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Jan 29, 2018
Battle Angel Alita (or Gunnm) was intriguing in the sense that it somewhat defied expectations. I knew virtually nothing about this franchise besides when I watched the OVA + saw the trailer for that weird live-action adaptation, so I'm coming into this like a baby. Ultimately, it's not as great as some people have claimed, but it has redemptive factors that are hopefully expanded upon in the sequel 'Last Order'.
[Story - 6]
Our story follows the adventures of a cyborg named Alita (or Gally) in the post-apocalyptic United States; Specifically, we follow her 'coming of age' as she goes from a cloudcuckoolander amnesiac to a hardened
...
wasteland warrior. Along the way, we see her as a bounty hunter, athlete, and a mercenary for the 'elite' citizens of the U.S. (or rather, an atmospheric colony hovering above the industrial sector + scrapyard where the story starts).
While I have issues with the characterization, this story alone is pretty intriguing. It certainly helps that the world-building is exquisite, with details both minute and major being part of the current arc or the much-speculated-about backstories of various events + characters. The characters (well, really Alita and Ido) receive a lot of monologuing; Regardless of my opinions of them, they are well-timed and definitely reflect their growth.
The pacing is pretty solid; 9 volumes might seem a bit short for a story of this magnitude, but it manages to give each arc enough breathing room for adequate plot AND character development. However, the ending is rather infamous for how rushed it is: between a huge infodump, sudden twists primarily for shock value, very little introspective dialogue, and a pointless time-skip of an epilogue, it's no wonder that the mangaka had to retcon it for Last Order to happen. This is what dragged the score for 'Story' down from an '8', unfortunately.
[Art - 7]
The artwork's an interesting aspect. While the settings/backgrounds are grimly realized, with details of destruction and decay rampant all around, some of the character design leans more towards a 'cartoony' aesthetic. The humans/cyborgs are typically a bit 'fluffier' than if they would be rendered more realistically; in other words, they look like Castle in the Sky rejects. Alita, in particular, is noteworthy in that she resembles a doll; This was obviously done for symbolism, but it adds an unsettling factor when you see her in action (especially in the back half of the manga). Even some of the non-human characters (i.e. the various factory bots) look rather goofy, with somewhat-exaggerated facial features.
However, other characters have designs much more suited for the cyberpunk dystopia (for better or worse) - most of the antagonists (Jashugan, Zapan, etc.) have bulky bodies, both natural and modified, with stony expressions and great displays of power. The robots look a bit more menacing than these characters, but they mostly have a stereotypical feel to them. Desty Nova's probably my favourite character in terms of design; While he's definitely human, his design just SCREAMS 'total creep' (which he lives up to rather spectacularly).
The action is pretty well-rendered; Especially during the Motorball arc, it was very clear as to what was happening, along with being visually engaging thanks to the gritty style of the setting. I'm not particularly keen on some of the designs (if that wasn't obvious enough), but the action setpieces and backgrounds saved this aspect.
[Character - 5]
This is where the title failed me, surprisingly. There is definitely substantial development, but it feels WAY too drawn out (like, characters having Big Life Lessons several chapters past when they should have realized (coughDAISUKEIDOANDHISPOSSESSIVENESScough) ); Certain character actions and choices feel really stupid (Den is notorious for this), and not just because of genuine character flaws; Other characters are just way too campy/goofy for their own good sometimes (Desty Nova is the epitome of a mad scientist); And of course, some people are just simply underdeveloped despite an expectation for us to care about them (Makaku, Hugo, Zapan, for example). This is as short as I'll keep it, because otherwise I'll just be whining about how much I loathed Alita up until the very last volume due to her sustained immaturity in the form of brattiness and arrogance.
[Enjoyment/Overall - 6]
To sum it up; it's not as amazing as some people have made it out to be, but it has enough positives that I can see why people feel that way. I'm interested to see how Last Order builds upon this title, both in continuing and changing various elements. I'd recommend this to anyone who wants a cyberpunk title with substantial action and intriguing worldbuilding, despite a lack of appealing AND well-rounded characters.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Jan 6, 2018
*Note: This is ONLY covering the TWO chapters that are ACTUALLY about Gorgeous Irene. Super Brief Thoughts on the separate 3 chapters: 'Poker Under Arms' + 'Say Hello to Virginia' were intriguing but ultimately forgettable, while 'Cool Shock B.T.' was actually fun. ALL stories in this volume definitely have Araki's brain behind it, and the influences on JoJo can be seen here.*
Gorgeous Irene was......an interesting experience. Not a GREAT one, but it certainly stands out on more than the merit of inducing some slight cringe because of how amateurish this feels.
[Story - 4]
This uber-short series follows the adventures of Irene, a timid cloudcuckoolander who
...
can become a well-endowed and cunning alter-ego (appropriately titled Gorgeous Irene) by applying certain types of make-up. She works as an assassin, but yet still seeks friendship wherever she goes.
Outside of that little summary right there, there.....is not much. The first story is just her going after a really tough woman b/c intro chapter, whereas the second story suddenly thrusts her in NYC following around proto-Jonathan Joestar. They weren't sluggish to read through (pacing is really solid honestly), but it just didn't catch my eye.
[Art - 5]
The art is definitely evoking a lot of Jojo feelings here compared to Araki's preceding works. The characters are much more statue-esque (leggy, tendency to strike poses, beautiful faces). The backgrounds/settings are pretty well-rendered, with tons of shadows and details used to flesh out every single detail. This, in turn, helps the action read much more smoothly than if it was done in the style of 'Poker Under Arms', for example.
A thing to note - God, that woman from the first chapter + some background dude in the second one definitely influenced how Stroheim would turn out, and no one talks about that. Shocking, really.
[Character - 3]
Surprisingly, this was the part of the manga that was most lacking! While Araki himself has expressed that he's embarrassed about how he wrote women in this piece, it must be said that ALL the characters here were lacking regardless of gender.
Irene is rather flat as a character - I get that these were just pilot chapters, but like......there's nothing that really appeals to me outside of the whole 'make-up' thing. Even the suddenly tragic backstory revealed in the second story (her dad's a killer) didn't change that. She's just an Action Girl in the most basic way possible.
There's really no one else that's memorable because of their unique qualities - the tough woman is tough for shits-and-giggles, proto-Jonathan is basically a Mad Max wannabe, the random butler Irene has is cranky, etc. etc.
[Enjoyment/Overall - 4]
It was still fun to read, nonetheless, since it's always interesting to see an auteur's earliest works. It definitely reeks of an amateur vibe, but there are a couple of nuggets of style that will eventually make Araki famous worldwide. I would only recommend it to fellow Araki fans if they want to see what he was like before he hit it big.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Dec 30, 2017
Blood Lad honestly scared me at first. Not because of its violence or supernatural trappings, but because that first volume was rough to read through. I thought I was in for a LONG ride of a read, but thankfully by volume 3 it found more solid footing and rolled with it. It's not a *great* manga (definitely not a seinen, for one thing), but it has its pros in competent pacing for a solid plot, and engaging artwork.
[Story - 7]
Our story starts off simple - in a 'demon' world where every stereotypical supernatural being exists, a human girl stumbles into the 'territory' of a vampire.
...
She gets killed after he tries to capture her for Blood Consumption, and he resolves to revive her to get said blood. The first several volumes follow Staz (the vampire) and the series of efforts he makes to just revive the girl, but it soon turns into another Save The World From The Ancient King story.
While I was initially critical of this change, I found that it was ultimately for the better as the latter is more intriguing than the former, despite its generic beats. The former had slow pacing in the first couple of volumes, and by the time it got to the 'plot twist and switch', it was moving along swimmingly. Naturally, the themes for the title are best suited for this pacing: the Powah of friendship/family/romance, along with some toying of how one's role in the world affects said world rather than the other way around. There's a ton of ecchi mixed in with the Ha Ha That's A Reference-type of comedy, but there /is/ actual comedy sometimes.
[Art - 8]
The artwork is what actually caught my eye, and convinced me to give it a crack. As multiple people have noted before me, it's very reminiscent of a shonen that I highly enjoy/admire (Soul Eater), but I feel as though it still stands out by itself. It has a very 'minimalistic' feel: While the setting + action has enough detail that you can tell what's going on, it also feels as though these are still unfinished sketches being sent off to serialization. It works, however, since the story and characterization are fairly lightweight.
Character design is very......hit-or-miss for me. Sometimes it works really well in having a memorable feel (Wolf's modern chic look, Bell's FLCL-esque gear, Akim's stitches and scars) but other times it just looks rather generic and bland (The Blood Brothers, the Blacklisted). This is probably me being nitpicky, but having most, if not all, of your prominent women possessing huge knockers is an immature and tacky look, especially in a title that's supposed to be a seinen.
[Character - 5]
Characterization is where I found the manga to be slacking the most, unfortunately. There are actual character arcs and dynamics here, but it just feels really......inferior compared to what could have been.
For starters, let's go with our protagonist, Staz. From the get-go, he's portrayed as a perpetually-lazy and selfish lord, but of course gradually matures into a much more responsible person. This isn't bad, per say, but considering how many times the idea of him being an 'anti-hero' is discussed in the title, it's rather disappointing. He definitely falls into the trap of suddenly becoming a Noble Hero, when his initial characterization + those discussions suggest otherwise. It would have been genuinely interesting to see Staz still indulge in his 'lesser' ideals and morals while on his quest to revive the girl and save his world.
Another character whose writing I found frustrating was the 'leading woman', Fuyumi. The 'leading woman' is marked as such because she's so severely underwritten that it almost got me to drop the title three times throughout the journey. While I didn't mind it in the first few volumes (but note that she's incredibly ditzy and objectified), having her stay essentially the same at the LAST FUCKING CHAPTER is ridiculous. This is made even more excruciating to read when her main arc of development is realizing that she loves Staz (big shock), and literally.....nothing else. That's her entire arc. I'm not kidding.
Other characters, while fun to read about, also feel really underused. Wolf, for example, doesn't have a huge arc outside of suddenly developing another power; Bell also has a similar arc to Fuyumi, along with the added bonus of Making Friends; and so on/so forth. This is frustrating because they ARE fun to read, especially with their group dynamics, but yet they're so much less than they could have been.
[Enjoyment/Overall - 6]
As I said at the beginning, this isn't a great manga by any means. It's definitely not meant to be in the same magazine as Erased and Bungou Stray Dogs, but makes a fun and light read nonetheless. I'd recommend this to anyone who just wants a title that's 'easy' on the mind in terms of characterization and story, but is packing a lot in action and ecchi. Otherwise, skip it over - there are better titles like this one out there.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Dec 4, 2017
This was such a pleasant surprise of an anime honestly; While the story can meander at times, along with having somewhat dated art, the characterization and world-building more than make up for it.
[Story - 7]
It sounds pretty generic - girl gets whisked away to an alternate fantasy world, complete with roaming demons, a beat-down feudal society, and magical guardians. While it does take a while to break out of the mold, it is worth the wait when that finally happens; This setting is merely just a backdrop for a web of politics, not-so-subtle commentary on xenophobia, and introspective characterization.
The world-building is exquisite in
...
its detail: when the episodes don't meander around, the details come at you sharply focused and relevant to the current story. They actually /serve/ to enhance the story's emotional impact; the various conditions of Kei as our protagonist, Youko, rises up to the throne (big shock!) is actually quite compelling due to how they reflect Youko's current mental/emotional state. There are other examples, but this one was the most poignant to me.
While the themes may seem 'political' at first, they also hold a lot of personal feeling: i.e. extensively covering the feeling of 'belonging' in societies, the choice to isolate or not, and many other topics that can resonate deeply with a lot of demographics. I don't think Pierrot was quite going for this, but to me it felt really accomplished.
The pacing and ordering of stories, however, is what drags this down from a '9' to a '7'. It definitely takes its time with uping the stakes, which results in the investment of the viewer dropping drastically. Some of the episodes are actually /recaps/ or just 'interludes'......I watched them anyway, and you aren't really missing much save for incremental character development. The ordering is also rather annoying; After Youko's first arc, it switches to a random Magical Guardian, then another Youko arc, and it ends with an arc about another king. See what I mean by 'annoying'?
[Art - 8]
The art is.....decent for its time, but did not age well ultimately. I ADORE the character design (lots of colours used to reflect their 'internal' natures or futures), and the settings are well-realized for an Alternate Fantasy World. However, the action scenes can be rough on time, and sometimes Pierrot noticeable skimps on background details (i.e. character lip-syncing, costume effects, etc. etc.). I can't be too harsh, I guess, so I'll leave it at an 8.
[Sound - 8]
The soundtrack is absolutely AMAZING. It definitely suits the 'high fantasy' vibe this show has going for it, yet it definitely injects the appropriate Chinese influences. The OP being instrumental works extremely well, as it sets the tone for each episode well; It honestly does remind me of other high fantasy media and their great OST's. The ED changing into an alternate version halfway into the show was also really cool. Overall, amazing job to the people behind the music.
The voice-acting and SFX are solid too. Pretty much what good voice-acting is: lots of distinct voices, enough intonations that you can tell what they mean if body language doesn't cover it, and so on/so forth. A couple of pretty big-name voice actors (Takehito Koyasu, for example) are actually part of the cast, so it's fun to try and see who shares a VA with a popular character.
[Character - 9]
The bread and butter of the show, frankly. I didn't expect this detail of characterization from a shojo author, but I should have known considering her previous work on Shiki. I'm not sure how to start, so this will come out messy but bear with me here.
Youko Nakajima, our protagonist, is admittedly rather whiny at first. She acts like such a crybaby, and many people are annoyed about this. While I love her growth into a powerful young woman who can take charge of her destiny, I'm peeved that so many people don't like this. It's a genuinely real reaction to being displaced into a foreign world when you already don't quite fit in with everyone. If anything, it just makes her arc BETTER.
The cast is rather expansive, considering the fact that it adopts approximately 7 novels worth of material. Other major players include Shouryuu, the bold king of En who holds a lot of internal pain behind a jovial spirit; Keiki, Youko's guardian who helps to guide both her and fellow guardians while also struggling with intense guilt; Suzu, Youko's friend from her high school who believes she is the true queen as a result of an inferiority complex, and so on/so forth. You would be hard-pressed to not find at least ONE character you are deeply invested in.
[Enjoyment/Overall - 8]
This show was a beautiful and rewarding journey. It's not perfect, but it ranks as one of the strongest anime I've watched in a long time. As with most greats, I would recommend this to ANYONE; whether you be a noobie or a veteran, feel free to come and watch this fantasy tale so you can experience some of the most loving characterization and world-building found in a light novel adaptation.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Nov 19, 2017
Like its source material, '5 Centimeters per Second' is the mediocre piece of Shinkai's work in manga. Same issues with the story and characterization, but at least the art is consistent.
[Story - 4]
Same story as before: childhood friends try to keep their love alive despite the amount of distance between them. While I still dislike this story and its themes, due to how blatant and unrefined the execution is, I can admire that the pacing is a lot more suitable for a story with such melancholic ambience. I also appreciate that there is more thought given to portraying how more characters besides just these two
...
deal with their lives, but that will be expanded upon below.
[Art - 9]
Artwork is as gorgeous as the movie's, if not even more so despite not being in colour. It definitely puts its own 'anime' spin on the character designs while staying true to the movie in terms of maintaining a cinematic feeling. This feeling, like the film, is conveyed through rather stunning, yet quaint, settings such as downtown Tokyo, the beach, etc. etc. Huge kudos to the artist, Yukiko Seike, for pulling this off with major success.
[Character - 6]
While I'm still rather annoyed with the characters, I'm glad that Shinkai decided to expand on their monologues. For starters, at least the male protagonist, Takaki, isn't as.....cringy as the movie made him out to be, as he actually has an arc of realizing he needs to let go. The female protag (Akari), however, is still woefully uncharacterized to the point of only being in the story to serve as Takaki's catalyst for angst.
However, the 2 other prominent women in the story get a LOT more fleshing-out here. Kanae's struggles isn't just with her feelings for Takaki, but with the general aimlessness of life that teenagers often feel. I'm not /quite/ pleased with the implications of her ending, but her arc is my personal favourite from this manga, as it feels so....universal as a life experience. Risa still feels a bit flat to me, and quickly vanishes as fast as she appears, but her dynamic with Takaki was rather enjoyable and thought-provoking since she helps Takaki come to grips with his inability to move on.
[Enjoyment/Overall - 5/6]
It's not as amazing or life-changing as everyone says it is, but 5CM/S is still somewhat enjoyable. I'd actually recommend this over the movie, as it just offers so much more depth than what the movie gave everyone. Feel free to give it a shot if you really want to see angsty romance; Otherwise, skip it over.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Nov 10, 2017
This was a rather pleasant surprise, honestly. 'Horus/Hols' may not be the most elegant film, but it is certainly a testament to the sheer amount of talent found within the development team. With surprisingly fleshed-out characters and plotlines, accompanied by pretty competent artwork + sound, this relic will be sure to last in your mind for a bit.
[Story - 7]
The first 10-or-so minutes are pretty basic, admittedly: boy finds sword, is told of a demon, then is sent off to kill it after his father dies. After that, however, it takes a turn: he's almost immediately defeated by the demon, and is informally saved +
...
adopted by a village by the river. Here, he makes a little home for himself after slaying some beasts and whatnot.
Still sounds tame? I don't blame you, it definitely feels like that. However, then comes the second half of the movie: While out on a hunt, our protagonist Horus encounters a mysterious girl named Hilda. At first, she just seems like a plain love interest who can sing and whatnot, but she is soon revealed to be something of an anti-villain.
After subtle sabotage that causes a storm to blow over, Horus finds his resolve and goes off to slay the demon. And, of course, he does and there is a happy ending. However, the road leading to it is teeming with themes of struggling with social dynamics, against fate, and with your own desires. It's pretty solid for a kids' movie, especially from the late 60's.
[Art - 8]
The art is also rather intriguing, and probably the reason most of you will go and watch this. It might not have aged as well in terms of animation (there's one notable action sequence where it's a minute of freeze frames), but everything else remains timeless. The colour palette is mostly based in 'nature'-types, while the character design gravitates more towards an earthy-type of tone. The setting is also pretty convincing as a 'nordic'-type of fantasy world. The animation isn't even that bad save for that sequence: for the most part, every action is pretty fluid, and some (not all) of the lip syncing is on point. Truly impressive to see.
[Sound - 8]
The audiowork is also rather competent. The music can be rather melodramatic and Disney-esque at times, but it does the job well. I especially liked the 'village songs', as they really do suit the vibe that those scenes were going for. The SFX are also rather well-timed and consistent, and I failed to notice any noticeable mistakes. The voice-acting is pretty solid - while Horus sounds like a stereotypical shonen protagonist, Hilda has a rather haunting voice (both in song and speech). Grunwald and Drago sound like standard villains, but I'll let it pass since they didn't get a lot of screentime.
[Character - 7]
Definitely the most surprising aspect of the film. It might not be the precursor to 'Neon Genesis Evangelion' or whatever, but for what it represented during its time, the characterization is great. Horus is certainly not a deep character, or even /that/ interesting, but he does somewhat serve as the audience's proxy during the film: we share in his feelings and reactions to the plot twists, and to a noted degree. Grunwald and Drago are rather flat characters, but I can see how they helped influence the succeeding generations' villains: cunning, but ultimately lonely due to the weight of their power.
The most iconic character, however, is the previously-mentioned Hilda. She's astonishingly well-written: as she struggles a lot with her own will to live, her want to socialize normally, her relationship with the antagonists, and so on/forth, you can see her breakdown happen over the course of the film. Of course, her betrayal of Horus is what pushes her the farthest into this, and even towards the end of the film, it influences her every action. Her fate at the end may not please everyone, but I found it rather heartwarming.
[Enjoyment/Overall - 8]
Ultimately, this was pretty fun. May not be the most polished thing, of course, but I'll blame that on the time period and standards of that period. Otherwise, it's a stellar movie that both children and adults can enjoy. I would recommend this to anyone, ESPECIALLY Miyazaki groupies.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Oct 29, 2017
I enjoy YYH as much as the next guy, but this......'movie' (really just an episode) is pretty meh. I'd usually give it the full run-down, but it's not worth it. Let's do this!
Story (6) - Koenma gets captured, Yusuke and the crew struggle to get there but overcome the odds with luck and perseverance; it's basically a lost season 1 episode. I personally prefer pre-Dark Tournament YYH/Season 1 YYH, so I enjoyed it because it's not so DBZ-esque, but I recognize that this is just glorified filler.
Art (5) - I think the art in the show is pretty solid for its time, but here
...
it feels a bit sloppier than usual. I don't know why, but some of the more 'intense' action scenes (namely involving the Spirit Gun) look really.......unfinished. Otherwise, standard fare.
Sound (6) - Same OP as usual, but the ED is for season two even though this clearly takes place before the Dark Tournament. Seiyuus do fine here (even the new ones). SFX are fine.
Character (5) - All the established characters are their usual selves, so nothing to comment on that. The 2 new characters are....meh: One is admittedly cute and amusing, but is just there to be the trigger for the whole incident. The other is a bland Mega Strong blockhead that, of course, fails in the end.
Enjoyment/Overall (5) - I only watched + liked it because, hey, more YYH! If I didn't enjoy the franchise already, I wouldn't have bothered LOL. Would only recommend this to completionists and/or hardcore fans.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Oct 23, 2017
I'm surprised I haven't seen this show in most of the 'underrated animes' lists I've looked at for a while now. It might not be the best in terms of having a 'solid' plot, but it has everything else you'd want in a supernatural horror show in spades: distinctive artstyle, intelligent characterization, and enjoyable soundwork.
[Story - 7]
The initial premise /is/ a bit generic admittedly - four teenage girls are forcibly recruited into a supernatural war against their will, and have to train themselves to be the best they can be. However, with the various plot twists and character analyses done throughout the show, it's clear
...
that this isn't another Girl Powah anime. With an emphasis on examining the psychological states of (almost) all involved parties, and showcasing each of the girls' personal stories, it's clear that this show merely uses the 'war' as an excuse to see how people like these girls would cope with this situation. Other themes explored include what defines friendships, the impact of death upon others, and so on.
However, the reason this isn't a 9 or 10 is because of its third act. It starts out fine enough, but the final episode is a minefield of confusion. We're left on a REALLY huge cliffhanger, with many questions left unsolved (some arising from these final scenes). I guess this is supposed to be part of the 'horror/mystery' aspect of the show, but it's really frustrating to me.
[Art - 8]
The show's artstyle is probably the reason this show captured my eye. While it can be a bit rough on the eyes when it comes to super-intense action scenes, it stands out really well amongst the stereotypical animes of the season. It's definitely influenced by western animations (because it's set in NYC, LOL), with a lot of more grounded character designs and backgrounds. It has a very 'moody' and cold feeling to it, even during some of the more heartwarming scenes. I honestly adore the fashion used in the show; it's a bit timeless (ha!), but it is most certainly from the time period of the mid 2000's.
[Sound - 7]
The soundwork is alright for the most part. The SFX are serviceable, and the OST is pretty suitable for a show this dark (if a bit generic). I LOVE the OP and the second ED, as they both contrast and complement the show's content, but I'm not a huge fan of the first ED.....it feels a bit /too/ edgy.
The voice acting is where this show shines in this aspect though! God, the voice acting is really......human. It never really feels forced, and the way each seiyuu delivers their lines feels really believable. This is what voice acting should be.
[Character - 8]
While the artwork is what drew me in, the characters are what made me stay with this show. God, I just.......love the writing for them so much.
I'll start with the negatives because that way it can better balance out my positives: There are a few characters who deserved more of the spotlight. Namely, the antagonist's relatives, some of the girls' friends, the Token Cops, etc. etc. I also wish there were more visible people of colour (I guess Claire qualifies but it's too vague for it to count in my books). That's it, really.
However, the way our 4 protagonists are explored is just......so beautiful and tragic. They all come from 4 separate walks of life, yet they form such a realistic dynamic with each other despite the paranormal situation. I can't really pick a favourite honestly, they're all just SO intriguing. Seeing how Rachel struggled to maintain her image of Calm, Collected, Popular while slowly slipping through the cracks is just too relatable; Claire's antagonistic relationship with her father (or life in general) compliments this beautifully. However, Kate's struggle with living up to societal expectations of perfection while being told how boring she is really struck me, along with Rose having to struggle as a stand-in parent while vying for her own life.
Our antagonists and supporting cast are decently fleshed out as well: Hervé is a rather relatable man, with his disarming personality accompanying rather noble goals. His methods are unsavoury, of course, but I really do feel for him. Lula and JC may seem to be just exposition machines at first, but they soon start to show their personalities, along with their own pain.
[Enjoyment/Overall - 8]
This was a fun ride! Although I do have /some/ issues with its execution, it's definitely one of the more memorable animes I've watched recently. I would recommend this to anyone really! Whether they be a complete noob or a seasoned veteran, you're sure to find something enjoyable about this show :)
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Sep 29, 2017
I wasn't expecting much out of this, honestly. I blame my affection for the Steins;Gate duology on that, along with my not having read the source VN beforehand. While its story is all-over-the-place, and the sound- + art-work aren't superb, the characterization is pretty solid! Read on if you want to see someone's thoughts on R;N without the VN.
[Story - 6]
There are really /several/ stories going on - one is the Robotics Club trying to achieve their goal of making a life-sized mecha, another is the conspiracy behind the 'Kimijima Reports', AND another is about two teens trying to reconnect with a sibling that
...
has abandoned them. While the Club + Teen stories are (usually) woven together well, the existence of the 'Kimijima Reports' plot caused a lot of focus division. In turn, this made the story really hard to follow at times, and you can tell that the ending act isn't quite up to snuff. I have no idea if the VN was at all like this, but I hope not.
Same type of thing goes on with the themes - while there is occasional deconstruction of the mecha genre, it often clashes against the relentless optimism + the occasional bleakness stemming from the other plots.
I REALLY wish the writers had been more competent, as there was a lot of potential here. These 3 plots + themes by themselves are interesting enough alone, so it would have been awesome to see how they could have been written with more synergy. But alas, we got left with.........this.
[Art - 7]
The artwork isn't really anything to talk much about. It isn't outright horrendous, but neither was it stellar.
The backgrounds were fairly well-done, both providing detail and atmosphere, but nothing to rave about.
Character design was good though! Everyone had such a 'distinctive' look that conveyed their personality with ease (i.e. Furugoori). There were certainly lackluster designs, but that's getting into nitpicking IMO.
[Sound - 7]
Same for sound LOL. The music isn't memorable, but it works (The OP's and ED's are awesome though). The voice acting is done pretty well too, but nothing to /really/ rave about. Of course, the SFX are solid (and they have to be).
[Character - 8]
THIS is where the anime really shines. Honestly, I probably could have dropped this and not missed much, but........GOD, these characters are great.
Let's just start with the two teens, Aki and Kai. Aki may just come off as a stereotypical Blindly Optimistic Shonen Protag, but she holds a lot of depth surprisingly. It comes in the form of a massive inferiority complex towards her painfully-stoic sister, and a true passion for her hobby of robotics. Her friend/significant other? Kai is, at first, an apathetic gamer who just tags along to make sure she's safe. Over the course of the show, he grows into a young man who isn't afraid to show dedication to both his friends and his hobbies.
Other characters also receive pretty solid arcs - Furugoori starts off as a hardcore NEET, yet she slowly comes out of her shell to fully embrace the positive benefits of socializing. Jun is rather meek at first too, but also steps into her own spotlight of fighting for what she believes in. Hikada, the 'Smart One' of the club, even proves to his father that what he wants to do isn't 'completely pointless' and is worthwhile.
However, there are some characters that don't receive enough characterization. The antagonists are unfortunately rather shallow, with very little revealed about their motives despite getting a decent amount of backstory. Aki's sister, Misa, is too stoic for me to ever 'feel' for her, and the ending didn't change that one bit. There are other characters, like Airi and Mitchie, but they don't even warrant such discussion.
[Enjoyment/Overall - 7]
Robotics;Notes isn't perfect by any means, but it isn't horrible. I'm now more interested in the VN, mostly to see if it could have done better. I'd recommend this to anyone who wants characterization like Steins;Gate; However, be warned that the storytelling is messy at best.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Sep 17, 2017
These OVAs aren't at /all/ necessary save for the last one, but they're a good watch honestly. The animation is still sub-par, but the story-telling and characterization is tighter and stronger thanks to the runtime.
[Story - 7]
3 stories are covered in each OVA: an incident set before the show, a series of comedic vignettes from multiple POV's, and (parts of) Sato's backstory.
I particularly enjoyed the first one, as it had the 'horror' vibe I was told that this show had in spades, yet did not quite deliver on. It felt genuinely more intense and tragic than what happened in the show thanks to the more
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typical 'whiny teen' protagonist, which was fine for this one-off.
The second one was really goofy, but honestly? I LOVED it! It's nice to finally see all these (mostly) super-serious characters in comedic scenarios. Izumi and Tosaki's in particular was my favourite, as these are probably the two that are the most 'grounded'.
The third one was my favourite, though. If you somehow read my reviews of the 2 seasons, you'll have seen me complain about how Sato, despite how awesome he can be, lacks backstory. Well, here we finally get some! It's an interesting bit, as we see how his psychology transforms after participating in the capture of the 'first' Ajin, and even some traces of the Sato in the original show. I wish there was a bit more monologuing from him, but I'll take what I can get.
[Art - 4]
Artwork is the same quality as the first season (arguably looks even worse at certain moments). I really have nothing else to add here.
[Sound - 6]
Soundwork was the same as always - the music is lacking in identity but works well, the OP/ED music is stellar, and the SFX + voice-acting is fairly competent. I particularly love the voice-acting in the first one, as the desperation + justified angst of the protagonist truly comes through.
[Character - 7]
Characterization is considerably tighter here, thanks again to the reduced run-time. In the first OVA, it's all believably written and conveyed - there's no 'true' character arc, but you /do/ get invested in these characters for the 20-or-so minutes you watch them.
The second OVA is comedic, so it's just taking what was established in the show and applying it to skits. Nothing really different or new here.
The third OVA was pretty cool though - there are only really /2/ characters we focus on (Sato and a military buddy of his), but they receive enough fleshing out to warrant interest. Even though I LOVED how Sato's evolution was portrayed here, his buddy Kemper was written well and I would actually like to see/read more about him in future installments of the animanga just to see how he would react.
[Enjoyment/Overall - 6]
I don't really have any closing comments to add, as I think the introduction covered it just fine. Same recommendation as for the two seasons: watch if you don't really care about artwork, and just want good plot and characters.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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