Searyx's Anime Reviews

[Searyx]

As the title states: Since I'm watching a ton of anime right now, I might as well toss out some reviews.

(Added note: If you are new to this thread, I would suggest starting at the end and working your way back, at least as far as the reviews are concerned. Needless to say, I've gotten better since this piece of shit review for Paranoia Agent )

Starting with:

Paranoia Agent


Paranoia Agent, like LAIN & Evangelion, is a bit of a mind fuck. I dare not mention more than the premise, for unraveling the truth from the insanity is this series's greatest pleasure.

A young boy on golden rollerblades with a bent golden bat is seemingly randomly hitting people over the head.

Shounen Bat has returned.

Alternate realities, anxieties come to life, mixed animation styles, dreamscapes, a crazy plot that makes just enough sense to keep you going, and one of the most fitting intros I've seen. Dementia anime at it's finest!

(By the makers of Perfect Blue and Millenium Actress)

[Kiksar]

STOP IT!

[Ham n Cheese]

That's not a review, that's a synopsis.

[Modo Icecrown]

Comic Sans is the gayest thing since gay sex, Searyx. You should stop.

[Grooverider]

Why..?

like, seriously. like.

[Searyx]

It's not easy reviewing anime like Paranoia Agent without ruining it.

However, I should at least use a rating system. Something like AniDBs.

Anyway, on to my last viewing:

Yumeria


Animation: 6
Audio: 6
Music: 9
Story/Plot: 4
Character Development: 5
Enjoyment: 7
Rewatchability: 3

Let me start by saying this: You will not like this show. That is, if you dislike Anime Comedy (many do), or Ecchi (many do), or Magical Girl Anime (many do), or Harem Anime (TOO MANY!!), or "Dream world/Alternate World invading/merging with the Real World" Anime (LAIN still did it best), then you will not like this show. On top of that, the story is lacking originality, the characters are somewhat like cardboard cutouts of Sailor Moon, the plot is "been there, done that", and the comedy is the cutesy hit or miss kind.

...I liked it anyway. It was just stupid enough to be fun. The little shit named Mone who could only say "Mone" alternated between cute and annoying, thankfully veering more towards the former. Ecchi and Fan Service abound, which can ruin most serious anime. However, this show didn't take itself too seriously, and felt more like harmless fun. Besides, who doesn't dream of being the main character in a harem comedy? Minus the getting your ass kicked by a girl part, of course.

Plot outline: The Guy (it's harem. Does it even matter what his name is?) has the power to bring people into the Dream World, where some unknown thingy named Faydoom is trying to invade the Real World. The girl's all have mag... ah, who gives a shit? More ecchi! More fan service! More random cuteness!

If you've seen everything, and don't hate any of the previously mentioned Anime genres, give this one a once over. It's not something you're gonna see more than once, but it's harmless fun, and the perfect thing to watch before settling into it's polar oppposite:

Saikano, She -The Ultimate Weapon-

Reviews say Saikano is like watching Grave of the Fireflies six times in a row. If you don't hear back from me, you know what happened

[Searyx]

If you look at the time of my previous post, and the time of this post, taking into account the nearly 5hrs it took to finish the series...

That's right. All in one sitting. My ass is a pancake, my nose is stuffed up, my eyes are sore from rubbing, and my cheeks are salty.

Yep. Today was a good day :)

Saishuuheiki Kanojo


Alternate Titles: Saikano, She -The Ultimate Weapon-, The Last Love Song On This Little Planet
Animation: 5
Audio: 10
Music: 6
Story/Plot: 10
Character Development: 10
Enjoyment: 10 (0, if you don't like crying)
Rewatchability: Grave Of The Fireflies

Let me start by saying that this is not as bad as Grave of the Fireflies. It's close, but I think, because of its length, the sadness is not as condensed. While Grave of the Fireflies spent only an hour and a half to rip your heart out and peel it with a potato peeler, Saikano spreads this pain out over a 13 episode series (about 5hrs). Depending on your tolerance, you may weep from Episode 3 till the end. Or, if you're like me, a handful of spots before Episode 9, and after that, it's basically a free-for-all.

First, the faults. The CGI, by Gonzo, is top notch, blending in beautifully with the hand-drawn images. The biggest problem, surprisingly, is the hand-drawn images themselves. The characters have the red squiggles under their eyes that is often used for when a character blushes. Problem is, they're there ALL THE TIME, even when they're not blushing. If that wasn't distracting enough, occasionally the lines will appear outside of the face when the character turns. This can often be forgiven (How often have you seen a character's hair or eye seem just slightly out of place, or blending together? They have budgets, you know!) except that the margin of error can be as much as 2 or three inches off the face! This happens a number of times during the lighter scenes, where it doesn't hurt as much, but it also happened a couple times during pivotal moments that took me out of the show and back into my seat at the worst possible moment. When a much beloved character is coughing up blood onto the Shuji's shirt, half of their head falling away, screaming out with all their might that they don't want to die... as the life gradually disappears from their body, you don't want to be looking at the big red squiggle coming off the Shuji's face. Can you say "mood killer"?

In truth, the scene I just mentioned was so punishing it didn't matter. Ronald McDonald could have come in and started tossing BigMacs at the characters and I'd still be balling like a schoolgirl who just got dumped. Really. There are some scenes in this series that smash into your heart like a goddamned freight train, and only the most jaded of viewers will get away unscathed.

The music was a problem as well. Remember that opera played towards the end of Grave of the Fireflies? Yeah, that one. The one that got the tear ducts overflowing? Nothing like that in this series. The music, while passable, is something that should have had a lot more work put into it. Sad scenes do not need soft rock music to pull you out of the show yet again. Also, the music is occasionally set too loud, as to interfere with the dialogue. This doesn't happen during any important moments though.

Thankfully, the good things about this show far outweigh the bad. Saikano is about a couple falling in love in the last few months before the world ends. The boy, Shuji, is your average high school student. His new girlfriend, Chise, is The Ultimate Weapon; A revolutionary and terrifying, albiet never explained, weapon that can level entire cities in an instant, and shoot down dozens of planes a second. Sadly, Chise's mind is still that of a high school kid, and her new abilities take a terrible toll on her mind and body, as well as her relationship with Shuji.

Grave of the Fireflies preached about the horrors of war, and the toll it takes on non-combatants. Saikano is more about the sheer pointlessness of war. How the randomness of the violence can make which side you're fighting on seem inconsequential, and how the human instinct to survive at all costs will eventually bring about our extinction. You can only stand at the brink for so long before a strong wind comes to push you over the edge.

We're never told who is fighting. We're not told why they're fighting. It is never explained how Chisa can do what she does, or why she's made to do it. Then again, in the end, it doesn't matter. This is a tragic love story with a tragic conclusion, and a must see for any fan of tragedies and/or well told love stories.

[Erathlyn]

while I like anime also, I must say there are a crapload of anime sites out there, and it seems there might be a better spot for this discussion than millie's movie house forum. However, fohguild board seems be adding more each day, such as even more porn (PGT) & filesharing (torrent listing), so why not add anime too?


p.s. I agree with the 0 rating for saikano, talk about *blech* if you don't like sob stuff...

[Ham n Cheese]

I liked Saikano a lot and didn't cry =o

[Searyx]

Fruits Basket


Genres: Drama, Comedy, School, Light Fantasy
Animation: 5
Audio: 7
Music: 9
Story/Plot: 8
Character Development: 9
Enjoyment: 9
Rewatchability: 8

Fruits Basket is one of those series that grows on you. For the first 5 or 6 episodes, I wasn't sure if I was going to bother finishing it. It was episodic, and... a bit fractured? I just wasn't in the mood for another Ranma 1/2 clone.

Well, I was wrong. I thought it would turn into a reverse Harem anime (bunch of guys fighting over one girl), but instead, any romance is left as an undercurrent and nothing more. Instead, it became something Mary Poppins-ish, in that it's about an outsider coming in to shake up the world of those around her.

The main character, Tohru, is a high school student who has just lost her mother in a car accident. On top of that, the Grandfather she now lives with is remodeling, and kindly asks her to live with a friend until it's finished. Too kind to burden her friends, she moves into a tent that is (unknowingly) on the Sohma property. After a little this and that, she comes to live with 3 of the Sohma men in a little house in the woods.

Long story short, the Sohma's are cursed by the Zodiac. Whenever they're hugged by the opposite sex, they turn into a particular Zodiac animal.

Sound like Ranma 1/2, doesn't it? Here come the hugs 10 times an episode to put the characters in embaressing "they almost saw me!" situations, right?

Wrong. The transformations are used sparingly after the first few episodes, and are instead dealt with in a realistic fashion, more for drama and character development than for laughs. For instance, how does a parent react when they cannot hug their child without it turning into some animal? What kind of childhood trauma did they suffer because of this curse? How do you live your life when an accidental embrace can reveal your secret? Fruits Basket answers these questions, and more.

In the end, Tohru is the one that holds everything together and makes this series a must-see. She is always smiling. She is smart, kind, optomistic, sweet, non-judgemental, timid, and polite and courteous, regardless of how she is treated in return. She got these traits from the second most interesting character in the show: her late-mother, whom she reveres. She is seen only in momentary flashbacks, but her wisdom, courage, and common-sense teachings bring her to life (and make you sad that she's gone, surprisingly)

Tohru is like an angel sent to heal the emotional scars of the Sohma's, which she does, ever so slowly, over Fruits Basket's 26 episodes. With her boundless optimism, she peels away the cynicism born from their curse, and helps them grow as individuals.

If you can look past the animation problems (overuse of still frames, older hand-drawn animation style, obviously low budget), you will find a heartwarming tale that will leave you feeling alive and refreshed.


Next up!... I have no idea. Probably Crest of the Stars, or maybe Fafner in the Azure. Not sure. Anyone got a suggestion?

[Zanoan]

Crest of the Stars, I'd like to hear your opinion about that.

[Magnum PI]

THIS..FUCKING...THREAD...SO..GAY!!!!!!! CAN'T CONTROL BLOOD PRESSURE!! NEED TO RELAX...*STARES AT STILLS OF LEMONPARTY*, ahh...feeling...better...going...to...sleep.

die...searyx...die...

[Vinen]

Originally Posted by Searyx

It's not easy reviewing anime like Paranoia Agent without ruining it.

For once Searyx said something that wasn't retarded. This is the truth really. Then again, the "review (I will use this term lightly)" did lack a lot!

And Then!

[Castigator]

Maybe I should start reviewing Bollywood Soft Porn on this board...


At least it has the bigger audience.

[Searyx]

For once Searyx said something that wasn't retarded. This is the truth really. Then again, the "review (I will use this term lightly)" did lack a lot!

Thanks!... I think?

VanDread Season 1


Vandread Season 2


Genres: Action, Mecha, Ecchi, Comedy
Animation: 10
Audio: 10
Music: 7
Story/Plot: 6
Character Development: 5
Enjoyment: 7
Rewatchability: 3

*sigh*

I just got done rebutting Zhavric over in this thread for calling all anime George Lucas type work (All flash, no substance), and now I'm reviewing a series that makes his point for him. Well, such is life!

Vandread is best compared to shows such as The Rock, or Face/Off. It's fun to watch, as long as you don't think too hard. On subsequent viewings, the show takes a nosedive as you begin to notice all the glaring holes in the plot, and phoned-in performances.

Compared to others of it's type, Vandread ranks up there with Speed as far as good Summer fun goes. The story is pretty simple: Earth sent out ships to colonize other worlds. For some unknown reason (one of those that should have been explained to SOME degree instead of ignored ) Mankind split off into Male and Female groupings. Settling on different planets, 100 years later they hate each other. Here comes annoying brat boy. That's right! We all know him, and we all hate him! He's the loud-obnoxious-spoiled-childish-adolescent-who-hates-women-and-can't-talk-about-his-feelings main character!

Speaking of annoying brat boy, I noticed that the entire cast is a cardboard cut-out of mecha staples, from the cute little robot who ends every statement with "pyoro!" to the overly exuberant has-a-crush-on-the-annoying-brat-boy-even-though-he's-a-waste-of-humanity girl. Even the most by-the-numbers series can redeem itself if it's done well enough, and Vandread, produced by Gonzo, comes with a lot of spit and polish. CGI is top notch, with frantic and exciting fight scenes in almost every episode. The characters constantly move about (are animated) when they're on screen, with almost no still frames.

Back to the story. Annoying brat boy, through some ridiculous plot contrivance, ends up on an all female pirate ship with 2 other men. At this point in time, men and women hate each other, again, for no particular reason. Anyways, pirate ship and everyone aboard gets sucked into a black hole or something and end up a year away from where they were. This gives the three men the opportunity to learn and grow as people and live together the women and...

WRONG! Character development is for the weak! MORE FIGHTS! Speaking of fights, the title comes from when a Van, a male driven mech, collides with a Dread, a female driven mech, making them uber powerful for... no particular reason. It just does.

Ecchi abounds, but there is no real feeling between any of the characters that felt urgent. The tension is so annoyingly pent up as to be non-existent (case in point, after 26 episodes, the main male and female characters haven't even kissed yet). Another reason I believe this to be tailored more towards young adolescents.

VanDread is a by-the-numbers Mecha series with a lot of money invested in the CGI fighting, which is the only real reason to see the series. I admit, I was entertained. I was looking for a good mecha/comedy, and I got one. Again, another show I'd recommend for a once over if you've already seen most of the GOOD mecha/comedies, like Full Metal Panic or Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Worst Moment: When a main character, who was killed off rather violently, is somehow found alive and in good health. The only reason I can see for this this happening is because fans complained.

Best Moment: Man, this is sad. I can't think of one. Fuck it! I recommend this anyway!