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Aug 8, 2010
This review is based on what is out as of August 8th, 2010 (basically, 34/35 chapters).
I was initially turned off by Girl Friends. Not the premise, but the name. It's like buying generic cereal at the store. The generic brands don't taste nearly as good as the more expensive ones, that set them selves apart in some way, shape, or form. Bad analogy? Meh, you get my point. Girl Friends could have a more appealing title, but as it turns out that really isn't necessary. It was well received by MAL members, and I've been viciously hungry for some shoujo-ai. Here are my thoughts.
Having said
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that, I can't find a single bad thing to say about Girl Friends. So I'm sorry if the rest of my review comes off as a pitch to anyone and everyone who loves shoujo/romance to locate it online, and read through it, in what would (surely) be, a single sitting.
The thing that stands out the most, and what is the most important aspect of any good piece of entertainment, is the fantastic pacing that remains throughout. Just as you have had enough of the characters indecision and agony over their relationship, the author gives you sweet, sweet relief. I would go so far as to compare it to the author, completely in control, making love with her readers' emotions and only letting them orgasm at the very last possible moment, when the climax will be at its peak.
The other elements, for me, took a back seat to the amazing pacing and the relationship between Mari and Akko. The artwork improved throughout, which could be a negative for some people. However, I found the character designs, and the artwork in general, to be really appealing overall. By no means will the artwork blow anyone away, but the art is really quite good for a romance manga.
There is only one chapter left before Girl Friends wraps up, and (because of this) I'm left with a melancholy sort of feeling toward it. It's the same feeling I get when I finish reading a Haruki Murakami novel, or when I finished Akira Kurosawa's Ikiru, or even when I saw The Vision of Escaflowne for the first time. Long time anime and manga fans know this feeling well, it's what drives our fandom. My sadness doesn't stem solely from the end of Girl Friends, but the fact that I know I'll never experience it the same way again.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Aug 1, 2010
When I heard the premise for "Arakawa", I was immediately attracted to it. Something so strange, but yet simple. One man living under a bridge, and the small community that he spends his time with. It received plenty of positive reception from the reviewers on MAL, so I dove right in. And what I found was a charming, albeit eccentric slice-of-life that quickly became one of my favorites in the genre.
First and foremost, this is a character driven show. By no means will anything happen beyond the two main conflicts (the main character's acceptance into the community, and the other big one, which I won't
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mention for the sake of those who have yet to see "Under the Bridge"), and your enjoyment of this series will rest solely on your ability to enjoy this type of show.
If shows like "Azumanga Daioh", "K-On!/!" or "Minami-ke" were your cup of tea, then by all means hop right into AUtB. However, if you fall into the group of individuals who found these shows completely pointless and a waste of your time, you might want to sit this one out. Having said that, this one in particular is heavy on the comedy, and if it can't make even the most stone faced of otaku crack a smile, then give up on life. Or lighten up, life doesn't always have to be about epic battles and heart-wrenching love stories.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jul 29, 2010
The strength of "ef - a tale of memories" doesn't lie in its heart-wrenching love stories, but in the wonderful imagery SHAFT achieves throughout this gem of a show.
The story itself is nothing too out of the ordinary for fans of the genre, but it is by no means bad. Only the coldest of hearts could keep you from tearing up during the course of "memories". But it is not without fault. The secondary couple (Renji and Chihiro) seems to rely on the gimmick of memory loss. As one would expect, they go through the appropriate amount of hardship, but this plot device felt cliche.
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Fortunately, their story ends up being anything but.
The rest of the cast is equally interesting, but no one stuck out in particular. This doesn't mean they're boring in anyway, but I didn't find any of them endearing or memorable. Again, this isn't to say this has a large impact on the story, which is the show's second biggest asset.
I would even go so far as to describe the plot and imagery as Key-esque, reminiscent of "Clannad" or "Kanon". I wholly recommend "memories" to anyone who is a fan of the genre for what I would equate to as a nice healthy "snack" to fill your appetite. The Persona-inspired imagery, and great atmosphere is simply icing on the cake.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jul 27, 2010
I won't pretend I'm a master of story telling, or that I am the most observant anime fan, but this film left a bad taste in my proverbial mouth. It wreaked of a rush job, or if not that, of a film created solely as fan service. That is a slap in the face to long time fans.
Without going into detail, much of this film feels like it simply wants to rush through a good part of the original series. There are many moments during the first 30 minutes or though that I felt, "Oh... wow, that's probably the exact same angle, and scene from
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the TV series." I understand why this was here, for nostalgia, but after the first few cut and pastes it felt more like a gimmick to please some non-existent group of idiots who wanted this film to recapture the depth and complexity of the original. Instead, it comes off as shallow and cliche during much of the film. They were happy to cut out much of the character development, but yet they found it necessary to include a tremendous amount of technical jargon for the sake of having it there. I admit it builds tension during these scenes, but it falls flat due to the rest of the films' shortcomings.
Perhaps my biggest issue with the Evangelion "remakes" is the way they're being released. As a standalone film, 1.11 falls flat on its face. If this had been an OVA series, or simply another 26 episode anime series, then they could have given this story the treatment it deserves. Simply put, much of what made the original great simply wasn't there.
What it lacks most is soul.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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