Well, due work being horrendous plus a couple new hobbies I've been away from Anime for a while. Due to unfortunate circumstances that this isn't the place for, I find myself with free time again, so tonight I rewatched a series which was, when I first watched it, my favorite series of all time. It was the second series (after Neon Genesis Evangelion) to hold that title, and held it for about 7 years, until I saw Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. So, without further ado:
FLCL: S
FLCL is a series that often stands out to American audiences as being 'one of those weird Japanese things that doesn't make any sense.' The reason for this is that it's a series that does not explain itself. The introduction that I was given for it was a single sentence that adds just enough context to the raw randomness of the series to make it not only enjoyable but also deeply and brilliantly symbolic: "This is a story about growing up."
The thing that strikes me the hardest about the series is its atmosphere, a unique blend of an unusual art style and the soundtrack provided by The Pillows, all guitars, bass and drums, carrying the emotion and nostalgia of adolescence.
The series is short, six episodes in total, and thus with the exception of Naota, our protagonist, development is simple and direct, but as I've mentioned, the series is laden down with symbolism, from the very subtle to the extremely obvious, in a way which greatly rewards repeated viewings, not only do little actions mean more and little details show up, but the very characters themselves are symbols, and their relationships with each other will remind almost anyone of loves and losses they've had, and that is the true brilliance of the series.
Like all series I truly adore, I hesitate to try to explain the plot, mostly because it would involve trying to explain about an alien corporation sending robots to earth through portals created inside people's heads, and how this relates to a normal middle school student and a strange woman on a vespa with an electric bass that she hits people in the head with.
No, really, these are the major plot points. I won't bother trying to explain about the Space Pirate King and how the Space Police are after him and how that figures into the series.
FLCL's only flaw is the dedication it requires to really get the most out of it. More than most series, this is one you'll want to watch twice, maybe five or six times, maybe even more, to really get what it's about. Fortunately, it's shorter than most series, and the music alone makes it worth watching over. Go check it out.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Love Hina
Love Hina: B
This is an older series, one I hadn't watched in a decade, and a very contentious one at that. Love Hina is infamous for popularizing two major tropes which would become ubiquitously known in anime in the first decade of the 21st century: the Harem Series and the Tsundere. Both of these tropes are also renowned for being blatant wish fulfillment on the part of the young male audience, which is very much looked down upon by our culture (both the idea that a lot of girls would all fall for the same guy and the entire Tsundere concept, which I could write an essay on alone). Love Hina was by no means the first series to use these elements, but it was one of the most popular examples, popular enough to be the standard from which all later versions of the theme would deviate from.
I first watched it in 2002, during my first flirtation with anime on a substantial level, beyond just watching what I could on KTEH. I remembered, at that time, actually really enjoying it, despite the somewhat unfortunate implications of it all, the absurdity of the girls liking someone like Keitaro (who is, like most Harem protagonists, a classic well-meaning loser), and all that. And since it's been most of a decade since I'd watched it, I figured, why not watch it again. So I did.
I'm pleased, if surprised, to say that it's pretty much exactly like I remember it. Judged on its own merits, it ranks a B, just barely. I almost gave it a C+, but overall, the characters are solid, the humor is reasonable, and a lot of the things which many people rate as "dude not okay" (mostly involving the massive amount of unjust violence perpetrated on Keitaro) just don't register for me.
It's a classic series, and I certainly wouldn't recommend it to anyone who is bothered by anything out of the Harem genre, because like I've mentioned, it very much epitomizes it. But if you want to know what all the fuss is about, and get a sense of the best-known example, here it is.
This is an older series, one I hadn't watched in a decade, and a very contentious one at that. Love Hina is infamous for popularizing two major tropes which would become ubiquitously known in anime in the first decade of the 21st century: the Harem Series and the Tsundere. Both of these tropes are also renowned for being blatant wish fulfillment on the part of the young male audience, which is very much looked down upon by our culture (both the idea that a lot of girls would all fall for the same guy and the entire Tsundere concept, which I could write an essay on alone). Love Hina was by no means the first series to use these elements, but it was one of the most popular examples, popular enough to be the standard from which all later versions of the theme would deviate from.
I first watched it in 2002, during my first flirtation with anime on a substantial level, beyond just watching what I could on KTEH. I remembered, at that time, actually really enjoying it, despite the somewhat unfortunate implications of it all, the absurdity of the girls liking someone like Keitaro (who is, like most Harem protagonists, a classic well-meaning loser), and all that. And since it's been most of a decade since I'd watched it, I figured, why not watch it again. So I did.
I'm pleased, if surprised, to say that it's pretty much exactly like I remember it. Judged on its own merits, it ranks a B, just barely. I almost gave it a C+, but overall, the characters are solid, the humor is reasonable, and a lot of the things which many people rate as "dude not okay" (mostly involving the massive amount of unjust violence perpetrated on Keitaro) just don't register for me.
It's a classic series, and I certainly wouldn't recommend it to anyone who is bothered by anything out of the Harem genre, because like I've mentioned, it very much epitomizes it. But if you want to know what all the fuss is about, and get a sense of the best-known example, here it is.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Dog Days
Dog Days: B+
So this is another fresh-off-the-air series from Japan, just over. Shinku, a normal junior high school athlete finds himself transported into a strange world of cat and dog-people, and the dog girl princess explains that he has been summoned to be their hero in their war against the cat people. This sounds awfully serious, until he learns that war in this world is an exceptionally polite affair in which nobody dies, people are rarely injured beyond going into harmless ball-forms of their animal type, and that the entire thing is broadcast to both nations in a manner not unlike a sporting event. Realizing that this is the best world ever, Shinku throws himself into the role of Hero and makes friends with the Princess, her captain of the guard, and even quite a few of the cat-people commanders, as war is for fun in this world, and wins and losses rarely result in hard feelings. The only problem is that the's no way to return a Hero back to his homeworld, and Shinku only has two weeks of spring break...
Dog Days is an incredibly lighthearted series with little in the way of substance. Fan service runs oddly high for how innocent the characters themselves seem to be, overall, and the series is more than a little saccharine. This mostly pales, however, to how thoroughly it manages to be really fun and adorable. Seriously, if I could get a Dog Days version of Dynasty Warriors, I would play it so much more than I play regular Dynasty Warriors. (Especially if they kept the fan service levels and my idea that for KO animations named characters suffer critical clothing damage.)
Due to the relative lightness of its plot and characterization, I wouldn't recommend this series to anyone who doesn't appreciate moe as an art form, as aside from their unique approach to warfare (which is worth checking out just for the idea), the series provides few surprises. If light-hearted cuteness sounds like your thing, check it out. But don't hope for a deep and engaging plot, just relax and enjoy the silliness.
So this is another fresh-off-the-air series from Japan, just over. Shinku, a normal junior high school athlete finds himself transported into a strange world of cat and dog-people, and the dog girl princess explains that he has been summoned to be their hero in their war against the cat people. This sounds awfully serious, until he learns that war in this world is an exceptionally polite affair in which nobody dies, people are rarely injured beyond going into harmless ball-forms of their animal type, and that the entire thing is broadcast to both nations in a manner not unlike a sporting event. Realizing that this is the best world ever, Shinku throws himself into the role of Hero and makes friends with the Princess, her captain of the guard, and even quite a few of the cat-people commanders, as war is for fun in this world, and wins and losses rarely result in hard feelings. The only problem is that the's no way to return a Hero back to his homeworld, and Shinku only has two weeks of spring break...
Dog Days is an incredibly lighthearted series with little in the way of substance. Fan service runs oddly high for how innocent the characters themselves seem to be, overall, and the series is more than a little saccharine. This mostly pales, however, to how thoroughly it manages to be really fun and adorable. Seriously, if I could get a Dog Days version of Dynasty Warriors, I would play it so much more than I play regular Dynasty Warriors. (Especially if they kept the fan service levels and my idea that for KO animations named characters suffer critical clothing damage.)
Due to the relative lightness of its plot and characterization, I wouldn't recommend this series to anyone who doesn't appreciate moe as an art form, as aside from their unique approach to warfare (which is worth checking out just for the idea), the series provides few surprises. If light-hearted cuteness sounds like your thing, check it out. But don't hope for a deep and engaging plot, just relax and enjoy the silliness.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Pani Poni Dash!
Pani Poni Dash!: B+
Another series directed by my favorite director in the Anime business, Akiyuki Shinbo, though one of his earlier works. Like Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (which Shinbo also directed), it is a slice of life series taking place at a high school and focusing on a very unusual teacher and their collection of very unusual (and predominantly female) students, and, like Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, it makes extensive use of cultural reference, non sequitur humor and absurdity (though for the western viewer, cultural reference and absurdity often seem like the same thing). Pani Poni Dash! (a name which does not make sense after you've seen the series) revolves around the students of Rebecca Miyamoto, a ten-year-old genius who has returned to Japan to teach high school.
As a slice of life series, there isn't enough plot to speak of, which does make room for more humor, misunderstandings and general comedic sociopathy among the cast. It's fun and doesn't take itself seriously, the characters manage to be both caricatures and individuals at the same time and overall the humor holds up very well so long as you don't try to catch every single reference the series throws out.
All that said, it's a difficult series to recommend to people. It's not brilliant, but it's good for a laugh, it's not lavishly animated but it's never painful to watch, and while I have very few criticisms of it I'm not entirely sure what sort of person absolutely must see this series. I suppose if I had to criticize it I'd say that it doesn't really go anywhere: not that it really has anywhere it needs to go, it's a slice of life show.
So I guess in short: if you're into watching truly bizarre high school-ish antics, check it out. If you're looking for something with a bit more story and meaning, skip it.
Another series directed by my favorite director in the Anime business, Akiyuki Shinbo, though one of his earlier works. Like Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (which Shinbo also directed), it is a slice of life series taking place at a high school and focusing on a very unusual teacher and their collection of very unusual (and predominantly female) students, and, like Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, it makes extensive use of cultural reference, non sequitur humor and absurdity (though for the western viewer, cultural reference and absurdity often seem like the same thing). Pani Poni Dash! (a name which does not make sense after you've seen the series) revolves around the students of Rebecca Miyamoto, a ten-year-old genius who has returned to Japan to teach high school.
As a slice of life series, there isn't enough plot to speak of, which does make room for more humor, misunderstandings and general comedic sociopathy among the cast. It's fun and doesn't take itself seriously, the characters manage to be both caricatures and individuals at the same time and overall the humor holds up very well so long as you don't try to catch every single reference the series throws out.
All that said, it's a difficult series to recommend to people. It's not brilliant, but it's good for a laugh, it's not lavishly animated but it's never painful to watch, and while I have very few criticisms of it I'm not entirely sure what sort of person absolutely must see this series. I suppose if I had to criticize it I'd say that it doesn't really go anywhere: not that it really has anywhere it needs to go, it's a slice of life show.
So I guess in short: if you're into watching truly bizarre high school-ish antics, check it out. If you're looking for something with a bit more story and meaning, skip it.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Maria+Holic
Maria+Holic: B
So, I believe I've mentioned my love of the director Akiyuki Shinbo before (Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, Bakemonogatari). It's to the point where I will watch anything he's directed simply because he's directed it, and so, with some reservation, I finally started watching Maria+Holic.
I was reluctant because the pitch for the series gave me reservations: a lesbian schoolgirl named Kanako attends an all-girl's catholic school (in Japan, this is a bigger, slightly more comedic deal, due to the relative non-presence of Christianity), where she encounters a lovely girl named Mariya who is actually a boy in disguise. Having found out his secret, he promptly browbeats her with the fact that he is the former headmaster's grandchild into keeping his secret and generally tolerating his abuse.
I don't think it's difficult to see why that pitch would raise the heckles of forward-thinking audiences, and indeed, for the first two episodes I was a little on edge around the entire subject. But as the cast is introduced, the series focuses more around Kanako's difficulties keeping her fantasies under control and trying to make friends and be accepted and surviving having her heart broken by her mostly-straight classmates, while doing her best to avoid Mariya's wrath. Kanako is portrayed as so outstandingly weak against pretty girls (and, in fact, Mariya, when he's acting girly and dressing sexy, which he does extensively) that it's very difficult to accept her suffering as, if not quite truly deserved, at least as being partially her own fault.
The series also makes extensive use of Akiyuki Shinbo's traditional style of layered reference, fourth-wall-busting humor, extensive art shifts and downright surgical use of fan service, all of which I, personally, find extremely interesting to experience.
Overall, Maria+Holic is an odd concept written very well and brilliantly executed. The comedy is full of schadenfreude, and anyone who is looking for a genuine and honest look at the difficulties of homosexual teenagers will be disappointed, anyone who can appreciate a little black humor at the expense of a girl who thinks like a 30-year-old man will find something to laugh at.
So, I believe I've mentioned my love of the director Akiyuki Shinbo before (Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, Bakemonogatari). It's to the point where I will watch anything he's directed simply because he's directed it, and so, with some reservation, I finally started watching Maria+Holic.
I was reluctant because the pitch for the series gave me reservations: a lesbian schoolgirl named Kanako attends an all-girl's catholic school (in Japan, this is a bigger, slightly more comedic deal, due to the relative non-presence of Christianity), where she encounters a lovely girl named Mariya who is actually a boy in disguise. Having found out his secret, he promptly browbeats her with the fact that he is the former headmaster's grandchild into keeping his secret and generally tolerating his abuse.
I don't think it's difficult to see why that pitch would raise the heckles of forward-thinking audiences, and indeed, for the first two episodes I was a little on edge around the entire subject. But as the cast is introduced, the series focuses more around Kanako's difficulties keeping her fantasies under control and trying to make friends and be accepted and surviving having her heart broken by her mostly-straight classmates, while doing her best to avoid Mariya's wrath. Kanako is portrayed as so outstandingly weak against pretty girls (and, in fact, Mariya, when he's acting girly and dressing sexy, which he does extensively) that it's very difficult to accept her suffering as, if not quite truly deserved, at least as being partially her own fault.
The series also makes extensive use of Akiyuki Shinbo's traditional style of layered reference, fourth-wall-busting humor, extensive art shifts and downright surgical use of fan service, all of which I, personally, find extremely interesting to experience.
Overall, Maria+Holic is an odd concept written very well and brilliantly executed. The comedy is full of schadenfreude, and anyone who is looking for a genuine and honest look at the difficulties of homosexual teenagers will be disappointed, anyone who can appreciate a little black humor at the expense of a girl who thinks like a 30-year-old man will find something to laugh at.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Gintama (Episodes 1-81)
Jeez, it's been a while since I've updated.
There are a number of reasons for that, but the main one is that I bought a PS3 and have been playing BlazBlue: Continuum Shift, Final Fantasy XIII, Prototype and Arcana Heart 3 rather than watching anime. Then I started watching again, and I decided to watch Gintama of all things, a 201 episode series. Unlike most such long series undertakings, Gintama is episodic and ridiculous enough that I don't actually feel the need to finish it (I've gotten through 81 episodes and enjoyed myself but I don't really need more, I don't think).
So, Gintama.
I haven't watched the entire thing, and it's a very different beast from anything I've reviewed so far, so I'm going to tentatively give it a B. This is actually high praise seeing as I watched a full 80 episodes and one of the things I judge very strictly on is how well a series uses the time it takes up. Gintama is shamelessly episodic and scarcely has a plot to call a plot: filler isn't so much an unfortunate necessity as a way of life for the show, but since it has thoroughly embraced it, it works out quite well.
The primary premise of the series is that, in the middle of Edo-era Japan, a group of anthropomorphic animal aliens invaded earth and subdued the local populace. A large number of samurai resisted the invasion, but the resistance fell apart as the government had already surrendered. Among these samurai was Sakata Gintoki, who now works as a "Yorozuya," a jack-of-all-trades who will do any odd job for enough money to pay the rent. Gintoki is a lazy, slightly perverted, immature, self-centered jerk with a heart of gold who loves his friends and has dedicated himself to what he believes is most important in life. He is accompanied by his "apprentice" Shinpachi and a young alien girl who he took in named Kagura, but the setting and the character's work mostly serve as a framing device for screwball comedy, social commentary and japanese pop cultural in-jokes.
The series has no fourth wall, with the characters being actively aware they're in an anime (despite the fact that they also read manga), and indeed often trying to prevent each other from doing things that would get them cancelled. Gintoki's laziness is occasionally countered by threats of him no longer being the main character of the show, and they are not afraid to poke fun at themselves: during a clip show episode, they comment how Kagura's figure has regressed since her first appearance, then move on to re-dubbing over lines from previous episodes with the commenting character's voice during the clip show.
It noticeably violently averts traditional fan service and the many of the characters are deliberately drawn as being somewhat plain and unattractive, if not downright ugly. The show also deliberately stretches the bounds of what they are allowed to broadcast and the boundaries of taste, having a particular penchant for toilet humor, though generally avoiding sex jokes while remaining exceptionally puerile. The counter to this is that when it (very occasionally) decides to do a serious plot, it does an excellent job of maintaining the series' general humor and treating the serious plot with just enough gravity to allow it to be taken seriously, a combination which deserves sincere commendation.
Gintama is a very unusual series, and very different from what I usually watch, but I highly recommend it to anyone who's had it up to here with cute, fan service, over-the-top violence or oh-so-serious subject matter. If extremely crude, self-referential humor or unattractive characters get on your nerves, go ahead and stay away.
There are a number of reasons for that, but the main one is that I bought a PS3 and have been playing BlazBlue: Continuum Shift, Final Fantasy XIII, Prototype and Arcana Heart 3 rather than watching anime. Then I started watching again, and I decided to watch Gintama of all things, a 201 episode series. Unlike most such long series undertakings, Gintama is episodic and ridiculous enough that I don't actually feel the need to finish it (I've gotten through 81 episodes and enjoyed myself but I don't really need more, I don't think).
So, Gintama.
I haven't watched the entire thing, and it's a very different beast from anything I've reviewed so far, so I'm going to tentatively give it a B. This is actually high praise seeing as I watched a full 80 episodes and one of the things I judge very strictly on is how well a series uses the time it takes up. Gintama is shamelessly episodic and scarcely has a plot to call a plot: filler isn't so much an unfortunate necessity as a way of life for the show, but since it has thoroughly embraced it, it works out quite well.
The primary premise of the series is that, in the middle of Edo-era Japan, a group of anthropomorphic animal aliens invaded earth and subdued the local populace. A large number of samurai resisted the invasion, but the resistance fell apart as the government had already surrendered. Among these samurai was Sakata Gintoki, who now works as a "Yorozuya," a jack-of-all-trades who will do any odd job for enough money to pay the rent. Gintoki is a lazy, slightly perverted, immature, self-centered jerk with a heart of gold who loves his friends and has dedicated himself to what he believes is most important in life. He is accompanied by his "apprentice" Shinpachi and a young alien girl who he took in named Kagura, but the setting and the character's work mostly serve as a framing device for screwball comedy, social commentary and japanese pop cultural in-jokes.
The series has no fourth wall, with the characters being actively aware they're in an anime (despite the fact that they also read manga), and indeed often trying to prevent each other from doing things that would get them cancelled. Gintoki's laziness is occasionally countered by threats of him no longer being the main character of the show, and they are not afraid to poke fun at themselves: during a clip show episode, they comment how Kagura's figure has regressed since her first appearance, then move on to re-dubbing over lines from previous episodes with the commenting character's voice during the clip show.
It noticeably violently averts traditional fan service and the many of the characters are deliberately drawn as being somewhat plain and unattractive, if not downright ugly. The show also deliberately stretches the bounds of what they are allowed to broadcast and the boundaries of taste, having a particular penchant for toilet humor, though generally avoiding sex jokes while remaining exceptionally puerile. The counter to this is that when it (very occasionally) decides to do a serious plot, it does an excellent job of maintaining the series' general humor and treating the serious plot with just enough gravity to allow it to be taken seriously, a combination which deserves sincere commendation.
Gintama is a very unusual series, and very different from what I usually watch, but I highly recommend it to anyone who's had it up to here with cute, fan service, over-the-top violence or oh-so-serious subject matter. If extremely crude, self-referential humor or unattractive characters get on your nerves, go ahead and stay away.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Kore wa Zombie desu ka?
Kore wa Zombie desu ka?: C++
I picked this series up quite a while ago (it was a first-quarter 2011 series), but the sub group that I'd been following for it only got up to about episode 6. I rewatched a bit and decided I really liked the opening theme, and came to want to see the ending, so I did.
KoreZombie (as I often abbreviate it) is certainly not for everyone. It's fan-service heavy, rooted in bizarre mythology jokes and the plot is pretty weak. It's a comedic harem anime, of the sort where the protagonist is a bit of a lech, or at least enjoying the fan service as much as the target audience is, and therefore he (and by extension, we, the viewer) must be punished. KoreZombie takes this idea and runs with it.
The main character is a zombie (though their zombies are different) and, mostly because of the necromancer who resurrected him, he begins acquiring an ever-larger collection of girls who live with or near him, or are accidentally engaged to him, or just like having him around. Hijinks and costume damage ensue: the plot isn't exactly twisted but deals with the fact that our necromancer girl is a genuinely good necromancer, and what that entails, ethically.
Now all that sounds fairly normal with the extra bit of "oh, he's a zombie," but that's really not all the show has going for it. It is out-and-out bizarre and over the top, and it will make you laugh from the sheer absurdity of the situations, and it will embarrass you with what it puts poor Ayumu through to take care of his girls, starting with the end of the very first episode and only going up from there.
It's a good fan servicey comedy series, and if you're the sort of person who enjoys that, check it out. If panty shots or clothing damage sound like they might get on your nerves, stay away.
I picked this series up quite a while ago (it was a first-quarter 2011 series), but the sub group that I'd been following for it only got up to about episode 6. I rewatched a bit and decided I really liked the opening theme, and came to want to see the ending, so I did.
KoreZombie (as I often abbreviate it) is certainly not for everyone. It's fan-service heavy, rooted in bizarre mythology jokes and the plot is pretty weak. It's a comedic harem anime, of the sort where the protagonist is a bit of a lech, or at least enjoying the fan service as much as the target audience is, and therefore he (and by extension, we, the viewer) must be punished. KoreZombie takes this idea and runs with it.
The main character is a zombie (though their zombies are different) and, mostly because of the necromancer who resurrected him, he begins acquiring an ever-larger collection of girls who live with or near him, or are accidentally engaged to him, or just like having him around. Hijinks and costume damage ensue: the plot isn't exactly twisted but deals with the fact that our necromancer girl is a genuinely good necromancer, and what that entails, ethically.
Now all that sounds fairly normal with the extra bit of "oh, he's a zombie," but that's really not all the show has going for it. It is out-and-out bizarre and over the top, and it will make you laugh from the sheer absurdity of the situations, and it will embarrass you with what it puts poor Ayumu through to take care of his girls, starting with the end of the very first episode and only going up from there.
It's a good fan servicey comedy series, and if you're the sort of person who enjoys that, check it out. If panty shots or clothing damage sound like they might get on your nerves, stay away.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Haruhi Suzumiya
Haruhi Suzumiya (TV): AA+
If you've stood next to anyone who knows about anime in the past five years, you've heard the name "Haruhi Suzumiya," it's one of the single most popular and hyped series of the last decade and it's treated by older anime fans with the kind of obsessive reverence that Naruto, Bleach and One Piece are given by the younger generation.
I didn't watch it until 2009, partially because I (like most people) hate hype and the pitch of the series ("There's this high school girl and she's god, and her friends need to keep her from finding out") didn't really grab me. But eventually I gave in and sat down to watch it, expecting the worst.
I was shocked to find that it deserves the better part of the hype it gets. Not only is the animation and voice acting absolutely stunning, but it is extremely well-written, the story is detailed, brilliantly designed and highly rewarding of multiple watchings.
I specifically say the story is well written rather than the plot is well written, because as you may have also heard, this series stubbornly refuses to fall into a single genre, and instead of having an overarching plot, it follows the main characters through their adventures. There are plots, the original arc, "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya", has one, though the later "The Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya" arc is more like a "the making of" story of the rather painful student movie episode. The effect of this is that the fun of the series is in watching the characters act and interact, which, if you're willing to buy into the series, is a fascinating pastime. It's so fascinating because the narrator, Kyon, is exceptionally unreliable, and we are not privy to any other character's thoughts, so the only personality we can be certain of is what we infer, and there is clearly more going on than both Kyon and the audience are told.
I really wanted to give the series an S ranking, but upon rewatching it, it doesn't quite meet my criteria. It is in almost all ways a supremely stellar example of anime as an art form and a storytelling medium, but it lacks the "extra" something required by the formula. Nevertheless, this series has brilliant art, brilliant music, brilliant voicing and sound direction, brilliant writing and brilliant pacing. That being said, I will give it a recommendation I give most S-rank series.
Watch the first six episodes (of chronological order). If you're still not interested in it, then drop it, but I think most people will find that after the cleverness and brilliance of that two hours of animation that they're curious about exactly what happens to Kyon, Haruhi, Mikuru, Yuki and Koizumi.
As kind of a post-script, I should also mention that the series aired in non-chronological order, and then, when it got a second season, those episodes didn't fit in any one point in the series either, instead being interwoven with the original series episodes. Most DVDs show them in proper chronological order, and the wikipedia episode list will also provide the order the episodes aired in when they aired in 2009, including the second season.
There's also a movie ("The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya") which acts as a capstone arc to the anime series, though it does not come close to finishing the plot laid out in the novels where the series originated. I'll review the movie separately, even though it doesn't make sense without having seen the anime.
If you've stood next to anyone who knows about anime in the past five years, you've heard the name "Haruhi Suzumiya," it's one of the single most popular and hyped series of the last decade and it's treated by older anime fans with the kind of obsessive reverence that Naruto, Bleach and One Piece are given by the younger generation.
I didn't watch it until 2009, partially because I (like most people) hate hype and the pitch of the series ("There's this high school girl and she's god, and her friends need to keep her from finding out") didn't really grab me. But eventually I gave in and sat down to watch it, expecting the worst.
I was shocked to find that it deserves the better part of the hype it gets. Not only is the animation and voice acting absolutely stunning, but it is extremely well-written, the story is detailed, brilliantly designed and highly rewarding of multiple watchings.
I specifically say the story is well written rather than the plot is well written, because as you may have also heard, this series stubbornly refuses to fall into a single genre, and instead of having an overarching plot, it follows the main characters through their adventures. There are plots, the original arc, "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya", has one, though the later "The Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya" arc is more like a "the making of" story of the rather painful student movie episode. The effect of this is that the fun of the series is in watching the characters act and interact, which, if you're willing to buy into the series, is a fascinating pastime. It's so fascinating because the narrator, Kyon, is exceptionally unreliable, and we are not privy to any other character's thoughts, so the only personality we can be certain of is what we infer, and there is clearly more going on than both Kyon and the audience are told.
I really wanted to give the series an S ranking, but upon rewatching it, it doesn't quite meet my criteria. It is in almost all ways a supremely stellar example of anime as an art form and a storytelling medium, but it lacks the "extra" something required by the formula. Nevertheless, this series has brilliant art, brilliant music, brilliant voicing and sound direction, brilliant writing and brilliant pacing. That being said, I will give it a recommendation I give most S-rank series.
Watch the first six episodes (of chronological order). If you're still not interested in it, then drop it, but I think most people will find that after the cleverness and brilliance of that two hours of animation that they're curious about exactly what happens to Kyon, Haruhi, Mikuru, Yuki and Koizumi.
As kind of a post-script, I should also mention that the series aired in non-chronological order, and then, when it got a second season, those episodes didn't fit in any one point in the series either, instead being interwoven with the original series episodes. Most DVDs show them in proper chronological order, and the wikipedia episode list will also provide the order the episodes aired in when they aired in 2009, including the second season.
There's also a movie ("The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya") which acts as a capstone arc to the anime series, though it does not come close to finishing the plot laid out in the novels where the series originated. I'll review the movie separately, even though it doesn't make sense without having seen the anime.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
K-On!
K-On! (Season 1): B+
K-On! (with one exclamation point, if it had two I would be referring to the second season) is a thirteen-episode slice of life series about the Light Music (meaning "pop music" really, and pronounced in Japanese keion) Club at Sakura All Girl's High School.
Being a slice of life series, there's not much in the way of plot, the series, like most slice of life series, is entirely character-driven, following the band throughout their high school life. There's very little way to describe in words what makes it such a solid example of its genre, as it shares most of its strong points with the other well-known and popular examples: Azumanga Daioh, Lucky Star and Hidamari Sketch.
The first season (13 episodes) suffers from a relatively poor animation budget, especially visible in the animation of hands, though the second season (26 episodes) is greatly improved in that area.
Aside from the animation problems, the only reason K-On only gets a high B and not an A is that it lacks broad-strokes appeal. While it is something of a comedy, the main joy of the show is simply in enjoying the girls being high school girls, which isn't exactly the sort of thing every viewer is going to be interested in; K-On is very thoroughly Seinen in its demographic appeal, and it shows. That said, K-On will make you wish you were in a band with a bunch of your friends, or had been in high school.
Don't watch K-On if you're looking for action, special effects or plot. Do watch K-On if the idea of just watching a bunch of girls go through high school appeals to you (especially if you can handle that the girls are all that we're here for).
K-On! (with one exclamation point, if it had two I would be referring to the second season) is a thirteen-episode slice of life series about the Light Music (meaning "pop music" really, and pronounced in Japanese keion) Club at Sakura All Girl's High School.
Being a slice of life series, there's not much in the way of plot, the series, like most slice of life series, is entirely character-driven, following the band throughout their high school life. There's very little way to describe in words what makes it such a solid example of its genre, as it shares most of its strong points with the other well-known and popular examples: Azumanga Daioh, Lucky Star and Hidamari Sketch.
The first season (13 episodes) suffers from a relatively poor animation budget, especially visible in the animation of hands, though the second season (26 episodes) is greatly improved in that area.
Aside from the animation problems, the only reason K-On only gets a high B and not an A is that it lacks broad-strokes appeal. While it is something of a comedy, the main joy of the show is simply in enjoying the girls being high school girls, which isn't exactly the sort of thing every viewer is going to be interested in; K-On is very thoroughly Seinen in its demographic appeal, and it shows. That said, K-On will make you wish you were in a band with a bunch of your friends, or had been in high school.
Don't watch K-On if you're looking for action, special effects or plot. Do watch K-On if the idea of just watching a bunch of girls go through high school appeals to you (especially if you can handle that the girls are all that we're here for).
Saturday, May 7, 2011
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time: A
I don't remember when I first heard about this movie, but I resolved to see it a while back.
It's good enough that I don't really feel any need to explain it too much. There's a girl, right? And she learns that she can jump through time, right? There, you know most of what's going on in the movie.
What, you want more?
It's a story about growing up and making decisions and taking responsibility and coming to terms with yourself. It's got some romance in it. It's also short, about 100 minutes.
I wouldn't recommend it to people who aren't interested in interesting characters interacting, or who have trouble following mildly convoluted plots, or if you're looking for explosive action, ninja, fan service or gore. If you're basically anyone else, I very much recommend it.
I don't remember when I first heard about this movie, but I resolved to see it a while back.
It's good enough that I don't really feel any need to explain it too much. There's a girl, right? And she learns that she can jump through time, right? There, you know most of what's going on in the movie.
What, you want more?
It's a story about growing up and making decisions and taking responsibility and coming to terms with yourself. It's got some romance in it. It's also short, about 100 minutes.
I wouldn't recommend it to people who aren't interested in interesting characters interacting, or who have trouble following mildly convoluted plots, or if you're looking for explosive action, ninja, fan service or gore. If you're basically anyone else, I very much recommend it.
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