"When you're enjoying yourself, doesn't that mean somebody else is suffering as a result?"
Every person in this world had wished to go back in time at some point; whether it be to fix a mistake or to experience an event again, it's all the same. Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo is about a girl, Konno Makoto, who obtains the ability to leap back into time. At the beginning, she uses her newfound powers for trivial things to make her life more fun and exciting. However, as she changes events that were supposed to happen, she creates more problems, uncovers secrets, and experiences more pain than satisfaction.
...
Through her course of actions, she learns that changing the past causes drastic consequences. As she attempts to fix her wrongs, it may be too late since "time waits for no one".
This is a simple story about a girl who learns that "with great power comes great responsibility". The beginning is lighthearted and joyful. It seems to be an ordinary slice-of-life. Somehow, she stumbles upon a device which allows her to time leap; however, she does not know she has this ability yet. After an extremely unlucky day, she accidentally uses her powers to prevent her own tragedy.
There are many questions that are not answered. As expected from a show about moving through time, there are many possible plot holes and unless otherwise explained, remain plot holes. Unfortunately, this show is no exception and contains many unfulfilled questions; about the characters and concept of time traveling.
The conflicts that arise for the protagonist, Makoto, are well developed. It greatly illustrates the butterfly effect of the chaos theory (for anyone interested in time traveling). For a simple explanation, it shows changing one small thing in the past can create a great change in the future. The conclusion was not satisfying. As stated before, there were many questions unanswered and the ending did not clarify much.
For a movie aired in 2006, there was not much expectations for the art, but it was surprisingly fresh and alluring. The animation of body movements was smooth and seemed natural. The designs of the characters were not extravagant but they differed and had their own unique traits that it was easy to differentiate among them. The setting is well-done and even people in the background are animated nicely. However, it was noticeable that some actions seemed awkward but they are usually short and can be overlooked. Whenever Makoto time leaps, she enters what I will call a "time warp area" which seems to illustrate the various timelines. Although this representation is nice, it was a drastic change in art style and elicited more questions about time traveling.
The music reflects the tone of the plot. As the plot progresses, so does the music. All the music choices were enjoyable and pleasant to the ear. Sound effects were detailed and placed meticulously at the right time. The voice acting was incredible and it was especially appealing to hear the emotions shown through the voice of the protagonist. It can be evident through the pitch and tone of her voice of exactly what she is feeling. Tension was also built by the absence of a lot of noise. By creating an almost silent atmosphere, the audience's attention is drawn to what the characters are saying.
Konno Makoto is an easily liked protagonist. She is innocent, fun, and outgoing. She is supposed to be the dynamic character, the one who learns something and changes for the better through experience. However, this change was too sudden and did not gradually happen. The beginning showed no growth and rushed it at the end.
Mamiya Chiaki is one of Makoto's closest friends. He is shown to be joking, playful, and stubborn. Although it may not be obvious in the beginning, he greatly cares for Makoto, her well-being and her feelings. However, later in the story, something is revealed about Chiaki that the audience may assume is a plot twist. The movie does take a few minutes to explain this but it did not settle well.
Makoto's other close friend, is Tsuda Kousuke. He is extremely friendly with everyone and is presented as the nice guy. With Makoto and Chiaki, the three of them form that perfect trio. They always hang with each other and have fun. Although Kousuke does not contribute to the plot until the end, his existence was necessary in order to move the plot forward.
Minor characters display a seemingly small role in the overall story but what they say at the beginning and the end of the movie is perhaps what completes the change for Makoto's character. There are many minor characters in the movie. Notable ones being, Kaho, Yuri, and Takase. Kaho is responsible for the change in the tone of the plot, Yuri is the person who reveals the change in Makoto, and Takase is the one who exhibits the consequences of Makoto's time leaping.
Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo was an enjoyable anime. The theme may not be original but the delivery is there. Consequences were the highlights of the show while explanations of time were the downfalls. The art was suitable and relatively delightful and sound was fine. Overall, it was -time- well spent.
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Nov 8, 2014
Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo
(Anime)
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"When you're enjoying yourself, doesn't that mean somebody else is suffering as a result?"
Every person in this world had wished to go back in time at some point; whether it be to fix a mistake or to experience an event again, it's all the same. Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo is about a girl, Konno Makoto, who obtains the ability to leap back into time. At the beginning, she uses her newfound powers for trivial things to make her life more fun and exciting. However, as she changes events that were supposed to happen, she creates more problems, uncovers secrets, and experiences more pain than satisfaction. ... 
Oct 27, 2014
Zankyou no Terror
(Anime)
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“Neither of us was needed by anyone before. I’m glad I met you.”
Two boys named Nine and Twelve are complete opposites; one has a warm smile and the other has a cold gaze. Zankyou no Terror is about the boys' acts of terrorism. Along the way, they meet Lisa Mishima, a girl who is bullied by her peers and lives with a paranoid mother. The plot is intriguing because the audience has to ask themselves: Why? For two boys around the age of seventeen, terrorism is no silly matter. As the story unravels, the viewers find out about their ultimate goal as well as their ... 
Oct 6, 2014
Am I the only one who thought this anime was going to have explosions and have a war-like theme? Yeah? Oops. With the title D-Frag!, I thought this would have something to do with a hand grenade. Nope. It's one of those one-guy-bunch-o-girls-in-club anime and I was putting it off until one of my friends suggested it, claiming it was hilarious.
Story: 8/10 Sigh. Not again... The plot definitely did not interest me at all. I've watched plenty of shows where a guy goes into a club with a bunch of girls in it, yadeeyada. Despite the synopsis being so bland, I found that the actual ... 
Oct 4, 2014
Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou
(Anime)
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Ah, slice-of-life. If you are not one to enjoy putting yourself into the character's shoes... well you should at least give it a try for this anime. Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou is quite different from other comedy anime because rather than having a continuous plot, it has various skits. I am not exaggerating when I say this is my all-time favorite comedy anime (I have not watched Gintama yet so maybe my opinion will change).
Story: 7/10 Although there is no real constant plot, Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou does not fail to implement various, entertaining scenarios. Each skit is not too short and most importantly catches my ... |
