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Jun 2, 2020
If you have been enticed to watch Kami no Tou because of its relatively high rating this season, think again before wasting your time and wondering where it all went.
I have noticed a lot of the reviews on ‘Kami no Tou’ tend to be misleading and have an implied bias towards what the show “could be” to what it is. Much of this relies on the supposition you are an avid follower of the web manga (from which this adapted from) of the same name.
The narrative seems to be that Kami no Tou “could be” one of those epics which take many, many
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chapters to create on the levels of the “Big Three”: One Piece, Bleach and Naruto (I can’t believe this comparison is being made). But if this series is going to reach levels of Lord of the Rings, Star Wars and the likes, it could start by passing the “three-episode rule”. And at the least, if it does not we viewers should be placed with an idea of what the story could become beyond. Does it do this? No.
This series falls short beyond the promises of its fans, and on so many levels.
Just on my background writing this review: I have not read any of the web manga. If your first impulse is to castrate me because you rate the anime (not the web manga) highly, why? Why should we judge adaptations by what hasn’t been released yet? None of the “Big Three” had as monotonous premises in the first three episodes, as Kami no Tou. No, they had us wanting more.
Anyways, by comparing it to the “Big Three” I am doing a grave disservice to them. I will stop it there.
Onto the actual review, I will start by discussing the story. You can read the synopsis, so I will not bore you.
I think the first three episodes are a good place to start, given I have talked about the how these should suffice to determine a viewer’s expected enjoyment for the rest of most series.
The story’s premise is generally interesting: Complete some “tests”, level up. Many forms of this have been done previously, so what can go wrong? The problem is, there is no explanation for the solution for any of these “tests”. It leaves the audience to guess the intent of all these “tests”, to stand at the “top of the tower”. This is poor leverage of the Mystery, Fantasy and Adventure themes and besides some weakly displayed “world-building”, it does not add much sense of purpose to the goals of our main characters.
The problem with starting without giving character purpose like this is obvious, in that the anime does not give viewers any emotional attachment with our characters or enough to continue the series. The only incentive to continue that we get is to recover the sunk cost of time, clinging onto the fans hopes “Oh, but it’ll get better!", "Just get past the first season!", "Kami no Tou is a long epic!”. But therein lies the problem, and as usual, by trying to recover sunk costs we get nowhere.
If you thought to watch Kami no Tou intrigued by how our characters solve any of these “tests”, walk away from this anime and stop reading now. The events of our characters passing these has thoughtless solutions, sheepishly poor tension-building, and when solved, leaves miniscule satisfaction for viewers.
I will introduce our main characters. Bam is depicted as the “weak” character who enters the tower for no other reason but to skirt chase and gets trusted with an exclusive, godly weapon for convenient reasons. I will add that the ways he “solves” the test in the first episode and the two after that, is uninteresting and stale. Next Khun, the cunning, cool character yet distrusting having been betrayed by his sister, he enters the tower for… revenge? Why should I care? And Rak, who is used tactlessly for comedic relief and called “the gator” to no end in search of dull giggles. It got immediately boring the second time.
For the viewer, try to empathise with any character in isolation as much as you want, you will not find a reason to.
On pacing: Even for a “very long” series, it takes far too long for the author to get to a small satisfying "conclusion". As a result, if you watch this, you are in at a snail’s pace. There is not enough material covered to make you want for more.
I will go towards some of the good points. I think the art style was crisp. If nothing else, I enjoyed this aspect the most, and appreciate the animation. I think about what a waste it was to spend it on this. And I think it definitely was a waste when viewers were constantly being bombarded with Rak’s “angry” emoji.
In addition, the soundtrack was generally good. I enjoyed both the opening “TOP”, despite it signalling the slowest of burns that were to come. And, was relieved by the ending “SLUMP”, which told me I’d finally finished another nonsensical episode where nothing got done.
And that ends the “good points” part.
Hopefully, by now I have made my grievances clear. Whatever good elements Kami no Tou has, it does not come close to hiding its flaws.
When I climb the Tower, I will ask who decided to adapt Kami no Tou, a “very long series”, into thirteen episodes.
This series rocketed off into excruciating slow mo.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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May 30, 2020
After watching the 2018-2019 remake of the first 25 episodes of the original series ‘Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu: Die Neue These’ and it’s “Seiran” parts, I’d naturally come to watch the original expecting more space battles and the like. Full disclosure, I had a head-start beginning from episode 26 in the OVA as I’d already watched the first 25 in the remake.
There are 110 episodes in the original OVA, and that is a lot. But as usual with great anime, it felt like each episode has its place in the construction of a grand story. Perhaps an inevitability when something is constructed to be grand,
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there is a lot more room for, in my eyes plot-holes. I’ll make another disclosure just for complete-ness. I have not watched much anime pre-2000, and in addition have not read the material from which this series was adapted.
I’ll start calling the anime “LotGH” for “Legend of the Galactic Heroes” to avoid repeating the lengthy name. In addition, I’ll un-originally share my thoughts in the order of story, animation, sound, character and enjoyment. Enjoyment of a series in my eyes is the most important part of an anime.
First, I’ll share some context: Why did I start watching this, what did I get and how did I feel about what I got afterwards.
I started watching this because I’ve had a space-phase after watching ‘Kanata no Astra’ and ‘Star Blazers: Space Battleship Yamato 2199’ and its sequel Star Blazers: 2022.
I wanted to be taken on more space journeys, from exploration and adventure in Kanata no Astra to war and military (and a dash of adventure) in Star Blazers.
It’s unsurprising once you watch the first episode, but I’ve found LotGH leans on the war and military side of the space theme. But the set-up is markedly different in that it feels more “epic”, dignified and enthralling compared to say, Star Blazers. In addition, there are less obvious moments of annoying deus ex machina than in Star Blazers (which was my main qualm for the series), making LotGH more thoroughly entertaining.
In addition, LotGH spends more time discussing systems of government, and this was the focus for the series’ philosophical discussions. In this, I thought it was appropriately brief over the main ideas, but thought-provoking to the same effect. It did not offer any solutions but presented them. This is the easy way out, but what can you expect for an anime series? LotGH does this well.
Story: 8/10
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There have been comparisons made to “Star-Wars”, and in my opinion it’s not worth making it. Maybe they mean in terms of grandeur, in which everything is subjective, but you can’t compare a fiction series with fan followings of at least millions of people around the world versus some closet anime watchers. Some of which, writing on MAL. That might include myself. Pardon the offense, but basically, we don’t need to overhype this.
LotGH is different. It pushes and pulls with good spacing between its battle scenes, drama, politics and philosophy. The general formula might be to have 2-4 episodes dedicated to battle scenes in a row, afterwards toned down for some world-building, before upping the tension yet again. It works well.
For myself, meant the watcher became avid for more space battles some time to appreciate the world of LotGH without feeling dragged across the mud with filler I didn’t want.
The most surprising thing was the active philosophical discussion, which became more apparent as the series went on. It never felt forced, and the discussion tends to add positively to the tension surrounding our main characters. The future of the realm was always questioned. Who was right? Who was wrong?
I’ve alluded to it before. It’s not as simple as that. If you’re actively watching and thinking about the discussions of characters, it becomes something perplexing, intriguing and enjoyable. I haven’t seen an anime handle political philosophy as well as this series. That said, I think the discussion scratches the surface of the topic, and that’s neither good nor bad. But I’m no academic.
Some other thoughts on the story: Pacing was well done, though maybe not for the first 25 episodes, and you should pay attention to the dates announced at the start of every episode. Also, don’t watch it all in one go. If you did, it’d take 3 days, but even if it took a week it’s likely to not be at your benefit. I can almost guarantee you won’t be able to appreciate the scale of the story, the discussion, etc. as much. You could watch this series over a month and it won’t lose its lustre in between episodes.
Art: 8/10
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I thought I was taking a backwards step here. After being inclined to watching much anime from 2010 onwards, I was afraid of the eye-sore that was coming. Actually, if you’ve come from “LotGH: Die Neue These”, the LotGH remake (which I’ll now call “LotGH: DNT”) the change-up is quite bearable. In fact, I’ve grown an appreciation for the art style back then. Inherently it was at a disadvantage, but it did not take away from the delivery of the story.
Sometimes staggered, sometimes not. The animation gets noticeably better as the series goes on, as to be expected.
Basically, on art: Don’t be discouraged seeing the series started in 1988. Instead maybe, start with LotGH: DNT (the remake), then watch from episode 26 onwards of the OVA.
Sound: 8/10
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Again, as with the animation I’d underestimated the voice acting I was expecting. It felt natural for an older series and overall was quite good. The score was filled with classical pieces. Mostly timely but if not, they don’t become an annoyance and detract from the series. I’m not an expert, so if you’re a casual watcher like myself, you’re probably not concerned with the sound other than what I’ve mentioned in the first place.
There are no inherently catchy theme songs here – they tend to come from an association with the story of LotGH. You can wait until it becomes an anthem for your heart.
Character: 9/10
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There are many characters, but I think the main ones, Reinhald and Yang Wen-li work very well with the story to make LotGH a great series I wouldn’t want to forget. There are many characters introduced on both sides, so I won’t go into further detail on them, but I’ve forgiven some who lack depth. Instead, I’ll let you explore these wonderful side-characters, which some you’ll undoubtedly side with, and take a liking to.
Back to Reinhald and Yang Wen-li, an image or appreciation of their character simply takes time. It’s done very well and is (to the disliking of the fictional Yang), a centre-point of the series.
Enjoyment: 10/10
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I very much enjoyed this series. It has been consistent at the top of MAL since as long as I can remember, and now I realise that’s for good reason.
If you like to imagine space battles (of heart and mind) of epic proportions and want to feel like you’re at the centre of one, this is it. No matter what happens, I don’t think you’ll regret it.
Overall: 9/10
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Final suggestion for modern watchers: I’ve mentioned this at the start, but start by watching the 2018 and 2019 remake, “Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu: Die Neue These – Kaikou” and its “Seiran” sequels.
Then, you can start watching this OVA, “Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu” from episode 26 onwards (although I’d suggest ep 25 onwards, to become accustomed to the art style). The remake was made 1-1 on par with the OVA. For example, ep. 15 in the remake covers the events of ep 15 in the OVA. There are some subtle differences in the remake, but they won’t add significantly to the story.
If you’re like me and cannot be stuffed re-watching for all the minor (very minor) details, don’t bother.
This series tends to get people to appreciate things more. Not many can do this, so I find this invaluable in any show.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Feb 26, 2014
‘It’s just a game, right?’ – Ryouta Sakamoto
Btooom! is a psychological-action-thriller anime which is set predominately in the serious tone.
The Story: 7/10
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The ‘game-then-not-a-game’ setting in anime has been used quite frequently these past years. They’ve become the main storyline in romances, harems, actions, thrillers and even horrors. Btooom! is another type of example, but it’s the most serious one that makes it different to all the others. The story is set like this: A young adult who plays the game Btooom! suddenly finds himself stranded on a mysterious island equipped with a bag of bombs where they need to kill other people, and take their
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crystals which are embedded on one of their hands so that they can then leave the island. Basically. Each of the episodes were fitted together in a continuous story, with episode two being the sole exception. Occasionally there would be various flashbacks in scenes where Ryouta is being hit with memories which he had forgotten or times where it shows Himiko’s past and how she mainly got there (mainly episode two). The story had a fine mix of complexity and simplicity in where rules would be well defined but hard to catch on to and where plot twists can be predictable but not foreseen. The thriller in this series was definitely there, though- it won’t send you being unable to sleep at night and the psychological aspect of the anime was executed very realistic-ly. The action part of the movie is actually quite good as well, as there was a good amount of scenes to help not keep you bored. There is little romance in this anime, but for what it did it was actually quite fitting for the overall story. The ending is quite satisfying but leaves giving a note to the viewer that there might possibly be a season two. Not exactly ‘cliff-hanger-y’ but enough to make you feel like it could’ve been more.
The Art: 8/10
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The art is substantial for a modern anime, with crisp visual effects and scenes which always seem to be moving. There is always a dark tone which you can feel in every episode- and it stays there for quite a while, adding to the dark psychological part in the anime. Animation panels were fluid throughout the work and didn’t feel ‘blocky’ at all. Background scenes were done spectacularly- they were made with a mood much lighter than what the anime was, and that contradicted sometimes with what the main characters were feeling at that moment which feels a bit strange for the viewer. Character designs were done quite well, with all of them feeling different and each matching the characters own personality and lifestyle.
The Sound: 7/10
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The opening song sets the scene for which direction the anime is going into, though, it’s not particularly special in any way it did a favourable job. Character voice actors fit for the actual cast they were playing. It matched their body type, their personality and even hints about what they were planning and such. Background soundtracks were very fitting for the part they played in the anime- being accompanied by action visuals and stunning explosions which added to the enjoyable factor in this series. The ending theme song is not as particularly as catching as the main opening song, but it leaves you with a very good conclusive feeling to the end of an episode.
The Characters: 8/10
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Each character was well rounded; each of them had a strength and a flaw which could also be a part of that strength. Apart from the usual anime ‘mega jump’ where seemingly life-like characters are able to jump across rooftops and such, none of them really had a super power which made them completely godlike to everyone else. All characters reacted to events in a realistic way. Though, sometimes you really have to wonder if you would do what a member in the cast was doing if you had been in their position. Even so, the reason behind certain things were obscure enough to make you interested and makes you feel engaged in the story, as well as being prudent in the characters engagement with everyone else. Almost every character starts as the most seemingly harmless person in the world. Then, they are met with blood, gore and death. At this point they warp into insanity. In a psychological anime, this is called character development. Antagonists in the anime were just as well developed as the protagonists. Their background is clearly defined and explored as a flashback for the viewer, which shows how and why they were placed into the survival arena.
The Enjoyment: 8/10
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Others familiar to the psychological genre will see this probably as nothing more than the average. For the newcomer perhaps, this anime is quite the inauguration into the style. Btooom! comes personally as one of my most favourite psychological anime. The combination of well done psychology, chilly thriller, excellent fight scenes with a unique fighting style and exceptional character development really gets it in the end.
Overall: 8/10
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The anime itself has a concept that has been drastically overused throughout past years, but even then this one is the most simplest, yet, most complete one with the survival game setting. And for that, I give it a bright, cheerful, rainbow ice-cream sticker.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jan 27, 2014
Lamune is nothing less than a simple light-hearted, comedic romance. But even then it is fairly enjoyable.
The Story: 6/10
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In Lamune, every episode begins with a flashback from the past, detailing a section of the childhood relationship of the two main characters, Nanami and Kenji. What was depicted in the flashback is then, in one way or another connected to the main story which admittedly is not much. Lamune adopts a storyline we’ve seen too many times in anime- the ‘childhood friend romance’. Even so, it is one of the best to take advantage of this. It’s comedy revolves around the two main characters and some
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of the supporting characters to poke around in the main characters bubble to create a very light humour in the series. The story overall is peaceful, with little dramas and being all about the growing relationship between Nanami and Kenji. Though predictable, one can ignore this if they aren’t expecting it to be the most absolutely amazing masterpiece. What this anime is for is the ride. A peaceful one where you should simply relax, sip some tea and watch all in one sitting. The ending, being entirely satisfying promotes it to become a very solid romance anime.
The Art: 8/10
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For a 2005 anime, its art is actually quite pretty. The character designs truly do look similar, but the bright colours on each and every one of the characters make them look entirely different in a way and this makes them likeable, and memorable. The background looks like a professional artist painting on an expensive canvas creating scenery of the green and lush countryside. Yes, it’s actually that good. The director attempted to create a neutral scene to compliment the mood of the story and at that- it was undeniably successful.
The Sound: 7/10
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Character voice actors were very fitting for the ones portrayed in the anime. Voice complimented character figure, and character figure complimented the voice. Seiyuus, physically seemed like they matched the condition of the specific role they played and so little natural voice alteration was not needed. Background music is fitting for the story, from the noise rain makes on the concrete to the natural noises in forest walks- the sound was very fitting for the atmosphere. The opening isn’t that particularly interesting, neither is the ending soundtrack. The only thing they provided or the viewer was to convey the emotion you’re meant to feel while watching the anime- and the opening scenes helped to reinforce that and prepare you for what was lying ahead.
The Characters: 7/10
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The characters were made entirely stereotypical. The regular guy you see- not overly perverse but to the extent of blushes and staring at the girl with her underwear showing before looking away after realising she’s looking directly at him. Then you have the girl who’s a bit blunt- as well as being overly innocent and slow to catch on. Then the shy girl- the one who can’t confess and needs her friends help to start making a move. Then the younger sister figure who teases around his older brother and girlfriend’s relationship. Nothing we haven’t seen before, but then at least it’s not horrible. Character development was evidently slow, but it’s quite suitable because of the time span in the anime from the first episode to the last. The supporting cast had a suitable number of characters but none of them were really developed in the story.
The Enjoyment: 8/10
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Others looking for a non-dramatic ride in an anime would probably enjoy this. I know I sure did, especially right after watching a romance anime with the most horrible ending ever. Ever. I’ll probably never re-watch this, and you’ll probably not either if you were to view this as well. Ultimately, it’s just too plain. You won’t rediscover mind-blowing things by re-watching this, nor will you gain anymore satisfaction from it. It’s best to be used as a one-time-only anime.
Overall: 7/10
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Overall, this anime is a good change from all the teary-dramatic romance anime you find nowadays. This is basically a slice-of-life anime without the heartbreaks and serious atmosphere. A great time filler, recommended if you’re not looking for something thoughtful.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Dec 5, 2013
'No one knows what the future holds. That's why its potential is infinite.' - Rintarou Okabe (from Steins;Gate)
Steins;Gate: Fuka Ryouiki no Déjà vu is quite simply a thrilling, romantic and beautifully heart-warming experience.
The Story: 9/10
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Under the production of White Fox, the original Steins;Gate anime made in 2011 has received it's long waited movie arrival. The original Steins;Gate anime was under high critical acclaim, and was successful in both Japan and Western countries where it was the spotlight anime for the year. And it had such a great reason to be there. It was quite simply stunning. Shortly afterwards, the special of Steins;Gate was released and
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ranked to be the highest rated special on MyAnimeList. Here then, we have the next Steins;Gate addition. Steins;Gate: Fuka Ryouiki no Déjà vu. The actual story of this movie takes one year after the events of the anime series where Okabe has finished his assiduous, terrifying travel between world lines where he has miraculously reached the Steins;Gate world line. After a while, he starts feeling disorientated with the constant world line swapping which causes him to eventually dissolve and be forgotten from everyone's minds. Kurisu remembers him from déjà vu, and from there complications begin to arise.
The story was told in such a way that it could be said Steins;Gate: Fuka Ryouiki no Déjà vu could be a smaller movie version of the Steins;Gate anime. Similar to the start of the anime, Steins;Gate FRDV starts off with quite an identical kickoff, minus Kurisu dying. Then we have the meeting of the characters, all is well then next second you know it, the same intensifying thriller in Steins;Gate is met here in the movie. The overall story is quite similar to the normal Steins;Gate except shorter, and more focused on the relationship between Okabe and Kurisu and their ability to make decisions. It's good to see the rules of world lines are still intact in this movie, and they even mention it a couple of times and explain more about it (regarding Okabe's case, of course). But, you definitely need to focus in the explanations to get it. As the story progresses, it does get slightly more predictable at times but this can be dismissed quite quickly, as it is just as astonishing as if you didn't identify it. The pacing of the story, for a movie of only 90 minutes is extremely good and very little scenes were particularly rushed.
The individual elements of Steins;Gate: Fuka Ryouiki no Déjà vu is quite good. The Sci-Fi setting follows on from the Steins;Gate anime and the thriller and romance you find there are just as well done here. The suspense in the movie was done perfectly well timed which just accompanied well with the thriller. Romance in this movie plays quite a part in the plot/story and it's very well fleshed out. Feelings towards each other contribute to how the main protagonists make decisions and in turn helps to create the certain drama element Steins;Gate has acquired. The ending is entirely satisfying, one that will leave you with a feeling of peace and fullness in the Steins;Gate universe.
The Art: 8/10
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The art style is pretty much like the previous. The textures in the background shades were spectacularly made to attend to the main characters, whose expressions were done realistically and whose movement was fluid throughout the movie which was pleasing to the eye. This makes it it's own art style which is separate from other anime which were adapted from visual novels. The art style is very fitting for the story. The dark shades accompanied the mood in the scene very well and made the simplest streets look like the most eye-catching scenery. Background scenery was rarely ever lively, but it was this that made you feel how the characters might possibly have felt at that time. Character designs are similar to the ones met before in the anime. Each character design was different- from the plump Itaru to someone as small as Mayuri. And all were in high condition. Overall animation panels looked strikingly high in quality and led the story line very strongly.
The Sound: 8/10
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Steins;Gate: Fuka Ryouiki no Déjà vu has the same character voice actors as the anime, so instantly you can familiarize with them. Each voice fits the character they show and are each unique. From the 'nyaaa...' of Akiha to the 'tuuuturu...'s of Mayuri, each one was very likable in voice and performance. Background music blended in with the scenes quite well and helped to frame the certain atmosphere in the plot. Sound is a powerful tool in shaping the audiences emotions towards characters or story developments and here, it was used quite well. The opening song is worth mentioning, as the theme song performance was done by Kanako Ito- the same person who sung 'Hacking to the Gate' in the Steins;Gate anime. This is instantly recognizable in her voice, and makes her ideal to lead the anime with an opening sung by her. The ending is sung by Ayane, a change from Yui Sakakibara who sung the ending in the previous anime. This isn't much of an issue, but if you liked her you would probably feel a bit bummed. [Just one thing to note, at the moment this Steins;Gate movie does not have a dubbed. I’ll update this when I hear news of one and have confirmed it.]
The Characters: 9/10
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Character development started off with the assumption that you watched the anime and the special, as it mentions events in the two quite a couple of times. The characters were quite unique- each of them had a strength and a flaw. The supporting cast had its same use of bringing in a relaxing feeling into the movie. It's also good to know that they even have the same voice actors for the movie as they had in Steins;Gate. Though none directly contribute to the story line other than Suzuha, it was very welcome that they were shown. Each one of the supporting cast is quite likable in some way and they almost never seemed to be annoying. Their peacefulness contradicts with what the main characters are feeling, and this helped to emphasize the mood of the progressing plot. Of the supporting cast, Suzuha is the most fleshed out- mostly because it is her that actually has any major interaction to the main characters.
Mayuri's most obvious flaw has to be that she is a little blunt, but even that has strengths. Due to this, she is more open and contributes to the development of the story- power she didn't have as much in the anime- even by the random things she might say. Itaru is someone who can be said to be the 'tool' of the movie. People in the Lab give him things to do, and he does it. Otherwise he simply sits around on the seat clicking away at the computer. Okabe didn't have as much screen time as he did in the anime, and this is mostly because of the fact that he is meant to be the one saved by Kurisu. His absence in certain scenes attributed to this, and so Kurisu was able to mimic the feelings Okabe felt in the anime which, in turn connects to the viewers. Kurisu is probably the most versatile character in the movie. Her development as a person is clearly seen throughout the movie and is displayed in all the little to big choices that she makes. It's her choices and personal emotion that leads the direction of plot in the movie. She is given the most screen time and the producers have made use of this extremely effectively by making her the most pivotal character in this fragile story. Her decisions are mostly characterized by the emotion she feels in the given time and in this sense, it's very realistic.
The Enjoyment: 10/10
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Personally, this is the most enjoying movie I have ever watched. The thrill when a shiver is sent up your spine is such a surprising and addicting feeling and the romance was quite lovingly solid. Others who have watched Steins;Gate and have enjoyed it will also most likely enjoy it. I haven’t re-watched this, as I just finished watching but if you enjoy re-watching things, just go for it. Next time I do watch this though, heck, I’ll make sure to get the disk.
Overall: 9/10
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Overall, from the opening to the conclusion it's quality production. Inevitably, because this movie is only 90 minutes, it might not cover entirely everything as it achieved in the Steins;Gate anime. But for what it performed, it did an amazing job. Steins;Gate: Fuka Ryouiki no Déjà vu is a very memorable movie which serves to be the absolute final to the Steins;Gate franchise.
And it's a damn good one.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Nov 11, 2013
"It's not the final judgement of "good" and "evil" that's important. What matters is that you come to that decision yourself. That you agonize over it and eventually accept it." -Akane Tsunemori
Psycho-Pass is essentially a psychological-action anime with a sci-fi based setting driving the story line.
The Story: 9/10
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Psycho-Pass is set in the future where you are able to easily see the mental state of one's mind. This is given a number, a number relating to one's contingency of creating a crime, called the 'Crime Coefficient' if it is over the normal rate. These persons are apprehended, if not disposed of if reached too high.
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Inspector Akane Tsunemori and Shinya Kougami are both part of the Public Safety Bureau's Criminal Investigation Division, which is in charge of maintaining order with the use of the Sibyl System. Sibyl connects with the Dominators Enforcers and Inspectors use to hunt for the latent criminals. On her first day Akane Tsunemori meets with Inspector Nobou Okura and the two, with the Enforcers are labelled to take down the cause of the Area Stress level. Nobuchika Ginoza, Shinya Kōgami, Shūsei Kagari and Tomomi Masaoka are introduced as the first Enforcers seen in the story.
In the first episode, you will feel slightly information-dumped with the expectation that you will remember each person’s name. After getting into this series a bit more, you will conveniently find that this is not the case. The producers have made it very clear and easy who’s communicating to whom. The rules or what you can and cannot do with the Dominators are shown over time in the series and the motives characters are very well defined in the story. There are small side stories within the anime, but they all intertwine at a point within the series in some way or another. The links between each case is put together very astutely. Execution of this concept is what made the story very interesting in such a way different to other anime with a mystery and crime genre. There are a couple of episodes slightly not as fulfilling, maybe only two. But don't let these ones deter you away from the anime, they're just very dialogue driven and provide more insight into the characters.
The Art: 9/10
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The animation here was very well done. Background effects brought a dark feel to the even darker plot. It enhanced the experience of the story in such a way that it felt very real. Either foreground of background the designs of objects, characters and material were very well done. Character designs in the anime were all very different. None of the characters art looks like it had its shape copy/pasted and put different things on. This includes the supporting characters- of which there are many. Dark color shading to every object will undoubtedly annoy some people to not see a change in texture, but because of this the theme of Psycho-Pass is reinforced.
The Sound: 8/10
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The sound here seemed to have high audio quality. EGOIST and ryo are great choices for creating the composition for Psycho-Pass. The visuals to make the OP for Psycho-Pass must have, undoubtedly taken quite a bit of time. The meaning behind the lyrics is very deep; it accompanies the art used to make the opening and ending scenes substantially high in quality. But, despite this it isn’t as addicting to listen to after finishing the actual anime. To get a clearer picture, you really must have the visual aid of the music segment while listening to enjoy it to its full extent. The voice acting was favourable, despite the voice mostly being in a serious tone. Understandably, because Psycho-Pass has a dark theme, there wouldn’t be any times when main characters were lively. In turn the voice actors could not express their skill fully in the anime.
The Characters: 10/10
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All of the main characters have their stories straightened out in Psycho-Pass. There is none, or, at the least very little times that you would question the past of one of the main characters. Shinya Kougami. He's the main male Enforcer in the story where there are 5 other Enforcers and 2 Inspectors working with him. He's enemies with Makishima, actually the villain of the story because of his connection with the Specimen Case. He tries to guide Akane onto the route of being a good Inspector while also looking after her- even saving her at times while trying to hunt for Makishima. He’s not much of a diverse character. Once he has made his mind of doing something he sticks with it. Akane is a bit of a tricky one. At times it seems like she has ‘feelings’ for Shinya and other times not as much. Her past is clearly defined in Psycho-Pass. She's a good strong one, who just needed a kick start to developing into a versatile character. One thats progress throughout the story can be seen very clearly. Makishima Shogo is the main villain in the story. He’s a sadist to the extreme degree, while maintaining his twisted views on the world where they would stay at the same point. His choices are well characterized and his logic and thoughtfulness put into each of these is very intriguing. The side characters are all entertaining and likable in some form. Each of the members in Unit One contributes greatly to the story line and helps to push it forward, while also relaxing tension in between scenes.
The Enjoyment: 10/10
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Others who enjoy a morbid feel in anime will most likely enjoy this. Personally, watching this was something new to me as I had not explored this genre before. I’m surprised how amazing and tense it can make you feel. I’ve only watched this series once through, and a couple of sections while writing this review. To me, it feels like a one-time-only anime. Unless you like to re-watch things, re-watching this won’t bring anymore enjoyment or chilly feelings as much as going through it the first time through. It would be a lot staler in its mystery and plot twists, as well as those climatic moments. After watching this quite a while ago, I can safely say that it’s actually not that memorable. After the first few days, for sure it will be in your mind after watching. But this thought will soon go away.
Overall: 9/10
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Overall with the solid ending and neat epilogue it makes this anime very worthwhile. As this anime has a very unique setting and plot, it’s recommended for those who can bear the heaviness this anime has.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Oct 23, 2013
“Human life is at stake, so you should at least improve your cooking first...”- Hidaka Sana
“I’m going to take a bath now. If you peek while I'm changing, I'm going to kill you, got it?”
– Hinako Mochida
Myself;Yourself is primarily a drama genre anime with little-to-medium romance.
The Story: 7/10
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The anime starts with our male protagonist, Sana who has come back to his hometown of Sakuranomori, after leaving it 5 years before for the sake of his parents’ business plans. He is surprised to see that most things have not changed, until he meets Yatsushiro Nanaka, one of his best childhood friends when he was
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younger. The story here is rather simple. With new ideas introduced, they do not change much to the story. Basically all they do is reinforce the story to try and make it a little more interesting. Sometimes it is even used to reset character development in the story. The pacing of Myself;Yourself is solid. Did it feel quick? No. Did it feel slow? Sometimes, maybe. Some episodes can be considered to be ‘side quests’, if you will, and have no particular meaning to the main story. Despite this anime being a drama, it is rather comedic once things loosen up, notably at the beginning of the anime. The drama can be a little predictable, but the producers will always throw something at you to keep you on the edge wanting more. Romance is not as much as a major genre as drama, but it was well fleshed out- though it definitely is not as solid as some other series you can find. The ending is satisfying, though some may be disappointed that certain elements were not taken further at the end.
The Art: 9/10
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The art probably has to be one of the best for an anime that aired in 2007. Its scenery and characters are very well done, and they fit the personality very well. One dispute is with the size of Aoi’s breasts. She may be in high school, but hell. They’re bigger than her head. The art style is very fitting for the overall story because it incorporates a lot of ‘emotion shading’. When the characters are happy, the art is as if it’s happy itself. When the characters are sad/depressed, it’s almost as if the art is feeling that way as well. Character movement was smooth, albeit a little ‘blocky’ during some sections and background movement was just as good.
The Sound: 7/10
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The OP and EDs in Myself;Yourself aren’t distinctly memorable. After watching the anime, you probably won’t even think anything of it. OSTs were very appropriate for the mood during a scene and blended in very well. Sometimes it worked so well you can’t even tell when it came in. Voice acting here wasn’t exactly the best, Aoi’s voice seemed to be the most annoying one out of all them because of her constantly high-pitching everything she says. Though it might not have been as good as other anime made this year, the voice acting was bearable.
The Characters: 8/10
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Not many character problems here, but one annoying thing here is how the writers would reset the relationship between characters whenever there was some ‘turning point’ drama in the story. Each of the cast is likable, even Aoi who is the one who brings most of the comedy to the anime. Nanaka appears to be the most mature in the story, and the main heroine. Her past is where most of the main drama comes out of. Sana is the main protagonist and the story mostly revolves around him and his ability to make decisions. Then you have the boy/girl twin, there’s quite a bit of comedy in the two- but that comedy is mostly because of disagreement between the two. Hinako comes in the end of the first ¼ of the anime, and she seems to actually be the most funniest- but can definitely be serious at times.
The Enjoyment: 9/10
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Personally, my enjoyment of Myself;Yourself was very good. The cliff hangers at the end of each episode kept me wanting more. I probably won’t watch this again, since this can be considered a type of ‘one time only’ anime. You probably won’t get much satisfaction watching this again. Myself;Yourself is the first romance/drama genre anime I have watched, a genre that I didn’t really like when I started watching anime. Seeing this changed it for me, and now I really enjoy the romance/drama category of anime.
Overall: 8/10
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Overall I think that Myself ; Yourself really is a great series. If you're going to start watching a teen, romance and drama anime this is definitely a good place to start.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Sep 24, 2013
"Nii nii~~"
"Nii nii no baka" - Miya Tachibana
To put it simply, the combination of each of the heroines to the main protagonist is like a fireworks show. All of them are pretty.
The Story: 9/10
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The story starts with our main male protagonist Junichi Tachibana being stood up on a Christmas Eve date which occurred two years ago. Having a hard time warming up to others, he does not have a girlfriend. In the seven arcs which comprises of four episodes each,(except for Risa Kamizaki who is given one episode) each arc is given one main heroine girl in which Junichi is their personal love interest. Each
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arc is set in a parallel universe, so the jumps from arc to arc do not follow up. Each arc is unique in itself. Not only are you given a different girl for each arc, but the circumstances and problems encountered are all different for each girl. This brings a little more flavor to the anime rather than being around the same issue. The only thing that affects the main story line that isn't changed in each arc is the fact that Junichi was stood up, so each arc starts from the same point as all the other arcs do with the characters being in the same relationship with Tachibana each time unless it is the heroine girl. The pacing of the story is about the same in each arc, but there would be times where you’d have little segments from the past being put in and the switches are noticeable so don’t worry with not being able to keep up. Each of the arcs endings are very satisfying.
The Art: 9/10
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The art in Amagami SS was fluent and definitely consistent. The art style was about the same for each character, though their physical appearance may look quite different the outlines are still the same - it doesn’t become annoying though. The color shading was very neat and precise, the backgrounds astonishing. There were some sweet lake scenes where you could really appreciate the art. Color overall in the anime went very well with the atmosphere created by the main girl's emotion. There were times where the background would blur a little bit but you rarely take much notice of it. The art was not up to the particular par of Kyoto Animation (known for Clannad) but was very watchable for an anime aired in 2010. Overall the art was very fitting for the story in Amagami. The use of colour at different angles makes each scene enticing and memorable.
The Sound: 10/10
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Sound in Amagami SS was very crisp and clear. The OP, 'I Love' is an immensely addicting song for a romance anime. The EDs were sung well, and one thing to note is that each main heroine sings her own version of the closing song. The voice acting here was very smooth. Each of the main girls’ voice suited the type of appearance and personality they had. Another thing to note is that Amagami SS does not come in a dubbed form- for all those dubbed watchers out there-, from what I have searched. There might be a couple of fan dubs but it is doubted they’ll be any better than subbed.
The Characters: 9/10
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The characters were all unique. We are presented with Tsukasa, Haruka, Sae, Ai, Rihoko and Kaoru as the six main girls and Risa as the seventh. Each of the girls has their own unique traits, hobbies and personalities, of which all of them are very entertaining and likable (depending on what type of person you are). Tsukasa appears to be a kind class representative, Haruka the popular senior, Ai and Sae as Miya’s friends, and the two childhood friends Rihoko and Kaoru. Junichi, the main male is kind, thoughtful and slightly perverted, but this side of him always ends up to be used in a form of comedy which ended up being very repetitive- overused until it just wasn't funny. The supporting characters do not have much effect on the story line; in fact, they don't really do much at all. There is little-to-no development of them at all, but it does not get agitating, unless one of them was your favourite character. In the Kaoru arc, there was a narrator speaking what was going on in Junichi’s mind sometimes. This was only slightly bothersome though, but it’s assured some people just won’t like it.
The Enjoyment: 10/10
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If you are new to romance or drama Amagami SS might be a good choice to be introduced to the genre, if not it might all seem a little cliché. But I don’t care; I’m a sucker for cliché. Amagami SS first started in the form of a game, which was the adapted into an anime. I’ve seen some manga of Amagami, and it goes into a little more detail than the anime- not that the anime hasn’t touched on the subject at all but that it shows what is occurring at an event much better. Re-watching this anime definitely added to my personal enjoyment of the series. The satisfaction in seeing your favourite pair come together in the arc is what makes me come back to it. The anime was very memorable, even a few days after I had finished but I have to admit that it’s very less in my mind now as with all the other awesome anime I have watched.
Overall: 9/10
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Thanks for reading my review, or even parts of it- I don't blame you for reading all of it, but again, thanks you.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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