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Oct 28, 2012
I am a hero is, at first glance, pretty mediocre. In the first few chapters, we get to know mediocre characters, who lead mediocre lives, have mediocre problems. Our "hero" is an (almost) average guy with some mental problems, and anyone can easily see that he is not a hero. He isn't even supposed to be a main character. Main characters are dependable, good-willed and most of all, they have determination. This may not be the case for every genre, but in the end, we all want our main characters to be role models, right?
Back to our hero. After he and his mediocre girlfriend get
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into a fight, he decides to make it up to her. She doesn't answer his calls, so he decides to stop by, and finds her lying on her bed.
You are now entering the world of awkward survival horror.
The true power of this manga lies in its ability to put a mediocre character in a crapsack world, and instead of the regular 'rise to greatness', the world remains a shithole, and our hero remains unlikeable. Well, not entirely, but there are better people to end up with in an apocalypse. Up until now, he has made me cringe more often than Bleach characters get their powers back, although in current chapters he becomes quite a bit more reliable. Remaining silent about the apocalypse because you are afraid to speak up in public isn't exactly the heroic thing to do. Neither is ducking so the girl behind you becomes the victim (while yelling/thinking "I am a hero" at that). Still, these moments are what make the manga and the main character so thoroughly interesting.
Precisely for this reason, the story and our hero's personality are allowed to progress or regress as much as the author wants. Since the hero does not 'need' moments of glory, there really is no need to give him any, and this manga remains strangely realistic (although I don't think anyone would recite the laws concerning weapon possession in these situations). That really is a good thing. Many aspects of it have already been covered in other similar stories: People are used, deceived, thrown aside, as would probably be the case if this were to happen in real life. If you're a woman in a group of male survivors, how far should you go to survive? What if you have superior firepower but are on your own? Would you be willing to kill? To sacrifice yourself? These and similar questions arise quickly, as humanity's downfall will invite many to take justice into own hands. The author provides us with quite realistic answers.
The art is at first (you guessed it) quite mediocre. This may have even been done purposefully. However, if you're willing to sit out a few chapters of average character design, the body horror will make up for it. The author really went all out with this, with surrealism rivaling that of Uzumaki.
All in all, if you're up for some awkward moments with an surrealism on the side, portrayed by a realistic yet delusional hero, I can really recommend this manga. After all, the true heroes are the ones that can survive, aren't they?
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Dec 1, 2009
The word masterpiece is used too much these days.. I haven't seen anything that deserves that title as much as Rurouni Kenshin: Tsuiokuhen. While the original Rurouni Kenshin is meant as a typical shounen (comedy, action, a bit of romance?), this is a serious historical drama. Those words might turn you off, but you'll be surprised how well it is done: never is Tsuiokuhen truly slowpaced, never will the action be disappointing, never will the animation cease to amaze you. And the music. Ah, the music. Taku Iwasaki at his best.
Story - 10.
A serious, sad story. A romantic drama. Or is historical a better word?
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After all, this isn't just the story of the Hitokiri Battousai. While the focus lies on his actions, the overall story is that of the Bakumatsu and the bloody war before the Meiji Restoration. The OVA beautifully plays with this legendary battle, not pushing it to the background, but not letting it take the lead either.
Art - 9.
The art may seem too dark at first but it is in fact quite fitting. The characters look serious, mature and their emotions are clearly visible on their faces. The setting is especially beautiful: the backgrounds, buildings, even the crowds you see on the streets, they all look real. The same goes for the swordfights. Typical shounen anime defy all laws of nature or show only flashes of light. There is not a single fight in Tsuiokuhen that doesn't make sense. Perhaps that is the best part of the fights - blood, wounds, exhaustion, they all seem real.
Character - 10.
Every character truly matters. The smallest side characters are crucial to the plot. This may be because it's a short OVA.. but what if a story is so well-written that you can see the story from every character's eyes? By focussing on a character's face just a little too long, their (side)stories will grab you when you least expect it. The historical characters, for example Soushi Okita and Katsura Kogoro, aren't ignored either. Every single character influences the storyline, and by that adds something to Kenshin's life - be it a good or a bad thing.
Sound - 11.
I wish I could give an 11/10. I already was a bit of a Taku Iwasaki fanboy but now I am convinced that there are no better composers. The voice actor's are fitting (serious voices for serious characters), the sound effects are great (especially in fights), but I was too distracted. Well, not really.. but the soundtracks give me shivers if I just think about them. The music get's intense at the right moments but never loses it's beauty. Nothing sounds synthetic or unfitting. I almost want to say: 'It's as if the OST was made for this anime'. Hehe.
Enjoyment - 10.
A romantic, historical drama that never ceases to amaze. You will feel the chill run down your back when a fighting scene starts, if your volume is high enough. You won't be bored by too many historical aspects, and while every fight is bloody, the gore isn't so much that it becomes too much to handle. Serious themes like death, hatred and betrayal aren't shunned.. and it doesn't stop there. A mature OVA that didn't let go of me for quite a while.
What would make a man with a cross-shaped scar on his cheek devote his life to end bloodshed and make him vow to never kill again? Watch this. You'll find out.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Oct 13, 2009
"Tentai Senshi Sunred. This is the magnificent story of the conflict between good and evil that takes place in the city of Kawasaki."
Have you ever seen an anime where the villain comes over to the good guy's house for dinner? Where the villain asks the good guy to build a killer robot for him? Where the villain actually likes cooking more than world domination? No? Well, this is one.
Story 8/10:
This anime focusses on the villains as much as the hero(es). Monsters from the evil organisation Florsheim lead everyday lives with jobs at grocery stores or restaurants while The Hero, Red, is just slacking
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off at home. Occasionally, they challenge Red only to get beaten immediately. It's an episodic anime with some random sidestories that make even less sense than the main plot. That's fine. This isn't supposed to be a layered story full of unexpected situations. What you see is what you get. This is a parody on the "hero"-theme, don't expect references to other anime (I wouldn't call this a parody of power rangers, it surpasses that).
Art 7/10:
There isn't much movement and the art isn't that great. Most of the villains have just one expression and don't move their mouths at all when talking. On the other hand, this simplistic artstyle is kind of fitting.
Sound 9/10:
The soundtracks are good - easygoing, relaxed BGMs. Furthermore, the sound effects are brilliant. The OP is hilarious because of the lyrics (For example: "He does pushups and stretches in his small six-tatami-mat room") and incredibly misleading. The ED as well - the lyrics are instructions for preparing chicken dumplings.
Character 11/10:
Brilliant. Just brilliant. The hero is a complete asshole (his catchphrase is: I'll bury you!) who never takes off his helmet. His girlfriend - who apparently doesn't mind that - is friends with his archenemy. This is the villainous general Vamp, one of the kindest persons around. Even the sidecharacters are memorable. They each have their own traits and unique personality and the voice acting only adds to that.
Overall 9/10:
This is an easygoing parody. Don't expect any action, there are no real fights. It's episodic so don't expect too much character development. Although the art isn't very good, it kinda fits and the comedy makes up for it. All characters are just great. Not only are the (in my opinion underrated) voice actors perfect for their roles, the character's personalities are unique and their parts in this story unexpected.
Watch this for a quick laugh (13 minutes an episode)!
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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May 30, 2009
You'll either love it or hate it. There is no in between.
The time is The Great Pirate Era. To find the treasure the legendary pirate Gol D. Roger left behind, One Piece, countless pirates have endured death. The boy who ate the Rubber fruit, Monkey D. Luffy, set out to the seas with the Pirate King as his goal. On his way, Luffy has met countless comrades. Today, they continue to sail through the greatest sea of all: The Grand Line.
Accompanied by great soundtracks, Monkey D. Luffy and his nakama sail across the world. As they fight corrupt governments, bounty hunters or other pirates,
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they meet new friends, develop their character and occasionally give the viewer some comedic relief. The art may not be outstanding. Since the anime is catching up to the manga. there is some filler along the way and the recaps and previews are getting longer.
So what? If you find comedy, fighting, music and character development in anime more important than anything else, you won't mind those small details. This is truly shounen as it should be.
Note: I strongly recommend you watch the subbed version. Although Funimation did a quite good job on the dubs, it was abused by 4Kids before Funimation took over.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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May 30, 2009
Fights with battle auras and magical hands? Sure thing, every animator does that nowadays. But combining these two into an anime about baking bread!? It sounds ridiculous. In fact: it is ridiculous. References to well-known anime and Japanese products are accompanied by a hurricane of puns while everyone happily breaks the fourth wall. Was there even one to begin with..
This is truly a must-see for everyone who loves parodies.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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