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Dec 11, 2015
Shinmai Maou no Testament
(Anime)
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Not Recommended
It’s quite an achievement to stumble across something so unfathomably bad that you struggle to find the right words to sum up how awful it can be. The okatu-pandering, aimless and empty Shinmai Maou no Testament fits the bill and is the latest offering to leave me speechless for the wrong reasons. It’s a self-insert power fantasy featuring a sad excuse for a cast, the bulk of which whose sole purpose is attempting to procreate with a main character who has the charisma of beige wallpaper. Perhaps the most laughably bad aspect of Testament is that there is an attempt to weave a plot into
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Reviewer’s Rating: 1
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Sep 26, 2015 Not Recommended Preliminary
(12/13 eps)
Oh Charlotte, where did we go so wrong? You looked like you’d be an interesting story revolving around students coping with super powers but instead you offered up a story with about as much direction as a goldfish with Alzheimer’s. The anime packed a tonne of ideas and characters into too small a space and it started to burst at the seams. Charlotte, from the mind of writer Jun Maeda and put to screen by P.A. Works, promised a lot. Script writer Maeda looked to address the pacing problems prevalent in his earlier work Angel Beats and deliver a similar emotional ‘punch’ at the same
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time. By some phenomenal fluke he actually managed to make a bigger meal of it in both areas. I’m not even mad. I’m impressed.
It’s such a huge disappointment that not enough time is dedicated towards any of Charlotte’s characters to help hammer home its more emotional set pieces. Time that could have been spent towards developing the cast is instead wasted on repetitive unfunny gags, irrelevant side stories and ridiculous new elements thrown into the narrative like it was some afterthought. Charlotte sets off in first gear as it lays the groundwork for its story but then it tries to change into fourth gear by ballooning out its cast size with people I don’t even know or care about. It’s an uncomfortable ride. At a certain point the show tries to accelerate ahead with exciting new ideas but instead it stalls, bogged down by pacing which can be called nothing short of atrocious. Charlotte dawdled around and then flashed ahead so quickly I get whiplash thinking about it. With paper-thin characters and an utter mess of a script Charlotte’s journey is unfulfilling, with a destination to match. Yu Otosaka is our main man. We follow him as he starts to abuse his power to briefly take over others’ bodies, both for his own pleasure and his own gain. A boy who acts cocky and lacking in morals, he starts out as a nice change of pace from your standard high-school male lead. His personality came into conflict with a lot of people around him and for a brief period it led to some amusing results. However, Yu’s rebellious nature was at first refreshing but then it became non-existent. It was like a cheap drawcard to the show to have this cocksure lead, only to have him start to behave like ‘generic high-school lead guy’ within a short space of time. When this darker side of him emerges again later on in the series it actually feels out of character. The story does at least go out of the way to create ambitions and meaningful motivation for him but very little about Yu himself will stick for long in my mind. Nao Tomori is our other major player. A girl with a sharp tongue and unafraid to call things as she sees them, Nao is also an interesting character in the show’s early stages. She catches out Yu abusing his power and shows him a side of the world he didn’t know about. But like Yu she doesn’t go anywhere as our story plays out. Her ‘cold and disinterested’ shtick gets boring. The dynamic between the two lead characters is almost non-existent yet the show tries its hardest to use their relationship as a means to drive many parts of the story. Because of that, many of the scenes I watch containing the pair of them feel static. One episode which tries to show a new side of both Yu and Nao actually turned out to have virtually no bearing on the rest of the show. Still, they at least have their role to play in the overarching story and that’s more than what can be said for their classmates Yusa and Joujirou. Yusa is a blonde-haired idol, an occupation that has zero importance to the story other than trying to justify having a cute girl as part of the show. Her power in the show actually had the most potential in terms of leaving an emotional impact on the viewer. But why do that when she can act cutesy and sing songs? In a series where so many characters are trying their hardest to claim the gold medal for wasted potential she might just come out on top. Joujirou spends most of his time on screen being obnoxious and completely useless in the grand scheme of the story. His purpose in Charlotte appears to worshipping the ground Yusa stands on before drowning everyone in the vicinity in his blood that explodes from his nostrils. His moments of ‘comic relief’ – please note the inverted commas – also come at horribly timed moments. These two cast members are just the tip of the iceberg. Not a single supporting character in this show feels valuable. The show doesn’t explore Yu or those closest to him well enough at all. There are moments you can almost feel the show begging you “This is the part where you cry now” and I’m sitting there throwing my hands in the air screaming “Why should I? I hardly know them”. Heck, there’s even times where it begs you to empathise with someone whose minutes of screen time you could count on one hand. Emotional moments have impact if characters have depth, and depth is something I can find more of in a petri dish than the cast of Charlotte. I couldn’t help but laugh when I was being assured by other viewers during the early episodes that there was nothing wrong with the slow pace because Maeda was clearly ‘saving up for something’ and taking his time to develop the cast. Once our lead quartet was introduced, not only were the initial episodes repetitive in their structure but they weren’t even entertaining. A lot of them revolve around the exploration of these super powers, such as their limits and the way others use them. That’s absolutely fair as a form of short exposition but I was at my wits end by the time this phase of the show finally drew to a close. You ended up viewing episodes whose entire purpose it was to later on have some cheap moment of meaning at the series’ end, not actually help maintain your interest in the story at its current point. Then, at a point later on, it just explodes with more characters who steal more screen time from our original bunch. It’s a mess. When all is said and done Charlotte is hampered in many areas. The start is repetitive, the middle feels redundant and the ending is packed with conveniences. Maeda is definitely a man of ambition and cool ideas but I’d really like to see him make something minus the comic relief, better build up and a story that involves more of its cast. The story of Charlotte itself is interesting on paper but the way is what put to screen is incredibly underwhelming.
Reviewer’s Rating: 3
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Sep 20, 2015
Rokka no Yuusha
(Anime)
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Not Recommended
The quickest way to pique my curiosity is with the ‘mystery’ tag. It often has me dusting off the magnifying glass and getting set to put my perception to the test. Rokka no Yuusha stepped up to the plate this season and its plot summary had me interested: A show where six heroes try to fight off a great demon but seven show up for the job instead. One character gets picked on early as the infiltrator and it’s up to him to prove his innocence. Rokka no Yuusha didn’t end up testing my intelligence though. Instead, it decided to insult it.
If there’s one ... big tip you could give to anyone writing a classic ‘whodunnit’ tale then do this: Give everyone a solid reason to be confirmed suspicious. If you start to abandon characters then the strength in your writing falls by the wayside. This lack of equal screen time and development made it incredibly easy to rule certain characters out as the ‘extra’. The show feels like it is written to cater for an action show, not a mystery one. The focus is on set pieces and not a study into its characters. That’s the fatal flaw. In a show that clearly tells us early on that it’s going to be show about catching the villain in disguise, it abandons even trying to be an interesting and challenging mystery. With paper-thin characters, convenient solutions, characters that scream fanservice over depth and a bizarre ending, Rokka no Yuusha will not be a show that hangs around in the memory bank for the right reasons. I can understand those who enjoyed the anime because there’s some action, suspense and some passable characters to get you by. If you’re after an anime with some solid action, but nothing ground breaking, then this may satisfy you. I, however, felt betrayed by the show not living up to its potential and betraying the mystery path it started to construct in its opening half. A harsh sentiment? I maintain the show dug its own hole deeper with every single episode. The story is focused around Adlet Mayer, the self-proclaimed ‘strongest man in the world’. He is one of the six chosen heroes to defeat the demon god. When seven people arrive at the meeting location Adlet quickly becomes the prime suspect in the hunt for the ‘extra’ person. We watch as he tries to clear his name. Adlet himself isn’t a memorable protagonist but he does have his moments. The way he tries to rally others to his cause is at least believable for the most part. His relationship with one character in particular is easily the most interesting part of the story, a relationship challenged by the other party’s motives and their background. It’s such a pity that this sort of development couldn’t be spared for all six other members of the group and actually go some distance towards making the mystery more engaging. It’s true that a 12 episode limit plays its part in limiting that but that’s no excuse whatsoever for not at least making an effort to improve in that area. There are some hilariously silly conveniences towards the back end of the show as well that don’t do any favours towards correcting the aforementioned writing flaws around the cast. For every logical deduction made towards finding the culprit another ridiculous one strikes back. Often the show misleads you into thinking it’s making progress when it’s really just creating vapid excuses for the characters to come into conflict with one another. Given my sentiments at the start of this review, I’d be going into spoiler territory if I were to discuss the impact of the rest of the cast. What I can say is that it’s an eclectic bunch of characters who each bring a different ability and personality to the table. Some feel like they’re playing an active role in the story while others just feel like they’re there to make up the numbers. Some character dynamics exist but there aren’t enough connections established between the cast early on to keep me interested in the big reveal that lays ahead. As previously mentioned, you can feel that certain characters being named the seventh would be too underwhelming. Too much of the cast fit this bill. Animation is a rollercoaster in the quality department. The show looks average as a whole but the early episodes certainly look the part. In fact, the first episode probably set the bar too high, especially with one scene which looks excellent. The variety in environments from the early episodes get lost as the show goes on and that’s a real shame. The story lends itself to this fact but a lot could still have been done to breathe a bit more life into the areas where the bulk of the series takes place. A lot of the CG also is jarring when placed next to the traditional animation (what a surprise). Rokka no Yuusha treads this bizarre line between being an action and a mystery show and fails at succeeding in either genre. Tension in fights doesn’t exist because the show doesn’t give me a chance to empathise with or understand the majority of the cast. It makes the show very difficult to recommend. If you’re after a satisfying mystery, forget it. If you’re after some action, perhaps. Me? I put the magnifying glass away early on.
Reviewer’s Rating: 3
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Aug 21, 2015
Mirai Nikki (TV)
(Anime)
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Not Recommended
You know that guy at school that thinks they know more than what they actually do? It’s that person full of overblown confidence, walks around with that air of superiority and tries their best to act above their age. Mirai Nikki is that in anime form. When you search deeper, going beyond just the looks, and actually ask questions of them they fall apart. You realise it’s all one big ruse. I kind of want to pat Mirai Nikki on the head and make it feel better about itself. “That’s so cute. You tried to be a seinen” I’d say with a tear in my
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eye. It takes a death game and approaches it with reckless immaturity in its themes and its writing. Any tension that should be there doesn’t exist because of that and not even an interesting conclusion could save it.
Mirai Nikki (aka Future Diary) tells the story of twelve contestants trying to become the next god of time and space in a death game where each individual can see into the future. It’s a pity that in a show with that as its starting point that logic is sacrificed for the sake of entertainment. Sadly what’s left over is messier than an oil spill. Most characters get such little screen time you couldn’t care less what happened to them. There’s some exciting set pieces but often are more about style over substance. If I had a dollar for every time I said the phrase “But why didn’t they just [insert alternative here] instead” then I’d be doing quite well for myself. My assessment of Mirai Nikki may be harsh but the show puts itself into a corner quite quickly. It initially treats its premise seriously before topping it up with fanservice and changes in tone that were completely uncalled for. I’ll start things off with our main character Yukiteru Amano who might be one of the most difficult to understand characters put to screen. Harsh? Judge for yourself. Yuki has this incredible potential to pull courage out of his backside before it melts away in front of his eyes. One minute he’s running the show and the next minute he is a whiny shrimp. His writing is incredibly incoherent. I’m also given little reason to get behind him and cheer him on to victory. The decisions he makes are laughable. In a death game he seems more focused on maintaining friendship and escaping loneliness as opposed to actually winning. “I don’t mind getting killed as long as I can be socially accepted!” What a load of tripe. His social ineptitude feels like something as a means to instigate his story, but not something for him to overcome. His problems aren’t deep or interesting and they have little of a role to play once the game gets underway. Granted it’s a death game and you’re not really in it to overcome your personal problems, but honestly it’s the anime’s fault for pushing this agenda from early on. I have no idea what to make of Gasai Yuno, the pink haired yandere. I guess her unpredictability is most of her appeal, plus at least she has a concrete reason to fight, that being Yuki (Drinking game: Take a shot every time she says his name). Most of the interest I had in Mirai Nikki was “Oh I wonder what Yuno’s going to do now?” every time an event took place. She reacts with a purpose and doesn’t flinch in doing so, always lining up well with her deluded character. Because Yuki is such a bland individual I spent most of the show hoping Yuno would just mince everyone. However, Yuno isn’t a remarkable character, just one made to look better being surrounded by a bunch of forgettable individuals. Because her brainwaves basically shout “Yuki, Yuki, Yuki” her actions are pretty easy to read. With Yuno you’re really just in it to see how far down she can dig the hole. Hardly any other contestant is worth mentioning. They’re a forgettable group which all come with their predictable ‘tragic’ backstories. Everyone is too cheesy and villainous to command your appreciation. In a battle royale setup, giving all the characters meaningful motivation is important. Losing a contestant should make me feel sorry for them, not make me shrug my shoulders and count another step backwards from twelve. Remind me again why Deus would make any of these twelve wackos his successor? Does he even value the universe he protected? I should also mention that some character designs are hilarious and again go a long way to making me take the show even less seriously than I already was. Check out this little kid who has somehow developed the tendencies of a serial killer or a matron whose head has swollen to the size of a medicine ball! The difference in the capabilities of each diary is also amusing. Some of them never stood a chance from the very moment the game started while the power of another contestant makes me wonder how they didn’t win within 24 hours at most. There’s a ‘comedy’ tag missing under the genres section. This show shifts its tone more inappropriately than me after too many drinks at karaoke. When a serious mood is being built up, on too many occasions it was brought down instantly by some horrendous piece of comedy, usually with a jovial soundtrack to match. This wouldn’t be so bad if the show wasn’t on other occasions trying to treat its premise seriously and with a vain attempt at being mature. One minute we’re talking about the importance of free will and the next minute we’re talking about breast size with lesbian undertones... Because we just can. Nothing serious that Mirai Nikki has to say ever sticks with you because the cheap stuff that’s there to sell the show to the lowest common denominator taints it. It is never tense. It is never scary. It is childish and painful. It’s not just the see-sawing in the mood that took me out of the experience but also the shocking way the show wastes its story potential, mostly in the way the characters interact. I wanted to get invested into the story, I really did. It’s such an interesting premise. The idea of people fighting to change their destinies when they can see into the future sounds great. But around half of the dozen contestants are absolutely pointless in the grand scheme of things. The writing of Mirai Nikki could have been a lot more focused if it cut down on the number of participants in the death game. Then we might have been able to see some meaningful interaction between the different parties. Heaven forbid, we might have actually seen the plans of many characters come into conflict! In a death game, where outwitting multiple people at once is essential, I’d expect this as a minimum. You won’t get that here. Mirai Nikki is content to make it Yuki and Yuno vs. everyone else, and that is disrespecting the aforementioned potential. Introducing all their opponents earlier and seeing more of the contestants outside of our lead duo fighting against each other would have kicked this show out of second gear. It bamboozles me that everyone throws themselves at Yuki and Yuno at separate occasions, and confuses me even further that they don’t go after each other more often. What on earth makes the ‘first’ and ‘second’ so darn important that they’re there centre of everyone’s attention? Don’t approach this show expecting someone’s plan to interfere with everyone else’s, like it should if it treated its premise with decency. The game rarely feels intense because of this. If I took a shot every time that a character had a clear cut opportunity to kill someone but didn’t do so then I probably wouldn’t be here to type up this review. I can’t stand it when a show doesn’t follow through with a logical progression in its plot just to stretch it out further for, say, entertainment value or to push some sappy theme. “I could kill you right now but before I do so you must prove to me you have learned [insert theme here]“. Come on. Really? Alliances in Mirai Nikki are also laughable. Very, very rarely do they actually make someone better off as opposed to just killing the other members. Yuki and Yuno find themselves often working through the game with the assistance of other contestants when it really wasn’t necessary. The strange clusterfuck of an ending to Mirai Nikki actually salvaged it somewhat in my book. While I think it comes out left field it was somewhat foreshadowed, so it’s not cheap. It was the high point for entertainment value in the show by a long shot. I wanted to see how the new situation dealt to the remaining characters would be overcome, because the setting actually felt suffocating for once. I was left satisfied by the conclusion but the journey there, well, I can’t say the same for it. If you want a thriller that’s easy to digest, one that can also throw an interesting surprise in your face, then give it a shot. If you’re able to look past the cast and give most of your attention to some of the action and set pieces then there’s fun to be had. Being more of a story and character-driven viewer it wasn’t my cup of tea, so I don’t think it’s my place to pick up the megaphone and shout into your ear that Mirai Nikki has zero value. Judge for yourself. It’s almost worth it for what waits at the end. Almost.
Reviewer’s Rating: 3
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Jul 30, 2015
Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt
(Anime)
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Recommended
Panty and Stocking is the perfect example of something I didn’t know I wanted until I watched it. Watching a pair of foul-mouthed sisters – one an oversexed blonde and the other a sugar-addict goth - use garments as weapons to defeat an array of perverse ghosts may sound like something a kid comes up with for a laugh. Don’t be fooled. Gainax have used a crazy combination of thick-line art, wacky animation plus some genuinely funny humour to deliver this premise in style and do so while making a fun nod to many western films and TV series. While some P&S episodes are noticeable
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weaker than others, this crass, deranged piece of madness builds to a bizarre and awesome climax. The longer and harder you get invested into it the more the excitement builds until you can’t contain it anymore. Is my share of obligatory puns now accounted for? Excellent, let’s press on.
This is a tale of two angels, the Anarchy sisters, looking to fight their way back to heaven by killing ghosts. Panty is a sex-addict with a low tolerance for work that doesn’t take place in bed while her sister Stocking would rather put pastries before people. With the assistance of the priest Garterbelt they try to earn their coins to buy their way back to heaven, but the path there is one filled with demons and ghosts that have a strange list of fetishes to overcome. There’s little background for the leading pair. You’re strapped in and taken on a ride from minute one. It doesn’t matter though that there’s little substance behind the lead women. Panty & Stocking as a show only ever strives to be entertainment with a pinch of absurdity. There’s nothing ground breaking to see here in the story but who really cares? It’s not what you’re in it for. A lot of the fun in the anime doesn’t come from originality in its plot structure but its ability to combine offensiveness and adventure into something unique. Action comes thick and fast plus certain scenes and dialogue draw plenty of inspiration from famous film scenes. It’s the closest experience you can get to watching a ‘Western’ anime. Its brand of crass humour usually works in its favour but there is the odd episode or scene where it started to not necessarily go too far, but rather trade too much substance for silliness. With an episodic formula that worked well enough, it wasn’t like the show needed a main antagonist to maintain my interest. There was enough entertainment stemming from the bizarre enemies featured each episode to keep me content. However when the show did deliver an opposing force for our lead duo it not only kicked the show up another gear but it provided a hilarious contrast for our ‘angels’. Normally the polite and well-spoken characters are who we should cheer for but the vulgar methods and dialogue of both Panty and Stocking keep you in their corner. It’s a cast full of energy, taking a standard hero against villain formula and manage to keep it feeling fresh. This is a show where the protagonists don’t give a damn. It bucks the trend of what heroes should be like. The two fight only for themselves, not for the benefit of humanity. They couldn’t care less about what gets damaged on their road to completing a mission. This is an anime of reckless abandon both in writing and in animation. Have no fear because the writers don’t push things so far so that Panty & Stocking become unlikeable. There’s always this weird charm to their carefree attitude, and yes, that even includes beating someone over the head with a dildo. Panty & Stocking eventually build a great rapport where each provides something to the team the other cannot. Stocking’s level-headedness makes up for Panty’s habit of acting without forethought, but Panty’s ability to take control and get creative assists the (slightly) quieter Stocking. I personally preferred the action-oriented episodes which were able to do a splendid job at showing the capabilities of Gainax. The studio have over the years proven themselves kings of using exaggerated movements and expressions to bring out humour. Opting for the thick-line animation prevalent in Western animation seems like match made in heaven with the brains at the studio. Car chases, objects crashing all over the scene and fists flying all over the place are a joy to watch. Some scenes are jaw dropping with how well they’re directed and how much action they can fit into one frame. Splashes of text all over the screen to represent onomatopoeia are another addition that add to the western influence, they’re great and never once looked out of place. The stylised look in character and environment give Gainax plenty of room to get creative and they use the canvas well. I began the show watched the subtitled version before trying out the dub and boy does the English improve the experience. Jamie Marchi (Panty) and Monica Rial (Stocking) do such a great job it’s one of those times you can’t imagine a more perfect voice to suit each character’s design and personality. The soundtrack is also excellent, a collection of catchy pop and thumping electro tunes which add to the energy already present in the animation. Panty & Stocking isn’t for everyone and it’s definitely one of those shows that if someone told me “that was garbage” I’d politely nod and think “That’s fair enough”. It’s a brand of humour I’d tell someone that I’d grown out of as I puff my chest out in pride. P&S stocking pulled my mind back into the gutter and pressed my face into the filth that lied there. And I liked it. Repent, motherfucker!
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jul 17, 2015
Nagato Yuki-chan no Shoushitsu
(Anime)
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Not Recommended
I don’t envy anyone who sits down and tries to come up with a spin-off story. Picture it: Here you are with a bunch of fun, memorable characters who each have a purpose but you want to change those around to create something new. If that wasn’t hard enough already, strip away one of the major genres that underpinned the original. Hand someone some paper and a pen and tell them to come up with something new with that added rule. It would certainly leave them scratching their head for a while. I’ve found the anime that shows why that’s not a simple task.
Nagato ... Yuki-chan no Shoushitsu is an attempted creation along that line, a romantic comedy created from the Suzumiya Haruhi series, with studio Satelight putting it to screen. In place of the supernatural we have a focus on romance. In place of Haruhi as the lead we have Yuki. The pieces were all rearranged on the board ready to start the game but then this anime didn’t know how to move them. It’s a show that relies too heavily on referencing the original series as opposed to crafting its own meaningful story. It’s all a big bunch of fanservice and if that’s all you’re after then there’s a few things you might enjoy spotting. But if you wanted to see some more creative spark or interesting developments in the story department you might walk away feel a bit sour. I’ll also end up doing something in this review I normally like to avoid, and that’s compare it to another show. Given the franchise this anime is inspired from into I feel it’s only fair I draw upon Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu as a reference. Nagato Yuki-chan no Shoushitsu show fails to stand up on its own merits as a spin-off and there’s no better way to show that than by making this comparison. Note that this review contains minor spoilers for the original Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu series. Story Nagato Yuki-chan no Shoushitsu is a story packed with few surprises. Yuki wants to tell Kyon how she feels about him but every time she comes close to doing so she falters in some manner. Rinse, repeat. You get to watch episode after episode of it. The presentation can be fun and light hearted at least. It’s not as if the show is ever terrible, but it’s never memorable. As I watched on I couldn’t help but notice there was a serious imbalance between comedy and drama. It opts for laughs over love on too many occasions, and there’s little to no complication in the romance area. If there’s little external forces to come between our pair then what’s there to keep it interesting? There’s the odd curveball though that saves the show from being a complete flop, which I’ll come to. More than the characters involved, nothing annoying me in Nagato Yuki-chan no Shoushitsu more than its boring episode structure. It tells you “Here’s your Valentine’s episode”, “Here’s your beach episode”, “Here’s your summer trip” and the list went on. It was sleep-inducing. While there’s a share of Easter eggs to be found in these episodes that pay homage to the original series, sometimes clever and subtle, often that’s all they are: references. They serve little purpose and it’s like the writer was saying “Hey remember this scene guys? This was in the original series!” You have a laugh, nod in agreement, and then go back to watching droll rom-com nonsense. These generic episode set ups were still made to be exciting in the original series because romance was not at the forefront – it was a product of the mysteries and adventures the cast found themselves in. At least when Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu resorted to these stereotypical anime scenarios they came with that added spice of having to appease Haruhi. Even when the SOS Club were thrown into seemingly mundane situations you always had to expect the unexpected. It was a show that knew how to have fun because of that kicker. Here these same situations are used for nothing more than cheap laughs and with little to no romantic progression. When love is the theme, and you strip away the supernatural, things all come crumbling down. By the time that Nagato Yuki-chan no Shoushitsu decided to start being serious and start exploring the mind of its lead character I had lost interest. There was a serious imbalance in the way the show built up to its major complication. I was falling asleep. When the psychological drama came around it was like an alarm clock taped to my ear. I really wasn’t ready for it. Talk about a jarring tone shift. As jarring as it was though, I must say it was welcome. Here we are with not only some complication of substance, but also comes with one of the more clever throwbacks to the original series. It was the first sign of meaningful development for Yuki. It also changes up the dynamic between Yuki and Kyon a great deal. Dare I say the show even became somewhat interesting? It saves the anime in its run home but all I kept asking myself was “why didn’t this happen earlier on?” If you’re able to overcome how sudden – and maybe a bit ridiculously – things take a turn then you might get more out of this series than what I did. The ending is charming enough and I actually got a lot more out of it than I expected. While not entirely satisfying or complete, the presentation and references this time around were fun and felt useful. Characters Yuki obviously gets the big turnaround in behaviour when compared to the rest of the cast. Instead of the alien of few words, she is now driven a lot more by emotion. This gave her much more potential to express herself but watching her felt like a chore. How could they have made Yuki more interesting? Putting her character on a greater offensive would have been a great start. Don’t get me wrong, she really wants to make things change. She tries to express herself but you can guess how it always ends. It’s normally something along the lines of… awkward situation, exasperated overreaction then back to square one. You can find that one in the first chapter of “Writing Generic Romantic Comedies 101”. I wouldn’t be mad if Yuki followed the start of those guidelines but then actually took something away from her experiences, and learn to fend for herself. Instead it’s always mother Asakura to the rescue and Yuki herself doesn’t seem to take anything on board. It’s like every episode restores the status quo. Speaking of the devil, that’s all Asakura’s role in this series is. She’s there to pick up the pieces Yuki leaves behind and do everything for her. She’s more of a parent than a friend. I understand that this is another interesting tie-in to the original Haruhi series (in particular the film) given the ‘protective’ nature she had there, but watching it here is tedious. She had the potential here to play a much more active role in this love story but content to hang back to provide annoying comedy (hey look she’s pulling a scary face again) and repetitive relationship advice to Yuki. This may sound a little mean, but Kyon is just too happy and untroubled in this show. His best asset was his frustration as a result of the situations he found himself thrown into with Haruhi. He becomes just another generic anime high school male character this time around when left alone to his own devices. While we get the odd look at the old Kyon we know and love, it sadly isn’t the one taking centre stage. It’s unsurprising that some of my favourite moments in this anime came from his dialogue with Haruhi. It’s not a good sign when your main female lead can’t bring out the same level of engagement. All Nagato Yuki-chan no Shoushitsu will do is make you miss Kyon’s non-stop stream of amusing thoughts and inner monologues. Everyone else in the show just feels like they’re there to advance the story and take the group to somewhere new. They don’t feel like active players in character relationships, again just there most of the time to remind everyone what series’ spin-off you’re watching. Haruhi manages to steal the show away from Nagato quite often. I thought she was going to add a bit of conflict this story but I was let down with that idea. Everyone else isn’t even worth touching on. Thank goodness the original cast returned for this and helped to correct that somewhat. Tomozaku Sugita, while limited with his capabilities in this show, still gives Kyon that snarky edge through all his rom-com suffering. Minori Chihara actually gets the chance to put some sentences together as Yuki and does a fair job in a new role as the blubbering, timid female lead. You also don’t need me to tell you that Aya Hirano, as Haruhi, was excellent. I have to say that people have ragged on the character designs a bit too much. I actually like that Satelight tried to distance themselves away from KyoAni’s designs and make something unique on their end. Are they memorable? Not really, but they’re far removed from the worst I’ve seen. It’s fair that you compare the roles of characters between this and the original series, but it’s unfair to do the same for the art style. Summary Here’s the big problem with a spin-off that changes up the dynamics and personality of its characters: The original series is crafted around the interactions and clashes of those personalities. Changing this up is asking for trouble. Now in Nagato Yuki-chan no Shoushitsu the roles of these characters have become uninteresting and out of place. All the drama in this show is boring and everyone outside of Kyon, Yuki and Asakura don’t seem to have anything to contribute. I’d struggle to recommend Nagato Yuki-chan no Shoushitsu even to a fan of the franchise. If you could sum up the show you could call it “References: The Anime”. All it does is serve as a reminder that you could be watching its more superior reference anime. Granted, Nagato Yuki-chan no Shoushitsu never tries to emulate Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu. It knows it’s only a spin-off. It goes for a completely different theme in its story but its execution was iffy. Pointless, meandering slice-of-life antics took up too much of the show. When it finally ditched them I’d come too far through the 16-episode count. It tries its hardest to look back of those SoL previous experiences and make them feel significant but it falls flat on its face. Score: 4/10 (Poor)
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Jul 4, 2015 Mixed Feelings
Trigger has invited us back into the world of Little Witch Academia with a bang in The Enchanted Parade. The second, eagerly-awaited title in the series doubles the screen time and with it brings more action and characters to make its world feel as vibrant as before. Is it as good a film as the first? Maybe not. There’s a certain charm lost that was there the first time around but this is still a loveable, magical tale.
While I was worried in the opening portion of the film that we were substituting too much magic for drama, a satisfying and action-packed conclusion saw the series ... back at its strongest. There are areas where the original animation excelled better but there’s plenty here that also adds a lot in areas of world building and action. This latest addition to the LWA series remains a family-friendly, energetic experience that’s going to leave you beaming as the credits roll by. Story Akko, Sucy and Lotte plus a trio of new characters find themselves thrust into control of the upcoming town festival. While Akko naturally wants to showcase the best of what witches have to offer, her ideas bring with it a few problems and create tension with her fellow students. That’s not all that’s at play, however. Before they know it the group are forced to band together and use everything at their disposal to overcome their biggest hurdle yet. Having roughly 40 minutes to put together a cohesive, interesting narrative is a big challenge but Trigger managed to overcome this previously in half the time so they’ve had their practice. They also get the bonus this time of being able to cut down on a lot of exposition. They use this time well to expand the scope of the story. Because of that though there’s a little less intensity and magic. It works both ways. The overall tone of the story is the biggest change up when compared to the previous offering, with a bit of character conflict thrown into the mix this time around. There was a real sense of adventure and exploration in the first film. Watching the characters make their way around the school grounds was exciting, the lessons were amusing and story in general was a lot more fluid. With some extra time up their sleeves Trigger opt to at least give us a lot of new characters and new settings. There’s some small thematic jumps, so it’s great to see the studio didn’t simply opt to do the exact same thing twice. Some elements of the story have certainly been copied over, but an expanded cast and setting help make it feel fresh. Adding new locations to the world our story takes place in has its ups and downs. I felt that bringing the witches out of their school environment and into town took some of the ‘mystique’ and the ‘magic’ away from them. At the same time it’s nice to see the wider community around them and what the witches place in that universe is. When you look at it, there’s only so much Trigger could do by limiting everything to the school. While it’s wonderful to imagine all of their adventures happening in their own little bubble, it adds a new dynamic between the magical and human societies. Some may like that, others may not. Some themes have channelled over from the first film, but the biggest change this time is the focus on friendship. In the original show it was more on having confidence in your own ability. This time Akko faces a lot more conflict and troubles with those around her, friends included. People may be a little bit put off by this slightly more serious approach but it thankfully has its purpose. Trigger use their extra minutes to create character complications that stretch over a long run of the film. The strength of friendship is an easy theme to stuff up and instead come across as cheesy. They mostly avoided that here. Everything revolving around this theme is nothing original but that hasn’t stopped it being executed fairly. Characters are shown to have retained important lessons, reflected on what they’ve been through and apply all that knowledge to find a solution – much like the first film. It’s a formula that works, even though it brings nothing new to the table. It’s easy to watch and it manages to be entertaining while doing so. When the action kicks into another gear as the film nears its conclusion, the ride feels worthwhile. One particular moment is immensely satisfying, and you’ll know it when you see it. It’s a perfect blend of Trigger’s animation capabilities and ability to put on some memorable set pieces. Characters + Art Akko returns as our loveable, often inept, lead character. While Akko remains a primary source of comic relief for the show she’s a lot more proactive this time around. It’s refreshing to see that the original LWA tale has had an effect on her in that way. The original series gave her a huge shot of belief in her own capabilities as a witch and now this is a look at how she applies her new knowledge. I think some may be a bit turned off by this new, confident side of her. It’s certainly quite the leap from what we’ve seen previously. Her outgoing personality and habit of acting before thinking gets her into trouble once again. Nothing new changes there at least – and you wouldn’t have it any other way. Both Sucy and Lotte feel a little underutilised but, honestly, that’s not a big deal. That too serves a purpose of its own. When they are on screen not a second is wasted and their role to play in the story still feels meaningful. It can serve as reminder that even not being around can make the times you are more important. As for our new trio they’re not that memorable, more there just to help drive the story along than contribute anything of value. They get their odd scene of comic relief or chance to show-off but that’s about it. I think it’s also disappointing that Diana, someone who played a big role in the complication of the first film, gets cast to the back this time around. Strange that Trigger didn’t opt to make more use of a character with a more defined personality and presence than almost anyone else in the show. It’s a show that very much rides on one character, Akko, which means a lot of your enjoyment will come out of how much you can take to her character and how’s she’s changed from the first outing. I’m personally a big fan of Trigger’s character designs. The exaggerated expressions and reactions are always worth a laugh. The studio keep things simple when it comes to effects and shading in the animation, putting most of the work into some nice backgrounds. As always in Trigger’s works there’s the odd lazy bit of animation scattered about. Some background characters look crudely drawn and it’s often very easy to pick out where the costs have been saved. Some frames look very hurriedly put together, but thankfully most pieces of action looks a treat. As a whole, however, the first LWA struck me as more visually impressive. Summary Even when given additional time thanks to the efforts of their backers, Trigger was going to find it hard to live up to a wonderful debut in this franchise. But they’ve come close. It’s a show dying for more exploration of its characters and an expansion of its magical elements. I like the friendship building side of things, don’t get me wrong, but there’s that sense of adventure and mystery lacking that was present in the original Little Witch Academia. Score: 6/10 (Fair)
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Jun 30, 2015
Hibike! Euphonium
(Anime)
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Watching a Kyoto Animation anime is like being served up a delicious cake. It’s the same cake every time but you know what to expect. There’s icing on top, being the pretty visuals and animation, but usually plays it safe with a ‘vanilla’ group of characters. It’s easy to digest. Hibike! Euphonium however wants to be different. Not only does it comes with sprinkles of substance but it has layers to it, different flavours working in harmony. They aren’t the most incredible flavours you’ve ever tasted but they are still enough to put a smile on your dial. This high school, musical showpiece took me
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by surprise with its fun blend of band politics and self-improvement. While it hit the odd sour note in the dialogue and story department, this sill became an easily recommendable music feast.
Story We follow the story of Kumiko Oumae in her first year at Kitauji High School. A long-time player of the euphonium, she finds herself looking for a fresh start in the concert band. She makes friends with Hazuki Katou and Sapphire ‘Midori’ Kawashima along the way and the group look to breathe life back into the band. Former band dramas come to the fore however when Kumiko’s former junior high bandmate Reina Kousaka enters the frame – the two not leaving on the happiest note last time they saw each other. With an unmotivated and underperforming band to work with, things are shaping up to be tough for the new members. Euphonium is definitely one of those shows that needs to be approached with the right mindset. If you watch this expecting music to be at the forefront 24/7 then you may end up disappointed. The music is instead a vehicle for exploring the motivations of the different band members. While that may sound a little too deep for a show about cute girls playing instruments, you’d be surprised. Those with concert band experience and music students will take a lot away from the drama behind the curtains. That said, you can still take a lot away from the show without such involvement. The show loves diving into a lot of the little intricacies that go into learning an instrument and learning to play as a group. People get singled out at practice and people have to make sacrifices. Such is life when you want to reach new heights. This isn’t some happy-go-lucky musical field trip. Some students contemplate their future and how band could impact it while others think about their impact on the band’s morale and ability. You can bet relationships get strained over it. The drama is rarely overbearing and makes sense given the current situation of the band. I always was interested to see how disagreements could be resolved, in the musical and the personal department. I was a little turned off by some of the over-dramatic dialogue. You can find most of these examples when the cast talk to each about wanting to reach another level in their playing. None of these conversations feel natural at all. They sound like they should be standing on a podium with a microphone in front of them. It’s a common complaint I could make about a lot of anime conversations though. It’s nothing new and it’s very easy to overlook. The romance elements also feel a little shoehorned at times. Love has its own part to play but it’s at its best when it’s being subtle. Some moments simply aren’t, and whenever they come around I’d think to myself ‘I wish they’d just get back to the music already’. To delve any deeper into this goes into spoiler territory so it’s one of those areas you have to judge for yourself. Characters One of Kumiko’s most interesting points as a character is watching her reasons to play changing. Different events make her want to back away from it all while others spur her on. While maybe having the least distinct personality of the lead quintet Kumiko is never dull. I wasn’t too interested in her over the opening half of the show but as things change, and she’s forced to become more proactive, her story is more engaging. She isn’t the most memorable main character ever made but she’s one you want to see succeed as the episodes roll by. Reina is an enigma. She’s easily the most interesting person in the show with that combination of her brooding nature and a desire to be at the top. You can never be sure what she’s thinking. Reina is focused, driven and shut off from the more upbeat personalities she’s surrounded by. I liked how alien Reina behaves in that area. She’s the necessary cool head in a sea of more emotional classmates, but of course she has her own flaws. Her relationship with Kumiko is assessed on a few occasions, they being some of the series’ turning points. At times she steals the show and feels more like the main character. Hazuki bounces up and down in relevance. She has her moments but feels swept under the rug beyond a certain point in the show. Her energy is infectious and she could have been used a little more often. Then there’s Midori who could have been invisible the whole time and it wouldn’t have made a difference. It’s a pity because there’s something about a tiny contrabass player that’s amusing. I needed more of that. I love that most of the characters have some value to them, even those on the sidelines. It’s rewarding as viewer to see side characters develop and watch them constantly interacting with our main players. In a show with a large group together like Hibike! Euphonium it helps the concert band feel dynamic. Whether it be the quiet club president Haruka Ogasawara or her polar opposite vice president Asuka Tanaka, they’re all fun to watch. It could have been easy to let this show play out just focusing on one or two characters, but I’m glad they didn’t. This isn’t a show built on deep characters. It’s a show built on different personalities clashing against one another. I personally found that a good experience, one that matched KyoAni’s setting and design well. You could have taken a more serious route through a different studio, and that could have been fine, but I like what’s been put to screen here. Visuals & Sound Speaking of setting and design, there are some mesmerising scenes in this show. There are even scenes that made me say ‘wow’ simply based on its animation quality. Background art is lovely and the instruments look and sound wonderful. KyoAni don’t shy away from animating finger movements at regular intervals, showing off both their handy staff and their budget. That’s an area most like to avoid when it comes to animating musical performances. They’re also at the top of their game when it comes to animating minor facial expressions and details. It’s the little things that can make a show engaging. There’s twitches, shrugs and other movements studios often decide to leave out of the process. These keep coming at you every episode in Euphonium. Kumiko and Asuka are big winners in this area. It’s also nice to see KyoAni break away ever so slightly from their regular, predictable character designs. Eye design and colouring are the big points there. They’re almost hypnotic. They’ve made some adjustments from the source material that really help bring some spark to certain characters, fusing their own style with the novel perfectly. It’s a show based on music so the sound better be on point. Thankfully it is. There’s a selection of great group pieces and some amazing solo efforts. Overall it’s a great audio package. I don’t normally make space to discuss OP’s and ED’s either but both deserve a round of applause. Both upbeat blaring brass numbers “Dream Solister” and “Tutti” capture the energy and tone of the show perfectly. Summary When you strip back all of the gorgeous KyoAni visuals there is still plenty to be found in both the story and characters department. All the conflict makes sense and people have to make tough decisions. In the face of that, Euphonium rarely becomes too serious for its own good. There are times when it does jump that shark however, particularly in the dialogue department. The show is at its strongest when the focus is on band politics. The balance between music and romance thankfully favours the music side of things, with the latter’s handling a little clunky. In spite of that, Hibike! Euphonium remains one of the most interesting shows and surprising success stories from the spring 2015 season. Score: 7/10 (Good)
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jun 26, 2015 Not Recommended
There are times you get a reminder that no matter how many swords, boobs and magic you throw at a show it can’t save it from the boring characters among it all. Welcome to the world of Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka, where strong personalities are obviously illegal and main characters are inexplicably attractive to women. A 13-episode fantasy story put to screen by J.C. Staff and based on a light novel, ‘DanMachi’ can at times be an enjoyable experience if you shut your brain off. Action is served up in droves but in an equal share comes a bland
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cast and a setting that doesn’t exactly shout out originality.
Story We follow the journey of Bell Cranel. Bell is an ‘adventurer’, one who goes forth to the dungeon to seek fame and glory while putting their life on the line to do so. There he encounters the talented and renowned ‘Sword Princess’ Aiz Wallenstein. Suddenly he’s love struck. With the help of his goddess Hestia, Bell sets out to conquer not only beasts but also his fear of approaching the girl of his dreams. I’ll put my positive first: This is that show that doesn’t dwell on things for too long. Bell makes progression at a ridiculous rate but at least events keep coming and every episode feels fresh in some way. Different enemies provide a new challenge. Some of these enemies remind Bell of when he was weaker and it brings some painful memories. He has to overcome these grim reminders and apply the new knowledge he’s learned to beat his enemies. Some also force him to change up his technique and get creative. For all its terrible harem schlock this is at least a nicely paced adventure. Some of the later episodes had some more interesting fights with more than just some crystals on the line. The cast also expands a little at that point, definitely to the show’s benefit. At that point it really starts to feel like we are watching something interesting come together. There’s also this sense that Bell is really fighting for something he wants and not simply hacking at things for no reason. That’s where the praise ends in this department. Here’s the problem: Bell doesn’t truly earn anything in his line of adventuring. Everything that helps him become stronger is either served to him on a silver platter or overcome through some ridiculous newfound level of power. Through certain attributes Bell is rendered pretty much unbeatable and given an unfair boost of all other adventures. With that you say goodbye to almost all the tension this show creates within the dungeon. If something does hold Bell back it takes no time for him to find a way around it. Some methods he uses to do so are out of left field and not properly explained. When an explanation for them does arrive – very much out of the blue – it comes at a ridiculous moment. While it does excuse a lot of Bell’s powerful capabilities, it’s a double-edged sword. The plot armour simply stacks higher on him. An early scene posits Bell as the runty adventurer who can’t achieve anything and you get the sense that this could be a tough rise through the ranks. But before you know it he’s making a name for himself in the field quicker than you know it. Why? Because of the power of love, which as we all know is far stronger than any physical material. How touching. Why couldn’t his romance simply be a driving force instead of something that literally has the capability to bolster his stats? Characters While the story has redeemable moments, and is actually decently written, the characters reduce this show to a mess on many occasions. Let’s start with our main man. Bell is just another run-of-the-mill anime MC. He’s just… there. There’s no background to his character to at least give us an idea of why he wants to take up adventuring in the first place. He’s an example of the ‘play it safe’ approach to characters. By stripping him of any hard-hitting character faults he gains likeability but at the same time becomes a lot less interesting. Then there’s the pint-sized goddess Hestia who has a bust size and a temperament trying to outdo each other in volume. As annoying as her character can be at least her affection for Bell, compared to the rest of the female cast, actually makes sense. Bell is her only familia member so it’s understandable that she’s going to be a little clingy. The writers play up this fact though to the point that it starts degrading her character. Hestia goes from someone looking for validation and purpose to being a paranoid stalker. A very, very annoying paranoid stalker. Top that off with an abundance of ridiculous fanservice involving her and it’s a great way for me to stop taking a character’s problems seriously. At times we get a peek into seeing a different side of her but it remains hidden in the shadows, presumably for that inevitable second season some time down the track. It would also have been nice if the girl Bell desires so badly, Aiz, actually had some semblance of personality that makes her a worthy target of his affection. I guess she’s a blonde, green-eyed beauty in questionably-designed armour who can swing a sword well. Sure she’s got it on the looks front but the show never once makes me feel like she’s worthwhile being the end goal of our main character – even taking into account the fact she’s helped him out before in some tough situations. In defence of Aiz she at least isn’t going completely head over heels for our white-haired friend. But in the face of that, she still feels like a soulless background object. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t want a character study out of show about fighting beasts in dungeons and levelling up. You’d not be of sound mind to want that. I just want something entertaining with a cast I really want to cheer on. More personality and overall likeability could have been breathed into the group. My problems are only made worse by the fact that every piece of comedy missed the mark. Considering it makes up a large portion of the show you can imagine my frustration when some comedic intervals just dragged on and on. Summary If you value strong, interesting characters then this isn’t for you. If you value the creation of original ideas and environments then this isn’t for you. If watching a cardboard cut-out, danger-immune, overpowered main character whose presence makes every female he encounters flood the vicinity in juices of excitement while living with a four-foot god with a breast size that has the second half of the alphabet in its sights then this is for you. The more people keep dishing praise on shows like these, the less encouragement we give studios to adapt exciting and challenging material or create interesting original works. I guess what sells, sells. DanMachi isn’t remotely close to the worst shows I’ve watched but it brings absolutely nothing new to the anime table. There are less memorable moments in this series then there are words in its own title. I’ll be nice enough to say that there were brief moments where I did sit enough and give it some attention. I can see why other people can enjoy it for longer periods than myself. There’s flashy fights and some nicely animated sequences that even got a cynical man like me to sit up and say ‘Yeah. That’s alright’. The story isn’t going to blow your socks off but it never drags. The action keeps coming and the show rarely sits down for a breather. However I feel like a lot of the purpose of the world is kept locked away from us, which got on my nerves. There’s characters pulling the strings from shadows but even as the show comes to a close we learn almost nothing new. I can stop hacking away at the show for a moment when it comes to the art department. With a J.C. Staff anime you know you’re at least going to get some well-polished art and decent animation. Fights have plenty of impact and punch thanks to a combination sound and debris. You can really feel the weight behind every sword swing, fist flying and rock scattering. The fights are clearly the show’s strong point and the technical side of things have gone a long way to achieving that. Some may find entertainment in the fight choreography - a very fair point - but when a particular outcome always feels certain then I can’t put myself in that boat. There is virtually no interesting complications character-wise. There’s catering for every character trope imaginable. There’s fan service ready to leap out at you from every corner. For everything that DanMachi does right it seems to do two other things wrong. Is it wrong to pick up girls in a dungeon? I still don’t know and I don’t know if I want to hang around longer to find out the answer.
Reviewer’s Rating: 3
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Jun 5, 2015
NHK ni Youkoso!
(Anime)
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Anime has often been used as a means of exploring new worlds, immersing yourself for just a moment to watch a story unfold somewhere wildly different from reality. There’s no harm with that at all and it can be a blast. I’ve often found however that I get most enjoyment from shows that tackle meaningful topics in a more realistic setting. Welcome to the N.H.K delivers on this in spades. The show’s themes of depression, anxiety and social withdrawal are treated with respect and attention to detail. It had me interested from episode one through to its superb conclusion. It’s a show that I wouldn’t
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hesitate a moment to award a ‘must watch’ tag to.
Story Welcome to the N.H.K. sees us following the story of Tatsuhiro Satou. He’s a ‘hikikomori’ (socially withdrawn individual), a term for one who is often shunned by Japanese society for their lack of desire to contribute to the workforce and behave in a socially acceptable manner. In strolls Misaki Nakahara to his life to offer help in getting his life back on track and so the journey begins. In the time we’re exposed to Satou we see him learn about seemingly easy methods to get out of his poor state of being, failing to put Misaki’s more thought-out efforts to use. He instead believes the evil ‘N.H.K’ organisation have made him part of a plan to make other citizens feel better about themselves – by not being him. Part of the appeal of the show is seeing Satou’s view of society clash with the real world as he becomes exposed to more of it. The story gives off one strong message: Not everything you undertake brings rewards and sometimes the fruits of your labour come off with a sour taste compared to the sweet one you expected. Watching Satou bounce between not caring what happens and suddenly gaining motivation is intentionally frustrating and well done story telling. The writers know that this isn’t an issue that has a blanket solution. The show takes time to establish Satou’s situation, making us see every detail of what he does and what he believes in. Because of that we appreciate even the tiniest of steps he takes on an attempted road to recovery. The story structure is one of just a few gripes of mine. I liked the build-up over the initial seven to eight episodes but then the show starts to jump between different scenarios quite frequently. One particularly dramatic arc seems to come from nowhere but it is does still serve a purpose. It provides one of the most critical moments for Satou to reflect on how good he might actually be off compared to others. In a way you could see storytelling change up as a form of Satou’s increasing desperation to seek an escape from his hikikomori lifestyle. The pace at least picks up in a way that mirrors that, though it took me a moment to get used to. Characters Satou is one of the most realistic and strongest characters I’ve seen in this medium, and that’s not a piece of praise I hand out every day. Just when Satou looks like he’s making progress you can see his frightened mental state pull him back. When he makes a significant achievement it feels huge because his weaknesses are laid out in all their harsh truth for the viewer to see. It’s easy to both despite Satou yet want to cheer him on. He cheats, lies and avoids situations because he feels so bad about his place in the world. It’s not like he doesn’t learn from experiences though, and on occasions you won’t even notice the small steps he takes in his attempt to better himself. He’s cleverly written, feels terrifyingly real and everyone can relate to him in some way or another. I’ve often heard that those who get the most out of the show are those who are living a life like Satou’s. I can see how that may be but even so I took plenty away from its ideas despite sharing little in common. There’s ideas of diverging paths and disconnection with friends over time that really struck a chord with me. This isn’t a show just made to inspire those in the same situation. Welcome to the N.H.K. uses Satou to express universal ideas of solitude, deceit and addiction. Everyone has experienced that in some form. Misaki is one of the more mysterious characters whose purpose and background are deliberately handed over to the viewer at only a snail’s pace. I loved the way the show was self-aware about Misaki’s own place in the narrative (a girl with no ill feeling towards the main character who comes to ‘save’ him) and had Satou challenge that concept. This naturally creates friction between the pair and only as Satou feels more confident in himself does this ease somewhat. Despite her simple appearance, conversational tone and easy-going nature, you are always left to wonder what’s driving Misaki forward. Because of that, Misaki’s moments in the final run of episodes are incredible. Seeing that mystery behind her character unravelled is such a rewarding experience. The supporting cast is strong with Kaoru Yamazaki a big stand out. He’s the one who first drags Satou on a different path and his otaku lifestyle starts to rub off on Satou, for better and worse. He acts like a picture of sensibility to Satou yet at the same time is far from a perfect man himself. In fact, in this show, no-one is. Everyone has a gigantic flaw or a big hole they’ve dug themselves, and most of them don’t want to admit it. This a show based on people putting on a different face to cover for their insecurities, but slowly coming to terms with their psychological problems and shedding that façade. It isn’t torn down through melodrama or unrealistic circumstances either. You feel that every shot and every character has an important purpose to being there. Sound & Art One thing I didn’t expect this show to deliver so strongly on was the soundtrack. I was blown away by the lovely melancholic guitar melodies and the softly sung vocals. Despite its simple chord structure “Youkoso Hitori Bocchi” has become one of my most memorable anime tracks thanks to its well delivered vocals, a song that has the amazing ability to sound both depressing and uplifting at the same time. There’s a lazy, mellow vibe that comes from this soundtrack that perfectly encapsulates the sense of wanting to drift along with minimal effort – quite appropriate. It’s remarkable to see how underutilised Satou’s voice actor Yutaka Koizumi has been in the industry because his performance in Welcome to the N.H.K. is nothing short of fantastic. Whether it be the screams of anger, his strangely menacing cackle or just his everyday musings, everything is spot on. The snarky tones of Yamazaki’s voice actor Daisuke Sakaguchi (Satoshi Fukube of Hyouka and Shinpachi Shimura of Gintama) are another standout and make for both excellent banter and chemistry between the two characters. The animation in this show is certainly nothing amazing but rarely detracts from the experience. Characters are very crudely drawn at moments plus there’s some hilariously overdone shading at times. Thankfully the show is exactly reliant on scenes that require a whole load of movement so the simplistic art style and the matching level of animation don’t feel so bad. Overall This show is designed to frustrate you, make you laugh, make you cry. It succeeds on every level. It may a little slow for some but I encourage you to take the time out to watch a show that actually explores some very serious ideas without sugar coating them or diluting them down with some irrelevant sub plot. Every shot and every scene has an important purpose. This show has stayed on my mind for some time after finishing it and I guarantee it will do the same for you.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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