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Disclaimer: this review contain mild spoilers. Read with caution if you haven’t completed the manga.

Onani Master Kurosawa features the activities of a 14-year old as he indulges in a daily masturbatory routine in the girls restroom at school. As the story thoughtfully follows his inner monologues, we quickly get to see him depicted as a rather cold individual who only thinks about his classmates as potential material for his concupiscent pleasures, not even showing any sign of doubt or shame in the process. This is as far as the wacky premise goes, but for the story to advance we’re introduced to another character, this ... time an introvert girl who is object of constant bullying, and who seemingly endures it as best as she can.

The story unfolds in quite of a simple manner, since it mainly contains two major twists that transform our protagonist into a different character. First off, we have the harmless edgy wanker. It’s all in his head. Then, circumstances turn him into a cultivator who runs errands. His seed is all over the place. And finally, the mixture of a monk and best-dude-on-Earth who redeems his mistakes and becomes a great person, because there’s nothing quite like the confidence you can achieve when you know that everyone else is aware of how pathetic you are, and that you certainly can’t get any lower than you currently are (more on this later).

After being an observer of the bullying throughout the weeks, a certain event manages to annoy our protagonist, after which he decides to punish the bullies by spraying his sperm over their gym clothes. This doesn’t come as an act of sympathy, but simply as a response due to his selfish motives and being disgusted by what he saw in class.

Effectively, that solves nothing. He even admits that as far as the bullies is concerned, odds are they would think the responsible is a male who pitied the bullied girl, further isolating any option to actually help her. The twist here is that the latter suspected him all along, disclosing a completely different facet of her personality, one that will try to get revenge, yes, but without dirtying her hands – rather extorting the MC to do it himself.

Kurosawa then becomes a puppet, much to his disdain, but at the same time he enjoys it. We see him depicted as both Yagami Light and Lelouch, the dude being at the peak of his game right now. That’s until he meets a girl that makes his penis feel conflicted. Yes, that's how he first notices it. That’s… Love, we have to assume. You can see them sharing memories of their past, talking about books; it’s all really nice, albeit funnily stereotypical. That until this girl decides to have feelings of her own.

Our "poor" protagonist becomes an even more despicable character after going through this sort of NTR-experience first hand, who’d punish this girl for not looking his way, or would ignore his friend – if he ever was one to start with, I don’t get why Nagaoka would be so clingy to a dude that never showed any sort of interest in him–. After finally noticing he was wrong, he decides to go the hard way, confessing it was him in front of everyone.
Everything that happens after, really falls into some exercise of self-congratulation and pandering that I can’t simply stomach. While he does get bullied to a certain extent, there's a reason for it and is not unfounded as it usually is. He adopts an attitude of calmly taking it as part of his redemption, yet he still has the liberty to compare himself with Kitahara. If the manga ever tried to make any actual commentary on bullying, this is completely counterproductive, since Kurosawa is no victim at all.

Another change in his character that we have to endorse is that he gets more confident and sociable thanks to these events. Why does one of the original bullies who suffered from his acts start fooling around with him? Why does he get the approval of his teacher, this one going as far as to confess him he used to steal underwear in his teens? Why does Nagaoka not show any kind of self-respect at all after he treated him like garbage and pranked his girlfriend out of sheer jealousy?
So many questions without a reasonable answer.

With an awful visual appeal, an outstandingly horrid premise and characterization, and an even more disconcerting closure, Onani Master Kurosawa is in by itself a metaphor of the main activity of its protagonist.

Before falling into relative obscurity, 2001’s OVA Animation Runner Kuromi was the definition of “anime about making anime”. In a not completely unexplored field, with other renditions made by even the tenth episode of Paranoia Agent (Satoshi Kon, 2004) the indisputable champion in this area is nowadays Shirobako (PA Works, 2014), with also the advantage of covering this topic for two whole cours.

Nonetheless, as opposed to the almost methodical approach Shirobako follows throughout its run, Animation Runner Kuromi’s is much more comedy-centered. And not only because it doesn’t have much time to waste (much like the animators doing their job there) but because the ... whirlwind of a pace it follows constitutes the very core of its style.

And to understand the comedy we need to have a glance at the Staff that created it. This OVA was directed by Akitarou Daichi, a pretty prolific worker of the industry that had his name in numerous series from the 90s and 00s, from whom we can highlight the likes of Kodomo no Omocha, Fruits Basket, Now and Then, Here and There, Nurse Angel Ririka or Bokura ga Ita. Also important to note the work of Hajime Watanabe, character designer for some of the aforementioned as well as other well-known shows such as Kaleido Star and School Rumble.

Out of all those, Kuromi has a look and feel that resembles Kodomo no Omocha to a breathtaking extent. Definitely the hectic rhythm and unique slapstick work wonders with the new subject matter we are presented with.
Ultimately, there’s an important moral to be learned here. Coordinating projects is not an easy task, no matter the type of activity in which you’re working. Both Shirobako and Kuromi depict problems in production, yet the former prioritizes a positive message built around the profession, almost like a love letter towards animation. The latter's message is even more fundamental, aiming for human understanding, hard-work and empathy.

Every anime watcher needs to experience either of these to get to the bottom of production and unravel the actual human work that any project constitutes, how rarely anime is made solely by the efforts of one studio but by an extensive net of connections that goes well beyond what we first imagine.

In this regard there are also documentaries and articles covering the different challenges of artistic creation within the industry. An example could be the one showing the crafting of Only Yesterday, with a highlight being how an animator spent an entire year drawing anything but safflowers. Reality is sometimes stranger than fiction, so one might be better off getting their first exposure to the whole picture with this hilarious, yet definitely introspective treat.

Tales of simplicity have always pursued a universal theme, trying to evoke sentiments of genuineness and the empathy of the reader. “I sold my life for ten thousand yen per year” ultimately ends with a transparent attempt of capturing a message, but the means it uses to get to this point completely deny any sense of authenticity this might have pretended to transmit.

Youth is a complicated age. Time to make decisions, to face a myriad of risks and to move on, it usually never comes in the way one was expecting it. Overall, what mostly matters is trying. This manga introduces us to a fairly ... forgettable male lead who has already surrendered. His whole characterization being made around the fact he is broke and dejected, which is depicted by a constant exhibition of supposedly depressing thoughts and platitudes.

Is in this context where this story makes an extravagant move towards novelty, by introducing a ridiculously contrived premise. What if selling your lifespan was possible? Considering this is the cornerstone of the whole work, the approach it receives is at the very least underwhelming. Instead of placing the focus on whether this is a morally correct decision or not, all the attention is set on the actual monetary value of the main character’s life. He takes it instantly even if both surprised and disappointed at the low amount he is offered (300 000 yen, or a bit more than 2 000€ if you want a reference without having to search for it). And thus, we are left with our boring main dude, 300K yen and 3 months left of existence.

It is also mentioned that he had two other options. To sell his time, instead of lifespan (others call it working) or his health (money to pay for your own treatment?). This latter option is obviously never mentioned again, and the former is what pushes the story forward. And that is because to make sure our protagonist doesn’t become a threat for society with his considerably shortened lifetime, he is assigned a girl who only him can see, whose mission is to make sure he behaves. And thus, we are left with our boring main dude, 300K yen, 3 months left of existence and a girl he says to hate… But not without admitting she is his type.

There is another girl to this story, sort of a childhood friend, the bonds between them are completely broken yet he fondly remembers a promise they made 10 years ago about marrying each other. As corny as this might sound, it is actually used as a source for some shock value later on, and to further isolate our character into his world of personal nihilism.

Barely anything is worth mentioning about the later revelations and events, as the plot stumbles around and only further concentrates in building the fantasy bond between our two only characters. An example could be his longevity being only worth 30 yen in reality, a fact that is assimilated without barely any concern by the characters and the story itself, since the narrative has exhaustively established that he is worthless. Or perhaps the fascination our protagonist feels for... Vending machines. And while we are at it, why does he own a motorbike despite being in such dire need of money he sold his own lifespan?

The main issue is that is truly hard to trust in a dishonest and arguably offensive failed effort at self-contemplation. Particularly when instead of that all you get is an endless stream of indolence and self-pity. Is our life really only worth a few days of happiness, or aren't we actually supposed to try to address our situation and change things for the better?

Adapting an overly violent and virtually anachronistic work is a bold stance. Built upon an antiwar theme and cemented by the novelty of both shock and schlock value, Devilman managed to gain its classic status in a notorious but comprehensible manner.

Crybaby aims to update said elements, to remain faithful to the original as well as to make the proper additions that would make the story more compelling and interesting for broader audiences. It tries with a simple, cartoonish artwork and multiple visual gimmicks to compensate for what ultimately looks like a pretty tight budget. Which could also be related to the logistical constraint of ... releasing all the episodes at once or having screened two other movies (the studio) just the year before. Whatever the reason is, the visual department being distressingly plain can’t be attributed to a matter of style, particularly when it doesn’t match with the severity of the events it portrays. It arguably works in its favor for the first half, but certainly not for the last.

One of the main criticisms this show is receiving is related to the explicit content. Make no mistake, it is inherent to the story and these series. But what is most important to approach is the purpose of all this content. Is it really justified or makes up for its presence for more than just the sake of being different and refreshing altogether?

Most like many other Yuasa’s stories and adaptations, there is a clear inflection point towards the middle, in this case marking the transition between the diverse subplots that surface during the first episodes and the mass hysteria that follows the revelation of the demons’ existence. What follows is a hackneyed depiction of distrust in human nature, a self-flagellation of sorts that cannot avoid the triteness of the subject. It is probably a tale that requires the utmost sobriety, while the new retelling just adds an additional layer of wackiness (and rapping) instead. With the transition between these two parts being rendered in an absurdist fashion.

Which brings the next principal issue: Humanity and by extension all the characters of this series are mere caricatures. The show attempts to defy the amazing simplicity of the two-dimensional theme it presents by affording the main cast with a recurring background that truly backfired by infesting the last run of episodes with jarring mood shifts that made the already grotesque imagery harder to digest.

Visually uninspiring and sloppy, thematically basic and spoon-feed as well as devoid of any compelling characters, Devilman Crybaby is completely dependent on the viewer’s prior expectations and their response to the always unexpected presence of blood and sex, an appeal that seemingly never ages.

Mahoujin Guruguru (2017) is probably one of the most vivid and frenetic titles to have arrived in recent times. As the year in its name implies, it is a remake of a relatively popular franchise in Japan back in the 90s, that gave birth to a manga that spanned for more than 10 years as well as two anime series of 45 and 38 episodes respectively. Packing into 24 episodes a story that was originally fit into that much material undoubtedly sounds like a recipe for disaster. Therefore, how does this show manage to work (besides removing fillers)?

First of all it is important to ... note that Guruguru is a goofy but clever, frenetic and never-stopping comedy. It’s a story based on a classic quest to save the world, adorned with constant RPG game references and tropes, which main purpose is making fun of itself. It’s probably the only type of narrative that can manage to move faster than what it used to, and yet only take advantage from it.

When it comes to the main protagonists, they benefit from the fact that they’re both as important and relevant to the whole picture. They also care for each other in an organic and noticeable way, which is rare for this type of shows where the characters tend to be quite flat besides their counted quirks (in plain terms, they're one of the CUTEST couple/duo in anime as a whole).

In regard to the art, Mahoujin depicts an overly colorful world with an updated but faithful approach to its original character designs. These are peculiar in the sense people appear to be quite short and young, which might be appealing by itself after a while, but also help to transmit emotion and gesticulation in a more fluid manner. Really well animated to keep up with the inherent rhythm of the series, it does take some extra liberties like momentarily portraying the characters and world in a pixellated 2D version, as if they were part of an early 90s Final Fantasy game.

Most anime of this kind has a major inconvenient: it gets boring fast. Gags repeating over and over, hit-or-miss episodic approaches, annoying secondary characters one always wants to ignore but can’t... Surprisingly, Guruguru is seemingly free of all these issues, affording the viewer a nice variety of lovely side characters and even villains that work nicely with the main duo, as well as a storyline that both for obligation and determination, moves in the hastiest of paces.

Who knows if bringing back gems like these is an attempt to capture nostalgic people, or simply to make old works available for the newer generations. What is clear is that, if all results were to be like this, nothing left to say but welcome!

Note: Even though this remake adapts the whole original manga and story, since 2012 a sequel manga has been publishing. Considering what the series hinted at the end, there is a possibility we get to see this in the future.

Thanks for reading.

There is nothing quite like the raw feeling of enjoyment that a viewer can savour throughout their first sitting of a work that manages to mesmerize them.

Nonetheless, when approaching the charms and disillusionments of any show, our vision is rarely able to cope with the bigger picture, and to prove a point we must, more often than not, focus our attention in the specifics. In those details that for some might be of scarce relevance, but that in great measure have the potential to make a difference, both in a good and a bad direction.

There is really no other way to start referring ... to Gosenzo-sama Banbanzai! than by mentioning its unique conception of staging. In this matter, the setting is eminently static and simple, most of the times simulating an actual theatrical mise-en-scène. This becomes particularly noticeable thanks to the certain use of props, the blatant repetition of trademarks, the measured use of lightning and noted visual gimmicks such as superposition. Admittedly the elements are not many, yet they are consistently deliberate.

The role of the characters fits consequently, when even the setting gets a thematical importance, their existence consists of several layers. Are they actors? Are they puppets instead? Or are they simply the people the story is telling us they are?
As it turns out, all the previous options are correct, giving them room to question what is happening from various perspectives. Their actions and expressions are clearly dramatized, with abundance of gesticulation; and, narratively speaking, the use of soliloquies to directly refer to the audience. Their appearance, closer to that of puppets, is more of a themed importance and reflects in the same roles they're playing.

Put together in the late 80s by Studio Pierrot, this production is noteworthy for being the result of a collaboration from many interesting names from the industry. Heading them all is a pre-Ghost in the Shell Mamoru Oshii, directly afterwards his role with the 1st Mobile Police Patlabor OVA alongside with the rest of the Headgear group. This series presents us with his more comedic manner of scripting, which might be not the most popular of his facets, but certainly one worth of recognition. The musical scope is composed by Kenji Kawai.

When it comes to old school OVAs, odds are you're not precisely going to be delighted with what you see. They won't ever be the paragon of originality and they frequently got discontinued midway. Gosenzo-sama is a refreshing proof that this was not always the case, and will remain as an entertaining option for those who don't mind to dig a little bit deeper.

Thanks for reading.

Animation as any other form of art can't avoid the rule of percentages that supposedly determines what is good amidst the mediocrity (that some would claim is around the 90% of the total).
When it comes to old anime as the one object of this review, new factors appear, and the challenge is placed in discerning between what was lacklustre back in the day of its creation and what are the mere consequences of standing the test of time.

Aim for the Ace! (Ace wo Nerae!) is one show worth to be highlighted thanks to the apparent simplicity of its premise, and the good mixture between ... the sports' department with the constant dramatic situations and the psychological exploration of the characters. The fact of being only 2-cours long makes it from the very beginning way more accessible than some of the long-runners of the time. Aired in 1973, is not only one of the first anime of its genre, but also the first production to came under the name of studio Madhouse, and directed by one of its founders, Osamu Dezaki.
The shows under the direction of Dezaki use to be safe bets for us viewers of our time, since they were able to find their strengths in the same limitations of the format that used to work as detriments instead.

It is not, nevertheless, the aim of this review to praise this particular work for just being one of the first to make their appearance in this particular scene of both shoujo and sports. Aim for the Ace! is one truly interesting series by itself in spite of its context, with themes and worries that almost haven't aged with the pass of the decades, and that are still current and relatable. There isn't an excess of melodrama either, since the different issues are solved quite naturally, while others are introduced at the same time in one constant cycle of formulation-resolution that avoids dragging a particular problem for too long. The portrayal of its sports aspect shows a progressive and believable evolution.

Visually speaking this show is a rarity, way less rough-looking than most TV productions of the end of the 60s and beginning of the 70s. Its peculiar color palette, with a high tendency for pastel colors, Akio Sugino's great work adapting the character designs and the overall good animation for the time are aspects worth to be mentioned.

Apparently an obscure show in MAL terms with not even a thousand people rating the entry, it was actually a hit in Japan back in the day, albeit not in its original broadcast. An increased popularity in the following years thanks to retransmittions lead to the creation of Shin Ace wo Nerae! (1978), a remake of the series with updated visuals more alongside other Dezaki shows of the end of the decade. A summary movie for this remake, with new and better animation was also released on the following year. There are also a second and third seasons, released in the late 80s in the form of OVAs, nearly twenty years after the original series. Unfortunately, only the first season (that can be enjoyed as a stand-alone), the film (which I recommend despite the fact it covers the same events), and the first two episodes of the S2 OVAs are currently available with English subtitles [2021 update: both sequel OVAs are finally fully available!].

In conclusion, this 26-episode experience is really recommendable for any anime fan that is interested in the history of the medium. Some of the characters and themes of this show have been reformulated by numerous others almost to a fault, what affords the series a constant déjà vu vibe. Ultimately, don't miss it if by any chance you like Gainax's Top wo Nerae!, since the major part of that OVA's story works as a parody of Ace wo Nerae!

Gainax's adaptation on Masami Tsuda's manga Kare Kano is a series that rarely leaves anyone who watches it indifferent. Starting off with a hectic pace, rapid development and unique characters, presents a style and animation that for some might be worth of negative criticism, while for others a true paradigm of originality and visual expressivity.

As for the bigger picture, Kare Kano is a romance. This topic is the main aspect of the series during its first third, in which we find probably one of the most disarmingly honest shoujo romances ever made. From that point onwards, yes: the main couple does get more screen ... time and exclusive episodes, but also other characters appear in scene and gain in importance and development, as well as the comedy aspect of the show increases.

The characters are well portrayed and their development is noticeable. The main lead is very interesting, with her apparently different facets and her unique personality. Considering herself the queen of vanity and always full of pride, Yukino seems to be the opposite of the also talented but really measured male lead. Nonetheless as the time passes they notice how important their relationship is to discover things about themselves and to improve as people in general. It's also quite uncommon and great to find a protagonist for this kind of series that instead of being insecure and dubious when anything happens, decides to act with determination to solve her problems as soon as possible.

The style and its original approach is one of the main sources of controversy and one of the explanations of why is this show so terribly underrated. You might have seen other Gainax's shows that could give you a clue on this matter: a previous Neon Genesis Evangelion or a later FLCL. In order to express emotions and comedy scenes, characters' shape is usually modified in what looks like caricatures. Decoloration and manga-style, minimalist scenes in where the text is simply written are also visible throughout the show. There's one episode in which this is especially hyperbolic and the backgrounds are real, while the characters are just clippings. For the major part of the show these shifts in style are done in a very effective manner, enriching emotion and making sure that the desired mood for the scene is portrayed in the best possible way.

Now the major downside of the series is the fact that drags out a bit for the last eight episodes, with pointless recaps, slower pace, new characters we are not given enough time to care about and, of course, an open ending. From the last 3 episodes 2 of them are fillers and the last one, while having a better direction than the few previous ones, might result in a disappointment for the unaware audience that was waiting for a proper conclusion. Kare Kano was supposed to receive a second season but due to some disagreements between the original creator and the direction this never happened, also with director Hideaki Anno leaving the project before its completion.

As bad as all the aforementioned issues might sound it is important to acknowledge that the great majority of the show is not only a fair adaptation of the manga, but also an enriching one. Its stellar direction pushed the boundaries of a more complete medium like very few adaptations in anime are capable of doing, character designs made the ones from the manga look way more appealing and audiovisuals were spot on for the major part of its airing.

No complains in what concerns to the sound: both opening and ending themes are above average, with the ending sequence changing after every episode. The soundtrack is really befitting for both the occasional wackiness of the show as well as for its more dramatic moments.

In conclusion, if you want to watch a well-built, funny romance story (potentially one of the best of the medium) and you don't mind about dealing with an original animation style or a rather few disappointing last episodes give Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou a try.