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Jun 30, 2013
Alright, let me preface this by saying that because I have such a deeply embedded aversion to High school anime it took me a while to actually Get It, about 5 or 6 episodes at least, but once I got over my own preconceptions I realized that My Light Novel Adaptation Title is Long as I Expected actually has a surprising amount of depth, and here's why:
The Story: Normally I'd start with a brief explanation on the story, but seeing as it's situated in anime high school you can pretty much expect the characters to do anime high school things, albeit with snappy dialogue and
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clever trope sub-versions, so I'll just substitute it with a double helping of character analysis. I will however, warn a few of you ahead of time; this is not wish fulfillment. It may wear the veneer of wish fulfillment: an outcast [Hikigaya Hachiman] gets put in a club with the school's prettiest girl [Yukino Yukinoshita], who presumably teaches him the meaning of friendship or something along those lines, while meeting a sweet pink-haired girl [Yui Yuigahama] along the way, but that just isn't the case; despite the fact that Hachiman makes all of two friends during the entirety of the show, you can rest assured that the show begins and ends with it's [hilarious] pessimism in tact.
Now, for The Characters: while the main cast is seemingly constructed entirely of stereotypes [a social piranha, a silent beauty, and a genki girl who acts like she's been streamlined meth and red bull to contrast the previous two], each character, and the stereotypes that they represent, is either played around with or creatively expanded upon. For instance, I really like how they take your stereotypical misanthropic introvert MC [found in every other high school anime ever] and actually flesh it out with Hikigaya. His pessimistic mentality and self-effacing method of handling others was really refreshing in that his actions were so consistent with his character; every time that he had an opportunity to play The Good Guy and earn a little societal redemption he wouldn't, instead opting to react in a way that was consistent with his social ineptitude and yet still cutting and to the point. I found it particularly interesting that his solution to most problems was to cast himself as The Enemy, effectively throwing himself under the bus so that everyone else could band together [oftentimes against him], and yet never receiving thanks. Honestly, he was a surprisingly unique character, and one that was both painful and endearing to watch. Yui and Yukino were likewise entertaining [Yukino especially], the former wearing her emotions on her sleeve and the latter an immutable mask [much like Hachiman in that regard], but I have comparatively little to say about either. Yui pokes a few holes in your typical "happy" girl archetype, providing interesting insight into the insecurities that stem from trying to be liked by everyone, whereas Yukino can easily be summed up by saying that she gives off strong Senjougahara vibes; by the way, for those of you who haven't seen Bakemonogatari, that is A Good Thing.
That said, I would like to say that the show contained a wealth of character growth, but it really didn't. I mean, there was certainly an interesting revelation or two, but precious few actually went through any meaningful change. Yukino had a bit of growth I suppose, having begun with a superiority complex that spawned from the duress of living up to her family history and ending more resolute in her individuality [Yui arrives at a similar conclusion]; but on the other hand, you have Hikigaya, who started out as a somewhat watered down Nietzsche wannabe and ended much the same way, except with two friends [and potential romantic prospects] who calmly accept his frequent bouts of Nihilism. Now, normally I would peg such a stark lack of change as A Bad Thing, but I think that in this case it was The Point, as the driving theme of the show seemed to be "the rejection of conformity." Hikigaya, and to a lesser extent, Yukino, both found themselves forced [though forced is a bit strong, it was more gradual] into their solitary lifestyles by misconceptions of the social hierarchy, but the thing that set them apart from all the other similar characters is that, instead of whinging, they simply accepted their circumstances and the resulting solidarity. Even took solace in it, in Hikigaya's case. The thing is, this show doesn't take the usual stance of viewing reclusiveness as something to be fixed, but rather as something to be understood, which is what really sets it apart for me.
They also have a few interesting side characters, like Hayama, who subverts the Crouching Nice Guy, Hidden Douche trope quite nicely by actually perpetuating his nice words with genuine sincerity. He, unlike most, understands Hikigaya's reasoning for his scathing critique of society, but instead chooses to overlook them and hope for the best in people, wholeheartedly embracing the charming falsities that are required to maintain the public facade. He contrasts with our MC so perfectly that I'd go so far as to say that if Hikigaya is the harsh truth, then Hayama is the beautiful lie.
At any rate, for fear of getting too DEEP, I'm going to wrap this up by saying that My Teen Romantic Comedy is hilarious. I mean it. Seldom have I seen such snappy dialogue and smoothly incorporated references ["just like stand users attract other stand users, loners likewise attract other loners."], alongside characters that manage to subvert your expectations in such funny and unique ways. For instance, Hikigaya's attraction to Saika [IT'S A TRAP]; I can honestly say that I've never seen a character fall for the trap while knowing that it was a trap beforehand. Really though, there's a hefty amount of comedy in this show that just works: Hikigaya making heterosexually questionable observations each and every time Saika is around ["I wish I could throw water on Saika."]; watching Hachiman's token imouto [moe fang and all] who he's not attracted to in any way [pick up your jaws, I'm serious] trying her best to compromise his peaceful solidarity; Yukino and Hikigaya weaving verbal minefields to each other and those around them; Hikigaya's morally unsound internal monologues and cheap, dirty tactics that invariably pop up when he's confronted with sensitive choices; etc.
These are but of few of the things that all come together to make this one of the funniest, most surprisingly thoughtful, and enjoyable anime that I've had the pleasure of watching this year. "Source: Me"
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jun 8, 2013
Okay, so this is only my third review at this point, meaning that my reviewing pants are still a little tight and don't cup the goods just right yet, but I'm a firm advocate of sink or swim and, this being a review of one of the most popular [and currently highest rated] shows on MAL, I figure that I'll either be met with wild success or consigned to the murky depths of obscurity.
Right, so I'd like to go into this saying that Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is a shining beacon of hope amongst the fetid mire of what counts for shounen today. My own personal
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biases aside, I have never seen an anime that so completely earned its rating of 10 by being so consistently competent in just about every category. The merits of its predecessor, Fullmetal Alchemist, may be widely disputed, but there is no doubt that Brotherhood is one of the best anime that I've had the pleasure of watching and arguably the most well rounded shounen out there. Now, being the pleb that I am, I've never actually read the Fullmetal Alchemist manga, and therefore cannot attest to how closely the show follows it, but those of you who watched the original will find that, up to a certain point, it treads pretty much the same ground as its predecessor; beyond that point, the two stories diverge wildly with the introduction of the neighboring country of Xing [China, basically] and the squinty-eyed badasses that hail from it. On an off note, I always thought it odd that, in most anime, the Japanese characters look for all the world like young white teenagers, but when you introduce a Chinese guy, it's all "harrows" and squinty-eyes from there. At any rate, the Xingese characters really put the militaristic regime of Amestris [the setting of most of the story] into perspective, but I'll get to them later.
The story itself is excellently paced, chronicling the Elric Brothers' journey to get their bodies back and their subsequent discoveries about the nature of alchemy itself. This sets the perfect premise for an exciting story that explores the consequences of human transmutation and the myriad of other complex moral issues presented by something such as alchemy. It also [frequently] touches on the physical and emotional repercussions of war, and the use of alchemists as a military asset, but my favorite part of the story is perhaps that it finally elucidates on Houenheim, the boys' father, who was an enigmatic figure throughout the entirety of the original, and his curious relation to the show's behind-the-scenes antagonist [of whom, by the way, is far more interesting than the original's]. I would elaborate more on the story itself, but I'll abstain from it for fear of spoiling any plot twists or revelations, of which there are many. The only real complaints that I have are that FMA:B suffered once or twice from your typical stilted anime dialogue and odd anime morality. This isn't to say that the characters weren't all consistent and believable in their decision making, they really were, but there was one point where a character, in an incredibly justified fit of rage, was about to kill someone who clearly deserved to die [that he'd been looking for throughout the whole show in fact], but was stopped. Why? Because afterwards he "wouldn't be the same." I imagine not; he'd probably have quite a load off his chest and walk with a little more skip in his step in my opinion, but everyone else may as well have been quoting Star Wars, what with their "if you strike him down in anger, then you’ll give in to it yourself,” as though avenging countless lives is paramount to joining the Dark Side. I'd say that scene was absolutely confusing, but it actually contributed to an interesting bit of characterization for one of the bad guys; and besides, only a Sith deals in absolutes.
Another [in fact, the only other] gripe that I had was with how they treated the beginning, which, as I mentioned before, is roughly the same as the original's [which was quite dark], except for some reason they thought it’d be a good idea to throw more Cartoon Faces in there. I mean, I understand throwing in a little humor for the sake of levity when things are getting too grim, but when a girl is contemplating murder after being coerced with promises of reuniting with her deceased boyfriend, having her aim at the wrong person just to throw in another "haha, Ed is short" joke doesn't quite cut it. Not to mention that one of the times Al went into "cartoon" mode during a funny scene it struck me that he looked an awful lot like a big grey condom, a thought which I just couldn't shake off for the rest of the show. Aside from that, the story is pretty much flawless.
Interestingly enough, while Ed and Al are obviously the main duo, what with them being featured prominently on the box art, they can't really be said to be the only main characters. Brotherhood also follows a fairly sizable cast of interesting characters, showing no particular favor to any one of them, instead opting to diligently flesh out each and every one of their individual journeys; including among them an ambitious military officer's campaign to root out dangerous enemies on the inside and rise among the ranks of his fellow soldiers to the esteemed title of Fuhrer [which I understand sounds suspicious to anyone post 1945, but despite obvious comparisons, Amestris isn't Nazi Germany], to the survivor of a domestic genocide [okay... maybe it is] and his quest for vengeance, with a whole array of compelling characters in between.
While I'm on the topic of characters: if you were to ask me which of those were my favorite, I'd be a genuine loss; every one of them is consistent and interesting, and they compose what is certainly one of my favorite casts in anime or media in general. I must, however, award special merit to a few: King Bradley, for perfectly encapsulating all that is man; fearless, pertinacious, and unrepentant. Riza Hawkeye and Roy Mustang, for being the most well-rounded female character and the most relatable badass respectively. Houenheim, for having a beard worthy of Rider himself, and...
Actually, you know what? Never mind, all of them were amazing. Not to mention that FMA:B sports the biggest cast of female badasses that I've seen since Black Lagoon. A few characters are necessary to mention however, such as the new Xingese characters, Ling Yao [and his guards Lan Fan and Fuu], and Shao May [possibly one of the most refreshingly competent kids I've seen in anime], who are introduced around the time that Brotherhood starts coming into its own, and add a lot of supplementary lore about the world surrounding Amestris; also the Homunculi, because I really enjoyed how most of their deaths seemed to be accompanied by some underlying theme that corresponded to their respective traits. While there is so much to love, the thing that I find most impressive about the characters is that seemingly all of them are relevant. Honestly. I can't tell you how many characters were introduced that I immediately pegged as throwaways, but come the end of the show there they are, doing things. Important things. No single character can be considered the product of bad writing and they all experience growth and development in their respective arcs, oftentimes as a result of their novel interactions with the rest of the cast. By the way, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the battles, this being a shounen and all. The animation is top notch for the fights this time around and you can tell that the development team went all out on each and every one; this show sports some of the most well animated fighting that I've seen. Not to mention that the action is pretty clever, and revolves around the use of tactics as opposed to power levels, meaning that the winner of any one confrontation was entirely circumstantial and therefore appropriately suspenseful. Every encounter is fast paced and exhilarating, and thankfully so, because there are plenty of them.
Lastly, the music and voice acting are superb. I personally watched Brotherhood dubbed, and would highly recommend it myself, because how often do you get to enjoy a genuinely outstanding dub? I tried the sub as well and found the voice acting similarly inspired; I really only chose the dub for the sheer novelty of actually getting to listen to a competent English cast. Each voice actor did an amazing job and matched their character perfectly. Ed and Al were voiced splendidly, easily conveying an entire range of emotions, Bradley was a warm family man and a menacing leader in the same breath, you could hear Roy's pain at his past molded into fuel for his ambition for the future, and of course, I could listen to Alex Louis Armstrong FOR GENERATIONS! The music was likewise impressive; this was actually one of few anime where I listened to every single opening song, every time. The OST as a whole was grand and, though some were perhaps initially overused, I never once found the BGM to be jarring or unfitting to the scene. Brotherhood also knows when to use silence; a valuable skill that many shows haven't quite gotten the hang of. Absolutely no qualms in the audio department.
All in all, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is a breath of fresh air in a stagnant pool of trite shounen anime; the story is captivating, the fights are thrilling, and the characterization is exemplary. Sure it may have its flaws, like that stupid “no confirmation of [romantic] feelings [to each other] until the very end” thing that anime does, but that’s a minor thing when compared to the tour de force of competency that is Brotherhood. There’s a reason that it’s resting comfortably at #1 after all.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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May 22, 2013
As a forewarning, this is my second review and consequently I’d like to try something a little experimental, so this review is going to be very Trope Heavy. For those of you who don’t know what that means: pull up a tab and go to TvTropes.org, then, when you emerge some hours later blinking into the sunlight, head on back over [and congrats on breaking free of your Small Secluded World].
Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer [also referred to as Hoshi/Wakusei no Samidare] is basically what would happen if you took What the Hell, Hero? and made an entire story around it. Hoshi no Samidare
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initially presents itself as an action/adventure-romance-comedy [or is it a comically action packed romance?] that, quite fittingly, grows into a Coming of Age Story [see what I did there?], with clever Genre-Savvy humor and noteworthy character development all throughout. The manga begins with Amamiya Yuuhi, introverted misanthrope and bespectacled college student, who wakes up to find a lizard in his bed, which he throws outside and promptly goes back to sleep, The End.
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Alright I’m just foolin’: This lizard, a certain Noi Crezant, informs him that it is The End of the World As We Know It and asks for his cooperation as one of the 12 “Beast Knights” in protecting The Princess and defeating The Mage, the latter of whom plans on destroying the Earth with his gargantuan Biscuit Hammer, which is Invisible to Normals [Note: the Biscuit hammer isn't actually made of baked flour, but it IS named after a song by The Pillows].
Much to Noi’s surprise, Amamiya doesn’t exactly Jump at the Call, as not only does he want no part in the war; he seems to be completely apathetic to the whole ordeal. That is, until he is attacked by one of the mage’s Pet Monstrosities and subsequently saved by the princess, who turns out to be his neighbor, Asahina Samidare. Sami, being the resident Hero Antagonist, and Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds, wastes no time in recruiting Amamiya to her cause; her ambition of course being to save the Earth from the proximate danger of the Biscuit Hammer…
…so that she can destroy it herself. She confidently proclaims to Yuuhi and Noi, wearing awe and horror stricken faces respectively, that if the Earth is going to meet its end then it’s going to be her Fists of Mass Destruction that do the job [well, that, or the fearsome power of moe]. Amamiya, having always wanted to Put Them All Out of My Misery , or perhaps inspired by the inherent determination of her words, vows to be her “demon knight,” and so begins their battle to defeat the Mage Animus and his increasingly powerful golems; all while hiding their secret agenda from the other Beast Knights.
On the outset, Hoshi no Samidare is a comedic adventure story about a 3-way battle [with the main duo being the secret third party] to either save or destroy the world, but soon it becomes quite apparent that there is, in fact, a fair amount of depth to be found as well. While I couldn't find an exceptional amount of thematic relevance within the story, the relatively simple themes that it does touch on; such as the significance of family and friends [and conversely, the dangers of isolating yourself from them], the value of unity when faced with an overwhelming and enigmatic foe, and even [though briefly] what it means to be human, are only made that much more impactful by their relative scarcity. Not to mention that, despite there being a fair amount of loss, the plot never really descends into the morbid or depressing, as the action [and hardship] is interspersed with a fair amount of levity. Hoshi no Samidare’s story treads a fine line between tragedy and humor, poor handling of which can result in Mood Whiplash, but thankfully the comedy is implemented in such a way that it never seems out of place, instead facilitating character development and serving to lighten up an otherwise somber atmosphere. This and the relatively smooth pacing provide the framing for an adventure chocked full of Plot Twists, Crowning Moments of Awesome, Tear-Jerker moments, Villain Protagonists, Panty Shots [subverted, it’s only used as a joke in the beginning], and everything else that makes for an engaging, well-written story.
Art: Normally I care very little about the art in manga, but in this particular instance I have to point out that the Biscuit Hammer in and of itself is cleverly used in a variety of ways to symbolically illustrate emotional tension, with the manga often panning to it looming ominously in the sky, poised to destroy Earth, during times of emotional turmoil or desperation. It’s also used as a visual aid to hammer in [:D] the ever-present direness of their situation, even during times of relative calm. If there is one thing that I could complain about, it’s that tears are drawn somewhat oddly, flowing down the characters faces in cartoonish rivulets. This wouldn't be much of a problem, but there’s a pretty hefty amount of [justified] crying during certain parts of the story, and it somewhat ruins my immersion when the characters look like they just finished being water-boarded. Aside from that, the art is alright and the paneling paneling is excellent; they both serve their respective purposes.
Characters: While Sami and Yuuhi’s subversion of your typical “knight and princess” cliché alone is well worth the read, I found myself quite enamored with Yuuhi’s depth of character in particular. Yuuhi is an astoundingly likable character and, despite his initial villainistic leanings, is surprisingly relatable as well. In a fine example of Becoming the Mask, he begins as an Anti-Villain who feigns being one of The Good Guys in order to fool the other Beast Knights [and regards the imminent destruction of Earth with little more than passing disinterest] but, through his interactions with the rest of the cast, he gradually grows into his role as [one of] The Hero(s).
Likewise, Yuuhi’s journey from asocial Stepford Smiler to someone with a genuine appreciation for his life and that of those around him is conveyed in a compelling and realistic way, and I never once found any of his interactions to be implausible or contrived; though, to be fair, his back story with his grandfather was...odd. That of course isn't to say that everyone else in the story falls by the wayside; in fact, the other knights’ back stories [barring the detective, I found his to be comparatively mediocre] were interesting as well and, remarkably, all receive some manner of character development or another. The sheer variety of novel interactions in this story ensure that character progression never stagnates and, between the most Gar characters being an overweight man and a twin-tailed middle school girl, you can guarantee that the writer doesn't follow typical conventions, instead opting to create a distinguished group of refreshingly unconventional “heroes.” By the time I had finished reading Lucifer and The Biscuit Hammer, I was rather fond of the cast [including the mage Animus, who is pretty Affably Evil]; their individual growth, which occurred as a subsequent result of their experiences [and losses] on the battlefield, really resonated with me. All in all, the characters are charming and endearing, and I found myself quite moved by them and [most of] their struggles.
Summary: I chose this particular format because seldom have I seen an anime/manga that managed to coolly subvert or lampshade so many shounen tropes, and all while weaving a charmingly hopeful tale about what it means to be an adult and the importance of serving as a good example for the next generation. Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer, admittedly, has it's ups and downs, with it's ups being quirky at that, but I can say with all confidence that though it may start out in a deceptively easygoing manner, it finishes in a spectacular and satisfying way [with a Name Drop, no less]. At any rate, whether you've read 10 manga or a thousand, I sincerely doubt that you’ll find another story quite like this one.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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May 4, 2013
Below is a review for Wank Master Kurosawa; that, or a confession, depending on how you view it. I’d like to preemptively state that I am not an anime wizard, like so many on here, and thusly have yet to partake in the trial by fire that is writing my own review. Consequently, I haven’t a clue how to smoothly transition into the review, so I’ll just meander into it with the typical format.
Story: Fap Master Kurosawa starts off as a humorous tale that gradually grows into a coming of age story, with subtle character development all throughout. On the surface, it’s a
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story about an introverted student, Kurosawa, and his daily habit of masturbating in the girls’ bathroom. Of course, as all good things must come to an end, he is inevitably caught by the meek, withdrawn, and often bullied
Kitahara and, as the logic of such stories dictates, she forms a pact with him via the threat of blackmail. [As a side note, I had already achieved a sense of empathy with the main character by this point, as his routine was frighteningly similar to my own]
Now, though it may seem like a shallow beginning, the manga actually delves into numerous meaningful themes; with subtlety and a self-aware sense of humor, no less. In fact, each stage of the story is accompanied by at least one theme or another: in the beginning, it handles the sense of helplessness felt when being targeted by others and using sexual expression [wanking, basically] as an emotional conduit. Around the middle, it broaches the topics of being ostracized from the social hierarchy and growth through hardship. Near the end, it handles people’s yearning to change and the dangers of walling yourself away from the outside world, and it does all this and more in a way that is both heartwarming and impactful. I loved the story and everyone in it.
Art: Pretty good, not really important, keep reading.
Characters: Kurosawa’s story in particular really resonated with me, and not just because I too like masturbating in women’s stalls. There is a genuine depth of character with Kurosawa, and his metamorphosis from asocial, egotistical slacker to someone who is more open to the people and possibilities around him is conveyed in a natural, down to earth way. He is realistic and relatable, and not once did he say anything that struck me as implausible. In fact, the whole cast of characters [barring the teacher, he was a little too awesome] were realistic and, impressively, most get some form of character development or another. They were also astoundingly likable. At any rate, while I found myself especially drawn to the main character, I also found that Kitahara’s development near the end, which occurred as a subsequent result of Kurosawa’s influence, was likewise compelling and emotional. Between her and others I won’t mention for fear of spoilers, it becomes quite clear that the driving theme of this story is change. Sweet, gooey, heartwarming change.
All in all, by the time that I was finished reading I found myself well endeared to each and every character [except the sweaty fat one and some of the bullies, but they weren’t important], and found myself quite moved as well; for a time, I genuinely considered what my life would be like if I stopped masturbating on school grounds.
To summarize: Though it may not look it, at least in the beginning, Sap Master Kurosawa is an ultimately hopeful story about self-realization, struggle, and people’s inherent ability to change, if they do so desire. To be honest, I haven’t read much manga as of yet, but woe to those that follow this one, as it’s a high bar to reach.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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