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Mar 27, 2018
Journey. This one word has a heap of meanings behind its back. Why do we travel? The reasons range from being a collective success of mankind to discover a new plateau to just the sheer joy and curiosity that is obtained from setting foot in a new land. The air, the atmosphere, the scent... these things feel so different and anew and there is a kind of refreshment that you can only find in yourself after the exploration of an unknown place.
Sora yori mo Tooi Basho takes us on a journey to Antarctica, also promulgated by the show as a 'Place Farther than the Universe'.
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The point of view that we get on this tour comes from a set a four high school girls; Shirase, Mari, Hinata & Yuzuki. We are introduced to our main characters one by one in the first half of the show and there is a slow yet stable development as we get to know the motives of why the girls want to head off on a journey to Antarctica. A major part of it comes from the resolve of Shirase, a seemingly uncoordinated girl who is firm on her resolve - to follow her mother's footsteps into the deserted (in this case, polar?), ice-cold and the shunned-off-of-earth place that is Antarctica. At this point, there are two routes that the show can take, either to dive deep into the apparatus of this kind of process and make it sort of a documentary sequence or just follow a "Follow your dream!" type of scenario where things just happen and as a result of some probe runs or what-not, we just have our four young, out of place girls that should be studying in their schools rather than going on a death mission to one of the most uninhabitable places in the world. But through Yuzuki, who is one of the girls and working as an idol, when assigned at first unwillingly, though, to partake in the journey, we find our characters all mingled up together on this adventure. And that necessarily isn't a bad thing, as the show is reliant at all times on the themes of a self-discovery and following your dreams. It is essentially a feel good character drama that encourages positivity, and probably a marketing stunt for the Icebreaker Shirase but let's be real here, Madhouse definitely pulls all the right cards on this one and gives enough material for the viewer to sit down and enjoy the adventure that ensues.
The cast is mostly all-female in this, most of the crew members on board and others which closely connect with the story are female including our four high school students taking the centre stage. While the show does not put emphasis on one single character, it takes the reasoning behind Shirase's motives and establishes the cast and story through the cheerful and bubbly personality of Mari, who desires to partake in a journey that is out of the extraordinary. The staff do an extremely good job at constantly fleshing out the characters and providing tidbits of their lives while the story keeps on progressing. What makes it exciting to sit through it however is how some of the strands are cleverly improvised and left incomplete for the viewer to fill in the pieces. It is also well paced and though it contains rehashing of previously used lines or scene, they act beneficiary to the where the show is progressing and thus offers a conclusive ending. As a whole, I feel this connects the show as a whole and makes it more engrossing, something that Madhouse were able to achieve than to follow a singular and boring path that I've seen several other SOL shows do.
Big eyes and bubbly faces, a recipe commonly used in lighthearted anime. However it has been put to good use with consistent animation and aesthetics that go down well with each other. The animation is fluid and refined that matches the mood of the show and the art synchronizes with the occasional gimmicky nature of the show. The character designs may be on the lazier side, but just a tad bit. However for an original show that is focused more on the concept rather than the intentions of the character themselves, I'd say Madhouse has been exceptional on the technical side of it. A highlighting mention of the art would be how often real life structures and places, such as the iconic Merlion Park in Singapore is displayed. The ship itself, Icebraker Shirase, looks strikingly similar to the real one. The lighting in the background is used to great effects and last but not least, the sight of aurora lights in the Antarctic is stunning to look at, even if it being in animation. The sound effects really complement the aesthetics too. The music is consistent throughout and the soundtracks have a minimalistic and soothing tone that really complements the positive nature of the show. The very same lines can be used for the opening, "The Girls Are Alright!" by saya. A cheerful and super lovely song that really captures the emotion of the show. Personally talking, it was easy for me to get into the opening song and it was among my favorites for the season during the beginning episodes. A big mention to the character voices too that have done an excellent job with the ending song as well. Personality wise, I think the voice actors did a fantastic job to portray the emotions and the nuances of their assigned characters. The delightfully complacent portrayal of Mari was iconic.
Sora yori mo Tooi Basho is a journey in itself. The underlying message to fully enjoy the youth is something that will resonate with many. If you are looking for a feel-good drama with many positives to take, this is definitely a show that's worth watching. My final take away from this would be that the legacy of studio Madhouse will continue if they produce original shows like this. And did I already mention that this is a promotional and marketing attempt as well? I'm sure success isn't far because the anime definitely is one. Madhouse are definitely yelling "In your face!" with this one. I'm looking at you here, Shirase.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jun 27, 2017
The late Henry David Thoreau once said that this world is but a canvas to our imagination. The possibilities that exist within this stretch of life is endless. I would like to associate "A Silent Voice" or Koe no Katachi with Art. Because Art is something that is capable of bringing together the possibilities of life and the diversity of imagination as one. If I were to describe Koe no Katachi in a sentence, it'd be that its an amalgamation of various faux pas between art and life itself. I'll try and elaborate what I mean further ahead.
For reasons I won't specify, I'll look
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at this movie solely from the perspective of a "who should've been" titular character, Ishida Shouya. One of the first theme explorations the film tries to convey us is the societal upbringing of a child. This however, offers a stark contrast to the early stages of Ishida's childhood. Being the polar opposite of growing senility, Ishida's youth attracted him to commit harassment; which gradually grew into bullying. The victim of the bullying, the pale and the sorrowful life of Nishimiya Shouko, a girl who is deaf. The eponymous character of Nishiyama offers an outlook which differs from Ishida. However no matter how much the film leads you to believe, this is not a tale of bullying later turned into romance, its more than that. The film cleverly overlaps to a scene where Shouya throws Nishiyama's interpretation notebook into a pool of water, but any proof of further bullying on behalf of Ishida is cut out when he feels an incomplete albeit innocent remorse of his actions. Ishida's action provide a perspective on the miscellaneous and point blank behavior of suffering. This greatly contemplates on what kind of a character Ishida really is. The self-loathing and remorse that the 'adult' Ishida feels later on is justified from his behaviours from before. Ishida has faced his share of difficulties in his upbringing living with his slightly 'edgy', if you will; elder sister. Though the film doesn't completely ponder over it, it does a great job portraying what sort of personality he has and that relates with your average viewer.
I might have heaps of praises for Ishida's personality, but its not exactly the same for the others. The other supporting cast along with Nishimiya are... well, a bit generic. Nishimiya is a necessary antithetical for Ishida. Her inane behavior and the fact that she's deaf and is bullied plays a focal role in the turning of events. But the very fact that she's exploited as a scapegoat also makes her a plot device. This is supported by how she readily accepts Ishida's attempt at apologizing. Ishida's characterization proved that his feelings of wrongdoings towards Nishiyama in his childhood made him grow feelings of guilt reflected in his anti-socializing personality. And you can argue that she had always wanted to be friends with Ishida who she particularly found interesting as a child, but its downplayed by the readily acceptance from Nishiyama who's conflicting behavior doesn't couple well with the feelings of Ishida. You can hate me for saying this but I really think Nishimiya is just a masochist. I mean, having feelings towards the person who once bullied the crap out of you and probably scarred you for life? BDSM anyone? Things take a turn to the worst when Nishimiya attempts suicide. The timing of it couldn't have been any worse and literally everything that happens afterwards seems like a farce. The supporting cast never reach that level either, with most of them like Sahara and Kawai having little relevance to the plot. Kawai's increasingly irritating behavior never ceases in the movie. And the group conversations led by her about how Ishida bullied Nishiyama feels like a childish topic at best. Mashiba is yet another character who has little to no relevance even after compared with the ones having little relevance. There's a scene where Ishida shuns him by calling him an 'outsider' and that just hits the nail in his already dead character. Nagatsuka is the one who has the most relevance on Ishida next to Nishimiya. He has an upbeat personality and a refreshing role in the movie, constantly influencing Ishida's actions. Yuzuru is another who has a somewhat relevance in the film. She's the younger sister of Nishimiya and extremely protective of her elder sister, so much so that when she crossed path with Ishida at first she shuns him twice from meeting with Nishimiya. The two form together a bond as the movie progresses that helps bring the main duo closer as well. Surprisingly however, Ueno is by far the best of the supporting cast. She's shown to have a firm viewpoint on Nishimiya and hates her. She's one of the culprit along with Ishida concerning the bullying of Nishimiya. Now you may call Ueno evil and I see that majority of the people have a mixed reaction towards her. However I feel that she has the most genuine character development in the movie. Shown to be harsh on Nishimiya at times, she's always supportive of her childhood friend Ishida, and often tries to help him out. The execution of Ueno's personality was done well in my opinion. Her behavior isn't taken too far but is kept mildly interesting throughout.
Miyu Irino takes center stage as the adult Ishida Shouya and delivers a top notch voice acting performance. His mild and laid back expression really emphasizes his feelings of struggle and guilt. The rest of the cast produce a praiseworthy performance as well. Ono Kensho's upbeat impression as Nagatsuka being a noteworthy one. The stand out among the lot however is definitely Hayami Saori's admirable presentation of a speech-impaired Nishimiya. The lucid and a coherent use of background music is befitting of that a slow burning romantic drama. A special mention the intro "My generation" by the band The Who. The softly samba dancing resembling Beat and Rock tune is a classic throwback to the old age blues genre. The visuals accompanying an energetic Ishida in his teens leaves a memorable note in the movie and sets the audience in and relaxed. The art is done by Kyoto Animation, a name not unheard of in the industry. Well known for their previous works of eye candy, KyoAni did an amazing work with Koe no Katachi. The visuals are stellar, the backgrounds are flabbergasting and there's a tinge of 3D. There are usages of mild symbolism in the art designs of 'koi', and the montages are showered with visual excellence. But as often than not, it comes to the case of taking it a little too far. While not to exaggerate, the animation is indeed excellent throughout with very few hiccups, but there are scenes where the film just likes to delve into daydreaming with surreal but less relevant illustrations. This affects and halts the storytelling from time to time but I wouldn't call it major; however these are little dark blemishes within the movie that would've been better rather left out.
I wouldn't call spending more than two hours watching Koe no Katachi a waste. The film offers a refreshing tale of self struggle and appreciation. While its not a movie you'd wanna tune in trying to hit off a few minutes sipping on a cocktail, the pace is slow and the film is lengthy, but if you're in for a good two hours of good old melodramatic romance drama then Koe no Katachi is a must watch. The film has its highs and lows, some of the scenes just seem childish and forced but eventually it pieces itself together pretty well. As for me, I wouldn't call this an emotional drama. I didn't shed tears in the movie but I was moved by the brilliant character development Ishida was given. I would go as far as to say that I didn't love the movie but I loved Ishida as a main character. And if you haven't yet realized yet yes, I am biased towards Ishida. He is the central figure and the moving force in the entire movie. That being said, he might as well be the most misfit main character in a film or anime in recent times.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Mar 31, 2017
Being an avid follower of the sport, the concept of underdog triumphs never cease to interest me, Giant Killing is one such show that is all about stealing wins out of the opponent's pocket and making comebacks.
East Tokyo United also known as ETU, find themselves in a slump after numerous slip-ups and consecutive defeats. As a result frequent sacking of the manager is not a rarity for the club. However, desperate for a reversal in fortunes, the club appoints the eccentric Tatsumi Takeshi as their very recent manager. Giant Killing revolves around Tatsumi as the manager of ETU as they try and get out of
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their losing streak into the once basking glory that's been lost in recent times. Now ETU are a fairly successful club in Japan's Pro Football League with their own share of history. A decade earlier they were the champions of Japan, with Tatsumi himself being a pioneer for ETU's success as a player. The appointment of Tatsumi as ETU's new coach doesn't go down well with either the players or the fans, as they all have their own contradicting opinions towards Tatsumi. A major chunk of frustrations from the fans is the fact that Tatsumi's sudden decision to leave ETU for a foreign club in his playing days right after when ETU last won the league was the starting point of their downfall. Stalwarts such as Murakoshi who was a crucial member of the team who helped ETU bounce back after they relegated into the lower leagues, question Tatsumi's determination to lead ETU and make them a prominent team in the league once again.
The show follows a very realistic approach. The characters have their limitations which adds to the appeal and has a feel of realism in it. This is one of the strong aspects of Giant Killing. It's not exactly your typical shounen football show where the underdogs pull off a win simply by their sheer willpower and completely discarding the strategic aspects. Giant Killing may not heavily rely on tactics alone, but there's enough there to support for an outcome. It's not overly psychological, but its fairly simple and calculated. Tatsumi's intentions and careful planning synchronizes with the pacing of the show, the right tricks are revealed at the right time. I feel that the common misconceptions surrounding Giant Killing is that its not underrated, but rather under-appreciated. If you come here looking for the exact same psychological twists and mind play as in One Outs, you won't be satisfied. Giant Killing is a show which earns it bread-and-butter through proper world building and development of the characters. They're shown to be as flawed and are given enough time to correct themselves. It's a character driven show which might not be to everyone's liking. The titular figure Tatsumi Takeshi is shown as a carefree individual but there aren't restrictions on his abilities. In other words, Tatsumi is very humanly and not a God who can change the game just because of his presence. Almost all of his actions have a corresponding reasons which are conveyed at different suiting intervals. His character is like a stronghold of everything surrounding him. This is one my reason for appraisal of Giant Killing.
For a show so unusually unattractive, its seemingly difficult to get invested in the show. But personally I was able to get used to it rather quickly. The characters look quirky and exaggerated, the balls and the grass neatly animated with frequent use of deliberate CGI. Excluding the very art style of Giant Killing, the animation quality is refined and quite apparent with rare mismatches and inconsistencies. The only subject of dissatisfaction might be the regular use of weird facial structures to depict the mood of characters. While that might be on the negative side the frequent use of "sakuga" drawings also are done to almost perfection. Accompanying the visuals are also some quirky soundtracks to lighten the mood and in times to convey stimulation. The cheers from the crowd is also very much apparent and feels very atmospheric. Different teams chanting different anthems of their own adds to the mood and feels very real. With Tatsumi being the main figure, Tomokazu Seki's energetic voice feels refreshing and sends across the message of what kind of characteristics he has to the audience. One of the interesting inclusions in the show was the addition of foreign languages like French and Dutch. While its universally accepted that characters no matter what their background is talking in Japanese was a basic thing, this felt very refreshing and something new that you don't see that much in any other sports anime, all adding up to Giant Killing's genuineness. The opening and ending are standard and used just for the namesake, although the opening really conveyed what the mood would be like to be in an actual stadium.
Giant Killing has its fair share of shortcomings with a few characters not getting enough screen time for development, and an abrupt ending that was also dragged a little. 26 episodes might seem little considering where the show lands in on at that point of time, a second season would do great justice. Overall Giant Killing is still a great show and which is currently the most accurate one around about football. I'd recommend watching Giant Killing with an open mindset.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jan 17, 2017
SPOILERS AHOY!
Terrible. That's one way to describe Dragon Ball Z: Fukkatsu no 'F'.
Toriyama-sensei took us all by storm when the second most recent movie, 'Dragon Ball Z: Kami to Kami' or 'Battle of Gods' was released. It introduced us to a whole new perspective to the world of Dragon Ball Z, with the addition of a major antagonist, 'The God of Destruction' as he's known, Lord Beerus. Not to mention an all new transformation for our hero Goku known as the 'Super Saiyan God'. As lame as the name sounds, the appearance and the way it came to existence was somewhat similar too. But
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the fact that it was an altogether different entity as it had transcended to the position of a deity made it somewhat believable and cool, and it was also helped by Beerus, a deity himself with interesting characteristics. But this is where it all fails for Fukkatsu no 'F', as there is no originality whatsoever and the main antagonist is Frieza. For god's sake, Frieza. Why did anyone think it'd be a good idea to bring back a popular villain, whose time has long gone from the series, give him an upgraded look and it'd be good to go?
The resurrection of Frieza itself is a reason as to why the movie sucked, but it had a lot of other inconsistencies as well. First of all, there is no proper world building as the movie starts with a strange scene where little fairies are seen dancing and Frieza's mecha face is seen hanging inside that of a cocoon. The next thing we know is that Frieza's sub-ordinate, Sorbet is plotting to revive Frieza back using the Dragon Balls and is coming in search for it on Earth. He doesn't have to wait long as he just steals them from Pilaf and his gang who apparently have found all seven of the Dragon Balls. Strange enough because the last time I saw them they were at their wits' end rowing a broken boat not knowing where to go, so it makes no sense that they could find all the Dragon Balls scattered around the Earth in such a short period. It doesn't end there, after having all seven Dragon Balls the first thing you'd do is just wake the dragon up and ask for your wish, but no because at the very next moment Pilaf and his gang are visited by Sorbet who comes all the way from outer space to Earth in a moment. Pretty good timing, huh?
Soon enough we have Frieza coming back to life and heading out to face the Z warriors in an instant with all of his army. The motive is lackluster, with Frieza learning how much Goku and others have become stronger, Frieza too heads out to train supposedly for the first time in his life. It all feels too old and bland to believe as the only reasoning given as to why Frieza could be a formidable opponent is that he could awaken his latent power by training. Now there is a hint for this in the previous movie when we see Beerus acting a little surprised when he comes to know of Frieza's defeat by a Saiyan, but it feels funny considering how powerless he's shown in the later arcs of Dragon Ball Z. And all of this works against it when Frieza comes back wanting a fight with the Z warriors. Going by the logic of Dragon Ball Z, it would only seem plausible for Gohan or even for Piccolo to defeat Frieza considering how stronger they have become. But nope, its shown as if Earth is once again facing a huge crisis and we even have Gohan saying that he doubts if he can even become a Super Saiyan, thus totally working against what Dragon Ball Z had established. Things take a turn for the worse when he's taking out in an instant by one hit from Frieza and is on the verge of death. (RIP Gohan, what have you done to his character, Toriyama-san!)
The buildup is complete for a showdown between Goku and Vegeta who return after training with Whis back to Earth to face Frieza. In a nutshell, the ensuing battle is enjoyable for those who don't care for whats happening and just want to get their ticket's worth, but as for me its meaningless. There are two new transformations to be seen in the movie, with Goku and Vegeta each showing their new Super Saiyan God's Super Saiyan form. (The hair turns all blue basically) and an absurd power increase given to Frieza with his equally absurd Golden Frieza form. There also is no explanation or a buildup as to how Goku and Vegeta have achieved the new form, but I presume that would be later explained in the TV series, Super. (In which I have yet to reach that point on). But as for in the movie, its a negative. It all could've ended well at least with them letting Vegeta call it a day by taking his revenge on Frieza, but that too didn't happen and Goku once again hogged all the glory. In the end it all seemed like it was a test for Goku from Whis who turns back time to give him one more chance to end Frieza for good, which also made the very reason why Frieza was resurrected and his fight against Goku completely pointless.
There are a lot of good movies in the Dragon Ball Z franchise but none of them till the thirteenth installment were canon. Fukkatsu no 'F' was definitely not one of those good movies and unfortunately it indeed is canon. Dragon Ball Z may have truly hit rock bottom with this one.
Reviewer’s Rating: 2
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Sep 15, 2016
Straight up review: 31 seconds of pure shit, which basically sums up the entire Studio Trigger itself. It was nice to see Luluco again however, and her two other new friends too. Now to see if this has any sort of relevance in their upcoming future works.
Nice bombastic music to be heard in this, however an amateur can come up with about the same kind of music in half a minute with countless free softwares available online.
If you're gonna watch this, be prepared to lose 31 seconds of your life, however I'm in no position to say this after taking about the
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same time to write this useless review.
Reviewer’s Rating: 2
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Sep 12, 2016
This review will contain heavy spoilers so read at your own risk.
I've come across the debate among many fans of the show that an end of despair would've been a perfect and a better ending than a happy one. Regardless of that, the ending for Steins;Gate came as hugely popular and propelled the show to a high and resounding stance on the Top Anime of MyAnimeList. While it greatly satisfied the majority of the populace by having Okabe save Kurise while at the same time not altering the Alpha World Line, which also saved Mayuri. This was one of the reasons which made Steins;Gate
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a great thriller. Whether it was a sad ending or not, it was something that was logical and made sense.
Now this special episode titled as "Steins;Gate: Kyoukaimenjou no Missing Link - Divide By Zero" is a twist in the tale and an alternate ending to Steins;Gate. In essence, this is another episode 23 but with a following of events that is the opposite from what occurs in the actual episode. So in reality, there is only a few minutes of footage which is actually 'original' in the whole timeline of Steins;Gate and so there is a good possibility that it would be underwhelming and you'd feel like you re-watched the entire thing just for a few minutes of new, never-seen before sequences. As a matter of fact, it's only after even the credits roll out and the ED is completed that you realize that what you see now is the true preview of the upcoming "Steins;Gate 0", which is expected to be a more detailed sequel to this alternate episode 23. Everything until that feels dull and even the brief synopsis of this title on MyAnimeList would have done enough so to match your curiosity to find something new in this episode.
That being said though, the true sequel to this is still to air, so it can be said that "Steins;Gate: Kyoukaimenjou no Missing Link - Divide By Zero" is basically a hint on what is to follow and its true relevance lies on that. Right at the end in this episode, there is a scene where Makise Kurise appears on a TV-like screen and gives her greetings. I don't follow the Visual Novel so this is just my theory: From the synopsis of Steins;Gate 0, I can state that its some sort of a new program that can store memories of humans and create them with their personality and characteristics as a simulation. This might give a clue on Okabe Rintarou to try and revive Makise Kurisu, however not by time-leaping but by sending a cryptic video mail which is seen in the actual episode 23 to the Okabe of the past. This explains the pre-requisite explained by Amane that It'd have required Okabe failing the first time in saving Kurisu to work. The true answer lies in Steins;Gate 0, which I personally am hyped for to start airing.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Sep 8, 2016
"No one knows what the future holds. That's why the potential is infinite." -- Okabe Rinatoru aka Hououin Kyouma aka The Mad Scientist.
Humanity has pondered the possibility of time travelling since long, Steins;Gate is the realization of that in anime format.
Now, time travel is a tricky concept, since it's a phenomenon that humanity is yet to begin to explore. Due to this, whether it be an anime or a movie series, the notion of time travel in its core is succeeded by one fact alone, that is the creativity and what it does with that concept. Steins;Gate is no exception and its success
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depends on various things it does right.
The first few episodes give off an awkward feel but once a further episode mark is reached, Steins;Gate is in full flow and every single of that 'convoluted' mess that you thought in the beginning now suddenly starts to make sense, and there is no stopping after that until Steins;Gate is finished. This is where the highlight of the show lies in. Once it has cracked open, it takes the starting episodes to much greater heights all the while making complete sense and not confuse the viewer. Now that I have explained Steins;Gate a little, it still isn't perfect. There is as little a flaw as I can point out while I watched the series, and the story keeps on progressively getting better and the characters are amazing, but on a wider level, Steins;Gate is limited with its characters being limited to serving to the plot alone.
Okabe Rinatoru is the main protagonist in the show, and the entire story of Steins;Gate revolves around him and his friends or whom he calls as his other Lab Members. On the surface, Okabe can be said to be a nerd who is always preoccupied with fantasy delusions of his regarding time travelling, and calls himself the Mad Scientist and also goes by a different persona namely of Hououin Kyouma. The insight into Okabe's adventure of time travelling carries a great deal of weight, as everything that happens in the show is a direct reaction to his actions. Now him being in the center of everything, the common expectation would be to witness a signification change in personality and ideologies of Okabe over the course of twenty-four episodes, but Steins;Gate defies those expectations. I'd consider this as an achievement in itself for a show such as Steins;Gate which is heavily character-driven, as there is little change in Okabe throughout the show while the enjoyment level never drops down. It would've been a complete success only if Okabe's actions had a motive or reasoning for his actions. It is obvious after a while that Okabe cares about his friends very much and is ready to give his all to try and change their future for the good, but there is no build-up or back-story to his character that it feels just short of the mark. This very much has to do with his childhood friend, Mayuri Shiina, a simple-headed girl that is the second member of Okabe's so called Laboratory that he uses to conduct experiments. Mayuri's fate in the show as it progresses has a big role in Okabe's actions and this leads to the birth of a character so well done even with its share of shortcomings. This is completed with the addition of Makise Kurisu, a genius scientist that in the rush of circumstances becomes a Lab member and joins Okabe, his childhood friend Mayuri, Hashida Itaru, a fat nerdy hacker who also happens to be Okabe's friend and a lab member, who is called as 'Daru' and a self-proclaimed 'Super Hacker'. Several other side characters are revealed with a greater purpose in the show despite being short on characterization. Was this all a move not expected by White Fox at all? Or was it deliberate?
As I mentioned earlier, the concept of time travel is tricky, and one of the main points it has to tackle are character resets. Although Okabe and the other lab members become more familiar with time resets with their progress ahead, the clever pre-requisites that are set before traveling back to time dismiss the possibility of a reset used for conveniences. At other times the reset works perfectly altering the future in that certain time leap behind, while following up for that certain time reset thus again, dismissing it as a convenience. Makise Kurisu acts an important incentive to help with Okabe's time leaps, as she believes what Okabe has to say. This trust is built on the fact that she has a main role to play in the invention of time leaps, thus also expanding her relationship with Okabe Rintarou. All of this co-exists with a very important fact in the whole story. Every time Okabe makes the leap, he remembers all that happens while other do not. He calls this ability "The Reading Steiner". The ability, which's origin is unknown is strengthened by the circumstances played out in the time leaps. This carries a huge significance for me personally as Steins;Gate perfects everything it does leaving no plot-holes. A good example is the main character's ability in a similar anime known as "Erased". "Revival" as he calls it has no explanation to its origins and that leaves a deep plot-hole which cuts the enjoyment of the show in half. Now I don't have any problem with shows which focus on the given plot alone without giving any information to important aspects such as the abilities, but it also needs a co-existing story-line which strengthens its very own existence. Steins;Gate amazed me with this.
White Fox was a new name to be heard of when Steins;Gate came out, but the art is ever so advanced. The characters with their styles and color palette were overall greatly done. Interestingly, the regular backgrounds and the sceneries were something not hugely emphasized upon. If you have seen Serial Experiments Lain, you'd quickly get what I am talking about. The art in the background is kept minimal while giving full focus to the characters. This works incredibly well with Steins;Gate and creates a sync to how the story unfolds and settles the viewer in quickly. However, the backgrounds also change greatly in sync with the story, which overall gives a great watching experience. There is also a minimal usage of soundtracks in the show, which is exchanged with repeated dialogues so it doesn't feel like a minus at all. "Hacking to the Gate" by Kanaka Itou plays as the opening of Steins;Gate. It's overall your typical J-pop but with the regular implementations in the progress of the show, this becomes a treat to the ears every time an episode begins. It's amazing because the song would fit into any of your typical teen-focused anime these days, yet the greatness of Steins;Gate makes the song even more better. I personally didn't pay much heed to the ending as the worst part was when an episode ended and I couldn't wait to go see the next one! But overall, the intro and outro songs depends on preferences. The Japanese dub is always my first choice over its English counterpart and that was the case with Steins;Gate and... Miyano Mamoru does it again! I've lost count of how many characters that he played that I totally cherished. At first, it seems like a bad connection but the 'old-guy' look of Okabe Rintarou and the ever youthful voice of Miyano Mamoru took a good toll on me. Okabe's goofy personality was well presented by him. The rest of the cast was good as well. Hanazawa Kana's voicing as the very simpleton Mayuri was a pleasure throughout the show.
It was simple curiosity that I gave Steins;Gate a viewing and what an experience it was. Something to cherish for a long time. A show about time traveling is always fun, and I didn't have my own expectations on Steins;Gate beforehand, and that ended as the right mentality for me to go in a watch a show like Steins;Gate... because I didn't need to or wanted to expect anything out of Steins;Gate, but what I got from it was simply great. The 24 episodes were a thrill to watch. As I said earlier before, Steins;Gate isn't perfect. Maybe it could've had emphasized its characters a bit more, but either way it worked out amazingly well. Perhaps the fact alone that Steins;Gate isn't perfect is the biggest reason that makes it a masterpiece.
Well, that's it from me and I bid farewell as I rephrase "This is the choice of Steins;Gate!"
El Psy Congroo.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Jul 8, 2016
Inferno Cop, a show where ending credits is 4x longer than the episode itself.
This is a masterpiece, but at the same time the worst shlock ever made.
This is satirical comedy at its peak and beyond. It's something that far exceeds my intellect to comprehend. This is maximum autism.
To make more sense, I'd have to copy our Lord Foggle's review on Mars of Destruction here while purely agreeing with each of the sentences and have no satirical intentions afterwards, and for me to come close to deducing what Inferno Cop is, I'd have to be born as Einstein in all my seven lives.
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The great Stephen Hawking once said, "Perfection simply doesn't exist... without imperfection, nor you or me would exist."
Rumor has it that he was forced to eat his own words once he saw Inferno Cop.
And when life gives you lemons, just throw that lemon away and watch Inferno Cop.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Jun 26, 2016
"All men are not created equal. This was the reality about society that I learned at a young age of four."
Thus begins the journey of Izuku "Deku" Midoriya, a dreamer, who's passion and wish is to become like his idol and role model, the Symbol of Peace, the one and only All Might.
There was never a shadow of doubt that My Hero Academia was slated to divide opinions among fans for all the not quite correct-- but inevitable reasons. Enter Izuku Midoriya, a cheerful but an extremely introvert middle school teenager who feels neglected by the society, not because of his depressive tendencies
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or anything but that he's a "Quirkless" among the more common ones born with "Quirks". Quirks are something which has become a norm in the world of My Hero Academia. Nowadays most people born in the planet consist of the 80% of population which mysteriously develop supernatural powers titled as Quirks. Quirks can vary from the personalities to the genetics of the given person, and there is no clear explanation as to how the powers can manifest within a human's body. As quickly as one can comprehend it, this is the way of life portrayed in the series, and it revolves around Izuku, who is now one of those rare cases where there is no sign of a Quirk developing in his body.
Fans of the Shounen genre know all too well what to expect from the series. And for it to be coming with an ordinary premise that has been done multiple times within the genre (Which as I said earlier can divide opinions easily.), My Hero Academia certainly has its highs and lows. It gets off to a cheesy start with its nail-bitingly snail-like pace and has a nostalgic feeling to it, albeit the premise gets the better of it and it feels very underwhelming. At this point it doesn't provide sufficient meat to the viewer and it doesn't come off as surprising if the viewer decides to drop the show. While the show picks up on it and precedes it by changing the momentum and present more material to the viewer, the inception of the series leaves a bad aftertaste which cannot be shrugged off. After the initial first four episodes, the series starts to change gears and while it becomes more battle-oriented, it also doesn't leave out the characters that drive it and adds more to them. Once Izuku establishes his very own skill set after registering into the prestigious school of heroes, The Yuuei (U.A.) Academy, things look brighter for him and there's more insight to what creates and identifies him. The mid phases of the series is also where the rivalry of Izuku and his life-long friend and also enemy, Katsuki Bakugo, is at its peak.
Izuku Midoriya takes the center-stage in the show accompanied by All Might, who Izuku thinks of highly and his childhood rival, Katsuki. Izuku is depicted as a very timid, a slightly eccentric but still a cheerful boy who's one and only wish is to be a hero like his idol. In a matter of thirteen episodes, My Hero Academia manages to flesh out the basic characteristics of Izuku as he tries to overcome bullies who ridicule him on being born without any quirks. The show doesn't shy away from flashing the reality across Izuku time and time again, which gives it a little more meaning to the trials Izuku has to overcome to become like the hero he always admired. Katsuki Bakugo, who Izuku dearly calls as Kacchan, is the exact but a superior opposite to Izuku. From a very early age he is shown as someone who has immense pride in himself. This is only justified more when Katsuki's flashy quirk manifests. The middle stages of the show focuses more on the one-off between Izuku and Katsuki, and excels at presenting Katsuki's extreme pride in himself and him having a superiority complex. All Might can be said to be the most polarized character from the show. What starts as a super hero with generic drawings and whose power is not revealed, leaves a trail of identity behind which makes the viewer slowly draw in towards his charm and ultimately like him towards the end.
I have always been a fan of Studio Bones and their extremely quirky and exaggerated drawing style. My Hero Academia was a case of the two making a perfect couple. Put together with Horikoshi Kosei's Marvel and DC-inspired characters' art style, Studio Bones did what they do best at presenting the honest and fluid animations as they always have. While its a perfect ten on the visual aspect, its also a subject of mere taste. Many are put off by the Americanized character designs and personalities. So in general, its a hit or a miss on the visuals.
Getting to the sound and auditory aspects of the show, the voice acting of the characters plays a big role in conveying the full material to the audience and it was no different with My Hero Academia. Yamashita Daiki's vocals are synced to perfection with Izuku's timid characteristics. He also does an excellent job at being rational and calm while doing the narration as well. Okamoto Nobuhiko's presenation of Katsuki was nothing short of a spectacle in the show. Katsuki's psyched up reactions are handled masterfully by the pumped up and convoluted voice of Nobuhiko. Not to say that Kenta Miyake's job as All Might was any easier. "There is no need for fear. Why? Because I'm here!" These lines always burst out the joy within me. "The Day" by Porno Graffitti was a perfect choice for the intro and for a classic battle shounen such as My Hero Academia and it will definitely make your blood boil. In a season filled with some amazing openings, The Day without a shred of doubt took the spotlight. "HEROES" by Brian the Sun was nothing short of amazing too. It was more centered around Izuku's character and him coming of age.
If you love shounen anime's, then My Hero Academia will deliver. There is no doubt about that, but its a matter of perspective. It has fights which are more tactically focused and it keeps the audience on the edge of their seats, and has cool characters with some ridiculous powers. My Hero Academia has a wider prospect as a second season is officially announced. The first season is an answer to the potential to be good, and that answer is yes.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jun 24, 2016
Made by Studio Trigger who were famously behind Kill la Kill, comes another piece of work as absurd as the former. To sum it up, Uchuu Patrol Luluco is like opening a box full of colorful chocolates which would burst open once put in the mouth.
Ogikubo is a fictional place set far in the future time where aliens and humans and come terms with each other and live together. Uchuu Patrol Luluco follows Luluco, a seemingly normal teenage human girl who seeks a normal lifestyle herself in this crazy city filled with mysterious creatures. But of course that isn't the case as Luluco is
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appointed as the newest member of the Uchuu/Space Patrol Agency, an organization fighting against crimes and serving justice in the world of Ogikubo!
Uchuu Patrol Luluco specializes in slapstick over-the-top humor and comedy with its cartoon-ish animation. It's flashy all the time and oozes extravagant visuals which is eye candy.
The music is as absurd as the anime itself. Techno-like soundtracks keep interchanging during the episodes which go hand in hand with the excessive and highly exaggerated dialogues. Among these attributes, the two very opposite opening and ending themes can be added as well. "CRY MAX Do-Heijitsu" by Fujirokyu (Kari) has some of the ridiculous vocals I've heard to date. The song changes lyrics as the show progresses as well. One heck of a composing that is. Standing to the exact opposite of that is the soothing "Pipo Password" by Teddyloid ft. Bonjour Suzuki. Amazing mixture of sensual vocals and a use of ambient tunes. It also has very good visuals to add to that. It turns out as my favorite ending song of the season and it shouldn't come as a surprise to who've heard it as well.
Luluco is the main character of the series. She's cute and has feelings for Nova, another member of the Space Patrol Agency accompanying Luluco. Luluco secretly loves him. He's calm, rational knows what he is doing. Nothing is shown as such that he has feelings responding to Luluco's feelings for him. Midori is the last one of the three members of the agency, she is caught as a criminal first but inadvertently becomes a member! The one who makes her the member is the chief of Space Patrol Agency, Over-Justice. His name implies his very exact characteristics. Someone who is hell bent on giving a little too much justice! There is an assistant of Over-Justice who never speaks during the show, so little is known about her. Lastly, Luluco's father Keijo and her mother Lalaco Godspeed. Her father is a veteran member of the agency and her mother is surprisingly a Space Pirate who re-unites with Luluco under extremely abnormal (Pun intended) circumstances.
Uchuu Patrol Luluco racks up points for the sheer enjoyment and laughs it gives off, even if there is literally nothing that keeps progressing as a storyline. Heck, between one of the episodes, they even mention that the script is still incomplete and they're doing it simultaneously as it airs. There's one thing that I never understood though; there's a tagline between every three episodes which implies that this thirteen-episode series in fact is divided between four seasons with a couple or three episodes each. That was something I never understood. Oh, that might be just Trigger being themselves.
Uchuu Patrol Luluco is best enjoyed when you've watched Kill la Kill, as it uses a lot of references from that show. In fact it also uses several other characters from shows done by Trigger. All in all, Uchuu Patrol Luluco is like a family gathering of Studio Trigger. It's just a shame that this is a short worth only seven minutes, but perhaps that is where it truly shines and achieves something a show with that duration rarely ever achieves.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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