Supernatural The Animation

I watched the first episode after following progress and being excited about an anime version of my favorite TV show for a very long time. I was not disappointed. Even though it starts off rather different from the show it still feels very similar. The first episode still gives us the basics of the plot, Mary Winchester was killed by the yellow eyed demon when Sam was only 6 months old. But this is seen as a dream by Sam in the Impala on their way to a case (later Sam also sees a dream of Jessica's death). The first episode is an adaptation of ... the episode Skin (which is episode 6 in the original series). It keeps to the same basics as the original but with some minor changes and condensed (since the tv episodes are 40+ mins and this is only 20).

The animation is really great and fits the show well. Sam and Dean look like Jared and Jensen. This really helps to get into the show very easily but the looks of all other characters is different so I don't know how I and other fans will feel about that in the long run. Because of no budget or reality concerns the appearance of the shapeshifter takes the show's concept and ramps up the freaky scale which is great. And I know that the lack of constraints is going to continue to allow the creatures to really look amazing.

The Japanese voice actors do a great job and I won't mind listening to them but in the long run I will be eagerly awaiting the English release so I can hear Jared Padalecki voice Sam in all 22 episodes. Unfortunately Jensen only signed on for the last two episodes so I'm fearing who will be gotten to replace Jensen as Dean for the first 20 episodes and how much dissonance that will create hearing Sam as Jared but not Jensen as Dean. The ending song is an engrish version of the show's official unofficial theme song, Carry On My Wayward Son. Originally when I heard this version on the trailers I cringed but it's slowly starting to sound ok. The real gems in the ending are the artist sketches especially the first one which depicts a very familiar (very famous) scene for fans of the show.

I think for fans of the show this anime is going to be a great new spin on the story. For those who haven't seen the original I think this is going to be a must see anime and it probably will make you interested in the original.

Before starting, I should note that I am a fan of the TV series, but I will review the anime as a standalone piece. I will put myself in the shoes of someone, who has never heard of Supernatural and evaluate its merits and faults from there.

Story: 7/10
The story is simple and easy to follow. It is about Sam and Dean, two brothers who hunt demons and evil spirits. Most of the episodes are following the “monster of the week” formula… but there is a general plotline that advances slowly throughout the series. There is also a main villain and the Winchester brothers have a ... personal score to settle with him. Unfortunately, there are a few filler episodes with weak story and unoriginal enemies.

Characters: 9/10
The personalities and the interaction between the two brothers makes the difference between Supernatural and other similar TV and animated series. Sam and Dean are not perfect and flawless superheroes, they are normal persons. They can make mistakes, they can be paranoid, confused or angry and they always argue with each other. Because of that, they are a more realistic type of protagonists and the viewers can relate more to their problems and challenges.

Sound and animation: 8/10
The animation is decent, but not perfect. Some things bothered me, like the awkward looking faces… but if you deal with demons, your face will probably look strange too. There are also some good ideas, like the excessive use of black ink in every frame, which creates nice contrast and the camera movement during some of the action or driving sequences, which almost makes you feel the action. The music includes some nice and slow themes, which create mysterious atmosphere. The good sound effects (like the Impala’s engine) and the occasional scary noises enhance the whole experience and should also be praised.

Enjoyment: 8/10
Supernatural has interesting heroes (and villains) and manages to create a scary and tense atmosphere, through good use of sound effects and music. There are a few great and very dramatic episodes with some interesting plot twists. The ending is above the average. It leaves the story open, but also gives some sense of completion. What hurt the whole experience is the lower quality of the stories created especially for the anime. I also expected Supernatural to be a bit darker and scarier.

Overall: 8/10
If you are not familiar with the series, the flashbacks in the beginning would be confusing and meaningless. However, little by little the background story and the important details are explained. Basically, Supernatural feels more or less complete on its own and watching the TV series before starting the anime is not an absolute must. It may even have a negative effect, as some fans of the TV series hate the anime, because “it is not exactly the same”. You can be smart and ignore them. Supernatural is a great series for any fan of the mystery/horror anime.

STORY: 4
The plot seems okay. How Mary Winchester died is still the same as it was in the original series, but it wasn't as detailed. The flashbacks that Sam had near the beginning of episode 1 made me go "What?" once or twice, so I had to rewatch that scene a couple of times before I went "Oh... Okay".

The anime desperately tries to have the same feel as the original series. Honestly, it did have the same feel, but there was just something lacking.

ART: 3
The character designs are simply pathetic, it's too over-shaded, the characters seemed poorly planned out. ... Honestly, the background characters are more eye-catching than the two main characters. Since Madhouse was in charge of the animation, I figured that it wouldn't be too bad, but I was sadly mistaken. I put all this horrible art to a lack of a budget. To say the least, I was shocked when the scenery was so beautiful. The thing that should catch your eye are the characters NOT the scenery.

All-in-all, they just needed more of a budget for art since it seemed like they didn't have enough money for it.

SOUND: 6
The sound is fine, but I just feel that they could've used more fitting music. The English voice actors did put emotion into their lines, so it wasn't dead. I have not seen the Japanese dub, but I assume they're similar. The sound effects seemed fitting for the anime, but sometimes the sound effects just didn't fit

For the English dub, the words don't exactly fit with the lip flaps. The sentences don't go over, they go under the amount of flaps. It wasn't enjoyable.

The ending theme wasn't the greatest because it wasn't the original, but I suppose it worked. I guess it's debatable depending on what you like for vocals.

CHARACTER: 4
Character designs left so much to be desired. I understand that, no matter what, the animated characters won't look like the actual actors, but I just think they could've planned out the designs more carefully. Dean's design reminds me of someone who was put in jail for a crime. I have nothing to say on Sam's design since it was alright. The extras, as I said before, were better drawn.

ENJOYMENT: 3
I really do NOT care for this anime one bit. I don't intend to watch another episode unless I'm dreadfully bored and the only other option is banging my head against a wall or playing with matches... Even then I'd probably play with matches.

OVERALL: 4
Even though the idea of turning Supernatural into an anime is good, I believe that it could've been done better. If they didn't jump into it because anime is the "in thing" right now, I honestly believe it would be better. This is one of the worst animes I've seen to date. If you plan to watch Supernatural: The Animation, I suggest that you don't. Just stick with the live-action series.

This is a creepy show. Having not seen the live-action show before, I don’t know if it does justice to the show or not but I have to say, I really like it any way and it does make me want to see the original show. The episodes all have to do with someone dying in a gruesome way, then the brothers’ end up being at the right place at the right time. Each show is its own storyline without many things to link them together. The story is slow, and not really action orientated. Many of the shows act more like detective shows where ... something odd happens and they discover why only to have a small action scene at the end. There is a larger mystery that they have in this show about the brothers trying to find their Dad.

The art style is rather interesting, almost a cross between anime and American comic book style. The characters are hard edged, and a lot of dark lines and heavy shadows that pretty much are black. Everything has a nice vintage feeling, sort of grimy in a good way. The characters look like the characters from the live-action as well which is what I would wish to see unlike some of them. Sadly, some of the images are pretty frozen, still images that feel like cop outs, especially when this was made in 2011.

The English voices don’t feel up to par with the animation, and feels a bit forced and doesn’t match the lip sink most of the time. They talk when the mouths are closed and part of it might be to get information out since this is shorter then the actual show. Even then, it just feels rushed and makes it a little hard. I really love the ending song though. I never thought I would hear “Cary on my Wayward Son” by Naoki Takao fit so well.

EDIT: I have now seen the live action show, I really like it as well. The show has the same creepy feeling and the same slowness that the animation has. The stories are altered slightly from the original but that’s partly because they were putting a 1 hour episode into a half a hour one.

Truthfully if your a fan of the series don't bother. Sure it sounds like it'd be good But with Jared Padalecki being the only one to reprise his role it was a disappointment. If Jensen Ackles (Who was only in the last two) and the rest of the cast had reprised their roles as well maybe I could have actually been able to stomach a full episode. Had they done this it could have made for something wonderful. But the animation for Sam was pretty much spot on. But Dean lacked a lot to be desired.

Non fans wouldn't understand why fans would be confused ... when the first ep makes you wonder what's happening with the murder, then you see Sam and Dean are already traveling searching for Dad. Unlike the series there is no build up, the only explanation of what happened 22 years ago is just in flashbacks. Then the last two eps correspond similar too but at the same time completely different from the Supernatural Season 2 Finale 'All Hell Breaks Loose 1-2'.

Personally I found both Dean and Bobby's voice actors to be yeck! I couldn't get threw the first ep because Dean's voice was grating on my nerves. I did try to watch the final two since Jensen Ackles was doing it but it wasn't that good of a story for me personally. At least this time with the right voice it wasn't bad but still wasn't great. Jensen did a good job but for me it was too little too late to save the show.

As many of you are already well-aware, Supernatural is one hell of a series and for those who know it, seen it, love it I believe the animation is also worth seeing. But for the sake of a fair review, I'll try not to compare it (-much-I do compare it) with the original series.

So, the story is definitely interesting. Two brothers hunting down all kinds of monsters thought to be just fictions of mythology and legends does sound appealing. The series includes remakes of the original episodes and anime-only episodes, too. As far as the latter is concerned, I believe they fitted with the original ... series. But the 22 episodes just wasn't enough to explain the plot thoroughly. Many questions arise and, honestly, I am not sure if I would understand the story so well if I was not familiar with the live-action series.. Lastly found the ending fair enough, I repeat for someone who is not familiar with the original.

The art was a real fit. I mean the intense black in the frames fitted well with the mysterious style of the story. And, the characters were decent. But, I cannot restrain from commenting on Bobby's appearance. Man, what did they do to him???? (sorry about that).

I haven't watched it in Japanese so I'll comment on the dubbed version. Okay, the voice actors have risen huge complaints. Why Jensen Ackles is not in the show? What's wrong with the voice actors? And bla bla bla... Really, the voice actors were not that bad. They could have been better and having the original cast would be sweet but we should try being just a little objective. Also, the music and the sound effects created the mysterious-creepy atmosphere the series needs.

What I found a bit disappointing were the characters. I can't be objective here because I know the potential of the characters. They are not as flat as the anime portrays them. They are more deep than that. Also, many characters and monsters had to be there. What about the guys from the Harvelle's Roadhouse and the shape-shifters? However, we cannot expect that much from a 22-episode series while the original is 10 seasons! If you are new to the supernatural world I think you will like them as they are. They are not some kind of heroes, they have flaws and make mistakes.

If you like this kind of stuff -demons, vampires, werewolves, etc.- you will definitely like Supernatural. Even if you don't have a particular interest in those, I believe you will still enjoy it. It is a great anime and leave us, grumpy fans, complaint. It should be treated with respect and it is a great anime for the mystery/ horror fans out there!

I saw the first episode of Supernatural Animation, and it was nothing but a chineese stupidity. In the end of the animation, you can hear the song of Kansas- Carry on my wayward son, executed by an unknown and probably untalented artist.. he literally killed this wonderful song. I m a big fan of Supernatural and i think this animation serie is pointless.. It underestimates the tv serie Supernatural , and its horrible. Personally i will stick @ tv series Supernatural which i watch it for years... i reccomend you to do the same..

I quite enjoyed this anime adaptation of the Supernatural series. The series take place over the span of the first two seasons of the original show, including animated remakes of fan-favourite episodes as well as completely new episodes. There were some episodes, such as 'Moonlight' that I found didn't quite work as well, but this could be excused by the difference in episode length (the original series being 40 minute episodes compared with the animated 20 minute episodes).
Jared was the voice of Sam for all 22 episodes of the series, however Jensen only voiced Dean in the final two episodes. Despite this, I found ... the actor who voiced Dean for most of the English dub did a good job.
The fact that the series was animated also allowed for the show to take some of the stories further. Some scenes packed in more extreme action, that the special effects of the live action series wouldn't have been able to achieve. The series could also make the creatures, such as the shapeshifter, look more disturbing.
The style was very suited to the Supernatural vibe and atmosphere, and the animated Sam and Dean were accurate representations of their actor counterparts. However, other characters in the series looked very different from how they appeared in the live action series, such as Jessica who was blonde, but is a redhead in the animated series, as well as the brothers' mother who has long hair in the original series, but short hair in the animation. This, however, does not take from the overall enjoyment of the series.

"If there's something strange, in the neighborhood, who you gonna call?"

Bad news everyone, your parents lied to you (it's OK, mine did too). The Boogeyman does exist, there are things that go bump in the night, and yes, there probably was a monster living in your closet when you were a kid. No worries though, for when the bumps in the night start to get a little louder (don't get out of the car you fool!), you've got somebody watching your back to send the creatures of the night back to their holes in the ground. Sam and Dean Winchester, brothers who ... have faced it all: ghosts and vampires, werewolves and shapeshifters, witches and demons, even cannibalistic killers clowns (better watch you back IT). Based on the (fairly) popular American television series, Supernatural: The Animation isn't the most exceptional anime out there, but it is a faithful adaptation and a solid addition to the genre of horror anime.

Story:
Traveling from town to town in their '67 Chevy Impala, the brothers hunt what lives in the shadows while searching for their missing father and the yellow-eyed demon who killed their mother years before. The anime takes plot points and even whole episodes from the television series' first two seasons and arranges them into a 22 episode format. While the story may be somewhat confusing at first for newer viewers, it does start to get stronger and more focused as the series goes on, eventually tying up the story where the second season of the TV series ends. Anime-original episodes are also present and help to keep things fresh for older fans, even if they don't bring much new substance to the table. Unfortunately, with half as many episodes as the seasons it is based off of, the anime is forced to lose or change around a lot of details, which, while not affecting a newer viewer's experience, may peeve fans of the show. Overall however, Supernatural: The Animation does a good job of getting it's foot in the door with newer viewers looking to see what the show is about, but for those looking for a richer experience in the world of Supernatural, I recommend watching the television series instead.

Character:
Our two main characters of course are Sam and Dean, who viewers follow throughout the entirety of the brothers' hunt for both their father and the yellow-eyed demon. Strong emphasis is placed on the relationship between the two and their development over the course of their journey. Ultimately, although it may sound cliche', the series ends up being less about killing monsters and the hunt for revenge, and more about how the bonds of family can get one through any sort of Hell they might face. Side characters like Bobby, the boy's father, and of course the yellow-eyed demon also make the transition to 2-D, but don't get too much fleshing out. Aside from that, characters are pretty much limited to one episode without much significance to the overall story.

Art:
Madhouse really delivers with this one. The art style used with S:TA is unlike any other series I have seen, alternating between darker color palettes and bright, vibrant backgrounds with ease. The animation is pretty clean and never really seems to drop off in quality. Additionally, the character designs match the characters from the series well (although for some reason they decided to make Bobby look like a bloated frog) and have a certain feel of realism about them in spite of the fact that it is animated. The creatures look just plain freaky and there is actually a surprising amount of well-done blood and gore in the series as well.

Sound:
While the anime unfortunately lacks the classic rock that really serves as the soul of the TV series, it does manage to snag the vocal talents of Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles who play Sam and Dean in the television series (the Japanese version also features the voice actors of Sam and Dean in the Japanese dub of Supernatural). I watched the English dub and, while it certainly was by no means bad, it never really stood out either. The best part of the sound section for this anime though is that the producers managed to snag Carry On Wayward Son, the series unofficial theme song, as the ending (Kansas haters will just have to deal with that). In that aspect, it shows how big of fans the Japanese are of Supernatural, and for that much, I am thankful.

Enjoyment:
Despite having already seen the TV series, I still managed to enjoy the anime. The change in format allowed for things not possible in a television series to come to life through art, and it also reminded me how much I loved the first two seasons of the series.

In the end, despite the fact that my bias may be showing, Supernatural: The Animation gets an 7/10 from me. Although it does lack the depth and length of the television series, older viewers still are met with a fairly fresh viewing experience while newer viewers can get a taste of what the television series is all about. S:TA is a solid addition to the disappointingly small genre of horror anime, and in spite of not being perhaps "jump in your seat" scary, it does have some pulse-pounding moments and will please fans of well-done (not over-the-top) gore.

Knowing that Sam and Dean are out there on the lookout, all I have left to say is this:
"I ain't afraid of no ghosts!"

Because I had never seen Supernatural I thought this would be a good way to at least get the gist of the show. I actually really liked it and I don't know how much of the show it actually covers but the animation is done really well and I was a little disappointed that there was only 22 episodes. I could easily watch the entirety of Supernatural in this format, I also watched it in the English Dub which I know at least Jared Padalecki voiced his character Sam. Although, if the series ever did continue I am well aware that having the original actors ... for the character's voice them for the entirety of the anime would be unlikely as it would take up a lot of time so I'm glad that the episodes that were made were voiced by him. Overall, I really enjoyed it and I feel like it was still intense and enjoyable in this format. I'd definitely watch it again.

Well.. This is my first review. Sorry if I lose your time. I just finished Supernatural The Animation and felt like writing a review about it. It is from these kind of series that you can't say whether it is good or not from seeing only the first episode.

STORY - 8 (Very Good)
To begin with, I should say that the plot surprised me a little bit because I had heard about it from the original TV series and expected to see demons, monsters and bloody things everywhere (which does not bother me anyway). It was far better than this, though. But there is something ... strange - if there are hell creatures (devils and demons), there should be some heavenly creatures to oppose them (gods and angels) or things like that.
However, I really loved the other part of the plot. The two brothers who always tried to save each other no matter what. Their dad who pretended to be the tough guy or something. The stories of the people who had supernatural powers. I think each was unique and yet all had something in common. I really love this kind of plot: a character get to know other people who are in the same situation, have the same problems etc. That made me cry at times while watching the anime.

ART - 8 (Very Good)
To be honest, the art is not my type. And that was expected because this isn't exactly the Japanese's style but it is drawn well.
Some scenes were really cold (though it may be normal for a horror) and kind of freezed (ahh.. I can not really describe it).
But the bloody scenes can bit the crap out of you. Ever since I watched Another I got interested in horror anime because, you know, everything looks awesome and faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar more realistic than a feature film (though it sounds strange). So I loved that part! ^^

Sound - 7,5 (Pretty Good) / 5,5 (Likeable)
Uhmm.. I really couldn't believe they used Bethoven's "Ode to Joy" and in what scenes :D. That was one of the few things that made me laugh in these series. Anyway, if we are talking about the OSTs - they are not so bad it just lacks variety. By the way, I love the ending theme. Here - 5
About the voice acting: I spend a month or two searching for Japanese dub and English sub (and that is why I stopped watching the anime for a while) because I really hate watching anime and hearing anything but Japanese language. Believe me, Japanese voice actors are the best (after Dante Basco... but that is another story). Here - 10 (if in Japanese dub) / 6 (in English)

Character - 9 (Great)
I think there is nothing special in the main chracters. Not only them did the Yellow-Eyed torment. On the other hand, it looks like these two brothers were to be the main chracters because of the tight bond between them. In these series I liked Dean the most. Also, I was happy that the anime did not turn on Sam and Dean only - eveybody had his story and the end of each character was different in its own way.

Enjoyment - 10 (Outstanding)
I really enjoyed this anime. It made me think about so many things. I even may give an eye to the TV series. It is no accident that the series are popular. Most of it is considered well. The relationship between Sam, Dean and their father really made me think over my life (huhhh.. I sound like a granny). I liked that reality. It is great to have someone ready to do everything in order to keep you safe, isn’t it?

Overall - 8,8 (Awesome)
In conclusion, the best points of Supernatural The Animation are definitely the story full of unexpected situations and the bloody scenes. I was thrilled the most by the last episodes. Everything happens really fast then.
This anime made me feel an otaku! I just couldn't stop watching it every day until the last episode :)

Before starting, we are very fans of the TV series. We recommend to see it 'cause is very amazing. When the first time we watched it. we've said "yeah,Looks amazing". Okay. Then, This animation is only the first season of the tv series. So, we felt like writing a review about it. for first thing, we are so happy that Supernatural to be an Animation serie. The story is about Dean and Sam, two brothers who hunts demons and evil spirits and here, there's a lot brotherly love. Sam and Dean are not perfect and flawless superheroes, they are normal persons.They can make mistakes, they ... can be paranoid, confused or angry and they always argue with each other. Because of that, they are so realistic. the best of Supernatural The Animation are definitely the story full of unexpected situations and the bloody scenes. we was so thrilled by the last episodes.

Disclaimer: I have watched the first 6 or 7 seasons of the live-action series, which I genuinely loved, so this fact may bias my review in one way or another.


✪Genre: action (gunfights), dark fantasy (vampires, demons, djinns etc.), drama, seinen, violence


✔ Positive Aspects ✔

◧ The quality of the animation is typical of any Madhouse production, low saturated colors, with that trademark lack of vibrancy – nothing overly enticing, but not too shabby either.

◧ Personally, I adore the concept of this series that’s why I actually made the decision to watch this series. To anyone who loves dark fantasy/action/seinen anime but who’s nonetheless unfamiliar with the ... live-action series, this anime series is right on his alley.

◧ Probably the strongest aspect of the show was its character development, since the protagonists’ emotions, personal histories (both individual and joint), and thought processes were being shown clearly and consistently throughout the series.



✘ Negative Aspects ✘

◧ As far as the unfolding of the plot goes, this was a major bummer for me. I am not sure whether or not I was influenced by the live-action series, but throughout my viewing experience, I was feeling that the plot was being rushed somehow. Each episode seemed to be unfolding in an emotionally unexciting manner, that even though I had not re-watched the live-action series, and let alone the first 2 seasons, in 6 or 7 years. It somewhat picked up during the last 3 episodes, but even then the result was fairly muted.

◧ On the sound department, there was not much to speak of, since I can barely recall anything besides Kansas’s ‘Cary on my Wayward Son’ in the ending scene.

◧ The action scenes were pretty poorly done, in the sense of being executed within very few frames, escalating very quickly, and consequently, concluding very quickly, not allowing the viewer to take any pleasure in them.


Overall: A very mediocre anime series that surely had excellent potential, an opinion which I am basing on the fact that this was produced when the live-action series was well into its 5th season but was adapted very poorly.