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Sep 25, 2024
I promise that, eventually, this review is about Suzume.
Your Name is brilliant and nearly flawless, words that do not do justice to its impact. Brilliance is both blessing and curse. How could anything M. Night Shyamalan make after The Sixth Sense compete with its predecessor? Same with Peter Jackson, and Lord of the Rings. These works, so monumental in their excellence, overshadow completely any other works created by their visionaries. So too with Makoto Shinkai and Your Name; before its release, Shinkai is quoted as saying that "it isn't ready" and that its story was flawed. He was simply trying
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to avoid the fate of his fellow directors, and he failed. This review critiques Suzume, not Your Name- but it is incomplete without stressing how much Suzume lives in the shadow of its predecessor.
Suzume's Locking Up beautifully mixes stunning visuals and soundtrack with an engaging, overtly supernatural story, something which Shinkai has leaned into in recent releases. It features what is, by my estimation, Shinkai's strongest protagonist, Suzume, who possesses agency and drive, and is often a mover rather than the moved. Shinkai's movies often employ themes of distance and time, of which Suzume is no exception. Across the board, its excellent quality shines through, yet across that light a pall is cast.
I cannot stress this enough; Makoto Shinkai, whether by his own operative or that of a studio, has essentially made the same movie three consecutive times. Following his filmography, in Voices of a Distant Star, distance defeats love; same too with 5 Centimeters per Second. In The Place Promised and the Garden of Words, time indubitably trumps our human feelings, though in different ways. Yet for these commonalities, each feels distinct in tone, setting, and concept. When Your Name rebukes these themes, and proclaims "Yes, love is more powerful than any forces that seek to destroy it", it resonates, not only because of the strength of Your Name, but also because of its juxtaposition with Shinkai's earlier films. And its impact is diminished on the second and third time.
Suzume is quite a good film, and would be indisputably excellent if not for how closely it parrots its precursors. While much better than Weathering With You, it pales in comparison to Your Name, a comparison it invites in every scene. It's been eleven years since the last truly unique Shinkai film- maybe the next one will be.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Sep 19, 2024
Light Spoilers
Summertime Render will always disappoint me, though not necessarily through any fault of its own. Its premise- a small island community creating essentially a locked-room murder mystery, a mysterious last contact with the victim, an ominous target in the younger sister, and a bit of time travel- is so captivating, so full of promise, that I was hooked before I had watched a single episode. And through the first several episodes, I couldn't get enough. Yet, by episode 12, I had dropped this at the time of its airing. Finally having watched Summertime Render in its entirety, perhaps I judged
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it too harshly; it is by most metrics an above average show. But there is so much meat left on the bone.
For those who have not watched the show: you are not getting into a sweet murder mystery with supernatural elements. Summertime Render is a monster-fighting battle shonen that moonlights teases you through its first few episodes before dropping the curtain entirely on its original premise. It's got good animation, a pretty unique protagonist, a promising setting, and a super catchy opening, and I can highly recommend if that's the type of show you're looking for. Yet all those elements could be configured into so much more; by a quarter way through the show, its excellent opening episodes have already been diminished by the reveal of too much information, and by the three-quarters mark I was counting down the minutes until it was over.
Summertime Render progresses in such a way that leads me to believe a studio (or publishing house) instructed the mangaka to change its genre after a solid premise was already established. Again, this is not a poorly-made show, though it struggles to keep its feet on the ground in the last episodes. There's few enough good mystery anime as is; we were absolutely robbed of one here. Damn.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Sep 19, 2024
Gimai Seikatsu, or Days with my Stepsister (DWS) exactly opposes the idea of “high concept media”- it is almost impossible to imagine a story simpler and more grounded. Though low concept media is viable, and can be excellent- look no further than Hyouka- it relies heavily on tightly written characters, and peripherals of its presentation. These include stunning animation or a superb soundtrack for visual media, or elegant prose for written media. Unfortunately, the anime adaptation of Gimai Seikatsu does not carry these aspects to a consistently high enough level to ascend its simple plot.
DWS suffers from two primary
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issues, the first of which is its ponderously slow pace. Across all its forms, slow-paced media can be phenomenal, but there are diminishing marginal returns when decreasing the pace of plot. DWS, to the extreme, refuses to rush its plot. An example:
In one episode of the anime, two characters see a movie together. Later on, a line from this movie is referenced for dramatic effect, while one of the characters recreates the scene. So far, so good. The issue is that four and a half minutes- nearly a quarter of the time an episode runs- is spent showing the movie. The scene in which DWS characters re-enact a small part of it? Only three minutes.
Less than five minutes may seem like a small issue, but in a twelve-episode anime, every second comes at a premium. Frequently, simple, everyday chores are shown in such a way that buttering a piece of bread may take 10-15 seconds, and background shots with no dialogue also seem to occupy much of the run time. Add the line delivery, which is so slow as to be occasionally comical, and the pace of DWS seems artificially glacial. Which brings us to the second problem with this show.
Animation quality is not all encompassing, and a poorly animated show can still be good- but DWS is absolutely hamstrung by how it looks. Frankly, it is distracting how often still background shots are cut to in an effort to avoid animating movement. The camera is frequently placed below characters’ heads, so their mouth can be ignored. My theory is that the absurdly slow pace serves to diminish the number of slides that need to be drawn. In a show about simple, everyday interactions, the visual quality should be superb, reminiscent of “still life” paintings, but is instead reminiscent of 1969 Scooby-Doo. This is an unfair standard, but DWS is an entirely different show if it looks like Violet Evergarden.
Despite my complaints, DWS seems to possess some mystical quality which interferes with the passage of time and makes it surprisingly watchable. Nearly every episode, I would be shocked hearing the ED fade into the background, convinced I had only been 8 or 10 minutes into it. Probably due to its lethargic pace, my mind kept expecting more had to happen in an episode, so therefore I couldn’t be through with it already.
Also a note in the positive column is how incredibly relaxing DWS is to watch. Completely in contrast to most anime, the characters not only communicate at the level real people do, but way overshare, which leads to quick resolution of conflicts that aren’t elevated from standard high school trope schlock. It’s not genius, risky, or thought provoking, but it works, so if you want to turn your brain off and enjoy a low-drama romance (not enough comedy to be a romcom) then this may be exactly what you’re looking for.
DWS has potential but is very likely hamstrung by budget. In the hands of a different studio, this could be a real gem. It’s just good enough for me to recommend if nothing else is speaking to you.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Aug 27, 2024
White Album 2 is a relatively unique high-school romance that eschews many (but not all) tropes of its genre to keep you engaged. It is overly dramatic, moody, and occasionally cringe-inducing, yet not a bad experience for any of those things.
Firstly: White Album 2 is connected not at all, or only superficially, to White Album, which has a second season, confusingly titled "White Album Season 2". These separate anime share a universe but no more. White Album 2 is actually the prologue chapter to a visual novel of the same name, which is supposedly excellent.
White Album 2 recounts
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the tale of a boy and the two girls who comprise his love life- one the energetic school idol, and the other a lethargic loner who happens to be a prodigious piano player. The main character has a dream- to perform, musically, at his school festival- and is dead set on doing it with these two. The plot of WA2 does not follow the typical pace for a story like this; by that, I mean the events that would be contained in a typical story like this take place in different episodes than you might expect.
Of course, not everything goes smoothly, and some drama arises along the way. Mistakes- some of which are actually quite major in scale- disrupt our intrepid trio. A story like this only works its characters draw interest, which WA2 is fortunately able to accomplish. Some (a small minority- the MCs don't suck) may despise one or two or even all three main members of the cast, but I personally change my opinions every time I watch as to who is "at fault" for some of the larger errors. It's a testament to the writing that very few people who have seen WA2 have no opinion on its main cast- hate is better than apathy.
As I said earlier, WA2 is overly dramatic, moody, and cringe inducing- but that's not a bad thing, if played right. WA2 presents teen romance less as an ideal and more as a caution. It's filled with tender, romantic moments set against a stereotypical high school background, but also the consequences of actions for those swept up in youth. Although somewhat controversial, the last episode absolutely makes this show. Without it, WA2 would be no different from a hundred other anime.
As expected for a show with a large emphasis on music, both the OST and the performed songs are well above average, with the titular "White Album" being particularly memorable. The show is set in winter and fall, and the music does an excellent job evoking the emotions of those seasons. While not bad- good, even- I can't help but feel that WA2's animation thinks it's better than it is. Many scenes would go from merely pretty to visually stunning with improved animation.
Not that my score means anything, but I have both WA2 and Oregairu listed as an 8. Very similar in terms of plot, Oregairu is undoubtedly better- but I know which one I've watched more. White Album 2 deserves a shot if you like romance, drama, or musical anime.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Aug 15, 2024
Ghost Hunt is a goofy horror anime that manages to be both completely trope-y and genuinely scary, perfectly balancing one aspect with the other. It's exceptionally fun, and well-worth a watch for anyone who is interested in horror.
Ghost Hunt follows a high-school student (of course) who manages to get herself indebted to a ghost hunting agency led by a narcissist she can't help but find annoyingly handsome. Along with a Catholic priest, a Shinto monk, a washed-up shrine maiden, a Chinese spiritualist, and other religious practitioners, the agency takes on requests which form short arcs, generally in the 3-4 episode range.
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If this all sounds like the set-up for a horror parody- think an anime "Scary Movie"- I wouldn't blame your assumption. Indeed, Ghost Hunt does make fun of many well-worn horror tropes, but with a key distinction: Ghost Hunt is first a good horror anime, then secondly a parody. I would estimate the show is about 75% genuine, 25% parody, but those rarely detract from one another.
Unfortunately, the quality of Ghost Hunt is not equally distributed among its arcs. Some are better than others, and one is clearly head-and-shoulders the peak of the show. The tone of each arc can vary wildly, as can the fear factor- but I wouldn't describe any part as "bad". Also- the worse arcs tend to be shorter.
As for the technical aspects of the show, they're fine. The animation and soundtrack are alright, though I did enjoy the opening. I also appreciated the sound design for some of the creepier incidents. I can't say that any technical component particularly stood out, but neither did it detract.
Finally: be prepared for some creepy shenanigans! Ghost Hunt does not pull many punches on the scarier aspects. Don't let that "shoujo" tag fool you, as it definitely makes you pull your feet under the covers. If shows like Another appeal to you, or you think it's fun to be a little creeped out, I highly recommend giving Ghost Hunt a shot.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Aug 13, 2024
Shiki will not appeal to everyone, but it is an excellent, shocking, and thought-provoking take on what "life" means.
A quintessential small-town horror anime, Shiki tells the tale of a remote, isolated village struggling against what seems to be a never-before seen, and unavoidably deadly, illness. Its characters vary greatly in age and occupation, and are myriad in number; easily several dozen are named, and at least somewhat pertinent to the story. As the story progresses, and a trickle of mysterious deaths builds into a deluge, these characters help- or hinder- the investigation into the origin of this "disease". Shiki keeps you on
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your toes- mistakes are heavily punished, often by death. No character is ever safe.
The animation of Shiki, technically, is not overwhelmingly impressive, but it compliments the tone well: the creepier scenes are often made better by a lack of "cleanliness" in the lines. The unique character designs work surprisingly well within the setting of Sotoba, clearly delineating the otherworldly effect of some of its inhabitants. I also appreciated how the camera was kept around eye level for many shots, which leant the effect of found-footage.
Shiki's soundtrack perfectly fits its story, and the anime would not be the same without it. Ethereal and somber, it encapsulates hopelessness, death, and new life again. More than anything, the haunting choir sticks with me, months after watching.
For all its heavy material, Shiki is not overly depressing. It has tragedies aplenty, but triumphs as well, even if it makes you question their cost. Many pieces of media have worn out the "What if humans are the real monsters?" question, to the point of triteness. Fortunately, Shiki seeks to answer another question: Can survival itself be evil? Go check it out- but make sure to close your window blinds first.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Aug 7, 2024
*Light Spoilers*
A Lull in the Sea might not be the worst show I've ever watched, or even close, but it numbers among the most disappointing.
I do not personally enjoy many P.A. Works productions, excepting Another. However, having seen both Angel Beats! and Charlotte- two shows with strong similarities to this anime- I am left with by far the strongest feelings towards A Lull in the Sea. Its concept is so fascinating and yet so marred by second-rate execution that it only reminds the viewer of what could have been.
A Lull in the Sea makes heavy use of magical realism.
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The small, coastal town around which the plot is centered- Shioshishio- is split into two halves, above and below water. While the above water section is pretty normal, the section below is populated by humans with a magical skin which allows them to breathe below water. This is not regarded as abnormal, beyond some childish jeering. Those who live below worship a sea god, fronted by an eccentric priest, and throw elaborate rituals to gain his favor. The plot of the show centers around five children- four below, one above- who attend a mixed middle school and struggle with issues both familiar and alien to ourselves.
Magical realism, tragically, is heavily underutilized across most mediums of storytelling, but it stars here. Expert hands could have crafted this concept into a special, memorable story- but, being anime, it has to be set in a school. A Lull in the Sea's downfall stems primarily from its immature, one-dimensional characters who, despite having twenty-six episodes to develop, could be described adequately in five words. For the first half of the show, this is excusable- after all, the main characters are quite young, so having their petty drama take center-stage over the more serious, adult side plots happening around them makes sense. However.
Without spoiler-y detail, the second half of the show should be far more mature. The twist isn't similar, but A Lull in the Sea could have greatly benefitted from a tonal shift like in Steins; Gate. The plot points contained within the second half are fine- it's the distribution of time allotted to each of them that needs rebalanced. Watching each episode, I convinced myself "This next one is where this story finally grows up!". If you're waiting around for it too, I'm here to report- it'll never happen. The end credits will roll and you'll still be waiting.
A Lull in the Sea is a beautiful, unique anime that can't get out of its own way long enough to ever be the magic it promises. It's not bad, but I'd still recommend skipping.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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