Like a lot of things I really enjoy, I find it hard to construe exactly why I like Baka to Test so much. Perhaps its the way that the anime just goes completely overboard with the comedy, or how completely outrageous and obviously parodic some plots and scenarios are. Perhaps its the way that the show actually makes be believe and sympathise with such insane characters. I'm writing this review to see if I can actually find out what it is.
As a basis, calling Baka to Test a school romcom would be a good start. However, I'm not really sure if Fuzuki academy can be
...
described as a school. And I'm not sure if its correct to call it a romcom when the romance/comedy ratio in season 1 is so crushingly in favor of the comedy. Maybe its time to get started on the review.
-Story (6)
When I actually try to summarize it, it just sounds so absurdly stupid to call it a story rather than a completely random clash of unrelated events. However, upon watching it, it is easy to follow and the way that the story completely devotes itself to comedy (and a parody) is actually somewhat refreshing. This isn't a comedy set in a school context, it's a comedy set in a comedic context. Although its hard to say that the story is actually good, I think the nature of the story partially explains why I found this anime so much funnier than similar school romcoms.
As for plots/ developements/ arcs - there isn't really much. Some episodes come in pairs, but apart from that you can pretty much watch them in whatever order you like and see little to no difference.
One thing to point out is that although its just a comedy, you do need to pay attention to what's going on as the anime can feel very fast paced at times. It may even be worth watching the dub for this reason (I will return to this).
-Art (10)
Maybe it's just a basal connotation, but I really enjoyed the art style. I think the ridiculous over-the-top images, along with the contrasting "summoned beasts" and occasional snap scene changes to Aki's back breaking (for example) is just brilliantly done to cater to the comedic nature of the show. I wouldn't want to change anything at all about it. Perhaps the animation could be smoother at times, but it looks so great that I basically don't have any issues here.
To appreciate the art, (and because the show moves so fast) if you don't speak Japanese I think the dub is a serious alternative to consider here (explained next section).
-Sound (10)
Firstly, the opening and ending sequences are perfect for the show, and fit in really well. The sound effects and general background is also delivered well to improve the show.
For once, I would seriously recommend the dubbed version of this show. Not only is the English dub surprisingly good (IMO) but not speaking Japanese I found that not having to read the subtitles during the action meant that I didn't miss as much of the show. I normally don't have this problem, but at times the sequences are quite fast and the sub version can be harder to follow.
-Character (9)
I have absolutely no idea how they managed character development (mostly limited to everyone except the MC (Yoshi)) but they did it somehow. The characters are really fun, interact well and are (surprisingly) relatively relateable.
The reason characters doesn't get a '10' is because priority is given to parody/comedy and obviously the writers couldn't resist throwing in some genuinely stupid stuff such as Yoshi being so stupid you wonder how he gets his clothes on, and Yuuko (kinoshita) being shoe-horned into a weird trap. Not that I actually mind overall, but it does take away from what is a fairly well developed and crafted set of characters (for a comedy).
What is mainly golden here is the interaction. Particularly between Yoshi and every other male.
-Enjoyment (10)
I couldn't stop myself laughing at least once or twice an episode. I also found that I wanted to follow the plot and what happened to the characters. The emphasis here is certainly on the comedy however, some scenes remain funny no matter how many times you watch them.
-Overall (9)
The only reason I've avoided the 10 here is because I feel like giving it a 10 would be saying "this is essentially perfect". Because Baka to test is not perfect, it's just damn funny and a great show to watch if you like comedy. I think some of the parodic elements of the show might go over some heads of less experienced anime viewers, but I don't think that would detract from the comedy (although it may cause confusion). But in terms of comedy, this anime has some special. Something that I think other great shows, such as School Rumble, and Hayate lack. Certainly a must-watch for anyone who enjoys crude humor.
May 7, 2014
Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu
(Anime)
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Like a lot of things I really enjoy, I find it hard to construe exactly why I like Baka to Test so much. Perhaps its the way that the anime just goes completely overboard with the comedy, or how completely outrageous and obviously parodic some plots and scenarios are. Perhaps its the way that the show actually makes be believe and sympathise with such insane characters. I'm writing this review to see if I can actually find out what it is.
As a basis, calling Baka to Test a school romcom would be a good start. However, I'm not really sure if Fuzuki academy can be ... May 7, 2014
Strike the Blood
(Anime)
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The tags "Action, Ecchi, Fantasy, School, Shounen, Vampire, Supernatural" actually summarize the show pretty well, with the exception of "school" perhaps. If you want to watch a normal guy who stumbles upon ridiculous powers and then proceeds to save the world and get a lot of female attention; then here you go.
One of the things to appreciate here is that what you see is what you get. It's a straightforward anime you can get some escapism/ good sequences out of (be them of the girls or of the action). I also think that the first few episodes are quite representative of the series as ... |