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Jan 18, 2018
I wish I could enjoy this movie in its entirety, but alas, that's only the last 30 minutes of it. For all it's elaborate setup, it's still a simple, cheesy kaiju movie. Have the monster appear out of nowhere, cause carnage and destruction, work out a solution, proceed to the cheesy action. It's a shame such a simple sequence of events had to be made convoluted mostly because the screenplay had to fill the alloted 1:30h hour mark for a full on movie to be released in theaters.
The story is the worst part of it. Gen Urobuchi could never make exposition dumps natural or compelling
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in any way. So the 1st whole hour is just a grueling trudge through pointless politicking and technobabble all alluding to the final fight and the character of our MC. It is blatant, obvious and patronizing, on top of being needlessly convoluted. Godzilla attacks! Gasp! Let's have 2 alien races come and not-save-us-by-making-mecha-godzilla, cuz we need to throw that reference in, all to have us start in the setting of spaaaace! What the fuck does space have to do with my kaiju apocalypse?! The movie agrees and has us go back to Earth... 1000 years post-Godzilla cuz spacetime continuum. Except it's 10 000 years once we see the Earth, except it's 20 000 years after we examine the carbon contents of the plants. So all this setup was to just get us into a jungled up foggy ass Earth to face Godzilla, and dinosaurs while we're at it! All the talk about living in a ship, wandering through space, that's just to fill time, we're on Earth, so everything's fine right? It's not like you'll be facing those same issues when plant leaves are harder than your pocket knife and shatters it on impact. There's no point to it all, it doesn't ground itself for the super serious tone it goes for, and doesn't really explore the despair it mentions.
Characters, as usual, make the story in anime. Except when they don't, when we have a rebellious MC that starts out with a suicide bomber threat because he cares for his grandpa, only to obsess over Godzilla's murder for the rest of the runtime. Very consistent, deep character writing indeed. Metphies, the "alien" companion gets a special mention as being the plot device that enables the MC to be batshit crazy without consequences and be reprimanded again, on top of blatantly stating in metaphor what's about to happen, the worst kind of foreshadowing, when you're too lazy to allude it and just outright state it. He also doubles as a mouthpiece preaching not-Christianity like a crazed priest, who worships *drumroll* God(zilla) - The King of Monsters!
The rest of the cast are your usual military hardasses and politicking council members who don't do jackshit, but get to expodump it anyway. The rival that screws the MC, gets it wrong and redeems himself. Add a stock waifu, and bam, a whole cast of colorful characters which you will instantly forget once you're done watching!
Polygon Pictures have been infamous for their shoddy CG Netflix shows, but this time, they actually improved their model rigging and it doesn't feel like animations are played in 15 FPS. Movement is just smooth enough to feel natural from the characters. The grimy aesthetic isn't bad when it works, but those are rare few moments. The shadows are too heavy, too high on contrast, the metalic scratches don't seem natural at all, the background art which they use seems unpolished and blurry in order for the CG to fit in easier. And despite all that the directing is competent enough to make use of 3DCG action framing that makes things feel tense and exciting. A shame that even the director's professional work couldn't make up for Urobuchi's amateur approach to exposition and setup. And something important for Kaiju fans- Godzilla is but ugly and the crew knew it, the shots were skewing away from the rough model, deliberately avoiding to show it off. It's very disappointing to see how the studio is taking 1 step forward, yet 2 steps back into the pit of "CG trash".
Sound design just doesn't really match what you'd imagine is bullets hitting metal-like objects. There's no real satisfying crunch to the explosions, just a loud noise. Again it falls down to the serious presentation of the show falling flat on its face, As all the the inappropriate OST used for key battle scenes, it really takes you out of the experience, trying to piece together what it's conveying with techno chip music when it's been using ambiance and orchestra for the most part. Shows that live off spectacle alone can get away with shoddy SFX if they get it right, and even when it does, it's immediately undermined by another sound effect that just doesn't seem to fit or make sense, because the audio director also didn't have a good idea of what the scenario was supposed to be.
The only enjoyment I got from the movie is the Godzilla fight obviously. It's so cheesy, and very much feels like a video game boss raid. Controlling the movements, the timings, positioning, distracting aka aggro control, now THAT is some fun stuff to any gamer to observe. Virtual tactics applied in a movie. On top of the visual spectacle, the movie redeemed itself on that front, as an in-the-moment thrilling joyride. Only to end on a cliffhanger with a cynical message that holds no water or meaning due to the empty setup up to the Godzilla encounter.
So yes, this is a pretty awful movie when you watch it with any modicum of standards, be it for narrative or visuals. It doesn't even work as a cheesy action flick due to the grueling 1 hour exposition setup before the actual Godzilla scene. It was torturous to watch, and I didn't even get a proper reward for getting to the end, I only got another preaching lecture to hype up the next movie, as this is now a trilogy... yay...
Reviewer’s Rating: 3
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Mar 30, 2017
Even after I've become more experienced with the medium, I do have naïve expectations at times. Kuzu no Honkai comes with a promise of adolescent sexuality and a messed up affair web to present and explore. Only to become more and more overbearing with it to the point where it's a schlocky softcore porn soap opera. And it is a soap opera by all means. If that is refreshing in anime form, go right ahead and enjoy the show. But to me, this is an example of why a lot of teen dramas flop hard.
One of the biggest praises Kuzu gets is
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how "realistic" it feels. When in terms of presentation it is absolutely groundless. There isn't much one can discern in terms of context and situations, only how it matter to the character's current emotional state. The series is actually very stream of consciousness oriented, yet it sticks to a conventional slice of life setting, with schools and walkways. I have no idea what's going on outside the characters' love affairs, how they're lagging behind on school, how their parents try to communicate about their problems. How seemingly no one reports suspicious activities of our villain - a school teach going on dates and hotels with her students.
The events are framed as shocking, but due to the lack of grit to the setting, it's like someone trying to bite you without any teeth. At times it feels like softcore porn, yet it's doing its damnedest to make you feel uncomfortable during the sexual scenes, instead of portraying lust, addiction. And then quickly dials down so we can go back to the painfully podcast long monologues of each character in the cast of 6. How the hell do 6 people get into such toxic affairs with each other is a logistical miracle. And each one feels the same, it's the exact same style of circular reasoning, just insert a motive and an emotion for the episode and call it "character development" which comes out of nowhere, isn't properly foreshadowed and only relevant for the current episode. The overarching theme of unrequited love is immensely diluted to where it's just emotional ranting, railroading itself into disasters for the sake of it. Flashbacks only provide emotional context, but not the situational one, how a character's behavior has come to be, who they are as a daily person. I ultimately don't know any of these people, and I don't care about what happens to them, or what they have to say.
Any character at any any time can come up with any reason to do what the author decides for them to do. Because all you have is the raw emotional reasoning and nothing else. And suspiciously so, all of it is laid bare in such a clear fashion, you can follow the train of thought in a cohesive manner, it never devolves into rambling or just partial words. Leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination, to grasp for an an essence of thought that alludes to the mental impact of what the characters are experiencing.
Now to get a into a few details, the "relatable" characters.
Hanabi, the poster child of a teen making dumb romantic decisions. Only to be dragged or dragging herself into bad situations because she thought it would serve her best. The initial idea of her unrequited love was to explore what it's like, yet later on that falls flat and feels like stalled development. She is never truly faced with the hard realities of sexual encounters and how lust "corrupts" one's mind. She's a "pure" waifu from start to finish. She tries to emulate the villain in a half-hearted manner, yet nothing comes of it. The series never truly commits to its supposed scumminess.
Mugi is the passive male deuteragonist. A rather passive person with sexual experience who also has unrequited love for the villain. But a lot of the time he's just that, non-reactive, he's merely there to add to the roster and doesn't do much by himself, yet we hear his emo thoughts regardless. He might as well not exists to my mind because he's just a crossroad for the love affair web.
And now we get to the villain, the sociopathic Akane. Her initial role as a foil to Hanabi falls flat with her own dedicated episodes of development, which gradually invalidates her entire character, role and concept.
Ecchan is in a similar spot as another extension of the misery train. Her actions escalate without warning, and little reprehension. In a lot of ways, she could've served the show in a great thematic manner, but in the end her inclusion just extends the show needlessly.
Moca is a himedere (i.e has a princess complex) serving comic relief that was thankfully written out most of the anime.
And lastly Kanai. He's a plot device and the most shamelessly stereotypical character of the cast, and that's the point of his existence.
The art direction is on point though, as coming from a director who specializes in interpersonal romantic melodramas. The softer water color backgrounds, the soft character lines work well to bring some discomfort to the series, how surreal it is. And during monologues or dramatic scenes, the directing is up for color filters, shading the frame, tilting it. Heck, there are outright esoteric scenes during some monologues with rose petals, it's actually quite tasteful. The focus on the faces, even the panel framing works wonders. Though at times the panels feels cheap, the directing overall does its damnedest to elevate the fanfiction level melodrama into something sensational. And the sex scenes are handled as well as they could be for TV, a lot of cuts and implications, but kept rather "safe". This is what makes Kuzu passably enjoyable from a schlock soap opera perspective. Everything is so overbearing at all times that it's all ridiculous after a point, makes for a good laugh.
Sound direction follows suit with the cinematography. It's effectively overbearing, the signature sad piano works wonders for the emotionally heavy monologues. And a bit of lighter tracks for the less dramatic conversations. The OP sounds like generic j-pop to be, and while the ED has a godlike transition and initial emo solo, it also devolves into the same pop tact that bleaches away any memory I have of what I just watched.
And thus, with this rant. Kuzu has no redeemable qualities as the effective melodrama it aspires to be. It is utterly groundless, baseless for whatever it wants to show or share in terms of wisdom or perspective. Banking solely on the "relatability" of the characters' emotions, since that's all we have really, when it's utterly fruitless to do so. None of it has weight, or meaning to be gained out of it. It's a misery mood piece in a vacuum at best, and it's schlocky softcore porn in its most entertaining. Any allusions to humanity or drama are superficial and superfluous. As a piece of media about "eroticism", it is an utter failure. Too timid, never wanting to commit to the dark, disturbing depths of the human unconscious, instead alienating me with flawed, circular reasoning. The only Scum at the end of this road is me.
Reviewer’s Rating: 3
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Mar 28, 2017
Ever feel like you just want to slouch on your couch and savor the taste of vintage fine wine? That's what the suave, stylistic ACCA feels like. It has a very sweet, but calming taste, it's never sharp, and is striking because of it. And on top of keeping such a presentation the show offers a perspective of many cultures and how they affect society. It's a road trip in aesthetic, but extremely political in essence. If raw exposition about political power moves and stances are not to you liking, then you won't like this show. To keep perspectives as they are, it is very
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impartial to all of them, and therefore very monotone. The most emotional engagement aside from a dry coup d'État intrigue plot, is the cute little sister with little screen time. And that's fine by me!
ACCA doesn't have an obvious selling point. It is what it says on the tin. Our protagonist goes to other districts to check up if they are doing everything within regulations. It's all about absorbing each district's unique flavor and atmosphere, how it has affected people's lifestyles and behaviours. How it softens them, how it hardens them with different resolves and different priorities.
The coup d'État plotline is merely used as an overarching subtext to have all these pieces come together into one who at the end. And it's all done through exposition dialogue that feels as natural as it can be. Everyone is an adult who is keenly aware of their situation, as much as the viewer at least, and slowly, people start revealing their hands and desires behind the masks of courtesy.
The characters are rather dry unfortunately. They are professionals and each one of them has a specific role to play.
Our protagonist, Jean embodies this as well. His seemingly apathetic attitude is to give a grounding for the viewer, so we can intimately share his perspective. He doesn't offer his opinions much, he asks for them instead. Just like the viewer, he's absorbing the culture he's visiting. He doesn't want to influence it in any way. He's given a few badass points for being damn good at his job and sharp on the clues that are given to us. We know how the state of things are as he does, along with the twists and turns.
Nino serves as a shadow of Jean, an old, reliable buddy he can always be comfortable with and share his worries and troubles without any reprehension. Nino also plays a big role in the story, but he's always a loyal friend to Jean first and foremost.
Lotte is the cute girl that fills any scene with happiness and fluffiness. She relieves whatever tension there is from the coup d'État plot and its developments.
All the other characters are very much background dressing, and they are so many. Showing the show's commitment to its own fiction, giving it a face, a grounding for us to see people as they are, not as just human resources on a paper.
At worst, Jean and a few other characters are impenetrable, meaning, they don't emote, they simply fulfil their roles with little qualms or reaction. Due to that monotony of exposition dumps with small emotional subtext, it gets frustrating that there's seemingly nothing happening to anyone, no one is troubled, no one seems overly concerned to build some kind of actual tension or a motive you can get behind. And all the revelations are reserved until the latter half of the show.
Presentation is what truly holds the show together. The chill atmosphere, the slender character designs animated in a softer fashion. The watercolor backgrounds giving a very surreal, yet enamouring aesthetic from the urban district to the desert district. Again, all to underline the show's confidence in its own setting and writing. The character animations give them quite a bit more life and personality than usual, everyone has a certain movement, a tell to who they are and what they represent, besides their looks, or their roles.
Audio directing is on point throughout the show. Music helps set the mood of each scene and district, while the sound effects still provide for an immersive setting. The voice acting is monotone on purpose, but for once it feels like actual adults just exchanging daily words, keeping things professional, if impartial. Oh and let's not forget the smokin' OP. The ED is a good relief for a chill show that just went by with no effort, yet all the cerebral engagement of how every piece fits in the jigsaw puzzle that is the coup.
At the end, ACCA is a pure cerebral experience, held by its chill attitude and suave aesthetic. It doesn't offer much in terms of emotional engagement, but it's not a bad price to pay for a show that is mentally engaging, yet weirdly comfy. It's very easy to appreciate its commitment to world building and an intrigue narrative. And I loved every second of this experience.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jan 27, 2017
Want a taste of 80s inspired action, that also manages to hold itself together and have earnest character drama and development? Well, look no further, for this wild ride of a series will satisfy your entertainment needs in every aspect you can ask for. As a Gonzo show, it has sexual themes, romantic themes, revenge, justice, tragedy, conviction, conspiracy, thrill, adventure, sci-fi and all the like. It's a lot for a show to handle but the way it weaves its narrative, along with episodic villains to spice things up, it comes out with some very good pacing, making for an enjoyable binge experience, once you
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get past its exploitation film aspirations that is. Thus, a true action series with an earnest heart of gold underneath! Oh, and WATCH THE DUB, it's very good and takes great advantage of the obvious western influence of the series, on top of not sounding as self-serious, which helps emphasize the fun aspects more.
The storyline beyond the synopsis flows very naturally with only a few stumbles along the way, where the pacing is slowed down, looking for material to keep going, only to then move on to setting up the last, pivotal, climactic arc. I cannot overstate how it managed to hook me for an entire day, always leaving the right amount of questions open, with equally rewarding answers.
But, as a show with many spices, it also includes monster-of-the-week type villains, all of which have their own creepy atmosphere surrounding them. They are all given just enough screen time to seem like true adversaries to Saiga. For whatever minor plot details are left hanging or unresolved, you don't care because the show has moved smoothly enough by keeping tabs on Kagura and Saiga, and later on: the antagonist Suitengu. These three characters make up the heart and soul of Speed Grapher.
The many, many themes in Speed Grapher are tied very closely to the characters, forming their motives in a believable fashion, creating a grounded world of absurdist realism, not unlike a superhero film with complicated themes. There are more hyperbolic extremes than metaphors, which fits so much better in the essence of an action show that isn't afraid to step into schlock, yet also be earnest in its character drama and development.
The art is rough on the eyes. The western dark urban aesthetic isn't pleasant, but it also shows ghetto alleys and slums. But we also get out of the city quite a few times, so there absolutely is variety in setting and color palette, even if it's washed out most of the time. It serves as a great background to BLOW SHIT UP, regardless of it. The designs are made to be realistic and move smoothly, yet there are no comedic scenes to where you get other versions of said designs. This would ruin its noir grounded tone. However that doesn't stop the show from having a humor about itself, be quirky and accentuate its weirdness when the time is right.
Action cinematography isn't to be underestimated either, a lot of the close up cuts are done in a thrilling fashion to where it's entertaining to watch, yet economical for production. It's most obvious in the monster of the week battles as well. While the dramatic close ups don't overdo it, to where you see the rough cel lines of a character model, it's kept snappy where it needs to be, yet also underlines a dramatic moment just right, in whatever ridiculous circumstance. And that's not to take away from the creative, yet also tactically savvy skirmishes.
The music is servicable, keeps tension and pressure when needed. Lightens the mood during downtime. Accentuates the BOOMING action with joy and glory. Everything you need a good ost a audio design to do, especially the tension soundtrack, it works very well for the moments it is picked and is in my head since the climax of episode 1. But the bigger credit here should go to the Funimation dubbing team. They uplifted the material into a whole new territory where it doesn't feel as dry or as self-serious as the Japanese voicing. There's a better, softer, and equally somber flow to the American English, and even if it is set in Tokyo and its surroundings, the noir urban atmosphere, along with the 80s action and exploitation film influence it fits like a glove. Kagura doesn't need to sound like a squeaky school girl, she is 16 after all. Saiga is just as impassioned and badass, while Suitengu captures every frame he is in with his charming presence that makes you tingle, with his buttery smooth voice.
The characters, oh, the characters. Saiga in a lot of ways is your shounen protagonist. Yet as an adult he is free to be proactive as much as he goddamn wants, and less reactive to the plot. He IS a driving force quite a few times throughout the show, and every time it is backed by an impassioned, idealistic motive of his that is pure in spirit. He is the reason why I would call this show an adult shounen, due to him representing ideals of righteousness and especially freedom, be it from materialistic or spiritualistic bonds. He isn't cocky, and fights when he needs to, not when he pleases. He runs away from overwhelming forces, but is not afraid to push forward the mystery behind his newly acquired powers. A war journalist at heart, seeking an intense experience that enables him do everything in the show. He feels alive, but you also see what he's like before we got to the juicy action he craves for subconsciously.
Kagura is quite the intriguing character. She in aspects embodies the angsty teen, but as she becomes unsheltered and embraces the sweet smell of freedom, slowly becomes something much more than a damsel in distress plot device. At the end of her journey, she is shown to be her own, independent woman. Not afraid to take rash action and control. Doesn't play the "I'm sheltered" gimmick for too long, but naturally she feels guilty for her own powers within her that essentially are the basis for the plot.
And finally Suitengu. This guy may remind you of Sepphiroth, but trust me he is his own person as well. He is more than a mercenary, ruthless capitalist, he has an underlined, pervasive charm than that. One of the most amazing turnarounds is his backstory, providing new thematic avenues worthy of the final arc that's all about him. Why he treasures Kagura on a personal level and wants her back at any cost. In the end he is not the true foil to Saiga, but rather someone who takes freedom in a completely different direction. One that is ever so personal, yet grand at the same time. He is truly a memorable and supremely villain that you come to respect throughout and at the climactic end of the series.
Notable supporting characters include Mrs Tennouzu and Ginza. Mrs Tennouzu is more of a background story filler character, she has her own sets of characteristics and mysteries that are revealed over time, also fleshing out her behavior and her approach to politics, how she acquired her position in the story.
Inspector Ginza is obsessed with Saiga, but not in a healthy way, nor is he recipient of it. In a lot of ways she may remind you of Revy from Black Lagoon, albeit less aggressive and more sensual. She gets her own subtle development over time, yet still manages to hold screen presence as an essential support character that follows the plot with the viewer.
My enjoyment of the series doesn't only come from how bingable it is. But, for the earnest storytelling it offers. The explanations it provides satisfy the autist in me just enough. The twists and turns of the story hit all the right notes. The monster of the week battles never felt like they interfere with previous plot establishments. They accentuate what began as schlock entertainment. It's a main dish of action with lots of different spices that give it a distinct taste of its own that is astringently sweet. The sex and BDSM imagery is an aesthetic I'm completely unphased by, for the show manages to handle all its tones with a masterful stroke, whether its absurd or dramatic. But above all, I respect the show for being honest to the ore with what it is: entertainment.
It is not here for any huge twist to present a perspective of life, nor is it insulting to my intelligence in providing a sloppy plot with flimsy motivations and dark twists for their own sake.
Overall I loved my time with this show. But due to its inherent nature as a purely entertainment action series, with no aspirations for anything higher, which in turn takes to its advantage all the way. Including a satisfying epilogue conclusion to everyone's arcs and plot threads after all is said and done. So you can safely invest in this experience and come out satisfied at the end. Assuming you enjoy bizarre superpowers, schlock overtones and monster of the week battles. Who knows, this might just be the close up you've been wanting.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jan 25, 2017
Are you here for Yuri? Well, this is the emotionally cathartic kind, juicy in terms of drama rather than in the bed. Honestly, the blonde chick - Yuzu is a great reactive protagonist who goes to any lengths for her convictions. In some ways she reminds me of Great Teacher Onizuka as to how recklessly earnest her actions are, ideals you respect and fight for, instead of sitting idly by. In turn, the Kuudere love interest - Mei relentlessly follows her own convictions in a cold, pragmatic fashion, an introvert with no care to anyone but herself, at first glance. This is the romantic duo,
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and how the opposing juxtapositions slowly meld together through trials and attrition. What I believe romantic stories should strive to be, period.
True to form, Slice of Life doesn't offer anything more than a contemporary, conventional background aka high school, and as a Yuri story, it's an all girls' high school. Surprisingly, Yuzu still gets away with her brash actions, yet the snappy pacing makes up for it, along with the consequences they bring, be it in the relationship or school department. Outside the main conflict of the couple forming up and emotionally bond with each other, the catalysts for that are villain arcs, where a new girl is introduced, offers competition for Yuzu's attention away from Mei as Yuzu contemplates Mei's emotionally intense, but sparse interactions.
Aside from Matsuri, who is the edgiest element in the entire manga in a good way, the other villains aren't compelling enough, their arcs are rather short and not to mention that later on, the conflicts are literally resolved by talking and just putting the brakes on the drama, because it is artificial in essence. However, the good thing coming from that is reaffirming the strength of Yuzu's love for Mei and vice versa. While Mei is more of a supportive role, given an enigmatic presence, as introverts are seen as puzzles in romantic relationships, her actions are intense, yet scarce, spaced out so they give a much a greater meaning to her character with minimal panels and lines. Over time you feel her progressing as a more open, emotive person, someone who is accepting Yuzu's outlooks on life, seeing how earnestness and emotional investment do not contradict her goals, nor do they exist solely to hurt wherever she is vulnerable. She starts taking on her own calculated risks instead, seeking to test Yuzu's resolve, while proving hers for herself.
The manga's presentation isn't anything amazing, but very functional for its story. Yuzu's garish looks ala gyaru is always shown with enough detail for you to recognize it. And each background has its own feeling, you can follow the character's daily activities through their locations and not feel lost. And the biggest highlight of the mangaka's artistic skill are Mei's detailed expressions, they manage to truly "show, don't tell" what Mei is experiencing in her moments of emotive epiphany and climax. Whether pissed, confrontational, determined, shocked or accepting empathy, you can tell what it is through her eyes and expression, what is going on through her head. Which is paramount for a story about dragging an introvert out of their shell with few words.
The juicy scenes are more like teasers, affirmations that the bond between out couple is getting stronger and stronger with each trial they are faced with. At the start, they feel creepy, as intended, but that's just to start and serve as a base for something that blossoms over time. I like how the drama is handled, Yuzu and Mei feel like three dimensional characters, who exist both outside their relationship and school, they have their own unique thoughts, expressions and actions to keep them distinctive and contrasting to each other. I can tell what kind of people they are and that impression never falls out of line while reading.
The biggest drawback I see right now is that the author is running out of ideas. The villains become less and less relevant each time, while our duo seem to get more focus on their own terms, which can also show their progression as people. I wouldn't mind this finishing after a few more chapters, there doesn't feel like there's more inspiration to explore what other dramatic venues could exist.
Hence why I give credit to Mei and Yuzu being compelling enough to make this a rather easy read. It's fun, but nothing truly impressive or amazing. And as a Yuri manga that stays true to its characters, that is quite the achievement, making it successful. As a romantic drama, it's just one done right, but in a fleeting sense, showing that it's running drier and drier as it goes on. There isn't really that much in terms substance, despite the competent presentation.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Jan 18, 2017
If you are told that this one of the better yuri mangas, then you'll probably expect too much. For me yuri is basically a more challenging romance, the thing is that this manga's focus isn't the romantic relationship, but the daily lives of our couple. In essence this is a Slice of Life manga about high school teenage girls doing their best to be cute through appearances. If you like conversations about cute make up, cute shopping, cute dresses, cute hairdos, cute faces, cute school events and basically cute girls doing cute (commercialized) things, this is the manga for you. This is so because the
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romance gets scarce development between the daily activities, which overshadow it. Near the end of every volume, you're reminded that this is supposed to be a romance between two people who are not used to it, yet are as close as they can be in terms of friendship. As he tags mention, it's better to approach this manga as a Slice of Life with romantic elements thrown in, rather than a Romance that takes its time.
The art is serviceable, but seemingly busy due to how often 3+ characters are in a scene. It's more often too busy for its own good and has a lot of background conversations laid in a small panel, it's excessive, noisy and doesn't contribute much in terms of presenting a scenery, atmosphere or a feel for the setting our characters are in, at least aesthetic wise. The ending impression is that their lives are filled with a lot noise, that is, if you're also counting their own monologing about the state of their relationship, which would usually take effort for someone to space out as such. But in the end it does its job at presenting cute characters in a pleasant manner and keeps it safe.
As a Slice of Life, there isn't much story to go around. Again, it's 4 girls being materialistic in conventional ways, talking about make up, clothes, boys, hooking up, how cute the other looks, etc. The school setting at least provides non-club activities like the festivals, field trips, vacations, so the setting often feels varied and there is a certain feel of a timeline in that regard.
Now it's the romantic plotline that gets the short end of the stick, it's the usual avoidance, unrequited emotional responses, jealousy, mixed signals and so forth. But again they are only truly explored in the end of a volume and just laid to the background after a new volume begins. They are present and mentioned during all the fluff, but mostly in monologues, kept there right before the climactic kiss for the volume ending. And when Akko and Mari(our main couple) really try to dedicate themselves to their relationship, it feels wholly different from what you've been reading up to that point, it's basic, it's cute, it works, but is done for a few pages, not for an entire chapter. That is, if you don't count them going shopping and eating as dramatic relationship development. I see it as SoL fluff, challenge and perseverance are what give strength to character and are testaments for your dedication to a relationship, you either give up or give in to your emotions. Such drama is also left scarce, instead it's replaced by embarrassment half the time, which is understandable, but having only that feels like a cop out, even worse, just a tease. A tease for the reader, not for the characters. It wasn't until the next to last chapter gave us a full on sex scene, but even then it felt out of place and too different from what I've been reading up to it. But at least I'll give the last volume the best feeling for how a lasting relationship with progress feels, where our couple feels inseparable even through graduation and the goal is to stay together. That's what I've been asking for the entire time, but it's too little, too late for something basic to make up for lost time.
The characters are very two dimensional. Even our main couple don't feel like they have truly developed. This is also due to the author switching perspectives, but not altering the writing style in accordance the the supposed personalities of the characters. Mari-chan is the introverted bookworm who is lifted up an taken in by Akko-chan - the extremely friendly, cute girl who likes make up and dress up, on top of having the top of the line materialistic image of herself, well, mostly. Sugi-san is the embodiment of that stereotype, on top of having 5 boyfriends and managing them. And finally there's Tamami who is essentially your cute otaku to make references with.
For a supposed introvert, Mari easily became part of the group and changed her appearance without much thought and resistance. I wouldn't say that's how it is in my experience, but let's say Akko has very convincing charming techniques... which she doesn't, from her perspective, she seems just as introspective as Mari in her volumes. So in the end both feel homogenized cute girls, with Mari being the quieter of the two in conversation, until we switch to Akko's shoes and have the same deal...
The way Akko dragged Mari into her materialistic world and Mari quickly embracing it doesn't feel natural. Mostly because there's absolutely no counterbalance, it's a Slice of Life about materialistic girls, not taking an introvert out of their shell. And Mari herself didn't offer anything of her own unique character and volition to Akko's life, aside from her obsessive, sudden love for her. Sure, that's something, but I mean something from herself before she was a part of the story, like literature. It can't be too hard to share a few metaphors, interesting outlooks on life and the materialistic culture. Doesn't have to be commentary, but offer her own twists and character to a situation, instead of just being present and integrated in it without any questions asked.
If I wasn't told that this was a yuri manga, I wouldn't mind my time with it. But with the scarce drama, which equates to a tease really, the sidelined relationship for fluff, and just spinning its wheels for its own sake. I simply regret my time with this manga. It's trite, even boring at times, noisy in presentation at moments, and doesn't offer anything enriching either the mind or the soul in terms of experiencing romantic trials. It doesn't even teach proper make up techniques or shopping tactics, just faffing about.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Mar 16, 2015
So, a show that's been plagiarized by none other than our great ecchi lords Gonzo, yet everyone keeps praising the manga for not being the same battle harem. Well... too bad, because that's exactly what it is! Rosario to Vampire at its core is a school harem with battle shounen elements. It is Season II where the battle shounen elements take precedence and overshadow the harem so much that you will forget it's entire first season aside from ONE key event.
RECOMMENDATION: Read this as a school harem with supernatural elements and you'll have an okay time. The structure is largely episodic building up to a
...
shounen style fight for the climax of the chapter along with a trademark friendship lecture that is expected of Shounen JUMP manga. You won't feel disappointed and you don't have to rush through either. You'll have fun with the likable cast and their quirks, but don't expect much of them as realistic characters, since a lot is covered up by the plot elements, but there is catharsis and tidbits of proper development to be found here. It may be worth your time, but don't expect much, this isn't THAT different from the Gonzo adaptation, it's better, but not by much.
And with that... The STORY:
An episodic school harem where almost every chapter we encounter a jerk villain in one sense or another building up the relevant conflict until the climax where the main character is hurt and enables the One-Shot fix-it plot device to march in and stomp over the problem. Rinse and repeat ad nauseum. Be sure to add some other girls in order to have harem catfights, you always hold off your most badass character. The villains are irredeemable one-time caricatures of school bullying, stalking, obsessions and the like... and you have yourself a "great" story.
Well... until the author gets a hang of how to build up an arc, add some intrigue, change the setting to the contemporary world, have villains with ulterior motives and themes to them. Including Light Yagami wannabe because why not. It's not handled extremely well either, but it was certainly a step forward from the episodic throwaways. Though I wish it had a more proper climax for an ending arc, but it was an awkward enough time for the publisher as well to close one of its serialization magazines.
The ARTWORK is serviceable. It can be attributed to the old scans I was reading, but it just looks plain. But the simple thing is that the mangaka had to appease his edit. No panty shots of the badass, despite her signature move being a kick while dressed in a short school uniform skirt. Comedy is relegated to being a chibi background on small panels.
But it also shows that there is a sense of style when it comes to the villains, they are all drawn as horrors, beasts, heck, even Eldritch abominations later on. Too bad on the heroic side the most stylish thing we have are ominous eyes and a goth girl. The focus on the eyes when important was extremely good, as it is important both aesthetically and thematically to establish the thought process of the characters and what they're feeling. The framing is excellent and adds to the mood of the climactic scenes.
Alas it isn't until Season II where the mangaka goes crazy with well composited, detailed two-page scenes. Here it's like flexing his creativity to get a feel for how they would look like and there are still present here.
The CHARACTERS on the other hand... ugh. The protagonist is your generic shounen harem lead - Tsukune who is always standing up against injustice and putting himself in unnecessary danger... Look you fucking idiot, just call in your overpowered friend and have her deal with it for you, she won't mind, it's not like she cares about irredeemable villains either, I doubt she would listen to your stupid shounen lectures about the importance of others.
Then we have the main love interest- Moka, who is sweet, altruistic, caring and harmonizing. She's likable and the shadow character complimenting her presence make for a good dichotomy from a reader standpoint. But romance wise she just feels disconnected in a sense, just being sweet doesn't cut it for me. A romantic relationship, establishing and going through one takes a lot of effort, compromise and one has to accept the faults of the other. It's just how it is even if we feel something indescribably wonderful and sorrowful at the same time. Yes, yes, the complimentary personality of hers, she's just the badass, but there's nothing more to her, she's cold and distant, but yet so cool and is shown to be compassionate at times, but that's not played up to any significance whatsoever here because the status quo of shipping every girl of the harem must be upheld!
This is where the main contender for the romantic relationship comes in- Kurumu. She's a succubus, she's a creature of deviance and yet she wants Tsukune to truly love her without any cheap tricks she would use in her nature to devour men's souls through intercourse.. ahem... sorry, but that's the essence of her monstrous nature really. Alas it's only an ecchi, there is nothing that resembles sensuality or sexual frustration here, it's all just a high school romance. Kurumu joins as a rival to Moka for Tsukune, she's energetic righteous, emotional, upbeat, her main quirk is loving to throw herself into Tsukune with her (supposed) G-cups suffocating his face. Her monstrous nature get sidelined and she's only able to fly... such a badass!
Yukari, the loli witch. She also likes Tsukune, but she also likes Moka, she ships them, or at least doesn't mind their romance. In the harem, she's just the quirky loli. There isn't much to her, she has her quirks to add to the group, along with being the "school genius" which gives her the power of exposition dumping the reader and the cast at what they're facing.
Mizore is the ice girl stalker... that's it. Her quirk is to always be stalking behind a bush, table, pillar... you get the point. What she adds to the harem catfights are the straight man comments which I personally love. Pointing out the stupidity of of Kurumu's outbursts, and her arguments with Yukari.
And lastly Rubi who is introduced later and just makes appearances here and there not really playing any role as a part of the harem. She's mostly a decoration because she has the most distinct character design out of everyone.
So with that I'm just not impressed. Aside from Rubi, no one is fleshed out significantly to understand where they're coming from. The rest are just social exiles for whatever reason accepted by Tsukune so they can obsess over him for arbitrary reasons in order to have comedy skits, yaaaay! There is catharsis to be found in some villain arcs, but they are so few and far between, and in some cases rushed so it lacks impact. But it is a good showcase of spectacle coupled with catharsis. Not great, but serviceable at least, if not for the shounen lectures. Alas I could care less about these archetypes, it's the presentation on the panel framing that makes them powerful, not my dedication or intimate understanding of the characters or their themes. I simply can't empathize with them outside those extreme scenarios whose purpose is spectacle first, not personal drama. And as I mentioned the villains are all irredeemable with a few exceptions, one of them which gets retconned for extra salt.
Thus hindering my ENJOYMENT of immersing myself in these characters' lives and struggles, which are sidelined immediately for the next episodic chapter. The world had potential, but it's just concepts thrown in to add an artificial layer of drama to make up for the lack of actual character drama in order for the reader to root for the good guys. I don't like harem jinks either, there is no focus on each character, all we see are binary relationships between a pair. Moka is the peacekeeper, Kurumu is the bashful, reckless tomboy, Yukari is the smart one, Mizore is the observant straight (wo)man, Tsukune is the self-insert blank slate until the shounen switch in his brain is activated for his death wish each time, but at least that still gives him a character trait.
So in the end it was a chore to read through most of the time and thinking about it, it has ignored quite a few elements, not to mention most of the episodic characters never had significance all throughout Season II, which is what most praise this series for.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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