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Dec 18, 2024
From what I can gather in this website, I can see that the second season of Kamierabi is a show with very low expectations, at least in the west. Initially, the first season didn't get much popularity, with the major part of its audience being attracted by the name of Yoko Taro, who is the creator of the story. Then, even tho the season had a interesting cliff hanger ending, most of the audience must have dropped the anime along the way for various reasons. And because of that, the second season has currently, by the end of it, about a tenth of the audience
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(673 users) from the first season; a very small number compared to what we are used to see on MAL. Regardless, its safe to say that studio Unend produced a solid second season, with a consistent quality similar to the first season, and a fitting ending for the series. Lets talk about it.
Even though its not necessary, I make sure that I do not spoil neither seasons of the show. And I'll be discussing mainly the second; if you'd like to know more about the first season, then I encourage you to read the others' reviews or even my own.
(Story)
When you start watching the first episode, you see a dark empty area, and in it, theres only a humanoid being, with no remarkable features except a blue outline, crying with his face buried in his palms while sitting in a chair; a pen-looking object falls from nowhere and the being notices that, then, it grabs the object and writes in the void: "my wish". Its a very enigmatic scene that doesnt make sense at first even to who watched the first season. And turns out that this humanoid being is a recurring figure at the start of pretty much every episode of the season.
After that, we see a girl in a orange hooded sweatshirt, with something in her arms, running away from men that are apparently looking for the thing in her arms. This girl is actually Lall from the first season, now in human form, as you may discover by the end of the episode.
And also, after the new opening is displayed, you watch the school presentation of a kid, in which she tries to explain what happened in the incident of the final episode of the first season. It happened 12 years ago and it was responsible, among other things, for turning the people involved in so called "semi-permanents", individuals that do not show signs of aging anymore. No one has been able to explain this phenomenon since then and the kid seems determined in doing just that.
As you can deduce, the start of the season heavily focuses on mysteries. Until the very end of the anime, you'll be wondering about "who is that humanoid being at the start of the episodes?", "why do some people stopped aging?", "what exactly happened during these 12 years?", and those will stack up on the unanswered questions of the first season, like "why is that god election happening in the first place?" or "who is that man in the blue outfit that appears in episode 12?". Surprisingly, they do give answers to all of that along the story, which is very nice. Points for cohesion!
The major part of the season is that slow but progressive unveilling of the plot. However, at the last episodes, the story suddenly starts to pick up really fast and we get plot twist, after plot twist, after plot twist, in true "yoko tarian style". Now, I apologize for the poor choice of words there but I guess my point goes across. Its rather unclear how much influence Yoko Taro had on this anime or if he supervised the project at all, but I do think that the ending was purely his doing because of how warped your understanding of the story gets right by the end; thats his trademark, pretty much.
In comparison, the second season feels much more serious than the first one. While the first season consists of Gorou f'ing around and finding out, putting himself in a lot of unusual or even strange situations; in this season, the characters are mentally tired from the god election and they just want to get it all over with.
(Music)
Again, just like in the first season, the music is done by studio MONACA, lead by Keiichi Okabe. From what you can hear in the anime, you may conclude that the soundtrack mostly contains electronic music and opera.
A scene where the opera really stands out is when a part of the main cast is talking to each other, discussing their current situation and planning what they are going to do, in a place where the sunset is visible; the atmosphere is tense and just when the characters are about to go silent from unease, they look at the sun and notice that it is disappearing, not by descending into the horizon but by decomposing into (literal) words - the opera starts, you hear drums being played between long intervals and almost tribal chanting- they start panicking and then become aware that not only their surroundings but also the whole world is decomposing into words. I think thats one of the highlights of the second season; its a very intense scene.
The opening theme is sung by Nanashi no Tarou, who doesnt have any more works in anime besides this one. You may notice that this opening is a bit more serious in tone than the first one, matching with the change of atmosphere in the story. And by the way, the lyrics portray feelings of sorrow and unease, which might as well, except for the romantic subtext, represent Lall's character in this season.
The ending theme was made by the band LEEVELLES and its quite a good one. The lyrics describe a conflicted individual that tries to live an earnest correct life but doesnt get the rewards he expected to receive, supposedly from God, for it, ultimately struggling to live a happy live. Then, he reaches the conclusion that there must be meaning in life beyond living in a standard correct way and decides to search for it, like some kind of rebellion against God. In some ways, this illustrates pretty much every character in the series and their discontents with life. Because of that, apart from being a banger, the song is a very fitting ending theme for the anime.
The opening has a similar look to the first opening, just like the ending is similar to the first ending. In other words, they dont have original animation and are composed of scenes from the anime. To me, thats a bummer, I wish they would have done something new for this season.
(Characters)
This time, the protagonist is Lall, the little fairy demon girl that accompanied Gorou in the first season but now as a human girl. She is portrayed as an immature, rebellious and short-tempered kid who will do anything and move anyone out of her way to reach her objectives. Of course, these traits dont make her a bad character but I did find her annoying, as she keeps being rude to the other characters and doesnt necessarily help them most of the time.
The first new character we are introduced to is Eko Sasaki, the girl who does the school presentation at the start of the first episode. She is shy, frail and looks like the type of character who cant do things on her own even though she has goals and good intentions. Eko is in the same class as Lall and starts to follow her around to understand more about the god election. Because of that, she gets involved in the events of the story and ends up developing into a interesting character along the way.
Another new character is Higaki Ebisu, the guy in the blue outfit that we see at the end of the first season. Hes an important politician in Japan (the prime minister, I believe) and hes participating in the god election. Contrary to the other characters, Higaki is a fully-fledged adult and doesnt pull any punches when fighting, posing a big threat to the main cast. He is also a very important character to the plot but doesnt get too much screen time; I wish we saw more of him.
In general, the characters of Kamierabi are entertaining, fit the atmosphere of the story and have a sort of charming design but they dont have much psychological depth. Besides, in this season, not a lot of development was seen from the characters, except Ryou and Honoka.
(Animation/art)
Theres not much to say about it. Just as it was in the first season, the animation is good and consistent.
And I think its good to note that the backgrounds of the scenes appear to be fully made with CGI and are very detailed. Its one of the strengths of this anime, and when I noticed that, I started to catch myself looking at the scenery of the episodes more than once.
Having seen all the episodes of the anime, I say that what Kamierabi lacks in the most is the characters. If they had fleshed out the characters more, revealed more of their backstories or explored their personalities more, I believe the characters would get more interesting in the eyes of the audience and, in turn, the story would be more compelling. At the end of day, it ends up being mostly a plot-driven story, meaning that the plot doesnt revolve around the characters, but the characters revolve around the plot. And thats the highlight of Kamierabi: in season 1, we had Gorou getting into all of these peculiar situations and we got introduced to a lot of wacky characters and superpowers. Whereas in season 2, we get a intriguing plot and a surprising turn of events. And I did like the ending, it leaves you with an oddly positive message even after all the suffering that the characters had to go through in the story; you can say thats another one of Yoko Taro's trademarks. The message itself partially comes from your interpretation tho, and this why Im curious to read about what others make out of it. Although I dont see everybody liking the ending, I guess you can say that the last episodes are eventful and entertaining nonetheless.
All in all, I thought this was an interesting experience: to see what an anime with a story made by Yoko Taro looks like. I dont think its likely but if he decided to make another one, I imagine it would be better and even more peculiar. And I would certainly watch it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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May 30, 2024
Everyone has already said it: its weird that NieR: Automata got an anime adaptation; because the game has a complete story that is already loved by fans for how it is and theres no material for sequels, so, what exactly would the anime producers do? Would they make a simple copy of the story in the game? But which parts would be adapted and which wouldnt? The game has multiple endings and simultaneous events. Isnt it just better to do something new instead?
Anyway, by the time this review is posted, I have seen all the episodes of the first part and I can say that
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they followed the general structure of the in-game story but they made some changes here and there and also added new stuff. I'll be trying to discuss the anime in a way that interests both groups: the ones that have played the game and the ones who havent.
Beforehand, its important to mention the very brief pauses in the release of the episodes. This goes unnoticed by those who watch the anime a year from the release or so but Part 1 had some complications, supposedly caused by COVID-19, which resulted in episode 8 being released in March 19th and episode 9 (along with the rest of Part 1) released in July 23th, more than 4 months apart. That must have caused a rising disinterest in the anime along the way but, we can all agree, it was better than the release of hasty episodes.
[S]tory
As I already said, the story remains basically the same: it starts with 2B and 9S, the main characters, meeting each other in a abandoned factory, where they are supposed to carry out a mission assigned to them by YoRHa (the group they take part in), which consists of the tutorial of the game. Since then, 2B and 9S become a duo and start doing missions together, as decided by YoRHa, in which they battle against the machines for the glory of mankind. This is the initial structure of the story and the anime goes all the way to ending A of the game, the first main ending.
What I believe most NieR: Automata fans adore about the game is the visual storytelling, combined with the beautiful scenery and some philosofical themes, that are gradually presented to the player during their playthrough. Following that thought, I can say that the biggest difference between the anime's story and the game's story is the pace, which may be considered a major flaw. From the p.o.v of someone who played the game, the anime's story may seem a bit fast because the game has a considerably slow exposition to the world, the characters and the plot. But, for a newcomer, I believe there will be no issues; the important pieces of the plot are there and the story isnt rushed at all.
Most of the scenes from the game and their contexts suffered minor changes to fit the anime format. There were also new scenes that enhanced the lore a bit and sometimes acted as a little fanservice, like the short references to NieR Replicant in episode 5, which I thought were nice.
In particular, the battle between 2B and Adam had a very different conclusion in comparison to the game's. This was interesting to me because it resulted in a pretty clever ending for Part 1.
[A]nimation/[A]rt
The anime is produced by studio A-1 Pictures, which is known for the overall good quality of their works; they adapted Kaguya-sama, Anohana, Erased, and they even have a past with games, such as the many anime adaptations of the Persona franchise. The art style is very nice, it has an elegant and serious look, which blends with the atmosphere of the anime. The 2D animation is good, I wish I had more to comment about it. And then, the 3D animation/CGI, they usually use it to portray the machines and I believe the models are taken directly from the game. That is to say the CGI isnt bad at all but I do understand the criticism towards it because of the visible contrast between the 2D animation and the 3D animation.
[M]usic
Honestly, the music couldnt be done by none other than Keiichi Okabe and his team (studio MONACA); hes known for his works in games (like Final Fantasy, NieR and Tekken) and in animes too, such as many arcs from the Monogatari series, which is often praised for its soundtrack.
I think its to be expected that the soundtrack for the anime is taken from the game and reused. So, having that in mind, the music ranges from calm and soothing BGMs to intense operas; every piece of the soundtrack is awesome and I personally recommend you, the reader, to listen to it if you are interested.
Apart from that, the opening is sung by Aimer; you may know her by other songs like the first Vinland Saga ending, the third Demon Slayer opening and the ninth Chainsaw Man ending. Im completely biased, because Im a huge fan of Aimer, but she has made a beautiful song that matches greatly with the atmosphere of the anime and the themes of the story. Also, the visuals are nice and they get along with the music.
The ending is sung by Amazarashi; he also made the first Dororo ending, the Tokyo Ghoul Root A ending and the third Boku no Hero opening.
You may notice that the lyrics of both the opening and the ending can be associated with 2B and her perspective in the story. In that regard, they are perfect for NieR: Automata Ver1.1a.
[C]haracters
As main characters, we have the androids 2B and 9S. Their personalities are simple but end up being very relevant for the plot. 2B is mostly serious and has a soldier-like attitude, while also being considerate to 9S and the others. Whereas 9S is almost like a rebellious teenager, he jokes around and makes spontaneous commentary during the episodes; he is considerably smart too, which is required by his role: a scanner (9S, S = Scanner).
Meanwhile, the main antagonists of Part 1 are Adam and Eve, aka the naked men from NieR: Automata. They have a siblings-like relationship, despite not being actual brothers. Adam acts as the older brother; he is smarter and more polite than his brother and has a keen interest in books. On the other hand, Eve is very childish, acts on impulse and looks up to Adam. They may not seen interesting at first for some people but they have a key role in the story, which may be clearer in the second season.
Furthermore, some characters from the resistance (a group of androids allied with YoRHa), such as Lily and Jackass, had new interactions and received more attention than in the game; they even got a whole original episode about them, with a special ending.
The anime definitely has strong points and I hope I have succeeded in showing them in this review; I think it serves as a good standalone thus far and I'll be sure to watch the second season. But, as an adaptation, I guess it only serves as propaganda for the game; I recommend you to play the game after watching the first season if you get interested and if you havent played it already. So, as a standalone, I give it a 8, and, as an adaptation, I give it a 6. Taking the average, we have a 7, thats my score!
And, for the record, I really liked the puppet shows at the end of the episodes, I actually looked forward for them; but I didnt know where to add that comment, so, there you have it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Dec 20, 2023
Right from the start, Kamierabi received a remarkably low score by the website's standard. And we can presume that this occurred mostly due to the full CGI animation, in addition to the somewhat fast pace of the first episode. Computer-generated imagery (CGI) do not have a good reputation in the anime community, because of shows like Ex-Arm and Berserk (2016). Therefore, it makes sense that most of us thought that Kamierabi would turn out just like them, But, fortunately, I dont think that was the case, even though the score hasnt changed much since then.
Initially, since the animation is a bit of a controversial topic
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in this case, I think its appropriate to discuss that right away.
(Animation/Art)
As you may see on this page, the main responsible for the production of Kamierabi is the studio Unend. And, as you may also discover though this website, Unend is brand new and it doesnt have any projects before Kamierabi. Naturally, this begs the question: In the other hand, is the staff experienced? Well, as director, we have Seshita Hiroyuki, who directed other CGI animes such as Ajin and Sidonia no Kishi; it was probably his decision to make Kamierabi with CGI. And, by coincidence or not, the art director of Ajin Part 2, Yoshikatsu Matsumoto, and the art director of Sidonia no Kishi, Mitsuo Yoshino, are also here. Regardless, the staff is relatively small and it doesnt have any "big names" that might indicate the quality of the animation.
After watching the anime, I can say that, objectively, the animation is good. If you compare it with the usual CGI used in anime, you can really notice the positive difference and the movements look quite natural. But, of course, this is an objective point of view; in reality, you might take some time to get completely familiar with the animation, maybe 3 episodes or close to it. And you may also be demanding, if you have already watched shows like the ones made by studio Orange, which have the best CGI anime has to offer.
So, if you end up not enjoying the CGI in any way, notice that the studio is fairly meticulous with its background art; it kind of just catches your attention sometimes. For example, in the first episode, while the protagonist, Gorou Ono, enters his room and lays down on his bed, you get a good view of the place and you see, on the walls, a lot of posters of "Iyo Futana" (an idol the protagonist is very much obsessed with), and on the ground, a cardboard box with an open cup noodles on top of it, some clothes laying around, as well as an absurd amount of plastic bottles; you may even ask yourself "why so many plastic bottles?". It is quite telling on his lifestyle.
Also in the first episode, when Gorou gets suddenly attacked by a god candidate, the surrounding area gets dark, the buildings seem to turn into flesh and their outlines acquire a bright red color; Im not sure if this is literal or just an artistic choice, but it sure gave a nice touch to the scene.
(Music)
In the making of the soundtrack, we have studio MONACA, lead by Keichii Okabe, who is usually involved with Yoko Taro's projects. Okabe and his team are mostly knows for their works in games, like NieR, Final Fantasy, Tekken, and anime, such as many arcs from the Monogatari series.
I think that the most notable part of the soundtrack is the eletronic music and the opera, the latter being frequently used in dramatic moments, and the former, in action scenes or when a character activates his/her power. The two genres are vastly different and wouldnt normally be used at the same time but I guess thats one thing that gives a wacky vibe to the anime.
The opening theme song is sung by Elaiza and she isnt involved in any other anime related music, as far as me and this website is concerned. While listening to it, the main impression I have, considering the instruments and the lyrics, is that it is a rather chaotic song. And this is actually a good thing, since the anime also has a sort of ludicrous approach to its story.
Meanwhile, the ending theme song is sung by Alisa, who is also a fairly unknown name in the anime community. The lyrics dont have much to do with the story, but its a very catchy romantic song.
Both songs are accompanied by scenes of the anime, which are edited a bit and transition according to the rythm. In other words, the visuals are not original but they are fitting somewhat.
And, for the record, I like the silly dance the protagonist does by the end of the opening.
(Story)
Unfortunately, the premise of the story isnt unique; its about a battle royale between "god candidates", in which the one who turns out to be the last remaining gets to be "god". You may have seen something similar before, like Platinum End or Mirai Nikki. Besides, the so called "GOD.app" resembles Darwin's Game mechanics a bit.
Some may argue that the first episode was too fast-paced. As a matter of fact, in only one episode, a cat was run over by a car and died, the protagonist gets chosen as a god candidate, he also gets suspended from school for accidentally publishing a video in which he and his friend Akitsu make fun of suicide, then, he turns on a tv and comes across porn that Akitsu was supposedly watching, and by the end of the episode, Gorou gets chased down by a god candidate and almost dies. Nevertheless, I thought the episode was good because it showed exactly what type of events you should expect if you continue watching the show.
In general, just like I said some paragraphs above, the story feels ludicrous, wacky and maybe even edgy (because it constantly depicts heavy/sensitive themes, sometimes in a not so mature manner), it doesnt take itself very seriously and, as a result, we get some funny and/or interesting scenes.
About half of the season consists of random encounters the protagonist has with the many other characters, which is fun for the most part, but its structure can get kind of repetitive. Then, it all leads to a few entertaining final episodes, in which they even hint at plot pieces that should be explored further in the next season. The ending isnt conclusive and it leaves you on a cliff hanger.
(Characters)
The design of the characters, made by Atsushi Ookubo (aka fire force and soul eater's creator), is very simple but also appealing. To each of the main characters, a certain color or a set of colors was adressed, such that you can easily recognize the characters. Its a surprisingly effective way to make them stand out in the scenes.
On the other hand, personality-wise, I think all the characters stick out in their own way too. However, the ones that I see people liking the most are Yutaka Akitsu, who is the definition of a chaotic good character, and Chika Nojima, whose love for science has led her to meet the protagonist and try to convince him on joining the science club, which is currently lacking any members; she acts in a very extroverted way and seems to be a nice person.
The protagonist, Gorou Ono, is also a fairly amusing character himself. Hes a dense, kind of antisocial, weeb teenager, who doesnt seem to have friends besides Akitsu but is a honest and sympathetic person on the inside. It is a very worn-out character trope but I think that the execution here was well done. Gorou gets involved in a lot of unusual situations and its funny to see his reactions most of time. Also, his relationships with Akitsu and Lall are quite compelling.
Including Gorou, basically all the god candidates have some sort of internal conflict that makes them wish for something in their lives to change. Then, in addition to becoming god, the one who manages to win the battle also gets their wish fulfilled.
In order to win the battle, every god candidate has its own unique power, which, I assume, has something to do with their past, their personality or even their goals. One of the clearest examples is Tatsuya Amano's power. Hes bullied at school and, as a consequence, grows vengeful thoughts towards people in general, wishing that they would change and be just like he wants them to be. Then, when he happens to "awaken to a mysterious power", this power is one to fully control the actions of a person, given certain conditions; pretty straightforward, right?
In any case, its good to emphasize a phrase said right at the start of the first episode: "Be forewarned that whats to come isnt a very pleasant story, there are no heroes, [...], its just a bunch of nonsense, so I hope you at least laugh it off". From that, you get to know what to expect from this anime: it shows the very worst of humanity, while hinting at a faint sight of hope and also getting some clowning here and there. To me, because of that, it resembles other works of Yoko Taro, namely, Drakengard 1 and 3. If, somehow, this sounds good to you, I do recommend you to give it a try and see what you think.
Besides, we shall wait and see whats to come in the second season!
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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