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Oct 25, 2012
If the enormous amount of almost perfect review scores, the extremely high MAL ranking, or the gushing of people by word of mouth hasn't tipped you off already, you KNOW you should go and watch Steins;Gate already. That said, if you're still not sure for some reason, or you've seen the first couple of episodes and felt dismayed, fear not, I hope this review will clear some of those tricky to enjoy episodes out of the way.
Some people have asked me, who should not watch Steins;Gate? Some people might say that if you don't like sci-fi, comedy, time travel, drama, romance, action, suspense, you should
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not watch Steins;Gate. I say bullshit. Who doesn't like at least one of those things? With that out of the way, I believe Steins;Gate's target audience is anyone with a brain and interested in ideas typically not shown in popular anime.
STORY (9)
Here's the crux of it. The Story. Steins;Gate is at its heart, a story. That's right Captain Obvious, what else? So then since to give spoilers would destroy the purpose of you watching this show , I will be as discreet as possible. It goes something along the lines of this: You can send text messages to the past. And this will alter the present or the future that the past is linked to. Enter main man Okabe Rintarou and his cast of lab mates. They fiddle around with this time machine, and voila, shit jumps out of the frying pan and into the fire. STOP
That's as much as I'm willing to give you, because here is where you want to read if you're currently stuck on the earlier episodes. GO ON
I admit that Steins;Gate doesn't do itself any favors by introducing things in the deliberate manner you see viewers complain about for the first half of the series. It's true, it's slow, dialogue heavy, still framed, muted colors, weird characters. But hey, look at Bakemonogatari. And Steins;Gate then unfolds like an Agatha Christie mystery, those innocuous details you picked up at the very beginning and disregarded? Congratulations, you're going to get mind blown later on! The nuance of Steins;Gate lies not in rapid dissemination of the plot, nor, like your daily brain [Off] series is it accessible from any point in an arc. From the very beginning the story is established in a precise manner that leaves future implications dazzling in its implications. The scope of the story is such that the plot moves slowly, and randomly at the time you watch it, in order that the second half of the series sends all the things you've accumulated thus far into the wood chipper and grinded into little tiny bits. Comedy, slice of life, dialogue heavy first 8 episodes? Good on you to soak it all in. Now go marathon the remaining 17 episodes.
So far it seems like the only thing I have going for you who are stuck in the earlier episodes and have no desire to move further is that things pick up later on. It's a valid reason to continue, but you're still wondering at this 9 of a score on the story. And does it deserve it? Hell yes, because while Steins;Gate starts off confusedly and slow, the ramp up in tension is so palpable, so extreme, that it's like being high and drunk and asleep all at the same time. The state of your mouse button will be worn down from the relentless clicking of 'next episode.' So I'm sorry, but the payoff is like the best masturbation session you've ever had. You don't blow it off too early. I mean, that's what you're doing by not following up after the first 10 episodes or so.
Why is it not a 10? Why is Steins;Gate rated lower than Gintama? I disagree with MAL, but Steins;Gate's story does have its problems. And because Story = Steins;Gate, that the strongest and most visible attribute of the series is not perfect, means that the series is not absolute perfection. But it comes darn close.
First off, it's not perfect because the theories of time travel and divergent time lines are not fully elucidated for the perfectionist detail oriented viewer. There are holes in the science, in the events that are shown in the anime but explained in the visual novel. They nagged me like that tiny pebble in your shoe for about two episodes or so. But by the time I realized they were a problem, I also realized I simply did not care anymore. Now to me, that's surprising and great, because a show that can make you not care about its imperfections means it did a whole lot of things right other than its one aspect. And so we move on.
ART & SOUND (8.5)
Technical production values were extremely high. It is a little off-putting in the beginning to see all muted tones and off white color schemes, but you realize after a while, that this IS Steins;Gate. The technical production team really did a nice job here. If you get the Blu-Ray, which I highly recommend you acquire, you can see how flawlessly animation flows and how well the characters, enviros, and effects are detailed throughout the show. A little minor gripe is that sometimes character facial expressions looked slightly distorted. But again, that's nitpicking.
Sound was, for the most part, excellent. In fact, Steins;Gate's BGM was amazing. Considering that it was mostly taken from the visual novel, the insertion songs were placed aptly, chosen well, and correctly emphasized whatever was occurring during that scene. The OP, on the other hand, was polarizing. For 2/3 of the show, I did not enjoy it. But as all things come to be, I grew to like it. I still don't know how this shift occurred, probably Stockholm Syndrome? Got captured by this series- that must be it...
CHARACTER (10)
Here is another crux of Steins;Gate. While the story is necessary and essential, these characters, Okabe "Mad Scientist" Rintarou, Makise Kurisu, Daru, Mayushii, and others really drove this series past its plot into something special. They made the plot resound. Surprisingly all of Steins;Gate's characters fall into some archetype or another, and yet, somehow, they bring an element into the execution that is both original and highly entertaining.
I really can't say enough about Okabe Rintarou whose character conception is done and executed extremely well. Generic my ass, that type of boring male protagonist is beheaded like Makoto in School Days, and instead you get one of the most memorable male leads in all of anime. Move over Kamina, here's Mado Scientist Houin Kyouma! Seriously, the guy's character is as unique as you can find, eccentric and goofy, but surprisingly and fortunately, his emotional depth is also second to none. Instead of the jerk with a heart of gold, he's a mad scientist with a body of real. His interactions with his lab mates are endearing, touching, dramatic, comedic, and serious, at all the right points. That is wonderful.
I haven't even gotten to Makise Kurisu, Daru and Mayushii, but I can tell you right now that they fit their archetypes to an art, but also set new bars for enjoying those archetypes. This fitting into your anime stereotypes is also done somewhat tongue-in-cheek as you have the characters sometimes breaking the third wall in terms of describing what's going on.
Some reviewers have criticized that Steins;Gate devolves into a human interest story halfway through the series and that is not entirely incorrect. True, the latter half of the series skips the whimsical theory-crafting and slice of life style that is reminiscent of shows like Bakemonogatari, but I think those reviewers are ever so slightly missing the point. Yes, you don't want an anime to become a mindless pathos-ridden drama with characters tear stained faces grimacing in dismay and anguish as bad events befall them while you can only face palm. (Yes, you know what shows I'm talking about.) However, Steins;Gate has a plot of which the theme, time travel, by itself an element that lends itself heavily to human interest stories. If you can manipulate time, you alter events, and events are done by people, so people inherently are affected. Thus for the story not to include a significant human interest element is irrational and nonsensical. That said, I am pleased to announce that Steins;Gate pulls off this human element superbly, and while things are wrapped up neatly and conveniently, it never seems too forced or contrived. I mean, what can you say about a show that lets you manipulate time to contrive your ends?
In addition, perhaps my biggest praise for this show goes to how they ended it. A good ending done right with just the right amount of closure. It ended so well, that this show really is a standardbearer for how conclusions should be done. Just don't forget to watch the episode 25 OVA as well.
For lack of a better word, these characters make you CARE. All great shows do this and so I leave it like that. Character and plot are closely entwined in Steins;Gate, and neither is lacking.
ENJOYMENT (10)
What can I put here other than 10? Well, frankly if I counted the first 10 episodes, maybe this score would have gone down by 0.5. Not because it's not any good in the beginning, but that it takes a while for the story to start up. And yet, there is absolutely no filler. Could Steins;Gate have paced the first half of the season slightly better? Yes. But this is nitpicking. I really can't say anything else other than, I loved the fuck out of this show, and is one of the few shows that made me think beyond the anime itself. Case in point, if you were to actually think about the implications of world lines and divergence ratios, and how events could (fictitiously of course) play out on the basis of this theory, I guarantee you will mindfuck yourself to some degree.
OVERALL (10)
TL;DR I really think you should watch this show.
If you're stuck in the early going, I highly suggest you tough it out. There are PLENTY of worse shows to not watch, so do take the time out of your day to actually watch something good. It's a rare treat when a show's premise sticks with you long after you watch the climax and finale. Steins;Gate was one such anime.
El Psy Congroo.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Jul 16, 2012
ENJOYMENT: [10/10]
I’ll start off with enjoyment since B Gata H Kei isn’t a Great Anime by any means. You can’t compare it to stuff like FMA: B or even to highly touted titles in its own category, such as Clannad. This is simply because BGHK aims for a unique type of cognitive dissonance. (What is this term he throws out there?
TL;DR - the discomfort one experiences when holding conflicting ideals simultaneously. This leads to feelings of embarrassment, shame, etc.
TL;DR 2 – BGHK is about the dissonance between sex without love, love without sex, and just plain sex after all. )
TL;DR 3 – In deemphasizing
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the love part of a romance, BGHK actually outdoes many ‘stereotypical’ romance/eroge adaptations by turning the ultimate sex goal into its own quirky, endearing romance by the end, and you realize that BGHK is not a bad rom/com in its own right from the very beginning.
That’s right, I bring out cognitive dissonance as what drives BGHK into its own tier of anime pleasure.
STORY: [8/10]
It’s not a bad story, but the reason why it’s “just normal” is that aside from the unique premise of our heroine’s goal of finding 100 sex partners while in school, the anime proceeds in a episodic slice of life fashion, which while enjoyable, is just that. Well done standard story that follows up logically on the premise.
You’ve got your somewhat tsunderish Yamada whose attempts to get fellow virgin Kosuda into bed is complicated by a mutual dissonance. The beauty of their interaction is that while the story throws you your usual rom/com plot twists inevitably brought on by entertaining screw-ups by one or both parties, each sides’ beliefs about the other party are frequently and hilariously wrong or misguided. The story works fantastic when these mutual differences of opinion are explicitly voiced by the inner voices of both characters.
While it is an ecchi comedy, it’s surprisingly clean about it and genuinely funny. That’s a rarity nowadays.
CHARACTER: [8/10]
On the one hand, the characters fit into broad stereotypes. Yamada is a tsundere. Kosuda is your average dude. But that’s where stereotypes stop. The difference here is that Yamada, Kosuda, and most of the other characters in the show have “Inner Voices” that act as a 3rd person dramatic aside that often underscores the irony of the situations the characters find themselves in.
Yamada is a true tsundere in outer appearance, she can’t comprehend her attraction to Kosuda, and acts accordingly. Kosuda acts like your average dude when confronted in this situation, “WTF is going on! I can’t understand girls.”
However, as Yamada’s goal is straightforward and necessary to her, TO HAVE SEX, LOTS OF SEX, she pursues Kosuda with a relentless ferocity that you don’t see much if at all in rom/coms, but because they’re both virgins, they can “never” get the deed done properly.
Much of the hilarity from this show ensues when Yamada and Kosuda fundamentally misunderstand each other. Does she really like me? What if he’s confused by my vagina’s appearance? What’s going on inside her mind, is she really perverted and wants me? What’s the matter, why doesn’t he want the most beautiful girl in school? Is he gay?
Of course you also have your essential backing characters that often are foils to Yamada, and/or occasionally Kosuda.
Appropriately the ending concludes some basic questions about their relationship and raises the possibility of a second season.
ANIMATION: [7/10]
I didn’t really find anything that stood out or detracted from the watching. Everything was animated smoothly and character models looked like they were done on an appropriate budget. The character designs fit the descriptions and the various expressions to illustrate shock, embarrassment, etc, are done well.
Yamada is appropriately cute, and Kosuda, unmistakably normal.
SOUND: [7/10]
Again, nothing stood out or detracted.
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As one reviewer said, this was probably one of the classiest ecchi rom/coms I’ve ever seen. The fanservice was there but not gratuitous, in fact, it was surprisingly clean. In addition, what truly makes BGHK a great show for pure enjoyment is that it develops into a great rom/com when in the beginning, you may be turned off by the initial premise. The characters are great, their conflicts hilarious, misunderstandings even better, and this show, just a blast to watch.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jul 11, 2012
TL;DR Charlotte’s Web. The Anime Ver.
Pigs can fly. And that’s a fact. Imagine the pig Wilbur saved by an intelligent spider, Charlotte who then turns his life around. OH WAIT, this sounds familiar. It’s Accel World! (Spiders and Butterflies >.>, semantics).
Of course, it’s not really as simple as E.B. White’s children’s novel, and to be perfectly clear, besides the spider saving the pig, it’s not even remotely similar. Read on for los detailes.
*Jump straight to Character if you have gripes about Haruyuki. So do I, and I even like this sow (o.O) *show.
STORY : 8
The premise of this series is surprisingly original. It’s the future
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and everyone’s hooked up a global network. Via the implant in their neck, they can literally access the world wide “internet” and browse numerous files, play numerous games, and otherwise engage themselves in a VR (virtual reality) world. Complete with custom designed avatars and all the works. Our story here is about chubby Haruyuki who suffers from chronic depression and low self esteem. He’s the only chubby/physically unattractive person in the entire school of standard pretty anime stereotypes. This gives him cause to mope. (I would too, imagine going to a high school for supermodels.) However, in the virtual world, (in which his avatar is a pig), he meets the school’s beautiful idol, Kuroyukihime who introduces him to Brain Burst.
Basically an amped up fighting game that can reveal the secrets of the human psyche if you can clear it.
Not too much pressure for our main man is it? Well, the story, after introducing this unique setting, proceeds much along the lines of a typical shonen story. Boy then develops secret power, beats people, loses to people, becomes inspired, suffers personal losses, deals with demons, grows stronger, romance buds, etc. All well and good. And well done, and which is why this story works in terms of entertainment. It’s just fun. And fun to watch.
CHARACTER: 8.5
Ok, ok, people gripe about Haruyuki, and its legitimately justified. He’s basically Ouma Shu, but chubbier and has even lower self esteem, if possible. He thoroughly comes off as an uninspiring main character if you take him at face value. Besides the nascent fact that anime is not littered with fat MCs, much of entertainment serves to provide us with images of pretty leads and perfect (looks wise) people. Haruyuki is different, and normally you would say that’s great. Break the stereotype and all. But because he has Ouma Shu’s personality (at least at first), he’s thoroughly unlikeable.
But wait, I still like him, and that’s because the second character, Kuroyukihime, his foil, his love interest, and the most interesting character in the show, allows the Haruyuki to move beyond an initial type of pathetic-ness.
Kuroyukihime is everything Haruyuki is not, yet she’s attracted to him, don’t worry this is not a spoiler. Why, and why is what Haruyuki asks himself. But there is no doubt, in the scenes between the two of them, there is undeniable chemistry and inspiration. I’ve not seen such chemistry between leads in a while. The romance between the two is always underscored by Kuroyukihime’s intensity and dry wit, it’s fun to watch. (And to bring it back to the Charlotte’s Web analogy, Kuroyukihime’s avatar is a big butterfly, (which is not unlike a spider >.>).
The other characters are also fine in their roles, the childhood friends, the enemies, the unlikely allies, etc, the personalities are pretty well developed and fleshed out. Character gets no complaint from me.
SOUND: 7.5
It’s well done, but standard. You have your typical fast BPM OP, appropriate music where it fits. Well done, but not transcendent. Good enough. The voice actors, I thought, were also decent. Haruyuki, smh, is voiced by Kaji Yuki, who voices Ouma Shu, but at least Haruyuki get’s past Shu’s stupid personality after the first 3 eps or so.
Kuroyukihime’s voice was decent, I actually enjoyed the deadpan delivery more than some other viewers who thought that for Misawa Sachika’s breakthrough, it was mediocre. Personally, calm, sometimes cold Kuroyukihime does have that voice. Even the emotional scenes in which the understated “baka” declarations come out, were in character for this role.
ANIMATION: 9
Production quality was top notch. It’s like Guilty Crown, but better. (Man, I seem to be bashing on GC quite a bit). GC’s animation still trumps AW, but for all intensive purposes, if the series is better as a whole, story telling, character, etc, then it’s better. That said, the animation was always fluid, character models moved well, the fight scenes superbly animated and cinematography done surprisingly well in certain scenes. (Usually where heavy emotion was involved).
ENJOYMENT: 9
Gripe about Haruyuki because I know I did. It was because of him that I put off watching AW for as long as I did. But once I took plunge, I found a deep, interesting, and dynamic show that manages to infuse the shonen genre with some much needed originality and difference. The romance, for once, was a highlight of the show. The chemistry between the main leads, superb.
*Some of you may see Kuroyukihime as a manipulative ice queen, and that’s plausible. But I prefer to look at it like Charlotte’s Web.
Spider saves pig. Pig opens his wings and flies.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Feb 18, 2009
How long is it? 145 episodes. What’s it about? American Football. All of it? Yes. (And if you liked this series but found it either too long, or a bit childish, definitely check out Cross Game, a highly underrated sports series that is on a whole different maturity and story level.)
Eyeshield 21 is definite shonen sports anime. Heck, its even sponsored by the Japanese NFL and received backing in the United States as a football series on a sports channel. And now,…don’t get turned off. Because if you do, you’re missing out on one of the most entertaining series people disregard just because of its
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non-traditional anime content.
Review:
Please, please, don’t dump this series just because its football. I cannot but regret that I did put off watching this and suffered my way through crap series like Blade of the Immortal. My 2 cents on why you should watch (if you don’t want to slog your way through the rest of this):
• Typical plot (yet this works perfectly fine for this series), interspersed with drama, comedy, and laugh your head off antics of its marvelous characters.
• Marvelous characters (I said it but I will say it again), You will love the characters of Eyeshield, because even Sena isn’t as annoying as it seems. And…Hiruma will send you to hell if you don’t watch this.
Now that you’re here:
Characters: To put it simply, there is nothing bland about Eyeshield’s cast. From Sena’s traditional shonen perserverance, to Hiruma’s demonic avarice (and he will become your favorite as well), Eyeshield 21 does a masterful job of designing to characters to both appeal to viewers and to transition their interactions with each other smoothly. The rivalry between Sena and Shin is also nonclichedly carried out, and all the supporting characters get their own backstory as well. To tell the truth, I don’t even think that the supporting characters were even ‘technically 2nd tier’. You cannot but feel for the other characters such as the quarterback of the Zokugaku Chameleons whose delinquent team cannot hold themselves together. And so yes, the characters of Eyeshield are not just comedic, but serious, dramatic, and all the time flawed in some way or another. There’s not fun in watching perfect characters now is there?
Plot: Well, its straightforward enough: team has a dream, team wants to go to Christmas Bowl, team must defeat rival teams, team must work together, team must train, then team must win. But this is all you need to watch Eyeshield. It’s 145 episodes does more than enough to advance the adrenaline pumping scenes of the matches. Between moments of drama and football action is raucous comedy which borderlines on the absurd (cough Hiruma gun toting blackmailer), yet makes it more funny all the same. Now come to think of it, you don’t watch a sports series too much for the plot as more for the character development and anime action.
Sound and Graphics: Nothing too shabby here. The BGMs were great, the Ops and EDs were equally great. Eyeshield does a decent job of fitting its sound to its action scenes. The animation is more than adequate for the heart pumping football action scenes. Of course its NOT realistic. Who would want to watch realistic football for 145 episodes? Nah, this is where you see special moves like those in DBZ like Sena’s Devil Bat Ghost, Kid’s Rapid Fire Throw. (No fantastical equipment, mind but enough specialty to make you want to continue watching.) That said, animation is definitely decent for this series.
Entertainment/Replay Value : This is something I wouldn’t mind watching more than once. The one bone I have to pick with the series is its sometimes slightly traditional fillers, which it has to have in its 145 episodes. But even with that, Eyeshield 21 is hilarious, action packed, and a touchdown for us viewers.
Poptart’s Rating: 8/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Dec 31, 2008
OK, I’ll admit I’ve looked at this series for quite some time before actually picking it up. The reason being I didn’t feel quite comfortable with the apparent darkness the pictures of it seemed. Also the plot didn’t seem to interest me, as it appeared at first glance by wiki to be a bit bland. Then something changed, I prodded myself to go try it. And then,…I became trapped in the dark and phantastical post-apocalyptic world of Ergo Proxy, where anything might happen. And you could not trust anyone, anywhere.
-Animation-
Ergo Proxy has some of the best animation that I’ve seen in an anime. It sets
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the tone right away in the beginning for being dark and absolutely suspenseful. From the very first beginning where you are immediately shown an apparent medical containment lab where a “monster” is being restrained. However, it awakens. This sort of beginning sort of reminded me of Elfen Lied, however for those of you who have seen Elfen Lied, there is not quite near the amount of gore in Ergo Proxy. The animators did a splendid job of controlling the lighting; it was absolutely perfect when it switches between the sorrowful, painful, post-apocalyptic backgrounds of the “outside world” and the somehow even more sinister “ecological domes” in which most of the populace resides. There is very little frame reuse, no repeated mecha equipment cut scenes; this anime is meant to be dramatic and dark, and its animation does its purpose amazingly.
-Story-
Caveat emptor. Let me warn you first. Ergo Proxy isn’t meant to be seen as a side show. It’s not meant to be watched when you need to lighten up. It’s story is dark and convoluted and it’ll take those brain cells of ours to puzzle it out, even after the directors puts almost all the pieces in place. The story begins in a futuristic domed city called Romdo, built to protect its citizens after a global ecological disaster. In this utopia, humans and androids (AutoReivs) coexist with each other peacefully under a total management system. A series of murders committed by berserk robots (infected with the Cogito virus which enables them to have a conscious mind) starts to jeopardize the delicate balance of the social order. Behind the scenes, the government is conducting secret experiments on a mysterious humanoid lifeform called Proxy, which is believed to hold the key to the survival of mankind or maybe its destruction.
Re-l Mayer is assigned to investigate some of the murders with her AutoReiv partner Iggy. She encounters a Cogito-infected AutoReiv and a fast and flexible monster. She later learns that the monster was a Proxy, the mysterious humanoid lifeform only the top bureaucratic officials even know the existence of. Here is where an immigrant by the name of Vincent Law is introduced. Having mysterious connections to the Proxies, Vincent is on the run from authorities after failing his citizen test. After being hunted down, Vincent leaves Romdo, and Re-l tags along to discover the truth behind the Proxies and the domes.
This series has a nicely developed fully fleshed out plot, not too fast, nor too slow, but the major dialogues are important to understanding the story as it goes on.
-Music and Sound-
The in-series music is good enough for this type of series, but nothing really sticks out that much, unlike Heroic Age and series it. But since this series focuses mainly on a story and characters, it doesn’t really matter really. However, the OP threw me off guard, it suited the series in a weird ironic dark way. The song is performed by a Japanese, however, he speaks fluent English. See for yourself and you’ll know what I mean.
-Characters-
This is the gluing point of the series. In addition to its complex plot, its characters suit the series extremely well. All the characters develop emotionally through the course of the series and since this isn’t technically an action series, Ergo Proxy focuses on the psychological mentality of its protagonists. The main character, Re-I Mayer is an enigma. Her personality and demeanor suggests of a haughty princess, but she is acutely observational and analytical and amazingly intriguing. Introduced as a selfish character in the beginning with little regard to other beings including her own autoreiv Iggy and her later partner Vincent, Re-I Mayer (Lil) poses a curious change as the series goes on. Vincent too, introduced, as a bit timid and cowardly in the beginning changes into a true man as Ergo Proxy goes on.
Not just them, but the other characters, the Proxies, the Security Bureau’s chief, the different autoreivs, and the host of other characters, mainly supporting, are painstakingly portrayed and realistically displayed. Plainly put, it’s a series that will draw you in with its characters and plot alike.
-Enjoyment-
Well, can’t really say much about it. I can’t say I was left happy by it. But I can say I enjoyed it. It’s not something I would like to rewatch, however, and most likely it’ll stay on my list as one of the most brooding series ever created.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Dec 31, 2008
This series may not be appropriate for everyone. It doesn’t contain the most gore, nor the most violence in a story, nor the most amount of dialogue. However, the convolution and supernatural aspects of this series are bound to confuse some people, but if you’re like me, you’ll find it enjoyable.
Story (or otherwise the convoluted background you need to understand)
Ten years ago, an inscrutable and abnormal territory known as Hell’s Gate appeared in Tokyo and altered the sky and decimated the landscape. The heavenly bodies disappeared, replaced by false stars. During this time, people who possess various special abilities emerged. Kept secret from the knowledge
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of the masses, these individuals, known as Contractors, are able to murder in cold blood. Various nations around the world use Contractors as spies and agents, often resulting in violent battles for information. Each fake star has a corresponding contractor, and they vibrate when their contractor’s power is being used. As such, contractors are usually identified by their star’s Messier catalogue number. However, their abilities are gained at the edge of their humanity. They lack human emotions, especially aversion to killing. Contractors usually work for one of various rival Syndicates as spies and assassins, although the ultimate purpose of the Syndicates is initially unknown. (wikipedia) This is basically the background you need to start out with to understand the premise of Darker than BLACK. The series opens with the protagonist, Hei an elite contractor with the Messier code BK-201 and the plot begins to unravel the mysteries surrounding the abnormalities of Hei and his search for his sister Pai, that then pulls in the past that seems to be horrifying and bleak.
Art
Great animation is what I’ll say for this series. It’s good for the series, perhaps not the best, but still really entertaining. I’ll say its very good for its genre and you’ll find it satisfying to watch. The action scenes are fluidly animated and overall animation is not bad at all. The setting painted by the colors are right for the mood, dark at times, contrasting with the aptly placed humor at others. You wont find a problem with this series in terms of art, though I have to say some scenes maybe one or two seemed like it was cheaply done….
Character
Alright, we’re down to the most redeeming aspect of this series. *Takes a deep breath*. For a sci-fi series that I’ve seen, this has some of the best character development you’ll ever see; each character really except for some has an incredibly detailed and intriguing back story that doesn’t detract at all from the overall enjoyment of the main plot. Taking into consideration the mood of the series, the backstories of often grim, realistic, and oftentimes tragic. I’ll say this; lots of people die. The protagonist, Hei, or his alter persona (the alias he uses when not on missions) Li Shengshun is a fascinating case of character study. Very little is revealed about him in the beginning and you begin to wonder if he’s just another one of those silent dominating protagonists. Then very soon, you’re brought into his alias, the gentle, clumsy Chinese transfer student Li Shengshun who has an enormous appetite yet is still thin. Character interaction for the most part aren’t as illuminating or enjoyable as series like Spice and Wolf, where the essence of it is the dialogue, but what makes Darker than BLACK an unique series is each character’s backstory. From Hei’s troubled past and the mysteries surrounding his sister and his lover in the South American disaster, to Yin’s equally bleak past, to Huang’s unbelievably bitter past history; each backstory has relevance to the main plot and provides considerable food for thought on their actions.
Enjoyment
How do I put this. At first I put this on hold due to the beginning not quite drawing me in. However after a while I returned, and quickly became fascinated by its intriguing storyline. Darker than BLACk is a plot driven series, so much, that I didn’t really care about anything else when I watched it. So will you, when you see it, of the betrayal, irony, friendship, love, and political machinations. Such is the value of Darker than BLACK.
I give it a 9/10.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Dec 31, 2008
Tytania (Overall 7/10) NOTE: Read the end - I have revised my opinion of this series.
This is a series that surprised me. For one of Fall’s numerous additions into the anime genre, many were of sub par quality like Blade of the Immortal (and that’s not to say they aren’t enjoyable to watch…just not your best anime to watch if you can watch others), however, Tytania was a surprise to me. For one, I didn’t check out this series until like now, because it doesn’t receive a universal good rating from all of its viewers. Let me tell you why, its one of those slow
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plot, politically driven series that uses a decent amount of action but not in any abundance to satisfy the average shonen fan. Ok…now for the important things.
Story: 9/10 (excellent)
After venturing into outer space, humanity has built many planetary cities. Most of these cities were affiliated to the Interstellar Federation, and it became the biggest force in the galaxy. Therefore, people believed that the Age of the Federation would last long. However, the situation changes when a clan called "Tytania" secedes from the Federation and receives the title of Lord from the Emperor of Vardhana. Tytania obtains a victory over the Federation, and they assert that the Empire cannot exist without them. Tytania puts most of the Federal Territories under its control, and they hold hegemony in the galaxy. Meanwhile, a war begins between Euria and Tytania over their respective rights and interest. From that moment on, the galaxy enters into a tempestuous period. (Wikipedia).
The Tytania family is essentially an autocratic, despotic group of powerful nobles all of the same blood that controls nearly every other aspect of the galaxy. The emperor is a mere puppet and it isn’t until a surprise defeat by Fan Hyulic does the action really start happening… centering around the noble’s aim to preserve power and Hyulic’s flight from them.
Character: 9/10 (excellent)
The characters in this complex power struggle are pretty unique and perhaps one of the strongest parts of this series. The majority of the series center around the character of Fan Hyulic and the Tytania family, with the former being your laid back, funny, and lazy ordinary guy who possesses a keen wit and shrewdness. Not surprisingly, Fan Hyulic is voiced by the same voice actor who voices Komui Lee in D. Gray-man. The Tytania family revolves around the power ambitions of each of the four dukes who vie for power among themselves and outside. The interactions between all of them, as well as the numerous support characters present hints of romance, (just hints so far mind you), taut political intrigue, and a rooting for your favorite character.
Animation: 7/10 (decent)
For a series that came out in the Fall of 2008, it doesn’t employ the best animation. Instead it seems to use a style similar to Victorian Romance Emma, or Romeo and Juliet, and essentially, old style drawings. The space battles do see bits of CG, and the characters are decently well animated. One thing for sure, everyone looks a little on the shoujo side, with huge irises… is that a obsession I wonder?
Sound: 8/10 (Great)
Sound is pretty unique, the OP is a operatic like theme which suits the haughty nobility of the Tytania family, as Fan Hyulic doesn’t even appear here. The ED is rock which suits Fan’s rebel role in the story. Overall nothing to laud at, nothing to denounce about, Tytania’s soundtrack is very decent.
Enjoyment: 9/10 (excellent)
Of course not everyone would agree with me here, for personally, my type to watch are these slightly slow moving, puzzle putting together political strivings of each character. It makes for an intellectual watch But looking for a quick action sci fi fix would not satisfy you here. Think Gundam Wing… without the gundams.
EDIT: Now that the series is over, I have to make some adjustments. First, the story was in no way well concluded, nor were the characters fully developed. It was off to such a great start, but I admit I was disappointed in the lack of characterization that the series ultimately possessed. I really had hoped for more.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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