- Last OnlineYesterday, 8:52 PM
- GenderMale
- JoinedMay 16, 2014
Fantasy Anime League Fantasy Anime League Fantasy Anime League Fantasy Anime League
RSS Feeds
|
Mar 26, 2021
This review is copy-pasted from the review I wrote on AniList
Note: This review takes into account both seasons 1 and 2, but does not go over the manga.
The harem rom/com genre has always been in a weird state for me. There always seems to be a big hit show from this genre every five years, yet each one always tends to be a derivative of the one that came before it. The show would hit the anime scene fast and hard, only to fade into obscurity a couple years down the line. None of the shows had any real staying power, and it became really
...
easy to dismiss any show that fell under the genre's umbrella. So when I first stumbled upon The Quintessential Quintuplets during its first season run, I was pleasantly surprised with how fresh the show felt despite the character tropes it initially relied on. It only was during the airing of the second season that it suddenly hit me: The Quintessential Quintuplets is by and far the best the harem rom/com genre has to offer. I know this is quite the claim for such a new show that's barely broken through to the anime mainstream, but The Quintessential Quintuplets hits all the right spots of a show in this genre, but also excels in the worst parts of the genre that a lot of veteran anime fans tend to loathe.
I'm going to skip over the initial setup of the show because honestly, it is relatively standard to other shows in the genre. Our main character is a loner, and through seemingly convenient circumstances he ends up in a situation where he is essentially forced to be around the five main female characters of the show (who happen to be quintuplets). He also conveniently has a past connection to one of the girls, and this girl is the primary motivation to achieve one of his goals. This is how most of these types of shows start, and The Quintessential Quintuplets is no different. Before you roll your eyes and skip this show, trust me when I say that this show is different (like, for real this time). The key differences this show has to its contemporaries is its characterization of its female cast and it's ever shifting status quo. Though these two small things are par for the course in other genres, believe me when I say it elevates the quality of this show above its contemporaries tenfold and it cannot be understated how much of a difference it makes for a show in this genre.
The Quintessential Quintuplets biggest selling point, like many other harem rom/com shows, is its female cast. What separates The Quintessential Quintuplets' female cast from others is actual characterization and character development. The characters feel like they live their own lives, they have their own goals and aspirations, they have their own personalities, and most importantly, they aren't tied down to the main character. Obviously each of them are romantically interested in the main character, but it's highly important they don't just exist for the main character. The show never feels stagnant because of this, and it alleviates the problems a typical show in this genre usually has. On another note, the decision to make the female cast all be sisters might seem fairly pedestrian on the surface, but in hindsight it was genius call. The familial bond that the female cast has is so refreshing. While it's not explored that deep in the show, it made for some interesting, and sometimes heartwarming, moments between the main cast.
Keep in mind that this show is still a harem rom/com so some situations will feel forced and contrived, and it can feel like things are too convenient for them to happen. But these moments never detracted from the show's quality and are negligible at best, and mildly annoying at worst.
I can see The Quintessential Quintuplets being a staple in the harem rom/com genre for years to come and eventually become the gold standard for future shows, and for good reason. It has the right blend of comedy, drama, and slice of life to keep you entertained while also giving you some heartwarming moments along the way. It's the best show to watch if you want to get into the harem rom/com genre, and dare I say, the only one you have to watch.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
Dec 27, 2019
*Reposted due to MAL's rules on preliminary reviews*
I am absolutely flabbergasted by the number of positive reviews written for this show (as of December 8, 2019). This show has to be one of the most uninspired, generic pieces of work that has come out in recent memory. I'm quite perplexed by how anyone can find this sorry excuse for an anime intriguing, and how this show was even green-lit in the first place. Not only do I think this show is absolutely horrendous, but it outright disrespects the viewer's intelligence and its a tragedy that anyone is allowed to even go near this filth.
I won't
...
write a long winded review of me completely trashing this show and going through everything that is wrong with it, so I'll give you the gist of everything this show embodies:
Laziness.
This show is lazy. From the story, to the characters, to the character designs, to the art, and so on. Every single trope found within the medium of anime is shoved into this shit show, and it's difficult to tell if this abomination was supposed to be a satire on the medium as a whole given the amount of generic plot points and characters. Actually, scratch that because satire implies that humor is found within this show, which it isn't. The only people who can actually find this show entertaining are those who either haven't seen any other anime, or those who are looking for an easy self-insert type of show.
"oh no, sensei isn't paying attention to me :c guess i'll keep pouting until he headpats me :3"
"man i'm so untalented, i can't do anything by myself :'c. guess i'll wait for sensei to do it for me :> (or wait for the 'plot' to give me the power to progress through the current situation)"
"sensei talks to another girl?!?11?! <pout face> that makes me sad because he isn't talking to me :c :c :c"
The show goes out of its way to try and force this "romance" between the main two characters but it is the most awkward attempt at romance that I've seen in a long time. I can't explain the amount of times my jaw dropped at the absurdity that was on my computer screen, and the amount of times I wanted to just stop watching this show. The plot is completely uninteresting, and to dare call it 'mature' or 'dark' is straight up foolish. If simply showing blood or having a darker color gradients for the animation is considered 'mature' or 'dark' in the context of anime, then I don't want to watch anime anymore.
You may be asking, "iF yOu dIdn'T lIkE iT, wHy dId yOuu keEp wAtChinG??", or saying, "jUsT leT peoPLe enJoY thIngS mAN...".
Well I'll tell you why. I persevered through this abhorrent, dark stain of the anime industry so that I can remind myself of what a good show shouldn't be. If one only watches 'good' shows, how can one really know if they are good? You need something to compare to, and this show ladies and gentleman will be the example of what not to do.
But most importantly, I willed myself to finish this show to let whoever is reading this know to avoid this show like the plague and don't be fooled the the positive things people say about this train wreck. This show is, without a doubt, the worst show to have aired in 2019 and I am fully okay being the fool to finish this show to let you know that.
At least the OP is a banger.
Reviewer’s Rating: 1
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
Dec 15, 2019
Kanojo, Okarishimasu (I'd like to borrow a girlfriend) is another entry in the sea of harem romcom manga that floods the market. I had initial interest in this manga because of its premise and I hadn't really seen or read anything that sounds remotely like it, so I'd thought I'd give it a try. To my dismay, I was once again tricked by cute anime girl visuals into experiencing another harem romcom. That's not to say its all bad, and contrary to the opinion of most I would say its a serviceable and enjoyable read for the most part.
A lot of the problems that stem
...
from this manga comes from our main character. He's what you would typically expect from from a harem romcom, and its as bad, if not worse than Raku was from the manga Nisekoi. His indecisiveness coupled with his bone-headed decision making really sours the entire reading experience and can make some of the chapters unpleasant to read. Where the manga shines though is with the female characters. Its usually the case with manga like these, but I can't express how much the female characters really carry the whole thing. They all have distinct personalities and while some of them don't particularly have a lot of depth, they are all fun to see and really liven up the manga.
So what do we have here? We have a great cast of female characters who are unique in their own rights, but we have a less than enjoyable main character that will make you want to tear your hair out at times. Is this worth your time? It's hard to say, but if you generally like harem romcom manga you would heavily enjoy this one. If you're more a fan of shonen, this would make you hate the harem romcom genre even more. I can't fully say that I hate it as I really did enjoy some parts of the manga, but I can't fully recommend it either. It's frustrating with manga like this because there is a lot of potential of it being great, but it hurts to see its potential squandered by the main character.
So in conclusion, if you're looking for something revolutionary, this isn't the right place to be. But if you're looking for a good way to pass the time, Kanojo, Okarishimasu is right up your alley.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
Dec 8, 2019
Entering into the Fall 2019 season of anime, the majority of anime fans quickly passed Beastars off as an inconsequential show that would only pander to the furry fandom. This idea was only reinforced when it was revealed when the use of CGI would be used in the production of the show. So I, like many others, tuned in to the first couple of episodes to confirm our biases and to ridicule the show for what we thought it would be, only to be pleasantly surprised by the quality and depth the show provided. This pleasant surprise quickly turned into adoration for me at least
...
as every new episode aired, and I'm confident to say that this show is the dark horse of the Fall 2019 season, and maybe even 2019's anime of the year.
Beastars is a masterfully written show, using anthropomorphic animals and the class structure of "carnivores versus herbivores" as way to convey mature and delicate themes with extreme depth in ways that most traditional anime almost always certainly fail in doing so. Self-doubt, anxiety, self-worth, and a myriad of other personal struggles are so expertly depicted in the world of Beastars, cleverly using the aforementioned class structure as a way of finding parallels to the struggles we face in our reality. In particular, the characterizations of Legosi and Louis are beautifully written and both these characters serve as the driving force for the themes listed above, as well as any other themes not discussed in this review.
The voice acting is done exceptionally well, with a notable performance from Yuuki Ono, the man who brings the character of Louis to life. I can't say I'm a big fan of Legosi's voice actor, but he does a respectable job and hits all the right notes and beats when delivering his lines. Everyone else fits their role perfectly so I'd like to give some props to whoever did scouting for voice talents.
I should also mention the cinematography of the show, but I can't say I'm the one to give any critique on. I can say that I do enjoy how they portrayed internal and external dialogue for the characters, and how they used the medium of CG to achieve some nice shots throughout the show. That's the extent on my opinion of the cinematography, so you might have to look else where if you want a more in depth review.
Beastars will undoubtedly be a show that becomes a classic and it deserves all the attention that the anime fandom has to offer. To dismiss this show as furry bait is an absolute disservice to not only yourself, but to the writer and studio that brought this story to life. This show obviously has my recommendation, and you not watching it would deprive you of one of the best experiences that anime has to offer.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
Feb 19, 2015
"No, things can change. But things don't have to change. Whatever is fine." -Sakishima Hikari
Change is a constant in our lives that can drastically alter the way we perceive the world. It is necessary for us to grow and evolve, even when we don't want it. Nagi No Asukara (凪のあすから)was a show that was overlooked by a large portion of people at the time of its airing. At face value, it looks like the typical slice of life anime but hidden underneath is a show that tells a heartfelt coming of age story of children who face the scary reality of growing up. Like
...
any anime, things are heavily exaggerated but the emotions expressed in the show are ones that all of us have encountered at one point in our lives.
Story: 7/10
The story takes place in a fantasy world where the people are divided in to two groups: the people of the land and the people of the sea. We follow the adventure of a group of 5 children from the the sea as they begin their new school lives at a middle school located on the land village Shioshishio. The two factions (the people of the land and the people of the sea) have been at odds for quite some time, and the discrimination shown by both groups is a common point of conflict throughout the show. The show contains subplots of romance/drama, which only complicates the conflict our main characters have as the show progresses. The series is split into two arcs, the first arc spanning episodes 1-13 and the second arc episodes 14-26. From the two, the second arc presents a much more serious tone as the anime dives deep into the characters' emotions after a major event that occurs at the end of the first arc.
Art: 10/10
If only I could rate this higher. This series is animated by P.A.Works, a company known for their beautiful animations and settings. You immediately are taken by the beautiful scenery in episode 1 and I believe gets betters as the anime goes on. The characters are well drawn and have a good design, and the amount of detail put in to this is astonishing. Nothing more to say.
Sound: 10/10
Another strong point of this anime. What makes the scenes so powerful and emotional in this anime is the OST. Each track is composed beautifully and they are placed in at the right time to the have the greatest effect on the viewer. You could listen to each individual track and you would love each and every one of them. The OP and ED for both the first and second arc are probably the best openings I've seen and heard. They both match the theme of each arc perfectly and is animated beautifully. The first OP is very light hearted and happy, which relates to the beginning, but then the second OP has a much sadder tone to it, emphasizing the seriousness of the second arc. It's just a very good OST.
Character: 7/10
The characters in this show are very good. All, except maybe with the exception of two(Manaka and Tsugumu), always develops every episode. One thing NagiAsu did right was develop the side characters as well. You get to see everyone grow and and change throughout the course of the story. I can't say much more about the characters, as it might spoil the anime, so I'll leave it at that.
Enjoyment: 7/10
I did enjoy the anime as every episode aired, but some episodes were just so packed with dialogue that it got boring on some parts. If if you aren't a fan of dialogue-heavy shows, I would recommend skipping this show.
Overall: 8/10
Overall, Nagi no Asukara was a fantastic anime. Almost everything was done right and the story kept you intrigued and interested the whole entire way. You really grow close to some characters and the way the show deals with deeper subjects is handled quite well, aside from the high school drama that is mixed in. This anime was overlooked and brushed over when it was airing, so if you happened to miss it back in 2013, I HIGHLY recommend watching this now, because you won't regret it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
|