALL: 9/10
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In conclusion, Akame ga Kill! was everything I was looking for. The story was great. The characters were great. The art was great as well. And while the sound not so much, I can’t say that it was enough to make me disappointed with this series. White Fox did a terrific job at adapting the manga into an anime. I’m glad they were the ones to pick this series up. Who knows the horror that would have befallen on this anime had it been produced by a different studio?

It looks like writing a personal review on Akame ga Kill! was the path I chose.


Tell me, have you made your resolve?


If you liked my review, please hit the 'helpful' button below! I'd greatly appreciate it! It gives me motivation to write more reviews and get better. Thank you!

Hey, what would you do if your life felt uneventful every day?

The repetition of doing the same things time after time again, the places you go to, the food you eat, the friends and conversations you have with them – would you find anything strange about it? No, right? I mean, aren’t peaceful days the norm? Shouldn’t we be happy with living such easy, straight-forward lives...?

But what if there comes a point in your life when you think your everyday actions appear too automated – too linear – as if everyone, including you, were just machines? In fact, how would you react if you were ... told that you were just a robot? That the world you live in is just a fabrication?

If you find such questions interesting, it’s time to explore the perplexing world inside “Classmate, Kamimura Yuuka wa Kou Itta.”

Classmate, Kamimura Yuuka wa Kou Itta (CKYKI) is quite the interesting read. The story is typical but it has been done very well so far. There are times when CKYKI throws in details up for philosophical interpretation, but in hindsight there are logical and technical aspects about them as well. When you first read CKYKI, you will probably think it's just another school-based SOL manga but if you keep reading you'll know that it is not the case. Trust me, without trying to spoil, I would like to say CKYKI makes you wonder – even if ever so slightly – that what you call reality, may not be reality at all.

Shuushi Shirasaki, a male student of an unnamed school, is bored and constantly fed up with his peaceful life. He wants change, but he hasn’t taken initiative to do so. On the other hand, his classmate Yuuka Kamimura is energetic and irregular in her behaviors to the point that classmates label her weird and do not approach her. Not even Shuushi pays any attention to her – that is until she says the very same thing he always thought: “Today, again, the world is peaceful. It’s boring.”

The interactions between the two main characters are enjoyable mainly because they have totally different personalities yet both share similar beliefs regarding the world around them. Shuushi’s archetype is nothing new: a regular guy who’s somewhat hard-headed but dependable when the time calls for it. Yuuka’s archetype is something else though. She is usually very charismatic and spontaneous but there are times when events bring her down a bit. She can also be seen attempting to do or say humorous things which are, for the most part, pretty lame yet so cute at the same time. I just can’t get enough of her. In general, the emotions of the characters are realistic. It just makes sense the way they act and the way they display their emotions. You gotta love it.

The artwork is very pleasing to the eyes. A bit typical, yes, but it works. I like Yuuka’s character design a lot. She looks like a bit like Yuuko from Tasogare Otome x Amnesia (if you know what that is). You’ll appreciate it a lot more when you get to see full-page shots of Yuuka. Not much else to comment about artwork.

Overall, I’m really liking Classmate, Kamimura Yuuka wa Kou Itta. I give it a solid 8/10. You can’t go wrong with a story that attempts to look at uneventful life in a different way. If such a story interests you and/or you enjoy seeing interesting characters, then this manga is for you!

Thanks for reading my review. Please, if you found this review useful hit the ‘helpful’ button!

- DesolateOne

First off, I want to say To LOVE-Ru Darkness is not for everyone.

This show is NOT for people who hate fanservice and/or harems. This show IS for people who love tons of ecchi, harems, and more ecchi. To top it off, To LOVE-Ru Darkness actually has... wait for it... a plot. *Gasp* Really?! Yes, it does. It's not just mindless fanservice (although that's cool too). You should definitely watch this show if ecchi is your thing.

...But you all probably knew that since this is the third season of the To LOVE-Ru series and you've seen the first two seasons (To LOVE-Ru and Motto To LOVE-Ru, ... respectively). If you haven't, then there really is no point in reading this review! Go check out the first two seasons!



Now, there are a few things I want to go over about this show:


1) Story - 7/10

You claim all ecchi shows have no plot? Think again! At first glance, the To LOVE-Ru series might seem that way, but in reality it has many arcs that keeps pointing in one direction. Sure, it's not going to be some mindblowing masterpiece like Death Note, but how can you even compare TLRD to something so different?! We have to realize that the main goal of the show is to make us go crazy over which heroine the male protagonist will choose in the end. So far, it has done that well.

However, like I've said before this show does have a bit of a story. I mean, there are two girls from outerspace trying to accomplish different things with the male protagonist. Conflicting things, if I might add. Then you get to see many girls on earth who show interest in the male protagonist. Well, it doesn't stop there because in TLRD there are even more girls from outerspace trying to accomplish things with...you guessed it: the male protagonist.

Of course, if you are Momo Bella Deviluke such troublesome things look more like a great opportunity. So for an ecchi-harem, To Love-Ru should please many (in more ways than one ;)).

Don't get me wrong -- Yeah it does have a story but it's still considerably weak. It isn't anything compelling but there are moments where it leaves you wanting more. It's enjoyable nonetheless. I'll leave it at that.


2) Art - 10/10

The To LOVE-Ru series has come a long way in terms of artwork. In the first season, the visuals were great for its time. But damn, the second season and third season turned it up a level or two. The scenery, the characters, even the small background objects look amazing. However, I remember reading forum posts and reviews criticizing the second and third season's artwork. You see... when the studio colored the characters, they added this shiny gloss to them to give the illusion of rounded body parts (i.e. the chin, elbows, knees). Not a lot of people liked it but personally I loved it. I think the studio made a good decision keeping the artwork for TLRD the same as the second season.

So overall, I think the show has beautiful art.


3) Sound - 8/10

Since it has been a year or two since the last season finished airing, To LOVE-Ru Darkness may come as a surprise to you in the sound department. Beginning with the OP song, I found it to be very good. It's called "RAKUEN PROJECT" by Ray. It's sort of a mix of electronic/dance music with rock. It threw me off a bit because the first few seconds sounded like the last few seconds of an ED song. I literally said "Damnit, this isn't the real version of the episode!" However a few seconds later you get to the "actual" part of the song. It's a really good song. Kinda stuck in my head now...

About the voice actors - You may find that you dislike the chosen voice actors for some of the characters in the show. I remember when I watched the first episode... I was wondering why the girls sounded so much younger than they looked. I thought for a second maybe they changed voice actors since the last season because I didn't remember them sounding like this. So I did a little research but found out they used the same voice actors as last season. I shrugged and decided to just watch through the first episode and hope that the voices grew on me. Well what do you know? By the end of the episode I wasn't thinking twice about having someone else voice the characters. You might appreciate the voices even more when you get to the "naughty" scenes ;).

The background music was very good too. Subtle, but good. There is usually a ballad playing when it gets to storytelling time and an upbeat soundtrack during the rare intense scenes (fighting, heated dialogues with enememies, etc.). There aren't many sound effects besides the occassional boob/ass grab. Even I found that hilariously good.

I'm not particularly fond with the ED song. It's called "Foul Play ni Kurari" by Kanon Wakeshima. It is a fast-tempo song with a string orchestra. A good song, don't get me wrong but for an ending it's a bit too 'cutesy'. I would have preferred a rock song with a bit of a ballad-edge to it but this song is good, too.

4) Characters - 9/10

One of the first things you will realize in To LOVE-Ru Darkness is the lack of Lala Satalin Deviluke. In the first two seasons, she was the main heroine but she has since dwindled into just another heroine subject to equal competition. Actually, she doesn't even get as much screentime now. I really miss her and I find myself happy just being able to see her even for a second.

Sadly, because of all the new characters the show has pretty much changed from being a harem that ends with a relationship between just two people into a harem that strictly aims to create a harem ending. I have mixed feelings about the change. On the one hand, I want Lala to win but on the other hand I'm starting to see myself change opinions because of the numerous interactions the other characters have with Rito.

Let us begin with the male protagonist. Yuuki Rito. He's a pretty typical character. He's clumsy, thick-headed sometimes, but a good person inside. Many girls like that about him. What makes him stand out though is the fact he's notorious for getting into situations that end with him being on top or under a girl. Sometimes he's naked. Sometimes the girl is naked. Sometimes they're BOTH naked! Top that off with just plain dirty and awkward hand positions like breasts/butt-groping, face-in-crotch/butt/breasts and you have one lucky bastard (minus the fact he usually gets punished for it after).

Then we have Yami the Golden Darkness. Yami for short. Yami is a quiet kuudere/dandere whose mission is to kill Yuuki Rito - although she doesn't really seem to want to do it. In the first two seasons, we didn't get much of her. She was just another character in the story for the most part. However, in this season it focuses on Yami and uncovering her past. This goes back to me saying that this show has a story!

Mea Kurosaki will be the first new character you'll be introduced to in this season. She is an assassin who was sent to earth by a master to monitor Yami's actions. By the way, Yami and Mea are sisters. They both have the ability to transform their hair into weapons and such. Although she appears to be nice (and sometimes curiously perverted) on the outside, she has a dark heart just like Yami. She's like the second best character in the show IMO. I really like her dirty schemes haha. You get to see more of that later on.

Now...Momo Bella Deviluke. Oh my goodness...she is AMAZING.To me, she's the best character in TLRD. I even dare say she is one of the best female characters of 2012. Not many will agree simply because they don't know about the show but those who have watched To LOVE-Ru Darkness will agree. They have to! I mean, c'mon she's what fuels the fire in the season. The perverted tactician would be a suitable title for her. We mostly see the story from her perspective. Her main goal is to be with Yuuki Rito, but she's okay with Yuuki Rito ending up with every girl. Wait. She isn't just okay with it - she WANTS it to happen. She ACTIVELY pursues that goal! That's why she is so entertaining to watch. And just wait until you see her extremely perverted delusions. It's hilarious!

I'd talk about the other characters but there isn't much to say. That is not to say they don't have any character development because they do. Run/Ren Elsie Jewelria is one good example of a character with good development. There are a few more characters that have yet to be introduced but I don't want to spoil it and say what happens so just watch the show!

5) Enjoyment - 10/10

Let me keep it brief: I enjoy this series so much. It is definitely the best ecchi/harem series I have watched in the past two years of my anime life. This show is so damn hilarious and entertaining to watch. I even end up watching it as soon as it comes out despite not having subs! All because I'm impatient and want to watch the show as soon as it comes out.

It's not that bad for me to watch it raw though because I'm up to date with the manga and know a bit of Japanese so I know what's going on. But anyways, 10/10!

6) Overall - 8/10

Overall, I find To LOVE-Ru Darkness to be refreshing. Even though the show does an extremely good job at it, ecchi is not the main reason why this show is good. The main reason why this show is good is because of the story, artwork, and characters. Without those three, the ecchi would lack a lot of substance. I know it's weird saying that because people think those who watch ecchi are pleased with just boobs and butts but NO. We want more! And where do we find it? In To LOVE-Ru!

So go ahead and watch To LOVE-Ru Darkness. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good ecchi show. Perhaps even those who don't watch ecchi that much but have an open-mind. Try it out and see.




Thanks for reading my review. Thank you even more if you read everything I wrote and not just skim through it. Yes, I consider them two different situations. You know it's true. :)

Please hit the 'helpful'' if you find this review helpful.
Even if you didn't find it helpful, I appreciate you checking it out.


- DesolateOne