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- BirthdayJun 19, 2004
- LocationThe Inner Depths Of A Nintendo Filled Mindset!
- JoinedNov 29, 2018
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Jan 21, 2024
Persona 4:Yasoinaba Case Files is a fairly unnecessary, yet still wonderful supplement to the Persona 4 universe.
Admittedly, we've reached such a point with the Persona series nowadays that ATLUS have always been hell-bent on cashing in on their games in anyway possible. In the times we spent with the Investigation Team, we saw them once, twice, then three and four more times when the dancing and fighting games came out. A lot of the cast, whether main or supporting, has had their time in the spotlight somehow, and this has been the case for years. By now, anyone interested in Persona 4 knows the
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characters almost to a T, and they're massively beloved in the fandom because of it.
This brings this manga's main issue. It is, without a doubt, unnecessary. Each of the chapters choose to either showcase a set of two characters, or exclusively one of them (courtesy of Yu Narukami himself), and while a lot of the chapters may seem like they could delve deeper into their inner struggles and daily lives, they mostly serve to fill as mostly gags and one-off stories.
Some concepts are reused, such as Nanako's Detective dress-up from the anime, and Narukami's surprising amount of female social links fighting one another, as seen in the P4 Golden adaptation, but there is still a level of uniqueness to them. They're plot beats done in new ways to surprise and entertain, and they work well for what they try to accomplish.
It's all harmless in the end. I gave it flack initially, but as I read on, I realised why I loved these characters. They're all unique, fun, and interesting. Adachi's chapter made me feel for him, Yu's chapter made me smile, and Nanako's chapter gave me a warm feeling befitting the precious girl herself. They're all there for something, and the mangaka themself even addresses how they grew up with the P4 series before even drawing the manga.
A lot of the stories in Yasoinaba Case Files come from a place of love, and it does certainly show. It's simply meant to serve as one thing, and one thing only, and that is to be a supplementary manga for fans of Persona 4.
Persona 4: Yasoinaba Case Files is nothing new. It isn't trying to be. It was made for Persona 4 fans, by a Persona 4 fan, and as a result, I can't help but enjoy myself with it. I still get a massive kick out of seeing these characters every time, and even if I gave it flack earlier, I sincerely hope that any other Persona fan besides me can also enjoy this one-off spin-off volume just as well as I did.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jan 16, 2024
Tales of Berseria, a game with thrills, twists, turns, emotion, and solid writing. The manga? It's... iffy.
I came into this manga as someone reading it alongside the game. Anytime I got far enough in the story of the game, I would switch to the manga to see how things turned out. I did so, wanting to see how such a manga adaptation such as this one would adapt Velvet's character arc throughout the course of her journey.
Velvet Crowe is a character brimming with tons of internal turmoil. She does things you wouldn't expect of a main character, and often even selfishly puts down the
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main cast for her own desired outcome throughout the story. She is, in essence, a large aspect of what makes ToB such a treat, and as the setting for the series reveals itself to be not what the player desired, things get thrown over their head, and Velvet's actions suddenly don't seem so bad anymore.
One thing is clear. Berseria requires time. It needs all of it's chances to establish its setting and maximise character interactions to its maximum potential. The game does this perfectly. Each character is elaborated on, showcased, and even portrayed excellently. What goes on for hours in the game, unfortnately sometimes does not get addressed the same way in the manga.
Character interactions are cut, the story is rushed through, and fights that SHOULD have impact are a mere one or two pages long, often consisting of just one quick blow to settle the score. Hours of gameplay being condensed into a mere 21 chapters of 30-40 pages is not enough for the excellent story of Tales of Berseria, and it struggles as a result. Plot twists are revealed far too quickly, and emotions are shown just as fast.
To its credit, the art is gorgeous. For as much as I dislike how the story is largely portrayed, I really liked just how detailed the character expressions and poses were drawn in the manga. For as complicated as Velvet, Magilou, and Eizen are, they were crafted excellently here and I really feel it wasn't the mangaka's fault that the story was so rushed with the limitations they were likely given. The first chapter, at least for an acting prologue, is also done well. It shows Velvet's early struggles before going rogue, and is honestly what I wished the manga was like for its running majority.
My conclusion: Play the game. PLEASE play the game. This manga, at its best, is serviceable, but it won't bring out the same feelings of poignant emotions that the game can bring fourth from you. If anything, the ToB manga is a lacklustre adaptation that, while missing out on its most important aspect of story-telling and impact, can at least make up for it in its artwork and overall presentation.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Feb 9, 2021
TL;DR SCORES:
- 7 for Story
- 8 for Art
- 8 for Sound
- 9 for Character
- 7 for Enjoyment
- 7 for the Overall merit of it.
My opinion of Slime much differed from the others. I found it a casual watch, but I also understood why others revered it as an amazing anime of the year it came out on. To me, it was a satisfying grind which much resembled the satisfaction of building up a new home, with funny and likeable characters. Essentially, Slime was Civilization: The Animation. How does the 5 OVA episodes hold up, though?
To put it simply, there are 3 story arcs within these
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5 episodes. Each of them are highly memorable and whilst the first two don't expand on the world all that much, the final one is well-worth the watch, as it highlights the academy that Rimuru had the pleasure of teaching after Shizue's promise.
Expect the usual artwork, voice acting, and music. The OVAs are still a blast to watch through - minus the fanservice. I've read a review on here saying it was "pure fanservice", but I beg to differ. These are still watchable even if you're not avid on it, as they will only take place towards the later segments of the first two episodes. The artwork and voice acting are still as fantastic as usual. Slime does not deliver Ufotable means of entertainment in its art, but regardless the unique style of Slime makes a nice contrast from the other anime of our time. Finally, if you're a Sub or Dub viewer, then expect amazing voices from both ends. As a person who saw Slime in both Sub and Dub for certain portions, I can confirm that they both hold their same level of emotion and value. In short: This is the traditional Slime experience.
Regardless, if you - like me - thought that Slime was a satisfying watch, then these OVAs are something to consider. They were a fun, short, and sweet ride which expanded on certain characters and introduced new ones. Don't expect any Season 2 buildup, and see these as "Paralouge" missions that appeared midway through the main two arcs of Season 1 for our loveable cast.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Feb 6, 2021
TL;DR SCORES:
- 5 for Story
- 9 for Art
- 10 for Sound
- 8 for Character
- 7 for Enjoyment
- 8 for the Overall merit of it.
I think a lot of people have already said what this is, but now I will. This is a short 30+ second animation made by Masaki Okuda, which most of us probably watched because the numeration made it look perfect on our lists!
The story is simple. It's an animation playing with the physics of life, and reflects a surreal and wacky reality that only animation could really cross. It's a fun gag for a very short animation.
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It really gets a 5/10 from me, but what can you expect from something so short?
The art is crisp. What more could you expect from a piece of Sakuga? It definitely feels like those sorts of animations that people used to make on a cheap animation software, but you can tell there was a sense of passion behind it.
The sound is... well, it works. XD
I don't know how much else I can say about it, but it works for what it's meant to do, and that's good! The lack of music reflects the surrealism, which I think gives it an 10 on that department.
The same applies for characterisation as mentioned above. There isn't much to say about it, aside from the lack of anything helps the surrealism. If anything, this is a form of art that has been transferred onto a video animation - and I can appreciate that about it. This gets a 5 from me.
As for my personal enjoyment: I found it to be a fun way to pass time. That's really how I can recommend this anime. Just watch it if you want, and if you don't like it: Oh well! It won't waste your time, and it won't ruin your life. The content is mellow, and the overall form of art that it takes will make you either appreciate it or question it. It's an experimental video, that I can only really recommend if you're bored and just want to fill up your Anime List.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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