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Sep 7, 2013
“After all, it’s the chasing after him I really love.”
As always, my reviews are spoiler free.
Millennium Actress is another work of the late Satoshi Kon, a man who had an amazing ability to blur the lines between reality and dreams, even in a medium of almost entirely fiction. And like his other works, Millennium Actress doesn’t just tell a story, but takes you on a journey through the world and through the human mind. In this film, the viewer travels through decades of the life of the famous actress Chiyoko Fujiwara, following her as she chases a man she once met and
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a dream that she is always one step behind.
Story - 10/10
The story begins when a reporter and fan of Chiyoko’s work, Genya, is sent with his cameraman to interview her about her rich career as an actress over the past several decades. In his possession is a key that belonged to Chiyoko that he had been in possession of for years, always looking for a chance to return it to her. When he presents it to her, she is taken aback. When Genya asks if the key was to something important, she responds, “To the most important thing in the world.”
What follows is one of the most beautiful and creative methods of storytelling I have had the pleasure to see. The “interview” that Genya has with Chiyoko transforms into a visual story of her life which Genya observes as a 3rd party. It begins with Chiyoko as a teenager growing up in late 1930s Japan. She has a chance encounter with a mysterious man, and her life changes forever. Chiyoko sees a hooded figure running from police, chooses on a whim to misdirect them, and shelters the wounded man. He tells her stories of his beautiful home promising to take her there when Japan comes to a time of peace. Noticing something around his neck, she asks what it is, and he answers that it is “the key to the most important thing in the world.” She asks to ponder what it could be over night, and they promise to meet again the next day. However, he is gone, and lines between reality and film begin to blur. Suddenly she is chasing the mysterious man on a train down railway station, collapsing to her knees in tears. She vows to find him. Genya, having observed this, remarks that “he cried 53 times at this scene.”
What follows is a story of Chiyoko’s life as an actress, traveling around the world and through time, always chasing down a man whose name she didn’t even know. Through place and time, the viewer and Genya follow her through movie sets and reality, demonstrating some of the best cinematography in the animated medium, full of flawless transitions and symbolism. It has to be seen to be believed.
I cannot go into the ending without revealing spoilers, but it contains one of the most amazing twists and beautiful endings I have seen in any film.
Animation - 9/10
Anyone familiar with other works of Satoshi Kon and animated by Studio Madhouse will be familiar with the style of Millennium Actress. Though it has aged significantly, being aired over 10 years ago, the detail and fluidity of the animation is still quite apparent. Character models are detailed and constantly varying to fit the time and place they happen to find themselves in. This is another strength of the animation; unlike many series and movies which confine themselves to the same locales, this film takes place in dozens of completely varied sets, from science fiction to feudal Japan. It makes these transitions so smoothly that it can be almost startling; a few minutes pass and without your noticing time has changed by decades, all demonstrated through the films that Chiyoko stars in. The amount of effort that was taken to put in this level of detail must have been monumental. While some may be bothered by the dated style at first, you will likely lose yourself to the story in no time at all, and come away actually enjoying the art style at the end.
Sound - 6/10
Unfortunately, the soundtrack was not especially impressive. While it always matched the ever-changing setting, it was never memorable. In fact, large portions of the movie are totally silent. The voice acting was quite good, however.
Characters - 9/10
Chiyoko is really the only notable character here. Genya is at heart an insert or companion for the viewer, and the mysterious man she chases is treated as closely to an object as a person.
Chiyoko, however, has beautiful development throughout the story both as a person and an actress. Her motives are a bit unclear, but her single-minded determinedness to track down the man from her childhood gives her a level of development that few movie leads can match. In fact, the only competition in my mind is Mima from Perfect Blue, another of Kon’s fantastic works. By the end of the film, the viewer has lived Chiyoko’s entire life with her, and will be so invested in her story that the ending will feel unbelievably personal. She feels like a lifelong friend by the time the credits finally roll.
Enjoyment - 9/10
This film was captivating from beginning to end. Only Kon can make movies like this, where the viewer feels more like a character than a simple observer. The level of detail and thought that went into the cinematography and settings this movie explores is simply phenomenal.
Other Thoughts
I’ll end with the same quote I opened with: “After all, it’s the chasing after him I really love.” By the end of the film, the very exploration of a life itself, these words will hit you like nothing ever has before.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Sep 7, 2013
It would take a miracle to save this movie from mediocrity.
As always, my reviews are spoiler free.
Before I am burned at the stake for criticizing this movie, please hear me out. I want to say that I am a big fan of Raildex. That’s why I was excited about this movie, and that’s why I feel so let down. That perfect blend of action, comedy, and likable characters that makes Index and Railgun so popular just wasn’t present here, and even JC Staff knew that. It becomes evident quickly, which is why they have… compensated in certain ways.
...
Anyway, let’s get down to business.
Story - 5/10
I was drawn in by the story’s premise, which was the typical Raildex fare; Touma & company encounter a mysterious girl named Arisa, whose singing captivates those around her and seems to have the ability to make miracles happen. She just wants to live a normal life, and loves singing because she has a genuine desire to please others. Of course, there is more to this girl than meets the eye, and a battle soon erupts between the various factions of Academy City to control her miraculous singing.
I keep using the word “miracle,” and the anime does as well. In fact, the entire movie is based around them, beginning with a spaceplane crash during which all 88 passengers and crew survive. This becomes known as the Miracle of 88, and the entire plot stems from it; the villains, opposing characters’ motivations, and Arisa’s past are all linked to this event.
This premise of miracles is fine. So where does it go wrong?
JC Staff wanted to please the fans, of course. They wanted to make sure everyone’s favorite character had some screen time. This leads to a disjointed mess of scenes, utterly destroying the fluidity of the plot for the convenience of uniting everyone against a common enemy (who is woefully underdeveloped, I might add). The word “convenient” is not quite adequate for the level of plot events that occurr to string the story along. The story climaxes with about 10 minutes of the movie remaining, and the viewer is suddenly blasted with plot points in a last ditch effort to try to tie things up. The ending was painfully forced.
It was not that JC Staff didn’t have time to tell their story. In fact, if they had chosen to cut out some of the needless character appearances and pure-fanservice scenes, things could have been very different. So, my score comes out to an “average” 5, with a good premise but bad execution.
Animation - 6/10
When I watch an anime movie, I generally have high expectations for the animation. After all, with only about 1.5 hours of video, they should be able to make it look better than the average series, or the series it was based on. However, that is not the case with this Index movie. It looked no better than an average episode of the newest Railgun S episodes, and includes some terrible CG scenes. Otherwise, expect the exact same level of animation quality you would get with an episode of a full Raildex series.
I mentioned how JC Staff decided to compensate for the iffy plot points earlier. They do this by putting an excessive level of fanservice in the movie. You name it: panty shots, bouncing breasts, girls falling onto Touma, lengthy bath scenes, walking in on naked girls, girls wearing skin-tight body suits, girls NOT wearing skin-tight body suits, the entire Railgun cast in tiny skirts… I could go on. And some of this comes at the expense of plot. Thanks JC Staff, for using 10 minutes of the movie showing me a bath scene rather than giving me an ending. I appreciate it.
Sound - 7/10
With the main guest character being a singer, it’s expected that there would be a number of new insert songs, and they are, in general, good. There is always mood-matching music, the voice actors/actresses do well, and the concert scenes are nice when you aren't looking at the terrifying CG.
Characters - 7/10
Did you like the cast of Index? How about the cast of Railgun? Well don’t worry, absolutely every single one of them is here, whether it makes sense or not. I ranted plenty about that earlier, so I won’t repeat myself.
All the recurring characters do their normal things; Touma sees a naked girl and gets bitten by Index, Kuroko molests Misaka, Misaka gets angry and independent, Accelerator is a sarcastic dick, etc. We get three main guests for this movie. I can’t go into much without revealing major spoilers, but here they are: Arisa, the heroine, has a good backstory is quite likable. She is an upcoming singer who various factions fight over for her mysterious singing power, and Touma protects her. Shutaura Sequenzia is one of the people attempting to capture her for reasons relating to the Miracle of 88. She has a good backstory, but it’s entirely spoilers. What I can say is that she likes wearing latex, except when she’s naked or in her underwear. The villain, an immortal gothic loli, could have been interesting if she was given development, but that fell by the wayside in favor of showing more characters’ skin.
Two of three main guests were quite good, but the villain left something to be desired.
Enjoyment - 4/10
I’ve touched on it all before. A good premise and guest cast can’t be seen through due to fanservice and a need to get every character on screen. Its action scenes were not up to my expectations, and I was left disappointed. It’s worth watching if you are a fan of Raildex, but don’t bother if you are expecting something revolutionary or even very good. But hey, Touma punches a girl in the face and screams "Such misfortune!", so how bad can it be?
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Sep 6, 2013
It’s not gay if it’s a three way.
As always, my reviews are spoiler free.
Jokes aside, looking at the surface of Kids on the Slope, one might think that it is a just another music SOL anime such as K-On! or Tari Tari. After all, each of these series is about a number of high school students living out their normal lives, all brought together by music. Look a bit deeper however, and you will see that Kids on the Slope, directed by the famous Shinichiro Watanabe of Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo, is a totally different entity entirely.
Story -
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7/10
Kids on a Slope is set in 1960s Japan, a time when American Jazz was a powerful part of Japan’s musical culture. During this time, an unlikely group of students gather together, united by this one common interest. From here their story unfolds, and in some ways the anime changes form entirely; for at its heart, Kids on a Slope is not a SOL. It is, in fact, a romance through and through.
The series often forgoes the focus on jazz that it presents in the first episodes of the series to focus on the relationships between the characters. That’s not to say that the viewer isn’t treated to frequent jam sessions throughout the series, but it becomes obvious that the character’s connections are now the main point of the series. I’ll go into this a bit more later.
As far as the setting goes, it’s pretty easy to forget that you are in 1960s Japan. There are indications, of course; mainly music references, but also the cars, record players, etc. However, the series uses its setting almost entirely for the music, and I feel a bit of potential is lost where it could have brought out a bit more character of the era.
Animation - 8/10
The animation in the show is well above average. Gradients are used to great effect, and shadows on the characters faces and backgrounds show great attention to detail. Character designs are unique, perhaps even polarizing. While the character designs are well done, the backgrounds can be a bit plain, and the frequently revisited areas are disappointingly plain.
Animation itself is beautiful. Everything is very fluid, especially the scenes in which instruments are played. The level of detail during these scenes is absolutely fantastic, but it makes me wish they would have used a bit of the animation budget on more detailed sets.
Sound - 8/10
Despite my insistence that this is a romance anime at heart, that doesn’t mean that a huge amount of attention went towards the music. Famous jazz makes up the majority of the music focused scenes, and this is where Kids on a Slope truly shines. However, its original soundtrack is average at best, relying on popular music of the time to keep the viewer entertained. Aside from the jazz, early rock begins to make its way into Japan (and therefore the series) as well, and becomes a source of contention among the characters.
Characters – 7/10
Kids on a Slope has a main cast of three characters: Sentarou, Ritsuko, and Kaoru. Sentarou and Ritsuko are childhood friends, with Kaoru having started attending the same school as them. Being new and rich, he quickly finds himself a social outcast. However, when looking for the key to the roof, he finds himself getting along strangely well with the short-tempered Sentarou. When Kaoru reveals he is a classical pianist, they find themselves playing jazz together often.
However, Kaoru soon develops feelings for the overly kind Ritsuko, who is the embodiment of indecisiveness when it comes to her feelings. The relationship between them, with the complication of Ritsuko’s maybe-not-so-sure feelings for Sentarou, makes up the vast majority of the series.
The supporting cast is more of the same. Yurika, a brief love interest of Sentarou’s, finds herself involved with Junichi, an older friend of Sentarou’s, and her life begins to change as well.
The characters are a mixed bag, really. In one respect, the indecisiveness when it comes to romantic feelings in the teenage years is accurately portrayed, and the characters realistic and likable. On the other hand, this indecisiveness and the classic “misunderstandings” starts to get old after some time, and I found Yurika and Junichi’s relationship a bit exhausting. Your enjoyment of the characters in this series will largely depend on how well you can handle the usual tropes that comes with a romantic anime. A surprising level of backstory is given for relevant characters in a series of this length.
Enjoyment - 7/10
If you go into this series expecting a light-hearted comedy with a music focus, you may be disappointed. What it does present is a slow romance with a musical base drawing the characters together. A nice collection of jazz music, good animation, and a solid romance between the main cast was all tied up together nicely for a twelve episode series.
Other Thoughts
Some say there may be some gay undertones between the two male leads. I didn’t really see this, but it is Josei after all, so men aren’t at their manliest.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Sep 6, 2013
Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita is a clever anime that has something for just about everyone.
As always, my reviews are spoiler free.
Jinrui is a bit difficult to get a bead on; is it a comedy, parody, fantasy, or something else entirely? How can a totally nonlinear story about characters who are not even given names be so captivating? And finally, what is the deal with all these fairies?
Story - 8/10
In the distant future, declining birthrates have led to a new “mankind.” These tiny creatures are called fairies, and with their tremendous numbers and mysterious technology it has become a necessity for humans
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to keep peace with them. This falls into the hands of our protagonist, Watashi (the Japanese pronoun for “I”; her actual name is never given). She becomes an arbitrator between the two races at the request of her grandfather, but her job is not as simple as she expected.
The story is divided into arcs, which occur in no particular order. The beginning arc, for example, is Watashi’s introduction to her new job, and the last is her school life directly before. The arcs between do not take place in any particular order either. Luckily, any part of the anime is simple enough to understand given the groundwork laid out in the first arc, and each arc is appreciable in its own right. These arcs vary drastically in style, and somewhat in quality as well.
Her career as an arbitrator begins with the investigation of mysterious goods appearing around town, suspected to have been made by fairies. With the discovery of the fairies factory, it immediately becomes clear that these fairies operate on an entirely different set of rules than humans. This arc exists mainly to introduce the characters, as well as the fairies (who I will discuss in detail later).
After her introduction as an arbitrator, the story takes a turn to the more “eccentric”; the printer and digital media are rediscovered by Watashi’s friend Y, and with them Y gains the ability to reproduce incredible amounts of “BL” comics. This takes the world by storm, and shows another side of the fairies, their desire to copy culture in their own bizarre way.
Each following arc is unique in its own way. From Watashi’s use of the fairies to build her own island empire to battling androids, each arc is fresh but never feels disconnected from the overall theme of the series.
Animation - 8/10
The animation in the series follows a unique style which makes use of pastels. Some backgrounds are actually reminiscent of oil paintings. The character designs are fresh too; they are detailed in such a way to fit perfectly into the setting. The animation itself is nothing to brag about, however. Sometimes the character movements can be a bit jerky, but animation/style package comes out to be well above average.
Sound – 8/10
There is actually a relatively small cast of reoccurring characters (one of whom never actually speaks), but each one of their voices are spot on. The sound track is good as well, with the OP being one of my favorites of all time, and the ED being significantly above average. Jinrui also knows how to change the mood perfectly with the music; a quick track change can be used for dramatic (or more often comedic) effect, and several times throughout the series I found myself laughing because of the music combining perfectly with the action.
Characters – 10/10
I give Jinrui a perfect score for in the character department for two reasons. The first is that the main cast (of one person) is executed flawlessly, with Watashi being one of my favorite protagonists of all time. She is sarcastic and pessimistic, yet is able to accomplish an incredible amount with her quick thinking. She has one of the sharpest wits in recent history. In many ways she acts as a believable insert character into an unbelievable world, her rational attitude and thoughts often synchronizing with the viewer’s own. Her generally dark attitude makes a great contrast to the more upbeat tone of the series as a whole. She was a joy to follow throughout the series.
The second reason for this score is the inclusion of the fairies. I consider them to be one entity, one which is the source of some of the cleverest humor I have ever seen. These fairies could actually be considered a social commentary on modern culture, depending on how far you want to take it. They are driven only by two desires: to get sweets, the one thing they cannot produce for themselves, and to have fun, which causes them to reproduce. Their entire culture is built around these ideas. They are totally fickle, with their moods and ideas changing near instantaneously. Finally, they have an innate desire to copy others for their own benefit and entertainment. You can take these ideas as seriously or casually as you like, but in any case, the fairies really make the show. As a group, they are some of most fantastic ideas in any anime and I cannot do them justice with this short description.
The recurring side characters, namely Y, Assistant, and Grandfather, all do their jobs adequately as well. They do not generally stand out (unless the arc is about them in particular), but they can occasionally deliver their own brand of comedy on par with Watashi’s deadpan sarcasm.
Enjoyment – 8/10
The only thing holding Jinrui back is that diversity of the arcs which I mentioned earlier. To put it simply, some of the arcs are far better than others. Watashi’s island empire remains one of my favorite episodes in any anime, and while I loved most of the other episodes, I would occasionally find myself bored. In particular, I think the entire android arc and early part of the school arc hold back the series, as they were significantly below the standard the rest of Jinrui set. They were by no means bad, but when I adored one episode and the next was merely adequate, I felt disappointed.
Other thoughts
I would recommend this series to anyone, regardless of genre or previous anime experience.
The fairies are an incredible entity but I can’t quite describe them perfectly.
The combination of a superb protagonist, an interesting setting, and great art and soundtrack make this a must-watch for me.
Other thoughts
I would recommend this series to anyone, regardless of genre or previous anime experience.
The fairies are an incredible entity but I can’t quite describe them perfectly.
The combination of a superb protagonist, an interesting setting, and great art and soundtrack make this a must-watch for me.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Aug 28, 2013
It's like Fight Club with Lunchables.
As always, my reviews are spoiler free.
But there isn't a whole lot to spoil here. When I first saw this series on the coming-season chart, I laughed at the ridiculous premise. Just read the description! Teams of high school students fighting over discounted groceries, all while following some sort of highly regarded honor code? "This show has to be absolutely mindless," I thought. It is. But that's okay, because Ben-To is completely self-aware. It knows you didn't come here for the plot. You came to be entertained. And you shall be
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entertained.
Story - 5/10
As you would expect, the story is an absolute trainwreck. To put it briefly, at certain time in a certain convenience store, a special sticker is placed on food to mark it as discounted. Logically, there are dozens of people, waiting like vultures, to swoop in and beat each other senseless to save a few yen (sounds a bit like Black Friday, but I digress). There are leaders in these battles, such as Sen "Ice Witch" Yarizui, the president of the "Half-Price Food Lover's Club" that You Satou, the MC, happens to join. These leaders battle it out, claiming the sticker as a trophy of their victory. Those who fight with honor and abide by the rules of bento brawling are given the title of "Wolves."
This is about as bad as a story can get. The reason it gets an "average" 5 is because it is able to build a complex system around this idiotic premise, a system which happens to be interesting and funny at the same time. The customs, titles, everything about it has been thought out to an unnecessary level of detail. Really, this is as much a comedy as it is an action series.
Animation - 7/10
Ben-to is surprisingly well animated. The fight scenes are choreographed well, and there is a large variety of character models which each get their own style. There is a significant amount of blatant fanservice, if you're into that kind of thing.
Sound - 4/10
It has a pretty bad sound track consisting of several background convenience store songs and corny action music. I have no complaints about the voice cast. I don't put much weight into this category anyway.
Characters - 6/10
If you like cheeesy, over the top characters, you came to the right place. While the main character resembles Harem Protagonist #652, nearly every other character is highly entertaining (if shallow). You have the cold, calculating Ice Queen, the formidable "Kyou" sisters, the incredibly violent lesbian Ume who is constantly after Hana, who only joined the Half-Price Food Lover's Club because she wanted material for her yaoi muscleman fanfics. Lastly we have Shaga, who is one of the main fanservice magnets, and while the other girls were by no means left constantly covered, I felt she was the main source of the series' tissue material.
Enjoyment - 8/10
Let me compare Ben-to to junk food. It's bad for you, has no real value, and you know deep down you shouldn't like it. However, that never stopped me from loving every bite of this anime. If you can sit down and turn off your brain for a bit, I promise it will leave a smile on your drooling, vegetative face.
Other Thoughts
My brain is too numb for thoughts, but I will leave you with a quote. "To the winners go glory and half-priced bento! — Ayame Shaga"
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Aug 27, 2013
Another Slice of Life, another gimmick. But is a miracle granting rock enough to set Natsuiro Kiseki (Summer-Colored Miracle) apart?
As always my reviews are spoiler free.
Stop me if you've seen this one before: four high/middle school girls are just going about their lives. There are no sinister plots or world-saving hero required. The viewer is asked to sit back and enjoy as nothing of particular note goes on. There is always some theme that sort of keeps the anime moving along, whether it be music, photography, gondola rowing, or in Natsuiro Kiseki's case, a miracle granting rock. It's a slightly
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different take on a familiar idea. It had a lot of potential, but did it live up to expectations?
Story - 6/10
Four middle school girls come together at a boulder near a shrine. When it is touched, it is able to grant wishes. With Saki, one of the four girls moving away at the end of the summer, they use the rock to make the best of the time they have left together.
I really thought this could be a cool premise. With the ability of having your every wish granted, you could do anything. Herein lies the problem with Natsuiro Kiseki: it totally wastes potential.
Let me talk about some of the other issues with the magic rock. First, its wish granting ability is somewhat vague. While it leads to some undesired (albeit wished for) outcomes, that's fine. However, this rock seems to have some consistency issues to make up for plot conveniences. At first, it is implied that it can grant any wish, as long as the four people touching it wish for the same thing. However, throughout the series, many new "rules" are introduced at just the right time so that the plot takes a certain direction. Some may not be bothered by this, but I feel like the rules were being made up as the game was being played. And don't worry, if the girls can't get to the original rock, one of its "cousins" will always be close by.
The biggest issue in my opinion is how the girls utterly squander the opportunity the rock could give them. How many amazing things could you do in a summer if you had no limits? Not much for them; it is spent on singing, swimming, a short vacation, and a visit to a haunted house from their youth. The majority of the series was the exploration of how vague wishes go wrong and how the girls respond to the following incidents. So much more could have been done.
Animation - 6/10
Animation is very average for the time. There were never any outstanding problems, but nothing worth positively noting either, aside from some nice character designs for the leads.
Sound - 6/10
The soundtrack was nothing special. There are a few insert songs sung by the characters that were okay, but again not very noteworthy. On the other hand, the characters had a good voice cast who fit the personalities perfectly.
Characters - 6/10
Another selling point of a SOL series is the characters, and the studio does a solid job here. They are likable, but as with so many SOL characters, they are cookie cut archetypes with no development.
We have the lead, Natsumi, who is the athletic and capable girl of the group. Saki is quiet and cool, but passionate about her friends (as the series often says directly, but I'm not so convinced). Then we have the over-the-top energy ball Yuka, who has big dreams but low motivation. Finally, the quiet, silent type Rinko with obscure interests rounds out the group for the full 4-girl SOL cast.
To me, they cause a lot of easily preventable problems for themselves, are oblivious to solutions, and are an all around pretty unintelligent lot. I understand they are just in middle school, but it still is a little troublesome. Otherwise, they are likable enough, but you've seen them all before if you've watched more than a few series.
Enjoyment - 6/10
This was the type of show where you want to scream at the characters not to be stupid. It had its charming moments, but by the "touching" end I had unplugged all emotional investment and was ready for it to stop. It is somewhat saved by the couple of episodes in which situations arise that show the (somewhat lacking) character of each girl, and how they think among themselves to achieve the best outcome.
Other Thoughts
With sixes across the board, I recommend looking for another similar series to spend your time on. Natusiro Kiseki is by no means bad, but it just isn't that good either.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Aug 25, 2013
A four-episode OVA series that should soothe any weary heart.
As always, my reviews are spoiler free.
Tamayura is a slice of life that consists of only four episodes, telling the story of Fuu Sawatari and her life as an aspiring photographer. Tamayura is directed by Junichi Satou of Aria, one of the most acclaimed SOL series of all time. It is called a "healing story", and this description is quite apt considering the atmosphere presented in this too-often overlooked series. This series was created before Tamayura: Hitotose, but actually takes place inside of Hitotose's timeline. I would advise watching these
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OVAs first, however.
Story - 7/10
Sawatari Fuu is an amateur photographer, trying to capture the moments of happiness around her with a camera left to her by her father. These moments of happiness, called "tamayura", appear as light orbs when the subjects of a picture are especially content. She is surrounded by her friends and family as she goes about her daily life and photography.
As a SOL series, the story is very basic. However, as anyone who has watched Aria knows, Junichi Satou is able to create a remarkably peaceful world that the viewer can fall into and relax. The story is more extensively explained in Hitotose, which has a more definite beginning; keep this in mind as you are dropped into the middle of the story already taking place. If this is something that bothers you, go ahead and watch Hitotose first.
Animation - 8/10
The style is somewhat reminiscent of Kyoto Animation titles. The character designs are very soft and cute, but still have a fair amount of detail. The backgrounds are well done, and especially diverse for a series of this type. Generally, a SOL is restricted to just a few areas like club rooms and bedrooms, limiting the amount of work that has to be done. However, Tamayura explores a much wider array of areas, and rather than the usual small town city scape Tamayura presents a traditional Japanese town with beautiful architecture. I understand that many of the locations visited in the series have real life counterparts that they are designed from.
One interesting thing the entire franchise does is show still "photographs" that have been taken, and while these are technically not animated at all, I enjoyed looking at them being interested in photography myself.
My main complaint with the animation is the character detail when not close up. This is a very common animation issue even in otherwise beautiful shows (check out the background characters in the TV and Blu-ray releases of Madoka). It's pretty easy to overlook though.
Sound - 6/10
While Tamayura has a peaceful backing soundtrack, that is all it has aside from a slightly above average OP. The tracks are commonly repeated if you listen closely. The voice acting is done well, but there is nothing of particular note to set this series apart. The soundtrack might be nice to play while going to sleep or studying, perhaps.
Character - 7/10
Like dozens of other SOL series, the main cast consists of four girls with several reoccurring side characters. What sets Tamayura apart is the focus on Fuu and her life. While the other characters are explored more in Hitotose, the theme remains that they revolve around Fuu. This is actually a refreshing change, as it sets a more defined theme for the story than others of the same kind.
The cast consists of Fuu, who is kind, softspoken, and a bit airheaded. She can occasionally get herself into a bit of trouble with her enthusiasm for photography, ending up in some compromising positions and locations. Her friends are all likable, with the very quiet Maon, the boisterous Norie (who reminds me of Usagi from Sailor Moon), and the level headed Kaoru. They don't have much time for development in these 4 short episodes, but they are better explored in Hitotose if you find this series and the characters agreeable.
Enjoyment - 8/10
This series is able to set a beautiful atmosphere and setting, just as Aria did before it. It has a theme, photography, that keeps the story flowing to some degree. This combined with an easy to love cast makes for a lovely series when just trying to relax and escape life for awhile.
Other Thoughts
Tamayura is succeeded by Tamayura: Hitotose and the currently airing Tamayura More Aggressive. They follow the same tone, but are 13 episode series that give more time to the side cast as well as explaining Fuu's life in more detail. I would strongly recommend them if you enjoyed these short OVAs.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Aug 24, 2013
Tamako Market may be derived from the same recipe as KyoAni's other SOL anime, but its taste is a little off.
As always, my reviews are spoiler free.
Kyoto Animation, the makers of the wildly successful Haruhi and K-On! series, realized something a few months after K-On! finished airing. Cute girls doing cute things (afterwards CGDCT; call it "moe" if you want to, that's another argument entirely) really sells. The following seasons, and to the day that this review is being written, there have been dozens of series that tried to ride the CGDCT wave all the way to the bank. Most have tried
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to stand out from the crowd by adding a unique flavor, but in the end it's obvious that they are just trying to scrape up a little more of K-On!'s success. Most have faded into obscurity, but one that is just trying to keep its head above water is Tamako Market.
Chief among the culprits of these "copies" are KyoAni themselves; aside from K-On!! (more ! means more seasons), they released a continuous string of SOL/CGDCT (or CBoysDCT in Free!'s case) with Kyoukai no Kanata being the only break in sight. Among these was Tamako Market, the subject of review today.
Story - 4/10
To begin, here is the short and simple premise: Tamako is a high school girl whose family runs a mochi shop. One day she meets a talking bird from a faraway island who is in search of a bride for his prince.
Let's put the premise aside for a moment though.
SOL anime are very difficult to approach in the story category. Rather than a near-objectively good story (such as Steins;Gate) or near-objectively poor story (such as Skelter Heaven), a SOL story has a "feel" to it. A personal favorite of mine is the Aria series, giving an overarching sense of serenity as the characters go about their lives in a beautiful setting. Even when restricted to high school life, as so many SOLs are, one can find much better "feelings," such as Azumanga Daioh or Hyouka. Each has their own unique charm or interesting characters that draw the viewer in. The problem with Tamako Market is that it doesn't have charm or interesting characters.
The charm that it tried to present was a combination of the talking bird, Dera, and some manor of suppressed romantic subplot around Tamako. Neither one is anywhere close to interesting enough to save the biggest problem in the series: the characters.
Animation - 7/10
KyoAni is not one to slack on the animation budget. All of their recent works are above average in the animation and art department, especially Hyouka. However, compared with each recently animated series, Tamako Market gives off a "good enough" feeling. Those backgrounds are "good enough." Those side character designs were "good enough." That fluidity was "good enough." It's hard to fool a KyoAni fan when they see what the studio is capable of with releases such as Disappearance and Hyouka. Even the previous season's Chuunibyou was leagues ahead.
Overall, the series is below average effort from a far above average studio, but it looks as good or better than most comparable series.
Sound - 7/10
The backing tracks were good and upbeat. The OP was catchy and fun. However, the real thing I want to mention here are the voice actors and actresses. This series used many brand new seiyuu, and they did a great job. They need to get more roles.
This was well above the standard of most similar series, but still not up to the bar of K-On! or Hyouka.
Character - 3/10
This is where things really went wrong. Let's do a roll call...
The main cast:
-Tamako, the world's densest girl who is always smiling and optimistic to a near-creepy degree. She loves nothing in the world more than mochi, which is probably why she can never notice the obvious advances of her friends Mochizou and Midori. She has no other features at all.
-Kanna, who is as poker-faced as Tamako is smiley. She does not appear to have emotions or react to many stimuli. She is just a token friend.
-Midori, the closet lesbian. She shows obvious romantic interest throughout the series that Tamako never notices. Other than being token friend #2, she tries to "protect" Tamako from the romantic advances of others, as if she needs more protection than her denseness.
-Dera, the stuck up bird comic relief. He will be very polarizing, with some viewers loving his aloof humor and others hoping Dera hunting season will soon open in Japan. He also has a video-phone feature.
-Choi, the bride hunting brown girl. She arrives in Japan from a small island kingdom, coming after Dera. She is often harsh for no reason, especially to Dera, as she is his handler. She can use him in some sort of divination ritual. She believes Tamako may the bride for her island's prince.
-Mochizou, who likes Tamako too. He is from the mochi shop right across the street (capitalism ho!). He constantly tries to confess to Tamako, but it is like trying to explain your love to a rock.
The supporting cast consists of many characters who are mainly family members or store owners. They all serve their sole purpose to populate the world or fill a space in the story.
If you think I am summarizing character personalities, I'm not. I have written full biographies for each of them. They are incredibly boring.
Enjoyment - 3/10
I did not enjoy Tamako Market because of the boring setting and the "feeling" I talked about earlier. I've seen hundreds of similar shows, and Tamako Market falls right into the "average" category. The only reason it hasn't been forgotten like other K-On! chasers like A-Channel is that it was made by the same studio.
Other Thoughts
KyoAni is one of my favorite studios, but I think they really dropped the ball on this one.
There are many, many better CGDCT/SOL shows that you could watch. Do yourself a favor and give this one a miss. Take a look at K-ON!, Aria, Hyouka, Chuunibyou, Tamayura, Haruhi, Yuru Yuri, Azumanga Daioh or any other of the dozens of better series of this nature.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Aug 22, 2013
An enchanting short series that exploded in popularity for good reason.
As always, my reviews are spoiler free.
Little Witch Academia was created by a small team at Studio Trigger under Japan's Young Animator Training Project. In only 26 minutes, it told a story that was able to captivate an audience large enough to donate over $625,000 to create a sequel.
Story - 7/10
It is very difficult to tell a compelling story in 26 minutes. One could argue against that by saying that there are thousands of single episode arcs that tell a good story. LWA differs from these greatly, however. In these 26 minutes, it is able
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to introduce a cast of characters, a setting, and a solid plot, whereas most episodes already have the cast and setting established.
LWA's story is simple yet charming; Akko sees a witch perform at public event, and aspires to become like her. One time skip later, she and her friends are attending a magical academy studying to become witches. In these 26 minutes, they face rivals and monsters, form friendships, and even throw in a bit of comedy.
Of course, the story is not especially deep, but it is tremendously done for how short a period of time it is.
Animation - 9/10
LWA has some of the best animation of any series, let alone a short made by a small studio. It has a beautiful color pallet, superb character design with great detail and shading, and stunning backgrounds that totally immerse the viewer in the setting. On top of this, LWA has nearly perfect fluid animation (best appreciated with 24/120hz playback or SVP).
Sound - 7/10
LWA has a very strong voice cast, but has little opportunity to prove itself with a soundtrack. However, the few tracks that are included do well. I will be very interested in seeing a larger soundtrack upon the release of LWA2.
Characters - 6/10
With the allotted time, a full cast is introduced, each with their own personalities and quirks. While many are close to cookie-cutter stereotypes (Akko being the ambitious underdog type, Diana the talented and stuck up perfect girl, etc), we get a few interesting characters such as the gloomy looking yet mischievous Sucy. Her potions are a source of comedy and defense.
It was quite the cast for such a short time, with some 12 episode series having less interesting characters.
Enjoyment - 9/10
Any anime fan should devote a few minutes of their day to see this light-hearted short by Trigger. The fact that it was able to inspire fans to fly past the target monetary goal should be reason enough for you to give this show a chance.
In short, you get nearly all the fun of a half-cour series in just 26 minutes. It can be found for legal streaming all over the internet, so you have no excuse not to watch it 30 seconds from now.
Other Thoughts
Not much to say here. I'm looking forward to LWA2 and Kill la Kill, with the hopes that Trigger can prove themselves to be a strong force in the anime market.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Aug 22, 2013
A "diverse" series that manages to accomplish far more than one might expect.
As always, my reviews are spoiler free.
When you look at the cover of Kiddy Grade, your first thought might be, "Oh look, scantily clad women with super powers fighting bad guys. I think I've seen this one before." You might laugh at the mecha, ecchi, and sci-fi tags and never watch it. The title might even scare you away.
To some degree, you would be correct in your thought. Kiddy Grade is about scantily clad women with super powers fighting bad guys, after all. There are robots, space
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ships, pseudo-science, super powers, guns, and panty shots. I have no idea what Gonzo was thinking when they titled it. The first episode throws it all out on the table in one big mess, and anyone would be taken aback. But slowly, it finds a way to tie it all together into a series that deserves a lot more praise than it normally gets.
Story - 6/10
With a mix of episodic plots making up several different arcs, Kiddy Grade tries to tell a lot of stories at once. Give me just a moment to compare it to a crowd's favorite action series, Black Lagoon.
Like Black Lagoon, it relies on action to keep you watching. Neither show is character driven, and neither is driven by a deep and complex plot. Both series accomplish their goal of sucking you in with action, albeit in different ways. Black Lagoon is about guns, and while there are more than a few times that you have to suspend disbelief, it has its feet firmly planted in the world of reality. Kiddy Grade, on the other hand, is not bound to our reality in any way. It takes full liberty with this, as you can see by all the tags. The first episode really hits it hard. Receptionists fighting robots, then boarding a spaceship for a fight with a gang of criminals, posing a pizza delivery girls? You read right, and I think a lot of people would close MPC or turn off their DVD player right about now. I wouldn't blame you. But give it a little time and things drop into place.
In a nutshell:
Éclair and Lumière are agents for the Galactic Organization of Trade and Tariffs (GOTT) and they go on a number of different missions, escorting officials and keeping order on problematic planets. They regularly interact with other agents of the GOTT, with whom they are on mixed terms. Eventually, however, a mission goes wrong and the GOTT is after them. During these arcs, there are sometime single episodic plots.
Like Black Lagoon, it is not very strong in the plot department. So why a 6, and not a 4 or 5? Black Lagoon uses the bounty hunter roll to tie the gunfights together, with the crew encountering events and people who drive the short mini-arcs. Kiddy Grade does the same thing, but with the tie of being agents, then criminals, of the the GOTT. Black Lagoon is more relatable, but in my opinion Kiddy Grade is more interesting and creative if you are at all a fan of science fiction.
After the first episode, things quiet down a bit. There are no more absurd pizza delivery outfits. The fights have better explanation and follow-through. You are exposed to a massive, diverse world of science fiction throughout the series, but it comes in much more manageable doses.
It can get a bit dark and serious, but it carries itself lightly throughout most of the series.
Animation - 7/10
Released in 2002, the series looks good even today. The action scenes are all fluid, and the character designs are very nice. I enjoyed all the uniforms and costumes you encounter throughout the series. If I was to have one complaint, it would be the minimum amount of effort put in the backgrounds.
On fanservice... yes, it's there, no doubt about it. There are a few times it's a little too blatant (like that terrible first episode), but it doesn't really detract from the series overall. I would go as far as to say many action series have more.
Sound - 6/10
It's really nothing too special, good or bad. The sub and dub have equally good casts (early Hirano Aya and Monica Rial). I'll push it from a 5 to a 6 since it has a great voice cast for both languages.
Characters - 8/10
The heroines are Éclair and Lumière, who are given a surprising amount of back story for a series of this nature. Éclair's power is pretty basic: super strength, reflexes, etc. She's a tank. She is enthusiastic, short tempered, and excitable. Lumière has the power to take control of electronics, which has some cool applications in the series. She has a strong love of grape juice and serves as the level headed partner. They really make a great pair, with a lot of chemistry between them as partners (and maybe more, if your yuri goggles are on tight enough).
There is great arc explaining their pasts and how being an agent for the GOTT works. This is more than can be said for most action driven shows, expecting you to swallow a one dimensional character. It takes awhile, but the pair becomes well developed. The same cannot be said of the side cast, but they are interesting enough and perform their roles adequately. The main pair of villains (who I will not mention due to spoilers) are fleshed out quite a bit as well.
Enjoyment - 9/10
I feel as though I gradually explained it throughout this longer-than-expected review. To sum it up:
-Great pair of heroines who are well developed and work very well together
-Interesting setting once you absorb it
-Fun plot that smooths out over time
-Creative story tying good action scenes together.
Other Thoughts
I've really been rambling long enough, but...
Give it a few episodes before making a call. The first one is pretty over the top, but the series really does deserve a chance.
Thanks for reading (this longer than intended) review.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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