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Apr 6, 2022
Shingeki no Kyojin is most likely the biggest anime currently, and for good reason. Growing in acclaim and popularity over the years, we are now nearing the end of the source material and the stakes are only getting higher, while many threads are untangling. I've always loved the series, ever since those sole twenty-five episodes existed and the second season was a no more than a holy grail. I'm glad to say it's still got plenty of steam left.
The previous half of the season had a bit of a rough start, but this batch of episodes does not suffer from this at all. The pacing
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is genuinely perfect - rapid-fire, while never rushing through moments that need it. Every character has time devoted to them and it's great to see just how much this world and the people inhabiting it have grown. Armin, Hange, Connie, Jean, Eren, and Theo in particular have great arcs.
I've grown more used to Mappa's animation, and while I am still not a fan of it, I think it's improved. On that note, can Mappa workers please get some rest, they really deserve it, damn. I really appreciate their work and hope they can get some well-deserved rest eventually.
I can't wait for the final final final airing of Attack on Titan, it's got me thrilled. I know the manga ending is controversial, not quite how, but I hope this gets taken care of in the anime (if the rumours are true). Back on topic, the Final Season Part 2 is great. I don't have much to say as there isn't anything quite thematic connecting it, it's mostly specific plot points and character moments. What I can attest to is that it's damn addicting, I couldn't wait to get my next dose of AoT each week. Now I have to wait another year apparently, that's great. Been there, done that. I'm sure I'll be fine. Eventually.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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May 27, 2021
I've been catching up on Berserk these past few weeks, only to learn last week of Miura's passing. This somewhat provoked me to finish up the series, perhaps as a way of mine to pay respects. I've been reading "Berserk" for about 6 years now, I believe. I think I was 15 when I began. I had my own hiatuses with reading it, not at all due to a lack of interest, but to a lack of planning. Throughout all these years, this has been one of the stories I always come back to looking for inspiration. Be it for my own creative endeavours or
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for life advice. As a matter of fact, I've been obsessed with this tale ever since I began my journey as a struggler. I would make all these connections during literature class to the manga. I would somehow be able to connect everything to Guts' story. Now it's been all the clearer to me when I put into perspective just how much of his life Miura dedicated to this masterpiece. While I wish he had not overworked himself as much and had remained to finish his magnum opus, I appreciate the sheer love he had for his story. A story that I have come to realise is my second favourite piece of fiction across the entire spectrum of arts. Too much here has touched me deeply and given me a nuanced view of life's complexities, especially when I was lost.
"Berserk" is the narrative of Guts, the Black Swordsman. At first, nothing more than your edgy badass MC. He's got it all - he's big, with a sword whose size matches his own stature; he's quiet, focusing his energy on slicing up demons; he's an asshole. Focus on the last part. Guts is not presented as a positive personality, and this is never glamourized. Instead, this is used as an incredible hook to one of the best storytelling arcs ever told, by making it clear that this man's past has defined his existence - the Golden Age. Much has been said about it, and many times has it been adapted across various media. For good reason - to this day, it still remains the best arc of the entire series, and that is not to beat down what follows it. But the consistent plot and character development, coupled with incredible action and gorgeous art turn this into a pinnacle for the genre of dark fantasy. The trio of Guts, Griffith, and Casca is filled with nuances and is a pinnacle in character writing. Complex philosophical introspection is the last fragment that makes this inarguably one of the most meaningful fables of the last few decades.
What is to say of the manga past the Golden Age? It is ocassionally a contentious point amongst fans, as the tone changes gradually to reflect the development of our main character. I will say that while not as strong as the Golden Age, the rest of the manga's arcs are in no way weak. The Lost Children chapter was a perfect way to transition into what was next. In general, the Conviction arc introduced us to many new characters and showed us what deprativites humanity would turn to when at their lowest. It's in the Falcon of the Millenium Empire and Fantasia (sadly unfinished) arcs that we get to see the true message of "Berserk". I will admit, occassionaly, the story drags on, especially in the beginning of the most recent arc. The comedy is hit-or-miss for sure. The cast becomes bloated. But that simply cannot take away what is a perfect demonstration of internal struggle and recovery. I only feel Guts' pain more after I've had my own rough times in life, and seeing him slowly try to find meaning is poignant in a manner only the best of writers are able to accomplish. It is why it saddens me moreso that I had to wake up to such an abrupt ending, moreso when the latest episodes had seen incredible plot developments and turned a new leaf for this series.
I did in no way mention the art. Miura's work is touted in high regard amongst your avid manga readers, and for good reason. His meticulous attention to detail is legendary and has resulted in many pages that are as good as paintings. Considering how "Berserk" numbers over 350 episodes, I'll leave it up to you to consider just how impressive this is when there is not a single page of poor quality. And every episode is bound to have at least one piece that can impress you. Please, if you do read this manga, don't rush through it. Stop to observe the art, for it is central to this tale. I'd say that the black-and-white aesthetics of manga only suit it further, bringing a grittiness and edge to the atmosphere. Some of the most beautiful visages are present here, as well as completely grotesque images that shock and disgust. Do not read this if you are sensitive to violence, especially sexual violence. "Berserk" aims to shock, yet it manages to almost always do so deftly and in a way that enhances the story. Miura walked on a very narrow ledge of nuance, using the artistic liberties of the seinen genre to explore human trauma in a disturbing, yet honest manner.
It's probably clear that I hold Miura's work in high regard. I felt lost at first when I heard the news of his passing. I do not exaggerate when I say that "Berserk" has been like a Bible to me. I've found many answers to my own life here, and I've seen this sentiment shared across the community. I do hope that Miura left some notes and his assistants decide to pick up his work, but that could be a pipe dream for all I know. What I am certain of is that the journey so far has been more than worth it, and the legendary mangaka left a work that only few can hope to compete with. As sentimental as I may sound, thank you, Miura, for the care and soul you put into "Berserk". I will keep coming back to it, no matter what its future might be.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Apr 4, 2021
Note: Some spoilers about previous Naruto events.
I've been meaning to watch the Boruto movie for years, but never got around it until I had an hour and half to kill yesterday. The Naruto franchise and I have a strong love-hate relationship, as I have severely disliked almost everything that came after the Pain arc. It turned from a perfectly good shounen fantasy with interesting worldbuilding and great characters to a cheap Dragonball knock-off. As many have said before me, Naruto and Sasuke becoming literal gods completely defeats the original message behind the tale and also lead to a pretty boring story that seemingly only diehard
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fans found much enjoyment in.
Boruto picks up many years after the end of the Naruto manga/Shippuuden anime. Peace has settled in the ninja world. Our characters have achieved their goals and formed families. As such, we follow their children, most of the focus being on Boruto himself of course. And his dad. This is what the film truly succeeded in presenting - family issues. One of the main themes in the story is parental absence and child angst, which are presented in a rather uncomfortable manner. As they should be. I assume this is quite representative of contemporary Japanese society, where a strict work ethic often leaves children to grow up on their own. I do think the conflicts could have been created a little bit better, as I found Naruto's weird obsession with documentation unfitting to his character. I think it's also worth mentioning that Hinata did not serve any other role besides a loyal housewife, only serving to demonstrate further how poorly this relationship was handled. I wish there was more focus on her, as she absolutely deserves it.
As weird as I felt coming back to the Naruto world after a few years, I ended up enjoying myself quite a lot by the movie's mid-point. I grew attached to the characters, specifically Boruto. As inconsistent a character as Sasuke is, I loved the role he played in the main character's development. Boruto's team were rather interesting as well, even if they didn't get as much screentime as I think they ought to have gotten. Nonetheless, I appreciate how they stood as their own selves, while also having certain characteristics of their parents. Another aspect I really liked was the return to the more grounded and tactical battles of old-school Naruto. Characters actually had to make do with their limited skill set, finding ways to outsmart their enemies. Boruto spend a decent chunk of time learning jutsu, yet he also was a vessel for one of the main conflicts in the film. Technology has vastly evolved in the world over a dozen years, and we see how it has changed the future for shinobi. While these thematics aren't exposed in some great depth, they serve a decent role in showing how the land has changed.
As I said, I enjoyed about half the movie, until it disappointed me by having to resort to the old shenaningans of godmode battles, with huge balls of chakra flying around in place of the classic strategic approach (except for one part at the end). The main antagonist is completely forced and unnecessary. I don't see why they had to bring back these huge epic battles. The movie was really enjoyable with its more mundane events. I wanted to see more of Boruto and his team interacting. What about him dealing with his personal issues in more detail? Instead, I got to see this supposedly great friendship of Naruto and Sasuke's reiterated, even though everyone knows Shikamaru is Naruto's true homie. I just don't buy it. Sasuke spent several years being angsty because it was plot-convenient, and now they're best buds with Naruto because they got to be teammates while they were kids. I swear, it's those two that should have married since they can't stop being overly sentimental with each other.
The art and animation would be good if this were an TV series, but we're talking about a full-length anime movie. It's rather mediocre, about as good as the last few episodes of Shippuuden. Just unimpressive. Audio-wise, I wish the mixing was better. The speech was too silent, while the music and sound effects turned up several decibels. The music was good, though I couldn't help cringing at how much it was used to force the film's epicness. Because forget any sort of moderation, the movie has to be emotionally manipulative beyond the realm of thought possibilities. It's why I liked the family matters, which reminded of the more relatable topics of old Naruto. It never had to force me to feel a certain way, it was simply natural for the story. But of course, big blue balls need big epic music to accompany them.
Speaking of, the movie knows damn well how to utilise nostalgia as bait. There was a point at which it practically presented a slideshow of iconic Naruto scenes for some poor attempt at refllection on the past. That was a bit too much. I don't mind looking back at the past, but maybe that's one of Naruto's big issues. Kishimoto was going in a direction he had not planned, so instead of continuing along with the story's natural development, he reverted back to tropes of old and stayed in this weird place where adult characters were idolising their childhood memories, never quite growing as proper adults.
I went in the movie with fair expectations. Most importantly, I wanted to close this chapter of my life. As silly as it sounds, I devoted a lot of time to watching Naruto, waaaaay more than I should have. I watched all the movies and have even reviewed a few (though those are old reviews and they are kind of bad). I don't plan on continuing with the next generation of shinobi, but I am glad that I at least got to see the overall direction. This could have honestly been a fresh start for the world, but it spends half its runtime fetishising its past. It was an entertaining watch, I'll give it that, but I'm ultimately left with mixed feelings. I only recommend it for people who either loved Naruto up until the end or those who want a bit of an epilogue. Otherwise, there is indeed no point in watching this one.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Mar 31, 2021
I've been following this series since its first season, even got to participate a little in the wait for Season 2. When the series first came out, it received its fair share of haters, who insisted that the anime was massively overhyped and, in fact, bad. Even though I've given most of the seasons a 10, I can see why someone would think that way. However, as the anime progressed, the general consensus among hardcore anime enthusiasts shifted to an overwhelmingly positive reception. Perhaps this has to do with the slow set-up and persistent mysteries that the story has; one question would lead to several
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new ones. It was only recently that most of the unknowns were cleared up and all the threads began to untangle, leading to what we have in Season 4 - a consistent stream of episodes jam-packed with content, as addicting as it is layered.
Season 3: Part 2 is where the series has peaked for me so far, and as such, this season had a lot to live up to. Unfortunately, it took some time before it could do that. We start off with quite the time skip, and to top it off, an almost entirely new cast of characters. I won't go into much detail, but this did disappoint me severely for the first three-four episodes. It turns out there is a good reason to do such a thing and the idea is certainly novel and interesting, giving the storytelling a far less linear path. But taking the lead away from all these characters we've grown invested in to introduce us to ones that were quite mediocre for this first quarter.
An additional disappointment for many fans, including myself, was the severe drop in the quality of art and animation. I've seen quite a few ardent defenders of the change in animations studios, which I understand. The anime industry has been quite rough for a while and the demand for artists simply cannot be met, leading to some costs being cut. Wit were unable to fit in with the production schedule, so we switched to MAPPA. I understand it, but it doesn't mean I like it. The animation is too stiff considering how less detailed it can be. The overreliance on mediocre CGI makes battles look clunky, extending beyong the phlegmatic Collossal Titan I had grown used to. The art is servicable, which is a huge step back for "Attack on Titan". What makes it particularly disappointing is seeing such a change right at the end, whatever the reason might be.
Now that I've spoken on my issues with the season, it's time I talk about what I love. The time skip makes character changes feel awkward, but it makes for quite the hook. Seeing what everyone has been up to and what the reasons for their actions are is only one of the reasons that kept me watching. Beyond that, there is not a single dull moment once the season gets going. There's always something that sets up a future plot point, which in turn continues the chain reaction until an unexpected climax is reach. SnK has had some of the best plot twists in modern media. They never feel cheap, are always thrilling, and manage to surprise me every time. And to top it all of, they often come in the form of cliffhangers. God, do I hate that we now have to wait until winter for this last one, I though waiting a week for the next episode was bad enough. Because truly, the episodes fly by. I can only imagine how fortunate binge watchers will be (if they managed to avoid spoilers, that is).
As I said, characters have changed and see further developments. Eren takes on quite a different role here. He's strayed far from the path to becoming a likable character, but he's become rather interesting on the other hand. Zeke gets to show us a more honest side of him, culminating in one of the season's best episodes in fact. Armin and Mikasa face much interpersonal conflict. Conny, Sasha and Jean have grown quite a lot. Levi is as badass as ever. Moral dillemas are everpresent and one of the main conflicts here has to do with discrimination and segregation. SnK does not shy away from delving into the topic's many points of view, presenting us with a nuanced view of the world. I dislike how convoluted theworld is shown as, when it is in fact quite straightforward. By the mid-point, though, I was able to picture the conflicts clearly. It's quite satisfying having most of the story's questions cleared. The question here is - what comes after?
While I did immensely enjoy this season and was on the edge of my seat throughout, I can't deny that the worse animation and rough start take it down a notch for me. Nevertheless, this is still a great watch and shows just how much this series has changed throughout its run. AoT stands as one of the most ambitious stories in recent times that shows no signs of losing its grip on the mainstream and hardcore fanbases alike.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Dec 11, 2020
I was just about to begin the new (and final) season of Shingeki no Kyojin, when a realisation struck me - I had forgotten much of what was going on in the series. Then I remembered I planned on watching a recap movie to get myself back on track. So I stopped the first episode within the first minute and went on to watch this movie. It's not bad for a recap of 3 seasons. Things go by at a rapid pace, being surprisingly engaging. Certain moments naturally lack the punch they usually have without the proper set-up, but I did find myself very emotionally
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invested in some iconic scenes. I see no point in discussing the series of events or the characters, as this should only be watched for what it is - a recap. It fares fairly well in this regard. SnK's world is fascinating to me, but often confusing. Some things I am still puzzled about, though I managed to recall all that I needed. I somewhat wish there was more focus on the details regarding the lore rather than some of the events, but I can't think of any pointless scenes in the film, so I suppose they fit all they reasonably could. For what it is, SnK: Chronicle is a good movie. I enjoyed getting a quick glimpse at one of my favourite series before I watch it end.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Dec 30, 2019
SAO Alicization - War of the Underworld. To be brief - utter trash. It continues the boring, contrived plot of the previous season, but with a twist - Kirito is kind of... not there mentally. Literally. He's lost all the personality he never had. It's not a particularly noticeable difference, though it does affect the general writing. There's a bigger focus on characters here and, ugh... SAO is not very well-known for its well-written characters. I could not give a single shit for anyone, as per usual, so this big battle arc was just boring as all hell. There were some fun enough to watch
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over the top battle moments, the animation has improved over last season, which had some weaker spots. The music is decent enough. Everything else is just, well, shit. It was torture to watch this series showcase how badly it can execute excruating anime tropes, this time outdoing itself with one very special case of Engrish (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCMTyCUHy8U).
Reviewer’s Rating: 2
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Jul 6, 2016
Boy, I was actually kind of interested in this movie. I mean, Sasuke. Without spoiling, I wanted to see a bit more of Sasuke and this movie should have had him. I supposed it would focus more on Naruto and Sasuke's relationship. What did I watch? A cliched and boring Naruto film. I was bored until the end where it became kinda eh.
Let's start with the story. Without spoiling, we get another typical kid who is almost the same as Naruto in his backstory. Really, just... nothing happens most of the time or is just really boring. There is one plot twist I didn't expect.
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Congratulations! The Sasuke bits were kinda cool but he had so little screen time. Not very interesting there, hell, he felt forced in just so there would be something to peak interest in people. It's just a drag and a boring, pointless movie. Bad story and bad characters. I'd write more but there really isn't anything to write about. Just Sasuke's short screen time and lack of dialogue.
The art is good and the soundtrack too. Nothing too special but they are good. It's about all I can say.
Overall, the movie is poor. Boring and unengaging plot and characters ruin it. Having Sasuke advertised so much would suggest him playing a major role. They might as well have just removed him from the story. They might as well have removed a lot of characters from the story. I can't really recommend it, unless you are like me and have to watch these movies in which case I can't really stop you.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Jun 5, 2016
The first Naruto: Shippuuden movie was much, much better than the last Naruto (just Naruto) movie. That doesn't really say much, considering that one was just bad. What we have here is a generic but still enjoyable movie nonetheless.
The story in the movie is pretty mediocre. Naruto and his buddies have to escort some princess. And there are some bad guys who look pretty bad. It's nothing to write home about as it is also quite predictable minus a few "eh" plot twists. It is still enjoyable nonetheless. I will admit that the beginning of the movie was actually quite strong. It definetely got
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me intrigued in the movie. The characters are actually presented better this time around, though it's still kind of mediocre but it definetely is better. The princess is pretty annoying for the majority of the movie and wasn't that great of a character, honestly.
The art is pretty good, minus some unnecesary and not great 3D animation for some stone army. The soundtrack is pretty good, mostly because it features more songs from the anime but the songs from the movie also do a fair job.
Naruto: Shippuuden Movie 1 is an alright movie overall. I give it a 6/10. It has several flaws, it's nothing too special, you can entirely skip it and you won't do yourself any harm this way. If you want an enjoyable, generic Naruto movie, you've got it here. So far, this is the best one in my opinion but it's still nothing impressive. Just alright.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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May 27, 2016
Oh boy, Naruto. I remember being really into Naruto as a kid. I started watching it again around February to get into Shippuden. And you know what? I loved it. The anime is amazing. Amazing story and characters, amazing soundtrack, the art is good (nothing too special, just good) and really just enjoyable. The plot twists are good, character development feels natural. I really like how characters don't just get powers for no reason and get super powerful out of nowhere. They develop and train gradually which makes it more believable in a sense. But then, at one point, the anime went into 84 episodes
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of fillers. Now, now, I know some would say "Then just don't watch them" in which case I'd say "But they are still part of the anime!" In that case, I'd just read the manga. That has no fillers. Really, before the LONG filler period, I'd have given this anime a 9/10. It was amazing. Not super complicated and a bit cliched but I still think it did its things well. Hell, I was okay with the first 20 fillers or something but they got WAY too much after that. It was torture.
Now, the story is good. Non-filler episodes have a pretty good story. As I said, the plot twists can be pretty good. The pacing can be slow, like that episode when they did a recap of all that happened previously for no reason. I'll admit that this anime can make you feel really sad when it wants to and can make you laugh at other times. But not the fillers. There are few good fillers. Those are indeed funny and can even be alright stories. But most of them are so PAINFULLY cliched. They tend to use the exact some plot points we've already seen. The stories repeat themselves and are dreadfully predictable. The whole filler thing ruined how the original anime should have ended. The characters are also pretty good. However, they can be definetely a bit samey to some people as some complain about a lot of them having tragic backstories (like, A LOT). However, it isn't much of a problem for me as I love a lot of the characters personally. There are some that are pretty weak, though, a lot of whom tend to be female characters (Gosh, Ten Ten sucks, that's just what I wanted to say. Sakura as well) Then the fillers screwed that up. Most of those characters follow either one of these patterns: dead parents, monster inside, boy turns out to be a girl etc. It's awful really. Which makes the story just good, as well as the characters.
In terms of sound, Naruto is amazing in that regard. I really like the voice acting and the soundtrack is beatiful. There are a few tracks and voice actors who aren't all that great but it's nothing too serious. The art is generally good, considering the time period. It definetely isn't the best nor does it need to be.
Overall, Naruto is a good anime. The first half of the anime is amazing, before the whole filler thing started, then it went into crap territory, hence why I had to drop my score by 2 points. That's because there are still some good fillers and the first 20 are bearable and the fact that before them, the anime was amazing (even if they love flashbacks a bit too much).
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Apr 12, 2016
This movie is... bad. Like, not the worst thing ever but definetely bad. It just felt like... I dunno how to describe, crappy kids' movie.
The art is better than the anime but is almost at the anime's level. It is just a bit better than the anime. The music was alright.
But hot damn, the story was just plain freaking bad. The whole Naruto thing feels tacked on. It doesn't feel like Naruto aside from the ninjas put there just to be there. They barely do ANYTHING interesting in the story. There's this rich spoiled kid in the movie who is sad because he doesn't
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have any friends. You know, there could have been some interesting character development here. But they screwed that part up. I won't spoil anything anyways. Characters, as I said, are there just to be there and there are the overweight guy and the annoying brat who are pretty bad characters. But ,I mean, at least Naruto is here... and Kakashi, even though he barely did anything here. The story is like a cliched kid's movie - the power of friendship. That brat is just so annoying and he isn't even a good character. They TAKE HIM SERIOUSLY! The tiger and the monkey don't really help either and make it even more cliched in that child movie way. The movie is just boring in general. It was like a high-production value filler but one of the baaaaad fillers.
Overall, this movie is bad, 3/10. There are not many redeeming qualities here. Should you watch it? Unless you are like me and insist on watching all these movies, no. It's rather boring. You might enjoy it anyways but that's up to you. It's like a bad filler - so if you like most fillers (not saying you have a bad taste or whatever) or are just BEGGING for more Naruto (Why though?), you might consider this movie if you don't have other things Naruto.
Reviewer’s Rating: 3
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