A plethora of shows attempt to garner attention by selling themselves. Here's an interesting fantasy setting, here's this special power, here's that quirky character; they're trying to advertise their name, a unique idea, an interesting presentation, something to stand out in the ocean of entertainment. And then there's Tsuki ga Kirei. It says, here's a short love story about two teenagers, in god forbid, a school setting in the real world. Surely, such a premise can't be very promising. Well then, colour yourself silly. Tsuki ga Kirei does SO many things right. It is such a heartfelt show, so warm and genuine, so mature, in
...
spite of dealing with middle schoolers. I love this anime, and even more so, I admire how its able to transform such a simple concept into something so beautiful: a tribute to juvenescence, a warm memento, a radiant marble resting in your palms, whispering you to treasure it - for it bears the memories of discovering the chaos and bliss that is falling in love for the first time.
At its core, this anime is a soothing experience. Heartwarming and mellow, sprinkled with light comedy (notice the post-ending mini episodes!), and predominated by a soft, gentle atmosphere, further enhanced by its great audiovisuals. Nevertheless, it avoids being a fairy tale. Tsuki ga Kirei is essentially a story about relationships and romance in young students, and one if its top priorities is for it to be a rough crossing; like sandpaper slowly brushing on wood, it happily embraces the awkwardness, the anxiety, the doubt, the realistic dilemmas and struggles that ensue with the pursuit of such endeavors. Not only does it make character interactions convincing, it's also a show where even the completely inexperienced can learn vital things about relationships. It treats not only its beloved viewer, but every one of its characters with utmost dignity and respect.
Through its narrative and dialogue, Tsuki ga Kirei reveals its modern and realistic aspects. It acknowledges that this is an epoch of smartphones, and a large part of its dialogue takes place through text messages. True to being reasonable, it explores both sides of this equation: how much easier it makes it for distant people (both literally and figuratively) to talk in an instant, but also how it devalues emotional significance in conversations, and how it absorbs the attention and inflates the ego: "when will they send to me?" It tackles the irritating moment of wanting to send a message that doesn't feel quite right, the awkward stare or silence, the embarrassment of "people knowing"... Tsuki ga Kirei knows very well. It knows precisely what it portrays, be it the adolescent, down to the cultural distinction between female and male students, the variety in opinions (especially regarding relationships), the parental standpoint... seriously, speaking of, family plays a central role in Tsuki ga Kirei. In a f**king anime. PARENTS. It's just awesome.
As for visuals, they're generally nice, but there are some flaws to be spotted. Animation is good, raising to high frame rates every now and then, really showing the quality of this anime along with its colours and backgrounds. Very clean, comfortable to the eye, and reserved, without unnecessarily inflating emotional scenes visually (though it maybe does through music sometimes). While character designs are cute, they unfortunately ingrain the anime with an artificial aesthetic; largely absent of edges and lines, they're soft and chubby, like... a gummy bear, I suppose. Not that there's no value to that, but then again you have the CGI crowds... this feeling of artificiality is only further exacerbated by the one and only reality Tsuki ga Kirei ignores: the reality of hate. I truly mean it when I say characters are convincing, but the thing is, they're never purposefully mean to one another. Maybe accidentally, maybe there's some faint bitterness or hesitancy between them, but they never act out of spite, and this is sadly a reality, notably so when we're dealing with fifteen year-olds. There is one exception towards the end... though that is not enough for me. So, Tsuki ga Kirei retains a friendly and pleasant environment, but it also misses an opportunity to put the finishing touch in an already beautiful piece of work.
Another small problem with this anime is its pacing. I believe there are two major plot points in Tsuki ga Kirei, but the space between them is used dubiously. There is definitely progression to be found, but also a repeating pattern; already known scenes and events are being shown to us repeatedly, without a compelling purpose. I honestly do not know how one could use this screen time otherwise, but it is undoubtedly time that was kind of wasted. Thus, the middle of this show might be cumbersome, though not enough to be obstructive or annoying. Still noticeable though.
Despite my two previous paragraphs and an unfulfilled desire for a slightly different ending, in my eyes, Tsuki ga Kirei still remains incredible. In fact, my complaints come with one idea in mind: they are perhaps the only reasons I did not give this show a 10/10. It's an anime that handles the emotion and thoughts of our main cast with unparalleled solicitude. It's an anime that doesn't pretend side characters play an important role in the story, but nevertheless recognizes their input as indispensable in social interactions. It's an anime that craves for friction with reality. It swims in petals of romance, but never tries to dismiss the consequences of yearning for another: mental turmoil and blindness. It's an anime that made me feel that, whoever was behind my screen, actually cared for me. It's clever, it's touching, and most of all, it's sincere to everyone. There are one too many fine details for me to cover without turning this review into an analysis (I did not even cover scene direction), so the only thing I can ask of you is to give it a try. Don't expect magnificent personalities or a revolutionary story. It is merely a tale of two people, treading in the labyrinth of roses and thornbushes that is young, unadulterated love life.
In conclusion, Dazai once said: "there is such thing as love in this world. I'm sure of it. It's the expression -- the etiquette -- of love that is so hard to find."
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Aug 22, 2022
Tsuki ga Kirei
(Anime)
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A plethora of shows attempt to garner attention by selling themselves. Here's an interesting fantasy setting, here's this special power, here's that quirky character; they're trying to advertise their name, a unique idea, an interesting presentation, something to stand out in the ocean of entertainment. And then there's Tsuki ga Kirei. It says, here's a short love story about two teenagers, in god forbid, a school setting in the real world. Surely, such a premise can't be very promising. Well then, colour yourself silly. Tsuki ga Kirei does SO many things right. It is such a heartfelt show, so warm and genuine, so mature, in
...
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Aug 20, 2022
Gakusen Toshi Asterisk
(Anime)
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Who could believe I gave Asterisk War an 8 six years ago? That's character development for you, I guess.
I didn't exactly expect this anime to be any good. There are many red flags before getting into this, and the first episode alone is a good indicator of what's about to come: nice guy transfer student, tsundere second lead, obligatory ecchi scene, 99% female cast, A-1 studios... yep, they're all there. Asterisk War can force a light smile here and there, but otherwise, it's such a smudge. Painful to watch at times. This review takes into consideration the second season too, I watched a couple ... of its episodes. It's basically the same show. Asterisk War generally suffers from bad writing, but the one factor really standing out is our MC, Kazuto Kirig- I mean, Amagiri Ayato. This man is so empty that dirt and gravel would shine with more personality in his place than he does. In fact, I believe most of the main cast has more to offer than this guy. Even by the end of this show, the only goal in Ayato's life is literally being a simp, and not a good one at that. Whoever wrote this, though, believed it'd be pretty cool for him to be the most overpowered bozo on the planet, reaching rank #1 in his academy only after two or three duels. This anime doesn't even hide the silliness of trying to present his strength as something genuine, so it can be unintentionally funny watching him at times... The rest of the characters are fine at best. Saya is best girl. I also kind of liked Julis in that, in spite of being leagues inferior to Mr. MC, she was nonetheless a fighter, had a purpose unlike him, made crucial contributions to their fights, and really took it like a champ at times. Basically what SAO Asuna ever wanted to be. But well, she isn't acknowledged at all, because despite being the poster girl, the spotlight shines solely for Ayato. It's criminal having the two of them come out of a hard duel, where they both gave their absolute best, only for Ayato to receive all the praise and pussy. In fact, Julis too is obligated by her writing to ignore this, unconditionally fall in love with him, and say "baka" every three minutes. It is what it is, lol. As for the ecchi scenes in Asterisk War: they render this anime unwatchable. Horribly forced and cringe-worthy. And when I mean cringe-worthy, I mean putting away your headphones and running outside your room screaming in horror levels of cringe. Moreover unnecessary; nothing changes without them. They stick out so much in their idiocy that it becomes obvious: they're aggressively lodged inside character interactions to appease the fourteen year-olds, there just to be there, to fill the screen with boobs, red faces, and childish comedy - it's free fan service, so why not take it? Oh, and yes, one of them is a thirteen year-old. Enjoy yourself. Considering that the entire plot of Asterisk War is the Phoenix Festa (2vs2 arena duels), and its world is... well, shaped with that and that alone in mind, it would be wiser to watch this show just for the action and the fillers that predominate it. Question being, are they worthwhile? Not really. Action in Asterisk War is uninspiring and emanating with boredom. There are some exceptions, but action choreography, especially for Ayato, is just... plain nothingness. Supposedly powerful attacks never happen on screen. One frame is Ayato charging, with the next one screaming "quickly! Everyone fall to the ground or get chopped in half!" Julis casting flame spells is seriously more satisfying than watching Ayato. His action scenes are ridiculous. I could go on ranting about how flawed dialogue, characters, and the world are in Asterisk War, but honestly, who cares. All in all, it's a mediocre anime with poor presentation. There is some tiny value to it, some effort to adhere to logic in story decisions, some "meh, that's awfully nice" moments, in light of how underwhelming everything else is. For a newcomer in anime or media in general, this could even be enjoyable. Still, the matter of the fact is, there are better shows out there. Asterisk War is twenty four episodes long, and believe me, it is not worth that much of your time. In conclusion: Asterisk War might be watchable without sound. Rejoice, oh deaf ones!
Reviewer’s Rating: 3
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Aug 14, 2022 Recommended
What a puzzle of an anime, this one. It is a twelve episode series denoted by abstraction, its presentation being too unfiltered to ever feel like you're watching anime. You're observing an experiment. A recording. Raw, cold, and ambiguous, yet enthralling, occasionally even rising to brilliance. You can get a lot of things from Sonny Boy, but it asks for a TON of attention, imagination, and a strong ability to connect loose strings. I'd go as far as to say that Sonny Boy improvises at times. Even still, it's an experience not easily found out there.
What makes Sonny Boy a pleasure to watch is its ... audiovisuals. Notice the striking absence of music in episode one. From the very beginning, you realize that this is going to be something different. Audio is predominantly sound effects, and music is almost never present on top of dialogue. That, of course, isn't to say that Sonny Boy's tracks are subpar - quite the opposite, in fact. Then come graphics: simply superb. The vibrant and precise animation coupled with the character designs of Sonny Boy make for one of the most absorbing experiences I've had in anime. Fantastic scene direction and background art. Quality is maintained. My writing skills are not good enough to describe the artistic prowess of Sonny Boy, though I can say that this is as far as a 10 can go in visuals. What makes Sonny Boy a puzzle is its narrative; a torrent of visual information, asking you to put it together. You have a castle filled with desserts and shopping bags in the middle of an abandoned island; a classroom, desks and chalkboard, on a rocky beach shore; Rajdhani's many and peculiar inventions; all these bizarre worlds, with the main one resembling a Robinsonade in conjunction with its "rules". And of course, you have people living in them, with the detail in their expressions telling stories, the camera sharply cutting to close ups, if even for a second, to impose significance in every sentence of dialogue. What makes Sonny Boy deliver, is that it NEVER instructs you on how to perceive what you see. No visual effects. Static camera work. Everything is grounded and unfiltered. Exposition is seldom, but when present, is only for its world. Little details, to fill you in. You have no esoteric monologues. Dialogue is natural and so are characters, struggling to accept the presence of others with brutal honesty that escapes outwards once in a while - something addictive to watch. You discover their personalities through their stories, and slowly but surely, begin to see the underlying themes. What makes Sonny Boy entrancing is its surreal world. I personally tried too much to find out whether everything was a fever dream, a world spawned by Nagara's subconsciousness, and whatnot. But that is simply missing the point. The world is not meant to be understood, it''s meant to be experienced. Our cast is surrounded by such extravagant circumstances, unbelievable powers, popping in and out of different worlds, yet they react to all of it so... nonchalantly. Like they've seen something like this before. Why? You'll keep asking, until you realize that the asking in itself is the point. What makes Sonny Boy poignant is its themes. Uncertainty and anxiety, in the context of teenage school life. Learning to live on your own. Acknowledging responsibility and regret. Coming closer with people, and drifting away from them. Growing up and accepting reality. Sonny Boy is not very hopeful. It recognizes the pointlessness of life, the nihilism, the consequences of being conscious - especially inside a social environment. But it nevertheless embraces all of it. It asks, "is there any other alternative?" What makes Sonny Boy great is everything mentioned. But it is not perfect. It asks you to perceive depth by simply observing the surface, to find meaning in a plot where linear story telling is thrown out of the window, to toil, trying to connect dispersed story and character threads with one another, in order to make something out of all of it... but the result will probably not be wholly satisfying. Therefore, even character moments might be void of impact at times. However, Sonny Boy is aware of that. It asks you directly, even: what would life be if but a constant struggle to find meaning? I cannot pretend that I've understood Sonny Boy in its entirety, though I assure you that when you figure this anecdote out, you will have, at the very least, understood its intentions.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Aug 11, 2022
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
(Anime)
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Recommended
"Overwhelming" is the first, and perhaps the best word that comes in mind when describing this anime. That sentiment applies to many of its aspects. TTGL is an experiment, a limit test if you will, to what can and cannot be reached, what is and isn't desirable in a story. An erratic, electrifying, colorful train ride, perhaps too fast for its own good. A meal too huge for one to enjoy wholly. You take a look at it, you say "that's great!", yet in the end, it's just too much. You take a bite, only for every next one to grow exponentially in size. How
...
much can you take?
Story and action are two closely connected elements in TTGL. This correlation, found in anime like Code;Geass and Legends of the Galactic Heroes, is indicative of one phenomenon: a continuous growth in scale. TTGL is no exception, with its progression rate starting out slow and incrementing rapidly the deeper you delve into the episodes. Effectively, such a mode can generally be very useful: besides making action fresh and enjoyable with every encounter, it allows characters and the world around them to mature naturally. This is why such a technique often leads to successful shows, for simply watching a time lapse of a growing seed is in itself satisfying and cathartic. However, that doesn't mean a series can go on auto-pilot just like that. Without a pronounced initiative for change, characters might end up being rushed or underdeveloped. Action elements have to remain unique while simultaneously fitting to a specific thematic. Was TTGL capable of avoiding these pitfalls? Well... sort of. When it comes to characters, my feelings are quite mixed. In one hand, TTGL commits to some compelling decisions when it comes to characters and story. Notice how the notion of a main protagonist is loosely defined for a significant portion of this show; character focus shifts regularly, with the "protagonist" being whoever is currently leading a particular story section. Yes, Simon is indeed the heart of TTGL by the end, but before that, so are Kamina, Yoko, and a few others. This was a rather pleasant surprise, considering that this anime is a Shounen, an anime that should (in terms of expectations), if anything, be solely centered around one overpowered protagonist. The above is further facilitated with screenplay. A constant rotation of characters in dialogue exchanges allows for an interconnected, albeit loosely defined relationship to be built inside the cast. This is truly vital for a show that wants group chemistry, and it is something I very seldomly come across in anime. Granted, in TTLG this form of dialogue mostly applies to its main trio, and is, although not forgotten, heavily reduced in the later stages of the anime - come restrictions in the forms of a huge cast size and a Simon coming to steal center stage. TTGL had the potential for an incredible character adventure to the likes of FMA, that is, if characters and themes weren't so lackluster. It's weird... because they do not appear like that on the surface. And so the cause is quite hard for me to pinpoint. For all I can say, character logic is pretty solid. Everyone is clearly driven by personality, all the while being reasonably affected by their surroundings. Thus, characters never feel disingenuous. Surely, from a realistic viewpoint, some of their decisions do not make sense; that however, is irrelevant to our point, which is whether or not a character would or wouldn't do or say something. Rossiu and Yoko were my favorites, Leeron gets an honorable mention for his based commentary. As for the world of these characters, it's well done, personally. The world building is heavily reinforced by its story, sometimes coming in the form of questions posed by characters themselves. There's an obvious and constant effort of deconstructing the world, in an attempt to quench the critical thought, the doubter. It's not always successful in the answer... but the question is always there: why and how is something happening? Gundams, humans, beastmen, everyone is given reason inside the setting, and that's awesome; again, nothing I'd expect from a Shounen anime. Despite the critical acclaim this anime has received, I believe an experienced viewer can spot a Shounen from a mile away, and this of course applies to TTGL too. Therefore, some things were indeed a surprise to watch. But now we take a turn in the review to explore the avalanche of problems that also comes with this observation. The primary sources of calamity are action/world rules and the Shounen/"nakama power" mantra. The latter is perhaps the most troublesome, with its first victim being characters. No matter how enjoyable they can be in terms of personality, they all fall in the thought trap of "you can do it if you believe hard enough" - staple Shounen mentality, expressed in all its glory in TTGL. Common sense is rejected (they unironically admit that in their own words), and sentimentality is brought forward as the tool for characters to achieve victory under dire circumstances. The logic of Gundams supports this, since higher "fighting spirit" levels feed their machines with more and more power. That explanation however doesn't save characters from being absolute blockheads; engaging in severely rash, impulsive, and even rude behavior, for which they get rewarded... most of the times. TTGL is quite conscious of its impetuousness, fortunately. GAR aesthetic is part of the anime, from the hotheaded Kamina to the design of Gurren Lagann itself, its chest face literally wearing sharply edged shades. In action sequences, wit and gravity are discarded in favor of brash and bravado: "it works because I said it works". Admittedly, this has its perks when paired with the bombastic visuals of GAINAX. It can be enjoyable and rather comedic in its absurdity. Though for many viewers, TTGL's action might quickly lose its impact. The nonsensical approach to combat, combined with the aforementioned "nakama power" ideology, is maintained and even amplified as the show goes on, without ever addressing its inherent flaw: failure IS a possibility. The show indirectly admits to that ignorance in a very funny way, when it briefly introduces weapons that literally ignore the probability of penetrating their target. This, in turn, claims the second victim of TTGL's avalanche: credibility. Despite its length (longer than the typical 24 episodes), TTGL has extraordinarily few things to say. Most value comes from individual character stories, and not the overarching plot itself. Simon's arc, for example, was quite great - developed and paced in a way you won't typically find in Shounen, highlighting once again the commitment in certain story decisions. A few more are deserving of recognition, though there's no use pointing them out. All of them are overshadowed and even influenced by the one, ultimate ideology dominating TTGL: "just believe in yourself". Inspiring, perhaps, for the younger audience. Unbearable for the mature one. This show lacks credibility to feel impactful. I'm not talking about action; I've explained how that's somewhat intentional. But when even characters are detached from reality, a show like this has nothing left to say. Without its side stories, TTGL is a fighting fiesta of zero stakes, zero impact, and zero realism. How can there be anything meaningful when defeat is an impossibility? The word "victory" loses meaning, the word "hope" loses meaning, the word "despair" loses meaning. TTGL tries to impose "hurdles" rather than strategic defeats to our characters, and with one notable exception, all of them feel transparent. A sham; nothing really changes. The outcome will always be the same. Believe hard enough, and everything else will follow. Simple as that! Even action feels underwhelming in the latter part of TTGL. Despite the colorful visuals, the INCREDIBLE portrayal of explosions, and Gurren Laggan's great design, action ends up lacking a serious amount of gravity and imagination. The scale of every battle gets virtually larger and larger, though that is never reflected in what you actually see. The sheer contrast, in fact, is frankly too glaring to ever ignore. Add to that the insanely flexible rules of action, with drills extruding out of nowhere to pierce foes, quantum what-the-fucks to explain combat mechanics (witty at times, I'll admit), uninspiring mecha designs in terms of personality expression, and the ever-looming presence of fine cheese, of the cast shouting "this is how team Gurren rolls!", and your experience will indeed be a tad too overwhelming to feel satisfying. Do I recommend this anime? Yeah...? It's a unique experience and a good anime, fun and enjoyable when action isn't just "pew-pew", the story isn't just "believe in yourself", and characters aren't just "AAAAAAH!" Keep in mind, that this is an anime aimed at a younger audience; a Shounen, an anime with a hormone-driven first part, and a stupidly optimistic second one. For a young kid, this may very well end up being a childhood piece, filled with memories of character moments. But despite the pleasant little surprises this anime has in store, in my harshest criticism, TTGL is nothing but a shallow effort. Full of everything, yet essentially empty. Honest and considerate at its viewer, but ignores fundamental truths; maybe consciously so. What is someone who "rejects common sense at the face of certain defeat"? A perfect soldier. A headless drone, gone berserk. Is this conduct exemplary? "Of course!", the show and even you might say. Surrender exists only in the realm of cowards. Then a certain lady appears to ask you: "are you going to kill and risk your life just because you were ordered to?" What is she saying? The enemy is the enemy. They killed one of your own, and now they want to invade your home! Then you take a look down at your hands: fur and claw. Oops, looks like you ended up in the wrong side of this anime buddy. After all, mass genocide is justified in the context of a defensive war. History is written by the victorious, and victory in this anime occurs only because the narrative allows for it, every single time. Convenience. As a certain gentleman proved, when we ask the world of TTGL "why are you so considerate? Too considerate, one might say?", the answer we get in return is... a furry? Huh. In retrospect, TTGL might be smirking. It is self-aware enough to pose such questions, yet seemingly silly enough to answer them like that. Now then, maybe this anime is nothing but a little trolling with a hidden anti-war message. In which case, well played I guess... In conclusion: don't worry! They say third time's the charm, Yoko.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Aug 7, 2022
Tasogare Otome x Amnesia
(Anime)
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Recommended
something something includes spoilers.
Tasogare Otome is a beautiful piece of work. It takes plenty of liberties in its plot (a nicer way to describe the use of plot conveniences), though most of the times, they're taken consciously. In other words, Tasogare Otome is abstract in nature; an impromptu. A story primarily focused on emotion(s), presented through scene direction and art that I can only describe as bewitching. It's an anime that can reach deep, and had the potential to reach even deeper, had it not wasted time playing around with some of its early and mid episodes. Having said that, Tasogare Otome remains passionate and ... even intimate at its core. Had it been handled more maturely, who knows what this anime could amount to. First and foremost, visuals in this anime. Scene direction in Tasogare Otome is absolutely fascinating; it effectively communicates volumes of feelings without spelling out a single word... it's nothing sort of visual magery. The frame of the screen is frequently manipulated, shrinking and focusing in on characters, measuring their (in)significance under various contexts. Scene transitions can come in the form of panels fading in and out across the screen, creating a peculiar sensation of continuity. Shot angles and composition is generally well merged with animation. Backgrounds can go wild along with colours: the sky and the surrounding environment are free to transform according to the mood, be it for scenes of tension, isolation, or mystery. You can notice the art style itself changing at some scenes, borrowing the traditional "ghost story" aesthetic every once in a while. Music accompanies such scenes very well. Visual information can be limited when deemed necessary. Quality is maintained through the course of the anime. Did I mention how amazing the opening and ending are? Even the little panels with Yuuko at the start of every episode are such a nice touch... have I missed anything? And it doesn't end here when it comes to pleasant surprises. Take for example, the application of unique narrative styles, particularly that of episodes one and ten. Tasogare Otome is not afraid to commit in them, and the results are quite satisfactory; I believe episode ten alone is a testament to the expertise of the people who have worked on this anime. The dedication in delivering themes is also there, although not immediately obvious. Despite the harem-ious nature of the early episodes, we get an unusually gratifying confession scene later on. From that point onward, the show is passionately dedicated to one relationship, essentially nullifying any other character relevance... which slowly brings us to the debatable aspects of this anime. I had some issues with side characters, you see. The Kirishima Yuuko episode, for example, is stretching reality a bit way too much. Like episode ten, it wants to portray the terror of mass hysteria; the paranoia of people facing an invisible threat. Though unlike episode ten, it isn't believable in its presentation. Not only are the students incredibly gullible, but through that episode, half of the school's windows are shattered, students are running amok in the corridors, screaming in horror... yet there's still a concern whether or not teachers will find out? That's pretty insane, don't you think? I'd much more believe it if you told me no teachers were present there that day, because otherwise I'd expect police forces having stormed the building before anyone had done anything. It's not a bad story... just a pretty far-fetched one, is all. Then what about Momoe and Kirie? Momoe is pretty irrelevant, she's more or less the show's tool for generating comedy and balancing tension, expected aspects of romantic stories. Kirie is quite a different case. She can sometimes play a symprotagonistic role, that of aiding Teichi achieve a common goal with her. She has the knowledge Teichi hasn't, and while that can make her an exposition machine sometimes, it doesn't get tiring. Her personality is one of greater interest, a mix of a "tough outside, soft inside"; hotheaded, contentious, and with a secret passion. She gets her own dedicated episode which is cool, but for the love of god. Can we stop making harems? Please. Pretty please? Tasogare Otome acknowledges its romance, yet it still chooses to make a harem. Not even a love triangle... a damn harem. Ugh. Anyway. At the end of the day, Kirie and especially Momoe are not as relevant as I'd like them to be. Nonetheless, they're decently established personalities, in that they never seem to get off-character. They're both hot fuel for the harem atmosphere, though we later find Kirie with a change of heart in regards to Teichi - both of which eased my worries and irritation. Speaking of Teichi, the guy's a pretty normal MC-kun alright, let for the almost unnatural display of resolve on the final episodes. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, he actually says she loves her... more than once! So yeah, I enjoyed that. Jokes aside, until he gets there, he has the staple, ambivalent MC attitude of "Sure! Maybe. Also when I mean sure, I don't mean it in a romantic way" towards every girl. Plus, I can't forget how he transformed into deus ex machina and activated god mode in episode nine. Yeah, I've seen Transformers, and that's a transformation I assure you. Citing Michael Bay movies is a legitimate way to support your argument, and you cannot convince me otherwise. I can't lie, Tasogare Otome did have some issues. It's unnecessarily harem-oriented. It purposefully remained abstract in its various settings, inadvertently exposing a fragmented world. Yet, it still managed to somehow feel impactful. Why? Because the objective was characters, not their world. It's about capturing their moments, the emotion, their significance. It's about presenting a narrative in an engrossing, stylistic way; eerie ghost stories intertwined with intimate themes. A tale of an unfortunate girl wanting to taste the joy of life, but in the process forgetting what "life" even means. A fleeting melody under the orange sky - the Dusk Maiden of Amnesia. Tasogare Otome is an enchanting experience and a real pleasure to the eyes. Yes, it's a naughty show... the maturity of its themes is occasionally ignored for horny points, I suppose. Still, that isn't to say that it cannot reach deep. It waltzes around in a playful roundabout, until it finds the opportunity to slowly land at the right heartstrings... and trust me, you'll feel it when it does.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Aug 7, 2022 Mixed Feelings
"It's me, what's the situation? Make it quick, my assistant is... what?! A ma- *lowers voice* a mail from the future? Ridiculous! Need I remind you our divergence? Yes. Yes, precisely, so please brief me on vital intelligence only. An impostor, you say? Disguised as a high-school chemist teacher? Good grief, what a crossover episode. Though I commend his bravery, for he aspires to be non other than me - the mad scientist! Hououin Kyo- ...tch, I've told you to not interrupt me like that! Anyway, I've got to go, I think my cover is blown. Heh, the organization's agents are too easy to spot
...
when they're staring at me like that. Yeah, I'll call you if I find anything. El. Psy. Congroo."
Please ignore whatever that was above. Let's get on with the review. Includes spoilers. So, what's up with Orange? On the surface, it looks like a pretty decent anime, doesn't it? High quality graphics, a vibrant atmosphere accompanying a tough subject, great dialogue... and sure enough, the first episodes quietly assured me that this was going to be a "good" series, if anything. Alas, you can see my rating for yourself. I couldn't enjoy the latter part of this anime. Quality drops significantly, while various scenes felt forced; the anime insists that orange tastes "sweet and sour", but really, sour? More like sweet to the core, throw some extra sugar and butter to the mix. Orange fails to deliver strong, meaningful moments, with an otherwise reactive cast and a heavy main topic. And this is the result. Let's start with what I liked: the show's atmosphere. Not only are the surroundings visually pleasant (music's fine too, I guess... just not my kind of beat - good opening though), but dialogue between characters also feels natural. Conversations are taking place on top of each other. Exchanges are quick and streamlined. Replies often come in the form of nods or hums; superfluous detail is generally omitted. True teenage spirit. Nonetheless, characters are perceptive without coming off as telepathic. They know when to leave others alone, yet they'll still pry on the minute facets of daily interactions. Wasn't Naho's reply a little unusual? Did Kakeru really meant what he did? Why did someone do this or that? The cast is alive. It's true that some of them were poorly developed, though for our argument, that didn't matter. They always gave the impression of a group of friends who knew and cared for each other, and that's a victory on my books. Let's take a look, however, at the attempts to develop said characters. I'm not sure if it's the result of the show overdoing things, but there are two problems that killed the cast for me: emotional expression and character logic. The former makes for a truly perplexing case. Orange is one of the few shows I've watched where dialogue comes so naturally (at least early on), yet it somehow falls apart when it comes to scenes of deep emotion. Joy and Sorrow? These have no meaning in Orange. Characters will cry and smile at EVERY little opportunity. No restraint; sensitivity is devalued. And when they smile... it's unsettling. Their mouths are absolutely gargantuan. It's just weird, I hate mouth design in Orange. Then what about personality? Really, without spoiling anything, here's how I interpret the cast: Takako, the "don't hide anything from me" lady, striving to be the most intrusive and rude friend possible; Hagita, the Troll Meister (a pretty good one at times, I'll admit); Azusa, the... "don't hide anything from me" Premium Edition? Only the three remaining get some acceptable development, and from them I only liked Suwa. My point is, while Orange had the blueprint for a truly refreshing social drama, it fails to come through with an end product. Most characters are shallow, and a wreck in expression. It's a shame. There's no point analyzing our three side characters, so the only ones I'll go into detail will be Kakeru and Naho, which I alternatively like to call Aho. Although Aho is the protagonist from a narrative standpoint, from a story one, Kakeru is our boy. In fact, the whole story felt like five people babysitting him - baby cart, fresh breast milk and all. Honestly, I cannot pretend to know how it feels having lost your family at such an age, and I'm not going to. I want to voice my opinion on Orange, however, and in my opinion, this show somehow manages to both exaggerate his importance, and at the same time undermine the gravity of his situation. How, you might say? On a macro scale, the show is way too focused on Kakeru, to the point of tunnel vision syndrome. I can demonstrate this with a comical example: towards the end, we learn how the group came with the idea of sending their mails to the past. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it's five fully-grown adults, some of which are married, genuinely believing that they can suddenly throw five letters inside a black hole underneath the Bermuda triangle. Without any basis whatsoever, not even an observational one - it's all from a silly rumor. Plus, they expect all their results to follow the parallel world model, something their high-school chemist brought up TEN YEARS AGO, something which isn't even proven in the slightest... ah, at times like these one could really appreciate a Makise Kurisu, am I right Mr. Director? Seriously, they just woke up that day, and were like, "how didn't we think of this before? So obvious, duh! | But guys, seriously, this won't work. | How can you say that? We can't know unless we try!" The example above highlights two points: first, an anime not focused in science (for even hypothetical concepts like ours) shouldn't touch science, let for trivia only. I would be completely fine without any explanation to the time-traveling aspect. Orange, however, goes out of its way to justify it and messes up. A funny side effect of using the parallel world model is the following: assuming there are infinite parallel worlds, we can therefore assume the existence of infinite worlds where Kakeru is alive. I'm not sure if the group is aware of this, but it essentially makes their effort "meaningless" from a purely mathematical perspective. The only "meaning" one could derive, is that their new world will be a product of deliberate action. One could still argue here, though I'll spare the philosophies. Second highlight, is how in order to create an isolated environment for our dear Kakeru, Orange ignorantly shuts the curtains to reality. Throw common sense and self-respect out of the window! We have to make Kakeru a happy duck. I can appreciate the value in this effort, if it actually helped viewers who could relate to the story. Though what do I, an unrelated entity get? Even by somehow accepting the unbelievable circumstances of the mails, personally, I couldn't but ask at times: is everyone acting willfully? Or are they simply following orders? One could reply that no, of course they're not; they're trying to save him, because they want to save him. Kakeru is a friend. Furthermore, there are occasions where they do not even follow the letters. Yet it still felt off, somehow. I still didn't like the way Orange presented itself to the audience. First of all, I dislike the sense of responsibility Orange shoves in the group of five. Through their messages, among other things, they convey regret and grief, even a decade after the misfortune. My question is: what's the source of this affliction? That they could have spent more time with him? Made him happier? And ultimately, perhaps, even saved him from his demise? Yes, one could argue that this is indeed the source, and so they try to erase it. My answer to this: oblivion. To assume that you could have known or done better is pretentious. Even with the knowledge of the future (which I should point is written knowledge, ambiguous and prone to human error), we are all limited to two ears, two eyes, and one brain. Orange admits to this notion: point in case Aho, a girl stupidly unaware of her surroundings, missing social cues like my jungler misses smite every game. Even in a changed future, Kakeru was still centimeters away from bidding farewell to that world. Did their future selves assume it could have been any better than that? So really, we find that the mails have a hidden postscript at the bottom: it's their ego. The premise of the mails is to erase regret, a task they entrust on their past selves. Yes, we learn on the final episode that, because of the parallel world model (which we will, for the sake of my sanity, assume is the correct one in the world of Orange), they won't experience any change at their present. Though does that make any difference? They're still sent in some world. What's wrong with that, you may ask? Well, let me remind you an insightful thought from our Troll Meister Hagita: the butterfly effect. He (is the only one that) acknowledges that by taking a different path, the world changes in ways they cannot predict. If the red team wins, the blue team loses. In their effort to save Kakeru, they might trigger a chain of events leading to even bigger tragedy. So, is it really "okay" for them to change the timeline? To drop a bomb of chaos on their past selves, potentially erasing a future of happiness? I do not expect our cast to be divine creatures of justice, but I would at least like it if they entertained this idea... of the very realistic idea that your plan might, in fact, not work. Now take the above, and combine them with the tone of the mails, which is by all means instructive. They're not just warning their past selves of something about to happen, they give them a list of orders - a shopping list. Today I'll erase this regret, tomorrow that regret. Honestly, I'm surprised by how accurately they remember events so far in the past. More than that, I'm shocked by their ignorance in sending these mails. I'll specifically refer to Aho, since her mail is the only one we can read. All she had to do is warn her past self of specific events concerning Kakeru's death, yet still, that wasn't enough for her. She believed that telling herself to play that baseball game ten years ago, is actually that much important. Go figure. I've really over-analyzed things here, so let's see what conclusions we can draw so far. First, the mails are flawed. Orange ignores the arrogance present behind them, and in a scenario more open to chaos, these mails could have led to disaster. I'll admit, a dark pleasure of mine would have been fulfilled had Kakeru actually died at the end. I believe it would be poetic in some way. Alternatively, get rid of the mail shenanigans altogether - the show would be better without them. Make characters realize Kakeru's situation when they find out about his first suicide attempt or something. Second conclusion, the ridiculous side effects of magnifying the focus on Kakeru. I gave an example on how the show is affected on a macro scale, so what happens in micro scale, AKA character interactions? Well, it's obvious. Do you have any secrets? I don't care - tell me everything. Buy stuff. More stuff! Is Kakeru okay today? Someone call an ambulance! I had a persistent, nauseating feeling watching this show... like I said earlier, it feels like five people nursing Kakeru after a while. Everything is overly exaggerated, from facial expressions, to Kakeru's tiniest aspects of everyday life. Individuality is abandoned. It feels as if the group is nothing but actors on a theatrical performance spanning thirteen episodes, with the title of the play reading: deliver a message of reassurance and safety, satisfy Kakeru at all costs! This clashes strongly with Kakeru's behavior. It is not immediately obvious, though on the long run, you can discern Kakeru's emotional response to the group's efforts. Or to be more precise, the lack thereof. He never says thanks. He rarely expresses gratitude. When he's down, EVERYTHING feels wasted. He forgets his friends and what they've done for him, almost intentionally. He complains how his friends from Tokyo laughed off his troubles, yet here's some people taking him seriously, and he still turns down all of them, and especially Naho. Will we, all of a sudden, pretend that his friendships are something taken for granted? Well time to wake the fuck up, because they aren't. Having people care for you is not something you should ever expect, and this is amplified thrice-fold when you're suffering. Take our guy Suwa for example. This man swallows his own ego and emotions constantly and consistently. He has the determination and emotional intelligence to do what everyone else can't, and always with a careful and affectionate intent. Speaking of consistency, remember how Takako and Azusa told him "hey sorry bro, but we'll be rooting for Naho and Kakeru only", and then, several episodes later they're like "um, actually, how about you confess to Naho?" Yeah. Still, Suwa remained true to his initial purpose, that of saving Kakeru. We could all appreciate a friend like him... unless that someone is Kakeru. So, I want to reemphasize the problem with our second protagonist, because it's a major one. Everyone is centered around him, yet his response to that attention is empty, and it seriously feels as if that's intentional. Take for example the new year's eve arc; this is where the most forced melodrama on the show plays out. Even with the two having confessed to each other and doing absolutely fine any other time, he suddenly has the audacity to tell her "don't ever speak to me again", simply because she wanted him to stay with her. He will then purposefully (and even sarcastically!) ignore her at school when she's trying to speak to him, and to top it off: he did all of that with the intention of "not wanting to hurt her feelings". Are we actually serious? Orange wants to make Kakeru the target of trauma, but screws up big time. It cannot paint the depth of his psychology in a meaningful way, yet it tries to anyhow present the consequences of a potential trauma inside a social setting. Thus, his rebellion is one of no substance. His sorrow didn't resonate within me, neither was his anger and recoil in his interactions. However, even assuming that he's troubled in making relationships - even then, will he really make zero effort in trying to apologize for being a jerk? He only does so when Aho approaches him, and she actually apologizes to him first for doing literally nothing. We never get his side from a narrative perspective, so how does the show expects us to find depression and trauma within him? For all I know, I cannot create it from thin air. At least Aho always has a clear objective in mind, even with an extremely fragile determination. Kakeru never feels genuine. You'll find him overjoyed and rubbing on Aho in one scene, then a second later, all of that is forgotten as he activates emo mode. Aho then proceeds to put the blame on herself, she finds the courage to confront Kakeru, apologizes, then Kakeru makes his own version of an apology, and there you have it. Rinse and repeat, end of story; this is their relationship summed up, the nature of which I can describe as facepalm-inducing. An awkward game of ping-pong. An excessively melodramatic romcom, which seriously rises to parody levels occasionally. There is some progression on their romance, that's true. Still, everything is thrown out of the window when Kakeru feels like it. It's like riding a bicycle blindfolded, only to periodically take it off and find that your wheels weren't in contact with the ground all along. Orange had two main themes. One is of erasing past regret; live the present with all your might. The other is the subject of suicide; a tender hug on people who are drowning in dark thoughts. Most of the anime is actually focused on the latter, and the efforts of our cast as they try to change Kakeru's life for the better. The problem is, Orange couldn't make me care for Kakeru. I believe that neither is the subject given the appropriate magnitude, nor is the character involved one I could sympathize for. In other words, Orange fails to accomplish a fundamental task; that is, to deliver feelings. It manages to do other things, sure. Like I said, it convincingly presents a group of friends that really feels as one, while also painting their social surroundings at a satisfying degree. They even show their parents! Find an anime that does that, I dare you. On the surface, the atmosphere of Orange is truly invigorating. Though that is only of secondary importance next to the core of this anime, a core I couldn't get close to when the show opted to drown itself in ignorance and hypersensitivity. Thus to me, Orange gave off more of a white, buttery hue, and nothing close to the "sweet and sour" of orange. But hey, who am I to talk. I'm neither a cook nor a painter. In conclusion: Suwa is a fucking GIGACHAD.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Aug 6, 2022
NHK ni Youkoso!
(Anime)
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Mixed Feelings
***Includes a few spoiler paragraphs that are marked***
What a piece of work, it had me on the verge of tears... tears of madness, that is. Of irritation and hysteria. An anime that otherwise explores all things young adult... NHK ni Youkoso feels like an Olympic athlete going for a spectacular dive, driven with confidence in spite of the pool below being filled with black, murky water. After a splendidly executed aerobatic sequence, they somehow manage to land outside the pool - on their head no less, like a complete amateur. "Ouch", you say, only for them to rise from the ground and nonchalantly turn to ... their audience: "wait, here! I'll do it again!", and so they do, and fail again, and again, and again, skipping the launching process altogether after a while; the prestigious athlete is now merely banging their head on the floor repeatedly, each time having you experience pain you ought not have felt. In that sense, masochists might enjoy this show. NHK ni Youkoso is not like this in its entirety. The first and last three to five episodes are honestly good. They pose solid questions regarding the themes of this show, even taking the extra step of realism occasionally, making for some resonant moments indeed. And this is the strength of this show, really; getting you out of your seat, making you doubt your own lifestyle. The unfairness of life and its social consequences. Am I really living properly? Am I appreciating what I have well enough? Do I really know what some people are going through? The foundations for engaging topics are right there. Even side characters are there. NHK ni Youkoso is only defeated by its main protagonist and plot. I believe this anime is ruined by Satou alone, in fact; this guy is a problem of massive proportions, particularly in the mid episodes. It should be evident that Satou is someone who leads an absolutely deplorable lifestyle. Though I want strong emphasis on "lifestyle", because it is also clear, that this anime wants to portray Satou as someone with redeeming qualities. Someone who kept company to the lonely literature club president. Someone who saved that poor guy from the bullies, and took the beating instead. So clearly, again, it should be someone that was simply mistreated by life. Yes, this is the core plot point of the show: Satou (and not only Satou) is your average guy who did nothing wrong, yet "the conspiracy" of the world, NHK, plotted against him. Forcing him down into a miserable lifestyle, the life of a hikkikomori. Someone the troubled viewer could somehow relate to. So why? Why is he so beyond salvation in this anime? He becomes too detestable for one to root for. Satou is unresponsive and unappreciative of others, even while acknowledging his inferiority, his predicament, his flawed character. And I would be fine if that happened once or twice, but it happens more than that; it happens with every established story arc possible. Too naive, too gullible, and most of all, too much of a moron to process input from other people and the consequences of his own output. You say, "isn't this the point?" No, the point is in the irony, in someone being misjudged, unfortunate, in a "conspiracy" exploiting their weakness. The result of Satou's ordeals is what leads to his shut-in lifestyle, which is in turn, the primary subject of criticism and condemnation. When you strip away basic humanity however, there is no contrast. He deserves to be ridiculed and abandoned, and so it becomes all the more painful when the show attempts to redeem him. What is the main problem with Satou? Communication. I've just labeled the single factor destroying this show. And it's ironic, because Satou gets the most exposure in this anime, for obvious reasons. We do not only get his inner monologues, we even get his dreams, his abstract representations of "the conspiracy", his thoughts taking shape and form in his home appliances. Yes, we get it NHK, you like Freud and Jung. To be honest, there's a job well done in the presentation of Satou's subconsciousness. Though I couldn't care less about it when his consciousness consists of null and void. What's the point of putting him think if his output is a product of massive logic leaps? ***SPOILERS** When it comes to critical, Satou equals to zero. And this happens way too many times. Take for example, how he refuses to do anything on the suicide island episode. "I won't die here!", he screams inwardly; the contradiction in this episode is beyond confounded. It's the first episode where Satou's actually in a vibrant mood, in an attempt of "revolution". Trying to socialize, full with confidence, ready to enjoy his holidays. This is where we see that deep inside, Satou's quite a normal guy. Someone trying to enjoy life. Redemption in the simple desire of wanting to be alive; more than that, feeling happy of being so. Well, that is until seconds later, he totally accepts that he's going to suicide with a bunch of strangers. Not only does he refuse to act in the prospect of four people going to kill themselves, but he agrees to do so as well, even if he repeatedly cries that he doesn't want to! Doesn't this guy even have survival instincts? Even the medical student was more determined in ending his life, and somehow managed to appear less suicidal than Satou when the time came, like how, how, how?! I've never been so mad at writing a review, I'm serious... and get this: what is the decisive factor that leads him to the jump? Of course, that he won't be able to "return back like this" after learning that Hitomi will get married to her sugar daddy, something for which his reaction is portrayed comedically!!! So yes, really, Satou is unironically going to kill himself over a joke. I've never, EVER witnessed such a tonally mismatched scene. I lost my mind over it. Alas, we have many more examples exposing his shattered character, including but not being limited to: his pedophilic behavior at the excuse of "this is what people like me should do", giving the middle finger at Misaki on the base of assumptions (fucking Orange-type levels of melodrama), his inexplicable interest for Hitomi (along with the extravagant episode 22 trolling), his complete irrelevance with the internet despite being locked in a room with a PC for three years, and finally, the already mentioned lack of social awareness; this guy is being spoon-fed by a nineteen year-old and takes it for granted, without even THINKING of asking her "why are you going so far for me?", a glaring question that still remains unposed, let alone answered, fifteen episodes deep. Conclusion: Satou is unsalvagable, and should probably remain so. Misaki doesn't deserve this treatment, regardless of her desperation. ***END OF SPOILERS*** At the very least, Satou surfaces to normalcy, after a dozen of infuriating episodes. That of course cannot revert the damage done. My experience was largely negative due to his character, and it is not only me; the plot of this anime suffered too from Satou. You see, it's mostly a story arc focused plot, with each bundle of episodes delivering invigorating interpretations of Satou's debauchery: his infatuation with pornography, his addiction to video games (this arc in particular is garbage), his incompetence at commerce despite enrolling in a fucking business administration department, and his aspiration for wanting to live the rest of his life fed by a younger girl. How wonderful? Satou seemingly escapes from the "hikkikomori" lifestyle from time to time, yet this anime chooses to throw him back at it every time. It becomes repetitive: Satou never seems to learn from his mistakes, and instead falls to new hedonistic pleasures and transparent pitfalls again and again. His obliviousness, unparalleled - his self-restraint, non existent. This almost inflicts the anime with an unwanted comedic element: the new point being that Satou IS in fact a lost cause, and the punchline being his idiocracy reaffirming that with every iteration. Side characters enter his room in shock: "oh, no! There he goes again!", trying to drag him back to reality like chasing an injured animal. Failing at first, then eventually succeeding - classic comedy setup. If the show wants to portray the dangers of comfort traps, it tries to do too many things at once. It loses a serious amount of depth, and ends up resembling either an educational/informative documentary regarding NEET lifestyle, or with some revamping, a witless, predictable dark comedy. And this is the issue with plot. Oh, and how some story threads are left frozen. Watching this show, one might come to expect new events to emerge and others to resume, only for nothing of relevance to occur. Yeah, that too. Side characters have it a little different, in that they surprisingly have a prefrontal cortex unlike Satou. Only Hitomi could be a much better character, and one with a decisive impact on Satou. There's a great start with their backstory, they're both smooth and understanding to each other. These two allowed for various scenarios to be conceived, but well... their thread is completely left hanging, and this has repercussions later on; some interactions from Satou's side lack any sort of gravity. Their story feels like an abandoned page left in the literature club room. Yamazaki is positively BASED. That's it. New paragraph. He's somewhat of what I wanted to see on Satou, you know? Here's a guy who's actually putting the effort, dedicated and organized in his passion, in spite of its idiosyncratic nature. Therefore a confident person too, and that makes his story all the more resonant: how can there be nihilism in a show if there are no opposite forces pulling it? The "conspiracy" has value only when it becomes unfair - that is, when it rewards the hard worker, the hope, the attempt, with void and pain. Misaki and Yamazaki are the only ones who can reflect this notion, and that makes these two the best characters in NHK. What makes them "best"? Regardless of their circumstances, they chose to suffer even still. Because they gritted their teeth and tried to make out some light at the other end. Misaki is the dark side of the spectrum on this idea. I won't get much into her, not only because it involves spoilers, but because her character does not allow for it. She is meant to be a mystery. This decision has its own unpleasant effect... you have no idea what the hell is up with her, and you heavily doubt her credibility when she invests so many hours from her life babysitting Satou, something she continues to do rather casually and undisturbed even when he acts like a complete jerk to her. Plus, her connection wiith Satou is wobbly. It is never properly defined, partly because we very rarely get Misaki's side. She's okay, I guess. You get the most of her with retrospection... and it's a full course meal alright. As for audiovisuals, they were mostly fine. Clean and simple designs following equally simple and unimportant (from a thematic perspective) characters, decent, sometimes fluid animation (notice how character design elements like hair and clothes react to wind; great stuff). Generally good visuals. Nothing that catches the eye, besides animation at some points. Music is fine, let for some terrible direction choices: how difficult is it to simply NOT play music? I promptly expect some scenes to melt away in silence, only for an abrasive guitar to loudly slap chords on my ears. Damn it... great opening and ending though. But why on earth would you steal away the trumpets and strings on the second half? Damn it! NHK ni Youkoso is yet another missed opportunity for a great anime. I've kind of grown used to this disappointment, but this anime is an exception in that it managed to raise my fury to record high levels. It just couldn't help but start & finish so nicely, and then proceed to screw up everything in between, right? I can't recommend an anime that feels as if it passed through three different directors, has incomplete characters with ambiguous purpose inside the setting, and an insufferable Satou being followed by them. It honestly pains me to give NHK a 5, since I believe it is much better at doing things anime I've rated with 6 or even 7 can't ever hope to do. Still, I cannot force my self to pretend otherwise... this is a wreck. How many times did I say "this is so stupid!" out loud? I just can't give it anything higher. Yes, the show intents to explore serious topics relevant to any young adult, but every time it tried it never committed, or even worse... (*ahem* episode thirteen). It chooses to do everything at once, and thus fails at all. This isn't possible, not when your themes require such a deep dive in psychology to feel impactful. NHK admitted that itself when it brought Freud, God, and suicide on the table, yet it chose to close them and converse with Satou instead. Satou, in turn, is known for one Freudian dream in particular: a joke. Hence, the diver makes the leap, and lands on their head.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Jul 28, 2022
Subete ga F ni Naru
(Anime)
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Mixed Feelings
It's very odd witnessing shows to the likes of Subete ga F ni Naru... intentionally sterile shows. Very sterile. It feels more like reading a book than watching an anime, and not a good one at that. Subete ga F ni Naru is clearly focused on delivering one murder mystery, that of a person and their interpretation of the world. Thus, its objective should be non other than to invoke the gears inside your mind; to make you think, make you ask, and when you find the answer, make you stand in awe at the view. As to how much this anime succeeded in that
...
-- that is to say, how intellectually stimulating it managed to be, even with its philosophically engaging dialogue -- is to me, arguable.
For once, you can spot the pseudo-intellectualism. To the writer, having characters solve stupidly hard math really quick, or having them say "no one has ever managed to surprise me", translates to prodigious levels of intellect. Yes, these are indicative of high intelligence, but this anime doesn't have any other ways to effctively say "look, this character is actually really smart", which in turn makes them look like either prophets or clowns. Plus, the programming references are kinda funny, though I will spare the nitpicking since the source material dates back to 1996. Combine to the above, the ambiguous morality of this show. This anime attempts to conceal literal degeneracy, either by toning down external reactions, or putting a philsophical blanket over everything, even if thin. Specifically, Subete ga F ni Naru is shamelessly trying to overlook the atrocities of murder and pedophilia. I'm totally in when it comes to exploring such morbid themes, but this show doesn't take any precautions whatsoever in tackling them. It just ignores everything. It's seriously, SERIOUSLY poisonous. In the final episode, even suicide is openly suggested. Unless there are solid philosophical foundations and strong counter arguements to explore these subjects, shows like this should stay away from them. Pretending to be clever is one thing... but ignoring the gravity of these crimes under the pretext of "I'm just different" is unforgivable. At the very least, it doesn't try to justify them. Characters are almost pure detectives - that is to say, characters without impact. Their actions do not matter, and neither do their thoughts; the main protagonists are simply two pairs of glasses, the Detective and the Watson. And that's usually what you want in a detective story... though when the show has nothing else to offer, it becomes a problem. Granted, Saikawa and Nishinosono have some quite interesting chemistry, though the latter is irritating. And Magata is just a troll. Seriously. It's a babushka doll of trollery and "I'm 14 and this is deep" in its purest form. So while you can find some good dialogue between these three, there's nothing else of substance to be taken elsewhere. The same can be said for the rest: no other character is given enough background to become a suspect or even interesting in our mystery. Subete ga F ni Naru is an eleven episode anime describing the events of two or three days, plus some sparse flashbacks. And it doesn't do it well. Average production values and slow pacing. Dodges morality like the flu. Slightly mocking of your intelligence. It's dull. It's what you'd see while travelling in a highschool trip, having nothing else to do; watch it cautiously in the hopes of getting a good mystery, realize that "hey, these guys are pretty nuts", learn something, enjoy the trolling, and walk away unharmed. There is philosophical merit to this show, it's not completely white. At the end of the day however, it's just an awkwardly made piece of work. It's mediocre. It's not insulting enough to be appaling, yet not good enough to redeem itself. Therefore, seize this opportunity to bathe yourself in golden irony for a moment: as it is, everyhing becomes Five for this one.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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