Back to abhishek14's Profile abhishek14's Profile

Somehow the high expectations I had awaiting the sequel to a fantastic series were not fulfilled. Ryuusei No Gemini isn’t exactly a sequel to Kuro no Keiyakusha, but more like a separate arc in itself. It would be unfair to compare both of them as they vary in their style and storyline. For starters, the series are not bi-episodic; instead revolve around a single storyline involving a Eurasian female protagonist. Hei’s involvement through the series although significant, has not really been up to what it ought to be.

Storyline: 7/10
Suou Pavlichenko is a 13 year Eurasian girl whose life suddenly changes on a fateful ... day when she meets up with Hei. Involved in the mess of politics and war between the contractors, she seeks out on her own quest to find her missing twin, Shion. Alongside her is Hei, a drunk bastard who completely lacks the mannerism and politeness he once had. The personality change might have been necessary in this series as it made things a bit interesting, but it didn’t seem all that good seeing him like that. The storyline, in its individuality served to be interesting though. The protagonist goes through a lot of ordeals throughout her journey. The series also has some graphic and violent killings which made it a little gory at times. The birth and evolution of the contractors was something we had vaguely seen in Kuro no Keiyakusha. The involvement of many groups (CIA, FSB, MI6 and Section 3) could have made for better viewing had they had more air time. They left it a bit incomplete and it felt as if these names were only included to attract attention without proper motive behind it. Also the “Syndicate” that pretty much ruled in Kuro no Keiyakusha was nowhere to be seen, again a disappointment as the whole mysteriousness behind them suddenly disappeared. Altogether though, despite its shortcomings it was somehow good how it ended up being. I guess it may be due to the protagonists’ whole journey from havoc to happiness. As for the name “Gemini of the Meteor”, it wasn’t nearly as important to be kept in the title IMO.

Characterization: 7/10
Ryuusei No Gemini had a plethora of characters which made it quite an entertaining prospect to watch. Starting off with Suou, a determined and strong girl entwined between living a life as a human or a contractor. It was touching to see the ordeals she and her school friends went through. Much like a supporting character, July was an example of some nice character development, and his relation with Suou was charming to watch. Hei’s laid-back sake drinking attitude failed to impress me the slightest. And the fact that he was not able to showcase his powers during most of the series made it lamer for me. The agents of Section 3 were pretty good, namely Hizaki and Genma. Hizaki’s remuneration involved kissing someone after the usage of her power added to the humor. Madam Oreille was yet promising character shown but somehow failed to make much of an impact in the Anime. Lot of interesting characters I would say. But somehow they were cramped up in a short series which somehow failed them I believe. They should have been given more time for their characters to be known properly rather than just through some cameo roles.

Art: 9/10
The original characters were already pretty awesome in how they were made. The new characters were also very nicely put out. From the Russians to the CIA to the Japanese characters, all looked very original. Also the new characters gave the storyline a refreshing experience. The fights were well coordinated and typically good to watch. Hei’s new look was intriguing; Suou’s character was pretty nicely done too. The agents looked good and the whole background of the Anime from Russia to Tokyo was beautiful. The characters are all very nicely drawn and the animation stands out to be pretty good as well.

Sound: 8/10
Sound was another good factor for Ryuusei No Gemini. The OP was a treat to the ears. I particularly liked it. The voices of the characters were also very good. Suou sounded very sweet whenever she used to shout “Tanya”. As there was a mixture of cultures, it’ll be interesting to see how these voices correlate in the dubs that will be out later on. The ED was average I would say. The best thing however would be the background score during the fights. The whole beat-box thing or whatever that was being played surely pepped up the interest to watch. I loved it.

Overall: 8/10
Seeing this series individually without comparing to the previous one and you’ll find that it’s actually good. Although not as epic as Kuro no Keiyakusha, Ryuusei No Gemini offers an entertaining experience with some interesting character portrayals. Combined with good artwork and sound, it is a definite recommendation. Just don’t try and compare it with the first season and you’ll definitely like it.

The continuation of Clannad just gets better. Everyone has now graduated, well all except Nagisa-chan because of her illness. The story now extends up to the next 10 years. And what can I say about this, I’ve never been touched so deeply by an Anime. It’s simply too touching. The whole situation is sad, and yet there’s something good about all of it. After watching it completely, I’d have no doubt saying that Clannad After Story is truly the best romantic anime series I’ve ever seen.

Storyline:
The story continues from where it left off. At the beginning there are a few more individual story arcs, of ... Youhei (The Protagonists Male friend), Misae (The Dorm Keeper) and Yukine (The girl from the reference library). All these arcs just keep up the brilliance that began from the start of the season. After then on, it’s pretty much about Tomoya and Nagisa. Throughout the Anime you’d feel for both of them, and Nagisa’s parents. I personally was touched and saddened by many events that occurred later on, while also being happy seeing them live out their lives. It has been executed very well, you’d feel for them. The whole story is simply heart-warming. I absolutely loved it.

Characterization:
All the list of characters THROUGHOUT the Clannad series are great in their own way. Clannad After Story continue with the story of Nagisa and Tomoyo and have added many elements to their character. It’s not all fairy tales here. It’s real, and it’s perfect. Both of their characters go through a lot in the Anime, and nowhere will you see any nonsensical drama or fakeness. In fact, their characters are what make you cry. A special mention also to Nagisa-chan’s parents, their roles play an important part in this series. Overall, great characterization, even though characters appear nothing different from ordinary.

Animation:
Animation is fairly well. The production house is the same as the ones who had made Canon and Air, and they have improved a lot. Air didn’t appear that good (as I mentioned in my review of it), but Clannad After Story was a good improvement. Characters appear nice, some are cute. Overall, it’s quite good. ^_^ Couldn’t find anything that I particularly disliked.

Music:
The opening of Clannad was great, and the opening of After Story is simply amazing. ^__^ I really loved it. Throughout the Anime, the background score has been pretty good to hear. Comparing it to the previous season, I found it better. :)

Concluding,
Anything above an 8.5 for me is great. Anything above 9 means epic. Just goes to show how good I feel the Anime to be. It’s definitely not worth missing out on. Yes it is kinda emotional, but its nothing like immature love crap you see in many Animes. Its way more serious, and it’s definitely better. Clannad After Story rocks \m/