- Last Online10 hours ago
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- BirthdaySep 22, 1980
- LocationOttawa, Ontario, Canada
- JoinedJun 4, 2013
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Mar 16, 2017
I've always enjoyed the Arabian Nights theme/mythology, so I was actually a little surprised that I'd never even heard of this anime until I randomly spotted it while browsing Netflix. It's a fun show, that touches on some interesting themes while also falling into familiar shounen territory.
Story - 7/10:
I found the story to be a little hit or miss. There were a couple arcs that were really enjoyable, and some that stagnated a bit. The story starts off interestingly enough, with a young Aladdin eating melons in the back of Ali Baba's cart. It sets off a bit of an odd couple partnership, but it
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works very nicely.
The setting is interesting enough, a play on the ancient middle east. There are a series of djinns that inhabit dungeons and can grant "dungeon capturers" powerful magical items. Aladdin himself is a magi, a sort of wise man (or wise child?) who has incredible magical powers and is sent to the earth in order to choose his "king's candidate" - the idea being that eventually the world will unite under the rule of a single king or leader.
My main issue with the story was that it felt like the show wasn't sure what it wanted to be. Half the time it's your typical shounen battle series, with long drawn-out fight sequences that spawn multiple episodes, and your standard "love/friendship" conquers all conclusions to conflicts. But it also dives pretty deep into ideas of slavery and leadership that go a little beyond what you'd normally find in a shounen. Some of the ideas seem a little mature (as an example, one of the plot lines involves a money-devaluation scheme to bankrupt a country - I'm not sure how much a young viewer would be able to resonate with ideas like that).
Art - 8/10:
I thought the art was well done. I was thrown off a few times when I literally swore I was watching Fairy Tail. I know they're both A-1 productions, but the art style is identical. They must use the same staff of artists, it's really uncanny. Luckily, I enjoy Fairy Tail's art, so this works for me. The animation could be a bit better, but it's about on par with most shounen I've seen.
Sound - 8/10:
I watched the English dub. Most of the voice acting was solid. A couple choices seemed a bit out of place. The music was good, if not great. All around, pretty solid effort.
Character - 8/10:
I enjoyed the character work in the show. Given that it's only 25 episodes of what I presume is a fairly long-running story, there's not a ton of development. What development is there is a bit on the nose and repetitive - like Ali Baba getting cursed and having to overcome negative emotions, right after having to do basically the same thing in the conflict with his childhood friend. The same can be said of Aladdin, who basically knows nothing about being a Magi, and his development is a little heavy-handed.
What really works, as is often the case in shounen, is the wide variety of likeable and interesting minor characters. I'm not sure if you'd consider Sinbad to be minor here, but he's a great character. Many of the people in his crew, or those from the Ko Empire, are intriguing additions. Child characters are often hit or miss for me, but I liked Aladdin. I'm very much looking forward to seeing how he develops his magic prowess as he comes to understand more and more about himself.
Enjoyment - 9/10:
I don't know what the metrics are for gauging enjoyment, but I always find the pace that I watch a show goes a long way to telling me how much I'm enjoying it. I have a lot of hobbies that I spend time on, and I'm putting off other things because I just really want to watch the next episode (or five) of whatever show I'm into at the moment, that's a big plus. I moved through the first season of this show pretty quick, and I'm eager to dive into season two.
Overall - 8/10:
Like I said, sometimes I felt like this show had a bit of an identity crisis, flopping between standard shounen fare aimed at teenage males and ideas that seemed slightly more mature. There was even brief nudity now and then, which is unusual. The battle scenes were fun without being too long (my primary complaint with shounen is that the fight scenes last ten episodes/chapters - I know I'm in the minority there, as a lot of people prefer those super-long battles).
I'm looking forward to diving into season two, and maybe checking out the manga afterwards. If the story starts to lean more towards the mature issues and shows a bit of originality, it could be quite an impressive anime.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Mar 13, 2017
I've recently been checking out all of Shinkai's older flicks (and I suspect I'm not alone there) after seeing Kimi no Na wa. I feel like you can really see the evolution of a great artist by following the chronology of these movies. The early ones show a lot of potential, but there's something lacking in the execution, while the later ones build on that experience to deliver fulfilling films.
STORY - 7/10:
I wanted to like this story more, but I feel like it's really what's holding this movie back. It feels almost like we're being told half a story. We're tossed into a fairly fantastical
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sci-fi setting where none of the sci-fi really gets full billing. Apparently there are parallel universes, but they're almost an afterthought - just a plot device to explain away why Sayuri is in a coma. Apparently her grandfather built the weird tower. There are a lot of cool things just sort of brought up in passing that never get expanded on at all. I don't need to have all the questions answered, but when the questions are so potentially interesting, it would be nice to have a little more emphasis on them.
At its core this is simply the story of three young friends, and their journey both away from one another, and back to one another. The plot is touching and emotional when it needs to be, I just felt like there was a lot more there to explore that gets avoided. The narrative surrounding the three friends does work nicely, though.
ART - 9/10:
I enjoy Shinkai's style, and you can really see the origins of his later works here. The art is beautiful. And while the animation isn't as good as it could be, the stunning visual quality of the art makes up for it.
SOUND - 8/10:
The music is nice, and the song over the closing credits is appropriately emotional. Overall, nothing amazing, but the music and voice acting are solid.
CHARACTER - 9/10:
I feel like the character work is really where this story shines. While I found the plot lacking in detail, the character development and motivations are subtle and nuanced. As the viewer, I think we're really supposed to identify with Hiroki, and it's easy to sympathize with him. He expresses very human qualities and emotions, unlike Takuya, who seems a bit more closed off (of course, as we realize later, he's just as human in his own way). It's often easy to miss the realistic qualities of characters, in certain anime, when they're presented as geniuses (these kids are building missiles and airplanes in middle school, and Takuya works in some government lab by high school). But the two boys work together very nicely - they're contrasts in how to handle human grief and overwhelming emotion.
Sayuri's character is a bit harder to nail down, given that she's living in a dream world for most of the movie, but she's a very endearing character in her own right. It's easy to see why Hiroki loves her, and that relationship is handled very delicately.
Given that it's only a 90 minute flick, there's not much room for developing minor characters, but the ones that are present work as well as they can. Again, this is really a story about three friends, and the focus is on those three characters throughout. I was very impressed with the overall handling of the subtle relationships and character interactions.
ENJOYMENT - 8/10:
This is a very nicely written human story. Again, I'm just not sure why it's thrust into some wild sci-fi world with secret government labs and parallel universes and a civil war in an alternate-reality Japan. All that stuff seems superfluous and unnecessary to the overall story. The core story works very well, but everything around the periphery falls a bit flat. So my enjoyment wasn't quite as high as it might otherwise have been, but this is a solid effort from Shinkai. It's definitely worth checking out if you like his other works.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Mar 11, 2017
I was mildly intrigued when I saw the trailer for this show. It looked like pretty standard fare, but I decided to give it a chance anyway. And it fit with one of my 2017 Anime Watching Challenge goals, so I pushed through it. Honestly, if it hadn't been for that, I probably would have dropped it. I found the show to be kind of boring and a little all over the place.
STORY - 5/10:
I'm still trying to figure out what the story was. The OP main character decides to go to some school (supposedly? Although I can't remember many classes) for slayers - a
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slayer is a human infused with some kind of virus (I think?) from the savages, which are some sort of big, alien-looking monster things. I'm not really sure, because the show doesn't do a very good job of setting things up. I mean, I'm not looking for an exposition-laced info dump, but they could have done a better job of explaining the basic mythology of the world.
There's an obvious love triangle (or love square, maybe) going on, as is common in shows like this. That, in and of itself, isn't an issue. But they didn't sell the relationships well at all. Emile/Emilia is immediately in love with the protagonist because they knew each other briefly as kids and shared some traumatic experience. Claire seems to be into him primarily because he showed off how strong he was in their duel. I guess that makes some sense, since she seems pretty OP herself, and someone holding their own against her is probably impressive. Then there's the diva chick, who likes him because he saved the island.
I know I'm not talking much about the story here, but that's the problem. There isn't really a plot for the first half of the show, it's just us following the team around in an almost-slice-of-life type of storytelling, despite the giant monsters and crazy hundred-infused weapons. The plot is a mess, jumping around, disjointed, however you want to describe it. I give it a few points because it starts to coalesce a bit later in the season, but my interest had long since waned by then.
ART - 7/10:
This might be a generous score, but I did like the character models. They all looked nice, and I guess I'm a sucker for pretty blondes - Claire is quite fetching.
But the reality is that the animation is lacking. Tons of still shots, and the fight scenes are pretty lame. I was impressed with the first duel between the protagonist and Claire, but it was downhill from there. Pretty much every fight with the monsters was the same - the main dude just jumps in the air and slams his big sword down. There was fertile ground for very nice animation given the setting, but I guess they didn't have a big budget? I don't know, it was just disappointing.
SOUND - 7/10:
Voices seemed fine. The music wasn't great, especially considering one of the characters is a world famous diva.
CHARACTER - 4/10:
The characters were pretty weak. Outside of their love interest in the main guy, I'm not even sure I could tell you much about the girls. Emile/Emilia seemed almost defined by her infatuation. Claire at least had a bit more depth, given the responsibility of being in charge of the Little Garden, and the sorrow she feels for her sister. But the writers didn't go deep enough for it to really resonate. More missed opportunities.
Most of the side characters were pretty peripheral. The main guy and his sister, Karen, did seem to have a touching relationship, but that was about the only ounce of emotion I got from any of the main pairings.
The two characters that actually seemed like there might be something interesting going on were Claire's big brother and the eventual big bad, Vitaly. Apparently they were once lovers and he betrayed her, starting her on a quest for revenge. You could sense the conflicting feelings, right up to the end. I feel pretty confident in saying that I would rather have been watching their story than the one I was forced to watch instead - it seemed like there was something real there. Too bad it only comes to light in the very last episode.
ENJOYMENT - 5/10:
There wasn't much positive to say about this show from a critical standpoint. It's just not well done. I'm not sure if the source material is better, but this adaptation leaves much to be desired. I was constantly bored, and I probably would have dropped it after a few episodes if not for the anime watching challenge.
There were some good laughs mixed in, and a lot of fanservice - but even the fanservice felt disappointing, as it doesn't go all the way. There was enough boob grabbing in this show that they really could have just gone with full nudity and it would have at least added a touch of excitement. The plot and the characters sure weren't adding much.
OVERALL - 5/10:
I know I just pretty much trashed every aspect of this show, and I'm still giving it a 5/10. For reference, that's a bad score for me. It takes a lot for me to give something a failing grade. I have a great deal of respect for the creative process and the amount of energy that goes into crafting art, so if someone can put something together that gives me even a bit of entertainment, it gets a pass from me. I would have to be openly offended or disgusted by what I'm watching to give something lower than a 5. Hundred isn't a good show, but it's passable entertainment. I wouldn't begrudge someone for finding something in there that they like and enjoy - in fact, I think there's a half-decent story in there somewhere. The plot is just too much of a mess to pull it out. A defter hand at the wheel might have been able to turn this into something better.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Mar 10, 2017
Monster was the first anime that I encountered with the gritty realism to match a good western drama television series - which is probably why there were rumblings about it being turned into a live-action HBO series. A lot anime have a strong fantasy/sci-fi/supernatural element, or a breezy high-school atmosphere, but Monster is very much set in the real world, following real world parameters, and surrounded by the darkness and consequences of real world actions.
STORY - 10/10
Dr. Kenzo Tenma is a brilliant surgeon who is faced with a difficult decision early in the series - follow his boss' orders, or perform a surgery that only
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he can perform to save the life of a young boy. He chooses the latter, and sets in motion a string of events that would have been impossible for him to foresee. And yet he spends the remainder of the series wracked with guilt over that decision, and doing everything within his power to track down the boy - who is now a young man - and stop the reign of terror that the boy has unleashed.
Pretty much the entire story revolves around the boy, Johan. Johan is the titular monster, and the story slowly peels back the layers revealing, little by little, just how Johan became the monster that he is. I got a very distinct Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince vibe from the way that the other characters, predonimnantly Tenma, learn of Johan's past - just as Harry slowly learns of Voldemort's history. The idea that understanding how someone came to be who they are might be the only way to stop them is an interesting one, and the show spends a lot of time trying to figure out just who Johan and his twin sister, Nina, are.
More interesting, perhaps, is how Monster chooses to tell its story. Short arcs will unravel, and just when we think that we're about to find out something pivotal, the plot will back off and introduce completely new characters and begin to tell their stories - eventually leading to the place we thought that we were initially going, just from a different angle. While this can be frustrating initially, once you learn to trust that the writer knows what he's doing, it's actually an engrossing way to let the tale unfold. I found that it added layers of complexity to the plot that would be simply unachievable otherwise. Some might complain that it adds too many side plots and unimportant minor characters, but I would argue that those people are missing the point of the story altogether.
There is a constant gloominess surrounding the plot, which can be attributed to Johan's almost god-like powers to control everything that is going on around him. The story also touches on a lot of uncomfortable and dark ideas (mostly involving the treatment of children). This causes much of the story to be grim and depressing, but Monster does an excellent job, usually through Tenma or Nina or Dieter, of demonstrating glimmers of light and hope amidst the darkness. And, without giving too much away, the story does conclude on a happier note.
ANIMATION - 8/10
Monster isn't as visually impressive as a lot of more recent anime. It lacks the dazzle and flash of series with lots of action, and the grittiness of the animation almost makes it feel like it's an entirely different genre of series altogether. But it works within the context of the world that the show is trying to create.
My main pet peeve is that the animation of actions is often clunky (people running, in particular, just looks really off in this series). But on the whole, the look of the show definitely adds to the ominous vibe that pervades every frame - the hopelessness that anything can be done to stop Johan.
SOUND - 8/10
I watched the English dub of Monster. I found some of the voice acting to be outstanding, while a number of the voices seemed somewhat jarring - they just didn't seem like they would belong to the character on the screen. But the main characters were all well done - Johan, in particular, has a haunting, yet soothing, quality to his voice that is really unnerving.
The series' score is also strong, and I often found myself entranced by the music during important scenes.
CHARACTERS - 10/10
Like any great series, the true strength of Monster is its characters. Dr. Tenma is an appropriately broken man through much of the story, unsure of his place in the world after the decision that he made. Even the look of his character shows the weight that he carries around on his shoulders. But despite all of his doubt and guilt, he always tries to do the right thing - the very quality that caused him to save Johan in the first place. Tenma is a simple character in that regard - you always know that he will do the right thing. But there is still a complexity to him that is intriguing, and he is an easily sympathetic character that viewers can identify with and cheer for.
Johan, of course, is far more interesting, as most well-constructed villians will be. Johan is shown as the embodiment of evil, the cause of countless deaths across Germany, and even stretching into Czechoslovakia. But the truly terrifying aspect to Johan is that he's rarely the one who pulls the trigger - he has the ability to compel others to do his bidding. He is charismatic, and if we weren't privy to the fact that he is who he is, he might come off as a very likable character. In fact, as we unravel the story of Johan and Nina's past, we often find ourselves feeling a certain amount of sympathy for Johan. Nina (an overly good character, despite her own troubled childhood) serves as an example of what kind of person Johan might easily have become, had certain things never happened to him as a child.
There are a lot of secondary characters in Monster. Some of them are important, and others less so. But almost every one of them is given personality and nuance, and there are very few series (anime or otherwise) that achieve as much with as many characters as Monster does. Many of the key characters show a tremendous amount of development over the 74 episode span of the series.
The series tries to make the emphatic point that every person has a monster inside of them, but that each individual's choices determine whether they are good or evil. The constrast of two characters like Grimmer and Roberto shows just how easily a few choices can lead people with very similar backgrounds down entirely different paths. Eva, Tenma's ex-fiance who can't seem to come to grips with the fact that she still loves him and spends a decade trying to replace him, is another excellent example of a complex character who shows excellent growth over the length of the series.
All in all, I would put the character work in Monster right up alongside a series like The Wire, I was that impressed with it. I've rarely come across anything quite like it in an anime.
ENJOYMENT - 10/10
I think I've rambled on quite a bit about everything I enjoyed about this series - the story is compelling and the characters are nuanced and detailed. It really was a pleasure to watch. It might be a bit slow-paced for some viewers who prefer a lot of action or humour, but if you enjoy slow burn dramas with plenty of tension, Monster works quite well. I'd currently rank it among my top five anime series.
OVERALL - 10/10
The story is incredibly well-crafted, and the unique way that it unfolds adds so much complexity to the world that Monster builds. The characters are all well done - even the obvious heroes have flaws, and the obvious villians garner sympathy (except maybe Roberto). And there are plenty of characters who are more ambiguous. And the series touches on plenty of weighty themes and ideas (more than I could ever get into in a review - you could easily write an academic paper on this series).
I would highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a more serious and deep story.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Mar 10, 2017
To be honest, I almost felt embarassed when I first checked out a series that was called Cat Planet Cuties. I saw the trailer and my initial reaction was "Seriously? Cat Women?" As if the usual busty ecchi girls weren't sufficient, they had to add the cat ears and tails. But out of some sense of morbid curiousity, I checked out the first episode and was pleasantly surprised that I actually enjoyed it. And I made it through the full series.
STORY - 6/10
It's difficult to accurately gauge a story that is so obviously tongue-in-cheek. Everything about Cat Planet Cuties seems like an effort to not
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take itself seriously, and so I think that a review has to take that into consideration. The story is silly and often makes no sense, but that's part of the show's charm - this is a series, after all, that is presenting alien races as cat-people and dog-people, and a pair of high school girls who masquerade as secret agents. It even goes so far as to have Eris proclaim that the cat-people once called their planet Earth, and themselves Earthlings, until they discovered our world and had to change the name of theirs to avoid confusion.
Lots of boobs, lots of guns, and lots of laughs are what you're going to get from this series. And if that provides you with any level of enjoyment, then the ludicrous story works. I honestly laughed more at this series than I have at most of the sitcoms that air on American TV these days. I thought that the humour was quite well done, and I found that the fanservice scenes often existed more as an attempt at humour than a real attempt to be sexy - almost as though the fanservice aspect itself was part of the tongue-in-cheek nature of the show.
The only problem that I had was that on a couple of occasions, the show tries to get all serious, and it really doesn't work. It feels out of place with the tone of the overall show. One episode explores the nature of the assistaroids, and how they once looked like real people only to cause people to have unpredictable (and often negative) reactions towards them - leading to their existence in the show's present as silly-looking little robot cats. This could be an extremely interesting theme to explore in a more serious show - but it just feels strange smacked in the middle of this particular show.
ANIMATION - 8/10
The presentation is slick and polished. The series looks very nice aesthetically. The action scenes are well-animated (and there are lots of them).
There is a lot of fanservice in the show (which I consider to be part of the look/animation of the show). Normally this doesn't bother me at all, because in my experience it usually involves clearly-adult (or late teenage) women (identified by their rather large breasts). But I always feel a little uncomfortable when they show characters who appear to be underage in such poses, or outright nudity. So I took a point off for the show making me feel creepy when certain characters were shown in fanservice scenes.
SOUND - 9/10
I watched the English dub and thought the voice acting was excellent (with the possible exception of the lead male). The female actors really brought it, adding another layer to their characters. The music fit really well with the various scenes, often adding to the silly tone, or pumping up the action sequences.
CHARACTERS - 6/10
The male lead of this series, Kio, is just plain boring. I know that it's common in harem-type shows for the male to be a little dim and not react to the affections of the various women who are interested in him. But this show takes it to a whole different level. I'm almost tempted to think that they went so over-the-top on purpose, but whatever the reasoning it was a bit of a turn-off.
The three female leads proved interesting enough, though. Eris, the cat-woman, was probably the least interesting of the three, but the writers at least made an effort to give her more depth than just being eye candy. They did an excellent job, however, with Aoi and Manami, and they were really the heart of the show. All of the little assistaroids were charming, as well, and Kio's goofy uncle always made me laugh when he popped up.
ENJOYMENT - 8/10
As a single male, I enjoy myself some fanservice. That said, I get easily bored if fanservice is all a show has to offer. I still need to be stimulated in some other way, be it with a good story, good humour, good drama - hell, even a decent romance. This show brought a good about of humour, and some solid action. I almost felt like it was being satirical of other fanservice shows, which was kind of intriguing. I have to admit that I enjoyed watching this a lot more than I expected to when I first turned it on.
OVERALL - 7/10
If I was rating this series solely on whether it accomplishes what it sets out to, it would deserve a 9/10. If I was rating it against more serious, intellectual anime, it probably deserves a 5/10. So I just split the middle and gave it a 7.
The bottom line is that this show is entertaining in it's tongue-in-cheek way, and it kept me wanting to watch the next episode. It was full of laughs and action, and it showed quite a bit of charm. If you enjoy (or can tolerate) fanservice, I would recommend checking this one out. If you're looking for Shakespeare, you should probably pass.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Mar 7, 2017
Erased is a bit of a strange animal. I was blown away by the early episodes - the first half or so of the show is outstanding. Then it gets a bit clunky and sort of backs over the finish line. I still think it's a very good show, but I'm a little disappointed at the blown potential.
Story - 8/10:
The premise is fairly simple - Satoru has the ability to go back in time a short period to prevent accidents/events from occurring. Usually this involves him saving people he doesn't know. After his mother is killed, his ability sends him much further back -
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18 years, to the point where he's eleven years old. His mother's death is linked to a series of kidnappings and murders that took place when he was a kid, and in order to save his mother in the future, he needs to stop the murders from his past. I actually really like the angle that his random time travelling ability is never explained. It's just an accepted part of the world, and there's never any pseudo-science or anything.
The initial story beats are solid. The plot chugs along at a good pace, allowing us to try and figure out what the hell is going on alongside Satoru. We discover things about his friends as he does, and we follow along as he takes the initial steps to try and prevent the tragedies. It all plays very well as he makes incremental changes to his past. After a couple jumps between past and present, things start to line up a little better.
The main problems with the story start to emerge after Satoru is successful in his initial goal - saving Kayo. The entire thrust of the plot to that point had been focused on that one issue, and once it's resolved it's sort of like "Oh yeah, some other kids died too, and so did Satoru's mom." It almost feels like an afterthought, and the plot really races through the next few episodes, including a really clunky reveal of the villain.
A lot of people complain that the problem with the show is how predictable the villain is, but I don't think that's the issue at all. There are tons of mystery novels and movies and TV shows where the reader/viewer is fully aware of who the bad guy is all along, and it doesn't ruin the story. The issue here is the execution. Satoru never really figures it out on his own, it's just sort of randomly revealed because the bad guy got fed up with Satoru's interference. The reveal doesn't feel earned. And while the final two episodes contain some nice moments with Satoru reuniting with his friends, the resolution of the conflict is rushed through even further.
I'm kind of curious to read the manga just to see if the execution is better, and if the story has better pacing past the halfway point. But it loses a lot of steam in the anime. I still gave it an 8 because the initial story is so good.
Art - 9/10:
Everything looks great. Nicely animated. Attractive character models. For some reason Satoru's mom's lips bugged me a lot, but that's not really a flaw - just my personal weirdness.
Sounds - 8/10:
I've watched both the subbed and dubbed versions - the voice acting is solid in both. The OST is good, but nothing special.
Character - 7/10:
This is probably the weakest part of the anime, which isn't uncommon for a mystery (especially at only 12 episodes in length). Satoru is a likeable protagonist, and it's easy to get on board with what he's going through. The problem is that there's never really any strong development. Even after the incredible ordeals he goes through, he feels like basically the same guy in episode 12 that he was in episode 1. And that's okay - you don't need to see great personal growth in every story, but it helps.
Kayo is easy to sympathize with, given her circumstances. Some people complain that having her being abused is manipulative, or overkill since she's someone else's murder victim on top of that. But it fits the narrative, so I don't see it as being manipulative at all. It makes sense for a serial killer to target people who are outcast or alone for various reasons. All of the kids that are targeted share that loneliness - four different sets of unique circumstances, only one of which involves a girl being abused.
One oddity about the characters is the believability that they're actually only eleven years old. Granted, Satoru is really twenty-nine, but several of his friends seem way more mature than they should for that age. Kenya, in particular, notices things that I can't imagine any real eleven year old picking up on - maybe he's just a genius, I don't know. But it does tug at the viewer's engagement at times.
My biggest character complaint is the villain himself. His behaviour was all over the map, and didn't always make sense. Granted, he's a serial killer, so it's hard to expect rational behaviour from someone who kills and maims little kids. But it was still a little off-putting. And I really disliked how they explained his motivations in the final two episodes, with the spider web analogy - that was dumb. They should have left it ambiguous, like the time travel ability. We don't need to be told why he's a crazy serial killer, we can just accept that he is. Leave his weird delusions out.
Enjoyment - 9/10:
This was an easy 10/10 for the first half, and still a solid 8/10 for the second half. So I just split the difference. I've watched the series twice now, and I still enjoyed it thoroughly on the second viewing. Even the things that bugged me (most of which are mentioned above) didn't detract too much from the overall viewing experience. The characters are likeable and fun to spend time with, and the story moves at a good pace.
Overall - 8.5/10:
I can't actually put 8.5, so I gave it an 8 on here and a 9 on my list. Despite the flaws inherent in the second half of the show, I still give big points to the early episodes. A disappointing finish doesn't void the good that came before it. And when I say disappointing, it's still solid. It just isn't as great as it could have been. It's always a little frustrating to be watching something and thinking "Wow, this is amazing," only to have it sputter to the end. But I would still recommend it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Mar 5, 2017
Sword Art Online gets a lot of hate these days. I enjoy the franchise despite its obvious flaws. I don't disagree with people who complain about those flaws, I just personally feel that the good outweighs the bad. That being said, Sword Art Online: Progressive is a different beast altogether. All of the flaws of the original story are tossed out the window in what is essentially a reboot - I think some people view this as a "filling in the blanks" approach to the original series, but there's enough retconning going on that I think you really have to view this is a blank
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slate.
I feel like we've really had a chance to watch the author grow and learn from his previous mistakes. I don't think it's a coincidence that the Progressive reboot and the Alicization arc hit around the same time, and that they both deftly deal with a lot of the issues people had with the original series. I think it's fair to say that the author has grown and improved as a writer, and the culmination of that evolution is visible in this story.
Story - 10/10:
The primary complaint people have about the SAO anime is that it blows through the Aincrad arc so fast. I know I felt disappointed at how quickly Kirito et al progressed through 75 floors worth of content. Progressive corrects this major failing, and it's a wonderful ride to take.
The level of detail that's paid to establishing the setting and the floor and things like guild dynamics and how NPCs have evolved, etc, etc. is quite impressive. The plot is suitably paced, conflicts are well developed, and character dynamics progress nicely. It's really a thrill to see the minutia of how these people - trapped in a virtual world - live on a day to day basis. It's nice to see the emphasis that's placed on quests and levelling and improving gear - all of the things that people familiar with MMOs are comfortable with.
The story really couldn't be a bigger contrast to the original series in its pacing. In the afterword, the author readily admits the retconning, and that in order for the story to take place he has to throw Kirito and Asuna together much earlier on - SAO is really the story of Kirito and Asuna more than anything else, so he was forced to bring them together much earlier than the original. It works wonderfully.
Art - 8/10:
I guess 'Art' is a criteria mostly for manga. I don't think the odd illustration in a light novel really adds that much to the story, but it is nice to see a picture here or there. The art is well done.
Character - 9/10:
The character development is another big complaint people have about the original series, with Kirito being far too overpowered, and the relationship between he and Asuna coming off feeling a bit rushed. Those worries fade away with Progressive, as the slower pace of the plot allows us to really see how these people are handling being thrust into the death game.
We get to see firsthand how Kirito and Asuna progress, taking opportunities to level, but they never feel too overpowered compared to the others, only ever maintaining a level or two advantage. More importantly, we get a much better feel for their emotional states and their determination as they push through the floor and deal with obstacles. It really feels like decisions and actions have an impact on their characters, and that they progress in meaningful ways, as opposed to the more rushed and/or superficial development of the original series.
The secondary characters also get a lot more fleshing out, naturally. It's interesting to see how people approach the game in different ways, both good and bad. And it feels like the story is inhabited by truly three-dimensional characters. It's also intriguing to see how the NPCs have evolved beyond simple programmed responses to take an active role in the narrative.
Enjoyment - 10/10:
Like I said, I was already a fan of SAO, but objective enough to acknowledge its problems (and they weren't always few). So it's probably no surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed reading a reboot of the story that minimizes those problems and really accentuates the good things that already existed, and builds new dimensions into the world. I really can't wait to see where it goes from here, and I'm genuinely concerned that we'll never really see a full story play out (at one book a year, it would take another 50 years or so to see all the floors).
Overall - 10/10:
I'm not a hard grader. I give a lot of 8s and 9s out to things that connect with me. But I try to limit the 10s for shows/books/manga that I feel truly deserve them. As somebody who has read a lot of books in his life, and who writes books on the side, I honestly feel like these stories deserve a 10. They're not perfect, but nothing is perfect. The books are a world of difference from the original Aincrad stories, and it's just unfortunate that this couldn't have been everyone's first encounter with SAO - I think the general public opinion of SAO would be dramatically different if these books had come out first.
I really feel that the author should be applauded for even attempting this, and I'm really impressed at how well he's grown in his story-telling from the early SAO volumes. The writing is really like night and day. It's also worth noting that these books are a bit longer than your average light novel, which is nice.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Mar 5, 2017
The action sequences and the mythology surrounding the ajins themselves made this an interesting show. But I couldn't get into it as much as I'd hoped, due to a few nagging flaws.
Story - 8/10:
There are some really interesting ideas to be explored in this story, that don't necessarily get the screen time they deserve. The idea that Satou is challenging the status quo of a country that treats ajins like monsters, rather than humans, could have been deftly handled and intellectually stimulating. But the idea of ajin civil rights is really just lip service. What we actually get is a terrorist organization taking on the
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government, while most of the time the viewer is following Kei around as he learns more about what he is.
Despite the story not really going in the direction I would have preferred, I still found the action to be fun to watch, and there was a good amount of intensity. Satou was a legitimately terrifying antagonist, which added a level of suspense to the show.
Art - 5/10:
I've read some other reviews where they got into the technical deficiencies present in the artwork and animation of Ajin. I don't have much expertise in that field. All I can say is that this show looks off. The characters often look funny when moving, and the style is a little off-putting. It was definitely a drawback for me, which is unfortunate - there's a ton of potential for some great style and animation given the material.
Sound - 7/10:
I watched the English dub and found the voices to be well-done, if nothing special. The music was solid, and the theme songs were fine. Nothing great, nothing bad.
Character - 6/10:
This is really where Ajin lost me (in addition to the weird art style). I feel like the writer is trying way too hard to present every party as being morally grey. Satou and his crew are standing up for civil rights, but at the same time they're killing people. Kei is the viewer surrogate, but he's kind of a cold-hearted dick. The government officials are trying to defend themselves against the terrorists, but constantly show incredible cruelty and malice towards others (particularly Ajin). It's fine to present stories full of three-dimensional and morally questionable characters - The Wire would be my shining example of that idea done well. The problem is that when it's done poorly (or even mediocrely) you run the risk of presenting a story where the viewer has no rooting interest. I don't know which side I'm supposed to be on in this show, and neither side felt fun to root for.
Kei, in particular, was all over the place character-wise. In the early episodes he's presented as a driven young man who has sort of cast off emotion in order to pursue excellence, giving him a bit of a cold personality. But he's also shown going out of his way to help people, saving people numerous times at great risk to himself. However, that never really gets built on, and even by the end of the second season it's unclear what type of person he is. It's not character growth to have someone vacillate between good and bad/cold. He certainly doesn't come off as a likeable character, which is not a good thing when he's the primary focus of the story.
Enjoyment - 8/10:
I'm probably scoring this a bit higher than it deserves, but I'm an easy grader when it comes to enjoyment. Despite not finding this to be a great show, I never felt outright bored or disinterested. It was always intriguing to see what plan Satou would come up with next, or whether Kei would be able to come up with a plan to overcome him. The action and suspense added to the overall enjoyment - there's a good amount of forward momentum to the plot, keeping the viewer interested, if not enthralled.
Overall - 7/10:
Ajin was a bit of a disappointment, though still a reasonably good show. I had high hopes for how it would handle the ideas of ajin civil rights vs public safety, but it never really went anywhere (maybe that's a longer-term goal of the source material, I'm not sure). It still manages to be a fun action show, given the nice set pieces involving Satou's attacks.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Mar 5, 2017
I'm writing this as of Chapter 168. As is common for me, I started reading this manga after viewing the anime - I liked the anime enough to want to see where the story went from there.
Story - 8/10:
The plot is pretty simple - a young man with tremendous potential has found himself something of a failure in life. He's approached by a company proposing an experiment to send him back to high school (with a magical pill that gives him his teenage body back) in an attempt to rehabilitate him and give him direction in life again.
A lot of the early story is
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silly and fun, and it works at setting a light-hearted tone. Arata seems like a nice guy, and has relatable problems, so the viewer is easily drawn to him. How he interacts with the people around him is the primary thrust of the plot, and it works quite well. The author takes care to present situations that show Arata's worth as a person, despite his lack of self-confidence - each time he helps a friend or overcomes an obstacle is a parallel to something he failed to overcome in his adult life.
I don't want to spoil too much, but the story really picks up steam when we realize that Chizuru is more than she seems. Overall, I feel like the plot is well-constructed, and everything involving Arata and Chizuru is excellent. The reason I dock it a couple points is that some of the sub-plots are less interesting (when focusing on the other students) or take a really long time to properly develop.
Art - 9/10:
Given that this is a web manga, it's in full colour, which is a nice plus. The artist makes excellent use of the colour, as the pages really pop off the screen. The character models are all well done. I don't really have any complaints about the art or style.
Characters - 9/10:
Just about every character in this story is likeable in some way. And given that the entire thrust of the story itself is to promote character growth in the protagonist, you can really see the development occurring. It's a wonderful example of a story where character development is shoved to the forefront, although some might complain that it's a little too in your face. An and Ryou literally write reports detailing Arata's development, so it could be viewed as a little on the nose. But it works for me.
It's really interesting to see how all of the different personal relationships build and grow, and how Arata deftly has his fingers in each one of them, having some positive impact. At the same time that he's growing as a person, he's directly influencing growth and development in other characters.
Enjoyment - 10/10:
I'm a generous grader when it comes to enjoyment, because I enjoy so many stories. But this one really did grab hold of me and pull me in. It's an excellent example of a story that has a slice of life feel to it, while still pushing a strong narrative. It's a nice balance that is often lacking in slice of life stories that are more episodic in nature.
Watching characters come together is really at the centre of this manga. It can be a little annoying sometimes watching high schoolers fail to confess their true feelings - I'm sure many readers of manga experience this frustration commonly. What makes ReLife a bit unique is that Arata is actually an adult, and comments on this aspect frequently. And, of course, it's fun to watch him fall prey to the same lack of decisiveness when it comes to his own feelings (although it can be equally frustrating to watch him decide not to act because he's actually ten years older than the kids he's around).
Overall - 9/10:
ReLife is a fun story with meaningful character development and strong interpersonal relationships. It's an interesting look at how re-living your youth, with the hindsight of adulthood, can shape the way you look at things, what regrets you have, etc. There are good lessons, subtler themes, and some on the nose development, but overall this is definitely a fun story to get into. I would highly recommend it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Feb 27, 2017
This is the first time I've bothered to write a review, but I think I'll try to make a habit of it moving forward. I finished watching the 2nd season of the anime, and decided to check out the manga - I'm quite glad I did. I gave the anime an 8/10, but I was quite impressed at how the story evolved once I picked up the manga.
Story - 9/10:
My main qualm with the anime was that the food battles themselves took up too much of the plot, and often bogged down a bit. I get that Shokugeki literally means food wars/battles, but I really
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felt like the Autumn Elections arc went a little overboard in that regard. Time spent with the characters interacting was a pleasure, and watching the relationships develop, but the story itself seemed to stagnate a bit.
That all changes once Erina's father enters the picture. I don't want to spoil anything, other than to say that the story really picks up speed. There's a lot of forward momentum, and it seems as though the author learned from previous mistakes, as the food battles are much better utilized moving forward - they retain impact by not being overused, and they're not as long and drawn out.
Art - 9/10:
I'm not much of an art critic. I would generally rate most manga as being pretty high in the art category. The character models look great, and the food dishes are interesting (although in black and white they lose a lot of their realism and impact as compared to the anime).
Character - 10/10:
I'll admit I'm leaning forward a little with a full 10/10 score here - I'm anticipating where things are going as much as what we've read to date. But the main characters - Souma, Erina, Megumi - are very nicely fleshed out. They have real problems and interesting personalities. Relationships between characters develop in realistic ways. It's hard to go into too much depth without major spoilers, but I was impressed with the way that the characters were handled, as compared to most shounen manga/anime I've consumed. I especially like the depth given the secondary characters in the story - Alice, Ryo, Souma's dad, Nikumi, Hayama, Jun, Gin, Shinomiya, etc. The author does a better job than most stories at breathing life into characters who aren't the real drivers of the plot.
Enjoyment - 10/10:
This is an easy score. I ripped through the full manga in a few days after having finished the anime. It was a pleasure to read. Anytime I can't put a book down, that's an easy 10 from me. My only complaint is that now I have to wait week to week to keep reading :(
Overall - 9/10:
Like I said, I feel like the story stagnates a bit around the Autumn Elections arc, but that the author learned from that and really tightened up the writing moving forward. There's still a bit of room for improvement, but I have very high expectations as the story continues. The manga is full of fun, some humour, some drama, some disappointment, some feel good moments, and even a few teases of romance. The focus on food and cooking is an interesting switch from usual themes, but it's really not that integral to the overall story (you could easily swap "cooking school" out for pretty much any other random profession and tell the exact same story).
I would definitely recommend this story.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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