Back to Ginorin's Profile Ginorin's Profile

Before beginning this review, it is important that a disclaimer be made:

DO NOT WATCH THIS ANIME UNLESS YOU HAVE PLAYED THE GAME TO A GOOD EXTENT

...and even then, do not approach it as a serious anime. Azur Lane The Animation is best seen as a tribute to the mobile game, a strictly fan-service piece of work. It is not intended to be taken as a standalone anime, or to compete with other mainstream masterpieces.

By itself, Azur Lane The Animation is a bland, generic anime with not enough character development, a rushed plot development, and seemingly subpar animations. By itself, the anime should not deserve anything higher than a 5-6, and a 3-4 for stricter judges.

However, as a tribute piece to the mobile game, it does a lot of things right.

1. AL:TA showcases a majority of the game's characters. For veteran players of the game who have particular favorite "shipfus", this is a pleasant surprise. It did not fall into the trap of only including a handful of "main characters" and never even allowing others screentime, which is what I had assumed it would do going in. Granted, in a lot of cases, these appearances are very brief.

2. AL:TA adds to the game by providing veteran players with insight into parts of the game that is not shown in significant detail. One of these is the life-in-the-dorm of the major factions. For example, it was nice to see how ships in the Sakura Empire interacted with each other, and see how their "dorm life" looks like, something that would only be glossed over in the game. Another case would be the depiction of the Sirens, who do not have voice-over in the game for the most part; they do in the anime, and gain personality as a result. This provides for a fuller experience in the game.

3. AL:TA makes secret references to in-game aspects, everywhere. For those who have extensively played the game, Easter Eggs are all over the place. Each of the "main characters" in the anime will at some point say some of the voice lines they normally do in the game, which leads to a "OMG SHE FINALLY SAID IT" moment. This is often missed by the casual viewer, who thinks it's just another badly-delivered line. However, for those who notice, it really grounds the characters as an extension of their counterpart in the game, which makes them immediately relatable. This also applies to things like Manjuus (who finally have an explained role in the AL universe), or seemingly random background scenery that is actually seen in the game. Another example would be Ark Royal's love of lolis.

4. AL:TA pays homage to the game's actual character quirks and designs, and expands on it. It is one thing to play the game and control your ships' 2D chibi sprite. It is a whole other thing to see that character's full-sized model actually fire its guns and torpedoes, or launch planes based on their character's designs. One of the most genius scene is when Zuikaku charges up her katana by clicking her rigging with the hilt. It finally explains to veteran players some of the ways Sakura Empire ships combine their sword and riggings in combat. Another example would be Prinz Eugen's rigging chomping at the Siren. Need I say more?

5. AL:TA pulls at the veteran players' heartstrings. Any long-time fan of AL will get excited at Enterprise's entry scene to save the fleet, or cry at Amagi's vanishing, or experience a surge of pride when all of the ships of both Azur Lane and Red Axis show up on the horizon to defeat the final boss, or feel their heart on fire at the finale, when the same music that is heard all the time at the main menu of the game plays at the end of the show in a montage.

For these reasons, and many more, I believe that Azur Lane The Animation, taken IN CONTEXT, deserves anywhere between a 7 - 8 and, for those who love the game, a watch. Of course, with the right budget, goal, and team the anime could have been a lot better. However, for what it is, the anime is surprisingly enjoyable; it could have been so much worse.

Helpful

read more

Azumanga Daioh is often hailed as the mother of all Slice of Lifes, and for a good reason. Not only does it pioneer the idea of "cute girls doing cute things" and "daily life activities with little plot," it does these two things right.

Story: 10

The lack of a story is its story. Azumanga Daioh is a classic SOL manga, where most of its content is dependent upon showing the day-to-day activities of its characters, their interactions with one another, and their general progression through life (in this case school life).

While it does have a central focus driving it along (the characters' journeys from the beginning of high school to graduation), this focus is subtle, and is often felt as an aftereffect rather than directly demonstrated.

Additionally, there is no romance subplot to be had, which I would argue tends to be the downfall of many SOL manga. As such, the reader isn't hellbent on the result of the relationship, and instead can focus on enjoying the day-to-day aspect.

Art: 9

The art is not good. Period. It is an old manga, and the techniques, technology, and style clearly shows. Don't expect breathtaking scenery or beautiful wallpaper-worthy panels. Don't expect adorable girls with detailed hair and clothing, flying in the wind. That said, this is the one manga where a lack of good art...WORKS.

This is due to one primary factor: The characters are supposed to be ordinary. Oftentimes, manga artists tend to make the mistake of trying to pass off their main characters as ordinary and unremarkable, but end up drawing them as clear protagonists, with amazing details and shading. In my opinion, if your MC's can be distinguished from NPC's, they are NOT "normal." This is not the case for Azumanga Daioh. Any of the MC's can easily pass as an NPC, and none of them can truly be called "pretty." Sure, some people can argue Chiyo and Osaka looks cute, but it often is due to their personalities than their actual character designs, which looks downright basic.

Yet, in this particular case, it only serves to drive home the theme of the manga as a SOL. Take for example the final graduation scene. The reader can really feel the ordinariness and humanity of the student body. They are not protagonists who will all become doctors, lawyers, researchers, or ambassadors. Some of them really look like they will fail at life, while others have an uncertain road ahead of them. This, I would argue, is the reason why so many readers often cite this as one of the most emotional graduation scene: because they can relate.

Character: 10

Of course, the art is not the only thing that accentuates the characters. Their personalities are also very distinct and down to earth, making them appeal very much to an average reader. You will like some, you will hate some, you will not notice some, and you will find some annoying; almost as if you were really looking at your actual classroom.

Enjoyment: 8

It was enjoyable, and how could it not be with all of the above reasons?

However, did I read it in one sitting? No. The lack of any centralized plot (including romantic subplot) does act as a double-edged sword, as it can make the manga somewhat repetitive and mundane, especially if the reader is conditioned by manga with more exciting plot development.

Some of the annoying characters can also end up getting under your skin after a while.

Nonetheless, it was a pleasant read, and especially hardcore fans of SOL titles such as Non Non Biyori will certainly find it endlessly appealing, although I would be incredibly shocked if such a fan have not read Azumanga Daioh.

Overall: 10. Classic. Well worth the read. Masterfully crafted.

Helpful

read more

Fudatsuki no Kyouko-chan is a pretty decent manga that just didn't live up to its full potential.

Story: 7
The pacing of the story is nice, but the level of development in the main premise is lacking. For a story that is based primarily on the interactions between sister and brother, the side romance element seems to be too overwhelming and forced. It feels like the author is desperately trying to "ship" the brother and Hibino out of fear of the taboo of the alternative (bro+sis ship), when in fact doing so would create a much more powerful and surprising narrative (if the sister was actually the brocon deep down). This is mostly because of Hibino's character development and interactions with the MC.

Art: 9
The artist very nicely draws a distinction between dere Kyoko vs. tsun Kyoko. Best example of this is the first time her ribbon came off. That super adorable smiling and apologetic face, when juxtaposed with her usual appearance, clearly conveys a sense of bipolarism in the character.

The MC's expressions are also well-drawn, so that the reader feels his anger, embarrassment, and even horror whenever the ribbon comes off.

Character: 7
The characters are decently likable, but their full potential weren't realized. The tension between Kyoko's two states and their relationship with the MC could have been explored in much more depth, especially with Hibino as fuel. However, because the author chose to develop a romance between Hibino and the MC, Kyoko's quirks became secondary. Added to that is Hibino's blandness as a character: She never really was much more than a passive person who wasn't afraid of the MC, and by some convenient reason he liked her. In a way, it felt like she didn't deserve him. On the other hand, because of her tsundere personality, it always felt as if there was something more to Kyoko's feelings towards her brother the MC, but this was glossed over in favor of a less "incest"-y manga.

Due to all of this, while the ending was fine, it felt a little bit like a cop-out. The central problem still isn't resolved. Kyoko dangerous nature is never fully addressed or tamed.

Enjoyment: 7
It was good. It gave me a few laughs, but nothing more. I did get hooked on it enough to read to the end, so it was interesting. Yet, due to the issues mentioned, it felt incomplete. It never reached its peak and definitely didn't end with a bang.

Overall: 7
Could have been one hell of a manga, but ended up being just decent.

Helpful

read more

Among romance series, it is often rare to find a gem that fits your bill. This is especially true if you're into light-hearted romance + comedy. Most often, there's either too much melodrama, too much fan-service, or both. Chihaya-san's Fine is one of those series that, for me, happened to check as many good points as possible: It is a super-vanilla romance with a conclusive ending, sprinkled with tsukkomi-style humor, wrapped up nicely in a relaxing 4-koma slice-of-life-school-life setting.

=========================================

Story: 9

The story progresses at a nice pace. You never feel like an arc is being dragged out too long. You never end up feeling super teased about the main ship. The best part, though, is that the drama is incredibly light, and yet the core story remains interesting. The author even satirically employ some common cliche drama problems as humor by presenting it as light-yuri. For me, this was a whole lot better than the alternative. In fact, this is one of the few mangas that actually used the "moving" drama properly, by showing subsequent interactions instead of just doing a timeskip.

Only downside: There are some parts in the plot that felt a little confusing and random, and others that felt just a little unfinished.

=========================================

Art: 10

Not Picasso or anything, but the art really matches the characters' moods as well as the current tone of the story. Absolutely perfect facial expressions. Nothing to complain about. That is one realistic-looking panda.

=========================================

Character: 10

Each and every one of the characters are properly developed and shows growth throughout the series. They also grow on the reader, so that you don't end up hating anyone, which would be rather unfortunate in a non-dramatic romance SoL.

=========================================

Enjoyment: 10

I enjoyed it. It took a little bit in the beginning to pick up, but once that started, the story was captivating enough to keep me reading. Because it's more SoL, it also doesn't hurt to put on pause for a few days. Even towards the end, there was none of the usual rushed feeling of "I have to finish this and know the ending." It just felt like everything will work out.

=========================================

Overall: 10

For a medium-length manga, you can do a LOT worse, especially if what you're looking for is a nice, sweet romance-comedy with a SoL setting with no BS and no drama.

Helpful

read more

It's good, but feels off.

Story: 8
Probably the best part of the series. If you go in expecting to read a story about finding yourself and understanding what it means to be a particular person, then you won't be disappointed. In that regard, the story does well.
What it doesn't do too well, in my opinion, is its romantic aspect. It feels really forced and unnatural to the flow of the story, almost as if following some kind of strange formula.

Art: 5
The biggest killer of the series. Either you like it or it bothers you the whole time. The manga is old, so it's understandable, but it's not the age that's problematic. The character design is also a bit odd, but it fits into the awkwardness of the MC, so it's acceptable (although it might turn you away). Rather, it's the apparently lack of emotions shown by the characters. The one "emotion" it seems to show well is when trying to shed a character in a menacing light, but that's about it. The blushing detail when a character is angry, sad, embarrassed, etc., none of that comes through. You end up feeling very estranged from the characters, even though they detail their thoughts to you.

Character: 7
Pretty distinct and memorable. They also develop well through the series, and the audience can feel that dynamism. My biggest complaint has to do with the mismatch between the character's apparent personality and their actions. It's not that they're constantly doing things out of character, but more when a critical moment arises, they sometimes act in unexpected ways. It's not exactly bad, but definitely does put a weird spin on the characters throughout the series.

Enjoyment: 7
I did enjoy it and at the same time, didn't. There were funny moments, but the jokes often failed to come across (maybe due to the specific translation or art). There were also heartwarming moments, but it felt lacking.
In the end, I'd rather not re-read the series, but it was an interesting ride.

Overall: 7

Helpful

read more

Kimi to Kamihikooki to is a light-hearted 4-koma romance SOL that tried too hard.

Story: 5
The story is ridiculously slow for the length of the manga, the ending is not conclusive, and any conflict seems forced and childish. The concept of paper planes as a means of communication is interesting, but barely explored, and instead used more as a moe device. This series should either go down the path of being a bit more dramatic and longer or kill off the melodrama and commit to just cute kids doing cute things.

Art: 7
Average for this kind of story. Pretty cute, but also somewhat inconsistent. Everything is just a little too small. The characters are distinct, but their emotions don't get across well. The art is too focused on trying to be cute at times.

Character: 5
Bland. The supporting male constantly feels like someone who's supposed to be evil but forced by the author to be good; his looks, words, and actions don't match.
The MC is an absolute wuss who can't even think for himself, let alone be decisive. Practically every conflict that arises had to be drilled into him by another character. Doesn't deserve the main heroine.
The main heroine isn't that much better. Very stereotypical troubled cute/moe girl who's as fragile as a snowflake. No initiative.
The supporting female character feels like someone with split-personality. Introduced as one type of character and then suddenly becoming another by way of "the past."
Literally every character in this series is more meant to be a tool for cutesy heartstring tugging than anything meaningful.

Enjoyment: 6
I finished it. That's about as good as a 5. +1 for being somewhat cute and fulfilling that objective. Other than that, there are series with similar length that manages to do much more.

Overall: 6
Meh. Wouldn't re-read.

Helpful

read more

Before I wrote this review, I looked at the recommendations and it was blank. I laughed.

There's literally nothing similar to this story. It's absolutely WTF, but somehow enjoyable.

Story: 5
Don't bother. Sure, there's a central story and all, but every twist and turn seems to happen for NO APPARENT REASON. Shit just happens...because. Bad guys, good guys? NO CLUE. The ending is also meh compared to how daring the rest of the plot was.

Art: 7
Good and also bad. Too much detail at times makes some parts confusing and even unreadable, but the feelings, tone, and emotions do come through. Lots of blood and stabby stab over-the-top-ness.

Character: 8
Not memorable but definitely unique and distinct. A little bit of character inconsistency throughout, although this isn't necessarily a bad thing as it fits with the crazy feel of the plot. Even the MC goes cuckoo after a while.

Enjoyment: 7
For some reason, it was a fun read, in the sense that it was so ridiculous that it's good. A great breather after reading a lot of serious stuff. Not for fans of sappy or light-hearted series.

Overall: 7
Don't expect ANYTHING from this series. Just hop on and go along for the ride.

Helpful

read more

Gan-Kon is a fun series. There are cliches, sure, the plot isn't revolutionary, the art isn't breathtaking, but it was worth the pick up.

Story: 9
Fun is the word that best describes this action comedy ecchi romance. This is actually pretty difficult to achieve for manga of this type, since they usually degrade into a shitty fan-service piece or tension filled drama, losing the idea of "comedy" along the way.
The premise of Gan-Kon is decisively fresh. It uses the old idea of "pokemon-partners," monster guys and girls who get contracted to humans to fight one another for some goal. But, it does this well with the twists to the rule, especially the major one around the middle that allows it to both provide fan-service and yet stay true to the plot (without being annoying).
The entire story is also decently paced, with enough fillers to avoid speeding but also manages to satisfy key plot points. It plays out quite like an RPG in fact, with clear "story quest" arcs and "side quest" arcs that occur simultaneously. There's no random "hey, let's just go to a hot spring for no reason."
Most important point: It's funny. The humor is pretty crude, but for a shounen piece, it does the job. I found myself laughing a lot reading this.

Art: 8
Standard, average, pretty girls, wacky looking guys, fit for gods and goddesses. Characters are distinct (except for a couple gods that look alike) and sharp. Background and tone is done adequately, although I didn't get any emotional responses from this series.

Character: 7
Quite average. The MC has guts and perseverance, but relies on plot armor a whole lot. He's also rather dense, but at least he stays true to one girl. Most of the supporting cast are unremarkable. Token glasses braid unrequited love. Token jealous/pesky animal companion. Isana's not "dere" enough. Character growth is rather invisible though. They do get better physically and mentally, but it doesn't feel like they did much to get there.

Enjoyment: 9
Read it from beginning to end. Felt pretty immersed, laughed a lot, got a couple kicks out of a couple action scenes, rooted for the main couple. Wished the ending could be a little better though, especially for all the crap that happened.

Overall: 8
It was fun, but nothing I'd re-read anytime soon.

Helpful

read more

***SPOILER ALERT***

This is a great example of a manga that did everything well until the very end.

Warning: Will contain spoilers about the ending, which I will discuss at the end.

Story: 7
Very sweet and cute story. Giant girl's definitely a different take on the monster girl genre (even though the idea's been done before, it's not common). It's also done well in the sense that it doesn't focus heavily on cliche fanservice. The story is lighthearted for the most part, but does get somewhat dramatic in the final arc. Even though I'm not a fan of drama, I'd still recommend reading it to the end to truly feel the romance.
That said, there are some issues with the story that prevented it from getting a 10. First, if you're not a fan of non-sexual NTR, you'll have to skip a couple chapters. You'll know it when you see it. While these chapters are crucial to the development of a major supporting character, and it does take a turn for the better, the NTR feels a bit unnecessary and downright melodramatic.
Second, the story gets a little difficult to follow as the final arc picks up. New characters get introduced, shit starts happening way too fast and for no apparent reason, and you will feel incredibly lost for a few chapters. The story is still interesting enough to keep a reader going, and everything is wrapped up at the end, but the ride there gets a bit rough and frustrating.
Third, there's not enough fillers. It's rare to see a giant monster girl (bigger than 10m), and it would have been nice to see a little more of the awkwardness (and darn adorableness) between Mana and Makoto in a more slice-of-life manner. It feels like after chapter 12 or so, it became an action-fest, with one arc following another without respite.

Art: 9
The art. It's not anything special, but yet it's great! The background and shading in this series is done well so that it brings out the emotions of the characters during tense scenes. Especially in Ch. 29, you can practically feel Mana's intense sense of loss. When a character's happy, you practically feel them beaming at you from the pages. Now that's good art for a manga, especially one centered around romance.

Character: 10
It's been a while since I've read a piece where the characters felt relatable and ALIVE. The characters are fairly unique, and although their character developments are rather cliche and predictable, it was nice to see them follow through. A lot of the characters are "strong," including the supporting cast; bluntly put, they have initiative and gall. Even though they didn't truly get their own true arcs, they have developed backstories that makes sense for their role as supports for the main duo. All of these traits, plus the fact that the characters are super expressive (especially Mana), makes for a great and especially immersive read.

Enjoyment: 8
It was an incredibly worthwhile read for a relatively obscure series. Sure, there were times when it felt a little frustrating, but it definitely wasn't jarring. The relationship between Mana and Makoto was so well-developed and sweet that it carried the entire story. You can't help but keep reading to see their struggles to be with one another, and in the hope that they will finally tie the knot (or something similar).

YET, *SPOILERS* and here's where my enjoyment of the manga plummeted sharply, THEY DIDN'T. There was an intense buildup in the final arc, with a lot of pain and effort exerted by everyone, but especially by the main duo. Everything, including the author, pointed to a satisfying happy ending. Dead people are revived (somewhat miraculously, but that's okay), people come back, and then....fizzle.
The author pulled a twist: Memory loss. Had the final arc not had such a serious overtone, it would have been acceptable. But, because of all the action and tension and effort in the final few chapters, it felt like a complete cop-out for cheap gags, and invalidated ALL of Mana's and Makoto's suffering and struggles. It tried to play it off as a happy ending, but the bitter aftertaste was anything but. Mana forgot EVERYTHING about Makoto, meaning EVERYTHING was absolutely in vain. In fact, Makoto had to confess to HER because she even forgot the fact that she loved him. There's no epilogue where she recovers. It just ends. She could end up falling for someone else, she could reject him, anything could happen. Now, think about all that, and then go back to the page where she cried over Makoto dying, begging for someone to save him. All of that, gone. Pointless. Just because the author wanted a cheap gag of ending the story in the reverse.

Overall: 8
If you made it this far, I still recommend the manga. Just make up your own ending, it'll probably be better.

Helpful

read more

While on the surface this might be your typical action harem, there are several key differences that ultimately make for a more enjoyable series than expected.

Story: 7
Pretty standard demon girl-type story. Human comes across demon, somehow gets hitched with it, works to save the world, has ecchi and romantic encounters along the way. Plot twists are pretty obvious, lots of plot armor, etc. Overall, the story isn't anything to cheer about. The ending is also rushed to hell compared to the rest of the story.

Art: 7
Standard to sub-standard. Designs on main heroines are inconsistent at times. The girls are decent-looking, but short of pretty or sexy. Sometimes the art feels slightly incomplete for a main character. Best-looking/interesting character is actually a common antagonist grunt (the church soldiers).

Character: 8
Not the most memorable, and actually a rather stereotypical cast. Token sexy main heroine, token glasses sub-heroine. Token annoying frenemy duo. Even the main character is an unremarkable token latent-talent human for the most part.
What DOES set this series apart from others like it though is that characters have initiative, actually bother to think, and aren't morally black and white.
1. Initiative: The characters don't sit around and play silly mind games. When they resolve to do something, they seek out the necessary people and items and get it done, fast, rather than wait for shit to happen. It also helps that there aren't tons of filler chapters that makes you question the plot: "Wait, there's an impending demon attack and you're...at the beach?" (there is a beach chapter though, ha.)
2. Thought: The MC is the best example, especially during fight sequences. Rather than charging in blindly, substituting courage and plot armor for skill, the MC takes some time to plan his actions, and the author actually cares to show this.
Side characters do this too in the sense that they don't fret over small details, especially during ecchi "aftermaths." Sure, the offending MC will get his due punishment, but they understand what was an accident and what wasn't, and they know when NOT to bring down the hammer, e.g. while the enemy's right there. They also don't go over the top about it.
3. Grey Morality: This isn't one of those "let's defeat evil" kind of universe. If you like the idea of enemies becoming friends and vice versa, you'll feel right at home. There's no clear "bad guy," and a lot of characters are doing things for their own interest, whether good or bad.
All of these things said, I might be overthinking because I'm biased against typical action ecchi harems, but I found these points refreshing.

Enjoyment: 8
I enjoyed it. It was a fun read that never got frustrating thanks to the characters' sense of initiative. The story felt a bit rushed, the characters felt a little shallow, and the universe could have been expanded a lot more, and the ecchi scenes felt a little forced into the story, but not once did I feel like dropping the series or rushing to the ending. There are worse out there if you're looking for an action ecchi harem.

Overall: 8
Try it!

Helpful

read more