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Aug 14, 2010
"What I really want...is to feel the warmth of the people who should be closest to me." - Ian, "not simple".
"not simple" is a manga whose title should be taken only semi-literally. The main character Ian is a complex individual whose respect of life's subtleties tends to have a major effect on those around him. However, at the same time he is also very much a simple individual, a person who is simply looking for that one thing which so many of us take for granted; that being, family. This yearning makes Ian very much conflicted, however, his interactions and advice to those around him,
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allows him to seek some sort of solace in the fact that he can help others.
Only one reporter known simply as "Jim" in the manga, ever realizes just how complex and fascinating the personality of Ian is, and his revelation causes him to become fascinated with Ian, prompting him to write a novel about the young man's experiences. However, Jim slowly begins to take a liking to Ian, eventually becoming one of the few people that Ian could ever call a "friend".
The interesting thing about "not simple" though is that, while the manga does focus on Ian and his journey to find his family, the other characters end up sharing the center stage with Ian- beginning to realize the errors of their ways when they come into contact with him. Consequently, the character development is incredible. There are not very many characters in the manga, but this serves as an advantage to the story, giving those characters chances to realize how they have been living their lives and sometimes exposing their faults in the process. Because of this then, some of the characters end up leading happier lives in the end. However, whether or not the same can be said about Ian...well, you have to read the manga for that answer.
The manga artist (Natsume Ono) does an incredible job of illustrating the scenes within the manga. To show this, one only needs to think of this- during the majority of the time when I was reading the manga, I kept on mistaking it for a novel, mostly because of how well I was able to imagine each and every frame within my own mind. That may just be me though, since I have found that with many of the manga's that I have read, that I can never "feel" the story as much as I can when reading a normal novel. In fact, for the majority of the manga, I thought that I was playing the part of Jim- observing Ian silently from the sidelines, wanting to help but powerless to do so. Ono's usage of facial expressions and angles were the main reason for making me feel this way, and frankly, I have never read or seen anything quite like it. Its somehow unique, but in a way that I cannot quite understand.
Ian's story is one that I feel should be told to as many people as possible. Far too many people forget just how important their families are and how much they should truly mean to them, even if your family does have issues- they are still YOUR family, and nothing can ever replace that fact. They may effect you in ways that you wish they didn't but in the end, there is something so beautiful about family, so human. And while its humanity may very well make it flawed in some ways, there will always be something fundamental and glorious about "home" and nothing can truly change that fact. This is essentially what I think one should take from "not simple".
Thus, in the end I really enjoyed this manga, its themes and its motifs shine gloriously and are of the type that everyone should be very much familiar with. However, at the same time they may very well be alien to the reader, since many people have lost touch with what the word, "family" truly means, and that my friends, is what makes "not simple" so beautiful. It reminds us of a meaning which has been somewhat lost in today's rough and tumble world, and yet, it still presents us with hope.
Cheers.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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May 1, 2010
"Letting go of a bond that you have created will cause you the same pain as having your body torn apart."
Bonds and dreams- they are two of the things which connect human beings on a universal level. Humans are social creatures, they need bonds in order to keep on living, and they also need those bonds in order to strengthen their confidence in themselves when things do not seem to be going the way they wish them to go. Unfortunately, life works that way sometimes and as result, the bonds formed between lovers and even friends are at times necessary to remind us of who
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we are and that which we wish to become.
"Ef- A tale of memories", is an anime that showcases these ideas beautifully and in a way that is instantly relatable to the viewer who is watching it. These ideas are conveyed through the story, art, sound, and characters within the story.
Story- The story of "ef" follows a group of individuals and their relationships with one another. However, the story is different then a lot of other anime's because of the way in which it is told. For example, while in most anime's it is not surprising to see multiple relationships viewed from different perspectives, I find myself hard-pressed to find another show where it is as nicely done as it was in "ef". However, much of why the story was good has to do with the overall presentation of the show, since without it, the story would not have been nearly as outstanding as it was.
Art and Character development- Words cannot describe the importance of the art direction in "ef". It is the element which makes ef, well...ef. Interactions between characters take place in front of a backdrop that is constantly changing, seemingly reflecting the mental state of the characters as they interact, and often times the viewers thoughts as they are watching the scene. In addition, the incredible art direction seems to foster a deeper connection between the viewer and the characters within the story, a connection that is quite different then any other anime I have seen. The existential themes of the show are very much reflected in scenes where characters are left alone and given a chance to reveal their thoughts and feelings unabashedly- in such scenes, faces contort and change, and the color palettes of these scenes follow suit. It is truly an incredible thing to see.
Sound- The music in "ef", is just as effective in conveying the themes of the show as the art direction is. Music, like art, is an essential part of most peoples lives- much like dreams and bonds are- and the creators of ef did a great job in using this to their advantage, creating an almost unconscious connection between the show and viewers. For instance, in the real world there is a sound for every feeling, a music for every mood, and in ef these ideas are realized splendidly. To illustrate this, one need only look at scenes dealing with Chihiro and her dream world, since without the music that accompanied these scenes they would be nowhere near as effective, and let me tell you, anyone that has any emotional capacity whatsoever will know what I mean upon watching these scenes. Voice actors are also incredible in this series, doing their part in making ef's presentation a thing to see.
All that being said, I enjoyed this show very much and I don't think I have had as much of a connection with an anime as I did with ef. But it must be noted that the show needs to be watched multiple times since if it is only watched once, viewers will lose many of the subtle nuances that make ef the show that it is. In conclusion I give "ef- a tale of memories", a 10, and while I do realize that I did not say to much about the actual story of the show, I must say that it is something that needs to be experienced rather than simply read about. So what exactly are you waiting for? Watch it, I guarantee you that you will not regret it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Aug 18, 2009
This manga was quite interesting. The story is very dark in that dystopian future with a secret to hide sort of way, and even though this type of narrative seems to be not all that different from the pack, the subtle touches to the story are done extraordinarily well. However, I would like to note that the single most important aspect of this manga is the art, since without it, the story could not be conveyed as well as it is here. The art is done in a sort of drab boring shade of black, with a melancholic and heavy greyness permeating throughout the work
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as well. In spite of these color schemes though, the art becomes very interesting when one is reading the manga considering that it has this sort of "otherwordly" quality to it, primarily conveyed by the somewhat blurry effect that is consistently in use. It almost serves to show how the main character is feeling in the story, constantly moving against time to try and find an answer to the mystery concerning the "order" and what has happened to her friend Clawsa. Thus, it essentially shows the jumbled mindset of the main character and does so quite effectively, and this really helps in immersing you into the story- not allowing you any breathing room whatsoever. In this way, it also feels somewhat claustrophobic in a sense- that feeling that something is always closing in...closer...closer.
But enough of my praise concerning the art and story, the main character- Musobi Susano- deserves plenty of praise as well. You will notice that as you read, that there is very little in the way of dialogue and I believe this serves to further place the reader into Susano's shoes- effectively portraying her feeling of loss and confusion as she wonders aimlessly through the desolate city streets. In essence then, the characters actions speak for themselves and I feel that this is much more effective then including more dialogue, since less dialogue serves to invite more subjective judgments on the part of the reader, rather then simply only following what the character says and taking that as how you should feel if you were to be in that position. I feel then, that this invites more reader immersion as well as more subsequent enjoyment for this simple reason.
As you can see then, I thoroughly enjoyed this manga and I cannot wait to read BLAME! Oh and on a side note, this was my first review here so I hope you enjoyed it.
Cheers.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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