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May 15, 2015
You'd think that after losing 2 years of his life trapped in a video game, Kirito would stay away from that kind of VR technology forever. But no, apparently we have another adventure to jump into that involves an in-game player *somehow* killing people in real life when he shoots them in the game. Completely forgetting a traumatic, life-stealing experience with SAO and ignoring, once again, the possibility of losing his life, Kirito plunges into GGO for whatever reason.
Story: 1
I really can't go into too much detail for the sake of not releasing major spoilers, but the story is a mess. A protagonist who resembles
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someone out of a self-insert fanfic with his "amazing skills" as well as how popular he is with everybody. An antagonist with no clear motivation to speak of. a whole mystery aspect of the plot revolving around Death Gun's ability to kill people in real life that is so laughably implausible; something that would require the most miraculous of circumstances to even have a slim chance of being feasibly done. What's almost worse is how the protagonist, while trying to uncover this mystery, take humongous leaps and bound in assumptions based off of completely non-related pieces of information and even information he never had any way of knowing. In other words, Kirito "magically guesses" the mechanics of Death Gun's killing, all based off of nothing. Everyone's motivations and actions have almost no consistency, which i will cover in the character's section. Overall, every episode left me saying "That's it?" once the credits rolled. I can't believe this series lasts 24 episodes.
Art/Sound: 4/3
I am lumping these two together because there really isn't much to say about either of them. The same several music tracks are routinely played in scenes of action, suspense, and emotional exposition. The art isn't bad per se, but it still retains its run-of-the-mill cookie cutter appearance from the original Sword Art Online series. Nothing worth getting excited about.
Characters: 1
None of them make any sense, nor are they relatable in any way that would compel me to care about them. Kirito apparently is fast enough to dodge bullets (those bullet lines mechanics were placed by the producers of the show to offer a cheap explanation for him dodging automatic gunfire), as well as consistently block barrages of bullets with his laser sword, yet seems to have a tough time keeping up whenever he finds himself caught in a sword fight. His emotions and personality retain nothing from his experience of losing 2 years to a video game, and every "heartfelt" scene of him reliving his fights against Laughing Coffin and being afraid are quickly discarded when he instantly concludes that he has to stay strong, and any semblance of character development is promptly forgotten.
Sinon has a laughably absurd backstory involving her experience using a gun to defend herself. This manifests into a crippling fear of guns, even causing her to fold when someone makes the shape of a pistol with their fingers. Despite all of this, she routinely plays a video game filled with guns, makes that same hand gesture herself at one point, and even keep a gun carefully placed in one of her drawers for no foreseeable reason. When she first meets Kirito in-game, she has an open and friendly personality only because she thinks he's a girl (for whatever reason the producers make Kirito have long hair and a slender physique), but turns into a stock tsundere once he reveals his true gender. She whines and complains about battling him and defeating him every step of the way, yet in a moment where she has an opportunity to DO EXACTLY THAT, she "hesitates", or "doesn't think the situation is appropriate", mainly because Kirito is the MC and all the girls just HAVE to like Kirito eventually. So despite her fear of guns and her penchant for revenge against Kirito, she agrees to join him on his adventure for no good reason. Every scene of her explaining her life problems to Kirito are all back-dropped with your typical light piano music, as she complains about her past experiences while pandering to whatever nonsensical comfort Kirito can shovel out.
As for Death Gun, the antagonist, I already explained that he has no clear motivation for killing people. None of his actions have any purpose behind them. He is a bland, uninteresting villain who wants to do villain stuff because he's the villain.
Enjoyment: 1
Boring and unbelievable action scenes, boring moments of emotional expression, and boring characters trying to shuffle their way through a boring plot. It is a chore to watch an episode of Sword Art Online, let alone the entire season.
Conclusion:
As if ending at the original Sword Art Online wasn't enough, we are treated with a purely nonsensical sequel that, especially in the context of past events, makes no sense whatsoever. It is clear that the developers of this series did so entirely for the sake of milking more money out of the Sword Art Online series.
Reviewer’s Rating: 2
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Sep 30, 2014
Black Lagoon is a frantic shoot-em-up anime that also provides substance to its characters. This show manages to find a decent balance between crazy shootouts and character development to satisfy those looking for an action anime or a decent story.
Story: 7
The premise of this series is how a clean-cut businessman, fed up with the demeaning work life of someone at the bottom of the corporate ladder, breaks free of the shackles of his condensed world and pursues a completely opposite lifestyle for a chance to truly feel alive. This story is akin to that of Fight Club, though on a much more radical scale. There
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isn't much of an overarching storyline to this series. The season mainly follows Lagoon Company as they perform deliveries for clients, which almost never go as planned. Beyond this, the show steadily fleshes out the internalization of each character, to remind us that even the craziest of gun-toting mercenaries are still human after all. While this is all something to take note of, especially for an action anime like this, it isn't presented in a way that would really tug at your emotions, at least not enough for the story to really be considered that of great merit. Still, it's great to come across an action anime that actually cares about the people carrying the guns.
Art/Sounds: 6/7
The art, while nothing really worth singing about, is tailored nicely to display all the visceral scenes of destruction and bloodshed. What else is that the artists have made great using of lighting and shadows in certain scenes, mainly for scene structure and highlighting faces. The show features a wide variety of firearms and explosions that all sounds believable enough. The action scenes are often scored with some mean metal rock music, which I guess is to be expected. And while it isn't much worth noting, I always enjoyed how the music at the end of each episode transitioned into the ending credits, which is a nice touch.
Characters: 7
While the show features plenty of entertaining, yet often ridiculous, firefights, the show pays close attention to its cast members more than you'd think for a show as gritty as this. A major theme presented throughout the show is the struggle to deal with the woes of the past, something that nearly every character in the show has in common. Probably the most often explored character is Revy: a person who was forced into a life of constant struggle for survival at a young age, who eventually used her lethal skills as a means for profit, because it is the only thing she knows how to do. Everyone in Lagoon Company, even some of the antagonists for that matter, all have demons from their past that they're carrying with them. One complaint I have is the dialogue. It is weirdly hit or miss: you have some situations that truly sound organic, especially during those of character exposition, then you have others that don't quite hit the mark. I think the greatest example of this is Rock's frequent internal (sometimes external) monologues. I won't say that they're annoying, but they often sound like someone who is reading off of a script, as opposed to someone who is truly lost in thought. Despite this, it is still a pleasure to delve into the inner workings of these crooked people, who all gather at the city of Roanapur to relish in the only life they've even known, while knocking back a few drinks at The Yellow Flag.
Enjoyment: 8
The action scenes are a lot of fun to watch. Though in some cases (ESPECIALLY episode 2) they just get downright absurd, but in sort of a good way that ends up being more entertaining. It manages to hit that sweet spot where the ridiculousness adds to the enjoyment, without overdoing it to the point where you become detached from it all and wait for the scene to be over. Now and then you have refreshing scenes of character development and story progression, and the producers did a good job of knowing when and where to place these scenes in a way that feels natural, and not forced.
Conclusion:
Black Lagoon is quite entertaining on both an action and story level, sort of a rare breed in the genre. While its story and characters may not be something worth an Oscar nomination (they have anime at the Oscars, right?), they still hold a good standard of literary merit, enough for you to care about the characters and their outcomes. The action is, to put it in a weird way, reservedly over-the-top, meaning that it's crazy and frantic in a good way. Black Lagoon offers a lot of entertainment value for a variety of audiences, something that you might find yourself having a marathon watch if you allow yourself to get hooked on it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Sep 19, 2014
Samurai Champloo is living proof that a comedy absolutely can have a cast of likable characters and a solid storyline to boot. On top of all that, this show is a contender for having one of the greatest soundtracks in an anime, ever.
Story: 8 **some minor, episodic spoilers within this section**
What is so fascinating about this show is how that, underneath all the comedic antics and funny situations the group finds themselves in, the show paints a more grim depiction of life during the Edo Period. Though largely revealed by the fact that many of the episodes involve the trio struggling to
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find food and/or shelter on a day-to-day basis, this theme is much more loudly, and sometimes more seriously, portrayed by the people they cross paths with during their journey. A teenage boy turns to petty thievery to pay for medicine for his mother's worsening ailments. An aspiring artist, struggling to make ends meet, is coerced into painting girls' portraits as a catalog for a human trafficking ring. A woman turns to working at a brothel to pay her husband's gambling debts. Life in the Edo Period is grueling, is what this show is saying. And despite this, Samurai Champloo always leaves you laughing through each episode. The greatest triumph of the show's storytelling is how well it balances comedy and drama. It knows it's a comedy, and provides you with many memorable scenes to laugh at, but has expertly placed moments of sincerity that never feel forced or out of place.
Beyond this, the show features an overarching storyline, their journey to find the samurai who smells of sunflowers. What begins as a simple tale of three estranged characters romping through Japan, slowly and deliberately evolves into a more character-driven story that forces the trio each to face the ailments of the past, as well as struggles both internally and externally. While not a blockbuster hit, it maintains a solid story with good characterization and a satisfying ending to each character's personal issues and the story overall.
Art: 8
Samurai Champloo has a very unique style, as it features a period-specific setting with a touch of contemporary nuances. The art style of the characters breath a very distinct breath of individuality in a comedy show featuring samurais and hip hop music. Everything is stylistically and aesthetically pleasing for the most part.
Sound: 10
Oooooh boy. The music. I distinctly remember the first time I watched this on Adult Swim back in 2005. I was always taught to never judge a book by its cover, but the intro immediately had piqued my interest. Who knew that hip hop instrumentals would fit so perfectly with a Japanese period piece? Featuring tracks from talented artists like Force of Nature, Fat Jon, Tsutchie, and of course, the LEGENDARY Nujabes (if you've never heard of him, I IMPLORE you to listen to Departure, the first soundtrack album for Samurai Champloo), the show's stylistic directions are amplified tremendously, giving Samurai Champloo a great distinction not just as a comedy or a period piece, but as an anime as a whole. The soundtrack is well placed throughout the series, knowing when to allow the dialogue to carry the scene, and when to add flavor and style to the events taking place. Even with people who generally don't like rap or hip hop, I have yet to hear of someone who disliked the show's soundtrack.
Characters: 8
The show is filled with personality. Not just the three main characters, but nearly everyone they come across in their bizarre journey. People who fulfill their comedic roles very well. People who reveal the grim underbelly of the series' themes. People who serve to expose and challenge the main characters' inner demons. There are barrels of likable fellows in this show, for many different reason. Though I speak very highly of the characters, I give this particular area an 8, mainly because there are a few characters that come off a little flat, and not just for comedic purposes. Overall, Mugen, Jin, and Fuu are well written and internalized throughout the series, which is something unusual to say about a comedy, though I'm certainly not complaining.
Enjoyment: 9
This show managed to force out of me a handful of belly laughs, while at the same time persuading me to become invested in its characters and caring about their journey's outcome. There is not a single dull episode in this series. I understand it may seem weird to speak so highly of it and not award it a 10, I certainly can't blame you if you think that. It may just be a natural hesitance to award a perfect score, though I can't bring myself call Samurai Champloo a PERFECTLY enjoyable experience. Despite this, I still want to reiterate simply how fun it is to watch this show.
When it comes to anime that I find myself rewatching every now and then, for any given reason, this show is on the top of that list. Samurai Champloo is an excellently crafted anime that deserves to be watched by anyone who loves a good comedic anime. And please, for your own sake, watch it with English dubs.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jun 5, 2014
A shining example of an anime with a premise that has much potential, yet is wasted in favor of the same anime cliches we see in every other show as well as characters too inorganic to care about.
Story: 5
I'm willing to go out on a limb here and give the story a 5, because I can see what the writers wanted to achieve in this anime, and near the end, some literary substance came into the light in a way that made me start to care about the MC, but you have to slog through the first 10~ episodes of boring cliches and annoying characters
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to get to that point. The overarching theme that I took away from this show was how social nuances and the individual's role in the social hierarchy play an important part in the balance of social harmony, and how even the social outcast, the one who sees through the veil and rejects its grasp, cannot escape the important part they play in this social environment. I get the feeling that if this premise was put in the hands of a studio more focused on creative writing then it could transform into something very remarkable in more ways than one, but of course, this is not the case with this anime. Instead, we are treated with a slice-of-life styled episodic progression with only little bits and pieces of character internalization sprinkled here and there in a couple episodes. Not enough to make me think highly of the story.
Characters: 2
If I had one suggestion to the writers on how to improve the anime, it would be to combine Hachiman Hikigaya and Yukino Yukinoshita into a character called Hachiman Hikigaya. Yukino anchors the show from reaching any real literary merit by being the most pretentious and annoying character charged with being "the smart one". You KNOW the writers tried shoehorning her into the story: a beautiful looking girl who is very intelligent and in very athletic shape and is perfect in every way imaginable, yet during middle school, some jealous students would frequently hide her shoes, which is why she is *somehow* a bigger recluse than Hachiman. And Hachiman's reaction to her telling him all this? Something along the lines of: "Wow, you must've had a hard life." No. Not in the slightest. This is downright lazy character design. Her flawless personality is only half of what makes her so annoying. The other half comes up whenever she "analyzes" a person or a situation, creating these abhorrently false presumptions based on absolutely no evidence or prior knowledge. She is always "right" in everything she says or does because the writers just make all the characters agree with her regardless of their personality or disposition towards her, or even just how stupid and incoherent she is. If you would take just one moment to step back and actually listen to what she says, it's borderline comical at how dumb these scenes are. I could go in-depth with all the side characters, but all you really need to know is that their social problems, much like the whole show in general, has a lot of potential to be good writing on social life in the emotionally charged environment of a high school, yet is bogged down by bad anime tropes.
Art/Sound: 4
The art is slightly decent in comparison to other shows in the genre, though I'm not sure if that's really saying much. Thus music is flat and uninteresting, much like the show itself.
Enjoyment: 3
I obviously don't like it, though I stuck around till the end just to see if they could make any last ditch effort to expand on its themes. To a small extent, it did, but not nearly enough to compensate for the rest of the anime. for those wanting a decent story, this show leaves much to be desired.
Conclusion:
Just once, just ONCE I would like to see an anime made in the 2010's that isn't marred by all of today's cut-and-paste cliches and extremely used character archetypes and instead focusing on telling an actual, gripping story that involves organic and believable characters. When looking up this anime for the first time, it looked like your everyday cookie-cutter anime, which it was. Yet there was a little something there that made me wish this particular anime was in the hand of a different studio, in the hopes that they would've polished and improved the story, centered around a story that involves real human problems, carried by real human characters.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Jun 5, 2014
Quite possibly the most pathetic anime I've had the misfortune to experience. The only reason I continued to watch the whole series was out of sheer disbelieve that it couldn't get any worse, yet every episode kept proving me wrong.
Story: 1
Your typical cookie-cutter anime overflowing with terribly overused cliches, except this particular show somehow is lazier than its thousands of look-a-like anime shows. There is NOTHING interesting going on: your typical anime rom-com featuring beautiful characters in a high school environment finding themselves involved in "wacky anime antics" with a minute or two at the very end of each episode of forced sentimentality to trick
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the viewer into thinking that the show has a heart. Watching a brick tumble around in a washing machine is more emotionally investing than anything Maid-sama can hope to conjure up. A major proponent to this ugly story is the characters, which I will get into next.
Characters: 1
If you were to replace all the characters of the show with cardboard cutouts of retired NASCAR drivers, then nothing of value would be changed in the slightest. The characters in Maid-sama are easily some of the most dense, unmotivated, and inorganic I've ever witnessed in any anime. The female MC has a jaded view of all men, believing that they are all perverted scumbags, while the male MC, the run-of-the-mill cool guy who always has his hands in his pockets and his eyes half closed, is trying to convince her that guys are nothing to be scared of. Now, this might make for a good story, if it weren't for the fact that literally every guy in town IS a perverted scumbag. Every episode has a token scene of a group of guys sexually harassing a girl/girls at school, the female MC intervening, then the male MC making some unabashedly rude/insulting remark to irritate her, just generally being a terrible human being, yet because he's the MC, she always lets it slide, allowing him to abuse her emotions and sometimes her private space (in one episode he follows her into a back alley and directly pulls up her skirt to look at her panties. She calls him a "baka" and continues on normally). In one episode, the female MC is closing up shop alone at the maid cafe (her workplace), when she suddenly gets abducted, bound and gagged, and threatened at taser-point by two guys who give off some veeeeery unsettling sexual assault innuendos. She manages to break free and beat up her abducters, and walks away from the incident. The male MC, who was watching the scene unfold, tells her that she has to be more "tolerant" of men like them, or else people will start to hate her. AND THEN SHE BEGINS TO FALL IN LOVE WITH HIM. Because that's what real people do, right? These characters are totally believable, right?
Art/Sound: 1
Just as any canned anime, the art is unoriginal and the music is your typical rom-com soundtrack made to fill the episode with more noise, in addition to the mind-numbing voice acting. Nothing really else to say here, because there's nothing to look at or listen to.
Enjoyment: 1
No.
Conclusion:
The fact that so many people like this anime says a lot about the non-existent standards of the anime viewer base as well as the nosedive that the anime industry is taking right now. Cookie-cutter schlock that is shoveled out in droves every season in order to meet quota, yet since the frequent anime viewers' concept of what makes a good story is so saturated with the utterly lazy plot lines, the cardboard cutout characters shown in EVERY anime, and the complete absence of any real creativity leads them to believe that shows like Maid-sama are not complete audio/visual abominations.
Reviewer’s Rating: 1
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