- Last OnlineNow
- GenderMale
- LocationAnime World
- JoinedNov 5, 2011
Also Available at
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Apr 4, 2018
13 of 13 episodes seen
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173
people found this review helpful
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| Overall |
8 |
| Story |
8 |
| Animation |
10 |
| Sound |
7 |
| Character |
8 |
| Enjoyment |
8 |
Waking up one day and discovering Violet Evergarden getting an anime adaptation by Kyoto Animation should be a blessing. At least that’s what it looked like on the surface. The light novel series earned the grand prize from the Fifth Kyoto Animation in the novel category. Even with two volumes, my expectations going into this anime was high. In particular, the sheer visual quality is a sight to feast on. However, Violet Evergarden isn’t exactly just known for that but does that mean it’s something to be praised?
Written by Kana Akatsuki, the light novel series is a story about Auto Memory Dolls. They are dolls
are made by Dr. Orland, a scientist who used them to assist his wife in writing novels. However, these dolls were also rented out to others for service. The main plot revolves around an Auto Memory Doll named Violet Evergarden as she tries to discover her purpose in life.
As someone who came into this series half prepared (I have read parts of the light novel), I felt I was ready enough. The first few episodes came in as anime originals and that left me with some mixed reception. However, I will say that the pilot episode was a terrific picture. Beyond the lush quality and the visual magnificence, Violet Evergarden presented a story with heavy emotions. It synchronizes with the drama and melancholy of what I had anticipated. However, the main selling point of the show is titular character Violet Evergarden herself. The story feels like a character study that puts over her above the rest of the cast. Every episode focuses on Violet in some way through her role in the story, her interactions with others, and how she develops as a character. The conflicts she experiences tests her feelings and how she responds to them by trying to understand others. It draws viewers into asking questions about how she can develop as a character and in a lot of ways, I think the show did do that quite well. For instance, Violet displays a lot of human characteristics and tries to understand others. The most prominent scenes features her desperately trying to learn what “love” is and to me, this series chronicles her experience like a life journey of discovery. Unfortunately, I can’t really say that the first few episodes were well thought out in characterizing Violet as a memorable character. Beyond her expressions and role, it seems the show repeats a lot of the same things over and over. The example includes Violet expressing why she is an Auto Memory Doll and it gets tedious fast. It also doesn’t help much that the other side characters seemingly react in similar ways to Violet. My main concern for the first few episodes were mainly how this can keep viewers interested with such a way of storytelling.
Fortunately, the series does get better and puts emphasis in some of the side characters. While the plot feels non-linear at times, some of the other characters do get spotlight through effective background storytelling. For instance, one of the episodes featured a 14 year old princess who gets engaged to a prince and while this seemed like a cheesy love tale at first, it resolved in a very emotional way. It gave me the impression that certain side characters are worth investing time into. In the meantime, the series does eventually step into the light novel adaptation territory as we learn more about Violet’s past and connection with someone very important to her. That person would be Gilbert Bougainvillea, a major in the Leidenschaftlich Army and someone that influenced Violet a lot since she met him. As we look at Violet’s past, we learn how they met and how much he treasure her like a person rather than a doll. It’s also important to note that Violet feels comfort whenever she is around him and not lonely. The anime in the present timeline portrays Violet as a very lonely character and doesn’t have someone to depend on. In doing so, it establishes Violet as a character that has a hard time understanding others. This is especially true for her after she heard Gilbert’s final words. The show dedicates time to explore Violet’s change since the past and how she reflects her experiences in the present. As I mentioned before, the series takes a lot of time into examining Violet as a character and getting viewers to understand her. The side characters play important roles in later episodes to make Violet reflect on her past deeds. To me, it’s effective storytelling as it really made me understand her behavior. The more I understood her, the more compelling her character became. I don’t know if this was the creator’s intention from the start but honestly, it does come together as a well delivered plan.
Now you’re probably thinking of the story contains too much drama for its own good. In some ways, it does but in other ways, it’s also important for the main story. You have to remember that the timeline takes place after a war that Violet was previously involved in. Stories about war often involves pain, tragic memories, and even death. For Violet, she experienced the realities of war. Obviously, there’s going to be a lot of drama and its effect on the storytelling can be received with mixed receptions. I had some mixed feelings in general about Violet’s past as while it can definitely evoke emotions, it doesn’t feel unique enough to be memorable. In other words, I’m more interested in how she develops as a character in the present rather than focusing on her past. Even if it’s significant for her characterization, the drama presented in the background stories doesn’t always feel too impactful. I get it though. Some people will probably point fingers and say that it’s necessary. Others may agree with what I mentioned here. To me, I’m still more interested in Violet’s development in the present than who she is in the past. Otherwise, Violet’s role in the show feels more than just a protagonist. She is the character.
Anyone watching this series will easily recognize the powerful production of the show. This is perhaps one of Kyoto Animation’s best work yet in terms of technical quality. The world setting has natural and lush landscapes with European style architecture detailed with vivid colors. Every camera shot feels impactful and there’s no drop in quality in any episode. Body movements are also timed precisely well to highlight every fine detail such as Violet’s character expressions and role as a doll. Speaking of which, Violet’s character design makes her look very elegant. If you haven’t known about her background story, it’s hard to recognize her as a former soldier. Her signature hand is also a trademark animated with impressive features. It communicates the message to viewers as what she is. Other characters in the show also stand out with their human characteristics. While there’s no fan service in the show, there are characters such as Cattelya that can be very pleasing to the naked eyes. It’s clear to me that Kyoto Animation and the creative team poured a sheer amount of effort into making this series as a whole. The theme songs also highlights a sensitive feeling of melancholy to match the series’ tone while character voice mannerism for the majority of the cast are able to keep up with their momentum. The music and OST also hits the mark to deliver what's intended especially for the emotional drama.
It’s definitely a series that felt different to me compared to some of other Kyoto Animation’s recent works. This one was an emotional storyteller that gave us a reason why we should care about Violet Evergarden; not just the story but Violet’s own journey of discovery. While I can’t say it’s always an effective tearjerker, it’s still a show that’s worth investing time into. Well done, Kyoto Animation. You gave me a better hope for your future.
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Apr 3, 2018
13 of 13 episodes seen
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79
people found this review helpful
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| Overall |
5 |
| Story |
5 |
| Animation |
6 |
| Sound |
6 |
| Character |
3 |
| Enjoyment |
5 |
Sequels based on light novels aren’t too common but for a series like Overlord, it felt like it was inevitable. The meme of “Madhouse not making sequels” got flushed down the toilet when Overlord II became a reality. As someone who has read part of the novel and seen the first season, I’m sad to say that Overlord II didn’t manage to step up the plate. What could have been a chance for the series to improve itself and set new bar instead is met with a step back. If you’re expecting the second season to be a glorious showstopper, then I’m afraid I got
bad news.
I’ll say right off the bat that Overlord II pretty much screams “watch the first season!” In fact, I suggest checking out some of the more prominent episodes from the first season is necessary if you want to get a better experience. This show isn’t here to feed you with exposition anymore. The first season has done that already and viewers should expect a developing storyline with established characters. Or that seems to be the case at first. However, the first few episodes not only reintroduces previous characters but also introduces new ones. An important race known as the “Lizardmen” get their spotlight as we are introduced to their society. We learn about their culture, characteristics, military, economy, and motivations. To me, the Lizardmen possesses many human traits and emotions that aren’t too different compared to our own. Characters such as Zenburu Gugu, Green Claw Tribe Chieftain Shasryru and his brother Zaryusu displays their fierce personalities that makes them example of being capable leaders. Then, there are characters like the priestess Crusch Lulu who represents a more fragile and feminine side of the Lizardmen tribes. The point of the show seems to be trying to get viewers into accepting them and worth investing into. However, it didn’t do an adequate job as a good amount of these Lizardmen characters aren’t well developed. It’s a series that attempts characterization at non-human characters but ends up not accomplishing the job. It also doesn’t help that the story is incredibly predictable for their inevitable fates when facing off against powerful enemies.
This only consist the first half of the show that adapts volume 4 from the light novel series. These first six episodes tries to get fans back into the mood but honestly, I felt like expectations were betrayed. As a curious person, I was hoping the remaining episodes would improve but oh boy, I was wrong.
The remainder half of the show (roughly 7 episodes) covers the plot from the novel based on the “The Men in the Kingdom” (volumes 5-6). My initial expectations weren’t high as the first of these episodes had odd pacing and didn’t get me interested in characters except for Sebas. The other problem is that he is already a somewhat established character so it easy for viewers to accept him. Characters such as Climb, Brain, Tsuare, and Renner are much harder to accept. It falls into the pit of weak characterization again as they are hardly well developed outside of their personalities. We don’t learn much about their past and their motivations for fighting is hardly interesting. Renner is also a character that’s easy to point fingers at once viewers discover her true personality. The one character that does stand out a bit is Sebas during this arc as he shows a more valiant side of him after understanding Tsuare. Does that make him a breakout star? Not really. While Sebas is definitely a motivating factor to keep up with the arc, he is limited to a generic philosophy of helping a damsel in distress. I also find his role with Solution to be rather blend. The way Solutions suspects Sebas of being a betrayer to Ainz can easily make the audience dislike her. Still, I think the weakest part of this arc involves the antagonists, the Eight Fingers. Their key members are incredibly ill-written with dull motivations and stereotypical personalities. None of them are worthy enough to remember and I honestly wish they didn’t even exist. They didn’t manage to bring out the best out of anyone and in fact, I think they even puts a shame in the limited battle scenes.
I’ve talked a lot about the minor and supporting characters of the show. What about the main characters? Sadly, there’s hardly any development for them. For the case of the floor guardians and battle maids, we only get to see a few of them showcase their abilities. If you’re a fan of Cocytus, Demiurge, Aura, or Entoma, then it might be a soft treat. Don’t expect much from them as their roles are limited. It feels like this second season tries to do too much to give them any sort of meaningful place honestly. Oh and how can I forget the infamous Ainz/Mmonga. It may sound strange for me to mention him this late in the review. Save the best for last right? Actually, Ainz is far from the best character in this series and I would actually label him as one of the worst. As the guild master of Ainz Ooal Gown, he feels a lot more like a background character this season. There’s virtually no development for Ainz and it’s a big slap to anyone who wants to understand more about him. We see him sit in the back like a God monitoring his servants and issuing orders. It’s incredibly stale to see Ainz in such a role. The first season at least established his personality in a way that was thrilling enough but this sequel dropped the ball. Sadly, his biggest fangirl Albedo isn’t any better this season besides glorifying her own fetishes.
Madhouse returns and while I can’t say I’m impressed by the overall quality, it does make a nice attempt at designing the Lizardmen. They look faithful to the light novels and expresses human characteristics that I occasionally find enticing to watch. Violence is also exploited to bring out the dark fantasy elements of its story. However, there are two main drawbacks that I find unappealing for this season. First, it’s the action scenes as some of them are very limited and lazily animated. Second, it’s the world setting. It feels like once you’ve seen it once, you’ve seen them all. Hardly original and uninspiring.
The first season’s OP song was quite a thrill to the ears. This season took a step back and I find it skippable at times. Similarly, most of the human characters’ dialogues consists of weak words choices that I can’t really find worth quoting. On a more positive note, I did like the way the season used its battle OST. While some of those fights did feel short, the soundtrack did make up for a bit of the impact to highlight their intensity. Some of the emotional segments of the sequel (in particular Sebas and Tsuare) also felt real with the melancholic usage of the music.
Ah, Overlord II. It’s a sequel that shouldn’t have been resurrected if this is what the creative team had planned. Adapting those light novels into a 1-cour show felt like a risky plan and they didn’t manage to capitalize. It’s a series that’s exciting to watch as a linear continuity but if you’re interested in a well-developed story and characters, then look elsewhere. Too bad really. The show boasts a talented cast that kicked off with some wild entertainment before spiraling into disappointment with no looking back.
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Mar 31, 2018
10 of 10 episodes seen
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90
people found this review helpful
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| Overall |
4 |
| Story |
2 |
| Animation |
7 |
| Sound |
5 |
| Character |
3 |
| Enjoyment |
4 |
Oh boy, Fate/Extra: Last Encore. I should say, right off the bat, that while I am a fan of the Fate universe, I am not a fan of some of their more recent adaptations. (I’m looking at you, Fate/Apocrypha) As a series that’s over the top like Fate/Extra Last Encore, it felt like a chance for me to take a wild ride, turn my brains off, and try to enjoy this for what it is. How did I feel at the end? Well, let’s just say that I want my time back if I had a holy grail.
When Shaft was announced as the studio for
production, I immediately raised an eyebrow and found myself wondering if this could ever work. As an anime adaptation of Fate/Extra, this became a plot that’s modified for the sake of anime storytelling. It sells its story similar to some of the other Fate franchise’s series if you’re familiar with the franchise. Jumping into this show was not easy for me despite my familiarity with the Fate universe.
So I decided to give this a shot anyway. Why not? It has an alluring premise and takes place in an alternate timeline to Fate/stay night. In this timeline, mana have disappeared and Wizards are forced to use virtual space for magic. Similar to some of the other Fate series, a Holy Grail War is set up by a computer that pits 128 Masters in a tournament. The winner will be chosen with a wish to be granted by the Moon Cell Automaton, a mysterious computer of unimaginative powers. Main male protagonist Makuno Kishinami gets caught up into this battle for survival and is clueless on why he is involved. Luckily for him, he gets a servant called Saber. (do note for the sake of avoiding spoilers, I’ll just refer her as “Red Saber” from now on)
Yes, this formula is definitely not something new despite some differences with the world setting and premise. What bugs me though is how the main plot is executed with Hakuno and Red Saber as the main characters. Don’t me wrong. They are highly entertaining to watch at first but after a while, you may wonder if it’s worth investing time into them at all. In particular, Hakuno is a very oddball character and seems to be only motivated to survive and avenge the deaths of others. In a way, the guy can be viewed as an anti-hero. My impression of Hakuno gradually faded more and more after seeing his development. In essence, he doesn’t develop much at all and his personality feels all over the place. It doesn’t help that Red Saber is incredibly one dimensional and behaves like a child. While she can be addictively cute to watch at times, Red Saber is hardly a character I would declare as well-written. We don’t know much about her and it’s hard to judge what her motivations are in the story. So yeah, watch this for the mindless character chemistry but if you’re watching for concrete characterization, look elsewhere.
If you’re hoping some of your favorite Fate character to show up in this series, then prepare for disappointment. Only a small handful of characters like Rin, Sakura, and Shinji appear and most of their roles are downplayed to get over the main cast. Some of the characters from Fate/Grand Order game also shows up although their roles are so small that you’ll likely forget them incredibly easily. Most of the minor characters have their roles minimized and episodes’ resolutions feel rushed. Oh and Shinji….what a bastard. I wish the series deleted him and never gave him a chance to show up for his abominable personality. But the series’ main story is not abominable. It’s actually much worse. For the majority of viewers, you’ll probably scratch your head on what the hell is going on. I know I did and feel like the series tries to do way too many things at once. Now, I know Shaft is known for their style to present this anime like a theatric thriller with avant garde cinematography. But wow, this show easily fell apart in the beginning and didn’t manage to salvage itself at all. With just 10 episodes, it became more of mindless popcorn entertainment than a creative story to tell.
I mentioned Shaft few times already but I’ll do it again. The studio’s ideas can easily be recognized by their artistic choreography and avant garde artwork. Running gags with violence and head tilts are also pretty easy to spot. The biggest culprit here is Hakuno as he gets his limbs tore apart, body impaled, and put into a position where he can easily die. Somehow, he survives and we see his reaction in a dark grimy way. I think Shaft wanted us to experience what they do best at and honestly, I think they went a bit overboard this time. The shock value in this anime feels impactful but serves little purpose besides amplifying Hakuno’s personality up to the 11. Oh and the fan service. It seems this show wants to milk Red Saber as an eye candy ever chance it gets. The camera always flirts with her by showing lewd body parts, poses, and try to make her as sexy as possible. Bath scenes occur several times in the show and Red Saber never seems to be uncomfortable being nude. It’s pretty shameless and easily distracting to the point where viewers may talk more about the fan service than the story. On the other hand, I think the battle cinematics is nicely made. It’s fast paced and captures an alluring style of fighting. While glorifying servants’ abilities to fight, it also doesn’t make us forget how badass Hakuno can be. Finally, I have to point out that both the OP and ED theme songs are quite attractive once you get used to the style. The charismatic movements of Red Saber is exceptional there.
After watching Fate/Extra Last Encore, I have to wonder what the hell the producers were thinking. Were they trying to make a show to get us viewers into liking the characters and story? Or was this another attempt for cash grab so fans can pour their money into their franchise. Either way, this show ended up being a disappointment for me. I can’t recall how many times I scratched my head. Oh and Red Saber's voice...she sounds like a kid stuck in an adult’s body with that infamous UMU. What a shame for a show that could have been something so much more.
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Mar 30, 2018
24 of 24 episodes seen
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26
people found this review helpful
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| Overall |
8 |
| Story |
7 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
7 |
| Character |
8 |
| Enjoyment |
8 |
Sometimes, old ideas never die and Garo is an example that feels timeless regardless what setting it takes in. Upon being announced for a new anime series, I was rather ecstatic upon realizing the setting this show would take place. Contrary to some of the past series that took place in dark fantasy world, we got a modern Garo. That’s right, a series that takes place in modern times with politics, technology, and new dangers lurking in the shadows.
Confession time. I’m actually not a huge Garo fan. In fact, my first exposure to the franchise is from 2014 when Garo: The Animation aired. Basically, I
missed out on the original series that aired over a decade ago and only understand the anime side of the franchise. That’s no problem though as it seems that any new viewer can jump into this anime right away without a big question mark. You can basically watch Garo Vanishing Lines even if this is your very first Garo series as a whole. The real question is whether you can accept and enjoy this series for what it is.
Taking place in a modern setting, Garo Vanishing Line breaks the traditional norm. Because of this, the mood of the show at first feels different. Upon watching the first few episodes, I had a sensational feel about how the series would be presented down the line. The roadmap seems to follow a format that people may feel familiar though. The typical monster-of-the week starts the adventure for our main characters. The rogue gallery consists of Horrors that gets more twisted and twisted each week. It shouldn’t take long for viewers to get comfortable to watching this series once you realize what you’re in for. That being said, Garo Vanishing Line offers a peculiar character cast consisting of Sword, Sophie, Gina, and Luke. All of them have distinctive backgrounds, personalities, and motivations in this series but it’s easy to see how they connect. The most prominent relationship is between Sword and Sophie. From strangers to becoming close friends, they grow close during their time together. It’s also important to note that after being exposed to the existence of Horrors, Sophie’s character begins to grow more confident and sets a promise to find her lost brother.
Sword (known as Garo the Golden Knight) plays the role of a badass protagonist with the motivation to find “El Dorado”. Throughout the series, we can see that he is similar to some of the other Garo characters from previous franchises. He reminds me of German Luis the most as both of them are known for their lustful personalities yet are also very courageous in the face of danger. On the other hand, there’s Luke. As a Makai Alchemist, he is a lonewolf type of character and seeks vengeance for the murder of his mother. Throughout the series, we learn more about his own story and it’s easy to understand his personality. Finally, Gina enters this series as a professional thief. Also known for her skills as a Makai Alchemist, she is what I initially see as a femme fatale. She’s the type of woman known for her dangerous charms and can be quite manipulative. However, her more delicate personality is shown through interacting with Sophie. Throughout the series, she almost seems like a mother figure to her and it’s not hard to see why once you see their character chemistry. Her interaction with Sword plays on a lot of flirtatious moments although her feelings also seem genuine in later episodes. So there you have it, the diverse main cast of the series. Whether you like them or not isn’t the point but rather how these characters all build on one another to make this story.
While this series follows a monster-of-the week format at first, later episodes focuses on a more complicated storyline. It gets thrilling, emotional, and some scenes are very impactful on the characters’ state of being. The most prominent example is Sophie as she discovers revelations beyond her imaginations. I think for most parts, this show adheres to psychological horror with a sense of dark comedy. For me, the series can be both heartwarming and depressive to watch. The storytelling’s pacing catches up after building up events and hits its climax in some ways that you may be unprepared for. On the other hand, the series’ flaws can be looked at for some of the inbalanced storytelling in its first half. A few of those episodes can be quite forgettable as there’s little value that comes out of it. In essence, “filler episodes” can really be either memorable or forgettable depending on your perspective. The main plot carries some of these problems too if you’re not invested into the main cast. And trust me, I wasn’t really sold into the main cast until after I watched a good amount into this show. Personally, I wasn’t invested in Sword’s role in this series much as he feels like a one dimensional character and receives little development. However, this series did make me realize how sad some of the characters’ background stories are. In particular, I feel like Sophie is the most tragic characters in this series after seeing what she’s been through. Poor girl.
Adapted by studio MAPPA, Garo Vanishing Line presents the mature vibe that is very suitable for this anime. The graphic violence is carried by the action scenes with the fighting involving Horrors. It isn’t shy to throw in violence whenever it finds a situation suitable. As such, expect limbs to be blown off, blood to be spilled, and bodies hit the floor in stomach-inducing ways. The Horrors also gives off a Lovecraftian horror vibe with the way they’re designed. There seems to be a larger variety of them too ranging from shapeshifting types to even Horrors that can control people and technology. Also, be prepared for fan service. Gina is the main culprit of this as the series makes her look as sexy as possible with her outfit, curves, and alluring face. As this show also contains heavy action, expect the choreography and battle scenes to have a fast pace. Sometimes, it feels like it’s hard to keep up but once you get used to it, it’s very electrifying. Finally, I want to say the series’ creative team did a wonderful job at crafting the setting for this show. Russel City (based on New York) not only shows the concept of the modern era but also carries a dark metropolis feel. It has a very different style compared to the previous animated Garo series but works creatively well.
To me, Garo Vanishing Line’s main voice cast did a pretty decent job at their roles in particular for characters such as Gina and Luke. The way they speak reaffirms their personalities while showing how they can react differently under certain circumstances. The battle OST and music molds a variety of style to present this action thriller. Some of the emotional scenes in this series also look impactful with the moody soundtrack. The theme songs are also made with care with its thrilling details.
Even as a new series introduced to the Garo franchise, it feels that the show always fit right alongside with the others. With a new group of characters, it will take some time to grow and accept them. In fact, you may end up not liking any of them in the end. That’s okay as Garo isn’t a show that is suitable for everyone. This isn’t one of those series that feeds you along the way with every episode. Honestly, I think Garo Vanishing Line stood out with how it was able to take its new ideas and makes an identity for itself. And that’s a thumb up in my book.
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Mar 29, 2018
12 of 12 episodes seen
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99
people found this review helpful
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| Overall |
9 |
| Story |
8 |
| Animation |
9 |
| Sound |
8 |
| Character |
9 |
| Enjoyment |
9 |
Human feelings are complicated. It’s hard to fully understand anyone except yourself. That might not even be a case if you find yourself attracted to someone. Yes, I’m talking about the type of person that you can’t get off of your mind. I’m talking about the type of person that makes your heart pound the moment you see him or her. When I began watching Koi wa Ameagari no You ni (After the Rain), it felt like taking a test that challenges human feelings. It accomplished that with such impact that by the time I finished watching this series, I was in awe.
Based
on the manga of the same name, this series came like a storm of rain, like a roller-coaster of emotions. As someone who have read the manga, my expectations were high. The first few episodes establishes the general premise as we meet high school student Akira Tachibana. As a former track runner, she isn’t someone easy to get close to especially for her male classmates. That doesn’t mean she’s a cold person as we see a different side of her. This side is shown through her interactions with Masami Kondou, a restaurant manager at the place she works at. The series chronicles her life and relationship dynamics with him and what viewers will discover along the way.
Now, getting straight into this show at first may set off some red flags. The idea of a high school student being interested in someone over 40 years old can rub someone in the wrong way. It feels as if the show commits the sin of an unhealthy relationship or daydream fantasy. However, that is not how you should experience the series’ intentions. The idea of the show isn’t just a story about two lovebirds. It’s more about how a series tests human feelings. There’s realism as a lot of the circumstances we witness in this show can happen in real life. The main point is to establish how complicated human feelings can be when tested under heavy waters. Right off the bat, we can see that Akira has feelings towards Kondou. The first episode shows that any dialogue directly related to her manager causes her to react. For instance, some of the dialogues about Kondou’s marital status immediately causes Akira to behave in ways that show her emotions. While this is first seen as cheesy delivery, I see it more as a realistic reaction of how characters should behave. Akira is still young and she doesn’t fully understand what love is. Yet, she feels connected to Kondou because of how kind he is. Similarly, Kondou responds to some of Akira’s feelings such as going on a date and telling how he feels. The way these two connect is incredibly appealing to watch as it’s easy to want to root for them. The charm between their chemistry shines best when they understand more about each other. While it’s easily possible that it won’t be one of those ‘they live happily ever after' tales, the series still capitalizes on bringing out human feelings at its fullest.
As a good portion of the show puts emphasis on characterization, expect a lot of background stories and character focus. It doesn’t just fall in the case of Akira but other characters too such as Haruka Kyan. Through effective storytelling, we learn more about Haruka and her connection with Akira. I think an important part to note about the characters is that a good majority of them are worth investing time into. Examples such as Chihiro and Yuuta gives us a better insight of Kondou’s personal life outside of his workplace. Even a character such as Kase can be interesting to watch despite my personal dislike of his interactions with Akira. In essence, the main characters easily carry this series while others play valuable roles to influence their choices. The series remains faithful to their personalities too based on the manga.
Koi wa Ameagari no You ni takes the approach of bringing mostly drama so if you’re a viewer interested in such genre, then this will be a wonderful treat for you. The title translates to “After the Rain” and literally, there’s plenty that falls. In literature and storytelling, this symbolizes for depression as it’s what see from Akira’s perspective in the beginning of the show. Still, there’s light comedy with some hilarious moments too for those who think this may be just a drama fest.
The main selling point of the series is undeniably the character chemistry between Akira and Kondou. It’s hard to ever forget about these two even when episodes doesn’t fully concentrate on them. That brings in the question if you think they do or don’t get together. As a 1 cour adaptation (12 episodes), the show can feel more like a titanic ship tease with how the series delivers its storytelling. It’s obvious the show won’t have a concrete conclusion as the anime couldn’t cover every chapter. However, from a fictional storytelling viewpoint, this series is what I view as drama done right. The emotional moments looks impactful and holds special meaning for the characters. I can’t remember how many times I replayed certain scenes to get a better look at how the characters behave and why they do so in such ways. Plus, I think this show really delivers the promise of its premise without ever being distracting. The only time I do find a character distracting is perhaps Takashi as he’s there for more as comic relief.
As a studio that produced mostly fantasy themed series, Wit Studio was definitely not a choice that I was expecting. However, I’m highly pleased to say that they aced this with flying colors in terms of production quality. The scenery in this show looks incredibly well-polished and show their effort through the realistic setting with rich details. These scenes also delivers a melancholic tone that you’d fully expect out of this show such as the smiling and crying. The key animation and choreography makes this show sometimes look like a moving painting. Every emotional segment looks impactful through its tone and captures the importance of human feelings. Scenes such as Akira running under the rain or the bittersweet moments when she feels heavy emotions is bought out through the talents of this show’s creative team. The theme songs contain great usage of sequences to show creativity while the visual style of the character designs bring the cast to life. A beautiful girl like Akira deserved such treatment.
I wasn’t too convinced into the character behaviors in this show until I heard the voices of the cast. Sayumi Watabe may not have an impressive resume but she is able to step into the shoes of Akira perfectly. The way her character speaks brings truth to her personality while showcasing a more delicate side when she’s with the manager. I also felt how real the character cast were whenever they interacted under different circumstances. As a show with heavy drama, Aimer’s performance is nothing short than a spectacle. “Ref:rain” felt like one of the most memorable ED theme songs of this year so far with how melancholic it’s performed. The choreography and mood of the sequences captures the series’ themes at its fullest. Besides that, I think the overall usage of the OST in this series also brings in memorable moments. Between quiet moments of melancholy to more dramatic segments, it’s easily acceptable.
In conclusion, I think this show did just about everything it was set up to do and that’s to deliver a drama story with realistic human feelings. What started off as two seemingly lovebirds connecting from a workplace turned into complicated storyteller. I’m more than pleased that this got an anime adaptation in the first place. It felt more like a series suited to air on live action TV as a drama. However, Koi wa Ameagari no You ni lives up to its promise and made a show that’s as real as it can be.
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Mar 29, 2018
12 of 12 episodes seen
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32
people found this review helpful
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| Overall |
2 |
| Story |
2 |
| Animation |
3 |
| Sound |
3 |
| Character |
2 |
| Enjoyment |
2 |
Before actually deciding to watch this show called “Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyousoukyoku”, I have to ask a question: do you really watch a show for enjoyment or do you watch a show to get the most out of it? When I sat down and decided to give this series a try, it felt like an anime that I would not have high expectations on. The premise, character visuals, and just overall idea of it sounds like a copy-paste story you can find in almost any light novel medium these days. But for Death March, this proved to be one of the blandest anime
I’ve seen in recent years even compared to similar premises. It’s a literal slap to the face to anyone who expect this to be better than what it looks like.
Just for reference, I have read the light novel and keeping it up with took a lot of commitment. I’m actually close to dropping the LN series but this adaptation is on another level of trash. Taking place in a fantasy setting with RPG gimmicks, we got main protagonist Ichiro Suzuki (also known as “Satou” in the other world). His life changes one day after getting hit into an accident and wakes up in this unknown world. Sound familiar? I swear, you can literally pick up any light novel these days with a similar premise and the set up would be something similar. In the meantime, we follow Satou’s adventure as he begins to adapt with his new life.
I’m just going to throw it out here. This show is extremely blend in terms of storytelling. My initial impression of the first few episodes were pretty much me struggling to stay awake. Not only is Satou an uninteresting protagonist but the story itself is devoid of emotions. It’s actually a bit ironic since a show like this should have colorful world fiction to make the setting feel alive. What do we get instead? A group of one dimensional characters in a blend world that felt like it’s part of a video game. Or I should say, a broken video game. A polished game would have memorable characters but you’ll find none of that in this series. Main protagonist Satou is not only just overpowered but also exhibits some disturbing personality if you read between the lines. The way he speaks, behaves, and interacts with certain characters is never engaging to watch. It doesn’t help that his personality is dry to the bone and seemingly always acts the same with his harem. Oh, I did just say that word. Some people may not call this a harem but to me, this series is about as harem-esque as it can get. Consisting of mainly female characters, it doesn’t take long for viewers to find out that they are fond of Satou. Arisa, Pochi, Tama, Zena, Nana. There’s pretty much no character development for any of the main cast. Instead, most of them are there to interact with Satou in order to put him over. The only way to say there’s any development is Satou’s progress as a character as he acquires more skills. Bleh.
That being said, I guess there’s some hope for the main story? The series does take place in a fantasy world and that can have potential, right? Wrong. The world building in the series is incredibly underwhelming as most places look bare and feel almost identical. If you’ve seen one place, it feels like you’ve seen them all. Bear in mind that as the series progresses, the world of Death March never evolves just like the weak character cast. The story feels more like a slice of life with occasional fighting and drama thrown in. My main issue in the story is just how meekly it’s written. Story segments feel anticlimactic and lacks substance. It doesn’t connect with the characters and never makes an impact. Pacing issues also puts this show to shame from the start as it never manages to salvage itself. Also, keep in mind that the light novel series has hundreds of chapters and this is a 12-episode anime adaptation. Yes, you can guess it. This anime pretty much throws the big fat sign of “buy the light novel!” My advice is don’t. That money could be put into so much more value and it’s a waste to spend it on this. Nonetheless, Death March loves to showcase Satou like he’s some of saint in the show. And that gives me nothing more than a thumb down.
Silver Link adapts this anime and it’s sad to say but they dropped the ball. What could have been a beautiful world setting turned into mediocre junk. I’ll be honest here. It’s terrible. The CG is awkward along with the blend character designs. Even the main female protagonists all look like cheap cartoons made by amateurs. Most of them have the same face but with different color hair and body proportions. The fan service has incredibly cringe timings that I can’t help but laugh in the wrong way. Action in the series is also poorly animated in terms of choreography and key animation. The body movements feels flat and it seems to me that this anime project was not taken seriously from the beginning.
I’m not usually one to jump on a character for their voice but my goodness, Satou’s voice genuinely makes me wish they found a better VA. His voice sounds like it’s putting us to sleep and lacks any personality. Even when he shows emotions, it feels incredibly forced with cheesy dialogue delivery. There’s not one line in this show that I find memorable and that’s because of his voice mannerisms. Sometimes, I wish there’s a volume lower than mute. The theme songs aren’t much better as it’s incredibly generic made with lazy lyrics.
Watching Death March was a challenge for me. What could have been a chance to showcase a watchable fantasy series turned into an abomination. By the time I finished watching this show, I felt a sigh of relief that the series ended up only receiving 12 episodes. It should have just been left alone as a light novel instead. The adaptation has a dysfunctional story, uncharismatic character cast, and really gives isekai a bad name. In fact, I’d say Death March almost made a show like Isekai wa Smartphone to Tomo ni look good.
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Mar 27, 2018
13 of 13 episodes seen
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28
people found this review helpful
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| Overall |
8 |
| Story |
7 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
8 |
| Character |
9 |
| Enjoyment |
9 |
It’s 2018 and slice of life series still tends to be overlooked these days when compared to bigger and more hyped titles by more famed studios. Series like Mitsuboshi Colors, Hakumei to Mikochi, and Sanrio Danshi probably slipped right past people’s radars. As one of the first series to debut this year, Sora yi no Toori Bashio (A Place Further than Universe) had to set the bar high. To my surprise and great pleasure, this show went right over the bar and became a beautiful coming age of story to tell.
Announced from Anime Expo 2017, this original anime is about a journey. It’s a journey
of discovery and taking personal stakes with them. I’m honestly impressed by how such a simple show can be so inspirational and realistic. The essence of this show comes not from the destination but the journey. It’s a show with a strong circle of characters of diverse personalities that I can’t help but fall in love with by the time the show ended.
To make this clear, this series isn’t just about cute girls doing cute things. It may look like it on paper but it’s much more than that. The lighthearted drama combined with the realism makes this show stand out through its themes. From the beginning, we meet the core characters with their own personalities. We also realize their own personal motivations for going to Antarctica. The main attraction for this show is the characterization as we learn so much about the cast. The way the creators made these characters are really worth investing time. That’s no understatement as we meet Shirase Kobuchizawa. As a senior high school student, she isn’t very talkative but has a strong mind to make her goal come true: find her mother. Believing her to be alive, it’s her main motivation to making the trip. To me, Shirase is a complex character who isn’t easy to make friends with. Throughout the show, she does open up to others but not before they understand her to a personal level. One of the person she connects closest with is Mari Tamaki, a girl with a curiosity about the world. My impression of Mari is that she is very normal and someone just about anyone can get along with. Plus, Mari is a relatable character in that she like to help others. This leads her to join the trip to Antarctica along with Hinata Miyake and Yuzuki Shirashi. Compared to Mari, Hinata is similar to her in personality with a dream of ace her college exams. On the other hand, Yuzuki is a girl who keeps her head cool and similar to Shirase, she isn’t easy to make friends with. However, the show develops her character as she changes and realizes the value of friendship. All of these characters join together and discover so much about each other. The show values each of these characters without favoring any particular one. Background stories are meaningful, personalities are believable, and these characters are all honestly very relatable. For me, that’s a fantastic way of getting viewers hooked.
While the storytelling may not be as strong as its character cast, it’s definitely not one to overlook either. Some people will call out the series on its pacing issues and I tend to somewhat agree. It takes a while for the characters to actual reach Antarctica. However, this series is one of those examples of ‘the journey is more important than the destination’. Tourism is important too as the characters will discover new things in their life. If you really have a problem with the pacing, then it’s best to turn back. The series rewards viewers for patience and it’s one that I can’t help but emphasize. Also, be aware that there’s drama in the story. While the series is very lighthearted, some episodes does involve the character cast get into arguments with their own personal reasons. Shirase and Yuzuki are the culprits of drama so expect them to add moments that can leave a different impression for different viewers. That being said, I don’t think it’s a drawback of the show at all. It adds more flavor to the series and honesty makes the overall show flow better.
Madhouse making a slice of life adventure? This hit me in the head like a dodgeball intended for someone else. Thankfully, the studio is able to impress with their effort through realism. Characters look real without any ridiculous characteristics and fits very well for each of their personalities. Their expressions are also meaningful depending on the situation whether it’s part of a dramatic angle, humorous segment, or emotional moment. However, the main selling factor of the visual quality is the outdoor sceneries. It’s both simple and complex. The different places these girls visit are real life locations and incredibly accurate. The visual quality itself also looks impactful especially with the case of Antarctica. The icy lands looks like a painting when watching this show and made me appreciate it that much more.
For a good character cast, a good voice casting crew is a must. This show accomplishes that with excellency and I never doubted them from the start. During emotional angles, characters are able to express their emotions that amplifies their personalities. Some of these moments are extremely memorable once you get invested into the characters. The theme songs are also underrated as it’s lighthearted but also beautifully made.
Taking a trip to Antarctica sounds like a life experience and for these girls, it became a journey of personal discovery. While it may not be a show to remember for its storytelling, it’s definitely one to take at heart once you fall in love with the characters. That’s not hard once you understand them and I am god damn grateful the show is made that way.
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Mar 26, 2018
12 of 12 episodes seen
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24
people found this review helpful
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| Overall |
8 |
| Story |
6 |
| Animation |
7 |
| Sound |
7 |
| Character |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
9 |
Life is like a game, if you play right, you’ll win. Well, that’s sounds like bullshit but life can feel like a game sometimes. You’re like a player in a world with others and to be successful, you need to play right. Now, what the hell does that have to do with a show like “Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san”?
To put it simply, this show feels like watching two players compete but not in the way you’d think. To me, Takagi and Nishikata are two characters that play with each other in life. However, it’s a little bit different than competition. Between the two, Takagi is
always the one that stays ahead of the game. Think of Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner. In that show, the coyote attempts to catch the road runner but always comes up short. For this show, Takagi is always successful in defeating Nishikata at pretty much anything. As predictable and tedious as that sounds, the show is actually more than that.
I’ve read the manga and even as a 1-cour adaptation, the show manages to deliver what’s needed to achieve success. The majority of the story focuses on the duo of Takagi and Nishikata as the two main characters. Every episode takes on multiple segments that features the two in various shenanigans. Even though the show is fictional, many of these shenanigans can occur in real life. These range from being tricked into strolling down a shadowy tunnel, competing in sports, test of courage, school academics, and among many others. The main attraction of the show is to sell the character chemistry between Takagi and Nishikata. This pair’s relationship will undeniably be the take or break for most viewers.
On the individual level, Takagi is a clever girl with a cute face and crafty mind. While she isn’t a prodigy or gifted with extraordinary talent, she often thinks outside the box to outsmart her opponent, Nishikata. Takagi’s character and personality also makes her quite likable as she carries a youthful charm. Even as she teases Nishikata, it’s more than just teasing. She wants to know him more and through their interactions each time, they unintentionally grow closer. There’s also no malice between the two despite the low key drama. From my perspective, Takagi considers Nishikata as more than just a friend. Some people may call that nonsense since she often plays Nishikata like a toy. However, if you really pay attention to their character interactions, it’s easy to realize how close they are. Does this venture into the territory of romance? That’s actually left for viewers’ imaginations. There’s the genre tag of romance for this series but it’s far from a love story.
Nishikata is pretty much the boy that gets defeated by the master of tease, the one and only Takagi. The show often tries to make audience anticipate with a thrilling feel on whether he can ever beat her or not. For me, this made me come back to this show every week. From simple games involving erasers to more complex mind games with playing with emotions, it’s the type of show that categorizes game as more than just winning. Nishikata himself is an average kid with an average personality and living an average life. We don’t find out much about his past and honestly, I don’t think we need to. This show focuses on the present and what’s ahead rather than characterization. In essence, the show’s character dynamics lies in how characters connect rather than how they develop.
Speaking of characters, there are also three others that show up in the show although they are unrelated to the series as a whole. Well, technically they are in a way but they don’t get involved with the teasing and games. That’s probably one of my complaints about this show. They should keep the characters from Ashita wa Doyoubi away in this anime as it feels like a distraction. Thankfully, their screen time isn’t long and mostly added to make the show flow a bit as a slice of life. That being said, I think the show succeeds not just in the character chemistry but also in pure comedy. The way characters react comes out naturally in many ways. This is especially true for Takagi as she often gets the joy of teasing Nishikata shown through her reactions. While Nishikata feels annoyed by this, he never truly hates her. In fact, you could say that he gets a joke out of losing countless times in their daily life games.
A simple show like this only needs simple visuals and TMS Entertainment accomplishes that. Takagi is undeniably adorable with her charming smile, bright personality, and facial expressions. She’s able to carry this show thanks to these characteristics that are adapted straight from the manga. Similarly, Nishikata has a goofy looking face that often makes him look like a fool, as viewers will expect in many episodes. It makes this pair incredibly cute to watch thanks to how they act. The art style enhances that experience. Their voice mannerisms also stays pretty consistent throughout the show. Even someone like Yuki Kaji can play a character like Nishikata as he’s been in the roles of goofball characters before. The incredible voice acting of Takagi makes her character even more believable as a master of teasing.
I decided to give this show an 8 after reflecting on what I watched. At first, it seems like a high score for such a dry story. However, it’s the pure comedy and character chemistry of the main character pair that won me over. Every episode made me laugh and it never betrayed expectations. There are times when I wish this show’s segments would last longer than it should. Time flies fast when you’re having fun after all.
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Mar 26, 2018
12 of 12 episodes seen
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59
people found this review helpful
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| Overall |
3 |
| Story |
3 |
| Animation |
4 |
| Sound |
4 |
| Character |
3 |
| Enjoyment |
3 |
This anime. Or rather, this copy-paste formulaic anime adaptation of the light novel that apparently was voted #1 in the Japan’s Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! for 2017 made me wonder if the anime industry even tries anymore. It’s 2018 and here we are, an anime adaptation based on shogi with a cast filled with questionable characters and content. I was cautiously optimistic about this show at first but upon finishing this anime, I can say that without a shadow of a doubt, Ryuunou no Oshigoto left little more than desired.
Sometimes, people say don’t judge a book by its cover. Unfortunately, that statement is hard
to apply for this series. Upon looking at the key visual, you’ll notice an average dull looking male protagonist surrounded by what seems to be a harem of girls. No, I’m not calling this anime a harem but it doesn’t help by the fact that some of them look about half his age. Still, there’s some hope because the show involves shogi, a strategic game of intelligence, right?
Wrong.
The story itself may be focused on shogi but the overall tone of the show will be far distracting than you’ll realize. The first few episodes can easily rub people in the wrong way with the way its characters are introduced. The main culprit is 9-year old Ai Hinatsuru who seems to have an attraction towards shogi master Yaichi. It leaves a controversial impression especially with how she reacts to him when other girls are involved in their lives. After being taken in as disciple, she seems to be even more attached to him to the point where you’ll see “yandere” moments. That’s just the tip of the iceberg though. We also meet Ginko Sora, a female prodigy who also happens to be Yaichi’s childhood friend. I think it’s easy to pinpoint her intentions after watching her reactions from just the first episode alone. Nonetheless, the initial beginning will test the audience on whether they should continue or not. For me, I decided to give this show a chance to see if it improves. Sadly, I’m mistaken.
It seems almost every episode along the way wants to showcase shogi but also leaves the impression of underage girls doing what a grown up would do. Is that an overstatement? However, it’s undeniable that the show gives an uncomfortable feeling whenever characters such as Ai, Charlotte, or others tries to get Yaichi’s attention. Yaichi himself is hardly an interesting character either. The show saturates him with a generic personality and gets him often into compromising positions, either with his disciples or Ginko. It doesn’t help that he is dense as a black hole and the show never really develop him as a character. Speaking of development, the show is mostly void of that except on technical improvement of shogi skills. The only character that I respect in this anime would be Keika Kiyotaki. In perhaps one of the more realistic and heartwarming episodes, we see her determination and strive to improve. The storytelling of her past also make us understand Keika as a person and shogi player. Unfortunately, one episode can’t carry the show as altogether as the others are far less welcoming to watch.
Now I’m not an expert on shogi but this anime seems to dedicate a lot of time in the matches themselves. One might think this is a positive but it’s hardly that. The mind games and psychology is hardly felt because of the way dialogue are delivered. It doesn’t help that the show often jumps around between opponents without giving the audience a memorable rivalry. Furthermore, the main cast is just incredibly one dimensional with personalities that are hardly interesting. If you want some actual shogi with integrity and promising story, check out 3-gatsu no Lion.
Project No.9 is an oddball studio. My impression of their work in recent years has quite underwhelming and it seems that they didn’t manage to step up to the plate this time. On paper, the anime quality looks tolerable with the body movements, character designs, and facial expressions. However, there’s not much else that makes this anime’s visual quality stand out. Sure, there’s character reactions that can be comedic at times but it gets tedious fast. You can pretty much open up a light novel and see similarities in almost every series these days. It doesn’t help that the anime pulls out fan service moments that set off red flags. Oh and Yaichi, he has a very punchable face.
On a more positive note, I suppose the anime’s soundtrack and voice mannerism managed to stay its welcome. Younger characters aren’t easy to portray but I got the impression that it was well delivered. Ginko’s voice is perhaps the most noticeable whenever she gets into a bad mood. On the other hand, I wish there was an auto-mute button whenever Yaichi talks in overly long dialogues. The theme songs of the show are rather catchy despite how generic it looks.
If I said it once, I said it a hundred times. This show leaves little to be desired. You can watch this anime for the shogi but in the end, you’ll probably remember more than that. And I don’t mean that as a positive impression. One character I will actually remember for good measure though is Keika. I prayed the show would develop her more but it seems the anime decided to take steps back after that one memorable episode. For what’s worth, watch this anime with caution if you choose. It honestly became a show that gives shogi a bad name.
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Mar 25, 2018
12 of 12 episodes seen
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24
people found this review helpful
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| Overall |
7 |
| Story |
7 |
| Animation |
7 |
| Sound |
6 |
| Character |
7 |
| Enjoyment |
7 |
We’ve all been through a phrase where we were once a kid and behaved exactly as one. It’s human nature and God gave us a life to be part of society. What does that mean for a show like Gakuen Babysitters? The real question here if you ever felt experienced the feel of responsibility. No, I’m not talking about doing the chores and helping around the house. I’m talking about taking care of someone else in your life, perhaps a stranger or someone much younger than you are. Welcome to the world of Gakuen Babysitters.
I should say right off the bat that the show is
exactly what it looks like. Translated as “School Babysitters”, the series is about taking responsibility and being able to take care of kids. I’ve never took the task of caretaking before so watching this show felt like a refreshing experience to me. As a reader of the manga, this anime does what it has to do get its message across and that’s to deliver an experience about taking responsibility.
The first few episodes lets the audience know about the situation of the protagonists, Ryuichi and Kotarou. Their parents died and with no place to be called home. Morinomiya Academy’s chairwoman decides to give Ryuichi a home along with free schooling in exchange for taking on the role of a caretaker. Now I have to admit, such a premise sounds like a potential moody story for tearjerking moments. However, the show really isn’t but instead formulated into a heartwarming lighthearted story. Ryuichi is really someone that’s kind hearted and has a bottom to earth type of personality. The show chronicles his life as a babysitter as he learns the ins and outs. While I can’t say there’s anything exceptional about him, it’s shown that Ryuichi is an incredibly helpful individual and puts others before himself. You’d think that after losing their parents, he would venture down a path of depression. No. Here, this guy makes a huge comeback after life knocks him down and it’s inspirational. Sometimes though, I feel like his personality is too friendly and can get him into unintentional trouble. Similarly, his brother sees the joy of life. While Koutarou is nowhere near as mature, he’s definitely a kid who is growing up in the right way.
As I’m watching more and more of Gakuen Babysitters, I realized that the show really tried to make us experience something. The realism of being responsible is part of growing up and this show really feels like one to capitalize that. Besides just the Kashima brothers, we also meet other caretakers at the school. Most of their circumstances are in a better position and they have more experience than Ryuichi. Despite that, they get along fairly well with him because of his gentle personality. On the other hand, Ryuichi does meet someone at school with an underwhelming impression of him. Her name is Maria Inomata and it won’t take for viewers to quickly realize her blunt personality. Compared to others, Inomata is someone that is hard to get along with. She is extremely serious and dedicated to studying (as she claims as one of the most important things in life). However, she also gets involved with the kids at the caretaker after unusual circumstances and shows a much more caring side. The easy picture to look at is Ryuichi’s influence on her. She begins to realize that life is more than just about studying but also being responsible. Watching her development is one of the dynamics of this show as it shows how people can change. Similarly, Ryuichi learns a lot from his daycare duties and if I were his parent, I’d be damn proud of him.
Featuring a cast of younger characters, Gakuen Babysitters does its best to create an atmosphere of innocence and youth. The kids in this show are very young and behaves in ways you can easily guess. Some of the things they say can be misunderstood or brutally honest. Because of their age, you can expect a lot of shenanigans in their daily lives. Characters such as Taka, Kirin, and even Koutarou can cause trouble despite being unintentional. It’s such traits that make them kids. Despite that, I find this cast to be very charming and realistic. Their attachment to their older siblings and parents is also heartwarming to watch once you understand them more.
Similar to the manga, the anime adaptation follows more of a slice of life storytelling so you really shouldn’t expect a complicated story. Every day is an adventure of its own. Because the show takes place at school, you can also expect some drama to develop between the older characters. A prime example is Inomata as feelings are developed about Ryuichi. While this show isn’t a love story, it gets more and more obvious. While I can’t say the show is really well written in that respect, it does capture the feel of what school life is like for girls of her age. At the caretaker center, Ryuichi’s bonds with others is perhaps a key selling point of the show. He is able to earn the trust of the kids and other caretakers. However, the story itself still needs a lot of work. I’ve read the manga and as a 12 episode TV anime adaptation, it felt like a lot was missing. There’s also some uncomfortable moments in this show that ventures into controversial territory. (I’m looking at you Tomoya Yagi) The overall tone of the show can also be a bit dull once you realize it’s not the type of anime for you. It’s a blend of slice of life and shoujo so be aware of what’s ahead.
Adapted by Brain’s Base, this show is an example of a realistic slice of life. While the raw visual quality isn’t overly impressive, every character in the show can be relatable and their character designs is an example of that. The kids are adorably charming and their character expressions is exactly how they should behave. Character chemistry is imperative to capture the mood of the show and thankfully, Brain’s Base and the director is able to meet such expectations. Some characters’ designs definitely stand out more than others such as the school chairwoman and her signature hair. To say the least, the artwork gets the job done and not be overlooked.
To portray such a younger cast takes skill and thankfully, the VA skillfully does just that. From crying to the happy moments, every child in this anime make us believe that they are real. The students at the school all have their own personalities as the VA easily fits into their shoes. The only character that I have a problem with in this anime is Yuki. She’s the annoying type of school girl that I can’t stand and seems to be just there to make everything looks more than it s. Compared to other characters, she isn’t likable and sometimes, I find the kids to be more mature than she is because of her personality. On the other hand, the theme songs in this anime is definitely appealing to watch with its pure innocence. The catchy and lighthearted tone of the soundtrack is also easy to get used to.
After watching Gakuen Babysitters, I can easily say that the show can be recommendable to almost everyone. It’s probably targeted to a more specific demographic but anyone should be able to watch this with an easy and open mind. From its daily slice of life adventures to the charming character chemistry, this is a show that tells what heartwarming is really about.
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