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Mar 3, 2022
Being a basic fan of the Free! series, I of course had to watch the movies which followed alongside it!
Free! Starting Days is a wonderful remembrance of the original youth relay which Haru and Makoto were a part of in their first year of middle school, although the story was a tad choppy and misplaced in segments, the overall high quality of all art, sound, and character is what makes the movie superb in my eyes.
There were humorous moments, such as the group camping around Haru`s home, the lunchtime conversations which were lighthearted, but the film was met with an equally heavy presence of
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performance anxiety, being burnt out due to being a certain prodigy all whilst going through adolescence in their new stage of life. Being personally connected to Haru as a "burned out gifted kid", it's nice to see how he overcomes such trivia. The opposing group members represent sibling rivalry while gaining independence, taking the notion that people are human and failure is okay and that each new milestone in life can be overwhelming even the most basic subject such as starting a new year in school - each character represents a different issue, in which they have to learn how to overcome such problems in the time frame.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed "Starting Days", and felt it was similar to the atmosphere the original series gave off and do recommend it to any fans of the show itself.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Mar 2, 2022
With my personal opinion on the previous two seasons of Boku no Hero being somewhat dismal, season five came in with the familiarity of what the first two seasons gave - the strong fighting scenes, major character development, and giving a backbone to the villains which have been continuing to grow from the late stage of season one.
The story was not, in particular, a strong suit as it was once again split into various arcs or events, the only section which I felt was slightly dragged out was the battle being class 1A and 1B, of course, it gave a handful of development and
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growth to the side characters, and of course, an extension on Midoriya`s quirk as he has finally grasped control of it. I do agree with other individuals where they state the art and animation can be sometimes poorly executed, as it can be rather basic, but it truly does highlight the fights which are shown throughout, for example, the fight between Endeavor and Nomu, and the battle arc of "My Villian Academia".
I truly still favor the soundtrack which is met along with the series whether it being a battle, conversation between characters - it does sync up quite well despite me not usually liking the action base series. Of course, there were certain characters that were primarily focused on - such as Midoriya once again, the Todoroki family, and Shigaraki. Izuku mainly for his quirk fundamentals, the Todoroki family backstory gave more depth to each member, giving Endeavor an ounce of humanity he seemingly did not hold before and an explanation on how Shigaraki landed where he is today, all in all, I thoroughly enjoyed the current pace of each of them.
In conclusion, the fifth season of Boku no Hero lived past my previous expectations of what I held before, due to this, I am thoroughly excited for the following series and to get onto the manga.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Feb 19, 2022
Boku no Hero Academia series four started off strong, considering the disastrous previous season. Characters were still a strong suit for the season and the reason why the series is populated across anime fans, as the storyline still remained repetitive and vague.
The only highlight in the story was both Eri`s and Hawk`s introduction, they were the most standout, as well as the finale episode of the season - Endeavor`s fight with the advanced Nomu, other than that, it followed along with the fundamentals basic structure of the previous seasons to BNH, an explanation as to why Izuku is not suited for One for All
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(through his work-study with Night Eye), introduction to new villain and the new issue at hand (hence, the introduction of Overhaul and Eri`s trauma, etc), all is resolved with Izuku fighting against the said villain and strengthing his abilities, school event (this time the school fair), then a final battle before all is resolved with a monumental speech about heros. Pretty much sums up the series so far, which is why the designs and development of the characters are so significant, as if the characters weren`t likable and in-depth then the series would crumble.
In the second part of the season we are introduced to Gentleman, and his purpose is to prank civilians via videos, whilst being British and drinking tea? Not the greatest character, as his only value was to get Izuku to have another revolution with One for All.
Regardless, this season was gradually better, the sound was good, art was average but did justice in the fight scenes, but still lacks the desirable taste which makes a masterpiece for a series.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Dec 30, 2021
EDIT: I have now completed the series and still stand by what I stated.
Usually, I have the tendency to watch the full show before commenting on my enjoyment and opinion on it. However, three episodes into "Devilman: Crybaby", I`m set on my overall thoughts of the show. Before I continue, yes, I will be finishing the series and will most likely be done upon anyone reading this.
Keeping it short, the story is mediocre, it certainly captivates my interests with the whole ordeal of Ryo and Akira wandering along the streets and destroying the demons which claimed possessions of human souls. Though, the segment
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which lets me down is the overuse of the sexualization of every other character which appears on my screen. I am aware this show is not for the lighthearted, but, the directors did exaggerate the heavy sexual indulgence for over eighty percent of the show. Like, really, do you need to flash a set of boobs to my eyes every minute? Personally, even with a slight percentage of this sexual massacre taking up part of the show, it would have given the opposing side of the storyline to truly develop.
The sound was decent, the OST`s and soundtrack were fair, matching the general mood throughout the show.
From what I have seen so far (and heard from others), the characters are either developed by the skin of their teeth or not at all. When it comes to any piece of media I`m consuming, if there is no character development at all, then what is the point of their existence? The character's purpose is to fill life into the current world-building, but if they are deprived of their development then there is no point in the show being created.
The art style is peculiar, and the usage of the camerawork and the designs of the set of characters are definitely pleasing to my eye, especially since previous shows I have watched have not taken on this niche run-on things.
All in all, I was let down by how it was paced out, especially since "Devilman: Crybaby" was highly advertised across my platforms. I`m not knocking you if you are a fan of this series, it may just be because I dislike the way the show came across to me.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Dec 22, 2021
With the first two seasons of Boku no Hero being as captivating and high quality as they were, I went into season three expecting another twenty-five episodes with the same upkeep of sentimental value. Yet, what started with excitement soon turned into frustration and boredom.
Yes, there were some arcs that were somewhat decent, that being the exam where the students gain their provisional licenses for "heroing". The first half of season three was dragged out beyond belief, with Bakugou being kidnapped (the usual path for his type of character) at their summer training camp, about a quarter way through this arc, there was a
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high chance of me dropping it, but I held out - at this moment in time, I do hope that the future seasons are improved.
As usual, the battle sequences and soundtracks were great, ran smoothly, fitted the scenes and the idealistic atmosphere for characters. I like to see the best out of things, so, the whole ordeal with All Might facing "All For One" in finale showdown style; as well as All Might and Midoriya revealing to Bakugou their secret of where his quirk originated from. Finally, the battle of strength between both Bakugou and Midoriya was entertaining and captivated my interest - it truly showed how much Midoriya has developed with "One For All".
Other than that, the series lacked in the opposing factors, other than the points I have mentioned, those are the reasonings on why I have scored it so low. Other than Midoriya, the characters have little to no development and are typically there as Midoriya`s lackey, their whole purpose is to develop the main protagonist.
This is not a knock on the Boku no Hero Academia series, as I`m aware of how beloved it is, and as I mentioned previously I truly enjoyed the first two seasons, but the third was a let down in itself, but, I`m remaining hopeful for the future works.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Dec 22, 2021
This movie truly overtook any previous expectations I had over it. Whenever it comes down to anything "Violet Evergarden" related, I`m always astounded at how visually pleasing and intrigued I am.
If there was one particular fault that I felt in the film, it was that some aspects should have been focused on and developed further, I understand cutting down the timings to fit the film frame, etc. However, the sections with the reveal of Gilbert felt rushed and unimportant. The pacing in particular for those scenes had no set pattern, some should have been longer, some were overdone just a smidge. Other than that,
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there was little to no fault, the supporting story of Yuris was purely heartbreaking, this segment of the film dwelling on Violet`s current occupation of a Memory Doll - which is where the original series progressed with.
The ending sequence of Gilbert racing down to Violet is to what I believed managed to pull it up to a high nine. Visually, the film was done perfectly, I`m in complete awe over watching any content from these creators.
In actuality, the movie would have been no doubt a ten if the factor which I bought up about pacing, etc was non - existent. My attention was kept for the entirety of it, along with the beautified soundtrack which did not let me down.
Once again, I will be singing my praises about this film and highly recommend both series, specials, and this movie.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Dec 21, 2021
typically,
I dislike criticizing things in general, I despise the idea of dropping a show, since I like to give it the benefit of the doubt - all because there is a slim chance the show could be turned around and lift itself in terms of scores.
however, for this show, it was mid for the entirety of the show. It was all good things to be heard revolving around "Orange", it was recommended to me more than enough times as I was getting into anime. To be brutally honest, I wished that it stayed unwatched, I understand if people do enjoy this piece of
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media, as people are ENTITLED to their OWN opinions, on the other hand, in my opinion, it's that this show was possibly one of the most poorly paced and written shows I`ve watched so far. I am aware I am no expert when it comes to criticizing things, but with the wide variety of shows I have completed at the moment, this one comes at the bottom of the list to which I would recommend to a friend or anybody.
For the entire progression of the show, the pace was slow and dwelled (I feel) on insignificant matters, I thoroughly enjoy a slice of life animes, but this show agitated me. In a short handful of episodes, the storytelling lacked emotion and my attention, then in others, it just forced envelopes of information to me which at this point I didn`t care for. The soundtrack was semi-decent, and a small percentage of characters were somewhat well written, for the show being as short as it is, it deprived the characters of developing hardly or not at all.
If you want some positives for the show, the first episode did peak my interest slightly, but it decreased as it went on.
My biggest fault in the show, and even the manga, is the main character. god. She is the one character who put me off the show completely, stereotypical and weakened female protagonist. Her use in the show was...well. there was no use for her, she just irks me.
I mean no hate to the creators of both show and manga, I guess it didn`t target me well and I should have moved on from there. I will dwindle in any other possible works of theirs, as the animation and art style was pleasant.
If you do wish to proceed with the show, it may be your thing and you may end up enjoying it, but as for me, it wasn`t in the least bit favorable.
Reviewer’s Rating: 2
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Apr 6, 2021
I HAVE ONLY WATCHED ONE OF THE TWO RECAP EPISODES !
Boku Dake Ga Inai Machi Recaps
Erased Special Recap Episodes Review
This small pairing of recap episodes set out what they intended to do, recap the whole coverage of what happened in the story so far. In a story with relentless plots, characters, and quickened pacing it was proven difficult to keep up with at points; having these recaps it allowed me to confirm who is who and the key features which I should be aware of in Erased. Highly recommend it if you`re at a loss six episodes in.
I liked the recaps because all
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in all it built up what recaps are supposed to be - only covering the content which has previously been shown. It kept it at a fast pace much like the mainline of the story, so, all in all, with it being a recap - it obviously hasn`t gained the highest ranking, but for the recap it was, it did a grand job.
Lauren
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Apr 4, 2021
Clannad: Season One Review
WARNING: MINOR SPOILERS CONTAINED IN REVIEW
Story - 7
Clannad is one of those series that heavily relies on the slice of life aspect. To keep it short, the story revolves around the main protagonist Tomoya Okazaki as he works through his senior year of high school. Not being much for friends himself aside from Youhei Sunohara, during one lunch period he stumbles across an unknown third-year girl - Nagisa Furukawa. From there, Nagisa expresses her wish to revive the drama club but has no volunteers to do so, in that moment Tomoya and Nagisa`s friendship stems. That is pretty much the whole
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briefing of the story - with the occasional progression on either characters or the department of the drama club. As there is really none of the great storytelling, that is why this subject was given a low ranking - yes, I do appreciate the relatable aspect of these characters attending school, and enduring life in between their school hours. However, at times I did find myself to be losing interest as the themes explored in the first series were vague and sometimes boring. Maybe, I`ll give it a rewatch at some point, and hopefully, by then my views on the overall first series would have changed.
Note: If you want the whole experience of Clannad: After Story, then I do suggest you watch the first series of Clannad no matter how tedious it may get at times.
Art - 8
Now, with its 2007 release the art and overall animation is considered to be a masterpiece. Yes, the animation was smooth for the time of its making, I couldn't find much to grumble at when it comes to this department. The colors and all in all design of the backgrounds and scenery really came well together to make a breathtaking scene with the characters tied to it. Yet, the ranking would have been a ten, if they didn`t lack so much in the residing factors.
World - Building - even though the animators created mainstream sets in which the story progresses across - such as the drama room, Nagisa`s family bakery, Tomoya`s home, Youhei`s school dorm, the odd changing to a different location in the school, Kotomi`s home and then this other world that is implicated throughout both the first and second series. Where these scenes play out, they are well known to the characters by the end of it all.
Characters: Whether the designs of these characters were purposefully done by the artist to fit into the anime style at the time or if they were trying to do their own style. What kept catching my eye throughout the whole of it, is how NONE of them have noses - it was peculiar to adjust to, but I looked past it. All the female characters had the tendency to look the same, aside from different hair color and eye color. Even both Tomoya and Youhei looked similar in parts in terms of hair and facial expression - the only thing separating them is their face shapes. This is why the art got given an eight since characters should have been designed to look purposefully different in order for the viewer to learn who is who through these characterizations and features.
Sound - 8
Having watched the series in the sub, the voice actors did an astounding job in conducting the indicated emotions embedded through their lines. They were all suited into their character types, however, one fault in which I couldn't really look past is how high pitched Nagisa in particular spoke - I'm unsure in whether it was the “thing” at the time of creation, but I couldn't help but think that she sounded like a prepubescent youth, no hate, it's just my personal opinion, other than that, it fitted her character increasingly well. The OSTs were enchanting and were pleasing to my ears, they were subtle and placed at the perfect times across the entirety of the series. With the opening theme, it became a classic piece, upon hearing it even a few episodes in, I automatically associated it to Clannad, exactly like the OST`s, it matched the overall theme of the show in general. Finally, with the ending theme - “Dango Family”, it became a strong aspect across both the first and second series, much like the opening theme, I could upon hearing assume it was from Clannad. Like the lighthearted atmosphere which lingers over the episodes, the “Dango Family” song ties into it perfectly - with the occasional moment where Nagisa sings it - which I soon found myself to be associating it to be her “character theme” if you will.
Character - 7
Here, I will be discussing the main duo of characters cast across the first season of Clannad in the set order - Nagisa and Tomoya. With a brief explanation of the remainder of the characters to which we were introduced in these episodes.
Nagisa Furukawa - In a simple explanation, Nagisa is a likable character - she's sweet, kindhearted, and incredibly nurturing. When it comes to her character, she's known by the stray piece of hair that sticks up in the opposite direction of the rest of it, alongside with it, her mysterious illness is also something that is associated with her. Like all of the other characters, her development and any major characterization are nonexistent. For the show being what it is, it does not prioritize the progression of these characters but solely on the story itself. These characters are there to prompt the story forward, the reason Nagisa is written into it is that she sets about the whole idealization on reviving the drama club - the main storyline of the first season, if it wasn't for Nagisa the drama club wouldn't even get a light of day ever again. Becoming a close acquaintance to Tomoya, her character is also used to bring about a change in Tomoya`s character, a catalyst to a shift in his personality if you will - setting a sudden motivation in bringing him back to school and put himself out more in terms of academic studies and extracurricular clubs.
Tomoya Okazaki - Much like Nagisa being a catalyst to being a shift in his personality, he is also a catalyst to Nagisa - he boosts her confidence enough in order to push her forward when recreating the drama club. Tomoya`s home life is meek and depressing - having to endure the daily task of stepping on eggshells around his alcoholic father and still balancing his school work, his overall view on life isn`t one to be idolized. His purpose as a character is to be a supportive member towards Nagisa and helping her bring the drama club back into the school - in the process of this, he forms a handful of new relationships with Kyou, Ryou Kotomi, and Fuko. Tomoya`s development isn`t very significant until towards the end of season one, in which he becomes more outgoing and content with his choices with the help of Nagisa.
With the remainder of the characters, in the first season, their purpose is to only provide a backstory to the two main protagonists - Nagisa and Tomoya. The odd moment prompting the progression of the story forward so we as the viewer aren`t stuck at a certain part of the story for too long. For example, Youhei is the main individual who other than Nagisa provides a sense of development for Tomoya. Truly, I believe that Youhei`s character is there for the comedic relief side of things, whilst Tomoyo, Kyou, and Ryou are there to build up the school group and bring to life the blossoming connection between Nagisa and Tomoya. Kotomi`s character highlights the importance of this “other world”, since her parents, who were renowned scientists who discovered this portal to the world in the first place; in the playing of the first series, this mysterious aspect isn`t all-important until the second where this topic becomes the key feature. Kotomi`s character is the only one that differs from the remainder of the group; Fuko`s character ties into her character with relation to the “other world” concept. Having been put into a coma due to a tragic accident, Fuko upon waking has obvious connections to this world.
Enjoyment - 7
Despite my rather low ranking, I did thoroughly enjoy the series, it was something different to watch whilst in the progress of Death Note. Other than my occasional attention drawing away from the show, I enjoyed how relatable it was as I`m of school-age myself. The characters were likable and the simple storyline was entertaining alongside it.
Overall Review - 7
In conclusion, would I recommend Clannad? To put it bluntly, yes. It is a simple enough storyline to follow along with, and something I would suggest watching before you become invested in Clannad: After Story. In that way, you would gain the full experience which the show has to offer.
Thank you for taking the time to read my review.
LAUREN
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Apr 3, 2021
Barakamon Review
Initial Thoughts: the whole emphasis of Barakamon is a light-hearted, slice of life and simplistic series built up of twelve episodes. Despite there being a lack of the main storyline that prompts any serious characterization and development, it was an entertaining watch, to say the least.
Story - 7
As a brief synopsis of this series, it follows the key protagonist Seishuu Handa, a master in the art of calligraphy. Having been sent to a small and isolated island in the hopes of regaining any inspiration for future works, he meets some local villagers that soon become his closest friends - mainly the seven-year-old
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youth, Naru Kotoishi. Though I did enjoy the simple gist of the story, not having to pay too much attention to it in order to keep up with the events that are shown, I still wished for something more which provided some sort of development for the characters written. It is a suitable fit if you`re looking for a series in which you can play in the background or something that is extremely short and sweet.
Art - 8
The animation, character designs, and overall creation in this department are what gave it an eight in terms of ranking. The show`s bright colors and enhanced style are what give the show the unembellished ambiance, the designs for the characters were clearly thought out to match their personality and their downright character as a whole. For the entirety of the show, the animation remained the same, it ran smoothly and focused more on the intricate details of the world-building, giving an insight to the watchers the landscape, and locations that are on the island. Of course, like any other show, Barakamon has specific set locations which are shown every episode - such as Seishuu`s home or the local shop. Along with the main sets, you also are witness to a handful of other areas in which the characters hold specialized events or gatherings - for example, the beach and harbor. In short, the whole art department for this series does not disappoint.
Sound - 8
Much like the creative side of things, the sound department is not low in quality. The voice actors did a striking job in getting their works completed, having watched Barakamon in sub for the first time - it was nice to hear some familiar voices, Seishuu sharing the same voice actor as one of my particular favorite anime characters - Erwin Smith. Other than that, the voices were fitting to the characters, none were seen as casted poorly as they all brought to life the characters they were given. Unlike the voice acting, the music didn't particularly stick with me as it does other animes; obviously, the show's focus wasn't on creating a masterpiece with a range of OST`s, they just wanted to create a light-hearted comedy - in which they did very well. Though the opening and closing songs matched the theme of the show very well, in particular, the relationship between Seishuu and Naru, other than those two factors the sound department only gained such a high ranking due to the voice acting topic.
Character - 7
This section however is where the show lacks in, for the whole base of characters in Barakamon there is no characterization and certainly no development that follows behind. The ounce of character development we do get on the other hand is from Seishuu, at the start being an isolated and lethargic young man, to the end finding peace in his works through the discovery of his new home on the island. Aside from that singular piece of development there, it is otherwise nonexistent. However, if it was any other opposing show such as “Banana Fish” or “Attack on Titan” where the story needed character development in order to create something which lingers over you and to progress the story on. With Barakamon being the show it is, it doesn`t need to rely too much on terms of character development. Though with the small percentage of any characterization, the characters are well written and genuinely likable - there wasn't one I could pinpoint with their faults as they were all diverse in terms of their personality.
Enjoyment - 7
Maybe one day I`ll consider giving Barakamon a rewatch, as I know that it is an adaption from the manga - so, through the reading of the manga it might increase in its overall ranking. Do not let my ranking deceive you, the show as a whole is an enjoyable watch which occasionally brought a smile to my face due to its humorous take in some episodes.
Overall Review - 7
In closing, Barakmon was an entertaining watch that provided the odd laugh with its bittersweet ending in tow. I highly recommend it if you`re looking for an extremely short show which is very underrated and isn`t thrown around. All in all, I do hope you take into consideration the whole basis of watching the show.
Thank you for taking the time to read my review, stay safe! :)
LAUREN
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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