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Dec 9, 2014
This manga is beautiful and terrific, in the archaic sense of the word. It is largely a slice of life tale, but with an overarching theme of, well... I'll leave that for the reader to find out.
Story: 10
The story is extremely well put together and told in a way that doles out information on a need to know basis, while tossing out little tidbits of what is yet to be told that tantalize and, all too frequently, leave the reader with a hollow feeling in the pit of their stomach that is commonly known as dread. Meanwhile, it tends to take a lighthearted approach much
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of the time, keeping the mood in tune with the characters emotions, but never really getting rid of the increasingly intense sense that not only is something not right in the world, but, perhaps, nothing is actually right at all.
The setting is a world that is dystopian, war torn, and gradually sliding toward chaos and oblivion. However, that is not really what the story is about. It is about two young people who decide to start dating, much to their mutual surprise. When things get tough, they think of quitting, but when they actually talk things over, they find that they both are feeling the exact same thing and they agree that they are going to stick it out a bit longer, but now they are going to get serious about falling in love.
However, when things get even more complicated, it will take every ounce of love and devotion they have to stay together. They don't succeed completely, but can they make it work in the long run?
Some of the themes presented include young love, secrets, long distance relationships, infidelity, unrequited love, and, of course, how to deal with the fact that your girlfriend has been turned into a cybernetic super weapon.
Art: 10
I seriously debated about the ranking for art. I was going to give it an 8, but the amazing background art and frequently breathtakingly romantic scenes with our young couple pushed it up to a 10.
The character designs are typical for Takahashi-sensei, with most of the characters having rounded features, wispy hair, slightly stout figures, and a certain level of cuteness. He gets good mileage out of chibi transformations and exaggerated facial expressions when portraying emotion, but when things get serious, the character art is stunning and the emotional love scenes are remarkably touching and romantic.
The real standout in the art, however, are the backgrounds. From incredibly detailed views of towns, cities, or countryside; to amazing action scenes with explosions and chaos; to air raids and, of course, a cute little ultimate weapon with giant rocket launchers, energy beams, and dragonfly/fairy wings that are beautiful at a distance, until you see the damage they wreak on the clothes and body of Chisa as she returns to her "normal" self.
Character: 9
The characters are strong and, for the most part, likable. (At least when you are supposed to like them.) The main couple are both wonderfully crafted, with Chisa being a shy, soft spoken, but surprisingly strong girl. The process of watching her gradually gain confidence while simultaneously getting further and further from being truly human is amazing. The heartbreaking middle section, where she loses out to her growing ability to "know too much" and longs for people who can just look at her and tell a bald face lie to make her feel better, despite the fact that the earnest (if not always faithful) and loving people around her cannot bring themselves to do her that favor.
Shuji is gruff, sharp tongued, and, with the exception of on a few choice topics at a few choice moments, honest to a fault. His love for Chisa grows as she becomes more dangerous and harder to love. However, the hardships of their relationship and an extremely ill-timed reunion lead to some very poor decisions that make him seem less of a "nice guy." In the end, he is one of the few people who is always thinking of what is best for his diminutive super weapon.
The side characters are strong, especailly Akemi, the best friend of Chisa and former track teammate of Shuji who, quite obviously, harbors a longstanding unrequited love that leads to tragic outcomes for more than one character. Some of the soldiers are also well done. One of the characters I cannot bring myself to like, but I don't know that you are supposed to like her.
If there is a weakness, it is in the amount that suspension of disbelief needs to be stretched for the process by which Chisa becomes the Ultimate Weapon. Her blithe acceptance of her fate and complete lack of anger, at first, that she seems to have had this done to her without consent, at least of her parents, is dumfounding. She really seems to be saying that she met with the people, then woke up and was a cyborg. It makes no sense and could have been handled better.
Of course, it could be that she just couldn't tell Shuji about the details, but we never see the details in the sections when we look at the world through her eyes either, so it seems off.
Enjoyment and Overall: 10
This was a roller coaster. It had highs, lows, gut wrenching twists, dizzying heights, and devastating. earth shattering descents. The ending is phenomenal and, I should say, incredibly, profoundly, and touchingly sad.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Apr 13, 2012
I have only read the first two volumes of "A Bride's Story", but at this point, I have to say that it is one of the finest manga I have read. I'll go straight to the details:
Art: This is the true strong point of this manga! The art is rich in detail, stunning in scope, breathtaking in beauty, and astonishing in the amount of research that is behind the images. Many portions of the story are told completely with images alone, with the astounding backgrounds and exquisite attention to detail in the character's facial expressions and body language telling the story in ways that exposition
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could never manage!
The character designs are truly a delight. They are drawn with such fantastic detail and such stunning realism that it boggles the mind. Yes, the eyes are still over-sized for the faces, but other than that one conceit, they are so realistic they practically jump off the page! The one minor quibble I have with the character designs is that the women are a bit too similar looking, making it a bit difficult to tell who's who in some panels. However, the more I read, the better I can tell them apart, and to be perfectly fair, many of the women are related to each other, so they should look alike! Amir's mother-in-law and sister-in-law look so much alike they could be sisters, but closer inspection reveals the fine touches of facial lines and hair highlights on the mother that indicate her more advanced age...
The details in the fabrics of the clothes the characters wear and the wall hangings, rugs, and other cultural artifacts are incredible. There is even a full chapter devoted to the art of embroidery, with one of the young girls learning why she must strive to learn all of the family patterns that have been handed down from one generation to the next, as opposed to just her favorites. It also stresses the importance of embroidery skills for women in this 19th century Central Asian setting.
Amir, in particular, is a wonder of modern manga! She is, without a doubt, one of the most stunningly beautiful ~WOMEN~ in manga! Note the word emphasized in that last sentence! Amir is all woman! There is no trace of girl in her character design! Kaoru Mori-sensei has a penchant for drawing Amir naked, which she admits in the very funny author's notes sections, which pretty much qualify as Omake for these volumes. Don't be concerned with these being eechi in any way, however. They are very much non-sexual. One, in volume 2, is in a bath house, where Amir is bathing alone. The other, in volume 1, occurs when she and Karluk are getting ready for bed, but is entirely non-sexual, and part of one of the best sequences in the volume. The images, however, are some of the most realistic, and beautiful, depictions of the female form I have ever seen in manga! Amir is amazing! Full figured with ample hips and a firm and slim, but not emaciated, waist line. She is so unlike any other woman in manga it is startling at first. It is really art on a totally different level than most manga!
Character: Another strong point of the manga are the characters. Amir is an amazing young woman, with tremendous strength of character and confidence, but also a great deal of vulnerability and a need to prove herself as she finds her way in her new husband's family and home village. Being skilled with a bow and very athletic, she stands out from the other women in her new family, whose lives have been focused on different skills, since they are no longer nomads. The male characters are a bit less defined, but Karluk, her young husband, gets his fair share of development along the way. Many of the other characters have their own moments to shine, particularly Karluk's mother and grandmother, as well as Pariya, a young girl of marriageable age who befriends Amir and struggles with the tendency to be a bit more outspoken than women are expected to be in their culture, leading to some personal problems.
Story: Before I get into the detailed review of the story, let me state that the age difference, and extreme youth of the male lead, Karluk, is not a perversion or some sort of fetish. The average age of marriage in the Silk Road region in the 19th century was 14 or 15, frequently with the bride being even younger. The 12 year-old groom is a bit on the young side, but for their culture, the truly odd one is Amir, who is 20 years-old, far older than most brides of that time period and culture. One of the ironies of the story is that the only thing about their age gap that is remotely scandalous is that she is so old, while our culture would look at it the other way.
The story is probably the weakest aspect of "A Bride's Story", but that does not mean it is not excellent! Where it falters is in the flow and pacing departments, with some portions seeming a bit out of place and others seeming to drag a bit too much. The second volume has fewer problems with this than the first, as it has a more action oriented storyline. However, if one follows the main sequence of the story surrounding our young bride learning to be a wife; live in a village with her husband's family; adjust to the customs of said family; and grow in her relationship with her very young husband, it is a fine story with a strong emotional impact. The relationship between Amir and Karluk and how it progresses from shy acceptance; to curious admiration; to growing attachment; to genuine affection; and finally to blossoming warm, tender, and oh-so-sweet love, is particularly well done! The culmination of the arc, which takes place near the end of volume 2 in the chapter "Heart of a Bride" is really a masterpiece of storytelling, with tremendous character growth for Amir and Karluk.
There are portions of the story that seem to drag, like the intricate details about embroidery, a story of a young boy enthralled by wood working arts, or the tale of a brash, outspoken young girl whose bread is like a work of art, but who is unable to embroider cloth to save her life. These seem to detract from the story and interrupt the pacing of the main narrative, but they also provide a rich and colorful base of cultural background that help the reader to understand the rest of the story. While they might be better placed, so as to not interfere so much with the main plot, they should not be left out, as they really do make Amir and Karluk's world a much more real and understandable place.
And a wonderful, beautiful, and adorably sweet place it is! I recommend it without reserve and, despite the few nude scenes, found it appropriate for pre-teens with a high level of reading ability and an interest in historical fiction.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Sep 26, 2011
I am not going to pretend that this is an unbiased review. I will say it up front: I loved Hanasaku Iroha! I found it compelling, radiantly beautiful, tender, endearing, and intensely satisfying. Now for the breakdown:
Art: The first thing that will strike you in this anime is the art, in particular the background artwork. From the very first episode, the artwork was astounding in its depth of detail and realism. There were scenes that, as a professional photographer, I would have been proud to have captured their like in a photo, and it was hard to tell they were not photos! The portrayal of
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everything from the city streets, the passing scenery from the train, to the quaint and pastoral tourist village where the main portions of the show take place were rendered with exceptional care and quality.
Story: The place where the show comes the closest to not performing is in the story. It is a slice-of-life tale, which is not to everyone's liking. I happen to like them when they are well done, because they concentrate on things like character development and the relationships of the individuals involved and I get caught up with the characters, feeling like they are people that I know. This is where Hanasaku Iroha really drew me in...
Characters: Yes, the characters are the real prize here. In particular, the growth of those characters over the 26 episodes and the realism of the relationships between them. There are one or two "clunkers" in the batch, the perverted writer and the strident management consultant who drops English phrases like they are the names of celebrities that she knows personally stand out, but most of the characters are well wrought. The protagonist, Ohana, is a particularly well done character. She grows from a fairly shallow girl with unrealistic expectations of life, to a strong young woman who knows where she is going and how far she has yet to go. There is similar development in many other characters, with time spent on each as you get to know and love the lot of them.
Sound and Music: Excellent for the most part, the only downside I found was the original ED, which I liked well enough when listening to it, but found it unmemorable in the long run. The various OP, ED, and insert songs by Nana.RIPE were well done, some to the point of hummable infectiousness. The incidental music and sound effects were all well done, adding emphasis to the story and knowing when to let the natural background noises hold court to emphasis a moment or simply carry the mood.
Overall, this is one of my favorite shows. It may fade as time goes by, but fresh off the end of the show, I find it a wonderful series that I will look back on fondly and purchase on BluRay if it becomes available here. The ending was a marvel for anime, in that it didn't try to magically resolve all of the issues and chose a realistic ending that, while a bit bittersweet, left you feeling like the characters lives were on the track they belonged on to get where they want to go. That was really the touchstone of the series. Realism. There were some contrived circumstances and typical plot mechanisms in play, but the way the characters interacted and developed had a strong sense of "rightness" about it. The characters seemed like real people and interacted in realistic ways that brought them to life. In the end, this sense of familiarity with the characters is what brought me back from week to week and makes me feel that I will miss them now that I am out of their lives. In fact, the sense that I am out of their lives and not the other way around is the strongest indication of how well the writers did their job.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Mar 9, 2011
Story/Characters: 10/10 of 10
At the half-way point, this is a well wrought tale, with significant twists along the way. There is a certain amount of "cliche elements" in the telling, but what sets Kore wa Zombie desu ka? apart from the crowd and saves it from being a cliche ridden also ran is the way it turns each and every one of those cliches on its ear, pokes a wet willy in it, strips it of its dignity, and then tells it "It is OK! People still love you even with all your warts!" In other words, the show has an overriding irreverent tone and
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a mocking sense of humor about itself and the various genres from which it harvests its plot fodder. The show is extremely well written and funny, eliciting several "laugh out loud" moments per episode on average, but at the same time, it actually approaches tear inducing tenderness when it takes the time to focus on the protagonist and his savior/master/goddess of all that is dandere, Yuu. (I said almost... I don't think I have cried yet, though I am a notorious softy... just ask my kids.)
The character of Yuu is a thing to behold. Moe in the extreme, she takes dandere to a new height, as she isn't just quiet, she doesn't talk, with the exception of dream sequences, labeled "This is fantasy of our weak-hearted protagonist Aikawa Ayumu", in which she speaks with a high, pleading voice and calls him Onii-chan, complete with mooney eyes, and frequently scantily clad. She communicates by writing notes on a pad, frequently with a tsun edge in the writing, making her, I guess, a tsun-dan-dere character. The other characters are good as well. The heavily tsundere Haruna, who is living with them until she recovers her Masou Shojo powers from Ayumu, is a bundle of contradictions, as a genius magical girl that can't seem to be bothered to remember mundane things like names or where she was supposed to be buying tofu for her magical girl teacher. The third member of the harem is Sera, the Vampire-Ninja who seeks Yuu's aid and stays with them when she is refused, hoping to earn Yuu's help, all the while referring to Ayumu as various names similar to "worthless pile of $%!#". There are also Ayumu's friends at school, who he doesn't want to discover the truth about his living/unliving situation, as being the male living with a harem of magical/dangerous women is not something he thinks his high school buddies can handle.
All this would rate a high, but not stellar score if it weren't for one thing that the show does: surprise! Just when I think that I have a handle on the show, it throws a curve. Just when I think I know where the story is headed, it changes course. And just when I think I have things figured out, it turns another corner and reveals that most of what you have seen is not really the way things are. When that is combined with the consistently funny dialog and over the top humor, it makes for an enjoyable ride!
Art: 7 of 10
The main failing in Kore wa Zombie desu ka? is the art, at least in my opinion. There are frequently times when it seems the backgrounds are neglected, and the character renditions sometimes have shortcuts. Much of the combat animation is choppy and awkward looking, though I will grant that some of this is intentional due to the nature of the zombie protagonist. His body moves in awkward ways at times. The character designs, with the exception of Yuu, are also a bit generic, with Sera being the only human character that I have not mistaken for someone else at least briefly at some point in the show. The men are particularly generic, with the glasses of the 'best friend' character distinguishing him from the protagonist. Luckily there are not many shots of men other than Ayumu. It is possible that this is mostly a personal problem and others see more distinction between the designs, but I particularly find it hard to distinguish Haruna from some of the other girls, either at his school or the "friend" in the hospital that shows up in the third episode. There are some parts that are beautifully done, but others that fall short. The magical transformation sequences are quite striking, in their visual effect and the humor value as well! Another aspect that bothers some, but not me, is the level of fan service and gore. I consider most of the fan service to be parody, and it never becomes prurient or of an overtly sexual nature. The gore is also frequently used for comic effect, and the show is, after all, about a zombie! One must anticipate a certain amount of blood and gore!
I'm not saying that there aren't some bits of excellence. Where the animators take the time to make the art shine, it is great. I just feel there are too many points at which they let it slide along at average.
Music/Sound Effects: 8 of 10
The opening music is very good and the incidental music is frequently spot on. The end music is a catchy little tune, but also a bit annoying, as is the super deformed animation used during it.
Voice Acting: 8 of 10
The main voice actors are well done, with Haruna and Sera having a nice blend of acerbic tone with the occasional softer side. The male lead is well done but nothing really that special either. The best friend character's voice I find annoying, but I think you are supposed to. The Megalo tend to all sound alike to me. The "friend in the hospital" is one of the strongest vocal performances, as that character goes through some pretty impressive changes and variations across the episodes the is featured in. The absolute winner in terms of voice acting is the sickly sweet voice of Yuu in Ayumu's weak-hearted fantasy life! She sounds absolutely endearing and devoted, as is appropriate for a fantasy of that sort.
Overall Enjoyment: 10 of 10
I am loving this show! I watch it first of the Monday shows that come out on Cruncyroll and will re-watch episodes most weeks. The combination of broad comedy, fun action sequences, macabre zombie mayhem, and strong plotting with a touch of sentimentality that sparkles with joy when it bubbles up to the surface make it a fun, fast paced, and thoroughly enjoyable ride! Oh, and Yuu is muy, muy dandere moe!!! But that isn't really why I like it. Honest...
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Mar 2, 2011
[Based on episodes 1-6 of the anime.]
Story/Characters: 7/10 of 10
If you are in the market for a touching story with a lot of emotion and drama, this could be the show for you this season. If you are looking for action, fan service, or comedy, look elsewhere. (There are plenty of options!) For those of you familiar with the manga, you might want to know that the story appears to pick up in the middle. The manga starts when they are in 5th grade, but the anime starts on the first day of middle school. A lot of the history that is under the bridge
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for our two protagonists is presented via flashback sequences that bring us up to speed on where the characters have been and how they got where they are today.
The biggest knock on the show is that it doesn't really have any plot. It is completely slice-of-life drama. There is not anything to drive the story. It just brings you along to watch as these youngsters learn about themselves and the world around them. In my opinion, that is a minor flaw at best, as the writing and the pacing of the show is such that you really get a good emotional feel for the characters, and that is the real payoff in this show
Another possible complaint is that it is hard to follow. The show does not stop to explain anything to you about any of the characters, and there are a whole lot of them! (This can also be viewed as a strength, as it shows that the creators have enough respect for the viewer to let them figure out the story on their own without spoon-feeding it to them. Frankly, too much expository material can ruin slice-of-life stories, as they then turn into lectures and lose the natural feel that makes them enjoyable in the first place.) Frequently, I find myself uncertain of who is who early in an episode, but as the show has gone on, that happens less often. And that is a good thing, because the characters are one of the real strengths of the show! They are well-rounded, fully vibrant characters with quirks and nuances that make them come to life in your mind. The one thing that might strike some as false is the unnatural maturity of some of these middle school age kids, but being the father of a middle school boy who is active in things like scholastic bowl and orchestra, I can say that I don't find them that unnaturally mature. (In the event that he reads this review, I have to add that I am, of course, referring to his wonderfully mature friends, not him! LOL! ;)
Art: 10 of 10
Another strength of the series is the art. Looking like moving watercolor paintings, every detail is lovingly drawn to elicit the mood the story requires. The backgrounds and characters are exquisitely done. The only criticism I have is that some of the characters are a bit too similar to each other, but I think that is more of a problem with the lack of explanation of who is who than with the art. After a few episodes, I was able to distinguish the characters well enough, except when you aren't supposed to be able to! (There is a character that appears very differently than they had earlier in one of the episodes, and I think you are supposed to be a bit confused until their name is said.)
From what I understand, the soft watercolors and washed-out backgrounds emulate the style of the manga, which has been referred to as "minimalist" in its artistic style. That carries through to the anime, with the art having wonderful detail, but no more or less than is absolutely needed. It never feels like there is too much to see to truly appreciate a scene, but at the same time, each scene is rich enough to convey its message without the viewer feeling there is anything missing. The emotional impact of the images themselves is considerable. The art is impressive!
Music and Sound Effects: 10 of 10
The OP for the show ("Itsudatte." by Daisuke) is strong, bringing the viewer into the story with just the right mood, but where the music really shines is the excellent ED ("For You" by Rie Fu). The song has the ability to elicit tears all on its own, with a keen sense of longing and devotion, yet an uplifting and optimistic feeling as the song progresses. The spartan animation, consisting of Shūichi walking along stoically on a blank background, then having his movement become more animated and girlish when the music returns to the chorus and the air is filled with cherry blossoms.
The music inside the episodes is very understated and well done. It knows when to emphasize the mood and when to remain in the background for support, but it also knows when to go away entirely and let the awkward silence or the natural background sounds fill the space, cementing the mood in that situation as well.
Overall Enjoyment: 10 of 10
This is a fantastic show. It is heartfelt and warm, with great respect for its characters and the viewers ability to understand the story with minimal expository material. It may not be my favorite of the season, as there are shows that are more "fun" in the moment and more stimulating. However, in the long run I expect that it will rank among my favorite shows of all time and I will probably buy the BluRay and watch it time and again when I am in the mood for some deep character drama. There are many places to go to get a good romantic comedy or a nice suspenseful action show or even a raunchy, fan service laden ecchi fest. There are very few sources for exquisite art combined with rich character drama and deep emotion, and Wandering Son is one. (OK, any movie by Makoto Shinkai qualifies, and that is why I ordered the DVD of "5 Centimeters Per Second" the other day, but I digress…)
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Mar 2, 2011
Story/Characters: 8/10 of 10
The only weakness of this anime, is the plotting of a couple of the story arcs. In many cases it seems that, as a mystery, it is a very good character based show with a good amount of humor and action mixed together. The mysteries in the first two arcs are, in general, far too easy to solve, but the story does pick up the pace after that. I believe that some of this is intentional. In particular, the first mystery is designed more to show how incompetent Grevil is rather than showing Victorique's brilliance or providing a real mystery for the
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viewer to sink their teeth into. The next few sections of mystery plot seem more intended to display Victorique's genius, as she solves them so quickly that the viewer doesn't really have time to ruminate about them, though they are not too hard to solve anyway. There are several plot points in the Queen Berry arc that were pleasantly surprising, and the tie in they make with real world history were deftly handled.
The mood of the show changes decidedly in the final half, going from more of a light hearted feel with tense moments in the final portions of a story arc to a much more intense and dark tone throughout. The real mystery, we find, is not in the individual story arcs and their petty plot points, but in the overarching story of Victorique’s origin, her family, and the intrigues and mechanisms of both the villains and those who seek to help our intrepid heroine and her stalwart protector. Will a cruel world tear apart these two youngsters as it appears to be tearing itself apart, or will they persevere and find their way to a happy ending against all odds? This is where the story truly begins to shine!
But the story is not what this show is about! It is about Kujō and Victorique, their friendship, and the bond of trust and eventually love that develops as the story progresses. Kujō is one of the finest anime leading men to be paired with a strong tsundere leading lady in recent memory. Frankly, he is right up there with Ryuji from Toradora and Sousuke from Full Metal Panic. He is strong, loyal, brave, and surprisingly good with a pair of brass knuckles. He is willing to put himself in the path of danger in order to protect Victorique, even when he had just met her. As the story progresses, she begins to rely on him for that physical protection, but even more, Kujō becomes her emotional rock as well. Victorique is a classic tsundere, wrapped up in goth-loli packaging. But she is more than just a moe stereotype. Victorique is a fantastic character, with many sterling features including her demonstrative boredom, her sarcastic monotone laugh, her vulnerability because of her diminutive size, and her emotional fragility because of various factors in her childhood. She is a complex and well rounded character, capable of a wide range of tsun, from biting sarcasm to bald face manipulation of Kujō's tender-hearted nature, but she also has a tender side that is loyal to her Kujō and seems genuinely happy to have someone she can trust in her life. By the end, when the two have fallen in love, the tender moments between them are fantastic and when the hands of fate separate them, the pain is palpable! The way that these two characters interact and develop as the mysteries swirl around them is a joy to behold and one of the main pleasures of this show.
Art: 9 of 10
The background art for Gosick is stunning! The lush greens of the forested mountainside, the architecture of the school with its towers and old buildings, and the wonderful attention to detail in the school environment, as well as the other settings when the two are off campus, are all done with exquisite charm and impressive style. The character designs are wonderful, with Victorique's ultra cute, doll like looks and flowing hair and Kujō's attractive yet down to earth everyman look, as well as the other characters in the school and outside of it. The main problems I have with the art do stem from the characters, however. Grevil's hair is atrocious! It is supposed to be, I realize, but it is beyond silly! The fact that it is an integral plot point does not excuse it! There is also a tendency to rely on some fairly unattractive and out of place super deformed animation techniques when showing surprise, chagrin, or shock in the characters, though the blushing face of Victorique when embarrassed is one of the true joys of the show. The animation, particularly of the action scenes with Kujō and the various horror/suspense moments in the show is first rate and very smooth. The surreal war scenes of the final arc are almost ‘Madoka’ level in their bizarreness, adding another layer of artistry to the show’s accomplishments. The horror aspects of the show can get pretty graphic, so be prepared and consider the age of the viewers if you tend to watch anime with your kids. (Eleven or twelve and up should be fine, but if the child is prone to nightmares or squeamish, you might want to wait until 14 or 15.)
Music and Sound Effects: 10 of 10
The music for this show is almost always exactly the right mood at the right time with just the right intensity to enhance the story or drive it forward. At first, I was unsure about the opening theme, as it seemed a bit too much like something you would hear with an action show like Full Metal Panic, but it grows on you with repeated listening and, as my son pointed out, it fits the beginning of the anime in terms of the fact that the opening of arcs in the story are generally more light and comedic in nature, while the climax of an arc is bound to be more suspenseful and tense, which is where the ED music comes in. The end theme, "Resuscitated Hope," is one of the finest anime songs I have ever heard! While in mid arc the show strives to end each episode with a mini-cliff-hanger, edge of your seat, shiver up your spine moment. When it succeeds, that sensation is amplified by the haunting, driving rhythm and minor key sensibility of this wonderful song! I get chills up my spine just listening to it, without the anime lead in! The second ED, “Unity”while not as good of a song as the first, is just as effective in evoking the mood of the show as it turns darker and the lives of our duo become more fraught with danger. It is haunting and painfully evocative of Victorique’s tortured past. The animation that goes with it is extremely well done. Both of them bring shivers to my spine! The background and incidental music inside the episodes is expertly done, as one should expect of a show with a mystery/horror based theme.
Voice Acting: 9 of 10
The voice acting for the leads is wonderful, particularly Victorique. Her distinctive style of talking and the range of emotions she displays are challenging tasks that are ably met by Aoi Yūki. The aforementioned monotone laugh and the tone of voice when she is massively embarrassed and about to go into full tsun mode are priceless! Kujō's voice actor also does an excellent job, displaying a good range of emotional states and a solid base from which Victorique's eccentricity can be fully appreciated. The weak point would have to be Grevil, whose voice is almost as annoying as his hair, but I expect that was intentional on the part of the director.
Overall Enjoyment: 10 of 10
This show is one of my favorites of all time! I am unapologetically a fan of Gosick and would buy in on BluRay in an instant if Bandai had not gone and folded their home video operations after snatching up the rights. I hope that someone rescues the license, even if it is NIS America and I have to deal with not having a dubbed version. I just want to have it to watch whenever I wish in a well-minted disk. Is that too much to ask? At least it is still on Crunchyroll and I can go there and watch it anytime I please, which I have done with select episodes a few times since the show ended. If you haven't checked it out, I would suggest that you give Gosick a try!
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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