For those that don’t know, the Corpse Party series started out as a computer game. The original game and its sequel are now available as PSP/PS Vita games, and as of this writing, another sequel is set to be released in Japan soon. I highly recommend playing the games if you haven’t already, or at least watching a play-through of them (preferably one with no commentary, as commentary tends to ruin the serious/scary nature of the game).
Story: 6/10
The story of Tortured Souls starts off very similar to the game’s, but the longer it goes on, the more it deviates. It's not horrendously
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Jun 12, 2014
Junjou Romantica
(Anime)
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Recommended
Junjou Romantica Review
Story: 6/10 Art: 7/10 Sound: 9/10 Character: 7/10 Enjoyment: 9/10 Overall: 8/10 Urgh.....hmm....hrm....hnnnnng.... ... Ugh...I want so badly not to like this anime. I really do. I just can't bring myself to dislike it though. Story: 6/10 The story is....there. It's not fantastic, it's not dreadful, but it's there. It's also rife with shonen-ai/yaoi clichés, so if you can't get past that, I wouldn't recommend it. In no way, shape, or form is the story believable or realistic; don’t dive in thinking anything that happens here could ever happen in reality. You watch this genre for the fluff and pretty boys, not because you want a realistic depiction of romance. Art: 7/10 It's good, but not great. It isn't this over-the-top, hyper-detailed animation, but it gets the job done. My chief complaint about it would have to be how a good majority of the characters look almost exactly the same. Just look at any given picture with more than one of the semes/ukes in it. I mean...you've got all the face and eye shapes in the world, and you give all the semes the same one and all the ukes the same one (minus Hiroki's eye shape--it's the only thing that really distinguishes him from the other two ukes). Not only does this feel lazy, it can also make things pretty confusing. For example, Misaki's friend Sumi looks an awful lot like Akihiko. Miyagi looks an awful lot like Nowaki. Shinobu looks an awful lot like Misaki. It can get confusing pretty fast if you're not good at remembering their names. My only other real complaint about the art is the constant use of "side-mouth." I know this is present in a LOT of animes, but I just found it really jarring in this one. This probably has to do with the profuse amount of close-up shots on the characters' faces; it makes it infinitely more noticeable. I found myself staring at the characters' mouths a lot when they were talking during these shots. I know this isn't a big deal to some people, and I know how hard it is to animate mouths from a profile view, but it just drove me nuts, so I figured I'd point it out. Sound: 9/10 The opening theme is boss. Best opening I've ever heard for a shonen-ai/yaoi anime. It's so much nicer than the typical "cutesy sugar-pop" style openings that plague this genre. It actually caught me off-guard when I was watching the first episode—I had expected something much….softer and super “kawaii.” I can’t emphasize how much nicer it is than a typical opening for this genre though. The background music was nice and appropriate for the situations—nothing spectacular, nothing bad. I really enjoyed the voice acting; the characters’ voices were fitting and believable. Misaki’s in particular was my favorite, but I enjoyed the others as well. Characters: 7/10 I grapple really hard with the characters in Junjou Romantica. On one hand, they’re really the only reason I kept watching the show. On the other hand, they’re one of the biggest gripes I have with the show. They’re very copy-and-paste. There aren’t any particularly unique characters—they’re all kind of your standard boy-love fodder. The ukes are shy and goofy; the semes are straightforward and serious. If it weren’t for the situational differences, you’d basically be seeing the same couple in all three stories. I also have trouble with the fact the semes don’t seem to understand “NO” all that well. This is a hugely common theme for this genre, and I personally wish it would stop, or at least ease up a bit. There’s something seriously wrong with this formula. “I love you! Let’s kiss and have sex!” “No!” “Don’t worry, you’ll warm up to it once I pretty much force myself on you!” “Oh hey, you’re right! I’ll still say ‘no’ again next time, and you still won’t listen, but that’s okay because you luuuuurve me!” No. It’s not okay. I understand that it’s a semi-believable situation (only in that one of the characters is saying “no”), but it happens literally every single time Misaki and Akihiko become intimate (which happens often if you watch both seasons). The dude said no, quit grabbing his wrists and pushing him onto conveniently nearby couches and beds. Since this is entirely fiction and no one is actually getting hurt, the only real problem with it is the fact that it’s being romanticized. Persisting after someone says “no” three times is not romantic. It’s not cute, it doesn’t show devotion, and it’s not in any way a good thing. Personally, I don’t find this particular aspect “offensive”; it’s more of an annoying, over-used trope to me. I just think it’s important that more impressionable/younger people watching this (while I know this isn’t a series for a young audience, we all know younger teens are watching it) are aware that this is not how a healthy, happy relationship should work. At all. Ever. Under any circumstances. No means no. Along with that, I found myself wishing the couples were more…mutual. A lot of their interactions feel one-sided, with one half being pushy and into it, and the other being either indifferent or resistant. So why, after all that whining, did I still give the characters a seven? Honestly, the character interactions. Misaki is adorable and his reactions to various situations were entertaining and funny enough to keep me watching. The genuine, sweet moments between the couples are very cute, though I do wish there were more of them. Enjoyment: 9/10 Despite all my qualms listed above, I really did enjoy this anime. I hate myself for it, but I really loved it. It’s adorable and funny, and I’d consider watching it again. Overall: 8/10 TLDR: All in all, I would recommend this anime to someone who’s already a fan of the genre. The story and characters are cliché, but it’s still charming and funny. If you can’t get past the tired story formula and less-than-original characters, I’d say pass on it. I enjoyed it for what it was—a goofy, overdone story about boys who like (or refuse to admit they like) boys. Also, I cannot emphasize enough to younger viewers of this anime—the couples in this show are NOT good examples of healthy, realistic romantic relationships. Please keep that in mind when watching this. Life does not work this way. Things don’t happen like this.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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