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Facing irrationality doesn't mean not feeling fear, but rather possessing eyes that gaze upon fear and standing against the world.

Deadman Wonderland seems to be built upon quite an interesting premise when you look at it. Deadman Wonderland is the name of the only privately owned prison in Japan but it’s a prison with a twist. The prison makes its convicts face off in brutal matches to the death just in order to amuse on looking crowds of people, the general public! It’s like gladiator fighting in the 21st century except you’re not making it out alive, sooner or later you will die. Death is literally ... around every corner, if you aren’t killed in the games, good luck surviving with all the other weird and twisted inmates, this isn’t quite the show it seems!

Now, the main story revolves around Ganta, we start the show with him in class and just talking with his classmates, everything’s pretty normal, I mean what could possibly go wrong? Proceed with weird floating mad man with powers to appear out of nowhere and throw around a bit of red magic and end up murdering everyone in the class. A few limbs here and a bit of blood there, didn’t see that coming now did you? Oh and of course don’t kill Ganta, no, no, we can’t be killing the main character in this show in the first minute now can we.
Ganta then wakes up and is accused of being the killer since he’s the only one alive and a strange clip of him confessing to the murders just randomly pops up. After a few court trials (which probably have empty-minded people on the panel of judges- such irrational people) he finds himself sentenced to death and joins Deadman Wonderland as a death row inmate. Oh and did I mention Ganta doesn’t look like he’s older than 12, so they’ve gone on and sentenced this 12 year old or so kid to death, wonderful. Ganta meets various people in the prison where no one is what they seem like and is sucked into a fight for survival, which is riddled with twists, not that all of them make very much sense. Over the course of this show he also finds out he has a superpower and slowly learns to control this power and there we have it ladies and gentlemen, that is more or less how this show starts out and to be honest, it’s actually quite interesting, even if it does seem like things are just going from bad to worse to this poor kid so fast, so fast.

Character wise I think this show is actually rather interesting, it has a fair share of characters it seems to fit in over the short span of episodes and it does make you get to know them more- not that you’ll necessarily like them all. Ganta himself isn’t the tough kid with a temper or the macho man, in fact, he is portrayed as a weak character who has a very strong will and strong desire to keep pressing on in adversity. So often during the show when he is just getting the crap beaten out of him, you do often feel a bit a pity for him. He can be a bit frustrating at times because he isn’t always the best at thinking rationally and keeping his cool but you can’t really blame the guy after all he has been through, although there are times when his emotions and actions can leave you frustrated, mainly because he seems to have very wild mood swings in the depressing and dark end of the spectrum. The other main character who we are introduced to is called Shiro and she is by far the best character in the show. Shiro just pops up around Deadman Wonderland and often follows around Ganta and asks him to play with her and just generally spend time together. Shiro has a very peculiar white look about her (Shiro means white in Japanese) and combined with her eyes, something doesn’t seem quite right about her. However, with her super bubbly and extremely childlike behaviour you can’t seem but to really get behind Shiro, she keeps the show interesting and gives the show a very interesting angle. Also, she’s actually really strong and when I say strong, I am probably seriously understating her powers, something is most certainly not right about her, so given how her childish tendencies, it’s best to stay on her good side. The other characters all have their own distinct stories and aren’t all moulded around typical character traits- so this is certainly the best part of the show.

There is a lot of gore in this show, some of it is the usual blood spattering everywhere and limbs flying around although sometimes they really do go into detail with some scenes and actually touch upon some very serious situations without holding back much on the details. It’s the kind of gore that I would describe would make you really uncomfortable at times and while you get used to it by the end, it certainly is enough to put some people off the show.

Now in terms of how this story goes about unravelling itself, this is the aspect where it seems to take a nosedive. After building itself up with an interesting story, surprisingly good characters and some sort of direction, the plot just fails. It sinks into its own giant plot holes and leaves you very frustrated at the end since it just simply does not tie up any loose ends and keeps the viewer thinking, wait….what? It’s not the good type of open ending where you are left to ponder what could’ve been, it’s the kind of ending which screams we didn’t have enough episodes to fit everything in, so we will just forget about half the things we introduced earlier. It’s a shame because this was actually quite a mature show and had quite a lot of potential but I’m afraid the show does the plot no justice at all and you can tell the show is falling apart towards the end.
I’ve mentioned this show is mature, it certainly does touch upon some topics which require a lot of maturity to understand, which is nice to see in an anime, even if the topics can be a bit uncomfortable to deal with. However sometimes they have some terrible one-liners which are just so out of place and unnecessary that it proves to be an annoyance and you will know when you’ve heard them, don’t worry about picking those up.

The OP and ED are both okay, the ED especially really creeped me out for some reason probably because they showed Ganta and his school friends hanging out, which just made me feel uneasy. In terms of a soundtrack, this show did well enough in this department too, so no issues here. The art was mediocre, nothing was wrong with it, if anything, the most impressive aspects for me were the character designs for some of the characters and especially Shiro, not for details but for the styling and just how it seemed to work, even if it wasn’t very flashy. The colours used in this show are mainly quite toned down and mellow, so the palette they chose from was very muted and dark, which helped with the idea of the show.

Overall, this is a show with massive potential which really could have gone on to be something great, however it is riddled with missed opportunities and sometimes it just seems to give up with the idea of closure or at least even explaining anything. Also the awkward script writing can spoil the flow of things at times, so in the end it’s a bit of a love-hate show. It’s certainly well worth a watch to enjoy something which feels a bit different to your standard anime, however be prepared to be disappointed. I would love more shows like this to be made in the future, except they should actually have a decent end.

Final Score: 6.7
Tukky12
=)

In terms of recommendations, I would say “Another” is well worth a watch, the show also has a lot of gore and an interesting pull with the story, however in the case of Another, it actually has quite a thrilling end. Or Elfen Lied, watch that at your own risk xD (I’ll leave you to find out about that on your own!)

“Isn’t it funny how the most unforgettable scenes can be so trivial?”

Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso, otherwise known as “Your lie in April”, is a wonderful tale following the life of Arima Kosei, a 14- year old piano prodigy and the ups and downs he has to go through in his life. When Arima was a young child his mother had decided to make him a pianist, however she would often beat him and abuse him to make sure he was absolutely perfect. As a consequence, while Arima did become a master pianist very quickly, people referred to him as a soulless puppet, nothing more ... than a “human metronome”. However none of this mattered to Arima, given that his mother was very sick and Arima had a belief that if he won more trophies his mother would get better. Although after the passing of his mother, Arima became unable to play like he used to and in one of the more prestigious competitions, he halted halfway through his piece and broke down- from here on in he says he can play the piano, but no longer ”hears the notes”- a sort of tragic punishment he believes.

We also have two other friends, Tsubaki, Arima’s next door neighbour and childhood friend within whom he sees as a sort of a sisterly figure, given how close they are. Then there is Watari, who is Arima’s best friend and an absolute stud who plays for the school soccer team. Together they are extremely close and have an unbreakable bond. Later on we are introduced to various other characters, many of whom play an important role in the development of the story, such as Arima’s rivals, his mentor and other competitors however the most important one to mention would be Miyazono Kaori. Kaori is the absolute opposite of Arima. Where Arima lives a very sedate and occasionally pained life, Kaori is a colourful character bursting with energy. She also happens to be a very talented violinist- but of course there is a twist, Kaori likes Arima’s best friend, Watari, so things can be a little awkward. Now if you are rolling your eyes right now and thinking, here we go again, it’s that kind of show, then you’d be surprised. The romance plays second fiddle to the primary theme of overcoming your obstacles and really moving forwards in life. From here on in, you are in for a treat of a show, with a convincing story, wonderfully rich characters, beautiful sounds and backdrops bursting with colours.

The whole idea of the story is how friends and even the “enemy” sometimes will pick each other up and keep each other going. The story doesn't feel like a forced one or even too fantasised, it could happen with anyone and the ideas of keeping up with expectations, dealing with the pressures of life and friends and loss are central to the theme. The bulk of the story is how Kaori gives Arima another chance at life by showing him just how wonderful it can be and spurs him on. Around this there are smaller subplots involving Arima’s friends and competitors, all of which are just as engrossing given that tensions can often run high. There is nothing complicated going on, it really does feel like one of those special slice of life shows!

There is also a lot of humour in this show and the personalities aren’t all quite what they may seem at first. A lot of people who seem bad in the first place, you find aren’t all that terrible but more than anything, the characters are believable while not being overly conformist to what most people would expect. The humour tends to pop up in even the more serious scenes, constantly making sure that even when something life-changing or intense is going on, the story still has a light, cheery undertone to it.

Now usually, the soundtrack gets a brief mention for most shows, however it is the sounds that help make this show what it is. Whether it’s the melodic ringing of the piano or the soothing sounds of the violin, I never thought that classical music could engross me so much. The characters use the music to express themselves, reflecting anger, pain, relief or joy through their own unique playing styles. Even when they aren’t performing in front of everyone, the soft piano in the back drop or the faint melody in the background help to bring a new lease of life to the scenes and off most of the shows I have seen, reinforces the show like no other. What is really intriguing is how the sounds can be so varied and sometimes what cannot be expressed in words, is expressed through the sounds and it can be even more powerful given the gravity of the situation. The OPs and EDs were also rather good, although ED 2 was absolutely wonderful, given how well it actually fit in with the show.

Another department in which this show thrives the presentation. Most of the time you are able to witness a wonderfully rich backdrop with the light, the trees and the sky the perfect shade of colour. Even the level of detail is quite high for most scenes. When you get to the not-so-happy scenes, there is a a stark contrast to how everything is presented, it really evokes much more feeling and not many other shows pull it off quite like this one does. You get the feeling that sometimes a lot of the show just needs the pictures and music to convey what’s happening and towards the end, as we watch Arima grow as a person, it becomes more and more captivating. It’s hard to become frustrated and feel sorry for a character at other times and then really hope they come clean at the end like you can with Arima.


Overall, the show is a very touching one, which feels extremely light to watch. Even when things get down to earth, it’s a show that won’t do you in. It’s an absolute pleasure to watch, with such extensive character development, really good twists- not the forced type of twists people put in for the sake of a twist and a great sense of closure at the end, this is one show that you should just sit back and enjoy.

Final score: 9.8

Tukky12
=)

For recommendations I would most certainly say “Golden Time” and “Sakarasou pet no Kanojo” both shows share a similar bright art style and give the same school friends vibe you get from this show. Sakarasou feels similar in terms of having to deal with the pressures of life and dealing with expectation.

“Whenever we pray for someone’s happiness, someone else must be cursed in exchange.”

Puella Magi Madoka Magica is probably the most abstract anime I have ever seen, in terms of its presentation, the music and the story, it’s more as if you are witnessing art in animated form. Everything might seem all jumbled up at first but bit by bit it is slowly woven together. The show only spans 12 episodes but manages to squeeze a lot in- it’s small but power packed.

The show is about ‘Puella Magi’, who are mages who gain their power from a peculiar cat like creature, some sort of alien. If ... the recipient wishes to have any single wish they have granted, no matter what the wish, they can have it come true provided they promise to become a mage- of course these kinds of offers don’t come without a catch. The show follows the lives of a few of these magi, namely Madoka and her friends. These magi must fight witches in order to keep the world safe from their evil deeds and on the face of it, that’s the entire story, so it’s nothing out of the ordinary. The rest of this review might seem a bit unfocussed on the actual anime but that’s because this anime is really not about the story itself, it’s about the bigger picture, it’s about the picture it paints for you to behold.

All that being said, this is where things start to get interesting, it’s all about the portrayal of all of their lives and what they have to go through that makes this show what it is. The show is more of a metaphor for what we go through in life and explores some really abstract themes through some equally abstract methods of getting them across. It is probably this aspect of the show that will polarise people- I can see why certain people would be put off by the extremely off-base nature of the show, however if you can look past that and actually appreciate what it is supposed to represent you can understand what the show is trying to explain.

What probably surprised me the most was that this show tries to explore some really heavy emotions such as grief, death, misery and sheer hatred in such a forthright way. Now that is a far cry from what a lot of people, including myself would expect when they would first look at this show. When you look at the “girl mage” genre most people think the usual cutesy characters doing some magic. Oh, but how wrong is that. Right from the first episode you will realise this show is as dark as they get. The show is heavily focussed on the alien and the group of magi and how they get through life. Rarely would you see external people, other than at school, but even that is minimal. The whole show revolves and really fleshes out the personality and journey of each mage. Each of them has a distinct personality and while usually exaggerated to get the trait across, are all relatable to some sort of degree.

The fight scenes with the witches themselves are out of this world. The swords which magically pop out of nowhere to the massive guns which they seem to wield with such ease. Sometimes you find yourself wondering if you are actually watching a scene right out of some sci-fi movie! The witches themselves are abstract beings and the setting in which you fight even more so, the animation is not the usual animation you expect and it’s more as if you are staring at a piece from Picasso, inside which they seemed to be fighting. This type of art style really grows on you as the show goes on, the camera angles, the various ways that simple scene is projected, all of it is very interesting.

The story is not as important as the actual message and emotions it manages to get across and personally the story didn’t really intrigue me at all compared to just taking in all the emotions and events that occurred. By the end when everything does come together it really reinforces the ideas and messages to great affect and it’s like an “ahhh” moment where you appreciate everything that has built up to that moment.

The OP and ED were interesting and personally I while I found the OP pretty standard, the second ED was of particular interest, given the dark undertones. The sounds were also pretty well done throughout the fight scenes and kept the pace up. The art style is very specific and some people might not be so taken in by it, as again it embraces the different, edgy feel the show gives you.


The feelings you will feel while watching this show aren’t always nice in fact you will feel terrible at times and at others there will be sheer disbelief. The show is a roller-coaster ride- with more downs than ups. When you finish watching it, you won’t exactly know what to feel and it’s a really rare feeling upon finishing an anime. In the end you can’t help but feel that you have experienced something very different, something that very few anime can do.


Tukky12
=)

Shirobako is an anime about making anime. In this sense it feels very different to most shows you might have seen but different doesn't have to mean bad. At first I was a little sceptical about the show, after all, how exciting can an anime ABOUT anime be? Although at the same time, I was also a bit curious about what exactly would be in the show. If you've been watching anime for a while, then I really would recommend you take the chance, because the odds are that you won't regret it, it really helps you appreciate anime more. Even if you are relatively ... new to anime, it is a wonderful eye opener.

So, how is the show presented? Shirobako does a good job of trying to pass on its message in the form of a believable story and very vested characters. We start the story following the lives of 5 girls who are all part of an anime club in high school as the year comes to an end. For some it is their last year while a few still have one year left, although no matter where they go on to work, they promise to one day work on a professional anime together. That is their dream, that is the goal that they look to pursue during the show. All these girls have their own passions within the anime industry, some want to be voice actors, producers, graphic and sketch artists and some don't really know where they can fit in, but want to be part of something.

The 5 giels aren't all given equal screen time, which in my eyes was a let-down since they all had such distinct personalities and you really want to know about all of them in detail. Shirobako concentrates on one of these girls a lot, Miyanmori, who has gone on to find a job as a production desk assistant at a small anime production studio, Mushishino Animation. We see the show through her eyes, her experiences and her interactions (for the most part anyways). She has a stable, friendly and professional attitude however is prone to stress (but aren't we all!) Shirobako then takes us through what it really is like to make anime, sometimes getting the point across via its bonkers characters or through very real, very grounded situations.

When first watching the show, you might find it a bit slow to start with, I certainly did and for the first few episodes I wasn't getting a great vibe. After all, this show doesn't have much action and a lot of the time it is set in the studio, so those looking for something jam packed with action will not find it here. Instead, Shirobako has wonderful dialogue and great character interactions to keep you interested, it may be a little slow but persist.

The show really gets across the struggles faced not only in production, but also of common recurring problems in life. This was what was really refreshing, the struggle and hard work needed to reach a goal were highlighted well, some characters struggled to the bitter end while constantly questioning themselves and running into one wall after the other. Things aren't always sugar coated to make it nice, but the realism is conveyed in a believable manner. Almost all the characters have had problems to deal with in even the most simplest of jobs, it's very easy to relate to.

Now, the biggest attraction of this show was the insight to what making an anime is like and in this respect you will not be disappointed, although for some I can understand why they might find the whole idea a little dull- although Shirobako does try to make it funny and quirky at the same time.

Going through the process of how voices actors work, how the people who are behind the drawings and sketches are inspired to just how difficult it can be to meet deadlines all the time. It really captures how frantic the entire process can be. It is also really fulfilling to watch the characters go about different aspects of building together an entire series. You will learn of the techniques they use as well as the new and old styles. You will get an idea of how friction might arise and how different people have different solutions around problems.

The art-style was impressive and you tended to notice it a lot more given how the show makes a point of art-styles itself in the actually storyline. The dialogue as mentioned before was excellent and the interactions very real- although there are some more over the top sequences with the sole purpose of emphasis, which is great. The OPs and EDs were nice, but mostly forgettable after having watched the show and it was only the 2nd ED that really stood out for me- they weren't bad but weren't amazing either.

Other than being initially slow, of the drag back for me was the fact that so much of the show is within the confines of an office and while it was interesting to see a group dynamic, the show could have benefitted from more action outside the walls. While this wasn't a major problem for me since I am happy to go along with the situation, I can see why this might be a major turn off.

Also, despite having mentioned it before, I would like to seriously point out how there isn’t much in the way of action or incredible tension (other than the stress of work) and as a result it can seem a down-right bore, especially to new viewers who are looking for action. The exaggerated areas, most which take place outside the show, like the car-racing sequences or the fictional left-shoulder devil and right-shoulder angel characters or just the extremities the characters take, does sort of remedy this.

Despite everything, this is a thoroughly enjoyable show as long as you aren’t predetermined in what to expect. It felt like a lively slice of life with plenty of humour. If you have been watching anime for a while, you will undoubtedly love the show even more, since so many different aspects and styles of anime are put forwards with great effect. In some sense’s it will polarise opinion- but you won’t know if you don’t try!

I most certainly will not be forgetting this show.

Tukky12

Fairy Tail is quite simply one of the most engrossing shows I have seen in a while. It’s a show that falls under the action, magic and comedy genres and certainly has a healthy dose of each. It aired from late 2009 to early 2013 so covered a good couple of years and so there was a lot of time to develop so many things and build up some pretty hefty storylines. If you are going to invest the time to watch this, just know that it lasts a whole 175 episodes (and even after that there will be a season 2!) So let’s get ... onto the review then…
For such a long show a little bit of background is in order, Fairy Tail is set in the imaginary world of Earthland. In this world there are people who possess magic and those who do not. The people who possess magic are known as mages and wizards (du’h: P) There are also loads of guilds around, which serve as clubs for the wizards and is where wizards may find their jobs, usually being bounty missions and other odd jobs. Wizards may only be part of one guild at any one time and usually these guilds tend to be like your “family”. Fairy Tail is the name of the guild that the whole anime is based around and when the show starts, is considered to be one of the most legendary guilds at the time producing some rather stellar wizards.
The story starts off with 17 year old Lucy Heartfillia, who is looking to join Fairy Tail in the hope of becoming a great wizard herself. Out of coincidence, she happens to chance by Natsu Dragoneel, who is a mage from Fairy Tail and from here he offers to take to the guild. Once at the guild we meet various other characters, notably Gray Fullbuster and Erza Scarlett, whom with Natsu form one Fairy Tails stronger groups. From here on we follow the story as these fellow members go around on missions and jobs and start to gel together right from the outset. However, it isn’t only them that the show revolves around, there are just so many other characters in the guild that will be around all the time as well as members from other guilds and obviously the bad guy who always wants to do some horribly twisted things. So far, pretty standard.
Natsu Dragoneel, a fire wizard, is an extremely powerful character who is always the ones to get the laughs going and while he is a blockhead sometimes, he is the much loved boy of the guild. Gray, is the opposite of Natsu in that his specialty is ice magic however pretty much everything else about them is the same. They both have a sort of “love-hate” relationship with the “hate” part being the only side you see, leading to some rather comedic moments when the two lock horns and quarrel. Erza Scarlett is naturally the strongest of the group and her name is well known throughout the land, she is known to her unlucky opponents as “Titania”. While she is the mature one, there is a very playful and funny side to her as well, not to mention she is a bit of an odd-ball sometimes, which really adds to the atmosphere-but watch out, she’s a bit of a badass. Lucy herself is a celestial spirit mage, meaning she uses keys to summon spirits from the spirit world to fight for her. What all Fairy Tail wizards have in common, is their friendship and love for one another which is the defining trait of the guild. There just so many other characters who are omnipresent, each with their own distinctive personalities, but you can find out what they’re like for yourself ;)
The whole theme which surrounds the show is the idea of friendship and love as mentioned before. The show really highlights how people can get over adversaries through the support they receive from their friends and the theme is present throughout the entire show. There is also the idea that people who often perhaps choose the wrong path initially can reform themselves and also the idea of perseverance and never giving up. In this sense the show can be very fun to watch and has a light feeling to it as well as taking a rather serious stance on things from time to time.
Now, if you’re looking for over the top action with magic and fists being thrown everywhere, then this is show will not disappoint. I don’t recall there being an episode that has been devoid of some sort of action, whether it’s Natsu shooting his flames at everyone or watching Erza masterfully cut down her opponents it’s all there. The show really goes to town with the whole action idea and produces some really wacky scenarios which sometimes leave you thinking, wow, talk about going over the top!
The comedy is pretty good too, the show is interspersed with various jokes and gags. Some of these are downright terrible but most of them tend to give you quite a few chuckles. Sometimes the throwing in of a joke can make a really intense scene suddenly seems a lot more light hearted and the show relies partly on humour to carry through on some scenes.
Now, as for the storylines themselves, they tend to be quite long, usually spanning about 20 episodes each however here in lies the show’s potential greater flaws. After the first story arc you feel really good, the execution is nice and you really want to keep going. After the second, you feel you’ve seen it before, but it’s still really interested. After the third, fourth and the next few arcs, you get a sort of predictable feeling about what’s about to happen and eventually I can see why some people feel they don’t want to carry on. However personally while I got this feeling after roughly 100 episodes, it still felt like a great watch given how fun the storylines were and while yes, they were predictable, it was still seriously fun. There is also the part where Natsu just becomes seriously OP and just seems to wallop whoever he meets to matter how much stronger than him they are. But are all, this is a fun anime, not a serious one, you’re watching it for the thrill and the raw adrenaline.
The animation was pretty standard, although some of the actions scenes were really well done. The OST for me was amazing, for such a long show, it had loads of OPs and EDs and most of them very actually pretty amazing, with a few making into my top 20. The soundtrack was what really made it enjoyable to watch, it whenever Fairy Tail started getting into their groove, the music would quite literally make the adrenaline rush through you, and it’s been a while since during action scenes I’ve felt so into a show.
So overall, this was more a quick skim over the show, it’s so large and so there are loads of things to say, however given that I hope to steer clear of spoilers, I shall hope I have convinced you to give this show a shot! Just keep in mind, this is a show you watch to enjoy and just really have a few good laughs along the way, its best watched casually.

This review will assume no knowledge of season 1 of Psycho pass and thus provide no spoilers, although the first season is as good as the second and I recommend you to watch that season first. Obviously :P

Psycho pass 2 was produced by Production I.G and aired during winter 2014. It belongs to the crime, thriller and dystopian genre and it is a show that delivers when it comes to suspense and entertainment. PP2 only has 11 episodes whereas the first season had 22 episodes although even despite the small number of episodes, it is action packed straight off the bat.

Psycho Pass 2 is set ... in the future, during the year 2113. Here in a Japanese dystopia, the city in which where the story is set is governed by what is known as the Sibyl System. This system is constantly checking and measuring the stress levels, mental states, personalities as well as the chances of individuals committing crime using “cymatic scans” (where they scan the brain). What results from a scan is referred to as a Psycho pass and acts as a crime index. Depending on how high this index is, an individual is dealt with, often jailed or killed if they have too high a Psycho pass. The population has accepted this as the system and as a result try to live normal lives while keeping their thoughts and actions in check.

The story revolves around Akane Tsunemori, an inspector promoted to unit one-part of the police force in the criminal investigations sector. She works alongside enforcers, who are latent criminals with a high crime coefficient who are deemed to be allowed to work alongside inspectors and together with their dominators (weapons which will change form to kill or apprehend as necessary), they try to keep the city in check and enforce Sibyl. Akane is a kind and caring individual however she is no pushover, she can make hard choices and remain level headed, a lot of which results from here personality and the events which unfold in season 1. She will often try and not resort to killing criminals and often tries any other method if possible however she isn’t afraid to kill either. She is very controlled and can keep a low index even unders stress.

One day, members of the police force start to be killed or kidnapped. This is coupled with terrorist style attack in the cities and even when the perpetrators are captured, Sibyl fails to detect their criminal nature. As a result we have a situation where there are criminals who are able to do as they please and as Sibyl cannot detect their nature, they can do as they please. Effectively, they are invisible to the system. This throws up various problems as Akane and her force try to pin down the man behind all these acts and every episode racks up the tension and there is a good mix of action and tension as the show progresses.

What is really interesting about Psycho Pass in general is the concept. After all who has the right to judge whether someone is totally evil or represents a threat in the future. Can short term paranoia really lead to problems in the long run- do you really need to kill someone whose index has risen up due to an intense situation? After all, can the Sibyl system really be 100% perfect? There are a lot of questions that will crop up every episode that will keep you thinking about what is wrong and right and what is even more interesting is how there is never a black or white answer. Sometimes it really is the lesser of two evils. The show make you question your own viewpoints too, sometimes you might not like what occurs although you may feel it had to be done. Or did it? The characters themselves all play their roles rather well, the main characters do feel different and not clichéd for the most part. Side characters are well done too and have significant effects on the overall show.

Considering it is a detective styled show, Psycho Pass does a good job of keeping the suspense up and it can be a case of just one more episode, I promise! There are enough major twists and turns that keep you coming back and make you think “oh, didn’t see that coming”. However there are some respects in which I felt the show fell short. The most obvious is that 11 episodes is simply too short, while it is punchy and keep short and sweet, with a concept as intriguing as this one and the characters present, the short episode span does Psycho Pass 2 no favours. In fact due to the length, the way that the show is wrapped up can feel a little bit unsatisfactory. The ending feels as if it has come and gone too fast, after all the build-up, it certainly feels like a let-down. For a show like this, it really does feel like an injustice and instead of leaving you with that feeling all good anime do after a great end, it leaves you wanting more and not in a good way either. That isn’t to say the end is terrible but just that it could have lived up to the hype a tad more and been made an episode longer- it was an ending that was average (but not bad I stress).

The art-style of the entire show was extremely well done, the darker colours especially stood out and complemented the nature of the show. Buildings, backgrounds, fight scenes, all of them had superb animation and it certainly felt futuristic. The OP and ED were both on the upper end of average, although the first 10 seconds of the ED are my favourite before all the screaming kicks in. The soundtracks were fairly complementary to the action however it was the dialogue that really made the scenes for me so there isn’t really much the soundtracks added to the show.

The show however is an enjoyable watch, especially if you like a bit of cat and mouse action and more! For shows just like it I would recommend Death Note, if you haven’t seen it already. There is a movie that will be released soon too for PP so keep a look out!

Tukky12
=)

Final Rating: 8.5

It’s been a long time since I’ve come across a show that’s really made me question myself and made me consider my outlook on things. Barakamon proved to be a show that was extremely relatable and every single episode was thought-provoking in one way or another. It’s a show that I can describe as being a diamond in the rough- a slice of life show that you will never forget.

Barakamon spans 12 episodes and was released in the summer of 2014. The story revolves around the main character, Handa Seishuu, who goes by as a calligrapher by trade. Seishuu is gifted at what he ... does and takes a lot of pride in his work, so much in fact that there are times where it can really take a toll on him mentally and usually leads to his typically impulsive behaviour. At an art exhibition, he is criticised by the director and then proceeds to punch him in the face. This leads to Seishuu’s father sending him off to an island to cool down and find his own style of calligraphy. Being a city man himself, Seishuu finds adjusting to life on the island a little difficult to say the least. It’s not entirely his fault either- there are some pretty interesting characters on that island! It is this small cast of characters that will really leave a lasting impression as you go through the show and they’re all completely different.

The first of these characters is Naru, a very bubbly and energetic 6 year old who is always around to play around with Seishuu, not that he wholly approves at the start! She is always up to something or the other and some of the things she comes up with are either wildly wacky or sometimes even rather smart. Her child like approach really gets through to Seishuu and as a character herself she is very likeable. She has her friend Hina, who is just as old as her, although she is the total opposite- a shy, inwards looking person. That isn’t to say that she isn’t also a total handful herself, Hina has a tendency to cry at any given moment and provides an extra bit of comedy in the show. There are some older characters who are also in school who have vastly different personalities who are always around to chip in with some fun. Then you have the villagers themselves who can just seem so out of sorts at times and their way of interacting with Seishuu leads to some comedic moments. All in all the characters are different and varied enough to each make their own little impact on the story, no one ever really feels like they don’t belong there. The show utilises this to extend themes of friendship and communicates this very well- with some incredibly heartfelt moments. Seeing things through the eyes of a child like Naru and how the entire gang slowly make their mark on Seishuu can give you this very warm feeling.

That isn’t the only theme that this show manages to cover, hanging over the entire show is the theme of success and failure. What does it really mean to succeed in life? Barakamon depicts how difficult it can be to keep your spirits up when everything is going wrong or you’ve just hit a wall. It shows you that picking yourself up and moving on isn’t as easy as people always say. It doesn’t take a flowery view on this but instead keeps both feet firmly on the ground and realistically depicts how reality plays out. It shows that in life when you keep going, keep looking for something to chase, you will eventually get there but not without the ups and downs. The realism in this aspect made it much more relatable.

What really stood out for me in this show was how well the setting, the characters and even the sounds were masterfully woven together to create something that in the end you would think was actually truly special. It might feel clichéd to a minority, it might be obvious where everything is headed at times but what cannot be denied is that despite this how the show moves on and play out each scene. The strongest part of this show is how well it transitions from episode to episode, it never feels as if it is being rushed nor does the pace ever die down. There is always plenty going on to keep you thoroughly engaged- you are never short of some laughter in Barakamon!

What I wanted to note specifically was the OP and even more so the ED. The use of soundtrack within the actual episodes is fairly good, nothing that is special enough to be pointed out. However, the OP and ED just give a great sense of opening and ending to the episode, the ED especially can hit home hard after an emotional ending. Personally, it ranks in my top five ED’s of all time. Furthermore, the art style was also to an extremely high standard which helped to enhance the experience. The character designs were cute and to an extent felt like chibi art at certain points in the show but while perhaps there were one or two characters I would have liked to see redesigned, they were all well made. In fact, it was the older characters that I felt were better done as it seemed to chime in more with their characters but then again by that logic the children were pretty well done too.

Overall, this show left me feeling a little bit hollow inside but also a lot more aware of myself. It is among the purer slice of life shows, one that you really can just sit back and relax with, while laughing along the way. Although the laughs never take away from the deeper bigger picture this show tries to get across. Thoroughly enjoyable show a must watch. If you enjoy this show or are looking for something a bit similar, I would recommend that you watch “Anohana” or “Clannad”, the latter is considered to be one of the best slice of life shows ever made (but that’s down to you!)

Final rating 9.2

Tukky12
=)

Claymore is an action, fantasy, supernatural based anime which was released in the spring of 2007. The show itself was adapted from its manga, spanning 26 episodes- although it should be noted it does cut off from the manga near the end in order to fit the anime in. This show gets going straight from minute one and from there on it’s almost impossible to stop. Almost.
The premise upon which Claymore is built is actually a very absorbing one, the setting and plot doesn’t seem clichéd and right from the first episode it is likely to have you hooked. The world in Claymore ... is inhabited by both humans and monsters which are otherwise known as Yoma. They are beings who are always thirsting for human flesh and have a veracious appetite for guts. What makes these Yoma so special is the fact that they can change forms to look just like humans and thus they can reside in villages and towns, getting by undetected and pounce whenever the opportunity presents itself. Humans themselves are unable to fight back as the Yoma are simply too strong and so the humans often call for help in the form of claymores. Claymores are half-human, half-Yoma beings who are controlled by an “organisation” and have the power to slay most Yoma with relative ease. They are however not trusted and feared by the humans due to their Yoma connections despite the assistance they provide.
The first episode introduces the two main protagonists in the show, Raki, a young boy who had lost his parents to Yoma and also Clare, a claymore who is sent to rid the Yoma in Raki’s village. Through various events, Raki eventually tags on and travels with Clare on her journey- very much to Clare’s disdain. Without getting into spoiler territory, I would like to point out that this is initially a very interesting relationship in terms of how the two quite different people start to bond. Raki slowly tries to win Clare over and eventually they start to build a bond over the length of the show which is key to many parts of the story. However, this isn’t the only relationship and in fact there is an arc far better involving a relationship much fuller and richer than that of Raki and Clare.
The show actually has a theme running throughout of brotherhood, togetherness and friendship. These themes are the backbone of so many arcs and sub-plots and the way in which the characters are united can seem to strike up a few emotions. It certainly promotes a very healthy and real sense of camaraderie which means you can really connect and empathise with many of the characters. They use this attraction to the characters to really play with your emotions, not always for the better, in this show you can feel frustrated, shocked, elated all at the same time for almost all of the characters throughout the show. Personally apart from two or three characters, I didn’t find the characters to be amazingly deep and most were average.
There are some deeper questions this show asks too however, which are interspersed frequently in every episode. The main one being- what is it to really be human? What is it within us that keeps us sane? When do we cross the line that turns us into a metaphorically speaking, monster- I’m thinking murderers etc. here. These are just thoughts that will pop up from episode to episode and get you thinking- although the anime itself doesn’t take it upon itself to really answer these questions.
At this point I’ll also mention the amount of guts and gore involved in this show. Basically, I don’t there was a single period of ten minutes where I didn’t see someone’s limbs or head flying off. Every single episode is full of blood and gore, that isn’t to say however that it is off putting, it’s just extremely over the top. The amount of damage some of these people can take just has you thinking “oh c’mon you’ve got to be dead by now!” So you are certainly covered if you are looking for a lot of over the top action!
Now, so far everything seems pretty good. Fairly gripping characters? Check. A storyline and setting that can really go somewhere? Check. Do we end up actually going anywhere? Not really.
There were quite a few problems with this show, which personally I feel stopped it from really going on and becoming a really top rate show. The biggest problem with this show was that it was simply too short, it needed to, HAD to be longer. It could really have benefitted from further episodes, not to keep the story going, but instead to expand on the situations within the initial 26 episodes. The show starts to run out of steam as the show goes and after an extremely strong start, fails to keep it up. As a result by the end of the show you feel as if there loads of details that have been missed out and that the whole thing is just too rushed. The strong premise of the show and the action means you will keep watching-while still enjoying the show- but at some point you will feel as if you have hit some kind of wall and that nothing is really progressing.
A further problem was that the show seems to lose the overall plot over the course of the show and fumbles its way through to the final few episodes. The sense of closure when you will finish the show is missing, you don’t really feel as if the show has ended and you’re left with a sort of “wait what, that’s it?” feeling. After all the plots and storylines which are set up it can feel like a massive let down and that’s where the flaw lies.
The art style was quite good for an anime of the 2007 period and also complemented the style of show that Claymore depicts, although it did seem a little odd at times with the way some humans were portrayed. The Yoma themselves weren’t all the same and were sufficiently different enough to keep you guessing. The music was simply superb, the actions scenes were complemented with the kind of music that really pumps you up and the tense moments really did give you a sense of unease. The OP was very good in my opinion, while the ED was average.
Despite the criticisms, Claymore is still a thoroughly enjoyable show which sadly falls short of its rather massive potential. However if you are looking for fast paced action with loads of over the top fighting and blood and gore, then this is your show.
For recommendations for similar shows, I would certainly recommend attack on titan if you haven’t already seen it since they are both similar in terms of action, although attack on titan in my opinion has a far more even paced and frankly better story line.

Zankyou no Terror, otherwise known as Terror in Resonance, is an anime with a much different focus than that of other shows. This is a show which is based around the theme of terrorism but it’s not only the fact that this theme is seemingly different than that of others that makes it stand out, but it’s the execution that really makes the show seem like a piece of art. The visuals, the sounds, the characters, there just seems to be a lot of attention to detail.
The show itself spans 11 episodes and aired towards the later stages of the summer of 2014. ... Shinichirō Watanabe, who has in the past done much loved shows such as Cowboy Bebop, worked together with Yoko Kano and Studio Mappa, to produce something that can only really be called a piece of art.

Before we delve into the details and what makes this short anime show really quite different, a short synopsis would be in order. Zankyou no Terror’s story revolves around two mysterious teens, who don’t actually have real names but are instead referred to as Nine and Twelve. During the opening of the show, these two are shown to break into a high-security (clearly not) nuclear facility where thy steal plutonium. Then, half a year later, these same people call themselves “Sphinx” and carry out a series of terrorist activities around Tokyo, which mainly involves blowing stuff up. One girl, Mishima, is caught up in their antics and as one thing leads to another, she eventually “joins” Sphinx, although quite willingly so. From here on the story is focused upon the cat and mouse chase between the police force and Sphinx, although the story is not without its own twists.

The characters in this show all seem to have some sort of substantial backstory and Zankyou no Terror seems to have got the balancing more or less right, from the number of characters to the amount of depth each has. Nine and Twelve are interesting in the fact that they are both quite intelligent and quick thinkers, often seeing through problems in a matter of seconds. However these teens also have their distinct differences. Nine is seemingly the more serious of the two, he wears spectacles and has that typical cold look in his eyes you’d expect from characters of his type. He seems like the more technical and smarter of the pair as well and prefers to sit by his desk and control things from the background. Twelve is more flamboyant and prefers to get out and about on his motorbike, often getting his hands dirty doing all the nitty-gritty work. He is certainly the more cheerful of the two and seems to be most at ease when tossing around grenades or smoke bombs. Mishima on the other hand, is a slightly frustrating character, although the bullying she has had to deal with and her parents’ divorce make her actions understandable. She is very timid and shy, however the way her life has unfolded and the situations she has had to face, mean that in the end she decides to join Sphinx, mostly due to her search of another life-albeit perhaps not her best life choice. The fact she is a little bit indecisive and can’t quite seem to place herself as either one of good or bad, can get a little bit annoying at times, but once again, is understandable. Initially she wasn’t a character I was particularly fond off, despite feeling sorry for her. Although by the end, I had come to terms with her mannerisms and found she had grown as a character, which was pleasant.

There are other characters of note in this show too. The detective who always seems to be keeping pace with the antics of Sphinx is Shibazaki. He is a man who is dedicated to his role as a detective, however he is also extremely smart and can see through or at piece together various pieces of the puzzle. His perception and attitude made him a character who was personally appealing to me and certainly never provided a dull moment. There is also one other major character who is introduced later on in the show, however this may constitute of spoilers and hence they will not get much of a mention. However, that said, this character is probably the least well fleshed out of all the characters and their mannerisms aren’t wholly understandable and don’t contribute a whole lot to the overarching plot- they seem more like a character forced in for a twist.

Now, the plot of this how is what is gripping. The fact is that Nine and Twelve, who some may find likeable, are still terrorists and are causing damage to society, of course someone needs to stop them. However their antics never actually ever kill anyone and hence their aims are not always clear. This mystery over what their actual aim was, kept me interested. I didn’t particularly dislike the two of them and as the show went on, they actually grew on me. Now don’t get me wrong, their actions aren’t the sort that can really be justified but as you slowly realise where the show is headed, your perceptions start to change. Their past is a key to the way they behave, they both are often shown to have visions and nightmares from the past. Upon analysis, if their aim isn’t actually to kill anyone, then what is it? This question will keep you gripped until the end, which has a series of twists and turns which you have to go through to get there.

The whole show was extremely beautiful and visually pleasing. There were some scenes that you would have thought came out of a high-budget animation movie. The colours and the way they were blended in the realistic reconstruction of Tokyo meant you could look around during scenes and pick up various little details here and there. The explosions, the people, the constructions, most things down to the finer details, everything just looked stunning and I would say hats off to the producer for making the show look this good. The music was also perfectly moulded in with the show, the electronic sounds, the low grumblings, the sound effects, they all helped to set the mood for each scene and complemented the way the story was being told. Even the OPs and EDs were quite good in my opinion, albeit a little unsettling due to the fact they tried to bring out the main theme in the show- of mystery and fear.

Overall, the show was a pleasing tale to witness. The bad guys weren’t immediately marked out as wholly bad and sometimes you found yourself pondering over questions about what is really good and bad? Can they really justify their actions? (That applied to most characters, not just Nine and Twelve). While the story is not perfect, it’s quite hard to be entirely on point with such a genre anyway, by the end of it you will feel like you have witnessed something quite different- and that’s in a good way. In the end, it’s not just the plot or the characters, but the visuals too, which add to the experience and you will feel as if this wasn’t just a brief 11-episodes, but a piece of art with minor imperfections here and there. It certainly promises to be a good, thought-provoking watch.

Final Score: 8.7

(If you like this show or want recommendations, then the best show to watch after this would certainly be Death Note, as both have that element of cat and mouse, the deep underlying mystery and questions on morality. Both are engrossing from start to end, however Death Note is a much longer show at 37 episodes.)

Tukky 12
=)

Kimi Ni Todoke Season 1 and 2 Review

This review is going to span both seasons of Kimi Ni Todoke, since I feel it is the best way to review the series.
Kimi Ni Todoke was produced by “Production I.G” and is by far their best anime series production in my opinion. That’s more so because most of Production I.Gs work isn’t all that great to be honest-luckily Kimi Ni Todoke is an exception. The whole show aired between October 2009 and March 2011, with 25 episodes for season 1 and 12 episodes for season 2, making a grand total of 37 episodes. The show falls ... under the romance, school and shoujo categories and as a whole has been well received by the general public.
This was a show that I had been constantly putting on hold, despite the various number of people telling me to watch it, but when I did eventually get round to watching it, I was pleasantly surprised. My perception had been that this would be yet another typical and very flat romance show which would just grab onto all the usual stereotypes that the majority of shows like this do tend to. To what extent this show conforms to that idea varies throughout, however more times than not, it seems to veer onto the positive side- not totally without its faults.
Season 1 opens with the main character, Sadako, although virtually everyone in her high school calls her Sawako, due to misunderstandings from the past that are explained as the show goes on. Sadako is basically a feared figure, everyone believes she is a bringer of bad omens and do everything they can to avoid her so understandably she has no actual friends. Since this had been going on from an early age, Sadako gets accustomed to the treatment and for her it is part of daily life. In actuality, Sadako is a very nice and gentle person, however her extreme lack of social skills and various scary facial expressions seem to give everyone the wrong idea, her-what can be called aloofness- doesn’t help her case either. In this sense, I actually found Sadako’s character to be a refreshing change from the general stereotype that I had been expecting and hence her character was definitely a big plus for the show, both as a concept and a driving force to give the show a solid platform from which to develop. Quite early on, she seems to make two new “friends”, however she isn’t too sure of what to call the connection since she’s never actually had any friends. She feels like she’s a drag on the two other girls and is very apologetic for everything she does initially and throughout.
A bit later on, we are introduced to the other protagonist, Kazehaya. Where Sawako was against the norm, Kazehaya most certainly isn’t, not to say that’s a bad thing. Kazehaya is the kind of person who appeals to all kinds of people and as he states himself, he “can’t leave those who are lonely alone”. It is down to this reason that he really notices Sawako initially and challenges the idea that people must avoid her. He also makes Sawako a friend and Sawako, taken aback by all these new, nice people, looks at Kazehaya with admiration.
The rest of the season 1 is really just the story of how Sawako grows out of her own shell and starts to experience a host of new events, both bad and good. The events are can be fairly standard, ranging from friendship problems, rumours to straight out bullying. Although while the situations that are thrown up are fairly standard, the realistic way that they are dealt with is very appealing, it really helps to empathise with the characters and the situation at hand.
Now let me get on to what really made this one of those shows that made were extremely satisfying. While Kimi ni Todoke is a pure romance, drama show, the underlying themes are actually very well explored and executed to the same degree, even if expected. The ideas of friendship, socialising but also the friction, misunderstandings and rougher times are presented in a realistic way. Especially for a character for Sawako, it can be pleasing to see how much progress she makes. Her extremely point blank honesty can even land her in trouble and her inability to say the right things to convey her feelings put her in a few sticky positions- but the way she slowly battles her own insecurities and develops over the course of the show really helps you connect and feel for her. In this sense the show focuses less on the romance and more upon these other themes of friendship, social dynamic and just growing up through ones teens and such.
It is clear that Sawako likes Kazehaya and this idea is slowly built up throughout the show-it is also fairly understandable just how worried Sawako is at dealing with the awkward situations that their interactions throw up-but at times I felt these were overdone and over-exaggerated, almost to the extent it was annoying and slowed down the show.
There were a few things however that did not appeal to me so much, for one, the character design and the artwork was frankly not very good. At times I felt it really did detract from the overall experience of the show, sometimes even seeming to be a little bit rushed. It’s the finer details that matter sometimes, but in terms of artwork, I feel Kimi ni Tokode across both seasons, kind of missed the mark. The OP and ED were good in my opinion, it sort of grew on you as the show continued.
So season 1 in a nutshell was a great show, it really made me care for the characters and it was more or less engaging throughout the entire length of the show. Despite a few annoyances that we can gloss over, the show really stuck in my mind well after finishing it and more importantly it really made me want to jump straight into season 2.
Season 2 sadly, did not quite live up to my expectations, it couldn’t quite reach the heights that season 1 had managed to reach. The bar, I felt, had been set too high.
Season 2 had a distinct focus on the romance but in my opinion it did not execute it well enough and the story progression was just too slow, tedious and frustrating for me. It was just too much of an annoyance to watch the most ridiculous situations get thrown up and the way the characters sometimes seem to go about it all. Sawako and Kazehaya took one step forwards and two steps backwards. Sawako’s inability to speak and just convey her feelings across were just so frustrating- even if it were awkward she would seemingly stumble at every block.
The characters are also presented in a slightly different manner- I will not say how so- however this sudden change just seems a little too rushed and feels all too forced. All in all season 2 doesn’t give the full sense of closure that the show would need and just seems a little too slow.
That is not to say that the second half is entirely bad, it does have some very nice moments nearer the end and interspersed in between every now and then. In the end it’s just the inconsistency that kills it off.
So in the end the whole show is still a treat to watch, just a shame they couldn’t quite keep the momentum going right through to the end. It’s a tale that can really suck you in emotionally and keep you interested and is certainly a show I would recommend to those interested in the genre.
My final score would be a 9.0 for Season 1 and a 7.0 for season 2, giving an overall average of 8.0 across both seasons of the shows.
Recommendation wise, I would recommend “Kaichou Wa Maid Sama” as I feel there a few similarities in the story and “Byousoku No Centimeter” which a series of 3 episodes which has a very interesting take on life in general. It may not be similar, but it’s a show that springs to mind when I think of Kimi ni Todoke.
Enjoy =)
Tukky12