- Last Online11 hours ago
- GenderFemale
- JoinedSep 21, 2018
Also Available at
RSS Feeds
|
![]()
Aug 6, 2019
Coat of Arms:
Thanks to symbolic images, scenes of eloquent detail, Naohito Takahashi honed a directing language which results command respect and admiration to the original work of Kentaro Miura's, Berserk. Each sequence could be separately taken and carefully studied like the representation of its influences. The archetypal sequences that epitomize life, and it reaches its height in the famous ending sequence. During a state of modest bliss where imminent tragedy ominously lurked.
Guts, the leading protagonist, has been revered as one of the best males in fiction. His presence: unmatchable. His genius: undeniable. But for those unacquainted with his prowess and unaccustomed to his physical
...
nuance in the eyes of an uncompromising anime-watcher, as a hack. He is most certainly not. Guts was difficult to work with, hard to interpret and impossible to understand, but his talent for unintelligible philosophical rants and unparalleled monologues is irrefutable. The man obviously knew what he was doing even if we didn't. Guts is a being of limitless courage, imperfection, grieve, and continual profundity.
The adventure begins with Guts joining rebel fighters known as, the Band of the Falcons, whom together embark down the vast reaches of the world. Griffith, the leader, is a highly decorated and respected man. A man with compassion, leadership, & fortitude until a part of him is succumbed to the horrors of human vice, greed, & delusions which led himself into the path of evil. The descent is marked by mesmerizing aura that echoes purpose & destiny fought not too far away. Eventually the power of conquest weighted the group. But Griffith seemed unfazed and desensitized focused mercilessly on his quest to a fantastical Kingdom. As Griffith watched Guts he became drawn to his power and why he has become what he has become. We know that Griffith's slow decay will be perpendicular to that of Gut's.
The directing by Takahashi Naohito is phenomenal and it provides a hallucinatory feeling throughout Berserk's runtime - from the faces of the losing minds covered in endless sweat, and the sight of figures within the shadows to a dark trenched horseback - everything is captured in a stunning manner, conveying the hellish imagery and still taking the viewer's breath away. Takahashi's direction transcends itself, the artwork is at its absolute best when it comes to the use of lighting and shadows. The troubled production obviously didn't hurt the anime at all, and most likely increased the dark quality it portrays. Berserk is beautifully haunting, utterly hellish, terrifyingly intelligent, and magnificently wrought, it slowly pushes you into the horror and absurdity of greed, conquest, betrayal, & wrought but also its meaningfulness and beauty. Not only is this one of the best anime’s ever made, it's a psychoanalytical journey into places none of us would dare to venture to on our own. It is Takahashi's magnum opus. Rightfully deserving its place as one of the greatest on the anime pantheon, immortal for its contribution to fans of Miura, and a truly unforgettable experience.
That depth in Berserk is the step into madness. The killing can disturb. The loss of innocence can unhinge. But it is the damage from within; the countless barrages of images that distress, unnerve and detach us from our everyday world and the memories that plague our deepest thoughts that eventually segregates us from humanity and propels us into the realm of the instinctual, the savage and the animalistic.
Story: 10/10
Art: 10/10
Sound: 10/10
Character: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
What did you think of this review?
Nice
 0
Love it
 0
Funny
 0
Confusing
 0
Well-written
 0
Creative
 0Show all
![]()
Aug 5, 2019
Sackcloth & Ashes:
Aoi Teruhiko, no matter what lesser anime's he's been in since and how marginal a few of his voice performances may have been, he will never be less of a voice actor than he is as Joe Yabuki in Tomorrows Joe. He is authentically disturbing, entirely becoming a man, transcending to the most vulnerable. He lives and breathes this performance, and you realize that his portrayal runs so deep that it's no longer a performance in the traditional sense. There is the bone chilling scene near the end of the anime that makes me cringe reflexively, but all we see is an ashy
...
silhouette.
The dim, hazy slow-motion shadowboxing of Joe’s shrouded figure, the tops of the judge's heads barely visible through the shadows of the background, out of which the sporadic flash of a bulb will momentarily disperse---is not even a moment in time so much as a corner sketch of a moment in time, playing on endlessly and savoring itself. And it's a moment of heightened reality in the routine of a boxer: Those moments pumping up ringside before the fight begins. Director Osamu Dezaki manages to present his anime with moments so abstract and yet so pared down that many impressions such as mine can come of it. It's pure feeling.
The character, Joe Yabuki, that proceeds to pervade every scene subsequent is not just a crass, angry man with hang-ups. The sudden, random violence that explodes incidentally and in the background of Joe’s past & current life is more than just part of a tableau of mean abandoned streets of the Japan Joe knows. The shocking fights, the brawls and arguments, the top-of-the-lungs fight with Yoko, these are the tableau of Joe’s limited, insulated inner world. These are the things that he acts on so regularly that his world can't make sense without it.
It's not a story of boxer Joe Yabuki’s life. It's a story of bitter congested aggression and how it affected his career in the ring. He would fight like he didn't deserve to live. He would punish his opponents like they were the root of his paranoia and anguish, and he would take beatings and punish himself for what he'd done wrong. This is inarguably one of the darkest most potent anime’s. It broods deeply, much quieter and much more claustrophobic than any anime I’ve encountered. Tomorrows Joe Explores the soul of a profoundly complex man who is searching for purpose.
Story: 10/10
Art: 6/10
Sound: 8/10
Character: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Overal: 9/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Aug 5, 2019
Magnum Opus:
Noboru Ishiguro’s Legend of the Galactic heroes, in its true essence, is a case study of living where pride and honor are at the very essence of human existence. Noboru Ishiguro’s rendition of the classic novel, does full justice to the themes propagated by Yoshiki Tanaka's evocative masterpiece. Legend of the Galactic heroes is the story of mankind whose gumption gave them a definitive edge to endure the tribulation and throes of a Galactic War.
Reinhard von Lohengramm, the well groomed, haughty, tempestuous and power-driven protagonist of the saga, is an ostensibly flawed individual whose inexorable urge to placate his ego & autocratic ideas appears
...
far stronger than his adherence to any credence pious to him. His scintillating tact and unrestrained zeal not only make him a fast object of leading superiority but also an object of envy from males around him.
Horikawa Ryo, perfectly fits into the caricature of Reinhard. He makes full use of his talent, courage and guile to portray a part that requires brusqueness, resentment, and poise for Reinhard. It may sound like a hyperbole, but no other voice actor seemed better equipped to play the part. The viewer is gifted to see Reinhard in various avatars: a usurper, an egomaniac, a nemesis, a menace, a guardian, a savior, a patriot, a fighter and most importantly as a quintessence of manhood.
Tomiyama Kei as Yang Wen-li perfectly complements Horikawa Ryo’s larger than life portrayal. He is an outright reprobate, an unscrupulous opportunist whose life revolves around making money and pursuing simple carnal pleasures. However, behind this facade, just like Reinhard, there is a human capable of conquest & change. These unobtrusive yet obvious similarities make Reinhard and Yang a perfect pair. The subtle chemistry and tension of the two protagonists on oppositional sides of a Galactic war give the story its impetus and resonant charm. The rest of the cast gives as exemplary of performances.
The anime’s direction, cinematography, editing and music are all top notch and it is the great synergy of all these elements that makes Legend of the Galactic heroes an extravaganza and an undisputed masterpiece, one to be savored till eternity. The anime is an amalgam of scenes, high on emotion, action, thrills, tension, and drama, which keeps the viewer absorbed throughout. Legend of the Galactic heroes also has an amazing repertoire of dialogs that are delivered with a nice mix of finesse and accuracy.
The anime brings tears to eyes and leaves the viewer overwhelmed as he experiences a rainbow of different emotions, being awestruck by the tremendous impact of the journey that they’ve vicariously made to undergo.
Legend of the Galactic heroes is undoubtedly one of anime’s greatest marvels and is a living testament to anime’s timelessness, and its limitless potential. A must watch for everyone.
Story: 10/10
Art: 10/10
Sound: 10/10
Character: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
|
