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May 27, 2018
There are words, but I don't think there are nearly enough to describe the magnitude of hatred and bile that I have had to nigh every single episode of this series. I don't think I'll ever experience this level of disgust and abject fury that I have on any other series or work I'll ever see in my life.
From basically every conceivable angle something in this series has rubbed me the wrong way. The Only saving grace is Astolfo, both as a meme and in actuality, because every time I thought there was a chance for this show to be even a metric of
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decent it basically spat in my face and asked me to thank it.
Nothing is more a testament to both A1 Pictures or this show as whole more than episode 22, I don't think I have ever seen anything so blatant and ashamed when it very much should have in every regard; to not only reanimate the last few scenes from the previous episode with this drastically different albeit better for the animation in the end art-style, but to have the episode jump in-between said art-style the shows regular is just outright insulting to the viewer if I'm honest.
I'm not even sure if I can recommend this series even ironically. If I can still dole out this much after finishing the series a month after writing and still be well be prepared to elaborate on:
The over-bloated, derivative, dry, predictable cast.
The rushed, messy, and veering too close to inconsistent plot (I'll let that extra servant slide).
The placid, samey, dull artwork (barring a character design or two).
The failing juggling act of what i struggle to call a tone.
The incomprehensible, car crash known as directing during fight scenes.
Huck, if it wasn't for the first OP, second ED, a track or two in the OST, and a serviceable job on the sound effects and the equally so voice acting on the cast as a whole, I'd have even had a problem with the sound design.
To begin with, I dislike Sieg cause he seems flippant in his ideology when it was challenged once by an event that happened in the past and he knows is an illusion (cast by Assassin of Black). I dislike Jean d'Arc cause her mental fortitude was shaken cause she couldn't admit she had feelings for Sieg, when she's proved she's willing to take responsibility for things that literally lead to her own death in what she also knows is an illusion conjured to make her weary (cast by sorcerer of Red). I hate all of Yggdmillennia because they all flat characters who basically exist to either switch personal opinions (from being objective driven single-minded sociopaths to caring sympathetic humanitarians) or die. I hate that Shirou Kotomine is even a thing that exists, I was already skeptical of Shirou Emiya compared to his farther (from both Fate/Stay Night and Fate/Zero), but I can at least understand his struggle against the world not agreeing with; I'm not sure if I'd use the term Bastard or Adopted, but regardless Amakusa Shirou is under a delusion that not even Shounen or Super hero antagonists follow anymore (Salvation for the human race, that's already a terrible show, don't remind me). I tolerate Mordrid and her master, it was a dynamic I could respect to some degree (even if its been done better in other works, Rocky is a good example of two assholes basically trying to better themselves via there one chance). The other servants had character arcs, I wouldn't say development and definately wouldn't call any of them good since all of them are either upset that they got their asses kicked or stoically awaiting there next opponent or obstacle (Ala Jean d'Arc or Lancer of Red). I like Astolfo though (as much as saying so might devalue all my rage). The other masters can go die for all I care (conveniently they did). I could go on, but I feel we'll be here all day
I'd never want admit that if I saw this show a lot sooner I might actually like this show, because the animation (Grail forbid I forget to separate from the actual directing) is a sight to behold, especially. It reminds me of Rogue One or Godzilla (2014) where the first half is boring and the second half is amazing balancing out to an OK movie, but in Fate/Apocrypha's case it plateaus at utter trash so vexing i could probably right an essay on each episode if I didn't already right an A5 page if not more on each individual episode (after 6 to be specific) which is a lot considering this a two cour TV anime that isn't episodic meaning that there should be breather episodes where basically nothing (or at least nothing that could make anyone feel any strong emotions, not even shows I love or like can accomplish that on an episode-by-episode basis) happens that would allow the staff to catch their breath (but I guess that's what the two recap episodes were for). All shows might have different intent and construction, but neither were apparent or good in this case.
In the End, Fate/Apocrypha really lives up to its name this series is very question as to what the origins of the productions and staff thinking that any idea they had was a good one. The fact that this was light novel that was originally supposed to be an MMO is just salt in the wounds. I hope this series rests well in the cesspit of every other non-canon/non-Nasu Fate spin-off media adaptation I've seen thus far (which isn't many), Amen.
Reviewer’s Rating: 2
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Jun 12, 2016
I'm not much a person for numbers but its hard to ignore the significance of Utsu musume Sayuri as it is the 100th anime I have watched to completion and as such I feel like I have to give my opinion.
Anime is a form of art and as such there is no right or wrong way of doing it and Utsu really pushes the boundary. I knew beforehand that Utsu was teetering between the realms of Mars of destruction and Inferno Cop, Mars of destruction being purely terrible and Inferno Cop being a source of dank memes and like any sane person I was hoping
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for the latter and was truly shocked.
I tried looking at Utsu in a different way: by looking at the plot only, the dialogue only, the music only, the art only, and the characters only; those factors alone made them seem like an orgy of awful. Ignoring the visuals, animation, voice acting, and "soundtrack" you just realize that this is a short about a "girl" named Sayuri striking some unidentified object that wants to be struck on its butt.
I truly don't have words to describe the adverse effects The striking girl Sayuri has had on me, as you can tell by how horrendously worded this review is. The visuals are surreal indeed and are probably the kind that if handled correctly could possibly make the one man voice-acting a whole lot more bearable. CG animation isn't really my thing when its trying to replicate 2D animation and Mayuri doesn't help that stigmatisim, Mayuri is sitting on her husbands face for crying out! A husband that is literally just there, even the thing that was struck had multiple lines regardless of the fact that it lacked a name.
However one 'positive' thing I can say about TSG Sayuri is that it in essence fulfilled its purpose as art, it pushed my buttons and got me thinking. Say what you will about how a human being could actually manifest this monstrosity and how MAL was insane enough to have this 'anime' on its site but one thing TSG Sayuri isn't is forgettable. You will forever remember the day and the moment you finished TSG as the first day to your new life.
In very odd summation, watch utsu musume Sayuri. You may horrified or underwhelmed, I was a lot of both but it truly is unique in the best and worst kind of way that anime and by extension art can be; its certainly better to look at then pages of a phone-book behind glass in art Museum in New York.
Reviewer’s Rating: 1
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Apr 12, 2016
Kill La kill makes me think anime are like people and if Kill La Killl were a person they would be a teenager in my mind, but more specifically the kind of teenager who is a riot at parties and anywhere they are, but has a hard time having deep conversations without cracking a joke or trying to seem smarter than they actually are.
However that doesn't mean that Kill La Kill isn't without its charms. Its a feast for the eyes to behold, every scene is exciting to watch and the varying art styles make every frame fresh and different to each other. The characters
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are distinct and eye catching from each other, except where they shouldn't be (like a large army or a massive crowd). The fights were a bit of flustercluck but unfortunately I enjoyed them immensely for there loonasy. The world was beautiful and original (barring the high school aspect), however we only ever get to see the slums and the school the most during the course of the show which is a shame considering the other bits we do see are dazzling.
The characters voices were pretty average during calm scenes and nothing too interesting, but were great during the tenser scenes. The music that accompanied the visuals of the show varied from orchestral to comical rather fluently. The music was more often than not a good match for whatever was on screen. The first OP was relatively fitting in terms of context but not so much in tone since it have enough vigor for me but the second OP could easily get me hyped for another episode. The ED's as expected weren't too amazing but still fitting and made every episode feel complete with their own individual charm and cuteness.
Furthermore Kill La Kill has a relatively interesting story. A classic 'simple story sets a chain reaction for the real plot' narrative type that really does fit the vibe the show gives off. However one problem has is that Kill La Kill doesn't give equal care to all its characters. Though Satsuki and Ryuuko get good arcs and even the supporting characters like Sanageyama, Gamegory and even Mako to some degree are developed, the same treatment can't be said to other characters at their level like the other half of the Elite four (Jakuzure and Inumuta), Satsuki's mother or Nui who get the near bare minimum character development which is a shame.
In conclusion, Kill La Kill is overall a fun show, though it would seem like a slog for those looking for a deeper or more serious narrative or more focused art style Kill La Kill is one Hype train I never boarded and I'm glad since I had fully singular and rather enjoyable experience unfettered by the sparks flying on whether it was good or not. As a whole Kill La Kill may not have made me laugh (since Mako isn't funny to me) or cry (since the tone shifts wasn't consistent enough to have that effect on me) I finished Kill La kill with a smile on my face. (Nudist...BEEEEEAAAAAAACCCCHHH!)
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Apr 11, 2016
I was hoping to write a well thought, balanced, and fair review of Inferno Cop after taking what I expected be a rather average show, I was proven wrong after finishing it in a day. Inferno Cop is one of those rare shows that really redefines the medium as whole such Akira and Neon Genosis Avangelion. Inferno Cop is an anime and that is an indisputable fact.
How does Inferno Cop achieve this? Simple, simplicity. Inferno Cop doesn't feel like its better or smarter than the audience but I feel that it thinks that its smarter since it uses the old storytelling technique of telling not
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showing and executes with precision and logic (tough there isn't much of that in other areas). Inferno Cop seamlessly introduces characters and concepts with skill allowing the viewer to fully appreciate the rich and vibrant world of Inferno Cop and its characters.
Speaking of characters, Inferno cop has a good assortment of them from: Supemerman disguised as a baby, pregnant woman, Inferno Cop's aunt, Mecha Cop, Hellfire boy, and so much more; each of these characters have rich, deep, and meaningful development and character arcs over the course of the series. Each character is unique in there own way especially Inferno Cop himself.
However the voices that accompany the cast of amazing characters is truly amazing. Inferno Cop is an anime that could convince even a dub junkie such as myself to indulge in splendor of japanese voice. The men and women in Inferno Cop all sound the same making every character feel familiar but are different enough that you could tell them apart. You can really hear the emotion of dialogue. The series OP takes a queue from western media with a minimalistic intro other than the longer ones of its contemporaries however the ED is one for the ears to enjoy and sing along with for the next episode. Soundtrack truly does make one question their own ears.
Furthermore te artwork accompanying the Soundtrack and Voices of Inferno Cop is a sight to behold. Articulation, the bending of joints, is one of the most over used troupes in all of animation (not just anime); Inferno Cop does away with this over used animation technique and opts instead to use still PNG-like images of characters set against a series of semi-realistic photo backgrounds, obviously using real images in the latter half of the series. The fights scenes truly were the highlight of Inferno Cop giving studios like: Ufotable, Bones, and Madhouse a run for their money. Every frame of Inferno Cop is a true Test for the eyes.
I did not enjoy Inferno Cop, I withstood it. I stand on place where many men have ventured and came out a changed person. Inferno Cop is truly a contender for one of the greatest anime of all time. No aspect of it is lacking in any degree. Glitter on Inferno Cop, glitter on.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Apr 6, 2016
One does not come into One Punch Man expecting a deep philosophical tale a of man trying his hardest to connect his fist with another persons face, one expects whats on the box and they do indeed recieve that. One Punch Man is as ridiculous as its title and premise.
How it achieves this is simple; keep it simple. Saitama is a simple guy living in a city who literally just happens to be a superhero. The plot and events in One Punch Man are executed in such a way they don't seem that surprising, they seem natural; They build upon each other and slowly help
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build plot for what I believe to be a second season, not hat the current season doesn't have a climax. None of the plots or events are boring and none of their conclusions are boring and they all have an effect on the world as whole, which I like since I don't want plot to not have any effect.
In addition the characters are also affected by the unfolding plot. However One Punch Man suffers from what I like to call 'Harem character syndrome' IE. Too many characters. The problem isn't that they introduce too many but that they introduce a plethora of them towards the later half and don't do much with the latter characters as they do with the former ones. Our main protagonist doesn't truly develop but I wasn't expecting him to but they give him a rather good character build in the beginning of the show.
The art work in One Punch Man is Phenomenal. The character all have more or less the same build but are different and noticeable enough that you could easily tell them apart. The fight scenes are where One Punch Man really shines though. Each one feels different and the stakes always seem very apparent because of how much build up each one gets, some getting more than others because of their premise. Where One Punch Man lacks in art is in its stiller scenes between protagonists because the none fight scenes between protagonists and antagonists are entertaining. The varying art styles give the show an odd charm akin to that of 'Panty and Stocking'.
Furthermore the soundtrack accompanying the artwork is great, making each fight scene more epic and enjoyable. The rest of the soundtrack isn't very memorable since it was for scenes that I felt indifferent about. The OP is one of the greatest I've ever heard and is one of my favourite, though the ED feels wasted and more like something I'd hear in a 'feels' slice-of-life anime. The voice acting is good, nothing awe inspiring but I did find it enjoyable.
Lastly I binged One Punch Man in a single day and still enjoyed I emmensly, its not the greatest anime of all time but in my mind its definatley a contender.
In conclusion, what one would expect to find in One Punch Man is great, action packed, epic anime with great art, good music, fantastic pacing and a rather enjoyable piece of mindless fun.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Mar 16, 2016
I have not seen the original version of Ghost Stories and I have no plans to. That's because I honestly couldn't take the story or events seriously now thanks to the English dub.
Granted the story is an episodic 'Ghost of the week' type of show so there isn't much story to began with. Ghost appears, Ghost kills at least one person, Ghost is seen or interacts with one the kids, kids try find ghost, Satsuki reads about the ghost, Satsuki traps ghost, REPEAT. I just more or less explained the plot for EVERY episode. Why still watch aside from the comedic dub, for a change
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of pace I guess. When your in a plot heavy show their is little to no freedom to skip episodes or start in middle and dart back and fourth while purposely avoiding the first episode to guess the plot/context.
In addition the dub does make the characters more interesting. Making a parent a Lesbian, an adolescent pervert guy friend , a hardcore christian female upperclassmen, and a retarded little brother are just some of the characters that never get developed in the dub because the show is episodic. The exception being the mother of course who is dead (not a spoiler since its stated in first episode.)
The visuals of the show look okay for the time but nothing I would force on to other people to watch just for the visuals. Which the dub does make fun such as the classic 'hands behind head with elbows pointing upward' pose or the 'eyes look like black arches' face. The most interesting animation comes courtesy of the ghosts but as previously none come to mind that were that memorable.
The music might give you the spooks but only if you've never seen anything horrorish, think violins whenever someone's sneaking around mood music. As mentioned above, multiple times, the dub is hilarious and the VA's play around with the fact that their a localisation and not the actual characters, though this third/fourth wall break is constant and therefore not stail.
Its very obvious that I enjoyed this for the dub and the dub alone else I would have given it a 6 or 5 because even though shows like Cowboy Bebop were episodic, they had a noticeable over-arching plot and character development that wasn't left to the end.
All in all, you could watch the sub or the dub since the localisation kept the story the same and has its own comedy. Watch if you need a comedic (or serious) episodic show to take a break from all your plot heavy anime that's taking itself too seriously (or maybe too comedically)
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Mar 12, 2016
Mars of Destruction is an OVA. That is the best thing I can say about it because were this a movie or series I truly wouldn't know what to say about it. It is the first anime that nearly tempted me to give it a one because I don't believe anything could possibly be horrible for such a low score, but thanks to its one redeeming quality (being 19 minutes long) I could give it a two.
Firstly the plot is, there. Its given in the laziest way possible, white text on the screen with a black background that you have to read or you'll be
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even more lost by the end. Don't even have the decency to narrate, but I digress the story is about a ship that went to mars crashes back on earth scattering what I believe to be an alien pot that somehow only effects Japan. Hold on if the ship crash lands how could only affect Japan? Why for the plot of course! The pot turns people into ancients (ugh), they look like robot gimps. But now the earth has to fight against these creatures with the best people in different combat expertise (Gun combat, sword combat(?), hand-to-hand combat, etc) who all just happen to be women with non-natural hair colours.
Speaking of people, MOD doesn't make me care about a single one of them. I don't even remember there names (and I saw this a day before I wrote this review). I don't expect much character development and the only one we do get is the edgy guy in the MARS suit (like an ancient but this one has neon blue lights and can only be worn by one person ). Abusive father that the MC hates isn't a bad character but we don't get to see his father just hear his voice-over and him beating his son (hilarious).
Also the MARS suit has this very stupid muffle effect whenever whats-his-face is wearing it. Granted the voice acting is much like the plot in that its there. There is no Dub for this and with good reason; I don't think any studio would sully there reputation be licensing this abomination. The score is just a bunch of predictable opera scores that deserve better than this.
The music accompanies, art? I'm not sure what to call it, looks like something made in the early 2000's (like 2002). Do you like shaky cam? If yes you may like this OVA, it happens four separate times if I remember correctly (and I hope I don't ). Do you want to know how to defeat an ancient? You could use special guns or swords but one good way to do it is grab their wrist and break their forearm. it even works on the MARS suit!
100% of the reason I didn't enjoy this was because i watched this alone. "A problem shared is a problem halved" is the perfect phrase for this OVA.
In conclusion, If you want a reason to like any show you might hate even though its popular like FMA, SAO, DBZ, SNK/AOT. Then this is an anime that you need to watch (with friends).
Reviewer’s Rating: 2
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Mar 11, 2016
Cowboy Beboop (ha) is an episodic anime with a dog. That is not a bad thing but that is essentially what is. The story is set in the future where the earth was partially destroyed and most humans live in space. It follows Spike and Jet, two cowboys (space bounty hunters) and their adventures in space.
This is an easy set-up for an episodic show to use because much like space the possibilities of an episodic show are infinite. It adds a few more mainstay characters that we learn about and that are interesting (including a dog!). The crew of the Bebop (Jet and Spike's ship)
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are nicely miss-matched group, even Spike and Jet, but it's this clash of personalities and characters make them all the more enjoyable as a group and as individuals.
In saying this the voice actors do a good portrail of their individual character (I watched the dub). They're many moments in the show that gave you the 'feels' as it were, so one couldn't really argue that the VA's weren't in it, at least as my memory of the show serves. Furthermore the score was well done and makes every scene better than they usually are and is one that'll definitely stick if your a jazz or slow jam person. In addition the OP is one I still enjoy to this day and really works well both as an OP and a stand alone song, the ED thought not as good makes each episode feel complete.
The art style looks worn, though that is only due to Bebop's age and either be a plus or a minus depending on the taste of the person. Everything in the world of cowboy bebop feels and looks real to a degree and the movements are descent. The stiller moments seem to shine for me more than the more action packed scenes but that's not to say they weren't good I just like the quieter moments in cowboy bebop more.
Lastly I'd like to say that I enjoyed Cowboy Bebop as both an idea and a show. I don't enjoy a lot of episodic shows because they get repetitive (Simpsons, Spongebob, Fairly Odd Parents) but Cowboy Bebop shuffles the focus every episode to offer a little something for everyone. No episodes felt the same or dealt with the same character or plot, which is to be expected of an episodic show and as such a lot of the plot comes at the end.
In conclusion if your looking for old, fun, gritty, and episodic anime that feels different every episode then Cowboy bebop is the show your looking for.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Mar 11, 2016
I have a bit of bias for Death Parde since it was one of the first anime I've seen without prior knowledge or recommendation, and what an anme it was.
Death is an odd thing and when it comes to basing your show on the premise of the afterlife no can fault you on accurate depictions of what it might be. Death Parade essentially believes that in the rare cases where 2 people die at the same time they are sent to a bar to judged by a person called an arbiter. The people have no memory of how they died and a faint memory of
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who they were before they came to this bar. The story usually takes place in Quindecim one of the bars in Death parade run by the arbiter Decim.
From this point is where the character development takes place in Death Parade as the people who died are forced to play games in order to leave the bar and as they participate both they and the audience learn of how they died and what kind of person they were. As a device for character development goes, this one is actually interesting cosidering how the characters have to be developed in essence. However most the other recurring characters, aside from Decim, don't really get that much exploration which is kind of a shame considering how different everyone feels to each other (even though the world makes it seem like they shouldn't).
In addition the voice acting was on point. The show's main theme is death so you would expect a certain grimnace in the VA's voice's. The soundtrack was also a good fit for the show giving a certain 'life' to scenes. And speaking of Soundtrack, the OP was undoubtly great making the ED not sem as good by comparison but was still something that sticks in my mind.
Furthermore the art style that is paired with the score can be breathtaking. Though most of the time it will look ok but that is usually during its stiller moments. When a tense scene appears you can feel every frame.The chracters are unique for the most part, but one thing death parade will make notice whether you like or not is the eyes and they have some pretty gorgeous effects with said eyes.
I enjoyed Death Parade emensly and watch it at the beggining of every year to remind myself of the good (and the bad) of it. I'd recommend Death Parade to anyone who likes characters and their development in a condensed form as well as an open ending, which Death Parade has.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Mar 10, 2016
I hoped this review wouldn't be one sided but unfortunately this sequel to Tokyo Ghoul is (as a friend of mine told me) trash.
Firstly this a review for the sequel alone so if you haven't seen Tokyo Ghoul then these are gonna be spoilers. The show picks up where it left off with the battle between Aogirii (a Ghoul faction in Tokyo) and the CCG (human counter measures for ghouls, 'ghoul police' essentially), while Anteiku (Kaneki's Ghoulfriends (ha)) attempt a rescue. This quick plot synopsis is necessary.
First its essentially because these are last remnants of the first season. From this point there were problems. Before
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the story was about Kaneki finding out about the world of ghouls but now the focus is divided between Kaneki and what the impact of actions that occurred that day. Not bad since its called Tokyo ghoul not 'Kakneki Ghoul', but before the story before went semi-randomly into its plot in a natural and believable way but root A's plot really just seems to go from A to B for the sake that the plot has to exist. At least now there is more mystery but that's primarily because the plot just seemed to be setting up for 3rd season in a way I'm relatively okay with.
In addition the story is accompanied by some good art and that's thanks in part to the increase in action and fight sequences but Tokyo Ghoul S1 didn't have that many fight scenes making them more enjoyable. The fights also didn't seem as meaningless as they do in root A. The style isn't that different from TK S1 and consistency is a good for shows like TK. However the Kagune designs became repetitive with the inclusion of all the background ghouls and there were a lot of them.
Furthermore root A DID do character development. Not so much from Kaneki's side which is not a good considering how much I like him and how he changed, but character development is still natural and somewhat enjoyable at times, even if it uses flashbacks. Root A also added more characters, which is to be expected of a sequel, and most were annoying which only helps any of the previous cast that wasn't that explored to be more interesting but comparison.
Furthermore the soundtrack wasn't very memorable in my mind. OP's and ED's only affect my score by .5 which didn't help root A considering how both were terrible. I watched the FUNimation Dub. I find this one of the rare cases where I didn't care at all whether the voice acting was good or bad because it really wouldn't add or subtract anything from a show of this 'caliber'. Which is a rare thing.
The only thing I enjoyed in Root A was its ending and not even the ending itself but its 'principle' as it were. A mix of conclusion, open-endedness and a possibility of a sequel. Granted we went from the worst part of S1's ending being the fact that it was a cliff-hanger, to the best part Root A's ending being their use of S1's OP, even though they played a slower rendition and the voice they used was different and terrible.
In conclusion root A is A sequel. It did a sequels job, continue the story. How it did that however was not an easy route (or a good one). If Tokyo Ghoul root A gave us anything it is the joke that it is the root of Awful.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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