Horror in anime usually doesn't have the best reputation. It tends to have a big hate crowd. If done right, horror can be scary and even identifiable because of our fears of things like people stalking us at night, killers, and even telling the truth. For such a unique anime like Higurashi, it doesn't get as much hate as some other horror titles. There are people that hate this anime, but not as much as those other shows. So what makes Higurashi different then those other anime?
It has subtly, I'll explain it more as the review goes on,
...
but Higurashi just has smart writing and great animation tricks to get their audience to feel the weight in a scene. Whether that would be a depressing scene or a terrifying scene. It just knows when and where to get their audience scared and when to make them feel bad for a character. It flip flops from being a light-hearted slice of life, comedy show into a dark, psychological, horror show and back again in the span of an episode. Now, let's go into the scary, psychological, and horrific world of Higurashi.
----STORY----
Higurashi has just really great pacing. You'll have the characters in a diner or a car talking and it always adds to the plot. The viewer will find out things about a certain character or multiple characters just in these simple scenes. There's not a lot of filler in Higurashi and what makes it different from others of its genre.
As the viewer goes threw this show, they start to figure out clues of episodes before it. Higurashi is like a jigsaw puzzle, the viewer is given a piece of the puzzle and has to put the pieces together. There's a catch though, they don't have every piece like they thought, so they try to guess what it might look like from the pieces they got. Higurashi is a good show to watch if you want something challenging to think about but not too hard to understand.
Higurashi does have it's corny moments though, like the characters will talk about friendship and how they'll stay together like a family. It will turn some people off from the show, but if you trudge your way out of that, you get some really heart pounding moments throughout the show with some really well developed characters and a well paced story.
Now, why does Higurashi give people chills down their spine? Well here are a few theories as to why it works so well. You don't have to agree with any of them if you don't want to.
Reason #1: The viewer is never sure who to trust in this anime, the murderer could be anyone, Keiichi, Rika, Satoko, Mion, Rena, Shion, the list just goes on. Each of the characters mentioned has their own story arc in the show. As you uncover the sheets, you see their true colors and you just want to trust them, but they all just have this demon inside of them that you just don't know how to feel about them.
Reason #2: It always starts somewhere humane. The viewer gets to see something they can relate to, like playing with your friends on a hot summer day with tons of laughs and smiles. So when it does go in a different direction, it feels like your best friend is about to murder you with a knife.
Reason #3: Higurashi is good at catching the viewer off guard. Just like a joke without any unexpected twist to it, it could fail. Not in this show, just when you think you've uncovered everything, it catches you off your defense. If you were to show this show to someone and didn't show them the description, the opening and ending theme, or the genres of the show, they'd be terrified. Those are theories as to why Higurashi works so well where others have failed.
---ART & ANIMATION---
This is a mixed category when talking about Higurashi, the animation studio that worked on this was Studio Deen back in 2006, who did such well known titles as Fate/Stay Night and Fruits Basket. The art style is something that turns a lot of people away and they think it's too "Moe" for this show. The art for the characters actually helps give it that creepy edge this anime is usually known for. When the viewer thinks these are just going to be some just cute anime girls in a slice of life show, then they will surprise you by being really terrifying people.
Here's another aspect of the character designs that work in the show's favor. The faces for when the characters go insane is scary and what give a lot of people the chills. It helps out the fear in Higurashi and what people think when they hear the words, "Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni"
The animation can definitely be slow and lazy at times, like they reuse animation from earlier episodes and it's very obvious, but when the animation is lazy, it then goes completely great. When the characters are terrified or when they go crazy, the animation wants the viewer to notice that. The Studio plays a lot of animation tricks like having shadows over a character's eyes or when they have exaggerate the facial features. They put in as much detail as possible into the animation for those particular scenes.
Backgrounds are very memorable and beautiful. They use paintings of houses and grass which looks great and fits into the scene they are placed in. The audience will never forget them, as they are used in memorable events and scenes in the anime.
---SOUND---
When talking about the voice acting, let's only talk about the Japanese VA's. The actors put as much emotion into their characters as possible. When a character goes crazy and laughs, they do sound like they're that character. There's never a moment where you feel like there's an actor doing the voice, you feel like a character is there. The Higurashi sub is overall a great, scary, and well acted sub.
The opening just added so much to the show. When you watch the first episode and this opening comes up, you know you're in for one heck of a scary and depressing ride. Add to that some really creepy visuals and bone chilling background music, and you have one of scariest openings out there.
The ending had a Japanese singer sing the lyrics into English and if you don't like the sound of those types of songs, the ending theme won't really satisfy you. On the other hand, if you liked the visuals in the opening and don't mind that type of singing, you're in for a real treat!
The soundtrack is also what added to the psychological nature of the show. With tracks like "Henka" and "Matsuri", it always knew a way to get your blood pumping and get curious of what else was to come. Placed in some of the scary scenes, it blended well into the background. It felt natural and like you were in this world yourself.
---CHARACTERS---
Characters seem cliche on the surface, but when you dive deeper into the water, you find broken and tortured people. Every character gets their own story arc and then we start to understand their real self. Almost every character has something unique about them that sets them apart from other archetypes. It's hard to talk about why without spoilers, but the characters are almost all memorable in their own little way.
Development in characters is also another strength in Higurashi. The viewer gets to learn about every characters past and why they've become the people that they have. It makes it more realistic and makes a lot more sense for why characters feel, act, and believe the way they do. Instead of them just being insane people without any reasons why they are the way they are.
Supporting characters aren't as used as the main cast. Most are just used in one story arc or are generic. Higurashi doesn't focus on it's supporting character cast and it would've been nice to see a bit more focus on them. The only supporting character that gets a lot of screen time is a detective named Ooishi, who tries to help the other characters solve a case. The other characters could have been focused on a bit longer, but that's the only complaint about the characters.
---ENJOYMENT---
You need a strong stomach in order to watch and enjoy Higurashi. It gets really brutal at some points, so if you don't really like those types of shows, avoid this one. If you enjoy a nice mystery with some horror and gore in there, definitely see this one.
---OVERALL---
Overall, Higurashi is a great horror, mystery, and psychological show that deserves all the praise it gets. It has some faults, but if you can overlook them, this is a great watch. Great story, soundtrack, characters, and background art.
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Mar 25, 2015
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni
(Anime)
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Horror in anime usually doesn't have the best reputation. It tends to have a big hate crowd. If done right, horror can be scary and even identifiable because of our fears of things like people stalking us at night, killers, and even telling the truth. For such a unique anime like Higurashi, it doesn't get as much hate as some other horror titles. There are people that hate this anime, but not as much as those other shows. So what makes Higurashi different then those other anime?
It has subtly, I'll explain it more as the review goes on, ...
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jan 28, 2015 Recommended
Nana...
Such a beautiful and unique show among the Shoujo genre. We've all have fallen in love at some point in our lives, maybe it didn't turn out for the best or you couldn't stay in love for long because of other circumstances. Ai Yazawa makes a identifiable world that a lot of girls have been in, the feeling of, "Does he love me?" or "Am I worthy enough for him?" She makes it as realistic as possible and does this in a very subtle way not a lot of Shoujo anime pull off quit as well. It can also be watched by guys as well, ... it's not just limited to just girls. It's also not a cheesy romantic drama only girls can watch, there are plenty of male characters that men can relate to as well. They have personalities and desires just like the female characters do, so you won't be complaining that they have no personality. Another thing this anime does right is the drama. It hurts when you see the characters have to suffer. It doesn't just point to a character crying and saying, "Feel something." It's like getting to be good friends with someone and watch them cry. It's more effective and less hair-pulling that way. Ai Yazawa shows you the character's personalities, then their back story in the first few episodes, and then shows their dreams and desires. That's how you actually feel something for the characters, you show them their inner and outer shell instead of an empty shell with nothing inside to show your emotions to. Now, shall we jump into the beautiful and tragic world of Nana? Story 9/10 (Great) Pros: First of all, the romance in this show was handled in a way that you'll never expect. The main female, Hachi (Nana), is looking for love throughout the show. You'd think she'd end up with the first guy that pops up into the show, but that doesn't happen. It goes into a more original direction then most shows of its genre. I won't spoil it for you, but you wouldn't expect it in the first half at all. Also, the story almost never got rushed at all. It was always well paced and put together. You might think they'll forget about a character or part of the story, but as soon as you think that, it comes back and shocks you of how much it remembers itself. It has a nice balance to it that not a lot of shows do a lot. Another positive is the themes of heart break, loneliness, and fake love that are prominent throughout the show. It's something not a lot of Shoujo do and when they do, they don't really turn out to be the best written things out there, but it really makes a lot of sense here. Why? Because we get to learn these characters desires, personalities, and sometimes they don't even want to do it to certain characters. It does feel like they put effort into making these characters feel human and it really does show. Cons: There's only one con that prevents it from getting a ten though, this mostly has to deal with what genre this show is in rather then the story itself, the comedy can really get on some people's nerves. There are some moments that'll have you rolling on the floor laughing, but for the most part, it uses those usual anime expressions for comedic effect. If you're not a fan of that style of comedy, this show isn't going to change your mind about that. Art and Animation 10/10 (Fantastic!) Pros: It's nice to see that there's a Shoujo that doesn't use gigantic eyes on their female characters. Ai Yazawa has a unique way of drawing her characters. Instead of the ordinary big eyed characters, she has a nice balance of realism vs anime/manga. The facial features are exaggerated but not too exaggerated to the point where their hands are as big as their eyes and mouths too small and noses as well. All of the characters have their own design that stood out among the rest. Like Nana's black hair and purple mascara, Hachi's innocent face, etc. It fit every character's personality and attitude. Everything had a nice evenness to it and it all adds up to memorable character designs. The studio who animated this was Studio Madhouse back in 2006, they're responsible for such masterfully animated shows like Death Note and Black Lagoon. So you would expect some great animation from this studio, because Death Note came around the time that Nana was still airing. Let's talk about the openings, They were wonderful and awesome for 2006 and even almost 9 years later. What's fascinating is that they used CG for the parts where Nana was on stage singing. It was very effective and what's good about this is that they don't use CG for the whole openings. It's a nice balance of CG and the animated parts of them. Overall, Madhouse did a great job on the animation. Never any shortcuts and it looks like they spent a lot of time for this. Minor Con: The character designs might not appeal to everyone. It'll be hard to get used to them in the first few episodes, but when the show starts going along, you won't be that distracted by them as much as you did in the beginning. Sound 10/10 (Wonderful!) Pros: There hasn't been any soundtracks out there that were as impactful, catchy, and beautiful as Nana's was. To name some tracks, there was Winter Sleep, Shadow of Love, Stand by Me, and Zero. The soundtrack is either one of those things you could listen to after a stressful day or before a party with friends. It's not limited to tracks that are just depressing and that's it, just like many things about the show, it's equivalent. It all adds up to one of the best soundtracks that you'll ever hear. The openings were constructive and enduring. Always catching your ears the first time you hear them. They're something you'll be humming all day long. The first one titled "Rose" was memorable, tear jerking, and of course, catchy. Something you'll listen to when you want to listen to something elegant. The second one, titled "Wish" Is beautiful, impactful, and fit the show so well. It shows the pain and struggles that were going on around that time of the show. Great to listen to if you want to listen to a calming song. Finally, the one titled "Lucy" Is the most catchy out of all the other openings. If you want an up-beat song, this is something you should listen to. Characters 9/10 (Near perfect) Pros: Every single character has perfect development, interactions, and personalities. You can look at one character and can name at least three personality traits from them. When you watch these characters, you'll feel like you're watching somebody's life in an anime. I won't be able to cover every character, so let's talk about the main females. Nana Osaki: Nana is an idependant, strong willed, and a laid-back person. When she gets to be roommates with Hachi (Nana) she also turns to have a huge heart for the people she cares about and is devoted to them. When Hachi is in a pickle, she is always there to run to her side and help her. If you even try to hurt one of her friends, she'll beat you up. She knows what it's like to be alone with no one to run to. Her mother left her and her grandmother watched over her then died when she was sixteen. It's kind of weird how her and Hachi get along so well. It might be because she needs a friend that can spice up her world. It's one of the reasons why they get along so well. To her, Hachi is like a little sister to her and she's the older and more mature one. She gets Hachi out of crazy situations because it's really hard to go through them on her own. She has the perfect personality and a very humane one at that. She just feels like a best friend to you as you watch it. Her number one priority in life is to find happiness and is something a lot of us can relate to. You get attached to her dilemmas and when she gets emotional about something, you can just feel it just by looking at her. This character is one of the strongest female characters through personality you'll ever see. Hachi (Nana): Hachi is a person who is naive, a peacemaker, and a person who cares about others more then herself. Love is a huge part of her life and tries to find her "prince charming." So she tries to flirt with all these guys to find the one because without love, she wouldn't be able to live. Some people in real life call her a slut but the way the anime portrays it, she's a young girl looking for someone she can live with for the rest of her life. Loneliness is something she can't live with and that's why she's a social butterfly. When she becomes roommates with Nana, she instantly gets attached to her. She is almost always a fun, caring, and a devoted person towards Nana and to others. She has a hard time getting mad at others, it just takes a lot away from her soul. She hides her inner feelings in order to keep the peace between her friends. She's such a caring and beautiful character both inside and outside. Thanks to her caring nature, she gives Nana an extra push to reach her dreams. Hachi an example of a beautiful person both inside and outside, although, there's only one problem with her character. Cons: Hachi's indecisiveness will most likely bug you, sometimes you'll be yelling at her like, "Don't do that you idiot!" She has a very hard time making decisions so she relies on other characters to help her make the right decision. It's what prevents the characters from getting a ten. Enjoyment 9/10 Pros: Unexpected romance, Well paced story, Beautiful themes, Unique character designs, Fluid animation, Inpactful soundtrack, Catchy openings, and Well developed characters. Cons: Sometimes irritating comedy, Kind of hard art to get used to, and Hachi's indecisiveness. Overall 9/10 (Great Show!) Overall, Nana is worth watching for Shoujo fans and for people who love romantic dramas. You'll get attached to the characters in a heartbeat and almost everything else. Get to it as soon as possible, Nana is 100% worth your time watching!
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Dec 23, 2014
Ookami to Koushinryou
(Anime)
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"Loneliness is disease that could lead to death, they might as well be the same thing."-Holo
When I first heard of Spice and Wolf, I didn't really have much to expect from the show. The people who watched the show were praising the crap out of it. So I was expecting at least a watchable show. When I sat down to fully watch it, I was amazed how attached I was to the show. It got me like a tornado and attached like glue. This show just knew what genres I loved, mainly romance, drama, and fantasy and made them even better then the average show. ... Even though I love the genres that Spice and Wolf present to us, it can still be watched by any gender and fans of any genre out there. I've seen males watch this and love it and basically anyone out there. I haven't found a single person who didn't at least like one aspect of this. I think the main reason people got caught in the tornado like me is the character, Holo. I'll talk about her more in depth as the review goes on, but here's my rant of why people love her for now. Holo just adds this, I guess you could say, "flavor" to the show. What I mean by this is she gives the audience some smiles and laughs, and when the heavy stuff hits and she changes from what she usually is, we feel for her as she tries to cope with it. She was defiantly a great character and one of the best parts of this anime. Well, that's my mini rant, let's get to the calming, charming, and beautiful world of Spice and Wolf. Story 8/10: Plot Description: "Kraft Lawrence, a traveling merchant searching for profit, finds a naked girl with the ears and tail of a wolf asleep in his cart. Her name is Holo – a harvest goddess with an untamed beast lurking inside who longs to return to her beloved northern home. Armed with his street smarts and her animal instincts, a simple peddler and a forgotten deity begin a journey through the wild countryside. Along their path, the riches of happiness shall be reaped, even as the bankruptcy which dwells in the human heart is exposed."-MyAnimeList plot description Pros: This show just loves to switch from comical to emotional, and it really works. You just get sucked into the dilemmas the characters have to get through and the fights they have to win. Take example the relationship of Holo and Lawrence, it's not just one of those, "Everything will always work out" types of relationships. You actually get a flip between the two and it makes it so much more real. That's probably why so many people love Spice and Wolf, it feels so much more real then most anime tend to be. It gave me unexplained and happy attachment towards the show itself. I bet that's what a lot of people have towards this show. I just love those shows that can flip between emotional and comical and not feel forced. I feel that's one of the strong points that anyone going into Spice and Wolf can feel. Cons: My major con with the story is that I don't really give two craps about the economics the show keeps bringing up. It really got on my nerves and what gave the story an eight. There was like this one episode were they were trying to rescue one of the characters and gave this really boring exposition for like half the episode. I was basically half asleep during that whole thing. That's not a feeling I want from a show, I want an exciting feeling and not a boring one. My other con is the ending to the first season. Yes, I know that there's a second season that I'll get around to reviewing one day, but I felt it was a bit too average for Spice and Wolf standards, and leaves a lot of things unanswered for the time. Like, "Did they ever find Yoitsu?" or "What happens to Holo and Lawrence?" My last con is the story can get a bit slow for people who don't want to feel bored. It's not fast paced and quick visual kind of show, it's more like one of those, "Just wanna sit down and watch TV and have some snacks after a long day of work/school." types of feelings. Nothing too crazy or exciting, just normal and calming in a good way. So don't go into this anime expecting something, "Oh my gosh, that was amazing dude!" worthy. Instead expect, "That was a really sweet moment. I really love the main duo." Art and Animation 9/10 Pros: First of all, I really loved the backgrounds of the show. They felt very lively and fit the show so perfectly. It really did feel like they were in a very calming environment the show presented to us. They put a lot of detail into those that I just wanted to be in the world Holo and Lawrence were in. I don't really have much to say in this department. The character designs to me are simple but effective. They're very recognizable out of context and fit the show 100%. They give the character's very unique and distinguishable features that stands out instead of the same character but different hair and eye color. Holo has her long and graceful hair with wolf ears and a soft and long tail. Lawrence has his down-to-earth look to him. So plus in that type of place. Cons: The animation can get a little slow at times. Like they'll have a character talk and they'll only have their mouth move. Sometimes they have an expression on their face to go along with it. So they'll cut corners by moving the camera different angles. This is only sometimes so it's not really a major con. I don't really have a lot of cons in this part. Sound 8/10 Pros: First of all, thank you Funimation for this wonderful dub. When I listen to the dub, I feel as though these are actual characters talking and not actors talking behind a microphone. The dub gave Holo her own flair and fit her character so well. Brina Palecia, great job on making the character your own instead trying to imitate the Japanese Holo. We don't stop there, we get J. Michael Tatum as Lawrence. Of course he'd play the part well, he played Okabe from Steins;Gate and Scar from FMA. If you don't want to read a bunch of subtitles, please check out the dub. Another pro is the beautiful opening. They could have gone with a J-Pop band, but nope, they gave us a beautiful song with great vocals and calming instrumentals. It fit the calm universe of the show super well. I could listen to this opening all day and never get tired of it. It's one of those openings to listen to if you just want to kick back and relax. I just love those types of openings that you can just listen to and not skip past it. Cons: The soundtrack is recognizable but not a certain track I'd like to point out. That really sucks because this show has a lot to like about it's sound. I would like to just listen to just one part of the soundtrack on it's own. That's really all I have to say about this part. Characters 9.5/10 Lawrence: "Kraft Lawrence, who chiefly goes by his surname, is a twenty-five-year-old traveling peddler who goes from town to town buying and selling various things in order to make a living. When he was twelve, he became an apprentice to a merchant relative, and set out on his own at eighteen. His goal in life is to gather enough money to start his own shop, and he has already been traveling for seven years while gaining experience in the trade. He meets Holo one night and eventually agrees to her traveling with him. She helps him by providing her wisdom which helps to increase his profits and get him out of jams. Lawrence usually goes by his surname, only some who have known him for a long time, like Jakob Tarantino, the master of his guild, call him by his first name Kraft in the novel."-MyAnimeList character description Words I'd use to describe Lawrence is down-to-earth and very calm. He's the voice of reason to a conflict that arises when him and Holo are traveling. He's not the most energetic and lively, but does get very happy whenever him and Holo are together. If he didn't have Holo around to spice up his life, he'd probably just be a very average type of traveler. What I like the most about Lawrence is the development he get's throughout the story. He starts out as just an average traveler just going from place to place. When he then meets Holo, he starts to be lively and protective around her. He will protect the ones he loves and if not, he does get depressed. It's just a ton of fun to see him interact to Holo. They sometimes get in a fight, but not a huge cat fight, just more playful. These two make a good duo and couple, I'm glad he was in this story because he does add his own "flavor" to it. Holo: "Holo is a wolf harvest deity originally from a land in the north known as Yoitsu. She made a promise with men from a town called Pasloe where she would ensure the town would have good wheat harvests year after year. However, as time went on, the townspeople slowly started to forsake Holo and did not rely on her as they once did. As such, Holo escapes from town in Lawrence's wagon and started traveling with him to see how much the world has changed since she has been in Pasloe. Holo has chosen the form of a girl younger than Lawrence, though she still retains her large white-tipped wolf tail, and ears. Her true form is that of a very large wolf which many people revered and feared. She refers to herself as the "Wise Wolf of Yoitsu" (ヨイツの賢狼). She is typically very haughty and self-sufficient, though due to her isolation for hundreds of years in Pasloe, she gradually feels very lonely, and sometimes shows a more fragile side of herself. She relies on Lawrence for company as she fears loneliness, which is something that Lawrence is very aware of and tries to comfort her in his own way. Holo is also very aware of the different time spans that she and Lawrence have, as a human lifespan is like a blink of an eye for her kind. Holo is quite scared of that fact, but hides it with jokes. She has a peculiar way of speaking, modeled after that of the oiran high-class courtesans. She is fond of delicious food and alcohol, but especially loves apples. She takes pride in her tail and takes special care of it, constantly combing and maintaining it."-MyAnimeList character description Words I'd use to describe Holo is stubborn, not easy to please, childish, and wise as her name, "Holo the wise wolf" implies. She tends to say things she regrets later and tends to win a lot of arguments. She tends to get people to do as she wishes. Holo hates to be alone and that's why she hangs onto Lawrence so dearly. She had been alone for such a long time before she met Lawrence and is petrified of even thinking of being alone. As the quote at the top of my review implies, she thinks loneliness and death give you the same feeling. What I love about Holo is despite all of her flaws, she still remains a lovable and identifiable character. Why you may be asking to yourself right now, well I'll do my best to explain why. Her interactions to Lawrence just give this anime it's flavor to the soup. Those scenes made her such a fun character. We've all at some point have been alone and we can all relate to Holo's dilemma and fears. It just made her feel so much more human and it's nice to know she has flaws, positive traits, fears, and things she loves. She is defiantly a great character and what you think of when you hear the words, "Spice and Wolf." You're probably wondering why I didn't give the characters a ten, well I do have some flaws to point out in the character department, the supporting cast is quit forgettable. The show just has a habit of introducing characters, then forgetting about them. Like the character, Chole. She was only there for the first episode then forgotten about until the halfway point, then she never appears ever again. I would've like to see more from her and her background. This is just me trying to grasp for straws here, the show is still great as it is. Enjoyment 9/10 I haven't met a person who hates Spice and Wolf and I hope you never find any either. You'll love the interactions between the main characters, the balance of drama and comedy, the art style, the opening, and the dub. I know you'll enjoy something about Spice and Wolf. Overall 9/10 If you're looking for something enjoyable with a great main cast to go along with that, this is a great show to check out. If you're looking for something dark, suspenseful, and action-packed, you should probably look in a different direction. It's one of my favorites for a reason. Well that's it for me, I hope you enjoyed the review!
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Nov 17, 2014
Clannad: After Story
(Anime)
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"I'm weak too, but if we were together, I think we can become stronger."-Nagisa Furukawa
This isn't an anime, this is an experience that can't be felt in any other anime, movies, games, etc. If you were to say that After Story had good romance, character development, and drama it wouldn't do this show justice. You need to see this in order to know just how good After Story is. It does have it duds here and there, but what show doesn't? (Besides FMA and Brotherhood in my opinion.) The positives do weigh out the negatives in the show though. The good stuff in After Story ... is so good that it could be one of my favorites. What good stuff is in After Story you may be asking to yourself? Well, that's a really simple question to answer. The romance and drama were defiantly the standouts of the show and what people mostly remember After Story for. People really don't remember the comedy scenes in After Story though. I won't say what the funniest moment in After Story were because of spoilers, but I will say, you will be laughing your but off when that scene pops up. I think the biggest thing that makes After Story so unique to me is the lessons it teaches you. They don't straight up tell the audience/characters what their morels are, you just figure out by thinking about the moments being said in After Story. It's just those things that make After Story one of my favorites. Now shall I take you on a journey through After Story's world? Story 9.00/10 Standout(s) The 2nd and 3rd parts Trust me, I love the story in Clannad, I just a couple of problems that I want to get out of the way before I talk about the positives. Cause trust me, there's plenty of good things about After Story. It really does take After Story some time to get to the romance plot, instead, they throw in pointless sub-plots. Those sub-plots being, Sunohara, Misae, and Yukine. I want to cover the one I like the most and the one I don't like at all. First let's talk about Sunohara's plot. I thought the Sunohara plot actually delved more into the character and gave us a little more development from him. It was good, but could have been covered in the first season. Why couldn't he get a sub-plot like Kotomi and Fuko did? It makes no sense at all. Next was Misae, I thought her plot was very touching, but just like the Sunohara plot, it could have been told to us in the first season. Last was the sub-plot that could have been cut all together. It was the one with Yukine. We didn't see much of her character in the first season, so why give her one here? It was very unnecessary and if you toke it away, it wouldn't harm anything about this show. Well that's enough me rambling on, let's talk about the best things about After Story. I think the biggest thing that makes the story in After Story so memorable is the swaps between comedy and drama. We all remember After Story mostly in the drama department, but like I said in the beginning of the review, most people seem to overlook the comedy. The comedy scenes are some of the most funniest moments I've seen in any anime. It's not just goofy Japanese comedy you see in many other anime, they will make you laugh your but off and make you laugh so much that you can't even breath. It gives you a break from the really sad moments and gives you some comedy. So it's not just pure drama in After Story, that would be way too depressing. I think the creators made the smart choice of not just keeping it depressing all the way through. The last few things I really loved about Clannad's story were the 2nd and 3rd parts of the show. Those were some of the most emotional and beautiful moments of any anime I've ever seen. They will defiantly make you cry a bucket of tears. I know it did for me at least. I just wanted to point out the ending to the series. It was emotional and touching, but it doesn't really make any sense. I won't spoil it for newcomers, but I found it not that satisfying and really should have been explained a little bit more. Overall, a beautiful and memorable story with some duds here and there. Positives of the story: 2nd and 3rd parts of the plot, the meaningful messages, and the perfect mix of comedy and drama. Negatives of the story: Confusing ending and pointless sub-plots in the 1st part of the show. Art and Animation 9.90/10 Standout(s) The backgrounds The art in After Story is distinct and catches your eye immediately. This especially shines in the beautiful backgrounds of the show. I really loved that scene were Tomoya takes a character who I won't spoil at all to a field of flowers. You know that they put a lot of effort into the scenery of all the places the characters were. Even if it was a simple house or playground, they put immense detail into it. I love how the characters were drawn. This is Key after all, the same people who worked on Air and Kanon. You can tell that this is a Key anime by the way the characters looked like. The big eyes on the female characters may bothersome to some people, but if your able to take that, then you will absolutely love the character designs in After Story. The animation was always fluid and never toke a break. They always paid attention to detail and it really shows. Overall, gorgeous art, backgrounds, and animation. Positives in the Art and Animation: Beautiful backgrounds, unique character designs, and fluid animation Negatives in the Art and Animation: I guess the big eyes of some of the characters may bother some people. It might give off the impression that this is one of those "Moe" shows. Don't think that at all please. It isn't like that at all. Sound 10/10 Standout(s) Nagisa (Soundtrack) It was really hard to find a standout in After Story's sound. It's just so, well, how do I put this into regular words, all I can say is that it's so elegant and calming. I just have to put it at that until I find a word that fits in with that definition. Let's talk about them individually, Shall we? Soundtrack: Probably the best soundtrack I've ever heard, not just anime, but in any sort of entertainment itself. It was really hard to find a piece in the soundtrack I didn't like or at least stood out from the crowd. It was also hard to chose which one was my favorite out of all of them. Then I went back on "Nagisa" and found out which of these I loved the most. Nagisa is the Dango song on the piano and some other instruments. It really fit Nagisa's character and let me see her in a new light. It's not just some music, but something inspirational and will stay with you all your life. You need to listen to it if you haven't already. Some other soundtracks you should listen to are Shining in the Sky, The Places were Wishes come True II, and Snowfield. Now let's talk about the opening. Opening: With Lia's beautiful voice and Key's wonderful animation, what do you get? A really well done and gorgeous opening. Lia really helped to make this average opening style, beautiful and fresh again. I loved it when she sang the slow parts of the opening. It really fit with the anime and I think made it even more greater. So props to Lia and Key animation for making one of my favorite openings of all time. Overall, beautiful opening and added a ton to the show. Positives of the sound: Everything Negatives in the sound: None Characters: 9.95/10 Standout(s) Tomoya and Nagisa One of the best character casts I've seen in anime. I guess my only problem with the characters in this season is that they don't really get that much screen time. I'd love to see Kotomi a bit more in this season or Kyou and Ryou. Kyou and Ryou get an OVA with them in the main focus, but this isn't a review of that just yet. I wanted to go in depth on Tomoya and Nagisa for a bit. Tomoya: In the first season, Tomoya was an outcast at his school. Until he met a girl named Nagisa. We'll go over her in a bit. He thought he had a crappy life because of family issues. Once he met Nagisa, he started to look at things in a new light. He'd probably never had seen it without her. What I think makes Tomoya a great lead is the development he goes though in season two. You love him, hate him, cry with him, sympathize with him, and learn to love him again. He probably had the best development I've ever seen in an anime. I can't really talk about him without spoiling the show, so let's move on. Nagisa: When you hear the word "Clannad" you'll normally think of this character. There is a reason why people think of Nagisa when they hear that anime come up. Still, I won't spoil why, but you'll need your tissues around then. Nagisa wasn't the strongest or most confident girl in the show. In fact, she gets quit weak due to illnesses. She stills tries to pull in and stay strong throughout the course of the show. You'd probably wounder why Tomoya would fall in love with a girl like her, but I think the reason why is that she's hard-working, loving, and will do anything for him. She has the perfect personality and provides very memorable lines you will think about in life. Like the quote I put above this review. Nagisa is a truly loving and memorable character. There's a reason why so many people love her and why she's my profile picture. Overall, perfect character. Positives in the Characters: Strong couple and memorable characters Negatives in the Characters: Side characters from the first season don't get enough screen time. Enjoyment: 9.5/10 People who will love this anime: Romance fans, Drama fans, and basically anyone. People who will hate this anime: I have no clue who wouldn't. Overall 9.75/10 Positives: Beautiful Story, Breath Taking Art and Animation, Outstanding Soundtrack, and Memorable Characters Negatives: Confusing Ending, The Sub-Plots in the Beginning of the show, and Side Characters appearing not that often. Minor Issue: Big eyed characters This anime needs to be seen to believed, especially fans of romantic drama anime such as myself. I surly recommend this to anyone. The things in this show you can't feel anywhere else. So enjoy the experience while it lasts! You sure won't regret watching this. You have no excuse not to watch this if your a romance fan. Well that's it for me, I hope you enjoyed the review!
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Nov 7, 2014
Ouran Koukou Host Club
(Anime)
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"The Ouran host club is where the school's handsomest boys with way too much time on their hands, entertain young ladies who also have way too much time on their hands. Just think of it as Ouran's elegant playground for the super rich and beautiful."-Tamaki Suoh
This show is just pure fun and nostalgia to me. It was one of the first anime I had watched. I remember when I only watched a few anime before this one. Examples being Fullmetal Alchemist, Fruits Basket, and Naruto. I have watched this anime multiple times and it still makes me rolling on the floor laughing. From the random ... things the characters would say, the quirky and wacky situations, and just the characters themselves. It's not just plain comedy, it does have its serious and dramatic moments. Don't go into this anime and expect tons of sad moments. These moments don't really happen that often and when they do, they're really short, but if you're wanting to have a good laugh and maybe with friends, this is the perfect show to check out. I really like good romantic comedy anime with good characters, so this was the perfect anime for me back then. I'll try to put my nostalgia aside and give it the proper review it deserves, now shall we get to the review? Story 8/10 Standout(s) The wacky and funny situations If you're expecting a deep and dramatic story, this isn't the best anime for you. In my opinion, you don't need a deep story to make a good show. Sometimes you just need good characters and fun situations for the characters to play off of. Does Ouran have those elements? Yes it does for me. I'll get to the characters later, for the funny moments they were hilarious. I was rolling on the floor laughing so hard. There was one time where we got to see Haruhi's dad, I won't tell you how it went but that was so out of place and comes out of nowhere that I just had to laugh. The drama was very effective and got you in the feels box. My only problem with the drama was that it didn't last that long, mostly 1-2 minutes. I'd love to see it go on for longer, maybe 7-8 minutes. Since we're talking about flaws, let's talk about the ending. It's one of those "Go buy the manga to continue the story" types of endings. Even though there were some touching moments in that end, I still didn't find the ending that satisfying. My last flaw was that it kind of have some cliches of shoujo anime. One being the main character's mom passing away. Well despite its flaws, I still enjoyed the story in OHSHC. Positives in the story: The balance of comedy and drama Negatives in the story: The ending, shoujo cliches, and the dramatic moments not being long enough. Art and Animation 10/10 Standout(s) The animation This was done by Studio Bones, who also did Fullmetal Alchemist and Soul Eater. If you've seen those anime, you'd know how great the art and animation is. Just by looking at it, you could tell this was a shoujo anime. I love how vivid and elegant the art and animation was. It wasn't too bright and not too dark. It was just perfect for this anime. The character designs were very unique and had their own personality to them. You can tell the difference between characters by their body, hair, and faces. It wasn't that traditional same character with different color eyes and hair thing. The animation was used effectively. There was recycled animation in some scenes, like the Renge gangs. It was used as a gang, and it works really well for the show. Overall, great art and animation score. Positives in the Art and Animation: Vivid art, unique character designs, and beautiful animation. Negatives in the Art and Animation: None Sound 9/10 Standout(s) The dub Soundtrack: I loved the soundtrack a lot. I loved a lot of the violin pieces that were in the background. I thought they fitted in with the atmosphere and tone of the show. Before I move onto the opening, I want to give a shout out to the character themes. My personal favorite being Tamaki's theme. I thought it really fit his character and sounded very cute. Now let's talk about the opening. Opening: The opening really fit the upbeat atmosphere the show gave off. I honestly loved the opening in Japanese. The English in my opinion, didn't really sound as good. The English version was okay, but it lacked the passion that Japanese version had. Dub: Since this is a Funamtion dub, of course it's very well done. Since this show has a lot of Japanese culture in, it must have been hard for these actors to pronounce all these Japanese words. Not only did they get the pronunciation right, but they also fit the characters that they were given. My favorite, of course was Vic Mignogna as Tamaki. I think that this one of his best performances since Ed from FMA. He fit the weird and attractive guy that Tamaki was. Overall, excellent dub. Positives in the Sound: Elegant soundtrack, fun opening, and well acted dub. Negatives in the Sound: The English version of the opening. Characters 10/10 Standout(s) The 7 main characters All of the characters were unique, complex, and had some development. Maybe after I'm done reading the manga, I'll review the rest of the characters. For now let's talk about Haruhi and Tamaki. Haruhi: Haruhi isn't just your typical love interest in a reverse harem. While most reverse harem anime have their main character very cute and kind, (Tohru Honda from Fruits Basket for example.) Haruhi is more independent, tomboyish, and keeps to herself then most other love interests. This makes her more unique and deeper then most other main love interests. She's in this kind of stage until we learn her back story and her fears. She fears being alone and lightning. This way, the audience gets a better understanding of her strengths and weaknesses. This also makes her more human and more understandable then most other characters in romantic comedy anime. Now for Tamaki. Tamaki: Honestly my favorite character in the whole series. Tamaki may seem like the stereotypical rich guy and comic relief, but he has more of a heart then that. He's the "king" of the host club and is the fonder of it. He will help out anyone in need of it and will protect them from all harm. He also has a little bit of a sensitive side that he normally doesn't show. He hides his emotions by being happy and positive about things. He will be serious when the time is right. To me, Tamaki is the "prince charming" of anime. His life goal is to make everyone happy and he puts others before himself. He definitely had the development he needed and the perfect personality. Definitely a brilliant character that added a lot to the show and manga. Positives about the characters: Deep, fun, and realistic characters Negatives about the characters: None Enjoyment: 9/10 People who will love this: Shoujo and Reverse harem fans, comedy fans, and otaku's in general People who won't like this: Fans of fast pasted action anime and People who like darker anime Overall: 9.00/10 Positives: Funny story, Beautiful art and animation, Elegant soundtrack, fun opening, good dub, and deep and emotional characters. Negatives: The end, not long enough dramatic moments, Shoujo cliches, and the English opening This was a fantastic anime that should be watched by shoujo lovers. It was very funny and lovable show. It's a show that's going to make you laugh out loud and have a fun time. I've watched this millions of times and I'll watch it a million more. Well, that's it for the review! I hope you enjoyed!
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Oct 27, 2014
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
(Anime)
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"We're not gods, we're only human. We can't even save a little girl, so what good are we?"-Edward Elric
Now let's talk about the best rated show on this website. Ever since its release, fans and critics alike have a mixed reaction to the show. Some of them say that the original show is better while others say this is better. I can't see why we can't like both. They each have things that really work about them. I think they are both masterpieces on a entertainment and artistic level. Some moments in the show will make you laugh, then the next question life, and then ... cry your eyes out. Some moments in the show are just plain beautiful from the characters, animation, and the really touching moments. There are moments were some of the characters you get attached to die. (Not going to tell what characters because of spoilers, obviously.) A character will get super depressed, and one even almost goes insane. All of these characters express real human emotions unlike some other anime which they express one key emotion. The emotional scenes aren't forced, they have a really big impact on you as a person. You'll start to relate to every character and even question life. Some examples being "What is the truth?" or "Could humans play the role of god?" That's why I love this show so much. You'll start to look at the world in a different perspective after you watch this and the original show. Now shall we get to the review? Story 10/10 Standout(s) The fantastic end to the series If you want to know my original thoughts of the story, read my review of the original show. Anyway the end to this anime is one of the best endings I've ever seen in an anime. It was very beautiful and touching. This review is suppose to be spoiler free (In most cases.) So I can't tell you my thoughts of the ending. If you want more in detail of the ending, just ask me. Anyway, I can't talk about much about the story without repeating myself, so let's go to the art and animation. Art and Animation 10/10 Standout(s) The animation You can tell that they had a huge budget just by looking at a character. It was very solid and very easy on the eyes. This really shines in the well animated action scenes. They were just plain epic! What I didn't explain in full detail in my review of the original was the character designs. I didn't give enough praise for them, I just said they were creative and expressive, that was it. You can tell which character is who at first glance. That's a really hard thing to do for a 64 episode anime, but this show pulls it off very well. The character's have there own unique features that stand out among the rest. Now let's go to the sound. Sound 10/10 Standout(s) The dub The soundtrack really fit in with the anime. I mostly loved the music they played in the action scenes or when there was something bad going on. I found it very unique and weirdly fit with the tension of a scene. For the dub, most people consider it one of the best dubs out there and I don't blame them. The only difference between the dub for the original and the dub for this was Al's actor. Al's original actor, Aaron Dismuke, had too deep of a voice to play Al anymore. So they got Maxey Whitehead to play him. So was Maxey good as Al? She did a fantastic job in my eyes. When I saw the first episode, I thought that was the original actor. That's how good her performance was. If you want me to go in depth about the dub, read my review of the original. Now the one you've all been waiting for, the characters. Characters 10/10 Standout(s) Every single one of them This is my favorite character cast in any anime. They were all very entertaining in their own little way. If you want to hear me talk about Ed and Al, read my review of the original show. Let's just talk about Roy Mustang and Maes Hughes. Roy Mustang: On the outside, Roy seems like the calm, collected, and cool guy. On the inside he values the lives of his comrades like Riza Hawkeye and Maes Hughes. If one of them were to die, he would just be sad for the rest of his life. He also has a temper that sometimes gets the best of him. This is a guy you don't want to mess with. He'll burn you to death with his flame alchemy. What makes Roy such a good character is that he'll protect those he values with all his heart. He does have a few weaknesses too, you can't have a good character without his or her faults. Like I said, his temper and the fact that if you were to kill one of his friends, he would vow to kill you no matter what and won't forgive you. He doesn't forgive his enemies that easily. Overall, Roy is defiantly one of the best characters in this anime. Maes Hughes: Hughes may seem like the comic relief when you first meet him, but he has more of a personality then that. He is kind, outgoing, and an overall funny person! It's kind of weird how him and Roy get along so well. Hughes is more fun and loud while Roy is more calm and collected. He loves so many people and almost doesn't hate anyone. He loves his daughter and his wife. There's even a few jokes about them in some of the episodes. It feels like his family is the military, his real family, and the Elric brothers. He made a huge impact on the audience for reasons I won't spoil. Overall, a fun guy and a great character! Enjoyment 10/10 People who will love this show: Everyone, especially fans of the manga. People who won't like this show: I don't know who wouldn't like this. Overall 10/10 Positives: Everything Negatives: None This is defiantly one of the best animated shows of all time. It's amazing how many things you'll learn in this anime. It taught me all sorts of things about life. I am in love with this series. Great anime and deserves a 10 from everyone. So watch it if you haven't.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Oct 16, 2014
Fullmetal Alchemist
(Anime)
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"Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain something, something in equal value must be lost. That is alchemy's first law of equivalent exchange. In those days, we thought that to be the world's one, and only truth."- Alphonse Elric
Ever since Brotherhood came out, I've heard constant arguing of which is better and which one a noobie should watch, or if they should read the manga. In my opinion, if you want a friend, cousin, or whoever to get into anime, show them this. The original will give them a better understanding of anime and what it can be. I love ... both Brotherhood and this. I'm only going to be talking about the original because after the first half, it tells it's own story. Anyway I'll describe my favorite things about the show. This show just loves to play with your emotions like you're a puppet on strings. You will laugh one moment then cry your eyes out the next. It's the perfect mix of comedy and drama. This show tries to be all sorts of genres like fantasy, comedy, drama, military, etc. Surprisingly, it works out. That's probably why people love this show so much. You probably liked the anime differently then someone else did. That's because this show has something that everyone will love. Now let's look at why people consider FMA a classic. Story 10/10 Standout(s) The back story of Ed and Al The story is one of the strong points in FMA. Everyone can relate to what the Elric brothers have to go through. They have to find something that they want and have to deal with other things along the way. What I also love about the story is that it isn't just your typical shounen. Some examples being One Piece and Naruto. It's not just a hero and villain story, and while FMA has elements of that, it's mostly focused on what it means to be a human and the struggles that the characters have to go through. Everything about the story will be explained to you in the first few episodes. Especially the unbelievably good back story of the brothers. I loved this back story so much. It's what made the Elric brothers go on their journey. I love how the back story isn't forgotten, it plays a big part of our main character's quest. Overall, one of the best stories I've ever seen in an anime. Art and Animation 10/10 Standout(s) The fight scenes This is a Studio Bones show, so of course the animation is good. These are the same people who did the art for Ouran High School Host Club and Soul Eater. The character designs were very creative and expressive. That's really all I have to say about the designs. The animation for it's time was very good. It's a little outdated nowadays, but it still looks great to me. The fight scenes are easily the standout here. They were very fluid and just plain awesome! Just take a look at the fight scene where Ed goes up against Greed. It's a very good example of great animation. Now to the sound. Sound 10/10 Standout(s) The soundtrack "Brothers" and the English dub. This is one good soundtrack. They each fit the scenes they were placed. The standout here is the soundtrack "Brothers." It was very beautiful and fit the show perfectly. If you looked up the lyrics to this, you'd know just how sad it really is. It's kind of weird that this song is in Russian and the show was made in Japan. I still really love the song. It's one of saddest things I've ever listened to. Now let's talk about the dub. This is one of the best dubs I've ever listened to. Funamation did a great job with the dub. The dub was less cartoony and more realistic. They actually a 11 year old kid to do Al. His name is Aaron Dismuke. He sounded really good for a kid. It must have been hard for him to dub an anime. Now let's talk about Ed's voice. He sounded very mature for a 14 year old. Vic Mignogna did really fantastic. This is his best role he's ever done in my opinion. Sorry for going on too long, but the dub was one of the best out there. Now for the thing I've wanted to talk about for awhile, the characters. Characters 10/10 Standout(s) All of them These characters were all realistic and human. They may seem cliche at first glance, but they're more then that. Anyone can relate to these characters. Each of the characters have a personality. If I were to talk about all the characters, I'd be here all day. Let's just talk about the two brothers. Edward: Ed is the older one out of the two. He is the taker of chances and is very intelligent. He is also very fun-loving and caring. He'll do anything to help out his brother. It's something to admire about him. He's very short tempered (No pun intended.) He hates it when people call him short. Most people hate that running gag, but I think it shows that Ed is still a normal kid despite what he had to go through. Life hasn't forced him to grow up yet. He also has to deal with some guilt because he pressured his brother to do the human transmutation. When you say Ed's name, I'll automatically think of who he is and not what he had to go through. That's what makes a good character in my eyes. Ed is an example of a real human being. He is one of the best main character's I've ever seen in an anime. He carried a lot for the show. Alphonse: Al is the youngest out of the two. He is very caring and puts others before him. He really cares about others and will protect them from danger. He get's very depressed if he doesn't. There is a certain character who dies in the anime who he used to be enemy's with. It really broke his heart to see that character die. He keeps Ed from doing things that'll get him killed. He had his body replaced with a suit of armor after the human transmutation. He likes to keep everybody safe and living a happy life. Defiantly a good character and added a lot to the anime. Enjoyment 10/10 Positives: All of the show. Negatives: None. I don't care what people say. Overall 10/10 (Masterpiece) People who will love this anime: Almost Everyone People who will not love this anime: Fans of the original manga This is an epic masterpiece that almost every anime fan should see. It's the best anime I've seen and that's saying a lot because I love anime. I love animation and good story telling. I'm glad I got to see this anime and I hope new viewers will love it to. My only regret was that I waited this long to watch it. I hope you enjoyed this review!
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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