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Aug 28, 2015
To simply say that this anime series is great...would be a disservice. To simply say that this anime series is great just because it has giant robot with drills...would also be a disservice. No, what makes Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann a true gem is how it manages to combine years of mecha history, surprisingly good story telling, and pure awesomeness. And somehow, against all possibilities yield an epic masterpiece.
From the surface, this series has the typical trappings of good mecha show. The voice acting is rock solid and appropriately bursting with energy. The animation is creative even if occasionally inconsistent. And it has giant robots
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piloted by passionate badass heroes. Yet what makes Gurren Lagann truly shine is that while it still has the awesome look and feel of a typical idealistic super robot show, it also includes a smart story with likable characters, an awareness of conventions found in anime shows, and meaningful themes.
All of the charactera are developed and memorable even at their silliest moments. Initially they come off as typical stock archetypes with Simon being the crybaby, Kamina being the hyperactive big brother, and Rossiu being the emo cynic. However, as the series progresses, each character reveal additional hidden traits and experience character arcs. The seemingly fearless Kamina secretly feels seems moments of terror yet still persists because of Simon. Simon initially was presented as a crybaby and coward who would snap at every setback. However, with enough encouragement from Kamina and Nia, he was able to believe in the ideal version of himself and become a truly confident hero. Even Rossiu, the doubting strawman who seems out of place in a world driven by badass willpower, is shown as a fully developed figure instead of a nagging caricature. Sure he doesn't stick behind Simon yet he still genuinely cares about helping humanity and even expresses remorse for screwing over others. In fact, even Simon still values Rossiu as a human being and is willing to help him in his moment of despair. For all their over the top quirks, the characters still feel relatable and dynamic.
In relationship to other mecha series, Gurren Lagann serves as both an homage and a spiritual antithesis to Evangelion and Gundam (note that this reviewer appreciates the works of Anno and Tomino and does not mean to denigrate their positive contributions). Specifically, Lagann counters the elements of despair in Evangelion and death in Universal Century Gundam. Like Evangelion, the heroes fall into moments of despair with Simon and Yoko suffering from self-loathing and low self-esteem. However, unlike Evangelion, these characters were able to bind together and help each other overcome their problems, thus allowing them to deal with further hardships. Like Gundam, many beloved characters are killed off in unexpected moments. However, even when facing their inevitable deaths, each character go out in a blaze of glory, fighting to the last breath and making the ultimate sacrifice to ensure the safety of all life. Gurren Lagann addresses these issues such that the characters could work around them in an uplifting manner. In other words, it looks at the world in an idealistic half-full view.
Yet ultimately, Gurren Lagann has some very meaningful messages that help viewers. Of course the reoccurring theme is believing in one another. By having trust and faith in even the least likely person, the heroes are able to overcome obstacles and defy the odds. Given how cynicism runs rampant in many recent works, this theme really add assurance and gives confidence. Yet another important message is how to overcome obstacles to become a true hero. In one of the earlier arcs, Simon falls into emotional despair yet his friends sans Kamina only care about forcing him into Kamina's role, regardless of the emotional strain. However, after meeting the compassionate Nia, Simon realizes that he is not the same person as Kamina and found comfort in a moment of despair. Such that this a gotcha moment: You cannot make someone overcome hardships by force and give them unreasobale expectations. A person can achieve greatness only when given loving support and an identity tailored to themselves. Of course, all of these messages are best summed up by Simon's boast after his character development: "If you're gonna dig, dig to the heavens. No matter what's in my way, I won't stop! Once I've dug through — it means that I've won! Just who the hell do you think I am? I'm Simon. I'm not my Bro! I'M ME!! Simon the Digger!"
In the end Gurren Lagann works because of how it is an idealistic series that leaves one feeling much better. While the series has awesome action and presentation, much of the idealistic experience comes from its smart story. Each character experiences moments of self-doubt and emotional hardships yet they experience growth and overcome these obstacles. It counters genuine hardships and setbacks one would expect from mecha anime. Yet most importantly, its take away morals can help leaving people rejuvenated and optimistic. In a turbulent and uncertain world, Gurren Lagann provides a genuinely refreshing and uplifting experiences that helps viewers tackle problems in life.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Jul 31, 2015
One in a while one would stumble upon a surprisingly subversive and interesting series that defies its roots. As such is the case of Puella Magi Madoka Magica. What makes this series interesting is it offers a unique deconstructive take on the magical girl genre.
While the core concept of the show's story has been done before (grim, depressing magical girl show) the story still manages to leave its own mark by copying distinct elements and criticizing said elements by showing the realistic grim consequences. This type of genre deconstruction shows that the makers are very familiar with the conventions and how to subvert them. Granted
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there are some moments that could've been sped up a bit and the final moments seem confusing in a Gainax-esque manner. Fortunately, everything is held together by the reoccurring themes of selflessness and faustian motifs. These elements help prevent the story from buckling in on itself even with the occasionally uneven scenes and mind-bendingly surreal moments.
The characters themselves are all well-written and likable. What really makes the characters work surprisingly well is how some of the narrative offers deconstructive takes on their archetypical traits. For example, Homura is considered what TV Tropes describes as a "Satellite Character" whose life revolves only around one character, in her case Madoka. However, Homura's archetype is deconstructed as her clingly protective nature of Madoka shows how empty her life was before and how her obsession has worn her out at times. Interestingly Madoka herself is treated as helpless bystander yet she has her own engaging self-contained character arc of trying to find purpose. Overall these characters work because of how the story fleshes them out using basic character archetype traits. Plus everyone sound legitimately shocked at deaths thanks to the fact that the voice actors were deliberately mislead.
While the art is obviously fantastic (this is a Studio Shaft work afterall), what really makes the animation style work is how it intelligently it mixes different styles and images. The girls are drawn in a soft pastel moe while the the witches resemble dark cutouts and the disaster scenes are drawn in dark watercolors straight out of Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei. These mixed art styles provide a nice sense of contrast such that there is an eerie otherworldliness. Furthermore, the art direction helps with storytelling given the design of the witches. Each witch is a represent a despair-infused personification of feminine interest, thus giving insights into their origins and relationship to the characters. As such, fighting the witches would be like confronting their inner demons.
Overall, I would highly recommend Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica. Its narrative offers a unique deconstructive take on the Magical Girl genre and characters. It's an engaging experiencing of examining despair and the cruelty of world that leaves viewer cathartically relieved in the end. On a final note, I know a lot of people are unhappy with the ending and I get that. However, I'm also fine with it because it honors the recurring themes: everything has a price and true heroism means willing to give up one's happiness.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Jul 18, 2015
Jormungand
Story:
The story doesn't have a really cohesive narrative arc but gets the job done mostly. There is a great deal of globe trotting so scenarios and environments do change up once in a while. Though the story has a rather humorous tone, there are some tragic moments like some of Jonah's flashbacks.
Art:
For the most part, the artwork and animation is passable. The characters themselves have distinct appearances. However, I always feel that color scheme has a white hazy monochrome to it. Thankfully it's not too distracting.
Sound:
The music very good and really does get one pumped up for the action. The voice acting in
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both Japanese and English audio is decent. On the subject of voice acting, the English dub isn't bad, but it doesn't really offer much. Compared to other similar shows like Black Lagoon, Cowboy Bebop, and Baccano!, the Jormungand's dub doesn't make the characters sound more emotive or natural as the appropriate ethnic accents, slang, and profanity are noticeably absent.
Character:
The characters in Jormungand are decent archetypes with some having more personality than others. The main character Koko is a rather funny and likeable protagonist. Granted she's an arms dealer, but she does avoid causing unnecessary casualties and has an admirable leadership skills. Also her childish eccentric demeanor does make her stand out in a rather realistic environment. Ditto Jonah, whose social awkwardness does have a real sense of charm. The other characters are all right though some feel like they can use more development and personality.
Enjoyment:
Overall its a rather fun series. The action is intense and flashy. There are plenty of humorous moments. And there's a real attention to detail. However, I feel that Jormungand doesn't quite go far enough with narrative or do anything experimental. Still worth a watch.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jul 17, 2015
If there's one way to describe Black Lagoon it would that it's a exhilarating ride with surprisingly smart moments.
Story:
The story is surprisingly well-developed with a nice sense of pacing that manages to have both slow-down philosophical chats mixed with visceral action. The dialogue is fantastic with a real sense of sardonic wit that would seem like something created by Tarantino. In a weird way, Black Lagoon can function as a social commentary given how major characters like Rock, Balalaika, and Roberta have backstories that aren't too dissimilar from those of non-Western citizens from the 90s. Japan was languishing from a financial depression, the Soviet
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Union has collapsed, Vietnam War vets were disavowed, and Cold War militants are struggling to find purpose. If anything, the cynical tone of the series really reflects on the social anxieties and uncertainties in the tumultuous post-cold war scenario.
Art:
The animation is fantastic and channels a strong sense of atmosphere. The whole city has a really eerie and gritty feel to it whether it be day or night. Not only that, the weapons, character models, and vehicles appear very accurate to the time period.
Sound:
This series just sounds exhilarating from the music to the sound effects to the voice acting. The heavy metal rock pumps one up for the action while the more somber tunes make one ponder about the morality and future of being a gangster. All the gunfire and explosions sound so realistic and heavy-hitting. As for subbing vs dubbing, the English dub is probably better for this show if anything because it feels natural. In the English dub, Revy actually comes off as more aggressive and emotive. Likewise Dutch sounds more like an African American while also more distinctly expresses anger and friendliness even when speaking in the same monotone. Plus the English dubbing has more profanity which really enhances the whole black comedy aesthetic.
Characters:
The characters are rather well-developed and likable even though nearly everyone is more or less a gangster. Rock works very well as voice of reason and as an audience surrogate. While he does start out as a terrified coward, he does man up and bests his opponents with his wits even though he isn't a fighter. Revy's also a surprisingly admirable female character given how her tragic past is well articulated and isn't just slapped on as a weak excuse for her sociopathy. Even though Black Lagoon can be considered a "guy show", it does a good job of portraying female characters by giving them fleshed-out backstories and agency.
Enjoyment:
It's a blast with characters, story, and action straight out of a Tarantino/John Woo flick. It's really worth your time.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jul 7, 2015
For a superlative series that claims to be the most realistic Gundam entry, it more than lives up to that title. This series delivers as a compelling self-contained story that offers a unique interesting take on the franchise without rehashing past elements.
The story for the most part offers an interesting of the conflict. Rather than focus on a single hero and his special superpowered giant robot, the emphasis is on average grunts fighting on front line. This emphasis offers a unique insight on the soldiers that are often overlooked as worthless cannon fodder. Plus, it makes the action scenes more impressive. Rather than rely on
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special powers, these soldiers must rely on their skills and tactics which makes their accomplishments seem all the more significant. The Zeon commander Norris Packard in particular manages to win when outnumbered even if he lacks Char's his fancy custom red mechas and newtype powers.
The characters themselves are also pretty good. Our main hero Shiro is really identifiable since he has likable idealist views and tries to preserve those with harsh reality. It really helps that Steve Staley does a lively job voicing Shiro despite Gundam's history of having occasionally cheesy voice acting. Shiro's girlfriend Aina is a well-developed star-crossed lover who can be a proper lady while also fighting as an elite pilot. Norris Packard is also awesome because he's a badass who fights off elite mobile suits yet can be a loving father to Aina. Plus Norris is named after another awesome fighter: Chuck Norris.
Yet arguably the best thing about this series is its realism. Whereas other Gundam entries show the horror of wars through high body counts (I'm looking at you Zeta and Victory), this entry shows how war sucks because it's realistically exhausting and frustrating. All these giant robots need constant maintenance and have a tendency to fail at the worst times (just like real life robots). Normally this grittiness would feel like a distraction but here it complements the story since it intentionally exhausts the viewer. At the end, we would be sick of the hardships of warfare and want it to end just like Shiro. As a result, 08th MS Team hammers in the hellish aspects of warfare without having to cram in excessively brutal deaths or war crimes.
Overall this is worth a watch. The characters are well-developed. The story is engaging while also being self-contained and accessible. The atmosphere is well-crafted. This really is a worthy installment in the Gundam franchise
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jul 4, 2015
I'll admit, I wasn't a huge fan of NGE the series. However, End of Evangelion (EoE) for better or worse does provide a real sense of closure. What really sealed the deal for me was that the overarching instrumentality point of EoE is more tightly connected to the Shinji's and Asuka's view of the humanity based on their own personal experiences. On a more technical side, EoE features much improved animation and audio compared to the main series. Also, the dub has really improved as Spike Spencer and Tiffany Grant have mastered the ability to convey despair and hopelessness.
On a separate note, I'd like to
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say that I've gained a new sense of appreciation for Evangelion after watching Madoka Magica. By comparing the two series together, I was able to have a better understanding of Eva influences Madoka Magica's story and characters (Shinji = Madoka, Asuka = Kyouko, Gendo = Kyubey and etc.). If anything, I'd really think Eva has had a really positive affect on the anime world even with all warts and iffy moments. After all, why else would most anime copy Eva if it at least does something right, right?
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jun 28, 2015
Let me get this out of the way: Neon Genesis Evangelion is not a bad show. However, I respect this series more for its imagination and influence rather than its execution. While the show has some good moments and has a long lasting impact, its actual quality can seem lacking compared to today's deconstructions like Digimon Tamers and Madoka Magica.
The characters themselves are actually good. While I think Shinji may come off as a clone of Amuro Ray, he is an actually sympathetic character who honestly reacts realistically in a terrifying situation. Likewise, Rei comes off as a likable characters who shy demeanor actually makes
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her come off as sympathetic. I know Rei is supposed to be creepy, but her cutesy vibe actually makes NERV come off as even more unlikeable for treating her like a tool. Overall the characters themselves are actually good. If they weren't, why else would we have Shinji and Rei clones like Simon, Madoka, CC, and Mikasa?
However, the real problem for me is that the story exists on an entirely different dimension detached from its main characters. Even though EVA is supposed to be a character study, the story's large scale overshadows the character drama and the events seem almost unrelated to the main characters' inner angst. In other surreal dark works, the monsters and situations reflect on different aspects of the main characters. In Madoka Magica, the witches are dark corrupt mirror counterparts to the magical girls and thus have girl-related designs fitting with the whole magical girl deconstruction. Likewise, Silent Hill 2, the sexualized monsters are dark manifestations of James Sunderland's sexual libido during his search for his wife. Here, aside from a few phallic shaped angels, the Christian symbolism and angels don't really complement the characters. If the show really wanted to be about teenage coming of life story, then the villainous angels should be representations of adolescent issues like sex, academic exams, and employment.
Yet despite its problems, I'm glad EVA exists. Sure it has glaring problems and may seem amateurish compared to more modern deconstructions, it is still interesting enough to leave a real impact on pop culture. Personally, I'd say its a positive impact. It's thanks to EVA that studios are inspired to make post-modern deconstructions like Digimon Tamers, Madoka Magica, and Attack on Titan. Plus, the characters of EVA has invented new characters archetypes that I like. If EVA wasn't so interesting and unique, why would anyone try to follow in its footsteps. So while I feel EVA itself has some glaring flaws, I respect it for its uniqueness and interesting feel.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jun 5, 2015
Overall this is a pretty good series. Granted it's not exactly the best Gundam series, it still holds its own ground. The action is solid with lots of explosions and mobile suits pummeling each other. Also Wing Zero and Epyon have some of the best Non-UC designs I've seen. Also the voice acting and animation are passible for what's provided. That said, the characters and story is better than I expected to be honest.
The overall story stands out from previous entries in the UC by portraying our main heroes as insurgents and emphasizing that people matter more than organization. Sure the earth government has
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some evil rulers, many of the ordinary soldier and several commanders are good people. Subsequently, this creates an interesting moral situation that asks who are the real heroes? Afterall, the Gundam pilots are well-intentioned individuals who commit morally ambiguous actions that would make them seem like terrorists. If anything this setting differs from the traditional clash of two factions.
Also while the characters have some decent amount of depth, they also have to deal with their own moral dilemmas. I really like Duo Maxwell because of how he has a dark tragic past yet still maintains an upbeat attitude to pull through whatever challenges he faces. Plus he has a cool Gundam with the Shinigami title. Likewise Treize works as a villain because of his charisma, sense of honor, and complex personality of a soldier who is secretly tormented by how his ideal views of warfare seem out of place. I even found Relena to be tolerable, at least compared to Lacus and Marina. The only character that doesn't work is Wufei because he's a condescending jerkass who hardly interacts with others.
Yet most importantly, Wing discusses ethical implications of modern warfare that still resonate in the post-9/11 setting. At one point, Treize Khushrenada opposed the usage of unmanned mobile suits, finding them to be dehumanizing and warns about the moral implications of warfare waged without human soldiers. This theme of unmanned warfare still resonates given the current human rights implication of using military attack drones in civilian populaces. If it weren't for the cheesy production values and timing, I would've mistaken this series for commentary piece on the War on Terror.
Also, this show has one of best soundtracks thanks to Kow Otani and Two-Mix.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jun 3, 2015
When I heard of Gundam Build Fighters I initially dismissed it as a desperate attempt to sell more models. However, now that I've finished the entire series I'm all the more glad to be proven wrong given how this show is surprisingly great.
Story 8/10
The overall story is pretty simple: Sei Iori is a Gundam fanboy who sucks at Gunpla battling so he teams up with a mysterious boy named Reiji to compete in Gunpla fighting as a team to win the world championship. While the story itself seems like a formulaic fighting tournament narrative, there are some moments of smart writing and commentary. The backstory
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of Aila, a rival teenage girl who grew up in poverty and thus was forced to fight in the tournaments by Team Nemesis upon learning of her natural talent, can seen as an allusion to real life child exploitation by corporations. And of course, as a nod to logistic-heavy roots of the Real Robot genre, the gunpla are damaged and require constant maintenance and modding. Of course, this emphasis on repairing and customization allows us to care about the Gunpla as they are real characters; if the Gunpla models were already pre-built and could be easily disposed of, there's no real stakes as anyone would simply buy another generic set.
Art 10/10
The animation and art design is virtually flawless. All the Gunpla are vibrant and flashy as usual. However, while each Gunpla clearly resembles the models from the actual mobile suits from the different series, there are some subtle touches that make the Gunpla stand out. For instance, the Miss Sazabi Gunpla has the distinct head, torso, and arms of the red Sazabi mobile suit yet also has feminine legs and a light purple coloring. Likewise, some art style changes subtly to be more realistic or fanciful as subtle nods to the original Mobile Suit Gundam and Gurren Lagann. The art direction succeeds in providing a look and feel that's both familiar yet unique.
Sound 8/10
The music, sound, and voice acting are pretty good. The music is upbeat and energetic during the fights with distinct motifs for the different characters. Voice acting can be a bit annoying but works for most of the series. Sound is also good with dynamic explosions and snaps.
Characters 9/10
The characters in this series are surprisingly well-rounded and show lots of development. While the rivals seem like stock caricatures at first, they gradually develop more depth as the series progresses. The friendly rival Ricardo Fellini was initially presented as a playboy who fails to win over ladies. Later though, he's shown to be a spirited competitor who believes Gunpla battling should not be driven by hatred and also cares about his Wing Gundam because of how he has kept it since childhood. Yet most importantly, the characters are prefect audience surrogates thanks to their age and gunpla choice. The 20-30 year old Fellini with his custom Wing Gundam represents fans who grew up watching Gundam Wing while the 13 year old Sei with his custom Strike Gundam represents fans of Gundam Seed and Seed Destiny.
Enjoyment 10/10
This show is just pure fun and enjoyment. The fights are awesome and based on clever tactics instead of pure brute strength. Even the slice of life side stories are hilarious and make the characters endearing. Plus anyone can watch it regardless of familiarity with the franchise.
Overall 9/10
Overall I would say that is one of the best toy commercial shows. Sunrise could've taken the lazy route and made with dull characters, tedious arcs, and cheap fights present in most series. Instead, what we got was a smart, funny, and engaging tribute to the Gundam series. All I can say is that after watching this celebratory experience, I'm proud to be a Gundam fan.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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