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Sep 29, 2017
Made In Abyss is one of those anime that will completely immerse you from the start with its superb world-building and gripping storytelling. It will keep you hooked until the very end as you take a journey into the unknown and discover the world the anime has to offer.
The story starts off in the city of Orth, situated at the top of a large bottomless chasm known as the Abyss. Cave raiders from Orth enter the Abyss regularly in search of treasures known as relics. Enter Riko, a passionate little girl living at the local orphanage with a keen desire to explore the Abyss and
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become a great cave raider just like her mother. One day while exploring the upper levels of the Abyss she stumbles upon a fainted robot who resembles a child. Introduced as Reg, he has no recollection of who he is and how he got here. After receiving information about her mother, and wanting to discover who he is, both Riko & Reg decide to embark on a journey to the bottom of the Abyss.
The world of the Abyss is awe-inspiring, bursting with imagination and creativity with stunning environments and mystical creatures. Half the treat of this series is exploring this beautiful environment which resembles that from Ghibli films. However don’t be fooled into think that this series is just going to be a happy-go-lucky walk in the park adventure, far from it actually. The Abyss is a dangerous environment where literally everything wants to (and will) kill you. The Abyss is made up of different layers with increasing amounts of danger the deeper you travel down as the monsters become stronger and stronger. Getting back up ain’t no easy feat either as the whole Abyss is covered by a curse with its effects worsening the deeper you are. Ascending even a couple of metres can cause vomiting, nausea, external bleeding, and in the worst case scenario, the loss of your humanity or death. Our poor protagonists have literally embarked on a suicide mission!
As a result this anime won't hesitate at being violent and gory when it needs to be. If you don’t like seeing little kids getting hurt then be warned; this anime is NOT for you. The Abyss is a place of despair where happy endings aren’t guaranteed. The green environments and cute character designs give off a false impression that this is a kids show; IT ISN’T! It’s a show designed for more mature audiences with lewd and disgusting moments. And that’s just the start as according to the manga-reader overlords, the non-adapted material later on is even more messed up.
However I urge you to stick around because the story is FANTASTIC! It’s completely unpredictable with a lot of plot-twists, suspenseful moments and cliffhangers that will leave you quickly wanting more. It’ll charge your emotions through moments of torment and despair, but also make you smile and laugh during its light hearted moments. A common complaint while the show was airing was that each episode only felt 5 minutes long as we all became so immersed in the story, then plummeted into despair when the episode ended and had to wait a week for the next one. Time flies when you’re having fun doesn’t it?
The characters are another highlight as all the main and supporting characters are well developed. Love or hate them, each character has unique personalities with their own set of traits and flaws. In particular I loved the dynamic relationship between Riko & Reg; they not only become great friends but also work well together; compensating for each-others weaknesses. Reg’s combat abilities prove invaluable but he’s rather naive, and indecisive in the heat of the moment. He therefore relies on the intellect of Riko who despite her optimistic and childish nature, is quite knowledgeable about the Abyss. Both Riko & Reg would both be lost without each other. I really came to like these characters and felt bad for them during their times of hardship. The mysterious Ouzen and the lovable sarcastic fuzzball Nanachi are great too!
During production Kinema Citrus spared no expense; Made in Abyss is a visual treat with stunning environments, cute character designs and (mostly) fluid animation. The god-like soundtrack is on another level entirely! It not just complements the anime, it literally sets the mood! It’s primarily soft ambience that makes use of piano, violin and percussion. It adds to the awe-inspiring environments and creates all those suspenseful moments. It has to be one of the best anime soundtracks that I’ve heard in recent memory!
Overall Made in Abyss is a must watch! It has a real sense of adventure with a great unpredictable story and well developed characters. It’s an anime that I’ll never forget and has earned a special place on my favourites list.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Sep 28, 2017
To explain Blackout 2022 I best start out this quick review explaining what Blade Runner actually is. Blade Runner is a 1982 Hollywood science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott. Set in 2019 it depicts a dystopian Los Angeles under the influence of the Tyrell Corporation, who manufacture advanced human-like androids known as replicants. These androids were designed to work in the off-world colonies although a number have escaped back to earth illegally. Those that do so are hunted and ‘retired’ by a special police force known as blade runners.
Blackout 2022 serves as a bridge between the original 1982 movie and the upcoming Blade
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Runner 2049 movie, depicting a significant event that occurred during the time between the two movies, and sets up the premise for the latter. Following two replicants Blackout 2022 briefly depicts the challenges and discrimination that replicants face and the lengths they’re willing to go in order to save themselves. Due to its short running time the episode isn’t able to go into much characterization, but it does enough to inform the viewer about the world of Blade Runner and provide them an understanding of who replicants are and their interaction with humans.
Directed by Shinichirou Watanabe, the episode is a visual treat! The animation for the characters is crisp, the action sequences are fluid and artistic, while the environments are well detailed, especially the final scene which depicts the famous symbolism of Los Angeles in the original film. Overall it perfectly replicates (yes I went there, deal with it) the dark gritty environment of the original film. The soundtrack complements the episode well with electronic ambient tracks that capture the eerie futuristic feel of dystopian Los Angeles.
Overall Blackout 2022 is short and sweet as it does so much in such a small amount of time. Fans of the original film will appreciate how the episode respects and replicates the dystopian environment of Los Angeles, while those who haven’t seen the film will enjoy the brief world-building that the episode provides. Even if you’re not a fan of Blade Runner you should still watch this just for the beautiful visuals and soundtrack.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Aug 19, 2017
“The intersection between two worlds, Hellsalems Lot. Libra, a secret society of superhumans toiling in the shadows to preserve the fractured balance between worlds. These are the records of our covert missions.”
The introduction to each episode sets up the basic premise of Kekkai Sensen (aka Blood Blockade Battlefront), a series about a group of humans with supernatural powers and their deeds to keep order in a society full of extraterrestrial life. The synopsis sounds promising but as this review will explain, Kekkai Sensen falls short in a number of areas.
The series takes place in Hellsalems Lot, formerly known as New York City. Three years
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ago a gate to beyond opened, trapping humankind and extraterrestrials in this large metropolis. Think of the setting as being New New York in Matt Groening’s Futurama, except it’s set during the present day instead of the year 3000. Hellsalems Lot is an intriguing and quirky world where you can expect the unexpected, and where death can strike randomly at any moment if you’re not careful. Why anyone would want to live there is anyone's guess. As our MC Leonardo Watch describes it; ‘It’s a noisy city where abnormal is normal.’ The story is seen through the perspective of Leonardo as he enters Hellsalems Lot in search for answers after he obtained the ‘All-seeing Eyes of the Gods’ at the expense of his sister's eyesight. He then unwittingly joins Libra in their mission to keep order in a fractured society.
By this point I was expecting the series to follow a linear overarching plot as it follows Leo in his quest for answers. The major flaw of the Kekkai Sensen though is that it fails the basic art of storytelling as it takes on a mostly episodic format that simply follows the daily missions and mishaps of those in Libra. There’s heaps of various monsters and fighting, but nothing more than that. There is supposedly a plot but it’s so disjointed between episodes that you can’t really tell what’s going on in the series. The episodes introduce various concepts and plot points, but none of these are particularly expanded upon leaving the viewers with more questions than answers. By the final episode I was starting to question what the bollocks was going on. I wasn’t questioning it because it was a complex story; I was questioning it as the storytelling was so damn poor that nothing made sense.
The poor storytelling also lets down the characters. Apart from Leonardo There are a couple of noteworthy characters that get decent screen-time including Klaus von Reinherz; the head of Libra, and Zapp; Leo’s superior with a hotheaded juvenile personality. Outside of Libra we become accustomed with White, a girl that Leonardo meets while in the hospital, and her brother Black. Each character has unique traits and personalities but it’s hard to become particularly attached to any of them as the series tends not to disclose their backstory. Although some episodes were dedicated to particular characters, it only details their actions rather than attempt to develop them. Ditto the supporting cast; despite some unique quirks we don’t know anything about them either. It’s the same problem with the antagonists; it’s hard to tell their motivations that attempt to justify their actions. It’s like they’re being evil just for the sake of being evil. Only once does the series attempt to provide the audience with an insight into two of the characters. This was one of the better episodes but due to the disjoined nature of the plot and their particular role, it didn’t do enough to make me feel more attached to them.
Despite the flawed storytelling and characters, Kekkai Sensen still does the basic job of entertaining the audience. It generally has a light hearted tone with moments of comedy and swearing/insults between the characters. It has a unique style and a sense of fun that kept me interested, not once did I feel bored while watching the series. For that I’ll watch the second season when it’s released later this year.
Being produced by Bones; the animation is at their usual high standard so expect a visual treat. The series has a slight noir feel with it with drawn blurred backgrounds and pale colour palettes which does well to depict the metropolis setting. This is also reflected in the soundtrack which has a Jazz feel to it with the use of trumpets and saxophone, but also has hints of piano and even choir/orchestra. It’s much better than the sometimes generic soundtracks that are found in some anime these days. It took me a little while to get used to the OP as its soft rock seemed out of place for a series that contains fighting and plenty of action. However with lyrics speaking of struggle, identity and searching for a sense of purpose, I came to quite enjoy it. I watched the dubbed version of the series and I can personally recommend it. The voice acting was at a high standard with the voices matching the characters perfectly. Personally I find it odd listening to Japanese voice acting in anime that have their settings in the west, so it’s a sigh of relief that the dub was pulled off nicely.
In conclusion Kekkai Sensen has an interesting premise. It’s a generally entertaining series with a unique sense of fun that is well animated and has a nice soundtrack. However if you’re looking for a series with a good story; look elsewhere as Kekkai Sensen fails the basic art of storytelling with a disjointed plot and underdeveloped characters.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Aug 3, 2017
ACCA 13 review
Watching ACCA: 13 is a bit like riding on an old steam train. On the outside it looks utterly majestic as it awes you with its beauty. It has a great soundtrack too as it trundles through the scenic English countryside. The view outside your window is stunning as you can’t help but relax as the world passes you by. All is well, but there’s a slight hitch. You’re not a retired tourist; you’re actually a mere office clerk who’s running late for work. You yell at the driver to speed up, except he continues driving at a slow but steady pace. It’s
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only just before the train reaches your station decides to floor it, but by then it’s too late. As you step off the train you reflect on what was a bittersweet train ride; yes it was enjoyable but disappointed by the fact that you’ve now probably lost your job.
This analogy may make no sense but I shall explain.
ACCA: 13 takes place in the kingdom of Dowa which is divided into thirteen states, each with their own unique people and characteristics. Unity of each of the thirteen states is achieved by the ACCA organization who oversees each of them. Enter Jean Otus, our calm, collected, cigarette-smoking protagonist who works in ACCA’s inspection department whose role is to stamp out corruption and misdeeds. The series follows Jean as he goes about his job conducting audit’s for each of the thirteen states. For the most part all is well, or is it? Rumors are circulating within ACCA’s upper ranks that a coup d’état is brewing. The series mostly revolves around this threat as those in ACCA attempt to unravel the mystery.
The plot is the series’ main weakness. Although the plot as a whole is well thought out, it’s very slow in terms of pacing. No spoilers intended but for the first six episodes, nothing significant in the overall plot actually happens. It’s not until the halfway point that the series shifts into gear and the pieces of the mystery start to fall into place. Such slow starts are very off-putting as you try to get into the series and decide if the show is worth watching. By the time I watched episode 5 I was starting to get frustrated as it felt like nothing was actually happening as Jean travels around the country inspecting each of the thirteen states. At times I couldn’t tell which direction the series was trying to go. I was beginning to deliberate as to whether the series was worth my time.
However if you’re interested in a slow-paced series without any cliffhangers; something you can watch at night to relax without the risk of getting sucked in and binge-watching the whole thing while you should be doing something more important, then ACCA’s slow yet smart plotline is perfect for you. Despite the plot being shrouded in mystery, you don’t need to be Sherlock Holmes in order to watch it as it’s a fairly laid back series. If I was to give it an analogy, it’s like lying down relaxing while smoking a cigarette (much like Jean’s in fact, minus the negative health impacts).
If you’re willing to persevere some of the series’ finer points will keep you interested. This included the characters and their interactions. Each significant character has a unique and interesting personality, but through the dialogue you get the sense that each is hiding something. It’s hard to tell their true intentions until the gears fall into place, adding to the intriguing mystery of the series. Only Jean and Niino (Jean’s childhood friend) are given considerable character development or back story, but in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t really matter considering the series’ short 12 episode length.
The animation is also a highlight with nice painted backgrounds, simple colour pallets and attractive, yet proportioned character designs. ACCA: 13 definitely has a unique yet realistic style to it. The soundtrack is nice as well with a cool jazz & piano tone. The opening in particular is a highlight of the show with loud vivid contrasting colours and an upbeat trumpet and saxophone tune that really puts you in the right mood. Normally I skip the ending themes as I’d rather just start watching the next episode. However with a soft piano ballad, I honestly regret not listening to ACCA’s ending earlier as it’s a beautiful tune. Thanks to the animation and sound, I consider ACCA to be a series that oozes with style and cool! I have no complaints with the voice acting either; pretty much all the characters were on point.
So I ask; was the train ride worth it? I hope it was. Overall ACCA 13 is an anime that oozes with cool that impresses with a smart well-thought-out plot and interesting characters. However the positive experience was almost completely spoiled by its slow start.
Overall score: 7.5/10
Disclaimer: This is my first review.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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