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Mar 10, 2015
PROS
-fun OP
-Sakura super kawaii, my most memorable female character in 2014.
-variety of unique characters that actually focus on different kinds of relationships other than romance such as brotherhood, senpai, etc. therefore, I think other demographics besides the shoujo fans can actually enjoy this 12 episode series
-plenty of silly "anime" moments that I wholeheartedly enjoy about anime as a medium
-clever dialogue especially at the "meta" moments
-commits to humor which, when it works, is genuinely hilarious. (moments: the ink, the curry, etc)
-not too serious (compared to sth like Ao Haru Ride) which I appreciate and which I think it works--it leaves a positive atmosphere and a
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mood boost.
CONS
-the anime's gimmick is to take a meta/parody approach to shoujo manga/anime. However, cliches like the Japanese festival or the completely romance-clueless male protagonists were never addressed nor did they try to at least take a new approach. Of course, sticking to a tradition itself is nothing to criticize, but as a viewer, I've always found their complete unawareness to romance to be so unrealistic for high school people that it takes me out of the experience quite often.
-some of the meta-jokes and dialogues missed--when you know just about any cliche is going to be turned around itself, that itself becomes the cliche.
-didn't feel like they pushed the 2 main characters and the plot enough.
Ultimately, this is a bubble gum anime, but I did find myself re-watching it. Personally, I'd prefer to view this as a manga than anime for its strength is the dialogue and the animated scenes can get repetitive and unnecessary. I do praise this anime for being able to garner such popularity despite not resorting to harem-esque scenes and other cheap humor. The best thing about it imo is its light-hearted approach so it's a good anime to watch weekly for a mood boost.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jan 6, 2015
I had a great time with Angel Beats. In fact, the ending had more of an impact than After story's. I'm not saying this just to incite a flamewar. The sole reason is that angel beats imo found a more creative, more "anime" way to instill an important message. Perhaps I will discuss this more in my After Story review.
CONS:
- one word: inconsistent. some significant plot holes, jumps, and out of nowhere resolutions that's made throughout. Personally this didn't bother me as much because I EXPECT a higher degree of randomness in anime, but I can understand someone who would be taken out of
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the experience due to them.
- Angel Beats is not really a romance story. They tried to shoehorn romance in it and, in retrospect, I actually wished they didn't because I thought the anime stood on a higher, more important pedestal.
- Many people will mention the lack of character development. True, but I think some people equate lack of development = automatically bad. Not necessarily. I think the studio was aware that some characters are not as important as others, so to me it's perfectly understandable. If the story as a whole makes the emotional sense in big ideas, especially in a comedy/drama series like this, you don't need a 100% development of every individual on screen especially when the cast is so large.
- didn't really care for the "singing sessions" within the episodes.
PROS:
- First series in which I thought both the OP and EP were great. especially EP.
- For a drama series, the humor was ON POINT mostly. some were misses because they tried too hard in explaining why it is funny but still solid (Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki Kun did much worse in this area)
- As prev. mentioned, this series knows how to embrace anime to its fullest potential to bring unique entertainment
- ending wasn't a cop out but still satisfying in that it is much more gentle/careful than expected. I'm not gonna pretend that I saw that coming honestly.
What I want to analyze more is the ending episode.
Throughout I was debating between a 7 and 8, but it's a 9 because the ending sealed the deal. After the jokes, actions, and background stories, It reminded us what Angel Beats is really about. In its essence, it represents the will and regret of someone who has died too early, a concern I think everyone can relate to. As a health career-pursuing individual, I have nightmares about how empty would it feel if I die of a car accident or a disease after investing so much of my life into this future. It is a question worth thinking about because god/world/w.e. can be cruel. As an introverted person, forcing myself to spend time studying biochem in the library alone when I already have a hard time making friends is...frustrating. Browsing through the social highlights of your peers on facebook while admitting that you haven't received a red notification in weeks can be discouraging. Honest work sometimes doesn't pay off. But it's still important to will and live on.
"The wind rises, but we must continue to live." (s.o to Hayao Miyazaki)
The positive message in Angel Beats that i find inspiring is that it doesn't glorify loneliness. It tells us that you shouldn't endure alone. Notice that, while setting is the "after life", it is nevertheless a reflection of the present--to tell us to find or become the "Otonashi" of our time. You realize that what these "unfulfilled" individuals really wanted was not so much to accomplish w/e activity itself, but to be given an opportunity to share their experiences and connect and empathize with people in similar situations to ultimately find salvation of the soul. We don't have to be dead to understand this. In our present right now, we are obligated to help but are also deserving of it. That is a triumphant message imo and a rare feat in anime.
In conclusion, I thought Angel Beats was going to be this rushed ride to that climatic ep13 when I'd cry and move on, but the series was heavier, more savory than that. The individual episodes (most of them) stand for itself . it doesn't have a high re-watch value for me but I'm glad I did. Objectively, even though it says 9, it's more an 8.5. But here's the thing:It's only been hours since I finished it so what's on my mind tbh isn't analysis. I'm just happy that this exists at all.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jan 4, 2015
This is a somewhat spoiler review which I will mention when I get to the section, so my short, spoiler-free opinion is that, if you want to see a well-written female character, not just in anime but in every type of visual medium, try it.
By far the best thing about this anime is Holo the wise wolf. In fact, I enjoyed the character so much I had to coin a new name: a 4-D tsundere. Her character and aura revolves around mischievousness--and it's genuinely exciting to watch. Why? because, even as a watcher, sometimes you don't actually know if she has an ulterior motive or
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an underhanded meaning behind what she says or does. For example, it may SEEM ironic at first how she calls herself "wise" despite falling into human tropes like jealousy and sensitivity yet the way she immediately presents herself as so self aware of this interactions makes you rethink whether if she is actually falling for them. The way she initiates romance with may SEEM typical-tsundere-esque, but it's unique in that she still comes off confident with no self-defeat which presents her as not just adorable, but admirable. To parallel a merchant's dialogue, it seemed as if she's always getting the "better deal" and I couldn't help but me amused.
Because of Holo's sheer presence, Lawrence is the complementary character, but not forgettable. They both outwit each other, teach each other, and i'ts not always about "do you like me or not" dialogue. This made me feel that there was a genuine friendship there as opposed to their wagon being the slowwww vehicle that would end in romantic love. A golden example of their dialogue is this:
SPOILER BEGIN
"you listen. There are times when you want to hear something even it's a lie. There are times when you feel like hitting the person until his face swells up if he takes too long to say it. which do you think it is now?...from now on, please be upset. I appreciate you being considerate, but sometimes, problems can be solved quicker if we both get upset and argue...[from episode 11]"
SPOILER END
You can see why I'd call her "4-D." She is cleverly being meta but not just for the sake of it--it makes sense in the story and doesn't betray her character.
I can only appreciate that she is calling out not only Lawrence, but also basically every shounen/shoujo conflict out there. People can't read each other's minds. So why not blow off some steam and move on? At the end, both will understand each other better. Not only is this a mature dialogue, this exemplifies how Lawrence and Holo treat each other: respect and no bullshit. From now on, when someone asks me what is a "true feminist?" I will think of Holo.
Be it a romantic or plot issue, it's almost as if Holo embodied a harsh studio editor who would say "This conflict is dragging the pace. let's chop chop chop and move on."
Interaction with Lawrence certainly brings out heavy dialogue, to which I disagree with it being "boring." This ultimately lies in personal taste and age of the viewer so I can't "argue" why the dialogue matters, but imo, I just found it enjoyable and logical that he would explain his thought process which stem from the culture of a merchant's life. Even though some were shoehorned in, I found most of the virtues that he admires to which he believes to be a pivotal part of merchant identity make sense. The point is, it's clear that whoever was responsible for this world building actually cared about what mattered at that time and I appreciate that dedication.
SPOILER BEGIN
A problem I had with the plot was its repetitiveness--specially, betrayal being the only MAIN driving factor that moved the story. Because betrayal is such an easily predictable problem in the business world, I was bored and kinda rolling my eyes. While Lawerence seemed to be a master at his craft in the beginning, being a victim to this trap repetitively made him seem like an optimistic fool, which albeit he admits, but doesn't justify that he seems awfully naive in a world that clearly portrays this merchant cultures as quite dubious. By the conclusion, It just seemed like he didn't actually learn much from his experience but was more conveniently saved by his mischievous companion and friends. This doesn't champion the idea of "may good be rewarded" either. I personally think there were plenty of other areas they could've used to move the plot such as delving more into the stereotypes about women in that time, confrontation with the Church's values, his relationship with Chloe or perhaps with his family, more about Holo's past ( seriously,...). I understand these were all mentioned but not nearly as I'd hoped. In all major conflicts, betrayal was clearly the poster boy and I found it boring.
SPOILER END
Soundtrack was forgettable, but understandably I guess. I do love the OP though.
In conclusion, the show itself was its own worst enemy because other characters and the world building just didn't' seem as good compared to Holo who I thought was truly impressive. I want to give sincere praise to whoever designed this character because this is a feat that other entertainment industries have a hard time executing as well.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Dec 31, 2014
Clearly "deconstruction" at this point has become the "Meryl Streep" of anime: people just LIKE the word and praise its "sophistication" just like how people awe over at the name "Meryl Streep" even though I've met people who didn't watch a single film starring the actress -_- Ultimately, Madoka Magica is a series that has been given too much credit imo for just BEING a deconstruction.
Madoka Magica clearly is a deconstruction series. You can tell from the chilling, goosebumps-inducing ending theme at the 1st episode that is by far my favorite. But my question is, why go CRAZY over the word "deconstruction?" At the
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end of the day, this is just another story device like irony, deux ex machina, etc, that exists to elicit uniqueness and stand out from the crowd just like how EVERY OTHER anime SHOULD be doing IN THE FIRST PLACE. All this hype over deconstruction just tells me how low the bar for mahou shoujo genre has become that people are going crazy over a series that managed to actually stick out. This isn't a celebration of greatness. This is a living proof that this genre needs to improve significantly. With that main complaint out the way, I have some pros and cons.
PROS:
liked the opening. loved the ending theme.
does do a solid job of actually executing deconstruction especially with Kyuubey.
characters that I thought would be sidelined were developed more than I imagined (esp. one particular one that I was very impressed with).
Kyuubey became increasingly more horrifying with genuinely thought-provoking observations about human nature and his purpose and mission actually made sense.
The ending "bit more than it could chew" but I was still on board and was satisfied that it committed to its uniqueness until the end.
no forced fanservice (to be fair though, fan service in this type of animation would've made me feel like a criminal)
CONS:
hated Madoka Kaname. she's the Lisa (Zankyou no Terror) of the series. bad example of using crying animation that ended up generating more annoyance than feels.
for a 12 ep series, pacing was slow --> it could use more editing (cutting)
not a fan of this kind of animation
(personal cliche I notice as a student): why be in school if you're never, ever going to study...
In conclusion, if you're curious on what "deconstruction anime" means, give it a try. I don't highly recommend it for I think you can find better examples in other visual mediums and books. I don't recommend the third "revolution" movie either.
What I want to lastly mention is the sad catch 22 this anime has. I think I personally would've enjoyed this much more (be surprised/impressed more) had I not known that this was a deconstruction. But given the state of mahou shoujo genre, I don't think I would've tried the series if nobody mentioned the unique factor of madoka magica.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Dec 31, 2014
disclaimer: this review is atypical in that it examines more of a conflict between anime vs live action medium as a whole rather than what is inherently wrong in the series.
Barakamon is either sophisticated & unique OR boring and not worth a second watch at all. You'll think the former if you EXCLUSIVELY watch and is a HUGE fan of anime. You'll think the latter if you actually appreciate other forms of visual medium (American tv shows, K/J drama, Hollywood/European/Asian cinema).
Here's the problem: if you're a frequent watcher of live action films, you'll know that this premise--a pompous/ empty city boy gets secluded/ostracized to
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the rural areas where he learns the life of the farm folk and learns about himself--has been done so. many. times. In fact, I can think of an international film (South Korean I think) that almost has this exact premise. And you know what? that film did better with more flare and emotion in 2 hours than this entire series. And it's not the anime's fault. It simply is the advantage and power of a live action movie.
Anime is an unrealistic medium (that's why, infamously, anime can't pull off a good horror series 99% of the time). So when you add "anime qualities" in a story that clearly belongs in the live action realm, many aspects seem boring, bland, and unnecessary. Throughout the anime, I found myself constantly asking why is x character here for? You should be taking advantage of what is unique to anime by incorporating unrealism to the series. Sometimes, it's the silliness and the facial emotions and settings and stories that detach from reality that would otherwise look extremely awkward in live actions that I appreciate about anime. I applaud that Barakamon tried to carve out its own lane and it WILL be a pleasant surprise to anime-only watchers but to me, it stretched its boundaries too much.
I'm not sure if people will understand so I'll leave you with this: Think of a great live action film. I'm confident that, if you were to imagine the film remade into a 2D anime series, you won't feel the same excitement as much. That's how I feel about Barakamon. I came to this series already exposed to many great live action films about this exact premise. (converse isn't true: a great anime series can generate both good and horrible live actions)
One thing I really liked was Naru. I liked that he was "actually a kid." Sometimes both anime and films use a cheap trick in which the plot moves forward by having a kid suddenly blurt out dialogue so eye-opening and mature that it changes an adult protagonist. It almost always seems forced and I'm glad that the relationship between Naru and Handa felt much more organic relatively. I also loved Naru's voice actress--a somewhat husky yet still playful voice that I found very fresh.
Soundtrack was forgettable.
In conclusion, from other reviews, I can tell that Barakamon suffers from what I call the "reverse-Michael Bay effect" -- to warrant any series/film a good rating just because it rejected needless action/explosions/fantasy materials. These qualities of course don't necessarily make a good film but the sheer absence of these doesn't make a good series either. Barakmon suffers from extreme blandness that comes from a lack of originality without effort to add their own twist. I see many people who praise this anime for being able to stand on its own without magical girls/fan service/ and amazing action sequences. Honestly, Barakamon could've used some of those because it certainly wasn't exceptional in the story/emotional impact division.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Dec 30, 2014
I liked and recommend this anime
Some might say the big flaw in the anime is that they blatantly say that the [Blank] is unbeatable. Yes that would fizzle the tension of "who's going to win" but they put effort into making the actual games interesting. This made me as a viewer to really focus on their journey rather than the outcome with the definite climax at episode 7. I do feel bad though when other characters are made to look so stupid relative to Blank.
The fanservice was obvious but it was incorporated pretty seamlessly imo with the setting and tone of the show so
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I had no problem with it. I don't despise fanservice as a whole, just when it seems inappropriate or forced just like any other story device. I was surprised that the animation turned off some viewers because I thought the colorful atmosphere and the environment was fun to look at. Soundtrack was average but the opening was great.
Lastly, I appreciate that the ending was relatively conclusive imo in that it didn't seem to beg the watchers to go to the manga. Hopefully, there will be a season 2. In conclusion, I have a positive view of this series due to right expectation management. I didn't expect anything compelling but it surprisingly did go the extra mile to really delve into the journey/analysis of the games.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Dec 30, 2014
Whether it'd be dealing with school life or a world wide threat (Code Geass, Evangelion, Attack on Titan), the future always seems to lie in the hands of teenagers. In anime, this is understandable for teens are its main demographic. The question is, is the show still able to take itself seriously when its whole premise lies on a serious topic? Terror has been a very real, relevant topic for the past decade. It's still horrifying to recall the first video ISIS released of a man getting his head chopped off.
The majority of the people divide this series into two parts: Pre-5 and Post-5
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(you'll understand when you see it) with Pre-5 arc showing great promise while post-5 losing the audience. I had major problems with post-5 arc but I also had problems with pre-5 arc as well. Watanabe clearly aimed to portray a REALISTIC view of a world affected by terror as shown by the characters designed to actually resemble Japanese people and delving into actual international conflicts and actually using two languages to show diplomatic interactions. So taking the subject of terror but treating the issue like a game of chess/ cat & mouse chase with "pop quizzes" is problematic and frankly, silly. Again, I hold it accountable for this series only--I didn't have a problem with this in series like Code Geass because that fully embraced the unrealistic aspects of anime but Zankyou no Terror did not.
Post-5 arc: The series fell drastically in terms of story and character development here. First, I never liked Lisa. She didn't change throughout the series and literally contributed nothing to the show except bringing needless danger to the main 2 protagonists. While not resorting to fanservice is admirable, it doesn't automatically warrant a good female character. I was very disappointed with 12 as well. The intro and this one dialogue he said was chilling for he seemed like one of those seemingly calm characters that would go berserk when the time was right. I don't even think I have to mention 5--people will see the problem. The ending was contrived without even being conclusive. As someone whose main criteria is story/character development, it's already hard giving a high score to most anime but this one failed. Overall, it was too stagnant, too random, and too contrived.
this next sentence is SPOILER: at the end of episode 4, when Lisa ended the episode with, "are you going to destroy the whole world" I sat in my chair in awe as it showed SO much potential. Now i know in hindsight that that was the climax of the whole series.
The soundtrack was great though. The best one in 2014. Von, saga, lololol, and walt are especially awesome.
IN CONCLUSION, if Watanabe intended to convey something meaningful via Zankyou no Terror, he was way too subtle with it. I read on ANN that the show was a critique on xenophobia and isolationist policy of Japan. I didn't pick up on that at all and I don't think it was because the show was "too smart." I give credit to the show for exploring a rare theme but the execution was poor and that's that. It's just sad and disappointing.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Dec 29, 2014
There is a difference between "favorite" and "best" anime. Saying Anohana is the best anime would get me flamed by Death Note, FMA, big 3 fans from the community. Well, the anime is PERSONALLY my favorite and the best that I've seen. Reasons:
length: 11 episodes is concise with no room for filler content. Even the best anime that supposedly don't have filler (FMA B, hunter x hunter) had slow moments. There is not an episode I would skip in this anime. They all have meaning. Of course comparing 11 ep anime with 70-140 ep may not be fair but still.
mature content: This part is
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somewhat hard to explain but I'll try. I loved the dialogue because usually, when I think of certain interactions in anime, I imagine "it would be great if character said X or did Y" but usually, the characters don't "go there" and stay safe within the norm. Anohana didn't. It was brutally honest about how each person felt, especially from Yukiatsu, Menma's mother and brother. When it did go the way I thought it would, it still packed an emotional punch. I also liked how it avoided usual cliches. (It's the 21st century and these anime charcters are still going to festivals, tsunderes wearing yukatas like it's their first time, ring toss, that stupid paper net fish thing...I mean doesn't anyone in Japan play with Xbox or something).
Lastly, I'd like to praise the studio for not relying on heavy fan service--it honestly would've been insulting to the main theme that it was trying to achieve. I also understand this series wouldn't do very well in merchandise due to lack of signature fashion or etc so that was probably a risk as well. This is an anime that I truly love and I would be more than happy to support this kind of project in the future. This is the kind of anime the Western community needs to see to change the perception of "anime" that is usually seen as "weird."
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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