Hakuouki: C+
I didn't really think of a rating for this show until just now when I started writing it. It's interesting, well-animated and romantic, but not particularly well-written, and the characters are predictable. It was shown in two seasons, "Hakuouki - Shinsengumi Kitan" and "Hakuouki - Hekketsu-roku".
Hakuouki was originally an "Otome Game," sometimes called a "Reverse Harem," a game built around a single female protagonist choosing a male protagonist to pursue. Having no experience whatsoever of these, I was interested in the concept at the start, Hakuouki in particular focuses on the Shinsengumi, a famous group of Special Police samurai in service to the Tokugawa Shogunate during the Meiji restoration (for those of you who don't know your Japanese History, that's the losing side), with a fictional female protagonist, Yukimura Chizuru, a girl who is taken in by the Shinsengumi after witnessing a scene of the Shinsengumi purging members of their own ranks. If this sounds rather dark, it's because it is, the Shinsengumi's reputation at the time was extremely negative, and given their status as an elite group that ultimately is defeated and torn apart, modern fiction has treated them as both villainous and heroic, depending on the story. Hakuouki treats them as mostly heroic, but blurs the line in a few cases.
The series is difficult to classify because while it is ostensibly a shojo series, it's incredibly bloody with a high body count, and is extremely historically accurate, though obviously the entire 'demon' subplot surrounding Chizuru, her father, and the Shinsengumi's secret 'medicine' is fictional, most of the characters and their ultimate fates are pretty much exactly as history told them.
The series manages to be pure and romantic, though I couldn't shake the feeling while watching it that it was originally the feverish writing of a middle-aged history buff woman who was creating an author insert as a pretty young girl who circumstance demanded be surrounded by these famous men, who conveniently found her attractive and flirted with her in one way or another. It's been polished into a very functional story with quite a bit of depth, and it's kind of refreshing to see that the reverse harem has the same set of familiar faces as the normal version (the glasses boy, the young one, the musclehead, the proper samurai, the quiet one, etc).
The series is almost completely fan-serviceless (though there is a bit of MAN SERVICE), with the exception of a couple of extremely tasteful and beautiful scenes involving drinking blood out of our girl's neck. So that's nice too.
Overall Hakuouki is a pretty solid series, but, like so many series that I like but don't love, it lacks brilliance. If you want to see a nice piece of tragic historical fiction peppered with romance and samurai violence, Hakuouki is competent period piece. If you're starved for stellar writing or happy endings, though, Hakuouki will leave you unfulfilled.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Friday, January 11, 2013
Nekomonogatari (Black)
Nekomonogatari (Black): A+
I really just want to hold down the A and + keys for this, but that would be unprofessional. Instead I will be unprofessional by squeeing wildly and bouncing up and down about how much I loved Nekomonogatari (Black).
As long-time followers know, I'm a huge fan of the writer (Niso Isin) and director (Akiyuki Shinbo) of the Monogatari series in particular and the Monogatari series in general, so it should be no surprise that I loved this as well. The reason it's Nekomonogatari (Black) is because there is, later in the series, a Nekomonogatari (White), which has not yet been made into an anime yet.
Nekomonogatari is a prequel to both Bakemonogatari and Nisemonogatari, and unlike many prequels, builds on them intelligently and deliberately: Neko (Black) is meant to be watched AFTER Bake and Nise, and watching in in that order spreads a thick, gooey, delicious layer of fucked up over both of the chronologically succeeding series (though Bakemonogatari more than Nisemonogatari), something that retroactively makes both series much better, as it dawns on you that the characters knew all this happened, and did what they did later regardless.
In short, Neko (Black) adds tremendously to the Monogatari series as a whole, and gives me great hopes for the second season that is being released in 2013. I literally could not contain a shout of triumph when I saw that there would be more this year. If they continue to build on prior material the way Neko and Nise have, the Monogatari series as a whole may actually grow into an S rank series by virtue of brilliant writing.
If you liked the intelligent writing of Bakemonogatari and the off-color but honest sexuality and humor of Nisemonogatari, you will adore the emotional tragedy of Nekomonogatari. If girls in their underwear, older brothers sexually harassing younger sisters or coldly psychological child abuse are triggers for you, you probably shouldn't watch it, the last especially is done in a manner that shows the activity and the result, not the in-between part, and I found utterly chilling.
I really just want to hold down the A and + keys for this, but that would be unprofessional. Instead I will be unprofessional by squeeing wildly and bouncing up and down about how much I loved Nekomonogatari (Black).
As long-time followers know, I'm a huge fan of the writer (Niso Isin) and director (Akiyuki Shinbo) of the Monogatari series in particular and the Monogatari series in general, so it should be no surprise that I loved this as well. The reason it's Nekomonogatari (Black) is because there is, later in the series, a Nekomonogatari (White), which has not yet been made into an anime yet.
Nekomonogatari is a prequel to both Bakemonogatari and Nisemonogatari, and unlike many prequels, builds on them intelligently and deliberately: Neko (Black) is meant to be watched AFTER Bake and Nise, and watching in in that order spreads a thick, gooey, delicious layer of fucked up over both of the chronologically succeeding series (though Bakemonogatari more than Nisemonogatari), something that retroactively makes both series much better, as it dawns on you that the characters knew all this happened, and did what they did later regardless.
In short, Neko (Black) adds tremendously to the Monogatari series as a whole, and gives me great hopes for the second season that is being released in 2013. I literally could not contain a shout of triumph when I saw that there would be more this year. If they continue to build on prior material the way Neko and Nise have, the Monogatari series as a whole may actually grow into an S rank series by virtue of brilliant writing.
If you liked the intelligent writing of Bakemonogatari and the off-color but honest sexuality and humor of Nisemonogatari, you will adore the emotional tragedy of Nekomonogatari. If girls in their underwear, older brothers sexually harassing younger sisters or coldly psychological child abuse are triggers for you, you probably shouldn't watch it, the last especially is done in a manner that shows the activity and the result, not the in-between part, and I found utterly chilling.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Dance in the Vampire Bund
Dance in the Vampire Bund: B
Yeah, the title sounds really weird to the English-speaking ear. According to dictionary.com a "Bund" is either an embankment or dyke or an alliance or political society. Both are fairly accurate descriptions of what the Vampire Bund in the series is.
Vampires have just come out publicly to humanity, in the interest of extending an olive branch, though on the other side of things they have so much financial and political sway (plus the advantage of decades and centuries of planning) that if their offer of peace is not accepted, they'll crush humanity anyway. At the center of this "peace" movement is Mina Tepes, descendant of the legendary Vlad and Queen of the Vampires, a spiritual and social position, as if she is killed, all vampires will be destroyed.
The story is told mostly through the perspectives of two ordinary (?) high school students, one of whom has a strange and severe case of amnesia and the other of whom has a massive crush on the amnesiac. The plot unfolds and we learn more about the sinister and strange history of the Vampiric Royal Family, its traditions and the reality of life as one of the creatures of the night.
I'm not a connoisseur of vampire fiction in general, but I really liked how DitVB got across the passion, dispassion and tragedy inherent in the vampiric condition. Mina is a heartless tyrant, but she also loves and seeks friendship. The dangerous, predatory and sexual side of the Vampire myth is also on full display, as well as the accompanying myth of the Werewolf, and overall the story, while rather typically anime, appeals to me personally as a story about vampires.
The really most painful thing about this series is the title, which is just awkward to try to tell anyone about because it sounds so bad in English. The series itself is Akiyuki Shinbo doing his thing, with vampires. If a good, if short vampire anime appeals to you, DitVB will totally satisfy you.
Yeah, the title sounds really weird to the English-speaking ear. According to dictionary.com a "Bund" is either an embankment or dyke or an alliance or political society. Both are fairly accurate descriptions of what the Vampire Bund in the series is.
Vampires have just come out publicly to humanity, in the interest of extending an olive branch, though on the other side of things they have so much financial and political sway (plus the advantage of decades and centuries of planning) that if their offer of peace is not accepted, they'll crush humanity anyway. At the center of this "peace" movement is Mina Tepes, descendant of the legendary Vlad and Queen of the Vampires, a spiritual and social position, as if she is killed, all vampires will be destroyed.
The story is told mostly through the perspectives of two ordinary (?) high school students, one of whom has a strange and severe case of amnesia and the other of whom has a massive crush on the amnesiac. The plot unfolds and we learn more about the sinister and strange history of the Vampiric Royal Family, its traditions and the reality of life as one of the creatures of the night.
I'm not a connoisseur of vampire fiction in general, but I really liked how DitVB got across the passion, dispassion and tragedy inherent in the vampiric condition. Mina is a heartless tyrant, but she also loves and seeks friendship. The dangerous, predatory and sexual side of the Vampire myth is also on full display, as well as the accompanying myth of the Werewolf, and overall the story, while rather typically anime, appeals to me personally as a story about vampires.
The really most painful thing about this series is the title, which is just awkward to try to tell anyone about because it sounds so bad in English. The series itself is Akiyuki Shinbo doing his thing, with vampires. If a good, if short vampire anime appeals to you, DitVB will totally satisfy you.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Planetes
Planetes: B++
The name is usually shown in the series in greek ("ΠΛΑΝΗΤΕΣ"), and is an obvious play: the word, while is often translated directly as "planets" comes from a root which actually means "wanderers," in reference to the behavior of the planets, thought by the ancient Greeks to be stars, to move about the sky, unlike stars which remained in fixed positions. The intelligence and poetry of this dual reference both to the series as taking place in space and about characters who are, in some almost spiritual sense, searching for something should be your first clue to the depth with which Planetes was crafted.
The first thing that struck me about Planetes was how the science is hard enough to scratch diamonds. This is a story of late this century, when man has taken his first tentative steps away from Earth, but has not even reached the edges of the Solar System. Indeed, the first half of the series is practically an introduction to the future that the writer envisions, and that is captivating... for a while.
Planetes is, in truth, a very well-written drama, that takes place mostly in the space around Earth. It is ultimately about the people, about what space does to them, and about what space means to them. The series starts out interesting, but slows for a while in the middle before coming in full-force for its final, emotionally-charged, meaningful and topical final arc and ending.
It is not a thrill ride or a roller coaster, but rather a close look at what makes up a human being, and you will come away from it with an almost religious understanding of interconnectedness. This is no rosy-eyed tale of manifest destiny and exploration, but a contemplative look at what really matters, asking questions and coming to conclusions.
Planetes misses an A rating because of its slowness, which turned me off it for a while (I started watching the series back in September and only just finished it), and the fact that it doesn't grab you until very late in the story, though when it does it truly holds onto you.
If hard science fiction is your thing, you are doing yourself a tremendous disservice if you miss Planetes. If you like science fiction and a good story woven through it, you should watch it right now. If a little slow and thoughtful plotting gives you narcolepsy, then move along, but even then, I recommend sticking through it, the payoff is really beautiful.
The name is usually shown in the series in greek ("ΠΛΑΝΗΤΕΣ"), and is an obvious play: the word, while is often translated directly as "planets" comes from a root which actually means "wanderers," in reference to the behavior of the planets, thought by the ancient Greeks to be stars, to move about the sky, unlike stars which remained in fixed positions. The intelligence and poetry of this dual reference both to the series as taking place in space and about characters who are, in some almost spiritual sense, searching for something should be your first clue to the depth with which Planetes was crafted.
The first thing that struck me about Planetes was how the science is hard enough to scratch diamonds. This is a story of late this century, when man has taken his first tentative steps away from Earth, but has not even reached the edges of the Solar System. Indeed, the first half of the series is practically an introduction to the future that the writer envisions, and that is captivating... for a while.
Planetes is, in truth, a very well-written drama, that takes place mostly in the space around Earth. It is ultimately about the people, about what space does to them, and about what space means to them. The series starts out interesting, but slows for a while in the middle before coming in full-force for its final, emotionally-charged, meaningful and topical final arc and ending.
It is not a thrill ride or a roller coaster, but rather a close look at what makes up a human being, and you will come away from it with an almost religious understanding of interconnectedness. This is no rosy-eyed tale of manifest destiny and exploration, but a contemplative look at what really matters, asking questions and coming to conclusions.
Planetes misses an A rating because of its slowness, which turned me off it for a while (I started watching the series back in September and only just finished it), and the fact that it doesn't grab you until very late in the story, though when it does it truly holds onto you.
If hard science fiction is your thing, you are doing yourself a tremendous disservice if you miss Planetes. If you like science fiction and a good story woven through it, you should watch it right now. If a little slow and thoughtful plotting gives you narcolepsy, then move along, but even then, I recommend sticking through it, the payoff is really beautiful.
Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun
Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun: C+
はいはい、もう一同 明けまして おめでとうございます！
Wow, I can't believe I've been doing this for almost two years now. The time really flies.
Anyway, Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun is a shoujo series with a lot of unrealized potential. Mizutani Shizuku is a rather uptight studybug, diligently intending to be successful, get good grades and generally be a cog in the machine. Yoshida Haru is a boy with some fascinating and undescribed psychosocial damage. When she's asked to take Haru, a truant, the printouts that have been building up, Shizuku unwittingly becomes friends with him, and, quickly, the object of his affection, which, much to her horror, she finds herself reciprocating. But due to their own indiosyncracies and the general complexity of being a fifteen year old, things don't go smoothly for the couple.
The cast is solid and interesting, the situations are entertaining, and the writing is pretty decent.
But it doesn't go anywhere. There is a modest amount of growth in characters, but nothing amazing, or even particularly noticeable. And we end after 13 episodes with the couple still trying to find a way to make things work that makes them both happy, despite both being clear that they like each other. It makes for a competent story, but it leaves you with a sense of unfulfillment; what have we come this far for? What were we watching this to see? Where's the payoff?
I'd like to be more forgiving, since the manga is still being published and so maybe the anime was just trying to remain faithful. Maybe the series isn't about getting anywhere, maybe it's about the journey and how things bump into each other. But the meaninglessness of it just grates at me, meaninglessness is something I really don't like in my stories.
One thing I will praise the series for is the portrayal of Haru. He's a 15 year old boy who is kind of confused about life, but is very honest, and that comes across very well, especially around the fact that he is as horny as most fifteen year old boys are. Though he never does anything about it, his lack of an internal censor makes him stand out to me in anime as being a teenage boy without being a pervert , a maniac or completely above his own hormones.
If you'd like to watch an interesting and clever shoujo series, Tonari is definitely pretty good shoujo. But if you're either bored by series without action or supernatural occurrences, or if you simply can't stand empty endings that don't resolve anything, this series will drive you mad.
はいはい、もう一同 明けまして おめでとうございます！
Wow, I can't believe I've been doing this for almost two years now. The time really flies.
Anyway, Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun is a shoujo series with a lot of unrealized potential. Mizutani Shizuku is a rather uptight studybug, diligently intending to be successful, get good grades and generally be a cog in the machine. Yoshida Haru is a boy with some fascinating and undescribed psychosocial damage. When she's asked to take Haru, a truant, the printouts that have been building up, Shizuku unwittingly becomes friends with him, and, quickly, the object of his affection, which, much to her horror, she finds herself reciprocating. But due to their own indiosyncracies and the general complexity of being a fifteen year old, things don't go smoothly for the couple.
The cast is solid and interesting, the situations are entertaining, and the writing is pretty decent.
But it doesn't go anywhere. There is a modest amount of growth in characters, but nothing amazing, or even particularly noticeable. And we end after 13 episodes with the couple still trying to find a way to make things work that makes them both happy, despite both being clear that they like each other. It makes for a competent story, but it leaves you with a sense of unfulfillment; what have we come this far for? What were we watching this to see? Where's the payoff?
I'd like to be more forgiving, since the manga is still being published and so maybe the anime was just trying to remain faithful. Maybe the series isn't about getting anywhere, maybe it's about the journey and how things bump into each other. But the meaninglessness of it just grates at me, meaninglessness is something I really don't like in my stories.
One thing I will praise the series for is the portrayal of Haru. He's a 15 year old boy who is kind of confused about life, but is very honest, and that comes across very well, especially around the fact that he is as horny as most fifteen year old boys are. Though he never does anything about it, his lack of an internal censor makes him stand out to me in anime as being a teenage boy without being a pervert , a maniac or completely above his own hormones.
If you'd like to watch an interesting and clever shoujo series, Tonari is definitely pretty good shoujo. But if you're either bored by series without action or supernatural occurrences, or if you simply can't stand empty endings that don't resolve anything, this series will drive you mad.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)