Spotlight Anime: Fuyu no Semi MAL Anime Information Page: Fuyu no Semi MAL Score – 7.87 (by 2858 users) Ranked - #581 Popularity - #1439 For the next week I would like to have a discussion about the anime that focuses on the key elements that we here on MAL use to critically rate an anime: Animation, Sound, Characters, Story, and Enjoyment. I would like everyone to approach this thread as if you were going to write a review and structure your initial post like this: Animation - insert rating Sound - insert rating Characters - insert rating Story - insert rating Enjoyment - insert rating Animation - discuss any pros and cons of the animation styling used in the series, try to include some specifics. Sound - describe any of the things you liked or didn't care for in regards to the music and sound effects used in the series etc... If you are having trouble writing up a review or coming up with specific pros and cons, please don't worry. Just do the best you can with it and if you can only write two or three sentences about any of the 5 elements then that's OK. Not everyone here is currently at a level which will allow them to articulate their thoughts and opinions. After your initial post is made you can feel free to civilly discuss issues of contention. I am sure there will be many opinions expressed here that some of us will disagree upon and criticise and it is for that reason that this entire club exists. So I hope everyone has fun and I am really looking forward to watching this discussion unfold. RESULTS OF THE YOU DECIDE POLL Fuyu no Semi was NOT inducted into the club Anime list: 5 Yes - 35.7% 9 No - 54.2% 53 Don't know this anime - 79.1% of the total number polled 0 Abstained - 0.0% of the total number polled |
santetjanJul 26, 2011 9:46 AM
| You do not beg the sun for mercy. |
| I honestly don't see much difference between this and, say, Koi Suru Boukun, Level C, or even Boku No Sexual Harassment. It still has all of the entrapments of the general yaoi genre, which are painful in their simple stereotypes and pure unbelievability, with bad plot. Fuyu No Semi happens to feature very bad historical recreation. There are endless yaoi titles that do this, many better in the historical sense. If the argument is that this is the most exemplary Yaoi anime, I wound not only assert I believe this claim would go to Ai No Kusabi, but that this is silly, as the best example in the overall genre of Yaoi are all in Manga. The titles adapted into anime have all so far been extremely cliche examples devoid of realism or quality in plot and having large amounts of pandering for fundoshi and middle aged businessmen interested in yaoi, especially buying 440 yen magazines, I forget the terminology for this demographic. The aim is to make money, not create a high quality animation- this is often not the case for manga. Animation, Sounds, Characters and Plot are all utterly awful in Fuyu No Semi. It is barren of any saving grace. There isn't a Yaoi anime that is worth inducting, Fuyu No Semi is certainly not a exception. |
| It's time for my really convincing review on Winter Cicada. But first things first: the reason why I nominated this OVA. I'm not expecting, by far, this anime to be included in the list. However, I believe that the members of this club should - for the purpose of "tuning" our characteristics of critics - be exposed to all kinds of anime and of anime genres. BoysLove is one of the genres available. However, it's a fact that there are not good BL anime. However, out of this degenerate group, Winter Cicada comes out being one of the best, the top, the créme-de-la-créme of BL. And between being exposed to BL by some sad abortion like Gravitation and being exposed by Winter Cicada, I'd prefer everyone to go for my option. :p With this clear, let's go to the review, to the reasons why this anime distinguishes itself from the BL bunch. Animation: The art is modern and clear and the animation does its job. It is not original or outstanding, but it's fluid and well achieved. This, for a BL anime is already winning a great cause, believe me. A BL with good animation (ie. animation that meets all the average standards and fills its purpose) is so rare that I can nominate all the titles that have it. Sound: The sound effects are appropriate and the ED theme is, for me, very memorable. It's not the kind of song we see associated to anime, much less a BL (which prefers chewing-gum pop for the fluffy ones or dark instrumental themes for the angsty ones) The voice acting was excellent, but that's a common trait to most BL. Since most of these works are based off manga that already has drama cds before the anime, the voice actors are usually very experienced and very professional. The same applies in Winter Cicada. Characters: It's interesting to notice that these characters are carbon copies of the design in Haru wo Dateita, which makes the two series siblings. However, their personalities are very different. /irrelevant data The side characters are only minimally developed, only some traits are drawn for us to have an idea of who they are. But in here the ones who matter are the main characters. Their designs are imprinted and their personal traits are complex, human and believable. They may seem so, but they are not clichéd at all. They are a little bit real, I think. That makes what could be a common character that you see in any anime into a fleshed out creature. Their development is also very important and very well done. While the catalizer of their development is their relationship, each of them diverges and grows up in a different way. Love turned into obsession, dedication turned into despair. This kind of development is, believe me, unique on the BL setting. Usually all the development we have is "uke does not like seme, but grew to like him and now they're having sex" Story If we have to call something a cliché in this anime, let's call the story a cliché. Because it really is. It's just our usual Romeo and Juliet setting. However, and this is interesting because it was my first exposition to the theme, the historical setting is extremelly original and oddly appropriate to the characters and their dilemma. I hear that this is a common setting in BL manga, but this is the only "historical" BL anime and that's kind of outstanding on its own, I believe. As a side note, because this does not fit any category, it's essential to notice that this anime is practically devoid of the usual fanservice. "But it has sex scenes!", you say. True, but they are not fanservice. They are an integrant part of the development of the story. I dare to say that the last sex scene (ya, the amputee one) is there to tell us, to scream at us, to slap us, to say "this is not fanservice, this is just here to horrify you and to make you regret watching BL anime just for the sex scenes" Enjoyment A lot. This is one of my very favourite anime and I keep it very dear in my heart. I remember that when I first watched I cried so much that my mother even asked what was wrong with me (and imagine me explaining... "Mother, I was watching these cartoons about two guys falling in love T_T") But my enjoyment is clearly not a valid reason for the induction of an anime in this club! What is essential to retain here is that this anime is outstanding amongst a miserable genre. If we were to nominate an anime from each genre, only two (maybe three) would qualify in the BL genre: Winter Cicada and Ai no Kusabi. Consedering Ai no Kusabi did not age very well, I think the best chance is this one. On any case, all I wanted was that everyone watched it. Unfortunately I think I could not do that, but at least I tried, ne? :3 |
 Waratte Oemashou Sore ha Chiisana Inori |
| I was honestly pleasantly surprised at home much I enjoyed it. The animation was only average, the music was forgettable, the characters were all completely undeveloped except for the two main characters, and the story was predictable. But there was something just nice about the romance itself, how their love stood out from many, many romances in anime, BL or not - they actually had a connection, and out of that connection grew a bond that I could completely believe. Their love made sense. It wasn't some extraordinary girl and some completely ordinary boy who get together for no real reason other than it just being written that way. So I enjoyed it. I don't know if I will vote yes, but I'm glad it was definitely not a waste of my time to watch this. |
| "My tables-meet it is I set it down That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain." |
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