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Aug 11, 2015
[Contains mild spoilers]
What I intend to do here is to review the three films as a whole, considering that they have all been out for a while now and therefore can be viewed together, rather than look at them as individual works. Treating them this way allows a better experience for the audience than if they were seen as separate. This is especially the case considering that the first film, being the weakest, has the hardest task of them all as it acts as an introduction to the world of Berserk and its characters.
This is essentially the same review as the one I left
...
for the first and second film, so if you have already read either of those, then there's no need to read this one as well.
Story: 8/10
There are two issues here, 1. how well does it hold up against the other adaptations of Berserk (anime and manga) and 2. how well do the films do on their own.
The first film does struggle to find the right pace and construct a good plot at times, so if you are a first-timer to the world of Berserk, it can affect your enjoyment somewhat as you won't really get where this is all going. The introduction of Zodd is completely out of left-field and ends far too quickly, although they do try and address it afterwards.
Those who have some experience with Berserk, however, might find it easier to overlook its flaws and see the first film for what it is, an introduction.
The second film is much more focused - it centres around the storming of a fortress, and we are given some excellent character development. The main weakness in the storytelling here, however, is the fact that this is very much Casca's arc - the main female protagonist - and yet, it is easily noticeable that despite how much everyone seems to revere her (she is portrayed as the best soldier of the Hawks, except for Griffith and Guts), we are rarely shown her battle prowess. We see more boob than fight. But this is not necessarily a flaw unique to the films, although the anime does offer us more of a chance to see her at her fighting best than the films do. We are told how great Guts is, and we get to see why as well. We mostly have to take the word of the other characters and just assume that Casca is as good as everyone says.
The third film ends the story well. The pacing is just right and the transition from what happens in the first half of the film to the second half done very well, you get sucked into a very different atmosphere, but it feels natural. It also does an excellent job of showing the evolution of our three main characters.
It also introduces an important character from the manga, one which was ignored by the anime because it open up the world of Berserk, whereas the anime sought very much to contain itself to the Golden Arc and nothing beyond. And Puck had a cameo. It's tiny, but it's there. (Which desperately makes me hope that it's not just fanservice, but that they'll adapt one of the other manga arcs).
Overall, in terms of storytelling, all three films do hold certain advantages over the anime. Whereas the anime had 25 episodes in which to tell a story, the films needed to streamline what was being told, and while that did leave some very disappointing gaps (it cuts out the beautiful 'bonfire of dreams' discussion, Guts childhood backstory with Gambino is only hinted at, Griffith's emotive response to his dealings with the Baron and the reason why he did it in the first place are only implied and never clearly explained, the hundred-men battle should have been given a bit more time etc.) the films do make great use of flashbacks and dream sequences. In this context, it actually does better than the anime, as it removes a lot of the clunky exposition (see Casca's cave speech in episode 11 of the anime as an example), showing the audience rather than telling us and doing so in a way which keeps the story flowing naturally and maintains pace and interest. This applies not only to plot, but to character development. In the movies, we are told less by Casca how she feels about Griffith, instead it's more evident through her actions, and the same applies (even more so) to her evolving relationship with Guts. The only pity for the loss of all the anime's character narration, as I stated before, is that a lot of excellent (and sometimes useful material) is also cut out.
As a result of the time limit, there are also cuts to some of the humour which is found, sparingly, in the anime (and much more often in the manga), however, this doesn't mean that there aren't parts which are mildly amusing and light - though they are few and far between.
The films also, I think, do a much better job than the anime ever was able to (considering its limitations) in terms of sexual interactions. ALL of them (for those who have read the manga/seen the anime, you'll know what I mean). The tenderness, brutality and motivations behind each of the three pivotal sexual acts in the Golden Arc are clearly dealt with in appropriate fashion, each incredibly moving and allowing the right amount of exposure to the audience for us to understand the deeper consequences of each.
Overall, in terms of the plot, while it misses out parts which the anime included (and certainly misses out a lot from the manga), the spirit of what Berserk is about is still very present. Almost all of the major plot points are there, and it adheres well to the Chekov's gun principle, so for someone coming into to Berserk for the first time through the films, they'll have a relatively easy time of understanding what is going on.
Art: 7/10
There is no doubt that the second and third films are better than the first. The first does suffer a tad too much for the CGI it uses. At one point Griffith looks like a boxy character from the gameplay of some PS2 RPG, but it only lasts for a few seconds.
Other than this, the art is actually really good. It's a whole different ball game compared to the *very* 90s anime, but I actually enjoy the difference. I would never say that one style is superior to the other, as there was plenty that was beautiful and horrific in the anime, but the films do do an excellent job with the battles, which are suitably sweeping.
The characters also have *really* good facial expressions in the films, with Guts' reactions in particular being just completely on point. It was also something that the anime did very well, and the films are no exception. Almost all of the main characters have such visceral expressions that there are points where the films don't even bother to use dialogue and the message is plainly clear.
Also, the films don't have the same limitations that the anime did, so, no doll-parts in the swimsuit area. There is an excessive amount of Casca's boobs, but overall, where there there is a need to show the naked human form, it's there. Sometimes to aesthetically please (it is a seinen, of course), but also to maintain realism. [One small point that I really appreciated in the films was in the cave scene, there was actual blood, and not the weird purple blob (I won't go into more detail because spoilers).] Please don't get me wrong, I am not trying to imply that there's peen and vag everywhere, but rather, I mean that the films maintain the right level of modesty when required, even in the sex scenes, but they don't hide the body away, which makes for a much more natural fluidity to the story and the art.
The blood gushing is also pretty entertaining too. Lots of blood, everywhere, just like the manga and the anime. No complaints to be had on that front!
Overall, I'd say that in certain aspects, especially in the first movie, there are points which suffer from CGI, but it does have its advantages, and the films make up for those flaws in other ways.
Sound: 6/10
In all honesty there's not much to say about the music. The introductory credits and the end credits have better soundtracks than the anime, but there is really nothing which can rival Guts' theme and Forces from the original anime. The background music in the films are suitable, but nothing particularly special. I almost wish they had recycled the anime music for the films.
Character: 8/10
Much of the characters have been discussed in the 'story' section, so I will keep it brief here. Because of the time limit for the films, it made sense that they would focus on fewer characters. As a result, I feel that while Griffith, Guts and Casca got an excellent amount of time to develop and change as characters (a job well done in the films), there was little room for anyone else. The rest of the characters are somewhat two dimensional, never really changing from their first appearance. The one little exception is Juteau - something which I am eternally grateful for because I absolutely adore him. He is seen much less in the films than in the anime (which wasn't a lot to begin with), but when we do get the odd scene from him, he has clearly been given some thought by the writers. We don't learn much about him, but we do learn. He's given SOME depth at least - unlike Corkus, Rickert, Pippin, the king of Midland, the princess etc.
Enjoyment: 9/10
This is an entirely biased mark, because, frankly I just love anything to do with Berserk. Sure it has its flaws, but to be honest, the films make up for its weaknesses in other ways. The storytelling is fluid, the characters express themselves better, both verbally and physically, the art is good (when it's not too obviously CGI) and the plot maintains the excellent standard that can be found in the anime.
I think I also enjoyed these films so much because rather than seeking to compare them to the anime and manga, I watched them already knowing about Berserk, so I felt my enjoyment was enhanced because anything the films missed, I didn't feel I lacked, because I could imply it into the films, if that makes sense? For example, I wish they had explained Griffith's history with the Baron, but I didn't miss it too much because I already knew anyway.
I would recommend that you at least watch the anime first before the movies, but if this is your first introduction to Berserk, then it's not a terrible one. They're still good enough to get you interested enough to delve further into the Berserk world.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Aug 11, 2015
[Contains mild spoilers]
What I intend to do here is to review the three films as a whole, considering that they have all been out for a while now and therefore can be viewed together, rather than look at them as individual works. Treating them this way allows a better experience for the audience than if they were seen as separate. This is especially the case considering that the first film, being the weakest, has the hardest task of them all as it acts as an introduction to the world of Berserk and its characters.
This is essentially the same review as the one I left
...
for the first film, so if you have already read that, there's no need to read this one as well.
Story: 8/10
There are two issues here, 1. how well does it hold up against the other adaptations of Berserk (anime and manga) and 2. how well do the films do on their own.
The first film does struggle to find the right pace and construct a good plot at times, so if you are a first-timer to the world of Berserk, it can affect your enjoyment somewhat as you won't really get where this is all going. The introduction of Zodd is completely out of left-field and ends far too quickly, although they do try and address it afterwards.
Those who have some experience with Berserk, however, might find it easier to overlook its flaws and see the first film for what it is, an introduction.
The second film is much more focused - it centres around the storming of a fortress, and we are given some excellent character development. The main weakness in the storytelling here, however, is the fact that this is very much Casca's arc - the main female protagonist - and yet, it is easily noticeable that despite how much everyone seems to revere her (she is portrayed as the best soldier of the Hawks, except for Griffith and Guts), we are rarely shown her battle prowess. We see more boob than fight. But this is not necessarily a flaw unique to the films, although the anime does offer us more of a chance to see her at her fighting best than the films do. We are told how great Guts is, and we get to see why as well. We mostly have to take the word of the other characters and just assume that Casca is as good as everyone says.
The third film ends the story well. The pacing is just right and the transition from what happens in the first half of the film to the second half done very well, you get sucked into a very different atmosphere, but it feels natural. It also does an excellent job of showing the evolution of our three main characters.
It also introduces an important character from the manga, one which was ignored by the anime because it open up the world of Berserk, whereas the anime sought very much to contain itself to the Golden Arc and nothing beyond. And Puck had a cameo. It's tiny, but it's there. (Which desperately makes me hope that it's not just fanservice, but that they'll adapt one of the other manga arcs).
Overall, in terms of storytelling, all three films do hold certain advantages over the anime. Whereas the anime had 25 episodes in which to tell a story, the films needed to streamline what was being told, and while that did leave some very disappointing gaps (it cuts out the beautiful 'bonfire of dreams' discussion, Guts childhood backstory with Gambino is only hinted at, Griffith's emotive response to his dealings with the Baron and the reason why he did it in the first place are only implied and never clearly explained, the hundred-men battle should have been given a bit more time etc.) the films do make great use of flashbacks and dream sequences. In this context, it actually does better than the anime, as it removes a lot of the clunky exposition (see Casca's cave speech in episode 11 of the anime as an example), showing the audience rather than telling us and doing so in a way which keeps the story flowing naturally and maintains pace and interest. This applies not only to plot, but to character development. In the movies, we are told less by Casca how she feels about Griffith, instead it's more evident through her actions, and the same applies (even more so) to her evolving relationship with Guts. The only pity for the loss of all the anime's character narration, as I stated before, is that a lot of excellent (and sometimes useful material) is also cut out.
As a result of the time limit, there are also cuts to some of the humour which is found, sparingly, in the anime (and much more often in the manga), however, this doesn't mean that there aren't parts which are mildly amusing and light - though they are few and far between.
The films also, I think, do a much better job than the anime ever was able to (considering its limitations) in terms of sexual interactions. ALL of them (for those who have read the manga/seen the anime, you'll know what I mean). The tenderness, brutality and motivations behind each of the three pivotal sexual acts in the Golden Arc are clearly dealt with in appropriate fashion, each incredibly moving and allowing the right amount of exposure to the audience for us to understand the deeper consequences of each.
Overall, in terms of the plot, while it misses out parts which the anime included (and certainly misses out a lot from the manga), the spirit of what Berserk is about is still very present. Almost all of the major plot points are there, and it adheres well to the Chekov's gun principle, so for someone coming into to Berserk for the first time through the films, they'll have a relatively easy time of understanding what is going on.
Art: 7/10
There is no doubt that the second and third films are better than the first. The first does suffer a tad too much for the CGI it uses. At one point Griffith looks like a boxy character from the gameplay of some PS2 RPG, but it only lasts for a few seconds.
Other than this, the art is actually really good. It's a whole different ball game compared to the *very* 90s anime, but I actually enjoy the difference. I would never say that one style is superior to the other, as there was plenty that was beautiful and horrific in the anime, but the films do do an excellent job with the battles, which are suitably sweeping.
The characters also have *really* good facial expressions in the films, with Guts' reactions in particular being just completely on point. It was also something that the anime did very well, and the films are no exception. Almost all of the main characters have such visceral expressions that there are points where the films don't even bother to use dialogue and the message is plainly clear.
Also, the films don't have the same limitations that the anime did, so, no doll-parts in the swimsuit area. There is an excessive amount of Casca's boobs, but overall, where there there is a need to show the naked human form, it's there. Sometimes to aesthetically please (it is a seinen, of course), but also to maintain realism. [One small point that I really appreciated in the films was in the cave scene, there was actual blood, and not the weird purple blob (I won't go into more detail because spoilers).] Please don't get me wrong, I am not trying to imply that there's peen and vag everywhere, but rather, I mean that the films maintain the right level of modesty when required, even in the sex scenes, but they don't hide the body away, which makes for a much more natural fluidity to the story and the art.
The blood gushing is also pretty entertaining too. Lots of blood, everywhere, just like the manga and the anime. No complaints to be had on that front!
Overall, I'd say that in certain aspects, especially in the first movie, there are points which suffer from CGI, but it does have its advantages, and the films make up for those flaws in other ways.
Sound: 6/10
In all honesty there's not much to say about the music. The introductory credits and the end credits have better soundtracks than the anime, but there is really nothing which can rival Guts' theme and Forces from the original anime. The background music in the films are suitable, but nothing particularly special. I almost wish they had recycled the anime music for the films.
Character: 8/10
Much of the characters have been discussed in the 'story' section, so I will keep it brief here. Because of the time limit for the films, it made sense that they would focus on fewer characters. As a result, I feel that while Griffith, Guts and Casca got an excellent amount of time to develop and change as characters (a job well done in the films), there was little room for anyone else. The rest of the characters are somewhat two dimensional, never really changing from their first appearance. The one little exception is Juteau - something which I am eternally grateful for because I absolutely adore him. He is seen much less in the films than in the anime (which wasn't a lot to begin with), but when we do get the odd scene from him, he has clearly been given some thought by the writers. We don't learn much about him, but we do learn. He's given SOME depth at least - unlike Corkus, Rickert, Pippin, the king of Midland, the princess etc.
Enjoyment: 9/10
This is an entirely biased mark, because, frankly I just love anything to do with Berserk. Sure it has its flaws, but to be honest, the films make up for its weaknesses in other ways. The storytelling is fluid, the characters express themselves better, both verbally and physically, the art is good (when it's not too obviously CGI) and the plot maintains the excellent standard that can be found in the anime.
I think I also enjoyed these films so much because rather than seeking to compare them to the anime and manga, I watched them already knowing about Berserk, so I felt my enjoyment was enhanced because anything the films missed, I didn't feel I lacked, because I could imply it into the films, if that makes sense? For example, I wish they had explained Griffith's history with the Baron, but I didn't miss it too much because I already knew anyway.
I would recommend that you at least watch the anime first before the movies, but if this is your first introduction to Berserk, then it's not a terrible one. They're still good enough to get you interested enough to delve further into the Berserk world.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Aug 11, 2015
[Contains mild spoilers]
When watching this film, especially considering the two sequels have already been out for a number of years, it's best to view it as one third of a whole, rather than separate to two movies.
While it may be true that individually, the first is the weakest of the three films, it does have the hardest task of setting up the premise, introducing us to the main characters and world-building. It's for this reason - the fact that this first film is basically an introduction into the world of Berserk's Golden Age - that it suffers the most. However, when seen as the
...
first section in three parts of one story, its flaws are more forgiveable, especially considering the fact that the second film is generally an improvement and the third is even better than that.
What I intend to do here is to review the three films, but also offer a comparison to the anime.
Story: 8/10
There are two issues here, 1. how well does it hold up against the other adaptations of Berserk (anime and manga) and 2. how well do the films do on their own.
The first film does struggle to find the right pace and construct a good plot at times, so if you are a first-timer to the world of Berserk, it can affect your enjoyment somewhat as you won't really get where this is all going. The introduction of Zodd is completely out of left-field and ends far too quickly, although they do try and address it afterwards.
Those who have some experience with Berserk, however, might find it easier to overlook its flaws and see the first film for what it is, an introduction.
The second film is much more focused - it centres around the storming of a fortress, and we are given some excellent character development. The main weakness in the storytelling here, however, is the fact that this is very much Casca's arc - the main female protagonist - and yet, it is easily noticeable that despite how much everyone seems to revere her (she is portrayed as the best soldier of the Hawks, except for Griffith and Guts), we are rarely shown her battle prowess. We see more boob than fight. But this is not necessarily a flaw unique to the films, although the anime does offer us more of a chance to see her at her fighting best than the films do. We are told how great Guts is, and we get to see why as well. We mostly have to take the word of the other characters and just assume that Casca is as good as everyone says.
The third film ends the story well. The pacing is just right and the transition from what happens in the first half of the film to the second half done very well, you get sucked into a very different atmosphere, but it feels natural. It also does an excellent job of showing the evolution of our three main characters.
It also introduces an important character from the manga, one which was ignored by the anime because it open up the world of Berserk, whereas the anime sought very much to contain itself to the Golden Arc and nothing beyond. And Puck had a cameo. It's tiny, but it's there. (Which desperately makes me hope that it's not just fanservice, but that they'll adapt one of the other manga arcs).
Overall, in terms of storytelling, all three films do hold certain advantages over the anime. Whereas the anime had 25 episodes in which to tell a story, the films needed to streamline what was being told, and while that did leave some very disappointing gaps (it cuts out the beautiful 'bonfire of dreams' discussion, Guts childhood backstory with Gambino is only hinted at, Griffith's emotive response to his dealings with the Baron and the reason why he did it in the first place are only implied and never clearly explained, the hundred-men battle should have been given a bit more time etc.) the films do make great use of flashbacks and dream sequences. In this context, it actually does better than the anime, as it removes a lot of the clunky exposition (see Casca's cave speech in episode 11 of the anime as an example), showing the audience rather than telling us and doing so in a way which keeps the story flowing naturally and maintains pace and interest. This applies not only to plot, but to character development. In the movies, we are told less by Casca how she feels about Griffith, instead it's more evident through her actions, and the same applies (even more so) to her evolving relationship with Guts. The only pity for the loss of all the anime's character narration, as I stated before, is that a lot of excellent (and sometimes useful material) is also cut out.
As a result of the time limit, there are also cuts to some of the humour which is found, sparingly, in the anime (and much more often in the manga), however, this doesn't mean that there aren't parts which are mildly amusing and light - though they are few and far between.
The films also, I think, do a much better job than the anime ever was able to (considering its limitations) in terms of sexual interactions. ALL of them (for those who have read the manga/seen the anime, you'll know what I mean). The tenderness, brutality and motivations behind each of the three pivotal sexual acts in the Golden Arc are clearly dealt with in appropriate fashion, each incredibly moving and allowing the right amount of exposure to the audience for us to understand the deeper consequences of each.
Overall, in terms of the plot, while it misses out parts which the anime included (and certainly misses out a lot from the manga), the spirit of what Berserk is about is still very present. Almost all of the major plot points are there, and it adheres well to the Chekov's gun principle, so for someone coming into to Berserk for the first time through the films, they'll have a relatively easy time of understanding what is going on.
Art: 7/10
There is no doubt that the second and third films are better than the first. The first does suffer a tad too much for the CGI it uses. At one point Griffith looks like a boxy character from the gameplay of some PS2 RPG, but it only lasts for a few seconds.
Other than this, the art is actually really good. It's a whole different ball game compared to the *very* 90s anime, but I actually enjoy the difference. I would never say that one style is superior to the other, as there was plenty that was beautiful and horrific in the anime, but the films do do an excellent job with the battles, which are suitably sweeping.
The characters also have *really* good facial expressions in the films, with Guts' reactions in particular being just completely on point. It was also something that the anime did very well, and the films are no exception. Almost all of the main characters have such visceral expressions that there are points where the films don't even bother to use dialogue and the message is plainly clear.
Also, the films don't have the same limitations that the anime did, so, no doll-parts in the swimsuit area. There is an excessive amount of Casca's boobs, but overall, where there there is a need to show the naked human form, it's there. Sometimes to aesthetically please (it is a seinen, of course), but also to maintain realism. [One small point that I really appreciated in the films was in the cave scene, there was actual blood, and not the weird purple blob (I won't go into more detail because spoilers).] Please don't get me wrong, I am not trying to imply that there's peen and vag everywhere, but rather, I mean that the films maintain the right level of modesty when required, even in the sex scenes, but they don't hide the body away, which makes for a much more natural fluidity to the story and the art.
The blood gushing is also pretty entertaining too. Lots of blood, everywhere, just like the manga and the anime. No complaints to be had on that front!
Overall, I'd say that in certain aspects, especially in the first movie, there are points which suffer from CGI, but it does have its advantages, and the films make up for those flaws in other ways.
Sound: 6/10
In all honesty there's not much to say about the music. The introductory credits and the end credits have better soundtracks than the anime, but there is really nothing which can rival Guts' theme and Forces from the original anime. The background music in the films are suitable, but nothing particularly special. I almost wish they had recycled the anime music for the films.
Character: 8/10
Much of the characters have been discussed in the 'story' section, so I will keep it brief here. Because of the time limit for the films, it made sense that they would focus on fewer characters. As a result, I feel that while Griffith, Guts and Casca got an excellent amount of time to develop and change as characters (a job well done in the films), there was little room for anyone else. The rest of the characters are somewhat two dimensional, never really changing from their first appearance. The one little exception is Juteau - something which I am eternally grateful for because I absolutely adore him. He is seen much less in the films than in the anime (which wasn't a lot to begin with), but when we do get the odd scene from him, he has clearly been given some thought by the writers. We don't learn much about him, but we do learn. He's given SOME depth at least - unlike Corkus, Rickert, Pippin, the king of Midland, the princess etc.
Enjoyment: 9/10
This is an entirely biased mark, because, frankly I just love anything to do with Berserk. Sure it has its flaws, but to be honest, the films make up for its weaknesses in other ways. The storytelling is fluid, the characters express themselves better, both verbally and physically, the art is good (when it's not too obviously CGI) and the plot maintains the excellent standard that can be found in the anime.
I think I also enjoyed these films so much because rather than seeking to compare them to the anime and manga, I watched them already knowing about Berserk, so I felt my enjoyment was enhanced because anything the films missed, I didn't feel I lacked, because I could imply it into the films, if that makes sense? For example, I wish they had explained Griffith's history with the Baron, but I didn't miss it too much because I already knew anyway.
I would recommend that you at least watch the anime first before the movies, but if this is your first introduction to Berserk, then it's not a terrible one. They're still good enough to get you interested enough to delve further into the Berserk world.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Aug 6, 2015
Please note this review is based on only 1.5 episodes, so I could be wrong and maybe things got better...
While this anime is full of pretty things, and has a wonderfully soft and slow pace to it, what I have gathered is this is essentially a series about a dude boinking ladies in old timey Japan, but in a nice way... so 'romantically boinking ladies' in old timey Japan?
He loves ladies, and he loves to love ladies. And they love him. Like most dudes in real life who go around romantically boinking ladies, he's looking for... *something*, but despite the pretty and ALL the
...
sighing, I really didn't care enough to stick with it and see if he found what he was looking for.
The art itself is very good, the backgound music does well to set the scene and you can tell that there is going to be suitable character development, that they aren't completely *wooden* (hehehe, sorry, not sorry for the pun). It's just that I found the story uninteresting and it failed to hook me in.
PS: steam strategically covers all the swimsuit areas, so get your minds out of the gutter, it's not about the boinking, it's about the romance. And the wistful sighing.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Aug 5, 2015
Here's the thing about Afro Samurai - it's not a complicated tale, the characters are not really very deep, nor do they really grow very much, the plot is terribly predictable and it is filled with all the tropes. But, seriously, who the hell cares? Because you're not supposed to watch this anime with a desire to see a complex plot, novel storytelling or deep characterisation.
What you're supposed to expect when you decide to watch this series, is Samuel Jackson being a bad ass mother f*ck!ng samurai on a 5-episode-long quest for pure, bloody, decapitating revenge against the gloriously awesome Ron Pearlman. And that's
...
exactly what it is.
The art is done in quite monotone and muted colour, with the exception of the bright red gushes of blood drenching almost every scene. It makes for a visual treat.
The presence of modern technology in places throws you for a loop at first, and I didn't quite get used to it, considering the environment the characters are in, but it's all part of what makes this show cool.
And then there's RZA... is there anyone better out there to make a hip-hop soundtrack to a Samurai-bent-on-revenge-themed piece of visual media? I didn't think so.
Afro Samurai is an excellent piece of bad-assery and entertainment. Don't go looking for more than Samuel Jackson just being his cool self and you'll be completely satisfied, you dig?
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jul 31, 2015
If you're like me and you've watched enough TV/read enough books/played enough games, you'll be able to figure out mostly where the main story is headed within the first few episodes, but frankly that doesn't even matter, because the visuals getting there BLEW. ME. AWAY. It wasn't so much about the story itself (although there were many parts I didn't see coming and I really did enjoy the story as a whole!) but how our heroes got to the end.
This anime is stunning to watch. The main characters are fantastic, well-rounded and thoroughly engaging. There are dragons, demons, gods, angels and that's only some
...
of it, I don't want to spoil the rest for anyone, but there really is more. The best part is it does't feel like a horrible mish-mash of differing fantasy genres (and a hint of sci-fi too), instead it all blends together seamlessly in a fantastical world I have always wanted to see.
There is the odd point that just didn't make 100% sense (such is the way with anime and the fantasy genre in general), and one or two points which could have been lingered over just a bit longer (maybe 13 episodes instead of 12?), but those are truly minuscule setbacks which take away none of the enjoyment of this anime.
It's become an instant favourite of mine and there was always at least one point in each episode where I literally went 'woah' either at the pretty or at the cleverness of some of the storyline. I loved every second.
This is fantasy done right.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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