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Apr 11, 2023
Shinkai’s films have always run hot and cold for me. Despite being visually striking, I found them lacking in the writing department, with stories that were more often than not half-baked, and with characters not strong enough to support the weight of the plot. Is Suzume no Tojimari any different? Well… yes and no.
The story follows our main girl Suzume, who is snatched from her everyday life into a world of mythical beasts, places, and menacing doors. She meets our male lead Souta, who is much more experienced in the supernatural. He is a Closer, essentially someone who must stop the monsters of the
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mythical world escaping into our world through mysterious doors and creating natural disasters. Together they journey across Japan to stop a giant worm-like creature from escaping the aforementioned doors and causing massive earthquakes across Japan.
I’ll be honest, the story of Suzume no Tojimari is not that good. It basically acts as a vessel to move our characters from one action set piece to another, and is not particularly complex or unique. It also suffers some pacing issues; the movie is two hours long, but really should have been closer to one and a half. I’m a slice-of-life fan so I’m accustomed to slow pacing, but one of my friends who I saw it with me did say it dragged at times, particularly before the finale. If one or two sequences were cut and the editing was snappier, the film would have lost very little but the pacing would have improved drastically. I’m giving the story a 6 out of 10.
The reason the score is not lower is because the action set pieces that the plot clumsily ties together are spectacular. The visuals of Shinkai’s films have always been impressive to me, but here they also incorporate striking visual imagery to create otherworldly sequences reminiscent of Your Name. Beautiful abandoned ruins, giant structures in the sky, and burning towns are just some of the excellent imagery in this movie. The music also adds a whole lot to the experience. Unlike Shinkai’s other films the score not only consists of more delicate pieces but also contains many epic arrangements with chanting choirs and drums to enhance the action sequences and create a dreamlike experience. Seeing this film in theatres with the music blasting in my ears and the visuals on the large screen certainly heightened the film’s set pieces, and while I’m not one for saying that a film must be experienced in theatres, Suzume is far better on the big screen. I’m giving the music and animation both a 9 out of 10.
The main area that Suzume succeeds over Shinkai’s other films is his characters. They are still far from complex, but this time they embody much more of a screen presence than his previous characters. There is depth to both Suzume and Souta, and their personal conflicts provide a strong emotional core to counterbalance the film’s external conflict. I was surprised that their backstories were not built up inorganically; Suzume’s is woven into the plot reasonably well and Souta’s is gradually revealed throughout the film. I liked Suzume’s determination to not walk away, and Souta’s courage in the face of what he knows he can’t accomplish by himself. Their dynamic is not particularly special, but I found it endearing nonetheless and it does work well in some of the film’s comedic moments. I’m giving the characters a 7 out of 10.
The main thing I felt watching Suzume was a sense of fun that I have not felt in any of Shinkai’s other works. The epic music and visuals created a world it was a joy to walk into, the characters were fun and had enough presence to elevate the experience, and the story had a much stronger emotional core than Shinkai’s other works. While I wouldn’t say it’s as easily consumable as Your Name due to some pacing issues, and it’s not a particularly complex or deep film, it is definitely an enjoyable experience that offers an unmatched and unique spectacle you won’t find in many other films. My enjoyment, and overall score, are both an 8 out of 10. If you don’t like Makoto Shinkai’s films, Suzume no Tojimari is probably not going to change your mind. But if you do like Shinkai’s films, it’s a consolidation of all things Shinkai that is rough around the edges, but striking nonetheless.
Thank you for reading.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Nov 9, 2022
Before I start the review, I want to preface that this series isn’t really Yuri, it’s Yuri Bait. Most Yuri elements of the story disappear after around volume 3. If you despise Yuri Bait or avoid Queer Baiting media in general, I would avoid this manga. That being said, if you can overlook this flaw there is a story that is absolutely worth your time here. On with the review!
Nettaigyo wa Yuki ni Kogareru was worth every second I put into reading it. For a manga so short, it conveys so much emotion and so much growth, while also giving me a story I can
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look back on and smile. However, it isn’t perfect, and while I don’t mind overlooking its flaws, if you can’t it can be an unsatisfactory experience. But, I believe Nettaigyo more than makes up for its mistakes and can wholeheartedly recommend it.
Characters: 10
I was so impressed by the characters of this manga. Not only is the characterisation and development of the two main characters (Koyuki and Konatsu) phenomenal, but also the side cast are all likeable, well-realised characters who even undergo some development. For a manga of this length, that is a great achievement.
Much of the manga is focused on the ever-shifting relationship between Koyuki and Konatsu. Koyuki is initially a second-year at Nanahama High School, and she is the president of the aquarium club which Konatsu ends up joining. Koyuki always acts like the model student, obeying the rules to an almost absurd degree and keeping up her “perfect” image. It’s a character archetype that you’ve probably seen many times before, but what sets Koyuki apart from other characters of this type is that this image isolates her from her peers. She is the only member of the aquarium club before Konatsu, and she doesn’t have many friends or people she can really feel comfortable with, making her lonely and isolated. Which is where Konatsu comes into play. As she’s just moved from Tokyo to the high school because of her father moving overseas, we see Konatsu struggling with loneliness, and she lies to herself that she’s okay when she clearly isn’t. Both Konatsu and Koyuki complement each other, together they feel less alone.
The side cast is where the manga sets itself apart from similar titles. For example, Kaede initially comes off as a typical “Genki-girl” archetype, but gradually more depth and development is given to her character, giving her a much greater role in the story than I originally thought. However, my favourite part of the cast is the families of the main duo. So often in anime and manga (particularly in these coming-of-age stories) parents and sometimes even siblings are treated as if they don’t exist, and it’s a shame because some of the most hard hitting drama for me comes between the relationship between parents and their children. The families in Nettaigyo are crucial to the development of the characters, and though they make mistakes, it is heartwarming to see them support eachother and learn from them. In fact, some of my favourite moments in the manga come from the bond between parents and their children, and this is where I think Nettaigyo succeeds where so many other series don’t. The characters and their relationships are definitely the strongest part of the manga, and seeing them overcome their flaws together is what gives the manga so much emotional weight.
Story: 8
While the story of the manga overall is very good, there are definitely some caveats. I was able to overlook these flaws but I can see why some people may not be able to.
The development of the relationship between the main duo and their individual struggles defines the progression of the story, and it definitely isn’t all smooth sailing. The way the Mangaka creates conflict between them is by cranking up the angst to eleven. They each overthink many basic interactions, misunderstand each other, and even end up hurting each other and isolating themselves. However, I never felt like any of it was contrived, like it sometimes feels in many other stories. It fits their characters that they would be so in their own heads, and it is extremely rewarding when they resolve the conflict like real humans would - by actually talking to each other. As humans, we will never be able to understand each other fully, but if we don’t communicate we will understand nothing. It can be hard for Koyuki and Konatsu to build up enough courage to reach out, but watching them eventually do it is very satisfying. There are also come side plots like the relationship between Konatsu and her father, and each of these side plots feels organically woven into the story and not rushed, which I find commendable.
However, a major drawback of having so much angst is that the tone can be quite overwhelming at times. The manga never gets into truly dark territory, but sometimes the unhappiness of the characters is too much. Particularly around of the middle of the manga the tone felt oppressive even, and this had a negative impact on the story. More often than not, once one conflict is resolved another is immediately introduced, leaving the reader no time to breath. I would have preferred that the drama be balanced out with more slice-of-life segments so that the tone would become lighter. Either that or spread the drama out more to give the readers time to breathe.
Finally, perhaps the greatest failure of the series in the eyes of many is the fact that it’s a Yuri Bait, and blatantly so. As I wrote, most Yuri elements of the story disappear after around volume 3. In a promotional spread at the end of the first volume it even refers to itself as a “girls-ship story”. I wasn’t able to find the Japanese raws to see how it had been translated, but it is clear that it’s not just MAL mislabelling it, it sold itself as a Yuri. Furthermore, while it doesn’t outright deny a romantic relationship between the two leads, it doesn’t confirm one either, which it very easily could have. I’m not going to defend this. Even disregarding all the problems with queer-baiting, it feels disingenuous and creates an expectation for readers that is ultimately never fulfilled. And for readers where this expectation becomes the sole reason for them to read the story, the bait can leave readers feeling cheated and disappointed. Do these mistakes ruin the story? I don’t think so, but I can see why people could think that they do.
Art: 9
The art in Nettaigyo is fantastic. The character designs are extremely detailed and memorable, and environments are consistently well drawn. Of particular note are the two-page spreads and imagery (usually involving marine animals incorporated into normal situations) that look fantastic and contribute much to the beauty of the manga. The only problem is that the art style gradually worsens over time and by the final volume the art is noticeably worse than earlier volumes, with off-model characters and some haphazardly drawn panels. Which isn’t to say that it looks bad (far from it), it just wasn’t able to keep its stunning quality throughout. But overall, Nettaigyo is gorgeous.
Enjoyment: 10
Nettaigyo is flawed. And for many, its flaws may be a deal-breaker. But at the end of the day, I value stories that allow me to feel the triumphs of its cast, that warm my heart long after finishing them, and that ultimately leave me with moments I’ll never forget. So yeah, I was baited. But I’m so glad that I was.
Thank you for reading.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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May 30, 2022
“Genuinely disappointed,” is not the feeling I thought I would get after finishing Ohayou Ibarahime. And this disappointment doesn’t stem from sky high expectations either, I came in hesitant but cautiously optimistic. The reason I'm disappointed with Ohayou Ibarahime is that it is an excellent manga with poor execution, be that the stunted characterisation, the inconsistent pacing or the baffling narrative decisions at times. While there is some amazing stuff in here and the art is excellent, I have trouble recommending this without some caveats.
Characters: 7
The manga contains a plethora of characters, more than you might expect for a manga of this length. While
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the quality of the characterisation varies, overall the likability and development of the cast is fairly good.
The main duo in this manga, Tetsu and Shizu, are both likeable and receive great development. Tetsu is a selfless and determined high school boy who isn't your typical male lead. He's short, gets emotional and scared easily, and criticises his own actions often throughout the manga. I liked Testu because of his flaws, and his development throughout the manga makes sense and is honestly heartwarming to see. Shizu is a lot more complicated, but as to not spoil anything I'll just say she is abnormally quiet for her age and doesn't have the best social skills. Her development is fairly formulaic, but it is handled with enough care that it works as the crux of the story. The romance between them is pretty standard but it's good to see and acts as the culmination of their character arcs.
The problem is with the side cast. With a cast of this size for such a short manga, I was rightfully worried that the characterisation would be spread thin amongst the supporting characters. For most of the manga the supporting characters are no more than shallow archetypes with uninteresting backstories. The weird thing about this manga is that it chooses to flesh out multiple characters at the end. It feels tacked on and ruins the natural pacing of the ending. There is only one character I would consider to be poorly written however, that being what you might traditionally call a "villain." I won't spoil their character, but their motivations are strange and at times contrived, and their backstory feels extremely inorganic. I'm not against focusing your writing on the mains, especially for such a short manga, but when the story tries to have emotional moments with the side cast it just falls flat. However, since the main characters were so good, the side cast wasn’t nearly enough to ruin my experience with this manga.
Story: 5
The story is by far the weakest part of Ohayou Ibarahime. The premise itself - that of a high school age boy helping out a girl with a mysterious illness as their romance slowly develops - does not play out as expected, which I was intrigued by. While the romance is certainly central to the story, the narrative includes many subplots, each of varying quality. While the quality of the subplots were on average fine, they ruined the pacing. In particular there is a soccer subplot that does flesh out Tetsu's character, but is far longer than what was required and as a result takes away more than what it adds to the story. I found this subplot in particular to be hard to get through.
The story also includes many plot twists, again varying in quality (are you noticing a theme?) which range from very interesting, unsurprising, and straight up baffling. There is one plot twist in particular involving a character called Mirei which not only removes some emotional weight from the story but also introduces many questions with no answers.
Now, I probably haven't made the story this manga out to be something very good so far. But the story does starts to pick up around the middle of volume four, and really peaks at the start of volume five. At this point the manga focuses completely on Tetsu's family, and the conflict is extremely intriguing and well written. This was the point in the manga that I glimpsed something truly amazing in Ohayou Ibarahime, and I was a fan. Unfortunately, this period did not last for long. For me the brief amazing moments of this story were not enough to make me invested.
Art: 9
If there is one thing that I can wholeheartedly praise, it would be the art. The manga consistently looks great and has a high level of detail in nearly every panel, especially in the characters. Full page drawings always look great and aren’t overused for dramatic moments. I would also like to praise the character designs. For this specific manga the character designs are more important than normal, so it is good that it is easy to tell the characters apart and the designs fit the personality of the characters excellently. Overall the art was of a very high quality throughout. The only bad thing I could say about it is that there weren't any panels that blew me away, but even that's just a personal gripe rather than criticism.
Enjoyment: 6
On theme with the manga, my enjoyment was extremely inconsistent. Volumes 1 and 2 I was vaguely intrigued by, volume 3 I was quite bored, volume 4 and the start of volume 5 I was very interested, and the rest I was disappointed in apart from the final couple of chapters which were sweet. My enjoyment mainly stemmed from the conflict surrounding Tetsu's family and his relationship with Shizu towards the very end. I won't lie, I didn't cry or even tear up once during the experience, but there were heartwarming moments and when I was enjoying the manga I was pretty engaged.
Conclusion
So, would I recommend it? The truth is that it depends. I can definitely see some of my friends enjoying this more than I did, and the plethora of high scores for this manga show that people definitely are. Even though I would say to avoid this if I've described something that you wouldn't like, it's so short and the highs are good enough that if you're on the fence about whether to read it or not you should give it a go. Ohayou Ibarahime isn't likely to be a story you'll forget, for better or worse.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Jul 23, 2020
It’s early morning, the sun hasn’t risen in its brilliance yet. Alone, a girl walks out onto the street of the dark marketplace. This is her home. Slowly, the stores start to open and people start to get ready for the day. Familiar voices fill the clear air, and the light from the shops pierce the dark. The market begins to breathe again, as usual. While time has stopped for her, the world around her keeps moving, keeps living.
It’s scenes like this that really stick with me. It just earnestly conveys life in a quiet and familiar way. Tamako Love Story is not just a
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love story; it’s a reflection on life and human emotion that, despite its flaws, faithfully captures the ups and downs of life.
Story: 8
The main plot of the movie is a love story told from both perspectives of the main characters Tamako and Mochizou. I wouldn’t go so far to say that it’s a complex story, but it’s the way that themes are tackled through this narrative that makes it interesting. The main theme of the movie is change; the good and the bad associated with it. Everybody’s thinking about their future, and it’s only now occurring to Tamako that change is inevitable. The anti-theme is continuing on normally, an easy yet not entirely incorrect choice. Change comes with risk, and I myself am not much of a risk taker; I like to assess options rather than making a rash decision. That’s why I don’t like sudden change; because I don’t feel like it’s safe and I don’t have time to think. One of the reasons why I enjoyed the show as much as I did is because my thought processes are reflected in Tamako. There are some subplots and each offer perspective on the main theme or are used to build upon established characters. For example, the baton performance subplot is used cleverly to show Tamako coming to terms with her emotions and provide a shift in focus that has its own messages about taking a risk and also friendship.
Another thing I appreciate about the story is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously all the time. There are nice moments of comedy relief that are used to establish how characters feel and contrast the dramatic nature of the story. I find that some romance anime take themselves too seriously and at times feel overbearing, but the movie uses comedy to provide relief while also not making the drama seem too trivial.
It’s a simple, yet realistic reflection of life, someone else’s life, someone else’s story. I think that’s one of the reasons why I enjoyed it so much. My only complaints are that some parts of the plot could have been conveyed better and that the story would have benefitted from some more explanations and development on certain things, for example character motivations.
Animation/Art: 9
Tamako Love Story is visually exceptional. As expected from Kyoto Animation, most of the settings look stunning (though some could be improved) and the lighting is used beautifully to convey mood and create atmosphere. A number of interesting shots are used to create a unique experience for the watcher, for example complex camera movements like the camera flying inside the string phone, and time lapses. What I really want to talk about, however, is how emotion is conveyed through character animation. The character animation is fluid and realistic, and you can often tell exactly how the characters are feeling through their actions, body language and facial expressions. A lot of anime use dialogue and monologue to show how a character feels, and this isn’t a bad thing, but when it’s done like this it is a more personal experience and creates a connection between characters and the viewer. The only reason the animation is a 9 and not a 10 is because I’ve seen Kyoto Animation do better in other anime like Hyouka and some scenes in Chuunibyo. In comparison Tamako Love Story is a bit lacking in those breathtaking scenes Kyoto Animation is so known for.
Sound: 7
The voice acting is good, and the voice actors give life to their characters, but the soundtrack I thought was pretty okay. Obviously how much you enjoy the main songs like “Koi no Uta” and “Principle” will just be personal preference, but overall I would liked to have seen a better soundtrack overall which could be used more effectively. One thing that did stand out was the use of silence in order to create focus and highlight character’s feelings, as this was done surprisingly well.
Characters: 7
The thing that I think held Tamako Market back was its characterisation. Attempting a slice-of-life show with bad characters is a bad idea. That’s not to say all the characters were bad, but Tamako was an issue. In Tamako Market she was unnaturally absent minded, not very smart and useless when it came to romance. This isn’t always a bad thing, but the way it was handled made her personality bland. In Tamako Love Story however, Tamako is actually handled pretty well and is a lot more expressive. The movie does a good job of making her feel real and relatable. For example, a lot of her thoughts are portrayed through the setting she is in and the way she acts. This way it’s kind of like a puzzle to work out what Tamako is feeling or thinking, and it is very rewarding when you manage to put the pieces together. This is a good thing because it makes Tamako feel more relatable and the experience feels more personal. The juxtaposition between absent-minded Tamako and the new, relatable Tamako is one factor that makes the movie unique. Seeing Tamako struggle with her emotions in a relatable yet quiet and thoughtful way struck me harder than I thought it would. For me, this was truly Tamako’s Love Story.
Unfortunately the other main character Mochizou is not characterised as well as Tamako. Mochizou lacks personality and his motives needed to be fleshed out, or more creatively constructed. For example, it is never actually said why he he love Tamako, all I can get is that she has always been there with him. This is especially jarring considering some of the backstory. It isn’t always an issue for one side of a relationship in fiction to lack characterisation, but it doesn’t work in this context because the movie is told form both the perspective of Tamako and Mochizou. Unfortunately Mochizou is one of the factors that hold this movie back for me.
The side characters are pretty okay. No one really stood out to me or grabbed by attention apart from Anko, but that’s only because of pre-established things from Tamako Market. The side characters weren’t too important in this movie, however, so this didn’t have too much of a negative impact on my enjoyment.
Enjoyment: 8
Despite its flaws, Tamako Love Story exceeded my expectations and surprisingly created something unique. It was a great conclusion to the Tamako Market series that I thought delivered some nice messages and I thoroughly enjoyed it. In the words of Tamako:
“Mochi is so small, yet it makes all kinds of people happy.”
Well, it certainly made me happy.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Apr 22, 2020
Summary:
Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso has great music and animation, as well as an interesting premise that will capture the watcher. However, as the show progresses its flaws become more apparent, showcasing its mediocre characters and its terribly paced and oversaturated storyline. Although known as one of the more emotional anime, its flaws create a frustrating and unfortunately average watch. There are some themes and messages worth exploring, but the show was unable to execute these themes well enough to leave a lasting impact on me.
Story: 6
Art/Animation: 7
Sound: 8
Characters: 5
Enjoyment: 4
Overall: 5
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Discussion:
Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso is a lot of flare with not a whole lot of substance. The show creates a barrier of beautiful music and animation along and brings out people’s emotions in order to shield the viewer from its bad pacing, uninteresting characters and lazy writing.
The story comes in two parts, one following a music plot and the other following a romance plot, though the two are delicately intertwined. The music plot is interesting as music is conveyed as an extension of one’s own feelings, emotions and experiences. While they do use the music plot line as a way to develop Kousei, it never feels genuine. It’s almost like they are borrowing aspects from the Shonen genre and forcing it into a musical tournament, which comes off as unnatural and unrealistic. They also repeat plot points a lot, meaning that the story feels frustratingly monotonous in certain parts. The romance plot is handled well as the contrast in the characters creates an interesting dynamic and because Kousei is heavily influenced by the people around him, it is interesting to see how he reacts to other people’s emotions.
There are two main flaws with the story, the first being the comedy. Of course comedy is subjective, but I did not find any of the jokes to be that funny. It left a bad taste in my mouth when an emotionally scarred Kousei is made fun of and physically abused for the sake of the entertainment of the main female characters. This also doesn’t contrast well with the show’s more serious themes. The second flaw is the pacing. The pacing in this show is unbearably slow. The story is stretched out for too long, to the point at which the story just halts in order to cater for a performance or a pointless side story. The teaching arc serves no purpose to the narrative, with little development for any of the main characters and only development for non-essential characters, wrecking the pace of the story and detracting from the more emotional moments. There is also an overabundance of flashbacks, with some serving a greater purpose and some only re-explaining ideas that were already present.
The characters in the show are all over the place. We’ll start with Kousei. The show’s development of Kousei is actually quite interesting and is the backbone of the show. We follow him on his journey as he begins to play music again. While he is quite submissive to the people around him, this becomes both a good thing and a bad thing for him as he struggles and faces problems, which elevates his personality and provides interesting themes of self-importance and character growth. And the main character who influences Kousei is Kaori. Kaori is an interesting character. She is bright and bubbly, in direct contrast to Kousei. Her motivations and ideals are left intentionally mysterious as the show gradually releases information to flesh out her character, but not enough information is revealed for the majority of the show which leaves her a bit generic and ordinary. Despite this, the romance plot is handled alright, if a bit slow to begin and left slightly uncertain until the very end.
But this isn’t the problem with the characters. No, the problem is its other characters. Tsubaki could have been an interesting character, but the way she is portrayed makes her seem a bit cold. Her story is cliché and predictable, to the point where I was just getting bored because her story just failed to surprise me and her development detracts from the main story, and in consequence the show’s pacing suffers. Watari also serves no purpose. He is defined only by one or two traits and has no real impact on the plot of the show. He is left one-dimensional and gets barely any development.
The art or animation in the show is actually handled pretty well. The character animation feels pretty smooth, and the animation of the performances feel realistic, even if it did suffer towards the end of the show. The colouring is also really pleasing to the eye. It consistently fits the mood that the show is trying to elicit. It’s dark and bleak in sad scenes, while being bright and warm in the happy scenes.
The music is also handled well. As a fan of classical music it is interesting to see and listen to music being played at a high level. The insert songs also fit the mood of the show and definitely make character’s emotions become more apparent and relatable for the viewer. The music also feels creatively constructed and contrasts piano with more modern sounds well.
Overall, the writing of both characters and story made the show feel less genuine and unfortunately less emotional. The main emotions I felt were boredom and frustration, and the emotional high point of the show did not hit me as hard because I was already fed up with the characters, as well as the teaching side story ruining the natural flow of the story and splitting the show when a split clearly was not needed. I understand why a lot of people enjoy this show, but to me the show has too many flaws that can’t be overlooked so easily, creating a frustrating watch that failed to capture my emotions or my heart.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Apr 9, 2020
Summary:
A heartwarming and impactful new season, Mob Psycho 100 builds on the previously established world and improves the series. While season 2 changes the general tone of the show to being more serious and tackles more impactful themes, with this comes better character writing and a more interesting story. The hidden messages and concepts become foregrounded in this season, creating some of the most likeable characters in anime contrasted with incredible animation and a collection of amazing musical tracks. This is a show that every anime fan should give a chance and is truly something special.
Story: 7
Animation/Art: 9
Sound: 8
Characters: 8
Enjoyment: 8
Overall: 8
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Discussion:
To me, Mob Psycho has always been one of those really fun shows. It’s really hype, it gets your blood pumping, and, of course, the fights are incredible. However, it never was anything more than that; there were some interesting themes and concepts, but they were always buried in the background of the show. This was until season 2 hit.
Now, before we start, I would like to say that a lot changed from season 1. If you liked Mob Psycho because it had lighthearted, slice-of-life elements and a lot of humour, be warned, because you’re going to get less of that in season 2. The show takes on a more serious tone, giving up that lighthearted tone in favour of focusing on building characters, themes and morals. I don’t think this is a bad thing - I actually think that this is that elevation that the show needed - but for watchers expecting the same things as season 1 I am informing you that it won’t be the same.
What is still the same is the quality of the fights. Mob Psycho went above and beyond creating fluid and dynamic fights in season 1, but somehow in season 2 the quality of the fights have increased. The incredible animation is still present, and the fight choreography and shot composition is on point. For example, one quick shot shows an enemy psychic fighting other psychics from the point of view of a person pointing a gun shakily at the enemy. I thought this was an incredible device to create a feeling of fear and awe for the raw power of the enemy psychic and puts the watcher right in the middle of the fight. It’s a real testament to the talent of the animators that these fights can hold their own against fights present in movies with a movie sized budget. Mob Psycho has always produced breathtaking and creative use of animation, and this is even more present in season 2.
Another thing the show has taken a step up in is its music. If you watched season 1, you would remember the amazing opening music. Season 2 has somehow even surpassed this with its new opening. However, what people aren’t talking about that I think deserves more credit are the ending songs and the fight music. Mob’s theme is as good as ever, somehow making a kazoo sound menacing, and makes the fights much more powerful and impactful. The multiple ending songs are really nice and complement the more heartwarming aspects of the anime nicely. These songs create an incredible soundtrack accompanied with excellent voice actors that really bring life to their characters.
The story follows a more serious tone. Without discussing any spoilers, it becomes apparent how much season 2 differs from season 1. There is a lot less humour and is instead more of a focus on building characters. The more serious stories are there to develop Mob and Reigen as they are going through life. Season 2 has graduated from this funny, lighthearted show to something more serious with better character writing and, honestly, a lot more heart. While there is still some jokes present (and the jokes are still excellent) I believe that the show benefits from leaving it’s slice-of-life aspects behind and instead tackling more interesting and serious topics. However, in truth I would have liked to see a bit more humour used to dilute the tone of the series a bit more. I can understand that many watchers might be a bit disappointed with this new tone, but I believe it’s for the best - season 2 creates a truly memorable story with loveable characters; something that truly elevates Mob Psycho above the ordinary and separates it from similar shows.
With this new, more serious tone comes better character writing that I personally don’t think could be accomplished lightheartedly. The story is more focused around building the characters, mainly Mob and Reigen. Mob has to face many new challenges in this season, but it isn’t just finding the strength to beat his next powerful opponent; it’s something more. For example, Mob’s ideal that having psychic powers doesn’t make one better than others really comes through with full force in this season. Of course there are lots of physical fights, but a lot of the time you see Mob fighting his own emotions and learning to grow up. Mob is also one of the most compassionate characters I have seen in anime; the genuine way he treats other people is really heartwarming. This development is really nice to see, and is honestly really inspiring. It’s not just Mob overpowering his opponents, it’s Mob coming to terms with his own values. And it’s this that makes the fights and story so much more impactful.
Reigen is also the star of this season. Reigen goes from being this funny, fake mentor for Mob to being someone who genuinely cares for Mob. He realises his own truths in this season and learns that he can find value in others and himself. This season even goes so far to take a break from the action to deliver a short character arc focused on building Reigen’s character. I was honestly really surprised by this change of pace, but after watching it I can say it was heartwarming and contains well written character growth. Mob and Reigen’s relationship is really explored in this season and hits harder than the fights. All that stuff about being true to yourself and treating others with kindness comes through here, and it’s so powerful.
And that’s the general theme for this season; it’s just so kind. It really stands on its own feet and differentiates itself from the elephant in the room, One Punch Man. While One Punch Man’s purpose was to parody the superhero genre and its tropes, Mob Psycho creates a much more powerful story and message. While I found that season 1 of Mob Psycho was sitting in the shadow of One Punch Man, I believe that season 2 is enough to step out of this shadow and surpass it.
For anyone who was a fan of Mob Psycho in season 1, season 2 is that next step up. I would strongly recommend this show to anyone who likes well written characters accompanied by intense and powerful action. But I would also recommend it to people who are not that much of a fan of Shonen, because the messages behind these characters deliver much more than most Shonen battle anime can.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Apr 2, 2020
Summary:
With some of my favourite scenes in anime, and Kayo Hinazuki carrying the show, Erased sparkles in some areas, but falls flat in others. Haunted by an unsatisfactory ending, while the show does have some beauty to it, plot holes and clumsy writing tear holes into its image. While having the potential to become exceptional, Erased falls short and just becomes a better than average anime. However, it’s still worth a watch, because the parts when those particular good bits shine through, for a fleeting moment you really believe that the show is something special.
Story: 7
Animation/Art: 6
Sound: 6
Characters: 6
Enjoyment: 6
Overall: 6
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Discussion:
Despite giving Erased a 6, it’s one of the more memorable shows I have watched. This is not a show that you’re going to be forgetting. The reason I remember it better than the average show is one word: potential. This anime had so much potential to deliver something exceptional, and it is truly a shame to see what became of it.
I’ll start with the story. Erased is a murder mystery with a time travel twist, and because I’m a sucker for plots involving time travel as well as enjoy the mystery genre, I came into this show with high expectations. However, let me set this straight - you should not watch Erased for the mystery. While this is contradictory to what the show is about, the mystery is not at all hard to work out and you will instead be left a bit disappointed. Also there are obvious holes in the plot, such as kids talking and behaving like mature adults, which created weird scenes which were not really explained. And of course, no story is complete without an ending. To avoid spoilers, let’s just say the ending was unsatisfactory and a bit predictable, leaving a bit of a hole in the show’s image.
For some people, the backbone of the show is its characters. In this review I’ll only be discussing Satoru Fujinuma and Kayo Hinazuki, because the other characters don’t really have that much of an importance in the overall story. Satoru is one of the main flaws with this show. His motivation’s become jumbled and, though clear, are often bit lacking. I didn’t find Satoru that interesting as a character either, and he kind of sits around sometimes and relies on other characters to advance the plot. Take Kenya for an example; despite being only 11 years old, he guides and helps Satoru through the show, and his motivations behind his actions are left unclear. This leads to frustrating moments where you are asking yourself what Kenya even is, but in the end it is just left unexplained.
One of the most frustrating parts of the show is Satoru’s irrational behaviour. For example, he just flees from a crime scene that he did not commit. This is poorly written and it’s soul purpose is to raise the stakes and advance the plot, but it feels cheap and for me it definitely left a bad taste for the rest of the series. Also, why is there romantic tension between between the 29 year old Satoru and the 11 year old Kayo? It definitely felt out of place and, quite frankly, was a bit disturbing to say the least.
Despite this criticism for the shows characters, one of the highlights of the show is Kayo. She is developed at a good pace during the show and her overall her character is the most interesting one in the whole show. She is well written and she has some of the best moments in the show. One of my personal favourite scenes is the breakfast scene where Kayo is at Satoru’s house. I won’t spoil anything, but it was well executed, heartwarming, and one of the main reasons why this show still sticks with me even now. Overall, Kayo carries the show and is the most interesting character in the show, delivering nice messages and heartfelt moments.
From a 2020 perspective, the animation in the show is a little bit better than average. However, what I would like to address is the excellent use of symbolism when it comes to colour usage. For example, the colour red symbolised danger and is used extremely well. For example, Kayo wears red, and in the high impact, adrenaline rushing moments the colour red is always cleverly used to create a tense atmosphere.
The sound was also better than average. The sound is used adequately to create tension and a claustrophobic atmosphere, while also including some nice pieces in the more quiet, personal moments. The ending song is average, but where I think the sound stands out is the opening music. The opening is really good, containing some nice rock and vocals. However, I don’t think it’s that well suited for the show’s atmosphere; it’s reminiscent of what you would expect for a Shonen anime to have.
Overall, despite it’s interesting start and concepts, Erased falls flat. What I would have liked to see is a better ending, a bit more of a mysterious killer, a better protagonist and a bit of brushing up in the writing department. Then we would be looking at something like an 8. But, where it stands, Erased had potential, but unfortunately it was a shame that it couldn’t deliver. However, I would strongly recommend any anime fan to watch it once, because despite all these flaws I can guarantee that people will still find joy in watching this show.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Mar 29, 2020
Summary:
A forgettable and boring story pulled down by dull and even downright irritating characters, this is an anime that you’ll have trouble enjoying. With bad fight scenes and a rough power system, even looking at this show as a generic power fantasy will leave you disappointed. The only way I would recommend this show is if you have fun criticising bad anime, but don’t be surprised when you’re checking how long is left of the episode.
Story: 3
Animation/Art: 3
Sound: 2
Characters: 2
Enjoyment: 2
Overall: 3
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Discussion:
“These days it almost seems like there is a seemingly endless sea of bad Isekai to choose from. But fear not! This is a fantasy anime, it’s not even Isekai. So it could potentially be better!” Those were my thoughts before immersing myself in this show. I wasn’t really expecting much, but I also didn’t think it could be that bad. I was wrong. But I’m here to tell you why it was that bad.
When first entering the show, one of the first things you’ll notice is that the main character has a striking resemblance to Kirito. If that doesn’t set off your warning bells, I don’t know what will. In fact, Kufa Vampir is a worse character than Kirito. When discussing his main personality traits, I would say he has three. One, he has a romantic relationship with Melida Angel, a 13 year old girl who is also his student (we’ll get to this later). Two, he is a half-vampire, which for some reason makes him stupidly powerful. Three, he sometimes tucks his tie into his shirt pocket. Kufa is a really forgettable and boring character, the equivalent of staring at a piece of cardboard.
But if Kufa is cardboard, then Melida is like if someone asked you to eat that cardboard. Melida Angel is one of the worst main characters I’ve seen in anime. Not only does she have barely any personality, but the traits she does have are bad. What I’m trying to say is that she’s actually a dislikable character, which is crazy because she’s supposed to be one of the main characters, the one that the viewer is supposed to cheer for. She’s the underdog, but you find yourself cheering for her opponents because it doesn’t feel like you want her to win. However, the worst part (and probably one of the reasons why most people wont watch the show) is her romantic relationship with Kufa. Melida is 13 and Kufa is 17, which is bad enough, but Melida is also Kufa’s student. I shouldn’t need to explain why this is horrible.
For some reason, the pacing in this show is extremely fast. I don’t even know why it progresses so fast, but there are so many things to keep track of each episode that it’s very difficult to keep up and makes the viewer feel overwhelmed. It adds to the feeling that the show is a rushed project without much substance. Worse, this rapid pace takes away form any character development and worldbuilding, meaning that parts of the show are left unexplained and the characters feel paper thin and weak.
One of the main reasons why people watch power fantasy anime is for the action. Even I will admit that it’s really cool to watch a character overcome bad odds with sheer effort and determination. Unfortunately, Assassins Pride doesn’t even do this. Because there is no training arc, none of Melida’s wins feel earned. It’s actually quite funny because whenever Melida uses a special attack there is a quick flashback to training that the viewer was never saw, and the show is like “this happened, deal with it.” It feels rushed and you are never satisfied when Melida wins. So, what about when Kufa wins? No satisfaction either, because he is such a powerful character that no one else has nearly enough strength to beat him and he never even breaks a sweat, meaning there is no progression and whenever Kufa enters the fight there is no doubt that he will win. This is not the way to handle an overpowered protagonist.
The animation and use of music in the fight scenes is really dull and the fight choreography is quite minimalistic. These types of shows usually have decent fight scenes, so I was expecting the fights to be alright when I was thinking about watching the show, but I found myself disappointed. The fights have no substance, are filled with bland characters and do not advance the plot at all.
If I had to pick one decent thing about the show, I would have to say that it’s the mystery arc. While it’s not hard to solve the mystery, it is entertaining to see the people in the town turn against the protagonists and see how they react. The mystery arc also adds a little to the worldbuilding and the overall structure of the show as well as adding a tiny bit more backstory to the overall plot and creating some new plot points that will definitely be used in later seasons.
Overall, Assassins Pride is not your generic power fantasy. It’s less enjoyable, less exciting, and honestly people who enjoy watching power fantasy shows will not even enjoy watching it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 3
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