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Spice and Wolf review: By John Kim

Prerequisite: There is nothing I love more than being pleasantly surprised by anime, and Spice and Wolf delivers on all fronts, even managing to excel in some areas. Spice and Wolf certainly has captured my heart, and with a collection of memorable characters, charming and witty dialogue, and beautifully detailed scenarios, Spice and Wolf is a definite step ahead of most anime and deserves to go down in the books as a classic, if not a genre breaking show.

Story: Ah, the world of merchants and business. Set in a medieval-type world, Spice and Wolf, doesn’t have the most exciting premise, but all the same, that’s what makes it so great. The fact is, that anime today has been devolved into a mesh of guns, explosions, senseless action, and stereotypical settings, with story being placed as second priority. Spice and Wolf delivers a sophisticated and extremely well crafted and balanced world that is truly a shining gem is a sea of redundant and overused stories. Moving on to the events, and the main plot itself, Spice and Wolf features many conflicts and moments that normally would never be entertaining, in fact, many of the events in Spice and Wolf are normal everyday bland happenings, but this is again where the show shines. The two characters, Lawrence, and Horo, truly make this show a captivating experience. The everyday normal happenings of a traveling merchant may not be the most exciting thing in the world, but the chemistry between Lawrence and Horo gives us some of the most well acted dialogue I’ve ever heard of in an anime. The show deals quite largely on several themes, but are all relevant. Human nature is put into question many times throughout the story, and many moral questions about trade and business ethics will be put into question. I would rather not ruin the story of Spice and Wolf because unlike most anime, it’s best to witness first hand a brilliant story in motion.

Character: Skipping ahead here. In my honest belief, the characters in Spice and Wolf, most notably Horo and Lawrence, are what truly makes this show a step above the rest. Spice and Wolf is wise to feature a strong cast of side characters, but never taking the spotlight off Lawrence and Horo. As I have said before, this show has something most anime, nay, most any form of media lacks. And that is chemistry between characters. Watching to interaction between Horo and Lawrence has been one of the very few joys I have found in watching anime. These two characters aren’t merely a collage of archetypes, and stereotypes. Horo and Lawrence are believable, real, and most importantly genuinely charming characters that have soul. Horo and Lawrence aren’t cookie cutter characters that are a collection of other past characters from other anime. They are truly alive, and that kind of dynamic translates itself onto the viewer. Just for an example, there are times when Horo and Lawrence are merely talking about something as redundant as the value of certain currency in contrast to others. But because, these two characters have so much chemistry, the scene becomes memorable and the plot expands and grows. It’s not often a story rests on the shoulders of the characters to advance the narrative, but Spice and Wolf is a rare example that works. Horo’s charm, and Lawrence’s, indecisive “softy” behavior, are both small facets of their multi layered personalities. Just like real people, the viewer will never be able to completely comprehend these characters, and such sophisticated and complex characters, warrants a high degree of praise. Witty and clever dialogue, tense moments of silence, moments of fond laughter, is just the tip of the iceberg of what to expect from Horo and Lawrence’s travels.

Animation: It’s superb. What else can I say? In all due honesty, half way through the show I no longer cared whether the animation was top notch or not, I was too dazzled and enamored by the dynamics between Horo and Lawrence, that I just simply ceased to notice. Need good art, to enjoy a show? Don’t worry, you won’t be deterred if you are hell-bent on jaw dropping visuals, Spice and Wolf won’t let you down, take my word for it.

Sound: I’m going on a limb and assuming voice acting is a given in this category, which warrants it an automatic ten. The voice acting is nothing short of brilliant, and I would argue, that the voice acting in this show rivals the acting skills of acting legends. We are talking about some of the most amazing chemistry between characters I have ever seen in an anime, and it was through the voice acting that much if this chemistry was established. Expect nothing short of perfection, the complexity in the lines delivered have so many nuances that you will be spinning in your chair. The music also heightens the atmosphere and only adds to the show’s success. The opening and ending are both fitting themes, admittedly, the ending was the weaker of the two. Nevertheless, all your senses will be on a ride from start to finish, your ears included. So don’t worry about the sound, Spice and Wolf has it covered.

Enjoyment & Overall: Spice and Wolf, looking at it now, deserves more acclaim and praise than it has received. A classic? Perhaps not, but an amazing work of art that not only stirs the human soul, but also captivates our hearts and minds: that is what Spice and Wolf is. The show may not be for everyone, and in a sense, the show isn’t for most people, but for those who are sick of your day to day, bland, and monotonous anime outings, prepare to be surprised. Spice and Wolf is truly a rare gem, and deserves to be recognized as such. It is not very often a show delivers something new and refreshing, and it’s even more rare for a show to actually moves the heart of it’s viewer. Spice and Wolf is an anime that may go unremembered, but for what its worth, Spice and Wolf is the culmination of the last bit of originality, creativity, and beautiful character driven story-telling, left in the anime industry.

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Gunslinger Girl -Il Teatrino- Review: by John Kim

Reviewers note: I have not yet read the manga, so I can not make tactful comparisons between the anime and the manga. I will only be comparing the quality between the two anime seasons. I am well aware the second season is more faithful to the manga than the first. I am not reviewing how well Il Teatrino follows the manga, I am reviewing the quality and the overall production of Il Teatrino above all else.

After a 4 year gap, Il Teatrino, A second season to the original Gunslinger Girl, has been announced. On January 7, 2008, the first episode was aired. The story would take place directly after the original Gunslinger Girl, and would follow closely to the manga’s premise, rather than the direction the first season.

Prerequisite:
The big question I asked upon hearing the news was, “What production company would be in charge of managing this anime?” The previous company in charge of producing Gunslinger Girl was Madhouse, a well known production studio that has released high quality material in the past. Among the ranks of these shows includes, X, Trigun, Paprika, Death Note, Boogiepop Phantom, and most notably Monster. Madhouse has also helped produce some biggest budget animmated movies known to date, and has worked with Studio Ghilbi(Metropolis) All in all, the company has an impressive track record, and is a major hitter in the anime industry, and is trusted to produce shows with respectable quality. As it turns out, Madhouse would not be producing Il Teatrino, so after a few minutes of research I learned the company in charge of Il Teatrino would be Artland.
It is important to understand an animation studio’s past works are a clear indicator of the quality and type of work they will put out in the future. What a studio has put out before, is synonymous with the material they will put out later, in layman’s terms. This is a general rule in anime with rare exceptions. Companies such as Toei is known to produce anime for a generally younger audience and creates anime based on a much larger demographic with less emphasis on art quality. Kyoto animation releases disturbingly high quality art, and is aimed at smaller demographic. The list of anime company trends go on. So if that is the general pattern, how is Artland’s Resume?
Artland is a relatively small company in terms of influence, and has produced only a few number of anime. There are only two shows I can remember that I truly enjoyed being produced by Artland. The first being Bokura ga Ita, a drama/romance anime with a decent production value. Bokura ga Ita is story driven and relied on minimalist animation. The other being Mushishi, which is considered by many viewers, and myself, to be a masterpiece. Mushishi is arguably one of the best anime of the decade, in all respects: animation, story, atmosphere, and the list goes on. Other productions I have seen by Artland are nowhere near as impressive and some are just downright sub-par in terms of quality. Artland, however, is not a low-quality studio. Artland has only recently restarted producing anime in 2003, after an approximate 20 year gap from the company’s last title, Megazone 23, released in 1985. Above anything else, the potential for greatness that lies in this studio, made apparent by the award winning Mushishi, is a good indicator that Il Teatrino has the ability to reach greatness, only if the studio takes the show seriously, and invests some serious time and money into its production.
Another important fact to take into consideration is the atmosphere of these two companies will not be similar in anyway. Even before watching the first episode, I knew that the over gritty, dark, and bittersweet atmosphere of the original Gunslinger Girl, would not be apparent in its sequel. After watching the first season of Gunslinger Girl a number of times, and heavily analyzed the first two episode of Il Teatrino; I have come to the conclusion that the second season should act more as a stand alone, manga faithful, adaptation, that just happens to fall after the first season in terms or chronology, than consider it a direct sequel to the original Gunslinger Girl produced by Madhouse. The two shows will not feed of each other, and will not compliment each other in anyway, so why compare them. It’s best to watch Il Teatrino with an open mind, and to enjoy the show for what it is.
Before we begin discussion of the first episode of Il Teatrino, one must address the original Gunslinger Girl, the predecessor to Gunslinger girl: Il Teatrino. The original can be considered by many to be a cult classic. Out of the thousands of anime that exist in pop culture today only a few truly shine and stand above the rest as a work of art. Gunslinger Girl is truly one of those beautiful rarities that never ceases to amaze, captivate, and cause wonder from the start of the first episode to the last. It is truly a shame that it is not better known, but if it were to gain popularity much of its charm would be lost.
Now, to newcomers of anime, the story of Gunslinger Girl is beyond cliche, and the overall idea is laughable. This is understandably so, but I implore you to give it watch. It should be noted the series is emotionally draining. As you go through the series it will be impossible not to make an emotional connection with the characters. The characters are portrayed so vividly, and so beautifully that at times the character has almost too many dimensions causing the viewer to feel confused. Each character has their own foibles, and strengths but there are also so many other elements that are in each character that can not truly be put into words. Most of the conflicts are focused on internal conflicts within each girl and their handlers. If you are curious for more, I suggest you read my review for the original Gunslinger Girl, but enough ranting, it’s time to get this show on the road.

Note the anime isn’t even close to finishing so this acts as a prerequisite review

Art: Is it a step down from the original? Possibly, it really depends on what you think is good animation, but the quality is without a doubt, comes up short compared to that of Madhouse. This is not necessarily a bad thing however. The show still possesses an amazing amount of charm, and despite the new character designs you can still feel the soul and the spirit of the characters through their dialogue and actions. The landscape’s are quite beautiful and the only complaint thus far, is the shaky handy cam effect during the mob scene, but it is acceptable. Overall the art isn’t as great, but it’s not so bad as to detract away from what makes Gunslinger Girl a great anime.

Story: The emotional conflict seen in the first season of the new anime doesn't appear to be rearing it's ugly head yet, but I guarantee it will. After all it is the emotional tensions between the girls and their handlers, and just the inner conflicts inside all the characters themselves that make this anime so great. Hopefully Artland can bring it home and deliver a just sequel to the orignial season.

Sound: I am usually not bogged down by change in voice actors, but I’m finding it hard to adapt to these new ones, especially Henrietta’s, I can’t say much here, perhaps we’ll grow on them?

Characters: As far as I’m concerned the characters are still just as strong as before with a new atmosphere and tone. If taken the right direction this new season can deliver just as much impact in character develop as the first season. Here’s hoping that the studio can pull through here as characters are what made the first Gunslinger Girl so great.

Last Words: When it comes down to it, there is only hoping. I haven’t gone too far in the anime, but Gunslinger Girl was one of my all time favorites. I felt an unbearable tug to write a quick review on the first 2 episodes and I did just that. However I felt a sense of bias against this new season, and had a hard time coming up with logical complaints. The bottom line is that the new season may not be as great, but it certainly isn’t bad. Yet.
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Review for Serial Experiments Lain by John Kim

Introduction: I find myself typing this review thinking more about the conceptualization of existence, than the anime itself. Above all, there are two standards I hold true for anime. There are anime that simply entertain for the sake of enjoyment, and there are anime that stretches the boundary of human imagination. Serial Experiments Lain falls in the latter category and for this reason Serial Experiments Lain stands out as a true classic. Serial Experiments Lain pushes the envelope of what the perceived notion of what can be done with television as a medium. The show doesn’t just provide entertainment; it provides insight, and profound views and beliefs about technology and the role it plays in society. With that said it's time to get on with the review.

Story: Given that Lain’s story progression is very disjointed, if the execution were to be even off by the slightest, the show would have been ridden with plot holes. Lain however doesn’t need worry about plot and story in the same sense as other anime, but instead relies on the atmosphere and the characters to tell the story. What little plot Lain does have, the show works with it fabulously. Now some may argue that Lain is completely plot driven, but to each his own. Personally I believe that Lain strays as far as it can from bland episodic story telling, and in essence is similar to Citizen Kane in the aspect that the story has little to do with the show. Lain above all is a character study, and the plot only moves forward under the characters.

Art: Despite the art being off center in terms of traditional anime, it hardly deters from the overall enjoyment of the series. It is important to note that the series actually benefits from the unique art style presented in Lain. Art is not a big pulling factor for Lain, so if you are a fan of high quality art, you may be in for a rough ride.

Sound: The series relies on a minimalist approach to sound and music. Dialogue is sparse, but very profound. Sound effects are seldom used but with brevity, and has a lasting impact on the viewer. Once again, this lack of a quality that would normally be detrimental to an anime’s enjoyment, but becomes one of Lain’s strengths. The sound of the electricity running through power lines, the empty sound of Lain typing on her keyboard, and the scarce use of music. These are all memorable pieces of sound effects that adds to the overall impact of the show.

Character: Now this is where Lain shines brightest. In a vast wasteland of mundane same-old, Lain sticks out as an anime that takes its characters to a level that most anime can only dream of achieving. The character of Lain is perhaps the most deep and relevant characters in anime today. To explain upon this point, one would have to watch the series and comprehend the various themes and motif’s on one’s own. But in order to be brief, Lain’s character can be summarized as ascending from human status, to near God like power through the prowess of the internet. Ahem, I mean, “The Wired.” It’s a simple concept and seems like it has been done before, giving credit to the argument, and it probably has. But the beauty here is the cast of side characters that surround Lain. Her sister, her father, mother, and friends, are all extremely deep characters, that although don’t appear to be, are actually extremely poignant in their own right.

Enjoyment & Closing: If watched with an open mind, Lain will do more than simply entertain. It is truly revolutionary anime for its time, and the amount of depth in the show is utterly staggering. Never in my years of watching anime have I seen a show as thought provoking as Lain. If one were so inclined to contact me, we could talk for hours upon hours of the religious symbols, and religious references that run about the shows course. We could then change the subject to comparing Lain’s character to that of philosophy of the Jungian Shadow. We could converse and discover deeper and more universal meanings as time progressed. Lain is such a show that the viewer doesn’t just watch it. The viewer must be pushed to think, and who doesn’t want to do a bit a of thinking once in a while? read more