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May 3, 2025
I think there are a lot of anime fans like myself who really crave something different from the giant mech, slice of life, high school = everything forever, titles that just seem to litter the entire landscape like they grow on trees. We want something different, but not so out of the box you're confused or nauseated. If you're feeling this way, I recommend "Shadows House". This manga-adaptation premiered in the Spring of 2021, a time when I was more focused on sanitizing everything I came into contact with than the latest anime, but I am sorry I missed this one for it turned out
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to be one of the more unique things I've seen in quite some time.
"Shadows House" is set in Victorian Era Europe, most likely Great Britain if we are going by the names of the characters. One morning, a girl wakes up in a trunk, and gets to work in a massive manor specifically seeing to one member of the household, Kate. She is presumably the same age, but she is a pitch black humanoid. Yes, the name "Shadows House" is quite literal as these "Shadows" are just seemingly voids in appearance but are indeed unique in their personalities. There is a sense of haughtiness to them as they are waited on hand and foot while only referring to themselves in the third person. To add to this strange dynamic, the girl, whom Kate will soon dub Emilico, is called a "living doll". And we soon see that all living dolls are created in what should be the living image of these shadows. They are much more than servants, they are meant to be the face to the shadow, and serve as a reflection of that at all times. These "dolls" are very much alive, with personalities that at times clash with their shadows. Both doll and shadow are quite mortal, needing food, sleep, and as much care as a human being does... curious.
At first, I thought this was a poor method to save money on the animation budget. A shadow has no features, less to draw. But, there is certainly a purpose to these obsidian persons who live in a massive, castle-like house ways away from the populous in gothic, eerie, fog. These shadows emit soot, the magic McGuffin of "Shadows House", it has enough magical properties to be a concern when it concentrates on it's own, but more so it's one's skill with said soot that determine a Shadow's potential. Kate and Emilico are not the only young duo in the manor, as no less than 4 others have also just come to get their own "living dolls" in preparation for a grand "Debut". Back in these times, young members of prestigious families were given grand parties announcing their debut into high society. (Hence the name "Debutantes"). But, this debut is more of a crucible and right of passage. The new shadows have to earn their way along with their dolls into the rest of the house as a firm, capable, unit. It is here we're introduced to the primary antagonist, Edward. He calls himself a "Special Doll", but has the look and wardrobe of a 1960s Batman villain and is just about as scheming, albeit more capable.
Will our cast of shadow and doll younglings make it through this trial? And what happens if they don't? "CloverWorks" certainly crafted a fine, engrossing, plot in just a few, short, episodes. And if the whole era, atmosphere, magical servant-master relationship seems familiar, these are the same fellows who adapted "Black Butler". But this feels more "Addams Family" than "The Omen". Kate and Emilico are certainly prime protagonists, especially the latter with her "can-do, stiff-upper lip" attitude that seems more fitting for a magical girl genre than this macabre piece. The rest of the cast of characters is quite strong, too, with each shadow and doll proving to be marvelous in their contrast of each other, but each showing unique journeys as people. Especially the blonde doll, Ricky, who experiences one of the better ice-meltings arcs I've seen.
I was certainly drawn in by the sheer mystery of it all, I had so many questions, this would've been enough to keep me going til Edward has a Third Act exposition dump that really takes the wonder out of much of it, but after 13 episodes- you still have more questions than answers, especially concerning the mastermind of all this known as, "Lord Grandfather", who manages to dress more gaudily than Edward, and maintains a massive aura of "Final Boss", along with the other shadow elites who are all equally deserving of as much contempt as Edward. What good is an anime antagonist if you don't have the deepest desire to watch them get their comeuppance? This lot certainly earns it.
Another aspect of "Shadows House" I found refreshing was the opening and closing music, tracks I actually listened to rather than skip quite a few times. "a hollow shadow" is a wonderful, instrumental tango that feels more at home in the streets of Paris than such a morbid setting such as this, but adds to the other worldly feeling with vocalizations, and is quite an ear worm. The closing credits are accompanied by "Nai Nai" by ReoNa, a song so surreal and modern most people will just skip to the next episode and don't listen to/read the lyrics- but they should! Because it's not just a statement about one's own feelings of self and self-worth, but a statement about the characters of the show themselves. (Hey, PAUL!)
This is usually where I get to Sub vs. Dub, but honestly, either one is a win. Both casts deliver strong performances but given the rather European vibe of the whole show, it feels more natural in English, but can certainly be enjoyed just as much in Japanese. A title like "Shadows House" was certainly made for the "Hot Topic", Tim Burton-crowd but as an Average Joe, I enjoyed it quite a bit myself and am quite excited to watch the next season. Its small shortcomings certainly don't detract from what is a genuinely intriguing and stand-out series. 8/10. Check it out. Cheers!
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Apr 27, 2025
How can one love a romance anime if they don't like the main characters? Was that the question "Masamune-kun no Revenge" was trying to answer?
While I don't hate this anime by any means, the core of any romance or rom-com should be the leading man and lady (or variation thereupon) and the will of the viewer to see them be together. It might sound harsh, but I was almost rooting against either of them to find any sort of happiness as they're both rather miserable, dopey, and ridiculous teenagers caught up in their own vendettas. Our titular MC, Masamune Makabe, was rejected by Aki Adagaki
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when he was 10. Since then, he's improved himself from a fat, petulant jerk to a muscular, handsome young man pretending to not be a jerk. He's changed so much, that Aki doesn't even recognize him and he intends to use this to his advantage as his plan to win her heart and then break it has led up to this moment. He's really gonna go all-out like some half-baked Edmund Dantes over something that happened when he was 10? Okay.
What's more, Aki continues to reject every boy who courts her, earning her a reputation as "The Brutal Princess" for her harsh and public refusals of potential suitors. She is quite unlikable. Why doesn't Makabe just see himself as a victim of a woman who cannot be pleased and move on to the numbers of girls in his class swooning over him? Because this isn't supposed to be a harem anime. So, he's a shallow, one-track minded jerk, and she's an ice queen. And while they're not as awful as that on the whole, they still don't do enough for me to care about their destinies together. So, why did I keep watching?
Well, outside of being very patient, there was a great cavalcade of side characters to keep things going. It's a studio SILVER LINK. production, so it's never going to be boring. This manga adaptation is saved by the side characters to the point I wish they were the main focus. Aki has a maid/handler who helps Masamune out for reasons that are altruistic, but she still does it in a very calculating fashion and she serves as a delightful foil for both Aki and Masamune. A third wheel is added into this love story in the second act in Neko Fujinomiya, who is head over heels for Masamune, and the two later share a very tender scene together. That scene was just about as romantic as it got and it quickly ended because Masamune is a dope blinded by his obsession over the tiniest beef with Aki. This kind of activity is borderline psychotic.
There are many more charming side characters that keep things going, but honestly, good fries don't save a lousy burger. There isn't a lot else to comment on, the intro/end credits music is about as stock as you can get for an anime of this time period. The English dub is something I can tell the cast had a lot of fun with, but the Japanese dub is more suitable for the story. I can't get over just how botched this whole thing felt, and maybe that's the point. Masamune's plot of "revenge" is about as poorly thought out and even more poorly executed outside of his physical transformation. The best revenge is living well and this anime is barely alive. 6/10, but closer to 5.5/10
Watch or don't. Cheers!
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Apr 16, 2025
"Breasts are the cheapest special effect in our business."
-Jim Wynorksi
It was going to take a lot for me to watch an anime from TNK again after the "School Days" controversy. Alas, "High School DxD" holds a similar place in the annals of Anime as something that's "so bad it's good" and a guilty pleasure for many. I would have probably loved this show if I were 12. But watching it as a grown-up, only made me cringe more often than not. If you're not already aware, "High School DxD" is known for its absurd amount of fan service and nudity. I actually took care to
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note the first time a naked lady is shown, it's just under five minutes in. I barely know who this character is and already we're treated to a scene of her showering completely uncensored. What in the actual hell, TNK?
But, I suppose the actual hell is a good way to describe the plot. Issei is a high school student and a super-stereotypical one at that. His minds revolves around girls and in particular their mammaries and buttocks. Him and his two friends are peeping toms who deserved to expelled rather than just getting roughed up for the perverted felonious actions. That's not to say he's a bad kid, as when he's finally approached by a cute girl who asks him out, he treats her as well one could ask for a first date. He's desperate for sex, but too shy to act, and then the whole thing gets turned on its head when she turns out to be a malevolent being... with massive, barely covered breasts. She kills him but he doesn't stay dead.
Instead, he's resurrected as a pawn of the devil lady Rias Gremory and becomes one of her honored servants. When she's not running her crew of specialists and fighting supernatural foes, she's head of the Occult Research Club at the high school. I wish my high school had a club that looked this good. The setting is dramatically dimly lit, with candles, and a gothic atmosphere and yet still has a shower so the ladies have an excuse to get undressed. Now that Issei is in the club, he has to learn the ropes while planning payback against the chick who offed him. If you took all the nudity out of the show, this would be a fair premise. Alas, the amount of forced nakedness in every episode becomes a bad joke. Did the writers have no confidence in the plot?
I can't even complain too much about the artwork because it's quite decent, even if the show has anything but decency. The characters aren't greatly dived into outside of Issei, Rias, and later the addition of the aptly named Asia Argento (named after the Italian actress/director and daughter of the legendary Dario Argento). One might enjoy the story, as the baddies do well to generate one's ire and I genuinely want to see them get crushed for their misdeeds and villainy. I was also genuinely curious to see if Issei will grow and achieve his dream of being a Pokemon master or harem owner or what ever his endgame was outside of vengeance.
But the show just really loses me for all its sleaze. It didn't have to be this way, it could've been a generic even above average anime title but must be relegated to the trash bin for all its cheapness. As far as sub vs. dub goes, I enjoyed the sheer audacity of the English dub, it's one of the most outlandish works I've heard this side of "Ghost Stories" and fits the overall tone of the show, but if you only listen to the English dub, you're going to miss out on the great performance by Yoshitsugu Matsuoka as Freed Sellzen, who is so over-the-top, he makes the rest of the show seem deep and thoughtful. I'm giving this show a generous 3/10 as I don't think it's as bad as "School Days" but fails on so many levels it's not even entertaining. This can be a good show watch if you're drunk and lonely, but other than that, you could do so much better.
Reviewer’s Rating: 3
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Apr 14, 2025
It’s often assumed that the first detective in literature was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes who made his debut in 1887, but that was some 46 years after Auguste Dupin made his one-off debut in Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Murders in the Rue Morgue”. Both would have dramatic influence on the genre for years to come, with Dame Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot following in the same design for a brilliant detective with a practical associate who serves as our way into the main story. These names also were made famous in television, as Columbo and Quincy achieved fame in the 1970s with those like
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Jessica Fletcher of “Murder, She Wrote” coming soon after, with the manga/anime genre adding Conan Edogawa later as names like Horatio Caine, Gil Grissom, and even Dr. Gregory House bringing us up to the present day. I therefore find it nice that there is an effort to add to that legacy still today, Rian Johnson’s Benoit Blanc of “Knives Out” fame and now to the subject of this review, Mikito Chinen’s Dr. Ameku Takao.
You can see all the influence I just detailed in this character, but not just in the detective genre but also the medical mysteries as well. She is a diagnostician like the aforementioned Dr. House, but appears to be somewhat more eccentric and possibly on the spectrum like a Dr. Park Si-on or his American counterpart Shaun Murphy of “The Good Doctor” fame. Like many before her, she has a side-kick in Dr. Takanashi who lacks her brilliance but makes up for it with his calm rationale and at times bodyguard duties. He’s likable enough, but he’s there to allow us as the viewer to get into the mysteries that drop out of the sky from mystery illnesses to murder. I should mention that neither of these characters have any police jurisdiction, so we have the regular police detectives on hand, too with the stick-in-the-mud Detective Naruse and the more affable Detective Sakurai. The latter was made in the spitting image of Detective Columbo as played by the incomparable Peter Falk, even adopting the same mannerisms and trademark brown raincoat. I’m glad the show made a nod to its predecessors with such an obvious homage, it does no good to act like this is a new concept.
But how does it in the meat of the matter? The mystery. Well, I can say that to those who are versed in detective books like myself, the twists will not come as too much of a surprise at times. The way things are framed in many whodunnits like this make it so obvious that one of the suspects couldn’t possibly be the culprit but then when the reveal comes, surprise- it was them all long! Where the show does get me at times is with the medical jargon. Now, I’ve seen more than my fair share of medical dramas so a few of these obscure diagnoses I am versed in only in the fact they’re common tropes. Dr. Takao will bring these up in true murder mystery fashion, having a eureka moment with fanfare and a ritual drawing in the air with her finger before announcing she’s made her diagnosis. Not too dissimilar from that “eureka” close-up Dr. House gets. She then gets everyone together and breaks down the mystery for a “One Truth Prevails!” moment.
The formula is repeated constantly throughout the mystery genre, so I’m not going to hit it too hard for being rather old hat. Is the medical science accurate? I can’t say so, but it’s not far from the truth in my experience. The most unrealistic thing about Dr. Takao is she lives on the roof of the hospital in a little cottage that looks like it was airdropped from the countryside. And as someone who’s worked in a hospital before, I can tell you doctors don’t roam the halls in open-toed slides talking to patients who might secrete any number of fluids in the blink of an eye. But, it adds to her childlike appearance and stereotypical eccentricity as an ace detective.
So, you’re probably wondering by now- do I like the show? Well… I don’t not like it.
It’s a basic mystery show. It succeeds in having a brilliant, quirky, but likable character at the heart of it and mysteries that aren’t the most difficult to solve but certainly get one’s attention. It’s a nice addition to the genre and this is a show I can see going on for years to come. The art-style and presentation is good, with attention to detail when it comes to the medical talk. I would argue about sub vs. dub, but this is a series that will have a lot of dialogue heavy scenes and technobabble explanations so my advice is for you to stick with whatever language you’re comfortable with as the performances are decent on both English and Japanese. I can’t really rave about the opening theme, “SCOPE” by Aimer, it’s very stock for an anime opener, but I appreciate the ending theme of “Will Be Fine” by The Gospellers being a duet which speaks well as the teamwork of Drs. Takao and Takanashi often leading to the resolution. Overall, I give this series a solid 5/10. The multi-part episodes make for good viewing but the one-off episodes are just too brief to be enjoyed in 20 minutes. I look forward to another season as even though I’m not impressed, I did enjoy the little brain workout trying to solve things myself. If you like the mystery genre, you should like this, too. Cheers!
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Feb 18, 2025
I think the Harem genre has become almost like McDonald's. It is the most repetitive junk food that we have the audacity to call sustenance. And with Anime, the Harem genre has devolved into something just as poorly executed for the sake of making money. Sex sells the same way McDonald's fries do. With "Megami no Cafe Terrace" or "The Cafe Terrace and its Goddesses", the viewer is served another copy and paste, fast food, Harem genre featuring thin plots supported by big breasts and your choice of hair colors and hackneyed personalties.
The plot involves a college student named Hayato who inherits a cafe
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from his grandmother who raised him after the tragic death of his parents. Little does he know, that five young women live and work there, too. And after a shocking first encounter involving collisions with these ladies in various states of undress and slapstick, the six find themselves in an awkward living and business arrangement. Hayato is a very bland character, but he is strong in business acumen and overall decency as a human being. If this were a visual novel, he'd be perfect for the player to insert themselves. And despite his hours of studying, running the business, and trying to manage the five very different personalties under his roof, he still has the build of a UFC lightweight. I guess unrealistic body standards should be universal.
The five ladies have good enough designs to tell them apart, even though they're all similar in that they're rather voluptuous and light-skinned. To give you a short roll-call, we have:
-Ouka, fuchsia-haired semi-tsundere.
-Riho, dirty blonde-haired, tough on the outside, hiding a soft, vulnerable inside.
-Ami, indigo-haired, martial arts fanatic, goofball, comic relief.
-Shiragiku, the green-haired, gentle, who gets turned into a nympho by the slightest presence of alcohol.
and last, but not least,
-Akane, fair-haired, exudes a calm confidence and courage.
Each are a feast for the eyes, with enough personality to tell them apart, but even as their backstories are opened up, I still feel mild lip service was being paid to them as human beings. What's made more difficult is that the Akane is quickly positioned as the proverbial "best girl" in the group, sharing many intimate moments with Hayato that don't circle around acres of flesh or that now common cliche that "arguing is chemistry" that ruins so many romantic comedies. This is not to say that Akane is the only one positioned to take a romantic interest in Hayato, as by the end of the season, many others do. But, this feels more like, as I mentioned, a plot for a game and not an anime or even the manga it was adapted from. It's not as if I have much say in whom he ends up with, but it is strongly implied he will end up with one of them, without naming who.
That might be because we have a second season ahead of us, that I'm not entirely sure I care to watch. It's not that I don't want to see what lies in store for the Harem, especially now that introductions are out of the way, it's just that Tezuka Productions doesn't seem to care much about them, either. The animation suffers from more than a few continuity errors, and just has a lot dialogue sequences that feature a panning shot across one of the girl's chests or backsides. Hello, animators, their eyes are up there! I guess I shouldn't have expected anything more than ecchi mediocrity from a plot like this. And while it's not terrible, it's far from anything good.
5/10. Take it or leave it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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May 2, 2024
I have to admit that one of things that drew me to this series was the reviews it got here at MAL. It didn't seem all that extraordinary, even showed signs of being comically stale and unoriginal. But that solid 8 for a new summer title really had me curious. So, now, almost 2 years later- after the dust has settled- I can look at it with an even mindset. As I started the series, featuring an idealized and futuristic Japan where violence and apparently all bad things have gone, thanks to the antiterrorism efforts of "DA" "Direct Attack" and their
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highly trained orphaned girls turned super agents (in urban camo that happens to be school uniforms, of course). These girls, called "Lycoris", are seen stealthily and nonchalantly executing would-be bad guys with silenced pistols in the background of people going about their lives, but our plot begins when a hostage situation during a arms trafficking bust goes wrong. One Lycoris, Takina, takes the situation into her own hands and disobeys orders. Hostages were saved, but the guns were lost. Now, she gets banished to the suburbs to partner with Chisato at a base of operations undercover as a sweets cafe, "LycoReco". I wouldn't have puked all that exposition onto the page, but I wouldn't doubt if you're not impressed as of yet- cause, neither was I.
Takina, who is a straight-laced, professional career girl, sees this as a massive demotion and plans to work to return to DA, whereas her new partner Chisato, a care-free maverick, who is warm, goofy, and kind, wants her to enjoy the new detail she's now in. Yup, this is actually a buddy-cop anime. By their side is their chief, Mika, who serves as a silent, strong, wiseman always keeping an eye on the girls as a patient, but protective, father would. Mizuki, a comical, hopeless romantic is usually in the background, gulping some booze, and bemoaning her failures at love, but shows to be a more than competent professional in the field. Later on, they're joined the adorable Kurumi, who provides tech support as a perpetually unshod, ace hacker (a nod to Ed from "Cowboy Bebop", perhaps?) There is even, as so often in buddy-cop pieces, the "other" team of antagonistic rival, colleagues in law enforcement. I began to worry. I was still far from impressed.
This could have just settled down into a formulaic, almost slice of life meets moe, with guns, and for a while it does. I waited for what seemed like a season of it's own for something to push the plot along besides the few seeds being planted, with breadcrumbs to follow, in the corners and backgrounds of each almost repetitive clash of personalities, leading to Takina's iceberg melting a little more, episode. Soon, the main antagonist showed his face, the formidable, yet anarchistic Majima. Majima, is like so many anime villains before him. Life is too good, the powers that be to powerful, therefore he feels the need to introduce a little anarchy in the name of freedom. If he sounds like The Joker, the similarity was not lost to the creators, who gave him green hair and a somewhat festive outfit (but he still looks like a grown-up, emo Deku from "My Hero Academia", sans all the superpowers).
The magic of this show isn't in the art, which is decidedly superb, featuring many slick gun battles and hand-to-hand combat. It really isn't the music, where the opening "ALIVE" by ClariS and the closing "Hana no Tou" by Sayuri feel so stock anime themes, you could put them on any show featuring similar characters and have no issues. No, the magic is in the way to they make you care about the characters and that when the sickly-sweet atmosphere shatters with some genuine, harsh, violence and deaths, the show has your immediate attention. This show was destined to the rubbish bin for me, with an ignominious 5/10, and a "Thank you- NEXT!". But, when the third act comes, it comes together so well as any buddy-cop movie made before it. Majima might not make it on my top baddies list any time soon, but he is made out well as a capable, in both mind and metal, heavy. And after all is said and done, the epilogue feels like as a much deserved break for the viewer as the characters. "Lycoris Recoil" doesn't look to have a sequel coming, even though the possibilities for one are firmly there, but for what it is, a Moe with guns, buddy-cop, show- it does it well and is a strong 7/10. And at only 13 episodes, very binge-worthy, despite a slow start. Cheers!
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Mar 31, 2024
When watching "The Eminence in Shadow", I recalled something I critiqued about "The Irregular at Magic High School" in that the MC in that series was so blatantly overpowered it made for no drama or suspense, because we knew he'd win out in the end and rather comfortably. I say the same thing about "The Eminence..." or "Kage no Jitsuryokusha ni Naritakute!", but instead of a dull thud of predictability it's treated almost as a punchline of a joke you the audience are in on.
Coming to us from the relatively new studio, Nexus, this light novel sourced anime is a treat for the eyes, if
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nothing else. Stunning visuals from characters, to backgrounds, to the magnificent fight scenes that are treated with a sense of Tarantino-esque comedy in that the brutal violence on display in something of the killing is almost laughable in it's, pardon the pun, execution. All told, this is a anime for anime fans. The MC is Minoru Kagenou, a teenage boy in Japan who- for all intents and purposes- is training to be Batman. A hero who fights the wicked with brute force from the shadows. He succeeds in this, only to die suddenly and be reborn in a new world as Cid Kagenou, youngest of a small noble family. Thankfully, he's retained all his experience and knowledge of his previous life and world. Helpful advantage, because this world is still in a time where technology resembles Victorian/Industrial Revolutionary days but magic is quite commonplace.
He adopts the moniker "Shadow" and establishes a secret organization called "Shadow Garden", made up of his hand selected operatives (all easy on the eyes females who adore him, making this more harem than hall of heroes). Cid blends in as a normal high school student, but thankfully the show doesn't fall into the trappings of becoming another high school oriented show, no- the real fun is in the battles that come with the sinister Cult of Diablos, who Cid intends to thwart as "Shadow" with his agents of "Shadow Garden". Side characters are introduced along the way, mostly still attractive young women who are handy with a sword, yet need saving quite a bit. These characters are often in real peril and put through pain, they are not in on the joke as we are with Cid that things will be alright in the end, they're going through it right up until Shadow arrives to wreck the baddies of the week and walk away with a shrug.
The tempo and repetition of this formula would get boring, if not for some fun thrown in now and again, such as Cid using his knowledge of technology and refinements from our world to add to this one (and his organization's finances). Chocolate is big in this world now that it's been introduced, as is coffee. Thong underwear, too, is now available while on the bookshelves, all the plots we know and love from "Star Wars" to "Dragon Ball Z" are bestsellers. It's shameless, but very realistic in my mind as I would likely do the same.
I wish the first season offered more than just a hero who was acting like Batman, with the attitude of Deadpool, and as overpowered as Goku with a sword, but outside of him and some fantastic looking fight scenes, that's about it. And there was a time where I would smash this title to bits in it's mediocrity, but now that we live in a time where the fashionable thing is to have heroes with doubts and struggles against villains who are evil, but complex, it is refreshing to have a show where the hero is almost Superman and the bad guys get what that deserve in flashy finality. I give this show a solid 7/10, because it promises more to come, but also has delivered a good time already. Looking forward to Season 2. Cheers!
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Oct 28, 2022
It isn't uncommon for around Halloween time to have a taste for horror anime. Even more so a preference for something short and sweet that one can enjoy casually or just binge in a day. "House Complex C" offers that appeal, however, it fails in so many other aspects it's difficult to recommend.
To be fair, I was immediately drawn into this story because I saw early on it's Lovecraftian overtones. For those unfamiliar, H.P. Lovecraft was an American author famous for "cosmic horror". His credits include the creation of Cthulu and the Necronomicon. "Housing Complex C" touches on many themes he is famous for, but
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you don't have to be versed in his work to enjoy this. The premise is an oldie but a goodie, an apartment complex of tenants who have lived there for quite some time offer a picturesque scene of a characters, mostly retirees, highlighted by the presence of a single little girl, Kimi. Things change when a new family moves in, a father, mother, and their own little girl, and brings a group of foreign "interns". Though never stated, I believe they are supposed to be from India. Needless to say, cultural clashes and general friction does erupt.
The two girls become fast friends. Yuri, the new girl, is a bit more reserved than the sunny and outgoing Kimi, but they soon find themselves in the middle of some very strange goings on. Animal carcasses appear in various places on the island, the prayers of the interns cause fear to the suspicious neighbors, and the ancient history of the island where the complex sits causes a sense of mystery as to what has happened long ago- and perhaps is happening again... The premise is a good one. The story builds tension well. The characters are unique enough but hardly stereotypes. But, it all comes crashing down when the realization comes that this was likely meant to be a 12 episode series stuffed into 4 episodes. The last of which boils down to so many twists and exposition dumps, it makes your head spin- and not in a good way.
This is made even more frustrating by the quality of the animation, it's pretty darn good. The backgrounds and settings appear charming in the day and creepy in the night. The voice acting, though I only saw the English dub, was quality. There was genuine care and effort put into the bones of this piece. Even dropping many an aforementioned Lovecraft reference here and there for fans like myself. Especially of the character Kan, a great, bulky intern with an odd face that screams of Wilbur Wheatley. For fans who just want some horror and gore, there is plenty of that. Gruesome stuff, too. I don't imagine I'll be eating shaved ice any time soon.
Intros and outros have some typical songs. "Make Believe" by Ivan Kwong is a nice pop rock piece to get you into the mood, with a nice montage of the characters and setting, perhaps a bit too friendly for what the subject matter is, but the effort and care is what matters and they do a good job. The ending credits tune, "Secret of the Day" by De Tesla offers a more calming song that has photographs of little Kimi growing up to distract from the likely terrifying note the show just left off on. The finale song is a warm, yet mournful, piece that caps off the show appropriately but I can't recall the title of it. Perhaps it's just meant to sooth my aching head from the chaos of the last episode...
I cannot defend the poor way this was handled and question if this should have been made at all. The tension was just getting settled when it was bulldozed by every big reveal at once. What is the point, then? Perhaps the producers and studio just wanted to get something, anything, out of this and just had it run the best they could? I'm greatly puzzled by all this. I really wish this had been a dozen episodes or so to allow a slower burn and a greater impact of twists- of which there are many- and allowed a more enjoyable horror experience. Alas, we are left with what there is. The bad execution of a good idea. It's short, sweet, spooky, and splatter-filled. So, if you're down for that and have no expectations- enjoy. Perhaps it's fitting I now ponder the mystery of what happened as the characters do in this show, but I doubt I'll get the answers. 4/10. Take it or leave it. Cheers!
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Aug 20, 2022
It is safe to say that after many, many attempts over the years, someone making an adaptation of a video game for the purpose of TV or film is going to be perceived, at best, with a sense of high scrutiny. Such was my reaction when I saw Crunchyroll and Adult Swim had teamed up to create "Shenmue the Animation", based on Sega's open-world fighting game franchise that is more notable for it's long-hiatus between Vol's 2 & 3. As a younger man, I played some of the Shenmue games on the Dreamcast and enjoyed the beat 'em up aspect and the freedom of a
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sandbox world, while trying not collapse from the woefully poor voice acting. I felt this was a fine choice to adapt into an anime. Lots of martial arts fighting, a spiky-haired, teenage protagonist, and the long, winding road of a quest for revenge and the friends and lessons learned along the way. But the thought occurred to me also, how much artistic license and creative liberties would be taken to make the show unique? Would fans of the game even recognize it? I can report back it is, for better or worse, a loyal representation of the game.
The story is simple. 1986, Japan. Ryo Hazaki is a teenage martial artist who's father is attacked and murdered in the family dojo by a Chinese man named Lan Di. The motive is revenge and for an ancient mirror. Lan Di easily defeats the capable Ryo and then leaves, and the journey is now set as Ryo swears revenge. Simple, even cliched plot. The story then continues much as the video games did, perhaps even too much. Ryo finds clues left behind as to who and why this happened, he asks characters questions, which leads to more items, and checkpoint discoveries are made as the bigger picture starts to slowly come into focus. I even laughed as I recalled some of the scenes from the games- "There's a guy named Charlie..."- and enjoyed the faithful adaptation before me in a sense of nostalgia. Thankfully, the voice acting has improved, but I still sense a lean towards the poor dialogue of the game. Ryo is a very dry hero. He asks questions, gets answers, and then often repeats the answers in the form of a question. "You'll need a tea cup." "A tea cup?" Yes, Ryo- did the lady stutter? These fetch quests and less than enthralling dialogue exchanges are made up for in the case of some decent fight scenes. The settings are loaded with street toughs, gangs, and martial artists looking for a sparing partner so exchanging blows is common as it was in game. Thankfully, less clunky.
The meat of the show itself would really make for a poor show in it's bland story, almost cookie cutter characters, and the mediocre animation that is provided by the normally good studio of Telecom Animation Film. But what keeps the show from being anything but skippable or just a niche product for fans of the game is it's message. Concepts of honor and perseverance are highly spoken of, Ryo is not without his faults (he gets his ass handed to him many times) but the lessons he learns are not just new moves to fight with but lessons for life. It is almost Saturday morning cartoony in it's messages, but it's not something touched on enough in my opinion. To experience the learning portion of a journey, to question one's self and motives, and not just out to make the world a better place by off-ing a bad guy, but making yourself better by doing what is right. Even if the latter means not doing the former. Ryo's journey in Japan and then Hong Kong changes many lives for the better, even helping take down some mafia syndicates, which was made easier by the fact he seems to live in a world where guns don't exist. I kept waiting for a gangster to draw a pistol on him, but the worst that ever came his way was a chainsaw.
Overall, I can say this made for some decent casual viewing. Enjoyable enough for anyone who's never heard of the game, but faithful enough for game fans to enjoy, too. Thankfully more the former than the latter, as to be too loyal would've featured an entire episode of forklift shenanigans and difficulties for 20 mins straight. And as Shenmue the game certainly wasn't bad, neither is the animated adaption here. I give this show a solid 6/10. And if the creators want to be as accurate as possible to the game, they can wait 18 years before releasing the next season. Cheers!
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Apr 7, 2020
"Opposites attract". It is a cliche, a tired one at that, but nevertheless it works. The cliched premise of having a secret identity is also tried and true. Anime is not immune to this either, as it seems all plots must take place in a high school. Throw in the stereotypical "Tsundere" type leading lady and you have the basic elements of "Kaichou wa Maid-sama!" aka "Maid Sama!" a mediocre, predictable, but also enjoyable manga adapted into anime by the respected J.C. Staff studio.
Our plot centers around Misaki Ayuzawa, a strong willed young lady who has gotten herself elected the first female class president in
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her formerly boys only school. As the school still consists of 80% boys, she rules with an iron hand and a dragon lady persona. But after the final bell rings, she is simply "Misa". A popular server at the Maid Latte maid cafe. A fact she tries with all her power to hide. Until it is discovered by Takumi Usui, the idol of her school, and rather than reveal her secret he uses it to his advantage. Resulting in many a comedic moment.
A lovely group of side characters helps round out this show, each relatively distinct in their own way and capable of generating laughs, but the story is that of the expressive, loud, and fiery Misaki and her foil and comedic straight man Takumi. Her often explosive animation sequences are off-set by the too cool for school, bleach blonde fella who seems to never be fazed by her constant outbursts. Usui is not a creul kid, he is in fact a warm hearted, yet quietly mischievous kid who cares for Misaki as much as he enjoys tamely pushing her buttons. This is the essence of the show. The dynamic of the two. One practically is begging for them to kiss by the show's halfway point.
This was not a show I was glued to, there were episodes where I honestly spaced out and couldn't tell you what happened, and others I was genuinely engrossed in. It's a very uneven product and frustrating at times. Usui is tall with blonde, spiky, hair and brown eyes. But we are introduced to no-less than 3 other characters, thankfully not all that reoccurring, that look EXACTLY THE SAME. Are they related? No. Is this ever brought up? No. Is this the animators way of saying, "Handsome = This"? Perhaps. But it just feels lazy after the 3rd time. The music itself could have used some variance. The primary theme, with it's catchy beat and bells, is used more times than I can count and makes it feel like a Christmas celebration is about to break out.
A show that is cliched, stereotypical, and repetitive. How is it possibly any good? Well, it takes some effort for a storyteller to get you to keep paying attention to a story that we know the ending to. The formula stays roughly the same throughout the first 3/4 of the show, "Conflict at school or the cafe. How they gonna figure this one out? If Misaki's good natured, strong will can't fix it, Usui comes to the rescue as cool as a cucumber. Rinse. Repeat." The latter 1/4 of the series formula only changes when another boy enters the picture. It was a nice change.
So, why did I finish this series? Because, honestly, the good moments are charming. There are some heart warming romantic moments. There is some fun to be had. Some suspense to be endured. And some moments that should be scary but are played off as funny. It's not a good thing when you're asking, "Should I be laughing at this?"
I certainly didn't stick around for the voice acting. But, you can certainly tell these actors are having fun in their roles. Be it either Ayumi Fujimura or Monica Rial's Misaki and her over the top screeching, or David Matranga/Nobuhiko Okamoto's Usui soft retorts, the cast does pretty well. But this is best enjoyed in Japanese for 2 reasons, first- it's in Japan and the Japanese just sounds crisper. Second, the pain of not hearing the terrible Santry Rush's Hinata Shintani. His Southern United States accent is meant to make the character sound like a hayseed to convey he's from the country. But it's bad. Mr. Rush is, from what I can tell, not a proper VA. He sounds like Forrest Gump doing a bad Mr. Rogers impression (So, Tom Hanks?). It's the worst thing about this series. And thankfully is in only a handful of episodes.
I sense that this show is meant to get people to read the manga which ran from 2005-13 and spanned 18 volumes. For what it is, it does fine. Worth checking out. 6/10. Cheers!
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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