Story (9/10)
Muv Luv Alternative Total Eclipse or should i say, Muv Luv. Is one from many anime that taking mecha as their main themes. But the differences between them, is they didnt focus about mecha vs mecha like gundam. but its more about Mecha vs Alien. in this anime, we called alien as BETA. The story goes when The "BETA" has invaded on the earth. As the humanity is on the edge, UN and Japanese Imperial make a weapon to against them. Its called TSF. Tactical Surface Fighter or we can say the name for the mecha or robot. Yui Takamura and Yuuya Bridges as the MC must against the BETA who tried to take over the earth, could they did it?
At the first glimpse, we can merely imagine this anime would about this giant robot destroying every BETAs easily without any problem with their lasers and moreover, thinking this anime would heavily about mecha battle. Well, you can throw away that perception after watching this. in the first episode we're being served by a really dark atmosphere. Despair, hopeless and emotional moments is blended in this one. I am pretty excited about the first time when i watch this. Well, after some episode It changes. In this anime, It doesnt always about creepy and dark moments like before but also light things like comedy and more even, romance. Though the comedy and romance isnt the prominent things in this anime but its good to balanced with the heavy story on it. Moreover, the romance isnt cheesy and cheap. Moreover, its quite touching and naturally flowing between on each characters. The comedy isnt that bad too, though sometimes it isnt really funny but at least we would get smile by watching it.
The pace in this anime is rather slow than any mecha anime that i've ever seen. They have some backgrounds story for some characters and they way how they tells each of something (like BETA and or about the plan) is quite detailed and the word that they are using for explaining things is quite easy to understand. So, it isnt really hard to follow this story.
ART (10/10)
This is maybe the strongest aspects on this anime, art. Muv Luv is extremely doing it well on this aspects. They way the use 3D art on the mecha is suprisingly good. I mean, look at the movements for the mecha or TSF is so smooth and moreover it doesnt crashed with the 2D background, its feels like they are one. Not just the 3D aspects, the picture in this anime is also vivid, beautiful and sharp. Well,it doesnt so surprising since the producer is satelight which is known for making anime with vivid color like fairy tail. Though sometimes the art in this anime is changing, like when some dramatic or despair scenes comes it turns to more darker and serious tones. Honestly, the changing between it, isnt really matter furthermore, its increasing the atmosphere feels in that scenes. Beside of all that, The most interesing things again about the art is the character design. You will found so many interesting character in design aspects and of course eye-candy for men since we would see so many beautiful girls with tight clothes and moreover, the art in this anime is supporting for making this "view" more delicious.
SOUND (8/10)
From the sound section, Honestly i love the opening song in this anime "Go to the top" by Kumi Koda is really suitable with the this anime. Electric tunes and slow hip hop beat in this song is really catchy. The animation that appears while the song is played is also great. Its presentating every characters that would appears and of course the great 3D mecha art is still there and for the ED, its doesnt really memorable and honestly the song is a little bit of. Moving on to character sound, the seiyuu in this anime is actually is good. For Yuuya, he is being voiced by Ono Daisuke which is known for his role on shizuo (Durarara) and for Takamura Yui, she is being voiced by Mai Nakahara which known for her role in Nagisa (clannad). Those two seiyuu is the proof for the quality of the sound characters, They are really suitable with the roles that they have. Like Yui Voice when in dere mode, Mai Nakahara can pulling that one off. though sometimes the voice is a little bit off but its still pretty enjoyable to hear their voice.
CHARACTERS (9/10)
After the art, the most prominent things in Muv Luv is the characters. What i love from this series is the personality that each characters has. Like Yuuya, our main lead. At the first, he is a egoistical characters that only care about himself, he do what he wants to do and doesnt really care about any people, but this negative personality is changing as long as the story goes this characters turns into the one that why this characters deserve as the main characters.
Beside Yuuya, we have Takamura Yui. which is at the first glimpse is your really annoying one. since, as the commanders and the leader for the army she is have a harsh and strict personality that makes you want to punch her right on her head but, like Yuuya as long as the story goes this personality is changing and I can safely said Yui would make the viewers fallin in love with her. especially when she is in her dere mode.
Beside two of those, Muv Luv have another main characters, its scarlet twins. Like its name, Scarlet twins is consists of two people, Cryska and Inia. Those two people have two big differents in personality. If inia is like your imouto type which is clingy type and sweet, Cryska is more mature and strict like Yui. She is basically just do what she is ordered. The reflection between them is what makes scarlet twins is loveable and wanna makes rooting for them.
So, what can i say is all the characters (not just the main characters) in this anime is really enchanting and you will ended up rooting for them, One thing that particulary that Muv Lu lack is some of them sometimes appears just for the decoration like the three girls from UN. They appears without affecting the characters nor the story, they appears Without any use. Its being wasted i think. Beside of it, like i have mention before, the characters developments in Muv Luv is really handled very well. Every thing that happen between them is affecting their personality, like Yui that gradually have an interest with Yuuya. Anyway, We dont just see the battles but also the drama within it and what makes them changed especially in the personality like Yuuya or Yui does.
OVERALL (9/10)
in the end, i must say i satisfied with what i have watched. spending nearly for 8 hours just for watching this series is really pays off. I even didnt realize that i had in the last episode. The art, story and the characters is the one why i can sitting down quietly watching this anime. Honestly, Mecha isnt my things. But this one is different, i felt this one is totally different from what i expect from mecha anime. The harem and romance aspects is probably the one that surprise me a lot from this series. Well, who knows that harem+mecha is turn out into a great combination? Anyway, i really recommend this anime if you seek for pleasure and great anime.
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