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Oct 14, 2023
Since it's my first foray into the Fate universe (this arc starts the series chronologically), I found the world building, back story and exposition to be quite sparse in the beginning. As the summary explains, a magical war is fought between several prominent mage families for control over a powerful object none other than the Holy Grail, with each side represented by a champion magic user who can summon a servant, generally some powerful warrior based on world mythology, etc. A few extra champions are selected seemingly at random by the Grail itself to take part in the war, adding variety and spice
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to the events. There are no rules in this war: combatants use espionage, political subterfuge, manipulation, etc. to win and have no hesitation to kill. Combat takes place out in the open, with very high stakes and consequences for the world at large. Thus it seems a bit incongruous that so few characters are pulled in. Why don't they mobilise entire armies of mages and non-mage operatives to gain an edge in the war? Why is the war not a continuous attritional grind between these families (who surely have blood feuds to settle at this point) but punctuated by many long decades of peace, before the Grail, like clockwork, mysteriously appears again? Why are civilians left alone and not killed or held as leverage? Why does there seem to be unspoken rules about the way the war is conducted?
On a positive note, I applaud the writer for creating a variety of likeable champions that viewers can root for, knowing all the while that those who lose will most likely pay with their lives. This enables many possibilities in terms of the type of emotional connections viewers form with the characters, rather than the classic good vs. evil showdown. The opening episodes focus on a lot of the private motives behind each mage's respective decision to join the Grail war. The issue I have, however, is that the emphasis on private motives minimises the impact on a global scale and turns this enormous, all-consuming conflict into a kind of battle-royale free for all that feels in fact quite limited and contained. There is also no explanation of the magic system, the role of social institutions (like the church, "sorcerer's academy", etc.) or motives of the families involved beyond wanting to control this thing at all costs. Everything is fine and watchable on its own ... There remains, however, a nagging, bothersome feeling that with more context and proper world building, the anime could be much more than it is.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Sep 27, 2023
Going by a majority of these reviews, Ousama Game may well be one of the worst animes ever listed. And you know what? They are probably right. Well, objectively, anyway. But watching anime has never been about objectivity.
Allow me to make a case for it:
That perhaps it is never meant to be evaluated in the context of every Battle Royale survival anime (or whatever sub-genre you like) there is. Perhaps it can be appreciated simply because it is the best adaptation of the source material we have.
Both stylistically and narratively, the anime version improves leaps and bounds upon the live action
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film. There are three major differences that to me substantially elevated the experience:
[Stylistic spoilers below]
1. In the anime, we are brought right away into a vibrant world, an attractive world. This is a place where love is in the air and life has possibilities. A place where you'd like to stay alive and dream of tomorrow. In contrast, the live action is saturated in an oppressive colour palette, vapid environments, and awful haircuts - perhaps (and sadly) faithful to real life secondary schools in Japan. Why bother fighting for your life in a world where life feels pretty much meaningless to begin with.
2. In the animation, the "punishments" are different. Deaths are excruciating. Rather than fading into darkness and "erased" à la Twilight Zone, characters in the animation are decapitated, immolated, dismembered in front of their comrades, at times remaining conscious for several minutes while their limbs are torn apart. Suddenly the reality of their gruesome fates imposes a much more substantial physical threat and makes the characters more survival oriented, whereas the live action film ends up miring adolescents in existential crises they cannot yet comprehend. "I don't want to disappear", repeats a number of these clumsy, unibrowed, bespectacled 15 year-olds. I can't say I'm convinced.
3. Flashbacks from the previous game in the anime create a parallel story line that adds a depth to the series, and are generally well-conceived if a bit confusing in the beginning due to the sheer number of students and names to remember. The superimposed story lines double as an origin story for the protagonist while unraveling mystery of the King.
Overall, Ousama Game the Animation makes a solid argument for prioritising adaptions to the anime genre ahead of projects that would otherwise turn into B- or C-list feature films.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Feb 19, 2021
Contrary to majority opinion, this sequel series makes noticeable improvements upon the first season by firmly aligning the viewers’ interest with those of the less powerful NPCs in the world at large. The Lizard men arc, while rightly criticised for its lack of depth, raises interesting questions like ‘what is it like to be omnipotent’, ‘how should an all-powerful being act’, and ‘what might such beings desire for themselves or the world and lesser beings over whom they reign’. These questions have certain philosophical implications whose superficiality in the anime does not detract from their validity. In particular, the conversation between the
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protagonist and his crustacean commander reveals that perhaps there is meaning to the madness, an end to be gained. Here, that end seems to involve the NPCs' sense of autonomy and ability to use their own judgement that transcends their zealously loyal programming. This of course is a far cry from a sort of similar idea that was executed in Westworld, but adds a certain amount of interest to the series.
The second half of the season, however, reverts back to the worn out formula of pretend villainy followed by some seemingly heroic intervention purely to increase renown for the protagonist himself. These schemes seem myopic and childish for our OP dread lord when compared to the struggles of everyday humans and lower tier adventurers alike. I suppose the contrast between the actions of people who fight for a true cause but lack the power, and those of people who have plenty of power but lack a legitimate cause makes for an interesting juxtaposition, although I suspect that is hardly the intent here. Moreover, the arc feels annoyingly under-elaborated, such that when the schemes finally come to fruition and the loose ends are brought together, the viewer is left perplexed and grasping for more. Overall, a frustrating second season that, while palpably better than the first, still falls short of its potential.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Feb 19, 2021
Besides a few relatable moments in the pilot episode that offer a glimpse into this classic sense of nostalgia and sentimentality that accompanies any MMORPG coming to an end, the first season can only be described as incredibly generic low fantasy Isekai. The omnipotent, god-like protagonist lacks both personality and motive, and is surrounded by a fanatical harem of underlings whose cringeworthy devotion becomes tiresome very quickly. Moreover, the protagonist is a villain in nought but appearance, fruitlessly squandering an opportunity for an interesting anti-hero. To be fair, there are some enjoyable moments. Perhaps you might watch it simply to pass
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the time. But I cannot in all honesty say this is any better than 'average'. In fact 'decent' is a stretch. There's simply nothing groundbreaking here.
Of course, someone else might arrive at a different opinion than me, or watch the series solely to explore its premise. If you are curious after reading all the polarising reviews, I wholly recommend watching at 1.5x - 2.0x speed to cope with the slow pacing.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Feb 11, 2021
I've always been of the opinion that each anime should be judged for what it is intended to be, and that there is no single set of universal criteria that applies to every work. This is precisely the case for Naruto, because if you are looking for epic storylines, beautiful animation, postmodern philosophy, or something that would change the way you think about the world forever, you won't find it here. But as Shōnen anime go, Naruto is exemplary because it excels in delivering the kind of positive messages that will benefit younger viewers. It does a great job of engaging that particular
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age group with Ninjutsu, fight scenes, etc. which are all mere tools that serve a very clear purpose: to teach morals through the lens of anime.
Character discussion:
Naruto's greatest strength is the character of its eponymic protagonist. Naruto Uzamaki is a comically flawed yet personable protagonist whose attitude becomes one of the central lessons of the story. His naïveté, knuckle-headedness and endless positivity despite the loneliness and tragedy of his upbringing is incredibly endearing and inspiriting. Failure and the rejection of his peers have not turned him into a sociopath (like Gaara), but became fuel for productive goals, albeit simple ones, like … ‘become strong so others will recognise and accept me’. His quest for acceptance is one which unquestionably garners sympathy. But it’s his persistence in the face of constant failure, and ability to hold on to his effervescent personality that ultimately serves an inspiration both to viewers as well as the other characters he encounters.
Here I will discuss Rock Lee and Sasuke, both of whom serve as important foils for Naruto. Effort is everything! Unlike Naruto, Rock Lee is truly mediocre and without talent, but relies on a fanatical, almost laughable attitude of persistence and dedication (‘I slept while on a marathon on this road for three days straight … the track meet of my youth with Guy sensei. My body still remembers it’). Much like his Guy sensei (‘five hundred times, yay !'), Lee is intense and brims with a kind of bravado that is different than Naruto's. While Naruto cares for what others think of him, Rock Lee’s own sense of fulfilment, while staying true to his word, is enough (’no one is watching, Guy sensei’). It might be narratively fitting that despite making the best of his situation, Rock Lee must still experience failure and stay within the state of constant disappointment and improvement, which of course, cannot faze him in the slightest (‘What’s the matter, Guy sensei ? The prime of youth waits for no-one !’). Despite not being capable of any Ninjutsu or Genjutsu and having to rely solely on Taijutsu (purely physical martial arts), Rock Lee's total dedication and refusal to give up makes him a great role model. In comparison, Sasuke is skillful and born with rare, powerful talents thanks to his Uchiha bloodline. From the moment he enters the Ninja academy with other children, Sasuke is surrounded by attention, praise, and admiration as his peers recognise his prowess, the opposite of the kind of obstacles faced by Naruto. However, Sasuke is fuelled by revenge against those who caused him unimaginable suffering as a child. Despite being admired and cared for by his comrades, he refuses to let go of his egocentric obsession. Viewers get to compare the kind of choices Naruto and Sasuke each make in the face of tragedy and see where their paths lead them.
Other themes:
1) Continuation and the passage of time
The show incorporates numerous flashbacks of different characters at various points of their lives (often as children) provide a sense of verity and continuance to the story. They show personal growth and remind the viewer that a person’s identity is not simply the snap shot in time that we see in the present.
2) Legacy and Erikson’s concept of ‘generativity’
There is the idea of legacy and symbolic immortality in the sense that even after death, one can live on in the form the continuation of one’s ideals in others. Even simple nurturing can become a form of strength in moments when it is most needed. Similarly, following in the footsteps of those before and looking towards their example becomes a way for young Shinobi and Kunoichi to draw from their inner courage.
Criticism:
Naruto has been widely criticised for the number of filler episodes which are enjoyable but nonetheless substantially hindered by the lack of character development, stakes, or plot progression. Make no mistake, there were some highly entertaining, primarily comic detours, but as a whole, the show came to a standstill at some point after episode 134 and failed to engage viewers on a consistent basis. It seemed to follow a predictable pattern of ‘Naruto doing odd jobs, then being given a low level assignment by Tsunade who throws him with some random combination of two other Chūnin since no one else is available (allegedly), and the trio discovering that the mission is more treacherous than anticipated’. The fifth and final season of Naruto noticeably improved midway through (episode 200-) with a deliberate shift back to multi-episode arcs, each with its unique flavours, tensions, and payoffs. The Yakumo / Kurenai Genjutsu arc in particular offered an nice showcase of surrealist and psychological concepts.
Viewers would also be correct to criticise a number of characters such as Hinata who have remained one-dimensional, though there is hope that they will become more interesting in the next instalment.
Overall, Naruto can be a great anime for adolescents. Its popularity speaks for its broad appeal and ability to strike an emotional chord with the vast majority of viewers. Of course it is not without its faults, but just as one wouldn't deride Narnia or Dr. Seuss for not being up to standard for the Nobel Prize in Literature, it isn't reasonable to expect Naruto to be more than it was meant to be.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jan 2, 2021
91 デイズ is a realist period crime thriller.
Set in the Prohibition Era, it is the story of a teenager named Angelo Lagusa who sets out to avenge the mob related murder of his family that he witnessed as a child.
Period inspired artwork, old fashioned title cards, and an appropriate soundtrack place the viewer firmly in the mid 1920s. Melancholic, subtly macabre notes from a piano accompanies the a dramatic string orchestra that strongly echos melodies from the Godfather trilogy.
Styling himself 'Bruno Avilio’ to hide his true identity, Angelo rises through the ranks of the mafia underworld and embeds himself into the Vanetti family using
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his talents as a brewer, ultimately exacting revenge in a story reminiscent of that of young Vito Corleone. But that is where the similarities end, because Angelo is as cunning and cold blooded as they come, shaping events to his ends as three warring families clash. He gains the sadistic eyes of a predator, determined to have his vengeance on those who took away his life and his humanity, not caring for the fate of any one else unfortunate enough to be caught in the crossfire. Death is not enough. Angelo will see to it that his victims suffer, their families broken, and the very foundations of their lives dismantled before they meet their demise. And outside this relentless, merciless pursuit, he leads a hollow existence.
On the receiving end of the conflict is young Nero Vanetti who is Angelo’s polar opposite. Trusting, principled, and steadfast, Nero tries to hold on to the very things Angelo seeks to destroy while completely oblivious to the intents of someone he begins to see as a comrade.
91 Days weaves a complex web of vengeance and intrigue where here is no telling who will live and who will die. Although the animation suffers a bit from inconsistency and lack of detail as budget constraints become apparent, the story is propelled along at a brisk pace by its multilayered characters and abundance of twists. But its biggest strength lies in being able to hold on to a degree of truth behind each character and portray them as authentic human beings with real emotions, motives, humour, weaknesses, etc. compared to a wide range of anime that prefer to create larger than life characters that, for better or for worse, bear no resemblance to normal people like ourselves.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Dec 30, 2020
God eater ? God awful.
If you want to experience this drivel for yourself, might I preface that playing the video game is a pre-requisite ? I was so confused in the first five minutes of the first episode, that I went back to check if I'd accidentally clicked on Episode 2. Turns out I had not. There is no effort whatsoever to explain the premise of the show. Further, I don't feel like I'm watching an anime. This feels more like a bunch of cutscenes from a Nintendo DS. But even those are done well nowadays. On to more specific issues.
[Minor
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spoilers ahead]
Part I : Stylistic criticism
1) Being thrust into action with no background works for some shows, but here it is terribly executed and leaves the viewer completely baffled. Just who is this Lenka ? Where is ‘base’ ? What in the hell is going on ? Characters are given extremely brief and awkward introductions which basically amounts to their names. That’s it!
2) Bland dialogue. Minimal efforts at characterisation. The protagonist speaks mostly in 4-5 word sentences, grunts, and sports your stereotypical messy dark haircut. Not much to work with here.
3) The 'Kaijus' look nothing like gods (see Part II, #3). ‘God arc’ is a pretentious name for those wristband activated gadgets they wield, as is the term ‘god eater’ that describes the soldiers who fight them. Sorry, but there’s nothing godly about the creatures or the stereotypical cast. Apparently the weapons themselves are organic and created of the same material as the monsters. If I recall correctly, wasn’t there this famous anime back in the 90s that had special people fighting big monsters called ‘angels’? Ah, that’s right. Neon Genesis Evangelion. And the parallels don’t stop there. There’s the yellow amniotic fluid / serum that show up here and there, injected into trees to turn them into weaponised kaijus, there’s the fortified cities and impending apocalypse that will wipe out humanity, etc. etc.
4) Those bracelets for the 'god arc' weapons look cumbersome and low-tech (like thick handcuffs, basically). The weapons themselves look more like oversized wrenches and jackhammers than swords that can cut through kaiju that conventional weapons cannot defeat. Half way through the episode, the protagonist, though still a trainee, gets a Gundam esque sword that he most definitively has not earned, and then does the typical shonen thing of disobeying some vague order and rushing into battle. OK.
5) Over in the rubble, the famous 1st God Eater squad are so casually dressed you’d think they’re standing in line for a club. I mean, that poor girl is in high heels and a cocktail dress. Ouch. One of the dudes is puffing cooly on a cigarette as he surveys the battlefield and ponders on something deep, nonchalantly slicing and batting a muscular, short limbed kaiju away. Hold on, are those swirls on the kaiju’s torso ? I thought it looked like Poliwhirl (a frog type pokemon) ! Meanwhile, it’s raining cats, dogs, and kaijus, but the cigarette stays lit and none of the characters’ clothes or hair seem to be wet. Nice.
6) One of the main organisation’s heads of research is a wicked man with short dark hair and yellow tinted glasses who doesn’t seem bothered by the death of those he sends into combat. Sound familiar?
7) A bloody, bandaged man is wheeled through a steel corridor, while the protagonist looks on, alarmed. We get it, the show creator liked Evangelion. Shinji had a similar encounter with Rei Ayanami on his first day at the Geo Front.
8) Another 'New Type', Alisa (Asuka) joins the squad from Russia (Germany). She is skilled, but arrogant and looks down on Lenka (Shinji); her signature colour is red.
Part II : Technical problems
1) Poor application of digital animation over static and painted backgrounds. As people have pointed out over and over, mixing 2D and 3D rarely ever works well.
2) Art design is garish. The 'dispatcher' character is the kind of overly sexualised, domineering lady you'd expect to meet during the tutorial of about a hundred cheap MMORPGs. But visual direction is a more significant problem. The camera panning, the hilarious slow motion transitions, the interior composition, all very lacking.
3) The ‘monsters’ are supposed to be imposing but do no damage at all against the base ? I guess they're supposed to be lower level monsters. From the birds-eye angle, which is one of the VERY FIRST shots of the monsters, they look more Pokémon than Kaiju. Well that's not promising.
At this point I've stopped watching, because I realised how derivative the series is becoming. I have patience for mistakes, but not so much for plagiarism. I enjoyed reviewing this anime because it solidified in my mind things I hate about bad anime. 2/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 2
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Apr 21, 2020
( No spoilers )
Campy, self-aware, and with no shortage of fan-service, this anime is a lighthearted caricature of the 'plight of the everyday anime fan', while paying homage to a multitude of fantasy tropes and other well known cultural phenomena ( such as Godzilla, Apocalypse Now ). The haphazard nature of the story might be frustrating to some, but it pairs surprisingly well with our middle-aged everyman protagonist who is, as a fellow consumer of mass culture, relatable to a fault. With the delight and ironic insight that only another otaku can understand, we watch as the lackadaisical and perpetually distracted Itami and
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his fellow 21st century denizens encounter a world that oddly seems to fulfil all their expectations - and cannot help but see ourselves act in the same giddy way. Overall, an extremely enjoyable first season full of gags that seldom fail to make us laugh.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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