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Once in a while, we see Slice of Life shows that are incredibly slow paced and are heavily atmospheric. These shows have a pretty static setting and allow you to dive into their world. I like to call these shows Slice of Nothing shows, simply because there's not a lot happening that actually contributes to the plot's development. Zettai Shonen is a slice of nothing show that slipped under the radar when it aired and never really saw the light of day. Which is a shame really, because it was a breath of fresh air and off the beaten track.

Zettai Shonen is an anime ... about Ayumu, a guy who moves to his Dad's (yes, the mythical species known as normal fathers exist in this anime) house in Tana. He spends his days exploring the countryside and meeting the local residents. However, he soon realizes that things aren't quite as normal as they seem. Mysterious objects that look like tiny UFOs start to appear all over the place and seem to have a special affinity for Ayumu. There is also a second arc, which focuses on another protagonist, this time a girl called Kisa. She too attracts these UFOs. Slowly, the two teenagers start to wonder what these things are and why they're attracted ti them. All they know is that it has something to do with their dark and murky past.

First and foremost, I have to warn you. This anime is slow. Incredibly slow. Its buildup is even slower than Goku charging a Spirit Bomb...and trust me, that is slow. There's almost no action and hardly any movement. Generally, it may be a bad thing in case of other anime, but it works out really well in the case of Zettai Shonen. The plot isn't really moving forward, but the atmosphere feels so...atmospheric! It just has these melancholic undertones with an air of mystery around - an experience not too unlike Haibane Renmei or Ghost Hound. It's one of the most unique features of the anime.

And I say most because this anime stands out from the rest for many of the quirky little things it does. Let's start with the realistic and down-to-earth characters.

Despite what the title of the anime says, this anime isn't really much of a shonen. The guy doesn't have any superpowers, the women don't give him any (neither are they cliched tsunderes) and the side characters don't fit into any particular TVTrope either. The supporting cast is bland, but hey, rather bland than annoying (read: Any random Hana Kanazawa character), right?

Ayumu, the main character of the first arc isn't really the most charismatic or lively guy you're going to see. To be frank, he has the emotional range of a tea-spoon. But again, he fits well into the Zettai Shonen niche of being a low key and mellow anime. Kisa is a pleasantly creepy girl whose anti-social side has gotten the better of her. And no, she is not his childhood friend. Her character is something like a mix of Yuki Nagato (of Haruhi Suzumiya franchise) and Moeka (of Stein;s Gate). The thing is, all these characters have this rustic charm to them and seem to grow on you.

One of the things I really liked was how the interactions between the characters shaped the story moving forward. The conversations were normal and weren't blown up or exaggerated. For example, most anime contain this scene where the protagonist is talking intimately with the female lead and suddenly an adult walks in and they jump, scream and fumble all about "I-It's all a misunderstanding!". See how neatly Zettai Shonen does it (video at 4:20).

The animation too, is funky. It's drawn like a childish cartoon, with very little detailing. You'll also notice immediately the heavy usage of still frames. They're gonna have one picture and move slowly across it and probably repeat the footage in another episode as well. The studio probably knew this anime wasn't gonna sell a lot of DVDs...and they were right. This anime comes from Genco, the studio that's produced some of the best Slice of Life anime in the past decade such as Nodame Cantable, Kino's Journey and Honey & Clover.

Zettai Shonen is a mystery and supernatural blend that works out really well. The two arcs come together nicely and while the show doesn't really explain much, it hardly matters, because it's a case where the journey matters more than the destination. Although I described this anime as a Slice of Nothing anime, it's not that there's completely nothing in terms of plot, it's just that there's relatively less action even by a SoL anime's standards.

Overall, this is an anime you have to be patient with. And if you are, it rewards with you some of the most gripping story telling you'll ever see. If you're looking for an anime that's off the beaten track with a really spellbinding atmosphere, then this show's the real deal. It's calm, yet compelling. A definite recommendation for fans of Haibane Renmei, Dennou Coil and Ghost Hound.

Ame no Furu Basho is more of an idea and it aims and achieves nothing more than providing food for thought. It's a fairly straightforward tale that showcases life after a break-up and life after a death poignantly.

Eshikawa is a man who has lost sight of his life and stumbles through it, with no clear meaning or purpose after his girlfriend leaves him. After he is informed that she committed suicide, his brain is set to introspect mode. Through the course of the 28 pages, he introspects and goes on a journey of self-revelation.

The story is very simple and there are no plot twists of ... any sort, and neither are they necessary. Real life conversations cut in occasionally with flashbacks is all that this one is about. And with less than thirty pages to work with, we are handed quite a heavy message. There are no distractions in the form of comic relief or melodrama and it all moves in a focused and rather melancholy direction.

If you're a fan of ABe, looking for a manga with a lot of meat on it or even some eye candy, then Ame no Furu Basho will without a doubt disappoint you. However, if a quick thought-provoking read is your thing, then this should work like a charm. It takes only about five minutes to read, so just dive with both feet in, because you'll be up in no time.

When was the last time that you were stuck in a traffic jam and looked around you, only to find all the other drivers’ expressions mirror yours exactly? The frustration, the annoyance and the exasperation plastered all across their faces, each telling a story of their own, as loud horns blare in the background. The irritated young fellow next to you might be rushing because he has a huge presentation to make in front of the office’s senior officials. The middle-aged woman in the minivan behind you might be furious because her son got into trouble at university and they were calling her over when ... she was in the middle of her favorite soap opera. The old man just ahead of you could be on his way to the hospital and might be extra jumpy today because the doctors called to tell him that they finally found him a donor. (edit: word for this is "sonder")

Everyone has their own story. Baccano is an anime that realizes that all too well and decides to puppeteer different people with different personalities, ideals and aims into making one blockbuster series that will have you throwing roses on stage as the curtain closes. It’s anime like these that I shove down people’s throats when they say it’s a medium for kids.

Set in the 1930s Prohibition Era of America, it often shifts its focus to events that take place in New York and even unravels the mysteries that happened on a ship in 1711. The story, told through multiple points of view, revolves around the adventures and atrocities of the passengers aboard a Chicago train called the Flying Pussyfoot (yuuuup). Keeping up with the train's name, the characters are colourful - alchemists, thieves, assassins, landlords, mobsters, immortals, chemists, monsters, delinquents, information brokers and many more fascinating characters. Sheer ruckus ensues when their security is compromised and they all set out to carry out their individual missions. And so it begins - stories, with no clear ending or beginning and no specific protagonists, but just methodical mayhem.

The story starts off by giving you a glimpse into the everyday life of (most of) the characters and it does so all at once. And by that, I mean that you have a few minutes denoted to each of them and all this information at one shot can be confusing, if not a complete turn-off. This might be the major reason for people putting down this anime as the initial three episodes are an overload of what is considered “unnecessary” information. But, here’s the thing: Don’t.

Once it gets going, the show effortlessly glides from one perspective to another, seldom leaving you confused, weaving order out of the initial chaos. For an anime with twelve main characters and an assortment of side characters, that’s quite an achievement. The same goes for the time/place shifts. There is just something always happening on screen, be it a funny conversation or a deadly fight. Thus, the flow while smooth for the most part might be a little jerky due to the variation in character. Seeing a gun fight being interrupted by some comic relief is mildly frustrating, but upon retrospect, it seems like the kind of thing that makes the serious scenes more intense.

The characters themselves are truly refreshing. One of the most recurring characters in the show are Isaac and Miria, who are entertaining to say the least. Watching them prance about and mindlessly cosplay is hilarious. Initially frustrating, most of the characters do grow on you. We also have a Heath Ledger-esque Joker in Ladd Russo, a psychopathic hitman who's just unmissable. Just going through the varied type of characters must make you wonder how long it must’ve taken the producers to prepare the script, which happens to be very well done. Analyzing the characters (or even mentioning them!) any more would be a serious disservice for people who are reading this review without watching the show.

Brain’s Base spared no expense while producing this show. They sent their artists to America to study the locations so that they could recreate them as realistically as possible. And it was a wonderful investment indeed as 1930s America looks exactly like it should – dusty, grand and mysterious. The backgrounds are detailed very well and buildings in different areas look completely different from each other. The characters themselves are drawn neatly with light shades of water colors. When Ladd gets angry, you can actually notice the blood rush up to his face. The emotions of all characters are done very subtly and artfully. When one of the characters breaks his hand, you can see the bone fragments in the flesh around the forearm. That’s how good the animation is.

The soundtrack is pretty difficult to judge. The OP, Guns N Roses, is a jazzy piece of classical American music, which is pretty fun. There's even a tiny recap squeezed in the middle of the OP. I always love it when anime mess around with the OPs. Addition of some more thematic tracks could’ve definitely kicked things up a notch.

There is hardly any character development, but with 12 main characters squeezed into 13 episodes, what do you expect? The cast, which up until now was an asset, turns into a liability towards the ending. It’s hard to give all of them a decent epilogue and some of your favorite characters’ futures will be left unexplored. Thankfully, the 3 episode OVA wraps things up rather neatly.

Baccano is a bloodbath and its monstrosity rivals that of Elfen Lied. You will be subject to witnessing some horrifying and disturbing scenes such as a face thrust into the rail tracks from aboard a moving train and hot tongs being used to gouge a child’s eyes. Suffice to say, this ain't for kids.

[ THE WRAP-UP ]
Baccano is a 13 episode rollercoaster that will take you on the train journey of your life. The mood of the 1930s is captured perfectly and is presented in beautiful light-shaded animation that instantly transports you into the Prohibition Era America. The unique method of multiple-perspective storytelling is groundbreaking and very enchanting. The first couple of episodes are mildly infuriating because of the constant perspective shifts, however, this is all evened out in the next few episodes and you get into the thick of things really quick in this otherwise fast paced anime. There are the usual culprits, such as mood ruiners, an unsatisfactory ending (fixed in the OVA that follows) and bland soundtrack, but nothing that even comes close to ruining the overall experience. With an intricately designed plot and an intriguing set of characters, it does not fail to impress.

Masterpiece or classic? Eh, debatable.
Gives you a rush like very few shows can? Definitely.

"Love isn’t blind. It’s retarded." – Charlie, Two and a Half Men

What happens when the unstoppable force meets the immovable object? Love blossoms, of course! Itazura na Kiss is the anime adaptation of the smash hit manga of the same name that published in the late 1990s. However, due to the sudden death of the mangaka, Karou Tada, the manga never reached its intended climax. After the release of three successful live action series (and another later in 2010), TMS Entertainment decided to conceptualize the ending and produce a 25 episode anime series.

Itazura na Kiss follows Kotoko, a naive and clumsy girl who falls ... head over heels for the brilliant and handsome Naoki. Unfortunately for her, he is the king of all tsunderes and refuses to even cast a second glance at her. After Kotoko’s house is destroyed due to some silly reason, she is forced to move into (*gasps*) Naoki’s house. The rest of the story is dedicated to Kotoko’s pursuit of her Prince Charming and the struggles on how a relationship might not always but be milk and roses, especially if the girl’s a klutz and the guy’s heart is made of stone.

Right off the bat, it has to be mentioned that Itazura stands out mainly because of telling the tale even after the couple unite. Seeing that this is a shoujo, I don’t think I’m bursting anyone’s bubble here. In fact, that is the selling point of this anime – it has a story even after the much awaited confession and acceptance.

The story of this anime is like a very bumpy road trip – it’s rough, rutted and will frustrate, but when it’s good, it’s a real joy. At the core, this show is a rom-com and delivers well to a decent extent on both ends. Shoujo enthusiasts will be delighted to see their most beloved clichés wrapped into a well executed package. The plot twists are steep enough to keep most guessing and although it can test one’s patience with cheesy dialogues, there isn’t a single moment in this anime that will make you bored.

However, Itazura’s story is, as mentioned a few lines ago, extremely patchy. This can be attributed to the overdose of comic relief, which serves as a total mood crusher. Just when the show has a good rapport going with the viewer, plunging its tendrils into our hearts, it immediately barricades itself with its corny sense of humor and excessive chibi. It fails to take itself seriously. Moments that have so much potential to be moving and memorable are completely underutilized because of the anime’s inability to be consistent with the mood. Now, the jokes are good and will give you a good chuckle or two, but they soon grow to be as annoying as a weight machine next to an all-you-can-eat buffet. It’s a good thing that the show steps up its game episode 18 upwards, from where things are far more consistent and gripping.

The entire concept of love and romance in the anime (like many generic shoujo) is twisted. According to Itazura rules, people are like Pokemon – you gotta capture them. The one who has just a one-sided crush becomes madly in love with the other person and become delirious to all reason and logic. They will instantly abandon all their dignity and self-esteem. “Love” here is more or less synonymous with “stalking”. Love someone? Confess to them, follow them and pester them until they finally give in. But this approach is what kept the chemistry between the leads, so it is forgivable.

The animation is very mediocre. Despite being a 2008 anime, the backgrounds are average and the detailing is so-so. My major gripe here is the terrible consistency in Kotoko’s face. For comedic effects, they stretch her face until she looks like a pancake and the next second she looks like a mature teenager with beautiful flowing hair. Lots of facepalm-worthy moments. There were some nice touches, like the changing of hairstyles and a decent variation of clothes, which is something that most anime tend to neglect. Overall, it’s a decent job by the animation department, nothing more.

The soundtrack is very standard with only a couple of pieces standing out. It’s fitting and is never a hindrance or a pleasure. The OP was nothing special and the first ED was a threat to my eardrum’s safety. The second one, on the other hand, was a marvelous track and had great vocals.

The characters are the biggest offenders here. No, not all of them, just the one – Kotoko. While there is nothing wrong with having a clumsy girl, her simplicity often amounts to her acting like a three year old. Whether this maybe for forcing a smile or a “kawai” outcry, her flawed character is irritating. She lacks any self-esteem whatsoever and her childish antics can only be tolerated so much before you throw your hands up in exasperation. Her masochism is pretty high up the chart even for those usual suffer-in-silence shoujo female leads.

Naota on the other hand is a fantastic character. The aim of any character is to provoke a reaction from the viewer, be it is positive or negative. Naoki does the latter admirably, generating a lot of hate for his tsunderity and strong willed single-mindedness. He manages to retain your attention for every second of his air time. The rest of the cast all play their role and there are a lot of recurring ones excluding the family. Plenty of new characters are thrown into the mix along the way and they are always welcome additions.

Like the story, the enjoyment will be in bits and pieces as well. One must have a, how shall I say it, wide sense of humor in order to relish the anime’s weak, yet persistent, sense of humor. The initial episodes will have you tearing up with laughter, but as the show progresses, the charm wears off. It fails to move away from the same and washed out slapstick jokes and the end result is a viewer grudgingly getting past these “filler” scenes waiting for the real deal. And the real deal, the romantic scenes, is quite a spectacle. Every time a truly serious situation arises, the chemistry between the arrogant Adonis and the diligent dame does not disappoint. Those looking for the lovey-dovey atmosphere with a touch of class will find exactly what they are looking for in this anime. There are some exceptionally memorable scenes which will make your heart swoon for the couple. This is especially so in the latter half of the series, when the anime (along with the characters) matures.

[ THE WRAP-UP ]
Itazura na Kiss is a fantastic anime for those looking for a light hearted rom-com that will entertain more than anything else. TMS Entertainment has done a great job in condensing the pioneering decade-long manga into a well executed 25 episode series. The place where this anime severely lacks is in consistency, largely due to the fact that the humor was shallow and the same jokes were used one too many times. The heartwarming romance is present, but is heavily underplayed and could definitely have been so much more emotional. The animation and sound departments are average and are nothing special. The lead couple is a total yin and yang and while it does make for an enjoyable chemistry, Kotoko is a horrendously flawed character and can be beyond irritating at times. Itazura na Kiss is recommended if you’re looking for something that will cheer you up, while satisfying the shoujo void in your heart and providing a great “after story”, but just don’t go in expecting anything too deep.

Innovation is a term that is thrown around a lot these days and is used almost interchangeably with the word creativity. But, innovation and creativity are actually two very different things. Creativity is just novelty, while innovation is novelty that has value attached to it. While we do see glimpses of authentic creativity occasionally, true innovation is almost impossible to come across.

In the beginning of the millennium, Gainax tried to do what they do best – innovate. To recreate the magic of the legendary Neon Genesis Evangelion, they utilized the same key members of the staff, appointing Kazuya Tsurumaki as the director and Yoji ... Enokido, the author of the original FLCL novels, as the scriptwriter. And at the end of April of the year, the first episode of FLCL was released and gave birth to what would become yet another Gainax success story.

FLCL (Fooly Cooly or Furi Kuri) tells the tale of a precocious punk named Naota. When his brother left for America, he and Mamimi (his girlfriend) are left devastated and stumble through each day, finding solace only through each other’s thoughts of the brother. However, all this changes when an extraordinarily eccentric (borderline insane) girl, Haruko, barges into their lives and changes Naota inside and out. What follows is Naota’s coming of age story, crammed with outlandish sci-fi incidents that will light the way the way to adulthood.

FLCL takes up the word “chaos”, chews it up, spits it out and moulds it into something that’s preposterous even for Gainax’s standards. The storyline is erratic to say the least. What starts out as a wacky comedy about a kid and an oddity of a woman, turns into an over the top sci-fi series that attempts to showcase the fragility of the human mind. One second it’s about sexual innuendos, the next it’s about giant mecha emerging out of a kid’s head. It lacks any sort of consistency whatsoever and the end result is an indecisive plot that is more confusing than it is entertaining. This “middle finger factor” of the show gives off the illusion that an episode is longer than the thirty minutes of runtime. However, the true meaning and context of the show is still open for interpretation and lacks traits of any particular genre it belongs to.

The randomness and spontaneity of the crazy events does have its charm and works to the show’s advantage at times. But the complete lack of coherence does get to you and leads from “What the hell am I watching?!” to “Why the hell am I still watching?!” The absence of a strong and well directed plot is made obvious by the really cheap and downright silly humor. The jokes are not tasteful and unless you find getting run over by a scooter and whacked by a guitar funny, there’s nothing LOLable. Things even get severely disgusting at times.

Criticism aside, I land on one of the anime’s strong suits – the art. It excels in this department. The artwork is very stylish and exudes creativity. The characters look unique and are recognizable within an instant. You even have different styles employed, such as manga panels, cartoony and even a few scenes where the environments and characters are drawn in a South Park-like fashion. For an anime made a decade ago, the movement is very fluid and there are very few still shots. Here, Gainax innovates and the graphics look dated at no point. A perfect score.

FLCL shoots and scores with the soundtrack as well. The background music consists of several pieces made by the band Pillows. The rock band works well in creating some head thumping English tracks. It would certainly be a boon to the anime industry if these fellows were to make more tracks for anime.

The characters in FLCL are an eccentric group of locals, most of who are mentally deranged. Naota is the standard Gainax “kid-who-wants-the-power-but-not-the-responsibility” protagonist. The silver lining is that instead of just his psychological warfare on whether or not to accept the powers, you also get to see him battling his lusty pubertal desires. There is a certain amount of depth to his personality, but nothing that would top your favorites list. His character design was probably the inspiration for Simon of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. Mamimi is, once again, an intriguing character, but she is sidetracked along the middle. The star of the show is Haruko. This disturbing woman takes the cake when it comes to randomness. Her seiyu, Mayumi Shintami does her job perfectly and projects Haruko impeccably as an annoying, yet likeable character.

The enjoyment factor is what splits the audience into two halves. On one side, you have the average anime viewer, who has his/her tastes limited to only a few genres and on the other, we have hardcore fans who are experienced with a wide plethora of shows. Viewers who are part of the former will probably have to turn their brains off to enjoy the mayhem that ensues in order to feel their time well spent. But it is a very difficult task considering that the show attempts to be intelligent and crazy at the same time. It is the exact opposite if you’re a case of the latter. Seasoned Gainax fans will feel right at home with all the hidden references and the troubled teenager hero. It’s just that they would be much more familiar with the spontaneity than those who are yet to watch a lot of the studio’s works.

[ THE WRAP-UP ]
FLCL is an anime that is a total hit-or-miss, mostly relying on your experiences with Gainax’s works. The coming of age element in the plot is completely buried because of the inane lightheartedness and when watched casually, it’s easy to miss. While it can be watched as a fun “go with the flow” show, the arbitrariness of it all irritates more than it enthralls. Thankfully, the animation in this six episode series spices up the scenes and makes for some excellent eye candy. The Pillows, a J-Rock band, play their part in making the anime technically sound by providing some wonderful tracks. Overall, FLCL is something that you would want to watch if you’re looking for something to tingle your taste for the bizarre, but a series that you must avoid at all costs if you’re looking for something thought provoking or well-drawn out.

The thing about having high expectations is that you do your best to enjoy the show even before you press play. And once you’ve finished watching, you either feel satisfied that this series truly lived up to the hype and something you too would recommend to others or, more than often, you wind up sitting down, watching the credits roll and wondering why you were looking forward to this wishy-washy stuff in the first place.

In 2007, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann pierced its drill not just into the heavens, but also into the hearts of millions of fans across the globe. It is probably one ... of the most massively raved shows with fans believing the series was a gift from the mecha Gods themselves and critics lavishing praise to the point of reducing the scores of its counterparts just because they didn’t stand up to what was thought to be Gainax’s magnum opus.

All build-up and fandom aside, the critical question must be answered: “Does Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann deliver?”

To an extent, it does. But this is by no means masterpiece material.

As you might’ve noticed from the score and the introduction, I am not a fanboy of this show. If you are, then please hold your horses and try not to burst a vein, because everyone is entitled to an opinion and I’m doing my best to justify mine here. Your patience is appreciated, thank you.

In the world of TTGL, humans live in underground cities and must dig to expand and survive. In the tiny village of Jiha, Simon, a young and skilled driller, teams up with Kamina, a hot blooded punk, to break out of their cage. After stumbling upon a mecha head and running into a voluptuous teen named Yoko, the trio manages to break out of their hell hole and reach the surface, where danger and destiny awaits.

There are two ways one can look at TTGL:
1. As a homage/tribute to the old school mecha anime. (If you’re a fan of the genre.)
2. As a standalone series. (If your knowledge of mecha anime is little to none.)

In the first case, the show is said to be parody/tribute to fans of the genre defining anime of the 20th century – the Super Robot era. I’m referring to the time when the word ‘anime’ was almost synonymous with mecha shows such as Gundam, Neon Genesis Evangelion and Macross. This was the period when anime gained its most fervent otaku, who believe this to be the Golden Age of anime. TTGL captures the key elements of these anime and crams it all into a single 27 episode series. Although you may be thinking that the handling might come out as kind of rough and rushed because of the sheer ground that needs to be covered, it does not. The execution is seamless and manages to port every one of those memorable scenarios, which are today clichés because of their success then. It’s a lot of fun for those who closely followed those classics, because TTGL is a wonderful tribute and is sure to get you to join the “Bring back the GAR!” gang. It’s a lot like the warm and nostalgic feeling of watching Star Wars reruns on TV. So, assuming you’re one of those “Old is gold” and “Screw the moe, bring the GAR” people, then you’re sure to find TTGL to be one of the most engrossing stories you’ve ever watched. The pure manliness of it all will win a place in your heart.

Now, let’s consider TTGL as a standalone anime and not as a “homage series”. When I watched TTGL, I had no idea that it was a parody/tribute. It was only later when one of my friends told me that it was did I even start thinking from that perspective. The reason for that is probably because I don’t watch a lot of mecha anime and had no idea that most of the scenes were references to the beloved 90s shows. Therefore, not knowing that the clichés were intentional, I found the plot to be a total and complete letdown. It is downright predictable and there were only a handful of moments when I sat up and said “Whoa, I did not see that coming”. The story progresses in the usual style of beating mini bosses until you find out that the main boss was actually a mini boss to another main boss and so on. Trademark, textbook stuff, this one. Take a kid, sit him on a mecha, hand him a shonen script and your TTGL storyline is good to go. If this is your first mecha anime, skip this one at all costs. Nothing surprising, shocking or even mildly original.

One other thing that must be known about TTGL is that it is split into two arcs, the second arc beginning just after the halfway mark of the series. The second arc occurs after a time skip of 7 years and this makes it seem like almost a second season. There is a complete overhaul of the TTGL mechanism and there are drastic changes to the point that it is hardly recognizable with the anime you watched a couple of episodes ago.

The first arc was about Simon manning up and facing the wrath of the Beastmen Empire. The tale is the usual “boy grows a pair” one, which is shockingly (and intentionally) similar to that of Shinji of Evangelion. While fighting off hordes of mecha (referred to as Ganmen in the show), he also bonds with Kamina and the rest of the cast, slowly paving the way to adulthood. The story moves pretty fast paced here and testosterone charged action is aplenty. While nowhere close to adrenaline pumping, it does retain your attention from start to finish.

And then there’s the second arc. Here, the show transforms into something completely different. Many hated it, but I personally preferred the second arc to the first. In fact, if you’re one of those guys who doesn’t have a very large attention span and found the first few episodes of TTGL to be disappointing, then I recommend you watch episode 15, which is a recap episode, and move on to the rest of the series. The second arc is more about the people and less about the mecha. It throws in dashes of politics and psychology. It is still fast paced, but doesn’t quite feel like it because of the sudden lack of explosions, missiles and screaming shonen kids. Things finally get a tad emotional. But don’t let that delude you into thinking that TTGL becomes a more mature show. Hell, no.

Which perfectly poises me to break down one of the show’s biggest downfalls (or biggest selling point, depending upon your perspective): Wackiness. What starts out as mere lack of logic soon turns into sheer idiocy. There is only so much nonsensical content one can take. There are moments in this show when you feel like banging your head against the screen because of the fact that even suspending your disbelief cannot eradicate the magnitude of insanity. Ripping dimensions apart to travel faster, using galaxies as bullets, mashing them together to make a bigger bullet, claiming planets to be mechas, it’s all here. But then again, when you can have a bot that relies on emotions as a fuel, what is to be expected other than chaos?

The shows TTGL borrows from actually had field tactics, strategies, pilot psychology and other intellectual plot twists. But TTGL itself has nothing of that sort, which is a total misfit if it’s supposed to be a series that should bring memories of the classics.

All criticism aside, I finally land on the thing that impressed me most about TTGL – the animation. It’s fresh, funky and fun. Bold and bright colors are thrown around to make the episodes vibrant with life. There is an overall punk-style. The font of the episode name and the mid-screen change, depending upon the character in focus, and it all shows that the artists put some heart and soul into it. The Ganmen look varied enough and there’s hardly any room for confusion even though there are tons of them. My opinion here might be a bit biased since I watched this on Blu-ray, but I’m still not denying the animation department a ten on ten.

The soundtrack was on target too. The OP was bad and the EDs, except for Love and Rock Peace, were painful to hear as well. But, there is one track that stands out as one of the most memorable pieces of anime music I’ve heard in a while. Yes, I am of course referring to the rappera (rap + opera) song, Fight the Powah! This one track carries the weight of the ending on its shoulders and is played around 4 times in the last 3 episodes. In fact, here’s a message to the people who’ve watched TTGL and ran around the forums screaming on how epic the ending was: Try to blank out the soundtrack playing in the background and just focus on the video and the voices. You’ll notice how terribly stupid it sounds. Good music makes for a good atmosphere.

The characters are, in all honesty, terrible. They are paper cut-outs from the “How to Make Shonen Characters” book. Some of the side characters (Viral, Rossiu, Kittan) were easily more eye-catching than the main cast.

Simon is a meek attempt at Shinji Ikari of Neon Genesis Evangelion. He is the usual bloke who throws a tantrum when he doesn’t get what he wants and shouting like a little girl who was bit by a rabid dog seems to solve all the world’s problems. He is totally boring and even the slight addition of layers to his character in the second half aren’t enough to make him an interesting character. Sad stuff, really. I really was expecting more from a character who appears on almost every episode of the series. However, his second arc changes are what made me boost his scores up a bit.

Kamina is the hot blooded shonen teen punk, the optimistic happy-go-lucky git. Not too much to say about him because he doesn’t get as much air time as Simon, for reasons you’ve got to watch to know. But Kamina is definitely an embodiment of badass leadership and the sort of hero every nerd wants to be, and you can’t really blame them.

Yoko, the wet dream frequenter of thousands of otaku, is actually a pretty complex character. Sadly, she doesn’t live upto her potential because of her poor treatment by the scriptwriters. What could’ve been a fantastic female lead is turned into a jiggle-bimbo with a gun. There is one other female character that deserves a mention. This character was a complete and shameless Ctrl+C – Ctrl+V of Euphemia from Code Geass. Faanboys are bound to blame that on the “tribute factor” too.

The enjoyment factor…probably the hardest place for me to rate TTGL on. Why? Because its stupidity was actually entertaining at times. Hearing “Who the hell do you think we are?!” right at the finish of an epic battle sequence, feels, well, epic. Uber-manliness. There were times when I pumped my fist in the air and gave a “Hell, yeah!” to Simon and his gang. But there were also times when I used that same fist to smash the screen because of the WTFness. I just couldn’t handle the clichés under the pretext of homage during the first arc. Once again, your enjoyment will depend on whether you look at TTGL as a tribute or a standalone, the former triumphing over the latter.

Overall, TTGL is the kind of anime which you’re going to enjoy depending upon your love for the genre. If you love mecha anime, then this one is sure to give you a bang for your buck. If not, then your experience might be underwhelming.

[ THE WRAP-UP ]
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is the sort of anime that ends up being disappointing mainly because of a reputation that precedes it. It’s a matter of whether you look at TTGL to be a mark of respect for the mecha anime over the years or whether you consider it to be a completely detached series. If it is a case of the former with you, then TTGL will be one of the most epic anime to ever hit the screen, but it will be the exact opposite if your opinion is of the latter. It is a giant banner for the “Bring back the GAR!” movement. The story is split into two very different arcs, of which you will love one and hate the other, based on your personal tastes. The animation has a funky punk style and is one of the most richly drawn anime I have ever seen. It is evident that Gainax did not spare any expense in the audio department as well, because the soundtrack is almost as stunning. The characters are a massive let down and do no justice to their massive fandom. My advice is to watch the first five episodes and if you don’t like it, then just watch the recap episode on 15 and move on to the second arc. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is one of those anime I liked, but never enjoyed.

Love and rock. Peace.

I was down with the flu and I was curled up in my room, looking for something cozy to watch. Flipping through my collection, I suddenly remembered the My Neighbor Totoro DVD I had received as a gift a while back. Needless to say, I popped it into my player, sat back and had one of the most relaxing and peaceful 90 minutes of my life.

My Neighbor Totoro is hard to synopsize because of the tranquil and laid back first half. I suppose it would suffice to say that this classic 1988 Studio Ghibli movie is about the innocent fun of two little sisters who ... move into a house in a village, along with their father, only to find out that the picturesque place can be more mysterious than they thought. My Neighbor Totoro has bagged several awards over the years and helped bring Japanese animation into the global spotlight.

The basic driving force behind the story is this: Don’t you want to be a kid again? Don’t you want to go back to the days when your only responsibilities were to show up at school and be home on time? Don’t you want to look forward to each day, because there was always something new to learn, find and discover? This universal, yet eternally successful theme is what made My Neighbor Totoro click. The story is so beautifully crafted that kids look at this movie as the adventures of two sisters, while adults while adults perceive this anime to be a timeless classic that will forever remind them of their innocent childhood.

Another positive aspect of the story is that it’s character driven, but not in the traditional sense. Instead of developing the characters or making them take on hard decisions, this movie’s characters are the diamonds in the rough because of their simple and lifelike charms. They think, act and behave just like any curious and energetic children of their age would. The two sisters, Satsuki and Mei, are sure to inspire kids and bowl over adults with their sweet and loveable attitudes. The seiyu also deserve a lot of credit here, because they bring out all the energy and emotions necessary for their roles.

If you were wondering why I didn’t make a mention of Totoro, the giant chubby ferret/forest spirit, it’s because he is (in my opinion at least) present for appealing to the kids and doesn’t really play an important role otherwise. A contributor to the entertainment (and cuteness, if you like) factor.

I got my hands on a re-mastered DVD edition of this one, so I won’t be able to judge the quality of the original theatrical/VHS version. Still, you can’t make a good sculpture without good clay, so I think it’s safe to say that the art was outstanding. The backgrounds were very neat and looked exactly like a 1950s Japanese village. Characters were drawn in trademark Ghibli style, which is never a bad thing. A perfect ten.

The soundtrack added to the straightforward atmosphere of the show. Nothing fancy, just the good old piano. The OP, Stroll, was a nice upbeat song that reminded me of The Sound of Music, especially the English version.

This anime would get a sure ten from any kid who’s below 10, but looking at it from a more mature perspective, My Neighbor Totoro does have some minor issues which deny it the perfect score. Because of its age, it is rather predictable and I felt the mood swing from the lax and serene atmosphere from the first half to the more fast paced and fantastical approach to the second half was a little unnecessary. The fantasy aspect is played around with to please kids, but older viewers might not approve. The dialogue and script could’ve been a tad tighter too. But that’s about all the flaws I can come up with, after a lot of time I spent on nitpicking.

Regardless of whether you’re a kid, adult, otaku, casual viewer or just plain bored, My Neighbor Totoro is most certainly worth your time.

[ THE WRAP-UP ]
My Neighbor Totoro is a landmark anime that garnered critical appeal and international fandom. Although primarily intended for children, this 90 minute movie is bound to appeal to the taste buds of anyone, even if they’re not a big fan of anime. The story is uncomplicated and easy to watch, which is always a good thing if you’re looking for something nice and comfy. The undeniable charm of the characters also adds to the realistic atmosphere of this Studio Ghbili movie. Despite its release date, the animation is solid, just like the fitting soundtrack. My Neighbor Totoro is an anime that gained mainstreamed recognition and popularity for good reason. In other words, watch it.

In a matter of 12 minutes, Le Maison en Petits Cubes tells a simple tale of growing old that leaves you staring at your wistful expression on the black screen long after the credits have rolled.

This Oscar winning short film (Best Animated Short Film in 2009, making this the second ever anime to win an Oscar, although whether this truly is anime is a debate best left for later) is about a grumpy old man who builds additional levels onto his home in order to escape the water that is flooding his town. While rummaging through the lower levels, he is flooded with memories of ... his life and how the eternal continuum of time filled his journey with speckles of happiness and inklings of sorrow.

With the entire world as a metaphor for life and the passage of time itself, this artsy animated short sends you spiraling down memory lane and as you glimpse through the old man's life, you are posed with questions that we think about but never truly answer: If you were to contemplate on your life right now, what do you think would be the moments that you would take to your grave? How long will the people who matter now in your life be around? Is this what your parents go through and is this what you will go through too? For a "film" with no voice acting, it has a voice, as brief as it may be.

To accentuate the wistfulness of Le Maison en Petits Cubes comes a wonderfully orchestrated violin and piano combination that breathes life into the gloomy colors. Speaking of the colors, the animation itself is done in a Van Gough-esque style, much like the one in The Diary of Tortov Riddle. It sometimes feels like you're flipping through the pages of a gloomy picture book.

Drenched with meaning, seasoned with style and pregnant with emotions, Le Maison en Petits Cubes is 12 minutes well spent, although the feeling it leaves you with will last much longer.

Being original is one thing, but being bizarre is a whole another thing. Satoshi Kon’s Paprika is a movie that walks the tightrope, often dangerously tittering over the latter side, but somehow manages to pull it off.

Based on a 1993 novel of the same name, Paprika is set in the near future where a device called the DC Mini enables a person to enter another’s dreams. Created with the intention of aiding psychotherapy, the DC Mini is stolen and the thief utilizes it to annihilate the dreamer’s personality. The only one person who can retrieve it and prevent dreams and reality from merging is Paprika, ... the alter-ego of the co-creator of the DC Mini. Can Paprika and her eccentric crew manage to save the world from the impending doom?

Paprika’s story is definitely not its strong suit. While the legendary anime filmmaker, Kon, has attempted to create a masterpiece by focusing on the concept of parallel “realities”, the story was given very little importance and it came out of the oven a half-baked and rather crude package. I accept that the plot did have its occasional awe-inspiring moments, but they were too little and too late into this 90 minute feature. But that’s not to say that this movie is boring. On the contrary, Paprika is very entertaining and it manages to keep you engaged. It never deviates and always focuses on the retrieval of the DC Mini. No unnecessary character flashbacks, no slapstick humor and last but definitely not the least, no dull moments. There is nonstop action and as conventional as the backdrop maybe, it’s still a lot of fun.

The ridiculousness and irrationality of the plot is what stops you from walking out on this anime halfway. Where else can you see a man escaping a cage in a circus, then falling into a forest, then grabbing a vine to swing through like Tarzan, then slipping into a train where he is strangled by a man, beats him up and finally manages to run into a deserted warehouse, all in 30 seconds?

When Inception, the Hollywood flick, came out, otaku around the globe were quick to correct people on how Inception wasn’t completely Chris Nolan’s original idea, but was actually ripped off from an anime called Paprika. After watching both the movies, I have to say that Inception does bear some shocking similarities, the most notable being the actual concept of using a machine to enter a person’s dream and the infamous elevator fight scene, but otherwise, these two movies are worlds apart. While both movies have the same concept, Inception was more of a man’s struggle to place an idea inside a victim, Paprika was more about retrieving a stolen device to prevent its cataclysmic effect on the world. Paprika is also quite a disturbing film, containing visuals that range from horrifying to nightmares-for-a-week. But then again, what do you expect when you combine schizophrenics, dreams and a catastrophic device?

The presentation is the best I’ve ever seen in an anime. Period. Rich in color and subtle in lighting, Paprika hits the nail on the head with its astoundingly smooth animation. The reason why this movie was so well received in the West was probably because of its striking artwork, which stands out compared to the high-cost 3D works of Pixar and the like. The music was flawless and the OP had a nice beat to it. Overall, this movie is a technical masterpiece and one that the storyboard artists can proudly put on top of their resumes.

Paprika combines the randomness of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, the shock value of Baccano! and the creativity of Kon (Tokyo Godfathers, anyone?) and sugarcoats it with the anime industry’s best animation so far. Sadly, the movie is dragged down by an average story and an absurd plot, which is at times more insane than it is creative and ultimately, that is where this movie failed to make the top cut.

[ THE WRAP-UP ]
Paprika is just one of those movies that you will remember for a long time to come, not because of its quality, but because of its innovation. The story could’ve definitely been better and the plot occasionally relies on shock value to keep the viewer engaged. But guess what, it’s a lot of fun and one hell of a ride! Confusing and perplexing as the anime maybe, it is the wackiness and the “Kon touch” that keeps you entertained the entire time. The animation is, hands down, the best I have ever seen and the BGM fits in well. Paprika is a great movie, as long as you don’t expect something very logical or meaningful – it’s just 90 minutes of pure entertainment. As the title suggests, Paprika is quite a spicy one.

~I would also like to take this moment to pay homage to the director, Satoshi Kon, who passed away in early 2010 due to pancreatic cancer. I’m surely he will never be forgotten by any of us. Thank you for all the wonderful films – Arigatou Gozaimasta, Kon-sensei. ~

( As always, feedback of any form is appreciated. Thank you for your time ^^)

When it comes to Black Rock Shooter, I don’t get it. I just don’t understand what the anime was trying to achieve. Is it a slice of life high school anime with some random parallel universe duels thrown in? Or is it the reverse, a parallel universe duel with some random slice of life high school moments thrown in? If I knew the answers to that, then my opinion of this 50 minute OVA might have been different. But sadly, I don't.

Black★Rock Shooter is about the friendship of two girls (I think). Mato, on her first day of high school, meets Yomi, another fresher. Soon, ... they become good friends and what follows is a tale of loyalty and trust. Meanwhile, in a parallel universe, two women scantily clad in gothic clothing, battle it out, one wielding a massive sword and the other holstering a gigantic gun.

If you just stop and think about it, the concept of BRS is pretty damn good. Two girls entwined in a bittersweet tale of friendship, while their otherworldly alter-egos beat the living hell out of each other in an alternate dimension. Sounds interesting, right? Sure, there are some clichéd moments and the characters are nothing out of the ordinary, but at its core, it is entertaining. It is a very watchable show, with its fight sequences and fluid animation. While you’re following the innocent lives of the two girls, the anime suddenly throws in with the duel between the two female warriors.

However,with a run time of less than an hour, being merely "watchable" isn't that hard. And this anime never really rises above that due to its convoluted plot that looked like it was bullet points/chapter names instead of an actual storyline.

The animation is the main reason I’m giving this anime a pretty decent score. It’s awesome. The dark, gloomy planet is drawn perfectly and exudes a morose atmosphere thanks to the picture-perfect shade selections and varied camera angles. The azure copper sulphate blue eye fire of one of the duelists was slick.

Black Rock Shooter is another anime that joins the list of could-have, may-have and might-have’s. Complex and intriguing as the story may be, random events, clichéd characters, predictable plot and an astonishingly abrupt ending play spoil sport to this technically sound anime. Dive in expecting something awesome and you’re bound to be drenched in disappointment. It’s decent, but that’s about high as it gets.