[OAVs, Movies and Full Series]

Dennou Coil full series (2007 in 12, day 4)

Posted by Martin  [Tags: ABC, Dennou Coil, Twelve days of Christmas]

On Friday afternoon I watched the last two episodes of Dennou Coil and wanted to somehow commit my thoughts to words, and without interrupting the twelve day countdown into the bargain. So, here it is: Day 4 of my Twelve Best Bits of 2007. Since we’re well into the autumn season I think I can say with certainty now that DC is, as far as I’m concerned, the TV series of the year. I’ll try to pick out another few Memorable Moment candidates after the moar tag that’s a bit more specific than “the whole damn thing!” too.

[6 Comments]

[Anime Reviews]

Dennou Coil 22-24

Posted by Martin  [Tags: Dennou Coil]

I’m finding it increasingly hard to review this series - the jargon and double crosses are piling up and I’m resisting the urge to cop out and sum it up in fanboyish raves peppered with superlatives. What other series paints such a rich and immersive world in seemingly simplistic watercolour? Or presents a conspiracy, the possible cover-up of a fatal experiment and a dangerous new technology in a fashion that is accessible to all ages? How will I even put off seeing it through to the end in order to wake in time for work tomorrow morning??

If we take off the metaphorical dennou glasses and view this purely as a real-life drama piece, it would still be miles ahead of pretty much everything on offer this year; add the mechinations of Megamass, the Coil phenomenon and the shadow of Michiko claiming the lives of the unwary and the end result is a show so extraordinary it goes beyond the realms of ‘a great anime series’ and can stand alongside the classics as an example of how good kids’ TV can be…if I could actually think of a similar series that does everything Dennou Coil does in the same way. Oh yeah, these particular eps also feature Densuke being awesome. Again.

[9 Comments]

[Anime Reviews]

Dennou Coil 19-21: see you on the other side

Posted by Martin  [Tags: Dennou Coil]

As cliff-hangers go, #18 of Dennou Coil took some beating with poor little Kyouko being dragged away by shadowy Illegals; it’s become something of a supernatural piece in which the cyberbody can be separated from the physical self, and by the end of #21 offers some head-scratchery that led me to question certain portions of what I’d seen previously. Honestly, I never expected a kids’ show to go all Lain on us, not that I think of that as bad or anything. From the creeping Illegals through the Pochi battles that played out like Star Wars scaled down, to the quite cruel mental attack on Isako, this is pretty heavy stuff by DC’s own standards; the series has come a long way and I’m looking forward to see where it takes things as it enters the final furlong.

[4 Comments]

[Anime Reviews]

Dennou Coil 16-18

Posted by Martin  [Tags: Dennou Coil]

I’ve come to realise that I can’t properly concentrate on the current season until I’ve seen Dennou Coil through to the end. After a jovial and fragmented middle section (I can’t bring myself to call it filler when it was so entertaining) the story eases back into its stride and effortlessly ventures into darker territory, posing as many tantalising questions as it answers. Fantastic stuff.

There’s still much to enjoy in terms of humour (Re: Mega-ba getting into trouble at the hospital for trying to cook pike in a side ward!) but it’s turned its attention back to the mystery surrounding Haraken’s investigation into Kanna’s death. By the standards of a kids’ show this is pretty scary stuff, dealing as it does with the possibility of people’s cyber bodies and souls being trapped on the ‘other side’, wherever that may be. On one hand this is all dismissed as just another urban legend and humoured by the sensationalist media; at the same time it threatens Haraken’s safety so is quite clearly (at least to us and the kids) a very real threat indeed. Considering Haraken’s supposed clean bill of health, Dennou Coil is expertly blurring the line between the reality of adults and the frightening view through the Dennou glasses: are the grown-ups really missing something serious here?

[2 Comments]

[Anime Reviews]

Dennou Coil 13-15

Posted by Martin  [Tags: Dennou Coil]

The mid-season filler segment seems to have reached an end now, which comes at a perfect time since I was beginning to have doubts about how the story would get back on track. Okay, maybe ‘doubt’ is too strong a word but the plotline was beginning to get bogged down; nevertheless there were some fantastic details that came out of these episodes, and things seem to be moving along now anyway.

Denpa and his dinosaur

[No Comments]

[Anime Reviews]

Dennou Coil 10-12

Posted by Martin  [Tags: Dennou Coil]

Dennou Coil continues to be my favourite show of the season as we’re introduced to more details surrounding Kanna’s death when the kids find her diary and Yasako cracks the password code. The awkwardness between her and Haraken is portrayed with the restraint and eloquence that I’ve come to expect from this show - I felt really, really, sorry for Haraken after he finally read Kanna’s diary. No kid should have to shoulder that sort of pain at his age.

Poor Haraken!

[3 Comments]

[Anime Reviews]

Dennou Coil 7-9

Posted by Martin  [Tags: Dennou Coil]

You may have noticed I’m not doing episode-by-episode reviews any more. Basically, blogs such as T.H.A.T. and Star Crossed are quicker than me on that front, and do it better into the bargain. Watching several in a row before reviewing them is easier, especially with the likes of Dennou Coil. It’s an absolute joy to watch - not to mention hopelessly addictive.

On the trail of a missing cyberpet…again

[No Comments]

[Anime Reviews]

Dennou Coil 3-6 and the Internet Generation

Posted by Martin  [Tags: Dennou Coil]

Now that I’m getting used to the terminology in this show, I’m finding it easier to follow the story and get taken along for the ride. Yuuko Amasawa is introduced properly as a new classmate to Yuuko Okonogi and Fumie (I’ll be calling the Yuukos by their nicknames from now on to prevent confusion!), and after some amusing incidents involving class prankster Daichi, she exerts her authority as an ‘encoder’ to use him and his gang of hackers for her own ends.

[5 Comments]

[Anime Reviews]

Dennou Coil: First Impressions

Posted by Martin  [Tags: Dennou Coil]

There have been a couple excellent shows this season that have proved that we as fans are as spoiled as a rich kid on Christmas morning…my coverage of them has sadly gone on temporary hiatus now that they’re licenced. With a bit more spare viewing time and a slew of recommendations, I gave Denno Coil a try - and what a hidden gem it is.

[3 Comments]