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Mar 26, 2016
A rock solid plot bolstered by a unique setting and memorable characters, Boku dake ga Inai Machi, or Erased for the purposes of this review, is well worth the 12 episode ride it takes you on.
Story:
At its core, Erased is a straightforward murder mystery anime with a cliche supernatural element to it. Fortunately, it told its story with a remarkable comprehensiveness - considering its length - that left me immensely satisfied. I have watched anime that have taken triple or even quadruple the episodes to have an inferior ending to this one.
Art:
Clean, consistent, and pretty when it wants to be, though some characters have weird,
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over-sized, lips that remind me of those videos where people put their mouths in small containers and suck on them, leaving their lips hilariously ballooned. I don't know why they did that, but it was hard not to laugh whenever of those characters came on.
Sound:
Loved both the intro and the outtro music! The score overall was impressive, and felt just right for the atmosphere Erased had. The voice actors were competent, and more importantly not annoying.
Character:
The characters in Erased are the strongest thing about the anime. They all felt genuine; actions fit personality, and nearly everyone had humanity about them. However, the antagonistic characters were so weakly developed compared to the protagonists, one wonders what could have been.
Enjoyment:
Erased was a pleasant surprise, proof that anime does indeed have something to offer to a broader audience that is not already fully initiated into the genre. As I said in the beginning of this review, it's totally rock solid - an anime that I would recommend without hesitation.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jul 29, 2015
Parasyte (Kiseijuu: Sei no Kakuritsu) is a throwback to the old nineties sci-fi alien killing machine anime with a very thought provoking message.
Story:
Unpredictable - Parasyte goes from light-hearted school life moments to some of the most gruesome murders in the same episode. Parasyte does well to let you know early on that everyone is in mortal danger and nothing is sacred. There are moments where I was nearly unable to continue watching the show, which made it all the more impactful.
Art:
Parasyte's animation is above average but nothing too special in this day and age. The important scenes and characters are well drawn, however
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in some scenes they used that god awful 3D-rendering for panning crowd shots, which I absolutely hate, but can deal with in minor doses. The fighting scenes looked physical when they needed to, and they really nailed how arbitrarily the parasites can kill a person. I'm glad that they didn't shy away from blood and gore, but also didn't use an excessive - and unrealistic - amount of it.
Sound:
Solid type-cast voice acting with no annoying characters you wish would die just so they'd never speak again. The intro song is OK, a tad too "angsty-teen-who's-favorite-band-is-Linkin-Park" for me, but it fits the anime well. The outro song is really inappropriate and unsuitable except for a few select episodes, hilariously so.
Character:
A fairly bland main character in Izumi Shinichi somehow becomes more interesting by becoming more bland. The real star of the show is without a doubt Migi, with his dry humor and subtle quips that compliment his generally creepy (but somehow also cute?) appearance. The supporting cast definitely have more depth to them than Izumi, but he manages to engage the viewer by himself enough to be passable.
The strength of Parasyte is that you are never fully able to tell who is the antagonist, if there is one at all. It's about survival, and at the end of the day can you blame anyone for desiring to live?
Enjoyment:
This anime ripped my emotions to shreds; you're never quite settled in and it just keeps landing haymakers right where it hurts. It deeply invests you in its story - toys with you - before leaving you high and dry, and yet I couldn't get enough!
Overall:
9/10 due to a fantastic and thoughtful story; the only thing I felt held it back from the mythical 10/10 was a forgettable main character and several inconsistencies regarding characters (mostly with the ever-frustrating Murano Satomi). I left Parasyte feeling satisfied and yet also hungering for more.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jul 22, 2015
Kyoukai no Kanata (or Beyond the Boundary as I'm going to refer to it for the rest of this review) is a fairly cliche anime that got everything right. It should also be noted that this series will be getting a new season so this review might not be accurate upon that release.
Story:
Beyond the Boundary uses plenty of Red Herrings and "this is how it is, because it is" explanations to propel the plot forward. It keeps you on an IV drip of information that is just enough to grasp what is about to happen. I never feel like I knew what is going to
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happen next. The universe of Beyond the Boundary has a lot of depth to it and learning more about it keeps the viewer motivated to continue watching.
Art:
Nicely drawn and animated; another series with the now standard super-detailed-almost-creepy-but-cute-at-the-same-time eyes on the female characters. The fight scenes have so much stuff going on in them and it looks fantastic. Environments were detailed and looked lived-in, it was interesting to look at the backgrounds and pick out minute details.
Sound:
Loved the music in Beyond the Boundary, especially the outro song. The FX used in the fights were also top notch.
Character:
Aside from the two main protagonists, Mirai and Akihito, none of the characters really stood out. The side characters do develop - but the issue is their personalities weren't very interesting to begin with, so I never found myself caring overmuch about them unless it related to Mirai and Akihito. Beyond the Boundary has one of the most genuine relationships between two characters that I've seen in recent memory and that relationship essentially carries the entire show from start to finish.
Enjoyment:
An acceptable story and a substantial budding romance allowed me to get fully invested into Beyond the Boundary's story, and I enjoyed it the whole way and I am very interested in the new season coming out eventually.
Overall:
A solid 8/10 anime that keeps you guessing with a intriguing plot; along with one of the most sincere love interests I've ever seen.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jul 21, 2015
I put off watching this anime for fear of being disappointed - boy am I glad I finally persuaded myself to watch the whole thing (in one sitting of course!). This anime was able to use common anime tropes while avoiding some of the more common pitfalls of peers.
Story:
This anime veils its true story until several episodes in, but after that point its fairly predictable and par for the course as far as I'm concerned. The major complaint I have with this anime is that it has moments of cringe-inducing melodrama that impaired my ability to enjoy the actually touching scenes.
Art:
Solidly animated at all
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times - a clear love project from the animation team. The eyes are expressive and reflect the intention of the characters nicely. The fighting was much more impressive than I expected, even the super-human characters movements are all animated and look natural. The backgrounds were fleshed out and I never felt that something was poorly done. I admire the amount of work that clearly was put into this.
Sound:
So normally I don't put much into this category because usually they're an after thought; however the soundtrack for this anime fits it so perfectly that it deserves special mention. Why is "Sound" rated only a 7 then? Well, if you watch the anime, you'll notice that the intro was changed midway through (as always) but I feel like they completely botched the music choice for it. They went for the most generic "anime intro song" that I can't like no matter how many times I listened to it, which is a shame really because everything else auditory was fantastic.
Character:
I am a firm believer of Chekhov's Gun (Google it) in storytelling - and some anime tend to ignore this principle entirely, making entire arcs that don't matter to the actual story in the slightest. Akatsuki no Yona is not one of those anime. All of the side characters matter well after their introductory episode(s) and more importantly events that happened previously are referenced without the heavyhanded use of flashbacks. I am extremely pleased to report that there was virtually no fan service for all of the 24 episodes (even though they even went into a brothel once). I'm so sick of pointless panty shots of characters and the sexualizing of girls well underage here in the U.S. Even though the main character is female and there are clearly several love interests, there wasn't even the slightest hint of nudity. Anything perverted with Yona would have been tasteless and completely out of character anyway; for not sinking that low the creator's of this anime have my respect.
Enjoyment:
I enjoyed Akatsuki no Yona quite a bit and will definitely be on the lookout for a potential new season in the future. With well above average character development and non-filler side characters, Akatsuki no Yona earns a very solid thumbs-up from me!
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jul 7, 2015
The short of it is that this is a very action-oriented anime similar to Black Lagoon - but with a better story and characters - all while being only 13 episodes long.
Story:
A relatively generic affair overall; Canaan's story blends Full Metal Alchemist and a little bit of Ghost in the Shell - but ultimately falls short of both of them in terms of emotional impact and comprehensiveness. It makes you care and remains consistently engaging through all of the thirteen episodes. There's nothing terribly original about it but it does everything well; it struck me as being more Western movie inspired.
Art:
I don't remember ever
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being stunned or impressed by the visuals, but I don't remember seeing anything bad, either. The action scenes flow nicely and have interesting, fairly detailed, backgrounds and the characters move fluidly - coming together in some well-done fight scenes.
Sound:
Good FX compliment the fight scenes; bullets hit with a solid thud and punches and kicks are delivered with a muffled thump. There aren't any annoyingly voiced characters or poorly done stuff (like "engrish"). As long as audio doesn't hurt an anime it's good in my book, and it certainly didn't in Canaan.
Character:
This is where Canaan really shines - there are no unnecessary side-characters, everyone is important to the main story line and is treated as such. All of them really feel like they develop and evolve from beginning to end. Canaan also has a really solid villain that takes you on a rollercoaster of feelings. Had the actual story been a bit better, Canaan's characters could've shined even more.
Enjoyment:
A semi-believable action-thriller with great characters and fight scenes, Canaan made me happy that I chose it over the innumerable other anime I need to watch at some point. It isn't a classic or anything - nor do I think it should regarded as such - but Canaan left me feeling satisfied; if I had to watch it all again, I would.
Overall:
A flawed gem, Canaan impresses with its character development despite a fairly derivative story line.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Nov 20, 2014
Firstly, I am a History Major in college; secondly, I positively adore Studio Ghibli films. This is probably the perfect blend between Studio Ghibli's masterful storytelling and animation and historical events. Even greater than Grave of the Fireflies, I would argue... you can see I may have a certain bias.
Story:
The manner in which the story is told is incredibly imaginative, bringing with it all of the Studio Ghibli flair that long-time watchers are accustomed to. Being neither fully fictional or non-fiction, unlike many Ghibli films, it was interesting to see what their portrayal of Imperial Japan would be (I hear Miyazaki took a lot
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of heat for it). While the story focuses almost entirely on Jirou, you can really feel the political undertones throughout the movie. While it's certainly not Miyazaki's magnum opus, the story is nonetheless engaging and quite believable.
Art & Sound:
It's up to the ridiculously high standards of Studio Ghibli. The music was very orchestral and enhanced every scene; it was a delight to listen to. I watched the Japanese version with English subs, and I thought that the voice actor for Jirou was a little nasally for his character, but that was the only complaint I can think of.
Character:
Jirou is a very well-made protagonist; he really fits the whole eccentric genius role (I really enjoyed his gigantic glasses). Naoko, the female lead, looks exactly like every other main female in Studio Ghibli movies (i.e. Nausicaä or Princess Mononoke), and she acts like them too. There are quite a few memorable side characters, and they all seem fleshed-out and additive to the plot. You'll most definitely be attached to everyone by the end of the movie.
Enjoyment:
The whole movie went down smoothly, as I suspected it would under the master craftsmanship of Miyazaki and his team at Studio Ghibli. I can't complain about anything, it's a sleek and refined movie that couldn't really be improved in any meaningful way. If you're a Miyazaki or Studio Ghibli fan, this movie is not to be missed, as it's Miyazaki's last.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Nov 15, 2014
This anime is playing second fiddle to SAO in regards to viewership; but can hold its own through thought-out dialogue and a political intrigue filled plot line.
Story & Character:
The story is carried through several strong characters; and a few side characters that over-shadow some of the leads. I especially did not enjoy Akatsuki the assassin-girl. It seems like she could have had a whole lot more depth to her but they didn't add it in. Shiroe is definitely one of the best male protagonists I've recently seen (much more interesting than Kazuto from SAO), and by the end Minori seems to almost take
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over the female lead role from Akatsuki.
Art & Sound: Living in the Database, Database, whoa-o. That intro song is hilarious.
Enjoyment:
Overall, I think that I will definitely be watching the 2nd season once it's completed. Is it "better" than SAO? I think it does a better job of fleshing out the game world they are stuck in than SAO, but does a poor job of explaining the real world situation outside the game, which is where SAO excels. I see no reason for someone not to watch both SAO and this to see which one they prefer, as they both have something to offer.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Nov 14, 2014
This was one of the very first anime that I watched; along with Higurashi and Elfen Lied. So obviously I didn't have much experience in what made anime good or bad. However, by now I've watched dozens of anime and I feel that I've allowed it enough time to settle in my mind.
Story & Character:
The plot itself is compelling and interesting; there wasn't anything cheesy or drastically overblown as you sometimes run into with anime. No chaff or filler episodes to my recollection; all ~50 episodes stay on track.
I like all of the characters, for the most part: the main character has an annoying
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tendency to state the most obvious crap that made me want to face palm; she also screams (the same way) every time she gets into a fight which became pretty funny to me by the end.
Art & Sound: Nothing stood out.
Enjoyment:
This anime definitely nails the whole "rising action" thing; it is paced very well and I wasn't able to put it down. Before I knew it, it was finished and I was seeing the credits. The Achilles Heel of the show, I feel, is the main character's lack of a strong personality and staying power, relative to others in different anime. I think that it would've been much greater if she wasn't so annoying sometimes.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Nov 14, 2014
This is basically Bridge to Terebithia: The Anime, so if you watch it you need to be prepared for the feels.
Story & Character: The story is very well written and I enjoyed every part of it. Every character is a basket case for some mental disorder; which, rather than being a negative, makes them very interesting to watch develop.
Art & Sound: I have no complaints.
Enjoyment: I really, really, loved this anime. Anyone could watch this, from my grandma to my friends, and probably enjoy it. Very much recommended.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Nov 13, 2014
Was initially skeptical about SAO; I had an aversion to any anime set in a video game because I assumed they would all be super-cheesy. Then I watched SAO and Log Horizon and saw what I was missing.
Story & Character: I really enjoyed the first arc; it had a lot of build-up and tension, tragedy, and all the things that make an anime worth watching. None of the characters seemed pushed or unnecessary and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I didn't much care for the second arc, but the characters continued to develop so it's OK. I haven't watched SAO 2 yet (I like to wait
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until they're finished so I can binge watch), but I hope it stays consistent.
Art & Sound: I enjoyed the OST, I have a few of the songs in my library; the animation is fluid and nice-looking but not groundbreaking by any means.
Enjoyment: Had the second arc been better I would probably have enjoyed it a lot more; but it's definitely a solid anime that I do not regret watching.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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