Menu

4.5

haruhi

Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

/ , , , / , , , , , / 1 Comment

Alternate Titles: Suzumiya Haruhi no Yūutsu

Original Japanese Release Date: 2006

Episode Length/Run-time: 14 ( 24 mins ea. )

Summary:

On the first day of school, a gorgeous girl named Haruhi Suzumiya abruptly introduces herself as not interested in normal humans. Instead, she demands that all aliens, time travelers, sliders, and ESPers join her. Appearing to be super weird, no one talks to her besides a boy named Kyon who sits in front of her. After she joins and quits all the other school clubs, he inadvertently gives her the idea of starting her own school club, the Save our World by Overloading it with Fun Suzumiya Haruhi’s Brigade (shortened to SOS Brigade), and is forced to join along with several others.

Review:

The first word that comes to mind is, “Wow.” To begin, the story starts with a boring boy named Kyon, who before entering school was interested in meeting aliens, time travelers, sliders, and ESPers. Seeing as how that didnt happen, he entered school, and his boring life began. Until a hot babe named Haruhi entered school, who was only interested in meeting aliens, time travelers, sliders, and yes, ESPers. He talks to her, and gets dragged into a bunch of stuff that he didnt initially desire, such as the formation of the SOS Brigade.

This anime was wild to say the least. A girl named Asahina Mikuru is recruited into the SOS Brigade, and is used by Haruhi for multiple purposes, including advertising and molestation. Other characters which are also in the categories of “time travelers, aliens, ESPers, and sliders” are also unknowingly recruited into the SOS brigade to monitor Haruhi.

They decided to do a few arcs of the story together, which can get a little confusing. That kind of annoyed me, seeing as how the story is already crazy enough without jumbling it up and putting the episodes out of order. I never was a fan of that.

All in all, this anime is hilarious, and definitely is a must see for anyone who hasnt already. The animation is fantastic, but the music was very pop-like.

The comedy of this series most often comes from Kyon’s narration of each episode, as well as from what hes thinking. The sarcasm and irritation that spews forth from him is more often than not hilarious, at his misfortune.

All in all, I liked it a lot. Chances are you will too.

[starrater]

trapeze anime

Kuchu Buranko

/ , , , , / , , , , , / 0 Comments

Alternate Titles: Trapeze

Original Japanese Release Date: 2009

Episode Length/Run-time: 11 episodes

Summary:

Dr. Ichirō Irabu is a highly recommended psychiatrist in Tokyo.  His office, one of those last doors on the left kind of deal, is an eclectic and eccentric playroom where he stays with his nurse Maiyumi-chan (modeled after a famous gravure model).  He treats 11 patients who come to him with various psychological problems with non-conventional methods.

Review:

This was likely the best anime of it’s season.

The first thing a viewer will notice is the stylized appearance the anime take.  It uses this interesting style at times of merging live action pictures and video with animation.  One of the first examples is how Maiyumi-chan is introduced, who is super hot by the way.

Each person who goes to the doctor has some kind of psychological problem with them that they are seeking to cure.  But instead of traditional therapy he gives them a “vitamin shot” which oddly turns his patients into animals and uses this to really bring out their real problems.

The anime is a refreshing take and something which I’ve never really seen before. It was interesting, touching, engaging, and funny.  The only people I wouldn’t recommend it to is younger people who may not fully understand things like OCD or Kleptomania.

[starrater]

Phoenix 2772 - Space Firebird

Phoenix 2772 – Space Firebird

/ , , , , / , , , , , / 0 Comments

Alternate Titles: Hi no Tori 2772: Ai no Cosmozone  (火の鳥2772 愛のコスモゾーン)

Original Japanese Release Date: 1980

Episode Length/Run-time: 122 minutes

Summary:

Godo is born from a test-tube and raised by robots in a world far in the future.  Olga, his automated caretaker, oversees his well-being and raises him to be a great space pilot.  When he is of age he leaves his pod and goes out into the real world to furfil his duties of how he was raised.  But he finds the world to be a cruel place, biased against robots, and heartless to those who stand in the way of what is deemed the well-being of the majority.  Godo works to find his place in this unexpected world while living up to his ideals.

Review:

A bit of background is needed to really appreciate this space-epic anime.

Phoenix the series was created by Tezuka Osamu, creator of Astro Boy and really the “God” of anime as we know it today.  He began it early in his career and had the series progress from the stone age to far in the future with a reoccurring theme of rebirth and progression in time.  This move is another cycle of his grand story and can be appreciated on it’s own or in conjuncture with the series.

This movie by itself is, in a word, epic.  It follows Godo from his birth to his death (which shouldn’t be a surprise given the nature of the Phoenix series).  Godo ages throughout the series in realistic way, going from a sheltered innocent man-child to a strong and driven warrior.  Other characters come and go throughout the series and in the normal Tezuka fashion you will see resemblances to his other characters from previous works.

Sometimes the movie seems to drag but this is because they’re trying to fill a relatively small amount of time with a colossal amount of information.

This movie is a great watch, if for nothing more than it’s classic importance and well-done execution.  I highly recommend it for any anime fan.

[starrater]

paradise kiss

Paradise Kiss

/ , , , , / , , , , , / 0 Comments

Alternate Titles: ParaKiss

Original Japanese Release Date: 2005

Episode Length/Run-time: 12

Summary:

Yukari is your typical Japanese high school student.  She attends school every day, goes to cram school, obeys her parents to a T, and is at the point of having a mental breakdown over exams.  One day she is spotted by members of a group which calls themselves “Paradise Kiss.”  Students from a local fashion school they pull her into their world as a model for an upcoming competition.  Being renamed Caroline by the team she begins to respect these off-beat people who follow their dreams and their handsome yest mysterious leader/designer George.

Review:

Paradise Kiss is not an anime for your average male.  I never say never, but I will say if you have 20 guys in a room about 1-3, tops, will like or be interested in Paradise Kiss.  That being said, it speaks to the woman in every female.

Yukari/Caroline goes through a coming of age as most women do in their later High School years.  It’s that tender age of beginning to decide for yourself over allowing others, namely your parents and societal expectations to decide for you.  It’s also the age where you begin to make decisions of the risk versus the reward.  And, of course, love.

This is a mature anime, despite it’s appearance of cloths making and modeling.  It deals with premarital sex, relationships, running away from home, and of course love.  A slice of life drama it keeps you hoping and dreaming with Yukari and you really sympathize with her struggle.

The anime is polished and beautiful looking, in the style of Ai Yazawa.  Music isn’t anything notable, other than a good opening song, but it fits the series.  It’s also the perfect length, with very little filler.  And, just as it would be about to get boring it wraps up the series in a nice little bow like a present for your time.

It’s a great series for any girl or fan of fashion or romance.  The masculine man may want to stay away though.

[starrater]

eureka 7

Eureka 7

/ , , , , , , / , , , , , / 0 Comments

Alternate Titles: Eureka Seven Psalms of Planets and Symphonic Poem Eureka Seven

Original Japanese Release Date: 2005

Episode Length/Run-time: 50 episodes

Summary:

Renton Thurston is your typical 14 year old boy who lives in a boondocks town and believes he will be destened for boredom forever.  One day when a giant robot literally crashes through his window he is swept away with the crew of the Gekkostate, a renegade ship of people living on the edge of the law.  Or so Renton thinks.

Review:

I think it’s pretty safe to say that everyone’s first impression of eureka 7 is “wow another shonen show” and for the first… oh, 10 or so episodes you’re pretty much right.  The first 10 episodes serve as an introduction to the characters and their interactions with one another.  Of course you have your standard fourteen year old shonen boy who suddenly discovers a burst of power who is Renton.  One day a robat crashes into his room, yes literally, named the Nirvash typeZERO.  This belongs to the renegade group Gekkostate who is led by Renton’s “Lifting” (a sport similar to surfing but through the air with the medium of “trapar.”) idol Holland.  Piloting this robot is Eureka a strange girl with eyes that are different from the rest of the general populous (thank you foreshadowing and foresight).  Renton’s grandfather then tells him to deliver a part to the robot the “amita Drive” and when he does this an unlimited power is unleashed.  Renton joins the group of the Gekkostate and begins to learn what life really is.

The second part of the series up until about episode 30 really begins to take a shift where they begin to introduce these mentally disturbing scenes and mature subjects.  Where most series just kind of peter off, especially Shounen series, this one simply gets better.  Renton’s naivety is not annoying, for once, but is portrayed in an innocent and reflective way through which you can see him grow.  This innocence is what often times gets him and Eureka into trouble.

Right at the peak of all this craziness the series then shifts again to develop the characters further before concluding in such a way that answers all the questions which they opened earlier in the series.

It’s great to see a series surprise you amidst so much predictability these days.  If you have the time this is definitely one worth investing in.

[starrater]

NANA

NANA

/ , , , , , / / 0 Comments

Alternate Titles: None

Original Japanese Release Date: 2006

Episode Length/Run-time: 47

Summary:

Nana begins with two girls named Nana who meet on a train.  The light haired Nana Komatsu, later nicknamed “Hatchi” (which will be her name here on out) is headed to Tokyo with little vision or goal other than going out to be with her boyfriend.  The dark, short haired rocker Nana Osaki is going to Tokyo with her band the Black Stones, or BLAST for short, to make it big.  Nana’s boyfriend (which is a complicated relationship) is the lead guitar out in Tokyo for a band known as Trapnest, she refused to go out with him in order to make it on her own.  They depart ways only to meet again when looking for an apartment, finding the seemingly perfect place at the same time they agree to move in together and split the rent.

Review:

The summary is really just the tip of the iceberg for this series.  Despite the series being named NANA the main character is really Hatchi (yes I know Nana is her name too but lets face it she is rarely called by it).  The series really follows her and the influence Nana has in her life.  She moves out to Tokyo with this childish notion that she’d get out there and her boyfriend and her would like happily ever after simply by being together.  Without considering things such as jobs, money, a place to live, and the fact that they are not even married.

The series really begins to turn as Hatchi’s heart is really broken for the first time.  (Minor spoiler fine, but it’s a long series)  After that Hatchi begins to find herself as a person.  Nana, on the other hand, is goal oriented and driven from square one, often feeling like an older sister to Hatchi.  She is clearly one whom Hatchi admires and looks up to.

The series has a genuine, and even gritty feel to it.  It’s definitely more mature than your standard Romance shojo series dealing with subjects like sex, drugs, premarital pregnancy, working for a living, love versus security.  A lot of the series is about the sacrifices we make for one thing, over another.  Be it people, or time, or wants, the series really shows that often times to have something you’ll have to forgo something else.

From start to finish it hooks you.  The characters are enjoyable, the series is deep while still possessing some comedic aspects.  There is some filler which could likely be cut from the main story, but it is not your standard run of the mill filler.  It’s filler which develops the characters in ways that are beyond your normal filler standards.

The art is Ai Yazawa who also did Paradise Kiss, so her style is notable and enjoyable.

The music is fantastic, it’s a show about rock stars so it better be! But they found some J-rockers to do all the music and it was very well done throughout the series.

This series is very good, one for a more mature audience and likely female given the heavy romance feel.  But when you really get past the first bit when Hatchi is very innocent then I think it’s something anyone could enjoy because the subject matter darkens a lot.  And a good plot and well developed characters also go a long way.

berserk

Berserk

/ , , , , , , / , , , , , / 0 Comments

Alternate Titles: None

Original Japanese Release Date: October 7th, 1997

Episode Length/Run-time: 25

Summary:

A man named Guts finds himself joining a band of mercenaries called the Band of the Hawk.  Led by the charismatic Griffith, they climb their way through the ranks of the royal count. Little does Guts know that his involvement with Griffith will lead both their fates down a path neither of them could have forseen.

Review:

Berserk is nearly the perfect anime. Filled with gripping action, engaging politics, betrayal, love, and everything in between, it helped define the 1990’s as a great decade for anime. Berserk’s plotline, up until the end, is one of its strongest assets.  Watching Griffith execute his masterful military strategy, as the Band of the Hawk wins battle after battle, is truly a treat.  The masterfully crafted military battles are supported by a dark animation style that creates the perfect atmosphere for an anime that couldn’t be less “moe”.  Outside of the battlefield, the other primary setting for the show falls within the falls of the king’s court.  This show contains a lot of politics, which amongst other things, includes a lot of plotting against Griffith by the current members of the court.

Despite all the praise you can heap on Berserk for it’s engaging pacing it is the relationships between the characters that make it truly great.  The three main characters Gutts, Griffith and Casca, are as interconnected as a set of characters can possibly be.  Throughout the course of the show you’ll see Griffith, a genius leader and strategist, grow very dependent upon Guts’s talent as a military general and warrior.  In much the same way, Casca is dependent upon Griffith as her source of strength.  Rescued as a young girl by Griffith, Casca is completely loyal to Griffith and would do anything to see him fulfill his ambitions.  The most interesting aspect of the relationships is to see what happens when certain characters are removed from the equation.

In spite of all the positive aspects of the show, Berserk is a love it or hate it anime. It has one of the worst endings in the history of anime, that very much requires the viewer to continue the story on into the manga.  I fully recommend this show to anybody that can handle a healthy degree of violence and assuming that they are able to stomache the knowledge that they will be disappointed by the series conclusion.

[starrater]

angels egg

Angel’s Egg

/ , , , / / 0 Comments

Alternate/Japanese Titles: Tenshi no Tamago

Original Japanese Release Date: 1985

Episode Length/Run-time: 71 minutes

Summary:

Set in a futuristic, desolate, post-apocalyptic, wasteland, still ravaged by the remnants of an unknown war a young girl navigates her way through the dark and uncertain world carrying a large egg with her. Her day is consumed with protecting this egg and with filling jars with water for some unknown reason. One day she encounters a man, dressed as a warrior and he begins to follow her, intrigued with her strange ways.

Review:

This anime is as dark as it is confusing. An early work for Mamoru Oshii (the director of Ghost in the Shell) this anime is buried with symbolism.  The dialogue is scarce and often times repeated in different variations of the same expression.  However it’s presented to serve the purpose of allowing the viewer to draw their own conclusions.

The animation was directed and designed by Yoshitaka Amano, concept artist for the final fantasy games.  His style adds an other-worldly and gritty feel to this haunting world.

While it is a movie you could definately watch multiple times the lack of dialogue and “things happening” along with the confusion to the story can cut into many viewers enjoyment.

[starrater]