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Mar 21, 2019
You know what this show reminds me of? Saturday Morning cartoons. Completely cheesy, sometimes nonsensical writing. Animation that definitely cuts corners sometimes. Heavy handed lessons. And yet, I enjoyed it very much.
I have actually been reading the manga before getting into the anime, and honestly i prefer the manga. The pacing in the manga just flows better, and the art looks better too. I was slightly disappointed in how much the anime relied on recycled shots and still images. The manga has the educational bubbles that you can read if you want to get an understanding of the biological basis, which I found to be
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informative while not too intrusive. In the anime, however, the entire story pauses while a narrator reads this bubble, which often wrecks the pacing. I feel the show would have served better to let the narrative point to the science without stopping to fully define all the terms.
The plots and villains of each episode vary from intriguing to old school dumb, like the fact that every villain monologues and is evil for the sake of being evil. Occasionally, the show provides an intriguing narrative and antagonist, such as the episode that deals with cancer cells. The tropes and narrative conveniences reminded me very much of Saturday Morning Cartoons, and despite my criticisms, I often had a smile on my face and felt vaguely nostalgic.
One bright spot in the production in my opinion was the soundtrack. The orchestral music was lush, but also often playful. It may have not have always been used in quite the right moment narratively, but the music itself was well made. Also, the use of traditional Japanese drums to represent the heartbeat was I think a brilliant move. It got my heart pumping!
So yeah, the show isn't really that amazing, but it is fun!
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Aug 21, 2018
This series is short and cute. You don't get a lot in terms of story and development, but it provides just enough enjoyment to be worth the short watch. Plus, the variety of drinks featured (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) provide an interesting educational angle.
I will say, the implications of this story are a little disconcerting, as it appears that the wife is an obsessed alcoholic, though she wouldn't allow herself to be drunk in public if at all possible. Considering the target audience of the show, working adults who probably drink a lot anyway, the show does a very good job of presenting the main
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couple as responsible adults who care for each other deeply, even if that is mostly implied rather than seen.
TL;DR Short cute series for adults that are equal parts story and alcohol
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Apr 27, 2018
Gamers! Is a series that has some good cute and funny moments, but ultimately suffers from a perpetual status quo. It follows tropes found in many romcom animes, though sometimes it manages to put a twist in it that will keep you watching a little longer.
It also has several nods to gaming culture, and the last episode frames an engaging discussion on the pricing of games and DLC, if you don't completely miss it due to the fanservice. The show is good about showing and comparing different kinds of gamers.
I enjoyed the first part of the series, when the misunderstandings were fresh and the
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gags were unexpected. The stories and relationships were getting really tangled up, but it felt like that it was building to a climax, which the show did provide about halfway through the series. It looked like a clear resolution was coming, but then the plot started to get tangled again, except this time the direction was not as clear, and the characters were making the same mistakes, and the season ended by pausing the tangled storylines and giving us *ahem* distractions. What looked like a cute rom com had turned into kind of a harem perpetuated by lies and assumptions.
I feel that if the show got a second season, no substantial forward progress would be made. I would love to be proven wrong, but considering how similar the gags, misunderstandings, overreactions, and "fixes that made things worse" felt the same as the season progressed, I do not have high hopes.
The art was fine. The opening is wonderful and the character reactions can be quite fun. I would say it is standard. The characters draw on tropes but have some quirks that make them somewhat interesting.
Overall, I'd say it wasn't bad, but it did get annoying toward the end. Watch it if you like crazy love triangles/rectangles/pentagons, awkward but cute high school romance, or gamer culture.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Dec 9, 2017
I had the distinct pleasure of attending what was at the time the second premiere of the film in North America at an anime convention, as well as attended a panel where I got to hear from the directors and some of the creative staff. My initial reaction to the film was that it was visually interesting and entertaining, but also a little childish for me. I found the story to be mildly confusing at times, but with the help of some analysis of my friend who was a film critic, I appreciated what it was doing. Hearing from the creators themselves was especially
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eye-opening, and I gained even more appreciation for what the film was doing. Essentially, it is a creative adaption of an old Japanese tale, which is partially why the story feels simple: much like how disney adaptions of fairy tales, while very beautiful, told simple tales historically. I wouldn't elevate this to Studio Ghibli levels, but I would urge you to consider that there is much more intention behind this and as a foreigner, we don't have the full story. Give it a watch for a fun family-friendly adventure with a multi-layered meaning.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Aug 11, 2017
The irregular at magic high school movie, while visually interesting, suffers from poor pacing and a plot hole ridden storyline that represents a microcosm of the series as a whole. The movie itself plays like an extended bonus episode rather than a continuation or culmination of the show it is based on.
The movie suffers from pacing whiplash, going from mysterious high-stakes action to slice-of-life cute girls doing cute things with a gratuitous amount of fanservice (the majority of the movie), back to serious, fast-paced action. The new characters introduced barely get any characterization due to the bloated cast and the plot is problematic. Many
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things happen in the story that should have wider implications than what the movie allows. Like branches of the military attacking each other, an act of war from an outside nation, magician slavery, and tension between military and civilians. all of which are dismissed at the end of the movie. As for the main characters, there is no growth or significant development in their story, or in any other recurring characters' stories. The action portion of the movie, although spectacular, cannot save the movie from its weak storyline and character development.
Overall, I left the movie a little dissappointed. Maybe the light novels do a better job at pacing and the overall plot, but the movie is little more than spectacle and fanservice.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Aug 11, 2017
Flying Witch is a perfectly enjoyable wholesome anime to watch when you need a break from melodrama or crazy action or fanservice. The anime follows the experiences of Makoto, a witch who comes to live with her non-magical relatives. What follows is a series of pleasant slice-of-life moments as we get to know a little better a varied cast of characters.
An interesting choice by the writers is to have most of the main characters completely aware and supportive of the fact that Makoto is a witch, with only a couple of characters actually being surprised by her magical abilities, which do not take up the
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focus of the show. The majority of the show are kind-of one-shot stories of the the main character doing something new, and the show rarely revisits old themes. This helps keep the show somewhat interesting with a rotating cast of supportive characters, but it also means there is very little over-arching narrative. A good number of the episodes could be viewed out of order and it wouldn't be very noticeable, including the last episode.
The biggest problem with the story is that there seems to be little or no growth for the main character due to the lack of a meaningful goal for our main character. One of the episodes highlights this fact when a character asks Makoto if there is anything she is struggling with or worried about, and Makoto is unable to think of anything. The show steers clear of any romantic subplots as well for all characters, and some potential conflicts within the show are addressed once (in the episode they originate) and largely remain unresolved. These little things ultimately led me to begin getting bored with the show, but since the series was so short I instead am left feeling warm, happy vibes and just a little disappointment.
I feel like another anime did a better job of presenting a young witch living in a non-magical but largely accepting world in "kiki's delivery service", but this show was still enjoyable to watch.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jul 14, 2017
Mahouka is one of the first anime I got into, and ahead of the movie's release I decided to rewatch the series with fresh eyes. What I found is that the anime is visually compelling with fun, memorable characters and great action. I also found that it has so many loose plot threads that I cannot help but be bothered by its frayed edges.
-minor spoilers below-
The first half of the show is the strongest, and the unraveling plotlines don't start to be very noticeable until the end of the nine schools competition arc. There is an aura of mystery around the protagonist and his little
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sister, which helps make them interesting but soon becomes annoying because there are hints of their story and motivations throughout the series, but it is never addressed in full. For instance, how did they come to their current situation, and what was their childhood like? THe opening and ending songs hint at it, but it is not addressed in the show hardly at all! In addition, neither the protagonist nor his little sister undergo a noticable character arc. I cannot tell you how they have grown throughout the series. This is partially due to the lack of a truly formidable obstacle. This isnt a strong issue at first because we still don't really know a lot about the character, but by the time the climatic battle comes at the end of the series, I can't help but feel a little disappointed/bored.
I'm sure the light novel paints a more complete plot and probably gives a little more background and character development. Its a shame that the anime didn't get a second season, because I feel the story would greatly benefit from it. This anime left me hungry for more, which is a good thing.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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May 19, 2017
Lucky Star is a nice anime to watch if you need a break from a more serious/dramatic storyline and you just want to see cute girls doing cute things. There isn't really a plot or an overarching narrative at all really, just some running gags and a revolving cast of characters. This makes the anime perfect for small doses.
The interactions between the characters are pretty organic which is nice, but there is a strong reliance on stereotypes which lead to very little character development. The one area the anime does transcend stereotypes somewhat is in the portrayal of otaku. There are the hardcore otaku
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characters, but there are also the characters who like some otaku things but that isn't their defining personality trait.
I really enjoy the moments when the anime steps out of its box and parodies other anime styles, including mecha, action and dramatic animes. I also enjoy the "lucky channel" segments with their colorful cast of characters and 4th wall jokes. As a matter of fact, the lucky channel segments are the only parts of the show with an overall narrative and character development. When the anime has these moments, I get a little reminder of a similar style show, nichijou, which I absolutely loved.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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