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Jan 15, 2024
So many have told me to be prepared for an angsty feels-trip, but overall, Koe no Katachi wasn’t as sad as I thought it would be.
This manga examines bullying from various angles—from the causes to the effects and the ripples, whether direct or indirect. Here, we witness the failure of school systems, the pack mentality, the lack of education, and real effort from many sides—and they are all eye-opening.
Nevertheless, I must admit that the plot was typical, convenient, and a touch too melodramatic. While I enjoyed the quick pace, I was also unimpressed by the many tropes here. For instance, the ways the movie and
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Ishida’s hospitalization were utilized to bring the group of friends together, and as catalysts for self-reflection. Though I understand their purposes, some of the points made could’ve been done without actually involving them, especially the movie aspect. (A friend mentioned that the movie aspect wasn’t included in the film adaptation, so perhaps that shows how negligible it is overall). There’s a lot of potential and opportunities for Koe no Katachi to subvert the tropes, but it didn’t.
The main characters for this manga were well-written, though. Shoya and Shoko were interestingly parallel to each other despite one being the bully and the other the victim. The way they both waddled unsure through the complexities of living was nuanced.
I liked how Shoko wasn’t portrayed as a victim throughout the story, but rather assomeone people didn’t understand. She stayed strong and kept on trying no matter what, though she had her moments of weaknesses. Shoya, on the other hand, was more than just a bully or a kid who didn’t know better too. His anxieties and constant second-guessing, fears, and loss of confidence—they all added more depth to his character.
As for the others…Tomohiro was a little too pushy for my liking, but he’s well-meaning, clumsy, and provides some comic relief. The other Nishiyama’s were immensely relatable. Yuzuru and her grandma were likeable from the get-go, and I really liked the portrayal of the mother.
Sadly, the others in the friend group weren’t as complex. Kawai and Ueno were major disappointments. They’re unlikeable characters and didn’t go through a much-needed proper redemption arc to make them more human. I could sometimes see where they were coming from, but they fell short compared to Shoko and Shoya. Then, there’s Sahara and Satoshi who were pretty much just…there.
All in all, I thought the first 4 volumes were fine/great but the last 3 were lacking. The hopeful ending is nice. I like how things come to a circle, and I don’t mind the loose ends, but it just wasn’t a strong enough end to support the strong start.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Jan 15, 2024
soldiers, scavengers and thieves and must fight to survive. But their destinies will change at a small house in the woods where 3 young women live with secrets - and danger is on its way!
First, second and third points to be made about this book is the art - WOW! There aren’t many colour pages in this, but the opening first page is in colour where we see the battlefield with the rain coming down - it’s so cinematic, but Inoue manages to draw rain so perfectly you can hear and smell it. It’s uncanny. His character’s are drawn perfectly, there isn’t a single panel
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in which I felt he’d cut a corner - visually this is definitely a Japanese comic but eschews that cartoony manga aesthetic, opting for straight up drama.
Imagine trying to draw concealed longing and frustration on a young girl’s face in a single panel - I’m looking at that page right now and Inoue nails it. That’s how subtle and crazy perfect the art is. But I loved how he draws the main character most of all. He draws Takezo as a kind of empty shell when he’s not fighting, walking with a glazed, far off look in his expression, but when he faces danger (and Inoue knows his audience and makes sure there are plenty of moments like this throughout), Takezo’s figure is charged as if someone flicked the “on” switch and his eyes light up, and the movement - Inoue draws movement, so, so well in this book, it’s like reading a movie! Takezo is depicted by turns demonically, as an inexperienced young man, desperate and lost, and breathlessly hungry for life - all of the characters are drawn amazingly but Takezo’s character by far is the most visually interesting.
The tone of the book is wonderful. You really get a feel for the rural setting and feel the coldness and isolation of the house in the woods or the village at the end. The mainly black and white pages help compliment this atmosphere so it feels dream-like and otherworldly. It’s like stepping into the past and it’s a remarkable achievement.
While this first book contains plenty of action, there isn’t a sense of a wider story here. It feels like the beginning of a character portrait rather than a serial - which interests me even more because there are so few of those kinds of comics series around.
The one thing that makes me hesitate is the commitment needed to embark on this series. Last I checked, Inoue had put out Volume 25 of “Vagabond” with no signs of slowing down - hey, 20 million+ Japanese readers can’t be wrong! - but it’s good to know if I’m in need of a good read that there’s this series to fall back on. I just don’t think I’ll be finishing it anytime soon!
From this one book alone, Takehiko Inoue immediately jumps into my top 10 favourite comic book artists, his talent and work is undeniable and breathtakingly impressive. The splash pages alone deserve framing. “Vagabond” is a fantastic historical story of a wonderfully romantic and complex individual set against the rich visuals of feudal Japan. From Book 1, the possibilities for this story seem endless and, in the hands of such a talent, truly epic. It’s definitely worth a look for any comics fan but especially for those who sword fights, Kurosawa’s “Seven Samurai”, and amazing art.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Jan 15, 2024
The first season was amazing, unique, and probably the most grounded anime I have ever seen. I even teared up a time or two.
This second season, however, takes an even more realistic approach to the consequences of war -not only on nations, but on the victims and victors alike. This season also does an amazing job of tackling these issues by providing us with a deeply personal look at the psychological impact of our actions when we are not doing everything in our power to take the lives and feelings of others into consideration before every decision, and every action we take.
This story does
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not rely on plot twists, but rather the impact that every major event has on the characters, as it makes us question the direction and message of the larger overall narrative. This series is also not at its heart an action-focused story (as is illustrated by its beautifully orchestrated original score). While there are plenty of graphically violent scenes throughout, this violence -and at times, an intentional lack there of- only serves as a mere tool to drive the characters ever closer to the brink of insanity, until the person they once were becomes a long-dormant memory. In doing so, we get to see the age-old concept of toxic masculinity tackled in a way that makes us question what it means to be a “true warrior.”
Oh, and remember when I said season one made me tear up a time or two? Well, following in the footsteps of the main character, Thorfinn, I’m man enough to admit that season two had me straight up shedding tears on more occasions than I can count. And it’s not like I don’t currently have enough drama in my life right now to contend with, but stories like these -rare as they might be- help me to process these emotions in a safe environment.
So for that, I would like to thank everyone who worked on this story and made the anime and its source material such a masterfully crafted work of art. 10/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Feb 17, 2022
I'll be real quick, I absolutely love this show for how it stands out from other rom-com animes out there. Story, animations, characters etc. everything is just awesome.
Its just I never knew that the love story of a Dragon [Takasu Ryuuji] & a Tiger [Aisaka Taiga] would be so much emotional and heart-touching as this one.
If you are a rom-com anime fan, you will love this show to its heart. I had a blast with this show. I laughed a lot, I cried a lot while watching this but I was always happy whenever I watched this show.
By the end, I wanted to
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cry even though I don't know why and maybe it was because of the fact I had experienced this kind of thing in my life as well. And so I am glad to have found this beautiful show that I could just with all my heart at peace.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Feb 17, 2022
Tokyo ghoul was an amazing anime. It is definitely in my top favorites. I would 100% recommend this anime to anyone. The plot is pretty similar to Demon slayer too but just with ghouls instead. It's a very unique plot and doesn't show the same stuff every episode like some shows. I love the character diversity and how the story is so well thought out. Kaneki goes through so much and changes throughout the seasons. I love so many of the characters and their personalities, such as, Kaneki, Juuzou, Ayato, Touka, Hide, and sooo many more! The opening is also very cool. The opening shows
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all the characters and their human and or their ghoul form.If you haven't already watched it, I would totally recommend it! Also if your into cosplay, it has some amazing characters that you will love.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Feb 17, 2022
"Weathering with you" is the another magical fantasy love story of makato shinkai. am watching this movie after "your name".
these two movies able to understand about the direction skills of him.
it’s a pure fantasy movie with unmemorable animation visuals.
This film gives an outstanding experience of love blend with rain as in "The garden of words”. I think rain is the best way to express the feeling of love in heart.
tenki no ko filled with a supernatural them plus love bring this film in another level.
actually I like the concept of a sunshine girl named as Hina, she can manipulate the climate and 16-year-old runaway boy
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Hodaka, and their love.
each and every animation visual seqances are grate and can able to stuck in our mind and tend to watch it over and over again.
redwimp music creates an another world of sound experience to this creation.
this movie makes me to feel the pain and happy.
shinkai 100% wined in his ultimate direction skills. He is the only person who make me to fall in love with animes and am waiting for the next masterpiece of him...
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Feb 17, 2022
This movie is true masterpiece and it shows how much a mother sacrifices for the sake of their children and I was truly honored to watch this brilliant piece of art.
Story is just beautiful, animations are great, cinematography is also great and soundtrack is just serene. A beautiful relationship between "Werewolf & Human" is just a fantasy come true. I just loved whole movie to the point that even if there had been any flaws I would have easily overlooked because I was so indulged into the story.
This movie is just amazing and by the end of it I was in tears literally and as
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the ending voices in background finished up the story I was recollecting all pervious events and feeling extremely emotional. The "power of Sacrifice" and "Mother's Love" is just unexplanable but somehow this movie explains it very well.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Feb 15, 2022
Demon Slayer: Mugen Train is by far one the best anime movies to ever be released. I remember seeing this movie when it came out in theaters in April, and it was truly one of the best cinema-going experiences I’ve ever witnessed. It’s entertaining the whole way through, and is enough to leave you extremely satisfied. Picking up directly after the end of season 1 of the TV series, the movie follows our heroes as they board a train where the Lower One of the Twelve Kizuki lurks in the shadows. The film has some amazing character development and introduces the Flame Hashira; Kyōjurō Rengoku
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who had briefly appeared in the series prior to the movie. All characters are given true personality through the voice over performances, which is enough to make you sympathize with them. While all the characters have their moments to shine; Nezuko and Zenitsu in particular, the three who still the show are Tanjiro, Rengoku, and the Lower Moon One: Enmu Tamio. Tanjiro and Rengoku serve as the emotional hearts of the film and both are given plenty of character development throughout the film’s two hour runtime. Enmu on the other hand, is the perfect villain for our heroes to face. In both the sub and dub voices he captures your attention, and his words are absolutely bone-chilling and entertaining to hear and watch. The animations are absolutely spectacular and truly add to the scope of the movie. More so than any other anime film, spectacle is the clear key here. The film provides you with eye-popping visuals that will surly make you wonder in awe. The soundtrack is without a doubt beautiful, with some tracks appropriately upbeat and thrilling, and others somber and captivating. Overall I highly recommend this movie for anyone who is anime fan. If you’ve seen the TV series or read the manga, you’ll definitely find this film an immense crowd-pleaser. To put simply, definitely check out this movie. Beyond all recognition, this movie is the definition of a masterpiece.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Feb 15, 2022
Paranoia Agent, Perfect Blue, Paprika, and Millennium Actress all share the same theme; blurring the lines between reality and fantasy/fiction. Same meaning, slightly distinct executions.
(WARNING: SPOILERS!)
This anime had me questioning wether which things were real and which weren't, (it is to be expected since it's Satoshi Kon here). When I realized that all Lil' Slugger victims had weak mindsets during their "attacks", I searched around for what Lil' Slugger could represent. From what I've found, he could serve as an escape for the mentally weak, like a temporary salvation from all their problems. The thing that intrigued me the most was how the
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sick wife of the detective stated that Maromi and Lil' Slugger are the same, which is true but they have different effects of this salvation:
Maromi serves as a comfort character, the little voice in your head saying "it's not your fault" while Lil' Slugger serves as the debilatating side of escapism, the pain we inflict on ourselves, and running from a current situation.
My favorite scene from this series was how the sick wife was able to avoid Lil' Slugger's violence, she held her ground and challenged her negative thoughts, thus, driving Lil' Slugger away.
The ending put me at ease because Lil' Slugger and Maromi's existences have been erased.
(THOUGHTS, NITPICKS)
1) One of the things that bothered me a little bit was how in the English dub, Ichi, Lil' Slugger, and Ushi's voices are a little too deep to be childrens' voices.
2) I feel like episodes 8-10 didn't hold any sense or value, since the two men and little girl were trying to off themselves in so many different ways, their storyline wandered off from the current storyline with Tsukiko and the rest. The four women talking about Lil' Slugger and the exaggerated stories about him didn't hold any weight either.
(FINAL CONCLUSION)
I enjoyed watching this anime, with all its flaws and imperfections, I love how one of the main themes are how the human mind can be so fragile and can be one's greatest challenge/weakness, like how the mind and body are truly interconnected.
If you like deep, psychological stuff like this, I recommend this anime for you.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Feb 15, 2022
This movie isnt for everyone. It has a lower rating than it deserves because not many people understand it. At first, i didnt either, until i reliased that i cant relate more to anything else.
A long and endless fight between your past and present self, a fight between your past future and future self, a fight between your present self and your past itself. A "self" fighting for you, that is not actually you, and doesnt exist.
Paprika is a movie that really hit close to home, i really saw myself in it.
Another thing i want to mention, the animation is beautiful and the music is
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fantastic. It gives off a strange and unique vibe, it makes you listen to it non stop, yet you dont know what is so addictive about it. You need to listen to understand.
Overall, paprika is a movie not many people will enjoy, only a few will understand and certain people will feel.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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