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Jun 30, 2014
The opening scene of the first episode is a hilarious and wonderful introduction to this series, but unfortunately Daily Lives of High School Boys goes off the rails shortly after the OP and never returns.
Daily Lives tries to play around with and subvert the tropes, cliches, and stereotypes common to slice-of-life anime (and anime in general), but doesn't always succeed in sending them up properly -- which sometimes seems more like an endorsement of the cliches than a critique thereof. I think this is the core reason why Daily Lives fails, though there are a raft of other problems that further damn this series.
STORY (4)
There
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really isn't a story, just a collection of skits. The stories of the various skits are each individually well thought out and inventive. The lack of plot progression from one skit isn't necessarily a problem, but when coupled with the lack of character progression it means that nothing progresses, so there's little to engage with or look forward to in the series.
The humor of the series is centered around social awkwardness. This style of humor just isn't my thing, and so I didn't find very funny most of the jokes and situations in the series. This is a subjective criticism, yes, but on a more objective note, Daily Lives lacks variety in its humor and suffers as a result -- perhaps more for some viewers than others.
CHARACTER (1)
The characters of Daily Lives are properly fleshed out, enough at least for the show's premise. Unfortunately, they are also unlikeable dicks who lie, cheat, steal, and prey on others. They are absurdly exaggerated caricatures of actual "high school boys," which could have been a source of humor and a send-up of cliches, but they are exaggerated in a negative direction. They don't just tease their friends, they abuse them. They don't just not know how to talk to girls, they are in fact thoroughly misogynistic. They don't just get into trouble, but they actively try to frame their friends for their own misdeeds. They are not believable, likeable, or compelling.
Given what terrible people they all are, friendship seems out of place in the Daily Lives universe. I could scarcely imagine any of these detestable cretins having positive emotions towards anyone, but if one considers the possibility of Stockholm syndrome, they can be seen as somewhat believable. The moments in which the viewers are granted psychological insight into the characters' minds are gratifying, if only because it provides reassurance that each are indeed sane and reasonable, because their actions routinely indicate otherwise.
The occasional side characters who are actually not evil, insane, malicious dirtbags are usually taken advantage of or injured by those who are, further compounding Daily Lives' enormous problems with characterization and storytelling.
ART (8) & SOUND (8)
I appreciated the light, smooth animation style, which fit both the quotidian theme of the show and the flights of fancy the characters are prone to. Sound and voice acting are good also.
OVERALL (4)
Daily Lives conveys just one thing: High school boys are horrendous people who should be avoided at all costs. There is no coherence among the various skits and no progression in the characters. There is nothing compelling to keep viewers watching, aside from the comedy (if that's your thing). On the other hand, there is certainly plenty repulsive to make viewers think twice about watching.
ENJOYMENT (2)
Daily Lives is a thoroughly offensive, painfully unfunny, totally disjointed, inexpert, hackneyed, awkward, depressing, detestable, insulting, poorly-conceived excuse for an anime, and I thoroughly regret having ever watched it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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May 16, 2014
I can't do it. Hetalia has been recommended to me several times, but try as I might I just can't find anything substantive in it to latch onto.
Story - 6
The fundamental principle of Hetalia is a sound one, and it should provide infinite situations for the characters to interact. The writers seem torn, though, between, on one hand, writing an anime and just having the characters go at each other in various situations, and on the other, writing a historically educative series in which everyone learns about 20th century geopolitics. Thus we are left with the former, but with lengthy footnotes to match the
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latter. The disconnect is palpable when there is a comic situation on screen half-covered by explanations of the Congress of Vienna.
The ONA format is not kind to Hetalia, but neither do its writers seem intent on using it to their advantage. A 5-minute episode will only sometimes have 3+ minutes of the actual anime, with the rest taken up by irritating, half-drawn chibi skits. The OP is mercifully short, otherwise there might have been no Hetalia left to show.
Art & Sound - 7
The art of the series is rather well-done and fitting for its lighthearted approach, which I guess is needed considering it is about war on some level. As I said, the disconnect between the lighthearted antics of the characters and the reality of the war and suffering they were based upon was really noticeable and detracted from my enjoyment; I feel like these could have been integrated better visually. The sound and music are average on the whole, but like most other aspects of Hetalia they become a bit oppressive after a while. The voice acting is acceptable in the actual show, but the grating squeaks in chibi segments made me fumble for the "next" button.
Character - 3
Each character hews so closely to their national stereotypes that it's difficult to imagine any character progression at all. Their reactions to different situations is so totally predictable that absurdities inserted by the writers (Italy hiding in a crate labeled "tomatoes," Japan building a WWII mecha submarine) are the only changes of pace in the series and really the only source of actual humor.
Overall - 4
Hetalia isn't bad and I don't hate it, in fact I feel kinda sorry for it. The concept of the series is brilliant, but I wish it had been executed better. A bigger slice of time, a wider cast of countries/characters, a different setting, and especially a deeper and more respectful treatment of its characters and subject matter could have all aided this series, but despite its oppressive cheer, Hetalia still strikes me as being dead on arrival.
Enjoyment - 2
Hetalia isn't really an anime, it's a high-school history lesson masquerading as one. All said, I'd rather just read the Wikipedia entry on WWII than spend more time trying to find a foothold on something so disjointed and disappointing.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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May 15, 2014
This is my first review on this site, so please be kind. No huge spoilers below, but I am talking about the series as a whole, so read at your own risk.
Story - 10
This is what makes SnK so hugely compelling, at least for me. The world is wonderfully conceived and it shows – we're given extra information on eyecatches about the history of the walls, the functioning of weaponry, the breeding of horses, the layout of towns, and anything else that might ever interest the viewer on top of and reinforcing anything contained in the actual episode. These factoids do wonders to establish a
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sense of place and of culture, to make the lands within the walls so much more real. Pains are taken to establish the antiquity of the walls and the history of the settlements within them. The three military groups that protect humanity are given more backstory than some of the characters, sometimes through little things like naming the main characters’ graduating class “the 104th Trainees Squad” or an exploratory mission “the 57th Expedition Beyond the Walls.” This establishes a history and lineage that make for an engrossing viewing experience. Overall, the world of SnK is among the most fleshed-out worlds I've encountered in all of fiction, and it sucked me in effortlessly.
As far as the actual story goes, suspense is certainly not hard to find, and in fact might be overused. I know others appreciate how fast-paced the show is, but I felt it to be a little too rapid, perhaps trying to cram too much story into its 25 episodes. The suspense is built quite well, with just enough foreshadowing to instill a mood (usually dread) in the viewer without beating him/her over the head with it (though the cliffhangers do get old after a while). Characters are brought in and out of the plot deftly, but only sometimes is the vast reserve of supporting characters juggled effectively (see below).
The setting and plot intersect perfectly in that the ultimate goal of the protagonists is to uncover the reason for the appearance and existence of the Titans, which drove humanity inside the walls and is the cause of all the other differences between their world and our own. That lofty goal often takes a back seat, however, to intervening events and restrictions -- some from outside the walls, some from within.
Characters - 6
This is the back of SnK's neck -- that is to say, its weak spot. As some other reviewers have pointed out, there is too much passage of time and too much bickering among characters for there not to be more development in them. In the moment, the characters are incredibly relatable, in that the Titans put intense fear in them, fear not only for their lives but also for their families, their hopes and dreams, and humanity itself. The development of the characters, however, leaves a lot to be desired.
Eren, nominally the main character, simply doesn't develop. He is known for his catchphrase "I'm going to kill all the Titans," which he utters at least a dozen times over the course of the series, nearly evenly dispersed from the first episode to the last. His character blew me away for the first 6-8 episodes, but after that the unyielding and indomitable determination that makes him so compelling a character began to wear thin, and his approaching every situation (fighting Titans, recovering from wounds, eating soup) with the same reckless intensity borders on the absurd by the time the series ends. About 2/3 of the way through the series, there is even an episode in which we are initially led to believe he had changed and began to trust his peers and superiors, but later he throws that out the window and decides to just try and kill things instead.
The characters introduced with the Survey Corps don’t really get backstories, and as such aren’t very compelling. We are supposed to see Levi as reticent and mysterious when he is first introduced, when really the viewers are just left in the dark because of receiving absolutely no information about him. That's forced mystery, which is a poor substitute for the real thing. Similarly, Erwin is cast as noble and brave, but comes off as imperious, because he commands absolute obedience and we never quite know why. We know Hanji’s research, but we have no idea how or why she ended up as the Corps’ token scientist.
Meanwhile there are two dozen other characters milling about, some of whose names you will forget until they get eaten or suddenly become relevant to the plot’s progression. Notable in this category for me is Jean, who is boring, plain-looking, and forgettable even as he interacts with the main characters on a regular basis.
The only character that genuinely grows is Armin, who is paralyzed with fear at the beginning of the series but who gradually develops confidence in his own physical prowess and especially his tactical brilliance. In doing so, however, he becomes a character on par with seasoned military commanders, which strains credibility. Late in the series Armin has virtually no flaws, like Eren's other sidekick, Mikasa. So we are left with our core trio – one character who keeps giving in to his main character flaw, one who overcame his, and one who never had one. Real compelling.
If you are watching SnK to be entertained, the characters are perfectly serviceable. But if you are watching to have a little think along with your entertainment, they are kind of a letdown. The plot loves to play head games with the viewers, but the biggest trick it's playing on us is making us think these stock characters are worth biting our nails over.
Art - 9
Sound - 9
I will leave better assessment of this to others, as I am of the "if I don't notice it, then it's good" school of art appreciation. It's a beautifully illustrated series, but I'm an uneducated buffoon who couldn't tell you why I think that. As I noted above, however, I think several of the minor characters don’t look distinctive enough and are therefore difficult to remember.
The sound is also good, but I can't speak much to it. Both OPs are in-your-face and inspiring at the same time. The second is just good but the first one is outstanding.
Enjoyment - 10
Overall - 9
This is a hugely entertaining series and probably my new personal favorite. I’m willing to overlook my misgivings about character development until I see the second series that it seems certain we'll get fairly soon (and read the manga). I think this is the kind of show that’s in it for the long haul, and I’m hopeful that what I perceive as a lack of development is actually just really slow development. But character problems or no, the engaging world of SnK is well worth your attention and the roller-coaster story will keep it until the very end.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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