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Apr 14, 2024
Well, here I am. After looking at this majestic beast from afar for years, I have finally conquered the summit of all manga and read Berserk from beginning to end (so far). I'm gonna do my best with all my own writing prowess to convey my feelings, but I feel like whatever I say will be insufficient. Berserk is an experience to be had and what it truly entails cannot be conveyed with mere words. To put it bluntly though - is Berserk the greatest manga ever made? Yes, without question. It's a literary work that transcends the medium of manga. It's something more. Even
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if you're someone not interested in manga in general, if there's ever only one series you read, let it be this one. The world will never be the same afterwards.
Let's get the obvious out of the way - the art. Berserk is the best drawn manga ever and I don't believe that's a bold statement. While the artstyle evolves and shifts quite a bit over the years, the quality ranges from phenomenal to downright inhuman. The attention to detail is impeccable. Inspired by the woodblock prints of Gustave Dore, the texturing is dense and tangible, you can almost feel the solidity of each material. Characters and creatures are full of life and energy. The sprawling backgrounds, from beautiful mountains and forests, to castles and cobblestone streets, to dense houses, to remote villages, to nightmarish fantastical realms, everything is all enveloping and real, giving the action a real sense of location. And speaking of action, all of this detail does not detract from the flawless fluidity of the movement and unparalleled dynamism of the action scenes. And all of this together is never at the cost of visual clarity, which is among the best ever made. These are qualities that anyone knows and even the uneducated can appreciate at a glance. This is artwork that belongs in a gallery alongside fine art, it's above and beyond the expectations of manga pages.
As dense as the art is, the worldbuilding of Berserk is just as detailed. A fantasy realm ruled by realistic conflicts between rival empires serves as the backdrop in early times. If you love deep medieval fantasy lore, Berserk has you covered for days. Delving into the political intrigue and social struggles is continuously engaging and watching massive armies fight against each other in brutal warfare feels visceral and real. But if that weren't enough, this series is among the best dark fantasy works ever made and after a certain point, the human conflict is superseded by a battle of grand proportions between man and creatures of dreams and nightmares. Containing some of the most inventive creature and location designs ever, a deep magic system and a plethora of both well established and completely unique fantasy races, Berserk is a feast for the imagination, bringing forth countless creative ideas that truly capture the essence of fantasy like so few other works can. The art and writing combine into a crescendo of boundless possibilities that never ceases to amaze. The times you will just stop and stare at what lies before you will be too many to count.
But what if you're not interested in all that? Not the medieval warfare, not the fantastic beasts, not all the bleak struggles. What if you just wants some good ol' fashioned action? Well, good news, Berserk has that in spades. If you want to just enjoy the tale of a big muscular man with a colossal sword fighting giant armies and nightmarish monsters in bloody gory manner, by all means, go for it. As mentioned before, the action is flawlessly fluid, the fights are among the best in terms of choreography and the graphic violence is visceral and detailed with no brutality spared. Without a complex anime-style power system to worry about, you can just sit back and enjoy this beautiful bloodbath in all its glory.
Now, all of this is well and good, but other series can check these boxes too. So what is it that makes Berserk the greatest of all time, what sets it apart from any other manga ever? Well, the writing. For you see, the staggering detail of Miura-sensei's art is rivaled only by the incredible sophistication of his writing and phenomenal storytelling ability. At its core, Berserk is, despite every other element, a story about human struggle. Guided by one of the greatest protagonists ever and filled to the brim with a phenomenal cast of engaging characters, this is one of the most deeply human and relatable stories ever. Every single character is gifted with exceptional profoundness and intrigue, they all have unique story arcs and believable journeys that create a very lived in, real world with a strong beating heart. This world is extremely bleak and brutal, but these people keep going. Among all the unending darkness, it is love, friendship, family and camaraderie that give these people the most strength. No matter if the sun is blocked out, a ray of hope can always be found. The entire message can be summed up in these words - perseverance, steadfastness, resilience. The core theme is about the struggles of man and how, through sheer willpower, one must keep going. No matter the adversity you face, you should never stop trying to put one foot before the other and keep going. That is one of the most universal concepts ever and that's what makes this story resonate with people so well. And what really drives it home is the beautiful way through which this unfolds. Masterfully written, rich with subtext and a perfect balance between action, emotion, drama and worldbuilding, Berserk is crafted with utmost care and every word is carefully considered. The phenomenal, emotionally rich paneling and profound visual storytelling only elevates this to unfathomable heights, into an experience that words really cannot describe. The pacing is chosen deliberately and will consistently keep you invested for every next page. It's truly one of the most enveloping tales ever made.
On a personal note, Berserk was right up my alley from the start - dark fantasy, medieval combat, visceral blood and gore, deep philosophical story. It's like it's custom made for me. I myself dream of being a writer some day and I don't think any other work has moved me or inspired me as much as Berserk. I love how unapologetically dark it is. Easily one of the most dark and gory manga out there, but it's made this way for a reason. To think that this is mere torture porn is a fundamental misunderstanding of the story. The darkness of the world is real and unforgiving, much like our own. But it's shown that this, while it might knock you down, it should never keep you down. Berserk shows you that it's worth fighting on no matter what. And it being so dark just makes me believe in myself more, because these are also the stories that I want to write. Seeing a work like this exist and knowing that it is successful inspires me even more to follow my dreams to the end. And I promise I will do so.
In conclusion, Berserk is truly an experience like no other. I firmly believe that it has gone beyond the medium of manga. Far more than just dark fantasy at its finest, Berserk is undoubtedly one of the greatest works in all of literature. Trust me, I don't say that lightly. It is written with amazing care, like a master craftsman laying brick by brick to build the most formidable fortress. No other work has ever been able to combine highly sophisticated writing, rich in subtext and immense depth, with phenomenal art that captures these moments in flawless visual form. All of this is because the legendary Kentaro Miura is someone that has easily earned the title of a genius. He is a truly gifted man and it almost feels like manga exists so he could make it. Only a man equally as brilliant in art and writing can create something like this. We can only be thankful to be blessed enough to experience it. It is the greatest tragedy that he never managed to finish his masterpiece during his life. And what really breaks my heart is how the love and care for this story can be felt in every page, every panel, every line of dialogue. This man has dedicated his life to this work and every fiber of his being has been embedded into it. This dedication and pure unfiltered love is palpable and you can feel it all throughout. With his passing, the literary world was gravely wounded and the realm of manga lost its brightest son.
However, just like Miura-sensei told us himself, "Death is not an ending" and we must keep going at all costs. The manga is now in good hands and we will get to see the ending Miura-sensei himself intended some time in the future. Until then, this masterpiece remains to be cherished. To say you are doing yourself a disservice by not reading it is a gross understatement. Experience it for yourself, I guarantee you will never be the same afterwards. I can tell you I am a changed man now.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Mar 28, 2024
Talentless Nana is one of the most thrilling emotional rollercoasters I've ever been on, not just in the realms of anime. It's also gonna be incredibly difficult to talk about it without going into spoilers since the entire story is based around plot twists but I'm gonna try. Nonetheless, I'm marking this as spoilers since the premise itself cannot be explained without going into them. Just know that this anime is a very exciting experience that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end and it also has one of the most mindblowing first episodes I've ever seen, containing one
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of the best subversions of expectation ever made. I cannot recommend it enough.
I love a good murder mystery and a good thriller and I've experienced plenty of those of varying degrees of quality. I have to say, subjectively at least, Talentless Nana is becoming one of my favourites for many reasons. First of all, from a purely writing perspective, it's quite difficult to keep tensions consistently high throughout an entire story's runtime without resorting to cheap tricks or making it feel forced. However, Nana really succeeds at that and every episode had me glued to the screen in anticipation. I binged the whole thing in a day without even realizing. As I said before, the story is very reliant on plot twists and these work really well here, you never know what will happen next and unexpected elements keep revealing themselves. It's dramatic, but not melodramatic, and it keeps everything moving at a steady pace.
However, the most unique thing about Nana's story is the perspective. You see, when you have a murder mystery, almost always we experience the story from the perspective of the victims, as they and various assorted detectives, investigators, agents and the like try to uncover the truth and find who, how and why committed the killings. However, there are very few stories that are told from the perspective of the killer! Nana is one of them. We the viewers already know the who, how and why, but watching her try and cover her tracks, fulfill her goals and escape repercussions is exceptionally exciting. The way the victims are portrayed also makes them feel like monsters and makes it easy to root for her and want her to succeed. But, this can change. for as you remember, twists are around every corner. What happens when Nana's conviction begins to wane, when she finds a friend for the first time in her life amongst the enemy, when we discover that the world isn't as black and white as we initially thought, what happens when the clear divider between good and evil starts to blur out of focus, who is the real monster here?!? There you go - an amazing thriller! And that's just a small taste of what this story has on offer.
From a purely technical standpoint, the anime is awesome. Animation is great, the artstyle is nice and colourful, the cuteness contrasting fantastically with the darkness and violence of the story, the music and sound effects are great and the voice acting is phenomenal, particularly for Nana herself. There are also some amazing visuals to showcase the contrasting identities and thoughts of the characters and these greatly elevate the suspense. There are some valid criticisms though. Firstly, I see a lot of people complaining that the plot twists are too contrived and the characters are morons. I strongly disagree. Not to be rude, but that just sounds like some weebs thinking they are galaxy brained geniuses again. Honestly, if you believe that people in real life are not that naïve, then you have not been paying attention. For this kind of story, you have to kind of go with the flow and let it guide you. Not that if the plot twists are poorly made it won't harm the experience, but I think Nana's story flows masterfully and is thoroughly engaging from beginning to end.
And speaking of which, that's the only real criticism I can offer - the end, or lack thereof rather. A lot of loose ends are tied up by the conclusion of the season, but even with one extra episode, it ends abruptly and leaves many burning questions unanswered. Now, it's painfully obvious what happened here. The anime ended, but the manga did not and the manga simply addresses these plot threads at a later point. It's annoying when it happens but there really isn't a way to avoid it. All I can say is that a second season is desperately needed for this series and I'm hoping that somehow in the future we get it. For now, if you want all your questions answered, you will need to turn to the manga, which is still ongoing. That's what I'm gonna do.
In short, if you love a good mystery thriller murder mystery and have that childlike wonder to let it guide you, Talentless Nana is a must watch. It's an amazing anime that stands out in many ways and is very impressive with what it achieves in a single season. Just don't be disappointed by the abrupt ending. I was truly emotionally moved from this entire experience in a way that few stories manage to achieve. I think you will be too.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Mar 28, 2024
Oh yeah, BIG MEN DOING MAN SHIT is back and better than ever. After 17 hears, the story continues, this time with decent animation and a better budget. It's more man than ever! If you don't watch this, you're missing out! So give it a watch so you can grow some hair on your chest and then some testicles from the hair and then more hair on the testicles.
You know, there's this awesome line I remember from the iconic 80's action movie Commando with Schwarzenegger that I believe perfectly describes Baki as a whole:
"I can't believe this macho bullshit!"
That sums it up best if you
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ask me. Speaking of 80's action films, Baki really reminds me of those in the best of ways. The story is simple and straightforward, nothing too overwhelming to tax your mind. The meat and even more meat is in the action scenes and they are consistently awesome and confidently carry the whole thing. There's a lot of absurdity and your disbelief will have to be very heavily suspended to work, but that's fine, it doesn't take itself too seriously anyway and it's just so fun that it doesn't even matter. It's evident that by this point, the author has forfeited any pretext of realism and has decided to dial up the absurdity to unseen levels and just push everything as far as it can possibly go. Forget Stands, Devil Fruits, Nen, Sharingan, Bankai, Quirks or whatever else, anything can be achieved through the power of MUSCLE. And I'm all here for it!
Getting into the nitty gritty mantiddy of it all, this anime is definitely a step up from the old one. It captures the wacky artstyle of the manga really well, the movement is clean, the action is dynamic and the characters are expressive. Also we have fully uncensored blood and gore (and hanky spanky too) and Baki wouldn't feel right without them. The over-the-top violence is just so much more gruesome and graphic than before. This is also greatly helped by the disgustingly visceral sound effects used. All the splooges, squishes, splurts, cracking bones and what not just make your skin crawl and your stomach churn when you hear them. On that note, the music is pretty good two, the two openings are really catchy as well, even though the visuals of the second one suck absolute balls. For other criticism, there is the well known use of CGI during the fights. Now, it's not too bad, it doesn't take you out of the moment too much, but it's still sub-par. I get why they did it, I understand it, but that doesn't mean I condone it. Nonetheless, the fights were still really awesome, so I won't hold it against them too much.
In regards to the plot, you should really know what you're getting with Baki. It's nothing deep, nothing profound, but it's simple and it's fun as hell. The point is to move from one ridiculous fight to the next and that works great. The author's love of martial artis also permeates everything and if you love martial arts, this story is right up your alley. However, there are some valid criticisms. For example, a lot of the convicts felt underutilized. They were hyped up so much but got shredded in no time, probably because the main cast are so much more overpowered than they are. Besides that, what I personally didn't like is that, despite this anime being named simply "Baki", Baki himself feels like a bit of a side character in his own show. He doesn't appear at all in a good chunk of episodes and only gets a couple of fights. For a lot of the time, other characters like Orochi Doppo, Hanayama and Oliva get the spotlight. I don't mind that overall since I absolutely love those characters, but I really wish Baki himself got a bit more attention. I really enjoyed how season 1 of the classic anime was very definitively HIS story, HIS journey of growth. I hope we get more of that in future.
In short, Baki delivers on what it sets out to do. It's macho nonsense that is meant to be fun and exciting and it exceeds at that. As I said before, it has that spirit of classic action movies that have a simple but engaging narrative with the action doing the heavy lifting. Speaking of which, you will need a proper physique yourself in order to suspend your disbelief enough to get it, but trust me, it's worth it. So let's go lift together this very moment so we can reach their level. MUSCLE is the only truth in life. My pronouns are he, because I will never be HIM. But dammit, that won't stop me from trying.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Mar 15, 2024
Gunnm or Battle Angel Alita has got to be one of the best works in the realms of cyberpunk there is. In my humble opinion, this series should be uttered in the same breath as classics like Ghost in the Shell or Akira. It has all the qualities to do this and then some. Somehow, it has flown under the radar for a lot of people it seems and it never even got the honour of having a memorable anime adaptation. Even the fact the Hollywood gave it a shoutout wasn't enough it seems. In any case, if you're reading this, then do yourself a
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favour and read this manga, you will not regret it.
Firstly, it's just amazing how many thing Gunnm does well. It's set within a very fascinating cyberpunk world that touches on all the classics - high tech/low life dichotomy, rampant crime, rogue cyborgs roaming the lands, dilapidated dystopia, consumerism, bounty hunters, etc. All the classics are here. However there are also a lot of elements that are unique to this universe and help it to stand out amongst all other similar works. I mean, Kishiro even invented his own sport just for this story! Finding out the secrets of this world are a key driving force too. Beyond that, this manga just excels at everything. It has fights that are better than a lot of shonen, the gore and maturity of seinen, deeper philosophical implications and romantic subplots better than most. Indeed, among all the battles of giant cyborgs ripping each other to pieces, the moments of love were the ones most touching. And among all the love and war, a beautiful and engaging story is told that will keep you hooked from beginning to end and you can enjoy all of this in only 50 or so chapters.
The sheer quality of the manga is worth noting of course. First and most obvious, the art is nothing short of phenomenal. The characters are well designed, very detailed and extremely expressive in a way that both punctuates powerful moments with pure emotion and provides comic relief when the time is right. The motion is clear and crisp and fights flow incredibly well from panel to panel. Every swing and impact is full of force and speed that you can feel. Every page, regardless if action or not, is full of palpable energy that just keeps you hooked. All the machines, biotechnology and gore are gruesomely detailed and serve to greatly enhance the narrative. And if all of that weren't enough, this manga is also among the best in terms of visual clarity. Kishiro-sensei's line work is simply impeccable and at no point is it difficult to tell what exactly is happening. I am amazed to think that he achieved something this high quality all the way back in the early 90s.
Beyond the art, the writing is just as sharp. This is a very character driven story with Gally/Alita firmly in the center. She is an absolutely amazing multi-layered protagonist and will keep your attention all throughout. She's an incredible fighter and is extremely powerful, holding her own against all kinds of threats, she's determined, steadfast and strong willed. But, she's also kind, caring and emotional. She retains her femininity and manages to still be cute and lovely while also being an absolute badass. Hey, Hollywood wankers, pull out a notebook or something and pay attention - THIS is how you're supposed to write a strong female character! Gally/Alita's strength is well explained and it makes perfect sense within the constraints of the universe why she can go toe-to-toe with much larger opponents than herself. Despite that, she's still often overpowered and needs to use clever tactics and quick wits to make it. And throughout all the blood and guts she splatters all over the place, she never stops acting like a real woman and never loses the caring and empathetic nature (and poor, emotionally driven decision making) that befits a woman. A balance of multiple layers of personality, great strength balanced by believable flaws, with a very intriguing mysterious past to boot, she confidently carries this story on her back.
If all that weren't enough, all the other characters are thoroughly engaging too. Almost every single side character is given significant depth. They are these morally grey people trying to make it in a harsh world and they have both positive and negative traits. Nobody in this story, even Gally/Alita herself, is purely good or evil and that makes this story feel so real and believable. These are people with goals and ambitions, with strengths and weaknesses and they just want to survive in a very harsh world. The world itself is both an excellent backdrop to these very human struggles in amongst the machines, and it's a great driving force that informs all the character's decisions and is the main reason the plot is even happening. It's a grand adventure full of intrigue and excitement and it's also a deep emotional journey of personal growth. The only criticism that can be made is that the ending is a bit odd, but with some research I found that this was due to publisher meddling, so it can be forgiven somewhat. Nonetheless, almost all loose ends are tied up by the end, but it will also leave you wanting more! Thankfully, you can get that with the next manga in the series.
To conclude, this is one of the greatest cyberpunk stories I've ever experienced and even beyond that, one of the most well-made and enjoyable manga you could read. I hope all my gushing convinced you of how good it is. If you love cyberpunk artistry as much as I do, then this is a must read, but even if this genre isn't your cup of tea, the amazing story, excellent action and phenomenal art will still make this worthwhile for you. So don't hesitate and give it a read!
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Feb 28, 2024
BIG MEN DOING MAN SHIT returns triumphantly for a second season and there is more man than ever. Baki is peak testosterone fueled fun and it's a joy from beginning to end. Do yourself a favour and don't pass up on this!
This entire season is just a tournament arc and it takes full advantage of that fact and brings forth the best you could expect from something like this. Tons of varied and compelling fighters, each with a unique personality and of course a unique fighting style. The different matches all present something fresh and different and the whole season is engaging throughout. There is
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hard hitting action in basically every episode, the storylines are easy to follow and there is sufficient depth to keep this from being just fighting without any meat on its bones. If you love martial arts, you will also love this, as its chock full of ridiculous love letters to them. Some of these fighters are what I imagine those tai chi/wing chun wankers in China THINK that they look like. In any case, I personally love me some good ol' fashioned martial arts mayhem and this anime scratched that itch bountifully.
Now, this season is not without issues. Firstly, the first season already had its moments when the animation drops the ball, but here you can really feel that the budget was slashed significantly. In the fights themselves, it works well and there are some cool moments, but there are plenty of occasions when the animation is quite lacking. The flashbacks and recaps are back too, so that definitely hurts the pacing. Also, this anime is blessed with one of the worst openings I've ever had the misfortune of witnessing. Piss poor 2001 era Nintendo 64 quality CGI combined with a song that is nothing but nonsensical ingurish lyrics over the most un-catchy and devoid of beat or melody track to ever exist. I have no idea how this thing was approved. If the internet were more popular back then, I'm pretty sure they would've seen the backlash and maybe reverted to the old opening, which I would've been fine with to be completely honest.
In conclusion, Baki is not Berserk, it's not One Piece and it's not Death Note. You don't come here for sophisticated storytelling, deep worldbuilding or deep psychological tension. No, you come to see great fights between massive muscular men brandishing all kinds of martial arts, each pushed to realms of absolute absurdity. Baki knows what it is and what it's supposed to be and delivers on its strengths. While this particular anime suffers from some poor management and budget cuts at times, while its age might put some people off, this is still a thoroughly enjoyable experience worth having. Despite its flaws, this is one my favourite tournament arcs in all of anime, with all the good aspects of a tournament distilled to their purest form. So be the bigger man and give this a watch, I firmly believe you won't regret it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Feb 4, 2024
There are different genres of anime out there to appeal to a variety of tastes. Action, drama, slice of life, comedy, musical, shounen, seinen, etc. You can enjoy any number of these, or none of them, point is that there is an endless variety of different choices out there, so surely you will find what you're looking for. Rarely though, there comes a series that takes multiple of these genres together and weaves them into a seamless blend, making the coexistence of some of these contradicting ideas seem so natural. And while the hilariously named Ya Boy Kongming is a comedy first and foremost, it
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blends so many other elements into itself, creating something truly unique.
Kongming firstly stands out by having one of the most ridiculous premises I've ever heard. An ancient Chinese general is reincarnated in modern Shibuya, Japan, he is entranced by the voice of Eiko, a young girl with big ambitions to be a successful singer and decides to become her manager and use his breadth of knowledge and wisdom from the Three Kingdoms period of ancient China to help her achieve her goals. Like, for real, what kind of opium was the original creator smoking to come up with this nonsense. And yet somehow, this absolutely preposterous idea is executed to perfection. Both hilarious skits and hype moments of victory come about as Kongming employs his ancient wisdoms to the modern world and successfully helps her come closer and closer to fulfilling her dream. It's so incredibly enjoyable to watch this unbelievable spectacle unfold.
However, premise is nothing without execution and this is also where this anime really shines. The artstyle is very vibrant, colourful and lively. The characters are insanely cute and cool in appearance, while also being full of heart and soul - incredibly charismatic, engaging, lovable and shockingly profound. The animation is fluid and energetic. The voice acting and singing (and rapping!) are all superlatively done. And of course, the soundtrack is Godly all the way through and this show graced is one of the best anime openings ever made. You wanna talk about openings you never skip, this one is one of the most unskippable of all time!
But wait, I spoke so much about blending genres in the beginning, where does that come in? Well, while Ya Boy Kongming is a comedy first as mentioned before, it's also a musical show. It's also a dramatic and engaging story, a coming of age journey even. And all of this is interspliced with bits of historical war stories too? It's truly amazing to see. To execute just one of these elements well would be impressive, but this series excels at all of them and that is downright astonishing. Kongming is effortlessly funny in multiple ways, but it also tells a very emotional story that keeps you hooked to the end and has you rooting for our beloved characters to succeed. The first half is mostly comedic and absurdist, but as we pass the halfway point, the plot thickens and you realize just how cleverly crafted the entire story really is. Like a masterful progressive metal song balances its heavy and brutal parts with its soft and melodic parts into a united symphony that truly flows as one, this anime also effortlessly blends its comedic and serious moments into a wonderful crescendo of amazing emotions. The jokes, the drama, the music, these don't just support the story, they are the story! They all flow together in an elegant waltz, supporting each other and enhancing their strengths in equal part. Among all this, the show manages to be a fantastic musical too, with a rich plethora of songs from a variety of genres gracing us and integrating themselves as inseparable parts of this epic tale. I don't even like musicals and I still enjoyed myself all the way through here!
In short, I believe you're genuinely doing yourself a disservice by not watching this. It's an incredibly well crafter story that takes a ridiculous premise and executes it to perfection. It's a fantastic tale of growth and success despite overwhelming odds and it concludes in an incredibly satisfying way that is full of great feel good moments from top to bottom. Eat your heart out "A Star is Born", this where the real shit is at!
I hope that we can keep getting series as unique as this that also boldly try to succeed and so many things at the same time and then miraculously succeed at all of them. And may we all be blessed with support figures as wise, caring, loyal and selfless as Kongming, so that we may become all those things ourselves too!
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Feb 4, 2024
"If someone is born a male, at least once in his life he'll dream of becoming the strongest man alive."
This quintessential phrase of pure poignant basedness is the mantra by which Baki is made. This is a real man's show! This story will make you grow a second penis. The characters are MEN, the plot is MEN, the message is MEN. You've heard of Cute Girls Doing Cute Things, well this is BIG MEN DOING MAN SHIT, a genre that is sadly dying as of late. But what can you expect, the based masculine male is the biggest threat to those hungry for power, that's
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why they're stuffing all the food and drinks with soy and estrogen to make men weak. But the innate male desire for strength of body, mind and spirit cannot be undermined and it will find a way, just like testosterone makes its way through the bloodstream. We will always find a way to climb any mountain!
Jokes aside, this right here is Baki. Quintessential Baki. It's a simple story, but honestly, there is comfort and fun to be had in its simplicity. There is no overly deep worldbuilding here (yet), no huge overaching story, no world threatening cataclysm to be stopped. This is just the story of a big strong boy and his desire to become the biggest strongest boy so he can defeat his menace of a father. It's a classic coming of age story and a classic journey of growth and self improvement. If you also love martial arts like I do, they play a huge role here and this is one the best martial arts stories to be found in classic shounen anime. The fights are great, the dialogue is snappy, sharp and to the point, the visuals are quite nice and the soundtrack is really catchy, with a distinctly oldschool charm. The characters aren't some profound philosophical allegory, they are simple, but charismatic and engaging people that will definitely keep you hooked from beginning to end.
Now, this specific adaptation is not without its flaws. For starters, this released in 2001, which is already old, but its still newer than things like One Piece, Naruto or Shaman King. Despite that, it actually looks like its 10 years older than it really is, with a very retro artstyle and animation approach that aligns much more with classic 80s battle shounen than it does with more modern ones. It feels much closer to Fist of the North Star or Yu Yu Hakusho than the others I mentioned before. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, I personally enjoy oldschool media or newer media with an oldschool aesthetic, but here the show also comes with some of the drawbacks of the era. Firstly, the animation can drop the ball sometimes. Some segments are barely animated, some aren't animated at all and are basically shaky slideshows and animation bits get reused frequently. Also there are numerous unnecessary recaps across all the episodes that ultimately hurt the pacing of the story. Hell, one of the episodes in the middle of the season is just a recap of everything that happened up to that point with barely any new information being shared. It's very annoying, it's obviously a cost cutting measure but this was sadly something that was commonplace during this era. We can all be grateful that it fell out of favour.
All in all, I know most people today will go straight to the newer Netflix Baki anime, but I still think that this classic deserves a shot too. It's really enjoyable and really captures the essence of Baki and of this classic epoch of anime. It won't blow your mind or move you deeply with groundbreaking storytelling, but this was never the point. It has that same lovable testosterone-filled heart that classic action movies have. It's just a very fun collection of macho nonsense. And it's damn good at what it does too. Now if you excuse me, I must go lift weights this very moment to become the strongest in the world!
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jan 29, 2024
Manga and anime are known for many things but almost all of them are known for being extremely over-the-top. Brightly coloured characters with flowing in every cardinal direction, shouting the bombastic names of their highly destructive attachs, furious punches, all juxtaposes with gratuitous reaction shots and intense inner monologues. This is part of what makes these mediums stand out and it's no less part of their charm. Japan in general very much has a "more is more" approach to everything. Their advertising, television, music, even bars and restaurants, the more there is to indulge the senses, the better. But what if...you didn't do that? What
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if you went in almost the exact opposite direction. Well, that is what you can expect from Blame! and the master behind it, Tsutomu Nihei. This is one of the most unique and memorable manga ever made and I believe anyone should experience it.
Blame! is unlike pretty much any manga I have ever read and it goes against almost all common tropes of the medium. Firstly, one of the most noticeable things is the prevailing lack of dialogue, rivalled only by the all-silent Gon. There is no narration, no gratuitous inner monologue, no lengthy exposition and characters speak briefly and only when necessary. The rest of the time, these pages remain silent. But that doesn't mean there isn't a deep story being told here. This is a minimalist and surrealist manga, rich with subtext that showcases a phenomenal universe full of unique and intriguing characters. We are told just enough to get a grasp and the rest is to flow from the reader's own imagination. A distinct "show don't tell" approach. For example, main character Killy/Kiryi has a very powerful gun, but instead of describing how powerful it is, Nihei-sensei shows Killy flying back violently from the recoil every time he fires, which is followed by panel after panel of glorious destruction. We aren't told how tough Killy is, we are shown how he can fly through multiple walls and still get up and keep going. This type of quiet, limited approach and visual storytelling is very refreshing and thoroughly engaging.
With so little words, the art has to do a lot of heavy lifting. But that's not an issue, because the artistic foundation of Blame! is among the most solid. Nihei-sensei is know for having a background in architecture and this shows. The backgrounds are among the most staggering you could see in any manga, with sprawling columns, corridors, intricate machinery and indescribable megastructures that are both endlessly vast and suffocatingly claustrophobic at the same time. Everything also feels so artificial (because it is), that you can almost feel how devoid of sunlight and oxygen these unending buildings are, as you see them vanish in the distance. The creatures and landscapes can also often devolve into these twisted Lovecraftian amalgamations of flesh and technology, so hideous and beautiful at the same time that they would make H.R. Giger jealous. Few worlds feel as rich and unending as this. The scale of space and time themselves become too vast and twisted for the human mind to fathom.
But Nihei isn't here to just show how good he is at drawing architectural sketches. His art is full of personality, quiet emotion and dense atmosphere. All of this forms the meat, bones and machinery of Blame's storytelling, which remains intriguing from beginning to end and keeps you asking about the meaning of it all. His art has this scratchy, sketch-like quality to it that contrasts great with the clean lines of the backgrounds and adds a lot of character. The action flows really well and the action and destruction and glorious and captivating. The only real complaints that can be made are that, on the one hand, the faces are clearly the weakest point, being a bit wonky on many occasions. On the other, the murky nature of the art means that, while this is rare, the art can sometimes be a bit lacking in terms of visual clarity, as everything becomes a crooked blob of blackness. He makes up for it with the surprising inclusion of a few great colour pages though, with a distinct oil painting style.
At the end of the day, Blame! is a cyberpunk manga and one of the best at that. The story features lots of high tech, cybernetics, rogue automatons, alternative life forms, genetic mutation, digital realms, cruel organizations, technobabble and more. If you just want to see some great visuals and some pumping action about cyborgs fighting each other in a decrepit city, you can find that here too. It has everything you need for a quality cyberpunk tale, while also standing out greatly from all other works in the medium by taking its unique surrealistic approach to its visual presentation and worldbuilding. The writing itself is razor sharp and the characters are equal parts charismatic and enigmatic. You may be uncertain about the meaning of things, but don't let this deter you - the nuances of the story and characters, the message behind the events that unfold and the intricacies of the universe are all left to be explored and pondering what it all means is part of the experience that makes Blame! so great. So don't be afraid to stop, rewind if need be and think about it for a little while.
In conclusion, Blame! is one of the greatest manga ever made and should, in my opinion, always be considered as being up there with the true greats of the medium. It's an exciting cyberpunk story, but it's also so much more. It's a thoroughly atmospheric experience that engulfs you in its world and will captivate your imagination for a long time after you finish it. Beyond that, this manga is so rich on fine details and subtlety, that it's also among the few works that may get better on the second readthrough. In any case, I believe anyone should read Blame! and submerge themselves in this unique world, you are genuinely doing yourself a disservice by not doing so. We still need to find the Net Terminal Gene.
LOG. END.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Jan 29, 2024
As I have been slowly delving deeper in the realms of anime and manga, one of the things that has always perplexed me is the existence of the Cute Girls Doing Cute Things sub-genre (I refuse to use that stupid acronym). I am honestly confused how something like this gets so popular, it kind of worries me about people. To each their own I guess but the vast majority of those have very little merit in my eyes and are very boring and formulaic. Thankfully, sometimes a trailblazer comes by that is neither of those things and creates something truly unique. That is what Bocchi
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the Rock is - beyond everything, this is truly one of the most amazing anime ever, I believe you're genuinely doing yourself a disservice by not watching it.
So how is Bocchi different? Well, first of all, it has actual plot and an interesting premise. Our protagonist is extremely shy and socially anxious, something I believe a lot of us can relate to. Despite that, she has dreams of being a master guitarist and world-known rockstar. Her journey to achieving that is the central conflict driving this story forward. And here is one of the key elements that your average cute girls anime sorely lacks - conflict. We have an engaging main character with clear motivations and a strong flaw to overcome. We have a set goal that she wants to achieve and watching her overcome hurdles and make steps towards realizing her dream is engaging and the payoffs are very satisfying. Along the way, she meets an eclectic cast of colourful characters that are full of charm and personality and they make her journey that much more enjoyable to witness. I don't know about you, but I like my media to have meat on its bones. Conflict, tension, drama, something to bite into and keep you hooked. Bocchi has that in spades, while also tapering it well in order to not descend into menial melodrama or pointless bickering. Everything is nice, tight and exciting.
But what is the main tool that this series uses to taper its dramatic moments? Humour! This is the big reason for me, because Bocchi does not take itself too seriously and has generous amounts of humour to bring excellent levity to the experience. There have been many stories in anime about overcoming social anxiety. After all, this is one of the most common societal issues in Japan, it only makes sense that there's a lot of media on the subject. But Bocchi takes a much more exciting approach to tackling this topic, still touching on the important bases, without becoming a sob story. Some people might even be turned off by Hitori's bouts of anxiety, but that is kind of the point. In this series, her awkward antics are pushed to ridiculous extremes, reaching levels of absolute absurdity. She doesn't just cower in a corner when she needs to speak in front of people, she disintegrates into dust. This and along with the other hilarious shenanigans courtesy of the rest of the cast provide tons of great jokes that consistently got some good laughs out of me. It shows the importance of self awareness and not taking yourself too seriously, lest you actually make a fool of yourself.
And lastly, a compliment has to go to the actual execution of the anime, the audio and visuals. As this series is centered around music, the soundtrack is fantastic and fits the bill perfectly. The songs from the in-universe band carry the real emotion of the story and are amazing to enjoy even outside of the usual context. Beyond that, the visuals are gorgeous too - vibrant and colourful with tons of fluid motion and expressive emotion. Bocchi the Rock also has to join the pantheon of anime I like to dub "The Budget Wasters", alongside series like Joshiraku, Asobi Asobase and Binbougami-ga. It's like the creators of these make bets who can include the most artstyle changes in one season and who can waste the most animation budget on a single stupid joke. Bocchi is probably the champion in this category and these whiplash shifts in visual presentation always come out of left field and serve to greatly enhance some important punchlines.
So TL:DR, Bocchi the Rock will be an anime that will be remembered for many years to come and I can guarantee that people will keep looking back on it fondly and coming back to it for a long long time. It's not just super cute, it's also really funny but also really engaging in a wholesome way. From a storytelling perspective, it has a strong enough plot that will keep you engaged and all the other elements like the humour and the cuteness not only coexist with this plot but all these elements only serve to enhance each other. To reiterate from the beginning, I think you are genuinely doing yourself a disservice by not watching this.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Jan 19, 2024
Damn, well this was a pleasant surprise. Typically, when you have a canon spin-off like this, you expect it to be fun, but nothing too special. Perhaps more of the same, but with a bit of a twist. Kakegurui Twin definitely fits the latter description, but it surpassed my expectations in many ways. So much so, I'm just gonna say it - I enjoyed this a bit more than the main series and my scores reflect that!
So how does Twin differ from the rest? Well, firstly it delivers on much of what makes Kakegurui in general appealing. Very high stakes gambling with a ton of
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tension, very wild characters, expressive visuals and terrifice voice acting. However, it has some aspects that I definitely like more.
For starters, the characters are way more...sane. I know that sounds weird, but if you know Kakegurui, you know what I mean. First of all, the absolute nutcases like Yumeko and Kirari aren't here yet, so that alone drops the insane-o-meter by several points. Besides that, Mary is as cerebral as any other key player, but has clear intentions and understandable goals, which makes you understand her much better and even root for her. She shows an unexpected amount of sympathy and compassion and the cast of likeable supporting characters manage to bring the best out of her. Even Sachiko, the de facto main villain of this story, is definitely cruel, but still in a reasonable and engaging way. The main Kakegurui story is like watching a car crash - it's euphoric mayhem that may end up costing lives, but it's an entrancing spectacle so you just cannot look away. Meanwhile, Twin is a more classic underdog story, the average but clever girls stepping into the lion's den and challenging the ones at the top.
The moments of outsmarting also felt even more satisfying here. I can't quite put it down, but it almost felt as if the gambles were more like puzzles to be solved. They were very difficult, sure, but a solution exists if you're clever enough to find it. They felt more like intellectual challenges rather than the outlandish death games that they were portrayed as in the main series. The gambles also made sense and the stakes were high, but were also more real and had clearer consequences. It wasn't just different people flexing their wealth or their lack of concern for their own well-being or that of others, the characters gambled because they had specific goals and winning these games was necessary to achieve those goals. The crossing of these different ambitions is also a major driving force behind the conflicts in this story.
Also, one more sidenote, the music in this series was the best in my opinion, in particular the opening and ending.
So overall, this was a really nice surprise for me. It's really enjoyable from top to bottom and I highly recommended. Honestly, I was just bummed out that it was so short, this definitely had the potential to be a full season. Mary definitely makes for a compelling protagonist. Also, I wonder what happened to her in between this and the main story. She's surprisingly kind here but by the time we meet her again, she's become just as cruel and selfish as the others. But, I guess living with bloodthirsty sharks tends to rub off on you and your only choice to not get eaten is to become one of them...
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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