- Last Online10 hours ago
- GenderMale
- BirthdayJun 2002
- LocationSOS Brigade Clubroom
- JoinedDec 23, 2019
Fantasy Anime League My MALentine Story Also Available at
RSS Feeds
|
![]()
Apr 9, 2024
What an incredible experience. No media has depicted America in a more convincing and illuminating fashion than Di Gi Charat Natsuyasumi Special. I was moved. Just knowing that Dejiko has graced my country with her presence made my year. My life even.
I'm literally the character Rod Young. When I think of Dejiko, my heart flutters. I have also read the Di Gi Charat encyclopedia. I know everything.
Dejiko plays a Hofner violin bass in episode three, the same instrument that the Beatle, Paul McCartney, plays. Beatles references are always a plus. Many years ago, Paul McCartney's original Hofner bass was mysteriously lost. I can't
...
help but assume that Dejiko has had it all this time.
Natsuyasumi employs live-action sequences more than any of the other iterations of Di Gi Charat. As a result, it felt even more surreal than the rest. The natto beans in episode three looked delectable.
MURDER MYSTERY. Yes, there's a murder mystery. I won't spoil the culprit, but you will be surprised. Fantastic.
Not a lot of Mishter Manager-san in this special. It's a bit disappointing, but acceptable.
There's a side plot for Usada that will make you cry. No spoilers, of course.
Puchiko steals the show again in this one. Fantastic peformance from Miyuki Sawashiro, as always.
I would give Di Gi Charat Natsuyasumi Special a 10/10, but I have to take 3 points off because Rowdy Guy didn't get rowdy.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
What did you think of this review?
Nice
 0
Love it
 0
Funny
 0
Confusing
 0
Well-written
 0
Creative
 0Show all
![]()
Apr 4, 2024
Legend of the Galactic Heroes is a tragedy of high expectations. Over the years, many have come forward to call this anime one of if not the greatest yet made. After completing all 110 episodes, I am left confused as to why they feel this way. For those who haven’t yet watched it, read this spoiler-free review and consider whether your expectations will be met before you start.
The ideologies of the characters are frustratingly cliché. It ranges from feudal autocracy to American-style classical liberalism. You will not come away with a new philosophy on life, or anything like that.
The military strategies are basic and the
...
political maneuvering is no better. Battle sequences proceed in the same way each time: the bad guys have a huge numerical advantage, the good guys have a smart plan, the entirety of the plan succeeds, and the good guys achieve their goals against the odds. LoGH favors great-man theory far too much, and as a result comes off incredibly contrived at times. The desired outcomes happen no matter the odds against them, except for in a few heavily foreshadowed moments.
The world-building is unrealistic and malleable. Futuristic technology exists only for space travel, war, and little else. Events occur that could have been prevented using technology that has been widespread since the 1980s. The societies of LoGH are unrealistically backwards for the future, even those of the ‘democratic’ side. This social conservatism isn’t critiqued either. The anime openly approves of the patriarchal tendencies of its societies, and instead focuses on the negatives of political ills only. The main role women play is as support for their husbands/lovers, and those who show signs of independence are reigned in by the end. This is not to mention the self-evidently problematic use of imperialistic German culture. Its only purpose is to wet the whistle of those who fantasize about German militarism. The anime’s given explanation of why every name sounds like Dusseldorf von Shatingflart is ignorant of how human societies operate, and seems to have been added post-facto. Copying a pre-existing imperial society rather than inventing a new one is just plain lazy and gives rise to some unnecessary suspicions. If LoGH had given equal weight to social issues as to the political issues, it may have had the profundity that many claim.
The story flows like one set in the Napoleonic era. Rather than just being set in that time period, it copies that era’s vibes, places them in the future, and adds some fancy tech for flavor. The futuristic setting could be removed and the story would be unchanged. The only plausible reason for the future setting is the greater impact of battles that kill 20 million people rather than 20,000. Maybe this was a intended choice by the original author/creator, or maybe not. As mentioned previously, the ideologies of the protagonists and antagonists also mirror the Napoleonic era, so why not just write a Napoleonic epic? There are great anime/manga stories with political themes set in and around that period, like Rose of Versailles, which are far more compelling.
The budget limitations are noticeable and they significantly hamper many scenes. Space battles are especially dull as a result. Consolidating the series into 50 or so episodes may have been the better move budget wise. The use of classical music for the soundtrack is interesting, but feels a bit pretentious and lazy. Even most low budget OVAs have an original soundtrack. There are other anime that supplement classical music with original score and use it far better. For instance, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya’s use of Trois Gymnopedies is far more tasteful while being in an anime that takes itself far less seriously. Classical music is cool and all, but I think that its use in LoGH was a budget-minded decision rather than the intention.
The ultimate problem with Legend of the Galactic Heroes isn’t that it's bad, but that it’s only good. Beyond the issues I felt needed to be mentioned, it's above-average. There is an overarching plot that unwinds in an interesting way and it has a cast of some of the most talented voice actors ever assembled. I would even argue that there are some excellent characters in LoGH. The problem is that some people (especially MAL users considering the 9+ score) believe that it is one of the best anime. This is, in my view, not the case. Because of my high expectations, the disappointment was far too great to not leave a bad aftertaste.
Overall, I'd give Legend of the Galactic Heroes a 7/10.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Mar 17, 2024
I'm going to make this short because there's no need to be long-winded about such an unserious anime. Also, no, I have not seen the anime this is based off of, Soultaker. I'm basing this review on Nurse Witch alone, since Soultaker is not required viewing to watch Nurse Witch.
The show is a parody of the magical girl genre, particularly that of the early moé boom. There are references to many other anime and live action dramas (Evangelion, Macross, Anime Tenchou, Sailor Suit and Machine Gun, etc.) throughout. If you find referential humor funny, especially otaku-media references, you'll probably enjoy Nurse Witch.
The character designs
...
are by Akio Watanabe (Poyoyon♥Rock) of Monogatari Series fame. His art style is iconic and on full display here. Nurse Witch is a must watch for fans of Poyoyon♥Rock's work. The art/animation quality is inconsistent but above-average for an OVA.
The director is Yasuhiro Takemoto, someone who would go on to have a leading-role in some of Kyoto Animation's best anime. One of those would be Lucky Star, a referential anime which appears to have taken some inspiration from Nurse Witch (especially with the Anime Tenchou references).
The VA cast is equally amazing and surprising for an anime of this quality. The standouts for me are Ikue Ootani (Koyori), Haruko Momoi (Komugi), and Yukari Tamura (Asuka). These VAs are known more for their other roles, such as Yukari Tamura's later performance as Rika Furude in Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni, but they bring that power to Nurse Witch. The VA for Komugi, Haruko Momoi, is a famous otaku of Akihabara, and she fits her role perfectly. As a matter of fact, she often cosplayed as Komugi in live performances with her music group, Under 17, in the early 2000s. Haruko practically embodies the character of Komugi. The voice acting is definitely an out-performance of the expectations for an anime of this type.
You may notice that I've said a lot of good for an anime I've only rated a 6. That's because I really can't justify anything higher. Nurse Witch is self-evidently an unserious work. It's also a niche work, and that niche is otaku culture. If this is one of the first 10 anime you watch (and I mean full series, not just individual seasons or the completed count on MAL), you will not get or like this show. That's my perspective on it, at least. If you've been around the block and can enjoy some odd-ball anime, give this a try. Otherwise, I would recommend watching some more well-regarded referential anime first, such as Lucky Star, Steins;Gate, or other anime of that kind.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Sep 24, 2023
Have you ever wondered why this series is called ‘The MELANCHOLY of Haruhi Suzumiya’? If you only watch the original two seasons of the anime, you may be left without an answer. It is this film-length sequel, Disappearance, which encapsulates that melancholia and is one of the best anime movies ever produced. This review will be spoiler free.
Who is Erik Satie? You may or may not have heard the name, but you have certainly heard his work. The Trois Gymnopedies, a series of three piano compositions, are his most famous; they are also a major inspiration for modern ambient music. Many, however, associate Satie’s Trois
...
Gymnopedies with the feeling of melancholy, or more specifically, the melancholy of modern life. So what does this have to do with Disappearance?
Trois Gymnopedies features prominently in the soundtrack..
If you want to understand what I mean about Disappearance and Trois Gymnopedies, watch the movie’s Japanese trailer. It’s pretty much a simple, good-ole AMV using 'Gymnopedie No.1' and scenes from the movie. No dialogue, just piano. The studio behind Disappearance, Kyoto Animation, found it fit to market their film with only this song, and they knew exactly what they were doing. There is no better sense for the feel of this film, without seeing it, than listening to Trois Gymnopedies. Truly, in the span of my life, I have not seen a better use of non-original score than Disappearance’s use of Trois Gymnopedies. Hearing that piano over Kyo-Ani’s beautiful animation is mesmerizing, to say the least. All this comes from a series known for its bombastic and poppy music, such as Super Driver and Hare Hare Yukai. It’s practically a miracle that such a series could produce a movie stylistically similar to something by someone like Kiyoshi Kurosawa, if we go by the standards of Japanese film contemporaries. Never, in the history of anime, has a series made itself so well rounded as The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya with this movie capstone.
Here’s a breakdown of scores for the movie’s elements:
Story: 9
The story is a great twist on the original series. It is taken straight from the source material (Tanigawa’s light novel of the same name), and presents it beautifully. You will need to have watched the first two seasons to understand the film however, as it is not a stand alone work.
Characters: 8.5
The regular cast of the Haruhi series returns for this movie. There is some incredible character development here which I do not want to spoil, so I will leave it at that.
Animation/Art: 10
This is peak Kyo-Ani work. There are multiple sequences with absolutely breathtaking scenery. Blood, sweat, and tears were put into making this, and each frame reveals the fact. The style is fantastic, 100% anime-movie-level stuff.
Sound: 9
I’ve already talked enough here about the soundtrack. It is great. Here are some great listens for reference:
- Futatabi Deaeta Danin Tachi
- Nagato Yuuki no Kokoro ni Aru mono
- Je te Veux
- Itsumo no Fuukei Kara Hajimaru Monogatari (You’ve probably heard this before)
Enjoyment: 9
This is not the Endless Eight folks. Things transition at a perfect pace. There are no slow points. You will not be bored at any point during the two and half hours of run time.
Overall: 9.1
Let me just say a few words for the incredible people who put this film together. Most of us are aware by now of the Kyo-Ani tragedy that occurred in 2019. Thirty-five people were killed at Kyoto Animation’s studio 1. Many of those victims had a role in the creation of this movie. Please watch this film in honor of those who were lost, if for no other reason. Art transcends time and space; their memory lives on in this work of art. Watch it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
Jul 19, 2023
The whole thing is about revolution, can't get more based than that. People who say One Piece is overrated are cretins incapable of understanding media on any level beyond pretty colors and cool noises. It is a long read, but entirely worth it for the narrative pay-offs of later chapters. I also appreciate its comedic style. The character's abilities are no less absurd than those of any other shounen manga, but with the comedic elements they make sense and work. Lesser shounen fail due to their strict seriousness, One Piece succeeds in its unabashed absurdity. One Piece is a breath of fresh air in a
...
lack-luster genre that gives me hope for the medium.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
|
