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Apr 5, 2019
Why is it so insurmountable a task for series to avoid genre shifting? Honestly, if I wanted a dramatic turn of events with tears, shitty "twists," and overwhelming boredom I'd just go marathon a few hours of fart porn while eating yogurt and listening to Sabaton.
The setup here is great. It's nothing new, exciting, or particularly interesting, but it's *entertaining* and that matters the most in my book. A guy in an all-girls school surrounded by man-starved lolis with half-mechas and co-ed dormitory hijinks. I don't really care if something is groundbreaking, only if I find it enjoyable to experience and can do so without
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my eyes rolling so far back that they're greasing my butthole. And yeah, IS did that for half a dozen episodes.
Aaaaaaand then it decided to toss off all the amusing scenarios with a Le Ebin Dramatic Series of Events where any notion of comedy is recycled into something so utterly dull I actually had to lock my cat out because she was getting agitated by my growing irritation. But I forced myself to finish because leaving things half done feels like eating glass tacos.
Anyway, is it worth your time? Fucking no. Just like 95% of animes I watch, IS decides halfway through to become something else. I truly do not understand why writers and producers think this is fun or enjoyable, because it's god damn not. It's even more insulting to my time because everything leading up to the 180 was actually pretty good--especially some cool city/backdrop designs.
Reviewer’s Rating: 1
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Apr 2, 2019
There's nothing inherently *wrong* with [Excessively Long Anime Title Anime]. If you're into game-type series with a lot of physics-defying high school grills then I expect you'll get value from the twelve episodes. So, worth watching? Not really. It was never bad enough for me to drop it, but the last three episodes had me watching on half the screen while researching grilling tips for my Grillmaster™ 5000™ and sorting my extensive collection of Grill™ Images™ on the other.
It's not really a harem anime because there's only one grill in the running, but the other collection of QTs stick around the boring protagonist like gum
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on the bottom of a school desk put there by some random Stacy while she blew Chad Penninghampgoldworthton and then forgotten about just like her prescription for Zovirax. There's nothing special about any of the main or side characters, although that doesn't mean they lack charm or personality. It's obviously nothing you haven't seen before, but they're still fun to watch. Also, the animation is top-quality and some of the panoramas really are beautiful.
What really salts my dripping axe wound is the premise/co-main component of [ELATA]: the video game Legendary Age. At first I somewhat enjoyed the game world because it allowed an alternate storytelling path for the characters to grow--even though I really, super-duper don't like vidya animes. Then it just kept going to the point where the last couple episodes are all about the game. This sucks because by that point in the series I didn't give a dry turd about the game, I wanted to watch the characters interact IRL. I'd "gotten to know them" and wanted that to take priority over an endless stream of MMO cliches. And speaking of, some of the memes spouted in dialogue are overused (normie scum) bordering on cringey.
But like I said before, there's nothing *bad* here, but it's definitely not good either. I didn't hate my time because I did finish it, but I also can't really recommend it either unless you're really into the vidya anime "genre."
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Mar 29, 2019
This anime is a case study in how to spend 24 episodes telling a grand-scope story only to get nowhere in the end. Is it worth spending all that time only to have no finale? No. Absolutely not. There are some stories worth experiencing just for the ride itself, but there are others where every single passage builds to a grand showdown/big reveal/epic sacrifice/whatever only to completely abandon that idea in favor of sequel baiting; here, there is no sequel and won't ever be one, so the entire anime is a pointless endeavor from the outset.
I'm entirely serious when I say that all 24 episodes
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(to the very last moment) work tirelessly to construct a foundation of mammoth proportions. There are so many side plots and interesting characters built up but 100% of them are unresolved in the end--and it also doesn't help that Densetsu's primary worldbuilding technique is an over-reliance on flashback sequences. In my estimation 15% of this show is flashbacks, and while I generally loathe that technique it wasn't so bad and I could have looked past it. Unfortunately none of it amounts to anything.
There are early hints of brilliance with Ryner's colossal power level, but besides a titillating peek it never shows itself again. The entire last half I was anticipating it being unleashed but it never came--just like everything else. It's like a neverending game of "no honey, it's YOUR turn to enjoy yourself" where no one gets off and everyone just goes to sleep out of frustration.
I've come out of pointless series with good impressions before because, as I said earlier, some journeys are worth experiencing. What differs here is that absolutely everything contributes to setting the snowball rolling downhill. All the little plot developments, character quirks, funny asides, and long philosophical diatribes build and build and build only for the sun to come out and melt the snow before the bottom. So, what do you get for 24 episodes? A decent magic system, snappy animations with impressive backdrops, a large cast of likeable characters where everyone has good motives, a musical score that's largely serviceable with flashes of brilliance, and a surprising amount of lighthearted scenarios (episode 23 in particular was extremely good in this regard). What you don't get is even a hint of closure, every single narrative thread still open, and an overwhelming sense of "what the fuck was the point?"
What an overwhelming disappointment. This should have been amazing.
Reviewer’s Rating: 2
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Mar 26, 2019
What a ride.
I'll get right to answering the question "is this worth my time?" to which the conclusion is probably no. If you're picky about dodging animu cliches, CGDCT, magic interjected into WW2, or bumpy rides full of melodramatic potholes you're in for a huge disappointment. If you're one who lives for alternate European settings, beautiful scenery, and a majestic score that's epic beyond belief then this is the show for you.
I absolutely love fantastical takes on real history, so I was overjoyed by Izetta's first few episodes; likewise, I adore David vs. Goliath narratives where a small, well-defended nation is pitted against a
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superpower with little chance of success (Valkyria Chronicles anyone?). Here, the opening episodes gave me everything I wanted and more. Battle scenes are animated gloriously, tactics and strategies are realistic, and even the technology of IRL WW2-era Germany is presented with razor precision. There were even several closeups of Jericho trumpets on JU 87s!
By the midpoint though, my "anime pitfall" senses were on high alert. It's like I could sense that something was going to trash Izetta and make me force myself through some bullshit or other just for more battle scenes. It came about two-thirds of the way through and I completely lost interest. But then I thought, "well, I might as well read the wiki synopsis to see if the ending is going to suck balls." I'm glad I did, for certain. Episodes 9-11 were a total drag to get through, but I can confirm that the ending is satisfactory and happy. It didn't disappoint me, although it should have been better.
Usually I'd just admit defeat and abandon ship, but the great setting and meticulous worldbuilding drew me back in. Still, there's absolutely melodrama, and it's even worse because it was unneeded. I just finished watching Youjo Senki, and that's a series which consistently dodged any setbacks and told a straightforward tale from beginning to end; Izetta would have benefited greatly from a linear progression. It didn't *need* to rock back and forth, and it would have been far superior just to go from A to B without stopping by "fuck" and "off."
That said, this is a sensationally-produced anime. Above all, the music and visual artistry are divine and make it well worth trudging through the trenches just to bear witness to all it has to offer. Yes, it should have been better. Yes, it's not worth watching unless you're 100% onboard with the setting.
And yet still, it's a compelling journey.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Mar 24, 2019
***SPOILERS N SHIT***
Akame ga Kill!!!11!! is series with impeccable production values across the board* that tries so hard to be more than it is. I don't read monga so the only material I am able to criticize is the animu; now that my obligatory Weeb Shield™ is equipped I can get right down to why this is a swing and a miss (just like all sports-related puns!).
Everyone interesting dies. That's pretty much the entire premise here, and like Game of Memes it supremely fails to uphold the content. I know people hate plot armor, and through the thousands of series and films I've watched I
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tend to agree that such literary devices are the machinations of amateur writers. It's no fun to have important characters constantly avoid death because that removes any feeling of peril or general tension. In some series that's fine (eg One Punch Man) because it's part of the narrative; unfortunately, AGK!!1!!! takes avoidance of tropes a few steps past the sensible cutoff line and ends up massacring all but a couple of the "good guys" along with 100% of the "bad guys." Once I realized what kind of show this was going to be it had the identical effect of plot armor, only without any kind of satisfying payoff at the end. I knew everyone was going to die so it was pointless to get invested.
Game of Tits is a series based entirely around the fact that anyone interesting is going to die, and it makes no effort to hide this (although I only watched the first three seasons, so who knows maybe the writers got their head out of their dingleberry-infested anuses and cast off the "skills" of a certain obese troll). AGK!11! is this also, but it adds layers of incredible production values to mitigate total collapse. The artwork is stunningly gorgeous. In fact, there's aren't any adjectives I know that could adequately describe how sublime the art is here, so I'll just stop trying. Following along the visual feast is a score by Taku Iwasaki so well made that I nearly couldn't believe how perfectly it complimented the action. It is true art.
If you're able to disregard the obvious fact that everyone dies for no good reason, AGK also offers a great (if a little generic) world to experience. I did notice a fair amount of anachronisms and/or IRL things that were jarringly out of place, but that wasn't a huge deal for me. In addition--and separate from the deaths--AGK also features a deft blend of action, drama, and enough comedic moments to really uplift the sagging plot.
Is it worth your time? Well since I put a spoiler warning up there and the fact most people read reviews for confirmation bias reasons it doesn't really matter since you've probably already seen it. I can't really emphasis enough that if some of the interesting characters had survived this would easily have been 10/10, but since that didn't happen I can't recommend you spend your time (re?)watching it. There's just no satisfactory payoff.
*With the exception of Clint Bickham, who has one of the worst voices in the history of mankind. Seriously, this moran should never be let near a microphone ever again.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Mar 19, 2019
This is an incredible series with one fatal flaw not even the Lelouch clone could foresee: there is no conclusion whatsoever. Everything in Alderamin is geared towards successive seasons but those haven't materialized and it's been almost three years; I think it's safe to assume any further plot development is resigned to largely-untranslated light novels.
So, what do you get for the 13-episode time investment?
A meticulous world built around unique but similar technology, believable civilizations and the space they occupy, and characters with solid motives and backgrounds who are voiced to perfection (with the exception of the Captain). Most of the technology and spirituality is
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largely unexplained, but in my opinion this was deliberate as preparation for subsequent seasons in order to not overburden the narrative with filler; to that end, it's actually to be commended as I find artistic restraint sadly rare.
There isn't much to be said for the plot without ruining it all (and anyway, every review on here spoils it and/or repeats the summary in order to sound erudite), but it was certainly enjoyable. For those who cannot stand discarded plot strings, though, you'll be enraged at how many loose ends there are--and that's beside the fact this series ends with no meaningful tie-off.
If you're able to overcome that this inches closer to a future without a followup season by the day, you won't be disappointed at all. If you can't, then don't bother starting it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Mar 19, 2019
I find it remarkable how salty anime morans get when confronted by realistic scenarios inside a make-believe construct. Almost every negative review of Gate revolves around "muh JSDF propaganda" or "muh fascism" or "muh waifus don't mix with this shiiiit muh muh muh." Unfortunately, I now see why normies hate anime culture so much: it easily ferments stupidity from ill-founded notions.
Try this: an unknown, alien, and hostile force appears in the middle of a major city. They proceed to slaughter civilians by the thousands until being forced back. In response to the incursion and as a result of a stargate being present in the middle
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of a street downtown, the military sends expeditionary recon-in-force units through to ascertain where these people came from. After setting up camp they are attacked by hundreds of thousands of enemies with medieval-era technology. They defend themselves, annihilating almost all of the enemy because machine guns and artillery > wooden shields and steel swords.
There is nothing unrealistic or "fascist" about this. In fact, I found the JSDF to be incredibly restrained almost to the point of being unrealistic the other way. If this scenario were to be placed in New York City, Beijing, or Moscow, what would have happened? The recon-in-force would be several corps-size field armies with weapons far more sophisticated than 'Nam-era F-4s, 81mm mortars, and Type-74 tanks. The Empire would have been totally destroyed and a fake puppet government set up within weeks. Because that happened in reality against enemies with their own tanks, jets, and machine guns. Against horseback cavalry and pikemen it might even have been days.
Moreover, the same reviews bawling about "muh fascism" also complain about "muh prominent Japanese flag all the time waaaaaaahhh" because having pride in one's nation is now considered "waah right wing boo hoooooo mommy." I'm actually astounded morans like this are capable of writing in complete sentences. But I'll leave that alone beyond this because apparently having different opinions is also fascist.
In any case, Gate S1 and S2 are fantastic representations of two cultures clashing while one maintains dominant technological and moral superiority over the other. The main characters have a great range of personalities and objectives, and the dub cast voiced every single one perfectly. There are two issues I have outside of all the social commentary; first, S1 concludes with no ending, and S2 barely has one at all; second, S2 is weighed down with subplots buried within subplots. This is often the case with epic-level series--anime or live-action: subsequent seasons introduce too many narrative strings that can't be deftly handled within the runtime allotted. It doesn't prevent enjoyment in Gate's case, but it's certainly noticeable. I hope that if a third season ever gets produced it will return to the breezy charm of the first.
Both seasons of Gate are well worth your time. There's deep drama (that never, ever falls into the pit of melodrama) and hilarious hijinks weaved delicately through a meta-level story. There's something here for any mature adult.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Mar 13, 2019
***SPOILERS N SHIT***
I'm routinely let down by poor endings. As a writer I know firsthand how difficult it is to conclude a story, particularly if you've become attached to all the characters. Do you want them to live happily ever after? Do you want to punish them for a character flaw? Do you want leave the audience guessing with an ambiguous ending so they can form their own mental picture? Or do you just fuck it all up because you clearly misjudged what drove your work in the first place.
That last one isn't a question because it's how Toradora!!!!!111! decided to do things. The writers
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took generic characters, gave them enough personalities and quirks to keep even someone like me--who is not a fan of romcoms in the slightest--invested in the outcome, and weaved a clever up-and-down rollercoaster of emotions. The best part was that the ride transcended its high school setting and never seem tied to "teenage years" melodrama.
Well, until the last few episodes. Running away from home? Eloping? Enabling friends? Conveniently-away roommates/family? Convenient loving grandparents? Convenient unconcerned friends/parents/school officials/thefuckingpolice? Well, I could deal with all that. I was even considering this a 9/10 despite all that stupid crap because of how invested I was. And then the final episode rolled around.
I barely have the heart to talk about it. I could not be more frustrated. She expects him to just wait around while she selfishly runs away "to deal with her own problems and become a stronger waman" like a complete idiot? For various reasons I've seen more than my share of romcoms and this plot thread is repeated so often it's an actual cliche. And guess what? IT NEVER WORKS. It's ALWAYS stupid. It would have been better if the protagonist had broken his neck falling from the bridge, because at least that's interesting.
Oh, what could have been. Just like dating whores in high school instead of forging meaningful friendships, watching this anime was a mistake that I will regret. Mostly because of how good it should have been if the writers had been great instead of good.
On to the next disappointing anime.
PS. I really liked all the characters here, so if you're into that sort of thing it's still worth a watch. But if you want a satisfying ending that flows with the rest of the series just give up before you start.
Reviewer’s Rating: 3
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Mar 11, 2019
What a miserable downward spiral of infodumping. I don't know anything about the source material, but clearly the producers of this anime tried (and spectacularly failed) to cram like three seasons into twelve episodes without considering what makes the show any good.
I wouldn't particularly consider this one a harem story--although there are obvious scenarios of ecchi sluts begging for Demon King railing; rather, this is an OP antihero changing his destiny to become the hero by tossing off the chains of fate. Or, you know, it would be that simple if the writers had stuck to a linear increase in backstory, worldbuilding, and explaining how
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all this magic/demon king/hero stuff works over the course of the series. But that would require tact and restraint which are obviously complex techniques, so instead we get about eight episodes of cheery magic fun times then four-ish episodes of encyclopedia-cramming by people who get overexcited when approached with the opportunity to flex their nerdity in front of normies.
There are other spoiler-ridden plot reviews here, so I'll just skip past that. What I enjoyed immensely about Ichiban Blah Blah are the characters. The protagonist is an overpowered Harem King Lite while his chief bimbos are a tough ninja with a soft side, a libido-powered lust queen, and a robot with a monotone voice who calls everyone perverts. Pretty cliche stuff. But a lot of people often label cliches as inherently evil simply because they're regularly done in poor taste; Ichiban Blah Blah takes the cliches and makes them enjoyable to the point where it doesn't matter. After all, Tibetan zero gravity cross-stitching tutorials are supposed to be entertaining, and even if there's nothing groundbreaking it can still achieve that benchmark by being well produced. And this one is.
The dub (GASP TIME TO CLICK REPORT DUB EVIL EVIL MUST PROTECT ANIMU INTEGRITY REEEEE) actors all do a great job with the exception of that little shit Miwa whose prepubescent voice feels like getting giant rock dildos shoved into my ears. Animation is all top-tier and smooth, along with the sound effects and music. In reality, Ichiboohoo should get way closer to 8/10 or higher; sadly, the colossal infodump of meaningless and unimportant things towards the latter third of the show is stupid and unenjoyable. Not only that, the "hurr god evil must kill god durrr" plot device comes across as exceedingly edgy in the last episode, kind of like that dumb emo kid in high school who wrote edgy poetry and had a Myspace full of pictures with ketchup smeared on his arms and a butter knife center-frame.
Is it worth watching? Yeah, I think so. Just be prepared for the infodumping. And for fellow *plot* connoisseurs, you will be pleased as well.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Mar 8, 2019
Okay so yes, this show is features copious amounts of *plot* and if that's what you're after you will not be disappointed. Any *plot* connoisseur will appreciate the wide variety of *plot* options on display here, including small side dishes of *plot* and mammoth, quivering *plots* with assorted sauces from tea to hot spring water. Some of the *plot* helpings are actually so generous you might even be like "wow I really like *plots* with my anime, but this is a LOT more than I expected!"
But more importantly--for me anyway--is that LvB has charm, sharp and comedic animation, and a catchy theme song that almost
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made me not skip the intro every time (almost!). I always complain about genre-shifting, and while LvB teases the romantic drama angle towards the latter episodes it never fully crosses the line. There are gags and goofs quite literally to the end of the series which I entirely appreciate.
Aforementioned gags and goofs are 99% about boobs and/or groping, but hilarious facial animations make it all a joke rather than slanting it into rapey scenarios. There's rarely a dull moment here! I also rather enjoy the worldbuilding because it demonstrates real effort was put into the writing rather than starting with boob jokes and working from there. Overall, LvB is not a serious anime whatsoever, and I totally understand why people don't like it, but for me it was a breeze of levity that most "comedies" fail to grasp.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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