MaidenVarius's Anime List | MaidenVarius's Manga List

MaidenVarius's Profile

If there is one thing Square-Enix is good at, well, it's cashing in on sequels and remakes, most of which are completely worthless. While I have no problems with ports, it's the remakes and sequels which really grind my gears. The FF III remake was horrible in so many ways (it introduced characters who were nothing more than names). FF IV for the DS wasn't much better (can't even use Bahamut without Zeromus countering...what is with all the countering?). Anyways, VII wasn't my first Final Fantasy, nor is it my favorite, and certainly by no means is it the best in the series. However, I am by no means a VII hater as I certainly do love the game. Is it overrated...yes...but it is by no means horrible. My love for the game was ultimately "pissed on" by the creation of this and other side stories/sequels. I can no longer view the FF VII universe the same way after viewing this. Anyways, onto the review.

*OCCASIONAL SPOILERS AHEAD*

Story:

As many assumed, the story is a continuation of Final Fantasy VII. However, I use the word continuation very loosely here. The story is easy enough to follow, but it's certain things about the story which fuel my extreme hatred for it. The thing that bothered me most are the inclusion of Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo. The original story pretty much defeats any reason these three should exist. Yes, I understand that it's supposed to be a continuation, but therein lies the problem that any sequel should exist. The inclusion of Rufus also pissed me off. Those who are familiar with FF VII saw exactly what happened, and know that what Rufus achieved is physically impossible. Upon seeing his inclusion, I no longer cared for the movie. The next thing that irritated me was Bahamut Sin. What is it? What is it doing there? I have always liked Bahamut, and this was simply done in bad taste. There was no reason for Bahamut Sin to be in this movie, and in all actuality there was no reason this movie should even exist.

*END SPOILERS*

Art:

The art is superb and one of the only quality factors found within this movie. We get full CG versions of the FF VII characters. It's beautiful. Some of the designs are a bit different but I see no reason to rant about that. Everything about the art is, well, great.

Sound:

The sound was the other factor of quality found within this jumbled mess. I am so thankful Nobuo Uematsu helped compose the music for Advent Children. A plethora of musical genres is used, ranging from symphonic to rock. I was mostly pleased with the soundtrack, which is more than I can say about FF XII and XIII. Even X had its weak moments. However, that is neither here nor there. Kyosuke Himuro of Boøwy contributes "Calling" to the ending credits. So if you're a fan of him, you'll be quite happy. Of course several FF VII classics return albeit a little reimagined. Overall though, I was pleased.

Character:

The characters had all already been developed. We had seen every facet of emotion possible from the characters in FF VII. Square-Enix wanted to please the fanboys of this game (mostly westerners) by creating a pointless sequel with equally as pointless characters. In my opinion FF VII was complete. There was nothing more that could be done. There was no development, and how could there be? FF VII was done, and we get nothing more than what I wish wasn't real. A sequel that contradicts many events from the first game. Essentially characters new and old, who do nothing but ruin FF VII. I am just thankful they hadn't completely ruined the Zack storyline yet ("sigh" see Crisis Core).

Enjoyment:

As I stated before, the appearance of a certain character from VII immediately reduced my enjoyment to nothing. If it wasn't for the quality CG and action, I can't find any logical reason someone would enjoy this film (except the fanboys of course). To go on a small tangent, I find it quite hilarious that most people who view VII as the best are mostly those who started with it and have only played VII onwards. It is no coincidence that those same people are the ones who mostly view this film as a masterpiece. Anyways, I actually fell asleep during my first viewing of the film. Subsequent views were subject to similar boredom though not quite on the same level. Nonetheless, it was still nothing more than a chore to finish (much like X, XII, and XIII). However, if you simply enjoy action and could care less about the story, then you may find enjoyment. However, beyond that, I cannot comprehend any enjoyment.

Overall:

I actually tried watching Advent Children as a film and nothing more, and even then it is still just as bland and tasteless. In reality any FF fan should feel the same. The contradictions speak for themselves. There is absolutely no justification for these contradictions, and nor will there ever be. The movie ruined a franchise which many of us hold dear. This movie, along with FF X, directly contribute to the downfall of the series and IMO is the official beginning of Final Fantasy's decline. It's no mystery that I have a severe hatred for this film, as well as the seemingly endless sequels that followed. If you read the entire review, you may also notice that I could care less for any game beyond IX. I personally blame Tetsuya Nomura, a simple monster designer, who now wields way too much power. It's hard to view this movie as nothing more than a pitiful attempt to cash in on greater things before it. read more

I must admit that I was skeptical of a nearly 3 hour Haruhi Suzumiya movie. The first series was quite good, but I found it quite hard to enjoy the second series (or season 1.5 as I like to call it). It wasn't simply the endless eight either (a good idea just dragged out) as I found it hard to watch even the rest of the series. However, being the completionist that I am, I decided to watch this film of, well, genius. I will, of course, include no spoilers or at least I hope not to.

ART - If you've seen the other Haruhi Suzumiya series then this will be no different. However, I did notice it was a bit more "artsy". What I mean by that is it seemed to take on a more atmospheric role. I found this film to be less colorful than any of the other Haruhi Suzuimya series. That is definitely not a bad thing as it fit the tone of the movie.

SOUND - The 2006 series opening was the opening for this movie, so that may be a welcomed addition. The rest of the music is mostly different than what you would hear in the series as it is definitely more cinematic (it is a movie after all). It is a bit more piano and strings oriented, and thus it adds to the atmosphere. I would classify the film as mostly a mystery, and therefore the music fits perfectly.

CHARACTER - Again the characters are mostly the same if you watched the series but I did notice a bit of a difference in Kyon though (well Nagato as well, but that's beside the point). His plight is what accounts for this. The relationship between Kyon and Haruhi is explored a bit as they technically (think really hard on this if you've seen it) are without each other for a few days in this movie. They basically come to the realization about the importance they have in each others lives. My favorite scene is definitely when Kyon runs to meet the disrupted time flow's Haruhi. This is not only touching, but quite awesome or at least I thought so.

ENJOYMENT - As I mentioned before, I was quite skeptical of a nearly 3 hour Haruhi movie. I will say right now that all the skepticism I had was thrown out the window within the first 10 minutes. Despite its length, the movie is phenomenal in that it draws you in and refuses to spit you out until you have finished watching. My eyes were glued the second I started this film. For me, I owe it to the mystery of Kyon's plight. We truly delve into his inner emotions and feel for the character as we should. In all honesty, this movie ranks as one of the greatest I have ever seen, and I have seen some great films (Seven Samurai comes to mind). I find it nearly impossible for one not to enjoy this movie.

STORY - I decided to save the story for last as it may be the hardest to review. The second I stopped watching this piece of cinematic glory, I thought to myself that I needed to review it. This movie impacted me that incredibly. The story is phenomenal. A type of story where you wonder how the creator could have possibly thought of such a thing. A lot of loose ends are tied up as we are gifted with a wonderfully constructed plot. The story is mostly a mystery, and Kyon (the poor soul that he is) is forced to solve it. Kyon's emotions and his relationships with the other SOS Brigade members are explored immensely. However, I would say his relationship with Haruhi is the relationship on which the spotlight shines most. The movie must be watched in order to grasp the brilliance of it.

OVERALL - Obviously I was quite impressed with this film. Though I would consider myself a fan of the franchise, I had felt it was a bit overrated. This film single-handedly saved the franchise for me. The film is never boring even though it is nearly 3 hours, and the characters are as fascinating as always. I seriously cannot find a single flaw with this movie. I only hope that you enjoy it as much as I did. read more

While there are mounds and mounds of great anime, there is also most certainly mounds and mounds of bad anime. In fact, the number in the "bad" category surely surpasses the amount in the "good" category. It's clear what my stand is on this anime by just looking at the rating which I have given it. However, the tough part is knocking the feelings when viewing this anime into a simple coherent review. Bear with me, as this is my very first review....ever.

STORY - I guess I will start with the story, the fantastic story. The story is mostly a parody of more modern mecha anime, which just so happens to include a parody of your typical 70s/80s mecha anime. Fans of every genre will find something to like within this series. Fans of harems, romance, action, mecha, comedy, parody, and drama will all find something to like here. It's simply a jack of all trades among anime. Truly one of the more diverse series. After the halfway mark, the story begins to answer questions found earlier in the series. The story takes a life of its own and is no longer just a simple parody, and several twists take place. Though the comedy fades slightly, I'm willing to bet it will be near impossible for anyone to drop the series at this point as it still retains its delightful addictiveness.

ART - Yes the art is from the mid to late 90s which may cause a problem for some people. It did for me as I'm very much now used to the extravagant art of today's anime. There's nothing really wrong with it, it's just dated. I did notice some problems with Haruka Minato though. For some reason it just seemed like she was differently drawn than the other characters. Once you get by the fact that it's from the the mid to late 90s, you'll have no problem enjoying the art. Another thing to point out is how well the 70s/80s stereotypical mecha anime characters are included into a more modern mecha series.

SOUND - The opening theme, "You Get to Burning" is insanely catchy and will probably stick in your head for awhile. The ending theme, "Watashi Rashiku" is equally as good, and will probably follow suit, and stick in your head as well. The bgm is typical science fiction fare. It fits the setting, and none of the music is out of place, which is great, considering the diversity of this series.

CHARACTER - One of the best features of this show. You get great diversity within the cast. The tomboyish girl, the moe girl, the ditz, the justice loving guy, the "afraid to fight" guy, etc...etc. The best part is how wacky the crew is, yet they are all extremely qualified for their positions. You'll see what I mean when you first see Yurika. The relationships between characters are also really well done. You'll feel sorry for some, while hating several others. In my opinion that equates to a great series. To fully appreciate the cast, if it weren't obvious enough, the series must be watched in full. Also, I feel it's near impossible to not fall in love with Ruri, you'll see what I mean.

ENJOYMENT - The series is highly addictive and very entertaining. When you're not laughing, you could be feeling one of many emotions guaranteed while watching this show. It has its dramatic moments, but you'll be mostly laughing throughout the series. It's a great anime, and I feel it would be very hard to not appreciate at least a little.

OVERALL - I make it my goal to watch a series that usually places among those considered the best in anime, and though I just finished this series, I have to say it is one of the best I've ever seen. It was highly addictive and hilarious. It had great characters, and a decent plot. Oh and did I mention it was hilarious? One of the best features is the diversity of genres within Martian Successor Nadesico. There is literally something there for fans of nearly any genre to appreciate (except for horror). I would certainly make it in my best interest to view this series as soon as possible.

read more