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Mar 13, 2017
*THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS AS NECESSARY TO EXPLAIN MY RATING*
Based on the MAL rating system,
Story: 9
Art: 7
Sound: 8
Character: 9
Enjoyment: 10
Overall: 9
...
Based on my personal rating system, my overall rating is: 8.64
"Think, writhe, struggle, and agonize. If not, what you're going through isn't genuine."
This anime has to be one of the most serious non-serious stories that I have experienced. The second season continues with the adventures of Hikigaya and crew, solving the problems of fellow students who come to them for help.
The first season can be described as the build-up for the crux of the story as told in the second season. Each member of the service club deals with problems in their own ways, leading to both conflict and accomplishment; failure and success; questions and answers.
"There's stuff others won't get unless you say it out loud."
Yui challenges Yukino and Hachiman to talk about and discuss their feelings more. While it is true that it is hard to understand people without speaking up, it is also true that we might not be able to completely understand somebody just because they told us about how they feel. Is it the height of arrogance to try to say you understand how somebody feels, or a kind expression of compassion? Even if we could understand how somebody feels, is it possible to measure the extent and intensity of those feelings?
"You kept talking as if nothing was wrong."
Yukino challenges Yui, using Yui's own argument against her. Because Yui spoke as if nothing was ever wrong, Yukino was willing to sacrifice her own feelings in order to uphold the facade that she thought Hachiman and Yui wanted. "So I thought if that's what you both wanted..."
"Sometimes you can't get through to people even if you spell it out."
Hachiman is challenged by the problem of always trying to understand people by reading between the lines and psycho-analyzing them, but never being able to do so. He understands this and feels trapped by this, leading to him abandoning his usual tactics of individual social suicide in an attempt to achieve something greater. If you want the real thing when it comes to relationships, you have to be prepared for adversity and to sometimes hurt the ones you love and care about. "Think, writhe, struggle, and agonize. If not, what you're going through isn't genuine." And so Hachiman wishes for something genuine and asks for the help of Yukino and Yui.
"I want it all."
With some characters being ashamed of their past, and other characters being anxious about the future -- and still some other characters feeling both shame of the past and anxiousness about the future -- seizing the present for all of the value that it is worth is important. Things are going to change. People grow and mold into different human beings as the present evolves into the future. With all of the characters going to change and with the future uncertain, where do the feelings of the girls towards Hachiman stand? Will the friendship of the group last forever?
These are some of the questions that were on Yui's mind when she attempts to confront the Service Club about another unspoken issue that each member faces: Love, friendship, the present, the future, and how all of these interconnect. Is it possible for Yui to have it all, or for Yukino to have it all, viz. one girl having a romantic relationship with Hachiman while at the same time being really good friends with the other girl and the integrity of the club undamaged? Is such a thing achievable, let alone possible?
All of the characters seem to think that it is not, but might act on this in different ways.
"She just didn't say one specific thing. If she said it out loud, that would set it in stone."
What would happen if you were put into a position where you had to make a choice about not only an immensely personal and sensitive topic, but also on an issue in which you have not completely reconciled your feelings? If you were forced to explain how you feel, but weren't completely sure how to put your feelings into words, wouldn't the end results be something artificial? If one is unable to face themselves when it comes to their feelings, facing other people with those feelings would necessarily lead to something being conveyed that is very different from what you feel and might actually think on a deeper level.
Yukino is put into such a position, and just like when she was willing to sacrifice her feelings for the Service Club earlier, she is prepared to suffer a blow that would inevitably damage her relationship with either Yui, Hachiman, or both.
"If I chose something because I had no other choice, I couldn't call it my own decision."
The words of Hayato resonate with Hachiman and his experiences, leading to him saving Yukino from having to make a choice that she was not ready to make. If Yukino had either set aside her emotions or tried to elaborate on emotions that she was unable to face, what would have been conveyed would not have been real.
"Even so, I want us to think, writhe, struggle, and find..." - something genuine. For Yukino to find something genuine out of her own feelings, she, too, needs to think about them and struggle with them and make her own decisions when the time is right for her. "I don't want any vague answers or superficial relationships."
As a tear rolls down Yui's face and meets her smile, Yukino affirms that "this is not the final anything" and promises to carry out Hachiman's request for genuineness, in which Yui happily agrees with.
Yukino offers a request of her own to the Service Club, which is left to the audience's imagination until the next light novel is eventually released. While the ending contained a light cliffhanger, it can also be considered satisfactory since the crux of the story can be deduced with a little thought. Although it is disappointing to not see where the characters would eventually end up, it can also add to the beauty of the story if you pay close enough attention.
The soundtrack was very good and the coloring on the art was wonderful, but I think the characters and story are the highlights that deserve the most examination. The show is also a great comedy between the range of characters and their various dynamics, but an outsider looking in might not have guessed that solely reading this review. Hence the claim, this anime has to be one of the most serious non-serious stories that I have experienced. It was highly enjoyable and well-worth my time. I look forward to purchasing the next light novel whenever it is released, with fingers crossed for a movie that resolves Yukino's request and offers more conclusion relating to where the characters end up.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jan 5, 2017
*THIS REVIEW CONTAINS MINOR SPOILERS AS NECESSARY TO EXPLAIN MY RATING* (first season inclusive). The spoilers will not be very specific and will be speaking in broad terms.
Based on the MAL rating system,
Story: 6
Art: 6
Sound: 8
Character: 8
Enjoyment: 8
Overall: 7
...
Based on my personal rating system, my overall rating is: 7.43
If I could use one word to describe this series as a whole, it would be: paradox. Jörmungand--the midgard serpent of the world--is an anime packed with fun action sequences, awesome theme songs and music, some great characters, and a story with massive potential. Additionally, the name of the series is part of a grand scheme of Koko's that is not revealed until nearly the end of the series. It is at this point where the writing comes into question, as a poor ending or loose ends can hamper the greatness of any series.
The art is fair. The quality is not spectacular and the character designs are basic, but the animators were still able to create some epic moments between blazing gun battles and spectacular rocket launches. The OP artwork was great for both seasons, while the EDs were a bit lazier in comparison (still image EDs versus motion animation OPs).
The sound is really good. It is largely because of the sound that I enjoyed sitting through the entirety of the OPs and EDs. Additionally, the music was executed well during action sequences and tense moments to heighten the experience.
The characters were also something that were done really well. Particularly, the main character Koko has a lot of depth and is very fun. Her personality is reminiscent of famous characters like Holo from Spice and Wolf and Rin from Fate. She has a playful, cunning, and charmful character while also giving off a mysterious and even dangerous vibe. Koko can act like a child one moment and then transform into a mature leader who will be at the frontline with her soldiers the next, pistol in hand. This character is a fine example of the vicious but cute girl, adding a layer of paradox which seemed to be a constant theme to me throughout the story.
Rather intentional or not, there were a lot of paradoxical concepts found in the story. Whether or not that adds or takes away from the story is up for debate, but it is worth pointing out: Jonah's disgust for weapons while simultaneously being a child soldier for a living. Koko's status as a reputable arms dealer and her self-proclaimed love for capitalism, to her transformation of becoming a near communist dictator. The classic idea that peace can be achieved through violence, paired with the crude ethical utilitarianism of killing off "the few" in order to provide a better future "for the many."
The problem with the story is not my disagreement with any view held by any character, but how the characters acted on these paradoxes paired with the ending. Jonah recognizes the conflict about killing hundreds of thousands of people to potentially save millions of lives in the future when he leaves Koko's squad to go work for Kasper. Instead of the story forcing Jonah to confront his main conflict throughout the entire series ("I hate weapons but travel with an arms dealer"), we are presented with some cliche and sudden time leap of 2 years where Jonah finally returns to Koko to execute Jörmungand. There is no battling with his demons, there is no revolution, there is no resolve. There is only a changing of minds, going back and forth on the story, with a dry outcome that significantly subtracts from the story.
Koko claims to hate being an arms dealer and wishes for world peace, but never faces any of her own demons or is faced with her own contradictions and philosophical shortcomings. The closest thing that we get to this is Jonah saying "goodbye Koko" as he does a cannon-ball and leaves the squad for 2 years, before returning and executing Koko's grand scheme without any challenge or even satisfactory agreement. The conclusion was rushed and the lack of challenge between the characters takes away from what could have been an outstanding anime.
Even with some major problems in the story, I still enjoyed Jörmungand greatly. The action was right up my alley, the geopolitical aspect was intriguing, the competition between private organizations and state actors was fun, the sound was great, and Shizuka Itou's performance as Koko was memorable.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Dec 31, 2016
Non-spoiler review.
Based on the MAL rating system,
Story: 6
Art: 6
Sound: 5
Character: 6
Enjoyment: 7
Overall: 6
...
Based on my personal rating system, my overall rating is: 6.38
Q: Do I have to watch the other Fate/* anime in order to watch this one?
A: It is highly recommended. Although the sequence of events in Grand Order are separate from the plots of the other Fate series, this adaptation assumes that you have either played the Grand Order mobile game or that you have been experienced to other Fate related content. It is helpful to understand the concepts of masters, servants, the holy grail, and a few other things before starting this movie.
Fate and its characters could continue to be re-used and re-hashed many times over and I would probably not get tired of it. My love for Fate and the servants, however, must be separated from the components that go into making a successful anime: artwork, sound, the story, character development, and enjoyment. When we isolate and analyze these components, even the reputable Fate title must be subject to scrutiny.
The art was nothing too special. Some of the fighting sequences were nice, but overall, the animation quality was subpar and it felt like a lot of the effects were re-used. For example, Caster's explosion effects and the sudden wide angle zoom out were used too often in succession. It would be nice to shake things up here and there. While we cannot expect every animation to match the quality of ufotable's Fate renditions, the quality of Grand Order is probably competing with Studio Deen's Fate/Stay Night release from 2006.
The sound was alright. Nothing really stood out though and the soundtrack did not really heighten the experience or coordinate the audio with visuals in a skillful manner.
Where the art and sound lacked, the character and story start to pick up. It is here where the potential for the rest of this adaptation lies. Although Ritsuka is the common timid main character who makes Shirou (from F/UBW) look way more confident in comparison, the dynamic between himself and Mash has the potential to develop into something really good. If future episodes can individually develop each character and strengthen their bond to each other, the series stands to improve on the whole.
The story, as already stated, is a separate plot from Fate/Stay Night, Unlimited Bladeworks, Heaven's Feel, and Zero. It requires some prior understanding of the Nasuverse, or, some of the terminology and constructs that set the backstory for the other Fate stories. Without that understanding, I fear that this OVA would suffer greatly for the first time Fate-viewer. With an understanding of masters/servants and the holy grail, the story of First Order is fair. The pacing starts off slow and then suddenly jumps to full throttle. Be sure to pay attention, because by the time you get to the end it will have set the stage for future OVAs in the series (which is where the potential rests). Essentially, First Order was one long introduction.
Though I was critical of the art and sound and am skeptical about the story and character development, I recognize the potential for something good to come out of this series if all the right pieces are are put in the right place. I enjoyed seeing some old characters from other Fate series and getting introduced to some new ones. The fighting scenes, while sometimes repetitive, were still relatively enjoyable.
Overall, First Order was fair but has the potential to be great if it can capitalize on the story and character development it set the stage for.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Sep 18, 2016
Non-spoiler review.
Story: 9
Art: 9
Sound: 10
Character: 10
Enjoyment: 10
Overall: 9.6
Re:Zero is an anime that packs together sorrow, happiness, horror, joy, suffering, and satisfaction into a rocket ship of entertainment. The main character, ripped from his home world and having to start from zero, faces a great deal of adversity throughout the story. As opposed to other stories where the main character is either naturally skilled or somehow surpasses expectations with no degree of difficulty, Subaru must overcome his failures.
...
Hardly anybody likes to fail. Failure, especially after you've exerted a great amount of energy, can sometimes damage one's self-confidence. Humans, being as imperfect as we are, are also prone to errors. It is not our failures or our mistakes that define us, but the actions that we take to make a change after we've recognized our shortcomings.
Re:Zero does a brilliant job at capturing this essential ingredient of human nature: allowing the main character to fail (perhaps more than he succeeds) and at times succumbing to the overwhelming emotions that pain a person after a profound loss. Although the conclusion of the series might have some loose ends that were never completely tied up, the story is still this series' strong point. There were times of laughter, tears, and utter shock, as Re:Zero pulls the audience in with relatable characters, a stunning original sound track, jam-packed action sequences, and several moments of deep horror.
The character development was strong in such a way that it was easy to relate to multiple characters and watch their relationships solidify throughout the series. Whether it be the main character overcoming his trials or the relationships between a handful of characters, there is definite development and it is implemented in a beautiful way. One of the best performances of the show was done by Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, who plays the character Petelgeuse. While some people are of the view that Petelgeuse was over-dramatized, I am of the view that this super-villain makes the Joker from Batman look cute and gentle. All episodes featuring Petelgeuse sent a shiver down my spine and accomplished something that few other anime have been able to pull off.
Although the animation quality is not of the same grade like what you'd see from a ufotable production or of Madoka Magica caliber, the animators without question paid attention to details and did an outstanding job with the action sequences. There were of course some errors that I could nitpick -- ranging from some "copy and pasted village characters" to blood being on a character's face one moment and then disappeared the next -- the errors are trivial and the animation as a whole is good.
Where the animation might lack at times, the sound more than makes up for it. The sound director and sound effects definitely deserve a lot of praise here. Featuring a rich OST, the songs are the type that stick around with you for days after watching the anime and the effects are executed to near perfection.
As someone who adores Steins;Gate for its thrill, Spice&Wolf for its character dynamics, Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni for its horror, Madoka Magica for its dark deconstruction, Clannad:AS for its depiction of overcoming adversity, and Kara no Kyoukai for its dark action scenes, it should be clear just how much I enjoyed Re:Zero. One could argue that Re:Zero successfully borrows each element from the previously listed anime -- some of which people consider masterpieces -- and it is for this reasoning why I have rated Re:Zero so highly and among one of my all-time favorite anime.
There are of course some flaws that should be pointed out, as nothing is perfect. As the series stands and without knowing if there will be a second season, the viewer as an "anime-only" watcher will be left with a handful of questions relating to the overall storyline that were left unanswered. If one has followed the source material and has read beyond the anime, some are likely to be dissatisfied with how Re:Zero ended as it currently stands. Although it is understandable that discarding an important scene toward the end of the anime can leave the viewer feeling disappointed, White Fox adapted the source material on the whole faithfully.
If one can overlook some minor flaws in the animation and the story, it is very easy to rank this anime highly alongside the other gems out there. I will definitely be voting with my dollar and supporting Re:Zero in every way that I can in hopes of seeing a Season 2 adapted someday.
Overall, I would highly recommend Re:Zero to anyone looking for a combination of an adventure, thriller, fantasy, action, comedy, and romance. It's a great show that is definitely re-watchable and I look forward to owning the blu-rays.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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