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Mar 24, 2016
They say time is a dimension. A special dimension. Does it really exist, or is it simply an arbitrary value created by humans? Yet, imagine if we could walk through the gates of time to change our pasts.
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Without doubt, Boku dake ga Inai Machi (ERASED) is the most talked-about anime in the Winter season of 2015/2016. Yet, the disagreement lies as to whether it deserves the attention and praise it is receiving. In fact, my opinion has vacillated in this matter, but after finishing the series, I've come to my final decision. In this review, I'm putting out my own two cents on why Boku
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Dake is THE ANIME TO WATCH in this season, and why it is unique compared to one-cour titles we've encountered in the last several months.
#1: Unique Progression and Depth of Storyline
Few titles take us this far into a story as ERASED in just one cour (12 episodes). In the beginning, our protagonist Satoru Fujinuma is transported to his childhood after witnessing a travesty unveil in his home. From then, the rollercoaster of a plot simply continues to dig deeper into a philosophical hole, and we don't get off until the final minutes of the last episode. The story is filled with emotion, melancholy, and themes which explore aspects of the HUMAN CONDITION.
#2: Presentation of Visual Scenes
The use of flashbacks between reality, past, and parallel reality is done quite well, and this is one of the essential qualities of the anime that makes it unique. I personally really enjoyed the cine-like aspect ratio of the "past" scenes, which really differentiated between the different temporal settings in the plot. Additionally, individual scenes were meaningful and well designed, such as the scene below the bridge (can be seen in the OP) and those with the cold, mysterious quality of Hokkaido and its snowscapes.
#3: Unique Physical and Emotional Setting
We start off with our protagonist, Satoru, as a 29-year old, and jump to when he was an elementary schooler. Now, there are surely major differences between the mindsets of these two different age groups, and the anime really does a glamorous job of creating a unique atmosphere appropriate for each temporal setting. Even towards the latter half of the cour, which some say is more monotonous, this shifting of atmosphere really contains great impact for the viewer.
#4. Genres
While moe, ecchi, and harem blended into an anime could taste refreshing, a somewhat gloomy, mysterious, and dark plot such as the one in Boku Dake is a much-needed break from the above genres which we're seeing more and more of recently. While the above are essential parts of anime, I think occasionally a more serious and deep story progression is more novel in the industry and has the potential to pack a bigger punch. And yes, I was on the receiving end of the punch and did feel its effects while watching ERASED.
#5. Engaging First Episodes
Unlike, say, Psycho Pass, which started off slow but gained momentum, Boke dake ga Inai Machi has a very compelling first episode, and this initial impression contributed greatly to the significant amount of attention it drew initially. As such, what you should do is give the first episode a try, and then see how everything goes from there.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jan 13, 2016
Ajin: Shoudou demands us to contemplate the definition of "Human" and the extent to which one needs to use his/her abilities in a way that is morally just.
Despised by society, Ajin are humans who have regenerative properties and cannot die. Kei Nagai, a senior high schooler, learns upon surviving what would've been a fatal accident that he is an Ajin with the special ability to summon a "Black Ghost". These Black Ghosts are dark, mummy-like figures (similar to the one in the movie's cover art) which seem to be controlled by the Ajin's unconscious mind. Yet, they are able to exert deadly physical harm to
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people and objects, but can only be seen by other Ajin.
The aspect that makes Ajin's plot interesting is that Kei, the MC, is hesitant to use his deadly ability for revenge and murder, and instead tries to use his ability to help humanity, unlike other Ajin. The story contains philosophical themes of morality as both good (remembering his childhood friends and family) and evil (Ajin with murderous intent) influences try to sway him in deciding how to use his powers. All the characters in Ajin other than Kei act more or less as foils which develop Kei's character by influencing his decisions.
One of the more surprising features of Ajin is the use of computer graphics (CGI) to animate the character movements. The frame rate of character movement is reduced to match the value normally seen in other anime. I personally think that while this is a novel and innovative approach to developing anime, its use of CGI strays too far from the conventional standard we saw in Ghost in the Shell or Paprika; however it still does a very good job of conveying expressions and emotions. Additionally, the background and scenery art were very well done as well.
In terms of sound, the BGM tracks were quite nice were helpful in setting the atmosphere of scenes. My personal favourite from the soundtrack is "Yoru wa Nemureru kai?" from the ED. The voices behind the characters are were well-known seiyu and I think each of the voices fit the characters nicely.
When we compare the anime to the manga version, we see that it is more or less similar to the origin, with the exception of a few scenes from the manga which were not adapted. One characteristic that was kept was the constant shifting of the scenes from one setting to another, which I thought was really unique in that it allows the viewer to better understand the timeline of the events in the plot and the scenes that are taking place simultaneously of each other.
Overall, the Ajin movie does not stray much from its Manga source and offers interesting themes of humanity and morality. I would recommend Ajin: Shoudou to anybody who has read the manga or if you are interested in anime with elements of supernatural horror, such as Tokyo Ghoul (which in many ways really is quite similar to Ajin).
Ajin: Shoudou is the first work in the Ajin film trilogy. Part two is set to premiere in theaters in May of 2016.
I hope you have found this review to be of help.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Nov 1, 2015
What is it that makes us "human" and distinguishes us from machines that, quite convincingly, appear to look and act like us?
We continue to explore this question in GiTS 2015, which begins with a nostalgic flashback scene of Major Kusanagi's childhood, when she began her relationship with Kurts under the falling cherry blossom petals...
AND THEN, we are thrown into the excitement, continuing the unsatisfying ending of GiTS: Arise as the Fire Starter Virus and Ghost Hacking are coupled with a horrendous assassination of the Prime Minister and Kurts, the "greatest event since the War". Excellent action from the [then] fledgling Section 9 is
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present as they work together like gears in a machine to unravel the truth behind the assassination and suspicious events in Niihama. GiTS 2015 contains great character development between the enigmatic Major Kusanagi and her team in Section 9.
For those of you who are not familiar with the series, Ghost in the Shell (GiTS) is prolific Sci-Fi/Cyberpunk manga and anime series spanning many decades. GitS 2015 continues the plot of GiTS: Arise and acts as a prequel for the events of the GiTS movies released in past years.
This new installment of GiTS offers smooth, crisp art, greatly improving the animations of past movies to a 2015 standard. The characters resemble their forms in Arise more than in previous installments. My personal favorite in terms of art were the futuristic cityscapes as I found the architecture of Niihama as portrayed in GiTS 2015 to be quite creative and thought-provoking.
GiTS 2015 also boasted a solid OST, from the beautiful instrumental in the flashback scene in the beginning to the smooth and jazzy ED by Maaya Sakamoto x Cornelius. The well-done voiceovers and OST set the atmosphere for the plot.
Overall, GiTS 2015 is an excellent watch for anyone into the Ghost in the Shell series. Although it's very much possible to watch this movie without having previous knowledge of the GiTS series, one may find the plot and setting difficult to interpret on-the-go. Nevertheless, GiTS 2015 adds an extra layer of depth to existing lineup of the series, and closes the door to the loose ends in Pyrophoric Cult. Now, the question is: Will a new door open to further development of Ghost in the Shell in the series?
Well, for better or worse, the answer is yes, as a live-action movie will be released in 2017, directed by Rupert Sanders. But that's another story for another time.
I hope you have found this review to be helpful.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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May 8, 2015
The topics of death and a possible afterlife (or rather, the fear of them) can be quite distressing to think about, and philosophers and scientists alike have banged their heads on countless brick walls trying to figure out what exactly life is about, and why there has to be an end to it. However, death may not be so dreadful, and there may be a playful side to what happens after it, well, at least in Re-Kan.
The plot revolves around Amami Hibiki, a transfer student who mysteriously has the ability to see and interact with ghosts. Now, as per traditional Japanese beliefs, these ghosts are
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figures known as Yurei, spirits living in a peaceful afterlife which are known to protect and bring good luck to the living family members. Being totally friendly and even playful at times, the ghosts cause a lot of lighthearted commotion to the lives of Amami and her friends. In fact, they run into these ghosts quite often, be it at a ceremonial tombstone on the way to school or at the beach on a hot summer day.
The characters are all quite lovable, and there really isn't an antagonist by definition in the anime as one of the ongoing themes is simply learning to get along with "others". All the person to person and person to ghost conflicts are quite short lived. However, I must mention that the personalities we see have a limited amount of depth, and as of right now, we rarely, if at all, see introductions of new, radical characters that drive the plot forwards.
Additionally, as creative as Re-Kan is, there are shortcomings with the story. As of right now, the plot doesn't have a lot of depth, and other than the fact that the ghosts will deliberately spook people out (especially Amami's friend Inoue), there's a lack of conflict. Dramatic scenes and cliffhangers? No, we likely won't see those. I believe that the first episode will give you a good sense of the mood of the series and what the sequential episodes will be like.
As for the visual aspects of Re-Kan, the art, first of all, is very poor and inconsistent, and isn't considered by any means stellar by today's standards. That being said, the art does contribute to the light mood of the story, so essentially we can't say that art is that bad.
The other thing to mention in terms of Visuals are the OPs and EDs. They're not a treat to the eyes, but we do have to give every♥ing! credit for good theme song performances, as "Colourful Story" (OP) and "Kesalan Patharan" (ED) are two of their first singles. As for the rest of the audio, the BGM is alright, but one thing that you will notice upon watching is that except for Amami (since she just transferred to the school), all the characters speak with a strong Kansai dialect, which may not be what you are used to hearing. Most Japanese don't speak with a Kansai-ben.
To sum up, tuning into Re-kan this season for a breather is a good idea, especially if you've just watched something with a deeper plot, such as Plastic Memories.
I hope that you have found this review to be of help.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Jun 1, 2014
We humans are in fact similar to androids in many aspects. We are programmed in our genes and minds to feel emotions, love, and apprehension. If our amygdalas, the parts of our brains responsible for emotions, were removed, our behavior would be along the lines of an android with a ring on its head in Eve no Jikan. As we saw in Eve no Jikan, the androids, when given the chance, will show human-like emotions and feelings for those around them. With the added fact that the androids look and act identical to humans, we must ask ourselves: in the future, will there be any
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differences between humans and androids?
Eve no Jikan had a very "contemporary modern" feel with the cafe, artwork, androids, and soundtrack. What is known as pop culture today is not evident in Eve no Jikan; instead, the setting had a very tranquil and creative mood.
Eve no Jikan's artwork was very unique in that scenes were shown in more of a fixed camera point of view as opposed to the point of view of the characters. The artwork was very consistent and devoid of blemishes. The voice acting and soundtrack were also very considerable. The influence of the piano in both the plot and the soundtrack is very creative; the piano is not only a symbol of an ultramodern theme but also a symbol of emotion.
Eve no Jikan was a very engaging anime that had a lot of big ideas incorporated into its plot. The ultimate questions regarding the relationships between humans and robotic humans are presented in a very discussable and arguable manner.
Please refer to other peer reviews if you are looking for a plot summary.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jun 1, 2014
We humans are in fact similar to androids in many aspects. We are programmed in our genes and minds to feel emotions, love, and apprehension. If our amygdalas, the parts of our brains responsible for emotions, were removed, our behavior would be along the lines of an android with a ring on its head in Eve no Jikan. As we saw in Eve no Jikan, the androids, when given the chance, will show human-like emotions and feelings for those around them. With the added fact that the androids look and act identical to humans, we must ask ourselves: in the future, will there be any
...
differences between humans and androids?
Eve no Jikan had a very "contemporary modern" feel with the cafe, artwork, androids, and soundtrack. What is known as pop culture today is not evident in Eve no Jikan; instead, the setting had a very tranquil and creative mood.
Eve no Jikan's artwork was very unique in that scenes were shown in more of a fixed camera point of view as opposed to the point of view of the characters. The artwork was very consistent and devoid of blemishes. The voice acting and soundtrack were also very considerable. The influence of the piano in both the plot and the soundtrack is very creative; the piano is not only a symbol of an ultramodern theme but also a symbol of emotion.
Eve no Jikan was a very engaging anime that had a lot of big ideas incorporated into its plot. The ultimate questions regarding the relationships between humans and robotic humans are presented in a very discussable and arguable manner.
Please refer to other peer reviews if you are looking for a plot summary.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Apr 12, 2014
The friends that are closest to you are those you can relate to the most. You share the same interests, passions, and goals. In fact, these similarities in personality between you and your friends might have been the very reason you had met them in the first place.
The film Harmonie emphasizes this theme. The protagonists Honjou and Makina are seemingly ordinary high school students who can psychologically connect through the interest they share, that being music. The progression of the film shows Honjou slowly understanding the personality of Makina and at times catching a glimpse of Makina's past through music in a somewhat supernatural
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manner. At second theme is presented later in the film, that being whether thoughts are best kept to oneself or shared with others.
The film Harmonie was able to incorporate many ideas into a mere 25 minutes. Whether some of these ideas were rushed is debatable. The animations were good, and the one song in the film was well incorporated into the progression of the plot. Also, some parts of the anime are intentionally made unclear so that the reader's imagination can fill in the gaps.
I would recommend this anime-the theme and originality of the film is what makes the film enjoyable. For a 25 minute one-episode anime, Harmonie is very well done.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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