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Nov 15, 2013
The reason I've decided to to write this review is that I don't think Shiki has seen enough recognition. Too many times have I made mention of Shiki and received blank stares. Additionally, because it is not as recognized as others, it is not as easy to research when deciding whether or not to watch it. This is a habit I've picked up over the years and it frustrates me to no end when I cannot find the information I desire without spoilers. And so, without further ado, the review.
Going into Shiki, I did not really know anything about it nor did I expect much.
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Without giving much away, I will say this: It blew me away. The Storyline is nothing entirely original, mysterious family moves into a rural town and the population of the town starts dropping. Having said that, the idea is not terribly common and it was presented very well. Coming from a variety of different perspectives, it offered a different approach to what was going on at any given point of the anime. This does not simply mean different people, we're talking social, medical, religious. Shiki offered it all.
The art was...different. Coming from someone that is extremely picky about what an anime looks like(not hesitating to drop an anime if it doesn't look pretty),I loved it. The character design was, in my narrow view, original, creative and interesting. Much like most anime, there was a definite style, or pattern that was adhered to. Angular, subtle lining made for an interesting watch and the subdued colours matched the setting and theme very well. Perhaps more importantly, they tended to match the mood of the current scene as well. This made the immersion all the more potent.
The sound(musically speaking) was also well thought out, fitting the theme and mood, adding to the immersion. Having said that, the voices(Japanese) could have been done a little better. At times I found it to be stunted, un authentic. Naturally, this varied from character to character and it was not so often or so bad that it made a large impact on viewing pleasure. But from time to time, it snagged my attention.
The characters were, I feel, what made the anime come alive. The growth and development of each one, their hopes, desires and dreams all fell into a relatable and understandable category, bringing the viewer to care for them without even realizing it. Truth be told, it was a complete shock to feel so hurt on behalf of a character without seeing it coming beforehand. Until that point, I had thought that it wouldn't really bring anything out of me if something bad were to happen. Even the "antagonists" each had something that drew me to them, and all in all every situation was reacted to in a manner that I could see happening in real life. From my point of view, that's a big plus. While it may not be listed as such, I really found it interesting to watch the psych of each character as the anime developed. Be it negative or positive, each character had their own method of coping and dealing with everything that happened. I'd suggest keeping an eye out for that aspect.
Needless to say, I found Shiki to be thoroughly enjoyable. It may not have been the biggest rollercoaster ride of emotions, but it certainly brought more to the table than I had expected and it kept it's quality high throughout the anime.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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May 29, 2013
On the whole, Mirai Nikki delivers itself well and effectively. There are a couple of issues but they do not detract from the anime enough to hinder watching it. An interesting idea coupled with a great delivery made it incredibly enjoyable.
Story - 9
The story really is fantastic. The psychological aspect is handled extremely well, as well as the horror and mystery. It has some phenomenal twists that really succeed in throwing the viewer off balance, but are still believable. The only real issue, and this is perhaps the biggest problem within the anime, is the romance. Despite being fairly central to the plot, it is
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not handled well at all. It exists but is almost entirely unbelievable with the possible exception of Gasai Yuno. If you come into the animation with the intention of watching a romance story, you will be disappointed. It may be a romance at it's core, but it seems to realise that it does not provide well, so it does not focus to heavily on the romantic side of things unless it really has to. This is definitely a good thing. Regardless, the fact that it is done so badly cannot be ignored. This is the only reason the story did not receive a 10.
Art - 9
There is never any really reason fro art to lose points unless it interferes with the viewers pleasure. Again, this is done quite well and it fit the style of the anime. There are, however, a couple of points where animation does not match what the anime has previously produced, thus the 9.
Sound - 7
While enjoyable, there is nothing particularly special about the sound. Music is generally unnoticed when something is going on, which is unfortunate because there are often cases where it could improve the delivery(important!). The opening and ending themes are really good and they match the anime but, as they are only the credits, this is unimportant. Sound did not lose points because anything was bad, just because nothing was very gripping or noticeably good.
Character - 8
Characterisation is a large problem. A lot of the characters are awful. They simply just seem unable to decide who they are in terms of thought processes, actions and general behaviour. This is countered by the other characters who are absolutely incredible(I'm looking at Gasai Yuno in particular, but others are also amazing). They more than make up for the failure of other characters, not including Amano Yukiteru, the main character. This is primarily because he is always in the centre of everything, an (in this case)unfortunate side effect of being the main protagonist. Still, it is fascinating to look at the characters that are done well and it is possible to ignore the faults if one is extremely generous when taking circumstances into account.
Enjoyment - 8
It is an enjoyable experience watching Mirai Nikki. This should be evident. The issues in story and character are not so major as to take away from the anime substantially. It has its problems but they are not too major. If you want an entertaining psychological horror story while being surprised with the turn of events, give Mirai Nikki a go.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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