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Story: The retelling of history has been done many times in various series, it can be fun a lot of times, but Steamboy really dropped the ball this time. Many times actually, Ray just couldn't keep a hold of it. [oh snap, a pun] *ahem* I'm still not really sure what they were trying to do with the story. Apparently the kid's father had some skewed view on science and decided to start a war with Britain. There wasn't much of a lead up to this, it just kind of happened at some point. There are far too many obstacles for Ray. Each time he is tasked with doing something some random person or thing gets in his way. Yeah, obstacles make the story interesting and all, but not when they are so ridiculous and far fetched... and numerous. This is a retelling of history and this is an anime, but the inventions were just too much. They didn't seem believable in the least bit which is kind of disappointing when they're such a big part of the movie. The story just was not interesting at all.

Art: The art is pretty much the only thing this movie has going for it. It's extremely detailed and just beautiful. Some of the larger scenes, such as the beginning of the festival, are filled with such grandeur that you almost forget that you are watching something so terrible. The London Exhibit, Crystal Palace, is another prime example of the beauty in this series. I've seen it in other series, but in this movie it is just wonderful. The last ten minutes or so are especially gorgeous.

Sound: I didn't find myself noticing too much of the regular music, it was a bit bland. The pieces during the more action packed sequences and the ending were superb. They fit extremely well with the scenes and were just phenomenal. The sound would have gotten a ten, but like I said, the music during regular scenes was just average.

Characters: None of them were very well done. I didn't feel any sort of connection with a single one. The main character, Ray, is just a typical good boy and that's pretty much it. Then there is the Miss Scarlet character... I don't get her at all. She was made out to be extremely stuck up and terrible in the beginning, she even abused her poor dog!, yet she somehow turns out to be the romance interest of Ray. Her character was just bland and had no depth, just like their relationship. The other characters didn't have anything going for them either, they were fueled by greed, misguided philosophies, and various other cliche driving forces. The father was one of the worst as well; changes in heart after being a complete douche are just lame.

Enjoyment: This was one of the first movies I considered dropping in the middle of it. The story and characters were just so bad that I almost couldn't keep watching. The only thing that kept me watching was hope that it would somehow redeem itself in the end, a hope that was completely wasted and silly. I can't say I enjoyed this at all really.

Overall: Well, if you want something really nice to look at for two hours I'd say give this movie a watch. If you're looking for a good story.... I'd seriously recommend watching something else. The lackluster story and characters, the far fetched inventions, and the ill placed obstacles completely ruin this movie. This is definitely something that should be passed by unless you are willing to sit through two hours of crap just for amazing animation.

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Story: VRE's story is very simple and easy to follow, two people from vastly different social classes fall in love with one another and throughout the series we get to see their trials and tribulations while dealing with it. Forbidden love is nothing new, but that doesn't mean this series is bland in any respect, there are plenty of dealings to keep the story lively. The nice thing, too, is that there is a lot of historical accuracy in the details, it keeps true to the time and doesn't pull any weirdo stuff for gimmick appeal. The story neither drags nor goes by too fast, it's paced perfectly.

Art: The character designs are cute and some of the scenery is nice, but this is definitely one of the drawbacks. The animation wasn't done that great, it's kind of grainy and basic. It's not something I would expect for when it was made, but we can't always get what we want. Honestly, you won't pay too much attention to the art anyways, you'll be engrossed in the story and characters.

Sound: The music is just quaint. It goes really well with the story and pretty much always fits the scenes. The opening and ending themes are especially cheerful and fun. It would have gotten a 10 from me, but it wasn't amazing music, it just fit really well.

Characters: The characters are one of the strongest points of the series. They've all got their different motivations and cover a wide variety of types so it's always fun. The two main characters, Emma and William, are very laid back characters, they're not hyper or weird at all... which is very nice. They are extremely interesting people with a multitude of layers behind them. There are a few characters that feel a little out of place for their time, but they are smaller roles so it won't affect much or be that noticeable/detracting for the story.

Enjoyment: Simply put, it's a really fun series. It's great watching the characters change throughout the story while dealing with their feelings and society. Everything is just done right, it's not over the top or lacking at all. I'm not one for romances usually, but this one could hook anybody I believe.


... first review, be gentle. When I write more I'll try to write better. read more