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Dec 28, 2011
Want serious Mahjong? Try Akagi instead. Saki plays it fun and easy, preferring thunderous entertainment over logic, plausibility, and critical thinking. This FUNtastic underground gem needs more love. MAL already has plenty of lengthy reviews for Saki, so I'll keep this one to the point:
Pleasant Surprise #1:
For such a seemingly low-budget title, it's voiced by an all-star cast of seiyuu.
Pleasant Surprise #2:
Rather than play out as gagworthy as I expected, the hints of yuri actually spiced things up. Nothing is ever explicitly stated, everything is implied, and the light yuri factor whimsically floats in that fun stage before relationships get
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all dramatic and serious.
Pleasant Surprise #3:
The sheer number of characters with depth. Even some opponents come fleshed out with backstories, allowing us to understand, care for, and maybe even side with the opposition for a match or two.
Pleasant Surprise #4:
I entered Saki not knowing jack about Mahjong. I left Saki not knowing jack about Mahjong (except how one must exclaim a string of unrelated but awesome-sounding words as if spewing obscenities when revealing a good hand). Yet it still somehow managed to hold my interest so dearly!
Pleasant Surprise #5:
Again, for such a seemingly low-budget title, the visuals are bright, lively, and all-around surprisingly well done.
Pleasant Surprise #6:
The insane addiction. I don't really get addicted to anime very easily, but from the time I started to the time I finished, I simply could not get this show out of my mind. Mmmhh, one more episode...
Pleasant Surprise #7:
Yuuki. I usually hate watching characters that follow this silly and hyperactive archetype, but she actually synced well with the characters here. The only character I had a problem with was the only male in the main group, Kyoutarou, for being so uselessly flat and static. Everyone else: swell.
You know you love an anime when you get to the last episode dejected from having to leave that world, rather than feeling relieved from it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Dec 11, 2011
Recommendation: Watch the original series instead. This is basically a long summary with nothing new whatsoever, so only come here if you're looking for a quicker rewatch.
Starting out, I wondered if I could get away with simply watching these movies instead of the series considering that they both reflected the same story. I knew the series would have more material, but maybe these newer movies might have updated visuals, or might tell the story better or at least more succinctly? Unfortunately, no: I'm pretty sure the movies have no new scenes, the visuals are the same, and the plot moves past succinct
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here.
Both series are condensed enough, but these movies condense past the point of comfort. With all the cutting they had to do, scenes jump around a bit more than they should. The brunt of the action's there, but the development to that action, and especially the reasoning for that action suffers in the movies.
But please do try the original series! They already have excellent reviews on MAL, so I won't unnecessarily delve into them here. But I'll just say this: if you don't like Gunbuster (Top wo Nerae), please still give the significantly more modern sequel a chance (but do know that although the stories and characters of the two OVAs are mostly separate, you'll enjoy Diebuster (Top wo Nerae 2) more having first finished its predecessor. It's a spoiler to say why). Dazzling protagonists that evolve well throughout each episode... rare beasts indeed, but we find one in both. Come back for these compilation movies only if you get the urge to rewatch both of these underground gems.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Nov 7, 2010
"What? 76 episodes of… boxing? 76 episodes set in a small square ring? Yeah, right."
I had no idea.
What makes this anime special is undoubtedly the characters. How each character is so likeable, so original, and so fully developed that you end up understanding, caring, and rooting for them in the end. How even the ones that only last an episode, even Ippo's opponents can be given such plausible and staggering backstories that you might actually find yourself siding against the main hero for a match or two. And how these characters are just so serious with their lives
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that you really feel it, and you end up believing that such a world could actually exist out there.
You know you love an anime when it drives you to shout, to hold your breath, and to jump right out of your seat. You know you love an anime when the thrill makes your spine tingle so much that you actively root and cheer and punch the air in victory as if you were right there ringside. You know you love it when you marathon through 15 episodes one night, and wake the next morning only to continue watching. And even after 76 episodes and two bonuses, you can't let go. They've already wrapped you up in that world, those characters, their lives, their ambitions, and suddenly… suddenly you're expected to just leave?
No.
You know you love an anime when you're showing it to a friend and you somehow end up watching the entire thing again with him/her. And you still shout, you still laugh, you still find yourself out of your seat punching the air the second, the third, the sixth time you've seen it.
And you can't stop smiling. Because you get to live in their world again.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Nov 6, 2010
I went into this anime not expecting to like it very much. I am not a fan of Shakespeare. I am also not a fan of plots that showcase war and revenge. As it turned out, I am, however, a fan of Romeo X Juliet.
This is NOT your ordinary melodramatic love story. This is an adventure.
All of the characters are presented well and integrate with the story seamlessly, allowing this fictional world to brim with life, with living, breathing characters. Romeo and Juliet are portrayed as strong and brave protagonists that dynamically grow through each episode. The Capulets
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quickly become likable comrades plotting against the Montagues through perfect camaraderie, and this coupled with Romeo and Juliet overcoming regular adversities kept me watching. You can't help but care for them all. And the romance isn't sappy, but captivating and without a single blemish in its execution. Best of all, there are no fillers; each episode is dense with quality content.
Yes, the anime might not adhere to Shakespeare's version to the T, but I loved the enhancements: Juliet as a cool Zorro-like figure, Neo Verona set in the skies, and especially the flying pegasus! The visuals are fantastic, from character design to setting detail and imagination... everything! Be sure to watch this one on a large screen. And the opening, with Lena Park's rendition of "You Raise Me Up"... a slice of heaven right there. I wasn't a fan of the ending though, and the more magical aspects of this anime (e.g. the tree near the end) did not seem to fit very well.
Please try it. The first few episodes should be all it takes.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Nov 6, 2010
Just watch the first episode — that’s all it should take. There are plenty of lengthy reviews for D.N.Angel, so I'll try to be concise to save you some time:
What makes this anime truly stand out is how the story, the characters, and the romance are all serious and pure. This is not another silly anime where the characters degenerate into loons or crack stupid jokes. They take their lives seriously, which in turn allows you to take them seriously, and eventually get sucked into their world.
Though most episodes are captivating and fun, the show does stagnate in places.
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For example, I remember the snow painting episodes near the end being especially painful to get through. The beginning half also might seem a bit routine and slow, but just wait for the romance that eventually develops with Daisuke halfway through. It was presented very well with a lot of heart, and will keep you coming back for more. Wait for it.
However, keep in mind that this was marketed toward younger viewers, so dialogue, scenes, and characters might come off a bit childish. If you’re young at heart though, you may actually enjoy this point!
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Nov 6, 2010
My review will be different. I might save you some time:
The first half of the show (up through episode 12) was simply wonderful, hovering between 8/10 and 9/10 for me. I don't even mind what happened on episode 12 — I thought they were both right and both acted right.
But.
Between episode 13 and the end, it kept drawing out, and out... and out. It became a true shoujo soap drama where one character picks on the tiniest little things and makes the relationship unnecessarily difficult, while the other character can't get away from the past. It was slow and tiresome.
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I just didn't enjoy this second half very much, but it was still watchable, and you will probably be able to stick through it. Unfortunately, the ending is nothing really worth waiting for anyway.
The main girl, Nanami, plays it so perfectly in the first half though. The way she talks... if I hadn't seen the second half, she'd easily be one of my favorite characters. Animation: low-budget mediocrity galore with mostly static frames, but they do try to be artistic with it (e.g. all the bubbly framing around key scenes, or how they occasionally blank out one eye for effect). Pacing: slower than average. Music: gently compliments every mood, insert songs never feel unwanted or out of place, and they cycle through a remarkable number of ending themes (9!).
All in all, I definitely recommend at least starting Bokura ga Ita, and if the front half leaves enough of an impact, perhaps try a bit of the back half for yourself. It's certainly not awful, but just nowhere near as alluring as the front's wonderfully carefree slice of life, and far more irritating. And it may leave a bad aftertaste.
P.S. — If you do watch the entire thing, be sure to check the manga for the last episode since they leave out a key line after the anime's final scene. (It's in the last few pages of Chapter 31. You'll know it when you see it, but feel free to ask me if you're uncertain.) And if you're up for it, there are 39 more chapters to Bokura ga Ita after this.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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