Every year there are many good anime that many people miss out on. This may be because its synopsis seems uninteresting, or the key visuals seem bland, or maybe there were other anime from the same season that were more eye-catching. Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan suffers from the same problem as it basically went unnoticed. The key visuals don’t say much and it the episodes being short-length might’ve made people expect little from it. But Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan manages to be not only one of the most funniest anime of the year, but also simply one of the best anime of the year.
~{Story}~
The main
...
premise of the series is about the protagonist, Saiki Kusuo, being a teenager with psychic powers who wants to live a normal life, but can’t because of his powers… and he always surrounded by idiots! And that’s basically what the shows about. The entire story is about how Saiki tries is best to avoid any nuisance that follows him and tries his best to have a peaceful life. There is no real structure as the entire series is episodic. However, many episodic series tend to have an overarching or backbone storyline, like Cowboy Bebop or Gintama. However, Saiki doesn’t really have a main story, it just runs on its simple premise and makes comedic situations out of it. However, its comedic situations are hilariously written and feels genuinely smart despite how silly the comedy is. Most of these episodic stories end up being just as long as a short episode (4 mins), however, some stories can go up to a couple of episodes long or 5-episodes long so it’ll fill up an entire compilation episode (20 mins).
Story: 7.5/10
~{Presentation}~
Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan feels just like how a short anime should feel. It’s fast-paced which makes the series more consistently humorous, something short comedy anime have an advantage over normal-length comedy anime. Its production values are in between the quality of an average short series and an average normal-length series, and personally, it works well with these production values. As mentioned before, Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan is an episodic series that doesn’t really have a main story to it. But that’s also its greatest strength as it’s not restricted to follow anything other than its original premise and can do whatever it wants with its characters. Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan is a comedy series more than anything and it never takes any breaks with its humor. Every episode will have something to laugh to. There are a couple of heartwarming moments that compliments its humor and makes the series have a bit more depth too it.
Presentation: 10/10
~{Character}~
Most of the characters in Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan are absurd, idiotic, but a lot of fun. The protagonist Saiki Kusuo is a really enjoyable main character and he doesn’t take long in becoming interesting. He’s one of the very few characters in this series who’s not a total idiot, so his contrast with the other characters is always amusing. His commentary on comedic situation is always hilarious, and the fact that he never says a single dialogue himself (since he uses his telepathic powers to communicate), makes it even funnier. He is the straight man of the series, just like how Shinpachi is in Gintama. Every other character besides Saiki has some sort of mental issue to them that makes them total idiots, but that’s what makes all of them hilarious and enjoyable. Kaidou suffers from an extreme case of chuunibyou, Teruhashi is a narcissistic girl who simply can’t understand that Saiki has no interest in her, Nendou has the same amount of brain cells as a cockroach, yet he’s Saiki’s greatest opponent, and there’s many other characters in the series that have serious mental issues, but overall make Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan’s cast, a unique and hilarious one.
Character: 8.5/10
~{Art}~,
The art quality of the series is very good for a short anime, but below average when compared to normal-length anime. However, since Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan’s original structure was a short anime that aired every weekday, its art quality should be judged in comparison to other short anime. And in this case, Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan looks very good. Though its art pales in comparison to other anime’s art (which is one of the primary reasons why Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan couldn’t end up becoming popular), but the art style really matches the series quite well. It’s quirky use of color and simplicity is put into good use for the comedic moments. Also, the character designs are really unique. Saiki’s design, with his pink hair and limiter, is something you’ll rarely seen and it’s really eye-catching. And then there’s Nendou’s design…
Art: 7/10
~{Animation}~
And for a short anime, the animation quality is surprisingly pretty good, and it can be considered average for a normal-length anime. The fluidity for character movements is fairly good, and they get the job done. I mean, Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan isn’t really that demanding animations wise and despite it being an anime a about a psychic, it’s not an action anime so not much effort in the animations are needed. The backgrounds in the anime are a bit static and flat, but this is a common thing for short-length anime. But overall, the animation quality is very good for short anime standards, and feels much better than the poorly-animated ONA that was released three years ago (if you can call that ‘animated’ in the first place).
Animation: 7/10
~{Voice Acting}~
The voice acting cast in Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan is filled with well-known seiyuu, which isn’t very common for short anime. Legendary status seiyuu Kamiya Hiroshi voiced Saiki and he’s perfect at it. He does his character’s pessimistic and negative personality well, and considering the fact that most of the series is just listening to Saiki’s commentary on these comedic situations, I’m glad that someone as talented as Kamiya voiced Saiki. Shimazaki Nobunaga voices Kaidou and he did a really good job as the chunnibyou character. Though I might have preferred Eguchi Takuya from the ONA, Shimazaki is still really good. Ono Daisuke does Nendou’s voice and he’s perfect. OnoD is literally the best voice for deep-voiced characters, but he’s also a perfect match for characters who lack brain cells, just like Juushimatsu from Osomatsu-san. And there’s countless of other well-known seiyuuu that are part of this series; some major characters and not-so major. Seiyuu, such as Hosoya Yoshimasa, Hino Satoshi, Kayano Ai, Tamura Yukari, Hanae Natsuki, Maeno Tomoaki, Tanaka Rie, and even Matsuoka Yoshitsugu… as a cat. Overall, the cast of well-known cast does a great job with their characters and nail their comic timing.
Voice Acting: 9.5/10
~{Music}~
Just like most two-cour anime, Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan features two OPs and two EDs. The first OP used in the compilation episodes, “Seishun wa Zankoku ja nai” is a really good OP with great vocals… that doesn’t match its visuals too much, nor does it match the series as a whole. But it does represent the peace Saiki’s trying to achieve. The first ED used in the compilation episodes, “Ψ desu I LIKE YOU”, is the same as the OP used in the shorter episodes. It’s really good and it matches the wackiness of the series. The second OP, “Sai Ψ Sai Kouchou” is done by the same idol group that did the second ED and this one is, well… weird to say the least. It does match the absurdity of the series, but the second half of the OP just drastically changes and sounds weird. But it’s pretty catchy. The second ED, “Kokoro”, is sung by Hanae Natsuki (who also did the first OP) and it’s pretty soothing, (and it kind of has a feminine-style to its vocals). The background music in the series is lackluster. Nothing ever stands out, nor are they used to add a greater effect to the comedic situations, which is a shame since there’s countless of comedy anime that used their OST to add to the comic timing.
Music: 7.5/10
~{Enjoyment}~
Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan was a blast to watch from beginning to end. This series gave me more enjoyment than I originally expected from this series. It’s one of the funniest anime I’ve ever seen, and that’s saying a lot since comedy is my favorite genre for any medium. The characters are ridiculous and hilarious and Saiki with his commentary is absolutely entertaining. And the fact that HiroC voice acted him made things a lot better. As a matter of a fact, because of the great cast of seiyuu, this series manages to be a lot more hilarious. And the fact that it has no real story makes the series have a lot more freedom and not feel restrained by its own premise.
Enjoyment: 9.5/10
In the end, Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan is one of those unfortunate anime that got overshadowed by other anime of the same season, despite the fact that it’s a lot better than most of the stuff that did get popular this year. This anime is a treat for anyone who loves comedy anime as it is genuinely hilarious. Its characters are idiotic, but fun, including a protagonist that contrasts well with his surroundings. Supported by amazing voice acting and its episodic structure, the series manages to effectively create great comedic situations with great comic timing. If you haven’t seen Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan, then you should because it deserves a try. It may not be for everyone, but for those who had this series click with them, Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan ended up being a blast. Now, I can’t wait to see what this series has to offer in its second season!
+ Well-written comedic situations that are consistently humorous.
+ Absurd and ridiculously hilarious characters and Saiki’s commentary on the comedic situations are great
+ Lack of a main story makes the series feel less restricted by its own premise and go all out with its comedy.
+ Amazing voice acting, especially Kamiya’s voice acting for Saiki.
- The background music isn’t used to add a greater effect to its comedic moments.
- Production values are lacking when compared to the average normal-length anime.
Overall: 8.4/10
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Dec 31, 2016
Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan
(Anime)
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Every year there are many good anime that many people miss out on. This may be because its synopsis seems uninteresting, or the key visuals seem bland, or maybe there were other anime from the same season that were more eye-catching. Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan suffers from the same problem as it basically went unnoticed. The key visuals don’t say much and it the episodes being short-length might’ve made people expect little from it. But Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan manages to be not only one of the most funniest anime of the year, but also simply one of the best anime of the year.
~{Story}~ The main ...
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Dec 31, 2016
Gi(a)rlish Number
(Anime)
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Ever since the 11th volume of OreGairu was released, fans were heavily waiting for the next volume. For the last two years, the author of the series, Watari Wataru, has been working on many multimedia projects, including Qualidea Code from last year and Gi(a)rlish Number from this season. With Qualidea Code being average and with Gi(a)rlish Number looking like a “cute-girls-doing-cute-things”, many were keeping their expectations low. Luckily Watari Wataru uses the same formula that made OreGairu a success; a mix of heavy cynicism and characters reflecting on themselves. What originally seemed overused and generic managed to be some of the best fun you’ll get
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this year.
~{Story}~ The story revolves around Karasuma Chitose, a newbie in the seiyuu industry who dreams of making it big. With a narcissistic attitude and glowing with overconfidence, she manages to get her first main role in an anime. This point on, the story focuses on Chitose and her colleagues and how they get through the anime project while improving themselves. Slice of Life anime normally don’t end up being story-heavy and Gi(a)rlish Number is no exception. The story isn’t its selling point as rather it’s the commentary and characters. However, the story works well as a backbone for its characters and the situations the characters go through is amusing at times. The series has an arc-like structure to it, as it focuses on different situations at a time. The series goes from focusing on Chitose lack of proper voice-acting abilities to Kazuha and Momoka’s family issues. As the series continues, it widens up its scope and starts focusing on Chitose’s surroundings rather than Chitose herself. Despite the fact that the light novels are still continues, the way the anime ends off doesn’t feel incomplete. Even if Gi(a)rlish Number never gets a second season, this season itself is satisfying enough to be its own standalone. Story: 7/10 ~{Presentation}~ What Gi(a)rlish Number excels in is not its story, but rather its characters, and most importantly, its commentary to Japan’s entertainment industry. The series is full of jabs to the anime industry, the light novel industry, the idol industry and the seiyuu industry. Gi(a)rlish Number shows what Watari Wataru excels at the most, cynical writing that doesn’t hold itself back. Many of the writing showcases the harsher aspects of the anime industry, even though some of it is a bit nitpicky. As supposed to Shirobako that showed the anime industry and a hard, but fun place, and Sore ga Seiyuu that showed voice acting in a positive manner, Gi(a)rlish Number contrasts those tones with its narcissistic characters and their negative opinion towards those industries. However, just like OreGairu, during its second half it changes tone. The series slows down with is cynicism and focuses more on its characters and their growth. And this is when Gi(a)rlish Number ends up being a character-driven anime. Without moment like this, the only thing the series would’ve had was its cynicism. The pacing gives time for the characters to get fleshed out. However, there are times when the pacing can get a bit slow. Overall, Gi(a)rlish Number’s style and execution is something that is rarely seen in anime, and it makes the series feel much more unique. Presentation: 8.5/10 ~{Character}~ As a character-driven anime, it is necessary to have likable and relatable characters. Does Gi(a)rlish Number succeed in doing so? Not at all, since it wasn’t aiming for such a goal anyways. But do the characters still end up being great? Definitely! Most of the cast of characters are a bunch of careless narcissists and that are filled with self-confidence, particularly the series protagonist, Chitose. Chitose is exactly as what was mentioned previously, yet she manages to be a very interesting protagonist. Just seeing her being so full of herself manages to be satisfying because it rare to see a protagonist like Chitose. However, she ends up being more complex than she seems because she tries to improve and near the end of the series, she goes through a lot of necessary character development. But Gi(a)rlish Number isn’t just about Chitose but also about her surroundings. Chitose’s colleagues, Kazuha and Momoka are both characters that contrast each other. Momoka is still a teenager, but she has a lot of freedom due to her parents being busy and them trusting her decisions. Kazuha on the other hand is in her late twenties, yet due to her overprotected parents, she lacks freedom. There’s proper contrasting between these two characters and shows how age never represents one’s responsibility in society. Chitose’s other two colleagues, Yae and Koto are also both quite likable, but they don’t get as much character development as the other character do. However, due to these character’s characterization, development isn’t necessary. There’s also a bunch of other supporting characters that makes the series more enjoyable. Chitose’s brother, Gojou, has an entertaining dynamic with her sister that creates a lot of enjoyable and hilarious bantering between the two. The producer of the anime project the characters work on, Kuzu (coincidently he has that name), is a completely lazy and pathetic person, yet he’s immensely hilarious. His assistant, Towada, is used as a nice contrast for Kuzu. And there are many other characters that make Gi(a)rlish Number’s cast pessimistically cynical, yet immensely enjoyable. Character: 9/10 ~{Art}~, Diomedia is a mixed bag when it comes to their art quality and content. Mayoiga was a decent looking series (minus the CGI), but Handa-kun lacked proper detailing and the backgrounds were empty. Luckily Gi(a)rlish Number’s art is really pretty and, for the most part, consistent. QP:flapper’s character designs made for the light novels is well presented in the anime. There’s no doubt that the characters in Gi(a)rlish Number are good-looking and attractive, which makes it seem like as if it’s a “cute-girls-doing-cute-things” type of anime. However, these character designs contrasts with their characterization. But it’s not just the character designs that looks pretty, but the backgrounds too. They’re not the most detailed, but due to the color palette of this series being very vivid, the backgrounds end up looking very pretty. Also, the series tends to blur out its backgrounds or the sides to make the art have some sort of photographic feel to it. In photography, these are known as bokeh or Gaussian blurs, and they manage to make the art look stylish and modern. Art: 8/10 ~{Animation}~ Just like it’s art quality, Diomedea’s isn’t known to be consistent with their animation quality. However, Gi(a)rlish Number’s animation quality is very good for most of the time. The fluidity in the character motion is really good, and some slight additional animations are given to characters, such as wrinkles in clothes or hair movement. However, these detailed animations aren’t anything too special. There are moments when the fluidity in the character movements drop, but they’re nothing too bad. The backgrounds aren’t too static and has some animations to it. One pretty impressive thing is that vehicular moments aren’t CGI and are well animated. The series uses a lot of still shots which is primarily used so the studio has less animating to do. These aren’t too bad as they don’t tend to be distracting, and they’re never used when characters are speaking. Animation: 7.5/10 ~{Voice Acting}~ For an anime about voice acting, it would be pretty embarrassing if the voice acting quality of this series wasn’t good. Luckily that’s not the case. Senbongi Sayaka (who’s starting to get more main roles for anime… what a coincidence) voices Chitose and she does an excellent job with her character. She gets her narcissistic character right. There are moments when Chitose’s character poorly voice acts in an anime project, and her seiyuu manages to make the voice acting sound as cringeworthy as possible successfully. Oonishi Saori does a great job at portraying the level-headed Kazuha and gives her character a mature voice. She also does her character’s Yamagata dialect well. Momoka is voiced by Suzuki Eri and she does a very good job with her character, despite being a relatively new seiyuu. Koto’s voiced by Ishikawa Yui, who is best known for her role as Mikasa from Shingeki no Kyojin. She does a good job as her character and she does her Kansai dialect really well. Hondo Kaede voiced Yae really well and her voice matches her characters. But the most impressive voice acting comes from the supporting characters. Gojou’s seiyuu, Umehara Yuuichirou, does a very good job with his character and his mature voice plays well with his character. Kuzu’s seiyuu, Nakai Kazuya, is one of my favorite, and he does a splendid job in making his character as irritating as possible, while making the character hilarious. Eguchi Takuya, who’s also one of my favorite, does a good job as Towada. Interesting fact: Matsuoka Yoshitsugu plays as a character called Matsuoka Yoshitsugu in Gi(a)rlish Number. Voice Acting: 9/10 ~{Music}~ The music in Gi(a)rlish Number is also quite good. Both the OP and ED is sung by the main cast, Senbongi Sayaka, Ishikawa Yui, Hondo Kaede, Oonishi Saori, and Suzuki Eri. The OP, “Bloom”, is really good, an it contrasts well with the actual tone of the series. The ED, “Ima wa Mijikashi Yume Miyo Otome” is retty catchy, though it starts and ends off with unmeaningful (but catchy) lyrics. The group also sings two insert songs in the series and they’re both decent. Unfortunately, there’s not much variety in the background music, but what’s there is good. The music that is played whenever things are in an upbeat mood, or if Kuzu is spurring out bullshit, is pretty good and I like how the tempo changes depending on the current mood. For example, when Kuzu has a discussion with other executives, when his ideas get rejected, the tempo slows down. When he comes up with another idea, the tempo goes back to normal. Music: 6.5/10 ~{Enjoyment}~ Gi(a)rlish Number was a blast to watch from start to finish. The pacing might be slow, but the character interactions and their take on the entertainment industry was always fun to watch. Gi(a)rlish Number proves that you don’t need likable characters to have good characters. As long as they’re interesting to watch, it doesn’t matter if they’re a scumbag of a character or not. The character development in the series is adequate and the contrasting between some of the characters are well done. I’m a sucker for cynical stuff (hence why both OreGairu and Hikigaya are in my favorites), so anime like Gi(a)rlish Number immediately click with me faster than Killer Queen. Enjoyment: 8.5/10 In the end, Gi(a)rlish Number is what I would come to expect from Watari Wataru. After the disappointment of Qualidea Code and the indefinite hiatus of OreGairu, Gi(a)rlish Number was a treat for both OreGairu fans, and those who’ve never seen Watari’s work before. With a good mix of both cynicism and character development, the series manages to know when to waste time taking jabs at the anime industry and when to actually give some depth to its characters. The interactions between the characters are hilarious due to many of the characters’ narcissistic and over-confident behavior. It’s a shame that a series like this is basically going unnoticed or people are skipping over it since the synopsis and key visuals don’t look particularly interesting. But if you haven’t watched Gi(a)rlish Number yet, it would be best to give it a try and see if it’s your type of anime. + The cynical and pessimistic comments towards Japanese entertainment and their industries are great. + Great characters that contrast each other and have adequate character development. + Genuinely hilarious that doesn’t rely on slapstick, with entertaining bantering between characters. + The voice acting done by the seiyuu is reall good, especially for the supporting characters. - Not much variety in the background music. - Pacing can get a bit slow at times. Overall: 8.0/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Dec 23, 2016 Recommended
You though Stardust Crusaders would be the last of the JoJo adaptations, but it was me, Diamond is Unbreakable! Jokes aside, the adaptation of the next part is finally over after a 39-episode run. David Production has proven to be a very loyal studio when it comes to adaptations. For the last couple of years, David Production have been working on adapting the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure manga series written by Araki Hirohiko into an anime format. After doing an adaptation for the first three JoJo parts, David Production has adapted the fourth Part of the series, Diamond wa Kudakenai also known as Diamond is Unbreakable
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or… Diamond is not Crash if that’s what you prefer. Though Diamond is Unbreakable isn’t quite popular in Japan as to let’s say the previous part, Stardust Crusaders, or the next one, Vento Aureo, it’s still well respected. However, in the west it is much more popular. Diamond is Unbreakable is my personal all-time favorite JoJo part… even more than Steel Ball Run. But does this adaptation manage to be perfect like the previous parts? Well in all honesty, this might just be the least loyal JoJo adaptation from David Production, yet it’s better than most adaptations of this generation. That says something…
~{Story}~ The premise in Diamond is Unbreakable is just as simplistic as the previous part. The story revolved around the town of Duwang, um, I mean Morioh and how after the presence of an arrow that can give people the ability to use Stands, Morioh is now filled with an ever-growing amount of Stand users (both enemies and allies) and it’s up to Josuke and his buddies to handle this issue. However, within the Stand users in Morioh hides a serial killer who targets women in the town (well their hands to be precise) and the allied Stand users must work together to stop this hidden serial killer and protect Morioh. First of all, unlike the previous and the upcoming JoJo parts, Diamond is Unbreakable takes place in one town and never leaves this setting. The characters don’t go on an adventure all around the world, nor do they take a month to get to Egypt. It’s just one town with one goal; to protect Morioh. Diamond is Unbreakable is known as the slice-of-life JoJo since its more about the characters fooling around while there’s Stand users to handle every week. Despite the fact that Diamond is Unbreakable is written in a smaller scale and that its initial premise is simplistic, there is no doubt that this part is the most interesting part story-wise, when compared to the previous parts. Even when compared to the future parts, it’s still better than all of them (though Steel Ball Run is on the same level). The first half of the series is simple fun, but once the main antagonist gets introduced, Diamond is Unbreakable ends up becoming an intense and somewhat unpredictable cat-and-mouse chase. Despite the fact that it’s not as large-scaled as Stardust Crusaders, its climax ends up being a satisfying fight that uses more strategy than brute strength. Diamond is Unbreakable proves that bigger is not always better. Story: 10/10 ~{Presentation}~ David Production has always managed to be the top of their game when it comes to loyal adaptations and they proved so with the JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure series. They manage to capture the style and essence the manga has. David Production is so loyal about the adaptation that they even write out the sound effects in the series. But not only are they loyal, but they’re also dedicated to the series. Whether animating the meme moments in proper quality, or changing up the OP to match the antagonist’s ability, these little things show how much David Production cares about this adaptation and how they’re not making this anime simply to cash off from the fame the manga has. Diamond is Unbreakable is adapted in full glory here, especially with David Production changing up their art style to what the manga series ends up being. Starting from the fourth part, Araki changed up his art style from the original gritty, gar, and manly art style with tank-style characters, to the new vivid, stylish, fancy, fashionable art-style with skinnier characters. Despite the art style change, it still feels like JoJo. You still have those epic sound-effect text, disproportional poses, epic one-liners, cool battle cries, and the weird alterations of color and lighting. However, due to the length of Diamond is Unbreakable being 11 episodes less than Stardust Crusaders, yet the manga being a volume longer, some tiny moments ended up being cut out. One or two lines from each episode would get cut out and some comic relief moments too, but they’re nothing bad enough to be noticeable. These cut outs are similar to Phantom Blood’s and Battle Tendency’s. Presentation: 9.5/10 ~{Character}~ JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure never falls behind with their characters and Diamond is Unbreakable is no exception. As a matter of a fact, Diamond is Unbreakable has the best JoJo cast I have ever seen, with every character feeling likable and fun. Josuke is a fantastic protagonist with a fantastic personality. He’s my favorite JoJo, just right after Joseph. He’s the perfect mixture of Joseph’s lightheartedness and Jotaro’s chillness, while having Jonathan’s gentleman personality to him. With him having a running gag about how he can’t tolerate someone making fun of this hair, to him showing his dedication towards protecting Morioh, Josuke proved to be an all-rounder. Stardust Crusaders is completely gone as Jotaro is part of the main cast in Diamond is Unbreakable. He’s just as important in this arc as Joseph was in Stardust Crusaders. Throughout Part 3, Jotaro have more of a fixed personality and in some way, he was a bit bland, however Diamond is Unbreakable makes his character have more personality and feel more enjoyable. He still cool and relaxed, but he’s also wise and makes some jokes too. This might be due to him being a decade older than he was before, but either way he’s a lot more interesting. And then we have the JoBro of the part, Okuyasu, and he’s just as dumb as most other JoBro’s, but that’s what makes him fun. His unintentional humor makes the series feel more lighthearted and fun to watch. Every JoJo part always has that one little kid that plays some type of role. In Part 4, Koichi is one of the main characters of the series and he really grows on you. He originally starts as a kid that kind of ruins the fun by describing everything that goes on (I’m looking at you, Speedwagon… but you withdrew coolly). However, managed to be a lot more badass than he originally seemed, and he can be quite smart too. And then we have Rohan… Araki’s self-insert. A mangaka who also joins the gang later in the series and he easily is the most interesting character besides Josuke and the main antagonist of the series. But with all said and done, the character that truly steals the show and the one who ends up being the best and most complexly written JoJo antagonist ever, is Kira Yoshikage. Simply put, he’s weird yet normal, awkward yet cool, and a scumbag yet likable. From his hand fetishes to his will to stay in Morioh and continue his hobbies, Kira proves to be an absurd, yet believable character. With his appearance coming late in the series after many buildup, all of it gets payed off. Character: 10/10 ~{Art}~, As mentioned before, David Production did an amazing job in adapting in Diamond is Unbreakable’s art style. In the previous parts, the series had a more darker look to it and the characters were the size of a football stadium, in Diamond is Unbreakable, the art is much more brighter and the characters don’t look like as if they bathe in steroids. Though the previous parts used that art style for its charm, Diamond is Unbreakable has its own charm, one that gets used in the future parts too. The previous parts used to alter its color palette at times to add a greater affect. Diamond is Unbreakable does that too, but it happens a lot more often. And this are sometimes colored in an unnatural way for style, such as the sky being purple or yellow at times. Despite the art having so many good qualities about it, its undeniable that the quality is pretty inconsistent. There’s some moments when character models were lack proper detailed or look deformed, especially if the characters are shown from a greater distance. However, the series makes up for it with its killer close-ups and some of them have a better quality than what was in the original manga, such as the close ups for the Stand, Killer Queen. Also, any issues with the art quality are being fixed with the Blu-ray and DVD release. Art: 9/10 ~{Animation}~ The animation quality is really good in Diamond is Unbreakable, however when compared to Stardust Crusaders, it is a bit lacking. The thing about Stardust Crusaders is that it originally started off with mind-boggling animations that seemed like as if David Production is a masochist and they enjoy putting too much detail into the tiniest things. However, as the series went on, the animation quality started becoming normal. Diamond is Unbreakable starts off from the normal quality of Stardust Crusaders, however, this quality remains the same throughout the series. There are some moments when the animation quality gets inconsistent and things aren’t as smooth as they should be, but Stardust Crusaders also suffered from the same issue. You won’t be able to expect anything legendary from Diamond is Unbreakable’s animations, but you won’t be disappointed either. Animation: 8.5/10 ~{Voice Acting}~ The recurring characters have the same seiyuu as they original had. Josuke’s seiyuu in the anime is different from the one that played him in the video games. And with these 39 episodes, it’s clear that Ono Yuuki is the perfect match for Josuke. He gets Josuke’s delinquent feel right, while making him a nice and kindhearted man. Also, he says “DORARARARA” the best. Ono Daisuke returns to voice act Jotaro, and he does just as good of a job as he did in Stardust Crusaders. He manages to make Jotaro feel a badass and you will never get enough of that “ORA, ORA, ORA”. Okuyasu’s seiyuu is the same as the one that was used in the games. Master of delinquent voice acting, Takagi Wataru does a great job in making his character sound like a complete idiot, while making him likable. Koichi’s seiyuu is also changed and the game’s seiyuu wasn’t used. Though I was kind of disappointed that Romi Park didn’t reprise her role, but Kaji Yuki does a great job as Koichi and he doesn’t disappoint. Though it’s a little weird since Kaji Yuki voice acted Johnny in the games, so I wonder who will voice act Johnny is Steel Ball Run gets an adaptation again. Kaji Yuki? And even Rohan’s seiyuu gets changed too. Though Kamiya Hiroshi might be the better seiyuu, Sakurai Takahiro proves to be the better match for Rohan. Kamiya made Rohan sound a little too rough when Rohan’s supposed to have more chill than that. Sakurai executes that perfectly. Also, Kira’s seiyuu has been changed too, for the better. Koyama Rikiya was great and all, but Morikawa Toshiyuki was completely sinister… as expected from Griffith’s old seiyuu. He delivers the lines perfectly, especially the creepy ones. Overall, all of the seiyuu changes in Diamond is Unbreakable is for the better. Voice Acting: 10/10 ~{Music}~ A JoJo part isn’t a JoJo part without great music, and I got to say, this has got to be the best music I’ve heard in a JoJo part. The series has three openings and one ending. The first OP “Crazy Noisy Bizarre Town” is a funky and fun opening that capture the slice-of-life charm of the series. It’s super catchy and the music for it has good beats. The second OP, “Chase”, isn’t something you would hear you would expect from JoJo since it has more of a shounen-y feel to it, but the song is really good and the vocals and music for it amazing. The final OP, “Great Days”, is easily the best one from Diamond is Unbreakable. It represents the theme of justice and hope the series used throughout, plus its really upbeat and fun to listen too. Just like the previous JoJo seasons, Diamond is Unbreakable’s ED is a western song from the last century. “I Want You” is a fantastic ED that feels really catchy and matches the slice-of-life tone of the series. Though it would’ve been nice if it had another ED (maybe something from Queen would’ve been nice, but the license would cost a fortune), but it’s fine the way it is. Kanno Yugo strikes gold with the OST of Diamond is Unbreakable. He did a great job with Stardust Crusaders and Ajin and with Diamond is Unbreakable, he showed the best of his work. The main theme of the Part is fantastic and is on par with Part 3’s theme. And the variation of the theme “Stand Activated” is really good too. The OST, “The Stardust Man Appears” is really cool to and it matched Jotaro very well. “Sudden Battle” is always perfectly used, “The Hand” is perfect for Okuyasu, “Irreversible Sadness” is used perfectly for the saddest death in the part, and “Courage” works well with Koichi. But the best OSTs are the ones that are used for Kira. Kira’s main theme, “Killer”, is perfectly composed to add that mysterious and uncomforting feel. “Second Bomb” and “Thrid Bomb” felt very intense when it was used in the series and “Another Face, Same Mind” is another great Kira track. Overall, all of the OST manages to elevate the enjoyment for this series and there’s no doubt that Diamond is Unbreakable has the best soundtrack of the year. Music: 10/10 ~{Enjoyment}~ Saying that I didn’t enjoy Diamond is Unbreakable is like saying Trump in not the U.S. president… it’s utterly false. Right after the latest season of Gintama ended, I needed something that could fill up that emptiness inside me. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure did that. Not only is Diamond is Unbreakable amazing, but it’s also the best part of the entire JoJo series. With so many hype moments with great voice acting and music used, it felt immensely satisfying. Even with some moments being cut out and some “quality” moments, David Production makes up for it with its stellar close-up art quality, and managing to represent the new tone and style of the JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure series. David Production was the best thing that happened to JoJo and JoJo was one of the best thing that happened in the anime industry. Simply put, there’s no other anime like JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, and Diamond is Unbreakable simply continues on that legacy. Plus, another gureto doze of amazing memes! Enjoyment: 10/10 If you’ve watched the previous JoJo parts and liked them, I don’t need to recommend Diamond is Unbreakable to you because you’ve either already watched or you were just waiting for it to end. For those who found Stardust Crusaders to be a hit-or-miss or found Jotaro to be a bland protagonist, don’t worry, Diamond is Unbreakable is a much more consistent Part and Josuke is a great mix of the previous JoJo protagonists. With a much stronger story than the previous parts, and a new and stylish art style, Diamond is Unbreakable stands out more than the previous parts. And Part 4 easily has the best soundtrack of not just the entire JoJo series, but also the best of the year. The voice acting cast is perfect and it was a smart choice to change up some of them and use seiyuu who didn’t do those characters in the games. If you haven’t gotten into the JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure series yet, don’t worry, you have the holidays to catch up if you’re interested. With Diamond is Unbreakable, JoJo proves that it has its still creative with its ideas and still have a bright future ahead with David Production’s support. + Fantastic characters, including an entertaining protagonist and the best antagonist the JoJo series has ever seen. + The story in Part 4 is much more complex than usual with unexpected twists and turns and keeps the viewers captivated. + David Production does an excellent job in maintaining the manga’s style and representing the new JoJo art style. + Fantastic OPs and ED and the OST is the best of the JoJo series, and in particular, the Kira OSTs are brilliantly composed. + The new art style is stylish and vivid and the art looks exceptionally good at times, especially during the close ups. - Production values are a bit inconsistent at times as some characters models far away can lack detailing, however, the BD/DVDs fix that. Overall: 9.6/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Dec 21, 2016
Yuri!!! on Ice
(Anime)
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Recommended
Sports anime don’t come very often, let alone skating anime. However, 2016 has been a year for sports anime. With anime based on volleyball, rugby, soccer, and… water jousting with butts and boobs(?), Yuri on Ice needed to prove that it can top most of the sports anime and make theirs more intense. Or maybe they don’t need to compete with other with the sport. Maybe Yuri on Ice doesn’t need to compare itself to other sports anime and maybe compare itself to other series like Ping Pong – where the sport isn’t the main focus. In Yuri on Ice, the skating it simply the
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backbone that holds the series in place. The real focus of the series is its characters and their relationships. And does this formula end up holding up well? Luckily is does!
~{Story}~ In most sports anime, the story is never the selling point for the series, but rather the sports and the characters are what pulls the series through. Yuri on Ice is no exception as its overall plot is quite simplistic and gets the job done. But despite all that, the writing still manages to be intriguing and exciting, primarily because it’s not completely predictable. This isn’t the type of anime where the protagonist ranks first in everything. It’s never really clear who the winner of a tournament can be, and that’s what makes the writing feel stronger than it is. Other than that, it’s a typical underdog story of how the protagonists idol becomes his mentor and coach and helps him in becoming a better skater… with a lot of fujoshi-baiting of course. And that’s another reason why the series ends up feeling a little more unique in its writing is because the series focuses on its characters more than anything and spends a lot of time in creating relationships. The skating is the background stuff, while the characters are in the foreground. It’s the moments with the character and the development in their relationship rather than the development in the competitions. Story: 7/10 ~{Presentation}~ As mentioned before, Yuri on Ice is more of a character-driven anime rather than a story, or sports-driven anime. For the most part, the series focuses on the interactions between the characters, particularly Yuuri and Victor’s. The tone of this series is a nice balance between seriousness and lightheartedness, just like many other sports anime. And Yuri on Ice’s style is definitely worth mentioning. It has a modern feel to it with its use of social media in the anime and it maintains an elegant and traditional feel during the skating moments. During more of the slice-of-life segments of the series, the series maintains a more lighthearted feel and simply focuses on making the series feel fun by using its characters to its potential. However, during these breather moments, there’s also moments of seriousness that focuses on the character relationships. And the series is at its most serious during competitions and maintains a more intense tone. Despite it being a sports anime, it’s main real focus it its shounen-ai moments, and that’s not a bad thing. There’s a lot of sports anime where fujoshi-baiting is one of their selling point, or maybe the anime was designed to be normal, but the fujoshi fanbase went crazy on Tumblr. Yuri on Ice is more than baiting as it’s quite genuine, and that’s what makes this series succeed. With it actually having the will to go all out with its character relationships, it makes the series stand out more. One issue with the series is that not all buildup pays off, particularly the finale. Arguably, it’s the buildup moments that are more enjoyable and they keep the standard high, and when the result of the buildup arrives, it feels a bit underwhelming. That isn’t to say that they lack impact, but with the inconsistent production values, some of its effects are lost. Presentation: 7/10 ~{Character}~ What Yuri on Ice’s biggest selling point is its characters. For a character-driven series, it’s important for the characters to feel complex, or at least interesting. Luckily Yuri on Ice manages to succeed in doing that. The protagonist, Katsuki Yuuri, is a great character, despite being built up from an initial cliché characterization. At first, he starts off as a character who is lacking in skating abilities, but with the help from his idol and coach, he’ll try his best to win the gold medal at the Grand Prix. What started as an simple character ended up being more enjoyable and felt a bit more complex. This is primarily due to his relationship with Victor Nikiforov, the deuteragonist of the series. Victor is consistently fun to watch due to his humor, style and personality. His and Yuuri’s relationship feels more than just fujoshi-bait, and that’s what makes their relationship feel stronger. Nothing feels forced, despite the fact that the sole reason this relationship exists is because of its fan-base. There’s a misconception that Yuuri is the titular character of the series, when it’s actually Yuri Plisetsky, despite him not being the main character. Yuri is a grouchy, ignorant and selfish person who is somewhat easy to tolerate despite his attitude. As a matter of a fact, he’s one of the more enjoyable characters of the series, and they fact that even he gets character development by the end of the series is a well addition. And there are other enjoyable characters in the series that make the cast of characters feel more violent. From the overly narcissistic JJ, to the logically composed Otabek, this series has a wide variety of characters that get enough spotlight to be likable. Character: 7.5/10 ~{Art}~, The art in Yuri on Ice, for the most part is very good-looking, however, there are moments when the art quality drops, especially when it’s sacrificed for more fluid animations. When Yuri on Ice looks good, it looks really good. Character models are well detailed with great lighting effect being used. Background look fairly detailed and has a modern look to it. The character designs are also quite pretty and attractive and it feels unique. However, due to its art looking really good during these moments, it makes it even more distracting when it doesn’t look good. During many of the skating moments, character models will lack details and sometimes the character bodies would be disproportional. And sometimes the backgrounds (in outside areas) would be done with a water-paint design. Though some can argue that it might be used for artistic purposed, it’s clear that it’s just done that way to save effort and time. However, Yuri on Ice still looks good for the most part and these quality drops aren’t terrible enough to ruin the experience. Art: 7.5/10 ~{Animation}~ The animation quality also suffers the same problem as the art quality, as it is quite inconsistent. During its high points, Yuri on Ice looks really good and very fluid. As seen in the first episode and during the most important skating sessions, the animation quality feels very top-notch. Character motions look very fluid and it adds a greater impact to the performances. For a sports anime, it is very important for the production values to be top-notch inconsistent. Since characters are in constant motion in most sports anime, it’s important that the animation quality is fluid so the character motions don’t end up being distracting and more engaging. Anime with poor production values may end up making their series look like a slideshow, especially during the sports part (I’m looking at you Days). And for a skating anime, where characters will move constantly in a fluid motion, good animation quality is necessary. Yuri on Ice’s animation is consistently fluid during these skating moments… in sacrifice for some other stuff. As mentioned before, the art quality ends up being undetailed during most of the skating moments, but also the series fails to create a proper depth in perspective. Sometimes characters would look farther than they are and this is because of a failed sense of depth. However, these moments are distracting, but luckily they don’t happen too often. Animation: 7.5/10 ~{Voice Acting}~ The voice acting cast also does a great job in representing their characters. The seiyuu cast for Yuri on Ice is filled with well-known seiyuu with great track record. Toyonaga Toshiyuki does Yuuri very well, even if he sounds a little younger than he should be. But he gets both the comic timing and serious moments right. Victor’s seiyuu, Suwabe Junichi, is a well-known one and he does an extraordinary job as Victor. He makes his character hilarious and passionate and overall makes his character feel more enjoyable. And whenever he says random Russian words, it’s pretty damn funny. Yuri’s seiyuu, Uchiyama Kouki, is one of my personal favorite as he’s able to do both serious and lighthearted characters. Yuri is more of a serious character, who at times you can’t take seriously, and Uchiyama manages to capture the characters rough personality very well. There are other really well known seiyuu that play important roles, such as Hosoya Yoshimasa, Ono Kensho, and Miyano Mamoru, and they all do a very good job in voice acting their characters. Voice Acting: 7.5/10 ~{Music}~ The music in Yuri on Ice is one of its biggest strong points. The OP, “History Maker”, is simply put on of the best openings of the year. All of the lyrics is in English and they have a really good meaning to it. Plus the music used in the opening is brilliant and complements the vocals. The ED, “You Only Live Once”, is just as good as the opening and the song has a very upbeat and modern vibe to it. Complemented with Instagram-style visuals, the ED feels refreshing and it’s something you’ll rarely hear in an anime. However, the background music is also really good, particularly for the ones used in the skating performances. “In Regards to Love ~Eros~” and “Yuri on ICE” are easily my favorite soundtracks from this series. And there’s so many other well orchastarted music used in the series that makes these skating moments feel more impactful. Music: 8.5/10 ~{Enjoyment}~ Yuri on Ice ended up meeting my expectations and satisfied me. It never goes beyond to something special, but it manages to consistently entertain with both its lighthearted and serious moments. Some of the buildup doesn’t pay off as well as I was hoping to be and with the inconsistent production values, some of the skating programs can feel a bit unsatisfying. But Yuri on Ice makes up for that with its character development and interactions, and its modern feel and tone. Most of the competitions feel enjoyable and the humor is really good in the series. The most entertaining part of the series is Yuuri and Victor’s relationship and without it, Yuri on Ice wouldn’t have anything too special that could make it stand out. Enjoyment: 7/10 In the end, Yuri on Ice manages to be what it originally promises; however, it never goes beyond that. The unique and fun cast of characters makes this series have more fun to it and the relationship between the two main characters is well handled. The skating moment are really enjoyable to watched due to great background music being used during these moments. However, some of the impact is lost due to inconsistent animation and art as characters can look undetailed or deformed at times and the lack of proper depth can be distracting. Though not all buildup is payed off, the series still manages to be quite satisfying and it ends in a way where it’s open for a second season. Hopefully we get to see a continuation of Yuuri, Victor and everyone else’s journey. + Great characters and Yuri and Victor’s relationship is well handled and doesn’t feel forced. + Nice blend of lighthearted and seriousness, complemented by a modern style used for this series. + Outstanding OP and ED with the background music complements the skating moments well. + Great voice acting from a cast filled with well-known seiyuu. - Average production values lead to inconsistent animation quality and undetailed characters at times - The pay-off for all the buildup isn’t completely satisfying. Overall: 7.4/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Dec 16, 2016 Recommended
Finally the long-awaited match between Karasuno and Shiratorizawa is here. Besides the fact that the title is basically a spoiler for those who aren’t caught up to the series, it represents what this season basically is about Karasuno and Shiratorizawa competing to become Miyagi Prefecture's Representative for the Spring High National Playoffs. What was originally teased as the start of the second season finally gets put into play in this short, but fast-paced third season. After the Karasuno vs Aobajousai match at the end of the second season, Karasuno vs Shiratorizawa has a lot to accomplish if it wants to live up to the title
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of being the most intense match yet.
~{Story}~ Sports anime tend to work on a simplistic story, and they basically run on its sport, characters and their interactions. Haikyuu was the same in the first two seasons and the same goes for the third one. As a matter of fact, this season has the least amount of plot compared to any other season since this is just one match. However, it’s the tiny moments that build up this match into being something much special. The season continues off from the end of the last season after Karasuno won against Aobajousai to compete against Shiratorizawa for the title of representative for the Spring High Nationals. Then starts a long, but fast-paced 10-episode match between the two teams. Though whether the results are predictable or not really depends on what you expect Karasuno’s trend to be. And even if it does feel predictable, there’s so much going on during these matches that it’s hard to feel disinterested about what’s going on. Story: 8.5/10 ~{Presentation}~ This season of Haikyuu basically has the same style and directing the previous seasons had. It has it sense of style, one that is similar to most team sports anime. Despite the fact that this season is just a match and there’s no breather moment in this season, there’s still that trademark Haikyuu humor mixed in the seriousness. Even though this is a much shorter season, it has the highest chapters adapted per episode rate compared to the previous seasons, therefore the season feels like it’s always going somewhere. Even though 10 episodes may seem too much for one match, Karasuno vs Shiratorizawa is actually a 5-set match instead of the usual 3 sets. And as a matter of a fact, maybe more episodes would’ve been a little better. After all, the third set basically takes place in a couple of minutes. Haikyuu has always set a standard for consistent production values in not just sports anime, but in anime in general. This season manages to be the best-looking season, and that says a lot. This match manages to be thrilling throughout at the slight bits of flashbacks that are scattered throughout the match adds to the buildup and characters. Presentation: 9.5/10 ~{Character}~ Just like most sports anime, Haikyuu has always been about the characters more than anything. Without a compelling cast of characters, it’s hard to feel interested in a sports anime since they tend to rely less on its story. And Haikyuu was able to prove that with its previous two seasons. This season features the same likable characters you know and love, while introducing a lot of new characters from the Shiratorizawa side. The two main characters of the series, Hinata and Kageyama, are put into good use in this season and has plenty of moments to shine. However, they don’t overshadow their fellow teammates as almost everyone gets a time to shine in this match. Some Karasuno characters get a lot of character development they were originally lacking, especially Tsukishima. Tsukishima was always a cool and enjoyable character, but nothing really made him feel that complex… well, until this match happened. This season managed to show how he feels about volleyball as a sport and how much dedication can come from him. All of the other characters like Nishinoya, Sawamura and Sugawara are all put into good use too. However, the Shiratorizawa characters feel slightly blander compared to Karasuno’s other rivals, but they still manage to be an interesting team. The star of the team, Ushijima, manages to be what people were expected from him, but unfortunately nothing more. Though the series manages to show his sudden dedication for the match fairly well, it never gives any reason to why we should care about him. Slight bits of his past and childhood helped, but not enough. Another well focused character, Tendou, manages to be a lot more enjoyable, and managed to be the most interesting Shiratorizawa player. His derpy expressions and cocky attitude makes him the most unique character of the series. However, the series tries its best to play the sympathetic card for him, but it felt ineffective. All of the other characters do a good job in contributing to the series. Character: 9/10 ~{Art}~, Haikyuu’s third season manages to keep its art consistent throughout, even more so than the previous seasons. With the previous seasons, the art always looked good, but during matches it looked ever better. This season is basically just a match, so therefore the entire season ends up looking gorgeous beginning to end. And considering the fact that this season was only 10 episodes, it was probably a lot easier for the animating staff to keep things a lot more consistent. The art in the manga has a rough and stylish feel too it, but also it can look very messy at times. The anime manages to get rid of the messiness, but also maintains the style of the manga. Whether it be the character models, or their reflections on the floor, everything manages to look very pretty. Art: 9.5/10 ~{Animation}~ For a sports anime, it’s very important for the animation quality to be top-notch since the matches are one of the biggest selling point and if they don’t end up looking good, it can feel very distracting. There have been many cases of where a sports anime was done with little effort, so the matches can end up looking like slideshows with just still pictures (I’m looking at you, Days), or things can look a little crude. With its first two season, Haikyuu not only proved that it’s not only one of the most beautifully animated sports anime, but one of the best-looking anime in general. And with this season’s length, the studio was able to keep the animation quality top-notch and very consistent. The character movements are fluid and the way the camera moves during matches looks amazing. There’s one particular moment near the end of the series where the camera rotates around the court while Karasuno does a synchronized attack, and it’s clear that Production I.G has way too much time on their hands and way too much effort to spend. Animation: 10/10 ~{Voice Acting}~ For the most part, all of the seiyuu from the first and second seasons come back to reprise their roles. Just like as before Murase Ayumu and Ishikawa Kaito does a great job as the energetic Hinata and the levelheaded Kageyama. The rest of the Karasuno characters’ seiyuu do a great job as usual too. Uchiyama Kouki in particular did a great job as Tsukishima, especially since his character plays a bigger role than before. The Shiratorizawa characters’ seiyuu also do a very good job too. Takeuchi Ryouta does a good job as the deep-voiced Ushijima. Kimura Subaru (who’s surprisingly half-German and looks very western) does a fantastic job as the quirky Tendou and hopefully he gets more holes after this. One thing to note is that Ukai’s seiyuu, Tanaka Kazunari, passed away not too long ago (may he rest in peace) and his role as Ukai was replaced Egawa Hisao starting from the ninth episode. Tanaka did a great job during his final moments as Ukai, and his final line from the series is a very powerful one for sure. Egawa sounds quite different, but he’s not decent. Voice Acting: 9/10 ~{Music}~ Just like the previous seasons, this season of Haikyuu manages to have an outstanding soundtrack that complements its content. The OP, “Hikari Are” managed to be my personal favorite opening for Haikyuu, even though this opening is much different from the previous ones. Unlike the older openings, especially the ones that were done by SPYAIR, where it was more hype-inducing and fast-paced, this season’s opening is more in a slower tone and has a more “put-all-you-got” motivational feel to it. And the lyrics are really good for it too. NICO Touches the Walls returns to do another ED, “Mashi Mashi”, and it’s pretty good. It has an upbeat feel to it and it’s quite fun to listen too. It’s was used well at the end of the last episode. As for the background music… it’s incredible. Anything Hayashi Yuuki composes ends up being amazing. Just like the OST for the first two seasons, this seasons manages to use its music into creating more buildup and increase the tension and hype during the match. Some of the tracks are the same as the previous seasons and there’s some noticeable new ones. Music: 9.5/10 ~{Enjoyment}~ As a Haikyuu fan myself, this match has been immensely enjoyable from beginning to end. Despite the fact that Shiratorizawa isn’t as interesting of an opponent as Aobajousai, their strength manages to make the match feel more intense and become this most thrilling match from the series so far, and it’s much less predictable than Karasuno and Aobajousai’s rematch. And as someone who really liked Tsukishima’s character, it was really nice to see that he’s more complex than he seems. And with the much faster pacing, things manage to feel more thrilling than its original source. Supported by fantastic production values and top-notch music, Haikyuu manages to hit all the right notes in making a successful sports series. Enjoyment: 10/10 In the end, this short, but fast-paced season of Haikyuu manages to do everything you would come to expect from this series. With more character development for the Karasuno team, Haikyuu manages to prove that they can do more with their characters and shows what potential these characters have. This season manages to have fantastic production values, even by Haikyuu’s standards. Although, the characters in the Shiratorizawa team isn’t as complex or likable as people were hoping, but they manage to be a strong competitor for Karasuno and they add to the tension. For those who haven’t started this series yet, you owe it to yourself to watch this series. If you’re wondering if Haikyuu is fujoshi-pandering or doesn’t have anything to it other than its sport, rest-assured, it’s nothing like that. And for those who liked the previous seasons, there’s no need for me to recommend this season to you since you’ve probably already watched it. + A fantastic match that tops every match preceding it. + 10 episodes of non-stop, fast-paced fun with a lot of tension used to build-up moments. + Outstanding production values that remain consistent until the very end. + Fantastic soundtrack that is used to add tension and hype to the match. + The Karasuno characters get good development, especially Tsukishima, as he gets fleshed out well. - Despite them being a strong competitor, the Shiratorizawa characters aren’t as likable as Karasuno’s previous rivals. Overall: 9.4/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Oct 1, 2016 Recommended
Very few anime these days tend to do something different from the norm, and when something does do so, it’s very easy for it to fail. But even if they are failures, their ambition to do something different is respectable. 91 Days is not only a unique anime, but a good one too. It’s fairly rare to find a series that takes place in a western setting with mafia characters taking place during the post-WWI era. 91 Days takes that setting and adds a story of revenge to it, and it’s a story that is handled great and executed well. 91 Days manages to be
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a thrilling and stylish mafia story from beginning to end.
~{Story}~ The story focuses on Angelo Lagusa, who’s family died in a mafia dispute, is now hungry for revenge and is willing to destroy the Vanetti family, the ones who killed his family. Changing his name as Avilio, he becomes the Vanetti don’s son’s right hand man, only to break the family from the inside. Overall, the story is handled pretty well and a lot of sub-plots get introduced along the way. The series not only focuses on Avilio’s revenge, but also focuses on the Vanetti’s relationship with each other and other competing families. The main story about revenge gets put in the background during the second third of the series, but the series still manages to entertain with its subplots. But it’s the last third when the main story comes back, and that’s when the series reaches its heights. The ending might be a mixed bag for some, but I appreciate how it was executed and it’s the type of conclusion I wanted from this series. However, if more of the main plot was present in the series, the series as a whole would’ve been more enjoyable. Story: 7/10 ~{Presentation}~ If you’ve seen the key visuals, watched the PV and read the synopsis, it should be well apparent that the series is a very unique one and it’s hard to find something like this. The anime takes place during the prohibition era and the series does a good job in depicting that setting. Characters act and behave how they should be in that era, and buildings and clothing match the setting. The tone of the series is mostly dark and gloomy and it consistently stays like that for the rest of the series. Humor is quite rare, but there are some slightly funny comments made by certain characters, but overall, the series still retains its serious tone. The pacing is a generally speaking alright, but it is a little inconsistent. Things slow down a little in favor for more building and more development for its subplots, but the pacing picks up in the final third, however things do appear to be a bit rushed. But overall, 91 Days does a good job with their setting and tone. Presentation: 8.5/10 ~{Character}~ The characters in 91 Days are really good, unique, and well handled. Our protagonist, Angelo Lagusa (or his alias Avilio Bruno) is a really well-handled character who’s thirsty for vengeance. His goal and believable and understandable, even if what he does isn’t always the good choice. He has flawed characteristics that make him a complex character with immoral, yet not incorrect, goals. Our other main character is Nero Vanetti, who is the son of the Vanetti’s don and Avilio is his right hand man. He has a cheerful personality, but he gets serious when he needs to be. He is a really good character and is used well in the story. His and Avilio’s relationship is showcased well and he becomes more complex in the second half. The series features a lot of other characters that are likable or well handled, like Corteo and Fango. Some of the supporting characters were a slight bit weak, but overall it was alright. Just remember: Fango makes the best lasagna… Character: 7/10 ~{Art}~, The studio of 91 Days, Shuka, doesn’t have the best reputation when it comes to their consistency in art quality. As seen in their previously made Durarara!!x2 series, the series had plenty dips in its quality. However Shuka, for the most part, keeps the art quality in 91 Days consistent and pretty. First of all, the character designs are really well done. All character designs match their setting and personality. I liked the fact that Avilio had a simplistic look to him, despite being the protagonist. The setting looks great and the buidlings are matching its time period. The backgrounds are pretty well detailed and its bleaker color palette works nice and complements the tone of the series. The character detailing is alright and lighting is really good. Overall, the art quality manages to stay consistent most of the time and so far is Shuka’s best looking series. Art: 7.5/10 ~{Animation}~ Just like their art quality, Shuka is also well known for their animation quality drops. However, 91 Days is an exception as the animation quality also manages to be just as consistent as its art quality. For the most part, the series is animated fluidly and there’s no noticeable animation quality drops. 91 Days isn’t that action-heavy, so there’s not many moments where Shuka needs to put extra effort in. But when action is present, especially gunfights, the animations stays consistent and looks really good. The backgrounds are pretty well animated and the lighting is put into good use in the series too. Animation: 7.5/10 ~{Voice Acting}~ The seiyuu cast also does a really good job in representing their characters and adding more to the atmosphere of the series. Kondou Takashi did a great job as Avilio as he was able to showcase his character’s vengeance and hostility, while making his character have subtle expressions. Eguchi Takuya, who is one of my favorite seiyuu, did a great job as Nero and got his cheerful attitude perfectly well. He does a really good job during his character’s serious moments too. The supporting cast is also made up of pretty talented seiyuu like Sakurai Takahiro, Ono Daisuke, Nakamura Yuuichi and many others, and they all do a very good job. Overall, the cast does a great job in depicting their characters, especially the two main characters. Voice Acting: 8/10 ~{Music}~ The music in 91 Days is also really good and elevates this series. The OP, “Signal’, is done by the same person who did that extremely popular Tokyo Ghoul OP, and he did a very good job with the OP for 91 Days. It’s almost on par with “Unravel” and it’s better than the Psycho-Pass OPs. The vocals are top notch as expected from him, but the music is good too. The ED, “Rain or Shine”, doesn’t have much lyrics to it, but it really matched the series, plus the vocals are really good. The background music in 91 Days is pretty good and matches the context of the series. It has more of a western and 20-30’s feel to it, and it matches the atmosphere of the series well and makes scenes have more impact. Music: 7/10 ~{Enjoyment}~ I had high expectations for 91 Days as I like anime with a westernized feel to it, and when I found out that it’s a revenge story that takes place in the prohibition era, focusing on mafia characters, I couldn’t hold my excitement. After feeling slightly underwhelmed from Joker Game, I thought that 91 Days can be the next Baccano for me. Luckily, 91 Days didn’t disappoint as I found it almost as enjoyable as Baccano. The main story was really intriguing and I really liked the characters and setting. And the final third of the series was really intense and was a satisfying payoff for a series like this. Though the pacing wasn’t the most consistent and some of the sub-plots weren’t as exciting as the main story, overall I got a lot out of 91 Days. Enjoyment: 7/10 In the end, 91 Days manages to live up to its potential and it is just what you would want from this series. Revenge stories aren’t quite common in anime, especially ones that take place in the post-WWI era, so seeing an anime like this was a fresh breath of air. Though the series isn’t perfect, especially with its pacing, but the series manages to be an enjoyable ride from beginning to end. The final third of the series in particular is amazing and all the buildup leading to it payed off well. Avilio manages to be one of the best protagonist of the series and his motives are complex and his hunger for vengeance was well depicted. 91 Days is easily one of the best series of the season and you’re missing out if you’re skipping this one. + It handles it’s prohibition era and mafia setting perfectly well. + The main story, focusing on Avilio’s revenge, was really well done and is really satisfying. + Amazing final third as all buildup pays off well and things get really intense + Both Avilio and Nero are well handled characters with contrasting personalities. - Pacing remains inconsistent things start to slow down in its second third, and the conclusion is slightly rushed. - Some of the sub-plots are slightly underwhelming, especially compared to its main story. Overall: 7.4/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Sep 29, 2016 Recommended
With both Mirai-hen and Zetsubou-hen ending, it’s now time for the final episode of Danganronpa 3, Kibou-hen to wrap things up. Although some things may just feel like pure fanservice and maybe the conclusion might be too hopeful for its own good, Kibou-hen managed to make me smile from beginning to end and never have I felt so excited and satisfied from a conclusion before
~{Story}~ As you probably already know, this episode should be watched after finishing Zetsubou-hen and Mirai-hen since this episode serves as a conclusion for both series. But not only that, but Kibou-hen is the conclusion for the this Danganronpa universe, and the ... next Danganronpa game, New Danganronpa V3, will be the start of a new alternate universe. Taking place right from where Mirai-hen left off at, Mitarai’s uploading his hope AMVs (yeah, that’s how I look at it) to the entire world so that he can brainwash them with hope. Even though it might be with good intentions, he’s using tactics no different from Enoshima Junko. Now it’s up to the remaining survivors of the third killing game and the 77th class to stop him before it’s too late. Even though some things can get a little far-fetched and there are a couple of loose ends, Kibou-hen definitely lives up to its hopeful name and gives the franchise a satisfying and enjoyable conclusion. Story wise, it is what you expect would happen, but it’s executed nicely. Story: 8.5/10 ~{Presentation}~ Simply put, this is fanservice for all the Danganronpa fans. This is everything we wanted and this is what we get. Seeing the 77th class again, back to their normal selves is immensely satisfying and enjoyable. Though it may be too coincidental that they’re all fine, but it’s still fun to see them in action. Kibou-hen has focuses more of the Danganronpa 2/Zetsubou-hen characters rather than the Danganronpa 1/Mirai-hen characters. This essentially feels like the 12th episode for Zetsubou-hen, taking place in Mirai-hen’s setting. Some previously foreshadowed plot-points and theories come into play in this episode as some surprising (or not-so-surprising) revelations happen. Presentation: 9.0/10 ~{Character}~ Kibou-hen mainly focuses on its 77th class characters (Danganronpa 1/Zetsubou-hen characters). It focuses on their chemistry together and their special quirky traits and how it helps in fighting against Mitarai’s brainwashed soldiers. But what’s the most satisfying is that every character acts and feel just like how they would feel in Danganronpa 2. You’ll see Komaeda having hope-gasms, Tanaka acting like the chuunibyou he is, Souda trying to impress Sonia, Tsumiki taking way to damn long to finish a goddamn sentence since she stammers a lot, Pekoyama caring about her young master, Mioda using her god-awful music to take down some enemies, Owari eating a lot, and Hinata being the hope for everyone. The way Hinata was handled is pretty good. He’s just as caring as he was in Danganronpa 2, but he still has a bit of Kamukura in him, not just in powers but also in personality. And his new character design is a nice representation of him being in the middle of hope and despair. Naegi was a bit underutilized, but the episode was more about the ex-Remnants of Despair. Character: 9/10 ~{Art}~, As mentioned in my previous Danganronpa 3 reviews, I said that the art style in Zetsubou-hen was really vivid, bright and colorful and the art-style in Mirai-hen was more bleak, dark and washed-out. The reason so was to both represent and contrast the tone of their series. Kibou-hen does both, and that’s a really smart idea from the director. The episode started off with Mirai-hen’s art-style and ended off with Zetsubou-hen art-style; from dark and bleak to bright and vivid. This is used to represent the fast that the episode starts with despair, but ends in hope. Really, really good job from Lerche to do something like this. Other than that, the detailing and backgrounds looks just as good as they did in Mirai-hen. Art: 9/10 ~{Animation}~ I went more in-depth with the animation quality of the Danganronpa 3 in my other reviews, and Kibou-hen basically has the same production values. It’s animated better than Zetsubou-hen, and just as good as Mirai-hen. The episode is probably the most action-packed Danganronpa episode, but it’s not like as if its budget breaking, since Danganronpa doesn’t need that. The fights… if you want to call them that, are well animated and consistent. Animation: 8/10 ~{Voice Acting}~ Basically the same voice cast as Mirai-hen and Zetsubou-hen are here in Kibou-hen. They all do a very good job, especially the voice actors for the Danganronpa 2 characters. They make the characters feel just perfectly like how they felt in the second game and it was immensely satisfying. More in-depth analysis on the voice acting can also be found in the other reviews. Voice Acting: 9.5/10 ~{Music}~ First of all, there’s no OP or ED in Kibou-hen. But an insert song called "ever free" was played during the end credits and it's pretty good. But the soundtrack from the games is used throughout this episode and its placed really well. The soundtrack in the games were done by Takada Masafumi and his music is put into good use into the entire Danganronpa 3 series. The music in the game were some of the best and I’m glad that we get to hear more of it in Kibou-hen. A really dramatic OST played during the first couple of minutes of the episode and it was really good to increase the tension in the episode. Music: 9.5/10 ~{Enjoyment}~ Did I enjoy Kibou-hen? Well, it would be hard not to, considering the fact that the entire episode is one big pile of fanservice and a crap-load of hope. Seeing the 77th class awake and well, and them acting just like how they originally were, was so fun and satisfying… even if them being all awake is kind of a stretch. The survival of a certain fan-favorite character was nice to see, especially since there were theories about it anyways. And overall, this managed to be a very satisfying conclusion to this Danganronpa universe. Enjoyment: 9.5/10 If you have watched both Mirai-hen and Zetsubou-hen, whether you liked it or not, be sure to check out Kibou-hen for a conclusion for not only Danganronpa 3, but for this Danganronpa universe. After all, New Danganronpa 3 will be the start of a new alternate universe. Also, the fanservice was strong in this episode. Seeing 77th class being their original self is very hopeful and the conclusion itself is filled with hope. It would have been nice if it was a longer episode and we got to see an epilogue for the characters, but other than that, this has been a very satisfying conclusion. On second thought, wait, I have another issue with this episode. Where the hell is my “sore wa chigau yo” duet?! + A satisfying conclusion for both Danganronpa 3 and the DR universe as a whole + Lots and lots of fanservice, particularly with the 77th class back in action. + The Danganronpa 2 characters are well-handled and their quirky traits are put into good use. + The fact that the art-style changes from Mirai-hen’s bleak style to Zetsubou-hen’s vivid style throughout the episode. + The soundtrack from the first two games is put into good use in this episode. - Lack of an epilogue due to it being only one episode. Overall: 8.8/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Sep 27, 2016
Mob Psycho 100
(Anime)
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Last year, One Punch Man rose to popularity and became of the most mainstream and popular anime of the current decade. However, the mangaka of One Punch Man also had another really good series that not many have heard about, Mob Psycho 100. With an adaptation for ONE’s other series, Mob Psycho 100 was also able to generate a good amount of popularity, due to it living off of One Punch Man’s brand. Though there might be some similarities between the two series, Mob Psycho 100 is quite different One Punch Man in a lot of ways. And it manages to create its own name,
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rather than relying on the popularity of what its being compared too. Mob Psycho 100 is more original, well-written and thought-provoking than it initially seems.
~{Story}~ Mob Psycho 100 is about an 8th grader psychic named Shigeo (also known as Mob) who tries his best to become a normal person by trying to fit into society. The story focuses on Mob and how he tries his best to control his powers and not cause any harm, while being in very risky situations. The story may seem a bit simplistic at first, and near the beginning it kind of is, but the series starts to get more complex and explores many themes like morality and what it means to be different. But the story just doesn’t focus on Mob, but also other characters too, like his mentor (who is a scammer) and his brother (who has an inferiority complex). At first the series has more of an episode/slice-of-life structure, but in the second half, the main story gets introduced. And also, a lot of the omake chapters from the manga got adapted, so you’ll be seeing some short stories revolving around Reigen and Mob throughout the series. The overall story doesn’t really end, since the manga is ongoing, but the final arc of this series wraps up nicely, while teasing what’s next to come. Hopefully it gets a second season to continue the series. Story: 9/10 ~{Presentation}~ Mob Psycho 100 looks and feels a lot different from your normal anime. The style is very over-the-top, exaggerated and weird, and it matches the tone of the series. It’s supposed to be weird and quirky and its style isn’t something you will see often. But the series just isn’t a comedy as it is more than that. There are a good amount of moments in the series when things get a lot more serious and emotional. Unlike One Punch Man, Mob Psycho 100 expects you to take them seriously. However, they are handled in such a way that you as a viewer are aware that things aren’t being played for jokes anymore. The series switches between its tones very well and not once did it ever feel drastic. The art style is quite unique too, and that will be mentioned later in this review. Bones did a good job in adapting the manga, though it’s not the most perfect adaptation I’ve come to expect from a studio like them. Near the middle of the series, the pacing got a little fast and the buildup was a slight bit underwhelming. And too many unnecessary omake chapters are adapted and they ruin the flow of the series. But those are only minor gripes to what is an outstanding anime. Presentation: 9/10 ~{Character}~ What is probably the most impressive and surprising thing about Mob Psycho 100 is its characters. For those who were expecting another One Punch Man, were probably shocked at how well-written the characters are. Even as a One Punch Man fanboy myself, even I admit that most of the characters in One Punch Man aren’t really complex, they’re just fun and entertaining. Mob, our protagonist, starts off as an apathetic school boy who’s wants to fit in, but can’t due to his powers. He’s much more complex and well written than he seems. He can’t express his emotions because releasing them releases his powers. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone with his powers, but accidents do happen. He has a hard time in deciding what’s right and wrong or whether he should be selfish or selfless. The way he’s handled is amazing. Then we have Mob’s con-man mentor, Reigen. He may start off to be a little irritating, but his character is used well during comedic situations. And he’s more than what he seems too. Then we have Mob’s brother, Ritsu, who is also handled really well and his character change is believable. And there’s a bunch of side characters that are all used well for comic relief. Character: 9.5/10 ~{Art}~, It doesn’t take long to realize that Mob Psycho 100 has a really, really unique art style. ONE was never a good artist and his web manga don’t look too good. Mob Psycho 100 was his best looking work, yet a lot of the panels can look cruddy or unorganized. However, this crude art added to the style of the series. Bones manages to adapt the art of the manga, while making it visually appealing. The crude look of the manga is still in the anime, but things look more detailed and organized. The zany art style adds to the comedic moments, and feels stylish during its action sequences. The backgrounds are pretty well done too. The character models look really unique, though they all have similar faces, just like the web manga. The art isn’t the most detailed, but doing so would ruin the style. However, the lighting and colors used in the series and the shadows are really well done. Art: 9/10 ~{Animation}~ If there’s nothing that interests you in Mob Psycho 100, there’s always the stellar animations. Simply put, it’s the most well animated TV anime series I’ve seen, and yes, it’s better than One Punch Man. When I mean better, I mean that it is more fluid. Since the art style isn’t incredibly detailed, this lets the animators makes the animations as smooth as possible. During big fights, characters will be going all over the place and destruction would be happening very fluidly. The cinematography is also stellar and the way it moves during fights is very stylish. Sometimes the fights can feel overwhelming, due to how much is happening on the screen. And Bones extended most of the fights and made them longer, so they can have some more eye-candy visuals. Animation: 10/10 ~{Voice Acting}~ The seiyuu cast do a great job in doing the comic relief and executing the more dramatic moments. Mob’s seiyuu, Itou Setsuo, has barely done any voice acting before, as he only did one supporting role before and this is his first main role. But he doesn’t sound like a newbie at all as he does an excellent job as Mob. He gets the apathetic tone of his voice right, but he really shines when he has to add emotions to Mob. He does his angry voice really well and his seiyuu delivers during emotional scenes too. Sakurai Takahiro (who is doing a lot of voice acting recently) does Reigen and he does him perfectly. It’s well known that Sakurai’s a really talented seiyuu and he gives all he’s got as Reigen. He makes his character absurd, wacky, deceiving, and truly hilarious. Irino Miyu does a very good job as Ritsu and gets his emotional and strong-willed personality right. Matsuoka Yoshitsugu’s really at his best when he does supporting characters and him as Teruki was a perfect choice. And all of the other seiyuu also do a good job in what they have to do. Voice Acting: 9/10 ~{Music}~ The music in Mob Psycho 100 is also really good and adds to the already amazing series. The OP, "99", is really good and catchy and I don’t need to say much about how the lyrics are quite matching for a series like this. Never did I thought that counting up to 100 could be so fun and addicting. The ED, "Refrain Boy”, is also very good and it really matches the dramatic aspect of the series. The vocals, the lyrics and the music is great in that ED. The background music is also really good in the series, particularly the ones used during fights. The add more to the tension and make things more fun. The music used during a fight in the fifth episode was particularly good. Music: 8.5/10 ~{Enjoyment}~ I knew I was going to enjoy Mob Psycho before it even aired. I really loved the web manga and the fact that Bones was going to animate it makes the chances of the anime being a good adaptation really high. And Bones surely did deliver. Though some of the omake chapters getting adapted ruined the flow, everything else was done perfectly well. The characters are really well developed and really well handled. They ended up being more complex than they originally seemed. The story itself is really good and manages to keep you interested most of the time. The way the humor and the seriousness is blended together makes sure that none of the tonal shifts feel jarring. I don’t think I’ll have this much fun again in a long time. Enjoyment: 9/10 In the end, if you haven’t checked out Mob Psycho 100 yet, then seriously, what are you doing? This is the most fun you’ll probably have this year, and it’s not wise to skip on it. Even those who didn’t like One Punch Man should definitely check this out because it’s quite a different anime and it’s much more complex than it originally seems. The characters are well developed and handled excellently. Mob’s struggle to make the right choices is presented fantastically. The art style is unique and adds to the wackiness. But most importantly, the animations are simply stunning and some of the best I’ve seen. Mob Psycho has all the ingredients to make an amazing anime and uses all of its potential. Mob Psycho 100 is easily a candidate for anime of the year, and if you haven’t checked it out yet, you should do so soon. + Handles its characters well and Mob is a really realistically done and complex character. + Amazing direction and conveys the style of the web manga perfectly. + Very unique art style and mind-blowing animations during major fights. + Properly blends its humor and wackiness with its emotional and dramatic scene. + Premise is simple, but the execution is really well done and the story starts to evolve in the second half. - Pacing was a little fast in the middle and the adapted omake chapters break the flow. Overall: 9.1/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Sep 26, 2016 Recommended
With the end of Danganronpa 2, fans couldn’t help but be a tad bit disappointed with its conclusion as it didn’t wrap all the problems present in the franchise. And situations were left unsolved and we needed to know more about the “Future Foundation”. With the third Danganronpa being confirmed to be part of a new universe, the despair for the fans only continued. But with the announcement of a anime sequel to the second Danganronpa game, fans regained all hope for a proper conclusion for this universe, which will leave us satisfying. Whether or not Danganronpa 3 manages to succeed in doing so will
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only be decided once Kibou-hen airs, but for now, Mirai-hen is a satisfying continuation of the Danganronpa series; one that feels home with the franchise despite its differences with the previous entries.
~{Story}~ Do note that this is called Danganronpa 3 for a reason. It’s meant to be watched after playing the first and second game (though you can watch the anime adaptation of the first game instead of playing it). But not doing so will make you not be aware of many plot points that are important in Danganronpa 3. Anyways, Mirai-hen continues off right from where the second game ended. Our protagonist from the first game who is now a member of the Future Foundation, Naegi Makoto, is held under suspicion for treason due to him saving the Remnants of Despair instead of killing them. Just when his punishment was being decided, Monokuma appear… again, and he announced a killing game… again. Now the members of the Future Foundation are trapped in their own headquarters, forced to play what is supposed to be the final killing game. The premise is basically similar to the previous games, but the main goal of the series is to find the traitor within the group. Overall, the story is handled well and there’s some really big twist and turns along the way. Characters that you thought had plot armor may not. But most of the series is just basically watching the “Number of People Alive” counter decreasing one by one. There isn’t a proper conclusion in this series, since that is left for Kibou-hen. And some of the revelations near the end can seem a little messy. So all we can do now is hope that the final episode is just as good as the rest of the franchise. Story: 9/10 ~{Presentation}~ There’s one thing you’ll notice from Mirai-hen, and that is how different it is from the first two games. First of all, gone is all the class trials from this killing game. This is more like “Battle Royale” where people have to be killed off one-by-one and the culprit won’t be judged. That also means that you won’t be hearing “sore wa chigau yo” a lot in the series. Instead of six different cases to handle, now the characters have one large case: Who is the mastermind? If anything, Mirai-hen feels a lot like Zero Escape, which isn’t a bad thing. Secondly, characters now have bracelets with NG codes on them. Each player has an NG code that gives them a restriction. If the restriction is crossed, the bracelet will inject them with lethal chemicals that will kill them. This gives the viewers a sense of mystery as you won’t be able to know what are the characters’ NG codes. But it’s fun to guess and see if you’re right! Thirdly, there are characters outside the game that get focus and you get to know what’s going on outside the game, something which you weren’t aware of in the previous games. Fourthly, humor is very rare in Mirai-hen as things are more darker here. This new tone for the series works well, especially since this is supposed to be the conclusion of this universe. Lastly, and most importantly, red blood is used instead of Danganronpa’s trademark pink blood. Unlike Zetsubou-hen, which sticks with the pink blood, Mirai-hen decided to take a darker and more mature approach to the series, and it works really well. Overall, this is a quite different take on Danganronpa, but it’s still really fun and feels like a proper sequel for the series. Presentation: 9.5/10 ~{Character}~ Mirai-hen mainly focuses on the Future Foundation characters, which consists of most of the survivng characters from the first Danganronpa game, and new characters we get introduced in this series. The protagonist from Mirai-hen is the same as the first game, Naegi Makoto, a survivor of the first killing game, a member of the Future Foundation, and commonly known as the Ultimate Hope. The series focuses on Naegi and how he has to find out who the mastermind of the killing game is, while making sure that him and his friends survive. Accompanied by him is Asahina and Kirigiri from the first game, and many other new characters like Miratai and Munakata. A lot of the new characters are developed using Zetsubou-hen, and it works pretty well. And that’s why both Mirai-hen and Zetsubou-hen should be watched together. Not all the new characters are likable, but that was the point. But many of the new characters do end up being really well done. Yukizome does play a big enough role in Mirai-hen, but her development from Zetsubou-hen carries on here. Munakata might seem a little irritating at first, but he ended up being one of my favorite characters from Danganronpa. Same goes for Sakakura too. Overall, the new characters end up living up to the Danganronpa name and the recurring characters are just as likable as they were in the first game… except Hagakure, ‘cause no one likes Hagakure! What? Monokuma said so! Character: 9.5/10 ~{Art}~, As mentioned in my review for Zetsubou-hen, the art style in that series had a more vivid look to it than the games. Mirai-hen is the complete opposite as it has a darker art style that the first two games. This might have been done because Mirai-hen itself has a darker tone compared to the rest of the franchise. Or the art style is like that to represent Mirai-hen being a story that begins with despair, contrary to how Zetsubou-hen begins with hope. But this art style works well with this series. Most of the series takes place inside the headquarters, so most of the backgrounds will be the inside of buildings. But the backgrounds are pretty well detailed and well done. And the character design for the new characters are really good and well done. The characters from the first game also look more mature due to their age growth and their new designs look great as well. Art: 9/10 ~{Animation}~ The animations are fairly good in the series, but it isn’t anything extraordinary. However, that is to say that the animation quality is fairly consistent throughout. Generally speaking, the animation is fluid enough and there aren’t any noticeable animation quality drops. Character animations are done fairly well. Lighting is very differently that Zetsubou-hen. Everything looks bleaker and the lighting add to that. However, the animation quality is better than Zetsubou-hen’s but that should be necessary since Mirai-hen is more action-heavy than Zetsubou-hen. As mentioned before Lerche did a good job in animating two seasons during the same time, which they aren’t used too. Animation: 8/10 ~{Voice Acting}~ The seiyuu cast is really good in Mirai-hen as most seiyuu return back to do their recurring character, and the seiyuu for the new characters are great too. One notable change is that Tarako is now the new voice of Monokuma instead of Ooyama Nobuyo. The reason so is because Ooyama is currently suffering from dementia, which is very sad to hear and hopefully she gets well soon (even if things don’t look good). Though Tarako isn’t as good as Ooyama, she does a decent job as Monokuma, though the character is barely here in Mirai-hen for an obvious reason. Ogata Megumi does a great job again as Naegi and makes him feel very similar to the first game. Hikasa Yoko does a great job with Kirigiri and Saito Chiwa does a good job with Asahina. We also get some pretty well-known people to voice act the new characters, like live-action actor Hongo Kanata as Mitarai, Morikawa Toshiyuki as Munakata, Suwabe Junichi as Sakakura, and many more. And they all do a great job in what they have to do. Voice Acting: 9.5/10 ~{Music}~ One of Danganronpa’s strong point is its music and Mirai-hen is no different. The OP, “DEAD OR LIE”, is really good and it grew on me really fast. The vocals are good, but the music for that song is awesome. The lyrics not only matches the series, but the franchise as a whole. It might very well be one of my favorite OP of the year. The ED, “Recall THE END”, creates more of a mystery vibe and it matches well with the series. The ED gets really good near the middle, once the second verse happens. Most of the background music consists of music used in the first two games, which is a good thing since the two games had some amazing music. The background music creates a sense of nostalgia due to its familiarity. Many of the OST that you’ve heard during trials or investigations are used in Mirai-hen, and it works really well. Music: 9.5/10 ~{Enjoyment}~ As a Danganronpa fan, I found Mirai-hen to be a very satisfying continuation of the series and I can’t wait to see how Kibou-hen wraps things up. Seeing the surviving characters of the first Danganronpa game was fun to see and the new characters in Mirai-hen are really interesting and unique. This new take on the killing game with its Zero Escape-ish style is great and it’s new, darker tone works. A lot of unpredictable things happen and it keeps me more and more invested in the series. Every time an episode ended, I would spend the rest of my time waiting for the next episode, while theorizing who can be the mastermind with the given clues I have. Despite it being an anime and not a game, I still feel like I’m using clues to solve this one big case, and that’s what I wanted as a Danganronpa fan. Enjoyment: 9.5/10 In the end, Mirai-hen is a proper continuation from the ending of the second Danganronpa game. If you are a fan of the series, you should definitely check Mirai-hen out if you haven’t already. There’s a lot of things that are different in Mirai-hen when compared to the rest of the series and it has a style of its own. But it still feels part of the Danganronpa series, even with these changes. Seeing the Danganronpa 1 characters again was fun and the new characters are nice too. The plot-twists and revelations work well and keep me invested in the series. Mirai-hen doesn’t have a proper conclusion, but that is because Kibou-hen is supposed to be the conclusion for this Danganronpa universe. Hopefully the Mirai-hen arc will get rid of all the despair left in the series. + A proper continuation of the Danganronpa series. + Killing game is unique and its new style and tone works well for the series. + The first game characters are back and most of the new characters are really well handled. + Interesting cat-and-mouse story that has a good amount of plot-twist and revelations. + Soundtrack from the first two games are used and they are effective and OP/ED are great. - Revelations near the end raises a lot of questions. Overall: 8.9/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Sep 26, 2016 Mixed Feelings
We see many shoujo romance anime and manga that don’t attempt to do anything different with its premise. Very few of them end up doing something different. Orange attempts to do something different with the shoujo romance genre as it takes a more science-fictional and dramatic take. Adding a time-travel and suicide-victim factor to the story and focusing on themes like depression and regret, makes this one of the most original shoujo series out there, even if the execution itself can be a little wonky. Though it may not be as good as its manga counterpart, the anime manages to be one of the better
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anime of the season.
~{Story}~ The premise is basically about a girl who gets a letter from her future self that says that she needs to save a new transfer student from an accident by changing up the past. The story revolves around how the girl and her friends befriend the transfer student and make him not have any regrets. Like most shoujo anime, this series has a very heavy emphasis on romance. The main focus of the series is on the romantic relationship between the protagonist, Naho, and the transfer student, Kakeru. However, the story also focuses on Kakeru’s friendship with the rest of the main cast. Overall, the story is handled pretty well throughout. The first half of the series doesn’t do much to advance the plot, but rather it focuses on the characters. The second half adds more to the story as many plot points get revealed. If there was one thing I was disappointed in, that would be the explanation they gave for how the letter was sent to the past. It’s ridiculous and unbelievable, even when considering the story as pure fiction. But that wasn’t the main focus of the series to begin with, so it doesn’t affect the series as a whole that much. Story: 7/10 ~{Presentation}~ The thing about Orange is that it’s pretty well-directed, yet it never feels as impactful as the manga. Things like the cinematography and the lighting is done really well and adds more to the mood of the series. And unlike most shoujo series, it manages to blend its lighthearted jokes into its drama (although Orange doesn’t have much humor to begin with). However, despite all that, the series never really feels effective in conveying its emotions. Many of the emotional moments might just fly past you because its themes aren’t organized to well. More could’ve been done with its theme of regret and it feels like a lot of the opportunities were lost. And the pacing is rather inconsistent too. The first third and last third’s pacing could’ve been a little faster so that the second third wouldn’t feel too rushed. But the biggest inconsistency out of all of them is definitely the production values. But that will be covered later on in the review. But at least almost everything was adapted from the manga, so it was loyal to a degree. But its emotional impact remains lackluster when compared to the manga. Presentation: 6/10 ~{Character}~ Orange features a somewhat large cast of main characters. The protagonist, Takamiya Naho, is a somewhat decent main character, but she can be a little annoying at times. Not always does she follow her letters has she finds some things too hard to do. Though some of her behavior is reasonable, but she does it so often that it feels too irritating. Due to this, her character lacks a proper growth and it never feels like she’s changed much as a character. The transfer student, Naruse Kakeru, is a pretty well written and believable character. Though some of his actions may seem a bit rude and selfish, when his inner thoughts are properly explored, and when his way of thinking is apperent, his actions feel more justified. The choices he makes are wrong, but he’s not wrong himself. Naho and Kakeru’s friend, Suwa Hiroto, is a great character. Not only is he such a great guy, but he’s also selfless and doesn’t care whether he doesn’t gain anything as long as others do. He is easily the most likable character of the series. Another likable character who is part of the group, Hagita Saku, is actually pretty funny and is used as a comic relief pretty well. The other two main characters, Azusa and Takako are alight, but they don’t play a huge role in the story. Character: 5/10 ~{Art}~ When Orange is at its best, it’s really, really beautiful. The backgrounds are simply stunning and gorgeous. They are easily the best backgrounds I’ve seen this year. The bright colors really work well with this series. And the character designs are really good and are very well detailed. As mentioned before, the lighting is put into good use and is very effective. This would have easily been one of the best looking anime of the year, until the second half happened. The drop in the art quality was slowly becoming apparent in the second half. The ninth episode was one of the most ugliest episodes I’ve seen this season, and that’s saying a lot when Berserk was airing in the same season. The backgrounds still looked good though, but the character models looked atrocious in some places. The art improved near the end, but it looked nowhere near as good as the first half of the series. Art: 6/10 ~{Animation}~ Unlike the art of Orange, where it started off great and then quality drops happened, the animations of Orange weren’t as fluid since the first episode. The backgrounds however are animated nicely and look good. But some of the character movements lacked a bit of smoothness at times. Though this was apparent later on in the series. There’s one moment somewhere in the last couple of episodes where some characters are walking along a path and we see them from far away behind them. Their moments looked like as if they were sliding along the path, and it felt very distracting. But for the most part, the animations are functional and are alright. Animation: 5.5/10 ~{Voice Acting}~ The seiyuu cast did a fairly well job in Orange. The cast itself is mixed with well-known and not so well-known seiyuu. The extremely popular and really talented seiyuu, Hanazawa Kana, does a really good job with Naho. She does what the script asks her to do. She doesn’t do too much with her character, but she does just enough for her character to work. Kakeru’s seiyuu, Yamashita Seiichirou, hasn’t done much in his career yet, but he did an excellent job with his character. He conveys his character’s feelings and emotions properly. Furukawa Makoto, who’s now really well-known for doing Saitama from One Punch Man, did a very good job as Suwa and makes his feel like a true bro. Okitsu Kazuyuki did a good job as his megane character, Hagita, and he gets his comic timing right. Takamori Natsumi and Kinugawa Rika does a fairly good job as their characters too. Voice Acting: 7/10 ~{Music}~ The music in Orange is really good and is one of the series highlights. The OP, “Hikari no Hahen”, is fairly good. The vocals and music is nice and the song matches the series. But the ED, “Mirai”, is fantastic. Not only is the vocals and music amazing, but the lyrics are good too. It really has an emotional feel to it and it’s the perfect ED for this series. The ED made me feel more emotional that the actual series did. The background music in the series is also very good. The music used more the emotional scenes are good, but they don’t add too much to the scene. And the music used for its normal moments are pretty good too and work well. Music: 7/10 ~{Enjoyment}~ Though I was hoping more from this series, especially since I really liked the manga, but it was still a good anime that’s one of the best of the season. The characters, for the most part are handled well. Suwa and Hagita were definitely fun to see. The art, when it was at its best, looked gorgeous and the anime is worth watching just for that. The backgrounds especially were amazing. I really liked how Kakeru was handled and near the end of the series, I really understood how he felt and made most of his actions justifiable. I would’ve enjoyed the series more if the production value drops weren’t so drastic. Enjoyment: 6.5/10 In the end, Orange is worth checking out for those who want to see something new in the shoujo romance genre. Though, if you have already read the manga, you’re better off not watching this adaptation. Even if you haven’t read the manga, if you can, try reading the manga instead of watching the adaptation. Though the adaptation is loyal, the emotional aspect of the manga isn’t properly conveyed in the anime and feels lacking. And the sudden production value drop is jarring and distracting. But this is a really good story about regret and depression and it handles most of its characters pretty well. Even with the adaptation being not as good as we were hoping it to be, Orange is still one of the better anime of the season. + A nice story focusing on a group of people who wants their friend to have no regrets. + Nice and unique take on the shoujo romance genre. + Kakeru’s perspective is handled well and Suwa and Hagita are really likable characters. + Background music is very good and the ED is fantastic. - Very inconsistent production values as the art quality dips mid-way in the series. - Emotional moments aren’t as effective as they should be and feels lacking when compared to the manga. Overall: 6.3/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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