Back to 2U62W4N6's Profile 2U62W4N6's Profile

The second season of Vinland Saga provides something that most anime series fail to deliver: a coherent narrative.

Some may consider the significant shift in theme from the first season as a "risk". However, this merely exemplifies well-planned and thoughtful structuring. The aim here is not to break general anime conventions, but to craft a thoughtful narrative across various facets.

The characters are multifaceted and intriguing, with well-placed roles within the plot. There's finally a focus on measured, unhurried development that not only narrates the story well, but also effectively conveys the moral and message. Although the core plot may not be unique, it still manages to ... transform it into something special by the manner in which it's delivered. The meticulous setup also extends to excellent character development that is understandable, despite the extreme shift in the character spectrum. It's almost as if competent individuals worked on the series, a trait often overlooked in the vast field of the anime industry.

My only gripes include the still remaining conventions, such as the theatrical and exaggerated appearances of certain background characters. At some points, the proper narrative beat seems lacking, giving the impression that something important was glossed over or that events unfolded too quickly or inexplicably. However, these issues are not so significant, considering that the anime gets it right in many other places.

The second season of Vinland Saga serves as a testament that anime can be more than just wild, crazy premises with flashy visuals. It can indeed deliver a well-crafted narrative.

Yet another shonen anime.

In the same vein as Marvel's cinematic assembly line, shonen series are mass-produced in Japan. The result is a recognizable product with only slight modifications, falling short of being seen as art. Everything rings familiar and conventional, and as with any shonen, there's an attempt to inject a signature touch that lacks the distinctiveness needed to truly differentiate it from the rest.

It's not that the anime needs to shy away from standard tropes: the last speech before a character's demise, the use of flashbacks during conflict scenes, the ever-expanding limits in each ensuing battle, or dialogues that clash with the atmosphere just ... for the humorous edge. The problem arises when these elements overshadow the plot, leaving scant room for subtler storytelling. It seems the primary aim is to meet the lowest common denominator of audience expectations and to shy away from the craft that is needed to tell a compelling story.

While this anime isn't guilty of any glaring missteps, it merely reverberates the echoes of its predecessors.

"Death Note" shines as a remarkably engaging thriller, although its impact might have been greater had it reached its conclusion earlier.

The dynamic between the two adversaries, engaged in an intelligent cat-and-mouse game, makes for a captivating experience. This is underscored by a suspenseful atmosphere filled with fateful events that highlight the stakes in small, well-crafted incidents. It's a high-stakes game where both sides undertake significant risks to triumph, with victory necessitating the other's downfall. The battle between these characters presents a complex ideological tableau, sparing viewers from a one-sided narrative and encouraging individual interpretation.

A point of critique, however, lies in some of the hasty conclusions ... made by the characters. These conclusions, drawn without sufficient build-up, too often hit the mark directly, detracting somewhat from the series' believability. The introduction of new characters is intended to inject novelty and reshuffle the narrative deck; yet, this maneuver occasionally leads to an unfortunate dilution of the original quality. It's akin to watering down a fine cocktail, extending its volume but compromising its original strength and flavor.

While "Death Note" isn't without its flaws, it largely succeeds in its ambitious endeavor. It weaves a comprehensive, well-structured narrative that impresses, despite the occasional missteps in its construction. With a solid foundation, it stands as a compelling piece of anime that's largely effective in its storytelling.

Long-standing animes like Naruto often compromise quality in favour of quantity. The appeal of such shows, akin to One Piece or Dragonball, typically lies in the enduring relationship between the characters and the viewers. However, the narrative too often morphs these characters into conduits for fan service, constantly introducing new power-ups, fresh appearances, and monumental battles.

Viewer interest and engagement primarily rely on these characters since the plot, in itself, is not robust enough to warrant the series' extended duration. That's why there's a high degree of hesitance when it comes to eliminating vital characters. While such instances occur, they fail to convincingly echo the looming ... threat that the antagonist should symbolize in the grand scheme.

Despite the narrative's intensive focus on the protagonists' journeys, it is heavily dependent on prior events and characters. These elements are frequently revisited, revised, and reframed via an extensive array of flashbacks. Consequently, we're left with a protagonist who is burdened with resolving past conflicts to which he's only indirectly connected. However, the narrative does not delve into this resolution. The protagonist's primary motivation remains his determination/obsession to safeguard his friends, and the plot expediently facilitates his triumph until the very end, treating conflict resolutions as passive byproducts. This prompts a legitimate question: why not shift the timeline backwards and engage with characters as protagonists who are directly linked to these central conflicts? (Jiraiya, Itachi, Kakashi, et cetera)

As the anime advances, the plot elements increasingly descend into chaos, imbalance and stepping over boundaries. The initial premise established by the first season of Naruto gradually fades, and we're left with a depiction that essentially replicates a generic shonen anime. Power levels are disproportionately and exponentially increased, character decisions are plot-driven rather than stemming from their authentic natures, side characters are relegated to obscurity, and new hurdles are conveniently invented whenever it suits the show-runner/author.

In essence, Naruto is a battle-centric shonen spectacle that exhibits brilliance in sporadic plot points but primarily serves as a platform to develop a franchise. It attempts to craft an epic saga around two central characters that persist until the very end. Sadly, the writer's focus on highlighting these two main characters often results in neglecting the quality and richness of the broader narrative landscape.

[Excluding the second movie from this review]

The movie demonstrates an overarching issue endemic to the Japanese industry. While it brings forward intricate and distinctive narratives, there is a noticeable lack in proficient storytelling. The show-runner endeavour to entwine romance and emotional depth to invest the audience in a premise that derives its uniqueness from the Sci-Fi element - despite this foundation not being an innovation.

Unfortunately, the movie leans excessively on the combination of these two genres as a mechanism to captivate the audience. It doesn't succeed in independently immersing the viewer through a compelling narrative. The characterisation formula overly relies on emotional catalysts to prompt ... sudden and profound decisions, disregarding the critical set-up between motive and action on the empathic scale.

This is a standard Shonen anime, embellished with sleek visuals.

The narrative is overly cautious and underperforms in numerous areas, exhibiting a linear moral perspective among its characters that is too simplistic. The dialogues operate on a surface level, merely echoing conventional Shonen ethics without delving into deeper layers. The show-runners seem to underestimate their audience's capacity for subtle understanding, providing little room for the "show, don't tell" approach to storytelling. This issue, compounded by an over-reliance on repetitive plot devices such as flashbacks, disrupts the rhythm and pace of many events, resulting in a narrative that feels stretched out and hard to endure between the ... visually appealing sequences.

However, the anime does have redeeming qualities. It dedicates time to the careful unravelling of its story, ensuring it never feels too taxing or overwhelming. The clarity with which the storyline is presented is commendable, although this is often due to repetitive sequences and the protagonist's ever-present inner monologues, which comment on almost everything for the audience that is already visible on screen.