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Aug 9, 2020
Toward the end of the anime, one of the main characters described Antartica as a place where everything is laid barren. People's brokenness, feelings, fears, hopes, dreams are all exposed to reality, and they are forced to confront who they really are. Never have I encountered an anime that so intimately dove into the complexity yet simplicity of friendship, the fear of letting go yet the power of loved ones to push you toward taking the first step, the belief that we can trek this world alone, yet the reminders that somewhere, there truly are those who will love you for who you are.
Sora
...
yori mo Tooi Basho showcases what friendship really ought to be. The main characters were annoyed at each other, they disagreed on how to navigate through roadblocks, and they were not always most honest, but they fought for resolution, reaffirmed their love for one another, and committed to be together in spirit. The anime is so beautiful because it spent very little time trying to draw up a large antagonist. The tension throughout the entire series revolved around the insecurities each of the main characters brought into the unlikely friend group. This fleshed out many common struggles people face when trying to join a friend circle, but the driving force behind so much healing the characters experienced comes from the determination of Tamaki Mari in extending grace and love no matter what. In fact, it is not just Tamaki Mari - who might be the main-main character but by a very slight margin - bringing that kind of culture into their friendship, but everyone experiences moments of self-doubt and subsequent reconciliation.
Perhaps the most refreshing thing this anime offers is that it does not shy away from its identity. I have seen comments of people saying that others thought this show would be one of those "cutesy shows with high school anime girls," but while it is definitely visually beautiful, it keeps its main point of highlighting friendship as the main point.
I loved this anime. I have great hope that this anime will push people to also take that very first step in doing something in their life, whether great or small. Sora yori mo Tooi Basho masterfully reveals so many of the excuses people make before they commit to a decision, but it also saves the meme-ish "power of friendship" from simple power-up anime. The ability to take that step comes from the power of friendship, but it is one made with blood, sweat and tears.
Above all, this anime gives me hope that there really is friendship that is sacrificial, dependable, loving, full, and free. It is possible to find those who will go to places further than the universe with you, for you.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Nov 11, 2018
I feel a bit bad for Steins Gate 0 because it had to live up to the popularity and expectations created by Steins Gate. For a fair portion of Zero, it seemed to have gotten the same flair. It even integrated more cliche-y anime scenes with relatively good effect, particularly developing emotional scenes through characters crying or confessing their love.
But in reality, there were too many issues and inconsistencies that I overlooked for most of the season because it was the SEQUEL TO STEINS GATE. Some of the seemingly important characters ended up being fillers whose backstories meant almost nothing. It might have just
...
been me, but Hououin Kyouma's return was so... anticlimactic. I almost didn't want him to return if it was like that.
If Steins Gate 0 were the first season to a new anime, I think it would have done pretty well. I mean... the reviews are still generally positive, but for those who placed enormous expectations on the second season because of Steins Gate the original, the second season may be a bit more disappointing.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Aug 6, 2013
A few years ago, I bleached my entire Christmas break with this anime. I suppose I was in "otaku" mode and powered through hundreds of episodes, completely hooked but sometimes also completely lost. It was a wild ride, and something I enjoyed until I started to want more. More action. More story. More character. More.
I think I want to just make a shorter review of this.
In general, I like Bleach. The action scenes were okay, there was a main storyline followed (although the wide array of fillers sometimes made me wonder if what I was watching was related to the original plot at all), and
...
I mean, if you were to watch this before looking at less popular ones, it could just be quite the anime. However, where a lot of big anime fall short is quality. As the anime progresses, things just seem to be a bit more forced. There is less action, less content, less... flare. Especially after the climax, things died down and basically had to be forced back up again.
Give it a shot though.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jul 15, 2013
When I first watched this anime, I marathoned through almost all of it (got to episode 15), and finished the rest the next day. I was absolutely hooked, and because of that my first-time experience was ironically almost ruined. I did not understand the implications of a lot of things that happened, and never thought about the "why" behind certain plot twists and changes.
(I'm writing this after I have watched the last 4 episodes, or apparently called the "special." I recommend all of you to watch the ending immediately after episode 13 because it is essentially concluding the anime. Episode 13 does not offer a
...
concise conclusion in my opinion.)
Before I go any further, I would give a cautionary recommendation for this anime. It's good, really really good, but some parts of the "good" are hard to swallow, especially if you are like me, too used to the typical path of anime storylines. It has a huge dose of realism, which is good to bring us back to reality, but not the best if we like to stay in anime heaven.
Story: 9/10
There is not much of a "story" since it is more like the everyday activities of high school students (with the addition of magical elements). There is no intended goal at the end like finding something or saving someone. Rather, there are many smaller stories intertwined together. Most of the stories arise from the main characters exposing their struggles and the other characters' attempts to ease and eventually eliminate such struggles.
It could be argued that the main goal/plot was to philosophically answer such questions as: if the outside part of us was completely changed, would we still be ourselves? Would people recognize us for who we are, not what we look or seem to be like? It is true that all of the supernatural happenings deal with characters either switching or exposing parts of themselves, which in turn questions what/who a person really is.
Another possible purpose could be to examine the effects of destroying the status quo. If our lives were drastically changed, would be willing just like these characters to easily express our doubts and personal struggles? Would our friends and family be like the group in this anime, offering advice and help, even going so far as to sacrifice time and emotions to save us? What if the anime wanted us to stop going through the motions and realize that everybody has something they want just as much to hide as they want to heal?
It is very interesting how every character's struggles could be considered the main plot, or at least a sub-plot. There is no explicit "main" story, simply an array of stories that comprise the entirety of the anime. This may seem confusing at first, but they have a lot of connections.
I do realize I started off saying there was no plot, and then continued on giving possibility of certain plots. If an anime focused on many plots, is there a plot at all? I hope that paradox helps settle my contradictory tone.
With that in mind, I find there to be a huge connection between the storyline and the characters themselves.
Character: 9/10
The characters are immediately forced to lead two-faced lives (regardless of how many faces they already had before :O) because of the supernatural occurrences that are affecting them directly. Although there is very little or no transition from one supernatural phenomenon to the next, what it does very well is subsequently build character development.
As soon as the supernaturals came to be, the characters became three-dimensional. This I can relate very well in reality. I find a huge struggle in everyday life is being more than just a shallow, quiet entity. If we constantly lived in our own little worlds and followed the status quo, would we ever consider opening ourselves up? This anime beautifully portrays what we ought to do when our world turns upside-down. Perhaps beforehand, we never thought about sharing our deepest, darkest secrets with anyone. We would rather die than do that. We would live in our comfortable reality forever, with no thought of trying to change.
That is, until the world forces us to change. That is what happens in Kokoro Connect. Before the supernatural occurrence, it is implied that the characters never shared their troubles. They simply went to school as everybody else did, going through the motions. Everybody seemed "happy" when in reality all of them were going through difficult things. It was only when the so-called antagonist came and ruined their lives when they finally became human. Imperfect humans.
But I know I would prefer anime humans over anime robots.
It's interesting to note that there really is no antagonist in this story. That entity that is the closest to be considered the "bad guy" actually helped the characters see themselves and others in a new light: a light that exposes instead of hides away.
Sound: 9/10
It is the amplifier of all events. It brings the normalcy in normal school activities, pain in grievous moments, and laughs in humorous occasions. It is always there to make everything seem so much more real. That itself is ironic because real life never really has a soundtrack (maybe play your iPhone during a romantic dinner).
Art: 8/10
I am not a good judge on art and style, but I'm sure it's not out-of-the-box to say that this anime is very pretty, both in its people and its environment. It's nice to note that important scenes brought more memorable scenery, while not-so-important scenes brought more forgetful scenery. Perhaps this happens in every anime, but it is the first time I noticed it.
Enjoyment: 8/10
I forgot to mention the romance the love present in the anime when talking about story and character, so I will place it here. There is a lot of romance (perhaps that is another plot possibility...), but I find it hard to call it "romance." Just as the 3-dimensional aspect of the characters were created through the supernatural events, so too did the romantic feelings. If we placed the romantic feelings out of the context of Kokoro Connect and in the context of another anime without weird things happening, would there still be a romance at all? Is that a question worth answering?
Before I go too deep in ponderous questions, I do want to point out that the anime seems to have two contradictory definitions of love; love is fragile, yet at the same time it seems to bring "happily ever after." It easily crushed two people's romance when it built another seemingly indestructible romance between two other people. I was greatly confused at the purpose for that, and at this time still do no fully understand why they did what they did. Perhaps love is like that, sometimes there for only a while, sometimes there for eternity.
I really enjoyed the anime because of its huge variety of emotions it expressed. There were the funny moments and the sad moments, the times of revelation and the times of hiding, the fighting and the healing. Some things changed that I didn't like, but it's not like everything in life is preferable.
Overall: 9/10
I almost hesitate to give it a 9 because of my adverse feelings toward the anime after my first watch-through. However, before I decided to write a review, I went back and re-watched it, and found out that the uncomfortable feelings the anime gave me were actually blessings in disguise. They were the golden nuggets of life-lessons we can apply for ourselves.
So if any of you are thinking of watching this anime, by all means do so, but do so with an open mind. Some parts may seem different than the cliche anime, but that's what makes it so amazing.
Kokoro Connect - Our Hearts have Connected~
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jul 13, 2013
I know I am going to struggle with bias when I write this review. I just really did not like how the anime ended (not even that, how a certain character changed so much over the course of the anime). I am one that does not necessarily want a happy ending, but at the very least a struggle for good. This is almost contradictory in a sense because a lot of times I really do adore the bad guys, but in this case it was just depressing to realize who the true bad guy is.
Story: 8/10
It is about a boy named Yagami Light who finds
...
a notebook that can kill people if their names are written in it. He begins to use its power and decides to rid the world's evil with it. At the same time, investigators are looking into the unknown deaths of criminals, calling upon L for help. This is the part I hate the most, but there was almost a subtle blend between who is the protagonist and who is the antagonist. It may seem obvious at first, but this anime is anything but obvious. Who is the true enemy? Maybe he is right in front of you.
There is a good build-up for the story. As much is explained as other things are disposed of. Supporting characters are usually only there for a short period of time because of circumstances that eventually prevents them from seeing the light of day, so not much depth is present for them, but the main cast is deep.
Epic plot twist is epic.
Art: 8/10
The drawing style really fits the dark mood of the anime. Even during the day, there is a heavy atmosphere that seems to continue throughout every activity, especially after the power of the notebook is revealed. No matter how one looks at it, death is still death. Maybe Light believes it is for the better, but there is no denying people are dying. It draws upon a question that comes up a lot in anime and in life: when is it okay to kill? Do criminals deserve to die? Will the world become a better place because of that, or will just more pain ensue? There is not a direct answer found in the anime, but it does bring to light the effect of answering those questions in a way that appears right: kill them.
I may have talked more about emotional appeal than art there...
Sound: 8/10
Scary. Befitting for such an anime. Nothing much I can say here (truth be told I forgot a lot of the soundtrack...)
Character: 7/10
As I have said before, a lot of characters are merely there to be written in the notebook. It builds upon the main storyline, but prevents a lot of character development outside of the main characters. Not too much is mentioned about the characters' pasts; most of the development occurs within the anime. And a lot does. A lot.
Personally speaking, I did not like the change. I hated the second half of the anime because of two major changes that happened. I do not want to spoil it, but in a way, the first half was about a kid with a huge dream, the second half was about that same kid trying to claw his way out of the hole he dug for himself.
Enjoyment: 6/10
I would have liked it much better if the second half was changed. The ending was... a reasonable conclusion (albeit the still-dark atmosphere present), and in general, it was a good anime.
Overall: 7/10
I do not want to bash on this anime for not fitting my liking, so I will tell you to just give it a shot. For many I believe, it will be an amazing, gripping tale of hope and conviction, but ultimately deceit, trickery, and death.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jul 10, 2013
This is my first review, and I might be a bit jumpy and in-cohesive, so I would like to apologize before you read any further. This is also the first anime I ever really watched, although my opinion of it has changed over the years.
When I first watched Naruto, I was completely obsessed. For days on end, I would complete tons of episodes, entranced by the plot, the characters, the fights, the emotional tug, and the sheer ecstasy I felt by seeing Naruto win over his battles. There is always something magical about seeing someone being shunned for so long find something greater than blank,
...
cruel stares. Yet, at the same time, I was too naive in the anime world. I had no way to compare such things as story, art, sound, etc. Naruto was the best because it was the only one.
Surprisingly, as I ventured into less well-known anime, my view of Naruto became a bit more critical. My initial amateur eyes that adored that yellow-haired boy and his adventures judged the not-so-amazing art, the lack of intense emotional appeal or response, and its amount of fillers (there are quite a few). The fact that Naruto was one of the so-called "Big Three" was enough for me; that in itself shot its rank up my list. That is, until I began to realize maybe it's so popular because it's quite an easy anime to accept? I am still not sure, but I do not want to deny it has been a good enough anime for me.
Story: 7/10
Just from the synopsis alone, anyone should be able to realize the story will have at least some depth in it. Beneath the usual light and comical air Naruto tends to bring on screen is a darker secret that he tries his best to hide his pain and loneliness. That already makes a powerful story, something many viewers can watch and learn from. Naruto teaches many lessons, especially about not giving up. Perhaps what makes it so popular is Naruto's continuous drive to find acceptance. So much of the anime revolves around that goal, but that then makes so much of it quite amazing.
I may be slightly judgmental here, but given the black/white nature of Naruto, there seems to be a bit of a skew. It is easy for the anime to be easygoing, but it seems to need something sad in order to develop its other side. That seems to be quite ironic because Naruto's life for a long time was one without friends and light. At the same time, I would understand it because in a way Naruto is trying to move on, but it just feels like the pain and suffering endured in the past is forced by their current circumstances (if that even made sense).
Art: 6/10
I realize if I reviewed this anime years ago when I first watched it, I would probably give it a 9 or 10. The art was not heavenly, the battles were not that epic (some were), and sometimes it just seems the artists did not put too much effort in. To summarize, I've seen better.
Sound: 7/10
Generally when I watch anime, I do not pay too much attention to music, but it does heighten certain feelings when played in the right time. Naruto does a good job, especially during moments of sadness. Those for me stand out the most. For the rest of the moments, though, the music just blends in. It is not particularly super, but not bad either.
Character: 7/10
Character development is pretty good. A lot of time is spent on main characters' pasts which add depth and understanding. Although not everybody gets their fair share on the spotlight, enough is given and explained.
Enjoyment: 6/10
I personally enjoy deep plots. Naruto had a focus on that, with its emphasis on Naruto's past suffering and pain, but at the same time the amount of deviation from its original standpoint somewhat irritated me. In other words, I didn't really like all of the fillers. Sometimes they provided more background, which was nice, but usually they were out-of-the-blue and did nothing to the storyline at all.
Overall: 7/10
Maybe if Naruto was the 5th anime I watched and not the 1st, it would have been ranked lower. However, I feel the beauty of this anime comes from its huge popularity. It's widely known throughout the world (probably), and that's what makes it unique. Sure it is not the best anime out there, but it does deserve some respect for being so... natural. It's one of the most natural anime out there. Give it a shot.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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