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SPOILERS INSIDE.

This is not a show you love or hate. This is a show you’re bound to regret watching. It’s extremely clichéd, mediocre quality and a money-maker, and above all – annoying. But so ridiculously it sometimes is amusing.

Still, two things make this series for me:
1. Aria’s hairpin which is sadly gone after a while,
2. Kinji’s Hysteria Mode.

Beyond that, there is not much to see here. But then again – what can you expect from a series that was already highly overrated by the Japanese fans even before it aired? I should probably have said otaku instead of Japanese fans, excuse me, but that’s what happened, with ... this series being the most anticipated one of Spring 2011 season. Why, yes – in Japan. Don’t they love Kugimiya.

Story- and character-wise, what’s in it? Tsundere (but not the likeable kind, the I-have-seen-this-how-many-times-now kind) female lead – check. Male protagonist being useless 95% of the time – check. Veeeeery unexpected plot twist in early part of the show – check. A bunch of supporting characters that are there just to try to fill us in on the backstory and still fail miserably – check. Great. The two protagonists attend a mostly ridiculous school where teenagers are trained to be detectives - or rather super agents - and so far the plot has been focusing on how cute Aria is. But she is not. She is another Taiga/Louise/Shana clone created just to please the fans. There are moments when she is bearable; yet that is mostly when she is not talking at all. And the Holmes crap? I thought Lupin the 4th was quite funny, but they had to add Holmes the 4th into it. Wow, just wow. UPDATE: they also tossed Jeanne d’Arc in. I thought that nothing could surprise me anymore.

And what about Kinji/Ryûji? The 5% he’s not useless is when in Hysteria Mode, which he is reluctant to enter because it makes him act retarded. In his opinion. It does not.

In terms of visuals J.C. Staff did just reasonably. I like how the opening and ending sequences are animated, plus the fights - the fights are great eye candy. The rest is not something we have not seen yet. I’m just quite surprised that they do not animate the protagonist loli particularly well. Low budget? No way. Laziness? More like it. Little can be said about the art of “Hidan no Aria”. It’s not bad, it’s just nothing spectacular, and given how new anime can look, I’d call it a tad disappointing.

The sound is a different story. Good background music, that’s certain; OP and ED, just fitting for this series, are average; but for once I must complain about the voice actors. Rie Kugimiya – if it was not for Kagura, she could disappear completely from the face of Earth. She does not create her characters. She IS them. Very, very disappointing. She brings nothing new into yet another show. I used to like her voice, but damn, isn’t it annoying. Now it’s just painful. Boring, too. Just remain Kagura, that’s what you do well (and Taiga, for that matter). Going on with the list: Mariya Ise was a good Stocking, but performs just typically as Riko; Junji Majima is Ryûji, end of story.

Somehow I managed to watch the entire thing. SOMEHOW. The second half gets far worse than the first, which, frankly, is an achievement. Just do not watch it. At all.

Very not recommended.

No matter how twisted the life of a human being is, no matter how cruelly providence tosses him around, in the end it all comes down to a simple desire: everyone wants to be accepted, loved. “Yojôhan Shinwa Taikei” (“The 4.5 Tatami Galaxy”) tells a story of one young man who tries to find a place for himself in a vibrant but chaotic world, meets numerous charismatic companions on the way and finally obtains what he had been searching for since the start.

STORY (9)
Enter Watashi (“I”), a young and hopeful freshman at a university who is faced with the choice that will determine his ... further life at the said campus: he has to choose a club to belong to. So he decides, inspired by the colorful dreams of pleasant and carefree existence as a student, yet the reality is nowhere near as bright as his imagination. When all starts going downhill and Watashi cannot cope with the demands of the world around him, the clock spins backwards, stop, reset, he goes back. …wait. He actually goes back in time.

Although the story is based on the same scheme as the overly hyped “Higurashi” series, it is done in a slightly different manner. The catch is that every counterpart of a person he meets retains their personality, but is actually met in different circumstances. The people around him do change their places, yet he feels he does not – at least not until a certain point in his life, but that is something that has to be seen for oneself. From the good introduction and right until the perfectly developed ending, the story is a strong – if not the strongest - focus of this series.

ART (7)
Although very impressionistic and fluid, the art doesn’t shock. Remembering the very promising promo artworks that came out ages ago and thinking to myself “hey, this is going to be one interesting series, better watch it”, I feel slight bitterness when I feel it is rushed at times, but what pains me the most is that it’s nothing that hasn’t been seen before. Sure, simplicity at its best – sophisticated graphic design does not necessary make a good series, but improving it wouldn’t hurt at all, would it? Fortunately, it is not anything that would subtract from the brilliance of “Yojôhan Shinwa Taikei”.

SOUND (8)
What strikes in this case, are the perfect opening and ending sequences. A little gift to fellow Asian Kung-Fu Generation fans, the show features a song that goes perfectly with the general mood prevalent throughout, making the opening animation truly an integral part of it. The ending, on the other hand, ties perfectly into the finishing scenes of each episode.

The voice-acting here, ah. It’s professional, suits the show and shows the many sides of the characters effectively. Shintaro Asanuma who played the part of Watashi reigns here. Indeed, his lines are something that needs some accustoming to (“man, slow down, this is killing me” was what I thought at the very beginning), but later on they become a masterpiece, giving this show a certain feeling that can’t be found in its equivalents. It is just as if the main character had too much to say and too little time. I got the feeling it was natural.

CHARACTER (8)
Another strong issue. There is no single unlikable character in this colourful show. Whether it’s one of the leads, or the big cast of supporting figures, they all feel as if they belong there, no matter what their role would be. Out of the trio Watashi-Akashi-Ozu, the protagonist may seem the dullest, but the journey he goes is far from boring. Akashi, his ideal raven-haired maiden, is an outspoken young lady with a particularly nasty fear of moths; it is, however, Ozu that drives the craziness, accelerating it by his mischievous doings, successfully making Watashi’s life even more difficult than it already is.

“Yojôhan Shinwa Taikei” has also a well-developed cast of supporting characters, as mentioned before, whose stories intertwine with Watashi’s existence, often in troublesome ways. The most interesting part is always finding out what happens to whom in each part – situations change, but personalities remain strong.

ENJOYMENT (8)
Watashi’s monologues killed me at first. I started watching and was reluctant to continue; it wasn’t long, though, until I resumed the show and was taken by surprise. And it was a very positive surprise. Seeing a show like this is rare nowadays, one that may not be most innovative in its category, but it certainly is captivating and inspirational. Before I noticed, the series was over and I could only sigh. Spring 2010 was a good time for anime and “Yojôhan Shinwa Taikei” contributed to it remarkably.

OVERALL (8)
Watch it. Be prepared, but watch it nevertheless. The show is like a breath of fresh air – it’s a revitalising, pleasant experience. Follow Watashi’s road to finding himself, follow the journey of a human who dreamt of a satisfying life. A solid reality in an abstract wrapping. But that is just how life goes, isn’t it?

ETU is in deep trouble. A poor football team like that has hardly any hopes for recovery if the players lose will to fight. When the team is on verge of completely falling into despair, the last resort shows up on the horizon – hiring a new manager, that is, but not just some chance manager. Takeshi Tatsumi used to be praised as a genius footballer back in the old days. He, however, retired after a successful career and ended up managing a team in England. And now the ex-star of ETU picks up the gauntlet, returning to Japan as a coach of his former ... team. But the challenge ahead of him is even greater to overcome, for not only has to confront the run of misfortune, but also prove that he is much more than a deserter.

STORY (8)
A mediocre team, a bunch of desperate fans, a gathering of harsh enemies, and one hell of a creative manager. The plot of “Giant Killing” follows ETU’s path to regaining the glory it had once, the players’ struggle with mental pressure and their coach’s crazy ideas. Nothing very innovative here, it would seem. Tatsumi plays a major role in the development of ETU, but all of the players are introduced very well too. The matches aren’t always about chasing the ball; the more psychological aspect of team games is heavily emphasised. Intermissions – training sessions, Tatsumi’s revelations and so on - are also frequent, since following nothing but the matches would probably be too much. The plot does fall into the pattern at some point, yet the authors surprise their readers with some fresh ideas again (volume 13, I think I love you).

Generally, there is a healthy mix of everything in this manga. Even though it tends to be monotonous, when there is very little progress at times, or the actions are dragged out a bit too much, overall it manages to escape boredom very well. The pacing changes accordingly: from a balanced start it rapidly jumps ahead, only to slow down for a good bit of time and then speed up once more. Nobody expected the journey to end soon, so the plot itself is still developing – and it is, I must admit, going well.

ART (10)
What a pleasure it is, reading “Giant Killing”, honestly! The aesthetic side of the manga has it all – well-thought panels, incredible flow and smoothness, rich amount of detail, beautiful colour pages. It simply takes a while to get used to the style, though, and from then there isn’t a single thing to complain about. The dynamics of this manga are just tremendous. From feeling the greatness of football pitch to the facial expressions of players, it all is there, it is all pictured perfectly. You, dear Tsujitomo, are doing a wonderful job and have my utmost admiration.

CHARACTER (8)
Now that’s a difficult issue. On the one hand – we have a fascinating bunch of players from all teams. On the other hand – there is Tatsumi who surpasses, even overwhelms them and shines as the star of this story.
Takeshi himself is witty, innovative, charismatic. He is also an unquestionable master at annoying people, but above all, he stands out as a brilliant strategist. Since the early beginning, it is clear that the story revolves around football with Tatsumi in the centre. His temperament, being incredibly appealing, tends to shadow the remaining cast. Each character is introduced properly, has his big time and then settles down. Enemy players are often given strong personalities as well (Mochida, I’m looking at you, creepy bastard). There is nice development (Tsubaki!), however it is always Tatsumi who moves on ahead - and then the people around him.

Before this turns into a fangirl ranting, though, there is one more aspect that needs to be brought up: something that I particularly enjoyed, as it was well-thought and reasonable. Our dear manager has a character deeper than it seems at first glance, and as soon as the manga goes into detailed flashbacks (which takes some time, yeah…), all the dots connect. It’s just amazing to see how he matures over time.

ENJOYMENT (9)
This is exactly the kind of reading that leaves you craving for more after each chapter. It’s enchanting, fascinating, and equally frustrating when the continuation doesn’t seem likely to be out soon. The manga can’t be regarded as very challenging and although some knowledge of football is appreciated (hey, it’d be strange to even pick up this manga without having any interest in football), it isn’t necessary, since the actions and strategies are always thoroughly explained. Reading “Giant Killing” is enjoyable, very enjoyable, I’d say. It’s a must-read for football enthusiasts, and a strongly recommended manga for the reluctant rest. Even if you are deadly serious you can’t stand the nature of problems tackled in it, give it a try nevertheless – it hasn’t won the Kodansha Manga Award for nothing. And who knows? You might actually enjoy it.

OVERALL (9)
Oh “Giant Killing”, making me actually want to check out other sport manga titles. It’s a gem in the sea of nowadays’ industry filled with moe and all the things cute (yes, it was the anime adaptation that brought me here in the first place), and a reading really worth some time. Whether it’s because of Tatsumi, football or good art – you won’t regret trying “Giant Killing”. Hope it stays as good.

What gives people the strength to go on after they have fallen? What makes them strive for the perspective of a bright future? Seeking to answer those questions, “Pandora Hearts” gives the impression of a charming, unique series that differs from its counterparts through adapting a popular scheme, but not entirely living off it. Why, then, is it nothing amazing in particular?

STORY (7)
Good beginning. This series starts with really nicely developed foundations. It seems very promising; we get to know Oz Vessalius, your typical young hero-wannabe, but as soon as Alice shows up, things start getting interesting. Oz ends up in the twisted realm of ... “Abyss”, only to be saved by the mad rabbit, however nothing comes free of charge. And nothing is the same when he goes back to his world.

And here I ask: when and why did it go downhill? What happened to the fascinating, dark mood this show kept in the beginning? When did it become a cliché-filled shônen adventure with hardly any development overall? I had high hopes for the series and kept watching, expecting it to, I don’t know, improve? It does, actually, get better right in the middle, where we finally receive some character development, the story progresses and most importantly – some of the most important questions are answered. But then it worsens yet again. The rest feels forced and the series stops at such a moment that it leaves you with huge disappointment. Why is it over so suddenly? It desperately calls for a continuation, it does.

Setting, though, is where the series excels. True, this whole “Alice in Wonderland”-hype might be getting a tad annoying, however “Pandora Hearts” adapts the theme perfectly. It is a warped world, nevertheless it doesn’t feel that sickly abstract. The “Chains” are yet another embodiment of human fears – and so is the “Abyss” itself. It doesn’t feel like the kind of place you would want to end up in, precisely. Watching a fantasy series set in such scenery feels just refreshing. The references to the original “Alice” are subtle and often misleading, which is also accomplished very well.

ART (7)
Something is missing. The characters look wonderfully colourful and detailed at first, the surroundings are promising, but then the quality becomes an issue. With each episode, more and more flaws can be noticed. Even fight scenes tend to become dull, since those often follow the pattern of slashing, cutting, slashing and a little bit more of slashing. The worst thing is, though, how the vividness and energy of characters is lost through a dull palette. Who, in the world, robbed those poor guys of their colours, making them look just boring? What appears pretty – the hair does, oh, and Sharon’s dresses. Good job, but that’s it. Why does Oz look even more boring than he actually is, I ask? The series has a completely washed-out look which pains me a lot, since I was really looking forward to enjoying the graphics. (Apparently, the quality in the few special episodes outruns the TV animation a lot. Too bad it was rushed, too bad.)

SOUND (9)
Yuki Kajiura does an outstanding job capturing the magic of the setting in “Pandora Hearts”. The music itself is simply excellent and stands out in the series’ overall look. It is charming, at other times has a mysterious tone to it, or dramatic, fitting well with what is going on the screen. Never exaggerated. Although the score might not appear anything exceptional in the beginning, the viewer soon begins to realise that it without it, the Victorian atmosphere couldn’t be captured as good. The soundtrack is equally pleasant to the ear while not watching the show, too.

Voice-acting is quite well-done. Junko Minagawa does a good job playing the part of Oz, Ayako Kawasumi is a fine Alice, and Ishida Akira excels as always in his role (even though the character himself is not very likable). The seiyû operate their voices perfectly, creating very emotionally-convincing cast and pretty much making up for the flaws of the characters themselves. Here, I can’t complain.
The opening and ending sequences are nothing special in this case. Cute songs go along with the animation (the first ending, in particular, is full of annoying spoilers, so watch out), however they are not notable enough to make one feel like spending that additional time watching both OP and ED. They simply don’t get in the way.

CHARACTER (5)
This is exactly where the series’ biggest weakness lies – its character cast which is particularly weak, boring and cliché. Starting from the main character, aforementioned Oz, it becomes extremely tiresome and the characters don’t develop much. Oz is a good definition of a typical shônen main lead. He is brave, adventurous, protective of his friends and clumsy when it comes to love. He also has family issues to make him more of a dramatic rebel, and a whiner for a side-kick. Oz’s actions throughout the series are easily predictable and more than often he falls into banal traumas, being the kind of person who wants to save the day, become a hero and protect his princess. Sorry, this might be going well with the story, but as a character Oz is a failure.

Gilbert is, fortunately, a different story. He changes a lot – his personality becomes completely unlike, save for a few specific features that are necessary for some progress in the story (no, his loyalty to Oz is NOT a plot device for fangirl issues). Contrary to the first male lead, he keeps calm and generally stays rather dependable, when it comes to satisfying the fans. His actions certainly aren’t very surprising, as it all revolves around Oz anyway; but at least he did not make me want to murder someone whenever he appeared on the screen. Alas, one more thing must be brought up here as well, namely – Gilbert being a magnet for fans. No-one can deny his typically attractive traits (cold and introverted chain-smoker, sorry), but hey, haven’t I already said something about stereotypes in this series?

The creation of Alice turns out to be a disappointment after a few episodes. She starts off as a madwoman, a crazy sadist who cares little about who or what she might destroy while immersing herself in bloody, vicious fights. But Alice is a tsundere character – and being a genuine tsundere in “Pandora Hearts”, she can’t possibly stay this way throughout the series. An attractive, moody glutton - which she ends as – obviously arouses the interest of others, and soon the relationship between her and Oz becomes a major problem in the story. Yes. Alice, the wild Chain who only has any regard for herself, is a crying little girl inside. I can’t deny the charm of tsundere characters, but this just doesn’t seem right.

No other character really deserves any special words of praise here, sadly. There’s the hyped “Mad Hatter” Break, a particularly annoying it’s-a-secret type of pretty boy; a cast of supposedly evil manifestations of malevolence; and others who exist merely for the purpose of creating a background for the main leads. There are also Sharon and Jack who have the potential to make great characters, but are mostly neglected or idealised; there is a representative of the rare male tsundere specimen, Elliot. And there’s Vincent who is much creepier than he would normally be supposed to. They all might seem colourful at first, however inside they are not as interesting as they appear.

ENJOYMENT (7)
To be honest, this series is quite boring. All the big talk about how different and remarkable it is, and what I see is an average fantasy adventure with mediocre art and particularly annoying character cast. But it has potential – which had been wasted, unfortunately. If only the series developed in a different manner, maybe I would have been able to enjoy it more. For now, I can’t say anything special about it. Felt as if I was rewatching something else, just another episode of already known series, and it really does not bring much into the genre. It certainly isn’t bad, not at all, yet it’s still nothing extraordinary.

OVERALL (7)
Having complained a lot about the flaws in “Pandora Hearts”, I still can’t criticise the series as a whole. It has its drawbacks, just like any other show, and pluses; most notably the incredible atmosphere of a well-designed, interesting world. The one thing I simply don’t understand is how overrated it is becoming – all because of the fuss made over new adaptations of “Alice in Wonderland” which are now apparently inspiring people all over the world, while years ago it was still an eerie fairytale, more of a madman’s dream. The new versions, however, go well with the tastes of nowadays’ viewers who know what they want to see, but expect the shows to demonstrate a certain level of creativity and innovation as well. It kills those shows. “Pandora Hearts” is such a series with much power and weak realisation - a great concept trapped in a mediocre, cliché-filled box.