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Nov 30, 2022
I have a bit of a fever at the moment so I apologise in advance if this review is completely incoherent. Also, spoiler warning.
I’m surprised that I liked this movie as much as I did, considering that I had very mixed feelings about the original anime, and the fact that it hardly features Dera, who I think was by far the best character in the original TV anime.
It sows the seeds of a thematically rich and poignant story about negating change, family, and the future - and I do appreciate that - but unfortunately, not all the seeds sprout as high as they could have.
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The biggest triumph is that it takes Tamako out of her element somewhat, which is something her character needed. It’s very interesting to see navigates change and how she deals with it. I wanted to see Tamako grow as a person. However, I do wish they had gone about it a different way.
I think the movie should have explored the idea of Tamako coming to terms with the prospect of change more. I’m not saying that it doesn’t- I just think it should have been given more emphasis.
The love story itself is okay. Mochizou bumbling Hugh Grant-style at the beginning is a bit drawn out. I do think the love story is very similar to the love story in Cardcaptor Sakura.
I also thought that emphasising Tamako’s emotional vulnerability would have been more effective as well. I mean, she does get depressed but I think a scene where she completely melts down or goes insane would have added some needed tension.
I also think they missed a trick with An/Anko. Even though she is considerate and nice, something that I noticed throughout the original anime is that she doesn’t have a lot of empathy, probably due to her overall naïveté. Tamako couldn’t understand An when she struggled to handle her feelings towards her crush. I would have liked a scene where they bonded over that - sort of like a character growth moment for Tamako.
I think the ending is a bit of a cop out though. They seem to set up the idea of Tamako needing to embrace change in her life, but they don’t really follow-through with this idea.
I think it would have worked better if Tamako took the courage to go to Tokyo herself to find Mochizou. They would meet up and confess and then go out on a date around Tokyo. Maybe she gets the idea that life outside the markets isn’t as overwhelming as she once thought and opens up her horizons a bit. Perhaps she would even find inspiration to make new mochi or something. I don’t know but I think it would serve her character growth better.
However, I would’ve forgiven the actual ending if Mochizou was at the train door with his arm stretched out as Tamako was running to catch up with him (DDLJ-style). Although I guess it’s hard to catch up to a Shinkansen xD
However, I do commend the movie for at least trying to explore these themes and giving us something interesting, even if it wasn’t quite where I would have liked it to go. I also got a few good laughs out of some scenes - I love that gag where when the characters get flustered, their eyes widen and they sort of talk like robots xD The animation and especially the background art is very beautiful - KyoAni always do a good job. The direction is alright - it fits the laidback style of the anime.
Decent 6
PS: One more thing, I didn’t like Midori in this movie at all.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Nov 3, 2022
Going into this movie, I was a bit apprehensive since I wasn't a big fan of Toei's other movie adaptation of another Key title, 'Clannad', which completely took away much of what made the original visual novel and the Kyoto Animation adaptation special.
However, coming out of it, I was actually pleasantly surprised how this movie turned out. Much like the Clannad movie, it is an altered story but I think this time they've done a decent job. It is definitely less of a Key story and much more akin to something like 'I Want To Eat Your Pancreas' or a Makoto Shinkai movie, which I
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could embrace. I also felt it did fix some problems I had with the Kyoto Animation version (I have never played the visual novel). There are also things that it didn't improve on as well.
One problem I always felt with the Kyoto Animation version was that it got way too weird in the second half. I'd even argue that the second half of 'Air' is weirder than 'Charlotte', Jun Maeda's future work. It was just too disorientating and it lost me a bit. 'Air Movie' is definitely much more grounded and uses elements of magical realism much more sparingly, which I think suits the story much better.
For the sake of the runtime, it also removes the arcs with the other girls (except Kanna) and solely focuses on Misuzu. I was okay with that since I think they are pretty forgettable in my opinion. Plus, as I said, it's definitely gone for a more Makoto Shinkai vibe (even though I don't think he had even made a name for himself back then!) and Makoto Shinkai would never do a harem! It also gets rid of the stuff about the puppet which I didn't get at all.
Speaking of Makoto Shinkai, it definitely amps up the romantic tension between Misuzu and Yukito and alters the dynamic with Kanna and her guard as well. People may get turned off by this but I buy it. I think Misuzu and Yukito have very good chemistry in this version. Between the romantic elements, you can sense a real deep platonic care between the two. It is conveyed well. The Kanna stuff wasn't as good as in the Kyoto Animation version though.
I like the framing device of having Misuzu doing a school project as exposition for the 'Summer' arc. It's not perfect exposition (it can be a bit blunt) but I do appreciate it. Whilst I like the Kyoto Animation 'Air in Summer' arc, it is quite abrupt. In 'Air Movie', they tell a bit of the story at a time and I do like that better.
The music was good. It included more of the original soundtrack than the Clannad Movie, which I am thankful of because Shinji Orito is probably my favourite anime composer of all-time. 'Tori no Uta' is probably my favourite Key opening theme. The animation, whilst not as good as Kyoto Animation, is much better than the Clannad Movie's animation at least (which is quite weird since this came out a few years before that). However, there were a few lazy frames where they had a still image instead of animating, let's say, someone walking.
One thing it doesn't do as well is that it has to sacrifice Haruko's character development for runtime. It's a shame - I thought Haruko's character development was, by far, the strongest part of the Kyoto Animation version.
I do like Yukito in this though. He's definitely more gruff in this version but still is endearing and altruistic, but I wish they had conveyed his initial misanthropy better. I like his English dub VA - I think his voice suited him. The scene where he punches Misuzu's dad square in the gut was very satisfying.
I'm a bit neutral on Misuzu in this. She is less childish but she is still adorable as always. Misuzu doesn't once say 'Gao' and that scene with the cards (you know which scene I'm talking about?) is missing, which is a shame - it is definitely one of the most impactful scenes in the Kyoto Animation version. It also means that Yukito leaves the Kamio household without much reason apart from his own misanthropy, which doesn't work as well. Misuzu doesn't lose her memories as part of her illness which I think they could've potentially added (I didn't mind it not being there though though).
They also changed the scene where Misuzu and Yukito meet. It's a bit more comical in this movie how they meet. I think the original scene in the Kyoto Animation version is beautiful. I kinda wish they kept it.
Ultimately, I think Kyoto Animation's 'Air' was just too big brain for me. It's still a very good, thought-provoking, and soul-stirring (albeit mind-stirring) anime. However, a simpler approach would have worked better for me and a simpler approach is what I got with 'Air Movie'. It made me understand the story and the themes and, looking back, I am able to understand better what the Kyoto Animation version was trying to say. I personally prefer this version slightly more but I except to be in the minority with this opinion. The Kyoto Animation version stirred up many emotions in me but in this version, it actually managed to make me cry at the end.
I reckon if you combine some elements/dynamics from this movie other to the Kyoto Animation version (or if Toei made it a 6-7 episode OVA instead of a movie), I would definitely like it better. If this movie was refined and another 20-30 minutes added and it were actually a Makoto Shinkai movie, I think it could be really be something special!
7.5/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jul 24, 2022
This is probably the most embarrassing review that I will ever write on this site. I am probably giving this show way too much credit (but I have watched so many mid shows over the last two months that I don’t care at this point).
Cross Ange is flawed. There’s TONS of plot armour… and I mean TONS of IT, some plot holes too, inconsistent characterisation, overexaggerated characters, somewhat boring fights, and a few characters arcs which could’ve been executed better (e.g. Salia and Jill).
But I will say this though. I was never bored watching it - I was pretty entertained all throughout. I can’t
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even say that for some of the anime I have given 9s to and, for that, I respect it. I could even look past some of the plot holes because of it. It can be very well-written at times.
I only checked this anime out on a whim, to be honest - I think someone on MAL had Ange in their favourites and I thought Ange’s design looked pretty cool. I only was planning to watch the first episode but I surprised myself with how much I was hooked by it. I think high watchability is one of the criteria for a better-than-average show for me. It is especially impressive since I am not at all keen on the fantasy genre.
Yeah, it is a bit suggestive and fan-servicey (lots of scantily-clad, almost naked girls). It’s not really my cup of tea personally, but I guess it makes it somewhat stimulating??? I don’t know - my sexuality is a mess. It certainly not what I watched the show for (unlike most people who watched this, probably xD).
I think they should have gone all out with some of the nudity (like Elfen Lied etc.). It got a bit silly after a while when there 'just happened' to be a bright flash of light that covered a character's nipples or something. It felt very Austin Powers-y, which I don't think a dark show like this one should be reminding me of haha.
I think this show’s greatest triumph is what it explores thematically. It is a bit messy but, overall, I think they did a damn good job and it makes the show really interesting.
It’s such a thematically-rich show full of interesting commentary on humanity (it especially captures the ugliness and hypocrisy of humanity) and the desire for a utopian society (is the pursuit for a utopian society really worth it?), through exploring and questioning privilege, exploitation, class, war and even capitalism. Moreover, more individual ideas like trust, the limits of forgiveness, and empathy are explored too. There are many more that I haven't listed.
I like how dark and gritty this anime can be at times. In fact, I sort of wish it was a bit darker and more people were killed (I think that could've helped raise the stakes and boost the themes of the show even more). However, I think it also balances humour with the darkness of the show well - especially sassy humour, which you can easily get from characters like Ange. I didn't mind the more crude humour too (I guess for a show with a lot of fan service, it's a necessity). Even though it was a bit overplayed, that running gag with Tusk and Ange accidentally finding themselves in compromising situations got a laugh out of me.
The characters are okay overall - some are written better than others, of course, with some tropey and basic writing. There are a lot of characters but it never feels too crowded - they all do their part. The voice acting is of great quality.
I really like Ange. She’s a character you can really root for, despite her flaws. Her character growth - and the way she begins to see the world and life - is definitely something I got invested in. They really use that to the show's advantage. Tusk is very sweet and gentle too - I was actually quite surprised when I found out that Mamoru Miyano voices him. I tend to associate him with more flamboyant characters. Ange and Tusk compliment each other well.
Some of the villains are a bit too maniacal and one-dimension though. I wish they were a bit more complex. Julio is a good example. It can feel a bit melodramatic, although I thought the main villain was actually quite menacing actually! He really creeped me out.
As I mentioned before, the fight scenes were a bit boring (to me, at least)... but I like the last few fight scenes. The fight scenes definitely get more thrilling as the show goes on and the stakes are raised a bit more. I think there are generally well-animated.
The music is okay, I guess; a bit repetitive. The main song that’s featured throughout the anime (that one Ange sings all the time) gets a bit tiresome after a while. It was a bit cheesy to have songs unlock powers, to be honest. But I liked the OPs and EDs though - they really got me pumped up for what was to come!
Let me tell you, when I heard the first line of that second OP, I immediately smiled ear-to-ear at the realisation of who was singing. Even 19 years after doing the Evangelion OP, Yoko Takahashi still sounds great! I love that OP - it’s become one of my favourites.
To sum up, had it been written more cohesively, 'Cross Ange' could have been something really special. Otherwise, they tried their best and it was a decent result. Thanks for the pleasant surprise.
Strong 7.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jun 25, 2022
God forbid, this is exactly what I imagine a Netflix film adaptation of Clannad to be like. The story is watered down into a cheap soap opera.
Such a nuanced and complex drama like Clannad does not work as a movie at all. Please play the VN or watch the KyoAni TV anime adaptation. It completely misses all the important nuances of such a beautiful, spiritual, and magical story. The themes of identity, growing up, and family are mostly bungled up (although, to be absolutely fair, it is probably the best they can do as a movie).
The characters are shells of their former selves. All
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the banter and wit which made the original work so special has been completely watered down. They don’t seem to have any character flaws whatsoever - Tomoya and Sunohara (who are boring students now - not the flawed, cynical delinquents we grew to love), Tomoya’s father, and ESPECIALLY Nagisa! Oh boy, they did her completely dirty…
Did the guys at Toei ever play the actual VN?!! NAGISA IS NOT AN CONFIDENT AND HAPPY CHARACTER; this is the very antithesis of Nagisa! The themes of Clannad are completely missed with most of the characters’ vulnerability and tragedies erased.
Also, the original soundtrack is barely used. One of the most memorable and magical parts of the original VN is the soundtrack which adds so much to the emotion and the essence of the story.
Clannad: After Story only makes up the last 20 minutes. It’s more like ‘Clannad: After Thought’ haha.
I’m giving this a light 4 out of 10. It’s probably too kind but, admittedly, I can’t stay mad at Clannad, no matter what form it’s in. I still got emotional and I’m actually impressed that a film adaptation could be possible.
I didn’t mind the stuff with the ‘dreams’ - no matter how cheesy it was. And whilst ‘After Thought’ did go in a different direction to actual ‘After Story’, I actually didn’t mind it. I think it was acceptable for a 90-minute film adaptation. The ending was pretty decent.
And perhaps I was too harsh on the film not exploring the original themes. It does touch on them very slightly and I can commend them for that, at least. Once again, it’s probably the best they could’ve done for a 90-minute film adaptation.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Jun 4, 2022
I am an adult male but as soon as I saw that there was an anime called ‘Peach Girl: Super Pop Love Hurricane’ - of course, I felt an instant urge to watch it. Who couldn’t resist a name like that? It didn’t help when I found out that ‘meg rock’ - who wrote the Monogatari OPs - also did the OP for this one.
When I watched the first few episodes, I actually had mixed feelings about it. It seemed very mean-spirited. The main character Momo is this very pretty, charming do-good high school girl dabbling her feet into the world of relationships, which she
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explores with her classmates Toji and Kairi. Momo is so sweet! She feels like a Marin Kitagawa precursor - she’s that sweet. But she is constantly harassed and emotionally abused and manipulated by the people around her, particularly by a girl in her class called Sae (who is a total narcissist and borderline psychopath. It was so hard to watch at times. I felt so bad for Momo! The girl from ‘Thirteen Reasons Why’ went through less than poor Momo! (However, Momo is much more stronger-willed than Hannah Baker for sure, and manages to get over things).
But then, I think I realised what I think ‘Peach Girl: Super Pop Love Hurricane’ was going for. I think it was going for a kind of weird Kafkaesque tone. With this in mind, I escaped from the realism of it and….. I think I actually started to appreciate it more…. Oh my gosh, this must sound so weird. I don’t think I have ever thought that there was such a thing as a Kafkaesque rom-com haha. It’s very unique, for sure...
But strangely… I think the anime works if you view it as such. It didn't work 100% but it did work. There are some scenes that go too far though, especially with some of the secondary characters around the middle and end of the anime. I can think of at least seven characters that should be in jail for what they did. I think the amount of suffering that the characters go through could be scaled down. It also could have gotten away with being a few episodes shorter.
I did like the main characters a lot - Momo, Kairi, and Toji are all equally likeable to me. I even warmed up to Sae eventually. And I liked the ending of the anime too. I don’t think I would change anything about it.
All in all, ‘Peach Girl: Super Pop Love Hurricane’ is a contemplation of the dangers of miscommunication, assumptions, and jealousy, especially in a relationship. The fickle and delicate nature of romance. The consuming and exhausting nature of romance. And the importance of openness with one’s feelings and emotions. It also explores things such as colourism, friendship, family, and letting go.
I’ve seen articles comparing this anime to Toradora. It may be a bit more messy and less cohesive than Toradora although I did enjoy this more. I could never really enjoy Toradora - I found Toradora’s characters, whilst interesting, a bit messy. I felt that Toradora had a depressing and despairing undertone to it. Even though ‘Peach Girl’ is a bit dark too, its comedic timing was better and I laughed at least once every episode. Certainly none of the humour was mean-spirited (unlike in the show Family Guy, with how everyone treats Meg Griffin). Some of the jokes were very funny and some aspects of the animation aided this as well. I could even laugh at Sae a bit! Of course, there were certainly many wholesome moments as well.
I’ll give it a light 7 (oh, and sorry ‘meg rock’ but the OP was terrible! The ED was much better!).
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jan 8, 2022
This movie proves, to me at least, that Violet Evergarden is one of the most thought-provoking, profound, beautiful, and universal pieces of audio-visual media to have ever been conceived. I'm sure everyone can empathize and relate to this anime in some way.
Set years after the events of the original anime, a descendant of one of Violet's clients - fed up of her parents' lack of concern towards her family - sets out to research Violet Evergarden and what made her so special. It also sets up the main mystery of the movie: "why Violet Evergarden retired from being an Auto Memory Doll.".
I think this
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framing device is very well done. I have seen movies/shows where the framing device takes me away from the main story as it is overused.
The movie then explores one of Violet's interaction with one of her last clients, Yuris. Their interactions are sweet and it's interesting to see how much of an impression Yuris leaves on her.
A character is also reintroduced in the story. Admittedly, I didn't like where this movie was going at first with this character, I literally begged the story not to go in the direction it was going as I thought it would be corny and cliched. I would have been devastated if a movie for something as profound as Violet Evergarden had a soap-opera style ending.
However, the writing for Violet Evergarden is so masterfully and meticulously crafted that, and it sets up one of the most touching endings to any piece of media I have ever seen. All the qualms I had regarding where the story was going to go were quelled.
The movie's central theme is essential about the "past". Can we can truly ever let go of our past? Is striving towards modernization a good thing?
Furthermore, the movie, like the original anime, explores how we communicate using words and the complications of expressing our true feelings through, not just in writing, but in different mediums. The story, as always, is very thoughtful in how it explores these themes.
The only I found a bit confusing was how a certain character (introduced in the first movie) was implied to have changed jobs at the post office. It didn't really make any sense and isn't really addressed.
Nevertheless, this movie is a poignant and fitting end to a perfect anime series. 10/10.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Dec 23, 2021
If you were to create a utopia, would it be okay to kill to achieve it?
This is one of many intriguing philosophical questions that the anime poses when bored teenage genius, Light Yagami, stumbles across an otherworldly notebook that allows him to kill anyone whose face and name he knows. He eventually decides to use the notebook to punish criminals as a means to discourage crime and create his idea of a perfect “new world”. The central conflict of the story stems from Light attempting to evade persecution from his actions by the master detective, L.
The first half of Death Note is one of the
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most thrilling, suspenseful, and exciting pieces of media I have ever seen. The plot is such a well-written thriller, with numerous twists and turns as Light and L use their wits and manipulatory tactics in an attempt to outsmart one another. The titular ‘Death Note’ encourages the viewer to philosophize about the morality of Light’s actions, and themes of justice and power in general. Although, one minor criticism I have with it is that it drags on in places.
The soundtrack, composed by Yoshihisa Hirano and Hideki Taniuchi, masterfully amplifies the mood each scene is trying to go for; often via a booming orchestral score aided by a heavenly choir, or guitar-led pieces reminiscent of Mike Oldfield’s ‘Tubular Bells’.
Both the Japanese and English voice acting are very well done (naturally, the former moreso), and every voice actor is suited to the characters they portray. Relative newcomer at the time Mamoru Miyano gives a chilling and legendary performance as Light, and Kappei Yamaguchi captures the L’s character and personality to a tee.
However, Death Note’s greatest weakness is that, since the first half of Death Note has set such a high bar for itself, anything that doesn’t quite hit the mark (even if it’s still of good quality) seems a bit underwhelming.
The second half of Death Note certainly doesn’t hit this mark. It fails to recreate the same tense, thrilling atmosphere as the first half. It fails to explore or add anything new to the existing philosophical themes and ideas. The second part features more action elements, which may be appealing to some.
Additionally, new characters that are introduced as the plot progresses are not well characterized, and can appear annoying, one-dimensional, or derivative of other characters. This problem is not just exclusive to the second half (as the first half suffers from this as well).
I would highly recommend this anime to anyone who is trying to get into anime - it was actually the show that got me into anime in the first place! I would also recommend it to those who wish to study and write in the thriller/suspense genre, as the first half of Death Note is a prime example on how to do the genre right.
Had it not been for the underwhelming second half, I would have rated it much higher than a 7. Nevertheless, Death Note will always remain an absolute classic that will be cherished by many generations of anime fans to come.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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