[Anime Reviews]
23 Apr 2008
Posted by Martin [Tags: First Impressions and Retrospectives, Macross Frontier, Soul Eater]
Yes, I know I haven’t posted my thoughts on Kaiba yet, nor have I watched Kanokon (before you ask: in regards to the former, I’m waiting for ep #2 to be subbed. In regards to the latter, “Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it,” still applies so I’ll watch the first two before allowing myself to rip it to shreds). In accordance with Peter S’s recommendationn I’ll try out Kamen no Maid Guy purely for giggles. Because wake-up call + hosepipes + cleavage == lulz. Maybe. At any rate, my schedule is filling up fast but my .mkv playback issues appear to be resolved. Huzzah. Onwards then, with Golgo 13, Soul Eater and Macross Frontier in glorious 1280×720 widescreen. *_*
Golgo 13
I have to admit that the movie didn’t impress me at all, even though it was given a bit of credibility and sophistication thanks to the involvement of Osamu Dezaki (I still can’t believe he did the Clannad movie too…that’ll be interesting). The TV series is pretty much the same, although it deserves credit for its gritty and realistic take on the crime thriller genre; the music kinda rocks (particularly the 80-tinged op and end themes) and the artwork isn’t bad either. There isn’t much around like it at the moment, so if you dig solidly-animated hard-boiled action fare, or indeed if you enjoyed the feature film, this might be up your street.
Get up (get on up), stay on the scene (get on up), like a sex machine
My beef with Golgo 13 is still the fact that, even though his adversaries are despicable criminals, there’s nothing to like about the hero either. Unlike, say, Hei from Darker than Black or Guts from Berserk, Togo has no depth, no vulnerability and no interesting background, which makes him deathly dull. For sure, he’s a big, tough and badass sex machine of a hitman but I can imagine things will grow boring long before the episode run finishes because the outcome is always a foregone conclusion. Even when he’s on the case or in bed with a hooker his expression NEVER changes…although I did notice his eyes widen a little in one scene when his plans were nearly undone by a pesky cat. I’ll watch one or two more for the lulz but not even the Huerrgh! factor is enough to make this one worth tuning in for.
Chances of continued viewing: LOW
Macross Frontier
I’ve already given my first episode rave but after the second I’m not sure how non-Macross fanboys and fangirls will react to it because we’re still at the stage where the main characters and the ways in which they’re connected are still being introduced. Personally, I was in my element and can’t give an objective view on it because the first five minutes were a pure edge-of-your seat adrenaline rush, echoing back to the original series with the daring rescue of Ranka. At that point I asked myself “What would Hikaru Ichijyo do?” the answer being of course “Get the girl, pwn the alien and make it home in time to catch last orders at the bar with Roy Focker.” Except in this case the reaction for Alto’s heroism amounted to “You saved my sister’s life but I’m going to punch you to the ground for damaging my plane.” I guess that’s the pugnacious Zentran side to Ozma coming out there. Better luck next time, eh, Alto?
What would Hikaru Ichijyo do?
Cheryl shows a bit more personality in the second ep though, which is a relief considering the A.I. idoru Sharon Apple had more charisma, and she was a bloody hologram. Overall I’m finding the characters to be pretty engaging though - not nearly so much as Plus or Do You Remember Love? but certainly more than Zero. If nothing else, it appeals to me in a way that Gundam 00 never did and gives that curiosity as to what happens next. Perhaps the reason why I’m enjoying Macross Frontier more is, as IKnight once suggested, that it doesn’t take itself quite as seriously as its rival; even when the Macross franchise is dealing with personal drama, the morality of war or racial issues it is still fun to watch. This lighter approach is somewhat evident in Frontier as well so I’m hoping that when the meat of the story and characterisation comes along, it will deal with all that in its characteristically light-hearted way as in previous outings.
The power of music as an inspirational force is a particular trademark of the franchise too, which ought to come across as cheesy, but in this case at least it doesn’t (Yoko Kanno helps there, of course). I must admit that in the Cheryl/Ranka scene towards the end I was grinning a little when Ranka recognises her heroine. There are other nice touches such as the little litter-picking bots that hark back to the old series and movie, the Skull Squadron insignia and a college building that’s built in the shape of the Macross itself; whether newcomers will appreciate it any more because of these details I’m not sure, but they’re fun for existing fans nonetheless.
The bottom line is, I’m a Macross fanboy so I’ll be overjoyed if Frontier is handled well: I’m in my comfort zone here so there’s no reason not to continue with it.
Chances of continued viewing: HIGH (did you even need to ask?)
Soul Eater
My first thought was, “Is this Bones or Gainax?” The reason why I’m asking is that, aside from the Bones trademark of bold, bright colours and consistent presentation, this looks like something Kazura Tsuramaki or Hiroyuki Imaishi would come up with. Indeed, its energetic rock soundtrack is also scored by Taku Iwasaki, but the Gurren Lagann-esque vibe that had me wondering is also evident in the frenetic action, cheeky fan service, slapstick comedy and marvellous show of imagination; pure win in other words.
First mission is accomplished
I mean this in a complimentary way, of course, because Soul Eater is an absolute blast. It has some Shounen Jump moments which irked me though - Black Star is I’m guessing supposed to be the Naruto-style irrepressible wannabe hero but he just irritated the hell out of me (and will continue to do so if his character develops as little as Naruto’s seems to have done). The length is also daunting - I’ll be writing my Third Anniversary blog post before finishing it, so I don’t know how much mileage Soul Eater’s premise will have before it loses momentum.
With these niggles aside, I think I’ll be enjoying this one for a while yet. The bold, stylised character designs (complete with an anthropomorphised sun and moon grinning down from the sky) ooze a sense of cool and I really dig the Tim Burton-esque gothic aesthetic. Crucially though it takes the time to examine the characters and highlights how their success (or lack therof) depends on understanding their respective partner’s strengths and weaknesses; hopefullly the art style and character dynamics will keep my interest if the storyline becomes repetitive and fillerish.
Chances of continued viewing: HIGH (for now)
[8 Comments]
[Anime Reviews]
20 Apr 2008
Posted by Martin [Tags: Allison to Lillia, First Impressions and Retrospectives, Itazura na Kiss, Kurenai]
Emerging caveman-like from Backlog Hell and mindful that one episode is never enough to get a decent grasp of what the shows will be like, my belated spring 2008 first impressions post is intentionally belated. Recently I’ve tried to see the previous season’s shows through to their respective ends and giving the new ‘uns two episodes before making my mind up on them; chances are I won’t be able to follow all of them but there’s no harm in trying. Hopefully I’ll get a better idea than guessing on the first ep alone, this way.
In other words my final thoughts on Clannad, Kaiji and (when the last ep is released) Ghost Hound will be forthcoming this week. I don’t know about you but following so much stuff simultaneously begins to get a bit confusing - there’s a lot coming up this season that promises good things so I don’t know how many more of these First Impressions posts there will be. At any rate, first up are Allison to Lillia, Ituzura na Kiss and Kurenai.
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[Anime Reviews]
07 Apr 2008
Posted by Martin [Tags: First Impressions and Retrospectives, iyashikei]
It’s fair to say that I’m a cat person. Cats make great companions because they are intelligent, affectionate, relatively independent and show some degree of loyalty; like dogs or other humans I suppose, but with less mess. In fact one of the only downsides of where I’m living now is the ‘no pets’ policy because I think the presence of a furry, overfed feline curled up in a corner somewhere really makes a house a home. Not to mention of course that any creature that can sleep 23 hours out of 24 and still find the barefaced cheek to yawn afterwards obviously knows something we don’t…
Got milk?
Cat-themed anime therefore holds a special appeal for me and carries with it a feeling of serenity, relaxation and, more often than not, good-natured comedic cuteness. Chi’s Sweet Home has plenty of this feelgood comedic cuteness - it’s a whimsical and inoffensive island of iyashikei relaxation with a healthy dose of kawaii for good measure as it follows the adventures of a grey kitten who is separated from its mother and is rescued by young Youhei and his family. I’m fully aware that childlike fare such as CSH seems like something of a niche interest or ‘just for kids’ but as Sasa pointed out the other day there’s plenty of call for iyashikei in the seinen demographic too; especially when the rat-race of today’s world is becoming increasingly hectic. After spending around 50% of my journey home from work today in standing traffic for instance, this is just what I needed.
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[Site Announcements]
17 Mar 2008
Posted by Martin [Tags: blogsturbation, First Impressions and Retrospectives, Random thoughts]
In accordance with Hidoshi’s dislike for the term ‘meta-blogging’ used when writing a blog post about blog posts, I declare this to be a blogsturbatory one instead, in memory of the appropriately-titled but apparently deceased Epic Win. The spectre of Real Life loomed, I learned that magnolia wall emulsion and black denim didn’t go well together and I was reunited with the belongings that had been placed in self-store, awaiting my new hikikomori refuge house. It’s good to be back in my own place but sadly I have to wait another two days for my landline to be connected before I can install a new net connection. Hiatus diease ain’t funny folks.</digression>
So cute and artsy, I don’t really need a reason…beyond stating that I’ve just discovered Danbooru and amongst the NSFW garbage there’s some really cool stuff…
Since this temporary connection seems to be working, I’ll post a few brief viewing updates. Ghost Hound continues to be baffling, challenging but at times utterly awesome - the bigger picture is starting to emerge. And Taro is in love. Perhaps. Aww. <3 Persona: Trinity Soul was supposed to be on my watchlist but is already in Backlog Hell and might well wind up in the On Hold list indefinitely. There just isn’t that special something about it to make me watch it. Kaiji on the other hand has kept my attention throughout, and with the end in sight I’m looking forward to seeing the Mulleted One triumph at last. Unless there’s a second season planned to finish things off, which won’t surprise me actually. Spice and Wolf ought to be, by rights, the dull one I’d drop but the show as a whole is saved by the dynamic that exists between Lawrence and Horo. The reader comments seem to echo my own thoughts that even if they sit around in a bar chatting, that alone is entertaining enough.
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[Site Announcements]
21 Jan 2008
Posted by Martin [Tags: First Impressions and Retrospectives, Gunslinger Girl, Sayonara Zetsubou-sensei, Spice and Wolf]
I thought it would be a good idea to lump my first impressions of the new year’s shows in one post because I want to spend more time watching and less time flooding the aggregators with daily posts. It’s an exhausting task that I don’t feel is sustainable in the long term, and doesn’t give much time for the latest post to enjoy its time at the top of the page either. As I stated at the beginning of the year, the plan is quality over quantity from now on (hopefully freeing up a bit of time to update my other Wordpress part of the site) - plus the fact that I’m watching rather a lot to begin with. 2008’s shaping up quite well already actually, so here are the token First Impressions that I may or may not adhere to.
A burnt-out science graduate seeking solace in solitude and sake…even the hairstyle’s the same
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[3 Comments]
[Anime Reviews]
28 Dec 2007
Posted by Martin [Tags: First Impressions and Retrospectives, Macross, Macross Frontier]
It’s almost cruel to put out the first episode of Macross Frontier, possibly the coolest Christmas gift evaaar, only to declare that we won’t see the rest until the spring; right from the first rumbles and rumours I’d been keeping my eyes peeled for any tidbit of news or scrap of promo art with the words “MOAR MACROSS! MOAR MACROSS!” zooming around inside my head like a Valkyrie on afterburner. Since it’s an anniversary piece I daresay no expense has been spared in getting it together either; even the mighty Kawamori himself is credited on the staff roll-call as Chief Director. In case you’re head hasn’t quite exploded in fanboyish jubilation just yet, what about Yoko Kanno being back to provide her first musical score contribution to the franchise since Plus? Talk about high expectations…
Hell yeah!
Okay then, this was one of THE big 2008 titles for me so I might not be as objective as some. Macross Zero set a new benchmark for aerial combat while Macross Plus did the same thing for the level of characterisation and soundtrack quality way back in 1994 so there are bound to be comparisons here, there and everywhere, both positive and negative. I suppose this uncertainty comes from a pedigree that’s as unpredictable as the mighty Gundam but for whatever reason I’ve always been a Macross man; on the other hand, success is by no means guaranteed, Kawamori/Kanno or no. It’s impossible to gauge from one episode the merits of the character development or storyline either, so to make any judgement in that respect would be idle speculation; so, what do we have to go on?
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[Anime Reviews]
06 Dec 2007
Posted by Martin [Tags: First Impressions and Retrospectives]
I’m glad that I watched these five episodes before jumping to conclusions on Utawarerumono because there’s a lot surrounding the show’s premise and origins that doesn’t bode well. For one thing, it is an adapation of a bishoujo computer game: a recent trend in the anime industry that I can’t say I’m overly keen on. The use of amnesia as a plot device is also one of the most familiar and widespread ideas employed in anime and elsewhere; in this case it revolves around a man discovered gravely injured in a forest, nursed back to health by the kindly inhabitants of a remote village and soon becoming a strong leader against those who oppress them.
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[Anime Reviews]
23 Nov 2007
Posted by Martin [Tags: ABC, First Impressions and Retrospectives]
With a forecast of chilly receptions, widespread mediocrity and a chance of a few scattered moments of greatness across all regions of the anime blogosphere the autumn season looked a little bleak, or so I thought. For sure, there’s been a lot of stuff that passed me by and provoked little more than a half-arsed ‘meh’ but now that some of the new shows are nearing their halfway points there has been a minority that’s significant enough for me to comment on at length…even though I’ve been preoccupied with other things and remembered the posting deadline at a shockingly late hour. Hopefully the likes of JRoxas, Mike, Raymond, Karura, CCYoshi, Hige, J.Valdez, Xerox and Owen prepared themselves a bit better than I did.
If Lucky Star taught me anything, it was how you should never be overly influenced by your preconceptions; this point was hammered firmly home by the likes of ef -a tale of memories. Thanks to the other joint blogging effort earlier on in the week, I’m now ‘all ef-ed out’ and can’t say any more until I’ve seen some more episodes. You’ve all read enough about that in recent days too, right? ^_^
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[Anime Reviews]
14 Nov 2007
Posted by Martin [Tags: First Impressions and Retrospectives, Moyashimon]
Cute talking microbes. That was the general summing-up of what could be the oddest but most inventive series of the season: Moyashimon (Tales of Agriculture). ANN’s listing gives the simple synopsis of “College student Tadayasu Sawaki has a unique ability. He can see and communicate with bacteria and other microorganisms. Hijinks ensue.” Not much to go on I admit, but there’s not a great deal else happening at first. In a way it reminds me of Honey and Clover in portraying the trivialities of humdrum student life in an amusing and realistic slice-of-life way. Plus cute talking microbes.
Moyashimon: wholesome and full of flavour, and packed with friendly bacteria
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[5 Comments]
[Anime Reviews]
24 Oct 2007
Posted by Martin [Tags: First Impressions and Retrospectives, Ghost Hound]
As outlined in my mission statement for the season, this was right up there in my shortlist. The staff roll-call was the clincher, of course - I loved Kino’s Journey and SE: Lain is one of my all time faves too (I really need to re-review that sometime). The output from these guys is what makes me feel separate from the majority of fellow fans - I absolutely love the unconventional approaches they take to storytelling and artwork and really dig the premise “you’ll scratch your head until it bleeds!”, even though many viewers can’t stand that sort of thing.
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