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Sep 15, 2017
It's funny how, when you're surrounded by many somethings dreadful, as soon as you find anything remotely good it seems great. And then suddenly, you discover a masterpiece and you wish you could push the meagre 10/10 score higher, because it's just that good. That much a cut above the rest.
I didn't come at this show expecting anything in particular. It was mostly one of those, "Oh, that cover looks nice," kind of moments. First up, I need to say I don't especially understand the exact meaning of "LGBTA", "transgender" or all that. All humans are human, and emotions and feelings and identity are
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more confusing than a scrunched spider-web.
Yet it resonated with me, down to the heart. Personal experiences, memories and emotions came welling up, from that age. Every single character is relatable, the endearing and the odious both. This is a must watch for anyone and everyone; it is beautiful.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Sep 6, 2017
Knight's & Magic - the grammar in the title is killing me to type. Henceforth, I shall be referring to this show as K&M. Whoever named it clearly didn't speak great English.
You'd think the creators chose the genres at random. Fantasy, magic and mechs together aren't the first thing that would come to mind when you think typical. But that's precisely what it is; the blandest, most generic fantasy concept, mixed with the blandest, most generic mechs. Add a supposedly school-like back drop and some fraternal twin sidekicks, and there you have it. Honestly, the scenario sounds more interesting than it should, but what K&M
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lacks is execution.
The core of the issue is the writers trying to cram too much story into 13 episodes. The pacing is awful. It lacks the essential, "show instead of tell," element we see in anything remotely good. As a matter of fact, they should have scrapped the narration entirely. It feels like I'm reading a fantasy picture book that's trying to be as dry as non-fiction. K&M relies too much on the main protagonist and the pretty colours. Everyone else might as well be as personable as stage props.
For me, the only saving grace it has is Erne himself. He's so bubbly, and enthusiastic, and sparkly you can't not dislike him. My favourite scene was that one in the first episode, where the teacher turns around to find student half the size - and age - as the rest, staring back with eyes so bright and eager to learn. But too much time is spent on him, and we learn next to nothing about anyone else.
Unfortunately, the potential is wasted. It's a shame, but it's an illness we see all too often. Is my life richer after viewing? No. Would I go out of my way to see it if it weren't conveniently airing at this moment? No. Is K&M recommended to the reader? Not particularly, but if you have nothing better to do, it's not so bad you'll regret searing it into your retinas.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Sep 6, 2017
I ought to have already learnt not to judge an anime by its name. "Majestic Prince" just does a good job of bringing that point home. Honestly, who'd take something with that kind of title seriously? It hardly has anything to do with the plot and as such, once disregarded, this show is immensely enjoyable. It's about space, robots and the survival of the human race - which, I don't know about you, but those themes are fun.
The story itself isn't anything spectacular. Aliens are attempting to take over the solar system and humans must defend Earth in a pitiably one-sided war. To counter this,
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authorities have genetically altered some teenagers and developed some cutting edge robots for them to fight with. On top of this, the government has decided to advertise them as heroes turning the tide in the war - all to reassure the public that they're doing something, regardless of the real nature of things. Team Rabbits, our group of protagonists are far from effectively perfect.
Team Rabbits, commonly dubbed The Fail Five at school, are a diverse cast of interesting personalities - ranging from the idiotically outspoken, to the reserved introverts. Essentially, they're all unique - although some a more faceted than others, the dynamic is better than one might imagine. Everyone gets on, relatively so. The dialogue is hilarious to witness. And what's more, we see them grow over the course of the show.
The side characters were generally, fairly good. It varied, depending on their role, but I've seen much worse.
The art was pleasantly nostalgic, a throwback to Gundam Seed and Fafner, the character designs were done by the same person. Do not worry though, their fashion sense has vastly improved in regard to those two aired a decade earlier. Probably. Most of the time they're in uniforms, so you'd hardly notice. The sound is gorgeous. Really polished feeling, it suited the atmosphere well. I never skipped the opening or ending themes, they were beautiful.
The pacing felt right. Not too slow, not too fast. Of course, there are differing opinions out there, but it kept me hooked and still allowed for details to be explored. Recently, I've been dropping shows around the halfway mark, even those that are one-cour, purely because they kind of... outstay their welcome. But this show was pleasant all the way through, it wasn't too intellectually demanding, but it didn't take the viewers for idiots either. And to top it all off, the action was enjoyably suspenseful - it was the antagonists with superior technology, and the protagonists had both victories, losses and arguable draws.
It was a load of fun. If you're hesitating, I highly recommend it. Give "Majestic Prince" a shot and you'll very well be surprised.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Aug 29, 2017
I was introduced to the Gundam Franchise by IBO, around that period in time between the airing of the first and second series - that is to say, before it totally went downhill. I then investigated 00, SEED and its corresponding trainwreck of a sequel, and the first few episodes of many other Gundam series. One thing struck me, and that was that this franchise seems to have one thing in common with itself every time: It frequently starts strong, but becomes disillusioned in the latter half, or the sequel. Of them all, 00 has the least loopholes and therefore, by that reasoning, it is
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the best.
I'm also not saying this from a biased perspective, as my favourite happens to be Seed (who knows why, it's not even that good) but 00 is all-round better quality. As an added bonus, it's also the prettiest, what with the majority others having somewhat dated (but by no means bad) art styles, but I don't believe anyone could deny 00 to be pretty sleek - art-wise, music-wise, even animation-wise.
There is a diverse cast. The MC is a quiet, self-contained and reserved character of few words. It makes for an interesting story, as Setsuna has a history, and the few clues dropped will keep the viewer hooked to find out more. This is good, and it makes for an interesting, many-faceted story, but as a result, character development is minimal at best. 00 is a plot-driven show from the start and it remains such until the end.
This story starts out, and slowly introduces very many loose ends and threads, and as it progresses, everything is weaved into a tale that will have you question the morality and purpose for human existence. At first, you might wonder why your time was wasted by some seemingly irrelevant bystanders getting a good deal of screen-time, or why the astonishing number of antagonists that might not be antagonists at all, or why the Gundams themselves are on a level far too OP to make for any tension in the action. Everything comes together, and a lot of questions you didn't even know to ask are answered.
But I found myself questioning the point. It all ended with a sense of dissatisfaction. Sure, there's conflict. Then more conflict. Then more, and it snowballs. That was quite interesting to witness, but as someone who loves to delve into the mind-space of the characters, it was challenging to see everything end without a resolution that truly felt conclusive. But at the end of the day, 00 is an action mech show - and one of the best of the best at that - thus, it is highly recommended.
Although, if you don't want to see all logic destroyed, I suggest you steer clear of the sequel movie. Wishing you fun in viewing Celestial Being change the order of the world, thanks for reading.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Aug 28, 2017
Superheros? And a whole school for them? So that they can be churned out like a production line? Now, I'll say here, that the whole superhero concept never grabbed me in the first place - and I've seen more than a few movies about them, only thanks to insistent relatives. Otherwise, the whole concept of massively OP characters wearing silly costumes and flying around a city, all the while blowing it to bits, would be subject to steer clear of.
It's only thanks to immense boredom that I began the leap into the world that is My Hero Academia. Honestly, after being inflicted by months of
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trailers, rave reviews and various gifs relating to it all over the internet, let's just say I was curious.
Yes. It starts out beyond cliche of cliche. Yes. For the most part, the story is exactly what one can get away with assuming it will be. However, what one cannot grasp with the trailer, or even the first episode or two, is the sheer size of that cast of well-likable, well-developed characters.
The art is nice, the sound track is spectacular, the pacing is excellent, the action is enthralling, the humour is easy to grasp and what's best, is the fact that it can still be somewhat intellectually stimulating for viewers outside the target audience. Which is something that can't be said for many anime aired nowadays.
Of the vast shounen genre, I predict that one day, My Hero Academia will be a classic. Please reader, even if you're doubtful about how such a premise could be held in such high regard by so many, take the plunge and discover why it's brilliant.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Aug 1, 2017
Natsume Yuujinchou. It makes me think of frozen raspberries and a relaxed, unhurried fuzzy feeling - because that’s what I was doing when I first watched it, all five seasons that had aired at the time - consuming raspberries as though they were popcorn and trying to survive the sweltering summer holidays.
The premise, it is something fairly simple and relatively familiar. The main character is an orphan, has grown up with no one there to care about him, has been ostracised from society for being either weird or abnormal and in this case, being capable of seeing supernatural beings which others cannot. Until now, he
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hasn’t been capable of finding his own place in the world, and this is where the story starts; a new family, a new town and a new chance to, finally, discover what is is to have a place to call home.
From this, you might think this is nothing you haven’t seen before. But what really took me by surprise was how well it was done. The author took this idea and made it her own.
Natsume Takashi, the main character, what with his background, does indeed illicit some sympathy and melancholy feelings from the viewers. But - how to put this - it’s not thrown in your face. It’s merely presented as fact. And these facts shape him for the character he is today; introverted, quiet, used to bottling things up and dealing with things on his own. A completely unhealthy mindset to be in, but that is perhaps, one of the biggest messages in the story, and unfortunately there is also truths in these states of being for the everyday lives of many people.
Naturally, this creates a lot of basis for character development. And it is there, masterfully so even if you don’t notice at first glance, at a step by step pace so slow one can hardly tell the difference. Perhaps this isn’t a show for people pressed for time, I’m not one of them and I wouldn’t have it any other way. This is a masterpiece so grand it should be compulsory. You see him open up, make friends, learn how to share his cares. And as a person it is revealed that Natsume is unmeasurably kind, generous and will go out of his way to help those in need - even if all he gets in return is a bad night of sleep, and perhaps might find him self in the face some form of supernatural peril. Each episode will definitely leave a smile on your face.
Nyanko-sensei, well, he is a contrast. The largest source of humour, with a not dislikable unvirtuous demeanour. He is great. Just great, and Natsume Yuujinchou wouldn’t be Natsume Yuujinchou without him.
And then we get to the title: Natsume Yuujinchou, in English, Natsume’s Book of Friends. It’s a positive name which embodies the themes, the story and the characters. Quite literally, it’s named after The Book of Friends, created by his grandmother, Natsume Reiko and the only memento Takashi has of his family. Each page has a “name” belonging to a youkai (those supernatural beings I mentioned earlier) and the show’s episodic nature tells his journeys to returning them.
As a result, this isn’t something one might feel pressed to watch all at once. Far from it, this is something one can relax with after a long, stressful day. I know I have my favourite episodes for when I’m feeling anxious.
Seriously, if you haven’t watched this by now, you, reader, are missing out. I cannot emphasise this enough.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jun 5, 2017
Please note that this may contain mild or indirect spoilers.
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I'm a musician, or was. When I was four years old, I saw someone play violin on the TV and thought, "One day, that's gonna be me!"
And yet here I am, having been forced to quit a decade later and even years after that, not daring to pick it back up due to chronic health problems... not only was this an emotional and beautiful masterpiece in and of itself, it resonated a deep and very personal note deep in my heart. If English wasn't my only language, I'd send a very long thankyou note to the
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author even if it had to go overseas.
This probably won't be like a review, but more like a re-telling of my personal feelings. Because there is no way I can be impartial after that, no way whatsoever - so I'm going to write it regardless.
After first watching this nearly a year ago, soon after discovering the nice side of anime, it made me seriously ball my eyes out every step of the way - yet still, at the time I didn't value this masterpiece as much as I should've. Now, however, I can safely say this is the best music anime of all time. It's sad, it's beautiful, it makes you honestly appreciate the joy of being a musician.
The fear of dropping your instrument and thus breaking it because you blacked out. The inability to multi task to that degree anymore and thus go out of time, or out of tune and have it all come crashing down. It's all there. Everything, that is, besides the relatability of being a prodigy. Hah.
Not that that matters. This story, the way it's told, it needs to be about an immense talent. Because this is also about bringing that godly, otherworldliness down and making them human. And it is executed, I shall say for the hundredth time, perfectly. The characterisation is exquisite. Spot on. Every last one of them is relatable, in some way or another. The protagonists, the rivals and even that antagonist - in some way, they make want root for them at least once or more or a million times throughout the duration of the show.
The ending does something dreadful to your heart, and for some, I'm sure they rated it lower because of it, but it's still something one cannot easily forget. The bravery required by the author to do that, and the impact of the story is even greater due to it. I honestly believe there was no better way to wrap it up, but it was tragic to see the journey end. I also hope that because I didn't name any spoiler outright, you, the reader and future viewer, will be able to enjoy each passing moment to the greatest extent.
I suppose you could also say that the journey after that story of self discovery only begins after the fact. That if you let it, inside your mind, it will continues on and on. Music is eternal after all. No matter how old it gets, if you let it, there's also a feeling of something new.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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May 23, 2017
I am by no means a sports lover. In fact, I usually head in the opposite direction at the first sign of any athletic activity. Maybe that's partly due to my tendency for rolled ankles, flat feet and chronic health induced low stamina, but maybe it's because I truly dislike the atmosphere put off by such an insanely competitive industry. Regardless of all misgivings, I eventually decided to give this show, Haikyu, a shot. Still not entirely sure why, but that's beside the point - perhaps I'd just scrolled past it one too many times.
And goodness, was I surprised. Blown away. Overwhelmed by what a
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journey it turned out to be. It is honestly, what you could call a masterpiece for its respective genres. Here I am adding to the rave reviews, but they're all deserved.
The characters are so dynamic, it's addictive, the development and the trials they go through - such as dealing with things like loss, is all spectacular. From day one you'll find yourself laughing due to their quirks and rooting for them whenever they face their individual challenges. Just as much time is spent on actual training as it is on the games, and it is never boring. Over the course of the 3 seasons, essentially everyone recieves some kind of back story and fully fleshed out personality.
The art is brilliant - truly a style I haven't seen anywhere else, and it totally suits it (I mean, just look at some of Hinata's crazy expressions!) I loved all the designs. They weren't 'unrealistic' like so many other animes, but they were unique and each character easily identifiable. The animation is beautiful, and the sound track is great.
Honestly, if you're still here reading, I highly recommend you start watching this instant. You won't be able to stop xD
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Mar 10, 2017
A few centuries into the future, the world has been swallowed up by suffocating despair and hatred. Humankind is very nearly extinct and everywhere is a battlefield - all but one island, a tiny bubble of hope giving it their all to protect the culture of peace - a peace of which everyone has long since forgotten.
Here we pick up with our protagonists of the original series, Kazuki, Minashiro and the rest of their generation are now a few years older and we get introduced to the next generation of pilots - these new characters pale in comparison, but are still pretty good.
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Intermittently narrated in a past tense by Minashiro's intelligent and honest voice, you'll get the ominous sense of rising dread. "Something bad is gonna happen and humankind will be dragged kicking and screaming to their doom." Was a thought which never floated far from the surface all throughout and more so into the next series.
Regardless for its mediocre art style, the sound track was ever more magnificent. Whenever I felt like pulling the plug and never coming back, the music continued to draw me in - it was the intro which made me wade through the original Fafner in the first place.
In many ways, I believe this is better than the prequels, however, you'll need to watch them in order to make any sense. It still suffers from the unexplained, but once you've got the hang of it, it's an enjoyable, comprehensible, emotional experience.
The characters are great. The music is great. The art isn't dislikable. The story is pretty good and it manages to maintain the same foreboding nature all throughout. If you've got enough time, patience, an appreciation of the abstract and a somewhat sadistic nature which doesn't mind seeing your favourite characters dragged through a painfully slow hellish experience, I recommend it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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