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Jul 14, 2019
Violet Evergarden is a rather enthralling character study about a young woman learning how to empathize with others after many years of unknowingly wearing a stoic façade to survive through the horrors of war as an assassin. After the war, she is employed as an "Auto Memory Doll" at CH Postal Company, in which the job description ironically is a scribe who writes letters for those unable to properly articulate their own emotions. Her sole objective in choosing this job is to learn what the expression "I love you" means, and she believes her career as a Doll will expose her to intricate emotions such
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as Love. At first, Violet's cold temperament puts her in a predicament at work, as she is unable to relate to others -- nor can she decode her own emotions -- due to her aforementioned military service, leading to a series of gaffes with her first clients and coworkers at CH Postal Company. In due time, this career sets Violet up on a journey that eventually allows her to feel compassion for people on the deepest of levels.
Story: 6/10
Violet Evergarden's weakest component as an anime is likely the format of the global storyline. Sometimes this anime is episodic in nature, and at others, there are spates of interwoven episodes that act as mini story arcs. The series is only 13 episodes long, which is too short for this anime to flip flop between the two paradigms.
Art: 9/10
Sound: 10/10
The voice acting in Violet Evergarden stands out. Yui Ishikawa, the voice actress for Violet, is incredible.
Character: 10/10
Character development is at the forefront of this anime --
As a ruthless killer during a fantasy-like version of World War 1, Violet is exposed to the absolute worst of humanity, being used as a tool of war by her country and superior officers (minus one -- no spoilers here!). Violet's evolution and self-discovery is probably the strongest trait of this anime. I believe Violet choosing the career path as an Auto Memory Doll is a clever plot device for her transformation.
Enjoyment: 9/10
Overall Verdict: 8.8/10
One of the better anime out there that I've seen. Looking forward to the movie coming out Winter 2020.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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May 30, 2017
I am going to keep this review short - I believe that this movie is overrated by many, and here's why ~
The romance that evolves between the two main characters is not believable; that is, the main herione, Shoko, falls in love with the boy who destroyed her life as a child (Ishida) to the point where Shoko wants to commit suicide. Shoko, who is deaf, is constantly bullied to extreme lengths by Ishida when she transfers to Ishida's primary school for her "defect". Shoko has to transfer out of the school since she can no longer bear Ishida's torment, and Ishida is then ousted
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by his peers. Several years later, Ishida, now a reject, pursues Shoko in attempt to right his previous wrongdoings, and after some time, the two fall in love with each other.
I think what is happening here is viewers are seeing Shoko as an unusually susceptible victim who can do nothing wrong due to her appearance and disability. What I mean by that is that the movie is taking advantage of its audience and emotionally manipulating them for the later part of the series, and many viewers are oblivious to this tactic. I don't find it believable for Shoko to have feelings for Ishida when considering the causality of the series; it is one thing to fall in love with somebody because they help you feel complete, restore your sense of self-worth... ect., but it asinine for to have romantic attachments to somebody who destroyed your self-worth and then moderately helped you rebuild it.
I really do like the concept of Ishida reflecting back on his previous misconducts towards Shoko, realizing how wrong he was, and wanting to make up for it. In fact, I see this a wonderful example of a character maturing with time and learning a sense of empathy for others... but I do not like this premise as the foundation for the romance between these two characters.
I think it is overrated because a myriad of viewers are ogling over Shoko and their inner subconsciousness are screaming "KAWAII", but they aren't really thinking about how unrealistic the romantic plot is in this movie. I realize the romance isn't supposed to be the forefront of this movie, but I believe it shouldn't exist in this movie at all, serving only to detract from its overall quality.
7/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Nov 5, 2016
One thing that I need to be clear about with this OVA right off the bat – it is literally the MOST DEPRESSING thing I have ever seen. It leaves with you void in your soul. The entire OVA serves as a requiem for Kenshin Himura’s arduous life. A much different presentation style than the anime series.
If you are sensitive to sad endings or do not like melodrama, you should heed my advice and stay the hell away from this OVA!
Let’s move on.
The gist of this OVA is to show the romance between Kenshin and Kaoru in a more realistic and melancholic manner than the
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original manga through a series of flashbacks. This may immediately raise red flags to somebody who has read the manga and has not seen Reflections. Why? Because this OVA is a far cry from a 1:1 panel adaptation of the manga. I cannot emphasize this enough.
Eventually we get to see a fragment of the Jinchuu arc that involves Enishi and his plan for revenge. This "arc" is extremely compressed into about 20 minutes of screen time, with the actual act of “Jinchuu” being completely omitted from the OVA, which is a huge let down as it is the climax of the Jinchuu Arc in the manga.
Once this segment is finished, we see how Kenshin and Kaoru live after the main series has ends, and unfortunately for the married couple, it does not end well. Their marriage is a disaster as Kenshin is unable to truly accept Kaoru as his lover due to his depression, leaving her as an empty shell (due to being broken-hearted) of a person and forcing her to raise their son on her own since Kenshin decides to wander again throughout Japan, leaving Kaoru and Kenji behind. He does this because he is unable to forgive himself for the atrocities he committed as a Hitokiri, which is ultimately a grave mistake. Kenshin has a disease that can most easily be compared to leprosy, and before he ventures off to wander one last time, it is clear that his days are very numbered, along with Kaoru, who too, has the disease. Over time this leads to their son, Kenji, to learn to hate his father (he is quite cynical), furthering the suffering Kaoru must endure. Kenji eventually disassociates himself from the Himura family, and moves in with Hiko Seijuro in the wilderness near Kyoto. The OVA comes to a very depressing conclusion, but it seems at the end Kenji has turned over a new leaf, and will live a fulfilling life with his spouse, Chizuru.
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Story: 4.5/10
The plot itself is very scattered, and is frankly unwatchable unless you have seen the whole anime series or read the manga. It is essentially just a menagerie of contorted flashbacks. However, the plot somewhat coherent in the second episode, even though half of it is non-canon.
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Animation: 10/10
The art in this OVA is beautiful. Nothing more needs to be said. (my personal favorite animation style)
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Sound: 9.5/10
Taku Iwasaki, the composer, does an outstanding job composing in both OVAs. Extremely beautiful orchestrated music that I wish more anime today had. Emotionally compelling.
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Characters: 7/10
This is most definitely an unpopular opinion, but I think Kaoru really shines in this OVA, for the sole reason of how devoted of a wife she is. It truly is rare to see such a display of unconditional love. Kenshin however was devoid of any personality since it seemed like all of his personality died along with Tomoe in the first OVA, and Koaru was left with an empty shell of Kenshin. Kaoru is madly in love with a brick wall, so to speak. There is no reciprocation. Very depressing.
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Enjoyment: 9/10
Since the Rurouni Kenshin manga is in essence a tale of redemption, you would expect the original source to provide the reader with both more introspective and intimate elements than what were provided in the manga. Some of these needed aspects missing from the original source can be found in this OVA. Reflections also explores the vulnerability of Kenshin, which helps us see Kenshin more as a man, rather than just a sword-wielding god like he is portrayed in the manga/anime. While it is true that this OVA did indeed send a different message than the manga, you cannot overlook the fact that this OVA had some of the missing ingredients that held the manga back from being a masterpiece. Both the manga and this OVA have flaws, but I find them both enjoyable nonetheless.
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Overall: 7.5/10
This is a must watch for any RK fan, but be warned, this is not the same goofy Kenshin you see in the anime. Essentially, this version of Kenshin is just a sad man with a huge wound on his heart forged by a woman who died by his own sword that will never heal no matter how much love and care he receives. There is no redemption for him in this OVA until death. This to me is just a what-if scenario, an original piece of work, so I am able to enjoy it for what it is – a supplement to the manga. Some people hate this OVA because it sends a different message than the manga, and I understand their grievances, but I personally liked it. Watch at your own risk.
If there is anything to take away from my review it would be this:
A) This OVA is completely inaccessible to those who haven't read the manga or seen the other OVAs
B) The ending is more suitable to those who like more realistic conclusions to their anime
C) The message sent in this OVA drastically digresses from the author's original intent in the manga
D) Any puerile or comedic elements are completely averted in this OVA - leaving us with a much darker, melancholic interpretation of Rurouni Kenshin than the original anime
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Sep 11, 2016
Soooooo is this anime supposed to be serious or not?
You know how Scary Movie 3 made fun of the movie, The Ring?
And how Scary Movie 4 made fun of The Grudge?
Is that what this anime is? Because it sure feels like one of those. It feels like it's a parody of Rumbling Hearts..... so I'm not sure how to rate it because I don't know if I was supposed to take it seriously or not.
I'd give it a 7/10 if it was supposed to be a joke, but if that was serious?
-5/10
Its ending was the cherry on top of the giant pile of
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shit it most likely was.
Not really sure if there is anything left to be said.
Reviewer’s Rating: 1
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May 17, 2016
Attack on Titan should be renamed: Angst, Anger, and Depression since these are the only three emotions that any given character in AoT can experience. AoT isn't a very plot centered anime that mainly glorifies violence. There is almost zero explanation as to what the Titans really are, where they came from, or why they eat humans - you are supposed to eat it up without questioning the plot - and this gets dry pretty fast. The best attributes of AoT are superficial qualities, such as it's production value. I really believe that this anime is overrated at the time, but maybe the second
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season will be more revealing than the first and give this anime some sort of redemption.
Overall I would give this anime about a 5/10. It's very average.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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May 1, 2016
This show is nothing short of an absolute disgrace to the dragon ball franchise.
The animation quality is awful, the plot is awful, the characters are awful, the fights are awful, the pacing is awful, the comedy is awful... it's just straight up horrible. There is zero suspense in Dragon Ball Super, and that was what made DBZ great; a strong villain that forced the characters to surpass their limits to protect their friends and family. DB super has none of that. It's just a snooze fest.
It is clear to me that Akira is just continuing the story just to make money, especially since
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the plot is even more lackluster than the Buu saga's plot. Super is much worse than Dragon Ball GT, and the worst part about it is that it's Canon! There isn't a single lick of creative writing going on in DB Super. Just the same re-hashed cliche anime stereotype about anime characters' lives revolving around when it's time to eat. The joke has gotten old. I don't think any real fan of DBZ will like this, and if they say they do, they are kidding themselves.
***Some of the animation quality in this anime is seriously the worst I have ever seen. Nobody can deny how bad it gets. Just embarrassing.
Verdict: DON'T WATCH THIS!!!!
2.5/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 3
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Mar 29, 2016
The first four episodes of this anime are of masterpiece quality, but then it gradually falls in enjoyment/quality from there.
I'm really not going to go into too much detail about it, but this anime is basically the second half of Steins; Gate on steroids with all of the humor removed, at least up until episode 8.
Erased is unbelievably compelling when it wants to be. However, it did not end on the strongest note.
Some scenes may be hard to watch for some viewers with the child abuse aspects.
I would recommend this anime to just about anyone over the age of about 14 or so,
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and I think that is the targeted audience for this anime.
- Very intense soundtrack.
*Unfortunately this anime suffers from the "death note effect"
IE it starts up incredibly well and trips over it's own momentum.
Would have been a 10/10 if it ended as well as it started, but I have to be fair and give it about an 8.5/10. Maybe even that is a little generous.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Mar 29, 2016
It is hard to review this anime since it is not complete - at least the manga is not.
However, I will say I enjoyed this quite a bit. It felt a lot like Yu Yu Hakusho, but more lighthearted for the first half of the series. It was an adventure in every sense of the word, and a charming one at that. The second half of HxH feels almost like a completely different show, with a much more serious tone. The pacing was pretty bad sometimes, and I did skip some episodes that seemed pointless to watch. There was also a narrator, and I
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think this was a mistake. The audience is smart enough to know what is going on; we don't need somebody to point out the obvious. I realize that there is a narrator in the manga for this portion of the story, but I think the director should have scrapped this idea and just let the words of the narrator be heard in the thoughts of the actual characters themselves. That being said, some of the episodes in the CA arc are extraordinary. It was really hit or miss in this arc.
I would probably give this an 9.5/10 when considering all of the arcs put together.
* Hisoka & Netero are incredibly well-written characters
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Feb 3, 2016
Imagine if the Mona Lisa would have been painted without her head.
That is what Rurouni Kenshin is.
It's incomplete.
The potential of this show is remarkably high, but most likely it will never be reached since no animation company seems to want to acknowledge the existence of the Jinchuu Arc. Other than that it is a pretty good anime to watch with good fights, good drama, and good music. The characters are portrayed goofier than they should be when you consider the situations they are in, but that goes back to the Mangaka's fault, not the anime's fault. This is why the OVA's are better.
Story
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- 8
Kyoto Arc is great, I don't know anyone who hasn't enjoyed it.
At times there is too much dialogue and it takes away from the fight scenes.
First arc is very episodic.
Art - 6
Sound -8
Some really intense tracks are introduced during the onset of the Kyoto Arc.
Character - 8
Enjoyment - 9
Overall - 8
I would watch this show up to episode 62, then stop. Fillers are horrible and very incoherent. It's a shame that the RK series will never be done the proper justice it deserves. With some tweaks and a full reboot, it could be the greatest anime of all time. But for now, it just stands as a good, classic shounen.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jan 31, 2016
I remember when I was watching this show for the first time around and I was thinking to myself that this has to be the absolute stupidest thing I have ever seen. There were a ton of female characters introduced at the start of Clannad, and they all seemed like they had IQ scores that would make Forrest Gump look like Albert Einstien, minus Kyou and Tomoyo. As the series progressed, the bizarre animation (huge eyes) style grew on me, and the characters did as well to an extent. It in my opinion is overrated because people take AS into account when rating Clannad, but
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it is still a pretty decent anime. As a stand alone anime, Clannad is a good/better-than-average slice of life anime, but it really doesn't have too much direction until the Nagisa Arc starts around episode 18. The rest of the episodes there on out are really good however.
Story:7
Art: 8.5
Sound: 9
Character: 6
Enjoyment: 7
Overall ~ 7ish
Clannad has some pretty funny moments, and a few sad ones as well, but in the end, it's all just a set up for the sequel. Many people drop this anime right off the bat and don't watch the sequel, Clannad After Story, and this is a shame. Just be patient with this show, it gets much better. Trust me, I hated it at first too.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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