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Mar 22, 2018
Camping 101
Starring: cute girls!
We’ve had cute girls sailing to Antarctica, (Further than the Universe) cute girls in the apocalypse (Girls’ Last Tour), cute girls singing, dancing, and playing instruments (anime like K-On!, Love-Live! And Hibike! Euphonium), and just cute girls doing nothing whatsoever (Lucky star and Yuyushiki). Now we have cute girls going camping.
It literally does what it says on the packet. It’s a very relaxed slice-of-life anime about camping, including all the aspects you would expect to see in a camping anime. It goes into great detail about the campsites they visit, the equipment they use (everything from how they buy it to
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how they set it up), the food they make (which by the way, looks amazing and will make you hungry if you watch it before eating), and the way they bond through camping together. I learnt enough about camping from this one anime that, assuming I ever wanted to go, I would know exactly how to prepare and what to do.
And it’s nice to watch. It’s very slow paced, each episode generally consists of planning and executing a different camping trip. The art and animation are fantastic; the scenery in particular is drawn absolutely beautifully. All the right colours and tones are used to convey the autumn-like feeling perfectly. The sound also fits the mood of the anime to a T.
There are five main characters, although the story mainly focusses on two of them. Rin is the silent one who enjoys the peace and quiet of camping alone. She doesn’t tend to socialise much, and this is what makes her friendship with the outgoing and talkative Nadeshiko endearing to watch. You get to know Rin through her actions – the way her face lights up when she sips a hot cocoa, the way she stares at a gorgeous view like she’s trying to devour it, the way she cares about her friends despite sometimes acting like they’re a nuisance to her. She’s very relatable as a character, and that’s part of why I liked the anime so much.
Nadeshiko, as mentioned before, is the talkative one. She’s also the clumsy, energetic and downright adorable one. She’s the type of girl who injects life into the anime, and helps speed up the pace when it becomes too snail-like. Her becoming friends with Rin is essentially the premise of the anime – they meet by chance on a camping site, and, in the way of anime, find out they go to the same school together. She and Rin are a lot like chalk and cheese; apart from their love of camping they couldn’t be more different. However their friendship blossoms nonetheless, and by the end of the anime they’ve formed a solid relationship.
The other main characters are relatively enjoyable to watch, although they aren’t as developed as Rin and Nadeshiko. Aki and Aoi are girls in the same camping club as Nadeshiko, and Ena is a friend of Rin’s who’s persuaded to come along for the ride. Apart from camping, the anime mainly shows them in school, going shopping, working and just hanging out together. Nothing exciting or even particularly interesting, but their interactions are mildly humorous, very light-hearted, and always cute. The series shows how they each react to the camping aspect, and what each of them actually enjoys about camping. For some it’s the peace, for some it’s the food, and for some it’s the companionship. Regardless, after watching this I felt I would probably enjoy camping too for one reason or the other.
Now, although I said this anime was nice to watch, I wouldn’t call it entertaining. It’s more like you feel contented with the world after watching it. I had to be in a certain frame of mind to see it – when I was in the mood for something fast-paced and thrilling, I watched another anime.
So, if you’re looking for something tranquil, something cute and relaxing, this is a good choice. If you’re not, then I’d give this one a miss until you are. XD
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Mar 15, 2018
Well, if season one was good, this was just phenomenal. This fits the very definition of masterpiece. An ingeniously told story about the meaning of life, determination, and potential. Although it started off goofy, wacky and above all else comedic, it gradually evolved into a show that was so much more than a fun way to kill time.
Koro-sensei’s backstory was incredibly powerful. There had been some hints to it in the first season, but I definitely did not expect it to have the depth it did. My entire perspective of him changed – my understanding of his motivations, his personality, his struggles, his efforts in
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becoming who he did – suffice to say he’s now one of my favourite characters. I’d even say he’s a contender for first place.
But it wasn’t just Koro-sensei who was developed. Nagisa, Asano, Itona and Isogai all got their own place in the spotlight (Isogai’s episode in particular was a great showcase of his abilities as a leader). In fact, every character in class 3-E got their own time to shine. The sense of camaraderie from the first season reached its pinnacle here; by the end of the series you could clearly see how much the entire class cared for each other. They started out as a bunch of oddballs, by the end they had become a cohesive (and deadly) unit. I couldn’t help getting drawn in to their struggles and celebrating their triumphs. I loved each and every character by the end. Even the bad guys; that’s how well they were depicted.
One who especially deserves mention, though, is Kayano. I mentioned in my season one review that I had really been expecting more from a character who was so heavily featured in all the opening themes and treated as an MC, when in reality she was hardly shown at all. Boy did I eat my words in season 2. Now I see why she was so important, and just how cleverly the anime was put together. Kayano really was a major focal point of the show – even though we only see it in season 2, it underlay the entire anime. I can’t go into more detail than this because it would cause major spoilers, so if you’re curious you’ll have to go watch it yourself. 😊
The tone of the anime changed so much throughout the season. It became altogether more serious, and explored far deeper themes than in the first season. Koro-Sensei’s advice was always mature and profound, which sometimes seemed weird coming from a character who himself stated his main purpose was comic relief. Honestly though, I think anyone who’s seen this anime should try and take away a few lessons from it. We could all do with a teacher like Koro-Sensei.
Do not give up on this anime before the ending. The entire story builds up to this climax, and personally I don’t think it could have been handled better. (Besides the space episode that is. That one was just stupid). But I was sobbing by the end – me, who didn’t even cry at Clannad After Story – totally full of emotion. I think I felt as proud of those kids as Koro-Sensei did.
This was one of those fantastic rides that at times I wished would never end. I can’t praise it enough. If you liked season one or are just trying to decide whether to give this series a go, then ask yourself: Do you want to watch an anime that is comedic yet deep, nonsensical yet clever, and inspiring enough to make you want to change who you are? If the answer is yes, then you know what to do. XD
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Mar 1, 2018
The weird part is, I can’t pinpoint exactly what I enjoyed so much about this show. It wasn’t like each element was outstanding; more like the whole was much greater than the sum of its parts.
The story was utterly absurd – there’s no way round this. The premise of a being who has promised to destroy the world, but not before he has taught a particular middle-school class for a year? Pure nonsense. Illogical. Irrational. And yet the story took itself so seriously, treating this nonsense for all the world like it was totally reasonable. Most plot points in the anime were thought out
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in a realistic way (like all the possible ways to kill their teacher, how to keep his identity under wraps, compensation from the government etc.) while ignoring the fact that the entire premise completely defies logic itself. Not in a fantasy way either; this story is set in real life. It was almost like the anime itself was the straight man in a comedy duo, a very specific type of humour that I personally found hilarious. Fascinating to watch, and exciting to boot.
Although you basically know how the anime’s gonna end from the get go (simply because it’s that type of anime), there are plenty of twists and turns to keep you entertained, along with some cool fights and a few suspenseful moments. Who knew that a bunch of kids taking midterms and finals could be so much fun to watch? I certainly didn’t feel that way when I was taking mine. Something as ordinary as exams can be turned into a battle of minds. It reminded me a little of Light and L’s mental battles in Death Note.
Characters next. Assassination Classroom has a big cast, and in just 22 episodes there’s obviously not enough time to cover every character in depth. We barely see any backstory from anyone. That doesn’t matter though, as these aren’t your normal anime protagonists. There aren’t any tragic backstories, absent parents, and they don’t have the endless power of nakama or unexplainable likeableness to rely upon. They’re basically a bunch of relatively normal middle-school kids. Each of them has their own little set of mannerisms, likes and dislikes. They’re a group, and they grow as a group.
That isn’t to say that they’re all vanilla by any means. Nagisa, Karma, and Terasaka are all superb characters whose personalities change as they face various challenges in and out of the classroom (especially Nagisa, but that’s to be expected as the MC and all). Even the one-dimensional characters were fun to watch, because they all contributed something. Each student was an important part of the class, and this made the sense of camaraderie between everyone all the more heart-warming and believable. The only character I was confused about was Kayano. She appears on the front cover and a lot in the op themes, so I expected her to have a big part, but she was one of the least developed characters in the series. She could have done with a lot more screen-time, or at the very least have been featured in some more character interactions.
Karasuma and Irina were good characters who were both interesting themselves (or comic relief, in Irina’s case), and able to act as plot devices when needed. So too the students in other classes, they spiced things up nicely during the exam arc in particular.
But the best character by far is Koro-sensei. He just steals the show. Respect to Jun Fukuyama for a magnificent performance as his seiyuu. Koro-sensei’s incredibly volatile, switching from smug to angry to embarrassed within the blink of an eye. His sudden and frequent changes in mood keep the tone light, and keep you guessing what he’ll do next. He’s also a phenomenal teacher; he knows exactly what to say and when and how to say it. You could actually attribute the entire class’ growth to him. Most real-life teachers dream about being able to make a difference to their students’ lives the way Koro-sensei does in the anime. So many important and profound messages are hidden in this series. Don’t be fooled by the comedy aspect; the lessons Koro-sensei gives apply equally in the real world, and to all different areas of life. Even if you don’t like the anime as a whole, it’s still worthwhile to take the lessons from it.
The music was catchy, lively, and although a bit too cheerful for some of the later episodes, it really did get me pumped up each time I heard it.
The art was unusual, lots of very strong black lines combined with bright colours. It looked great, and so did the animation. All strong positives for the show.
Well, you can probably tell that I very much enjoyed this. I’ve seen a lot of school anime, and this is definitely one of the best. It has all the components a good show needs, and the assassination aspect was unique and refreshing. It does stray quite far from the original goal in the final arc and become much more like your standard shounen, but even those parts were immensely enjoyable because it felt like they actually built on the plot and characters that had been developed the rest of the series. I couldn’t wait to watch each new episode.
I’d recommend to fans of…well, basically anything. Comedy’s a given, but there are a lot of other things to love in this anime too. Just don’t go in expecting a horror, romance, or thriller/mystery. XD
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Feb 20, 2018
Yes, it’s true that it’s a major shift in tone away from all the light-heartedness of the first season. Yes, it’s true that the side characters are focussed on a lot more as opposed to Rock and Hajime who barely get any screen-time in the later episodes. And yes, it’s true that a lot of the sparkles are gone. But who cares? This is still an amazing anime.
Some of the secondary characters get such good development that I went from disliking them in the first season to cheering them on in the second. (Yep, that’s you Samon!) We got to see a lot more
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of Liang, Upa, and Qi, and I’m glad we did. Seeing another unit besides the 13,13 unit was a nice change, and gave their characters loads more depth. The antagonists introduced felt a bit random at first, but I think it's more of a 'wait and see what their motivations are' in this case.
The sparkles were much reduced in this season, but there plenty of vibrant colours and wacky effects nonetheless. The characters still have all their weird quirks and random comedic moments – and they’re just as fun to watch as the first season.
They didn’t change the op and ed (besides the singer for the op), and for that I am grateful. You don’t fix something if it’s not broken, and both were perfect.
It is sometimes hard to know what Nanbaka’s actually going for. It changes from almost realistic to wildly fantastical in the blink of an eye. The antagonists become more and more shounen-like (meaning that they never ever stay down, and truth be told this was quite annoying at times) and the protagonists seem to reveal more special skills (some of which are basically super powers) by the minute.
The plot from the first season is never really expanded on, and the ONA ends on a massive cliff-hanger – you’ve been warned. You’ll be tearing out your hair once you hit episode 12 and scouring the internet for any sign of a third season.
Regardless, watching it is pure fun. The fights are gorgeously animated, the backstories are surprisingly deep, and the banter is hilarious although much more infrequent than before. Maybe it’s not quite worth scoring a 9, but I loved it so much I just can’t bring myself to score it any lower.
My advice to you: go for it. Comedic or deep, action-packed or banter-filled, it’s definitely worth watching. XD
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Feb 15, 2018
I’ll put it simply: this is one of the most fantastic anime I’ve ever seen. I’d even go so far as to put it in my all-time favourite top three. It’s a rollercoaster ride that takes you from comedy to drama to mystery, and grips you from start to finish. The story is at times so ridiculously comical that it’s obviously a parody of the genre, and at other times so deep and heart-wrenching that you’ll wonder if you’re even watching the same anime as moments before.
That’s not to mention the sheer fabulousness of all the characters, and the setting. Steer far away from
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this if you don’t like sparkles, because Nanbaka does not stop sparkling. Ever. Even at the climax of the story each character is surrounded by glitter and bright colours. Some people won’t like the stark contrast between the content and the setting, but I think it summed up the tone of Nanbaka perfectly. The series isn’t meant to be realistic, even though the characters are some of the most relatable I’ve seen in anime. The entire show is a parody, and the fact that it can be both satirical and emotional at the same time – successfully – just shows me how brilliantly it was done.
The story starts off as a lot of nonsensical fun; a bunch of wacky inmates who constantly try to escape from the most secure prison in the world. This is an arc that’s purely comedy, you’re introduced to the characters and the setting, and get a taste of their daily life. The type of comedy is something I would describe as similar to Gintama or Nichijou, it’s very self-aware and basically just random. There are a lot of references, the gag humour is hilarious, and there’s a lot of witty dry humour too. It caters to most areas of comedy at one point or another (although it doesn’t tend to be crude). It’s awesome if you like that kind of thing.
The second arc veers off topic slightly, dealing with special events in the prison. The tone starts off similar to the first – very heavy focus on pure comedy - but shifts near the end and becomes altogether more serious.
This leads into the third arc, which is a masterful depiction of the main character’s mental state. There’s some amazing character development in this arc, and it’s what cemented this anime as a favourite for me. Sure, it’s very different to the previous arcs, but the shift was actually needed at about this time – it’s just when the audience starts to get tired of the endless humour and want a more fleshed-out story. The mystery element was also expanded on here, and was quite frankly unusual and really intriguing. It provided an understandable explanation of the MC’s reasons for his actions, and served another purpose in that it allowed for some meaningful interactions between the inmates and the guards which added more depth to all their characters and the story.
Almost all of the characters are good. And I don’t mean that in like a ‘righteous’ kind of way. I mean that they’re done really well. Each and every character has some sort of ridiculous but memorable design and quirk, which makes watching them really fun and ensures you don’t constantly have to check who’s who by referring to previous episodes. Minor characters get development that can change your whole view of them, each challenge plays a major part in understanding or developing a character, and no one is introduced and then never seen again.
Juugo, Nico, Uno and Hajime felt like real people, despite how exaggerated their characters were. The way they cared about each other was strangely relatable, and very touching to watch. The concept of family was presented beautifully. Forget Fairy Tail and the power of Nakama, this anime shows how a group of misfits can become family in an incredibly heart-warming way which somehow still seems realistic. (Odd, considering that it’s meant to be a parody and all, but that’s part of what was nice about it.)
The art is…flashy. All the characters have these elaborate multicoloured hairstyles, long painted nails and weird eye colours. If you can get used to that, or find it entertaining, you’ll enjoy the anime much more, because bear in mind the art is a big part of this anime. It’s a part of the anime’s identity – Nanbaka wouldn’t be Nanbaka without the art.
The animation is captivating, particularly around the action scenes, and the sound is superb. I absolutely loved the opening, ending, seiyuus, and sound effects. They added so much to the anime.
Okay, hold up. So I’m aware that I haven’t been strictly objective. It’s hard to remain unbiased in a review when I actually love the show so much. So now I’ll try and list a few of the things the anime could have done better in, for the sake of being fair.
• Rock really needed some more development; all the other characters were explored beyond their basic hobbies but he stayed a one-dimensional foodie to the end.
• The mood shifts – I personally liked this but it could be confusing at times, and the heavy parts were a big leap from the comedy it proclaimed itself to be. The sparkles also really shouldn’t have been in at the more emotional points.
• The warden’s crush was irritating after a while, too much time was spent on it without any progress.
• There were a lot of unanswered questions at the end (although there is a second season which I’m assuming resolves this).
So, what do I think about Nanbaka?
It’s wacky. It’s zany. It’s sparkly. It’s utterly ridiculous at some points, and deep and thought-provoking at others. It will make you chuckle, snort, laugh and show other expressions of joy. It might also make you smile sadly, clutch your heart and wipe away a tear or two (although the last is unlikely).
Overall, it’s a reminder of why anime is a medium unto itself; for better or for worse. Where else would you find something like this? I can’t recommend it highly enough. XD
NB: Obviously, I’m talking to fans of comedy and the like here. Don’t come hear looking for a realistic slice-of-life, romance or thriller. Duh. 😊
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Feb 11, 2018
Okay, now this was a really good show. And I mean REALLY good. Not objectively flawless, but tremendously enjoyable and definitely addictive.
It starts off as more of an action series, with the main mystery only really being introduced around a third of the way through. Although the series does change tone quite a lot once the mystery is introduced, if you liked the beginning few episodes chances are you’ll like the rest. On the other hand, if you didn’t like the first few episodes, give it a few more – up till about ep 6 - before deciding one way or the other. You
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might be surprised.
The setting was really unusual, what with the Aztec theme and everything. It gave a unique feel to the show, and was altogether a nice change. There wasn’t much world building that wasn’t directly related to the Braves. I wouldn’t have minded a bit more exposition, but it could easily have just become useless filler, so I’m basically glad they stuck to the parts they did.
Whilst the story had some generic elements to it, there were a few twists that gave it more depth – the idea of the recurring 6 braves, the saints, the fiend culture and their relationship with humans. The whole way magic was portrayed in this show was unique and interesting.
The characters were probably one of my favourite parts of this anime. The MC, Adlet, was exactly the type of character I can’t stand in most anime. However here I thought he was brilliant. His characteristics were just done right. Appropriate backstory, and only brought in when necessary. His backstory actually added a lot, explained his character, and was quite interesting. it didn’t feel like filler when brought in. He was also a character who was consistent in his personality traits, but mature enough to recognise his faults and overcome them. Above all, he wasn’t a hypocrite. He practiced what he preached, and I think that’s why I liked him so much, despite being fed up of hearing the words ‘strongest man in the world’ which he seemed to use every time he spoke.
Fremy was also an excellent character. Her development was lovely to watch, and quite emotional at times too. Her backstory was fascinating, and, like Adlet’s, brought in at exactly the right time. I actually didn’t like her much initially, but by the end of the series she had completely won me over.
Most of the other major characters were developed decently. Hans’ character in particular was fascinating, and I looked forward to every time he came on screen. Nachetanya and Mora could have done with a bit more time spent on their backstories, but the only one who really needed some more depth to them was Goldov. He was the only one dimensional brave, and as a result the only one I couldn’t have cared less about throughout the series.
The mystery next. Some might call it slow paced, but I think the pacing was perfect. Each part of the mystery is explained in enough depth for the viewer to understand, but without going into every little detail. The anime managed to keep the suspense up throughout – you really are guessing who the 7th is right until the end. And it doesn’t contradict itself either, there are a lot of little hints hidden along the way but you can only put them together one you have enough info to understand what they meant in hindsight. It’s clever. I do think that at one point very near the end there was just a little too much coincidence at play, it was more like the screenwriters said ‘Oh hey! We’re nearly finished, and they haven’t got anywhere near close to solving it yet! Let’s just give the characters an epiphany!’ That part needed to have been drawn out more, although not at the expense of any of the other scenes. The anime really needed more than 12 episodes to get everything in properly.
As for the art and animation, they were great. Lots of vibrant colours, which then darkened as the mood became grimmer. The way the op changed throughout the series was a nice touch, and fitting. The character designs were fine, although none of the animal characteristics were explained for anyone besides Hans. (I’m a bit curious about this. Maybe the light novel explains it?) The action scenes were mostly marvellous. Really well animated – well, except for the CGI attacks, some of which quite frankly looked poor. Especially Mora’s. A few CGI scenes didn’t make much difference overall though. The sound was good, no complaints on that front.
Minor bugbear: Fremy’s outfit. There didn’t seem to be excessive fanservice in this show or anything, so I’m not taking a point off, but dressing her like that didn’t add anything whatsoever to the show. Whatever. Moving on.
The ending was slightly disappointing, it felt somewhat rushed compared to the rest of the series, and I know I for one could have done with more explanation on a couple of the events. Hope there’s a second season, I can't wait to see how the rest of their adventure unfolds.
Overall: A great watch. A few parts that felt rushed, but on the whole really enjoyable and entertaining. I’d recommend if you like whodunit mysteries, anime with good action scenes, or adventure series. XD
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Feb 8, 2018
5 Centimetres per Second – for some reason, I had the most incredible feeling of déjà vu when watching this. It was short and I will likely soon forget the story. The message, however, I’d like to stay with me.
The message is profound. If you want something - if you love someone, you can’t sit back and do nothing about it, hoping that destiny will find you and bring you together. Although you might not think so because of all the sweet shoujo anime out there where true love prevails even after centuries, in real life people move on. Sure there are exceptions, but
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most people won’t wait forever. If you lose contact with someone, and just don’t bother to re-kindle a relationship when you still have the time, you might lose the chance to ever do so again. Sometimes in life there just aren’t second chances – sad, but true.
5 Centimetres per Second brings that home. There’s not actually much to the anime apart from the message: the characters are simply there as plot devices. X and Y were close when they were younger and then moved apart. The plot itself is similarly lacking. You can summarise it in a sentence: two people who were once close fall out of touch. That’s all there is to it.
However, this one sentence was told beautifully as a life lesson, in the form of a series of the main character’s reflections on his life. His life didn’t go the way he planned, but he didn’t even start to think about it – to wonder why, or what had changed for him, until years later – and by then it was too late. Not for everything, but for the thing he most wanted to change.
We aren’t told much about anything in his life apart from a few cursory statements here and there – not told about his hopes, dreams, likes or dislikes. We are told that he’s ‘always reaching’ but it’s just not really shown, and not clear if it’s in relation to his career goals or relationship goals. He seems listless most of the time, just going through the motions of everyday life. Yet after a point, we see that he regrets this. He regrets not making the most of his life, and the most of his love. It’s not so much his regret that was the powerful point of the anime as the tone altogether. Everything is built up to a climax that is over in seconds. It might leave you feeling empty; it might leave you feeling sad or shocked. It left me feeling satisfied – satisfied with its portrayal of life, and resolving not to regret anything in my own.
On another note: the art and animation were spectacular. The flatness of the character designs was more than made up for by the stunning scenery. The sound was beautiful, and fit the tone of the anime to a T. The ending song really helped set the mood for the climax.
I’d recommend you watch it if you like slow-paced, serene anime. Or anything that’s a little more true to real life than romances filled with glitter and sparkles. XD
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jan 25, 2018
Very, very different to anything I’ve experienced before. Watching it felt more like watching an RPG’s cinematic sequences than an anime. It was captivating, multi-layered, and so beautifully crafted I was in sheer awe throughout the majority of the show.
The anime felt strangely tranquil, even throughout its action scenes, even as the mystery was built up. After it was over it left me pondering for quite a while.
The story was incredibly unique; I was enthralled from the get-go. There was very little context to go on, which matched the character’s lack of understanding about their world perfectly. All we received was a short backstory about
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the history of their world, which was as original as it was fantastical. Most of the story revolved around getting to know and understand the gems’ way of life and mentalities, with the mystery elements – what are the lunarians? Why do they really want the gems? What is their relationship to Sensei? – not being explored until near the end of the series.
Each aspect of the Gems’ world was interesting: their different jobs, their home, their hierarchy (which used the hardness and age of each gem to determine their place), and their interactions with the rest of their mainly desolate world. There were some similarities to the way human society works, yet there were far more differences, and this is what made watching it so fascinating. The differences were mainly due to the lifespan of the gems; an immortal views existence differently to those who have death at the end of their road. For an immortal it is all about finding something to give eternity meaning, finding a reason to want to live, and not just exist. Humans have that too, but not to the same extent.
As the anime compellingly puts it ‘death takes everything, but in return it gives meaning to life’. A profound quote, and one that made me stop and think about life and death in general. However I didn’t really feel the existential dread one would expect throughout this anime. To the contrary I felt…peaceful. Serene. There were a few cleverly done tense parts in the story, but they didn’t negate the overall tone.
The pacing was also perfect, neither too fast nor too slow. I felt there was enough time given to absorb each new detail without feeling either overloaded or bored.
The art and animation were phenomenal. The colours were vibrant, with shades of green, blue and pink I’ve never before seen in an anime. And as for the use of CGI, let me put it like this: this anime better be the winner of the best CGI category in the awards this year, because it beats everything else hands down. Each pane was flawless. Even the characters’ hair was a work of art.
The sound was unusual, yet fitting. the op was…jerky, for lack of a better way to describe it. It took some getting used to, but I did come to see how it matched the overall tranquil tone of the series. The ed was very nice; that’s about all I can say about it.
The characters were loveable. The character with by far the most development was Phos – as expected from the MC. His/her development, though, was wonderful. Starting out as a virtually helpless, perpetually restless, and irritatingly spoiled child, by the end of the series (s)he had grown to understand the world, to look beyond his/herself and his/her own desires and actually think in a mature way. The transition was smooth; (s)he didn’t change overnight. Rather each event impacted his/her psyche a little more, culminating after a particular incident about two thirds of the way through the series. It was remarkably executed, and evident that the underlying Phos was the same, no matter his/her changes.
The other characters had varying degrees of development. The most intriguing of the secondary characters was probably Antarctictite, whose interactions with Phos contributed to both their developments – they rubbed off on each other and both came away the better for it. The others were mainly defined by how they contributed to the community – they were developed more as different features of the community were explored. Diamond, Bort, Cinnabar, Rutile, Jade and King were noteworthy characters, but more because of their role in Phos’ development than on their own merit. Regardless, they were all splendid to watch - Diamond in particular had some superb action scenes that also helped flesh out the story.
Conclusion: it’s the world-building that wins it for me. That, and the overall tone of the series. I couldn’t find a single reason to give it less than a perfect score except for the sudden ending (I would have liked to see one or two of the burning questions answered). And thus, a perfect score was what I gave it. A work of art that thoroughly deserves its praises. XD
NB: I’d recommend this series to deep thinkers or anyone looking for something new and creative (adults and kids alike). I wouldn’t, however, recommend this series to people looking for a fast-paced comedy with lots of romance, because this story doesn’t have that. (Thankfully it doesn’t have any fanservice either). It’s a fantastical coming of age story, and should be viewed with an open mind.
That said, go and watch it! I hope you’ll like it just as much as I did. 😊
P.s. There better be a season two. I could do with some answers.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Jan 22, 2018
In the words of Leonardo da Vinci, ‘simplicity is the ultimate sophistication’.
Tonari no Seki-kun is incredibly simple, yet it’s imaginative, creative, engrossing, and funny. It’s hard to believe they managed to make such an enjoyable series from a bunch of 7 minute episodes - although in hindsight the short episodes worked better for the anime than longer ones would have. Just the right amount of time is spent on each of Seki’s antics. It never gets boring, and I think the reason why is that the script is written so cleverly and voice-acted so well. The script-writers managed to create a perfect balance of fascination,
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annoyance and exasperation on Yokoi’s part, mixed with a tad of resignation to keep it relatable for the viewers. Her reactions to Seki’s time-killing are what makes this series. Kudos to Kana Hanazawa for her superb performance.
Seki’s also a great character. Even without hearing him speak once, his personality is clearly evident through his actions. From the focus he shows when working on each of his projects, to the way his facial expressions change when acting out a story or playing a game, to the way he treats Yokoi, and then the different way he reacts to the other members of his class. All showcase different aspects of his personality and we end up with someone who’s mischievous, curious, and pure. A delightful combination.
Seki’s activities vary in scale. Some are totally harmless (if also totally bizarre), some are merely a nuisance to the people around him, some are ridiculous and some border on dangerous. The most frequently affected victim is Yokoi, who seems both unable and unwilling to turn her attention away from Seki and risk missing out on his next performance. Initially, you empathize with Yokoi, but Seki’s antics grow on you bit by bit and eventually you’re as eager to see what he’ll do next as Yokoi is. There’s no plotline to speak of – Seki’s antics are the plot. There would be no point scoring it on how well the story develops, cos that’s not the point of the anime at all.
Music is lively and catchy, and art is simple. Nothing flashy or out of place.
Essentially, the anime is just a collection of entertaining shorts about two ordinary people with extraordinary imaginations and a healthy sense of curiosity. I’d give it a watch, it won’t take up much of your time and you’ll probably enjoy it. XD
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jan 21, 2018
I have mixed feelings about this anime. Considering how much it’s been hyped the past year, and even made its way up to the all-time top 20 on MAL, I went into it feeling really excited and expecting a masterpiece.
Whilst I did end up being deeply affected by it at certain points (episodes 11-13 are some of the most haunting I’ve ever seen), it took me a while to get there. I wasn’t drawn in automatically by the scenery, although it did make me somewhat curious.
There were three main aspects to this anime: the characters, the story and the environment/world-building. I’ll start with
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the characters.
Reg, on the one hand, was a fantastic character. Not exactly street smart, but still savvy enough to be able to get through most any challenges by himself. You could argue that he and Riko (the other MC) complimented each other, but in truth he didn’t really need her. He could have survived just fine without her knowledge and cooking skills. However, what she was to him was a drive to carry on going, and that was shown extraordinarily well through his reactions to the events that happened to her. The anime did a great job portraying him as a kind, pure and sensitive character who loved and wanted to protect Riko and it made him very likeable as a person. I was able to empathize with him through his challenges.
Riko, on the other hand, was probably the reason I didn’t rate this anime any higher. I just couldn’t really feel anything for her besides irritation. I think the anime was trying to portray her as a sweet but insatiably curious girl who treasures her friends but treasures the abyss more. Well, it got the second part right. You could definitely feel her love for the abyss...sorta. Mostly, I felt she was a selfish brat who didn’t care about anyone other than herself – actually, scratch that – who didn’t even think about anybody other than herself. Everything was about her and her journey, not the impact it had on anyone else. Not to mention, there was absolutely no reason for her to set out on the journey so young. I would even call it stupid. She could do nothing – NOTHING – by herself, and the very fact that she even thought she could handle the journey alone was just annoying. I really pitied Reg most of the time. Seriously...the things he did for her, and in return she couldn’t even fulfil his single simple request. However, she did redeem herself a bit near the very end of the anime and I get the feeling that if there’s ever a season two, I’ll like her much more.
Nanachi was a brilliant character. I can’t say too much about her (cos spoilers) but suffice to say she made the anime for me. Reg was great, but it was Reg and Nanachi’s interactions (combined with their backstories) that got this anime out of the 7 zone (average good) for me and into the 8s (good good).
The other characters were decent, but none of them besides Ozen were really more than one dimensional. I did like Ozen, and would enjoy seeing more of her though.
Now onto the story. The basic premise is simple (girl wants to explore vast untamed and dangerous wonderland for whatever reason, usually something to do with parents), but was executed well. The pacing was neither too fast or too slow initially, and it was reasonably pleasant to watch, if a little boring with all the rinse and repeat action/exploration scenes.
The first couple of arcs were good, the last arc was incredible (I’d give that arc a solid 10). If you’ve not watched this anime yet, and are planning too, you need to see it through to the end. Sure, if you hated the beginning arcs you might not like the last one either, but if you just thought ‘meh’ it’s worthwhile watching all the way through. There are some very deep themes raised, and told in a very haunting manner. One scene in particular will probably stay with me a lot longer than I’d like.
Now onto world-building: I’d have actually loved to see more of the abyss. Majority of the time in the abyss is actually spent either talking to various individuals, eating, or walking – but focussing on fact that they are walking rather than what they are walking through. Normally I’m not one for exposition, but a bit more here and there would have been great. The parts where the monsters and scenery were described and then shown were very interesting.
Basically, I guess what I’m saying is that it would have been nice to see more of the author’s actual world-building itself and not through the eyes of Riko who already knew about most of the upper level environments and only felt the need to explain occasionally to Reg.
The art was stunning. The music was poignant. Both contributed wonderfully to the anime, and were aesthetically very pleasing.
Overall, though, it’s one of those anime you really have to form your own opinion on. Yeah, there are parts you can look at and say ‘oh, that’s conventionally good’, but on the whole it’s about the feelings the anime evokes in you. If it doesn’t make you feel anything the entire time besides a mild amusement or boredom, it’s failed for you. And if it does speak to you, well then, you'll probably be giving it a high (or low) score for entirely your own reasons. XD
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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