Apr 8, 2012
First review, so cut me some slack, please. Note: I haven't read the manga.
Story: 8
I like the story, even if it's not exactly unique. I give it 8 since I'm not entirely sure of the motivations behind each of the main characters. Also, I assume there will be a bigger rival then the wannabe Ghost Rider and the bully, although it'd be nice if they came back and did something to try to avenge their defeats. Since this big rival hasn't been introduced yet, I can't give this any higher than 8.
Art: 9
Good art style. The character design is pretty good and Chubby-kun looks
...
adorable, in my opinion. The battles are pretty damn good too, although the lack of an OP and ED with the first double episode leads me to believe that quite a large chunk of the episode's budget was spent on them. I expect the fight quality to go down in the following episodes, but this is a 9 for now.
Sound: 5
No OP or ED in these episodes, and I'm not really a big fan of the two songs being used either. The rest of the music was just decent enough.
Character: 10
I really enjoyed the characters. Chubby-kun is someone many people can relate to, and his pig avatar seems perfect for him. I wonder why he chose a pig though. Maybe I missed it in the episode, but I'd think that in a virtual world, wouldn't someone with low self esteem create a cooler looking thing? I'd like to know the reason for the pig, but it definitely fits his appearance. He also has room to develop, unlike a lot of other characters, and his development could really mirror that of a real human being, as he tries to raise his self esteem and confidence.
Kuroyukihime, meanwhile, is superbly illustrated and I'm grateful they didn't exaggerate her figure. If I remember my own days in middle school correctly, unlike in anime, girls there generally didn't have a 36 DD rack. She seems to genuinely care for the kid and wants to actually help him out. She definitely has ulterior motives, but she did everything in her power to give him a chance, which tells you she won't be the stereotypical "cheerleader"-type.
Haru's two friends, meanwhile seem pretty interesting too. The girl is nice enough to get him food and the guy seems like he's willing to help him as well, although he might become jealous of the fact that the Chiyuri seems to like Haru. This may turn into a problem for Haru later on.
Enjoyment: 9
Typical of it's genre. I am a bit biased towards anime such as this and generally enjoy a good animated fight, so this is a 9.
Overall: 9
While the technological aspect of this story is a little overused, it's refreshing to see a main character that I personally (and I'm sure many, many middle schoolers in the United States in particular) can relate to. I was Haru when I was that age. Of course, I managed to grow out of it in time and without the assistance of a pretty girl (debatable). At the moment, I'm liking the where this anime is headed and I like the message it's presenting a lot: Find something you like, that you're good at and that you can share with other people, and even the pretty girl who you have absolutely no chance with will at least notice you. Considering what's happening in the world today, with the sheer amount of bullying that goes on in our schools, this anime couldn't have come out at a better time.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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