Tigerkinney's Anime Reviews

Tigerkinney · October 7, 2012

Tower of Druaga- The Aegis of Uruk

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Genre: Fantasy Adventure, Action Comedy

Studio: Gonzo, Director: Koichi Chigira Writer:Shoji Gatoh Source: Video Game by Bandai

Original Broadcast: April-June 2008, Episodes: 12 (+ 1 OVA)

Notes: Tower of Druaga was a 1984 arcade game- that was big in Japan but never really got the same following outside of it. This anime adaptation made nearly a quarter of a century after the game came out, is somewhat loosely based on the arcade game. The tower in the arcade game is referred to as the Old Tower and a new Tower of Druaga has been built.....

Plot: Eighty years after King Gilgamesh slayed Druaga and defeated the 'tower' single handed. A new tower has been reborn. During the 'summer of anu' the monsters powers within the tower wane, an during each 'Summer of anu' the armies of the Uruk Kingdom secure strongholds within the tower looking to conquer the upper floors and defeat Druaga once again- one of these strongholds is the city of Meskia buit. In addition to the Uruk Army however are adventurers called climbers who have been drawn to Meskia by rumors of the Blue Crystal Rod, a legendary treasure that can't grant wishes believed to be hidden in the top floor of the tower and are prepared to brave the perils of the tower to get their hands on the treasure.

One such climber is Jil, an inexperienced defensive guardian- initially part of a group of climbers lead by his brother Neeba, however he is soon removed from the group for being incompetent. However he is soon recruited to be part of another climbing party by the Oracle Kaaya- along with the stoic lancer Ahmey. The party is later expanded with the addition of the aristocratic but debt ridden mage Lord Melt and is long suffering but enthusiastic ten year old helper Coopa.

The story then follows Kaaya's/Jil's party in their quest to climb the tower to obtain the wish granting blue crystal rod, as well as following Neeba's party, the Royal Army of Uruk and a climbing party lead by the mage Pazuzu.

Animation Quality/Art Style: The art-style isn't anything out of the ordinary, but is easy enough of the eye- so little complaints there...in general the 2D artwork is very solid. The only real problems that occur is when they incorporate some 3D CGI elements. This is most apparent with the monster Druaga- who I'm afraid suffers from Gonzo's oft-maligned weakness of conspicuos CGI- and sticks out like a very sore thumb.

Music: Opener Swinging by Murumasa is an energetic ska/pop-punk number that is pretty catchy and does a good job of setting the mood that this series is a fun rather than a dark action-adventure series. Ending song Tochoshatachi by Kenn is another admittedly pretty catchy pop-rock song- though I would have liked have seen them use something a little more darker/sombre for the ending in contrast to the energetic opener. I honestly can't really remember really have much noticeable opinion on the incidental soundtrack- which means that it was forgettable but at least it didn't feel out of place.

Opening theme; Swinging:

Action: This is a sword and sorcery adventure, and it's pretty standard fare for this sort of thing with lots of hack and slash action and magic powers, and admittedly there is plenty of action along the way. If that all sounds a bit generic though thus far, some of the ways the magic used is pretty cool- with the unique highlight being Lord Melt's magic rods being used like golf clubs- with his helper Coopa handing his rods to him like a caddy- it's unique, funny and very cool.

Drama: The main character of Jil, who starts off a something of a loser character but grows stronger as he makes the climb- he's your archetypal cliche upon cliche zero to hero. Along the way we also get to learn the motivations of the other climbers and as the story progresses there is a general feeling that someone is going to end up 'turning' on the others for their own personal gain.

Comedy: The first episode is a spoof dream sequence and is a little misleading as to what sort of show this will be- then again it does set up the fact that Tower of Druaga isn't the darkest of fantasy adventures and despite being a more conventional action adventure in the remaining 11 episodes- there is still a light, comedic tone throughout until the final stretch of episodes where things do get more serious- Episode 9 which sees the death of a supporting character is the turning point of the series in terms of a mood shift.

There are certain episodes apart from the first episode, that are specifically comedic episodes- episode 5 see's them go through a series of traps that cause them to change form- that include such things as gender-bending and turning into game sprites- whilst episode 8 sends up the original game, when Jil has to take on a level remiscent of the original Tower of Druaga game and see's him being controlled like an arcade game sprite.

Moe/Kawaii: I wouldn't say that this is really a Moe heavy series, though Genki girl Coopa could easily qualify as the series token 'mini-moe'- in the fact that she is quite endearing as a character.

Adult Content (Fanservice etc): There's some mild fanservice that probably puts this just out of the reach of pre-teens- though the standard fare fantasy violence already does that.

Analysis: The basic story of Tower of Druaga plays out fairly predictably and generic with a somewhat plodding 'level' of the week format- until the last few episodes, where the series becomes a little more engaging dramatically. The first episode- which turns out to be Jil's dream after he has been knocked out is for the most part a unfunny mess....

However somewhat ironically despite the failure of episode 1- it is in fact the series comedic streak that becomes the series most reliable strength and gives it an extra dimension from just being a generic hack and slash adventure. The comedy is at it's best when it's sending up the arcade game it was based on- if episode 1 was an utter failure, episode 5 and 8 are comedic triumphs and the highlights of the series. The bickering relationship between Lord Melt and Coopa was also very funny, and amongst a bunch of otherwise generic characters they were by far and away my favourite part of this show.

Closing Verdict: Whilst Tower of Druaga-Aegis of Uruk doesn't end up being a terrible show- which an action/adventure loosely based on an ancient arcade game could have been, it's far from a great one either. In spite of a terrible 'trying too hard to be funny' first episode it's actually the comedy within the series that will manage to maintain your interest, despite of the generic plot, and perhaps had they continued to focus on that element then it would have further carved itself a niche as a uniquely funny take on the action-adventure genre.

Mediocre

Is The Dub Any Good?: Funimation did the dub for this, and the cast do a generally solid job- though I wouldn't say it's one of their strongest dubs. In a rarity for Brina Palencia- I actually think she sorts of 'phones in' a performance as Ahmey (but that might be because the character is pretty boring), whilst Todd Haberkorn is kind of irritating in the lead role of Jil. At the other end of the scale Chuck Huber and Monica Rial, are alot of fun as Melt and Coopa.

Extra Notes: The OVA episode is Episode 1 from the perspective of what really happens- though this is more of a straight episode, it actually ends up being funnier than the ridiculous first episode.

The opening titles also convey the characters in a normal modern day setting- but they actually have no relevance to the show and the entire show is based in a fantasy world.

Admittedly and anime based on some ancient arcade game, I'd actually never heard of before would have been high on my list of priority anime, but I picked this one up because the creator of the Full Metal Panic! series was involved with this project. Though there are some flashes of brilliance- as you can see from my review....it's no FMP!

Tigerkinney · October 7, 2012

Tower of Druaga- Sword of Uruk

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Genre: Fantasy Adventure

Studio: Gonzo, Director: Koichi Chigira Writer:Shoji Gatoh Source: Video Game by Bandai

Original Broadcast: January-March 2009, Episodes: 12

Plot: Six months on from defeating Druaga but also having to deal with the shock of a betrayal, Jil and his friends have returned to their everyday lives- though it is world with an uneasy peace, with King Gilgamesh taking credit once again for slaying Druaga and his behaviour becoming worringly erratic.

When a mysterious girl named Kai gives Jil an ominous vision of the future- the young hero returns to the Tower to confront those who betrayed him.

Animation Quality/Art Style: No real change here from the first season (Aegis of Uruk)- can't really say much more than that.

Music: Opening song Questions by Yu Nakamura is generic J-Pop/Rock but once again like alot of these songs is admittedly pretty well crafted and catchy- but it's not something that blew me away. Once again it is somewhat bizarrely put to opening credits that feature the characters in a modern day setting (this time playing a baseball game) that has absolute zilch to do with what the show is actually about.

Closing Mohatsuki Desu Kedo is sung by the Seiyuu for the character of Kaaya- it's just a shame that the song is utterly forgettable J-Pop. There's no real noticeable change in the background music- meaning that the forgettable/generic soundtrack from the first season returns.

Opening theme; Questions:

Action: There's a bit of an RPG fantasy/sci-fi cross-over going on here with this second season, with some of the foes our heroes have to encounter- especially when it comes to a set of super-powered android knights that are standing in the way of Jil and co's. progress. Other than that, it's pretty much more of the same- delivering yet more hack and slash and RPG magic based action.

Drama: With the way things ended at the end of Aegis of Uruk, it was inevitable that this going to be the darker second season- so in that respect Sword of Uruk doesn't disappoint. Whilst Aegis of Uruk - was pretty much building towards our heroes defeating the big bad (Druaga) until the final plot-twist (though there was always rumblings that there was more to the story than defeat the big bad- the end in the first season)- Sword of Uruk is a constantly twisting road, with both the characters and storyline getting some much needed depth.

Comedy: There's still some comedy moments weaved into each episode but it is definitely toned down in Sword of Uruk. The closest thing to a comedic epsiode is the third one where we are re-united with Aegis of Uruk's comic relief pairing Melt and Coopa -with Melt's financial fortunes having now turned around- though even then it's an episode with plenty of dramatic moments to balance out the comedy.

Moe/Kawaii: As well as the return of Coopa, you now have the chibi-ish Kai as another Token Mini-Moe type of character, but once again I wouldn't really say this series has a high Moe count.

Adult Content (Fanservice etc): Typical for a second season- the fanservice has gotten slightly stronger.....the girls certainly like their baths....so there is some suggested nudity, though I don't recall their being any full-frontal boob shots. For me the level of fanservice here, is still suitable enough for teens- though it's gotten strong enough to pull this further away from being suitable for a pre-teen audience.

Analysis: The story does get some much welcome added depth here, and for the most part the characters become a little more compelling- though I said that the first series would have done better to concentrate on it's comedic strength. It's actually pleasing to see Tower of Druaga take a slightly more darker and dramatic turn with Sword of Uruk and given the way things evolved to become a little more dramatic toward the end of Aegis of Uruk, it would have made little sense to continue with the same somewhat tongue-in-cheek tone.

Thing is Sword of Uruk, starts out having a much more engaging story than Aegis of Uruk, but Sword of Uruk ends up collapsing under a tonne of plot-twists with many characters suffering through a revolving door of face and heel turns that would make you wonder if Vince Russo had branched out to writing for anime shows. In the end you, end up caring about no one really- whilst the series ends up with a ridiculous finale, that feels kind of tacked on.

Closing Verdict: Despite toning down the strongest part of the first season (Aegis of Uruk), it's self-aware comedy.....Sword of Uruk actually starts out as a stronger second season- it's just a shame that the plot-twists and face/heel turns become so numerous that you kind of stop caring by the end. Between it's two seasons, there is a good show waiting to get out in Tower of Druaga (despite being based on an ancient arcade game), but unfortunately it ends up being Tower of Mediocrity.

Mediocre

Is The Dub Any Good?: Funimation continued to the dub for Tower of Druaga's second season- Again much like the dub for season one, it's solid and competent but it's not amongst their strongest dubs.

Rickymex · October 7, 2012

Have you thought about creating an index page in the first post?

Timber · October 7, 2012

Great stuff TK. I've seen the Tower of Druaga on a few sites. I think i'll check it out. I could use a series that is funny. I'll let you know if what i think of it. Keep up the good work.

Tigerkinney · October 7, 2012

This thread now has over 10,000 views- pretty pleased with that

Have you thought about creating an index page in the first post?

There is an index post of sorts, which I stupidly posted up after my first review- it's on the first page: Post #7. Though admittedly I could re-edit my first post and do a proper index (with page links and stuff)....it's like people know the format by now etc anyway.

Great stuff TK. I've seen the Tower of Druaga on a few sites. I think i'll check it out. I could use a series that is funny. I'll let you know if what i think of it. Keep up the good work.

I only gave Tower of Druaga a mediocre overall rating, but as I alluded to there a few highlight funny episodes- namely episodes 5 and 8 in the first season - for me they stood up to something like Full Metal Panic- Fumoffu? in terms of anime comedy goodness- which is not surprising given that both were written by Shoji Gatoh.

On the other end of the scale episode 1 is terrible and is basically the anime equivalent of a forum poster that thinks they are hilariously funny but are actually just incredibly irritating- which is actually is surprising given that Shoji Gatoh still had a hand in writing the episode. Thankfully we can just put that one down as an off-day.

Tigerkinney · October 8, 2012

The index post (post #7) on the first page now has proper links to each review.

Turns out I've now posted over 50 reviews!- That's alot of anime

Rickymex · October 8, 2012

Just saw the index. Chinese Batman always wins!!!

Tigerkinney · October 10, 2012

RIN- Daughters of Mnemosyne

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Genre: Supernatural Mystery, Horror, Ecchi

Studio: Xebec/Genco, Director: Shigeru Ueda Writer: Hiroshi Onogi Source: Anime Original

Original Broadcast: February-July 2008, Episodes: 6 (45 Mins each)

Plot: Rin Asogi runs a private investigation agency in Tokyo's Shinjuku district, but she's no ordinary P.I- along with her assistant Mimi she is 'immortal' thanks to having consumed a time-fruit from the Yggdrasill tree.

Not that being 'Immortal' is without it's problems, with 'Angels' wanting to devour them and the being known as Apos sending professional assassins to kill them- Rin is never far from danger. With Apos attempts to remove them from existence increasing can Rin and Mimi figure out what he is after.

Animation Quality/Art Style: Easy on the eye character designs and top notch background art and beautifully choreographed action- you can tell that Mneomysne is an anime where little expense was spared. As long as you have the stomach for the content (more on that later), this is really quite a gorgeous anime to look at.

Music: Both opening (Alsatia) and ending (Cause Disarray) songs were done by Japanese metal band Galneyrus. Both songs are sung in English and feature OTT riffs and vocals. I'm kind of torn between both songs being really awesome or really cheesy- they certainly walk that line.

The background music sounded like it could have been lifted from a 1980's thriller, but it kind of worked pretty well and considering the story begins in 1990- not entitely inappropriate either.

Opener; Alsatia:

Action: There's some pretty graphic action with this one- because Rin's body really goes through the wars....she gets shot at, blown up, stabbed....one of the 'Angels' even begins eating at her one point. She does fight back but much of the time, any fight she does end up- see's her being left for dead, before she freakishly recovers from her injuries.

Drama: The plot of Mnemoysyne is a very expansive one that spans over 60 years, with some really big time leaps between each episode- which really brings home the fact that these characters are 'immortal'. Of course one of the major points of drama, is when our protagonist Rin has to come to terms with the death of mortal friends. Most of the episodes see's Rin and her faithful side-kick Mimi taking on a case that ends up putting Rin into great danger- these cases always seem to involve a member of the Maeno family- that as the stories 'bigger picture' begins to unvravel end up being more key to the plot than they would first appear.

Comedy: Comedy isn't high on this anime's agenda, but that's not to say it is completely po-faced and takes itself seriously at all times. There's a running gag at the beginning of most epsiodes, where Rin askes for water and Mimi gives her Vodka and there is the odd one liner here or there from characters.

Moe/Kawaii: Not really moe at all, on the other hand.....

Adult Content (Fanservice etc): This series goes beyond simple fanservice, because Mnemoysne is a show that seems obsessed with sex, both of the heterosexual and of the lesbian kind (Yuri fans will not disappointed with this one!). Key to all this, is that the story is driven by sex....due to immortal female's not being able to resist the advances of the over-sexed Angels, despite knowing the fact that these 'Angels' also want to eat them. One such scene sees the protagonist Rin, being groped by one of these 'Angels' whilst flying through the air. There's so much sex in this series, that despite actually having quite a deep plot....I'd put this down as being an Ecchi.

Analysis: Beyond the fact that Mnemoysne is chock full of gore and sex, it does actually have quite a deep and engaging plot. Despite spanning of 60 years in just six 45 minute episodes, the pacing was absolutely spot on- it was also just a pretty cool idea to start off in 1990, where people carried Pagers (remember those?) to a future where the real and virtual worlds have pretty much merged together. As visions of the relatively near future (I hope I'm still about in 2050) go it also seemed quite feasible compared to some others.

The main character of Rin also displayed a good balance between being strong due to her immortality but also having a more vunerable/caring side. Balance this with a truly creepy and sadistic antagonist in Apos, and you have a situation where you become really invested in our heroes in being able to stop him.

Whilst the pacing of the series is good, and outside of the gore and sex there is surprisingly tender character interaction- the series is so reliant on those elements that it ends up feeling like some tacky B move skin-flick....but when the plot actually revolves around sex and the antagonist is a sadist, then what else should be expected. The many instances of bondage, sado-masochism, lesbian orgy etc...didn't personally bother me all that much, but there' so much of it- that by the end it just sort of washes over you.

Apos motivations as the antagonist, whilst in keeping with the character are kind of disappointing when it is revealed just what they are, which really brought home that despite trying to give the impression that it is quite a deep and provoking series- at the end it was anything but.

Closing Verdict: Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne is a series that is not for the faint of heart, or the prudish for that matter. Chock full of gory violence and kinky sex, it is a series that straddles the line in being an Ecchi title. Despite an over-reliance on being shocking, beyond the ridiculous sex driven central plot it is a surprisingly engaging series, driven by a strong central protagonist.

Mildly Recommended

Is The Dub Any Good?: Funimation picked up the English dub for this one, and they do a pretty good job. Colleen Clinkenbeard delivers a well measured performance as Rin, whilst Jamie Marchi did a solid job as Rin's partner Mimi. Stealing the show though, but not really getting enough screen time was Todd Haberkorn as Apos- whilst I'm not a great fan of Haberkorn in some roles (see my previous review), he does a really great job here as the ultra creepy Apos.

Rickymex · October 11, 2012

I don't know if you seen it but "The Wallflower" is a very fun watch. 25 episodes at the regular 20min range.

Tigerkinney · October 17, 2012

I've decided to put my anime reviews on hold for a bit and concentrate on my TEW 2010 diary : DIASPORA- Takayuki of the Revolution.

With TEW 2013's arrival, I want to get the 2010 diary wrapped up, before TEW2013 is released and I have three more shows from my current tour to post up. My intention is to carry the diary on in TEW 2013 form, besides I don' think Miko would be too pleased if I ended things after only one tour and to be honest I'd be disappointed too.

The anime reviews will be back- but for now in terms of GDS board stuff- TEW diary takes priority.

Tigerkinney · November 6, 2012

Noein: To Your Other Self

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Genre: Sci-Fi Adventure, Coming of Age Drama, Romance

Studio: Satelight, Director: Kazuki Akane Writer: Hiroshi Onogi

Source: Anime Original

Original Broadcast: October 2005-March 2006, Episodes: 24

Plot: Haruka an average 12 year old girl living in Hakodate, likes to hang out with her four friends, one friend who seems particularly special to her is Yu, whose harsh mother is making his life miserable by forcing him to go to cram school during summer break in order for him to get into a middle school in Tokyo.

However one day Haruka and her friends find their seemingly normal life shaken up, when they are suddenly attacked by a group of cloaked superhumans. It turns out that their target is Haruka herself and the group's leader Karasu claims to be a future version of Yu and that Haruka possesses a power (the Dragon Torque) that can save the people of his reality. Soon enough Haruka and her friends find themselves being dragged into an interdimnsional war between La'cryma and the antagonistic Shangri'la lead by the myserious masked figure Noein.

Animation Quality/Art Style: Noein's art style is kind of all over the place. That doesn't necessarily mean that it's inconsistent in a bad way, but that in order to present the difference between it's various worlds it's willing to take a few risks and move away from having a consistent art-style throughout. The character design's- even for the normal human characters aren't particularly attractive, but they're not so grotesque that you're not going to get used to them after a while.

The animation quality is generally quite smooth and they did a good job of portaying it's location of Hakodate (I picked this one up on DVD and after watching the location shooting extra- the representation of Hakodate is impressively accurate). There is however some conspicuos CGI- most notably with Haruka's house.

It must also be said that the Shangri-La 'destroyers' are amongst the freakiest things I have seen, being a nightmarish cross between a Mecha and Hindu Art. These multi-faced 'things' seriously gave the creeps. (see then picture as an example- seriously if you're not freaked out by that, you're not normal!)

Music: Opening song 'Idea' by Eufonius has a very ethereal quality about it, and has an interestingly progressive yet poppy arrangement. Most vitally by sounding whimsical yet epic at the same time, it does a good job of matching the anime's tone with it's conflict between the main characters being in the final days of their 'childhood' and the fact that they end up getting caught up in something as epic as an interdimensional war.

Ending song Yaoake No Ashioto by Solua is another interesting song, that on paper I can only describe as a bizarre melding of euro-pop and 80's rock. That sounds pretty awful, but the song is actually very charming. The orchestral based BGM soundtrack is also very good, matching well to the mood of each scene withe fight scene music sounding suitably epic and some more low-key scenes being matched to music that is suitably melancholic.

Opening theme; Idea:

Action: Whilst this is so much more than an action based anime, the action that Noein serves up is off the epic overblown variety, with superpowered beings from another dimension, doing things like flying through the air and shooting beams of light at one another. An and alluded to in the art and animation, the action sequences have a very experimental quality about them, meaning that the action that is on offer does not have a generic feel to it.

Drama: Whilst Noein is a time-travel sci-fi based around the theory and possibilities of the universe being made up of inifnite dimensions, the sci-fi element is not at the heart of the story, it's merely the dressing upon what is essentially a coming of age drama. It's the relationship's between the main characters both in their present day (child) forms and their future selves that drives the plot. With the protagonist's (during the present day time line) being at that age (12) where their childhood is coming to an end, I have often seen Noein draw comparisons to Stand By Me.

Comedy: For the most part Noein, is an anime that is relatively serious/dramatic in tone, but there is the odd comedic moment (a scene where the mothers of Haruka and Yuu ending up getting drunk together, springs to mind) that sneaks by, to give the show some balance without compromising the overall mood.

Moe/Kawaii: Some of the characters such as the main protagonist Haruka do have an appealing charm about them, but I wouldn't put the 'Moe' label on this series. The charm of the characters here feels realistic and natural, as opposed to the cliched based 'charm' that you find in an overtly 'Moe' series.

Adult Content (Fanservice etc): There is the occasional bath scene with Haruka, but there's nothing fanservicey about the scenes, they're presented more as Haruka finding somewhere quiet in her house to reflect on the freaky stuff that is suddenly happening to her and her friends.

Analysis: Noein's strength lays with the very human charm of it's main characters, and the poignant interactions between the characters present and future selves- align that to an intriguing plot based around the possibilities of their being multidimensional worlds, with an antagonist who wants to bring all the 'worlds' under his control and you have a very engaging and intriguing story and it's the interactions and events that take place amongst the characters across both the present and future dimensions that drive the antagonist's motivations.

Whilst such a strong reliance on the characters themselves to drive along the story along, could have come across a feeling angsty- it rarely does and that's testament to the strong writing for this show.

Yu can come across as a bit of a whiney emo-teen but at the end of the day his 'woe is me attitude' especially at the start of the series, is key to the plot.

The identity of the major antagonist can also be worked out from a mile off, and anything after the big reveal, does feel slightly anti-climatic. I also felt that the side antagonist of an irritating corporate scientist that does not heed the warnings of fellow scientists that what he is trying to create is highly dangerous and irresponsible to be a somewhat unnecessary addition, especially as I didn't think that the cretinous twerp got a satisfying enough comeuppance.

The series also does start off a little show and probably won't engage you right away but it's one of those where you need to give it four or five episodes and then it'll dawn on you that it's well worth sticking with.

Closing Verdict: Noein is an interesting and charming series, driven along by very real characters and relationships that you will care for by the end- it's not a perfect series by any means, there's enough minor gripe points along the way but it's still one I can recommend whole-heartily for anyone looking for a series that is at-least trying to doing something a little different and not rely on the usual otaku-bait cliches and this is coming from someone who isn't immediately 'down' on a series for being otaku-bait- it's just that when something like this comes along and it's also genuinely good, it feels very refreshing.

Recommended

Is The Dub Any Good?: The dub produced by Manga Entertainment, is pretty decent and utilises talent from the Los Angeles based dubbing circuit, though I did notice that quite a few of the actors took on multiple roles- though to be fair some parts are so minor they may as well have gone in that direction. Melissa Fahn (probably best known to English anime fans for Radical Edward in Cowboy Bebop) does a decent enough job as Haruka and Crispin Freeman who can always be relied upon to put in a good performance does so in one of the series key-roles as Karasu.

Tigerkinney · November 9, 2012

Another

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Genre: Horror, Mystery

Studio: P.A Works, Director: Tstuomo Mizushima Writer: Ryo Higaki Source: Novel by Yukito Ayatsuji

Original Broadcast: January-March 2012, Episodes: 12 + 1 OVA

Plot: Sakakibara Kouichi has just moved to the small town of Yomiyama from Tokyo, to live with his aunt whilst his widower father takes a job in India. The middle school he is about to attend seems normal at first, however Sakaibara's class (Class 3-3) holds a dark secret that began with the death of a popular student called Misaki in 1972.

The student's of Class 3-3 and those related to them are soon caught up in epidemic of mysterious deaths and Kouichi aided by the mysterious and isolated Misaki Mei to unvavel the mystery surrounding them.

Animation Quality/Art Style: There's nothing groundbreaking about Another's art-style with it's conventional 'Bishojo/Bishonen' characters, but that's not to say that the visual quality isn't up to a high standard. Though it rarely has any action set-pieces that will bring along the 'wow' factor the moody yet vibrant background art and consistent animation does a good job of bringing an air of unease and eeriness to it's relatively conventional setting.

Music: Unfortunately the opener 'Kyomu Densen' is by the questionably over-used Ali Project- and this basically sounds like the version #17314 of the same old song they seem to generate (seriously I don't get the anime industry's obsession for this one-trick pony band, the only anime I could tolerate their stuff for was Rozen Maiden, because at least their one-trick song sort of fitted in with that). The ending theme 'Anamnesis' by Annabel isn't particularly that great either being a bland and forgettable ballad.

Despite having arguably the worst one-two punch of OP and ED theme I have heard in an anime, the background soundtrack is actually pretty good.....it's conventional horror stuff, but it works and alongside the visuals it does a solid job of helping to set the nerve-jangling mood throughout the show.

Action: There isn't much action in this show in terms of epic battles and such like but by the end of the series it does rack up a high body count and plenty of gore, finding some pretty shocking ways to dispatch with the many victims along the way......the very first 'death' which involves an umbrella sets the tone and from that point on the series doesn't really let up in consistently dishing out plenty of shock and gore.

Drama: Another is very much a plot driven series, with the gradual unraveling of the mystery behind the murders, providing much of the series drama. Apart from the main protagonists, being that much of the cast is suddenly bumped off the characters are very disposable and saying all that only really the enigmatic Mei Misaki achieves any real character development with the protagonist Sakakibara Kouichi in somewhat of an 'audience surrogate' role.

Comedy: Though I wouldn't class this as a comedy series, there is some 'gallows' humour that can be mined from the over the top deaths. There's a generally lighthearted beach episode and there's a surreally funny scene that involves Mei and Sakakibara dancing together.

Moe/Kawaii: Mei Misaki with her quiet doll like demeanour and her eye patch, fits into the 'emotionless' girl archetype of Moe-ness. Of course the thing about these sort of 'Kudere' characters is that underneath the cold surface, there is a warm heart- which of course is their appeal. The bonus OVA episode which deals with Mei's back-story only increases the characters Moe factor.

Adult Content (Fanservice etc): It's not chock full of fan-service, but there is the aforementioned Beach episode, which does involve the inevitable swimsuit fanservice that is standard fare for these sort of episodes.

Analysis: For this one I'll go with the weaknesses first. First of all the show does have a slight pacing issue, it starts off as bit of a slow-burner though admittedly that is to build up some tension, however when it gets past the half-way point Another drops the mysterious vibe it was building up and basically turns into 'Final Destination: The Anime' and with some much of the cast being suddenly bumped off for a grizzly end, it is difficult to really care about what happens to Class 3-3.

That being said unless you're squeemish the way many the characters meet their end is highly entertaining and though said that much of the cast isn't worth caring about- the enigmatic co-protagonist Mei Misaki remains interesting throughout and apart from the shock value of the horror is the main reason that Another is worth sticking with until the very end.

Closing Verdict: Another does have it's faults, and what starts out as more of a enigmatic mystery ends up as more of a B-Movie schlock-fest. However that being said I was reasonably entertained throughout, something that was helped along by the series strong visuals, which in this case did go some-way to making up for a slightly flimsy plot and a plethora of disposable characters.

Mildly Recommended

Is The Dub Any Good?: Another is an anime that was broadcast in Japan this year. Sentai Filmworks have picked up the English license for this one, and with their rather random decision making on whether or not they decide on whether or not it is worth doing an English dub, there is no guarantee that there will ever be one.

bigtplaystew · November 9, 2012

I saw "Another" as well and felt similarly to you. I felt the build up was better than the result if that makes any sense without giving too much away.

I think I personally just might have liked it better. I'm a big Stephen King fan. Being a fan of his literary work, you learn to love the road more than the destination lol.

Timber · November 9, 2012

Loved Another and would go 8/10 personally. Glad you got around to seeing it. I really liked it's dark edge and the build to the end. Great show. I like to watch more of these kinds of shows.

Great work and i'm really getting a kick out of residing your thoughts on anime.

Tigerkinney · November 18, 2012

Loved Another and would go 8/10 personally. Glad you got around to seeing it. I really liked it's dark edge and the build to the end. Great show. I like to watch more of these kinds of shows.

Great work and i'm really getting a kick out of residing your thoughts on anime.

Meant to get round to responding earlier- though I wouldn't go quite as high an 8 for this, I could stretch up to a 7- except for the fact that both the opening and ending themes irritated me...well the ending theme didn't irritate me, it was 'meh' but the opening theme, Have I mentioned my dislike for Ali Project yet?- It's enough to dock a series half a point

Should have another batch of reviews posted up this week, and one of them is actually a series that Miko recommended a little way back in the thread.

Right now I do have a couple of new series on the go, that I am watching through Anime-On-Demand. My viewing habits is that I have tend to have two or three series on the go- a couple of new(er) one's online and then an older series that I have picked up on DVD.

Tigerkinney · November 18, 2012

Daily Lives of Highschool Boys

aka Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou

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

Genre: Comedy, Slice of Life

Studio: Sunrise, Director: Shinji Takamatsu Source: Manga by Yasunobu Yamauchi

Original Broadcast: January-March 2012, Episodes: 12

Plot: Follow the daily lives of average highschool boys, as they hang out with their friends, talk nonsense, let their imaginations run wild and generally left dumbfounded by the thought processes of the opposite sex. Yes you did read that correctly, this story really does follow the lives of genuinely ordinary highschoolers.

Animation Quality/Art Style: Background art is pretty basic and the character designs are run of the mull. It's a 'gag comedy' series, so anyone expecting them to pull out all the stops for something like this, would be a bit delushional.

One odd/interesting thing regarding the character design, is that quite a few of the characters on the show have no face (in particular the females)- though it does kind of work as a running gag, to show that these characters are really insignificant- which more than likely was the intenton.

Music: Opening theme is Shiny Tale by Mix Speakers Inc- It's a pretty standard J-Rock track, that would be more fitting to an action type of series- until you realise that putting something like this as a theme song to a slice of life comedy- is actually really funny. Because the song kind of sums how 'epic and exciting' the main characters would like their lives to be like, while in reality nothing could be further from the truth. It also works with the opening animation sequence that depicits mundane everyday stuff with an 'epic' aura.

Ending theme 'Sun' by Amesaki Annainin, is a boisterous, anarchic song which more traditionally fits a comedy series- to be honest I liked this one less, as it kind of got a bit irritating after a while.

Much like the quality of the art, the background music is functional enough for the type of series this is.

Action: There's the odd fight scene here and there played up for laughs but overall this isn't really a series for action fans.

Drama: Daily Lives of High School Boys is a 'gag' series divided into about 7 three minute long 'shorts' per episode- so you can imagine with this format there really isn't much emotional/dramatic depth to this show.

There's some running gags, an example of which would be one where one of the main protagonist's Hidenori meets a girl on the riverbank who is an aspiring novel writer that has over-imaginative sense of love- but as with everything with this show it's not played up to be serious. In fact the character who could perceived to be the main character 'straight man' Tadakuni barely features in some episodes.

Comedy: The comedy in Daily Lives of Highschool Boys is mostly sourced from the Highschool Boys being clueless when it comes to the opposite sex- likewise in a series of shorts called Highschool Girls are funky, the girls are shown to be equally so. In some ways you could say it's a bit like School Rumble, accept that the characters aren't all from the same school and there's never any allusion to the fact that something 'romantic' could happen between any of the characters. The comedy itself is also not entirely reliant on boy/girl misunderstandings and is a much broader send up of the higschool/slice of life genre.

Moe/Kawaii: 'Literature Girl' could be seen as a send up of a moe type of character, with her unrealistic idea's of love. Overall though the quirks the girls in this series, aren't played up to be 'cute' they are played up to be something that would be irritating.

Adult Content (Fanservice etc): There's a gag where Tadakuni is tricked into wearing a bra- only problem with that- is that he's a boy.....This series doesn't really have much in the way of fanservice, and any that is there, is too brief to really have any effect.

Analysis: With a series like this, that has no real story to speak of.....the comedy better be funny and for the most part it is....it doesn't hit the mark everytime but the format means that if one sketch doesn't really work, there's a good chance the next one will. It also has to said that it is admirable that a rather self-deprecating series like this has come along....whilst it brings the over-idolized vision of high-school girls down a peg or two, it also doesn't exactly put the boys up on a pedestal in the place either.

Whilst it's not a gritty or realistic portrayal of high-school life, it also presents a refreshingly less idolized one. Now don't take this the wrong way, that I think all anime should suddenly move away from/deconstruct many of it's tropes (especially that of the slice of life/high-school set genre) but as a comedic concept ripping them apart, is something that really does work well.

Admittedly not every sketch is a winner and the 'hit' rate does begin to diminish as the series rolls on- so as a enjoyable as this series was, I'm not sure how much more mileage they can squeeze out of this material should they decide to make a second series.

Closing Verdict: Daily Lives of Highschool Boys, is a refreshing send up of the high-school/slice of life genre. It's not something I would hold up as being a great series- in order to be that it would need to have at least one of three things to take it to the next level:

1. Have mindblowing animation/art style

2. Every gag/sketch would have you ripping out your sides with laughter

3. It would need to be more than a shallow gag series and actually make you care about the characters.

But overall as an entirely comedy focused series, it was pretty funny and in that sense it can be considered a success.

Mildly Recommended

Is The Dub Any Good?: This is a 'new anime that came out during the 2012 winter season- so no English dub has been recorded yet.

Rickymex · November 18, 2012

Have you checked out Cromartie High? For me every gag was funny but more importantly it build up to make the next one even funnier even if the previous one was better.

Tigerkinney · November 22, 2012

Have you checked out Cromartie High? For me every gag was funny but more importantly it build up to make the next one even funnier even if the previous one was better.

Not actually seen that one yet, I must admit...but I'll keep an eye out for it, as I do like a good anime comedy occasionally to mix in with the action/sci-fi stuff...that is probably more my default modus-operandi for series that I feel lured towards seeing....though as you can see from my reviews I'm pretty flexible with what anime I choose to watch.

Tigerkinney · November 22, 2012

Soul Eater

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Genre: Supernatural, Action, Comedy

Studio: Bones, Director: Takuya Igurashi Source: Manga by Atsushi Okubo

Original Broadcast: April 2008- March 2009 , Episodes: 51

Plot: Within Death City; the DWMA (Death Meister Weapon Academy) is a school run by Lord Death/Shinigami, attended by weapon meisters and their human weapons. In order for the Meister's to turn their weapon's in to a 'Death Scythe'- the highest accolade for a 'weapon' and thus fit for use by Lord Death/Shinigami- they must collect the souls of 99 evil humans and 1 witch.

The series revolves around three central pairings Maka and her weapon Soul Eater (who takes the form of a scythe in his weapon form), Black Star and his weapon Tsubaki (who takes the form of various ninja weapons) and Death the Kid with the Thompson sisters Liz and Patty (who take the form of twin pistols). However apart from gathering souls, they must also help defend Death City from powerful foes out to destroy Lord Death, whilst still attending School and trying to become stronger.

Animation Quality/Art Style: Soul Eater has a very stylish look, clearly influenced by the work of Tim Burton. The background art has a dark and gothic, yet also fun and quirky feel to it, whilst the character designs are bold, stylish and well thought out. The animation itself is generally pretty good, though the fight scenes that are a huge part of this anime can be a bit inconsistent....ranging from fluid and engaging, to at times feeling a little bit stilted.

Music: I really liked both opening themes, Resonance by T.M Revolution, perfectly fits the really cool opening sequence, whilst the second opening theme Papermoon by Tommy Heavenly 6, is a good rock track with plenty of emotional punch.There are 4 closing themes, all of which are also pretty good....starting with the rowdiness of 'I Wanna Be' by Stance Punks, to the quirky yet cool hip of Bakuso Yume Uta by Diggy Mo. The rock edged background music, also fits well with the gothic visual and energy of the series.

First Opening; Resonance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEQUpewirFM

Second Opening; Paper Moon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThW2Z05ru5s&feature=related

Action: Our heroes are usually called into action at least once per episode, so there's plenty of fight scenes for action fans to enjoy. The protagonists and antagonist's in Soul Eater all have a unique fight style, which helps keep the action varied- resulting in some exciting and engaging fight scenes.

Drama: Soul Eater goes through an introductory arc of introducing you to the main protagonist's, key supporting characters and the series first main antagonist, the snake themed witch Medusa. Once the introduction's are over, the story evolves to reveal that there is a bigger picture and that Death City is constantly under threat from evil that needs to be contained.

As well as a plot with lots of (as should be expected) plenty of twists and several heel/face and vice versa turns along the way; the 51 episode running length also leaves plenty of room for character development, particularly amongst the key protagonists- we see them deal with such issues as trying to become stronger, trust issues and fending off temptation to succumb to the dark side.

Comedy: Whilst Soul Eater isn't a pure comedy, it is also clearly a show that doesn't take itself entirely seriously and there is plenty of 'light relief' throughout. This encapsulated by the style of Lord Death/Shinigami himself- instead of looking threatening, he has what looks to be giant foam hands and he speaks in a silly sing-song voice. Then there is the holy sword of Excalibur, whose human form is so irritating, that despite being one of the most powerful weapons- no one wants to have him as their weapon.

Amongst the three weapons meisters, whilst Maka is generally the 'straight-man' or in this case the 'straight girl' the other two have comedic quirks. Black Star despite being an assassin, whose fight style requires plenty of stealth is an egocentric braggart incapable of making a quite entrance, whilst Death the Kid has crippling OCD, born out of a desire for everything to be perfectly symmetrical.

Moe/Kawaii: Whilst there are some characters that do have a vunerable side, that someone could be considered 'Moe traits'- overall Soul Eater is not really a series that has a 'Moe' vibe to it- this is after all a Shonen action series.

Adult Content (Fanservice etc): There is the obligatory 'Miss Fanservice' character, in the form of Blair, a can who can turn into human form- which just happens to be a well endowed bishojo with an fondness for skimpy clothing- but all in all the fanservice that is there is pretty mild- strong enough to confirm that this isn't a series for children, but not really enough to make it inappropriate viewing for say a 13 year old.

Analysis: During the introductory arc, whilst the world that Soul Eater was set in, felt fun, quirky and original....the plot didn't really grab me, giving out that sort of vibe you would get from a baddie/monster of the week style shonen action series.

This is where the relatively long running length (51 episodes), actually helps the series- because once we get past the introductory arc, the story gets a whole lot more interesting and there is also plenty of room for the main protagonists to develop and become characters you can truly care for an become invested in. Soul Eater also offers up plenty of excellent supporting characters, the most interesting of which are Dr Stein (the strongest Weapon Meister and a tutor at the academy but one who is prone to succumbing to madness) and Crona, a vunerable antagonist forced to fight against her will.

A minor strength for me, is the way they worked in lots of fun nods to other works (both classical and modern) in the horror/fantasy genre- which worked rather naturally with the feel of the series, and did not once feel forced.

Unfortunately whilst the long(ish) series length- gives plenty of room for plot and character development, it does also result in some filler episodes- such as several episodes that revolve around the irritating Excalibur- but that's actually quite forgivable for a series of this length....

Where the real weakness lies however is that the series unfortunately loses it's way in the final arc, resulting in a disappointingly ridiculous ending. Apparently the anime had caught up with the manga, and thus the ending deviates on from the source material...I've not read the manga so I'm not going to come here and bemoan the fact the anime wasn't entirely faithful after a certain point, what I can bemoan is the fact the ending the makers of the anime came up with was nonsensical and a let-down. Not enough to completely flush away the good momentum the series had going for it, but just enough to notch it down from a truly great series to merely an enjoyable but flawed one.

Closing Verdict: Soul-Eater is a series that goes on a bit of a roller-coaster, it immediately catches the eye with it's stylish art and quirky setting but in spite of that still came across as average shonen fare in the early going, but the plot and characters will grown on you, to the point that you realise this isn't just an average shonen series, it's a really good shonen series- it's just a shame the ending is a bit of a mess.

Recommended

Is The Dub Any Good?: Funimation did the English dub for this one, and overall they put out the generally stellar effort expected of them. Laura Bailey and Micah Solusud, put in solid performances as the central protagonists of Maka Albarn and Soul Eater Evans.

Todd Haberkorn given the right role can be excellent, and here he has the right role for his talents with Death the Kid, Luci Christian can always be relied upon to deliver a great performance and she does not disappoint, whilst Chuck Huber (Dr Stein) is a performer I'm starting to take notice of more lately.

Tigerkinney · November 27, 2012

Paranoia Agent

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Genre: Psychological Horror, Thriller, Mystery, Satire

Studio: Madhouse, Director/Writer: Satoshi Kon Source: Anime Original

Original Broadcast: February-May 2004 , Episodes: 13

Plot: When the under pressure designer of the hugely popular character Maromi, Tsukiko Sagi is attacked on her way home frome work, all she can remember is that her attacker was a young boy wearing golden roller blades and wielding a golden baseball bat. A pair of police detectives take on the case and try to hunt down any information of 'Shonen Bat' (referred to Lil' Slugger in the English dub).....

It does not take long for Shonen Bat/Lil' Slugger to strike again and again..... Though just like his first victim Tsukiko, his 'victims' tend to be people who find themselves 'emotionally cornered', can the detectives on the case unravel the real truth behind these mysterious attacks?

Animation Quality/Art Style: Paranoia Agent initially presents it's world, in a very 'realistic fashion' from the backgrounds to it's character designs, which aren't afraid to be 'ugly'....not 'ugly' as in badly drawn, but in the fact that this is far from anime populated by realistic people and not character stereotypes.

Without giving anything away there are some art-shifts, that help to represent the paranoia inhabiting the world and it's character- with a particularly effective art-shift late in the series, using an art-style reminiscent to old fashioned childrens' drawings (believe me it works in the context of what it is representing).

I personally wouldn't call this the most attractive anime, I've seen but it's art style works within the context of the series, throws up some interesting art-shifts and generally the animation quality from Madhouse studios is pretty smooth.

Music: Japanese electronica pioneer (that's what it says on Wikipedia!) Susumu Hirasawa composed all the music for Paranoia Agent, including both the opening and ending songs. The opening song 'Dream Island Obsessional Park' is odd to define, but the main thing is that works in setting up the rather unbalanced mood of this series- especially when put against slightly disturbing visuals of the opening titles that show the main characters laughing their heads off, in front of a disaster.

The ending theme 'White Hill- Maromi's Theme' is a dreamy ambient song- which again has an un-nerving edge about it, that really fits in with the mood of the series.

Opening theme; Dream Island Obsessional Park:

Action: The only real 'action' in this series, is when people get hit over the head with Shonen Bat/ Lil' Sluggers Baseball Bat, which does result in some blood getting spilled. But if you're looking for a series with lots of thrilling action sequences, then you need to go looking elsewhere.

Drama: During the early run of episodes, Paranoia Agent appears to be a mystery thriller, with the police investigating a series of incidents that appear to be related to the attacker known as Shonen Bat/ Lil' Slugger - at the same time these early episodes follow a format where you have a different 'victim' per episode, and each time the victim is someone who is on the verge of a breakdown- because the problems in their lives are getting too much for them.

Mid way through though, the series takes a turn and the original format is thrown out of the window, effectively turning itself more into a commentary one incident such as the first Shonen Bat/Lil' Slugger attack can lead to a snowball of paranoia, due to things such as gossiping/reports in the media etc.....

Also what seems to be at the very heart of Paranoia Agent is a theme of people lying to both themselves and others, in order to escape from a reality, they no longer want to take responsibility for.

Comedy: Paranoia Agent never really provides any laugh out loud moments, but there is a streak of dark edged humour throughout, that provides a biting satirical commentary on various aspects of modern life.

Moe/Kawaii: Paranoia Agent is an anime grounded within a realistic world, not a cliched Otaku-bait world, so you won't be finding any 'moe' here.

Adult Content (Fanservice etc): There's no real fanservice to speak of with Paranoia Agent, despite clearly being an anime not intended for a younger audience- though in some ways the lack of attention on something such a fanservice perhaps make's it even more mature in it's delivery.

Analysis: Paranoia Agent does a more than assured job of tackling the themes at the heart of this series- those of no longer be able to cope under pressure and hysteria. The writing is sharp, with a fair bit of dark hued wit- yet at the same time it never feels like the series is making 'light' of it's subject matter.

Lil' Slugger/Shonen Bat, makes for a interesting antagonist- as right from the start you're not sure if he's actually real or not- whilst the Sanrio-esque character Maromi, effectively manages to be both cute and creepy at the same time....

All in all the series does a great job of constantly keeping the viewer on edge, that not is all it appears to be on the surface, and the way the series weaves in out of reality and unreality- only adds to the mind**** atmosphere, especially as the series heads towards it's conclusion.

Admittedly some people will find this series to be too much of a 'mindf**kl' especially beyond the mid-series point, where the inital police investigation and 'victim of the week' format is suddenly thrown out of the window, and admittedly you are kind of left wondering what the hell is going on. Admittedly the series does kind of pull itself back on track towards the end- though admittedly the ending is still pretty 'trippy' and you are still left asking alot of questions.

Closing Verdict: If you're willing to accept that Paranoia Agent's plot leaves you with a ton of plot-holes to contend with because it disperses into thin air by the mid-way point, then there is a lot to be admired about Paranoia Agent- the main thing to be admired is that it works as an affective study of the human psyche (especially when under pressure) and as a commentary on mass society hysteria etc.

Recommended

Is The Dub Any Good?: I found little to complain about, with Geneon Entertainment's English dub for this series- the cast all turn out solid performances and though some might complain about the change from Shonen Bat to Lil' Slugger- personally that change didn't bother me.

Rickymex · November 27, 2012

I remember watching this show when I was around 11 or 12 when it was being played on Adult Swim. It was traumatizing watching that episode of the baseball kid and the fat kid.

Infernalmiko · November 27, 2012

Paranoia Agent was one of my favorite anime for a while. The opening with it's dicotomy of people laughing while standing in disasters hooked me right away. The sudden shift in story took me off guard but I enjoyed the study of human nature it turned into. There was limited comedy (thought I loved the gossiping ladies for this) and I would agree on the ugly. There were alot of people who were ugly or sad inside. The dirty cop was really creepy on a number of levels.

Souleater is one of my favorite anime period. Noy only does it have some great

. but the combination of action and lighthearted fun make for a great series. The anime deviates from the manga around the time of the first big battle against Arachnae and Tiger is correct, things -really- go off the rails in the final story arc. Interestingly, the people working on the anime obvious realize the ending is a mess, but they needed a way to get from point A to B to set up the final battle fast and evidently had no good ideas.

I especially enjoyed the Shinigami. Who does indeed look, sound and act a little silly, but it's revealed there are good reasons for this. Which makes the moments when his old self peek through all the more striking.

Tigerkinney · November 28, 2012

A while back in this thread someone asked (I think it was Hyde Hill) was I ever going to review any anime I don't like- because all my reviews thus far had scored at least a semi positive score ,that may be because as I've stated before my taste in anime genres is quite broad and I don't actively look to seek out 'bad' anime, in order to give this reviews page a bit more balance.

Thing is I am actually in the process right now of labouring my way through what I would consider to be a bad anime...I won't reveal what it is yet, you'll have to wait for my review, but the big news is I've actually come across an anime at this moment in time (I'm half way through it's 24 episodes- so you never know it might get better) that I can unconditionally recommend people to avoid, rather than watch!

Jaysin · November 28, 2012

I've always wanted to give Soul Eater a watch, but never got around to it. Your review gave me the push to do that. Hopefully in a few days I'll be able to say my thoughts on it. Seems like a cool concept.

Tigerkinney · December 2, 2012

The World God Only Knows

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Genre: Romantic Comedy, Parody, Fantasy

Studio: Manglobe, Director: Shigehito Takayanagi /Writer: Hideyuki Kurata Source: Manga by Tamiki Wakaki

Original Broadcast: September-December 2010 , Episodes: 12

* Please Note that this is only a review of the first season, a second season called (to no one's surprise what so ever) World God Only Knows II (that admittedly I have yet to watch) followed on during the spring anime season the following year.

Plot: Keima Katsuragi is a master of dating-sim's, who wants nothing more than to immerse himself within the digital world chasing 2D girlriends. But when the 'Capturing God' inadvertently answers a mysterious e-mail from an unknown sender, Keima is suddenly forced into a contract ( where he has to win the heart of real life girls in order to help the cheerfully enthusiastic demon Elsie (who has mistaken Keima's dating sim prowess for being a real life cassanova) capture 'lost souls' that have escaped from hell and taken up residence within the 'capture target' girls.

Animation Quality/Art Style: The World God Only Knows, is a something of a Meta-anime (self referretial), so naturally with it's self reference being based upon Otaku culture and stereotypes, the art style is the typical Bishojo/Moe style that is admittedly over-used but the series knows this and any other art style would not have worked. That being said the colours are vibrant, the characters are easy on the eye (if this art style doesn't offend you) and the animation quality is generally up to expected standards.

Music: The self titled opening song by Oratorio, sung entirely in English is a rather interesting song, in that it's poppy yet really quite progressive at the same time- in fact the portion played in the opening title's is only one part of an 8 minute song, divided into five different parts (sort of like a J-Pop Bohemian Rhapsody), the whole 8 minute version is a bit of a mess but the part they chose for the opening titles is actually pretty good and works with a visually captivating opening title sequence.

Ending song Kami Nomi Zo Shiru Sekai is a cute J-Pop song sung by the various Seiyu that play Elsie and the 'capture target' girls. One of the target girls Kanon is a J-Pop idol, and thus we also get a variety of her songs.... which whilst utterly cheesy are admittedly well crafted and pretty damn catchy.

Opening song; The World God Only Knows:

And just for reference here's the full version:

Ending song; Kami Nomi Zo Shiru Sekai:

Insert song; Happy Crescent by Kanon Nakagawa:

Action: The World God Only Knows, is chock full of mecha battles with mind blowing explosions, exhilirating car chases and awesomelly choreographed kung fu battles- if you an action fix this is the series for you!

Drama: The main plot for the TWGOK (from now on I'm referring it as this) revolves around Keima finding a way to capture the various 'capture target' girls hearts and free them from the 'lost soul' that resides within their heart. Each girl has an insecurity about them that, needs to be resolved before the lost soul can be freed- for instance you have a J-Pop Idol insecure about becoming 'invisible', a quiet library girl that struggles to express herself vocally etc.

In a lot of ways TWGOK, is less of a romance, and more of a detective series, with Keima and Elsie having to find what the girls insecurity is and finding a way to help that girl overcome it. And despite Keima wooing various girls, it's not really a harem series- as once Keima has won the girls heart, they forget about what has happened and Keima/Elsie move onto the next target. The 'drama' involved though with TWGOK is definitely not what you call heavy drama, even if some of the girls stories are designed to tug at your heart-strings a little.

Comedy: TWGOK mines it's comedy from the stereotypes of it's characters, from it's anti-social galge game obsessed protagonist to the various Bishojo game archetypes for the various personalities for the capture target girls throughout the show. It is of course all wrapped up in a show that is somewhat parodying the world it's main protagonist inhabits, without every really being that cynical or biting about it.

Ultimately TWGOK is a show that pokes fun at Otaku culture and Bishojo game stereotypes but does so with an obvious affection for it's comedic targets.

Moe/Kawaii: Self-referential parody or not, the girls in this series are basically a bunch of Bishojo/Moe stereotypes, and for the most part those stereotypes are played pretty straight- you see in reference to the comedy section above, the comedy in TWGOK comes from the fact that the girls are so stereotypical, with Keima often making reference to this during his missions to capture the girls hearts.

Adult Content (Fanservice etc): The most fanservicey character, isn't one of the girls but Keima's big boobed 'hot mom' who does get a bath scene in one of the episodes....but in general though the fanservice on display is mild.

Analysis: For the most part the various 'capture target' arcs, are put together pretty well and though the various girls are parodies of various Bishojo/Moe stereotypes- there stories are quite captivating and only the most heartless will not at least be somewhat moved about at least one of the girls stories. The inversion of sorts of the Harem concept, is also pretty neat with each girl given her moment to shine, before moving onto the next one.

The series protagonist of an anti-social galge gamer, is written with just enough bite to make you aware that this character is far from perfect as a human being, but Keima is also given just enough humanity to make you at least care that he succeeds and perhaps ultimately come to the realisation that real girls are better than 2D ones! And throughout this first season, there does seem to be a gradual thawing of his attitude- even if his obsession for dating sims never waivers!

In general the episodes between the various 'capture target' arcs aren't as strong, and feel exactly like filler- most disappointingly the series also ends with one of these filler episodes- though admittedly it would be more of a let-down if the entire anime ended on such an episode- at least we know there is a second season coming. The very first arc also feels rushed and is by far the weakest of the four 'girl' arcs throughout the show. Which makes you think that an extra episode could have been added to the first arc, and one of the filler episodes dropped.

Also the series pretty much lives or dies on the fact that it's a self referential comedy about galge/dating sim games and otaku culture, and the various stereotypes and tropes that come with it. If you don't even know what a galge game is or are just turned off by Moe/Bishojo lead anime, then TWGOK definitely won't be for you.

Closing Verdict: The World God Only Knows has just enough affection and heart within it's storyline and characters, to make it more than just a self-aware parody of a Bishojo lead romantic comedy. Of course there will be some who will feel that the satire is not biting enough, and if you're unaware or turned off by Moe etc.....then this series won't be for you. For those who can enjoy this sort of thing it's more the pacing issues that let it down.

Mildly Recommended

Is The Dub Any Good?: Sentai film works did the dub for this, and here they bring back together an English dub pairing that most fans will know for Full Metal Panic! in the main roles of Keima and Elsie....Namely Chris Patton and Luci Christian. Whilst that isn't entirely a bad thing, I couldn't help but think of Sousuke Sagara every time Keima was talking... no such qualms about Luci Christian's performance as Elsie though- I've mentioned on a number of occasions how she truly is one of the best in the business, mostly due to the fact that her range is so versatile. Incidently the FMP! deja vu does not end there, with Hilary Haag's voice for the final capture target girl, being somewhat eerily similar to Tessa Testarossa.

All in all the dub is solid enough, but it shouldn't be making me reminisce about another/completely unrelated anime, even if that other anime was an excellent series.

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