Back to ArianaVS's Profile ArianaVS's Profile

Baccano! was a great pleasure to watch. It had a hefty amount of action, some super-natural, and a bit of romance. The anime was able to pull off combining several stories that have various time spans. The jazzy score/soundtrack for the show was very fitting for all the scenes, including the opening theme. The opener really exemplified the characters' as well as the series' personalities (musically and visually speaking). As for the ending theme, it took several episodes for me to get used to because of the saddened music, which contrasted the overall feel of the show, and the visual ... effects (I was kind of creeped out by the floating heads mixed with the rippling water in the background). The pacing of the story was steady and balanced. It hadn't rushed in introducing the main and side characters, but rather all 13 episodes were used as introductions and ensuing masterful stories. Baccano! surprisingly did not leave me feeling overwhelmed from the amount of information emitted from the characters and their interactions and the differences/skips in the timeline.

Durarara!! x2 Shou had mainly the same qualities as the first series. There was only one reason why I had to lower my rating from a 10 to a 9. It was because of how the show added several new characters and groups and how choppily they were weaved into the plot, such as the Awakusu group. The writers of the series were clever in incorporating some contemporary supporting characters and groups that had been shown in one or two episodes of the previous show, but for the majority of new ones not much of an introduction was given, thus making it ... more unclear for me (I was even fully awake and still had to do some Googling for background information). I still enjoyed this continuation of the original, but I finished the twelve episodes feeling confused (this confusion may be fixed with the next series of Durarara!!). I'd suggest Durarara!! x2 Shou to anyone who has watched Durarara!!. (Words of caution: while watching the series, be sure to remain awake and try to keep tabs on all the characters and their interactions or else you might just end up being bewildered.)

The special episodes of Durarara!! did not contribute to the main plot whatsoever, but was able to portray the characters and their interactions in ways that were typical of them. Since the specials weren't a part of the main storyline, it made sense that a few new side characters were introduced for the two episodes exclusively. I also found there to be more light-hearted humor in the specials than in the anime. Overall, the Durarara!! specials have the majority of the qualities that make the anime superb and I would suggest it to anyone who has watched the Durarara!! series.

Durarara!! does a great job of combining several stories into one main one, a difficult task for animes all around. It mixes action with supernatural and a pinch of romance (a twisted kind for a few of the characters). The first opening and ending themes fit the personalities of the characters and the anime visually and musically (the music was super catchy to the point that I would actually smile and dance to it). The score/soundtrack for the duration of Durarara!! also fit with anime's characters and their interactions, especially the creepy portions. The first half of the show goes ... at a slow and steady pace in introducing the characters which may cause some to consider dropping it. But, for those who continue to watch, an excellent story with superb pacing awaits. (A simile/metaphor to put the pacing into perspective: the first half of the anime is like someone dangling a small carrot on a string in front of a rabbit, it lures the rabbit in slowly [but the rabbit can lose interest] then for the second half of the anime an even bigger and fresher carrot replaces the previous one and the rabbit is enthralled.) Rather than focusing the development on a few main characters, the majority of characters and their development are woven and intertwined effortlessly. In regards to voice acting (English dubbed version), Johnny Yong Bosch does an amazing portrayal of Izaya Orihara; he conveys the character's cunningness and malevolence (along with a possibly psychotic nature). Overall, (after the eighth or ninth episode) I was hooked to Durarara!! and I would suggest it to those who are interested in action and the super-natural as well as exquisite character development.

Steins;Gate throws so many curveballs that it was a little difficult for me to keep track. This was especially the case for the first episode (I had even considered rewatching this episode in particular just to wrap my head around the story and ease my mind, but the answers came in due time). Nonetheless, these curveballs and plot twists were all what made the show so thrilling to watch. I was at the edge of my seat for the first several episodes and for the last three, but the middle section had lost some of it's bite because it had seemed somewhat ... repetitive to me. I'm not sure if it was because I can be dense at times or because I didn't pay too much attention to love interests, but I was a little shocked by one specific curveball: a romantic pairing. Throughout Steins;Gate, it was hinted that Okabe had feelings for two of the female main characters with heavy emphasis on one more than the other (most especially in the opening). From the several scenes that exhibit these feelings, I thought to myself that either of the female characters would make a good pair with Okabe, but I assumed the that the one with more emphasis would be the one he ended up with. But, in true Steins;Gate fashion, unbeknownst to me, a curveball was thrown my way.

After watching the English dubbed trailer and film, I can honestly say that the 5 Centimeters Per Second movie exhibited the same cheesiness in the trailer. But the cheesiness wasn't what bothered me, it was how several background scenes that didn't really contribute to the plot were unbearably dragged (to me, their main purpose seemed to be to emphasize the drama and how good the animation was). Speaking of animation, the artwork from the characters to the scenery was well done (even the lighting was realistic). I liked that through the exquisite animation, 5 Centimeters Per Second implemented symbolism, but I didn't ... like that there seemed to be so much of it that I (and probably many other viewers as well) had felt somewhat lost. Though predictable, the ending had summed up the two main character's relationship well and had provided me with a sad yet satisfying closure (an unpopular opinion). 5 Centimeters Per Second was a great movie to watch, but anyone who chooses to watch it should be prepared for a plot that moves as slow as 5 centimeters per second, maybe even slower.

Studio Ghibli's Whisper of the Heart is a cute and slightly cheesy slice of life/romance film. The romantic cheesiness exhibited between the characters was more comedic than annoying (except for the ending). The main character begins to expand her horizons and fulfill her dream as she opens her heart. During this journey, a twist of the American classic, "Take Me Home, Country Roads", is sung and played several times, and does a good job of highlighting the protagonist's experience.

Porco Rosso is one out of Hayao Miyazaki's (and musically speaking, Joe Hisaishi's) many masterpieces. In Hisaishi's usual fashion, the score masterfully sets the mood of the setting and the characters. Along with the music, the playful sense of humor exhibited in the script and the characters' interactions brought me at ease. In the English dubbed version, Porco Rosso and Fio Piccolo are voiced by Michael Keaton and Kimberly Williams-Paisley, respectively. Both do a great job of portraying Porco's tough and cunning personality and Fio's innocent yet determined nature.

Wolf Children was a pleasant surprise. I thought it would be a clichéd and cheesy romance/sci-fi, but it turned out to be a touching coming-of-age/slice-of-life movie. Even though it's close to two hours long, the pacing remained excellent. Wolf Children centers on a mother, Hana, her relationship with her wolf children, Ame and Yuki, and the children's emotional and physical developments as half-wolf and half-human. The first quarter of the film focused more on her relationship with the children's father, which I thought could've been expanded on (especially with less "bestiality" per say). As I watched her transition and work ... her butt off as she became a mother of two rowdy yet adorable wolf children, I couldn't help but be in awe of her determination and the deep love she had for them. (Really, everything she did was for her children). As a genuinely hard-working character, it was hard not to silently cheer her on. She increased my appreciation to all mothers out there. The cinematography (mainly implemented in transitioning scenes) was creative, especially during the snow and Yuki and Ame's progression in school scenes. The score for the movie was a good fit; it implemented slightly muted vocals towards the beginning of the film, which was a unique take. After watching Wolf Children, I was left mostly content.

Though its plot is unique, Summer Wars has a slightly unoriginal concept with the online world of Oz. Though, I do love that Oz looks completely different than the reality within the film (it's as if a toddler's imagination exploded). Around halfway through the movie, the storyline seemed to drag to the point where I often paused the movie to check on the time, hoping the film would be over soon. I also found the plot to be predictable. The characters were also somewhat predictable, but this fact is overshadowed by their lovable and realistic interactions with one another. They ... emphasize the importance of unity and family relationships, which I think viewers would enjoy.