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Mar 30, 2015
**SPOILER FREE REVIEW**
Surrealism: it’s something that you are either into or you aren’t. The plots of these shows are usually far harder to comprehend than your average anime and the actions of the characters won’t always make logical sense, but if you merely change your perspective, you will see what the show is really trying to say. Yuri Kuma Arashi, which translates into “Lesbian Bear Storm”, is no exception to the formula of surrealist art; it is NOT for everyone. While most shows are driven by their plot or by their characters, YKA is a show driven by its themes and the messages that the
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plot and characters are trying to relay. Brought to us by the artistic genius Kunihiko Ikuhara (Mawaru Penguindrum, Revolutionary Girl Utena), this show is a unique experience that allows you to really feel the passion and dedication that went into creating it; it has incredible attention to detail for the purposes of making a commentary on an important social issue. The best way to do this, of course, is through lesbian bears and lots of boobs. Right?
Synopsis: Long ago, humans and bears lived together in harmony. But then, everything changed when the asteroid Kumaria crashed into the Earth, causing the bears to go berserk and start eating humans alive. To stop the fighting, a “Wall of Severance” was constructed to separate the two beings, thus ushering in an era of pure hatred and exclusion.
In case you aren’t familiar with the works of Ikuhara and therefore don’t understand how such a silly concept can hold such a serious message, immediately stop reading this and go watch one of his shows; the only way to understand it is to experience it. I won’t hide the fact that I absolutely love Ikuhara’s style; the insane amount of symbolism, the repetition of sequences, the abstract environments, the use of color dissonance, etc. I’m an absolute sucker for all of it, so it’s no wonder why I was instantly turned on to this show.
YKA’s plot may be nothing special if you take it at its face value, but when you examine the purpose of it all and how masterfully it is worked into the theme of homosexuality as well as how society perceives homosexuality, it becomes quite clear how well written it truly is. In case the title didn’t tip you off, this is an anime that uses lesbianism to make a commentary on society; not necessarily for fanservice (though you could certainly argue the amount of naked girls is gratuitous). It should go without saying, but this isn’t ACTUALLY a show about lesibians vs. bears; it’s an abstract concept used to display a theme. Some people are simply unable to get on board with that, which is understandable, but for those who do appreciate this sort of thing, YKA’s world building and storyline will be truly appreciated. There is a great deal of depth to it that I still haven’t taken the time to fully digest myself, but I definitely plan on rewatching this show in order to do so. Without doing a full on analysis of this show complete with spoilers, that’s about as much as I’m allowed to say about YKA’s narrative.
While I could gush over everything this show does right all day, let’s talk about why you are never going to hear it mentioned in conversation amongst most anime fans. First and foremost, it gets off to a slow and confusing start. The first 3 episodes of YKA are far more abstract and cryptic than the rest of the show, which was admittedly a poor choice considering how assessable the themes are made later on. Because the characters take so long to be introduced and fleshed out, many people were scared away because of how strange and “out there” the anime appeared. It’s ironic that the symbols become so much easier to understand than Ikuhara’s other works later on, because it’s for precisely the opposite reason that so many people dropped it.
The aspect of YKA that really makes the show work and ties all its themes together without many loose ends is the cast of characters. While they initially feel distant and unrelateable, they eventually emerge as unique and likable, not to mention the fact that they are perfect manifestations of the concepts that the show is working with. Ikuhara is a master of making sure that every character, no matter how minor, serves an important role. Outside of the main trio of Lulu, Ginko, and Kureha, every character has a symbolic purpose, thus painting the picture of a twisted dystopia that excludes all who do not conform to their standards. In addition to being thematically brilliant, the characters are a main source of the show’s fantastic comedy. Did I mention that this show is laugh-out-loud hilarious? I think it says something about the directing of a show that can make you think hard and laugh hard in the same episode. Sure, Kureha is bit bland and serves mostly as vessel for the show’s agenda, but this is overall a great use of characterization.
Perhaps the best thing about an Ikuhara work is the animation itself; he always finds a new and unique way to portray something that could have been mundane, and I have a tremendous amount of respect for that. The sheer intricacy of each and every shot makes it clear just how much effort was put into this show in order to make it great. Regardless of whether or not you like his style, it is a commendable effort. The music choice is strange, but somehow fitting. This show contains easily the weirdest use of a choir I’ve ever heard, but I mean that in a good way.
I think I’ll stop there just because even though there is so much to talk about with YKA, so little of it is worthwhile to someone who hasn’t actually seen it yet. I would highly recommend that you go watch it; even if you aren’t into the whole symbolism thing, this show makes it accessible enough that anyone can understand at least the basic gist of it. Sure the fanservice can be distracting despite its occasional relevance, the first few episodes are off-putting, and it isn’t exactly as bulletproof as Ikuhara’s other shows, but it’s a memorable, funny, and worthwhile experience nonetheless. If you’re looking for a show that actually has some depth, check it out. Shaba-da-doo.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Mar 29, 2015
**SPOILER FREE REVIEW**
If you were one of the people who dropped Garo back in 2014 because the plot seemed a little too aimless, this is a PSA: Y’done goofed. What started off as a slightly clumsy and generally directionless action romp with only a mature tone to differentiate it eventually came into its own and emerged as a visually stunning, well written, memorable action-drama complete with strong characters and an emotionally investing plot. Garo was arguably the best anime that aired this season and it deserves far more attention than it is getting.
Synopsis: In a world full of bloodthirsty creatures known as horrors that terrorize
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the people, the only ones who can protect them are known as the Makai Knights; a secret organization dedicated to preserving peace throughout the kingdom. However, little do the people know, the king is being manipulated by his advisor into painting the Makai Knights and alchemists as evil witches in order to eradicate them.
Before you even figure out what Garo is about, one thing will stick out: It knows how to have a mature tone. Too often do anime fall into the trap of confusing maturity with gratuitous blood, guts, nudity, and/or death; but not Garo. This show deals with topics of emotional loss, altruism, coming of age, sex, and violence without ever feeling like they are in over their head. This alone is commendable because it opens up a far wider spectrum of potential material to deal with that you won’t be able to see in a typical anime that’s bogged down by fanservice, moe, etc.
The biggest complaint that can be made about Garo is that it seems to lack direction or even a real overarching plot, but this only really applies to the first half of the show. Lots of people lost interest in this anime early on because there wasn’t any specific goal in mind, and that’s understandable. However, what emerges from the initial failures of the show is a touching tale about coming of age. It’s complete with some great drama without ever feeling forced, great pacing, and the perfect mix of dialogue and action. It puts you through a great deal of emotional ups and downs, really making you never want to take your eyes off of the screen. If you can tough it out through those first few episodes, you definitely won’t regret it.
While the plot really manages to come into its own, that phenomenon can largely be attributed to the growth and development of the fantastic cast of characters, who are the highlight of Garo in my opinion. Leon, the protagonist, starts off an insufferable, angsty teen. He complains about everything, is never satisfied, and is all around insufferable. So basically, he’s your average teenager. What makes him such an effective focal point for the show is how he learns and grows from his experiences; Leon is a dynamic character who ends up becoming supremely likable and even sympathizable.
However, Leon is only one of the many interesting, dynamic characters. German, Leon’s “father”, accounts for a lot of the personality in the show. He’s very funny without ever diminishing his important and rather serious role in the plot, which is not an easy balance to achieve. There’s also Emma and Alfonso, who each bring their own intriguing subplots to the equation as well. When it comes to characters, Garo overwhelmingly succeeds at fleshing out their respective backstories and motivations. The characters are the reason I was able to stick with the show through the slow start and the payoff ended up being much amazing than I ever thought it could be.
The last thing I’ll mention is how studio MAPPA, who is quickly becoming one of my favorite studios for having the balls to take on risky projects, deserves a lot of praise for the superb animation in Garo. The Makai armor battles are perhaps one of the greatest examples of CGI done right in anime to date, but even more impressive to me were the detailed landscapes and the fight scenes that didn’t use CGI at all. There is one particular fight in the later half of the anime between two main characters that is easily the fight of the year so far. The amazing choreography took my breath away; I probably watched that scene five times just for the hell of it. Combine the uniquely great animation with a… “interesting” soundtrack (watch the OPs and you’ll know what I mean) and you have an anime that delivers in the aspect of presentation.
In conclusion, Garo is a well-written drama with a mature tone and a focus on action that is definitely worth watching. The meandering plot eventually finds its way home and delivers a lovely narrative that you will remember for a long time. I highly recommend Garo to anyone who has a little bit of patience. Here’s to season two!
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Mar 28, 2015
**SPOILER FREE REVIEW**
WooooOOOOAAAaaHHHHHH (*Trumpets blare)
From the moment that OP first began playing, the anime world fell in love with Death Parade. Based on the OVA Death Billiards, another Madhouse production made for the animator training project “Anime Mirai 2013”, Death Parade sticks out as a very unique concept in a medium that frequently recycles ideas. People desperately wanted this show to be good simply because there was so much to like about it, but unfortunately, the favorable reviews this anime has been receiving are the result of people tricking themselves into believing that this show worked when it really, honestly did not at all. It
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does a terrible job fleshing out and balancing its recurring characters, the world building is awful, and the premise itself is left virtually unexplored. All enjoyment gotten out of this show can be chalked up as mindless, because the sad reality is that this show fails to execute anything noteworthy.
Synopsis: After people die, they are brought before beings known as “arbiters”, who are tasked with “bringing out the darkness” in their souls to determine if they are to be reincarnated or sent into the void. This is the story of those arbiters.
It’s pretty hard to argue that Death Parade isn’t entertaining because, well, it simply is. Drama is in a surplus here as we are frequently given intriguing and unique scenarios about people who lived, died, and now face judgment. The games are almost always entertaining and rarely will you want to take your eyes off of the screen. However, this is a double-edged blade. Because the show spends so much time on these stand-alone scenarios that don’t connect to anything and don’t do anything to flesh out the recurring characters, we are left with a show that is obviously only suited to be episodic trying to have an overarching plot complete with a large cast of characters, which it completely fails at doing. Don’t even get me started on their “commentary” about judging other people’s lives, because the more serious this show tries to be, the worse it gets.
The biggest reason that trying to have an overarching plot was a mistake lies in the fact that the world building is laughable. I was planning on writing out a list of questions that never get answered in this show, but then I realized that there are SO many of them that to write even a short list of them would be silly; that’s like showing someone a single beach and using it to quantify how many grains of sand are in the entire world. It simply won’t do the concept justice. See, the world design in Death Billiards didn’t really have to make sense because they don’t even address it; they leave it up the viewer’s interpretation. Death Parade, on the other hand, makes an attempt to explain how the whole setting and the arbiter system works to the viewers, and the moment they do that, it turns the intrigue and mystery of the OVA into frustration and confusion. You aren’t supposed to know what’s going on in Death Billiards because that’s part of the fun, but in Death Parade, you are, which makes it very off-putting when there are a million holes in their explanations. To put it short and sweet, Death Parade’s plot is fun, but it makes no sense what so ever.
The characters in Death Parade are handled pretty poorly thought out and clumsily utilized overall, but they have their moments. The episodic characters so a solid job serving their purpose; they come, entertain, then go. The main cast, however, leaves a lot to be desired. First and foremost, the description of what they are supposed to be makes no sense. Arbiters are supposed to have “no emotion”, when it is clear that all of them do. Even Decim, whose trademark is being emotionless, clearly has emotions if you pay attention to his reactions to the environment. Considering that the relationship between arbiters and emotions is the intended destination of the show, this is a massive oversight. Even if you can overlook all that, it’s impossible to deny that all of them are just simply shallow.
Other than Chiyuki, not a single character is fleshed out sufficiently enough for you to feel like you know who they are. They don’t have motivations, they don’t have backstories, and any attempt at development they are given is piss-poor. Even with the one character where these things are handled reasonably well, Chiyuki, it doesn’t actually happen until it’s just too little too late. You don’t really feel like you know her until the very end of the show, which is the opposite order of how you are supposed to introduce characters. Everyone else’s development is just nonsensical. Nona would be a good example of a character whose progression makes no sense whatsoever; it just happens for no discernible reason. Much like the plot, the only thing this cast is good for is mindless entertainment in the form of character quirks, which we all know are shallow.
In conclusion, Death Parade is not the greatest thing in the entire world, despite what its OP would have you believe. It struggles by trying to take a formula that isn’t suited to be an entire TV series and forcing it to become one at the expense of basic story structure. This anime is not good, but it’s not bad either; it will entertain you at the very least. I won’t go out of my way to recommend it, nor would I make any effort to recommend against it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Mar 28, 2015
**SPOILER FREE REVIEW**
The first season of Tokyo Ghoul had three major problems: A plot that went absolutely nowhere, a lack of any real character development, and a plethora of impossible-to-take-seriously, one-dimmensional characters that completely ruined the tone and broke any immersion that might have been occurring. When it was announced that season two was going to break away from the inevitable dead-end that is the fate of an incomplete manga adaptation in favor of being based around an original story, there was widespread hope that the show would be able to correct these issues. Well, now season two is complete, and not only were the
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preexisting problems from season 1 still omnipresent, they were ten times worse. They quite literally took the show in the worst possible direction. MORE focus on absurd characters that are comically flamboyant and impossible to take seriously, MORE edgy bullshit for young teenagers, LESS focus on fleshing out the character’s thoughts and motivations, and LESS time spent embellishing a barebones, uninteresting plot. Oh, and did I mention that the animation went WAY downhill as well? In almost every single way, Tokyo Ghoul √A is absolutely fucking terrible.
Synopsis: Directly continues right from where season 1 left off. Not much else to say.
The only thing worse than a horrible anime is a horrible anime that is comically oblivious to how horrible it truly is. I struggle to find the words to describe just how explicitly stupid, functionally retarded, and logistically nonsensical this anime’s plot really is, especially considering that it is so straightforward on paper; there are humans and there are ghouls. They don’t like each other. Fighting ensues. Now, the real strength of season 1 of the show was how it tried to focus on the idea that not all ghouls have lost their humanity and how there are significant similarities between the ghouls and those hunting the ghouls. This plot point dabbles in the concept of grey morality, which is always a major plus. However, season two does away with this entirely. As I mentioned already, the amount of screentime given to the ridiculous “I’M CRAAAAAZY!” type characters who are completely unrealistic and asinine has been upped, making the show downright hammy.
Even if you can get passed that, season two’s plot would still be ridiculous because NOTHING makes sense; nothing is justified or has any kind of logical consistency what so ever. Why did Kaneki suddenly turn into a super-badass with white hair after being tortured? I dunno. Why did he suddenly decide to join the bad guys if his only motivations are to protect his friends? I dunno. Why does he completely maintain his attachment to his friends if his morality has been altered to the point that he can now kill indiscriminately? I dunno. The anime has simply never takes the time to slow down and explain to us WHY all of these things are happening. That’s not to say that the show doesn't slow down though, because it certainly does. There is NO shortage of exposition, and when I say exposition, I mean the worst possible kind of exposition. There’s talking and talking and talking and yet it never feels like you are actually learning anything. It’s hard to follow what all the factions are, what they are doing, and why, partially because most of it is nonsensical and partially because there’s no reason to care. The storyline is an absolute trainwreck and a pain to sit through.
The characters are even MORE of a trainwreck. Kaneki was a mediocre at best character in season one, but now he’s just unbearably boring and inconsistent. His motivations make no sense what so ever and neither does the fact that he is suddenly a completely different person. Since the show refuses to explain what is going on with him, we have to decipher it for ourselves, but such a task is impossible because his behavior is so inconsistent. As previously mentioned, if his motivation for joining his new “evil” group of ghouls is to protect his friends (I don’t even understand how that would protect his friends…), why does he kill people with no remorse now? Did he lose his sense of humanity or not? We have no idea, and the show never tells us.
As for Touka, the detective, and all the other minor characters from season one, they are either mostly cut out of the main narrative and given a fraction of the screen time (Touka) or they simply make no progress from where they already were in the first season (detective). Tokyo Ghoul refuses to even attempt to build upon any of its characters, EXCEPT FOR THE WORST ONES! I know I’ve brought this up twice already, but I can’t get over that the characters they chose to focus on are the one-dimmensional looney toons who you couldn’t pay me to take seriously. The Gourmet, the scarred guy (I think he’s a guy…) working for the detectives, and the guy who’s insanely obsessed with his boss for god knows what reason? THOSE are the characters who you thought needed more screen time?! They are among the stupidest characters I’ve ever seen in anime! They are crazy just for the sake of being crazy! Oh, and I haven't even mentioned the absolutely deplorable attempts to make the audience be attached to new characters who have gotten virtually no screen time, that are completely unlikable, or both. It’s honestly stunning how laugh-out-loud hilariously idiotic the cast is. Tokyo Ghoul √A fails in a lot of ways, but none more so than in the character department.
There is one aspect in which Tokyo Ghoul’s second season does not fail and one aspect alone: The sound design. The use of sound is very effective, seamless, and well executed. It greatly enhances the piss poor action scenes and it provides some standout tracks that are worth listening to in your spare time (Glassy Sky, anyone?). The OP got a lot of flak for, well, not being the first season’s OP, but I think it’s quite good. Unfortunately, the sound design does not make up for the awful animation. At least season 1 had effort put into its cinematography and action scenes (albeit they were obnoxiously censored…), but this time, they look like complete garbage. The frame skips are extremely distracting, the choreography is uninspired, and the dialogue scenes have no attention to detail. It’s always an issue when the second season of a show has noticeably inferior effort put into it than its predecessor.
To sum it all up, this is the definition of an uninspired, rushed, low-quality product. Tokyo Ghoul √A takes everything that was wrong with the first season and amplifies it simply because that’s what’s easiest. This show feels like a cash grab to milk an overhyped series as it is quite evident that its production was virtually passionless. If you watched the first season of this show and aren’t sure whether it’s worth continuing, the answer is a definitive “No.”
Reviewer’s Rating: 2
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Mar 19, 2015
**SPOILER FREE REVIEW**
The latest romantic-comedy/drama to take the anime world by storm is a little project known as Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso, or as many people know it, “Your Lie in April”. YLA has been the talk of the last two seasons as it has managed to captivate audiences around the world with its unbelievably bright colors and fantastic musical score complete with both famous classical pieces and original hits. However, if there is one thing about this show that people can’t help but gorge themselves on, it’s the melodrama. That’s right folks: a romantic show contains MELODRAMA! Try to contain your surprise! Since
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intense over-exaggeration is virtually the only way to make shows like this interesting, know that I’m willing to overlook melodrama to a certain degree… But not to THIS degree. Ladies and gentlemen: Do you think you know monologuing? Oh ho ho, you’re about to.
Synopsis: Kousei Arima is a former piano-playing prodigy; he was the best player alive for his young age until some serious mental trauma forced him to quit. He has refused to touch a musical instrument ever again, until he meets an eccentric girl named Kaori Miyazano; the girl who would change his life forever.
YLA got off to a charming start with a great comedic focus while still hinting at a sufficiently dramatic backstory. In combination with the previously mentioned art and music, this anime showed promise. By the time the breathtaking violin performance in episode 2 had finished, pretty much everyone was hooked on this show, and understandably so. However, it didn’t take long for it to divulge into one of the most laughable and overly drawn-out excuses for a narrative I’ve ever seen. This show is about 10% original content and about 90% REPEATING THAT SAME CONTENT. Over and over and over and over and over and over again! You’d think it was a parody of an anime drama rather than an actual iteration into the genre if you didn’t know any better. This anime should have been 12 episodes TOPS, especially considering all the pointless side characters that serve no purpose. Instead, we get an anime that is just monologuing on top of monologuing episode after episode. You REALLY have to slog to get through all of it. I find it hard to pay attention to a show that’s just going to spell everything out for me a million times; ever hear of subtlety? SHOW. Don’t tell.
That’s not to say that the drama is all that bad when they actually decide to advance the plot though. There are several instances of legitimately investing and interesting storytelling in this anime, but it’s too few and far between be worthy of any real praise. Not to mention that it is constantly interrupted by inopportune comedy during or immediately following a dramatic moment. The strange thing is that the comedy can be pretty good too; this show has gotten more than one chuckle out of me. The problem lies in the directing, which is causing these elements to work against each other rather than cooperatively. Instead of adding another dimension to the show, the comedy merely dulls the edge of the more important dimension, and that’s obviously a major problem.
The characters aren’t necessarily bad, but I found them to be pretty poorly handled overall. Kousei, for example, is inconsistent. He will tell the audience how he feels about the SAME thing in SAME way over and over and over again, but there are also times when we should know what he is thinking and simply don’t. For example, it’s nonsensical how the most minor of exchanges will stick with him throughout the entire show and be monologued about dozens of times, but then major interactions between him and anybody not named Kaori are instantly forgotten even when they should be having a major impact on him. Kousei is an okay character, but his backstory is really the only thing that defines him. I was personally more partial to his best friend, Tsubaki, whose alternate perspective of having to deal with a struggling friend is often more interesting than the person who is actually suffering.
Kaori, on the other hand, really held the show back in my opinion. Yes she’s cute, yes her violin performance was the best scene of the show, and yes she is the source of lots of drama. The problem is that she is treated a lot more like a plot device and a lot less like a character. With all the monologuing that goes on in this show, can someone explain to me why we never find out Kaori’s true feelings in regards to so many events? Where exactly does her love of music come from? How does it motivate her? What are her specific feelings on Kousei at various intervals in the show? What about Watari? We don’t know until the final episode of the show so we can pretend that all this vital information which we desperately need to get invested in her is some sort of Shyamalan twist; it's completely immature and ineffective. Kaori simply shows up, does whatever she needs to do to create drama, then leaves. She is the weakest character in the show and a big reason why I found the romance to be poorly executed and completely one-sided. I never felt like I knew this person.
In conclusion, Your Lie in April is a cheesy drama loaded with inopportune comedy and cringe-worthy dialogue. It has its moments and the musical score/animation are wonderful, but bad directing and the lack of so much as an ounce of subtlety killed it. If you’re one of those mushy-gushy drama lovers, I really can’t recommend against this show since its flaws aren’t too much more egregious than what you would normally see, but if not, I don’t think you need to go out of your way to watch it by any means.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Jan 29, 2015
**SPOILER FREE REVIEW**
Watching Suisei no Gargantia is like watching someone who is completely incompetent play a good video game for an extended period of time. Is there anything more aggravating? They ignore obvious powerups right in front of their face, they never know what attack to use at what time, and they have absolutely no idea where they are going. As much as you desperately would like to take the reigns or at least guide them in the right direction, you simply can’t. This process is universally frustrating and cringe-worthy because you know that if this person were only playing correctly, you would be able
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to see the gameplay in all its glory. Instead, you end up sitting through hours of moronic lollygagging that goes utterly nowhere. To make a long story short, Gargantia is a comparably pointless and meandering ordeal despite the obvious potential for a heartwarming, meaningful, and even thought-provoking story that it at one point seemed destined to eventually arrive at.
Synopsis: In the distant future, The Human Galactic Alliance has been constantly fighting for its survival against a race of beings called "Hidiaazu." During an intense battle, a soldier named Ledo and his humanoid mecha “Chamber” are sent spiraling through time and space. Several months later, Ledo wakes up from his artificially induced hibernation and realizes that he has arrived on planet Earth; the birthplace of humanity. The life he has known as an HGA soldier differs drastically from the culture he now finds here on Earth, as he struggles mightily to adjust to the new environment.
If I had to give Gargantia credit for anything, I’d praise the fact that’s it’s ambitious. It simultaneously aspires to be a thriller, a slice of life, a romance, a commentary on morality, and a mecha-action. Unfortunately, its own ambition coupled with some god awful writing resulted in an incomprehensible mess of plot holes, no direction what so ever, and so many irrelevant subplots that it becomes difficult to even comprehend what the show’s primary narrative even is.
It’s easy to be lured into Gargantia via its bright animation and intriguing first couple of episodes, but every good aspect it ever manages to establish goes to waste simply because it refuses to pick an identity at any point; this anime has NO idea what it wants to be. My first guess was that it was going to be a charming slice of life about a young man discovering what it really means to live, but then it decides to go on an incoherent, pointless, and shock-factor driven tangent that tries to introduce aspects of action, psychology, and suspense without an ounce of the narrative framework required to successfully do so. It’s almost comical when you realize in hindsight how irrelevant and pointless this anime’s little “Shyamalan Twist” was to the main storyline. When the aspect of the narrative that’s slated to carry the most emotional weight can be removed entirely without anything being different, something is wrong. VERY wrong. But, surprisingly, one of the most nonsensical plot twists in anime history isn’t even the biggest issue facing Gargantia’s plot, because that title goes to the entire 2nd half of the anime, which is the most horrible, confused, and plothole laced 6-7 episodes I think I have ever seen. To sum all this up in a single sentence, Gargantia’s plot is absolute garbage. This is far and away the worst thing that writer Gen Urobuchi has ever written or will ever write again, ESPECIALLY when you consider the characters:
Our protagonist, Ledo, is the only character in this show. That’s right; you heard me. There are no other characters. LITERALLY everyone else in this show is a plot device. Amy, the female lead and love interest, is as 1-dimmensional as it gets. No personality, no motivations (partially because she barely does anything), no backstory, no nothing. She exists only so we can pretend that Ledo formed a bond with one of these boring sacks at some point. The closest thing this show ever gets to a character (besides Ledo) who exists for purposes other than advancing the plot IS A GODDAMN ROBOT. That’s right; Chamber, Ledo’s robot, is the closest thing to a side character that you are going to get. Notice the emphasis on the word “close”, since Chamber is still an information-spewing plot device. The laughable way in which the show eventually tries to portray some sort of bond between Ledo and a robot makes the god-awful writing all the more cringe-worthy. Oh, and in case you didn’t guess it already, Ledo is a bad character. They try to convince you at the end that he learned something and went through some kind of change but… When? It never feels like he’s learning something nor does it ever feel like he’s ever changing. Not to mention that his inconsistent reactions to events around him amplify the show’s glaring plotholes. *Sigh... It’s just really, REALLY bad writing for the complete lack of a better term. Putting it as bluntly as that is the best way I can think to sum it up.
In conclusion, Gargantia is not worth your time and it will only cause you immense disappointment if anything at all. One of my least favorite reviewer-clichés is to go on and on about how “This anime had potential”, because EVERY anime has potential; you aren’t really saying anything with that. In this case, however, I really feel like this anime could have been special. If it had merely picked ONE out of the multiple great ideas it had and focused on it, this might have been one my favorites. Instead, it’s shit. Storytelling is fickle, I suppose.
Reviewer’s Rating: 3
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Jan 17, 2015
**SPOILER FREE REVIEW**
There’s no such thing as a perfect anime; everybody knows that. Due to the fact that different human beings value very different things across all mediums of art, it is impossible to create a work that everybody will agree is flawless. However, there IS such a thing as an anime that could not possibly be more effective in the delivery of its narrative, characters, animation, themes, and soundtrack under the given circumstances; an anime that is as close to perfect as you can possibly get. That anime is called The Tatami Galaxy. There is little debate among those who have indulged in this
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brilliant creation that The Tatami Galaxy is an absolute masterpiece. It’s the hardest anime to criticize simply because it’s thematically bulletproof; the only possible criticisms that can be made of it boil down to personal preference and what YOU may or may not be partial to on a subjective level. Now, if all that is true, why has barely anyone seen this show? If it was THAT great, why isn’t it overwhelmingly popular? Well, the answer to that question supremely unjust, but unfortunately true: The Tatami Galaxy is very experimental. The reason you may not have even heard of this little gem before is because not everyone is going to be into its one-of-a-kind style or use of literary devices. However, even if you aren’t fond of its art direction or narrative presentation, it’s hard to refute that this is one of the greatest anime ever made. It accomplishes everything it ever set out to do with the utmost of ease and grace. It sets ambitious and perhaps unreasonable goals and then proceeds to effortlessly meet them. Presenting the most horrifyingly under-watched anime in history: The Tatami Galaxy.
Synopsis: A college dropout stops for a late night meal at his favorite ramen stand. There, he crosses paths with the self-proclaimed “god of matrimony”. This bizarre meeting sends the young man hurtling through a horrifying flashback to his not-so-glorious college days as he is forced to reflect upon where it all went wrong for him.
The Tatami Galaxy’s plot is essentially a far better written and much artsier version the movie Groundhog Day; the protagonist is forced to relive his college days over and over and over again, with each iteration ending in his complete and utter misery. However, in addition to providing the same level of comedy, this anime also manages to be overwhelmingly meaningful, brutally thought provoking, and nihilistically sobering. The Tatami Galaxy may seem like an innocent comedy with a fancy art style up until the last couple episodes, but make no mistake; this anime has so much explicit detail to it that it’s almost scary. It can only be described an absolute bombardment of symbols, themes, motifs, and imagery that you likely didn’t even notice until the final episodes, if you noticed it at all. For that reason, it is essentially mandatory to rewatch this show in order to truly get everything out of it, because you WILL be overwhelmed. It’s supposed to feel that way.
But what EXACTLY is this show about? Well, it’s about a lot of things. Namely, it’s about having respect for the choices you have made in your life and understanding the you need to take the good with the bad; there is no perfect, fairy-tale life style out there waiting for you. The message of this show is relatable to virtually everyone, but especially so for college students, considering that a university campus is the setting of The Tatami Galaxy. There are so many people out there who feel like they have lost their way or don’t know what they are doing with their life, stressing out over every single situation, agonizing over the fact that they can never achieve the “rose-colored” life they are so desperate to experience. Put simply, this is the story of man who is finding his way in life and discovering what it truly is to be happy. It’s both a charming, heart-warming tale and a realist’s harsh reality complete with the ups and downs that everyone can relate to. That’s why everyone should watch it.
If you HAD to put The Tatami Galaxy into a genre, it’s honestly closest to a comedy. Now, with that in mind, everybody knows that the most important aspect of a comedy (besides, well… the comedy) is the cast of characters. This puts The Tatami Galaxy in an interesting predicament, because its characters don’t serve nearly the same roles that they might serve in a more traditional comedy. Rather, the characters in this show are all symbols. Our protagonist, for example, doesn’t even have a name. The novel that this anime is based on (as in a REAL novel, not a light or visual novel) simply refers to him as “Watashi”, which makes the symbolism quite obvious. The rest of the cast, including Watashi’s love interest Akashi and his best friend Ozu are also allegorical, but I won’t go into detail on the subject for the sake of time and spoilers.
What makes The Tatami Galaxy’s characters so masterful is that not only do they execute their symbolic roles so masterfully, they also manage to have likable, charming personalities and add a lot of comedy to the show. While Watashi is without a doubt the most prominent and dynamic character, the side characters serve a purpose that is just as important: an emotional anchor. From episode to episode, seemingly everything around Watashi (i.e the eyes of the viewer) changes. His environment, his mental state, his hobbies, his pastimes, etc. all fluctuate superfluously, which can get chaotic. The only things we have as an audience to anchor us to reality, as in the only things that seem to NOT change episodically, are the side characters. Jougasaki’s eccentricities, Akashi’s hilarious fear of moths, and of course: Johnny. All of them serve as the only constants in an ever-changing world, and this technique was executed to perfection. By the end of the show, you feel like you personally know each and every character, particularly Watashi. Dare I say that you may feel as if you know him as well as you know yourself? In short, everything about this cast amazing; I can’t picture them being done any better.
The last wave of praise that I must pile upon this masterpiece is in regards to its one of a kind presentation. In terms of animation, there is NOTHING out there that’s even remotely comparable to The Tatami Galaxy. Not only does it use a wide variety of techniques, (including rotoscoping, which is seldom scene in the medium), it gets the absolute most out of them and creates a visually stunning product that you will never forget. Masaaki Yuasa is an absolute GENIUS. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING about this show’s visuals are flawlessly executed. Not only does it look good, it’s extremely fluent and meaningful. The Tatami Galaxy is perhaps the best example we’ve ever seen of visual storytelling and using animation to convey meaning without words, and that’s saying quite a lot. As for the soundtrack, I couldn’t have asked for anything more fitting. From jazz to soft rock to tracks that simply transcend genres, the OST never fails to set the mood, whether it be depression, hope, happiness, or anything else. Have I mentioned that both the OP and ED sequences are superbly directed and consist of fantastic songs in general? On a final note, I must point out that Shintaro Asanuma delivered what I consider to be one of the most impressive voice acting performances of all time as the character of Watashi. The speed, clarity, and tone in which he speaks is so alluring and impressive, which merely contributes to this show’s overall top-notch ability to present its story.
In conclusion, watch the Tatami Galaxy. You owe it to yourself as a fan of anime to witness arguably the premiere model of what the medium is truly capable of. It’s not for everyone, you might not love the art style, and you may not understand it the first time you watch it, but make no mistake: Those who are able and willing to digest the Tatami Galaxy will never forget it. The anime industry has never seen anything like it and it will never see anything like it again. This is without a doubt the finest example of how quality does not correlate with popularity. In case you take nothing else out of this review: WATCH. THIS. SHOW.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Jan 4, 2015
**SPOILER FREE REVIEW**
Well, what started as a massive disappointment was able to somewhat redeem itself towards the end, thankfully, only to completely collapse yet again. I think it's hard to debate that at least the first half of the highly anticipated Psycho Pass 2 was a complete and utter failure; I referred to it as criminal, unbelievable, sickening and disgusting. An absolute butchering. Psycho Pass 2 was on pace to be the biggest disappointment I’ve ever had in my entire anime watching career, and still might be. Of course, I expected there to be some serious growing pains with the staff of this anime considering
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the mass exodus it had experienced since last time, with a massive number of previous team members leaving after the first season (including lead writer Gen Urobuchi). NOTHING, however, prepared me for THIS. The plot is clumsy and shallow, the characters are shadows of their original selves (or gone entirely), and the animation is laughably directed and significantly downgraded. This is the definition of a bad sequel. Ladies and Gentleman: Psycho Pass 2:
Synopsis: After learning “the truth”, Inspector Akane Tsunemori continues to try to maintain peace in her nameless utopian society, where a new threat has emerged: A man named Kamui threatens to tear down the Sibyl System once and for all and expose it for what it truly is by turning peace and order into complete chaos.
While I normally start a review by discussing the plot, I’m just going to get right to meat of the primary reason why Psycho Pass 2 is had such a different feel to the first which resulted in its inferiority: The characters. The original cast of Psycho Pass was loaded with memorable characters, such as Kougami, Makishima, Ginoza, Akane, and more. This was a legitimately interesting cast because all of them were treated with the time and attention necessary to properly flesh them out. Each had a personality, each had motivations, and each one added a lot the show. However, everything that the original did right, the sequel does very wrong. This anime fails not only to build upon the pieces it had in place, but it supremely fails to show us who any of the new characters are. Until very late. Psycho Pass 2 bombards us with a slew of new faces who we know nothing about, and doesn't cares to let us know who the hell those faces are until it's too late to give the time and attention necessary to make them good characters. This makes the way they think, why they think that way, what their motivations are, their identities, or anything else that we would need to know about a good character all feel half-assed. They feel completely soulless. Hell, the show doesn’t even have the courtesy to give some of them any personalities at all beyond the most basic stereotypes in anime! Now I know what you’re thinking: At least we still have Akane, Ginoza, and Kogami to fall back on, right? Hahaha… Wrong.
Shinya Kougami? Gone. He’s not even in the sequel at all for reasons I can’t even begin to fathom. However, to be honest, I wish Akane and Ginoza weren’t in the show either, because then at least I wouldn’t have to witness them be butchered right before my eyes. Akane Tsunemori, one my favorite female characters in anime, has been reduced to the most boring and uninteresting excuse for a thriller protagonist I’ve seen in my entire life (until very late, I suppose). She has been completely disconnected from the audience. She no longer shows any emotion what so ever and has a personality comparable to a ham sandwich. I know that she was supposed to become a colder character because of her development in the first season, but she has become so distant from the viewers that we simply have no clue what is even going through her head anymore, making it impossible to relate to her. Remember the intriguing inner monologues we got from her in season one that made her really likable and sympathizable? Gone. The only inner monologues she gets this time are plot related and exist only to spew exposition or explain plot events. Not ONCE does the show touch on her inner conflict and how she can’t decide what to make of the Sibbyl System! Let me repeat that using more clear phrasing: THE MOST VITAL ASPECT TO BOTH THE PLOT AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT FROM THE FIRST SEASON IS GONE ENTIRELY. But hey, even worse than that is what the show does with Ginoza, or rather, what they fail to do with him. One of the most dynamic characters in the original might as well not be in this one at all; he has done nothing. Said nothing. Contributed nothing. If he didn’t exist at all, nothing about the show would be even remotely different. The character chemistry between all of the characters in season one? Gone as well. Ginoza and Akane both NEVER have a SINGLE conversation that’s not related to the plot or exposition; not a SINGLE one! Coming off the awesome chemistry between Akane and Kougami, as well as others, this is an unfathomable downgrade. How are we suppose to emotionally connect with anything that happens in the show is we know NOTHING about what the characters are thinking or feeling (again, until very late)? If the characters don’t care, neither does the audience. That’s story telling 101, and as far as we are concerned, the characters don’t care.
Oh hoho, but I’m STILL not done ripping this cast of characters new one. That’s right: THREE paragraphs dedicated to characters alone. That’s a new record. The one thing I haven’t talked about yet is the antagonist: Kamui. Stepping in for Shougo Makishima, one of the most compelling antagonists in recent memory, he had big shoes to fill. If you’re picking up on the trend that’s occurring here, you can probably guess that he doesn’t even come close to filling them. For more than half of the show, we don’t have the slightest clue who he is, what his motivations are, or even what his end goal is. This is literally the complete opposite of what we are used to; Makishima had clearly defined motivations and goals, making the show a matter of questioning whether or not he was justified. With Kamui, he's just a mystery box until all of his ideals and goals are spunrg upon like some sort of asspull. I don't think it's debatable that the method they used in season 1 was far, far superior. Kamui comes across for quite awhile as just a bad guy wrecking havoc for reasons that we can only guess, and for a show that is supposed to be about grey morality, that's not okay. Even though his motivations and goals are eventually reveled, nothing can change the fact that he was a blatantly awful antagonist for the majority of the anime. When it comes to characters, Psycho Pass 2 stands firmly as a major fuck up.
The plot has also seen a massive downgrade from what we are used to, as the once heart-throbbing thriller feels like nothing but a collection of random violence for the purposes of shock factor in the form of a perpetual attempt for the show to 1-up itself with each passing episode until the final stretch, all under the narrative of a carbon copy of season 1's exact same plotline. While the original Psycho Pass had a lot of time dedicated to world building and character development, the sequel says fuck all that, let’s blow shit up. We see tons of blood, guts, and gore go flying across the screen, this time in quantities exponentially higher than what we ever saw in season one. The problem? …Nobody cares. I find myself unable to give a damn about anything that’s happening on screen, simply because the people dying are a bunch of nobodies. When someone dies in an anime, it’s supposed to be a big deal! It’s supposed to drive the plot forward and seriously affect the characters! Here? Massive numbers of people dying is an every episode occurrence. It’s not shocking anymore, it’s not entertaining anymore, it’s not moving the plot forward, it’s not developing the characters, so WHY IS IT HAPPENING?! Granted, the show eventually does manage to cut this crap out and actually get to the point, but it just feels like too little too late. Honestly, it's almost so jarring when the show gets to the point that it doesn't even feel natural; it comes completely out of left field. This is especially a problem because season 2 tried to shift from a character driven show to a plot driven one, and when a plot driven show has a terrible plot, it can only devolve into a trainwreck. If you can stick it out, you are rewarded with a very solid series of episodes that actually touches upon character motivations and the morality of Sibbyl, y'know, what the ENTIRE show should have focussed on in the first place.
The last thing I have left to talk about is the animation. The original Psycho Pass had some of the most incredible animation I had seen in my entire life; certainly in my top 3 all time favorite uses of animation. With that in mind, you can imagine my surprise when Psycho Pass 2’s animation looked not better, not the same, but worse. Significantly worse. While it still looks GOOD, I suppose, it’s nowhere near what is used to be, which was GREAT. Whoever the new art director is for this show seriously fucked up. The first thing wrong with the animation is the drastic change in color pallet; it hardly looks like the same show anymore! The original show used a mix of bright blues/whites and blacks for the environments to create a beautiful contrast and really give off the aura of a futuristic, utopian society; it worked beautifully. The second season, on the other hand, is all over the damn place. Sometimes it uses reds and oranges (for some reason), sometimes it uses the old blues, sometimes it uses something completely different. There is no consistency what so ever! The sky will be one color is one shot, and then a completely different color in the next one. There is no attention to detail what so ever! The backgrounds, once bursting at the seams with objects and completely filled out, are now completely barren. It feels rushed, lazy, and passionless. In fact, the shot composition in general is absolutely terrible. So many poor decisions have been made about the angles, lighting, and settings that I couldn’t count them if I tried. Again, the animation is still good compared to other anime, but it is a shadow of its original self.
Well, there's no question that Psycho Pass 2 did not live up to the original. While I may have called this a travesty or a worse-case scenario at some point, it does manage to significantly improve. If you were a fan of season 1, I won't particularly recommend or NOT recommend watch the sequel; it's up to you. Just make sure you go in with low expectations. This anime could have been so much more, but we got we got I suppose. Such is life.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Jan 4, 2015
**SPOILER FREE REVIEW**
Every now and then, an anime comes along that is so remarkably charming, entertaining, and fun that you just completely forget about the rest of its flaws. Shingeki no Bahamut: Genesis, is the epitome of this kind of anime. It’s 100% “rule of cool”; a million things are going on at the same time, ridiculous amounts of insanity are crammed into short intervals of time, the characters and plot events are totally over the top, and yet all you can do is smile while watching it. SnB is undoubtedly the pleasant surprise of the season, considering that it’s based on, of all things,
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the lore of a card game. First WIXOSS and now SnB… Huh. Maybe card games are on to something. Anyway, let’s get to the review:
Synopsis: This story follows the happenings throughout the world of Mistarcia: a magical clusterfuck where humans, gods, demons, monsters, creatures, etc all must coexist. Long ago, a tremendously powerful being, Bahamut, threatened to destroy the land, but humans, gods, and demons united to seal its power away. The key to that seal was split into two pieces; one half was given to the gods and the other to demons, so that they would never be united and Bahamut would never be released. Two thousand years later, Bahamut threatens to be awakened once more…
If you think about it, there’s really nothing remarkable about SnB’s premise; I think we’ve all seen the “an evil power sealed away for thousands of years is going to be awakened!” type of thing before. What makes this show so awesome is not in its premise, but in its execution. The show thrives during its stretches where there is very little exposition at all, which is most of the time. SnB knows how to “show don’t tell”, and let's the plot events do the talking for them. Unfortunately, the show gets away from that winning formula during its middle stretch and begins spending way too much time on the overarching story, which creates a number of problems. As previously mentioned, the plot of this show is really nothing special; it's way too ambitious for its own good, has holes, and isn't exactly the most original. When the awesome, over-the-top action slows down, the audience begins to remember that these flaws do indeed exist, hurting the enjoyment gotten out of the anime. Luckily, it pulls itself out of its overly-plot-focussed rut relatively quickly and goes back to the fresh and energetic action you can't help but love. I really can't stress enough how nearly every episode presents us with an entirely new scenario in a totally new setting full of insanity and pure fun. For instance, have you ever wanted to see a fight consisting of zombies vs. bounty hunters vs. mermonsters vs. demons vs. a giant crab on board a pirate ship? If you aren’t at least slightly amused by that idea, then you’re a stick in the mud. It’s HARD to not be entertained by the show’s extremely well done action, comedy, and variety of settings. There may not be much depth to the plot, but this anime will make you not care.
As amusing as the plot may be, the real factor that makes it SnB so endearing definitely has to be the characters. They are a delight to watch every second they are on screen, ensuring that there is never a boring moment. Surprisingly, this cast doesn’t just manage to be mindlessly entertaining because of their personality quirks; they are legitimately well written. Favaro, the closest thing we have to a protagonist, is hilarious, charming, has clearly defined motivations and even has a small semblance of a backstory. Amira, the female lead, is quite similar; she’s charming, she’s funny, she has a backstory, but she is also strong; no misogynistic stereotypes to be found here. Kaiser and Rita are marvelous additions as well, not to mention the plethora of colorful side characters. Some of the cast may be underdeveloped, but they certainly never cease to be entertaining. It has been a long, LONG time since I’ve seen a cast of characters with this much personality. They make the show an absolute blast to watch and you’ll definitely get attached to them.
To top off the intoxicating style of SnB, it’s worth mentioning that the animation looks completely awesome. For one, this is actually a rare example of CGI done RIGHT in an anime; it’s used sparingly and actually looks fluent when it is used. Besides that, the art style, shot composition, character/monster designs, and animation is all spot on; it makes for an immersive experience that you can’t take your eyes off of. That brings us to the music, which is just as fun and over the top as the rest of the show. The OP gives you a pretty good idea of what you’re getting into and the OST never fails to set the “Fuck yeah!” kind of mood that the show is so good at eliciting. SnB wouldn’t be the same without it’s stellar and stylized presentation.
In conclusion, this anime is likely the most pleasant surprise of the entire year. It ranks right up there with the other best "rule of cool" shows as an awesomely entertaining, funny, action packed adventure with endearing characters and a kick-ass presentation. It doesn’t have a whole lot of depth to it and it’s not exactly going to blow you away, but it’s hard to argue against the fact that this anime is fun as hell to watch. If this kind of show is your thing, I recommend it!
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jan 2, 2015
**SPOILER FREE REVIEW**
Question: What do you get when you try to make an action-comedy based around the brutal torture, rape, and mutilation of innocent people? Apparently, you get Akame Ga Kill. It’s a blood bath, but it’s also light-hearted. It has deathly serious themes such as the loss of close friends, but it also has frequent fanservice. It has characters with tortured pasts seeking retribution, but they also have slice-of-life comedy personalities. …Have you noticed the problem with the show yet? Ladies and Gentlemen, presenting one of the most hyped anime of the year: Akame Ga Kill (By the way: no. I haven’t read the
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manga and I don’t care if “everything is better!” in it; this review is of the adaptation and the adaptation alone).
Synopsis: A boy named Tatsumi sets out on a journey for “The Capitol” in order to earn money for his starving village. However, when he arrives, he only finds a world full of unimaginable corruption. People are murdered, tortured, and manipulated on a daily basis for no discernable reason other than the fact that the government is super evil. After seeing this corruption, Tatsumi joins the “Night Raid”: a group of assassins dedicated to eliminating the corruption throughout The Capitol by mercilessly killing those responsible.
There are several problems with AGK’s plot, and all of them are related to the very core foundation of how the show was written, making them absolutely crippling. The first issue is that its style is completely unrelated to its substance. This anime can’t decide if it wants to be an edgy, dark, violent action show or a light, upbeat, comedy-action shounen with lots of fanservice. Since it can’t decide, it tries to be both at the same time. This, of course, results in it being neither. AGK has absolutely NO concept of tone what so ever. In fact, the first episode contains arguably the worst writing decision in a TV show I’ve ever seen in my entire life.
We see Tatsumi, our protagonist, witness one of the most traumatic and devastating things imaginable. It’s very graphic and the viewers are prepared for Tatsumi to absolutely break down. You know what happens instead? He mourns for about 10 seconds and then gets comedically dragged away for more fanservice and jokes with the other characters as he becomes visibly unfazed by the incident. There isn’t so much as a second allowed for a transition between comedy and tragedy. Oh, but that’s not where the joke stops; for the remainder of the series, our intelligence is insulted to the point that the show tries to constantly remind us how “devastating” this event was for Tatsumi; you know, the devastation that never happened. He supposedly has nightmares about this event frequently and TONS of his characterization is based upon the effect that this event has on him. Well, great job AGK: you managed to entirely kill the most integral character motivation in your entire show before the very first episode was even over. It’s not like this is the only instance of AGK’s incompetent tone either; there are many, MANY more examples. This show treats serious themes such as rape and torture like they are one big joke; they are used only to over-exaggerate the “evilness” of the antagonists to the point that questions of “good vs. evil” couldn’t be any more black and white in a traditional, cliché shounen fashion. Speaking of clichés, let’s touch on the characters:
AGK’s characters fail to stand out in any way what so ever. Not even slightly. The entire cast is full of tired archetypes from a harem comedy that somehow found their way into the wrong genre of anime (much like Higurashi, but in a bad way). Seriously: you’ve got the naïve, personality-less male protagonist (Tatsumi), the airhead (Sheele), the tsundere (Mine), the outgoing/sexual one with giant boobs (Leone), the blunt/emotionless one (Akame), etc. I mean come the fuck on! I AM watching a harem, aren’t I? You can probably imagine how badly this cast clashes with the antagonists, who are the most obviously evil, stereotyped, motivation-less, cardboard cut-out “characters” you could ever imagine. They rape, they torture, they manipulate, they do the most morally awful things that the writer’s mind could physically dream up. Why? …Just because they’re evil. Even everybody's FAVORITE character (Esdeath) is completely worthless; she has no damn motivations what so ever people! Every time they "try" to give the villains development, it is painfully rushed and short-lived, making it essentially useless. This is one of the cheapest writing tactics in the book and it’s just the icing on the cake to a cast of characters that lacks a single ounce of originality or any depth at all. As a result of the poor cast, nobody cares whenever something happens to any of the characters. This, predictably, takes a massive element of the show away entirely.
In conclusion, Akame Ga Kill is a trainwreck. It has some good ideas and can be decently suspenseful at times, but complete lack of direction makes it borderline unwatchable unless you can completely shut off your brain. From its horribly confused plot to its inane characters, this show never presents us with a single, solitary reason to tune in to the stereotype parade they have created. I do not recommend Akame Ga Kill to anyone.
Reviewer’s Rating: 3
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