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May 10, 2017
(Usually I don't write reviews for ongoing animes. This will be an exception since imao its development would not change much my opinion towards it. I will make modifications to this review as the show progresses. )
General: It is in my assumption that almost anyone who picks up this anime has probably watched Oreimo already. Indeed they come from the same author and both have 'incest' tags, but I think this two shows are not quite as similar as people would expect. This show, especially its character interaction, is more similar to animes like Saekano (Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata) than to Oreimo, at least in
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my opinion.
In recent years, I have the impression that there is a boom of animes describing otaku lives and jobs. Just to name a few we have Oreimo, Umaru, Saekano, Shirobako, Sore ga Seiyuu, New Game!, Girlish Number, etc. So far Eromanga Sensei fails to distinguish itself from the multitude, relying on largely generic characters and plots.
Story: skipped since there really isn't too much to talk about.
Character: Most of the characters here feel very cliche, with a few exceptions. So far the MC has pretty much behaved the same way as Kyousuke in Oreimo first season. On the other hand, the heroine Sagiri (MC's sister) is fairly different from Kirino in Oreimo. I would say she is much less 'belligerent' and much gentler towards his brother, even though she could occasionally be unappreciative to her brother's care about her daily lives. In any case she appears to 'deserving' her brother's love and care much more than Kirino or say Umaru, for that matter. It is noticeable that so far there is no equivalent of Kuroneko or Ayase (though the girl with long black hair in the manga store could be an otaku-ish version of Manami) who has the potential to 'steal' her brother. Looks like the author (Fushimi Tsukasa) is determined to write a true brother-sister light romance this time.
Among the other supporting characters I want to mention the small girl with orange hair, who seems to absorb all the 'bitchiness' to herself. She once said directly to MC that she loves dicks, for example. Dislikable as she is, I have to admit that she is in some sense unique, although not necessarily in a good way.
I won't mention other characters because they have not shown any interesting parts enough to be talked about.
Sound: ClariS (Oreimo, Madoka, Nisekoi) performed the opening, and TrySail (High School Fleet) performed the ending. Being established singer groups (especially ClariS) their songs are stable, if not particular catchy.
For voice acting, Matsuoka as a veteran voice actor, especially of otaku characters (Sora@NGNL, Aki Tomoya@Saekano) and elder brothers (Sora, Kirito@SAO), is of course adept in performing here. The heroine is done by a relatively less known voice actress, who nevertheless handled very well a variety of different voices. Other voice acting seems also decent to me.
Score: 5.5-6/10 Fairly made for a mediocre show
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Oct 9, 2014
Although not as big as some other series like Clannad, ef is definitely a prestigious and well-known title. Well, does ef deserve this? For the first season, my answer is 'yes'. But before I justify my point, I want to talk about some negative sides about this show.
If you summarize story of ef in a few sentences, you'll probably find the plot pretty ordinary and boring. Indeed, in terms of 'solid events', both stories in ef are not special, especially in an era like now. For example, the original idea of Chihiro's story might be new 8 years ago, but they are not now.
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(To avoid spoilers I won't say too much.)
Another drawback is its 1st episode. Personally I found it pretty confusing, introducing multiple characters (all of them are main characters) at same time. Two male leads (Renji and Hirono) are especially confusing. Bear in mind that you distinguish clearly between them.
Despite these, this show does a really good job in visual representation. ef is made by Shaft, famous for its dramatic depiction of backgrounds and stationary texts.
Here in ef this style is used well, and adds greatly to the main story. A prominent example of this is in Miyako's story, which has the most heart-wrenching scene I've seen in all animes.
But what truly shines is Chihiro's story. Although the idea is not new, there is a very powerful, aesthetic story associated with the main plot, much like a greatly enriched version of Clannad's lonely girl. This pattern, from what I've seen, is unique, and makes that story very enjoyable, even in a literary sense.
Art quality of this show is no doubt superb. The Shaft style is not overly excessive as in Bakemonogatari, but adds properly to the general feel. The music is also good and fits each scenes pretty well, but not very impressive imo.
ef is a character driven anime, and it successfully produces many vivid and plausible characters. Each character interacts with others and grows themselves, and their dialogues don't seem artificial.
With all said, ef is a very well-made anime, and certainly one of the best in its genre. For fans of emotional stories or romance, ef is definitely a must-watch.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jul 23, 2014
Overall: 7.5
Hirasawa Yui entered high school, without knowing what to do. Later on she joined Keion (light music) club, and began her carefree life with her classmates, practicing guitar and eating puddings.
At this age, there are perhaps hundreds of animes about "cute girls doing cute things". Among them, K-ON! already seems old and rather mediocre. Still, it's done pretty decently.
The whole series feels laid-back, bother-free of reality. I should say I rather dislike this mood. (I would say Love Live is better in this term) But it does have two more realistic girls, and I like them. And, if you are seeking this
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particular mood in the first place, you probably won't find it disappointing. Indeed, those realistic elements add flavor to the interaction of 5 girls as well as whole enjoyment for audience.
I've heard that KyoAni was in lack of money when they made this, so no wonder its art quality, although good, is not as good as other KyoAni series. Yet its simplistic drawing style gives a particular feeling, blended with its general mood. (sort of like Lucky Star)
The songs are pretty enjoyable to listen, especially the op and ed, really cool.
If you like slice of life shows with a little reference to reality (by reality, I actually mean the harshness of life), you should definitely check this popular series.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Apr 23, 2014
(Wow so many people say that many people love this series, but the review page is full of scores like 1 or 3)
To write a review about such a controversial series is very dangerous, but I'll try my best to be objective, and maybe more like a fan. Seriously, enjoying a series is better than being angry, at least for your health.
(I haven't read LN yet, and I plan to do so shortly. In this review I say only about the anime, in other words, treat it as if it were an original anime like Anohana and Madoka)
I'll focus mainly on story and character.
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As for the sound, it's pretty decent but I don't find anything really impressive, based on Kajiura Yuki standard. The overall art quality is decent as well, while some scenes fail to convey the sense of hi-tech. Especially the animation of entering SAO, it just feels like 20 century. (Asuna's hair color and CV keep reminding me of Annaru in Anohana, and this similarity somehow ruined my impression on her, as Annaru was drawn, well, badly imo)
OK now let's get started. The first arc focuses more on the relationship (mainly discordance) between the two world, which is evident in many scenes. It's not like "haha let's accept it and forget it behind".
The major complaint I have would be the two side arcs. They are completely unnecessary, and feel rather like fanservice. I'm not saying they are useless, it's just that the producer should use other ways to show his spirit and coolness.
The character development is also a weak point. I don't feel the MC's development, although I can see the effort that the producer is trying to make watchers think that he has developed.
The effort is also evident to make the story as reasonable as possible. Unfortunately it's not very successful as well, in both main arcs. Although I can accept it, some people think it as deus ex machina, and I quite understand why they feel that way. At some points I think MC goes too far beyond common sense, and the whole thing seems somehow miraculous. But generally everyone acts fairly consistently. The ending is OK for me. That guy is not essentially bad.
Finally we come to the romance part, or relationship if you will. I have to admit that it's impossible to be objective on this part. So a good way is to look at the data. According to MAL ranking, more people like this series (and obviously mainly for the romance) than dislike. Personally I like it too. For me their development seems natural. I know this doesn't work for anyone though.
It gets better in the first episodes in second arc. (Aha good transition) For me, again it doesn't work for everybody, when the girl becomes an ideal figure in his heart, instead of a real person. It's more subtle, and for me, heartfelt.
*******Spoiler*********
It's sort of ironic to see that how people in VR become real and vice versa
Chasing the girl is almost like chasing the moon for poets
The ending is one of the most natural and demanded happy ending I've ever seen
*******End of Spoiler********
The second arc is also more well organised than the first, with less quasi-filler episodes and characters. That boy feels like a bit, though.
The introduction of the new character, and the way they interact together are also interesting. Their dialogues seem normal. In similar situations, other shows may make them really unnaturally allusive.
But when they become closer to the truth, their action began to deviate further and further from common sense. Furthermore, the ending feels even more like deus ex machina.
The final transition from cyber to reality largely ruins my subtle feeling before. Besides, I can understand that they want to create some space for season II, (and the LN actually contains more than these 2 arcs), but for the anime itself, it really should end there.
Despite all the complaints I have, I really enjoy this series. I didn't have too much expectation about it and find it pleasant to watch. Don't take as a extremely popular series (sadly it's the fact, but just like I said, it's better for your health)
If I'm being objective then I should probably give it 6 or 7, but it has brought me pleasant time and enjoyment so I give it 8.
(I've just seen some people saying that it's the best romance since Clannad. Well I sort of have that feeling as well but don't really agree. It's really potential, but the last episode is mediocre)
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Mar 27, 2014
(I really tried my best to avoid spoilers.)
I watched the first episode, and the world setting interested me greatly. The producing quality was also amazing. Therefore I decided to continue. But I found myself gradually lost in pointless comedy and stagnant story. I know Key works always contained this kind of humor, but this show is simply overwhelmed by it. 13 episodes are short by itself, and now they are still wasting time.
Finally the show got serious, or more exactly, tried to get serious. I say this because I don't really feel much. At one point the drama becomes so childish and naive
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that I can't help but ask myself "Is Maeda Jun really the scriptwriter??"
It doesn't really get to the right track, even till the end. Some people said the last scene is very moving. Not for me though. They just put a climax there without previous building, like a hanging garden. Without proper development, the pairing of these two characters is not heartfelt. (This is why I love Clannad AS, where they spend enough time to build up.)
As I said, the technical aspect (sound and art) is great, especially the ending theme (including the animation background). I think it's as good as Chiisana Tenohira (the music in Clannad S2E22). It really gives that character some depth, better than the whole 13 episodes.
Overall the comedy is sometimes hilarious indeed, and the art and sound are of very high quality. The world setting is great enough. All these are potential for a great show. However the character development screwed it.
For clarification: just throwing on facts is not considered character development by me.
****Slight Spoiler Contained****
(As the world setting is revealed very early, it's not really a spoiler)
If I were the directer, I would add a prequel about how Yuri (without her memory yet) gradually felt different and solitary in her school life. Then she met some comrades with same feelings and grouped together. As their relations developed further Yuri got to know about their back stories. Finally Yuri remembered her past, and they got to know the fact that they are dead and living in an afterworld. Then they decided to struggle against the god and established the group.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Mar 19, 2014
I was watching the anime and playing the VN simultaneously. When I proceeded into Tomoyo arc in VN, I wanted to smash my computer because of Tomoya's action. But quickly I found consolation in the anime. I was deeply touched by it (probably because of my similar experience) and I rewatched multiple times. Well, the feeling has faded now (unlike the After Story) but I still think it a good story.
Tomoyo chapter is the first time when our main character firmly encounter the harshness in reality. The whole story is like a drama, and a well-made one, including its story development, building on conflicts,
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and the final warming scene. Indeed, that scene is extremely beautiful and heartwarming.
Some people complain that one episode is not enough. Well, I want to say that there are other (rather subtle) development of this character in season 1 and 2, although very unnoticeable. Fujibayashi sisters are the same.
The music does a good job in setting the atmosphere. The art is also great, at least to me. I really like the last minutes.
For conclusion, this OVA is like a standard drama. With the outstanding produce quality, it provides as much as one episode can.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Mar 16, 2014
Clannad and its sequel are my first anime. As a new anime watcher, I felt a lot about the first season (especially Fuuko, not Kotomi though) as well as Kyou and Tomoyo arcs. However, now the emotion they brought to me has faded. However, the second season is simply the most emotional story (anime, movie, novel, etc) I've ever seen.
To say this series is perfect is not accurate. Actually you can easily find that most reviewers are complaining about the ED and first 8 episodes. Well, the ED is a big issue. But the first 8 episodes are not that off topic, as they
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contribute to character development and interactions between people. I think they just pushed it too far.
Or, you can think it this way: subtracting the first 8 episodes you only get about 14 episodes left (9-22), and they managed to get so many people's heart with only these (supported by 1st season). Isn't this a proof how great these episodes are?
Personally I complain for some other things, like some music choices in episodes like 17. For those who have seen the show, you may know what I mean. Well, I'd like to think myself a rather serious watcher, so I think the comic elements in the show should be reduced.
Besides, I think the whole world setting is not very well integrated into the story. By itself it's very good, but now it seems that the show should end at episode 18. The only noticeable loss would be the song in episode 22. I almost emotionally collapsed when I was watching it, and this song remains as my favorite.
The whole story about Clannad can be understood through various ways: family, friends, parents, people's growth, etc. It reaches far beyond ordinary high school life. It's also multifaceted in another sense: it has many, many types of tearjerkers. Personally I'm immune to some of them, but not to others. It's hard to be immune to everyone of them.
Also the character development is very good. I felt I almost grew up with the main character. Sometimes he plainly said exactly how I felt.
This show is also closely related to reality, except the world setting. I know how hard it is to create a show which feels so real. Clannad AS has reasons to be the best-received romance&drama series.
One last point, the artwork is just masterpiece, even it was made in 2008. Other shows may have more stunning backgrounds like 5 cm/s, but Clannad truly excels in depiction of human expressions.
The music is great as well. Unfortunately, as KyoAni chose to stick to original sound track, the music choice feels limited. Besides, only a small portion of songs in OST were composed for After Story, so it feels further limited. At least they should have some alternatives (with similar tune, like the two versions of Tide).
Overall, I would say that Clannad AS is not without its defects, but the emotional impact it brings is so strong and sincere that it deserves a 10.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Feb 13, 2014
Literally all my friends wanted to drop it after watching the first episode, yet at last found the whole anime as a great work. Well, I agree with them.
Diligence is a good thing, but it in many situations leads to jealousy. Somehow like Madoka, benevolence sometimes just doesn't work out.
For an anime in this genre, I think the expression of emotion is the most important part, and this anime really does well. It's a very subjective thing, but personally I can feel with the characters mostly. Not infrequently that what I want to say is perfectly said by the characters in the show.
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The characters are done really well and deep. Each character has his or her own story, struggle and progress. Yes, everyone, even including many subsidiary characters like the teacher. The interaction between characters (except the triangle relation) really interests me.
One of its strong points is the 23 episode: graduation scene. This pinnacle is handled very well, which is indeed a hard work. The emotion is expressed genuinely and sincerely, instead of being artificial.
I'm not a good judge of art. Despite this, I can feel that the paintings in the show (painted by Shiina, the talented drawer) are really good. The music and CV performance are decent as well, especially Ryuunosuke and his maid-chan (as they are both from Horie Yui, who also performed in Kanon, LB!, Bake and many other series).
Totally I enjoyed this show very much. I give it a 9 because I only give 10 to shows that have really strong impact on me. This is influenced by many factors. (e.g. Clannad is my first anime and it really shapes my view on all other anime) As a show, Sakurasou is really a great anime to watch, except the ecchi scenes in the first episode.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Dec 12, 2013
(This review is for those who have completed the show.)
(This is not a traditional review.)
This anime gives me a strange feeling, as some others might probably feel. In many ways it's a unique anime, and it's hard for me to give it a score.
It contains many rather normal and predictable plots, though. When Aono began to teach Koyori paper folding, I immediately knew it's an important sign. It's also easy to guess Mayuko's identity. Therefore, most of the moving parts in this show are not powerful enough for me. The main story is more startling to me rather than touching.
Still it
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is strange. First and the most superficial thing is that both male and female lead die at last. Besides, the story extends into many centuries before. (Actually I think this is almost like cheating, Loading the plot with the heaviness of history can always create the strong feeling.)
Both strongly remind me of Air. In fact the writer of Sola once belonged to Key and wrote the large part of Kanon. The cast is also strange. As some reviews have already pointed out, Aono doesn't suit Nakahara Mai. Nagisa in Clannad is much better. (Actually this reminds me of Tamura Yukari, who casted Mae in Kanon, somehow similar to Aono. Personally I think her performance of Sunohara Mei in Clannad and Kanako in Ore no Imouto suits better)
BTW I really like the drawing style, especially the eyes.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Dec 12, 2013
(Contains slight spoilers)
Before watching this movie, I've already completed the light novel which it was adapted from. So this review won't be so biased even if I've just finished this movie. Even if I already know what will happen, this movie is still great for me to watch, and certainly for those who haven't watched it. No doubt why it ranks so high.
It would be wasteful to write a long paragraph about the plot, as numerous (and excellent) reviews had already done so. Basically it's witty and entertaining, with proper depth in some points. Comparing with those movies which do nothing but repeat the
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anime, Suzumiya Haruhi no Shoushitsu is a real surprise. Personally I think that this is the best thing so far written by Tanigawa Nagaru. Besides, the final scene is really great.
As for the art, Kyoiani the name itself tells everything. Still, as they just kept the style from the anime (which they started in 2006), I felt a little bit disappointed as it doesn't change much.
Both the Seiyuu performance and the music are great and shed new lights on the characters. Although the OP is the same with anime, the new ED is very intriguing and the lyric fits very well, as if Nagato Yuki is confessing her heart.
The character is also comprehensively discussed already so I won't say much. Still I don't think Haruhi is just an ordinary supporting role. In the changed world she actually pushed Kyon to investigate further. Without her, Kyon would just complain about their disappearance forever and do nothing. It's not just for the plot, but Haruhi's spirit as well. She is not just bossy and immature.
This movie is a rather loyal adaptation from the already outstanding plot, so the enjoyment is granted. I can still feel the tensity even if I've read the light novel. There are also some original scenes, which are also great, like the last scene. As some other reviewers had said, this movie could be the pinnacle of the whole Suzumiya Haruhi Series.
Overall, for those who haven't watched the movie, watch it and you can know yourself why it's excellent.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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