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Apr 3, 2016
Dagashi Kashi started out for me as a somewhat odd slice of life comedy about Japanese candy (dagashi). Now, since I'm not Japanese, I've never heard of any any of these bizarre but fairly ingenious candies, so at first I was fairly intrigued by the premise.
The art is pretty crisp, though this was made by feel. so I guess that's to be expected at this point. The Op/Ed are pretty good, and the art style is pretty different but I found it enjoyable. Hotaru's spirally eyes are a pretty good indication of just how bonkers she is.
The basic
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rundown of the plot is like so: Kokonotsu (Coconuts) is an aspiring manga artist who runs his father's Dagashi shop when his dad (Yo/You)is busy slacking off (which is most of the time). Apparently his dad is famous somehow though, so Hotaru, the heiress of a large Dagashi manufacturer, visits to convince Kokonotsu to take over his father's store so that Yo can work for Hotaru's father. Since Kokonostu is reluctant to give up on his dream of drawing manga, we now have the premise for the show: Hotaru must convince Kokonotsu that Dagashi are the Best Thing Ever.
There are some nice moments in the show, some good comedy, and I enjoyed it while I was watching it. However, I can't help but feel like part of that enjoyment was built on the assumption that the show would have a satisfying conclusion. In the end, it pretty much goes down like this:
Hotaru: "Make your decision."
Kokonotsu: "Do I really have to?"
Hotaru: "No, not really LOL"
He just sort of walks off with Hotaru, without deciding anything. I guess Saya is just left hanging, never seeing her beloved Coconuts again. I don't mind a simple and formulaic plot for the sake of advertising candy, but come on, at least finish what you started. If you're gonna have an ultimatum in episode 11, I'd expect a decision in episode 12.
I'd say that Dagashi Kashi is entertaining if you go in knowing that you're not going to get anything all that fulfilling out of this. This is one of those odd cases where the whole of the show is lesser than its parts individually. Ultimately, it fails to properly resolve the most basic of plots.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Mar 21, 2016
Hitsugi no Chaika is about a group of adventurers on a quest to collect various relics. Though somewhat straightforward, there are plenty of twists and turns to keep the audience guessing. Rather than infodumping all sorts of information, the show informs the audience about the setting organically, while leaving enough mystery to create a sense of exploration as the story unfolds. The tone of the setting is reminiscent of old Dungeons and Dragons adventures, where a diverse group of heroes set out on a grand quest. Unlike similar shows though, the line between heroes and villains are a bit more blurred
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than you might expect.
Art is fairly good overall. Some of the character designs might be odd at first, but adjusting to them doesn't take long. Fight scenes are choreographed wonderfully, and the fights themselves involve degrees of tactics and team synergy that are fairly uncommon in anime. Compared to Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, the visuals are definitely a step up in every department.
I can't recall anything about the sound, which most likely means there was nothing to complain about. I found the OP grating, but that may just be a personal preference. The ED isn't bad though.
Character motivations are a bit simplistic, but most characters have a reasonable justification for that, so it works out. The personalities are fairly fresh and most characters avoid neatly falling into obvious archetypes. The siblings play off each other in an enjoyable way, and their pragmatism is refreshing when compared to the constantly optimistic protagonists we commonly see. So while each character might not seem terribly deep on their own, they fit the story well and work together to become a cohesive and interesting whole.
Overall I think this is a very good show for fans of fantasy, especially those who enjoy their protagonists a bit more Lawful Neutral than Lawful Good. Though I went in with reservations, I ultimately found the setting compelling and the characters enjoyable.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Mar 7, 2016
So Koufuku Graffiti is an anime by Shaft that focuses on two young girls and their relationship with food. Food is probably what most people will watch this show for, though I think it has a fairly unique approach to it.
The story is pretty barebones. Basically main girl Ryou lives by herself ever since her grandma died; her parents are off doing work stuff, and apparently Japan doesn't mind having 15-year-olds living by themselves. Due to circumstances, her relative Kirin transfers to the same weekend school as Ryou, so she stays at Ryou's house every weekend and they cook together.
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Other things happen, new characters are introduced, but that's the general gist of the story. There's not really any "plot" to speak of, and while there is a general continuity, each episode is fairly episodic.
Art is pretty typical for Shaft. Some of the same visual techniques they use in other shows (masked textures, abstract art, simple colors and gradients) are present here, although the art is much less abstract than their work in Monogatari. The food isn't quite as high quality as Shokugeki no Souma, but it's still pleasing to look at and well drawn and animated. Characters look nice and are well animated, though backgrounds are pretty detailed, all things considered.
The sound is fairly good. This is slice of life, so none of the background tracks really need to stand out. The OP and ED are pretty catchy, and both have gotten stuck in my head a few times.
The characters are fine for what the show is. Sure, they don't develop much, but how much development is expected from a show like this? That's not to say that there's no growth though. Ryou and some of the other characters do develop over the course of the show, as they grow older and think more about various topics. Tsuyuko is always a laugh in the scenes she's in, and Shiina is also pretty enjoyable. Kirin has a tendency to whine, but I didn't find it bothersome.
Unlike Shokugeki no Souma, which is mostly focused on the more professional side of cooking, Koufuku Graffiti's emphasis is on home cuisine. It doesn't have much in the way of technical explanations or advanced culinary techniques, though it does highlight a few home cooking tips every now and then. Instead, it focuses on the feelings and experience of eating the food itself. The central message of the show is that food tastes best when you eat it with people you love, so in a way Koufuku Graffiti is more about people than the food itself. That said, this show will likely make you hungry and might inspire you to try out some of the dishes shown.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Nov 11, 2015
Plastic memories is set in a world where technology allows human souls to be granted to androids, called Giftias. These androids are virtually identical to humans and don't age physically, but only live for 11 years. Our protagonist is a young man who recently joined Terminal Services, a department that is responsible for collecting Giftias who are approaching the end of their lives.
The most important thing to understand about this show, and something I think wasn't understood by some people going in, is that this isn't anything deeply philosophical like Ghost in the Shell or something. It's not attempting to
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make any sort of grand sweeping statements about reality, society, or anything like that. That's not the angle they're going for here. At the end of the day, Plastic Memories is a love story. The early episodes focus heavily on their job, and thus their impact on society, but that serves mostly as a framework to give the rest of the show greater impact. And viewed from that perspective, it's fantastic.
The protagonist is honestly very refreshing. He's strong, but in a normal, human way. It's nice to have a main character who's completely aware. He understands what's going on around him, and deals with it like an adult.
I found Plastic Memories to be one of the more earnest, heart-felt romances I've seen in anime. It's honestly quite startling how some scenes seem to overflow with genuine pure love. The character development in the two leads is significant, lending credibility to their relationship. Their bond actually develops and grows, and they change as people because of it.
So sit down, grab some tissues, and go nuts. If you're looking for hard sci-fi or large-scale societal intrigue, this isn't that. If you like touching love stories, you'll like this.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Nov 9, 2015
Danna ga Nani is just fun. That's really all there is to it. This is a series of short (~4 minutes each) episodes about a young couple of newlyweds: an otaku husband and his "normie" wife. It probably bears mentioning that I don't think the purpose of this show is to shame or make fun at the expense of anime fans. Rather, I look at it as an optimistic and heartwarming portrayal of a couple who deals with each other's idiosyncrasies and finds love in it. Despite being a "normal" girl, Kaoru has her own quirks that Hajime has to deal
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with as well.
The characters in this show are great. They're all quite distinct and interact with each other in amusing ways. Which is good, considering that this show is completely about character interaction. There's not exactly a plot, in the same way you wouldn't say that a real life has a "plot" either, but things do happen and progress between episodes.
Honestly, you stand to lose nothing by trying it out. You can get through all of it in an evening easily. There's a lot of anime references, so the more shows you've seen, the more jokes you'll get. That said, as someone relatively new to the anime scene, even the jokes that referenced things I haven't seen (like Neon Genesis) were amusing, so odds are you won't feel too left out.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Nov 9, 2015
I like this series. I think it created an interesting situation between a trio of students who complement each other well. Unfortunately, I think the writing dropped the ball.
Right off the bat, the second season of this show is noticeably smooth and stunning, with a really catchy art style. It almost feels wasted though. So much of the show is fairly slow-paced and conversational, that if seems like Feel would better spend their time doing something a bit flashier. Still, there are some moments that really take full advantage of the high production values.
The story is really pretty lackluster this
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season. Much of the season has the main three characters separated from each other, which isn't bad by itself, but they're not really doing anything in that time either. Conflict happens between characters in almost imperceptible ways, and conversations are so thick with obfuscated implications that it's a struggle to even follow what on earth everyone is so upset and conflicted about. There are a few scenes where someone's crying and the other two wide-eyed and stunned, and it's not very clear what any of it is about. The scenes still work, even though they really shouldn't, simply because the production values are good enough to make you feel sad without really knowing why.
All of the vague conversations makes the characters especially opaque. Aside from the main three opening up a bit, you don't really learn much of anything about anyone, and it's hard to see character growth happening. One side character seems to go well out of his way to support the protagonist early on, then becomes his enemy without very clear motivates, aside from declaring "I'm not a good person". Yukino's older sister seems to exist for the sole purpose of antagonizing Yukino at every available opportunity, yet the viewer gets no justification for this behavior. Overall, it feels like the writers are afraid to let the plot move somewhere, or to establish anything concrete. Instead, the story is just sluggishly trudging along in circles.
I'd like to see another season of this, but only if the writing improves. I enjoyed the time I was watching it, but the show didn't hold up well upon reflection.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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