March 30, 2014
March 29, 2014
Anime Review - Chuunibyou Demo Koi Ga Shitai
(Source: back of first novel and Animax)
Note : This is for season one and two. Synopsis has been edited in order to account for that.
Childish Story : 8
The story revolves around Yuuta, a boy who wants to hide his
chuunibyou past and Rikka, a girl who is desperately trying to recover that past. The two
decide to start a club, whose name ultimately becomes "The Far Eastern Magic Nap Society of Summer". The comedic moments of embarrassment and of argument within the club lighten the mood of this romantic slice-of-life. In the second season, the focus is more on the romantic relationship between Rikka and Yuuta. However, when a new girl from Yuuta's past walks in, Rikka experience what jealousy is for the first time. Before the relationship can fall apart, Rikka's friends gain-up on Yuuta, in an attempt to hurry things up. Hilarious moments follow and the story from there takes an emotional path, developing and investigating what a relationship truly is.
Good Art : 8
Although the anime is produced by KyoAni, it does not carry
the same quality of art as their previous works. That is not to say that it is good quality, but I was expecting more from KyoAni. The chuunibyou battle scenes were amazingly animated. The luminous and contrasting
colours really help make the difference between reality and the alternate universe.
Decent Soundtrack : 8
The opening and ending songs are okay, though they are not anything unique, except for the first ending song, "INSIDE IDENTITY". The background music was quiet and melodic, fitting in nicely with its respective scene. The voice actors were
appropriate matches for their characters. Fukuyama Jun did an excellent job as always. Uchida Maaya also did a terrific job
voicing Rikka, successfully saying "Schwarz Sechs Prototype Mark II" in her cute Engrish voice.
Playful Characters: 9
Their chuunibyou-ion selves are a delight to watch and their interactions with each other are also quite amusing: Yuuta (playfully) hitting Rikka whenever she says something stupid, and Dekomori taunting Nibutani into admitting that she is indeed a fake Mori Summer. Rikka's character undergoes the most development of all the characters: her family life, her chuunibyou self, and her romantic life. For her, she has no idea what being in a relationship means, so she checks the Internet for advice. Hilarity ensues but you see a confused human side to her as she tries to comprehend what being in love is.
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| A frustrated Rikka after she searched what love is on the internet. |
Really Enjoyed It: 9
Okay, so maybe Chuunibyou is not the greatest of anime. However, there was always something in the show that pulled me to watching the next episode. In the first season, it was the comedic elements and the hope of Rikka and Yuuta actually acknowledging their feelings. In the second season, it was simply to watch Rikka. Her understanding of love is restricted by her chuunibyou but the confused ideas she has are powerful and struck a cord in me. Yuuta does not pressure her and instead, decides to go against his friend's advice and take things slowly. Let me say, that that decision made the ending a whole lot sweeter.
Overall : Very Good (8)
Chuunibyou Demo Koi Ga Shitai is a entertaining romcom anime by KyoAni. It will make you smile, laugh and may make you tear up at times. One can experience first-hand the blossoming of a powerful relationship between two excellent characters. I recommend this anime to anyone who has watched Kimi Ni Todoke and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.
Until next time,
sana_salim
March 28, 2014
Anime Review - Gin No Saji
Synopsis : Yugo Hachiken dreams of life separated from his family, so he takes the initiative by enrolling in an agriculture school. He thinks, with his talent in studying, no problems will arise no matter what kind of school he attends. He is proven wrong very quickly. Raised as a city boy, he is forced to uncover the inconvenient truth about agricultural life. Enjoy the story of Hachiken, as he tries to keep up with his new friends, farmers' heirs, who are already accustomed to the harsh world of farming. With no clear goals or understanding of farming life, how will Hachiken survive this new, cruel reality? The story of a sweat, tear, and mud-stained youth begins!
(Source: MAL)
Note : This review is for season one and two, and will include me comparing this to FMA in hopes of convincing you guys to watch this series!
Farm-tastic Story : 10
The creator of this anime is Hiromu Arakawa, mangaka of the very successful Fullmetal Alchemist industry. The same important life lessons and concepts as FMA are present, though in a slice-of-life anime. The viewer follows Hachiken through his struggles as a student in a unknown agricultural life. In an attempt to escape from his past, he immerses himself completely in school life (sometimes a little too much), whether it be the class practicums, with his friends or his club activities. His past ideology about the "easy farm life" is challenged and corrected through his experiences. With this changing mentally, he hopes to use it to better his character and confront his family that he is not a failure.
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| Welcome to your first day, Hachiken-kun! |
Straight-to-the-point Art : 8
The art is similar to Fullmetal Alchemist, in the sense that the art is nothing spectacular but fits the mood of the anime. The facial expressions are quite amusing, and I keep thinking of FMA's ridiculous reactions whenever I see Hachiken's and Mikage's reactions. The scenery is nothing to really brag about. It is simple and is somewhat dissolved, in terms of colour, in order to make the characters really stand it. Though, the food art is really well-done (haha food pun). The animation and art of the second ending song are beautiful, the way the transitions emphasizes the song's beat.
Barn-Roof Raising Music : 10
The opening and ending songs are wisely picked. They all have a country-vibe to them, fitting to the anime. The endings are definitely more pleasant on the ears, especially Goose House's "Oto No Naru Hou E". The background music does its job perfectly, adding the extra emotion that words cannot convey. The voice actors are well-suited for their characters. I love Ryouhei Kimura's raspy voice and how his voice matches Hachiken's voice in my head as I read the manga.
Incredible Characters : 9
The characters in Silver Spoon are great. They are typical high school students, except for the parts where the students need to wake up at 4am on a regular basis. They are hilarious to watch, especially their reactions. Hachiken's character is interesting, as his city-views bring a new perspective to the farm-raised students, and it is great watching their ideas and values collide. It really drives his character development. The other characters, except for Mikage, do not really have any development and slowly fade from the anime time to time.
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| A look of determination that wasn't there before. |
Overall : Very Great (9)
Silver Spoon was my favourite anime this past year. The unique storyline, hilarious characters, and wonderful soundtrack was a wonderful combination. The viewer experiences a roller coaster of emotions, from sympathy, to humour, to tears, to pride, and so many more. Seeing the group of friends evolve and strengthen their bonds together is heart-warming and makes me want to make the most out of my school years. I highly recommend this anime to anyone who enjoyed Fullmetal Alchemist and Uchouten Kazoku. If you have watched the series and liked it, the Silver Spoon Movie was released in Japan on March 7th, so look forward to the translated version!
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| When Hachiken learns where an egg comes from. . . |
Until next time,
sana_salim
March 27, 2014
Gackt appreciation post
That smile, that pose, that voice.
He is perfection.
My perfection.
Source: http://gackt-and-dears.com/free/staffblog/?id=1395855582
March 26, 2014
Anime Review - Noragami
Yato, a minor god, dreams to become the most revered deity in the world with big shrine and all. However, being a penniless god that he is, he has a long way to go and his shinki leaving him doesn't help matter. Later, when he does his job, a high school girl named Hiyori Iki pushes him out of the way of a speeding bus; unaware of his status as deity.
Things get complicated when this incident triggers abnormality in Hiyori's soul, causing her to make an Astral Projection whenever she falls unconscious. To turn herself back to normal, Hiyori must help Yato becoming a better god who can fix the problem, along with Yato's new shinki, Yukine.
(Source: TV Tropes)
Good Story : 7
I originally expected something along the lines of "kill demon, become powerful, and then save the girl's life". However, the story focuses more on the daily and political aspect of the gods in a light-hearted manner. The comedy and the romance, and the action is well-balanced and not over-bearing at all. The aspect of friendship and human bonds is explored and challenged, which mentally pushes the character. The negatives I have is that Yukine's character was explored a little too deeply in comparison to the other characters. The arc division is unbalanced; less time was given for the second arc. As well, they are several unanswered questions that hindered me from really understanding the show.
Delightful Art : 8
The character design in Noragami is simple yet effective. None of the characters truly stand out but their design is unique enough to differentiate from other anime characters. The animation during the battles are smooth and have a certain air of intensity to them. Also, those vivid eyes are marvelous.
The opening song and ending song are powerful and effective. The music in the action scenes add more intensity and a sense of urgency. The background music pieces during thoughtful scenes were quietly powerful, somewhat contradictory but that is the best way I can describe it.
The voice actors were well-selected. I keep thinking of Eren (Yuki) and Levi (HiroC) from Attack on Titan, and Shizuo (OnoD) and Izaya (HiroC). And Uchia Maaya does an excellent job at playing a somewhat aloof yet intelligent character.
Hilarious Characters That Make You Smile : 10
If you watch or have watched Noragami and you do not or have not fallen in love with the characters, you likely are a Heartless (yeah Kingdom Hearts!). The characters are the best aspect of this anime. They are enjoyable to watch and interact in a goofy manner. My only wish is that more background information was given about Yukine's past life, but I like the mysterious element.
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| Dat face :D |
There are several unanswered questions but the mysterious elements make the show that more intriguing. The witty commentary exchanged between the characters remind me of my friend circle. On that same note, the desperation to belong somewhere also reminds me of my friend circle. For the longest time, I had similar feelings as Yukine showed in episode eight (though I was not as destructive) so that scene worked me up emotional. Funny how the little scenes impact your emotional state.
Overall : Very Good (8)
Noragami is an great light-hearted action and romcom anime. The show was enticing to watch during its every moment. The biggest negative about this show was the fact that it was twelve episodes. If it was twenty-five then I doubt this problem would have existed. Either way, I recommend this anime to viewers who enjoyed Blood Lad or Kyoukai No Kanata.
Until next time,
sana_salim
March 24, 2014
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