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Feb 17, 2012
Kuroshitsuji II (Black Butler II) is not a true sequel to the original, or at least I refuse to hail it as such, but it is still an interesting addition to the series and appears to experiment with several archetypes, something I as a writer and literature major can appreciate.
I've heard it called an abortion, a sort of a tragic death to the tragic series about death and mortality, and taken in the aspect of a literal sequel - a direct followup to the Black Butler that received high acclaim - this would indeed be the case. However, what Black Butler II does is not
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poor storytelling in any sense, as far as I can tell (at least until the last few minutes of the final episode, but we'll get to that) - it is simply such a strong deviation from the anime offered by the original that many I've encountered have trouble accepting its premise. Both offer an interesting, Faustian take on the story of the classical romance, (where the bond between demon and contracted is not platonic, but romantic) but Black Butler II greatly underplays the elements that made Black Butler what it was.
This series introduces Alois Trancy and the butler Claude Faustus, along with several other characters who seem to mirror Ciel Phantomhive, Sebastian Michaelis, and the cast who tends to the former's mansion. While Ciel is outwardly dark but ultimately benevolent, Alois is (in several cases) outwardly benevolent but ultimately sadistic. The image we get from the beginning of the anime is one where Ciel and Alois are polar opposites, with Alois playing the Moriarty to Ciel's Holmes, but that dichotomy is played with in such a way that I would have to consider it unique or innovative at least.
Black Butler II has several faults. For one, it does not serve as a tangible vehicle for an intuitive storyline, but uses its allotted run time to dabble in the deconstruction of dichotomies and social mores (at times not as subtly as it should). The relationship between butler and master is questioned, as naturally so is the relationship between demon and contracted. Fictional conceptions of "the villain," who serves as opposite and parallel to the central protagonist, are also challenged. I can't get into how without spoiling the ride for you, but if you take a step back, it's definitely there. How it goes about this "deconstruction" is questionable.
For one, it's almost not Black Butler anymore. Sebastian is presented on a level plane thanks to Claude Faustus and the presence of several other "demonic" characters, meaning he doesn't allow the series to shine quite as much. I've heard it said that Black Butler IS Sebastian Michaelis, and people who agree with that notion are likely to face disappointment at the sight of this new, humbled Sebastian.
Additionally, it's much darker with much less comedy than the original. We see less of the servants, of Elizabeth, and of the main cast, who have been relegated further into the background. At its core, it's simply not the same anime anymore.
I liked it. I liked that I was able to see where it played with the romance genre and with fiction in general. Ultimately though, its willingness to experiment and dabble in concepts does not save its occasional poor delivery or the eerie ending which doesn't fit with the buildup of the series. The conclusion is quite a deus ex machina, to say the least.
Another thing I will say is that Black Butler didn't need a sequel. If ever it did need one, Black Butler II is certainly not its rightful successor.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Apr 27, 2011
I still don't get the appeal of this series. The show seems to be 5% zombies, 95% cleavage, and this time around, it was 95% cleavage, 5% unusual sex situations.
I mean, I guess I enjoyed it... but there is no story line anywhere in this OVA.
Okay, so technically there was a story line, but it's somewhat difficult to extract.
The odd thing is that if I tell you the story line, I spoil the OVA.
Well, I'll try.
Story- 1
Yes, I gave it a one.
The group comes to an island where they're supposedly safe from the zombies.. typical, right? In this scenario, you would expect to see,
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a la the conclusion of Dawn of the Dead, that there are zombies in their haven, but zombies play no part in this episode.
They play a very, very, very small part toward the end, but that's not what this episode is about. As I've said, it's very, very difficult to specify any plot worth mentioning.
Art- 7
The art isn't exceptional, but it's certainly not worth faulting either.
Sound-8
I'm somewhat attached to the opening theme. Highschool of the Dead has a decent OP.
Unfortunately, I can't say much more than that, as neither of the above played a strong part in this episode.
Character-2
I guess there was a little girl (Alice Maresato)... but wait, where did she go?
In this episode, there's no character development. Nobody changes, and there's really nothing to differentiate any of the females from one another. Granted, Saya Takagi stands out as the reluctant, tough-as-nails personality of the group (euphemism for being a total bitch), but really... if you're expecting a character masterpiece, don't come here.
Enjoyment- 7
Why did I enjoy this? I almost feel bad for it, but there were times when it was moderately humorous. And there were boobs. And I got to see the awesome boobage they censored in episode 6.
And despite having no character development, no real plot, and leaving me wondering what I just watched, this was moderately enjoyable.
Overall-3
Nevertheless, I like my anime to have an actual plot, and I'm sad that they're not doing anything with this anime when there's so much potential. I'm not saying don't watch it. I'm only saying be wary.
Reviewer’s Rating: 3
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Feb 13, 2011
You're dead. You don't have to take my word for it either. Go talk to that girl down there... Yeah, the one with the silver hair. (There are no other people around, after all.) I'm sure she'll do a nice job of killing you. Again.
Of course, nobody stays dead in purgatory, which is the humor of Angel Beats!.
The anime is set in a high school, where the majority of people aren't people at all, but non-player characters designed to persuade you that the high school is a reality. Once you accept that the high school is a reality, and begin to enjoy life within
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its confines, you are "obliterated," meaning you leave the world of purgatory.
And that's a bad thing.
Story
The plot is definitely the weak point of Angel Beats!. Many times, the anime withholds crucial details, or introduces ideas and presumes to expand on them later, but never does.
In other words, Angel Beats! lacks continuity, and fails to expand upon or think of key details. What happens when you leave the high school grounds? Is there a larger world, or are you brought back to the high school? How did (x) die? We don't get many back stories on key characters- they're just sort of "there".
For thirteen (technically fourteen, including the special) episodes, this show lacks much follow-up. As such, it plays out less like a story and more like a large collection of concepts.
Don't get me wrong- it has a plot line. The plot line just isn't coherent enough.
Art
The art style of Angel Beats! is good. In fact, the animation is one of the reasons I started watching Angel Beats!, though not because the art style is revolutionary or exceptional.
When I look for an anime, I like to find familiarity, and Angel Beats! had that familiarity in the form of its art style. The illustration is similar to Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, another show I've reviewed and would highly recommend.
So while the animation style is not revolutionary or ground-breaking, it certainly doesn't detract from the show. The often light-hearted and comedic air that Angel Beats! has is captured well in its illustration.
Sound
You can almost watch Angel Beats! for its sound alone. The soundtrack to this show is exceptional. I'm not going to make ignorant pretenses, because anime is a new genre for me, but the intro to the anime is extraordinary in my humble opinion. The background music for the show is often quite catchy, and the ending theme for the show, coupled with its animation sequence, is enough to make you feel sad that the episode has ended and to go looking for more.
Of course, Angel Beats! is based around its music, as is implied by its name. The band, Girls Dead Monster, (GDM) is a fairly significant part of this show.
Believe it or not, the idea of a music-centered anime turned me off at first. When I watched it, and found out that Angel Beats! meant that it was probably going to have a lot to do with music, I thought that it meant that it wasn't going to do as much with plot, and I was partly right, but for the wrong reasons (see above.) This show really doesn't do enough with its band, but then again, you can't expect too much in thirteen episodes.
The music in Angel Beats! is outstanding. It complements the show extraordinarily well, and can almost stand on its own. Beyond that, I often watch this show over just to see the introductory sequence, which is really quite enchanting.
Character
This story lacks much character development, which is another one of its drawbacks. At times, this has a fair amount to do with the plot of the show, because the show juggles too much at once. Often, characters are introduced who have no real back story and who only come up once more in the series, if at all.
That said, the characters in the show also add to it a fair amount, especially TK. TK is a stock character, who often says the most outrageous things, and who is a "mystery man" with an unknown back story. He adds a fair amount of humor to the show, and it's characters like him, who only add to the comedy of the show, that make Angel Beats! worth watching. I only wish the forces behind this show would have developed their characters more...
Enjoyment
To say I enjoyed Angel Beats! would be an understatement. The show made me laugh. The show made me cry (and I almost never cry). I anticipate that I'll be watching this many times over. In fact, I am now. And I'm wearing socks.
Overall
Angel Beats! lacks many of the things that make a good show- character development, a coherent plot, etc.
And yet for some reason, you can forgive it for that. Perhaps it's the beauty or the depth of the show itself, which poses questions about what it's like to be human, or whether or not you're prepared for death. Perhaps it's the music of the show, which could almost carry it completely.
Either way, Angel Beats! is worth watching. You shouldn't expect much in the way of answers to the questions that the show puts forth, but you should expect a great deal of enjoyment.
On a side note, the creator of Angel Beats! claims a second season is on the horizon. Some presume that this is all talk, but supposedly the show is coming out this spring. The cast list is completely different, which is a disappointment, but maybe this next season will still answer some key questions that the first season never answered.
In the meantime, I'll be finding more anime to watch and reading the show's manga, which might also provide some insights into the show itself.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Feb 12, 2011
Higurashi is a happy-go-lucky show about a bunch of kids.
With that in mind, watch it.
The tags are lying. It isn't horror at-
Had you going.
This show would do a wonderful job at deceiving you if not for that intro tacked right onto the first episode. If not for that, you'd think you were watching a cute, slice-of-life anime.
The whole show is a puzzle for you to solve. Why is everybody dying? What drives a perfectly normal teenager to go Freddy Krueger on two of his best friends?
At times, the underlying problem of Higurashi seems supernatural, at times psychological. Right until the end of the first season,
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you'll wonder about this show, and more than likely, you'll be wrong.
My advice is not to overlook Kai. While it may be a whole nother ballgame, it will provide some much-needed clarity.
Story- The anime opens up on Keiichi Maebara, an average enough kid- except you just saw him hack up two people with a baseball bat.
The two people, you find out, are Keichi's friends, Mion Sonozaki and Rena Ryuguu. For the first episode, you might wonder when you'll get to see that baseball bat again.
It's coming. And soon.
Art- The art is decent. I've heard people knock on it, but I thought it was really quite refreshing. The show deceives you by taking a lighthearted character design and shifting and mutating it into a slasher movie.
Sound- I don't watch an anime if it doesn't have an intro theme that doesn't immediately hook me, and Higurashi's has almost become the standard for that judgment.
It's beautiful. It's wicked and mysterious. It's mythical.
It's exactly like the show itself.
Beyond that, the soundtrack works with the show rather well, rather than detracting from it. When you want suspense, the show's soundtrack plays suspense... and it does it damn well. The soundtrack also plays cute, and mysterious, and... well, you'll just have to hear for yourself.
Character- This show is very plot-driven. As such, the characters are hard to follow and to sympathize with at first, because you're never sure whether to run away from them or to hug them. That's why you hold onto characters like Rika Furude, who carry the show's cuteness on their shoulders, and you try to understand the other characters all the while.
Enjoyment- At first, watching this show was a chore. I think I might have seem the first episode, then I shoved it aside, thinking "Eh. My friend's crazy for recommending this."
Then I picked it up again, and I couldn't stop watching. I wanted to know what was going on.
And so I kept watching, and in no time at all I had finished with the first season. Then I went onto Kai, and then Reii, and I bulldozed through those.
Hopefully, you will too.
Overall- For all of the above reasons, I'd strongly recommend Higurashi. The show requires a fair amount of patience, but if you keep watching, you simply won't be able to stop.
Well, the key to continuing is to knowing that there is a rhyme or reason for what you're watching.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Feb 12, 2011
I didn't watch this anime because it was recommended to me, or because it was hyped and I had to see what all the opinions were about. Bokurano was a relatively unknown anime to me, not that I watch anime all that much. Oddly, the reason I watched it was because it was one of several that had been left on my hard drive.
I have to admit -- it was the intro that hooked me first about this series. Sometimes, I'd keep watching the show just so that I could see the intro at the beginning. The intro itself is oddly inspiring, if not very
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characteristic of the show's nihilistic viewpoints. More than that though, it's catchy.
It's difficult to not spoil Bokurano, but the main reason to watch it is to figure out exactly what it is that you're watching. The plot starts out simple enough. I heard from a friend that it's very similar to Evangelion -- 15 children pilot a robot and try to stop new, enemy robots who appear and challenge them, blah blah.
But Bokurano is not Evangelion. It isn't even remotely close to Evangelion, despite the similarities in the exposition.
The mecha wasn't the reason for my watching this. I've never been a big fan of giant robots, or at least that's never been the main reason for me to watch an anime.
Bokurano is psychological. At times, it can be depressing, and if you have a simple frame of mind, I wouldn't suggest watching it. In many ways, the show questions the meaning of life itself, though I can't spoil how exactly. It takes a bit of patience to watch, but the show rewards you for your resolve.
In short, Bokurano is inspiring and depressing at the same time. Watching it was an experience, to say the least. It's a good show. I recommended it to a friend, and he's glad I did -- he's on episode eight, and thanks me quite a bit for the recommendation.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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