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Dec 29, 2016
The action/comedy multi-genre is saturated with great shows and awful shows. The great shows are not only deliver brilliant action scenes through the quality of the technical aspects, they’re also hilarious and consistent with the comedy. The poor action/comedy shows either skimp on the quality of the art and sound involved or lack consistency in the comedy or both. Action/comedy shows are at their best when they’re funny or exciting but not when they drift off into needless drama.
Nanbaka falls between the two; it starts out great with an interesting premise and acceptable comedy. But it loses its focus along the way near the end
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of the series and slowly becomes boring.
[Repeated prison escapists]
Nanbaka is an action/comedy anime series based off a web manga originally created by Futamata Shou and his influence glows throughout the show. It is directed by Takamatsu Shinji, who’s directed brilliant comedy series like Gintama and The Daily Lives of Highschool boys. The series is revolves around the daily antics of four inmates in the self-proclaimed, most formidable prison in the world. The inmates of the infamous ward 13, Juugo, Uno, Rock and Nico, often try to escape the prison’s walls and are always stopped in their tracks by the fearsome guard, Sugoroku Hajime. But Juugo is also on the lookout for the man who gave him his unremovable shackles and his colleagues question their motives for trying to escape the prison.
[An interesting premise abandoned]
Nanbaka begins as a ‘gag’ comedy with an interesting premise: the main characters frequently try to escape from the prison. In the first few episodes, we see them break through several high security gates only to be caught and beaten by the head guard, Hajime. The hilarious execution of this premise coupled with the diverse skill set of the inmates makes these episodes interesting to watch. The premise also leaves a lot of room for creativity; the prison could be viewed as a dungeon, for example. As thin as the plot was, it was replaced by a pointless intra-prison arc.
The intra-prison arc was not boring by any chance; it was even more exciting than the initial episodes though less creative. The event introduced most of the cast of the show and showcased the abilities of the inmates and guards alike. It was hilarious and full of explosive battles with fluid animation and lots of special effects. It was pointless but still fun to watch. Unfortunately, the show slides into a series of dramatic sketches following the last battle in the arc.
The last few episodes seemed like the opposite of the first episodes; they had direction but were boring. They just seemed to tick off all the common tropes for drama present in an action show; a self-deprecating main character who learns to lean on his friends. It wasn’t awful; it just wasn’t what was sold by the show at the start. Also, the drama would have been better had there been more characters involved.
[A diverse and wild cast]
Nanbaka has a large cast of characters from various nationalities. Some are declared in the show like Juugo’s British and American fellow inmates. Others are inferred from their design like the inmates of ward 5. With this comes a variety in the design; some inmates wear their prison clothes while others do not. Unfortunately, the personalities aren’t as diverse. Almost all the characters, inmates and guards alike are hyperactive and aggressive; most of the inmates have no motives at all. Only the main characters seem to want other things hang out in prison.
Juugo likes to break out of his cell, 13, for the fun of it; it’s later revealed that it’s the only skill he has. He’s also in search of the man who placed shackles on him but this only becomes a focus of the show much later. Uno is the self-proclaimed pretty boy of his cell; Rock is the muscle who likes to eat and Nico is playful and immune to drugs. That’s about all there is to them although they reveal other skills that only last the duration of the intra-prison event arc. The other characters of note are ward 13’s head guard, Hajime, who’s a workaholic and the warden who has a crush on Hajime. Fortunately, what Nanbaka lacks in characterization, it makes up for in its art and character design.
[Glitter, gloss and pretty boys]
The art style of Nanbaka is distinct and loud. The background and character art is sharp and colourful; the colours are bold and bright; the characters are drawn with prominent outlines. It’s artstyle is similar to that of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure but it’s recognizable for the tones of colour used. It’s uniqueness lies in its overall theme: femininity.
It’s difficult to miss the glitter that pervades the environment in the show. The characters glitter, the prison walls glitter, even the ocean that surrounds the prison glitters. In addition to the glitter is the gloss that’s also on everything, from hair to their clothing. The characters also tend to wear more jewellry than the average male and often have painted fingernails. Then there are characters that are effeminate in their appearance, voice and mannerisms. This art style, coupled with the jazzy themes, gives the show a 70s feel.
[Jazzy with a spice of rock]
The opening (Rin! Rin! Hi! Hi!) gives away the catchy jazz style that pervades the entire show. It’s a brilliant intro to the flamboyant show and one of the most memorable for me in the Fall season of 2016. Sadly, only Uno’s melody (a score that plays when he’s about to play a trick) comes close to being as memorable as the opening music. The rest of the scores are either gentle jazz tunes or generic rock music that’s designed for fight scenes in anime.
I wouldn’t say I enjoyed Nanbaka in its entirety as some of the episodes were a chore to watch, often because of the obvious drama. The comedy grows less hilarious past the halfway point; it even loses its most popular running gag. The show was mostly enjoyable for its first few episodes and its flamboyant art style. It did get its technical aspects right and would have been a much better show had it stayed on course.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Dec 29, 2016
It’s easier these days to sacrifice certain aspects of a creative endeavour in order to appeal to a larger audience. In past months we’ve had video games censor themselves to avoid outrage by a section of the population and anime is constantly being censored to allow for wider distribution. So it’s refreshing when a series parodies this censorship, as was the case with Shimoneta, or disregards it, as is the case with Keijo!!!!!!!!
[A ridiculous sport]
Keijo!!!!!!!! Is an ecchi sports series adapted from a manga of the same name and brought to the screens by the animation studio Xebec. Xebec are also the studio behind
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the popular comedy ecchi series, To LOVE-Ru and that experience comes through in Keijo!!!!!!!! The story is based on the sport of Keijo, a gambling sport in which battle against one another with their butt and breasts, and revolves around a group of girls who are training to become professional Keijo athletes. Kaminashi Nozomi is a brilliant and hardworking gymnast who’s attracted to the better paying sport of Keijo. But she must first climb the ranks of her school and region before she becomes a professional Keijo athlete.
[Unbridled excitement with the occasional disgust]
Keijo!!!!!!!! Was an immediate sensation when it started airing on the 6th of October, 2016; it was as if people had been waiting in earnest for a show like it. The warm reception was inspired by the show’s honesty; Keijo!!!!!!!! Was what it said it was. It didn’t try to hide its absurd premise behind some intricate reveal, its main characters were young women who were often seen in their swimsuits and weren’t shy about it, and best of all, there were no male-female romantic relationships involved. It was simply a show about athletes - no more. But Keijo!!!!!!!! Wasn’t without its critics.
There were publications that loudly criticized the show for its depictions of women despite its keen focus on the sport alone and its diverse cast. There were fans who criticized its excessive use of fanservice and its furthering the poor perception of the anime medium by ‘outsiders’. That the show did damage to the anime medium is left to be seen but the criticism didn’t stop it from gaining popularity with each new episode.
Audiences waited for each new episode because the show was sure to deliver; it rarely got boring. And like most sport anime, it didn’t need a deep plot to keep the audiences engaged.
[A strong emphasis on teamwork]
The plot of Keijo is a simple and common one: an enthusiastic youngster seeks to become the best at a particular sport. That’s the basis of almost all the sports shows; the better shows often weave personal relationships into the plot. The plot also has common elements: the lead character starts as an underdog and the story features energetic battles with epic swing turns, battle analysis and the lead overcoming huge odds through teamwork. These common elements not only help audiences identify the show’s genre but provide room for the greater shows to excel through their execution. And it is in the execution of the element of teamwork that Keijo shines.
The sport of Keijo begins with the contestants being positioned on a platform, known as the ‘land’ in the middle of a pool. The goal is to have the contestants battle each other until all but one of them remains on the platform and is declared the winner. It’s easy to see how the mechanics of the sport encourage teamwork and the show emphasizes this as much as it can. For example, the girls of Setouchi, the school in which Nozomi trains, are taught to be aware of the positions of their teammates; the show culminates in a team-based battle and there’s a character that’s formidable within a team but average otherwise. This emphasis on teamwork is made more remarkable by the diverse cast of characters in the show.
[Compelling lead cast but weak supporting characters]
Each of the athletes in the show is an individual, designed with a particular trait in mind. Some are big and burly and possess moves that rely on strength; others are small and (not) dainty and possess speed-based moves. There are exceptions, of course, but the character designs are simple to understand. For some of the characters, it’s easy to tell what their special moves are just by looking at them. It’d be difficult to cite examples without spoiling anything. Yes, even though the show is hardly mysterious, there are beautiful moments when a character reveals their hidden strength and quickly becomes a fan favourite. Although there are a lot of characters to focus on, the show handles its leads excellently. All but one of the four main characters are compelling.
Kaminashi Nozomi is the designated main character and deserving of the role. She’s bold, outspoken, brash and more powerful than the average Keijo athlete. But she’s also hardworking, surprisingly creative and an inspiring leader. Miyata Sayaka is one of the smaller characters but complements this with hard work and her experience as a professional judo athlete. Toyoguchi Non is the archetypal clumsy teammate who’s a surprisingly powerful solo player and an oft invisible support. Aoba Kazane is shy and not as powerful as the other three in solo matchups but is an impressive team player. The main characters clearly fit the archetypes you’d expect from a sports show but they are provided with more depth as the show progresses. Aoba’s growth is one of the more notable developments.
Unfortunately, the show doesn’t treat its supporting cast as well; only one of the other athletes gets as much screentime as the lead characters and she doesn’t change at all. Nonetheless, all the characters are designed to be unique and this is enhanced by the bright and sharp art of the show.
[Impactful art]
The art of Keijo is bright, colourful and mostly done in warm tones which evokes the cheery mood of the show. But a combination of its framing and use of light make the action more impactful; the framing of attacks focussed slowly on their point of impact. One of the most pronounced aspects of the art and animation was the highlight of a special ability, often before it hit, that also had the name of the ability in a flashy font. These scenes were also complemented with wild special effects and animation that took the form of the ability’s source model. For example, the move ‘Shoryucans’ has the character mimicking an uppercut with her breasts. But this pales in comparison to the most popular move in the show.
The build-up and execution of the Vacuum Butt Cannon is the prime example of the excellent art direction of the show. The camera follows Kaminashi, keeping its frame solely on her as she twists and turns. The twists are further elaborated by threads of light that follow the movement of her butt. The camera then follows her as she flips and eventually jumps. Then it zooms into her butt, which is highlighted with a bright glow, and follows it as it makes impact with her opponent. But the scene is incomplete without the sound effects that accompany her twisting, flipping and the impact of her butt.
[Booming sound effects]
Keijo!!!!!!!! Is an action show that relies on its sound effects and they don’t disappoint. You can feel the impact of physical attacks from the sounds they make; they go so well with the special moves, especially when they’re revealed. From thunderous butt slams to whirling legs, you can tell what kind of move is being performed by listening to the sound effects alone. You can almost visualize an attack from the sounds it makes - even with your eyes closed. These sound effects sometimes accompany epic background music.
Keijo’s ridiculous premise and it’s shameless characters make for a fun and exciting watch. However, it is not without its flaws; a major one being the dip in art and animation quality towards the end of the show. But these are forgiven for the bold brilliance that is Keijo!!!!!!!!
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Dec 28, 2016
In recent years there has been the rise of a sub-genre of anime I’d like to call ‘moe flip’. In this sub-genre, cute characters are immersed in harsh conditions, often brutal, that are unlike what the characters represent by their looks alone. These shows engage the audience through their shock value; having cute characters commit brutal actions or transform into psychological monsters. The masterpieces in this sub-genre go beyond the shock value and deliver compelling characters.
Mahou Shoujo Ikusei Keikaku is a ‘moe-flip’ show that excels in delivering great shock value but fails to present meaningful characters.
[Magical girl battle royale]
Mahou Shoujo Ikusei Keikaku, or Magical Girls
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Raising Project (MGRP for short), is a fantasy thriller adapted from a light novel of the same title by the studio Lerche who’ve also created other ‘moe-flip’ shows as Gakkougurashi. The story revolves around magical girls (mahou shoujo) who are forced to fight each other for their survival. Himekawa Koyuki, also known as the magical girl Snow White, is thrust into a role so different from what’s she’s dreamed of and tries to stick to her ideals. This task becomes increasingly difficult as the high stakes slowly reveal the monsters that have hidden in the midst of the magical girls.
[Lukewarm reception]
MGRP initially received a lukewarm reception when it began airing on the 2nd of October, 2016. People who’d gotten wary of the abundance of ‘moe’ anime were turned off by the character designs, calling it another ‘moe’ show. It’s magical girls theme didn’t help either - but its shock value did. With the first flip, the first death of a magical girl, the interest waxed. And when the show revealed its most influential character, it gained a steady following. This interest was maintained by the shows consistency in delivering shocking events albeit with the absence of a good plot.
[A thin plot]
The entire plot - or most of it - of MGRP is told in the first two episodes of the show. As with most ‘moe-flip’ shows, the pacing is not slow; the ‘flip’ often happens early. The first episode introduces the two main characters, the Magical Girl Rising Project which is actually a mobile game, as well as a few supporting characters. The second episode introduces the major conflict of the show through the death of one of the magical girls. Afterwards, the show became a series of battles with the occasional backstory employed for emotional impact. Unfortunately, this was ineffective as there was too little time to get invested in the characters; a lot of the characters died too quickly. MGRP was a victim of its large cast but there were a few standout characters that drove the story.
[Diverse characters but not much development]
Koyuki is the designated main character, as identified at the beginning of the show and has a few recognizable traits that define her. She’s pure-hearted, diligent and passionate about being a magical girl. As a result, she’s the least prepared for the changes that occur after the game’s mascot, Fav, announces that it’d need to cut down the number of magical girls. She grows during the course of the series, becoming bold enough to choose to rescue people at the risk of being attacked and killed by another magical girl. But at different points in the first few episodes she often has more battle-hardened and mentally strong characters come to her aid. One of those characters is Sazanami Kano, also know as the magical girl Ripple.
Kano is one of the few characters in the show that’s well-developed; there are many scenes of Kano outside her magical girl persona unlike most of the cast. She’s introduced as indifferent to the system and the other magical girls but becomes more involved after a traumatic event. She’s stronger than Koyuki psychologically and isn’t afraid to battle with the other magical girls. But Koyuki and Kano are not the most influential characters in the show; that title goes to Sakayagi Ayana, also known as the magical girl Swim Swim.
It’s difficult to state how compelling Ayana is without spoiling parts of the show. She’s a product of the new system created and uses it to her advantage.
Unlike other magical girl shows that feature high school girls, MGRP has a vast array of characters. There are high school girls, a girl in middle school, an office lady, female college students, a lesbian couple and even a boy. This diverse cast is further augmented by their diverse skills and brilliant character design.
[Great character design with a glum mood]
Each of the magical girls has a unique design that reflects their ability. In fact, all but one of the designs for the characters and their skills were picked by the girls (and boy) themselves. For example, Ruler looks like a princess complete with a cape and sceptre and her ability is to force anyone in front of her to obey her commands. Tama’s ability lets her dig 1m wide holes in any surface and she looks like a dog. The character design is made more remarkable by the art style and the overall mood.
While the character art and art within the game is done in a cute style, the background art is not. The backgrounds are mostly done in washed out colours and most of the scenes are at night. This gloomy mood is complemented by the often sober music.
[Fitting music but immemorable scores]
A good aspect of MGRP’s music is that there’s almost no cheery tunes; the tracks always seemed to propel the ominous mood of the show. Unfortunately, they seemed generic; one of the tracks even sounded like it was from a retro video game.
MGRP was enjoyable for its take on the magical girl sub-genre and its shock value. It’s diverse cast made it easier to connect to its characters. A fan of brutal thrillers would find this worth watching.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Dec 28, 2016
With the growing popularity of the anime medium, there’s a rising interest in the production of anime. Gi(a)rlish Number offers insight into the industry through the lives of ‘seiyuu’; voice actors. It’s a slice-of-life show adapted from a light novel by the creator of My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU, Wataru Watari. It’s animated by Diomedea and is a slight shift from their bright and colourful comedy shows like Noucome and Campione.
[A boring critique]
The plot of Gi(a)rlish Number revolves around the production of KuuSure, an anime by the fictional studio Number One Produce. From the onset we see a critique of the anime industry as the
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producer of the show and the CEO aren’t interested in creating a great series but in how much money they can make off it. The plot of KuuSure is generic, the art and animation are poor and the character designs diverge from the source material; KuuSure is a poor adaptation of its light novel. Not only do the producer and CEO skimp on quality for the anime, they have the voice actresses spend a great deal of their time marketing the show.
Gi(a)rlish Number is the first series about the anime industry that I’ve seen so I initially watched it with the perception that the sole role of a voice actress in an anime’s production was voice-acting. Through the activities of the five main voice actresses for KuuSure I learned the seiyuu are also heavily involved in the marketing of the show, often through various events. I also learned how ephemeral a voice actress’s career could be; one moment she/he is getting a lot of roles, the next, she’s replaced by a younger, more energetic voice actress. The little insight provided by the series is short-lived, however, as the show soon delves into the lives of the main characters.
While Gi(a)rlish Number is a slice-of-life show and the drama is expected, it’s a bit boring. The developments are slow, the characters are mostly uninteresting and the side stories sometimes seem disconnected from the original plot. There are few comedic moments to add a bit of balance; only the antics of some of the characters are engaging. And the most engaging of them is the main character, Karasuma Chitose.
[Brilliant MC]
Karasuma Chitose is a college student who joins Number One Produce as a rookie voice actress and is fortunate to be given the role of the main female character in KuuSure. She takes great pride in this, believing it was what she deserved for her apparently immense talent and rarely misses the opportunity to bring it up in conversations. For a voice actress with little experience, Chitose is the laziest of the five which includes the more experienced Shibasaki Kazuha and Sonou Momoka, and is solely fixated on growing her popularity. But she’s also the most positive of the five voice actresses and one of the boldest characters in the show. She’s easy to dismiss as the character everyone hates but she clearly stands out in a show with mostly staid characters.
The other voice actresses, Kazuha, Momoka, Koto and Yae, while being much less interesting than Chitose, are notable in their own rights. Kazuha is ever-pessimistic and serious of the lot who lets herself go once in awhile and changes a bit later in the show. Momoka is young but mature and does her best to help Chitose see the reality of her career. Koto is the friendliest and often acts as a diplomat amongst the voice actresses. Yae is one of Chitose’s peers and worships her endlessly. They are more engaging than the rest of the cast with the exception of Kuzu, the producer, and Karasuma Gojou, Chitose’s manager and brother.
Kuzu is the seemingly inept producer that does everything wrong. He cuts corners, regularly misses deadlines and budget estimates and trades the quality of the show for money. But it is these traits that make him more compelling to watch than the rest of the corporate staff.
[Cheery art]
The art of Gi(a)rlish Number is bright, fluffy and colourful, as expected from Diomedea. The characters, especially the voice actresses, are cute and look like teenagers even though they’re much older; the background art and the art in the opening and ending sequences are colourful. The art almost seems like it was designed to take your mind off the reality of the state of KuuSure and Number One Produce as a whole.
[Mellow, invisible music]
The music of Gi(a)rlish Number, like the art, is soft and often cheery. There are a variety of background scores that complement the key moments of the show adequately, especially the music for the more dramatic scenes. In all, the sound and music isn’t particularly memorable. What is remarkable is the voice acting.
The characters in Gi(a)rlish Number are voiced by veteran and new voice actors/actresses alike. While Namba Shachou, the CEO of Number One Produce, is voiced by Kenyuu Horiuchi, an anime veteran, Chitose is voiced by Senbogi Sayaka, who debuted as a seiyuu in 2013. What’s more interesting is that the veterans in the show, such as the CEO and producer, are equally voiced by veteran voice actors while the newer members, such as the voice actresses, have less experienced voice actresses.
[My gateway to meta anime]
Gi(a)rlish Number is a good show, clearly better than average, but I didn’t enjoy watching it. It hit all the right spots in term of its technical aspects but wasn’t engaging because I had expected a more detailed treatment of the anime industry and its seiyuu. What it did do right was serve as a gateway into similar and better shows and I’m grateful for that.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Dec 27, 2016
Drifters is a fantasy, alternate history series adapted from a manga of the same name, written and illustrated by Kouta Hirano, who’s the original creator of the Hellsing series. It is directed by Suzuki Kenichi, who’s directed such anime as Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure. One can tell that the series would involve nothing short of brutal, stylized action and Drifters meets this expectation. However, it offers a lot more than that.
[A different take on the ‘Isekai’ sub-genre]
The Japanese word ‘isekai’ can be translated directly to mean ‘different world’ and is a sub-genre of fantasy series that involves one or many characters transported to another world, often
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through magical means. The plot of such series revolves around the characters’ struggles as they try to leave the world which is unfamiliar to them; a typical human reaction. From the first few scenes, Drifters is immediately identified as a fantasy show of the ‘Isekai’ sub-genre as the main characters is sent into a stock fantasy world, replete with demi-humans like elves. But the similarities end there.
There are a few stark differences between the nature of the ‘passengers’, the ones being transported, in Drifters and the ones in regular ‘Isekai’ shows. One of the easiest differences to spot is that the Drifters are historical characters unlike the more modern protagonists in regular ‘Isekai’. Another key difference are the ages and statuses of the Drifters. Where most Isekai shows involve young adults, usually high-schoolers, lacking in essential more survival experience, the Drifters are full-fledged adults and warriors who’ve survived many battles. This attribute of the Drifters (and the Ends who’re the series antagonists), leads to the most profound difference between the series and a regular ‘Isekai’: the characters do not seek to escape the different world. They seek to conquer it.
As early as the first episode, the primary Drifters, composed of Oda Nobunaga, Shimazu Toyohisa and Nasu Yoichi, begin working on plans to challenge the human Empire of Orte, the current government. On the other end, the Ends advance their army against the same Empire for the purpose of liberating all monsters in the alternate world. There is little talk of escape; instead, the Drifters utilize their knowledge and experience to transform the alternate world. Not only do they shake up the government, but they introduce warfare as they’ve experienced it. This change is made possible due to the strength of the characters.
[Stock action characters with the rare exceptions]
It’s easy to dismiss the Drifters (and Ends) as the stock, one-dimensional characters often found in action shows; the characters fill out archetypal roles and march towards their respective goals with a trail of epic battles in their wake. This is not necessarily a bad thing as it often makes for exciting shows and Drifters is no exception. Drifters does try to make its characters more interesting by giving them additional attributes with weak relations to their main skills. Toyohisa is the mindless warrior who only seeks to remove his enemy’s head at any cost but will uphold the warrior code of his time. Yoichi is the quintessential archer who’s courageous enough to fight in the open if need be. Nobunaga is the brilliant mastermind who fawns over future technology. The supporting characters and the Ends simply play out their roles with the exception of Olminu who begins as a wide-eyed junior magician from the Octobrists but grows into a brilliant support for the Drifters.
One major issue with the characters in Drifters is the screen time given some of the supporting cast and the Ends. The Ends are only seen during seen during their encounters with the Drifters and in a few brief moments. An improvement would have been to have some development of the Ends during the moments when the Drifters prepare for battle and in lieu of the comedy (which I’ll get to later). The mysterious characters of Murasaki and Easy who’re responsible for transporting the Drifters and Ends to the world are virtually invisible in the show. It’s understandable that the overall runtime for the show makes it difficult to develop most of the characters equally.
[Gritty, stylized art]
From the first scene, we’re introduced to the gritty art that fuels Drifters take on Isekai. The characters and background are done in dark, desaturated colours that are in sharp contrast to the usual colourful scenes of fantasy shows; the blood has a dark red sheen and has fluid animation. The characters look grim and constantly wear a serious look even when they’re smiling. The show doesn’t hold back on its style.
A remarkable aspect to the art of Drifters is the character design, both for the historical characters and the indigenes of the world. Their representations were accurate for the most part with a few additions. I especially liked Nobunaga’s design because of the eyepatch which made him stand out. The indigenes are designed as would characters in a medieval fantasy setting with the exception of the Octobrists, who have unique attires.
A major gripe I had with the character art is that they had similar faces and expressions. This was especially noticed in the males; they all seemed to have the same soulless eyes and menacing smile.
[Forgettable soundtrack]
The music of Drifters was a major miss for me as there weren’t any memorable soundtracks despite the numerous battle scenes. And whatever soundtracks played were often drowned out by the screaming characters. On the other hand, I enjoyed the opening theme a lot and often sang along. The ending theme wasn’t as inspirational.
[Dreadful comedy]
Drifters is a thoroughly enjoyable show and was one of my favourites for the fall season of 2016. My bias towards the fantasy genre made it a must-watch but it exceeded my expectations with its interesting characters and their lofty ambition to rule their world instead of escape it. The use of historical characters had me returning to Wikipedia with each introduction, helping me pick up a bit of Japanese history (mostly). The art was a refreshing change from the cute, fluffy and colourful art of the various ‘otome’ shows during the season. These great aspects of the show helped offset the forgettable music and the awful comedy. The comedy in Drifters starts out as horrible and often interrupted the better moments of the show. The change in art style coupled with the dry jokes were huge misses. But I soon got used to it and sometimes welcomed it as it showed another side to the characters. Perhaps it was because most of the comedy concerned Nobunaga, who was my favourite character. It was a part of the show I can’t say I completely enjoyed.
If you’re a fan of fantasy shows, I would recommend Drifters, if only for the interesting plot and art style.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Dec 26, 2016
The second season of Bungou Stray Dogs builds on the successes, and some of the flaws, of the first. For the most part, it’s an improvement on almost all aspects of the first season, including the animation, soundtrack and even the story. The story is mentioned in a skeptical light because the second season still follows the same format as the first, although not in the first four episodes known as the prequel arc. That format is a series of high-stakes battles between characters with superhuman abilities.
To fully understand the format mentioned, I’d recommend the first season, which aired in the spring season, be seen
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to completion. It would not only help you understand the improvements made to the second season but also help you adjust your expectations for the show in general. Bungou Stray Dogs is not a bad series by any means; it’s excellent at its technical aspects but suffers from its wealth of characters and the lack of a concrete plot.
[A vast improvement on the first season]
As identified earlier, the second season greatly improves on many aspects of the first. This is immediately noticed with the grittier, more detailed character and background art and animation as seen in the first few scenes of the show. The opening also shows the improvement to the music in the show, with an introduction (in the second episode) to the excellent song ‘Reason Living’ by SCREEN, which closely depicts the characters’ struggles with the looming menace present in the second season.
The more remarkable improvement comes with the overall mood of the show; the switch from the more comical and episodic storytelling of the first episodes of the first season, to a darker tone. The comedy, which usually seemed out of place in the first season, is almost non-existent. In its place are violent scenes that better depict the show’s time period, characters that show the appropriate emotions when in peril as well as a deeper, more mysterious plot - at least for the first four episodes. The epitome of these improvements is shown in the prequel arc: the first four episodes of the show.
[The prequel arc]
Where the first season provides hints into the background of one of its most interesting characters, the prequel arc provides the details. It tells the story of Oda Sakunosuke, a low-ranked Port Mafia enforcer, and his influence on Dazai. Like the officers of the Port Mafia, Oda has a special ability: he’s able to see six seconds into the future. While the ability makes for exciting battle scenes, it’s not the central focus of the arc. The prequel arc focusses on Oda’s struggles as he works with Dazai to solve a mystery. Their roles as members of the Port Mafia lends a darker, more violent mood to the series.
With the conclusion of the prequel arc, the show returns to the characters of the Special Detective Agency and the Port Mafia. They are joined by The Guild, another group of individuals with special abilities, introducing a three-way conflict that’s accompanied by many battles. The members of Guild swell the already huge cast of characters in the show.
[The perils of a wealth of characters:]
The plot of series past the prequel arc returns to the format of the first season albeit with a darker, more serious tone; it’s replete with character introductions and battles. Each encounter with a Guild member introduces another renowned author and a special ability based on one of their books but the novelty wears off soon and we’re left with the ensuing battles. Unfortunately, the lack of motives and substantial build-up reduces the fights to a series of well-animated scenes. Almost all the Guild members simply serve as villains for the main characters and are seen in no other light.
Although the huge cast makes it difficult to develop the characters, a few of the characters from the first season show improvement. Atsushi is less whiny, becoming more dependable and persistent; Dazai remains the powerful character he always was but does show a few vulnerable moments; Akutagawa draws closer to earning the approval he yearns for.
[Overall:]
The second season of Bungou Stray Dogs could be summarized as a brilliant show in all the technical aspects that struggled to provide depth for all of its large cast. The improved animation and music made for more engaging battles and I occasionally looked up the inspiration for a new character whenever he/she was introduced.
[Grade:]
Overall (sub): 7
Story: 5
Art: 9
Music: 9
Characters: 5
Enjoyment: 6
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Nov 24, 2016
Katanagatari is an adaptation of the light novel series of the same name written by Nisio Isin. The show began airing on the 26th of January, 2010, and consisted of 12 episodes, each one aired in a month and corresponding to a volume of the light novel. This made for an abundance of content to be packed into each 50-minute episode and that abundance is where Katanagatari excels, be it in its dialogues or stylized art.
From the first episode, the viewer almost immediately introduced to the excellent dialogue that makes up much of the series; from apparently trivial banter to the lengthy, rich conversations between
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the main characters that clearly explain the different settings in the story. The dialogue spans different topics and improved with the unique personalities of the characters involved so it doesn’t get boring. The series leans heavily towards exposition to cover for the huge amount of storytelling required for each episode which helps the viewer stay on track but it doesn’t come without its downsides. There’s even a (mostly) helpful narrator that starts out each episode with a recap and ends each episode with a brief summary. But an abundance of exposition isn’t without its downsides.
For a series labeled with the ‘Action’ tag, there’s too much conversation and not enough action; sometimes there’s dialogue where an action scene would have told the story better. This, combined with the lengthy episodes (and the art which I’ll get to later), makes the show a little difficult to get into at first. Another downside with the dialogue-heavy style is that the show loses a little of its mystery as almost everything is explained and the show becomes more predictable as a result. In fact, there’s a point in the show where the viewer is best advised to not listen to the narrator. Barring these, the dialogue is often interesting, thanks to the wealth of characters the series offers.
There are a lot of characters in Katanagatari; from the main characters Shichika and Togame, through the side characters like the Maniwa Corps, to the sword wielders. The characters are mostly unique in their choice of outfits, speech patterns and personality; the similarities being in the visual style. One of the most notable parts of the character designs is their outfits as earlier mentioned; while the style takes root in traditional Japanese clothing, it’s often flamboyant and sometimes impractical. A good example are the Maniwa Corps outfits that often contradict their nature as ninja. While the wealth of characters makes for an interesting show, an unavoidable consequence is the lack of development for most of the characters.
Togame and Shichika, being the lead characters, go through a lot of development as the show progresses, Shichika’s being the more pronounced as he becomes more human. The same cannot be said for the supporting cast, especially the Maniwa Corps who are often disposed of as soon as they appear. The sword wielders don’t escape this fate either; they’re often limited to the episodes in which they are featured. It’s difficult to feel sympathy for the supporting cast as the viewer isn’t offered enough emotional attachment to them. Katanagatari is a huge story that isn’t just about the characters but also about the world they live in, so the inadequate characterization could be excused. And nothing projects the vast world more than the visual style.
Katanagatari’s visual style stands out in several ways. The characters are drawn in a cartoonish style with plain facial features but often flamboyant outfits as mentioned earlier. The environment art is often less colourful than the characters but offers much more detail. And it is this that the viewers eyes are often drawn to during the often long conversations.
Despite the uniqueness of the art style, it does look mediocre compared to other series made in the same season and year. The animation, while brilliant in some parts, is often of usual fare, and sometimes, sub-par. These are often enough to deter a potential viewer of the show but the patient eventually get used to it.
While not as pervasive as the other three elements discussed, the sound and music in Katanagatari is brilliant and often acts as an adequate complement to the various scenes, including the sparse battle scenes. The background music is a blend of contemporary music, jazz and hip hop especially, and traditional Japanese music; there’s even a rap score that plays at some interesting moments. The voice acting is generally okay save for Shichika’s: his bland voice takes a bit of time to get used to.
For its merits and flaws, Katanagatari is an original blend of episodic and serial storytelling that brings with it a wealth of characters and settings. It’s an enjoyable adventure tale that’s best savoured gently.
Overall: 9
Story: 9
Art: 7
Sound: 8
Character: 9
Enjoyment: 8
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Nov 19, 2016
KANOJO GA FLAG WO ORARETARA TAKES ON A LITTLE TOO MUCH
With vibrant colours, light-hearted music, a bland male MC and a large cast of female characters, Kanojo ga Flag wo Oraretara, or Gaworare, met the important criteria for a generic, if not enjoyable, comedy/harem show. It would have stayed an average comedy/harem show if it hadn't tried to take on too much at once. This great aspiration led to a series of mixed results which I'll explain by exploring key aspects of the show.
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Comedy or mystery or both?
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On the surface, Gaworare was a simple show of random comedic events that revolved around Souta and his
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ever-expanding mob of 'supporters' even though the show started out with a somewhat dark event involving a 'death flag'. However, as the show progressed, there were hints to a plot but they often seemed unrelated to the episodes and weren't an emphasis of the show until its later parts. Because the show seemed like a comedy at its heart, I found it difficult to pay attention to those little hints, and got confused as I watched later episodes. I would have better appreciated the plot if the show was presented as a mystery instead of a comedy.
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A premise that wasn't fully explored
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Souta's ability to visualize flags was the key premise of the show and sparked my interest. Starting with the 'death flag', I was soon introduced to various other flags, like the 'friendship flag' and 'romance flag'. As the show progressed, more flags were introduced with some characters having their own flags. This eventually led to the flags having less influence on the characters. I would have preferred if the show focussed on a few flags and expanded on them.
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Large, average cast
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Like the average harem show, Gaworare had a large cast of female characters, most of whom were attracted to the MC for various reasons. Gaworare also did its best to make each member of the harem unique by providing backstories and differing character design; you could still tell which girl was which even if her outfit was switched with another girl's. Due to the length of the show, most of the characters aren't developed past their backstories, leaving only a few memorable characters. But it was often nice to see the large, colourful mob of supporters that followed the MC around.
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Always cheery
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Gaworare was full of colours: from the harem with hair of various hues to the multi-coloured skirts worn by most of the female cast and the often bright backgrounds. The art of the show always seemed to evoke a cheery mood, even in the more solemn moments. Also, it was difficult to take some of the characters seriously when most of them were baby-faced, especially the girls in the MC's harem.
The soundtracks and OP song were mellow which captured the light-hearted nature of the series. The voice acting was excellent save for the MC who was mostly bland.
Overall, I'd say Gaworare was an average show and would have been more enjoyable if it'd hadn't tried to involve too many subjects at once.
Overall: 6
Story: 5
Art: 7
Sound: 9
Character: 4
Enjoyment: 5
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Nov 15, 2016
If you're looking for cute, relaxing comedy series with short episodes and a dose of history sprinkled in, you should add Nobunaga no Shinobi to your list.
The show revolves around Chidori, a shinobi, who's in service to Oda Nobunaga. Each episode is a skit done in the manzai style, often about a mission assigned to Chidori by Nobunaga. However, underneath lies a loose, exciting, fast-paced plot based on Nobunaga's battles in the Sengoku period (16th century). The historical references in the episodes, while not entirely accurate, were enough to make me revise my knowledge of the period.
The art of the show matches its comedic nature:
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the characters are done in a chibi style and the backgrounds don't have too much detail. I especially liked the exaggerated facial expressions and Nobunaga's missing mouth. The character and background designs match the period.
I'll proudly say I never skipped the opening for the show because it's beautiful and soothing. The music of the opening coupled with the little story bits make it irresistible. The background music often fit so well with the events, especially the action scenes. The sound and music of the show is one of my favourite aspects and I always look forward to hearing the exciting voices, especially Hideyoshi's.
Overall, the show has been enjoyable so far and I don't see that changing. I'll definitely recommend it for a relaxing anime viewing.
Overall: 8
Story: 7
Art: 8
Sound: 9
Character: 7
Enjoyment: 9
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Nov 6, 2016
One of my favourite kinds of story is the one the involves an unlikely hero who leads a team of underdogs against a vastly superior opponent. Alderamin on the Sky fits most of the criteria and that's what drew me to the show.
The plot of Alderamin is simple and easy to grasp; it's focussed on the war between two nations and the trials of a group of soldiers within that war. While the plot isn't unique or outstanding, it's execution in Alderamin is remarkable. The show focusses on the tensions that arise due to the warring nations and the various connectionss and conflicts involved. A
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good example is a focus on the relationship between an invading army and its captives (for want of a better term).
The show starts out a bit slowly but introduces us to its central themes almost immediately: the MC and his colleagues are involved in a brutal battle that's resolved by the MC's brilliant application of strategic thinking. We're also introduced to the main characters and the concept of spirit partners. Unfortunately, the spirits aren't explained until later in the show.
The art in Alderamin is gorgeous and I'm not exaggerating. The characters, both male and female, are pretty; sometimes, they're too pretty as is the case of Princess Chamille. The backgrounds often had the right tones applied and weren't too colourful or bland. The animation, especially in the battle scenes, is quick and fluid although it's a little inconsistent in the less excitable scenes. One gripe I did have with the art was the sometimes inconsistent body proportions. For example, Haru's shoulders were sometimes broader than they usually are.
I wish the music in Alderamin was as wonderful as the sound. While the scores weren't, they weren't memorable either and often didn't evoke the emotions their accompanying scenes required. I often use music to remember key scenes in anime but none of the scores did that for me in Alderamin; the battle music wasn't epic and the sad melodies weren't gripping enough. On the other hand, the opening theme for Alderamin was full of action montages that always whet my appetite for each episode and closely matched the show's overarching themes. The ending was a little more dramatic and didn't seem to fit the show's theme.
The sound effects in Alderamin were well-rendered and often depicted their associated objects accurately; I especially liked the booms from the weapons. They were sometimes exaggerated; the sound of blood in an open wound often sounded too 'squishy'. The voice acting was at par with the sound effects, albeit not as emotional enough. Music and sound in Alderamin seemed to shine more in the action scenes than the more dramatic ones.
Alderamin is a refreshing take on the unlikely military hero 'subgenre'; Ikta Solork is a brilliant but lazy MC with interesting quirks. He's bold but not mindless and gives his decisions a lot of thought; he loves women but isn't shy and flirts freely; he's powerful, over-powered even, but is lazy. He's teamed with a cast of somewhat generic main characters; Alderamin's strength lies not in its characters but in their relationships. Yamori is a generic female lead in a battle anime but she shares an almost telepathic relationship with the MC.
I didn't like the lack of character development and the mostly underwhelming antagonists. I would have loved to see some of the other characters push their own motives and encounter personal conflict. I felt like the show would have fleshed out a few extra characters had there been more episodes.
Overall, Alderamin is a great tactical battle show that doesn't play down core war themes. It has great art and animation and passable music and characters. It does seem like a precursor to an even better show.
Overall: 7
Story: 6
Art: 8
Sound: 6
Character: 6
Enjoyment: 7
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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