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Aug 7, 2020
As much as I do still love Season 2 of Mob Psycho 100, I rated it an 8/10 due to my issues with its main villain and with its narrative pacing.
SPOILER WARNING!
While Season 1 focused on the whole "everybody is special and no one is superior" theme, Season 2 started delving into Mob's personal character development -- how his efforts in Season 1 have changed him for the better. This is what makes this season shine because you get to witness how different Mob is here. The once passive blob of a boy has shone into a much more well-rounded individual who takes initiative, asserts
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his opinions, doesn't allow himself to be stepped on, and looks at people more realistically. His dynamic with Reigen changed subtly because of this. Also, he used to think that under NO circumstances can he hurt anyone with his powers, but sometimes, it's just not enough to be kind to someone. Don't get me wrong because I LOVED this arc in Season 2!
Some other specific, feel-good episodes I loved were (1) the episode where Mob actually DATED someone and lowkey made a move on her with his psychic powers (SOOO CUTEEE!!!) and (2) of course, Reigen's character development episode. Reigen was essentially the same person from start to end of Season 1, but in Season 2 he has transformed into clearly a different person. This episode seriously brought tears to my eyes because we can all somehow relate to Reigen just as much as Mob. Reigen is also a lonely guy who tries to be special, and yet can't seem to become that even as an adult. He has made plenty of mistakes and doesn't have an excuse or valid reason to have done so. But does this mean he is incapable of change and unworthy of friendship? Once again, Mob comes to the rescue and tells him the words he never knew he needed: he is a good person, and that is all that matters.
But okay. As much as I am singing these praises for Season 2, there are two reasons why I gave this season an 8, despite giving Season 1 a 10.
The first is that I did not enjoy the main villain as much as I did with the Scars in Season 1. We already tackled the whole egoistic, man-child perspective in the previous season, so it felt kind of repetitive to me that the boss had the same issue. And while this kind of makes sense, I personally believe that while the hero of a story evolves, so should the villains he faces. I was looking forward to the show tackling a more mature villain or a villain with a completely different perspective, the same way it handled Mob in a different light in this season. However, the only difference between the boss and his underlings is his level of power. While the fight scenes still had incredible animation (perhaps even better than that of Season 1), for me, they lacked the depth that they once had. In addition, is it me or did the Scars suddenly feel under-powered? Koyama was so strong in Season 1, but suddenly he was reduced to "just another ally."
In my opinion, Mogami would have made for a much better final villain for the season instead of being just another roadblock to the finish line. He incorporated a level of tone and darkness that was pretty new to the season, going so far as to show Mob a parallel world and way of thinking that is much more sinister. Because while Mob refuses to use his power for evil, Mogami explains that this is because it makes him "privileged" in a way. If not for his powers, the world would be cruel and unjust to him, which means it isn't wrong to abuse them for the sake of punishing hopeless people. Mogami would have made for a great foil to Mob, since the former started out by helping other people just like Mob, but eventually fell astray.
My second reason for giving the season an 8 is that the pacing was more disorganized compared to Season 1. I felt like Season 2 rushed the Claw arc towards the end when they could have picked up where they left off in Season 1, and gradually made their way to the finish line. I also felt that this season touched a lot of different points and storylines in a way that was confusing for me, especially in the first half. One episode, they talk about how Mob doesn't see a distinction between spirits and humans in terms of dignity, in another, he's battling Mogami using his soul (???), next the Scars conveniently assist Mob's gang, then it's suddenly the final boss fight. While these were all individually satisfactory and Mob's own character development was consistent throughout, for me, the narrative as a whole wasn't. They should have paced it in such a way to have everything make sense by the end. Also, there were no longer depictions of Mob holding in his emotions, building up to a catastrophic blast like in Season 1 when he reached 100%. I wish they had stuck to that initial premise rather than having Mob instantly access full power much more often and easily. As a result, there were times when the fights bored me a little because they felt less epic and nuanced than they used to.
In spite of all this, Season 2 is still such a rare gem, and the series as a whole is just incredible on a whole other level. I just love love this series and I can't wait for Season 3!
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Aug 7, 2020
Boy do I regret letting this diamond slide past me when I tried watching Episode 1 a few years ago. At that time, I was caught in the hype of Shokugeki no Souma and continuing Naruto Shipuuden, two very shounen anime with standard themes and characters. Thus, Episode 1, with its foreign and unusual antics, didn't interest me at the time.
Four years later, I decided to pick up this masterpiece again on Netflix. And needless to say, I was FLOORED by the impeccable animation, storyline, and character development boasted in Season 1.
I am enamored by the concept of an "anti-hero," someone who doesn't
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have the traditional hero characteristics but is still very much an incredible protagonist. Our unlikely hero, Mob, on the surface level, seems like such an ordinary, bland, boring person -- he isn't very expressive, isn't very handsome, isn't passionate or upbeat, and is extremely socially awkward. He would be the stereotypical loser in any standard societal setting. But the thing is, he was born with incredibly destructive, god-like powers that have the ability to destroy the world if he so wishes. How does this work? Why is Mob living such a boring life if he is possibly the strongest being in his world?
The internal conflict demonstrated within Mob is simply amazing. Most other shounen shows imply directly or indirectly that "might is always right" and continue to showcase battle after battle for the sake of "winning" or "losing." But what Mob, this little junior high school student, teaches us is that having the power to hurt or force someone into submission and believe yourself to be superior because of that is just... well, childish. We are each special in our own ways, each with unique gifts and talents, and thus considering oneself superior or inferior is just projecting his/her insecurities onto the world. There is no escaping society, because whether we like it or not, we NEED other people to live fulfilling lives. We human beings COMPLETE one another because nobody is fundamentally perfect, or better, or on top, or above. The way this mature theme was executed in Season 1 was so masterful and I can't emphasize this enough.
Still, this ideal comes with its struggles. Throughout the season, Mob has to choose whether or not he should use his powers on the people who hurt his friends or family. There is also the problem of his having to deal with his pent up powers that could potentially harm everyone around him if he doesn't keep his emotions in check. It's ironic to realize that this powerful kid is capable of so much empathy, and yet this understanding nature of his can cause him to go berserk. Mob's predicament is also a reference to mental health issues in general, which I believe was handled quite satisfactorily.
I love how the series broke a lot of other shounen tropes as well. Normally there would be a peppy, impulsive protagonist and a wise old mentor who shows him the ropes, but Mob and Reigen are the exact opposite of that. In fact, Reigen is a downright con-man who is using Mob for his own profiteering purposes. And yet for all his swindling ways, Reigen is one of the wisest, most mature people in a fantasy show that boasts clashes between powerful espers. And this says a lot, as he is just an ordinary guy.
SPOILER WARNING!
The other characters were impeccably developed too. Ritsu's character development is also another one of my favorites, showing the delicate dynamic between brothers and how envy and comparison can often hinder what could be a great relationship. I see this as a reflection of how we all tend to compare ourselves to our closest peers, which is what makes us project our insecurities onto the world and even resort to dark, distorted behaviors. Teru's episode was also executed very well. It was a pretty standard wake-up call type of arc, but it was executed along with Mob's own ideals which made for an interesting ride. Lastly, the villains of the show, aka the child-adults, integrated with the theme of the show very nicely.
I could go on and on right now. Mob Psycho 100 (Season 1) surpasses One Punch Man on so many levels and completely deserves a 10/10.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Aug 2, 2020
This was my second time watching Whisper of the Heart, and suffice to say I thoroughly enjoyed it just as much as I did before. The lighthearted romance and coming-of-age themes warmed my heart without fail, making it the perfect movie to watch the second time on my anniversary with my boyfriend. My favorite scene by far is of course the famous Japanese version of "Country Road" performed by Seiji, Shizuku, and the grandpa's buddies.
However, since it is a movie that I rewatched, I did perceive the flaw that I couldn't quite put a finger on before -- its pacing in the beginning and
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ending. I am so tempted to rate this movie an 8 out of 10, but my honest feelings make me rate it a 7.5 (there isn't a 0.5 system for these reviews) because of my issues with the flow of the narrative. Perhaps not many will agree with me on this, but personally, I felt that the first third or so of the movie moved EXTREMELY slowly. Although I do understand that the appeal of this movie is its slice-of-life parallels and relatability, which I truly love, I feel like they could have provided a better "hook" for the audience in the first part of the movie. This was especially so for me, who had already previously watched the film and had to wait quite a while for the exciting parts to arrive.
I also feel like the ending was rather rushed. Yes, it was absolutely adorable that Seiji asked Shizuku to marry him. However, I would have preferred that they ended the story on a more subtle note rather than making it so explicit. I suppose this is just a nitpick, though.
However, the meat of Whisper of the Heart is where its true strengths lie. It is a beautiful, feel-good story of a girl searching for purpose in her life while falling in love in the process. This is also so relatable for me personally, as an aspiring writer and as someone who met her partner in school as well.
This is definitely a Ghibli classic that is great to watch whenever you're feeling down! So, so cute.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jul 30, 2020
Surprisingly enough, I liked this short OVA more than the Gaiden Eternity movie. I felt like this episode fleshed out the characters a lot better, describing the effects of the war on so many ordinary people, not just those who worked in the military. The war may have ended, but their hearts were frozen in time and I understand how it must be so difficult to accept progress, both emotionally and in terms of societal development. I really enjoyed how this elaboration of the setting and collective mindset supported Violet's own situation, and how this side story pushed her to understand what "love" and "moving
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forward" really mean.
That said, I wish they had included this episode in the main series, in between episode 4 and 5. I remember feeling really jarred by the pacing in episode 5 because it didn't feel realistic that Violet had suddenly become an amazing love letter writer, despite the time skip. I felt like it warranted an explanation of some sort, namely a letter request with a huge impact on her psyche, exactly like this one.
In short, I just seriously enjoyed this OVA so much and how it ties in with the main series, as a huge fan of the whole Gilbert storyline. (Spoiler ahead) The final lyrics of the song in the opera came out a little cheesier than I expected, but it still hit the kokoro nicely, resulting in a few tears from me.
I highly recommend this!
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jul 30, 2020
I came to this movie a month or so after finishing the original Violet Evergarden main series, looking for more of this beautiful show.
As usual, the animation and sound did not disappoint -- the animation may have even surpassed that of the original series. But while the visuals were stunning, I'd have to say I did not get as invested in the characters in this side story. To me, although Taylor is really cute, she felt rather one-dimensional compared to the child in Episode 10 in the main series. This is also perhaps I am an only child, so I didn't get as emotionally
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attached to the story of the sisters. I also feel like they could have given more of an explanation as to Amy's situation after she got married instead of having the audience guess for themselves.
Despite these, I like how the ideas of "progress" and "moving on" were hinted quite well through proper symbols and metaphors, not only in this movie but also in the OVA. All the characters in the show are coming to accept that the times are changing, and so their hearts must move forward as well.
Still, this is definitely a great watch! Totally recommended for any Violet Evergarden fan.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jul 26, 2020
I don't know whether to call The Rising of Shield Hero NOT cliché, or TOO cliché. This show was entertaining and mold-breaking at best, but dragging and face-palm inducing at worst. For the most part, however, it still does deliver due to its decent execution of a concept that's been slowly gaining traction as of late: the anti-hero.
I believe that this show is a result of the rising popularity in recent years of what is known as the "anti-hero." In the twentieth century, the classic "Superman" stereotype used to be all the rage: Luffy, Natsu, and Goku are products of this archetype. And indeed, these
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were the heroes of the series that sold millions back in the day. But over the years, there came a shift of perspective and popular opinion. Slowly but surely, the fanbases of characters such as Batman, Zuko, Lelouch, and Levi grew exponentially larger. People started getting tired of the usual hyperactive, optimistic lead -- they began searching for different, more intriguing personalities that did not possess conventional "heroic" traits.
As such, Shield Hero is one of the first few anime that finally placed such a character at its forefront -- in a shounen action anime, no less. There have been some previous attempts to inject the anti-hero as the main character in other series, but they usually belonged to slice of life anime such as Hachiman from Oregairu, or they are a main character but not THE central character, such as Levi from Attack on Titan. Meanwhile, Shield Hero takes the brooding, pensive, pained Naofumi and places him front and center as the most-hated, yet most heroic character in the entire show.
Unlike most heroes who begin with honor, support, and power, he was stripped of all of these in the beginning and was stuck with the worst weapon. And yet despite all the suffering he went through, he managed to overcome these on his own without seeking external validation and praise from his peers. He just did his own thing, in the most ordinary, least flashy way possible. And when he was flashy, it would always be uncharacteristic of the typical hero who embodied "light" -- all of his powerful techniques were dark, violent, bloody to the point of suicide, and even beast-like. This would have been blasphemy in other shounen action anime, but this show is able to demonstrate that this doesn't have to be the case. "Heroism" is not about someone's personality or likability, but about his/her heart and actions.
This is the series' main strength that does deserve praise. From start to finish, you can't help but root for Naofumi, this unlucky underdog whose kindheartedness shines through his insults. His characterization was quite consistent throughout the show, and that includes his dialogue, behavior, and decisions. And although it felt a little too blatant at times, this characterization was supported by the personalities, actions, and dialogue of the other three heroes, who embodied the stereotypes of heroes in other anime.
*Beware of spoilers ahead*
My favorite episode would have to be Episode 21. Although Naofumi's saving the king and princess was expected in itself, the thought process that went through it, along with the reactions of the other characters, was executed quite outstandingly. The episode ended with his character arc coming full circle: he had restored what he had lost in Episode 1, and even gained more on top of that.
However, the show definitely has its fair share of flaws, mostly regarding its plot and its world-building. The setting is a world that works like a game, but personally, I would have preferred it to strictly be a fantasy world, since the game aspect was mostly for the sake of convenience. I also didn't get invested in any of the other characters aside from Naofumi. They were all alright, but very standard.
My main complaint is that there were way too many times when the audience just has to ACCEPT what happens even though there was no decent explanation or rationale provided. For example, the show TRIED to give an explanation for the waves, but it wasn't justification enough, really. I was forced to think, "Oh okay, whatever." In addition, things would happen all of a sudden without much build-up, such as the Pope nearly killing them in an all-out battle, or things WOULDN'T happen for convenience's sake: aka Fitoria CONVENIENTLY forgetting the past and allowing the heroes to live despite their deaths being the most efficient choice. Another peeve I had was with his harem (granted, this show was based on a light novel) which once again felt too contrived. Weird how they're all loli's except for Raphtalia since she's the main girl.. but what should I have expected lol. I could go on about all these narrative flaws to be honest, but that would spoil the entire show already.
The animation and sound are pretty much expected from a series of its kind; nothing unique, rather standard. The animation has its moments I suppose.
Overall, the show does a great job of presenting the anti-hero, but a "meh" job at almost everything else. To be fair, I ended up enjoying it quite a bit despite its flaws because it was a chill, optimistic, easy-to-digest show that didn't require much analysis. I still recommend this to anyone who is into a decent shounen.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jul 20, 2020
Tldr; This is a rather academic piece that involves much analysis and study, but is TOTALLY worth it. It is full of beautiful symbolism, drama, history, and mature themes that blend together seamlessly. However, this is not for people who dislike dialogue-heavy stories or the intricacies of niche Japanese culture.
SPOILERS!
I'm gonna go straight to the point. SGRS would have been perfect if not for the STUPID father-of-Shinnosuke conspiracy that the creators inserted in the last episode. I swear to God, Yakumo being the father does NOT add value to the plot whatsoever and ruins the masterful writing thus far. I'm not going to get into
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the nitty gritty of my opinions about this, including the plethora of "hints" that the author sprinkled to make the audience suspect SEVERAL of the men in the series, but generally, all my feelings can be summed up into disappointment on that matter.
But as for the rest? Simply brilliant.
It is incredible how this show manages to juggle so many mature themes in one, without it feeling forced or contrived. Instead, it feels like everything was woven together to form a beautiful tapestry of life and art.
The following points, aka some of my favorite plot points and motifs, just go to show how ingeniously this narrative was written:
1. Tradition vs Progression -- Arguably the main theme of the story. Rakugo, an art form with a wealth of history and culture behind it, is caught between sticking to the classics and moving forward towards more innovative forms of storytelling. This became extremely evident ever since the end of World War II, when new, global ideas and forms of entertainment were flooding Japan. Should rakugo stay the same? Should it change completely? Or can it find a balance between the two?
In reaction to this, Yakumo and Sukeroku made a promise to one another. Yakumo would become the embodiment of "classic rakugo," someone who refined what the masters of old passed down from generation to generation. In stark contrast, Sukeroku would create a "progressive rakugo" that focused on the audience's enjoyment and would adjust to fit the needs of the people.
This also struck a huge parallel with Yakumo himself, who for most of his life was so guilt-ridden by the tragic past and refused to change his opinions on the matter and move past it. When Yakumo's other half, his brother Sukeroku, passed away, together with their dreams of building the future of rakugo together, Yakumo refused to have a world of progressive rakugo without Sukeroku in it. All of this contributed to Yakumo's becoming a bitter old man who wanted "rakugo to die with him."
The theme of tradition vs progression was very present and masterfully executed in everything in this show: the plot, the inter-character relationships, AND the internal conflict of the main character. If that isn't pure genius, I don't know what is.
2. "Shinigami" -- This leads me to my next point: the concept of a death god. Once again, SGRS manages to insert the metaphor in a variety of ways. Firstly, and quite literally, Yakumo could be described as the shinigami of Sukeroku and Miyokichi because he (according to him) was at fault for their deaths. If only he had treated Miyokichi better, if only he had prevented Sukeroku from degenerating, he thought, they would still be alive today.
Second, Yakumo wanted to become the "shinigami" of rakugo. As mentioned earlier, he wanted to die while taking rakugo with him.
Third, Sukeroku somehow became Yakumo's personal shinigami, a ghost always haunting his thoughts and his rakugo, often present whenever Yakumo was close to death (note how Sukeroku's real name is "Shin" lol). In addition, in the last episode while Yotaro was performing "Shinigami," he saw old Yakumo himself, who had somehow come to haunt Yotaro as well.
"Shinigami" was an important rakugo piece that was always performed to either foreshadow or emphasize things in the show, so it's really hard to miss. I cannot praise this enough.
3. Art's Forms and Existence -- The question of "What do you do rakugo for?" was asked throughout the duration of the series. I already described two types of rakugo earlier: the classic and progressive types. There was also a third type mentioned, which is simply "rakugo" itself. If classic rakugo is for the improvement of the self, buttressing one's skill and technique, and if progressive rakugo is for the enjoyment and entertainment of an ever-changing audience, the third is a "rakugo" for "rakugo's sake." This type is free from the ego and lets go of the self, while also free from the expectations and validation of other people; it is art simply for art's sake. Obviously, these three types can speak about art in general and not just rakugo, and without any one of them, the art cannot continue to exist.
4. What It Means to Live -- Yakumo's entire life is put on display in the show. You see the inner workings of his mind, his struggles and sorrows, his joys and pleasures. He definitely did not live the way he expected: his aim was to perform the best rakugo possible, along with his best friend, who was to be his partner in preserving the art. He intended to live alone, free from the annoyances and hassles of dealing with other people. But he was only able to accomplish the first. In the end, his brother died and he grieved for the rest of his life, but he was able to live with a proper family and realize his art to near perfection. He learned to value human connection and accept that just as you cannot do rakugo alone, you cannot LIVE alone, either.
In life, nothing goes the way you planned, and that's okay. As long as you give it your all and live to the fullest, you are sure to leave good things behind for the future generations (and good things await you in the afterlife).
All of the above were executed vividly and profoundly throughout the 25 episodes of the show. Be it through dialogue, body language, rakugo performances, music, etc., these messages were conveyed beautifully and struck me and many others to the core. I am so grateful and so happy to have watched this masterpiece and learned the things I did.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jul 12, 2020
I rewatched Kimi no Na wa for the fourth time today. And I swear, it never gets old. This movie is just really a masterpiece and I can't emphasize that enough.
The animation and music are beautiful. The way Taki and Mitsuha fell in love was so beautiful. Some scenes in particular are just so heartwrenching: when Mitsuha came to Tokyo, when Taki longed for Mitsuha after her death and after he forgot about her, and of course kataware-doki. I also commend the voice actors and animators for hitting the gender differences so accurately, whether it be the way they talked or their simple behaviors and
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mannerisms.
My one complaint though is that I find it impossible for them to NOT know the year they were living in; the knowledge is essential for both school and work. Also, after rewatching numerous times, I realized they got the dates wrong: Mitsuha should be in 2016 while Taki should be in 2019, but these were swapped in the backgrounds (if you look closely).
This movie has taught me that sometimes, we take the nuances of love for granted -- the fact that you and your loved one are born in the same time, can meet in the same place, and can even interact to begin with is such a blessing. What would you do if your soulmate were from a different era? A different country? To be separated by both time and distance is something rather difficult to contemplate on, but the movie does this masterfully.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Jul 5, 2020
Spoiler warning!
I first watched both seasons of Oregairu back when I was in high school. Needless to say, I loved it but couldn't fully comprehend the intricacies of the characters' dialogue and subtexts. As a high school student myself, I still did not have the maturity and perspective required in order to understand what was really going on, especially in Season 2. Now that I got to rewatch this amazing series five years later upon hearing about Season 3, I was finally able to appreciate the depth of what the show had to offer as a more mature individual (and as someone who has watched
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even more anime hehe).
This series is a very well-executed deconstruction of both the rom-com genre and of high school society itself. Oregairu employs the "show, don't tell" narrative technique to force the audience to actively read between the lines throughout the entirety of the plot. I applaud the author for demonstrating how the stereotypes that we push onto rom-com characters is a huge parallel to the way we push our own expectations onto the people around us. Just like what Hikigaya mentioned in the final episode, we all branded Yui as the nice, airheaded girl, Yukino as the strong, elegant smarty-pants, along with other stereotypes for the other characters. Similar to reality, we brand people in real life, subconsciously pressuring them into fulfilling a certain role in status quo. And in order to "keep the peace," everybody plays along.
Although most of the time this infringes on a person's identity and self-worth, and is really quite plastic, people still put up with it because they want to avoid discomfort and conflict. I love how Hikigaya slowly became his own biggest hypocrite -- he criticized how other cliques had superficial relationships and don't talk about anything substantial to avoid the risk of getting hurt, but when it came to his own club, he himself did the same thing with Yukino and Yui. There was so much unspoken between the three of them: how they actually all cared for one another, how Yukino actually wanted to run for student council president, how Hikigaya refused to open up to them, how Yui would secretly make moves on Hikigaya without telling Yukino, and eventually the love triangle. Even though there was so much going on, they refused to talk about it because they wanted to revert to "normalcy" -- especially Hikigaya, whose sense of normalcy took in the form of withdrawing and reverting to his tragic, self-deprecating, loner-esque habits.
This leads me to my next compliment: while the plot of Oregairu is very thought-provoking, so is its main character's arc, that of Hikigaya. The series was able to develop such a unique character, from cynicism incarnate to a much more open, honest person. This was all done gradually, in a way that didn't feel forced at all and I commend the creators for delivering our favorite MC so much justice.
I believe that Oregairu is one of the best and most unique anime out there, and this is high praise for someone who has watched anime for eleven years. Yes, it really makes the audience think -- we who have forced ourselves to conform to society's rules and games. But the series also explores the core and complexity of the human condition. The truth is that people are a series of contradictions: we can never completely understand one another, but we can do our best by having open communication; we care for our loved ones, but sometimes we push them away; we want something genuine, but we fake smiles to preserve what we currently have. The series is so mature for understanding and conveying this masterfully, showing that it has really examined human psychology and sociology. Still, it has its hopeful and lighthearted moments that don't fail to put a smile on your face.
In addition, the animation and music are simply beautiful. Both openings and the instrumental soundtrack are very memorable, plus the animation upgrade in Season 2 made the storytelling and character designs even better.
My one complaint for this show would be that it can inadvertently become rather heavy-handed. And while this is what I love about it, sometimes I would honestly get fatigued from peeling my eyes open to grasp every single facial expression and movement, the whole time quickly reading and analyzing the subtitles, then wracking my brain to figure out the subliminal messages. Not to mention that the pacing of the dialogue was rather quick. This is just a nitpick but man, sometimes I just needed a break HAHAHA especially in Season 2.
However, this show really is such a gem. Please do watch it if you haven't yet! This anime is hyped for good reason, and I can't wait for Season 3.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jul 2, 2020
Includes spoilers!
Versailles no Bara is my first ever "old school" anime in my eleven years with this medium. Since I'm of a younger generation, I was mostly drawn to more contemporary anime up until now, but got interested in Versailles no Bara because I heard that they had a 40th Anniversary Exhibit last year. A quick glance at its premise and art got me intrigued, and before I knew it, forty episodes were consumed in a flash.
I like to think I've watched a lot of anime across the years, and because of that, I believe this series is truly like no other. It has a
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boldness at its core that many other anime at present fail to even come close to, with its strong female lead and its backdrop of society before the French Revolution. The anime transports you to a different time, place, and culture that is so starkly similar to that of Les Miserables (if you love Les Mis, you will surely love this series). Everything from the costumes, to the characters' manner of speaking, to the music ties coherently altogether to provide the audience a blast from the past. The audience also gets invested in the issues of the time that are still very much relevant today: the huge gap between the rich and poor, corruption, the search for identity and love, and coping with loss. The entire series was a huge "mood," so to speak -- an unforgettable one, at that.
Of course, you can't talk about Versailles no Bara without talking about Oscar Francois de Jarjeyes herself. Although her premise raised some confusion from me at first (would a woman at the time really be allowed to join the military?), her internal struggle of being brought up as a man, while still having a female's heart and body, spoke volumes to me. I can't empathize with that level of identity crisis, but her valor in upholding her values in the midst of a failing French society and her own problems won over me completely! She is already one of my favorite female leads in anime. Her charisma, elegance, and kindheartedness are just on another level, and I'm 100% sure she would've been my idol if I had watched this show as a kid.
Actually, the other thing I love the most about this show is its soundtrack. Yes, it's rather old, but I loved it so much for some reason. Maybe it's because I'm a huge fan of Les Miserables, but I found the music for all the epic and heartwrenching scenes just so very fitting. I can still hear those songs in my mind (complete with French horns and violins). And how can you forget the catchy opening theme song! ("Bara wa, Bara wa!!!!") I love how even its lyrics straightforwardly talk about the overall metaphor of the series: about a blooming rose trapped by countless thorns.
My favorite episode would have to be "Andre, the Green Lemon." There were so many beautiful metaphors and themes that blended wonderfully together, making it such a memorable episode for me. I love how Andre's blindness also signified his change of perspective towards the nobility, how his love for Oscar overflowed because of his fear of never seeing her living as a woman, and how Oscar was so torn because of all of these foreign feelings. "Lemon" is an archaic term for a faulty car, alluding to Andre's handicap, and he is "green" with envy as Oscar was in love with Fersen at the time. In addition, I just loved the line, "A rose is always a rose, whether or not it is red or white; it can never become a lily," and how it related to the white rose in the conclusion of the series -- symbolizing how Andre loved Oscar for how she truly was, manly woman and all.
For all its glory, however, Versailles no Bara is not without flaws. Granted, I understand how difficult it is to create a historical fiction that balances both the facts and artistic deviation, so I am cutting it a lot of slack in terms of pacing. Still, one of my major complaints is that they could have cemented Oscar's loyalty to Antoinette in the beginning of the series using a much more compelling and believable reason. All we got for Oscar to swear her unquestionable loyalty to her was that she was awed by how Antoinette dealt with duBarry. I feel like this could've been emphasized more, or there could've been an even better reason as to why Oscar chose to be a "dog" of the Royal Family. For example, they could have chosen to highlight how Oscar and Antoinette were girls of the same age, yet subject to such different fates due to their places in society, and make this the foundation for their unbreakable friendship. This would have been a better explanation as for why Oscar didn't take action for majority of the series, despite already being exposed to the traumas and problems of the commoners. It was an annoyance of mine that she wouldn't really try to express her opinions to Antoinette, when others such as Polignac often would.
Rosalie's arc, while commendable, ended on quite a flat note to me. She was whisked away to Polignac, only to suddenly pop up randomly in Paris. She escaped way too easily in my opinion, and her being there was just way too convenient. It was more of an "okay, I accept" type of thing for the audience.
Another complaint of mine is its conclusion, particularly that of Fersen. He was such a goodhearted character that it was hard to believe he eventually became just as inhuman as the French nobility. They should have thought of a more satisfying ending for him that made more sense for his anime character, since his end wasn't historically accurate anyway.
Overall, however, the series is a solid 9/10. My complaints were simply bumps across the grand picture that is Versailles no Bara -- a beautiful, timeless, elegant painting of French 18th century, one that explains the meaning of true dignity.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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