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Prior knowledge: AnoNatsu Original Series

Depending on what you thought of the parent series you might have been all for this special episode or ignoring it outright. The original series was a good example of teenage love triangles. It wasn’t afraid to be melodramatic in its conflict and resolutions. That said, seeing such overblown interactions can be painful and rather annoying to watch for some viewers. And make no mistake, there’s a lot of conflicts like this. Which is why AnoNatsu may not be for everyone. Though these were the elements that pulled me towards liking this show in the first place. Those that watched and ... loved the series would be eagerly anticipating this special thanks to that final scene from the original. So, does the AnoNatsu Special create the same feeling of reminiscence and sentiment prevalent in the parent series?

The short answer is no.

And now for the long answer.

One excellent example of an OVA would arguably be the Steins;Gate OVA. It expands from the original plotline and nails a definite conclusion between Okabe and Kurisu’s relationship while at the same time showing off the points that made the original show entertaining. Another one would be Mirai Nikki’s OVA. Whether or not the messed up direction it took towards the final last episodes was appropriate, I can confidently say the OVA offered a very clear sense of closure for the two main characters creating a full circle sort of ending.

AnoNatsu’s special started off very well at first. Taking place 2 years after the events of the main series, the show gives a quick snapshot of where the main cast is after those events. Everyone has moved on and repaired their relationships while Kaito occasionally reminisces about the events from that summer. This isn’t a problem in itself. It’s only fair for Kaito to reflect on those events. However, the show does not explore the new relationships he has created the past 2 years except for one scene in a montage showing him in the film club. And this is disappointing. Kaito had been exempt from the heated conflicts of the original series and the OVA did not take the opportunity to explore his character further. In that sense, the Kaito seen in the special may be no different from 2 years ago. That is alarming lack of character development for the main character.

Unfortunately, the time that could’ve been given to Kaito’s newfound relationships and past internal struggle are instead wasted on fanservice and jokes that have been rehashed. The entire middle third of the special is a flashback footage which didn’t appear in the original show, yet used the same ‘joke’ (Lemon getting everyone drunk). It’s sloppy writing and shows the writers had no idea how to fill in that gap. There’s no need to spend 8 to 10 minutes showing a flashback footage that Kaito had played. We already know he liked, and still likes, Ichika and in reality it only needs a couple of minutes to reinforce Kaito’s feelings about this to the audience. Instead, the final third of the show is where we see Kaito’s melancholy as he talks with Kanna and by this point in time it’s no longer needed considering the massive exposition we got about Kaito’s nostalgia. It’s odd to think that Mio and Tetsuro gets 50 times more character progression than Kaito did.

Maybe the most frustrating thing about this special is the final minutes where it is simply a reiteration of the final moments of the original last episode. A subtle hint or implication that Ichika can come back to Earth. While we now know for certain she comes back to Earth, it was something viewers already knew. It wasn’t new information. It wasn’t surprising. And it was shown in the same way as before! It doesn’t create the heartfelt feeling like in the original ending because we already knew all this. Yes. Personally I am upset there wasn’t a reuniting scene between Kaito and Ichika. But the problem is that viewers already know the ending which means the OVA must be able to display the conclusion in a different way. And a reuniting scene would have been a simple and effective way of doing it. It takes what viewers already know and gives proper closure compared to having it being inferred. And hell, the last few episodes of Kaito and Ichikia going all lovey-dovey was adorable to see, so there’s no reason to not put that in this special!

Despite the writers questionable decisions, one thing I like about the OVA was the creative decision to get both the same artists from the original series to do the OP and ED. It sets a familiar tone for the show and reflects on the idea of nostalgia and waiting. I particularly like the ED’s uncanny resemblance to the original ED (Vidro Moyou). A subtle decision which I liked.

For those expecting the concrete closure on this teen romance space sci-fi tale you’ll be sorely disappointed. The OVA doesn’t add anything new between the main couple and actually explores more on its side characters. Lazy writing, unnecessary fanservice and reused jokes make the special lackluster and ultimately, not worth watching.

Prior knowledge: N/A

This season had a lot of highly anticipated anime. Mahouka, SAO, and Aldnoah.Zero just to name a few. And in this list of anticipated shows is Glasslip. From the studio that created the original anime show Nagi no Asukara, famous for its pentagonic love-triangle and twist couple endings. An original concept is always something viewers welcome. No doubt many were expecting something of similar quality with this show and from the synopsis it was thought that was what people were going to get. Another original anime show based around some complicated love-pentagon (hexagon?) that expertly resolves itself.

You get none of that.

Story - 3/10

So ... what's the story of this show? It's a romance show that centers around a close group of friends. The story itself is split into 3 different arcs revolving around 3 couples as they go through their own problems. Each arc revolves around a different theme that people of their age should be able to relate to. And it all branches from the concept of awkward teenage romances. Relatable enough. There's a bit of supernatural elements involved in the plot that doesn't make itself stand out so much since it's not the main focus of the show. So, if the plot is this simple then why is it so bad? It's not so much the plot as in the storytelling and exposition.

The show certainly tried to create its own sort of atmosphere with the show. It tried to be abstract and deep. It tried to show its plot through uses of imagery rather than dialogue. And it did so in spectacular fashion (not in a good way).The plot's fragmented style, similar to that of the ef~ series, Baccano, and Durarara, along with its odd freeze frame shots give a very abstract feel to it. It's something different from many of the other generic romance shows out there and for that it deserves some recognition. Maybe it's what the show was aiming for, as a representation towards the hectic nature of teen romances. But hell, it's too abstract and a pain to watch. It's not so much the non-linear style that's boring but the events themselves. For a show that revolves around 3 hormone driven couples, it is amazing dull. The writing is extremely bad and the pacing is dreadfully slow. Even though there is progression, the show's writing and direction is so bad that it seem that nothing is going on. The progression is slow too. Nothing of interest happens for the first 6 episodes or so.

Events happen for no reason and every episode is just a shot of a character doing something utterly mundane. By this, I mean like walking to a store and then walking back (without getting anything). Or reading a book. Or sitting in the living room. There's barely any dialogue or movement. There's no backstory to the characters and we get no information at all about them or the setting. At the same time a bunch of couple problems get dumped at us at the weirdest times. This creates a situation where you have barely developed characters in tense emotional situations and it just doesn't work. Because there's no way the audience can hope to sympathize or connect with them. The arc switching and the show's events have no sense of progression. It simply cuts over to another mundane scene or postcard view. This makes the show very slow and very static.

Even with the horrible direction and writing, the show could have been halfway decent if the characters were written well. And it's the characters that truly make this show the train wreck it is.

Art - 4/10

The art style is rather nice. It's very reminiscent of Nagi no Asukara. But that's simply it. It's pretty. It's a pretty painting and nothing more. I've mentioned before the direction is abysmal. It really is. It seems that only one or two things actually ever move in a scene. The animation is very basic. It's like they were too lazy to animate anything more complex than the equivalent of a head tilt. It's not as if the animation was bad, it's just that there is barely any movement! Every other shot is a pan of the town scenery. Because it seems the it has nothing better to show us. Is it some symbolism representing fear of outside change? Who knows? The shots themselves are way too still. I'm not expecting dynamic camera angles for a romance/SoL show but the shots are way too still and too unchanging. The freeze frames are annoying and only makes the show seem that more still. There doesn't seem to be any valid point in having the freeze frames in the first place. It doesn't add anything to the plot, the characters or the atmosphere. It just seems bland and unfocused. It also shows this anime had a shitty budget. The animation and art direction is equally responsible in creating this static pacing the show gives off.

Sound - 4/10

Similar to the art, it's pretty but that's about it. There's nothing wrong with the sound direction or voice actors but it's just drab and uninspiring. There's barely any dialogue even between two characters forced into a situation where they have to talk. The OP itself sounds relaxing but as the show continues it only reinforces the dull nature of the show. The classical piano music that accompanies certain scenes, such as Kakeru's inner thoughts, are only a reminder of how obnoxious the show is in trying too hard to be deep and meaningful. When in reality it's tiresome to watch.

Character - 2/10

The characters are bad. Let's put that out of the way first. It's easy to say that something is bad. But we need reasons.

What's the main problem with our characters in Glasslip? It's that they don't develop. There's very little sign that they do. And even if you somehow make it to the later episodes, the static pace the show makes that I was talking about earlier, makes it incredibly hard to spot an inch of character development. There's also zero exposition. There are so many things we have to infer from all their relationships. It could be some sort of selective narration. Many times I was left wondering what exactly happened between the characters because I had no clear picture of their relationship. It forces you to put together the missing pieces. This technique of selective narration isn't bad. It's a pretty cool way of telling a story. However, with all the other factors added in; from the awful direction, to bad writing, to scenes that serve very little purpose, this technique only makes the show look confusing. And it's not nearly as effective if the characters show any trace of reaction or development.

The show is very dependent on character tropes. The whole show is just a big mess of them. And the tropes are cranked up to eleven. We're shoved right into the heat of the story with the six characters. And we don't know anything about them. At all. No backstory. No mention of a relationship. We just have to 'assume' they're all tight from the get go. It's the tropes define their characters and actions. Because we don't know anything about themselves or their personalities, the show expects us to draw from the many cliches of anime romances to justify the characters actions. Just from the character designs we can predict each character's personality. Kakeru is the mysterious transfer student. Touko is the main innocent girl. Sachi is the "tragic glasses girl" (they literally say this in this episode), Yuki is the somewhat cool spunky kid. Yanagi is the somewhat tomboyish mature girl, and Hiro is the energetic side character. I'm sure many anime viewers can sense to some degree what an anime character's personality would be like after looking at their appearance. Since it's used time and time again in many anime shows. Glasslip is the same. Except nothing is added anything to it. They are embodiment of their cliche tropes. In contrast with say, Kokoro Connect. You have a similar situation with 5 friends, Inaba is the cold calculating person, Aoki is the comic relief, Taichi is the nice guy and so on. But Kokoro Connect actually develops their characters throughout the show past our initial impressions derived from their tropes. They react to the situations presented before them and their characters change as a result. It just doesn't happen in Glasslip. Their actions are a result of the tropes they represent and it's the only way we can justify any of their actions. I'm supposed to agree with what they do since I'm supposed to empathize with them, since they're teenagers and we were once there too and stuff. You cannot emphasize with cliche tropes. You can only expect the next trope to come. And if it's not the correct one, the show falls apart.

That's not to say there aren't any sane characters. Yuki and Yanagi's complicated relationship was resolved well. The reveal that they turned out to be step-siblings was executed well and explained many of the odd things they did. Even if their characters don't exactly change throughout the show, their actions did make sense in context. Kakeru's character, even if he is odd, is shown struggling in his decision on whether to stay with Touko or continue travelling with his mum.

The cast feels like props. They don't feel like people. It feels like they're props ordered to move around from one scene to another in order to move the plot forward.

Enjoyment - 3/10

It's an understatement to say this show is boring. The show is dull. Simply put. While the first three episodes first had my head scratching, the further it went on the more it became clear that this ambiguous vibe was only going to worsen. I could only enjoy the because of the numerous discussions I've had pointing out its flaws.

There's a lot of arguments for this show. There are some people that would say that an SoL show isn't supposed to be all action and twists. And yeah, that's right. But this show doesn't tell a story about everyday teenagers. It just doesn't tell us anything properly. I would point you to Usagi Drop. Where it shows that a show about everyday life can be engaging and heartfelt. There's others that would argue 12 episodes isn't enough to see 6 main characters in detail. I'd point you to Kokoro Connect. Where it shows the relationships between the 5 main characters expertly and develops them further. You'll have some that would argue the future fragment element was detrimental and without it the show would be much better. I'd point you to Isshuukan Friends. Where its amnesia element was incorporated well into the plot and served to drive it forward. People could argue a love-triangle isn't needed in a romance anime. I'd point you to White Album 2 which shows conflict and resolution between the 3 main characters properly. And if you're still not convinced, I'd point you to ef~ a tale of memories. Which incorporates all these elements together from symbolism and imagery, to the supernatural, to intertwining plot lines.

There's lots of other shows that do the things Glasslip does a million times better.

Overall - 3/10

I have never seen a show written so badly, directed so horribly, paced so boringly. It always seems that nothing happens in this show. Still frames!? Why!? I don't need a 1080p wallpaper of Jonathan! Every other scene is just a pan of the bloody town! Only one or two things ever physically move in a scene. Characters are shown going to one place, then immediately going back for no reason at all! They are never elaborated on or developed. Any event that would seem to serve some sort of character development is somehow conveniently forgotten in the next episode. They don't seem to react after an event.The dialogue is just so static. The music, while fine at first, soon emphasizes the drab nature of the show. This equates to a feeling of zero pacing. Like this show is not going anywhere.

Never before have I seen such a show that is simply bad.

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Prior knowledge
Manga: None

With so many popular action anime taking the spotlight this Summer season, Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun stands out being one of the more lighthearted shows. Relying mainly on its comedic factor to grab the viewers. But with many of these (rather depressing) shows sporting loads of hype, big budgets, and flashy action does GSN do well with so many other heavyweight contenders? Does a comedy show still have a place in the viewers interests? Let's find out.

Story - 7/10

Let's be very clear. GSN is not a shoujo romance. If you came here looking for another Ao Haru Ride or Sukitte Ii na yo then ... it's time to back up and try again. Because this show is all about the comedy. It's not even a RomCom. It's all comedy. The romance hinted at the beginning of the show is simply a backdrop to set the setting for the overall tone of the show. So it's better to come into the show knowing there will be no romantic development at all. Even if the show continuously teases this. The last episode especially.

Simply put, there is not 'story' so to speak. There isn't any clear linear plot where the main characters go from A to B. It's just the main cast and their shenanigans. In this sense, it's very similar to Nichijou although it's much more grounded. While the fact that there isn't a 'proper' plot may be a turn off for some people it's nothing to fret over much in the context of the show. However, with a show where much of it's focus is on the comedy, there will be moments of GSN where it feels boring or uninteresting to the viewer if the jokes or gags don't appeal to them. And it's a main problem with any show that chooses to focus on one genre in detail or go through with no solid plot. That said, GSN did had me laughing for most of the show's episodes and successfully did its job in keeping me entertained through its use of comedy. While there were some moments where I was left unentertained (Nichijou is notorious for this) it's certainly a show that would make anyone feel good after watching.

The show does stick to its manga artist subplot for the first few episodes and this was used as a good plot device to introduce all the characters as neatly (and hilariously) as possible. This subplot does get dropped as the show continued. It would have been nice to keep it going or at least shift the focus more subtly. The drop was too abrupt as by the time all the characters were introduced, the manga artist plot device became quite integral that leaving it out so suddenly was a little disappointing and made it very clear it was primarily a plot device. The situation does get revisited sometimes in later episodes but simply as a reminder of the show's initial setting.
One minor problem I had was the actual romantic 'subplot'. While it was clearly used as a backdrop to set up certain jokes or scenes between many of the main characters (not just Nozaki and Sakura) I felt that it became distracting at times. The show sometimes resorts to romantic teasing or hinting. While this may be part of a joke or gag, I found it distracting as it took away the show's value as a comedy. It also felt out of place, as since there was zero romatic development, the use of a sudden couple-shipping scene felt like a jarring change of pace. However, the show doesn't do it so many times that it becomes some badly written romcom.

Art - 7/10

There's a weird contrast of quality in this show in terms of art. The character designs are very over the top. From the red hair to the handsome trap-girl to the blonde Japanese. It really shows that this show was originally a manga. And there's nothing wrong with that. Their designs match their personalities more or less and is generally fitting. Character expressions were used really effectively. The last time I've seen such faces being shown was with Nisekoi. Sakura's reaction faces specifically are funny to watch.

On the flipside, the backgrounds felt like I was seeing a template. The school backgrounds looked like something out of a low budget anime or visual novel. I'm not expecting Aldnoah.Zero levels of art but the backgrounds simply looked like a fake stage backdrop. The show didn't have it's own 'style' so to speak. While this is a bit of nitpicking on my part it did feel at certain times that the characters were acting on some stage than actually being in school.

The OP's sequence was the last thing I expected from a show with this tone. It complemented the music very well and was very pretty to watch. Likewise for the ED.

Sound - 8/10

There isn't much to be said. The show's comedy relied heavily on visual gags and character jokes. While utilizing the hearing sense to add to the comedy might have added to the show's comedic value, it already did well enough on its own with the visuals. The soundtrack is a bit generic but does the job well.

Character voices were a strong point in this show. Every character had their own unique voice that viewers could easily associate with a specific character. The voices suited the character's personalities and appearances well. And shouts and laughter complimented well with the jokes. All in all very good voice acting.

The OP for this show is simply fantastic and always manages to put me in a good mood before the show starts. I feel this is a very important yet overlooked part of any anime. If an OP does well in setting the right mood for the viewer, they will naturally feel much more positive receiving the show. The spunky beat and lively trumpets showed the fun and lightheartedness of the show.

Character - 7/10

The main cast has plenty of diverse, fun, and memorable characters.There were many different personalities in the cast and it effectively created a lively atmosphere when they interacted with each other. Seeing as how the show relies much of its entertainment value on comedy, the characters do well in carrying the show. Reactions, interactions and personalities are critical for a show like GSN and how each of these aspects are used and executed can mean the difference between a good show and a bad one. Fortunately, the execution carried out by the characters is done well.

GSN's characters are very archetypal and it isn't afraid to show this. Flaunt it even. As with shows like GSN, reactions are highly exaggerated and this show will use it every single time when they can. Each character represents one focused group of a personality trait, and its because of this that the conflict and comedic interaction with the cast is very strong. However, such characters suffer a weakness similar to that in its plot. Make no mistake, there is close to zero character development here at all. The cast never strays away from the personality tropes given to them. While this does help in its jokes, it does mean that people would quickly find the show boring if the characters don't fit well together in certain situations or if they simply don't like them. That said, this rarely happens, if ever. But if you miss a gag or don't get a joke after a long scene, you're going to feel dissatisfied. Just for that moment. But it's enough to break away from the 'feel good' momentum you've built up.

Enjoyment - 8/10

I enjoyed this show very much. It managed to do many things right. The jokes were funny and the characters were very likeable. The show was more or less consistent with the level and quality of their jokes. While I did feel some episodes were stronger than other in terms of their jokes and gags, as a whole it does its job well as a lighthearted and fun show.

Overall - 8/10

It's a show that manages to use what it had correctly. Many comedy shows are a hit and miss but GSN manages to stay consistent throughout. The gags and jokes themselves were funny but the character delivery and execution was what really sold the show and made it entertaining. The character chemistry being quite high. The OP always had me comfortable and ready to be entertained by a lively cast. While a more structured plot could have made the show a little more concrete the setting of the show is suited enough for the atmosphere. All in all, a very good comedy that's sure to leave you entertained.

Feeback is welcome! Do visit my blog as reviews are posted there first. And with pictures!

Prior Knowledge: N/A

Among the sea of LN and Manga adaptations, Aldnoah.Zero stands out trying to show that original ideas can make a difference. It's renowned staff and high production value gives this show, at least in appearance, a run for its money. Hoping to make its mark in the community like other original anime screenplays before it. Most famously Neon Genesis Evangelion in the 90s, Code Geass and Eden of the East in the 00's, and most recently Kill la Kill last year. Needless to say, many viewers were anticipating this show with high expectations given its staff and premise, me included. Expecting this show ... would drive the anime industry out of its current stagnant state. It's realistic take on war and the military setting it apart from many of the other action and mecha anime and it being a prime focus of the show's overall atmosphere.

Story - 6/10

Set in an alternate reality where relations are tense between Earth and a monarchy race on Mars, the Vers Empire. The plot doesn't waste any time throwing viewers right into the conflict. After an assassination on the Vers princess, the people of Vers declare war on Earth. The story focuses on a group of characters who find out the princess survives the assassination and attempts to inform Vers she is safe to stop the war.

Before going on, if you were expecting all out over the top dynamic mecha action with missiles and lasers and drills that will pierce the heavens, then you won't find it here. Aldnoah.Zero presents war in all its realistic glory. Soldiers die. Tactics and strategies are used. And military command is highlighted. Simply put, its realism is a refreshing feel from the usual direction mecha and action anime shows take and is clearly a core component of the plot and world building. Though that's not to say over the top is bad either, of course.

While the first episode effectively shows the devastation and power of the Vers Empire and what the war means for Earth, this is soon shoved to the sidelines as the plot takes a tunnel vision view into the main characters. The story itself soon settles into an odd RPG style pattern. To describe it as best as I can, it feels like you're seeing a party travel to their quest point while killing bosses and monsters along the way.

There isn't any indication of what happens in other parts of the world and the worldwide communications jamming seems like a lazy way to force the viewers to focus on only the characters prevented before us. The show somehow made an interplanetary war feel claustrophobic. The grand scale of the war shown in the first episode is ignored entirely and makes it seem the entire war occurs wherever our group went, like the entire war revolved around them.

Art - 8/10

Despite its haphazard plot movement, its art definitely shows the show's high production value. The first episode alone does give an explosive (get it?) presentation of their animation quality. While some viewers may gripe about the CG, I thought the CG for the mechs were animated well and made them more machine like in its aesthetic and serve as good contrast to the natural backgrounds. Scenery and backgrounds are drawn to mimic realism and do a good job of keeping the show as grounded as possible. At least, as grounded as a show with flying mechs and Martians would permit. The show does well to contrast between the colours used between the Terrans and Martians. With scenes on Earth using predominantly cooler colours (blue, white, yellow) and Martians using more striking colours (shades of red and black). This is apparent very much during the first half of the show, where scenes would switch between the battles out at sea and the Landing Castle control quarters.

The OP and ED sequences are a joy to look at. Beautifully animated and bright colours. I especially like the snow globe scene with Slaine and Inaho which shows they are two sides of the same coin representing the same ideals.

Sound - 8/10

Aldnoah.Zero's soundtrack is definitely unique. The electronic beats and synth sounds may be an odd choice at first but somehow works when played alongside certain scenes. It's a different approach to a traditional orchestral score that accompanies shows like this and it's a good change. Voice acting is done well if a little uninspired and sound effects are spot on. I have similarly high praises for the OP and EDs of the show. I like how the show interchanges between the two EDs using whichever one was more appropriate to end the episode on. All in all there are no complaints here.

Character - 4/10

Earlier on I praised the show on its overall realistic take on war and the military; the atmosphere in general. My enthusiasm was however short lived by the main characters. One critical point in maintaining the essence of realism is character behaviour and development. Characters should react and respond to a situation appropriately. And it is here where I feel the show lacks, ruining the immersion of the fairly realistic world presented to us.

Getting the obvious out of the way, I did not like Inaho's character. His stoic and overly analytical personality did not fit within the tone the show was trying to create. In any other show, the overly analytical and cool character would have a certain air that exaggerated their superiority and intelligence. Characters such as Sora from NGNL, Tatsuya from Mahouka, and Kiryuuin Satsuki from KLK have similar properties and in the context of their respective shows do fit as a personality type. However, a show with a realistic tone like Aldnoah.Zero such a character would be a stretch to accept and hard to sympathise with. A teenager in war conjuring plans that succeed where trained adult soldiers somehow cannot use the basics of battlefield tactics such as flanking an enemy or cover fire is extremely unbelievable. Having the Captain agree to his plans and ignoring his sister's orders, a ranked superior, also further degrades the use of military rank and authority. But hey, that doesn't matter because his plans work anyway!

The other characters are unfortunately 2-dimensional. Or rather, their characters do not develop. With so many side characters and sub plots from Lt. Marito's PTSD to Rayet's personal vengeance, it's hard for the show to cover it all up in 12 episodes. Even if there is a 2nd season, the execution of the subplots is highly imbalanced. There is more screentime of Lt. Marito's PTSD than side character development. Inaho's friends are pushed to the side once they get on board the ship, reduced to background crew that hardly get any exposure. The princess is treated as a walking generator.

Slaine's character was the one that appealed to me the most. His questionable decisions at the last episode showed that not everything is clear cut and also showed Slaine's confusion on where his alligence lies. A character that reacted appropriately by the events that happened to him, by acting inappropriately. Had the show further elaborated on his turmoil in earlier episodes, it would have made the final one even better.

Ultimately, the show could have used some major improvement on character development. Inaho's character simply feels out of place as he solo's Vers super mechs. Other characters don't get any sort of attention that I wonder why they are there at all. Slaine could have greatly benefited from some more character development. Many characters are too static and feels like they are just there for the sake of it.

Enjoyment - 6/10

I truly enjoyed the first 3 episodes. I really did. The scale of a war between Earth and Mars, a mech show that feels like a futuristic army instead of over the top battles, and the conspiracy of the Vers Empire. The show however, quickly fell from its high point and I felt like the show became stagnant. While I did enjoy the battle sequences, it felt the battles were there just for the sake of it. A filler as our crew make their way from point A to B. The characters were unconvincing and broke the realism brought at the beginning of the show.

The last episode was without a doubt a shocker and the last thing anyone would have expected. There was a bit of everything in there, from Inaho's thoughts about war, to action and conflict, and a finale that's sure to make people go crazy. I'm disappointed that the entire show did not match the finale's quality in terms of content and storytelling. Despite how good it was however, one good episode does not redeem a show's worth of mediocrity. 

Overall - 6/10

I won't say this show is 'average'. Because objectively, it's not. It passes the mark, albeit barely. The plot is easy enough to follow and battles make sense. Visually, the show is great to look at and the soundtrack is pretty cool. But for a show trying to create a sense of realism, its characters let it down a lot in this regard and is an aspect I cannot emphasize enough if trying to mimic that sort of atmosphere. Even if the last episode was very good, the buildup to it was messy and disappointing. While it was an impactful one, I felt that it was the sole purpose of it. The finale would definitely make viewers forgive the wonky storytelling, if they had any complaints in the first place. Hopefully we'll see more of the same quality of the last episode in the next season.

I welcome any feedback you may have. Visit my blog for a more detailed review.

Prior knowledge
Manga: None

Tokyo Ghoul is one of the more hyped up anime this season for a number of reasons. Mainly because it was, as I have heard, a very popular manga. The premise itself is easy to follow. The world is inhabited by two types of people: regular people and ghouls who eat people as a source of food. The main character, Kaneki Ken, after almost being killed by a ghoul is turned into a half ghoul-half human hybrid. By this time, I, who has not read the manga, assumed the show would explore the morality of and question the prejudice between the two groups ... using the MC as a focal perspective. While at the same time having some kickass fight sequences.

Boy was I wrong.

Story – 6/10

For the most part, Tokyo Ghoul’s storytelling was decent. It explored the different aspects of the ghoul community and made its point simple and concise. Although that’s about it. There isn’t anything too fancy or well done with its storytelling. Tokyo Ghoul is quick to establish the lore with the Wards (sectors), the Doves (anti ghoul police), and different types of ghouls. This last point emphasized by Anteiku and it’s here that Kaneki spends most of his time deliberating between his new and unique situation. The plot itself didn’t seem to be headed in any clear direction, but splits itself into different ‘mini-plots’ (similar to different story arcs in the manga) as Kaneki observes the different ghouls coming in and out of the cafe, and learns their own perspective of being a ghoul. While this in itself is fine, it creates other problems for character development and overall pacing. This is clear at the show’s 9th episode when there is a ghoul invasion in one of the other wards. It’s clear that this is the climax of the show, yet it feels blatantly out of place from the ‘mini-arc’ format the show was using so far. There was hardly any buildup leading up to the massive invasion and the last 4 episodes seemed to compress as much content as possible by amping up the pace, shown by the sudden high stakes and side characters being quickly introduced. It’s clear the ending was very rushed. Simply put, the show’s plot lacked focus. It did not take advantage of the interesting premise they had to work with.

Art – 8/10

I don’t have any complaints here. The animation is slick and smooth. The (very few) fights and battles are nice to watch. The weapons, qunique and kagune, were an interesting concept for the show and there were enough different types to show off. The show tended to lean toward more vivid colours in its art style and wasn’t afraid to use its full range of colours which I thought was a good decision for the show to make.

The characters themselves are distinct from one another in their art design and colour and I particularly liked how a character’s colour was associated with their personality. It’s a welcome change from other anime where characters look way too similar to one another. The OP and ED sequences were great to watch and is one of the few shows where I don’t skip its sequences. I especially like theme of contrast and reflection used in the OP.

Sound – 8/10

There wasn’t anything wrong with Tokyo Ghoul’s sound direction. Overall effects in fight scenes were synced well and so was background noise. Each character had their own defined voice and the voice acting complimented well with the art and colour style. That is to say, their voices were a little more on the melodramatic side. But it was used to good effect in presenting their own personalities and character. The OP and ED are both fantastic and fit well into the tone of the show, or rather the tone the show was trying to show.

Character – 5/10

Here is where Tokyo Ghoul suffers from the most and ultimately hinders enjoyment of the show. The show has a lot of side characters. A new character is introduced maybe every 1 to 2 episodes and none of these characters get enough screentime and character development. The fault of this is partly due to its 1-cour situation, but it’s also because of the mini-plot format of the show. A new character is introduced who interacts with Kaneki in some way before being pushed to the sidelines a couple of episodes later and a new character takes the stage. There is barely any exposition for the side characters and the way they were simply dumped to the side until the climax arc in the 9th episode was simply lazy.

The main characters themselves are regrettably 2-dimensional. Kaneki’s initial panic with his newfound situation was acceptable at first but he never grew out of his timidness despite the abundant characters and small setting he was confined to. Unfortunately, the lack of development for the side characters also meant Kaneki’s character development also suffered as a result. Kaneki himself always seems to be in helpless situations which he can’t get out of. The only ounce of character development is during Hinami’s arc in Episode 3 where he sees that there are ghouls who don’t wish to kill people. His entire character is just a tease to the final episode when he goes all badass. And even that in itself is a disappointment. That wasn’t what I wanted to see from the show at all.

Enjoyment – 6/10

I can tell you this. If you switch off your brain you’ll most likely enjoy this show. It doesn’t do anything new or unique within its own genre. Battles are cool. Characters are predictable and the setting is interesting enough. But if you’re looking for something of a higher quality caliber, then this show isn’t it. I was strung along the entire show thinking ‘this next episode is going to have more action’ or ‘this time Kaneki is going to do something’. The entire time the show left me with blue balls just waiting for the moment the show would present some sort of meaningful sequence or a badass fight scene. I was sorely disappointed. The final episode had some element of the exploration of morality and choice and it was at a level I was satisfied with, and something I expected to see from the first episode. Yet this wasn’t the case.

But hey, if anything else it was a decent Thursday night filler show. Better than Glasslip that’s for sure. The final episode did have me on edge, even if the characters are 2-dimensional, the execution and presentation of the final episode was able to convey a suspenseful tone which regrettably did not appear in any of the other episodes. I suppose its simply another typical shounen anime.

Overall – 6/10

I’ll admit to enjoying it enough. It wasn’t anything special in the end but it’s a decent show to watch if you’re looking for something to pass the time. If you were expecting any level of depth then you definitely won’t find it here. As explained before, the show had a lot of potential in presenting the different aspects and perspective between ghouls and humans and failed to capitalize. Unfortunately, in the end the show is average at best. It wasn’t the fault of the staff entirely as it could have benefited from more episodes, but the adaptation of the source material was mismanaged. For all its visual style it could not save the show from its muddled storytelling.

This is my first review. Feedback is welcome. A more detailed review can be viewed at my blog!