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Oct 20, 2020
Both the plot and theme are tired retreads, and the new characters are also nothing we haven’t seen before. Because of this, the story plays out very predictably and at no point was I surprised. But the movie does have its moments. It was fun seeing the team dynamics of Naruto, Shikamaru, and Sakura, and I always love seeing what new team combinations the anime gives us. It also includes one of my favorite characters, Gaara, and Kankuro, and these two give us what I think are the best fight scenes in the movie.
Overall, while there’s nothing particularly engaging about the film, it does have
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a few redeeming qualities that keep it from being a chore to watch.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Oct 20, 2020
I have no idea why this is titled Episode 0, as that just seems unnecessary and confuses the timeline, but still I’m happy this exists. More Nichijou in whatever form I can get will always be a good thing for me.
This continues in the same wonderfully random, illogical vein as the series, but somehow plays out slower and takes its time more. It’s as if this is Nichijou Light, a more palatable version of the main meal, and maybe that’s the reason for its existence. To test the waters. To prep the audience. (I’m just speculating, of course.) If you like the series, then
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you’ll like this OVA.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jun 19, 2020
Summer Wars is part family drama, part sci-fi adventure. It tells the story of a family birthday reunion alongside a hacking debacle in a virtual reality world used by everyone.
Kenji Koiso is hired by Natsuki Jinnouchi to pretend to be her fiancé in front of her large family and formidable grandmother. While there Kenji integrates into the family in a rather strange way by working alongside them to put an end to a problem in Oz, the virtual reality they all participate in, that is currently wrecking havoc in the world.
I went into this completely blind and came out of it pleasantly
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surprised. It was definitely not the movie I was expecting, and not the “wars” I was imagining. As the summary above mentions, it combines two story elements that you wouldn’t think to normally combine, and the resulting experience is an interesting one. Though I mostly enjoyed it, I have mixed feelings about the unlikely pairing.
On one hand, adding the sci-fi aspect to the family drama, infuses the latter with a certain level of energy and freshness and adds a touch of lightheartedness to it that precludes too much melodrama. It also serves to move the story forward. In line with this, adding some family drama to the sci-fi escapade, gives the sci-fi element more weight, contextualizes it, and raises its emotional stakes.
On the other hand, however, placing the two together is incongruous enough that it can sometimes feel like watching two separate movies at once. Plus because of the split in narratives, the movie is unable to focus on just one, resulting in a lack of depth to each to the storylines.
Personally, I would have preferred to see more of the family drama. I love how the movie portrays it as both charming and chaotic, and it makes me almost regret not going to more reunions. Every shot is filled with vitality, and my eyes always manage to land on some kind of activity happening in the background. A little bit of romance is added at end, and though it feels rushed and unearned, I’m not that bothered by it because I see it as just peripheral to the main story. The sci-fi half of it is beautiful and presents an interesting premise of worldwide virtual involvement and dependence, but that’s about it. It mainly follows a generic hacking plot line and doesn’t introduce the virtual world to us beyond its basic appearance and functions.
It’s a strange, wacky film that has some flair and heart to it, but it could have benefited from a deeper and longer exploration of many of its elements. There is some emotional resonance, but not enough to leave a lasting impression. And while I enjoy the off-kilter sense to it, it does not fully succeed in completely showcasing its two storylines.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jun 10, 2020
I’ll try my best to avoid spoilers, but this review might contain a few.
Death Note is about a student named Light Yagami who finds a notebook capable of killing people. What he does with that power results in a game of cat and mouse between Light and the people dedicated to stopping him and his newfound weapon.
When I first watched Death Note almost a decade ago what got me was the battle between the characters. Upon rewatching, Light’s evolution and that of the world around him were what I found most interesting. I think that’s part of what makes it so compelling, there
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are various aspects of it that can suck the audience in.
The battle of wits is, of course, front and center and is the main draw of the anime, and it does execute it very well until the 25th episode, which starts a shift in the direction of the story. From there, the reviews are mixed on whether the second half of the show is able to maintain, or even surpass, the first half. Personally I don’t think they are able to keep the momentum going.
The first half is great because, despite the seemingly endless cycle of one-upmanship, the main characters are fascinating enough to interest us, and we are given just enough time to become invested in them and their relationship, a relationship full of contradictions and parallelisms. There is an escalation of events that drives the story forward and a sense of progressively tightening tension. Even though there are sometimes leaps of judgment that challenge our suspension of disbelief, the main leads are convincing enough and have enough chemistry to keep us from going completely over the edge. I also like the addition of certain characters that some might find annoying because I think it breaks up what could have been a monotonous, linear story, and messes with the overall dynamics and opens up the story to more interesting events and opportunities. At first it did bother me because I was more interested in conflict between the leads, but I realized that, with something as highly prized and contentious as the Death Note, it would be unrealistic to keep the ramifications and consequences between just Light and L. Other people would eventually get involved.
As for the second half of the anime, I tried to like it. I really did. Initially I thought that the change would result in the further escalation of events and would raise the stakes even more. But what we get instead is a diffusion of tension. We go from the peak of Light and L’s battle to the bottom of the mountain again, this time with new characters we know nothing about. It fails partly because these new characters fail. In order for us to fully get on board with this new direction and find it just as compelling, we need to find these characters compelling. Unfortunately, they’re not. At least not enough. What do we get? Two mini Ls that seem like watered down versions of him. Even the parts they play in the story are not as well constructed as that of L’s. Instead of working together and creating greater conflict, they go their separate ways. One of them is woefully underutilized, and the other just serves as a retread of L and copies his game of one-upmanship with Light. As a result, the story also suffers, deflating the tension with its struggle to regain new purpose and momentum.
But while the battle of wits aspect suffers as the story progresses, the aspect of Light’s psychology and evolution doesn’t share the same fate. In fact I would argue that the latter becomes even stronger the more we get into the anime. Throughout the show, Light fashions himself as a crusader, a god whose purpose is to rid the world of evil and to build a utopia for those he deems worthy of life. But as we get further and further into the story, the conditions he places upon those he favors becomes more and more stringent. He starts with killing off criminals and those who commit “evil” acts. Later, he proceeds to threaten those who go after him, then moves on to those who oppose or defy him. It is also indirectly revealed towards the end of the story that he has plans of browbeating even those he thinks are not properly using their abilities to benefit society. It becomes clearer the deeper we get into the anime that what he’s after is not justice, but control, that what matters is not what’s right, but what he thinks is right. Whatever blood he has on his hands, that blood is necessary and made possible because you forced his hand, the classic “you made me do it, so it’s your fault.” This picture of an infallible dictator drunk on his own power is made more effective by the response of the people and the world around him. It paints a frighteningly accurate portrayal of the reactions we would have to this type of (abuse of) control. A world ruled by fear and vengeance, with people divided, some in opposition and others in support. A world where moral dilemmas are numerous: Is the killing of criminals important enough to spur action? Does the fact that they’re criminals make it alright? Is it okay to employ whatever means possible in order to catch the perpetrator of this crime? Even more fascinating is realizing the difference between how our main character sees himself and how his enemies view him. As previously mentioned, Light thinks of himself as a god, a martyr, the chosen one. Only he can do what is required to build a new world. This is supported by the divine imagery that abounds in the anime. But to some, as one character succinctly puts it, he is “nothing more than a serial killer with a god complex.” The contrast is stark and rife with conflict.
This depth of psychology, and even philosophy, is what I think saves the anime and makes up for the lagging and meandering second half of the story. It could have been a masterpiece had the new characters been just a touch more interesting and original, but nevertheless, it’s still a pretty darn good show.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jun 4, 2020
The Promised Neverland is part horror, part thriller/mystery. It centers on a group of orphans whose idyllic, wonderful lives are about to be shattered by a chilling revelation about the true nature of their world and their purpose. What ensues is a battle of wits that pits the children against the person they trusted the most.
My favorite part about the anime and what is most compelling about it is its themes. They’re set up in such a way as to mirror the structure of the physical world.
The orphanage aligns with the theme of cages and what they
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entail. There are those who rage against living inside it, and those who find themselves surrendering to it. One of the questions this anime poses is can you live a happy life inside a cage, bound and controlled? Furthermore, is it okay to be happy but only to a point and at the behest of others? Can we be satisfied with that? Should we be satisfied with that? In direct opposition to this, both thematically and physically, is the other side of the wall, the outside of the orphanage, freedom—a concept that poses its own set of problems. Is freedom worth it if it comes with the possibility of danger? Of pain and uncertainty? Is it worth it if it means fighting to survive and struggling to carve out a place in the world? By placing these two side by side, the anime creates a sense of tug of war and powerfully illustrates both the struggle and the divide between them.
Beyond the orphanage and the other side of the wall is the world that encompasses both of them, the world of humans and their overlords. This perfectly represents a system that lives off the backs of the subjugated, and functions and survives because of a combination of oppression and complicity. The two previously discussed themes also fit right into this world view, dividing the world into those resigned to this system and those fighting against it. And the struggle of the children in the anime presents the question of whether it is possible to overcome, to break free. And if it is, how? The answers, I think, are effectively communicated in the ending.
By giving these themes both literal and metaphorical shapes, the anime creates a tight, atmospheric world filled with contrasting motives, choices, and ideals. Compounding the physical obstructions with metaphorical dilemmas also ensures that there is a constant sense of multilayered tension. It’s not just a matter of whether they get caught or not, of being able to climb the wall or not; there’s also the problem of surviving the uncertainty of the outside world, of choosing to stay willfully ignorant and comfortable or braving the perils that freedom comes with.
Another thing I love about this anime is its protagonists, the children. I know that a lot bemoan the fact that they seem too mature for their age, but while this complaint does have some merit, I was able to suspend my disbelief just enough to go along with the story. Though they are not the most well-written, with the three main leads never growing beyond their archetypes and the rest just serving as an adorable background, I like how their youth is showcased and used in the anime. Because of their age, it’s fascinating to watch what strategies they come up with and what they make of the tools available to them. The use of play as training is an especially genius idea and distinct to them, since play in the real world is indeed used as a training ground for children to learn real-life truths and techniques. I also like how much respect the show has for the little ones. Too often people come to the mistaken conclusion that things have to be dumbed down for children to understand them, but this anime believes in their intelligence and capacity for understanding (some argue a little too much) and never underestimates them. It also shows and banks on a child’s ability to be constantly surprising. By using children, the anime also doesn’t have to try as hard to get us on the side of the protagonists because kids have a sense of innocence that makes most immediately root for them.
Unlike the protagonists, the central antagonists are particularly well-constructed, with Isabella and Krone as both representatives and victims of the system. Though they can be seen as the main villains, they are also cautionary tales. This makes us fear and pity them at the same time. They also serve as two points of tension. The first point comes from their role in the orphanage. The second point has to do with what their existence implies about the larger unknown world. Again, we have that sense of multilayered dread. Here, we don’t have the usual kids vs. adults trope, instead we get oppressed vs. oppressor and all the nuance that comes with this.
As for how the mystery unravels, this might be one of the weaker points of the show, as there are far too many “reveals” in my opinion that seem hastily put together. It’s not horrible, but it’s definitely not as well done as the thematic play in the show.
All in all, though it stumbles a few times, there’s much to love about this anime.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jun 3, 2020
Considering my opinion of the main series, I have mixed feelings about these three additional episodes.
On one hand, there are those who want a bit more closure and have come to love the characters. These specials could be just what they need, as the episodes delve further into some of the people from the main anime and attempt to tie up a few loose ends.
On the other hand, you have people like me, who enjoy Baccano! because of its seeming ambiguity and lack of a beginning and end. To me, it is not the actual content of the story or the characters that
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stand out in the original anime, it is the structure of said story and the way it’s broken down and put together. It’s about what that structure says about the nature of stories and storytelling. Because of this, I’m okay with the characters originally being, at best, functional yet distinctive. I don’t mind that they don’t have backstories, as that would just slow down the pace of the anime, especially since it’s just 13 episodes. The introduction of the specials creates, I think, a certain tonal disjointedness.
The bottom line is I see the main anime as a finished product and the specials as an addendum of sorts. To me, they’re an addendum that’s unnecessary and does not fit in with the nature of the original anime. But to some, they’re an addendum that has added value. Where you lie in this spectrum is up to you.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jun 2, 2020
Baccano! is a fun, frenetic ride. Pun very much intended.
My favorite part, and pretty much the reason for the score of 8, is the execution. First, I like that it’s set up as a commentary on storytelling and an exploration of story and character perspective. It starts off with multiple narratives, timelines, and characters, and we are inserted smack dab in the middle of things and are expected to sort everything out based on how things progress and how and where a scene is situated within the story. It relies on our innate knowledge of storytelling and trusts that we will eventually arrive at a
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basic understanding of the plot/s. It was a bit overwhelming at first, but once I familiarized myself with the characters and the different timelines, it became progressively easier to follow the premise. Second, I like that despite the various parties involved and the multiple storylines, it’s still able to build towards a satisfyingly chaotic climax. It feels like organized and properly directed frenzy, where all the interesting players and events come to a head in a bloody, violent explosion of motives and goals.
As for the actual content itself, the story is fairly straightforward and nothing I haven’t seen before. Is it something I’ll be thinking about well after the anime? No. But again the star here is the structure, how it’s told and understood. That’s why I don’t mind the the ambiguity of the ending. Closure isn’t the point. Even the lack of backstory for most, if not all, of the characters isn’t something that bothers me. They play their part effectively, and most manage to be distinctive enough to be entertaining. Would it have been better if the they were more fleshed out? Yes. But I didn’t go into this expecting that. To me, the point of this anime and the fun of it lies in the process of breaking down the nature of stories and working out all the pieces.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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May 29, 2020
The Skip Beat! manga retains much of what makes the anime so great. It’s still a silly, humorous tale about warped intentions and personal rebirth that, when needed, is not afraid to take on the deeper underlying issues. And it still has a stellar main character who has enough soft spots and hard edges to be engaging, and whose growth is central to and the driving force of the plot.
Because it’s much much longer though, the manga includes both positives and negatives that the anime does not. To start off, it’s able to explore the other characters more, giving the main people surrounding Kyouko a
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bit of life and dimension. It also paints a more all-encompassing picture of Kyouko’s character development, taking us further into the journey with her. The added length also allows the addition of more situations the characters can get involved in, which is a good thing if you want to see more of them, but a bad thing if you think it makes the plot meander a bit too much, especially since a few of these veer toward the more fanciful. In the manga, we also witness the blossoming romance between Kyouko and Ren, and again, depending on whom you ask, this can be considered a strength or a weakness. Personally, I consider it the former. It further showcases just how far Kyoko has come and builds on the theme of learning to love and be vulnerable again. I also like that it’s a slow burn, and we’re allowed to grow with the characters and their feelings. But I do understand why some people have a problem with it, as the romance does lean heavily on the usual tropes. It feels like an indulgence, but it’s an indulgence I welcome and enjoy. A problem that I do have though is with Ren’s character. Don’t get me wrong, I like him well enough, and he makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside, but I do wish they could have done something else with his supposed hidden history. It just feels like the manga is trying too hard to make him interesting at the expense of making the plot a little convoluted. I’m okay with him just being himself and not having a dark hidden persona to be afraid of. A character can be sexy without the affectation of danger attached. I also have an issue with some of the male-female interactions not being as progressive as I would like, but these don’t happen often enough to pose a great distraction. The last point of contention is the art style, which does admittedly look outdated, but I eventually got used to it, and it does get better as the manga progresses.
All in all, though Skip Beat! is not without its faults, none of them irritated me enough to stop adoring this manga. It’s definitely a sweet treat, and it’s my kind of sweet treat.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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May 28, 2020
This is an underhyped gem. Silly, charming, and often hilarious, it gets an A+ in both content and execution.
The plot revolves around a girl who, after ending a toxic relationship, swears revenge on her former love by entering show business. As she climbs her way to the top, she slowly rebuilds herself and regains her capacity to love.
This is a character-driven story, and it is an absolute pleasure to watch mainly because of the main character, Kyouko. She’s soft when she understandably needs to be, strong when it matters, gradually evolving, and always amusing. She constantly lives in a state of make-believe
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where there are both fairies and vengeful grudge clones, resulting in some of the funnier scenes in the show. Because she’s recovering from an unhealthy relationship, the anime also shows the times she’s most vulnerable and the moments when her damage causes her to feel and react in certain ways. In other words, she’s an entertaining mixed bag, with just enough quirks to be entertaining and just the right amount of edge to be relatable and sympathetic. The topic of toxicity in Kyouko’s connections with people is also explored through her thoughts and interactions and is not dumped on us right away; instead, it crops up here and there throughout the story, progressively strengthening the narrative and making it more meaningful.
Even though the anime chooses to go the lighthearted route, it’s still able to effectively make room for the more dramatic beats and seamlessly insert these into the storyline. And while it doesn’t showcase a realistic gritty portrayal of idol culture and show business, as it is more of a wish fulfillment fantasy, the main character’s struggle and growth ground the anime enough to make us, the audience, feel a genuine connection and investment.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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May 15, 2020
This is a beautifully told film with a consistent mood of both hope and melancholy. My only critique is that it tries to tell and be too many things at once. It goes from being a tale about single motherhood, to growing up, to finding one’s own path, to accepting change and letting go. That’s not to say a story can’t include all these things at once, especially since the mentioned themes all complement each other and go together, but in this story in particular, with its languid atmosphere and setting, I feel like it would have been better if we could have taken our
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time with each theme. It would have made an already impactful story that much more memorable. The abundance of themes also affects the pacing, which is mostly slow, but then rapidly speeds up at certain times to mark the passing of years, years I wish we could have witnessed more of. It gives the movie a sense of temporal disjointedness. It also confuses me from which perspective to view the story. At the start it is very clearly the mother's, though it is narrated by Yuki. This shifts as we go through the film, and more emphasis is placed on the children. Because these two perspectives are included, I feel like neither is given enough room to really shine.
At the heart of it all, it’s still an effectively made movie about humanity and the passage of time, but it could have benefited from having more time to breathe, settle, and develop. I wouldn’t have minded watching a first movie about the trials of raising wolf children and a second movie about them growing up and finding their own paths.
Or maybe the point is to leave us with exactly this--a feeling of wanting more, a feeling of "not enough" and "too fast," just like the mother in the story. Maybe. I'll have to watch it again with this in mind to see if my opinion changes.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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