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Dec 8, 2017
A woman walks into the convenience store wearing a plain jacket and blue sweatpants. She has dark circles under her eyes and her dark purple hair looks like it hasn’t been combed in a week. She grabs two beers in the drink section and walks over quietly to the gift card area, making sure that she doesn’t bump into someone along the way, and picks up a prepaid game card for an MMO. She leaves quietly but always comes back.
This woman is Morioka Moriko, a thirty-old-year shut in.
At first glance Net juu no Susume seems like a mediocre show, and I wouldn’t blame anyone
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who did think that way. The Mmo aspect is not fleshed out, the plot features a mountain of coincidences, and nothing really seems to stand out. Yet I think this is possibly one of the best shows this season, for the one thing that Net Juu does extremely well.
It’s unwavering focus on our main character
The reason why Moriko is such an endearing character is because unlike other shows that will straight will either shoehorn in a tragic backstory or completely ignore it afterward, we see the aftermath of Moriko’s unemployment through her mental state. From the million apologies that she makes to her despairing image of herself, we can see the toll that her previous job and current unemployment has taken on her simply through how she interacts with others and how she acts alone. It’s these small details like her rubbing the floor with a lint roller whenever she feels happy or nervous that really makes the character feel closer to us. These details sell the viewers on the character.
Things brings me to the second thing that Net Juu does well, crafting a believable adult setting. Unlike the adolescent driven hot headed edgy High School students that you see in 90% of other anime, we finally get to have level headed adults for once. Going off of this the dialogue in this show is done very well. Characters are much more formal when talking with others. It was honestly refreshing to see a social recluse that doesn’t automatically start blaming the world for her own problems.
I do think the best part of this setting is that it allows for this story of an office woman who quit her stressful job to become a NEET. There is far too few anime that are told from the point of view of an adult, even less that comment on the stressful environment of the workforce in Japan. Even though this wasn’t especially fleshed out, I really enjoyed the backstory of Moriko, and I can only hope that future shows will also try to convey similar themes in their stories rather than just focusing on an overdone High School Setting.
While Moriko is fleshed out as a character, the same can’t be said for the other characters. The characters that Moriko plays MMO’s with, while interesting, aren’t very developed and mainly serve as side characters that she interacts with when she is playing. Yuuta himself also feels a little flat, not being given enough screen time for his problems to really stand out.
People who were planning on watching the show for the MMO aspect may be sorely disappointed to know that the MMO world takes a backseat to give more time to romance. Unlike some other people, I don’t think this is a bad thing. The MMO setting of the story mainly serves as a hub for character interaction and a setting made for the main plot, and with ten episodes it would have been nigh impossible to flesh out a real MMO game without hindering the story itself.
I do think that the way the MMO was drawn was very nice. The colors of the MMO world are vibrant, and there are small details here and there that makes it so the world looks interesting. While the mechanics of the MMO are not fleshed out, I think the world was unique enough that it doesn’t bring down the rest of the show at all. On the topic of art, one thing that Net Juu does very well is it uses chibi art design very well. The chibi scenes are all very expressive and are well timed to add to the comedic parts of the show.
Net Juu is a simple show, but unlike many other shows, it knows what it wants to do and it does it extremely well. While there are many small things that I wished it would touch on a little more I think Net Juu no Susume is an enjoyable adult-romance that will make your tiring day a little better. It’s nothing exceptional, but you know what, it will do.
Oh, and Lily is cute af.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Sep 18, 2016
Every once in a while, a show comes around and takes the anime community by the storm. Forums end up being filled with reactions, and comments talking endlessly about the most recent episode. Images of best girl pops up everywhere. In other words, the show becomes hyped as hell. Some of these shows are actually good while others range from terrible to the mediocre. But through my poorly written intro, the question remains. Is Re:Zero worth the hype?
No, no it isn't.
The story of Re:Zero revolves around Natsuki Subaru. An Otaku/shut in who gets transported magically into this fantastical new world filled with dragons, cat
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woman, and basically everything that an otaku could wish for. He ends up getting saved from a bunch of robbers from this mysterious girl and aids her in finding something that is important to her.
And thus starts Subaru's journey through a living hell.
Probably what has made this anime so popular in the first place is the amount of gruesome deaths that occur, and although I do agree that this gruesome approach to the show is its selling point, it’s also one of the main flaws of the show.
You see, I can appreciate well displayed deaths, but Re:Zero goes out of its way to make most of its deaths as tragic as possible. That’s not to say that tragic deaths are inherently bad, but rather Re:Zero tries to do this too damn much. I’ll admit I did in fact enjoy some of these scenes, but when this happens over and over again I can’t help but feel that the show is just trying too hard to get some emotion out of its audience. It tries so hard to feed the audience with these deaths, these tragedies, that by the end of it I mostly became apathetic to any suffering that Subaru would experience.
The other problem that I have with this show is that the arcs feel a bit fragmented from each other. Throughout the show it never felt like each arc was an actual progression, but rather separate stories that don’t help with the main plot. I found myself having to consciously remember why the characters were doing this sometimes because the show is so loosely constructed.
The characters in the show are a mixed bag. Many of the characters like Emilia who seem to have a prominent role in the story at first end up being shafted to being side characters so that the show could introduce more characters. Other characters like Rem seem to have a more withstanding impact in the story but it seems that Re; Zero favors switching the main characters for each arc. The problem with this is that any other character excluding Subaru seem to just fade out of relevance, and at the very end it had me questioning whether they were that important to the story in the first place.
Speaking of Subaru, the problems that I have with him isn’t that he makes the most idiotic decisions, and ends up hurting the people around him. But rather I have a very hard time trying to figure out what this character exactly is, because he is so inconsistent as a character.
At first I really liked Subaru. He was this smart person who used his brain rather than strength to solve his problems, which was a breath of fresh air. Afterwards we see his flaws show up, as well as his obsession with being the knight in shining armor. We see him fall and break, his resolve shattered. But then after a certain event, he does a complete 180, completely overcomes his trauma, and turns into this badass hero.
What?
It isn’t just Subaru though; the quality of the plot as a whole drops rather significantly after the start of the Whale Arc. The foundation that Re:Zero built for itself is trashed completely in favor of boring side character development, terrible pacing, mediocre screenwriting (I guess the screenwriting was always mediocre though), and the feeling that the show has lost sight of its original purpose.
The animation of the show is mostly inconsistent. The show looks really good in the first half, but the quality does drop a bit probably due to budget reasons. Nothing that makes the show unwatchable but it does hinder my experience a little. A good example is the CGI used in the show. It sticks out like a sore thumb and I wished the studio made a better effort trying to hide this. One thing that the show does extremely well though is character expressions. Whether Subaru is filled with grief, absolutely mad, or broken. His facial expressions express his suffering perfectly, with expressions ranging from uncomforting to absolutely grotesque.
Music on the other hand was a bit better. The OP’s are decent. I’m not a particular fan of them but I know many people that are. I especially liked the Ed’s though, especially “Stay Alive.” It fit the show perfectly and I would find myself listening to it for days. The soundtracks are pretty nice too. The composer has a good grasp of adding tension and an ominous air into his tracks.
I guess I’ll end this show with a small disclaimer. I don’t hate this show. I actually enjoyed this show a decent amount, and it has moments of greatness. But the lack of direction, confusing character development, poor pacing, and quality drop really dampens the experience. Re:Zero is a show that didn’t make me think of how good it was, but rather how good it could have been.
Re:Zero aims high, but falls short of being a great show.
(Btw, I don’t care what you all say. Felis is best girl)
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Mar 16, 2016
Are you tired of watching the same TV tropes being used over and over with barely any change whatsoever? Angry from watching the seemingly infinite amount of uninspiring harems that flood the new seasons? Bored from watching spineless protagonists that have as much personality as a 2D cardboard cutout? Well then my friend, KonoSuba is the show for you!
The story follows Satou Kazuma, an Otaku and gamer who dies trying to save a girl. He ends up in front of a rude goddess called Aqua who gives him the choice between going to heaven or going into
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a MMO like world filled with adventures and stuff. Of course our protagonist chooses the latter and Blah Blah, you know what happens.
Now you might start shaking your head and giving me a weird look, and I don’t blame you. The concept of an otaku shut-in being transported into a magical world is a concept that makes me want to slam my head in the wall. The cover of the show with three rather attractive ladies and an average looking protagonist in the back is probably enough to steer many people away. But there is a legitimate reason for this. KonoSuba is a parody of these clichés that it portrays. Much of the humor in KonoSuba is based on using our expectations of what happens based on the tropes that it contains and defying those expectations completely in hilarious ways.
And that is probably a big part of the reason why KonoSuba is so enjoyable. It never takes itself seriously. You know those shows that start off great but end up having those really sad and melodramatic parts that just end up leaving a bad taste in your mouth? Well KonoSuba has none of that. KonoSuba recognizes that it’s a silly show, and instead of trying to add anything unnecessary. It plays to its strength. Which is to be as outrageously silly as possible.
Speaking of being truly, truly, outrageous, (wink) let’s talk about our cast of characters here. You have Aqua, a rude goddess that is forced to join Kazuma in his quest to defeat the Demon King. Megumin, an arch wizard who channels the power of one of the strongest magical spells in the game, Darkness, a crusader who can help you tank all of the damage coming, and Kazuma, your normal adventurer.
But how is this outrageous? The cast seems pretty normal right? Well what if I said that instead of being this smart, prideful tsundere Aqua is actually a nice but dense girl who always manages to fuck everything up in one way or another? Or what about our adorable chuunibyou arch wizard Megumin, who can only cast “Explosion” magic once a day and ends up being unable to move a muscle after? Don’t forget our valiant crusader, a complete masochist who charges to the front line to get hit and harassed as much as she can. You get what I mean.
Surprisingly though, this oddball cast really works great together. Whether it’s the hilarious antics that are set up, or just the chemistry between the characters. The relationship between the cast just feels natural and there isn’t any forced progression anywhere. No hint of any of the girls inexplicably falling in love with Kazuma. You might realize that I didn’t talk about Kazuma much but he is definitely a refreshing male lead to watch. Except it’s not because he’s crazy but because he actually acts like an actual rational human being. Risking your life to beat the Demon King? Fuck that I just want enough money to live a comfortable life. Having a convenient lie to cover yourself up from something embarrasing? Don’t mind if I do.
The animation of this show is quite interesting to say the least. On one hand you have scenes that are drawn with great care, and on the other you have many crudely drawn scenes. Very strangely though, I didn’t really find those scenes to hinder my enjoyment of the show and in some cases I felt like it fit in with the show fine. Hell, KonoSuba might actually be poking fun at other shows that have beautifully designed characters. Considering the amount of things KonoSuba pokes fun at. I wouldn’t be surprised.
The most prominent part of the art though is definitely the facial expressions. I’ll say this right now. KonoSuba has some of the most hilarious expressions that I have ever seen in anime. From the mischievous expressions from Aqua to the nervous expressions of Kazuma. These expressions really bring the show to life and serve to make the show much funnier than normal. I’m being serious here. If KonoSuba had average facial expressions. The show wouldn’t be half as good as it is now.
The music was fine for the most part. The soundtrack doesn’t really stand out and that’s fine. You don’t need Jun Maeda levels of tracks for a show like this. The opening is pretty upbeat and I actually had a good time with it, actually choosing not to skip it. The ending is this calm, soothing song helmed by the girls in the cast. I also really liked it for some inexplicable reason.
KonoSuba isn’t really anything revolutionary and its mostly just there for laughs. But KonoSuba excels so much in comedy that I really did find the need to write a review for it so people don’t miss this gem. Trust me, if you are tired of many of the tropes that you see in anime and adventure shows then chances are you’ll fit right in with KonoSuba. So what are you waiting for? Tired after a long day of work? Frustrated from homework that you have to finish? Pop up an episode of KonoSuba, and proceed to laugh your ass off.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Dec 25, 2015
If you haven’t guessed this already. Gochi Usa is by no means an extraordinary show. It is in a sense just another show about cute girls doing cute things. It is not anything revolutionary nor does it seek to add a story within it, but if there is one thing that I can give GochiUsa credit for it’s the ability for the show to relieve me of my stress and put a stupid smile on my face at the end of each episode. And you know what? That’s good enough reason for me to like this show.
The story continues the daily life of Cocoa and
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the others at the Rabbit House Café as they go through with their lives. Honestly speaking trying to find a story in GochiUsa is like trying to find a good plot in porn. Gochi Usa's main selling point is it's cute characters and its abundance of moe moments, and I don't see why there are people who watch this show expecting something else and hating on it when they fail to find whatever they are looking for. Gochi Usa doesn't have an actual plot. The characters don't have much depth to them. The show doesn't really add anything to the formula that has become commonplace for most shows about cute girls doing cute things, but what Gochi Usa does do it does beautifully, and that is being fucking adorable.
There is another thing that Gochi Usa did surprisingly well though, and that is it's soundtrack. Frankly speaking, the soundtracks in GochiUsa are simply beautitful. There is quite the variety of tracks used in the show, and every track fits each scene like a glove. There are also quite alot of instruments used in the show, ranging from the clarinet to the xylophone. Kawada Ruka is very underrated as a composer, and I would love to see more tracks from her in the future. The opening and the ending are both pleasing to the ears for the most part. Not anything special but it warrants a mention.
On the other hand, the animation for the show is mostly standard. The animation isn't the show's strongest suit, but the show makes up for it with vibrant colors, and well drawn backgrounds. The character design isn't anything special but it does the job well. The main characters in the show look absolutely adorable, so I guess the character designers have done their job right.
The characters are more and less the same as last season, excluding some minimal development between the characters. By themselves the characters aren't very interesting but thankfully GochiUsa does a great job in character interaction. Watching the characters mess around with each other during their daily lives is quite hilarious and also heartwarming at times. There was a new character that was introduced this season though, and that is Cocoa's older sister Moka. A character that, although interesting, doesn't stay long enough in the show to actually be that memorable.
I'll be honest with you, GochiUsa isn't anything special. It doesn't really try anything new nor does it try to break any boundaries within it's genre, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the show is bad. What many people fail to realize that a show doesn't necessarily have to be ambitious nor deep to be enjoyable. Sometimes something as simple as GochiUsa is more than enough to calm me down after a rough day and make me feel all warm inside.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jul 31, 2015
As a person who has had his fair share of pointless Moe blob shows I admit that my initial impression of Sound! Euphonium wasn't the best. In all honesty, The moment I saw the cover of the show I dismissed it as another Moe blob show and skipped it without much thought, and It was only through high ratings and numerous recommendations that I decided I would give it a chance. But even then I wasn't convinced. I went into the first episode with a face of disdain. Only to watch further and further until I realized how terribly wrong I was. Sound! Euphonium gave
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me a slap in the face and made me realize how shallow I have become. I shall never judge a book by it's cover again.
The story follows Oumae Kumiko, a former Euphonium player who looks to change her life as a High School Freshman. Ironically although she wants to avoid the High School Brass Band she gets pulled into joining along with her two new friends, and there she accidentally meets her former bandmate Kousaka Reina. A girl she accidentally insulted in junior high.
The story itself is pretty simple and isn't very original.If that's the case then what exactly is so good about this show? One of the reasons is because of Euphonium's representation of youth. Sure Euphonium is a show about music. The show is centered around music. But even more than that Euphonium is a show about hardships, ambition, frustration, friendships,life. Euphonium is just so much more than an anime about music.
That doesn't mean the music is overlooked or anything. On the contrary the music in Euphonium is absolutely spectacular. The band pieces that the club plays sounds exactly like an actual brass band. When I say that I am not only talking about the good pieces but also the bad pieces in the beginning of the show. The band sounds very much like an actual High School Band and I definitely appreciate that.The soundtrack apart from the actual music pieces are also quite varied and all fit the mood quite well.
As a show created by KyoAni you would normally expect the usual eyegasm inducing animation that the studio has become commonly known for. Well let me tell you Euphonium takes Kyoani's standards and puts it on a whole new level.I am not kidding at all.The amount of detail from the fingerings of the instruments,character expressions,backgrounds,etc are just amazing. There is also a hint of realism in the animation that fits the show just perfectly. I really couldn't do the animation justice explaining it here. You just have to go see yourself.
It's nice to see that Euphonium has a nice story, stunning animation, and beautiful sound. But that would all go to waste if the characters weren't good. Well fear not, for Euphonium's strongest aspect comes from it's characters.
You have Oumae Kumiko, A High school freshman who doesn't seem to have any special goals in her life, and wants to have a fresh start at her new school. At face value Kumiko doesn't seem very interesting, but dig a little deeper and you realize that there is so much more to Kumiko than your average female lead. Probably the most enjoyable part of her is watching her change along with her interactions with the other people in the band. Seeing her grow over the course of the show from an indecisive person who doesn't really know what to do with her life to a person who hungers to get better with her Euphonium is truly a rewarding experience.
On the other hand you have Kousaka Reina. A cold and seemingly distant trumpet player. Reina to me is a person that puzzles me constantly because it is often very hard to see what she's thinking. On the outside she has this cold demeanor but through her various interactions with Kumiko you realize that there is so much more to Reina than what you see on the surface.
Most people who has ever been in a school band can probably attest to this when I say that usually not everyone is on the same page. What I mean by this is that not everyone has the same goal in mind. Some people are in the school Band to just have fun playing their instrument while there are others who take music more seriously and want to start a career out of it. Some people are naturally better at others while there are others who drag the whole band down. It's not as simple as just putting up a goal and working towards it. Everyone has their own opinions and their own ideals. Sound! Euphonium knows this and represents this perfectly. The side characters are not just there to become background characters with little relevance, but each of them have their own personalities, their own opinions, their own motives. Probably one of the greatest examples of this would be Tanaka Asuka. An eccentric but extremely talented Euphonium player who is liked by most people. Her energetic personality and humorous demeanor makes her a very fun person to watch, but as I watched deeper and deeper I realized that there was much more to Asuka than meets the eye. Honestly speaking Asuka couldn't care less about the emotional drama that happens in the club. Asuka is always neutral. She never picks sides and always distances herself away from the drama that goes into the club. Asuka doesn't have any emotional investment whatsoever with the members. This can probably be seen best in a scene where Kumiko asks her who she thinks should be the solo, and Asuka answers frankly that she doesn't care. It's these types of differing attitudes that make the club seem like an actual school band, and not one that is conveniently made for anime.
Honestly speaking one of the reasons why I have become so attached to this show is because of the chemistry between Kumiko and Reina. At the start of the show part of the reason Kumiko didn't want to continue the Euphonium was partly because of Reina. In the beginning of the show Kumiko seems to have a really hard time understanding why other people can play with such dedication, and this is evident when Kumiko asks if Reina thought that they would actually make it to the nationals in Junior High. If anything Kumiko just seems to want fun with playing the Euphonium. She doesn't want to be so devoted playing an instrument at the beginning. Through the course of the show though Kumiko ends up finding the motivation to play from none other than Reina herself. Although they seem to be completely different from each other. They are similar in the fact that they both isolate others from getting too close to them. Reina realizes later on that Kumiko is isolated like herself and wants to become close with her, because she thinks that Kumiko might be able to understand her motivations for wanting to stand out from the others. This is what becomes the motivation for Kumiko to take playing the Euphonium seriously. After learning more about Reina's ambitions. Kumiko wants to become special to. She doesn't want to be left behind by Reina. This intimate relationship between the two characters is just absolutely beautiful.
That's not to say the show is completely devoid of any problems though. Kumiko and Reina's chemistry end up taking up too much of the spotlight which ends up making the other potential romance completely fizzle out and become something that completely gets shadowed over.This is a very minor problem but its still worth pointing out.
To say that Sound! Euphonium was surprising to me would be an understatement. It completely blew away my expectations and then some. If there was anyone who was in a similar situation like me and decided to skip this show I urge you to give this show a chance. You might be surprised to see what you find.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Mar 21, 2015
A common trend that I see around me is that many people seem to regard any show that is emotional and tear jerking "beautiful" or a "masterpiece". These people get so caught up in their "feels" that they seem to disregard all the problems that a show might have.
The proof? Your Lie in April
Your Lie in April follows Arima Kousei. A former piano prodigy who swept the competition through his flawless performances when he was a child. But when his mother dies he suffers a mental breakdown and becomes unable to hear the sound of the piano even though his hearing is completely fine.
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After that Kousei gives up the piano and lives a carefree life with his friends for two years. Now he views the world in monotone, devoid of any color. His usual life continues until one day a chance encounter in April turns his melancholic lifestyle around and changes his life forever.
The first half is pretty lighthearted for the most part. The colorful animation, unique characters and slapstick comedy really give off the feeling that it's a romantic comedy. It's only when you delve deeper into the show that you realize this isn't the case. In the second half the show becomes much darker and this is what brings me to my problem, the melodrama. For me I don't hate melodrama that much. It is an effective way of evoking emotions from the viewer, but the problem that I have with Your Lie in April is that apparently the producers thought it was a good idea to put in a dull joke in almost every sad or dramatic scene. It feels like the makers of the show thought that the melodrama would be too much for the viewers, so they decided to slide in a crappy joke to lighten up the mood. This just ruined many emotional parts of the show for me and it was pretty annoying.
One of the biggest criticisms I see with this show and agree with is the excessive use of monologues. The show has a lot of monologues, and when I mean a lot I mean every episode. Now although I personally like monologues in literature and animation Your Lie in April uses monologues so much that in many cases it becomes redundant. Is it so much to ask that you don't treat the viewers like we have no idea what the characters are feeling?
As a character driven show. You would expect a lot of depth in the characters right? Well yes and no. One thing that I really commend Your Lie in April for is Kousei's development. His growth from a depressed and melancholic kid to a person who stands up to the face of tragedy and moves on is truly rewarding. But don't expect this amount of development for the other characters. Watari gets little to no development over the course of the show. He is pretty much just a side character filling in the role of friend A (pretty ironic, isn't it?) Watari's lack of development doesn't bother me that much, but Kaori's lack of development does. In the start of the show. Kaori is shown as probably one of the most important main characters that helps Kousei get over his past trauma and help him play again. But in the second half of the show she feels like a side character whose only purpose is to move the story forward, and she only gets the development she deserves in the final episodes. This was truly disappointing for me because her character had so much potential to be great. There was one character that Your Lie In April didn't neglect though, and that's Sawabe Tsubaki. (Kousei's childhood friend) Tsubaki's constant struggle with caring for Kousei while denying her feelings for him was nice and it was very interesting to see grow through the internal struggles of her feelings.
The animation in Your Lie in April is pretty impressive. The vibrant colors and beautiful backgrounds really bring the show to life. Characters are animated with more detail than usual which might turn some people off, but I found it to make the show that much better. One thing that I really liked from Your Lie In April is the visual effects that are implemented in the emotional parts. There were definitely some effects that really intensified the whole mood, and it was absolutely beautiful. There are parts where the animation took a small dip,(Still shots, lazy animation) but all in all the animation was just stunning and I wouldn't want the show to look any other way.
Now for a show like this you would expect the music to be an integral part of this show, and Your Lie in April doesn't disappoint. The soundtrack is top notch and fits into every scene flawlessly. The musical performances were also nothing short of stunning. The first opening "Hikaru Nara" is a great opening that fits the lighthearted tone of the first half, while the second opening "Nanairo symphony" didn't seem to fit in the second half as well I had hoped but it was still a great opening nonetheless. The first ending "Kirameki" is a really nice song with a laid back tone while the second ending "Orange" has a bit more sorrowful tone to it which fit the atmosphere of the show perfectly.
I'll be honest here. I would be lying if I said I didn't like this show. I was the person that would watch the newest episode right when it came out. And in the end I guess its the reason that I really like this show that I can point out its mistakes, and take out the time to actually write a review for it. If you truly loved someone would you ignore his/her flaws and treat them as a perfect person? Of course you wouldn't. From personal enjoyment I loved Your Lie in April. I loved Kousei's performances and watching Kaori's energetic personality always brought a smile to my face, but nevertheless just because I love a show doesn't mean I ignore all the flaws with it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Dec 14, 2014
One misconception in the anime industry is that when a show is dark and contains excessive amounts of gore. Many people automatically think the show is deep and thought provoking. The problem is that many anime studios get so hung up with making the show as badass and dark as possible that they forget about the more important problems that might plague the show, like character development and pacing.
Akame Ga Kill is a great example of this problem.
The story follows Tatsumi, a countryside boy that travels to the capital to join the military and earn money to send to his village suffering from poverty.To
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him the capital is a place filled with opportunities and a happy life. But after reaching the capital he soon realizes exactly how corrupt the capital is. After certain events he is recruited by Night Raid, A group of assassins that wish to overthrow the government and end this corruption.
On the surface Akame ga Kill does seem to be different from other shounens because of it's dark theme and excessive gore. But when you look a little bit deeper Akame ga Kill is actually pretty similar to other stereotypical shounens. You have characters always blurting out the obvious. You have the naive yet strong protagonist that powers up over time. You have almost all of the female characters fall for the protagonist. Akame ga Kill tries to be different show with it's dark theme, but looking at it closer there isn't much difference.
Probably one of the more prominent problems in Akame ga Kill is the comedy. The problem isn't in the comedy itself. (Though I admit most of the humor was stale) but rather the execution. Apparently someone thought it was a good idea to slide in a petty joke in many emotional or dramatic scenes. Probably the best example of this would be a scene where Tatsumi finds out about the corruption in the capital and mourns over his loved ones that died to this corruption. This was supposed to be a very emotional scene but then Night Raid kidnaps Tatsumi and makes petty jokes along the way. It is scenes like this that make me unable to take the show very seriously.
The characters in the show are filled with problems too. Tatsumi isn't really much different from other stereotypical male leads. He's strong, kind, and has a great sense of justice. Something we see in pretty much any other male lead for a stereotypical shounen. The other characters in Night Raid don't fare much better either. You have Mine the tsundere, Bulat the "Aniki" type. Shelle the klutz, Leone the "Onee-san" type, Lubbock the perverted guy, and Akame, the cold assassin. Now considering the show has Akame's name in the title. You would expect Akame to be one of the most important characters of the show. Sadly, the only background we do get to know about Akame is her backstory. She didn't seem to have much development and emotions except for a few scenes.Almost all of the characters feel pretty one-sided and unoriginal. There are two new additions to Night Raid later on in the show. Chelsea and Susanoo. And probably out of all of the characters in Akame ga Kill, I found Chelsea to be the most memorable.Why? Because she actually feels realistic. Although Chelsea seems to be very confident and powerful. She is just like any other girl at her age. She likes to use make up, she has her own beliefs, and she felt like an actual person.
On the other side you have the Jaegars. A special squad led by General Esdeath which goal is to anhiliate Night Raid and any other group that resists against The Empire. The Jaegars seem to be an awkward bunch. You have Bols, who looks like a psychotic murderer with a mask. Kurome, who apparently loves to eat. Dr.Stylish, a crazy mad scientist. That doesn't mean there aren't normal people there. There is Wave who doesn't really have any special qualities and Run, who seems to be the calm and collected person in the group.
And then there's Seryuu...
If there was a person who could embody the word "crazy". Seryuu probably fits the word perfectly. Probably the most hated character in the entire show. Seryuu is a person who has a completely twisted view on justice. She believes that everything the empire does is right and that everyone who goes against the empire is evil. Now although she is indeed twisted as hell and it is a normal response to hate her guts. I find that she brings a different point of view to the word "justice" in the show. To her the empire is her sense of justice. This outlines the different sense of justice between the two groups and what they are fighting for. Something that the show fails to do in many other places.
The characters of Jaegar mostly seemed to be interesting to me, but lack of character development led them to be pretty underwhelming characters. An exception to this would be Esdeath. Probably the most popular character of the show. Esdeath is loved by viewers for her icy demeanor, beauty, and her love of battle. She kills only because of her lust for war and her sadistic nature. She does have a softer nature too, as can be seen when she is searching for love.
One thing that I find annoying with Akame Ga Kill is apart from the Jaegars (which mostly were pretty average). Every other villain was bland,exaggerated, and unoriginal that I couldn't help but laugh when I saw them. Most of the supporting villains are either complete psychos or are so obsessed with power that they don't even seem human. This does get better after the introduction of the Jaegars but is it really too much to ask to get a decent villain that I can take seriously?
The part that makes Akame ga Kill "different" from other average shounens is that unlike other shounens, characters die and although this is apparently what makes Akame ga Kill "special". This is exactly what makes Akame ga Kill fall short. The problem is that characters don't get nearly enough development before there death.It is usually give the character some screen time in the previous episode. Give them a flashback on there backstories, and send them off. Killing off characters isn't a bad thing at all. In fact, this is exactly what I want from shounens with main characters that either get revived or are invincible. But at least give the characters enough development to actually make the viewers feel something, or else the death scenes feel meaningless.
The first opening of Akame ga Kill "Skyreach" is pretty average to be honest. Sure it isn't bad but the song just isn't much better than other opening songs. The second opening is a big step up from the first one with the early part sounding quiet and gentle, but slowly grows into a louder song with guitars and the chorus. Which I found to be pretty fitting to the show. Both the ending songs are pretty good,both bringing contrasts to the opening with softer, smoother tunes.The soundtrack ranged from average to pretty good. The songs in the battle scenes weren't anything special but did there jobs of increasing the tension, but the the best parts are the piano tracks for the moments of death.The piano tracks were pretty simple and weren't complex at all, but the tune the tracks carried brought out the tone perfectly.
The animation is mostly pretty good.I guess the best word would probably be "efficient". Akame ga Kill looks good where it counts and it cuts back in parts that weren't that important. And I respect that. Not every anime has a gigantic budget to work on. (Unless its from KyoAni). The fight scenes looked great and although there were a few scenes that were cut back. Those scenes were mostly negligible and not very noticable.
Now it may seem like I hate the show due to all of my criticism towards the show, but on the contrary. I did enjoy the show to a certain extent. The show isn't terrible by any means, but there were just so many places where Akame ga Kill could have improved on that I find it a shame that it wasn't adapted better. That said though, this show isn't for everyone. If you don't like excessive gore and killing then feel free to steer away from the show. But if you like dark themes and don't have a problem with watching some blood. Akame ga Kill isn't a terrible choice. (Can't say its a great one though.)
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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May 22, 2014
Moderator Edit: This review may contain spoilers.
When I first saw the description for Nagi No Asukara I really didn't know what to expect. The synopsis didn't really give off much of an idea of what this show was going to be like. So thinking that Nagi no Asukara would be another cheesy romantic comedy. I began watching with low expectations. Little did I know that what I was about to watch would be one of the most enjoyable slice of life anime I have seen in a long time.
A long time ago people lived
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and flourished in the sea. But one day some of the sea people wanted to live in the land, and thus they moved to the land and away from the sea. The story revolves around 4 middle school students who are forced to attend a school on land after their school in the sea village closes. Many problems such as adapting to new environments and dificulties making friends follow.
The story presents itself as a slice of life in the beginning with the main focus on problems the main characters have on the surface. Now for some people the pacing in the first half might be a bit slow, but There is good reason for that. As a character driven anime, Nagi No Asukara has to focus on its characters a lot and flesh them out properly, and Nagi No Asukara does just that. The show uses a lot of its time developing its characters and making sure they feel more like actual people rather than flat characters that you care little about. Was it worth it? Definitely.
But don't be fooled. Nagi No Asukara doesn't always stay a fun, light slice of life. The mood changes dramatically darker in the second half. The show takes a turn from slice of life to being more dramatic, and this is where Nagi No Asukara falls short on. Many slice of life romances that try to implement drama in their plot tend to be overly melodramatic, and this also seems to be the problem with Nagi No Asukara. Nagi No Asukara's second half is chocked full of drama. From unrequited love to arguing. The show sometimes becomes quite frustrating in the dramatic parts. Many parts felt uncomfortably lengthened because of the melodrama and how the characters are so unwilling to talk and make up after an argument. Now although to me this wasn't a major problem. It still dampened from the experience as a whole.
Story isn't the only thing Nagi No Asukara focuses on.The animation of Nagi No Asukara is top-notch, with animation that rivals even The big studios like Kyoto animation The show looks absolutely gorgeous. The backgrounds were created with such detail that it felt like I was watching an art gallery. Character designs were also very appealing and detailed. Seriously, Nagi No Asukara's art is definitely some of the best I've ever seen in the anime industry. I'm not exaggerating at all.
The sound of Nagi no Asukara is also paid much attention on. "lull ~Soshite Bokura wa~" by Ray is a great first opening that fits the slice of life aspect of the show perfectly. The second opening "ebb and flow" also by Ray has a more serious tone to it and is also a great song to listen to. ( I have already listened to it 20 times). The soundtrack also doesn't disappoint. Pretty much every track and tune fits the mood well. Nagi no Yanagi also does a great job on the ending song.The first ending song "Aqua Terrarium", is a calming song that fits the show very well. The second ending song "Mitsuba no Musubime" is also a very good song that fits with the second half very well.
As a character driven show, the characters are the aspects that make or break the series, and I can honestly say that Nagi No Asukara has quite the cast. The main cast consists of 5 characters. The crybaby Manaka Mukaido, the hotheaded Hikari Sakishima, the calm and collected Kihara Tsumugu, beautiful and caring Hiradaira Chisaki, and the handsome Isaki Kaname. Now at first the characters felt very stereotypical. Hikari is the main character that gets mad at many things and gets the viewers pissed off because of how much a jerk he can be. Manaka felt like those characters that were made to be cute and cater to the audience. Tsumugu was the smart one in the show that would preach life lessons to the other characters. Kaname was the handsome guy, and Chisaki is that kind girl who also joins in on the love triangle. As you can see. The cast doesn't seem to be very likable or original in the beginning. What P.A works does an extraordinary job on though, is putting a serious amount of depth to the characters and developing them immensely over the course of the show.The characters develop dramatically and feel way more alive throughout the show. As you get to learn more about the characters through the show. You end up feeling way more connected to the characters.They turn into characters that you actually care about. Not second dimensional characters that you forget about in a few weeks, but characters that really make an impression on you.But that's not the end. There are two more main characters added through the show. Shiodome Miuna and Sayu Hisanuma. Although they only receive development in later parts of the show. They recieve a lot of development through the series and although they might not get as much depth as the other characters. I ended up caring for them just as much as the main cast.Another very interesting part of the show is that Nagi No Asukara has one of the biggest and most complicated love webs I have seen in a while. Almost every important character in the show loves someone else. And watching this web unfold was truly an enjoyable experience. As I watched the characters grow up and see how they coped with their unrequited love. I began to root for their happiness from the bottoms of my heart. The characters truly made an impact to me, and it was a bit sad for me to finish the show.
Nagi No Asukara isn't for everyone. It's slow pacing in the beginning and it's focus on the characters are enough to scare off people who have little patience and want immediate action . But for people who are patient enough. Nagi no Asukara is a show that will deliver. With its beautiful atmosphere, great characters, and a very interesting story. Nagi No Asukara is that gem in the rough that should definitely be watched by fans of romance and slice of life.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jan 29, 2014
"No amount of great animation will save a bad story."-John Lasseter
When news came out that Kyoto Animation was going to make a supernatural anime me like many others were surprised and excited. A supernatural show with great animation made by one of the most popular anime studios in japan? What could possibly go wrong with Kyoukai No Kanata? Almost everything,apparently.
The story is set in a fictional world where Supernatural creatures called Youmu exist. Youmu come in various shapes and sizes. Although most Youmu are harmless. Some could be hostile and dangerous. To stop these Youmu from harming
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humans there exists spirit world warriors, warriors with special powers who kill dangerous Youmu and keep balance to the world. The story revolves around Half youmu, Akihiro Kanbaru who saves a girl named Kuriyama Mirai, a spirit world warrior with the power to control her blood.
Sounds promising right? What went wrong? The first problem with Kyoukai No Kanata is its lack of direction. Kyoukai No Kanata is supposed to be a dark fantasy. But as the show progresses to the middle the show feels like more like a slice of life with a bit of comedy than a dark anime. The biggest offense is the idol episode. An episode that is pretty much a fan pandering episode in an attempt to boost sales. That may have boosted sales. But after that episode I really couldn't take this anime seriously anymore.
Apart from that there are also other problems with the story. But alot of times there is alot of unneccesary humor. I mean, a few laughs here and there are fine but too much just kills the atmosphere of the show. And it would have helped if the comedy was actually funny. But most of the comedy came up at the wrong time and felt forced.
The characters aren't much better either. There are 4 main characters of the show. Kanbaru Akihito, Kuriyama Mirai, Nase Mitsuki, and Nase Hiroomi. Kyoto Animations signature character designs look great. Mirai looks as cute as ever with her glasses and the others looked quite nice too. But looking deeper into them. They all feel one sided. Aside from her moe character design and clumsy personality there really isn't much to her. She doesn't do anything to stand out and I really couldn't relate to her at all. Akihito isn't good either. His glasses obsession is really annoying and pretty much the only thing that makes him different from other characters. The chemistry between them is also pretty lacking and one can only wonder if Akihito actually likes Mirai for her or for her glasses. The Nase siblings aren't remotely interesting either. So excuse me for not writing about them because there really isn't much to write about.
On a brighter note the Animation is quite detailed which is quite expected from Kyoto Animation. The backgrounds are all done beautifully. Character designs all looked great. The action scenes were also done nicely. But one small thing that I noticed is that Kyoto Animation is still slightly inexperienced in battle scenes. Although most of the movements were fluid some of the camera angles felt a bit awkward. This doesn't detract too much from the whole experience but I can't help think that with that amount of budget the battle scenes could have looked better.
The sound is also very good. Minori Chihara brings off an outstanding opening "Kyoukai No Kanata". An opening that fit with the show quite well. The ending song "Daisy" is also a very nice song done by Stereo Dive Foundation. The soundtrack also fit the show well. Everything from the action scenes to the comedy scenes were all fit with nice pieces. If only the story was as good as the sound...
Kyoukai No Kanata was a major disappointment for me. Not because of how bad it was. But because of what it could have been. Kyoukai No Kanata had alot of potential. But bad execution and bland characters stopped it from becoming something truly special.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Dec 9, 2013
The slice of life genre was a captivating one. Having the ability to soothe the viewer. To give them that warm feeling inside. It was beautiful. But now slice of life is filled with big eyed, blob faced, cute girls. In other words, moe. If you don't know what moe is to put it simply its cute girls who do cute things. Although cute girls doing cute things isn't necessarily bad. Most lack a good story, meaningful characters,or both. In other words anime studios are focusing too much on making the show cute rather than focusing on the quality of
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the show itself.Sadly, these kinds of anime have slowly been increasing with each coming year. But among this moe epidemic. There are a few animes that rise above this trend and become a glint of hope for this dying genre.
Non Non Biyori is one of these animes.
The story is about a school in the countryside with only four students. All from different grades ranging from first to ninth. One day a transfer student called Hotaru Ichijou from Tokyo transfers to this school because of his father's job. The anime revolves around these girls and their life in the countryside.
The story runs out like other schoolgirl animes. It's episodic. But what makes this anime special is that every episode is skillfully crafted with great care to soothe the viewer and give the viewer a happy grin every episode. Almost every episode is realistic so there are many episodes where the viewer can relate to the show. Ever tried to hide a bad test score from your mom? or run away from your mom only to come back later? If you have then you will feel right at home with Non Non Biyori. Every episode is a beautiful adventure in itself. From playing ball on recess to making a cultural festival for less than five people. Every episode is fun, soothing, and a joy to watch.
One look at Non Non Biyori and you know that silver link has put a lot of money into this anime. Movements are fluid. Designs are great, but what makes the art truly stand out is the background. The countryside is animated beautifully. The backgrounds feel alive. Everything from the trees to leaves falling. Even a river flowing is made with such detail. It's like the cross between art and realism. It's absolutely breathtaking.
The sound is (for a lack of a better term.) Just beautiful. Nano.Ripe brings us "A rainbow colored day". A great opening that fits this anime perfectly. The soundtrack is also something to listen to. Every track fits every scene accurately. The piano tracks are truly something captivating, and certain instruments like the harmonica are used to give the viewer that countryside feel. The ending song doesn't have the same quality as the opening and the soundtrack but I warmed up to it after a few episodes.
The story, animation, and the sound in Non Non Biyori are all beautiful, but what propels Non Non Biyori to be truly special is the characters. The main cast of Non Non Biyori consists of 4 characters. Komari Koshigaya, Natsume Koshigaya, Hotaru Ichijou and Renge Miyauchi. Komari is an eighth grader who is very self conscious about her small and short body. Because fo this she tries to act grown up, usually without success. Then you have Komari's younger sister Natsume Koshigaya. A seventh grader who hates studying and likes to play. She's untidy, lazy, and her grades are terrible. She usually sees Komari as a younger sister than an older one because of her small body. Then you have Renge Chan. A talented and eccentric first grader. Although she usually acts like a typicall first grader. Ther are some parts that show off her talents and her eccentric parts. Words really can't describe her accurately. You just have to watch the anime for yourself. And last but not least you have Hotaru Ichijou. A fifth grade transfer student from Tokyo who is physically mature for her age.( Guys, you know what I mean.) She is polite and overal a nice person. But the twist is that she has a crush on Komari. Which is a basis for some of the comedy in Non Non Biyori.
One very interesting thing about Non Non Biyori is how it develops its characters. Now at face value these characters may seem somewhat stereotypical. But one thing that I really have to give Non Non Biyori credit for is its focus on fleshing out the characters. In every episode. You get to know more about the characters and they feel more and more alive and real as you get to know more about them and their interests, hobbies, and points of views. Their character designs may be cute, but Non Non Biyori doesn't rely on that to make characters endearing. It relies on fleshing out the character and making them have depth. I felt like I was with them right there. It is something that many anime fail to do, and it is truly stunning.
Non Non Biyori is definitely a beautifully crafted piece of art that should be viewed by not just fans of slice of life but fans of anime in general. So what are you waiting for? Hurry up and experience the soothing experience known as Non Non Biyori.
You know that an anime is good when every episode makes you grin uncontrollably and gives you that warm feeling inside, and Non Non Biyori does exactly that.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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