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Feb 2, 2021
This is a long ass review, i suggest reading this only if you are extremely interested in what a random 15 yr old has to say about this show.
I will preface this review by saying Kuuchuu Buranko is not for everyone. Especially for those newer to the anime genre, the style and content of this show can seem quite jarring and intimidating, not to mention difficult to understand. I myself tend to dislike watching psychological anime which require more thinking and thoughtfulness to be enjoyed than your average adventure or slice of life, simply because I dislike being confused. If you aren't prepared to
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make an effort to process and understand the things that aren't clearly laid out in front of you, I recommend you stay away from kuuchuu Buranko until you are ready to do so.
From a surface level standpoint, Kuuchuu Buranko appears to be an incoherent, all over the place show with an absence of any substantial plot and a strange art style (with the notable inclusion of live action actors for each character) but in the end that is what drew me to it. It was refreshing; it was doing something that I had never seen an anime do before and it was damn intriguing. I wanted to know more. I wanted to understand it. Most anime that confuse me to this point make me turn away from the frustration of not getting it, but Kuuchuu Buranko did the opposite. It made me want to put in the effort to see the story it was trying to tell, and once I did, the experience that I gained from this show was one like no other.
Taking place over the week leading up to Christmas, the story follows the strange Dr. Irabu and his sexy assistant nurse Mayumi as they help guide their patients to understanding themselves and overcoming mental illness. Every episode focuses on a new member of the expansive cast of beautifully written characters this show has to offer, each demonstrating a very realistic view on a different mental illness and the steps needed to recover from it. Every character feels so real and human that you cant help but start to empathize with them as if they were real people, perhaps even seeing yourself within them at times. They are each full of their own unique personality and flaws, which over the course of just one 20 minute episode you see explored and developed to a fulfilling extent, hell there's more growth demonstrated in these single episodes than there is in some entire anime series.
Although sometimes exaggerated, the struggles that each these characters face perfectly illustrates the real life toll that mental illness takes on people. While exploring ideas such as OCD, anxiety, ADHD, extreme phobia, PTSD, intrusive thoughts, narcissism, and many more, Kuuchuu Buranko is able to tell the story of the journey to recovery through acceptance and self reflection, all while being full of funny and exiting moments. It is truly fun to watch as each character, while leading their own separate lives, all intertwine with each other as the series goes on, completely unaware of the struggles the other person is also facing at the same time.
While all the patients are extremely interesting and well written, the most intriguing character is the star of the show himself, Dr. Ibaru. Exhibiting three different personalities with their own unique design and purpose, Irabu is the only character which doesn't follow the same rules and logic as the others. He is meant to be the least human out of all of them, with no live action actor and the ability to seemingly be everywhere at once, as well as being able to change the way others perceive him at will. His sharp disconnect from the reality that exists within the show serves to present him as an alien entity as he guides his patients along on their journey of healing and self discovery in a roundabout and laid back way, while never actually administering straight forward cure. This is not to far from the reality of psychological treatment, where the end result of recovery comes from within the patient themselves and their willingness to put in the effort needed to change, with outside help only being able to do so much.
Serving as a beautiful contrast to Irabu is his assistant Mayumi, who at first seems to be nothing but a tool for fan service, standing out by appearing pretty much exclusively in life action format. However, as the series goes on she ends up seeming the most human of all. With the very few moments of character we see Mayumi show, she is able cement herself as the one most grounded in reality, whereas we first perceived her as the one most far removed from it. She shows kindness and compassion as she helps the patients in her own way from the background, with rare moments of caring words and actions. Her character compliments the indifferent and sometimes harsh Dr. Irabu in such a lovely way, and the together two makeup a duo which I could analyze for hours.
To conclude my thoughts, if you are a fan of psychological anime and looking for something refreshing and thought provoking, Kuuchuu Buranko is a masterful piece of media that in only 11 episodes teaches many lessons and tells many stories, that is if you're willing to put in the effort to see them. There are an endless amount of things to think about and analyze within this show, (many of which I didn't have a chance to mention in this review) that after finishing it the first time I immediately went back and watched it again in order to find answers to my lingering questions. Whether you wish to watch it as a crazy acid trip that throws your brain through a loop or as a beautiful story full of self discovery and healing, it is a truly fun experience to try and figure out what lies behind the madness, which is what I believe makes Kuuchuu Buranko a real piece of art.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jan 19, 2021
I believe Cardcaptor Sakura to be one of the best magical girl type shoujo anime out there.
Now as someone who doesn't really watch much of this genre I don't have a lot to compare CCS to, but that is because frankly most anime like this doesn't interest me that much. I often find myself bored by what feels like the same unrealistic romance tropes portrayed in magical girl shoujo, the classic girl meets boy and immediately falls in love after some heroic type antics. Don't get me wrong, classic idealized romance can be enjoyable from time to time, but in a long series of
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over 40 episodes or so the constant fawning over each other can get repetitive. The ability to stray away from this overused trope is what I believe makes Cardcaptor Sakura worthy of high praise.
The relationships between all the characters in CCS progress so naturally and fluidly throughout the show, that by the end I felt much more fulfilled in terms of how the characters relationships had grown and matured than I have from any other romance anime, specifically in the relationship between Sakura and Shaoran.
Starting off early in the series, Shaoran is introduced as Sakura's rival, competing with her in the quest to collect all the Clow Cards. Now if we were taking the route that most shoujo seems to go in, they would fall for one another after a few episodes and spend the rest of the series blushing around each other as they fall head over heels in love. But that isn't what happens. The two start off as rivals not only in card collecting, but also in the game of love, when Shaoran develops a crush on Yukito, the boy Sakura has already set her heart on. What results is a heartwarming rivalry-turned-friendship between two kids struggling to understand their feelings of what love truly is. The transition between rivals to friends is so seamless, that you don't even notice it happening, and by the time you do, another development is beginning to blossom. The heartfelt yet realistic transition from friends to lovers.
As the series go on, you notice the two start to develop feelings for each other, even in the smallest of ways. The blooming of young romance is portrayed in such a realistic and lovely way, that one cant help but smile at every little kindness the two show each other, as the growth is so much more meaningful than a relationship in which one or even both the parties involved are in love with the other from the start. Even though the romance isn't portrayed in the typical flashy and exciting way, it is in my opinion more fulfilling than those that are, since it feels so personal and real. Watching these two kids slowly fall for each other is truly an endearing experience, and I wouldn't change a thing about it.
Another thing I believe CCS deserves high praise for is the normalization of homosexual relationships exhibited in the show. Instead of portraying these feelings in a taboo or fetishy way, they are portrayed as normal, and not treated any differently than if these feelings followed the same heteronormative path that they usually do in media. The romantic feelings that Shaoran harbors for another boy are treated just the same as Sakuras' feelings for that same boy, both accepting each other as equals on the same playing field in terms who will win Yukitos' affection. I rarely see homosexual relationships portrayed in such a healthy and seamless way in media, the only time I really see it explored at all is if it is the main plot point of the show, and the way CCS shows that homosexual relationships don't have to be a made a big deal out of is extremely progressive, especially for it's time. This kind of representation is so important for members of the gay community, because it demonstrates how love is not legitimized by gender, rather that feelings are feelings, and we can't help who we fall for.
Full of lovable and complex characters, all of which grow off each other in a coherent and flawless way, Cardcaptor Sakura is what I believe to be a masterpiece in the world of shoujo anime, and I wouldn't change a thing about it. The way the feelings of young love are so perfectly executed in this show outshines all the other romance series I have watched, and I believe this show deserves so much more appreciation because of it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Jan 19, 2021
This review is for all of the Naruto series.
"a 7/10 show with 12/10 moments."
This quote, along with the addition of some 10/10 characters, sums up my experience with the Naruto series pretty well. I am in no way saying that Naruto Shippuuden along with it's prequel are flawless pieces of media, in fact far from it, but I cannot ignore the lasting impact this show managed to place on me.
I believe it's important to take this show for what it is rather than allow ourselves to be blinded by nostalgia, so to quickly bring up some of the problems within the series I'll
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start with the frankly terrible writing of majority of the female characters. It is no secret that the girls in this show have some downright pitiful writing compared to the male ones, and there really isn't any way to excuse that. Throughout the majority of the show the girl characters seem to be used as plot devices to help forward the development of the primarily male cast, and seeing as Naruto is a battle shounen, this unfortunately comes as little surprise to me. Aside from this obvious fault, the other main problem that I'm sure everyone has heard much about is the sheer amount of filler. It is an undeniable fact that if your show is 700+ episodes long with over 40% of those being filler, there's a problem. This being said however, I understand why this was done, and don't see a problem if you choose to skip the filler episodes as Naruto is already a long series as is. Personally however, as long as I like the characters, I can find enjoyment in some filler arcs, that is if they are not shoved in the middle of an important story arc.
There are other flaws such as the poor writing of the over 200 episode long war arc and the lack luster finale of this serious commitment of a show, but setting aside the bad lets touch on what makes this series so good.
My love for the Naruto series stems from the pure attachment you get to it's characters, I mean how can you not after spending 720 episodes watching them grow and achieve their goals, as well as suffer from loss and hardships. It may sound cheesy, but after basically growing up with these characters for years of my childhood, they hold a special place in my heart, and therefore the impact of character death or growth hits that much harder.
Something I really commend the Naruto series for is the writing of the "villains." They have you questioning what is truly good and evil, with most all the villains having a clear and sometimes rather convincing motive for why they do what they do, which is something I don't see too often in shows. Often times in media villains are just chocked up to the baseless cliche of "taking over the world" or just being downright comically evil, but I don't see that happening in Naruto. It is really hard to hate most of this shows antagonists, as you find yourself questioning whether these "bad guys" are really all that bad. In a classic battle of ideologies mixed with some beautifully choreographed fight scenes, the clash between the expansive cast of equally lovable characters is something you can't look away from.
Aside from the villains, the rivalry explored between our main characters, Naruto and Sasuke, is what I believe to be one of the most enthralling dynamics in all of shounen. Watching the unbroken dance of emotions surrounding these two as they combat each other in passionate battles of skill and wit, as well as the internal mental conflict that they each face, is one of the most emotionally investing stories that I've had the joy of experiencing. Between the constant battle of love and hatred they feel for one another and the shattered bonds they share with their own home and family, the war going on within these two boys' minds and hearts is sincerely something to behold. It truly is a wonderful journey of growth and acceptance that while full of pain and heartbreak along the way, ultimately reaches a a conclusion that is wholeheartedly worth it. I find myself going back to watch the finale of their concluding fight more than I'd like to admit, but it's just that good. This iconic duo is one that is sure to be remembered for years to come.
TLDR; Naruto has the power to make you fall head over heels for it's characters and world, you'll find yourself laughing and crying along side them, and before you know it the once daunting series may start to not feel as long. By the end I was yearning for more, wishing to see my favorite shinobi go on more adventures together, strengthening their bonds, experiencing joys and sorrows, and most of all continuing to make the Naruto series what it is; an experience worth remembering.
I can safely say that while Naruto has undoubtedly gone down in history as one of the most iconic anime series out there, the lessons and emotions that came along with it will be forever etched in our hearts as well.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jan 19, 2021
Ah, Boruto.
Going into this as a fan of the original series I did not have very high expectations, and this series ended up not falling far from the tree in terms of what I thought it was going to be. It's not great.
As someone who doesn't necessarily mind filler all that much the lack of substantial plot for the majority of what I've watched isn't really what bothers me. I can get around and even sometimes enjoy filler, that is if I like the characters. And to put it bluntly, I dont give a shit about Boruto or any of his little pals. None
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of them are anywhere near as likable as the cast of the original Naruto series, Boruto himself being one of the only protagonists I've come to actively dislike.
I am fully aware that the purpose of this series is to focus on the "next generation" but due to the fact that no member of this next generation is at all interesting, one of the only reasons that I've continued to watch the series as long as I have is for the occasional appearance of the original main cast, but even then all that seems to be happening is the sullying of my fond memories of them. It is honestly kind of hard for me to watch Naruto in the state that he is now; although achieving his life long goal he doesn't seem happy at all and is frankly a terrible father. I know that everyone changes with time, but seeing the wide-eyed and driven shounen protagonist that I'd come to love over many years now in this state of middle-aged melancholy is honesty quite saddening. In terms of our other beloved protagonist Sasuke, I was hoping to see the results of his journey of self reflection following the end of the main series, yet beyond perhaps managing the extreme aggression issues he formally exhibited, Sasuke does not seem to have developed all that much, going off to do his own thing while leaving his "wife" to raise their daughter by herself.
Setting aside my strong feelings of attachment to the original Naruto series, I hoped that by viewing Boruto as an entirely separate entity I could salvage at least some enjoyment from it, and indeed when not compared to it's prequel, there is enjoyment to be gained from Boruto, albeit not much. Boruto is just about as fulfilling to me as any other Saturday morning cartoon type kids anime, the same realm as say Pokemon, Byeblade, or Yugioh. Having it on in the background while I work is about the only way I can get through it, so if you're set on watching Boruto I'd say that background noise is the way to go, you wont be missing much.
In the end I can see how Boruto might be of enjoyment for someone who doesn't have prior attachment to the Naruto series and doesn't require anything plot-heavy, But I believe most of us watching don't fall into that category. I will continue watching for the sake of completion, but I can't say that my hopes are high for whats to come. For the sake of my fellow Naruto fans, I hope Boruto turns itself around in the near future
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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