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Mar 15, 2018
Note to Anime: It is very important to make sure your viewers can easily tell whether or not your characters are human or highly advanced robots, especially when your world is set in a steampunk Victorian era and their occupation is literally called "Doll."
Spoiler: none of the "dolls" are actually robots. Just girls training to ghostwrite. Why is it only girls? Dunno. Why do they have to be called "doll"? Dunno.
Violet Evergarden. An anime that has all the glamour and musicality, but not a lot of sense. That was my review 2 episode into the series. The art is gorgeous, the music and voice
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acting are top notch. Animations are fluid and subtle. A pretty house that is furnished with terrible, dated furniture. The premise is cliche and the story makes little sense at times and tries way too hard to be "thoughtful" and "touching."
How have things fared since the start of the episode?
Spoiler ahead.
In episode 2 we see violet send a letter that pissed off the client because she's a robot (not really but she acts like one and has robot hands). This was done in an extremely forced, and illogical way. For starter, Violet is new. And yet no one proof-readed the letter for her. They just let a complete newb, whom they know talk and act like a robot and have trouble fitting in, ghostwrite a letter on the company's behalf. Also, Violet was a soldier that relies on order. This being the first letter she ever wrote, you'd think she would ask someone if the content was okay. This is BS storytelling. Sacrificing logic for plot is weak writing and I honestly didn't expect it in an anime everyone has been raving about.
Having re-adjusted my expectation, I watched two more episodes with a less critical eye and just genuinely trying to have fun. Unfortunately, this anime tries very hard to be dour and serious and touching, but ended up being very boring and devoided of fun and genuine moments.
Think of an anime like Neon Genesis Evangelion. Aside from being really dark and twisted (also features a heroine similar to violet in the name of Rei), Neon Genesis is also fun and subtly touching at times (not "everybody crying all the time" touching, except Shinji because he's a crybaby) You can argue that the series becomes increasingly convoluted, confusing and overtly religious towards the end, and I'd completely agree with you, but the series, for the most part, had a simplistic story to tell, had interesting side characters, had a focus... all the while being tonally dour and smothering.
Violet Evergarden has a very similar tone. It is serious most of the time and almost completely devoided of laughter. I can count the number of fun moments I had between episode 3 and 4 with 1 hand.
In episode 3, we are introduced to a girl named Luculia, who is good-natured and wants to take care of her brother since he was the only family she had left. This storyline had a lot of promise and had they taken the time to properly set up her struggles and motivations, the payoff would've been far greater. Then, somewhere in the middle of episode 3, she cried. Then towards the end of episode 3, she cried some more. Her brother also cried.
Episode four focused Iris, one of Violet's hot-head coworker, and her trip to her hometown. 10 minutes into the episode she cried and got into a shouting match with her mum. (how dramatic.) Another 10 minute she cried after seeing some dude who rejected her from way back.
There is so much CRYING.
How is any of this "touching"?
The biggest mistake this anime makes is thinking that throwing a sad melody on top of someone crying automatically makes the scene touching. Nevermind letting the audience get to know the characters. Nevermind the circumstances. Just have them cry and your audience will cry along. Spoiler: It doesn't work this way. Instead, it ends up feeling really forced.
There are some good moments in episode 4. For instance, iris asking Violet not to send the letter, and the very next scene you see is violet sending the letter. The dolls at the post office declared to have an official party, only to completely leave out their boss. Moments like this are very welcomed, and sourly needed in a show so devoided of light-hearted moments. Almost all the characters are cardboard cutouts. You can describe them in less than 3 adjectives.
The characters talk, but you never get the sense that they're real people. Just mouthpieces to fabricate conflict. (except Luculia. She had Violet write a letter to her dead parents. She's the first real character I've seen on this show that felt real.) You barely get any meaningful insight into each of the character's life. What's iris like when she's not working? What does she like to do? It's four episodes in already and so far we barely got to know the main cast, beyond one or two descriptors.
Violet Evergarden is like a beautiful piggy bank. The art is fantastic. The characters are pretty to look at. Great music and soundtrack. The exterior of the piggy bank promises riches beyond your imagination, and if you shake the piggy bank ever so lightly, you might even hear a faint rustle of coins or see a glitter of gold through the slit.
When you break it open, however, there's nothing inside but pebbles. No story to tell. No interesting character or dialogue to keep you engaged. What you have is a story that doesn't really say a whole lot, but isn't really fun to hear either.
if you're a teenager and this is going to be your first anime (or one of the first) by all means, watch it. It is pretty to look at, with all that filters and DoF and melodramatic soundtracks. If you are someone who grew up on anime, you can give this a pass.
Reviewer’s Rating: 3
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Feb 10, 2018
Sword Art Online is the worst anime of all time. I hated the first one with a passion, and it is only thanks to my friend's recommendation that I decided to watch the 2nd one. To my great surprise, I was enjoying it quite a bit at the start.
In the second season of Sword Art online, we are introduced to a character named Sinon, who actually had some depth. Keyword: HAD. She is completely relatable in the sense that she's bookish and traumatized in real life but turns into a complete badass in a game. While this is not a character trait unique to Sinon
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(and is in fact quite a cliche), she has a personality and an interesting history that would have been enough to carry a bad anime across the line of mediocrity. Hell, give her some character development, she might even make an otherwise mediocre concept/anime "good." She would've been a good lead. She was doing a good job being the protagonist.
Then Kirito showed up. And everything went to absolute Shit.
All her character developments are abandoned. The story of how Sinon overcome his fear of men and gun turned into the story of how Kirito got himself another waifu. And the things that he did with Sinon, the things that he said, actually made me feel uncomfortable. He was pretty much flirting with Sinon and cheating on his girlfriend, but somehow it's okay because it's Kirito.
He's the hero. You're supposed to like him. He can do no wrong.
At this point, I'm sure the only time I'm ever going to enjoy Sword Art online is when Kirito either straight-up dies or they do a spin-off without Kirito coming to save the day every damn time in some stupid manner.
The biggest problem with sword art online wasn't the premise or the story or the art or the music or the bizarre things that occurred. The biggest problem with Sword Art Online is Kirito. Always has been, and always will be.
Overall, I'd say Sword Art online 2 is a bad anime. Not the worst anime of all time. There are some enjoyable moments, a decent new heroine who has an interesting (by SAO standard) backstory, but when the show throws everything out of the window just so the old protagonist can get the girl in the end, it's doomed to be a less than mediocre anime that should be watched by no one.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Feb 10, 2018
Hunter x Hunter is my favourite anime of all time. It is a timeless masterpiece that no other series thus far - even the 2011 remake - had been able to replicate. People often like to compare this to 2011 original, which is paced faster, brighter and much better animated. They say the 2011 is the superior show because it has none of the fillers. Indeed, most anime fillers are terrible. They're known as fillers because they break the momentum of whatever arc that's ongoing and are usually introduced as a way to buy time.
In the original hunter x hunter, however, the fillers are
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what built the momentum. In the 2011 version, we are introduced to a kid named Gon who wants to be a hunter and find his missing father. He meets 2 of his companions on a boat and they go on a journey together. That's it. The bare minimum. The original, however, broke this introduction into several episodes and created a sense of scale for the story's setting. We see how things come to be, where things are going, and we understand how perilous the journey is going to be. Each of the characters is carefully introduced. Their motivations and dreams are foreshadowed, giving you plenty of time to bind with them. There's also an unmistakenly mature undertone that's sorely missing in the remake.
In comparison, the 2011 version is like a kid show, whereas the original was a complete story for people who enjoys a good story told with care and love.
Even comparing to other animes, Hunter x hunter is ahead of its time. The soundtrack is nothing short of amazing (The opening song is the first Japanese song I learned to sing without actively learning because of how catchy it is). The voice actings are top notch. The sound effects - though simplistic - are extremely effective. The color of the anime is dull, clunky and washed out, but that's only compared to today's standard, and really shouldn't bother anyone. They give the anime a more grownup feel, which helps later on when the story took a dark turn during the York Shin Arc. In fact, there are few fight scenes where I feel the original did much better, if not more realistically.
As for the story, it is a de-constructions of shonen tropes done so masterfully many thought it was just the story about a typical shonen boy's journey to find his father.
Spoiler: it was not.
As a 12 years old kid, Gon possessed a moral ambiguity that almost seemed creepy at times. A normal boy would've reacted with scorn when he learned he had been abandoned by his father at birth. Not Gon. He looked up to his father, who chose his work over him, with revere. He's also not opposed to two people dueling with knife and swords on a boat that's caught in a terrible storm. There are many moments here in the original that establishes Gon as an interesting and worthy protagonist to follow.
In the 2011 version? He's a boy who wants to become a hunter and find his father. Done. Let's show the audience some fight scenes before they fall asleep.
The original hunter x hunter is an achievement because it established a few important things: (A) Fillers don't have to suck (B) Not staying faithful to the source material can be a good thing (C) When it comes to anime, you can still do a lot without all the fancy modern technologies. (If this anime doesn't convince you, look at Ghost in the Shell.)
Reading this review, you might think I have nothing good to say about the remake, but that's simply not true. The 2011 Hunter x Hunter is a very competent, enjoyable anime. However, the 1999 Hunter X Hunter is a timeless masterpiece. It's an anime that require you to invest some time to watch, but once you do, it is going to be an experience you'll never forget. Even if you've seen the remake or read the manga.
A must watch for all lovers of anime!
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Feb 10, 2018
People hate whiny brooding crybabies. When I was watching NGV, I can't count the number of times I'd wish Shinji would just man the hell up, and I can definitely see a lot of people getting turned off by Ken Kaneki for the same reason, along with the dark emo undertone of the entire anime. Despite its numerous flaws, there is a lot of fun to be had in this blockbuster of an anime.
A good anime doesn't always have to break new grounds. It can be something that's executed extremely well. Especially when it's 2018 and pretty much every conceivable plotline and ideas have been
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previously thoroughly explored. Tokyo Ghoul, in essence, a shonen action anime disguised as something made for adults. No amount of blood and gore and crying will make Tokyo Ghoul more than what it is. And it never tries to be.
Cool fight scenes. Ghouls with special powers. Humans with special weapons. Everyone has a clear motivation. Everyone has a point. You're there to watch them duke things out. Tokyo Ghoul doesn't push boundaries when it comes to storytelling. It relies heavily on a formula. Despite that, all the important ingredients of a good anime are there.
Fluid animation. Color palette that establishes the mood and feel of the world. Cold, Dark, broody, and smothering but can at times shine brilliantly when characters are having their moments. The soundtrack, voice acting and the ambients are handled with care.
Characters who grow and change. Heartwarming moments. Some genuine "oh shi-" moment, even though you can see it from miles away. The supporting characters are the real star of the show, and help makes Tokyo Ghoul a pleasant ride.
Of course, they had to change things, as is often the case when a manga is adapted into an anime. However, I thought the overall feel of the source material has been conveyed adequately. For those who have never been interested in anime before, this would be a decent place to start. For those long-time anime lovers, there are definitely still some fun to be had if you allow yourself to get past all the screaming and crying.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jan 31, 2018
There are lots of terrible anime out there. Anime that doesn't make sense. Anime with stilted animations, uninspiring art style or sound design. Anime so bad that will make you want to claw your eyes out.
Sword Art online is not one of them. It has a bright, colorful palette and adequate sound design. Voice actings are top notch. (Even my all-time favourite Saori Hayami is involved, though her role is minor) Its animations are fluid for the most part, and despite the completely unoriginal premise, it manages to execute it well.
It is also the worst anime of all time.
A great deal of
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its awfulness lies with its protagonist, who goes by the name Kirito. AKA anime Jesus. AKA Leet haxxor. AKA Harem God. You see, Kirito is the type of shameless self-insert born out of terrible writing and a slight detachment from reality on the author's part. Think Bella from Twilight, or Eragon from the Inheritance Cycle. Normally I'm okay with these type of protagonist. I've read through all four Twilight books and didn't hate them, so you know my tolerance for crappy writing is high. I, however, for the love of me cannot stand Kirito. It's the fact that, at the tender age of 14, Kirito is somehow a master-class hacker (Seriously we're talking Bloody Monday class hacker), able to hack the game system from INSIDE the game. It's the fact that he's somehow managed to solve every problem by himself, in a game DESIGNED for teamwork. It's the fact that every girl somehow magically falls in love with him for no reason other than him being good at the game. It's also the fact that Kirito can do no wrong, that he can flirt with chicks in front of his girlfriend (in season 2, and that's the season I thought was mostly okay) and suffers no consequences. His behavior can be downright inappropriate at times, but its ok because he's the hero, right? RIGHT?
All these would have been okay, if not for the completely sexist way the female characters are handled. It doesn't matter if the girls are strong-willed, aloof, or independent, they WILL come to love Kirito at some point. They will need to be saved by Kirito. Even if they are more than capable of handling themselves, the plot will throw some BS their way so that Kirito can shine and get the girl and have them join his ever-growing Harem.
Now if Sword Art online presented this story in a different way, and made it campy and goofy like To-Love-Ru, it would have been a masterpiece. The worst part of Sword Art Online is we're supposed to take this seriously. Like there really is this 14 years old kid who plays the entire game solo and has a harem of girls doting over him, and you're supposed to root for him as he overcomes some non-existent challenge and saves the day over and over again.
Watching Sword Art online is like watching a story written by some lonely middle-aged virgin who's never been quite popular with the ladies and spent his youth playing video games. There's no conflict. You know Kirito will save the day somehow. At the same time, it doesn't give the side characters a chance to shine like they do in Overlord or One Punch Man.
I probably would have hated it less if it weren't for the fact that the popularity of sword art online had somehow inspired a whole generation of writers to write trashy, pointless, harem Isekai (aka stuck in another world) light novels that can be turned into an anime for a quick buck.
Sword Art online is the worst anime of all time. It shows us just how willing the average consumers are to embrace a story made up of sad, sexist, unoriginal and downright childish delusions. It makes me feels ill knowing that this is the kind of things that are popular with the anime fan.
Every episode makes me die a little inside.
Avoid at all cost.
Reviewer’s Rating: 1
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Jan 22, 2018
"Robert Neville looked out over the new people of the earth. He knew he did not belong to them; he knew that, like the vampires, he was anathema and black terror to be destroyed. And, abruptly, the concept came, amusing to him even in his pain. ... Full circle. A new terror born in death, a new superstition entering the unassailable fortress of forever." - I am legend, Richard Matheson
Demon Lords are taking over the world. His generals spread across the lands. Countless heroes are being summoned to fight against the ruthless demon horde. Who can defeat those epic monsters? Who will slay the
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demon lords and save the entire world?
Not our protagonist, that's for sure. The only thing he ever wants to do is kill goblins. It's his hobby, his job, and his sole purpose of existence. The Demon Lords are not his concern. Gold is only his secondary objective. Goblins. Must kill more goblins.
Never have I seen a character so passionate about something, so dedicated to improving his craft it brings a tear to my eyes when I read about his quest to erase the entire goblin race from existence.
The setting is cliche. The side characters are paper thin. Hell, they don't even have names.
None of that matters.
This manga simply delivers exactly what is said in the title. Expect goblins getting killed. Expect lots of goblins getting killed. Expect lots and lots of goblins getting killed. Oh, there is also some rape and dismemberment, but these are minor stuff. Don't read them. Or just skip them. Who cares.
When a manga has a premise, and it executes that premise so perfectly, it doesn't need complex characters or intriguing plot. The art is just a bonus. Every chapter you are treated to another day in the life of Goblin Slayer. It's like reading about an artist who continuously polishes his skills, breaking new grounds. It's like watching DeadMau5 works on his latest remix on Twitch. It's like watching bob ross showing you how to paint some happy little trees.
There are no stories to be had, no life lessons to be learned, but you can't stop yourself from wanting more. That's Goblin Slayer in a nutshell.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jan 21, 2018
Think Rom Com. Think Teenage Romance. Think Cliche setting. Think paper-thin characters.
Now blow everything out of proportion. Take every conceivable archetype, the ice queen, the bubbly girl next door, the flawless handsome captain of the soccer club, the Prom Queen, the anti-social, anti-hero protagonist, and give them depth. So much depth that nothing is ever what it seems to be.
That's Oregairu in a nutshell.
Before we get into the review, I'd like to start by saying that Oregairu is NOT realistic. In fact, it is hyper-realistic. The anime doesn't just strip all the fantasy away a typical Rom-com harem story. It instead cranks
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them up to eleven, to a point where these high school kids talk and act like people who have lived a thousand life-time. Even the shallowest of character like Miura (who is inspired by the typical "popular blonde hot cheerleading bimbo) possess the wisdom of a sage.
Every character has some ulterior motive, wants something and struggles to get what they want, and when they realized they can't have what they want, they turn to the service club for help, hoping that Hachiman, the residential batman ("the hero we need, but not the one we deserve") can solve their problems by doing what has to be done - often at the expense of himself. ("because he can take it. because he's not our hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector. A dark knight.")
At first, the people around him thought nothing of it. He was just a weirdo who has a reputation for being an antisocial freak. However, as the story progresses, it becomes apparent that helping others by hurting himself is taking a toll on those who care for him. In other words, by sacrificing himself for the people around him, he ends up hurting them in different ways. People who care for him can't bear to see him do these horrible things to himself. People who he helped can't bear the thought of being in debt to a guy like him (Hayama). Then they try to make amend by either asking him to stop (Yui), do things differently (Yukino), or try to stand up for him (Hayama)...etc.
None of this is realistic. None of the characters feel like high schoolers. Most people will never come across such complex social dynamic in their entire life. Hell, they don't even talk like real teenagers. It's like watching a show full of ageless vampire pretending to be teenagers. And that's what makes it so fun.
In anime, there are two types of masterpieces:
One that establishes an entire genre by being completely original, inventive (Ghost in the Shell)
One that takes a pre-established genre and cranks everything up to 11 (Hunter X Hunter, Oregairu)
Of course, in order to be considered a masterpiece, all anime have to be well animated, well acted, flawlessly executed, but the one thing masterpieces cannot do is play safe. Oregairu's concept could've easily blown up in its face, but it doesn't. It takes every trope that's associated with rom-com, twist them, amplify them andd add new layers to them while maintains a degree of believability by giving every action a realistic consequence, while at the same time maintains a consistent theme (You should never burn yourself to keep others warm) throughout that by the end of the second season, you'd laugh at those early episodes when you thought you were watching a typical, high school Rom-com.
Oregairu is a well-constructed masterpiece worthy of in-depth analysis and should serve as a staple of how anime should be.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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