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Apr 22, 2022
I've struggled with how to evaluate and rate Evergreen. I'm a fan of Yuyuko Takemiya's writing, and we see elements of her skill in this story, but there are several flaws that drag down the quality of the experience. That being said, there is one component of this manga which I think is largely above reproach: the artwork. Akira Kasukabe did a great job, especially with character design.
I think the main problem from which most others stem in this story is the character writing. Most of the characters were given reasonable attention. On and Shunsuke are amusing and surprisingly deep (given the relatively short length
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of the manga). Hotaka isn't the most notable main character you'll ever encounter, but is definitely serviceable. Niki, however, is severely underdeveloped. Which is unfortunate, since having her back story and character psychology well developed was critical to the success of this story. She is easily the most important character in Evergreen. Almost all conflict and progression stem from her actions. However, there often weren't enough historical references (e.g., actions, thoughts, and decisions) to provide an explanation for her behavior. While reading I often found myself thinking that I didn't understand her. Even by the end of the story she still seemed like a stranger to me.
I liked the plot and themes of the story, even though much of the drama and conflict is ineffective and confusing. There's one theme often (seemingly) used for fetish indulgence in anime/manga that is explored in a more serious/realistic manner by Evergreen, which I appreciated. I also thought the author did a great job foreshadowing the major plot twist. Given the state of Niki's character and the length of the manga, I think the romance was good enough.
Even with the aforementioned complaints, I still ultimately found some enjoyment in Evergreen. If you're a fan of Yuyuko Takemiya and/or romance stories, I think it's worth reading.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Apr 27, 2021
I was initially skeptical that Plastic Memories would be any good, but after finishing it I can say I enjoyed it. The bittersweet ending was satisfying. It has some notable flaws, but it is a decent romance.
Plastic Memories has some serious world-building problems early on. Some of the elements presented exist only to force the desired narrative. I'll leave out specifics in order to avoid spoiling, but suffice it to say that many of the details presented early on have little-to-no impact on the later parts of the story. (The story is primarily a romance, so keep that in mind when setting expectations.) Fortunately, the
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story starts to pull away from the awkward world-building after a few episodes. The romantic elements take on a bigger role and get the focus necessary to properly flesh out the narrative. Once it gets rolling, I found the story was surprisingly effective at facilitating immersion.
The main duo, Tsuakasa and Isla, aren't the best couple I've ever seen. While Tsukasa can be a little dense/naïve at times, he is generally competent and empathetic. Isla, meanwhile, is endearing, but a klutz physically and emotionally. They work together well enough to be compelling, but they lack synergy. I don't think this necessarily detracts from the show, but it doesn't add much either. In short, I think Tsukasa and Isla's romance is satisfactory, but not unique or memorable.
I found the support cast to be satisfactory. Some of them are definitely tropey, but they're largely functional. I enjoyed the dynamics of the various human and Giftia teams. The Michiru/Zack and Yasutaka/Sherry pairings are especially amusing. Michiru is my favorite support character, and an example of the tsundere archetype done well. She is a reasonably deep character and is probably the most significant one besides the main duo.
The production value is solid. The art and animation are satisfactory. Good voice acting (Japanese) and music. I particularly enjoyed the ending song. I don't think anything was standout, so not too much to say here.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jan 19, 2021
While I'm not overly familiar with the slice-of-life genre, Konohana Kitan is a bit different from the stories I've encountered in this genre. It can be dramatic at times, tackling topics such as death and the grief of loss. However, it doesn't get too heavy and is generally a lighthearted story. It strikes a good balance between light and dark. The story also regularly touches on philosophical topics, such as how we should interact with other people, finding meaning in life, coming to terms with our circumstances, and more. It does this in a simple and beautiful manner and avoids sounding pretentious.
The cast contains many
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of the character archetypes you'll commonly find in slice-of-life (e.g., tsundere, tomboy, airhead, etc.). Unlike most other slice-of-life stories I've encountered, the main cast gets relatively well developed. We get details on their families, past experiences, and how those elements have shaped them. Additionally, we see a significant amount of growth from the two most notable characters, Yuzu and Satsuki. I think Yuzu is a particularly enjoyable and endearing character. She is a simple-minded airhead. However, these aspects of her personality are not presented in a negative manner, but rather serve to highlight her humility and innocence. Many of the lessons presented in this story are shown through her purity.
The art is great; detailed and expressive. One component of it that I liked is the tasteful way in which nudity is included (it's not excessive, usually around 3 panels per volume). I'm so used to the awkward manner in which erotic fanservice is forcefully inserted into anime/manga, that I was pleasantly surprised by the natural way in which this material is presented in Konohana Kitan. I would say it's artistic, not pornographic.
I think this manga is a gem and would highly recommend it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Aug 1, 2020
This anime resonated with me more than probably any other I've watched up to this point. I absolutely loved Toradora!, each and every moment of it. Even independent of my enthusiasm, which I'm sure not everyone will share, I think the show is of an appreciably high quality.
The art and character design are good. I think the animation quality is above average, but not amazing. The voice acting (Japanese) is exceptionally good. The actors for the main cast really nailed their parts. They did a good job making the characters memorable and voicing the wide range of emotions expressed in the series.
It's difficult to talk
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too much about the story without spoiling it. While the show is mostly episodic, it does have an overarching plot: Taiga's and Ryuji's crushes on Yusaka and Minori, respectively. Not only that, but it also entails romantic, personal, and interpersonal development that I can't detail without spoiling. While the main plot points and themes may not be unique, the execution is excellent.
The character writing is where Toradora! truly shines. The main cast are all unique, multidimensional, and compelling entities that I couldn't help but become invested in. One component of the story that I think makes it particularly interesting, is that as characters develop and relationships change, it causes a ripple effect. For example, Ami joins the cast early on, and then acts as one of the main instigators for an important development involving Taiga. Ami, in turn, reevaluates her world view after being influenced by Ryuji. This character development strategy is used often and done exceptionally well. The continuous growth of the characters over the duration of their high school experience keeps the series fresh.
In conclusion, I think Toradora! is outstanding and definitely worth the watch.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Apr 1, 2020
I don't typically watch or enjoy this type of show. I find episodic comedies too often end up being monotonous and formulaic. However, Seton Academy did a good job with the episodic architecture of the show. Rather than being formulaic, each episode tends to do something new as compared to previous ones. New, significant characters are introduced, a recurring story line might be advanced, or a different character steps into the limelight. While I did think some of the episodes were boring, I generally thought the show did a good job keeping things fresh and interesting.
The animal theme was well done, and I enjoyed the
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character design. It wasn’t just an aesthetic, but a core component of the story and characters. I'm unable to vouch for their voracity, but I also enjoyed how various factual details (some of which are clearly embellished) of animal characteristics and behavior was used to model the cast. For example, Ranka's (wolf) iconic greeting, Miyubi's (sloth) frequent "deaths" due to overexertion, Yukari's (koala) interesting dietary choices, and Kurumi's (cat) aloof, independent nature, to name just a few. Even beyond that, this theme is used flavor the characters relationships with each other, such as the romance between King (lion) and Shiho (impala). The level of detail afforded to this component is commendable.
Jin and Ranka's interactions were the highlight of the show for me. Ranka's indomitable optimism, belief in her friends, and affection for Jin provides a humorous contrast against Jin's tsundere nature (spawned from his marked, yet ever-diminishing hatred of all animals). There obviously isn't much story given the nature of the show, but Jin and Ranka's relationship along with other elements, such as the King/Shiho romance and Yena's protracted character development, provide a small amount of continuity.
I thought the production quality was solid other than the intro/outro music which I did not like at all. The voice acting (Japanese) was pleasant. I especially liked the vocal rendition of Jin and Ranka. The art and animation were good: on par with most shows produced during the same time period.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Mar 5, 2020
After Hours was a decent yuri story, although I thought the writing was immature (i.e., poorly architected and constructed), at least in regard to the romantic pieces. I liked the club/nightlife theme and the level of detail afforded to it by the author (although I'm unable to verify the accuracy, not being familiar with this topic myself). The art was fine, but nothing exceptional. While I doubt this will be a memorable story for most, I think it's worth a read if you have an interest in the genre.
The story revolves entirely around the activities of the two main characters, Emi and Kei. The personalities
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of these two are well constructed given the length of the series, and Emi in particular gets a fairly significant amount of character development. The author does a good job of detailing her thoughts, fears, and decisions as she gets increasingly involved with Kei and the DJ scene. However, their backgrounds are shallow, which causes problems with certain components of the story (more on this later) and creates some inconsistencies in their characters. The supporting cast was given just enough detail for them to fulfill their roles. They weren't particularly good or bad.
I enjoyed reading about the DJ/nightlife antics of Kei, Emi, and crew, but the romance was weak. I think the level of detail and coherence of the series' environment and non-romantic elements speaks to the author's confidence in constructing these pieces. This is clearly absent in the romantic portions. Kei and Emi's romance starts early in the series and remains flat for most of it. The climaxes of their romance are short, simple, and ultimately quite ineffectual. One reason I think they fall flat is that some of the most significant events are the product of the baggage Kei and Emi brought with them into the relationship, yet the author barely elaborates on their past (Kei in particular is a victim here) and does not provide what I thought to be adequate foreshadowing. Overall, I think the content of the story was somewhat interesting, but the structure was sorely lacking.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Feb 20, 2020
I wasn't certain what to expect going into this story, but I absolutely loved what I found. Imperfect Girl is a short and sweet psychological thriller with some interesting underlying themes. While the core narrative may not be particularly original, it's conception and execution are excellent. The art and panel design are great; they really enhance the presentation of the story and help create an intense, captivating atmosphere. This is one of the few manga I've read to date whose ability to tell a story with illustration left a notable impression on me.
The story is more character driven than narrative driven, concentrating on the protagonist's
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interactions with the girl he nicknames "U." He strives throughout the story to discover who U is and why she's doing what she is, and in doing so also uncovers pieces of his own character. Regarding the latter point, we get an interesting look into the mind of the protagonist as he uses this experience to reflect on his failure as an artist (and perhaps as a person more generally). However, I think there is more here than just the story of a broken girl. Early on a question is posited to the reader. "... what's the difference between an author and an aspiring author?" I would recommend that prospective readers keep this in mind as they make their way through the series. The question and its answer (not only the explicit answer we receive, but the implicit answer we can perceive in the stories events) are what I think to be a rather profound commentary on the social utility (i.e., value proposition) of art, and perhaps also the necessary qualities of an artist.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Feb 17, 2020
Toaru Kagaku no Railgun season two takes the series a significant step in the right direction. While season one wasn't bad, I thought it had some architectural problems that detracted from the potential of the show. It has room to grow, but I can confidently say I enjoyed season two and am excited to see what the future holds for Toaru Kagaku no Railgun. (For brevity's sake I will avoid rehashing basic elements of the series in this review, as this is not the first season.)
Season one was primarily episodic with a few short narrative arcs spread throughout. Season two reverses the proportionality and is
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primarily narrative driven (there are two arcs) while allocating a few episodes at the beginning of each arc to a more episodic style. I think this was a good change as it allows for deeper character development (i.e., more inter-episode continuity allows for more complex, time-intensive development strategies), especially given the number of episodes. This season also incorporated more mature themes which I personally enjoyed and thought the story needed. My only major gripe is that the second arc was weak and contained several awkward plot conveniences.
Another positive change was that Kazari and Ruiko were moved into supporting roles. I don't think they're bad characters, but they are bad main characters (too one dimensional). This allowed for better use of those resources elsewhere, like developing Mikoto (sorely needed), and adding other members to the cast. I thought several of the characters (friends and foes) introduced in the first ark were interesting and added a lot of value to the show. The "Sisters" in particular were very funny, and I really enjoyed watching them.
The production value is on par with season one, or maybe slightly better (I liked the openings and endings more than the previous season). Like the previous season, I think some of the voice acting (Japanese) is phenomenal. Characters like Kuroko, Mitsuko, Accelerator, and Shizuri do a lot to make the show unique.
Overall, I'd say this season was solid, and I would recommend watching it. Even if you were hesitant, like me, after not being particularly impressed with season one, I don't think you'll be disappointed this time.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jan 21, 2020
This movie does not live up to the hype surrounding it, although it certainly isn't bad. While the production value was great and the story premise was initially promising, it ended up being somewhat shallow and boring. It may be that Weathering With You is better viewed as social commentary, but even then, I don't know if it deserves too much leniency for its failures. Despite my misgivings, I still think viewers should keep an open mind when watching this movie.
Despite its slow pacing, the story that unfolds in the opening sequence(s) has promise. Young runaways trying to make their way in Tokyo (and finding
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romance along their journey), coupled with the lore and symbolism of the "sunshine maidens": mythical characters who can control the weather. Much of Hadoka and Hina's journey appears symbolic of the struggle of the individual versus society, and the sunshine maiden narrative might be speaking to humankind's impact on the planet (i.e., concerns about climate change). While I can appreciate the symbolism, the amount of detail afforded to Hadoka's and Hina's lives was disappointing. I thought this really hurt the movie when it tried to deliver high impact, emotional moments. It's hard to empathize with characters that lack depth, and as such I thought the climax fell rather flat.
The supporting cast was set up well. Suga, Natsumi, and Nagi in particular. They all had a well-defined archetype and support style. Some of Suga's development later in the movie is a bit awkward, but I didn't think it was a problem. The main cast, Hadoka and Hina, seem like they were intended to be symbolic representations of the individual more so than deep, compelling characters. I'm torn as to whether I consider this to be a negative aspect, but regardless, I didn't find them interesting.
The art and animation were great. I really enjoyed the visual depiction of Tokyo. The cityscape is beautiful and one of the few highlights of the movie for me. The voice acting was solid, and the soundtrack was fine. Overall, the audio and video were pleasing and probably the best element of the movie.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jan 13, 2020
I found the initial premise for Happiness intriguing. It starts out exploring how the humans-turned-vampires cope with their new lives. How they handle this new state (e.g., the thirst for blood), how it affects their relationships with others, and the struggle they face to remain "normal." I was pleasantly surprised to find an absence of overt revenge or power fantasy elements. While this type of story isn't anything novel, I liked the dark, gritty take on the underground lives of vampires.
Approximately halfway through the story takes a turn for the worse. It starts to branch out into different arcs, some of which take the story
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in what I thought were very ill-thought-out directions. The first half has what I consider to be a much better composition (i.e., it was put together better; more compelling and coherent) than the latter, which was haphazard and shallow. Even ignoring the questionable direction, I don't think there was enough time, given the length of the series, to develop these new arcs adequately. While I genuinely enjoyed the beginning of this story, it had almost completely lost me by the end.
The main cast is interesting, and I liked the different ways in which they are initially developed and brought together. As mentioned by the mangaka (in his note at the end of volume 10), he tried to explore the psychology of multiple characters (while maintaining character quality) as opposed to focusing on just one. In this respect, I think he was mostly successful, and I generally enjoyed the different character narratives and perspectives.
One area of weakness in Happiness which really detracted from my enjoyment was the failure to development some of the more significant supporting characters. The only one who really gets proper attention is Nao. Saku appears at multiple points over the course of the story, including some important events. He has significant impact on the outcome of some characters' lives, but he doesn't even get a short backstory (or anything else really). I think Nora was the biggest failure. She is the catalyst for Makoto's vampiric transformation, a guide for his new state of existence, and his love interest. Despite this, her backstory is introduced shockingly late in the story, her motivations are barely explained, and no romantic development is allocated to her relationship with Makoto.
I really like the art and think the quality is objectively good. Things like the way the mangaka drew the sky and other perceptive differences for the vampires added an interesting character to the visuals. This is the one element of quality that remains consistent throughout the series.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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