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Souin Gyokusai seyo or Onward towards our noble death is, as the title suggests, a tragic tale of a Japanese infantry unit sent to the battlefront on a suicide mission. Mizuki Shigeru, known for his works like Gegege no Kitarou, presents us a story based on the final stages of World War II when the war was brought to Japan’s doorsteps.

A regiment stationed at Kopoko is ordered to send one of its infantry units to retake Baien from the enemy. Upon their arrival to Baien they notice that it is deserted by the enemy, and soon after realize that they face a new challenge of ... protecting this particular place from enemy’s infiltration (by enemy I’m referring to the countries which were against Japan in WW2). Thus, we follow the lives of men in this unit – how they survive in the brutal jungle while always under the fear of an imminent attack from the enemy. Mizuki’s representation of the hierarchy in the chain of command is precise; there is a clear distinction in the value of a high ranking officer from that of a foot soldier. The low ranking officers must follow the orders given to them regardless of how insipid the order may appear.

From the start, the atmosphere of the manga is kept akin to that of a real war. Starting from the day to day chores like cooking, washing, and the construction of a base etc. right uptil the mentality of the soldiers amidst all the periodic bombings from enemy fighter jets, the reader is slowly but surely engaged into the atmosphere of the manga.

The reader experiences a contrast in mentality through the characters. While the high ranking officers, like Lieutenant-Colonel Tadokoro, take pride in being soldiers and often talk about how dying on the battlefront is something like a samurai’s honor (Bushido – dying in a battle is the greatest of honor), the foot soldiers, on the other hand don’t share the same mindset of giving up their lives for the sole reason of pride and honor since they come from a civilian background and volunteer to be soldiers for reasons like their family’s name or earning their daily bread. They are more practical and share a broadminded approach of retreating and then attacking again with a better chance of survival. The characters are merely the author’s representation of how he perceives life and death on the battlefield.

Mizuki’s character designs are plain, absurd and often times identical to the point that the reader has to follow the dialogues with scrutiny in order to distinguish the characters. Comparatively, the background scenery and the landscapes are remarkably drawn and sometimes a single panel is sufficient to comprehend the situation. Art-wise a simple background is used in most panels so that the reader can easily discern the dialogues, though sometimes the picturesque background art of the forest is more than enough for the reader to appreciate the mangaka’s drawing skills.

Considering the fact that this graphic novel was published back in 1973, the quality of art is simply awe-inspiring, and is not in any way inferior to works published 40 years after it.

The strongest or perhaps the most emphatic aspect of the manga is the irony inherent in the title itself. From the title, Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths, the reader can easily predict where this manga will end up, but by portraying a man dying against his will, the mangaka tries to convey a message that a life coming to an end is nothing but saddening, no matter how much one romanticizes it as ‘a noble death’.

There may not be many overt reasons for you to pick up this manga, in terms of a compelling storyline or relatable characters or amazing action sequences; nonetheless, the setting of the story itself is very unique differentiating it from other formulaic plots seen in current manga industry offerings. If in any case you enjoy watching war documentaries then this manga will not disappoint you; just think of it as a three hour documentary, only instead of watching you would be reading it.

Note: If you decide to read this manga, make sure to read the afterword and Q&A section too because they present some interesting thoughts from the author which may address some of your questions.

How often do we see an action anime that showcases the usage of literature in the plot, and where plot progression inherently relies on the literature used? And how often do we see an anime that has bloodless gunfights? Lost for words? Noir is one such anime.

The story starts with Mireille Bouquet; a renowned freelance assassin, coming into contact with Kirika Yumura, who knows nothing of her past due to amnesia. Except that she possesses the skills of an assassin and the word ‘Noir,’ which becomes their leading clue in the future. The reason for their encounter lies in the things they hold in common ... – a chime played from a pocket watch and an inscrutable monolith that has some connection with their past. Thus, they embark on a journey to track down this organization and uncover the truth behind their existence.

The premise, kept simple despite the many underlying mysteries and twists, starts off at a slow pace. Mireille and Kirika take on many assassination jobs with their new codename, Noir, hoping that The Organization may react to their name. The first half focuses on episodic missions, their growth as a team and skeptical leads about the organization, that sometimes turns out to be a wild goose chase, and most of the episodes end with realistic but bloodless gun-battles. It isn’t until the second half that some new characters, Chloe and Altena, are introduced and the story starts to flow in a deliberate direction. Now, the highlights of the show are the clues inspired by literature. Generally, clues used in many anime are names, places, dates, times, or encrypted codes. However in Noir, literature is used to convey the meaning behind the existence of Noir and The Organization, which, in a way, has its own appeal. The series manages to do a fine job in answering most of the questions that popped up in the beginning.

Noir is definitely a story-driven anime and offers very little room for character interactions and development. Both Kirika and Mireille are left one dimensional; just like puppets acting according to where the story goes, at least in the first half. Some life is given to them in the second half, making them question their feelings, their motives, judge their situations, and act accordingly. Kirika, after losing all her memories is like a lost child; overflowing with innocence, yet oftentimes emotionless which makes her a formidable assassin. On the other hand, Mireille, who was brought up by her uncle, is more rational and can easily blend in with a group. While the production house tried to develop the characters, they do not leave a lasting impression on the viewers.

At first glance Noir’s animation is just plain, nothing that catches the eye. Due to the anime’s realistic approach, the reach of the action scenes are confined by the somewhat lackluster laws of physics. There are no flashy moves or unbelievably fast close combat fights. Every fight is limited to what is necessary. Due to which they are sometimes unappealing to the viewers. Even after restricting themselves to real life action sequels, I found one dubious element in them; whenever there is a gunfight, all the agents do is shoot, run around, and get shot down themselves by the end of it. They never manage to get a singlehit on either Kirika or Mireille. That aside, none of these unfortunately doomed agents even get close to hitting either of them; instead they act as practice targets for Kirika and Mireille to improve their own skills. This is usually how the gunfights ended up, but luckily the case is different when they are facing an expert assassin. And lastly, where was the blood? A lot of agents from The Organization are shot dead and there is not a single drop of blood. Yeah, the production house tried to stick to the nature of the show and avoided heavy bloodsheds, gore and violence. But, at least a small amount of blood wouldn't be bad.

Back to animation, since the setting is based in Europe, the background animation is unexpectedly good, close to how a European society looks and neat for the most part. Character designs are simple and are relatable to their backgrounds. At least they can be easily distinguished, unlike many anime nowadays where all the characters look the same with different hair styles and color. Mireille is designed to look more attractive than Kirika. Kirika’s looks are akin to an Asian high school girl. Mireille is given a matured figure and looks older than Kirika and Chloe, despite the fact that they should be around the same age.

Sound was also kept realistic and at many times minimal. Action sequences were played along with a couple of sound tracks. They didn’t have much appeal in the beginning, but as the series progresses and is given a historical touch, the soundtracks befit the nature of the show.

Noir is one of the few anime where the OSTs contribute higher than animation in building the tension needed during action scenes. The OP is a J-pop song which is somewhat influenced by western pop, and comparatively, the ED is an authentic J-pop song both in lyrics and the style. The ending was especially more enjoyable since it somehow relays Kirika’s feelings of uncertainty. I admire the seiyuus' spirited approach to these characters since there was very little to adapt from the script. Despite having repetitive lines and a script that often sounded monotonous, they did a good job from what little they had.

One of the main reasons why Noir will fail to entertain the viewers is due to the lack of tension in the series. There are hardly any attempts made to intensify the gravity of a particular situation. In one of the episodes where Mireille is to face-off with an old acquaintance, Intoccabile-who supposedly is one of the most ferocious assassins, there is a lack of viciousness in her presence, which brings down the tension and enjoyment in the situation. And this is not evident in only one case; the viewer experiences this troubling trend throughout the series. Noir would be more enjoyable if the viewer is watching it with some intervals. If watched in continuity, completing the series in one go becomes an arduous task rather than a feast to relish.

Noir is an anime that tries to present a realistic approach to the life of an assassin on a journey to find her origins and, for the most part, it succeeds in doing so with the help of commendable animation and sound. And it does manage to explain some of its plot holes.

Like NGE, Monster, Cowboy Bebop and many other anime, Noir is more rewarding after every re-watch. Noir is just one step away from being a remarkable anime, but that elusive one step is the one many action anime fail to overcome.

Some encounters in life can be so unpredictable, short yet oftentimes worthwhile that they shake the very fundamentals of our ideals and principles. That is when we start to change, either for better or for worse. Paradise Kiss (henceforth abbreviated as ParaKiss) starts with one such encounter of Yukari Hayasaka and George Koizumi.
Note: Paradise Kiss is also the name of the clothing line formed by George and three other members.

The story follows your everyday school girl Yukari who happens to pass by one of the members of ParaKiss and subsequently meets the other two members of ParaKiss. Out of nowhere, she is asked to ... model for them in the upcoming school festival, which results in a flat out ‘No’. Not until later in the first episode do we witness her fateful encounter with the charismatic George. George once again asks her to model for them and gives her three days time. After an unanticipated turn of events she starts to think more and more about the eccentric group and finally decides to model for them. This decision transforms her hitherto simple life into turmoil of romance, dreams, ambitions, and angst, and her life starts to flow in a direction that she could have never imagined.

The story is pretty simple and proceeds smoothly, but what keeps the viewer glued to the screen is that it is presented with elegance, style and attitude. With the story being simple there is room for character to interact freely and develop as well.

The realistic and strong characters further endear the story to the viewers. The protagonist, Yukari is a simple girl, and despite possessing good looks, a well toned figure and above average height, she doesn’t indulge herself in fashion. She has been living a life marked with academic diligence that is until she meets the people from ParaKiss. She is encouraged to forge a new path by watching the passion that drives the others in ParaKiss to lead their lifestyles. The main credit for Yukari’s development goes to George. It is his straight-forward and ambitious nature that brings forth her desires. It is with his help that she is able to challenge her future instead of succumbing to a secure but unexciting life. Marked with elegance, charisma and pomp, the male lead George at times presents an inscrutable front that leaves the viewers puzzled towards his motives while at other times he is like an open book. His beguiling nature is well received by his teammates and he often gets what he wants, yet on the other hand he has the etiquettes of a perfect gentleman. George is depicted with so many different traits that it makes him unpredictable at times and is considered to be one of his charm points.

Interactions between Yukari and George are handled thoughtfully; sometimes resulting in disagreements between the two akin to those in real life relationships. The viewer is easily entrapped every time an argument breaks out between them and unsure of what developments that may lead to. The relationship of Yukari and George is relatable to real life relationships; and one we may all benefit from learning a thing or two from. The deuteragonists are given a decent role and past. While personally they don’t have much character development, they are instrumental in shaping Yukari and George’s burgeoning romance and personal growth. All the characters are thoroughly worked out and moreover, they are defined with respective individuality.

Correspondingly, the characters are designed stylishly and distinctively. Madhouse, known for its eccentric and ingenious animation, has managed to live up to its reputation. ParaKiss’s story revolves around fashion, hence the character designs need to be innovative and elegant. Madhouse did its job perfectly and all the characters are designed in an attractive light. However, the male characters have a more effeminate look than the female characters. Arashi, one of the deuteragonists, might have a masculine outlook because of his piercings and funky hair style, but the same cannot be said in George’s case, all he needs is long hair and he’ll be the embodiment of the word “Beautiful”. Isabella, also one of the deuteragonists, is always in a woman’s attire, and they both look prettier than Yukari. Majority of the shoujo mangaka draw their male leads to aesthetically entrance the female audience. Now, this is not a complaint but merely an observation. If shounen manga/anime can have women with perfectly toned body and unbelievably huge racks then why can’t men have a more androgynous presence. Well, I guess that’s why people call them ‘Bishounen’. That being said, all the characters are presented charmingly. Furthermore, the facial expressions are animated really well and one can easily tell what the character is going through given their emotive eyes and gestures.

ParaKiss definitely belongs to the upper echelons in character designs. Background animations are not as impressive as the character designs. Madhouse didn’t invest much time in animating the backgrounds with detail. While that doesn’t enhance the overall quality of animation, it didn’t undermine it either.

Sound is another aspect where ParaKiss doesn’t fail to surprise. The engine sound of a vintage Jaguar and the variation of sounds in dialogues adjusted according to the distance of the screen from where the conversation is being held, really points to some meticulous work. The seiyuu did a wonderful job in adapting to their roles. And all the seiyuu seemingly fit to their characters. Some may find Marika Matsumoto, Miwako’s seiyuu, a bit annoying at first because of her cracking yet sometimes cutesy voice but it does suit Miwako’s personality. And in the end of the series Marika is one of the seiyuu that leaves a notable impression. The sound department truly shines in OP and ED songs. The OP, ‘Lonely in Gorgeous’ is probably viewed as one of the best and the most addictive songs in the year 2005. The ending song, ‘Do You Want To’ is pretty good as well, and both OP and ED songs provide a unique atmosphere to ParaKiss.

The unique and glamorous characters, great character designs and unparalleled opening song make Paradise Kiss a memorable anime. This anime is recommended to anyone who is looking for a good and authentic romance show. As for enjoyment, it is purely subjective, but I’ll share some personal pearls of wisdom: don’t have expectations before even starting the series. Eventually you’ll be entertained in some way or the other.

It is very challenging to impress the viewers when it comes to ‘mecha’, and not to mention, it is even more difficult to compete when ventures like Gundam, Gurren Lagann or Macross have already made their mark in the market. Moreover we have seen so many different types of anime revolving around ‘mecha’ with different elements like music, romance etc, that there is hardly any room for a particular anime to stand out of the norm.

Aired in spring 2013, Ginga Kikoutai Majestic Prince is one such anime that certainly did not appeal to many viewers. One of the reasons might be because of its stereotypical ... plot and characters. However, Majestic Prince does offer a decent story progression and also manages to cover some of its plot holes. Now then, extenuating with lame excuses such as “decent story progression” will not make some fastidious viewers to overlook the obviously predictable and insipid premise.

The story is pretty simple; mankind is on war and is fighting for its very existence with aliens christened ‘Wulgaru’. From the very first episode it is pretty apparent that the highlight of the show is on the protagonist and his fellow teammates, collectively known as ‘Team Rabbits’ or ‘Fail Five’. Out of nowhere they are selected due to some unexplainable reasons for piloting the latest model armed robots ‘AHSMB’, despite them being the least performing team in the whole school. Hence, we embark on a journey with the five leads and come across on how they affect the war.

Now this is what you can refer to as ‘from zeroes to heroes’ situation or rather in more presentable terms as a stereotype that follows a conventional and monotonous format to portray an anime. The first few episodes are fast paced following Team Rabbits from one mission to another, which make it seems like the plot is progressing blindly, without any real motives. But this is just a preamble to a more entertaining time in the second half of the series.
There are many anime that start slow and are boring, but after some progression they turn out to be more promising. Majestic Prince is one such series, wherein the second half saves it from chastising. Right around 10th episode the series takes a slow turn and progresses into a show with proper explanations to current circumstances and somewhat little character development.

Majestic Prince is definitely a story driven plot and offers very little room for character interactions and them to develop. After the miraculous 10th episode, the production house finally decided to show some character interactions which regretfully was still next to nothing. But nevertheless, there is development to its frivolous characters.

The protagonist, Izuru Hitachi is honest with his feelings and because of his obsession with manga he aspires to become a real life hero. He is the leader of Team Rabbits and surprisingly does a good job in directing them during battles. Next to Izuru is Toshikazu Asagi, who is not as honest as Izuru, on the other hand is feisty and sometimes rational. As the show’s affable character, Tamaki Irie is present to lighten up the ambience in the show and oftentimes tried to represent her endearing nature to the viewers, which might not be as satisfying as it should be. Kei Kugimiya is a transparent and under-developed character and albeit her shown as an introvert, she holds a vital position during the battles and as well in the team. Lastly, there is ‘the geek’ Ataru Suruga and a weapons enthusiast who despite being a geek actually shows interest in women.

This is the first impressions’ on main characters and they are all stereotypes and dull, but as I have mentioned earlier there is development. How these characters spend their time when they are away from the battlefront is where most of the development lies. That being said, you don’t have to actually compare them to Youko Nakajima from Juuni Kokuki or Erin from Kemono no Souja Erin, considering them as epitomes of character development. Now, continuing with characters, all the side characters are inevitably present for the plot advancement. The antagonists, Wulgaru, are there to repetitively assault the Earth’s forces and for the MC to become stronger. As much as it lacks in its characters, the same doesn’t applies for the art.

There are always high expectations for art department, especially if it is in a ‘mecha’ anime. But can the same be said in Majestic Prince’s case?

Ingenious designs for AHSMB robots and fluid action sequels are the strongest element in this show. Anime is one field where the author can run his/her imagination as wild as possible and turn it into a captivating experience. Not only the ASHMB units are product of those wild imaginations, but the alien unit designs are bizarre and they do give feeling of “Extra-terrestrial”. The action scenes are worth a watch and you’ll crave for more sequels every time one is concluded.

A single orchestral track is played in the background during action scenes, which if you’ll notice really affects the scene by intensifying the tension created. To accentuate the tension created to next level the production house made befitting use of several sound effects like explosions, fire shots from laser guns, respective sounds from AHSMB units and Wulgaru units as well.

The production house put in a lot of time and effort in robot designs and action sequences, but on the other hand the character designs lacked subtlety. We often come across the phrase “Simple is elegant”, however, here the simple and lackluster character design drag down the overall quality of animation.

The only act of justification done to the characters is in sound department. The seiyuu did adapt to their roles and expressed the character feelings with ease. Among the seiyuu, notable were Hiroki Aiba for Izuru, Yuka Iguchi for Tamaki, Akeno Watanabe for Ange and lastly my favorite Miyuki Sawashiro for Rin Suzukaze. The OP and ED are good, but the ending themes are better and are worth listening to till the end.

If watched with scrutiny and analyzing every section then this show does not offer anything new. Though being weak in characters and having a rather predictable premise, Majestic Prince offers a creditable story execution, wonderful robot designs along with gripping action scenes. Hardcore mecha fans might not appreciate this anime, but if you are looking for a good mecha-action anime, Majestic Prince is recommendable. If you decide to watch this show, make sure to watch all 24 episodes.

“Girls und Panzer”, Girls and Tanks (Panzer - taken from the German language), can be considered as one of the few anime which truly sticks to the title. At first glance, it can be said that this show is all about ‘cute girls competing each other with tanks’. To some it may sound amusing, while for others it might seem as another tedious work.

The anime is set in the future (some few decades from now) where tanks are obsolete and are at girls’ disposal for honing their skills in Sensha-do (Way of the Tank). We have our protagonist Miho Nishizumi, driven from her past ... traumatic incident, transferring to Oarai High School. Coming from a family renowned for its Sensha-do, Miho is immediately beguiled by the student council into joining Sensha-do. With an example of Bushido (Way of the Samurai) Sensha-do is introduced here, which is depicted by this show quite fairly.

Coming back to the story, Miho who has joined Sensha-do is teamed up with the four deuteragonists. With the forming of rest of the teams the student council aims for the championship title, which will be held pretty soon. Oarai High School or moreover the student council has taken the initiative of starting Sensha-do again after a 20 year gap due to certain circumstances. From here on the story continues on showing the hardships met by these girls and how they make their way through each victory.

As far as the story is concerned, Girls und Panzer is as passable as any other mediocre anime. Now that being said, there is a ludicrous element in the anime which needs to be brought into light. To my knowledge, one needs to invest an ample amount of time in honing his/her skills to operate a tank, which is attained here by the girls quite effortlessly. Yeah, practice sessions are held here from dawn to dusk. Nonetheless, this is no feat one can achieve by practicing a month or two. Another surreal situation I came across whilst watching the show – they were allowed to continue their fights in a residential area and the girls were left unscarred even after getting a direct hit. I was completely dumbstruck after watching this and I don’t think there is a need for an argument here.

As much as ‘Girls und Panzer’ lacks in the story, it offers a pretty commendable work in the art section. The animation is the most appealing aspect of this anime. Bright and colorful surroundings along with well sorted out landscapes adds up in making it livelier. There might be some dubious stunts performed, however that will be overlooked by intense and fluid action sequels. Praiseworthy here is the detailed and intricate design given to each tank. You will be able to easily distinguish each tank from a far distance. One might even say that maximum amount of time was invested on tanks, as they are one few things this anime has to offer. Character designs are well done. Each character is clearly defined with a different hairstyle and color helping us in easily identifying them.

The main characters are the only ones you can look forward to. Each of them is given a background, but not to the mark of your satisfaction. The problem of having so many main characters is that they need to have a story to fill in their past. Then again providing a story would mean extra episodes, which is not an option here. All the side characters are present just to fulfill their purpose in the story. However there is a certain degree of calmness or you can call it “moe-ness” that will make you feel relaxed. The amalgamation of cute characters and good VA make them adorable to look at.

It takes a lot of effort in making the sound quality as good as the animation. Many anime fail to deliver that satisfactory mark and this one partly does the job. Each shot from a tank is clearly audible and the engine sound of each tank is distinct enough to be told apart. A good sound in coherence with interesting action scenes makes it a deserving watch.
The seiyuu did a pretty good job, albeit having very little to adapt from their roles. The OP and the ending themes are good as well, and do contribute to the ambiance of the anime.

‘Girls und Panzer’ is an anime you should consider as a light watch. Expectations from the story will leave you disappointed and when you, on the other hand, have nothing to expect from it, you will be astonished by its detailed art and good action scenes. If you are willing to cast aside your affection for a good story, then you might end up having a fun time.

Hope you liked the review. Please don’t refrain from pointing out any mistakes (either grammar or argument).

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Story: 5/10
Art/Animation: 7.5/10
Character: 5.5/10
Sound: 7/10
Enjoyment: 6.5/10
Overall: 6.5/10