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Sep 14, 2022
On paper, I'm likely close to the ideal viewer for a show like Edgerunners - I love cyberpunk, and I love anime. That said, while I greatly appreciate Studio Trigger, I don't really have genuine love or attachment for any of their previous work outside of Gurren Lagann, and I was significantly younger then. Not to mention, I'm quite wary of cyberpunk media in general since so many of them don't go much further than imitate the visual language of the genre while never bothering to dig into its themes. Ironic, since so much cyberpunk criticizes precisely that kind of shallow and mindless consumerism.
As
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a result, my expectations for this show would be best described as very cautious optimism. I was concerned that it would try to coast on gratuitous violence and nudity; that the story would be a patchwork of lazy references and genre cliches; that it would be first and foremost a product, with little artistry or soul. Now, after having watched it, I'm very glad to find myself able to breathe a sigh of both relief and satisfaction, and give a strong and enthusiastic recommendation. It does what all good science fiction does: use theoretical technology to explore and ask questions about humanity.
It's ridiculous, though not unexpected, how well the anime aesthetic fits the world of Cyberpunk 2077. The neon-soaked noir aesthetic is combined with Trigger's knack for bombastic, high-contrast explosions of activity and color. That said, while there's plenty of crazy things going on (that I'm sure Trigger had tons of fun animating), the show never devolves so far into wacky that you can't take things seriously. There are few if any scenes that demanded respect being denied that for the sake of a cheap joke; and I appreciate that immensely. The story beats, while brisk, still hit their marks far more often than not. When they wanted me to feel the gravity of a scene, moment, or line of dialogue - I felt it without distraction.
The show doesn't hide its mature content; from the get-go, there's depictions of intense violence and sex. But thankfully, it rarely felt gratuitous, except for those short, clearly-for-comedy moments. Things have weight. When there's violence, there's consequence; and when there's nudity, there's vulnerability. While the show doesn't shy away from mature content, it felt far more justified and appropriate in Edgerunners than in most shows with content warnings, anime or not. The overall feeling is a bittersweet, melancholic, and 'adult' story; while it doesn't get too complex, the themes and ideas are full of humanity, and tug at heartstrings with surprising potency.
That was really the main thing that blew me away about Edgerunners: was the emotional highs and lows. Not only how much it affected me, but also how much of it was handled with a surprising amount of depth and nuance. I don't know about you, but 'subtlety' isn't the first word that pops in my head when I think of Studio Trigger. I'm not about to claim that Edgerunner's story and dialogue will blow you away with philosophical depth and profoundness; but it also never made me cringe with in-your-face symbolism or wink-wink references. This might seem like a low bar - and it likely is - but at least personally, I greatly appreciated that I didn't need to willfully stupefy myself to enjoy the show.
To come back to the important point: I greatly enjoyed Edgerunners, and it emotionally resonated with me far more profoundly than I expected. I'm still in the process of trying to figure out how it was able to accomplish that to a fairly jaded and fairly old weeb, but here we are. And I'm really glad that it did.
Now for some grading:
STORY: B+
The main plot, especially when summarized, isn't particularly complex or intricate, but it does its job. Most of the larger story beats are set up with clear intent and foreshadowing. It's also rather brisk; the story doesn't linger, and can feel somewhat rushed at times. That said, the show does deliberately slow down and take time to brood and breathe when it needs to. The result is a solid, enjoyable story that might not blow your mind with twists and turns - but honestly, I feel those 'clippable reaction face' moments are pretty overrated anyway. As a narrative structure that connects the show's moments together, I'd say the story was more than adequate.
CHARACTERS: A-
The characterization is also fairly lean; characters come and go pretty quickly. I felt this fit the tone of the show quite well, not to mention being an accurate representation of what David is going through - which is to say, finding himself having to adapt quickly to very mercurial circumstances. What surprised me is that the show succeeded in making me care about most of its main cast in such a short amount of time. Important characters are given development and back story, but most of the time, the audience is given hints and imagery instead of detailed history or flashbacks. There are certainly some weak points, but at the end of the day, when things happened to the characters, I cared. That's a thumbs up.
ART/ANIMATION: A-
It's the standard I've come to expect from Trigger, which is to say quite high. I've never personally been a huge fan of Trigger's loony, bombastic, rainbow-puke aesthetic - but not only did it fit the world of Cyberpunk very well, but to my relief, Edgerunners tones down the wackiness just enough for some actual subtlety and contrast. Some of my favorite shots and scenes are subdued, quiet, and moody. The animation is stylized and effective, though there were several action sequences that I wish had a few more frames. Regardless, I was mostly happy with the visuals of Edgerunners.
SOUND/MUSIC/VOICE: A
Huge thumbs up here. The sound effects are appropriate to the setting, and the music is used, for the most part, extremely effectively. There's a certain insert song that I thought was used to incredible effect; saying more would risk spoilers, so I'll hold myself back here. I listened to the Japanese voice track (and plan on rewatching the English dub very soon), and wasn't surprised by the top-tier quality. I mean, Yuuki Aoi and Tsuda Kenjiro... but basically everyone pulled their weight, and more. Not to mention, the voice acting was directed exceptionally well. Even with the brisk pace of the story, and scenes quickly switching in tone and mood, nothing stood out to me as feeling abrupt or out of place. Also, that Ending theme is close to perfect.
ENJOYMENT: A
It's not often that I binge entire shows these days; and with Edgerunners, it wasn't because of cheap cliffhangers. I enjoyed the action and the animations, and couldn't wait to see what happened next. The main thing that kept me glued to my screen was the degree to which I was invested in David's story, as well as those of the characters around him. The pace is brisk, but slows down when it needs to; most importantly, each scene, fast or slow, keeps your attention. I honestly can't remember a single scene that lost my interest, and that alone deserves a ton of merit.
At the end of the day, Edgerunners reminds me of Top Gun: Maverick more than anything else: it probably won't set a new bar for science fiction nor anime, but it's a damn good experience, and a surprisingly emotionally resonant one. For those of you who are on the fence, I'd strongly recommend you give the show a chance with a fresh perspective. You'll know in the first 2-3 episodes whether it's for you or not.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Oct 13, 2015
What makes a great story? At least for me, a huge part of it is character development. Seeing imperfect characters and watching them mature, grow, overcome obstacles both within and without, and becoming stronger, wiser and kinder as a result. While you might not expect this kind of spiel to come out for a wacky comedy slice of life show, Working!!! is quite the special snowflake: a charming blend of lovable characters, hilarious interactions and an incredibly satisfying resolution.
For those unaware: Working! is a comedy slice of life that revolves around a group of mostly part-time workers at a family restaurant. As expected, the
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cast is a diverse range of characters, each with their own personalities and peculiarities - many of which are zany and wacky. However, it would be a mistake to assume that you'll find your typical anime stereotypes here; while some members of the main cast do fit into certain tropes, they're a far cry from your usual cardboard cut-out tsunderes and dojikos.
The primary enjoyment of Working!!! comes from seeing the main cast of characters interact with each other through a variety of challenges and events, often to comical results. Few of the gags are predictable or hackneyed, as Working!!! works with its own rules, and its own peculiar, but very effective, brand of humor. The show is also surprisingly heart-warming or contemplative at times, but it never forgets the fact that first and foremost, it's a comedy show. The tone is uniformly light-hearted and warm.
One of the things that impresses me most is how the main characters remain lovable and familiar, despite their various and many flaws - and sometimes because of them. By the third season, I had some kind of affection for the entirety of the main cast. This is surprising, since in the first season, the opposite was true; I was annoyed in some way by every single one. Looking back, my initial impressions seem hasty, but still somewhat fair. Then what made the difference?
Of course, my own increased familiarity with the characters did make me much more forgiving of their antics, but more importantly, the main characters of Working!!! are so CUTE. And I don't mean that as in 'like a puppy' (well, except Popura), but more 'endearing'. A big part of this is because they all show signs of growth and positive development. There isn't a single character in the main cast that hasn't become wiser or kinder throughout the story. For a slice of life, I consider this to be quite the feat.
My greatest praise for Working!!! is in how it handles wrapping up its numerous character and story arcs, many of which felt all over the place. Simply put, Working!!! completely surprised me by how deftly it handled these in a completely believable and satisfying manner, all the while maintaining its cheerful, warm atmosphere and consistent, laugh-out-loud humor. If you care about the cast of Working!!! at all by the start of season 3, the developments will certainly not disappoint.
Time for some breaking down:
STORY: 8
It's comedy slice of life, and the stakes are low. At the same time, it's nothing short of incredible how Working!!! handles its numerous character arcs and stories with care and attention, in a way that feels both natural and unforced, while maintaining both its comedy and cuteness. As third seasons go, this is as satisfying as it gets.
ART: 8
This isn't Studio Trigger or KyoAni, but it's the best I could ask for in a comedy slice of life. Working!!! is a pleasant show to look at, with great use of vibrant colors, and clean, crisp animation. The character designs and expressions are great, and most importantly, everything contributes to what the show stands for.
SOUND: 8
The third season of Working!!! carries on its tradition of the high-energy, super-cute opening that's curiously catchy and addictive. The BGM is not all that noticeable, but that's to be expected. For what it's worth, it was appropriate and fitting. The voice acting is nothing short of perfect; each character is expressed equally well in both the serious and the comical moments.
CHARACTERS: 8
By the start of this season, I felt like I knew everyone; by the end, I was fond of the whole pack of them. It's always impressive when a show manages to introduce a diverse range of flawed characters, and convinces you to adore them all anyway.
ENJOYMENT: 9
The best thing about Working!!! is that it's consistently entertaining. Almost every episode had me laughing out loud at multiple moments; and while the gags are definitely the main focus, the moments of romance and drama affected me far more than I ever thought possible for a comedy slice of life.
OVERALL: 8
The first season of Working! was somewhat entertaining, but hardly impressive. It had somewhat interesting characters, but took some effort to finish. I enjoyed the second season much more, but it wasn't until the third season that I began to show signs of addiction. Simply put, I couldn't wait for more with Working!!! S3. A big part of it is because of everything set up in the previous two seasons; but since this is a comedy slice of life, I was never too sure what to expect of its resolution. So when the dominoes started falling and the character arcs took turns resolving themselves in such a funny, satisfying, and heartwarming manner, I was very, very pleasantly surprised.
In some ways, the three seasons of Working!!! remind me of the Aria series, in that the first season sets up a lot of the premise and character dynamics; the second goes into full slice-of-life mode; and the third season takes everything that's been established and wraps them all up in a glorious celebration of joyful closure. There's almost no story or character arc that feels like they got the short end of the stick - besides, of course, the one arc that's been saved for last, in the upcoming one-hour special finale. Needless to say, I can't wait.
In the end, Working!!! is an incredibly enjoyable and memorable show, with a diverse cast of lovable characters with hilarious relationships. Working!!! manages to do all of this as a gag-comedy slice of life with very consistent cuteness and laugh out loud humor, all the while completely devoid of cheap stereotypes or fan service.
As long as you let yourself become comfortable with its quirky brand of humor, Working!!! will not fail to brighten your day.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Apr 10, 2011
So, usually I think it's kind of pointless to review a series after just having watched one episode... but it makes some sense for a show like this one. I say that, because I get the feeling that you will probably know whether you will enjoy 'Yondemasu yo, Azazel-san' if you watch the first episode.
Basically, if you laughed several times like a maniac, then the show's probably right for you. If you instead scratched your head in confusion, grimaced in disgust or was rendered speechless from indignation - then it probably won't be a series you'll enjoy.
'Yondemasu yo, Azazel-san' is a gag show.
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The basic premise is the story of a freelance detective who harnesses the power(s) of demon(s) to aid him in fulfilling his various clients' requests - but as you'd expect of a gag show, the plot isn't that important. Not yet, anyway; the focus is on the adult humor. The comedy is crude, blunt, and most of all, ridiculous. The brand of humor reminds me more of shows like Family Guy and Southpark in their tone and crudeness.
But guess what? It made me laugh. Several times. And the first episode is only 10 minutes long.
I'll update this review, as the series goes on and my opinion evolves accordingly. For now, this looks worth keeping an eye on. If you're an adult, don't mind crude humor and aren't too squeamish, it couldn't hurt to try the first episode.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jun 22, 2010
'Working!!' is flawed. If I had to guess, a lot of people will lose interest and move on after trying a few episodes. This is because your enjoyment of 'Working!!' will almost entirely depend on whether you enjoy seeing its various characters interact. In fact, I'm very glad that the opening song is so damn addictive - because that's the reason I stuck with the show long enough for it to actually begin growing on me.
For better or worse, 'Working!!' introduces its characters slowly and gradually. Better, because getting to know these people feels very organic and natural, and worse, because in the beginning,
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you don't know anyone and many of the characters (especially at first sight) seem like stereotypical archetypes, and will come across as cliched - even annoying. For example, Popura seems like your generic busty loli. Satou seems like the usual scary-eyed dude with a golden heart.
And Inami - oh Inami. She's genuinely annoying and even frustrating to watch. At least, until you get to know more about her character. Her 'condition' is often used as a joke, and initially seems to be nothing more than a cheap way to include slapstick in the show. But later on, this begins to actually influence the plot. And that's when her condition, and Inami herself, get interesting. Something similar happens to all the characters - to some extent, at least.
The thing is, the show is slice of life; and because of that, you only learn about the people when some event happens and you're around to see it. They don't just open their mouths and let their life stories pour out on you. There's a constant sense of discovering new things about the various people. The problem is, I get the feeling only some viewers will reach that point.
Time for some specifics:
STORY: 6
The show is slice of life, so it doesn't have much of a story to speak of. People work at a restaurant, and stuff happens. You may or may not care.
ART: 7
The visuals are appropriate; the art is crisp and colorful, and easy on the eyes. They don't do anything to wow you, but there's also no need to. The art isn't the star here, and for what it's worth, it does what it needs to do.
SOUND: 8
The opening song is audio-crack. I'm not usually a fan of such energetic and cutesy songs, but this particular one's so damn charming that I immediately became hooked. The voice acting is great and hits all the right notes, and all of the characters sound spot-on. The BGM isn't too memorable, mainly because the story isn't very dramatic. Although, at one point, it did sound completely appropriate (near the end of episode 9).
CHARACTER: 8
This one's highly subjective. If I'd written this about a month ago, I would have scored this much lower. At least for me, the characters grew on me over the episodes, and rather well. I actually began to enjoy watching Popura, even though I hate most characters in other shows that look and sound even remotely like her.
ENJOYMENT: 7
Also highly subjective. I tried to balance the fact that not everybody will enjoy this show. If the characters hit the right notes in you, you'll laugh with them. If not, you'll scoff at their futile attempts at making you care. Another factor is whether you enjoy slice of life in general. If not, you'll probably be bored rather quickly.
OVERALL: 7
In the end, the later episodes of 'Working!!' are much, much more enjoyable than the earlier ones, because of the simple fact that you feel like you know about these people - and when stuff happens to them, you actually give a crap. The jokes get funnier, the events have more significance, and the interaction between characters is no longer boring and meaningless. But again - that's only if the people grow on you. If they don't, you probably won't find much to like.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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May 13, 2010
I have to admit that I first started watching Angel Beats because of two main reasons: the pretty visuals, and the presence of guitars. But once I began watching the show in earnest, I found a lot more here than I expected. Angel Beats is a show that keeps me guessing, and consistently tugs at strings I didn't know existed until they were pulled.
Basically, Angel Beats is about an afterlife in which a group of dead students refuse to 'move on' to the next life, because they have some sort of peace to make with the world and themselves. There's a unique mix of
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common school life against the supernatural. It's a setting that I found to be original enough; I also expected it to be a simple tear-jerker, but that isn't the case.
Angel Beats has a duality about it. One part of it is comedy - most of it is well timed, and on several occasions, had me laughing out loud at my screen like a nutcase. The English-speaking, nonsensical TK doesn't even need an introduction anymore. Even the slapstick comedy is quite well done, and usually timed with unfitting music which (for the most part) heightens the comedy.
The other part would be the melodrama. Most of the important characters have a back story to them, which are revealed piece by piece. And, as to be expected, many are torturous, depressing tales. These stories aren't your stereotypical 'my puppy died' stories; in fact, I've found that most of the stories that have been revealed are all original in some way or another, and interesting as well. Their common theme seems to be 'regrets' - especially those of teenagers struggling with family, society and life in general.
Topping it all off and decorating the whole package is a very clean, crisp presentation, and music that can move you from the first time you hear it. The rock concert scenes are some of the finest I've ever seen, with spectacular animation and crisp lighting effects. The music alone made me re-watch the concert episodes over and over. The art is also very pleasant on the eyes, with soft but vibrant colors and simple but effective character styles.
The greatest problem that many people make an issue out of is the transition between the two previously mentioned parts of comedy and drama. Sometimes, the parts can seem fragmented and poorly transitioned. But I only noticed this after I heard the criticisms and look for such inappropriateness. I'm a fan of such shows that mix in different types of enjoyment. Angel Beats also isn't a stupid show; I never felt that my emotions were being toyed with in a rudimentary or heavy handed manner.
What I'm trying to say is that while this may seem contradictory and schizophrenic to some, overall, it seems to be a fairly successful blend to me. I found I actually liked being proven wrong about my guesses as to 'what kind of show this will end up being'. And I know that many scenes will evoke familiar memories from other shows, but really, this show deserves to be considered as it is, by itself.
Let me do some breaking down:
STORY: 7
The story is revealed irregularly; some episodes teach you various things about the world, while others spend their time screwing around. I had fun watching those anyway, but I can see how others would think it's a waste of time.
ART: 9
The art is beautiful. Beyond what we've come to expect, the animation is amazing (especially for the concerts), and the lighting effects give the show a slightly washed-out, surreal look - which I'm sure was the intended effect.
SOUND: 10
It's been a while since I've liked every song in a show. Some of the BGMs are repeated a bit often, but the feature songs are all brilliant. The seiyuu also do a fine job. No voices will annoy you - unless it was intentional.
CHARACTER: 7
This one's tricky, as many of the characters' back stories are still veiled. Some characters seem to follow the usual anime tropes, but they work. I definitely felt more interested in a character once I learned more about their past.
ENJOYMENT: 9
There's a very obvious sign as to how much I'm enjoying a show; I get antsy and check for updates every hour. The more I see, the more I want. The concert scenes alone are worth the watch.
OVERALL: 8
I guess in the end, your enjoyment of Angel Beats will depend on whether its various aspects strike a chord with you or not (pardon the pun). For my part, I'm glad to have found a series that keeps me guessing, interests me with its premise, dazzles my eyes, while making me laugh and sniffle in the same episode.
This one's definitely worth your attention, at least until you're absolutely sure you don't like everything about it. Check it out.
POST SCRIPT:
After having finished this series, I needed to add a short addendum - because it helped me realize the potential problem of this series. In short, it's a little messy. If you watch the final episode, you'll probably come to realize the main theme of the series (the entire first half of the final episode is dedicated to it). But when you do, you start thinking of ways in which certain story elements could have been developed and presented a little better.
I can't help but compare it to Clannad, a series that expertly manages the drama and the waves of emotion from the viewer. It's almost like the show is psychic, and knows exactly when to say or show something in order to get the maximum emotional impact and reaction. Compared to that, Angel Beats is more than a little awkward; in particular, the final scene - it just didn't hit me as hard as I thought it should. I was affected, but was distracted at the same time by the clumsy dialogue and the sense of too many unexplained factors.
All in all, I'm very glad I spent time with Angel Beats, and will surely miss its presence. At the same time, it pains me to think of how much better it could have been if the show didn't feel so rushed, and if the writers had put a bit more planning and effort into the final moments.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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