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- BirthdayJan 15, 1994
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Dec 16, 2011
“Time does not exist. Only the illusion of memories exist.”
Confusing and mindnumbing but episodic with a puzzle plot
atmospheric and has “good” production values but unimpressive artwork and weak soundtrack
great overall mystery as a whole but not so good stand-alone stories
fleshed out characters related to the story but bland and forgotten because of the size of the cast
uncommon and interesting but forgotten like the moe/ecchi mediocrities produced today
Boogiepop is an anomaly, having the right set of characteristics to deem it as an anime masterpiece in the dementia genre and be remembered by the anime community. In fact, many reviews in different anime websites besides
...
MAL give it an above average rating and it is compared with anime masterpieces Serial Experiments Lain (SEL), Neon Genesis Evangelion (NGE), and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (GitS: SAC). Yet, for some reason, not many have seen, known, or even heard a single thing about it. (I myself only watched it because of its similarities with my favourite anime of all time.) Why?
First impressions:
(watches the opening)
Is this made with an extremely low budget? What’s with the abundance of real life pictures, roughness and the dark colour palette of the artwork? I don’t even know what I’m seeing. The opening theme song is catchy and relaxing but how does this fit with the mood of the story? Meant to feel rewarding like the last episode of Serial Experiments Lain or is it for the sake of nostalgia?
For some reason, the style and blurriness reminds me of Texhnolyze which used a similar style but took it to another level thanks to Yoshitoshi ABe.
Second Impressions:
(watches the first episode)
O_o .... Okay, so the production values are good after all as expected from Madhouse but it is a bit difficult distinguish the characters and the lighting is overdone or lacking. The story seems to be convoluted and structured like a puzzle, presented in the perspective of different “normal” characters (Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, anyone?). It’s not like in Kara no Kyoukai where some parts seem to be filler or in Haruhi where the fillers and actual story are mixed to stretch the entire show to a half/full season. The story builds up without wasting a single second on fan-catering, and probably continues on until the big finale suddenly comes up and everything comes into place.
(reminds me of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Tatami Galaxy)
I wonder though how the modern anime fans who never watched any series from the mindfuck trilogy (Eva, Utena, Lain) felt when watching this. Moe/ecchi/comedy/slice of life fans might have instantly dropped this out of boredom because of the serious and creepy atmosphere while horror/psychological/dementia/mystery fans are most likely rejoicing with the acid trip.
Third Impressions:
(watches the rest)
Hmm... an interesting social commentary that focuses on its core theme, change. For example, time and reality here are defined by the memories one has (Lain?). Human relationship here is shown mostly in the negative light by showing the despair, insecurity, and insanity of characters in their internal and external conflicts on an intrapersonal and interpersonal level to the extent of making the reality shown the screen as subjective or seeing the characters make go all nuts and kill other or themselves, get killed in horrifying ways, or just mysteriously disappear. The supernatural aspects of the show has some realism and artistry by its metaphorical representations of one’s emotions and the actual representation of a human character which is confusing at certain times, and drugs and its after effects on the long run after n organizations There is even a solid conclusion that resolves most of the supernatural ideas and setting and the plot filled with conspiracies. It is a well-made psychological/dementia/horror anime that is still deep and mature for this age but there are some loose ends and it can still continue on and build the mystery further for a few more episodes so I take a whole mark off. Also, there is one major issue that nullifies a lot of positive aspects of this show; nothing is memorable.
No doubt is the story of Boogiepop Phantom of high quality but ... frankly, every other aspect of it is mediocre in comparison with the story. The characters strongly contribute to the story as their involvement in the big mystery is what defines them because of the size of the cast but there is simply not enough time to get to know them, see them develop, and witness their catharsis (but they do have closure). Even characterization is lacking for the most of the cast since most are simply normal human beings living their normal lives (some do live unhealthy lives but not enough to classify them as abnormal). They’re simply not memorable, not even the titular character, Boogiepop. Okay, this is a teaser for the light novels but, surely, 12 episodes is not enough to understand her characterization in full even after excluding development. This is not SELain and she is not Lain.
Going back to the art and sound sections, they’re ... just good overall as both lack subtle detailing that makes it distinct from most anime series.. While the camera angles are mostly fine that way they are for most of the show and the visuals are able to tell the story partially instead of simply being eye candy, it’s difficult to watch a single episode simply because, without watching it in an extremely dark and enclosed room (preferably the basement), the subtle details of the artwork are unnoticeable. Also, the animation is clunky and chopped during the fight scenes because of the low frame rate. The background music and sound effects nicely build up the mood and invoke the right emotion in the key scenes but repeating it for the nth times makes it rather boring and predictable than memorable. As for the soundtrack, only the opening song deserves mention but does not fit with the overall mood of the show. The other sound themes that do fit but not interesting enough to bother replaying it multiple times.
So, only the story worth praising in the end but even that has major flaws that prevent it from earning a perfect rating such as the quality of the (seemingly) stand-alone stories which only serves to contribute to the overall mystery and give more depth to the characters. If evaluating the stand-alone story or a single episode by itself, it’s does not stand out from other similar stories and is just fine, quality-wise. The message of the anime itself is nothing new nor amazing like the presentation so, in the end, the Boogiepop Phantom (anime) is simply a one-time watch to marathon for the full effect unlike all of the other anime I mentioned in this review. Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni has a similar presentation but its story is simply bullocks with faulty science even in a fantasy setting. On the other hand, its cast is smaller with more development and catharsis and the end result is much more memorable (besides the amount of gore that turned Elfen Lied obsolete). Kara no Kyoukai has a much smaller cast than the two, has higher production values, and has the complex characterization that mixes different tropes and redefines them. For art and animation style, Texhnolyze maximizes the full potential but doesn’t hamper the casual viewers in terms of its aesthetics. Finally, Lain and Neon Genesis Evangelion uses numerous tropes and references to immortalize the ground-breaking story and characters in our minds for eternity and has far more original, bold, and thought-provoking ideas never given serious consideration in the anime world before. Of course, the production values are high and its own fair share of experimental and unique artwork and animation. So, these all and later 00s series make Boogiepop Phantom obsolete, historically speaking.
Anyways, if the mentioned flaws are set aside, then it is a very interesting and confusing show, recommended to dementia fans and mature viewers that prefer depth and substance over the average and tasteless shows we get nowadays.
Scores
Story: 8/10
Character: 7/10
Art: 7/10
Sound: 8/10
Value: 5/10
Enjoyment: 5/10
Overall: 6.66/10
Suggestion List:
Serial Experiments Lain
Neon Genesis Evangelion and End of Evangelion
Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni
Gekijouban Kara no Kyoukai: The Garden of Sinners
Texhnolyze (just for the artwork and OST)
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Aug 19, 2011
Viewed as an evolutionary leap that broke the boundaries of the medium and redefined DEEP in a post-cyberpunk setting, a similar reality to ours, it is one of few avant-garde (innovative, experimental, unorthodox) titles ever made by the Japanese anime industry that forces their audience to actually use their brain for the entire duration of the show.
None before it has taken the same concepts and themes introduced in the movie Ghost in the Shell (1995) to unreachable heights in the same time span,
has the same amount of disagreements among the staff about what the heck they made,
is purely a mindscrew that
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required thorough analysis of every scene of every episode, including the stock footage,
shows the story mainly through dialogues and symbols
and has little/no superficial entertainment.
STORY SECTION - 9.75/10 (Is this all real?)
Plot, Content, Logic - 4/4
Set in modern times, boundary between virtual and actual reality is gradually blurred with the development and increased usage of technology in society with PCs, handheld devices, video games, social networking, and the ever-expanding computer network, called “The Wired”. A hacker organization, led by Eiri Masami, attempts to unify humanity into “The Wired” through the collective unconscious so the virtual and actual reality cannot be distinguished. This is justified with the unknown effects of Earth’s magnetic fields (Schuman Resonance), Psi ability of humans, evolution, etc. To achieve this, the only heroine Lain Iwakura must comply with the wishes of the said organization and live only in the Wired.
Spoiler or not, that is the plot and is more realistic than NGE’s Instrumentality with similarities from the original movie Ghost in the Shell (1995). No need for cyborgs, mechs, supernatural BS, and the distant future; just real science, philosophy, and psychology with a dash of conspiracy theories and a few major twists (e.g. fantasy/religion, reality as a whole).
As the title suggests, this is a series of unique experiments (one per episode), focused mostly on LAIN (not just Lain Iwakura), that revolves around its central theme, perception. The material is openly presented through minimal storytelling in the form of monologues, open-ended dialogues, anonymous characters, symbols, and psychedelic and surreal imagery so nothing is absolute. By watching at face value, there are plot holes because the viewer’s vision throughout the entire series is limited. Thus, the audience is forced to make their own interpretations to fill those holes and complete their “reality” of the series while answering its questions about identity, memories, time, existence, morality, concept of God, and more controversial topics. This alone is not confusing enough without the common schizophrenic hallucinations, stagnant or creepy atmosphere, and subtle lies. Add as well the cynical yet fairly accurate criticism of our dependence with technology because of the lack of live communication (or abundance of chats in “The Wired”), insecurity and isolation, apathy and despair, technology (virtual) over human life (real), definition of humanity (anthropological, psychological, sociological, or something else) and other ideas to support the notion of “abandoning the flesh.” This all makes it a series only for the brave few.
Structure - 2/2 (NO FILLERS & BREAKS!)
Everything is almost divided equally in layers and the opening and ending sequences with a key concept related to Lain, the Wired, the organization and Eiri Masami, or the content. There is not a single second of filler as it gets straight to the point since the first viewing of the opening.
Everything is relevant to the plot, character, atmosphere, schizophrenic experience, or just the mindscrew. At first glance, they are disjointed or fragmented but do follow a linear timeline shown in different perspectives through the characters and the medium for communication.
Think of it as a spiral Mandelbrot set with the last episode as its center/core/tip. To which point the series begins is for the viewer to decide.
Since the information is transferred from layer to another, the viewer must have understood the meaning and relevance of every single scene and the importance of the introduced concept or idea to the overall story.
Pacing – 1.75/2
It moves along with Lain Iwakura’s involvement in the Real and the Wired.
The episode pacing is slow enough to give the viewer enough time to ponder the philosophical questions asked and interpret the slight changes in the current frame/s while unnecessary events are skipped and hints were shown sparingly to move on to the next concept and keep the viewer interested. On an episode basis, the pacing is slow or realistically paced but, when examining the entire picture, it is quite fast and can leave you puzzled for the entire duration. The first six episodes are consistent, down to the last second of the ending theme, but the next seven lost its screws and started the mindscrew and WTF!? moments (if the first episode was only slightly/partially confusing). I admit that this second half is hectic to the point of deducting this section a bit but the execution does deliver everything extremely well.
Concluding Arc – 2/2 (Sensible only if you survived the mindscrew)
Consistent with the memory motif that was mentioned and applied in plot developments and twists, the bittersweet ending is perfectly fitting and foreshadowed a few times. Every loose end is tied up if all of dots are connected.
CHARACTER SECTION – 8.25/10
LAIN – 2.75/3
Omnipresent in both the Real and Wired, this being is represented ... well, anything you can think of. In this series alone, it is shown in the form of a Lain Iwakura, a shy, naive, curious, and “ordinary” junior high school girl with two main conflicting personalities, and Lain of the Wired. Her introverted and socially challenged outer layer is meant to relate to the audience and criticize the hikikomori, NEET, otaku, obsessed Internet users, etc. who have abandoned the “real” world to some extent while her repressed inner self asserts her beliefs in the presence of agents, apathetic classmates and family, conspiracists, trollers, and strangers, states her own opinion in straightforward and honest manner, thinks logically, and does her own way. Freudian and Jungian psychology are applied in the usage and blending of these two personalities as she further engages the people around her and translate herself into the Wired.
The only minor problems for her characterization are her naivety, ideas that rarely come out of nowhere, and confusing personality switch which is rarely done for plot convenience.
The rest – 2/3
All of the characters represent the “normal” citizens of modern society that are purposely designed to be realistic but unlikeable with the selfishness, betrayal, lies, fear, depression, mental breakdown, and death in various ways. Existing only to contribute to the plot and fully develop Lain Iwakura, not all of characters have enough screen time and depth. In a way, they are perfect as this allows the audience to focus mostly on the story, the best aspect of the show.
Development – 1.5/2
Atypical for the plot and character are integrated. Both advance at the same pace. Unlike most series where there has to be some sort of obvious conflict, the main protagonist simply levels up by interacting with strangers, going to different places, obtaining new friends, gaining new information, and other normal stuff most of humans do. Each information introduced in the episode adds another layer to her characterization. Gradually, her multiple personalities blend, and access in the Wired improves. What is still unclear in the end is how she manages to switch her personality.
The rest do change but only for the sake of the current demands of the story.
Catharsis: 2/2
Since the characters are never given the same amount of focus on Lain Iwakura, they might as well be dealt with in style. Suicide, insanity, mindscrew, murder/homicide, memory loss, removed from existence, disappearance, abandonment, etc.; everything is there in its uncensored glory. Most are not spared, not even Lain Iwakura. This is not like the Matrix, Black Lagoon, or any other show that just wastes its NPCs or side characters for the sake of plot convenience. Every concluding point of the character’s lives/existence is with reason and can be explained by previous events.
ART SECTION – 8.5/10
General Artwork and Visuals - 5.25/6
Production values are lower than Ghost in the Shell (1995) and Akira (1989).
Stock footage is sometimes used. Passable CGI and real photographs don’t blend well with the actual animated artwork.Common animation flaws in the 90s are probably present here. I can nitpick every single flaw there is but resistence is futile against the experimental art style from a late 90s Japanese anime TV series.
The minimalistic artwork and visuals is filled with so much symbolism in most of the frames that the story can never be fully understood without it. Simple color changes, stock footage, and even just the text (e.g. lain in the OP) has some hidden meanings. High contrasts, striking lighting effects, dark color palette that gives off a melancholic feel, bright watercolors, different animation styles, varying detail of background and foregrounds, screen caps, and smooth lines are good enough just on the aesthetic value. What is more impressive is the entire artwork of its computer hardware and software. Monitors, processors, motherboards, wires, cooling systems, etc. are accurately drawn with detail while the programs used are quite similar to the real ones we have.
Character Figures/Designs -1.75/2
Designed by the talented Yoshitoshi Abe (Haibane Renmei, Texhnolyze, Niea_7), every character looks exactly as one should be, even the NPCs and avatars. None look like blobs, sticks, or other characters in the show; none have weird hairstyles, and faces and reactions (if you exclude the hallucinations and the mindscrew); all are drawn realistically but never distracting. Detailing, shading, and clothing also change depending on the occasion and complement the physicality and personality of the characters.
As for Lain Iwakura, her unique hairstyle, eyes, and bear clothing (e.g. pajamas (my profile picture), hats, and toy) symbolize something and improve her moe and nymph aspects.
There are couple of inconsistencies in some frames due to angling.
Some NPCs lack faces and overall detailing but they are meant to be generic just like the backgrounds so one can focus on the story, the main thing anyone should care about.
Transition/Fluidity - 1.5/2
Accurate positioning/angling and zooming or scrolling of still frames, along with slow movement, is repeatedly used to compliment its content and artwork. Transition between stock and new footage is handled well especially with the change in audio. This, along with artwork mentioned above, produced the atypical OP and simple ED, each perfect in its own right.
As for actual character movement and special effects, it is paced similarly with the atmosphere but is a bit slow at times. There were key moments when characters should actually be moving instead of the frame only. Certain scenes can be presented on a larger scale so we can see more of just everything from characters to backgrounds without sacrificing the story and the focus on Lain.
SOUND SECTION – 9.25/10
Soundtrack – 3.75/4
The opening theme “Duvet” by Boa and the ending theme “Tooi Sakebi” (A Distant Cry) by Nakaido “Chabo” Reichi are excellent choices for they achieve the following:
1.) allow Lain Iwakura to communicate her feelings to the audience (personal pronouns are commonly used)
2.) perfectly describe her situation in her empty “Real” and dark “Wired” lives.
3.) introduce the right atmosphere for entering and exiting the world of LAIN
Both are also in sync with their respective videos.
The OST composed by Reichi “Chabo” Nakaido is a well-crafted collection of unconventional rock, jazz, and techno music. With the exception of Track 10, there are no lyrics but have the same impact, if not more.
Kodoku No Shigunaru (Signal of Solitude) and Inner Vision give a pleasant and relaxing feeling to mark the end of Lain and our journey in this mess. No other BGMs can match them on the same scenes.
Cyberia (nightclub) Theme, Lain’s Theme (Yes, she has her own special music theme), and Kiri no Ijigen supply the seriousness and suspense while complementing the content and atmosphere.
What made this short of a masterpiece is the lack of variety of similar tunes.
The staff played certain BGMs, specifically Kiri no Ijigen, a couple of times when the artwork and dialogue require something more or less “weird”.
The result is a conflict of the emotions previously and currently invoked.
WOW! or WTF!? responses for every episode happens less often. Also, there are a few moments when the BGM is played at the wrong time or does not give off the right tone.
By itself, the soundtrack is perfect, but, when used in the anime, it is not.
The second soundtrack “Cyberia Mix” makes up for flaws of the first.
BGM/SFX – 3/3
The silence and buzzing sounds of cables sounds helps the audience focus on the finer details and important concepts presented in the artwork while the sparingly used creepy or rock tunes and sound effects change the tone to spice things up when necessary. Never was it ever distracting the audience from the current topic and always gave a sense of realism or just weirdness.
Whatever you hear in a room, sidewalks, buildings, vehicle, computer, etc. in our current world, Earth, sounds extremely similar in this show. It tried to be as real as possible and succeeded.
Voice Acting – 2.5/3
Gnerally good for the seiyuu.
The voice actors may lack the emotional touch in their dialogues and sound dull, boring, wooden, or awkward but they manage to maintain the more important ambiance. Lain's voice actor is commendable though.
As for the English and modified voices, the computer software does it exceptionally and beats everything else, including the modern Vocaloids (e.g. Hatsune Miku).
VALUE SECTION - 10/10 (PRESENT DAY, PRESENT TIME!)
Historical Value and Memorability - 7/7
Along with Ghost in the Shell (1995), these are the only prominent cyberpunk titles in the 90s that have significant influence in the treatment of anime and rebirth of the genre itself.
This is one of the few titles ever made to have only one multi-layered female protagonist that ultimately defined the entire series and be remembered for who knows how long.
Lastly, the bear clothing fetish was reintroduced in the anime community.
Replayability - 3/3
Decrypting everything will take the same time as memorizing and implementing all of the right combinations in Dragon Lair from scratch without cheating. The clues are all over the place and it might take days, months, or years and every rewatch can give a different overall understanding of the mystery behind LAIN and the Wired.
ENJOYMENT SECTION – 10/10 (And you don’t seem to understand...)
Having none of the MOE, unnecessary fanservice and violence, storyTELLING, forced and cliché plot devices, overused formulas, bad pacing, and the damned FILLERS and recaps (but I admit that some are enjoyable), one experiences something nonexistent in the majority of all anime titles.
It is a coming of age experience that treats its audience as independent critical thinkers and mature adults. Never does it attempt to manipulate our emotions, caterto specific fetishes, tell the story, waste time, censor controversial images, sugarcoat the content, and any of the like. Instead, it offers the questions , that fuel the human insatiable curiosity, and pure mindscrew by simply overloading the human brain with the constant stream of information about the mysteries, hallucinations, and philosophical notions. One doesn't need to see themselves in the characters like in Neon Genesis Evangelion and Revolutionary Girl Utena or have eyegasms with the animation in the movie versions of the two mentioned titles above. All one needs is to focus on the story and whatever happens to the main character and the rest will follow. Everything is consistent, neutral, and honest for what it is – avant-garde.
OVERALL OBJECTIVE RATING – 9.29/10
A truly deserving cult classic that still stands to the tests of time by 2011 standards.
Now, watch the AMV (what should be the official trailer) in the given link below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaFayr9zI-8t
Suggestion List:
Neon Genesis Evangelion series (popularized the mindscrew/dementia genre)
Revolutionary Girl Utena (deconstruction of the shoujo genre while mindfucking its target audience)
Haibane Renmei (Lain for the casuals)
Texhnolyze (same difficulty, shares some similarities with SELain and NGE)
Boogiepop Phantom (same theme of escapism)
FLCL (easier than all of the above, can be watched by simply chillaxing)
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jul 14, 2011
Exactly what it says on the title, the theme of this anime is about Corruption done by “The Money” in modern times for “Soul and Possibility Control” of the ignorant masses to turn them into mindless animalistic puppets to be toyed with by the government and businesses.
That is probably a stretch and a bad joke.
As interesting as the theme is, it is looked from a foolish naive perspective through the main lead Kimimaro Yoga, a member of the ignorant masses.
There are spoilers so read at your own risk.
Our main lead is an over-used archetype, present in the majority of anime titles aimed
...
for youths, which is designed to “relate” his entire life to the majority of the lives of its audience. He is an average student who has a crush on his friend Hanabi Ikuta and works as a part-timer in a convenience store. He has a bad unexplained childhood. He believes in living in the present. He is very OPEN towards anyone that doesn’t challenge his ideology of life. Without it, there would not be any clash of the titans in the last episode that was suggested in the last scene of the opening. Ignorance of opposing forces and the fate of our future is bliss after all. He only starts developing after hearing extreme opposing views from different parties which ends up horribly until a Total Deus Ex Machina came to “save” its audience from the truth behind the ending (Masakaki stated that the future is a collateral). Without other people, he is screwed.
Like Ganta Igarashi from Deadman Wonderland, he is given his own avatar for Deus Ex Machina in the form of a younger, cute, powerful, childlike or immature Asset Msyu who eventually falls for her owner. The number of times and the situations when he is saved by Msyu are incredible. Every time he is screwed, Msyu just does some unexplained OHKO that miraculously got them out of ANY hopeless situation. However, please take note that she herself brought up Kimimaro from a useless stick figure to a reasonable fighter with a clear belief system. Her character development is typical and predictable but interesting nonetheless.
What about the “antagonist” suggested in the opening before the start of the first episode? He is Souichirou Mikuni, the smart pragmatic businessman counterpart of our protagonist and the saving grace of this show. The emphasis on his characterization, development, and behaviour is a major influence to the entirety of the show. Without this character, there is no [C] and opposing organization to the Financial District. Midas Money is less controlled so its effects are amplified, resulting in grave losses such as loss of loved ones and/or one’s life. There is absolutely no major conflict for the protagonist to resolve. Why he is not the main character is left to your interpretation.
The rest of the supporting cast, don’t need much attention because they are written to FORCE the two main male leads to fight in the end. Jennifer Satou and Kou Sennoza represent the core contrasting beliefs of Souichirou. Both have unique lives and better reasons to be the main protagonist than Kimimaro because they have logical justifiable explanation for staying in the alternate world. Still, they are wasted because a puppet that eventually becomes them is more interesting than them gaining the same strength as Souichirou.
For the story, only the Financial District is of any value but lacked focus on its psychological and philosophical aspects. Its origins, purpose, effect on the business world, MMORPG setting with weird characters ranging from Eldritch Abominations to cute humanoid tsundere or kuudere loli characters, Midas Money, [C], unique concepts, etc. are the only reasons why anyone is watching this but all is not present in the first half. [C], the destroyer of bankrupted financial districts, is shown in the later portion of the second half. There are also certain questions left unanswered.
How does the battle system work?
Why are certain characters significantly stronger than others regardless of experience?
Why are governments not cooperating together from the very beginning to prevent [C] from removing countries of existence?
Who are the people above according to Masakaki?
Who is the “God” figure in the last episode?
Is the ending another version of Instrumentality (Neon Genesis Evangelion)?
Whatever. Let's just focus on the visuals and sound.
Production values are medium at the very least. They are not outstanding but unquestionably (YMMV) fitting. The opening and ending themes brought me out of my misery whenever I watch this so I never skipped them and watch the preview of preceding episodes. They both start and end the show well every time. Voice acting is fair as well. The style and quality of the art are normal with certain use of CGI. The resulting presentation though is quite good but aesthetics alone don't make any show good ... unless it's porn.
Simply put, this is not recommendable.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Jul 14, 2011
Yangires and Yanderes usually fascinated me in any anime title because of their potential to influence any story. Ever wondered how to make one for the short-term? It is quite simple.
Watch or stay inside Deadman Wonderland. Just as the title suggests, its abuse of Deus Ex Machina, unlikeable cast, unexplained details, unnecessary deaths, insane laughter, and butchered accelerated, not fast-paced, story will turn you into a crazy psychopath, laughing maniacally like Light Yagami from Death Note. Amusement parks could start appearing in your dreams to cope with your psychological disorders. The only way to avoid this is zero expectations, inexperience in the otaku world,
...
and ignorance. I am serious.
Biased and crazy? Since I completed this recently, I am and still have some sanity left. Let us begin exploring this madness before I laugh like the main characters in the given links.
Light Yagami: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDmb4YQqizQ
Lelouch Lamperouge: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGJbYpeDMZg
Production values are medium at the very least. They are not outstanding but unquestionably (YMMV) fitting. The opening and ending themes brought me out of my misery whenever I watch this so I never skipped them and watch the preview of preceding episodes. They both start and end the show well every time. Voice acting is fair as well. The style and quality of the art are normal like most of Shounen titles with extra focus on their supernatural abilities. I don’t have any negative issues with these factors at all.
For the rest, this is where it all falls. The main character Ganta Igarashi survives a quick massacre done by the Red Man but is arrested in a very unreasonable manner with no public support at all, not even his own relatives, and receives a death sentence. He goes to Deadman Wonderland, a questionable private prison where prisoners are guinea pigs for the audience’s entertainment. Just as any teenager, he is in shock because his previous life is gone for good. His characterization is a mix of Shinij Ikari, Shiro Emiya, and Madoka Kaname. He runs away but never quits in certain lost situations. He is unskilled and charges without thinking. His behaviour and comments are foolish in important situations. Without others, he is completely screwed. As such, he should have died in the first week of his stay but the writers played similar cards to Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica: audience sympathy and Deus Ex Machina. It is used in most, if not all, of the episodes. He even made something similar to Naruto’s Rasengan and fired it. It always amazes me how he escapes his situations because he has absolutely no chance of survival especially the first event he participated in. There are only a few things you could do whenever a Deus Ex Machina are invoked for Ganta’s survival: cover your eyes and ears in disappointment and fear of being stupefied, laugh hysterically, throw a tantrum, drop this anime.
Shiro is the avatar for some of the Deus Ex Machina. She is extremely powerful, childlike, and faithful to Ganta. Appearing out of nowhere and instantly solving about half of his problems, she is god-like. Without her, the torture would have ended a lot earlier, saving us from psychotherapy. More details could spoil the story so I’ll stop here.
For the supporting characters, they are all fine but lack the focus on characterization. Certain characters suddenly show up such as Mockingbird, introduced in the last quarter. The flashback about the major villain in the last episode (not sure if it was ep. 11 or 12) is arguably unnecessary since it does not majorly influence the story anymore. Senji is the only likeable character in this series. If he was the main character, then it is definitely a more interesting although still typical since it is Battle Royale. His match with Ganta is questionable though.
The side stories with Tamki and Makina is the only interesting part as far as storytelling goes. Exploring the deeper secrets of the hidden section of the prison or political conflict regarding the confidentiality about the Deadmen, are far more interesting than Ganta’s retarded struggle. Besides that, there is no ending and the final arc is full of Deus Ex Machinas. No more unnecessary deaths, cheated unescapable situations, Plot and Character Induced Stupidity! Don’t waste good ideas and the success of the manga adaptation.
12 episodes is simply not enough to cover all of their background and motives. Some lack detail and some are too late. If the staff wanted to make another season of this, it should be a faithful adaptation, not a butchered animal for leftovers.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Jul 11, 2011
Take any typical harem anime with ecchi and some romance.
Strip almost everything related to its story and characters.
Maximize its ecchi especially the Gainaxing and the number of sexual innuendos. Apply Sigmund Freud's theories related to psychosexuality
Condense its length. Simplify it until ANYONE from the general public can understand it.
This is an alternative to Hentai (anime porn) called Eiken. It fails as an adaptation but somewhat succeeds as a standalone for humor only. The main reason for the given rating is that it tried to have a story instead of almost completely focusing on its supposed comedic parody of the three genres. Its length is
...
not enough to have a conventional story and character but has enough for comedy.
There are numerous plot holes regarding the behavior of its characters, setting, and the story itself. Typical male harem lead suddenly gains a one dimensional harem and has a relationship with the female lead. Suddenly, every major character takes interest in the male lead for unknown reasons despite his generic and absence of redeemable qualities.
As for the story, it can be simplified as this:
Boy meets Girl -> They gradually get closer -> Their relationship is challenged for whatever reason -> Main lead gets emotional support -> Main lead goes to the final showdown -> Main lead wins and their relationship is implied to be fixed. Happily Ever After!
The only plausible explanation for everything is simply the main appeal of this title: fan service especially the BREASTS of its female characters. It is completely maximized in both episodes. Gainaxing is an understatement so I'll replace it with "Eikening," ultimate form of fanservice that is not softcore hentai. Every Gainax Bounce could start a small short earthquake because of breast size or it could hurt your heart because it is overdone.
It is potentially hilarious but deadly to the weak-hearted or haters of fan service.
The humor is done blatantly through disproportionate bodies, weird clothing, and unusual positions. It is a hit-or-miss, depending on your tolerance to perversion, exaggerated features, lack of story, and originality. The misunderstandings and ecchi scenes are entertaining for its length.
What limits the enjoyment are is Plot Induced Stupidity and generic plot.
Art is about average. Characters have average designs but some features are exaggerated (BREASTS). Conventional sizes don't apply here.
"Eikening" is done well. Backgrounds are mediocre but used welll. Use of frames, timing, and movements are fair.
Sound is average. The opening and ending theme songs fit the lighthearted aspects of the show but forgettable. Voice acting is fine and fits the personalities of all of its characters. BGM and sound effects fit the given situations but don't stand out.
It might not be memorable anymore with the increasing number of ecchi titles but it is a good try to be different.
Overall, nice try anime industry but typical hentai stories have a passable story and cast compared this.
Recommended only for ecchi lovers.
Story: 1/10
Art: 6/10 (They did the Gainaxing/Eikening well)
Sound: 5/10
Character: 1/10
Value: 4/10
Enjoyment 4/10 (liked the ecchi parody but poorly written)
Overall: 3.5/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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