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Aug 5, 2022
When the demand for edgy characters become too great, we get something like this. I find it absolutely hilarious that Tomodachi Game (which refers to Friend’s Game or rather a Game amongst Friends) to exhibit something that is devoid of all friendship. The narrative from the get-go made no sense, if anything the characters or rather the narrative was completely driven by people who were either plain lunatics or simply overly eccentric to the point where they’d not only doom themselves but also the people around them because that’s just how much they hate one another.
The entire story made no sense, it was literally
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something fuelled by revenge which escalated into something more sinister, I found it absolutely appalling that the “management of the Tomodachi Games” to label Yuichi as some sort of supernatural talent with intelligence that matched his sinister nature to do evil or whatever nonsense they decide to conjure, the best part of it all is not only did the main character lack commitment to his “darker side” he was an absolute mess often contradicting himself as quickly as he could blink. Dude has a very persistent struggle with his own belief that Money is the greatest most important thing and yet he holds dearly to friends and friendships because the one person he cared about “inspired” him to believe in such farce. The best part of it all is the very fact that Yuichi cared so deeply for his friends and yet his actions and words always lead to him perpetuating what I would consider not only a severe case of Chuunibyou but a very twisted version of the Tsundere trope. I can’t say for certain if the main character is truly intelligent, since most of his opponents were pretty idiotic and made obvious mistakes along the way so much so that he always had the upper hand in most situations, the only time where he truly got stumped was the first game as he believed that they were playing as a group of friends but lets be real he already suspected the bs when they got abducted and thrown into some crazy facility to play a game that puts them further into the shit by accruing more debt. It was essentially a game for money that is meant to destroy friendships if he was truly smart then the entire series would’ve just ended at that very moment since nobody would actually fall for such a stupid game in the first place.
The art is decent, though the music wasn’t very inspiring or added much value to the series it was mostly monologues with some pretty intense faces here and there, if anything I applaud the voice actors in being able to stay serious for the characters given how they were written (it’s like watching clowns in a circus behave like monkeys and then they decide ok it is time for the next act) if anything having prominent voice actors can help to create more hype for the show and excite fans who are supporters of the VAs but I can’t see people actually enjoying Tomodachi Game at all but I could be wrong since the score is pretty high.
Needless to say…. I actually didn’t enjoy watching Tomodachi Game for the most part it was baffling and just painful to watch, none of the characters were likeable, we have some of the most common characters available here. The MC with plot shield and literally genius-level intelligence but his opponents are dummies so his level of intellect is actually irrelevant, we have the rich guy who is actually an idiot (though it would’ve been more interesting if they didn’t have the only decent person there who is the absolute dummy.) A guy who thinks that he is super intelligent and it turns out he is average at best and well 2 other girls 1 who is absolutely useless and the other who is just very boring. Having boring characters is one thing, having characters that are not likeable is another. Achieving both criteria is actually a very tough achievement and yet Tomodachi Game managed to accomplish such a daunting task.
But beyond all the bad let us take a look at what Tomodachi Game did well, in the sense of replicating psychological warfare then yes Tomodachi Game shines since the entire narrative banks on it. It was a mind game from start till end, some of the more complex topics that was touched on include the thought of suggestion, assumptions, human nature, individual intent/motivations, self-gain, revenge etc. < These are all good points that is well adapted into the Tomodachi Games however, the concepts are fine and at times thought-provoking but the execution sucked. You honestly wouldn’t really feel concerned for the characters since they’re pretty unlikeable and boring but more importantly it usually just focuses on the MC and that guy is literally the world’s greatest problem solver his acting can enable him to win multiple Oscars since all of his opponents seem to buy it. The funny thing though, is how he’s able to continually impress the game handlers since they should’ve researched him thoroughly and well having him under surveillance throughout the game should’ve given them hints instead of them proclaiming big realisations of what kind of person he is. I just found that very comical and nonsensical. There is decent drama within the show, which helps to provide some sort of motivation for some of the characters but not all of them if anything that helps to at least paint a plausible direction for the overall narrative but as it stands Tomodachi Game is really about a group of people who seriously hate each other but don’t want to admit it. Each of them love themselves more but are unwilling to admit it, the lapses in judgement and realisations are all over the place and this is me factoring in their decision making under duress but the general progression of the character’s decisions to the games, and ultimately to each of their individual actions are hard to understand. It almost feels as though the writer wanted to create some sort of big reveal at the end and got overly ambitious with the general direction of his/her story. I’d want to give this a much lower score, but there are elements that I liked even though I really didn’t like this series at all. So a 4 seems more than generous.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Jun 17, 2022
Being a fan of classical music, I guess it is hard to not be biased but perhaps one of the main reasons why I loved Shigatsu was the fact that the story was very simple but executed splendidly, this anime proves that you don’t need a thought-provoking idea or narrative to create an amazing work of art. Instead what you really require is simply good pacing, a logical flow and even something as basic as creating hints along the way to guide your audience towards your intended theme.
Shigatsu’s narrative never once felt overly complicated or unnecessarily lengthy, the story was simple, its focus stems
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on music and the characters overcoming their own struggles, personally Shigatsu is probably one of the few slice of life titles available that checks all the boxes to create a meaningful work of art that meshes comedy, drama, emotions and romance in a subtle yet effective manner that simply draws the audience’s attention. I really loved the fact that, the progression of the series started off in such a happy upbeat manner that started to unravel into something more serious as the episodes went on, the pacing for Shigatsu is impeccable in this specific regard as it has managed to deliver all the right notes to the audience to create a very impactful experience altogether. Whenever you watch something that leaves you begging for more, that is not only a strong indication of having created a masterpiece but also showcasing the author’s ability to deliver a compelling narrative that is simply irresistible.
Although the art could’ve been better I mean there were simple frames with no animation the overall feel to Shigatsu is nothing less than awe-inspiring. I mean it’s A-1 pictures, but I feel that it could’ve been taken up a notch, that being said it is still top tier stuff. Though the music on the other hand is a true masterpiece, literally I can’t get Friend A’s Theme out of my head and it will probably stick with me as one of my favourite OSTs of all time. It is no surprise that any popular anime has an amazing musical score, Shigatsu is no exception, with a theme that focuses heavily on classical music I have to say that at least 50% of the emotions generated across the series was solely dependent on the music alone. Sure, the animations were nice, the story was effective but what really made me love Shigatsu so much was how well the music complemented the overall theme of the anime.
It is also very rare to find an anime title where there are no unlikeable characters, every single character in lovable, relatable and meaningful to the overall story. Each with their own flavour to spice up the narrative. Honestly this is a very challenging task to accomplish.
I also really appreciated the level of depth that Shigatsu was able to bring, my take on it is simply to live life to its fullest extent wherever possible. Sometimes things work out, sometimes they don’t but you should never ever regret trying. It is never about doing a good deed to have it returned to you some point in the future, instead if your intentions are in the right place, it will by itself generate a ripple effect that influences and touches our surroundings to beautify everything around us. The moral of story, perhaps if you never try you will never know, instead of giving into despair perhaps it makes more sense to try rather than ponder on what ifs and potential probabilities.
Onto voice acting, I mean it may not be at the level of Anohana with every scene spilling with raw emotions, but it would not be a stretch to say that Shigatsu has a very stacked roster. From Taneda Risa, Hanae Natsuki, to Kayano Ai, Kaji Yuuki I mean the amount talent is just insane.
Drama within the series was well contained, paced and elaborated to create a fulfilling and meaningful experience for the audience. Personally, I felt that Shigatsu achieved something that not many ‘Drama’ themed anime’s could and that is to not over-dramatise its narrative and characters, every episode, backstory and even progression made sense, it doesn’t ever feel at any point that things happen due to plot convenience which is something that is actually very common and yet you won’t ever find such a scene in Shigatsu. Though its romance aspect was great, it probably could’ve been better at times it didn’t really feel like romance but instead a fulfilling friendship that blossoms out of a common interest, any other interaction that deviates from that helps to increase the emotional impact for the audience which was a very interesting take. Though more backstories could’ve helped to reinforce certain motivations to create a more fulfilling experience to enhance the audience’s overall perspective.
There are so many amazing quotes in Shigatsu but perhaps, my favourite one of all is
"I’ll show the world, just how amazing a Musician Miyazono Kaori is." - Arima Kousei
Needless to say, I absolutely enjoyed Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso, one amazing fact for this anime is once you’re done with the series you’ll actually appreciate the title a lot more. It is actually a very interesting play on words to be so direct by being indirect.
I mean, it is one thing to feel inspired by music but when you have actual characters whose purpose is to uplift the people around them, that is truly something very precious and irreplaceable, Shigatsu will probably be one of my most highly recommended titles from now on, not only for its narrative, honestly the music alone is worthy of your time.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Feb 27, 2022
To start off, I'll have to admit that bias is prevalent here mainly because I'm a sucker for cutesy romance and the typical slice of life. In general, they do not have to be extremely unique or fascinating but as long as they are done right I would consider it to be a very well accomplished work.
That being said let's go onto the actual review, Gotoubun no Hanayome is a harem style anime, that being said there are fundamentals that must exist for this particular genre to work. A blossoming romance, attractive characters and a call to action to create 'situations' for such interactions
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to occur. There is a pretty linear no-nonsense approach to the narrative that keeps it entertaining and that is the most base form of story writing. It tries to keep it real, the narrative may not be super interesting but it possesses a touch of reality within its characters that simply makes it a treat to watch.
Long story short, (our protagonist's family is in debt and they need the money, he stumbles upon a very affluent family and he has to teach the girls.) <--- This alone might sound pretty cliche or convenient but the way the characters interact with one another makes sense. The guy isn't particularly interested in the girls he merely sees it as his job and he tries his best to maintain his job for the sake of his family. Everything else is irrelevant. Whereas for the "girls" POV he is a nuisance that they've stumbled upon which requires time for them to warm up to this new 'obstacle' or even a more pointed change in lifestyle. The one I really enjoyed about this particular title is the fact that progression makes sense here, we often rely on anime to escape reality and there is nothing wrong with trying to find something relatable within a particular title.
Essentially speaking, having 5 girls who look the same but have differing personalities is anything but normal but if you were to see it through a different lens, what if the author's intention is not to have multiple girls (essentially forming the harem) but rather 1 girl with multiple personalities? It is just personified differently. The beauty of a harem is the ability for fans to choose the kind of pairings they like and this is done really well, 5 girls each satisfying different criteria.
Also, it always helps when the voice actors start pitching in for the Opening and Ending of the series because it just creates a more personal/interactive touch to the series. It just makes it way more enjoyable in my opinion. The music itself is very light-hearted, cheerful and warm which is extremely fitting.
Although the art may not be the most impressive thing out there, you're only here to basically feast on eye-candy "Namely the girls" although there are awkward angles I'm assuming these were "unique" scenes in the manga that the anime tried to stay faithful on. (Although it might not have the same impact as the Manga, there is always bonus points for effort. That is until you really make a big mess of it HAHA.)
It shouldn't come as a surprise that the main cast is voiced by pretty well-known voice actors who are pretty established within the industry each of which matches a specific flavour and have tried to make the characters their own.
Although romance may not be the most outstanding category, there are signs of progression which is always a key factor for slice of romance/romance combo. Progression beats regression anytime and the fact that they've incorporated comedy so marvellously should not be overlooked.
Needless to say, I absolutely enjoyed The Quintessential Quintuplets the pacing was great, but perhaps it would've been better for them to have a longer season. The saving grace, however, is that there is already a 2nd season.
I'd say that this series is worth a solid 9.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Feb 12, 2022
"When given the chance to redo your past decisions, a chance to start over what would you do?" I'm sure when faced with such a possibility many people would jump at the opportunity for a do-over. Especially if they are having a tough time in their current station. But would we stop to consider the underlying implications of our decisions should we actually indulge in this once in a lifetime opportunity?
Bokutachi no Remake does a really good job at outlining and narrating the story of a 'good-natured' person when given the chance to vie for a different path, the story may not be the
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most original or thought-provoking but it shares a unique spot within the anime industry as one that emphasises heavily on "Time". Although somewhat similar to that of ReLife, Boku Remake takes a different approach and focuses heavily on the butterfly effect. From a narrative point of view, Bokutachi no Remake may not have the most compelling story but what helps it stand tall amongst many other titles is its emphasis on a very lovable cast.
Each character is well-written with their own quirks and issues they need to overcome which is indicative of that of life, we all have our challenges to face and in the face of adversity what do we do? [What this anime does well is, when faced with an obstacle do we face it head-on or find a way around it? Confrontation or Avoidance, are two sides of the same coin, without giving too much away that would probably be the best short description I can think of.]
The art consists of many cute characters and surprisingly, watching an anime including "anime characters" within their own world is pretty cool, and they are all aesthetically pleasing which is always a good thing. The music utilised throughout the series suited the theme of the anime really well. From critical moments, emotional scenes or even just emphasising the situation the sound team really did a fantastic job in setting the mood for the series, having all the components work hand in hand to create a lasting impression is not easy. The musical arrangement was done really well as it complements the progression of the story and the characters which is a very challenging task.
Needless to say, I absolutely adored Bokutachi No Remake I'm just a little bummed out that there isn't a season 2, probably a good time to pick up the light novel given how the anime ended. But what really shone brightest to me for this particular title is how great each character was written. It is not a stretch to say that, having 0 unlikeable characters in an anime that focuses heavily on character development and the interactions of said characters is a near-impossible feat. Yet Boku Remake has achieved it, which absolutely blows my mind because through the 12 episodes I was trying to find things that I could nitpick and complain about but from my perspective, there were no major flaws. Although the anime is a little slow, there were 0 wasted episodes as the story progresses logically and fluidly, although I felt like there were moments where the emotional scenes could've been more intensified I have to say that the voice actors did a pretty stellar job from comedic scenes to emotional ones not only were they complementary to the mood and music but it felt very natural. I don't always try to factor in realism within animes but whenever they are applicable they add that extra bonus and value to make the work of art that much more enjoyable.
Sure the narrative could've been more interesting, the drama could've been more intense or heck even the romance could've taken a notch higher but overall. The depth that Bokutach no Remake brings for its audience is something that will cause many to pause and reflect upon. That alone is worthy of a score of 9.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Dec 30, 2021
This review contains spoilers.
Every once in a while you'll stumble across anime with OP MC's but what could be more annoying than an OP MC? That's right an MC that doesn't really do much or do anything at all for that matter. Four episodes in you really get to see a guy riding on the coattails of other people doing all the work but somehow gets all the recognition for it. Sure he has admirable intentions but that's just all that he does. He lacks the ability or skill to go beyond that, even his so-called ambition was fuelled by someone else although he
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does bring some value to the table as the series progresses it really doesn't justify the "royal treatment" he receives.
With that, I'll now elaborate a little more on why I've given Grancrest Senki a score of 5.
For starters, the narrative is rather simple yet it somehow manages to still be rather unclear on the overall objective of its storytelling. Although the story is pretty linear there were interesting elements within the series to keep it entertaining, the existence of crests, the nobility system as well as the incorporation of magic-like beings. With crests are the most important aspect of the show because everything revolves around it. However, there were one too many instances of what I would classify as "convenient coincidences" such that it removes most of the intensity or value of the entire narrative.
For the art style and music preference, I would consider them as the better elements for Grancrest Senki, although they were not game-changers they helped to make the series somewhat bearable to a certain extent. However, what really killed it for me was the lack of interesting characters. Don't get me wrong, Grancrest Senki is an anime that introduces at least 20 characters yet only a handful of these characters remain memorable. There were probably many aspects that weren't properly adapted into the anime because of how incoherent the motivations of certain characters are. It just felt a little too rushed in my opinion.
Needless to say, I didn't really enjoy Grancrest Senki but there were moments where it was actually pretty good, the introduction and conclusion were severely lacking and the best bits were somewhere in between the entire series and unsurprisingly there weren't related to the main characters because of how bland they were.
Another point to note, there is some depth to be derived from the series as a whole from the motivation of certain lords to the eventual conclusion of Grancrest Senki there were many interesting areas that could be discussed in further detail but unfortunately, still insufficient to carry the narrative.
The pacing of the show was pretty weird, there were moments that felt a little too rushed, either from a very weird transition from one place to another. Because of its fast-paced nature, the audience will find it very challenging to appreciate the characters and because there is such an extensive list it becomes an even greater challenge to appreciate what is actually happening. In terms of highlighting the seriousness of war, it has done a really good job. But the flow of the series in general feels rather mismatched and somewhat out of place.
The voice acting is passable, there were no real standouts perhaps that is because most of the characters casted by the VAs were not well-written characters. Likewise, the show is very predictable, wherever the MC goes he is triumphant and remains victorious because he gets carried from start till end, nothing ever changes and somehow he is revered as a godly figure.
The romance in Grancrest Senki is passable, but I would consider it to be rather lacking (Only because it has romance as one of its tags. Otherwise I wouldn't even point this out.) The story itself feels a little disconnected from building an actual romance but perhaps that is just my personal bias because I have very high expectations for romance themed anime.
Overall Grancrest Senki is passable, for a war-themed anime but there are clearly better stories out there. A score of 5 seems rather harsh but for 24 episodes to achieve what it did feels extremely underwhelming.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Dec 20, 2021
Okay, I have to be very honest here, there are way too many tags that I love involved in this specific anime so much that it is extremely hard for me to not be biased towards it.
But let me attempt to be impartial, in the very beginning the series starts out rather slow but it doesn't take long for it to ramp up and gain traction as the characters start to grow on you.
First thing's first, the narrative for Tasogare Otome x Amnesia is actually something very simple but executed masterfully, as you progress through its 12 episodes you will discover that the
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story isn't particularly thought-provoking, in fact, you can consider it to be linear but somehow it works. What I mean by that is the ability to hook the audience and entrance them to stay for more and to actually desire to know what comes next. Also, it doesn't hurt that the art style and colour schemes were really mesmerising, honestly, it's been quite some time since I've been exposed to an amazing display of colours that meshed so well within an anime. And for a title that focuses on horror, there were elements that helped it to maintain a degree of eerieness, creepiness that unsettling feeling that is just about right. And yet, with the ability to incorporate light bouts of humour to keep the show light-hearted. The music worked well with the theme of the anime serving as the perfect complement to an already amazing work of art.
Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed this particular title, not because of the many checkboxes it has managed to fulfil in my anime criteria but rather its ability towards storytelling, evoking emotions, the right use of the environment and specific angles to create an exciting experience. That being said, there were also areas that could've been improved which would've easily made Tasogare Otome an easy 10.
However, not to take anything away from it I'd like to elaborate a little on why I absolutely adored this particular title.
In terms of the characters set in this world, it is actually very challenging to create a series where no characters are hated, but for Tasogare Otome it has achieved a very impressive feat of focusing on the main heroine and having her shine as the true MVP that carries the series forward. I mean just look at the title, there is no other way to oversell than that but the most important factor involved in the fact that it didn't oversell in fact the creators achieved the exact intended results of what was being advertised. Truly there aren't many animes out there where the MC has such a big impact on the series, most rely on side cast to create a lasting impression or to build up the MC. Tasogare Otome is one of the few gems that literally revolves around the main heroine and the entire narrative is all about her. But somehow the character is written in such a charismatic way that as the audience you cannot help but feel for her and want to know what comes next. Imagine being so invested in a character where all the others are mere sidepieces and serve only as extras. That is what has been achieved right here.
I also appreciated the human thought experiment put into action here from a mere theory, although it could've been my personal interpretation. That being said, everyone has their own take but for me, Tasogare Otome has been an exhilarating experience, one with heartbreak, realism and even a sense of regret. Depth is derived not just from the way the characters are portrayed but through the narrative as a whole and how everything falls into place in unison to create something meaningful. This really made me ponder the ingenuity of the title Tasogare Otome x Amnesia, at face value that probably doesn't mean much to the generic audience but as you start to delve deeper into the world that has been constructed and understand what is truly happening you'll start to unravel how masterfully the play on words are and how it all face in place so perfectly to create an amazing work of art.
I really loved Tasogare Otome, albeit the pacing could've been better I have to give credit when credit is due and that is fulfilling most of the tags that it sought to achieve, horror, romance, alongside a very meaningful narrative that will leave most of the audience feeling a sense of loss. it is heart-wrenching when it needs to be, romantic when it matters and even heart-warming at the most critical stages of the show. In a sense, this anime has already cleared 3 big criteria for a successful adaptation.
1 - A solid narrative with fantastic character development and world-building
2 - Amazing art, music and voice acting
3 - The level of depth derived for the audience to ponder (debate and even discuss)
And yet I still find myself inspired by many other aspects that made this anime great, the list could go on and on but then I would just be monologuing. But to sum it all up perhaps in these next few sentences.
Tasogare Otome x Amnesia had just enough edginess and horror elements that would beat most of its competition based on the unsettling vibes generated, although comedy wasn't an area of focus it helped to reduce the tension because perhaps there was a disconnect between what the authors wanted to achieve (was it to create a true horror masterpiece or focus on building a romantic story with horror aspects?) That being said, the romance within this Anime will impress most slice of life, rom-com anime lovers like myself out there. I really had zero expectations coming in and was left begging for more it really is one of the rare titles out there that an anime lover like me stumble across every once in a while, I am sure this will remain amongst one of my top recommendations for many others to come and I'm just so happy to have been able to enjoy this fantastic experience.
So if you're reading this, what're you waiting for? It is time to watch this amazing work of art!
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Sep 29, 2021
I'm starting to believe that anything Studio Ghibli touches would be nothing less than amazing.
This makes me wonder, what I've been missing out on, by not binging their content, days on end but perhaps if I did, I wouldn't enjoy it as much.
Mononoke Hime as the name suggests may not be something pleasant when we do a direct translation (Princess of Yokai's or something along those lines, but when we really get into it, try to delve a little deeper into understanding what it means. Suddenly, the world that the film is set in expands, that paints such a lush and luxurious environment
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that one cannot help but be astounded by its grandeur.)
It could be just me, but because Studio Ghibli always has a supernatural or fantasy-like theme the narrative is never dull or boring. From the very beginning, conflict arises and it sets the tone for the film, within the first 10 minutes Mononoke Hime already possesses such a powerful attention grabber that it leaves its audience captivated, begging for more. Though on a more serious note, what makes the narrative compelling is, beyond its supernatural setting, it leaves hints of reality in between that leaves the audience questioning their own perspectives on what is truly right? What is truly wrong? Does it matter? A narrative is not successful just because it is entertaining, a narrative is only successful if it can translate entertainment into something meaningful and I believe Mononoke Hime has done a fantastic job portraying Human's and their interaction with Nature. Without giving too much away, I would suggest watching this through our own eyes, formulate your own perspective and then contemplate what is really happening within the film from the specific perspectives of the involved parties. Would you have done something similar or different? Why and why not?
Hayao Miyazaki and Joe Hisashi have basically been the gold standard within the Anime Industry for as long as I can remember, I have not yet stumbled across anything from them that is anything less than splendid. The quality of their work is simply stellar. Can you imagine what it takes for a duo to complement each other so well? An amazing story is one thing, but having the perfect music to set the theme, environment and create that imagination is something else entirely. When I think about it, it baffles me how such beautiful works of art can come to be, if this was the end product what did these amazing creators envisioned? Would it have been something much more spectacular? I guess, only time will tell.
Although I enjoyed Mononoke Hime a lot, there were still areas that I felt could've been improved. Being whimsical is good and all, but where do you draw the line between comic relief and actual annoyance? The carefree nature exuded by some of the characters really made me reflect on my own perception of the people around me, although this might not have been the best example I can come up with, I just wanted to say that the characters probably could've been fleshed out a little more, many areas left me baffled by their intentions and actions.
However, the depth from this film is simply extraordinary the main takeaway I got from Mononoke Hime is "Cause & Effect" what we do, will have implications for all of us, it could be present, or future it might even relate to the past. But when you look at the entire picture. Everything will come full circle in the end. Human intentions, whether out of goodwill, greed or perhaps an over-glorified sense of justice was it truly for the sake of others? Or perhaps it was just to attain one's self-fulfilment? There were many questions circulating my mind whilst watching the movie but the main theme "Cause & Effect" remained as the only constant that stayed true till the end of the film. I would like to discuss more, but I would be giving away too much for it to be a meaningful experience. But truly, understanding human nature is probably one of the hardest things in existence and something we have failed to grasp time and again. If we require a clean slate whenever the majority does something wrong, and rely on a select few to right the wrongs are we perhaps too far gone?
The pacing for Mononoke Hime made sense, there weren't any areas where I felt that it was too slow or fast in fact it felt seamless everything flowed really well. Although there were areas that could've been expanded upon to paint a more complete image, perhaps these were elements that were left open for the audience to interpret it the way they see fit. Funny, the voice acting didn't actually felt overly impressive but somehow they fitted the characters portrayed in such a manner that it would've started becoming weird if it was done in any different way. Each character voiced, had its own charm be it obnoxious, charismatic, endearing or simply intimidating. It made sense, understanding that voice acting in Japan is actually a specialised profession (getting into character is one of the most important aspects of the profession and every single voice actor here nailed it flawlessly.)
The intensity of the film was really good, even as the story progresses there will never be a moment where the audience is certain that everything will work out. And mind you, I've been pretty accurate with my predictions on the direction of the series/films that I watch, but for Mononoke Hime, I was left wondering what would happen next? Because I really couldn't figure out the direction the narrative towards. That got me really really invested in discovering and experiencing what might be coming next. There are not many titles out there that can really challenge your mind in the way that this film does, and this is excluding content that pursues being different for the sake of being different. This is the type of content that does not shy away from being different to depict, elaborate and show you what it truly means to understand what is really happening. From self-realisation, discovery, sacrifice and perhaps indignation, are specific elements that facilitated the necessary drama to create such a compelling narrative.
Yet another amazing work of art by Studio Ghibli, why am I not surprised? But don't take my word for it. Go ahead and listen to the music if you're still sceptical about giving this movie a try.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Aug 15, 2021
At one glance this is a pretty generic fan-service type of anime, and you're right. That's the whole selling point of this entire series.
The narrative is clearly lacking in many departments, but it tries to make sense of what it has to work with. Imagine a world that you knew and were preparing for changed overnight how would you cope with it? Well, this anime kinda outlines it for you straight. You just get on with life instead of living in the past, and this is done rather well.
The art as you can expect would be pretty good for obvious reasons, and the
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music takes on a cutesy and catchy approach to draw the audience's attention.
I enjoyed this title, solely from the character interactions. They may not be the most detailed or fleshed out troupes but they are generally likeable. Even characters that are the supposed antagonists become relatable with if you really think about it. Although not the best representation, there are a few themes worth noting. From being forward-looking and resilient, these are just a few touchpoints that the anime does well.
The pacing was not the best, although there is decent progression there are random jumps in moods that can throw the audience off. Finally, I found the comedy to be slightly lacking (minus the awkward situations) it lacked the natural element for the series to thrive in. The background and atmosphere are carefree but it didn't have the elements to make it really funny. The romance tag was a big let down there were lots of teasing I suppose but it really falls short in checking this particular box.
What I would have really liked to see from this series was them delving a little more on a world without the supposed (Demon Lord) how people are really getting on with their lives and progress within civilisations. The backlash of unethical practices? There were a few areas that could have been explored more thoroughly.
It was certainly an interesting take but it really could've done a lot more.
A decent 7.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Aug 10, 2021
Death March is a pretty typical type of isekai anime in the sense that the narrative isn't extremely boring but it doesn't stand out much either. It is pretty average as far as Isekai-themed anime goes. And here is why the first episode tries to build in some random slice of life which typically most titles tend to do and then suddenly the protagonist is warped or transferred into a different dimension. We have seen many of its kind and every one of them felt weird or simply out of place.
If that was the direction the author intended, they should have started from a
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fantasy narrative at the get-go instead of a round-about method to avoid the simple intricacies of world-building and proper character developments. But enough with the negatives, let us discuss what makes Death March worthy of your time.
The narrative isn't anything amazing but it works, the slow pace and easy-going environment certainly deviate from most titles offered but it is suitable in this particular narrative. The art is not fantastic but that is not the main highlight, what really carried this anime was simply the overly-cute characters in them. The cute theme is very dominant in the narrative as it always revolves around the MC's companions. These are the main highlights to attract the attention of potential viewers or at least retain some of its existing ones.
The musical score used is not very obvious, in fact, it is easily dismissed. In terms of the Op and Ed, I wouldn't say that they left an impression either. It is pretty meh.
That being said, I actually enjoyed Death March mainly because of its characters. (You actually have Aoi Yuki stating the obvious Moe-ness) Although the characters are cute, there are some quality scenes with a decent amount of comedy. In an anime that isn't focused on fighting one can only focus on character interactions and the occasional situational response.
Death March does not have many annoying characters maybe a few, but almost every main character does help to make the story a little more entertaining and enjoyable. When placed in a totally unknown and ambiguous situation, we cannot expect to suddenly get a grasp of what is happening and this anime certainly does not use the likes of time skips to make the MC learn about the world or any nonsense relating to that. Like the audience, the protagonist is learning as well, which is a huge plus in terms of being realistic and shows good character writing. Additionally, his companions are not totally useless there are times where they actually contribute meaningfully which is actually really impressive given that most anime tend to rely on just the MC.
Although the voice acting could use more inspiration, it was still pretty decent. Unfortunately with a tag of adventure one might have expected at least some exciting fight scenes but most of the combat scenes were lacklustre at best. This title really relied on its character interactions to stand out.
A decent 7 I suppose.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jul 30, 2021
Mob Psycho is a pretty ambitious title with an original narrative that is intriguing and exciting, it starts slow but ramps up rather quickly. I mean, supernatural powers and action are genres that have been well established over the years but what makes an anime stand out against the rest? The style of its content execution, and Mob Psycho does this rather well. It first builds the world and slowly adds elements to help it make sense.
From the same creator as OPM you have already guessed it, the drawing style is roughly similar and is meant to be comedy fuel as you would
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expect. So don't really expect too much out of the art department, that being said I found the humour in this particular series to be rather lacklustre. That being said, there are moments that really shone throughout the series there just aren't many.
The score utilised to adapt the fight scenes is masterfully done to generate hype and there is a good use of music to build interest. Although I found Mob Psycho to be a bore in the first half with uninspiring characters, it really started picking up at the second half of the series. I never would have imagined that a character I really found to be so damn annoying would eventually become the character that I liked the most as the season ended. This is not done through some form of magical character development but rather, the individual characteristic alone. The fact that the character was written so well without any sudden nonsense spun across to make them likeable is indeed masterful writing by the creator. Unfortunately, there aren't many likeable characters here.
The pacing is good with progress every step of the way that doesn't feel rushed, the voice acting talent here really does showcase itself though. An amazing cast with many recognisable voices, but what makes Mob Psycho good is its action scenes when they occur. It is intense, engaging and simply a treat.
A pretty decent 7 that could've gone much farther had there been better characters.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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