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Feb 23, 2025
Kyokutou Chimeratica is a series that stands out for its obvious love of the medium of visual storytelling, even if a limited run time did not give it a chance to develop much beyond the beats of a typical shounen kaiju-killer. World-building is the bread and butter of any fantasy series, and the effort that the author put into the aesthetic storytelling of Chimeratica is its definitive strength.
Every society has a history and culture that is encoded in its clothing, food, buildings, and social norms, and everything in this series is drawn absolutely bespoke to fit the author's vision of this particular world. The incredible
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effort that was put into the design of the backgrounds and the characters is, unfortunately, largely wasted on a story and cast that remain fairly underdeveloped given the brevity of the series. Yuri has potential as a protagonist-- a mercenary spearwoman who hunts monsters in the interest of economic self-enrichment-- but the broader cast is lacking in chemistry, and the character writing generally feels like a largely unimpressive rehashing of the same old tropes (although, even in that, the fact that the author clearly reads and loves the fantasy and action genres is abundantly clear).
Good fantasy series take time, and the fact that Kyokutou Chimeratica achieves what it does in a serialization of only 37 chapters is something worthy of respect. Hopefully we will see more from this author in the future, but until then, Chimeratica is a fun way to spend an hour or two if you've already exhausted the likes of Dungeon Meshi, Made in Abyss, or Kaiju No. 8.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jul 24, 2013
A drastic and welcome departure from your typical anime formula, Baccano is a fun, confounding mess of pandemonium, sinister absurdity, and delight. And what else would you expect from a series whose title literally means “ruckus”?
Story: The jumbled storytelling of Baccano! makes the series a joy to watch yet incredibly difficult to express. Baccano! is told through a series of non-sequential flashbacks taking place primarily between 1930 and 1932 in the fictionalized Prohibition-era America represented in films like The Untouchables or Miller’s Crossing (though the constant smattering of dark irony and grisly humor makes it more of a cinematic counterpart to the stylized gangster movies
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of Tarantino and Guy Ritchie). Most of the story revolves around an incident that takes place in 1931 aboard a transcontinental train bound for New York named the Flying Pussyfoot. Three separate groups simultaneously attempt to hijack the train for various purposes and thus, the unstoppable engine of death, destruction, and black laughs commences. Interwoven into this already complicated scenario are separate storylines involving a mafia turf war, immortal alchemists, and a young girl searching for her ne’er-do-well brother.
Characters:
For a thirteen-episode anime, the cast of characters is comparatively immense; between the twelve main characters and countless supporting characters, this anime gives you a lot to keep track of. However, from the brilliant comedic duo Isaac and Miria, to the zany and completely psychopathic Ladd Russo, there isn’t a single character that isn’t somehow likeable. Additionally, the large cast serves to add to the constant sense of tension because, without a “main” protagonist, there exist no guarantees that any of the characters will make it safely through the entire series. The downside regarding the characters and (generally the series as a whole) is, given the limited time-span, you aren’t given nearly enough time to really get to know such a broad ensemble cast (a problem that the subsequent specials did little to fix).
Sound:
Fast-paced jazz tracks make up the majority of the Baccano soundtrack and generally fit the show flawlessly. While adding even more vitality and polished style to a show already bursting with energy, the use of jazz and swing pieces reinforce the shows authenticity and place it more firmly in the time period. The dubbed voice acting is generally solid, with characters possessing different accents corresponding to their various origins and the voice actors pulling off said accents to different degrees. However, each character does sound completely unique, with each voice actor bringing in something new to the table.
Animation:
The animation is of high quality throughout, with consistent fluidity, well-shaped characters, and distinctive style. The opening animation is absolutely brilliant (so much so that I never skipped it even once while watching the show). The way violence is handled also deserves to be underscored; every fight scene is animated with a fluidity and artistic flair that is at once enthralling, horrifying, and oftentimes even a bit humorous.
Overall:
Baccano! is pure, unadulterated chaos; anarchy dispensed with a furtive underlying structure that eventually manages to jam all of its various fragments together to form a thrilling, morbidly humorous whole that is ultimately incredibly satisfying. The complex plot and enormous cast, combined with relatively strong dubbing, clean animation, and impeccable musical score makes this a must-see series for fans of the American gangster genre or anyone simply looking to have a bloody good time.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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May 29, 2013
Surprising though it may be, it’s really incredibly rare to find a samurai anime that is actually good. As far as the samurai genre goes, Akira Kurosawa pretty much closed the book with 1954’s “Seven Samurai” and since then, is seems as if whenever anyone attempts to tackle the genre, there exists a mysterious force that compels them to strip away any and all sense of authenticity and add in superpowers, vampires, aliens, or hip-hop (not that that is necessarily a bad thing but it certainly gets tiresome). That’s one of the reasons why Rurouni Kenshin: Tsuiokuhen is so refreshing, it daringly tackles the story
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of young samurai-turned-assassin Himura Kenshin in the turbulent era of the Meiji Revolution with such bleak realism and solemnity that it’s really hard to believe it originated from a shonen manga. In short: Rurouni Kenshin: Tsuiokuhen is a masterpiece in the sincerest sense of the word; a true work of art that not only shatters the boundaries of the samurai genre but also what it is possible to achieve in an animated work.
Story-
Tsuiokuhen tells the story of Himura Kenshin, detailing his rise to infamy as Hitokiri Battousai during the Bakumatsu period and ultimately tracing the origin of his cross-shaped scar and his vow never to kill again. The beauty of the story lies in its raw, ominous execution. Contrary to the manga and the TV series, Tsuiokuhen faces the brutality of the Meiji Revolution with a mature clarity that really draws you in, and exhibits an emotional rawness that will leave you in pieces. The story never slacks and, despite being told over four OVAs has more of the feel of a movie, remaining unified and captivating from start to finish.
Characters-
Tsuiokuhen is particularly enjoyable character-wise having already watched the TV series and read the manga, but the character of Himura Kenshin as presented in the OVAs is well-shaped enough to stand on his own and still be a tour de force of character design. The focus of this anime is the period of Kenshin’s life as he transitions from adolescence into maturity amid the turmoil of the Bakumatsu and his struggles to uphold his idealism while continuing to commit acts of violence in the name of a brighter future. The splendor of the character designs throughout the OVAs is in how convincing each character manages to be, each action is believable and sympathetic, further drawing you into the story.
Animation-
The darker and more realistic theme can also be seen in the animation, which, despite being made in the late 1990s, is remarkably sharp and dismally realistic. The animation is fluid and the action is raw and brutal. The comedic edge to the animation style that existed in the TV series and manga is completely gone, furthering the serious tone.
Sound-
The music is dark and intense in the same manner as the story, and there is great attention paid to realism in sound effects. The voice actors each give magnificent performances (particularly, in my opinion, Mayo Suzukaze’s darker interpretation of Kenshin). Overall, the sound just adds onto what is already a brilliant work.
Overall-
This is a must-see for pretty much anyone who enjoys anime, particularly those with an appreciation for accuracy in the portrayal of history and fans of the samurai genre (as well as anyone who watched the TV series or read the manga).
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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