posts tagged “First Impressions and Retrospectives”
[Anime Reviews]
18 Oct 2007
Posted by Martin [Tags: First Impressions and Retrospectives, Huerrgh!, Kaiji]
Buy Inderal Without Prescription, Not much has wowed me this season. What is Inderal, Granted, Gundam 00 started well, Inderal australia, uk, us, usa, Purchase Inderal online no prescription, ef and Blue Drop intrigued me and even Clannad promises good things but there wasn't the equivalent of, say, online buy Inderal without a prescription, Online buying Inderal hcl, Gurren Lagann or Dennou Coil to make me feverishly check daily for torrents for the latest episode. It's all going to take second place to DVDs and other activities (such as the essay deadline that I've only just discovered is NEXT SODDING WEDNESDAY, online buying Inderal, Inderal long term, dammit), or so I thought, my Inderal experience. Inderal natural, Enter Ultimate Survivor Kaiji.
Everyone's favourite low-life
A grandiose title such as this suggests that the show has Huerrgh, buy Inderal online no prescription. running through it like a stick of rock; indeed, it's a darkly comical, gritty and hard-boiled affair that mainstream fandom will probably ignore, Buy Inderal Without Prescription. Inderal class, If my viewing schedule were a cocktail party, Gundam 00 would be everyone's favourite brand label beer, buy no prescription Inderal online, Inderal recreational, the likes of Clannad and ef would be the sickly sweet lemonade mixer but Kaiji would be the dubious-looking moonshine brewed in my mate's shed (presumably, Mokke is the soothing cup of sencha to nurse the raging hangover that follows), Inderal dangers. Inderal description, Y'see, it's everything the rest of the autumn/fall season isn't: it's not pretty, discount Inderal, Inderal pharmacy, it's certainly not cute and there's not a sakura tree or bishoujo in sight. In other words it's a sweaty, Inderal steet value, Buy generic Inderal, cigarette smoke-laden breath of fresh air.
Pointy nose + mullet==win Buy Inderal Without Prescription, Kaiji is a gambler, a jobless bum and a petty criminal. Is Inderal safe, Series that place a down-and-out anti-hero whose pastimes include playing cards and slashing tyres are rare to say the least, but the point where Kaiji wins out is when it presents a character who's at rock bottom and makes us feel sorry for him, Inderal price, coupon. Inderal trusted pharmacy reviews, Thanks to an unscrupulous former work colleague who's done a runner, our Kaiji has been lumbered with a debt and the loan shark in question has given him an ultimatum in paying it back, Inderal treatment. Inderal pictures,
He's about to make an offer he can't refuse...
The story feels like something right out of a Tarantino movie with other scenes reminiscent of Brian de Palma and Martin Scorsese flicks: Kaiji is one of a group who have been given a chance to clear their debts by one big, desparate attempt at the hands of some shady corporate types, Inderal interactions. Purchase Inderal online, The objective. A game of Restricted Rock Paper Scissors, Buy Inderal Without Prescription. Hardcore, Inderal no rx. Inderal dose, It's already sowing the seeds of a twisting storyline that surprisingly doesn't necessarily need a detailed knowledge of gangsters and gambling to appreciate though, which is a bonus, Inderal street price. Where to buy Inderal,
Buy Inderal Without Prescription, Do you feel lucky. Where can i buy Inderal online, Do you. Punk?
Kaiji is also really, buy Inderal without prescription, Inderal without a prescription, really, striking visually. The 'hard-boiled' vibe is carried over by the bold lines and rough, angular character designs that wouldn't look out of place in an American pulp comic. In terms of soundtrack the op theme is a suitably rocky number and even the atmospheric sound effects literally hover in the background with gleeful abandon (cheers to Guff and Orion for explaining the latter point). Kaiji himself is an artistic masterstroke: he's dirty, scruffy and has an 80s hairdo and an outrageously pointy nose, Buy Inderal Without Prescription. Genius.
The moment of truth
The opening episode is only setting up our hero's predicament but I have to say I'm hooked already. This is just what I was looking for: mature, solidly written yet entertaining with a wicked sense of humour - another Studio Madhouse triumph in my book. After all, it has gangsters, pointy noses, gambling and mullets...what more could you possibly ask for.
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[4 Comments]
[Anime Reviews]
15 Oct 2007
Posted by Martin [Tags: Clannad, ef -a Tale of Memories, First Impressions and Retrospectives]
Buy Plavix Without Prescription, Ah, upgrades...I can now throw myself into the viewing backlog but since Genshiken 2 and who knows what else is on the horizon, I'm going to be whittling it down quite a lot. So far the only two shows I'm intending to watch are Gundam 00 (it's all about the shiny mecha) and Mokke (Mushishi-lite, order Plavix online overnight delivery no prescription, Plavix alternatives, but still...), so on with the run-down, buy cheap Plavix no rx. About Plavix, ef-A Tale of Memories
It seems to be a slice of life drama piece, showing three couples whose relationships are presumably connected in some way, rx free Plavix. Plavix dosage, The story arc featuring the guy and the girl at the abandoned train station didn't work for me: the dialogue was a bit forced and unnatural, and as for the whole eye-patch wearing thing...I couldn't get into it, generic Plavix. Buy Plavix without a prescription, The scenes with the bicycle thief and the wandering photogropher on the other hand were great - it has the beginnings of a decent romantic drama right there. There's a third arc with a guy who carries a camera around and a girl who may be his girlfriend...they don't get much screen time in the first ep so I'm not sure what's up with them, Buy Plavix Without Prescription. All in all it's an interesting start, buy Plavix from canada, Where can i buy cheapest Plavix online, not least because I'm wondering how all these people's paths could cross later on.
Shinkai is soooo gonna sue these guys
Tenmon's music, Plavix pics, Plavix price, coupon, as I expected, is great - not on par with the stuff written for Shinkai's movies but nevertheless it's definitely above average, Plavix reviews. Plavix australia, uk, us, usa, The animation on the other hand is something I've not made my mind up on. It's as if the writers and artists went all-out to make the series 'arty' and distance itself from its dating sim roots: the animation style is experimental and at times beautiful, Plavix duration, Plavix street price, but it looks like it's trying too hard in being sophisticated. Buy Plavix Without Prescription, The lacklustre character designs don't help either, especially when drama shows such as this are so character-driven.
Yes, Plavix gel, ointment, cream, pill, spray, continuous-release, extended-release, Plavix cost, it's really pretty and all, but what's it FOR?
That is to say, buying Plavix online over the counter, Plavix no rx, ef-A Tale of Memories comes across as being written by someone who's seen 5cm Per Second once too often and tries to gain credibility by cramming in more Anno-isms than Kare Kano - sometimes it works but at others it feels like quirkiness for quirkiness' sake. Oddly, ordering Plavix online, Plavix long term, for an opening ep I've found so much to talk about, I still haven't come to a definite conclusion about it yet, Plavix brand name. Plavix from mexico, Clannad
How many people have googled for the Irish folk band of the same name and got horridly confused with the results. The idea of that just amuses me, purchase Plavix online, Buy Plavix from mexico, is all. So does taking subtitles out of context, btw, Buy Plavix Without Prescription.
Yeah, buy generic Plavix, Plavix results, Clannad is another new show based off a dating sim, featuring characters who look little more than half my age so it *shouldn't* be my thing, Plavix treatment. Purchase Plavix, I could be really awkward and say "hey, this is ANOTHER anime based off a dating sim, Plavix used for. Online buy Plavix without a prescription, I refuse to enjoy this." Since one of my favourite books was based on one guy's experience of hanging out with drug addicts though, online Plavix without a prescription, I really shouldn't judge something purely on its dubious origins. Besides, Tsukihime was really enjoyable too, but I'll leave that for another day.
So...Clannad Buy Plavix Without Prescription, . It has doses of high school romcom and even a bit of magical girl but the opening episode had some Honey and Clover overtones, such as the screenie above - it seems to have one or two serious messages to convey. I have my suspicions that it may veer into harem fantasy later on but I'm willing to admit that, thanks to some decent humour and interesting themes pertaining to the 'family' idea that gives the show its title, the beginning of Clannad was actually pretty good. How's that for a surprise.
The Kaiji ep #1 download is taking longer than I thought so my review of that will have to wait for another day. In closing, this is how my current fansub watchlist is looking:
- Blue Drop (unless something meaningful happens in ep #2, I won't be following this)
- Bokurano (ongoing)
- Clannad (everyone else is blogging it but at least I can understand why now)
- Denno Coil (ongoing)
- ef-A Tale of Memories (see comment for Blue Drop)
- Future Boy Conan (when will I get time to continue this. WHEN?)
- Gundam 00 (mecha!!)
- Kemonodzume (I'm halfway to completion)
- Mokke (it's still Mushishi-lite but I still like it)
- Sayonara Zetsebou-sensei (ongoing)
Further recommendations are welcome but remember I do need to do stuff like eat, sleep and go to work in the intervening hours.
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[6 Comments]
[Anime Reviews]
14 Oct 2007
Posted by Martin [Tags: First Impressions and Retrospectives, Gundam 00]
Buy Imitrex Without Prescription, I could've lumped this into the forthcoming second 'Autumn 07' post but there was no doubt that I'd be checking this one out; y'see, I've never actually seen any Gundam before. That might seem as incredible coming from a sci-fi nut such as myself as saying I've never eaten bread, buy cheap Imitrex no rx, Imitrex forum, but I've always been a Macross kind of guy. Besides, Imitrex used for, Cheap Imitrex no rx, the fact that Gundam has OVER NINE THOUSAND sequels, spin-offs and retellings is a bit intimidating to the uninitiated...in which case, where can i find Imitrex online, Get Imitrex, check out Sir Haggis' invaluable Ultimate Guide to Gundam on his blog.
Insert random NGE reference here
So, online buying Imitrex hcl, Imitrex results, I walked blindly into Gundam 00 from the point of view that now is as good a time as any to get into the franchise. I can't say how it compares with the likes of Seed and so on, buy no prescription Imitrex online, Imitrex price, coupon, so consider this an impartial appraisal, 'kay, doses Imitrex work. ^_^ It kicks off in a way that's in touch with the world as it is today, with the idea of holy war and so on, Buy Imitrex Without Prescription. My Imitrex experience, The scene at the beginning is reminiscent of the Helmejistan arc of Full Metal Panic, in which a juvenile warrior is dodging bullets in the streets of a ruined town...until a mecha descends from the heavens and lays waste to his attackers and the opening credits roll, online buying Imitrex, Imitrex natural, HD no less. Sweeeet, online buy Imitrex without a prescription. Rx free Imitrex,
That's gonna hurt in the morning!
The op theme deserves a mention actually since it's by L'Arc~en~Ciel (I like my J-rock) but generally this is an impressive first instalment: small details in the animation remind us that it's part of an epic pedigree so it looks pretty damned nice overall. For instance, herbal Imitrex, Imitrex maximum dosage, there's a pan shot across a crowd early on during which time one guy answers his phone; at times like this you wouldn't expect the people around him to move at all, since it's a pan shot, where can i buy cheapest Imitrex online. Buy Imitrex Without Prescription, Yet when the phone rings, several guys either side *move* and look at him with curiosity. Imitrex brand name,
Does alcohol still go to your head in zero gravity. Dunno why but I like her already
I don't know what else to say really, buy cheap Imitrex, Imitrex cost, since there are so many characters and ideas introduced that it's hard to guess which are the most significant and worth commenting on. The general gist seems to be that the Celestial Being organisation is pitting its Gundams against the various factions of Earth's defence; this sort of stuff is usually coincidental to me since the pilots themselves, low dose Imitrex, Imitrex from canada, rather than the organisations they belong to, are the most interesting, Imitrex price. Imitrex without prescription, With names such as Lockon Stratos and Allejulah Haptism I'm hoping they're a colourful and entertaining bunch.
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The soundtrack seems to revolve around traditional Japanese fare in the quieter scenes and the strident, Imitrex dangers, Imitrex no prescription, Western-sounding orchestral/choral pieces when the action kicks off; it's not proclaimed itself to be anything out of the ordinary yet but this feels appropriate given that whole affair seems to be sticking to the tried-and-tested formulae anyway. Cool mecha, Imitrex class, Order Imitrex online overnight delivery no prescription, big explosions, political wrangling and a mentally unbalanced bishie or two all ensure it meets the expectations of what I'm guessing is a very large and excited fanbase, buy generic Imitrex. Comprar en línea Imitrex, comprar Imitrex baratos, Yeah, it's as good an introduction to Gundam as any, ordering Imitrex online. Imitrex gel, ointment, cream, pill, spray, continuous-release, extended-release, I think I'll stick with this one too. Imitrex wiki.
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[4 Comments]
[Anime Reviews]
11 Oct 2007
Posted by Martin [Tags: First Impressions and Retrospectives, Mokke]
The daily flood of posts is going to ease up a bit now as I sort out some 'real life' stuff and work on the Wordpress 2.3 upgrade (which is going to take a bit longer than you might expect, for reasons that will become clear when it eventually does happen). As I pessimistically predicted, this season offers slim pickings for shows that revolve around sci-fi, drama or a sense of maturity or seriousness. Be warned that I may be a bit judgemental and scathing with some of these - it is after all a mere 'first impressions' effort rather than a bona fide review, so don't take it personally, 'k? Anyways, here's the first part of the run-down.
Myself;Yourself
Not sure why I checked this one out...maybe it was the first to go online or something. Either way I was *hoping* for some wistful slice of life/nostalgia stuff; sadly the truth was disappointing. It certainly looks pretty enough - if the production values are maintained later on it should be alright. The problem is what seems to be a harem setup with the stereotypes that go for ticking all the fanboy fetish boxes - it just smacks of writing that is at best formulaic and at worst downright lazy. I don't mind the harem genre per se - I read the Love Hina manga from start to finish and really enjoyed it - but it's so busy in pandering to the stereotypes that it forgets there's a story in there. After the lead guy returns to his old home town he sort-of meets an old friend who glares angrily at a distance before walking away, who is presumably the token tsundere; it gets worse when he meets another old friend who he scarely recognises - namely because she now wears glasses and has enormous breasts. Yep, it's the meganekko with the infuriating high-pitched voice who falls over a lot. Yawn.
Not a good first impression
Things didn't bode well with the predictable hide-the-removal-box-full-of-porn gag either, but the last straw for me was when it failed to take the nostalgia idea and run with it. I was actually quite optimistic when he started wandering around, noticing how things had changed because it felt like a lead-up to something touching and meaningful...only to realise that this isn't geared to viewers like me at all (who are, to be fair, in a minority anyway). Next!
Blue Drop
An odd one, this - it combines themes of invading aliens, Mysterious Pasts™ and, oddly, an exclusive all-girls high school (complete with the obligatory yuri overtones). The overall piece didn't quite 'work' straightaway for me, and it took some thinking to figure out why. The 'mystery' aspect is a common one so there's the risk of guessing ahead and spoiling it for myself when the big revelation comes; the lead character isn't too likable either. The problem is, we don't learn enough about her character for her less engaging traits to be justified.
Mysterious girl...with seagulls, obviously
Still, it's the most intriguing of the bunch if you discount the yuri subtexts and potential problems with Gonzo's handling of the visuals (if the first ep is anything to go by they should be fine but that's not necessarily a guarantee). I think I can stick with it for the time being, as long as it doesn't overdo the 'deep and serious' thing without a decent storyline to back it up.
Mokke
A lot of my hopes were riding on this one, what with it being adapted from a manga serialised in Afternoon (home of Genshiken and Mushishi) and the promo art promising more Studio Madhouse gorgeousness. The comparisons with Mushishi are fairly justified actually, plus I detected echoes of My Neighbour Totoro too - you have your two sisters, the rural setting and the folklore side of things, although the supernatural creature this time around is anything but fluffy and harmless. It's a nice mixture actually - the whole look to the show is very picturesque with dashes of comedy, but it goes really serious and quite scary with absolute ease. Fascinating.
When you find the one you've been looking for
There's the mild frightening stuff but it also hints at a sadness-tinged background, which I'm hoping will be followed up in subsequent episodes. Overall the whole affair is really sweet and often whimsical, fortunately in a good way; I really enjoyed watching the way that the bond between Shizuru and Mizuki was portrayed, and even the music is pleasant (the op theme is a bit 'meh' but there's a fair chance it'll grow on me). It's not going to be an earth-shattering piece of action or drama but it could be a surprise hit. It also proved to be a really therapeutic way to unwind after a rough day. I think I'm going to really like this one.
[3 Comments]
[Anime Reviews]
16 May 2007
Posted by Martin [Tags: First Impressions and Retrospectives, Huerrgh!]
Here's a show that seems to have slipped under the radar. Drawn in by a rocking end theme from the Pillows (okay, I admit that was my main reason) and the unusual premise, I made a start on Moonligh Mile: an unusual tale of discovering a new source of energy on the Moon. The opening ep doesn't explain much but goes to great lengths to set things up and introduce the main characters.
The first scene shows an astronaut stranded on the Moon's surface and paying the ultimate price for doing something she shouldn't. Cut to...a pair of mountaineers who rescue a hapless climber and eventually decide, after taking on Everest, to set their sights on the only point that is higher. It's all a bit muddled and doesn't seem to know what it wants to be just yet - the episode throws in news reports about the new Helium-3 energy source, as well as the lives of who I'm guessing are our two heroes. Gorou and Lostman are far from perfect - as their laddish antics show on several occasions - but they are tough and determined, and are not afraid to show acts of kindness in the face of adversity. After their adventure on Everest one becomes a jet pilot and the other a construction worker; I can already see how their exploits will take them away from planet earth.
Moonlight Mile is clearly intended for mature audiences, which is a relief to a guy like me who has a strong loli aversion! The opening scene gives a chillingly realistic view of life in space, as does the hard-hitting portrayal of Himalayan mountaineering, and the trials and tribulations of our twenty-something protagonists that will strike a chord with more mature viewers. A short (and quite frankly unecessary) sex scene supports this impression, as do the character designs and true-to-life art style. So far so good in that department.
I'm always on the lookout for the unusual, especially something that takes an over-used them (in this case, space travel) and puts a new spin on it. I suppose I was hoping for a spiritual descendent of
Planetes (which is sadly still on my 'to watch' list) or
Wings of Honneamise (ditto) but for all its attempts at being intelligent, believable sci-fi, I'll still have to watch another instalment of
Moonlight Mile to get a proper impression as to whether I'll enjoy it or not. Either way, at least I have the forthcoming
Planetes DVD box sets to look forward to! :)
[2 Comments]
[Anime Reviews]
02 May 2007
Posted by Martin [Tags: First Impressions and Retrospectives]
Every now and then I want to sit down with something different from what I normally watch. Lovely Complex fits the bill perfectly: slapstick comedy, a Jpop-laden musical score and styles of visuals and storytelling that have 'shoujo' written all over them. No angst, no sci-fi, no complicated plotting; just playful, lightweight fun.
Kouizumi is a brash tomboy who's taller than most girls. After an unfortunate incident at her graduation ceremony she winds up in summer catch-up class...along with Otani, a short guy who has always annoyed the hell out of her. Right from the off they are clearly the worst of enemies but at the same time best of friends as well! When Kouizumi confesses her love for another classmate to Otani they decide to work together to sort their respective love lives out. The thing is, their 'comic duo' reputation suggests that the two of them are more suited to each other than they'd ever dare admit...
My knowledge of shoujo romance is limited to say the least. The slow pacing of
Bokura Ga Ita, compounded with a house move, meant that I never finished it;
His and Her Circumstances on the other hand is one of the finest pieces of animation I've ever seen. I don't think
Lovely Complex can match the brilliance of
Kare Kano but nevertheless I really enjoyed the opening episode and immediately got the general gist of what's going on. The pastel shades and summery colours are very much in the shoujo vein, as is the idea of getting the premise set up very early on in the run - I don't know how many episodes there will be but it ought to be just fine at twelve or thirteen.
This all makes for a show that feels as if you're revisiting familiar territory, even if your experience with the genre is as thin on the ground as mine is. With this in mind, the thing that will keep me watching is likely to be the dynamic between Kouizumi and Otani - some of the puns in the name-calling that flew between them needed subbed notes but their antics had grinning and chuckling all the way through. As long as the wisecracking, platonic side of their relationship stays fresh and funny the rest is just coincidental; I don't think
Lovely Complex is going to try and surprise us, but it certainly delivers on the laughs.
[No Comments]
[Site Announcements]
18 Apr 2007
Posted by Martin [Tags: First Impressions and Retrospectives]
As much as I thought I couldn't be bothered with fansubs any more, I've been wowed by a small number of shows so I might as well list what I hope to blog on a regular basis in the coming weeks. There's also a DVD backlog on my shelf too so expect more of that in the coming weeks. On we go, then.
Darker than Black
The creative staff of Wolf's Rain is always a good sign, and a soundtrack penned by a certain Ms. Kanno is just the icing on the cake. The opening ep gave some interesting bits of info concerning 'Hell's Gate', 'contractors' and so on but it didn't reveal too much. It looks great, sounds great and impressed me right from the get-go. Top of the list for now.
Bokurano
A strange one, this. The first ep didn't really grab my attention, looking like an average day at the beach with a cast number that's a little too much to take in at first (there's fifteen of them, for crying out loud!). Mecha shows are few and far between these days but I suspect it's going to be a character-driven affair as much as anything. There are one or two moments that hint at something darker and more twisted, however. I'm intrigued.
Tengun Toppa Gurren Lagann
Dammit, I still haven't found a copy of the first ep of this that isn't a raw and my current attempt is supposed to finish downloading in just under TWELVE HOURS (tell me there isn't something wrong there, guys) so I can't comment on it yet. However, a cursory glance hints at a great art style and of course it's Gainax (therefore a 'must watch' in my book). It could be a disaster of course but some reputable sources suggest good things.
Other stuff
Well, my DVD reviews for Kino's Journey are at an end and the GitS: SAC Second Gig is almost there too. Coming up this weekend will be the Kino prequel movie, the rest of Gasaraki and I'll make a start on Texhnolyze and Last Exile. Needless to say I'll be following Eureka Seven, obviously.
Because the menu bar was getting a tad crowded I set up (through much painstaking effort, including coding nested lists in HTML by hand) an archive categories page for all of my finished series for 2006. They don't have 'series' categories assigned to them any more but the reviews are still very much there.
[2 Comments]
[Anime Reviews]
03 Jan 2007
Posted by Martin [Tags: First Impressions and Retrospectives]
Ah yes, the bit that people might actually be interested in. How you all find time to watch so much unlicenced stuff I'll never know but nevertheless I've seen some real gems this year that are yet to be licenced. There were some stinkers too but I can't be bothered with those.
Monster
Clocking in at a hefty seventy-three episodes in length (not counting the mid-season recap), Monster required a certain amount of time and patience to see through to the end. Considering some series manage only thirteen or fourteen eps and still feel the need for filler segments, it's more than remarkable that in the entirety of its duration not a minute of exposition or characterisation was wasted. There were no supernatural goings-on, no gratuitous nudity or violence; just a stark and chillingly realistic portrayal of the human condition. Madhouse deliver the goods as always but credit must surely go to manga-ka Naoki Urasawa for the source material that is an outstanding psychological thriller. Brilliant.
Top O Nirae 2
Not as good as Hideaki Anno's classic Gunbuster OAV but nevertheless a really fun piece of mecha action that proves that GAINAX haven't quite lost their touch yet. More outrageous battles, gruesome monsters, giant robots and combat moves shrieked in eardrum-shredding Engrish. I'd put money on a Western licence withing the next twelve months.
Welcome to the NHK!
Yes, I know it's Gonzo, I haven't finished watching it and everyone compares it with the manga, but
NHK proved to be a surprisingly enjoyable (if occasionally cringe-inducing) portrait of 21st century pop culture. Nerds, recluses, social misfits and jobless layabouts are all viewed in a sharpy cynical light with humour just the way I like it: dark, dry and painfully reflective of real life. The soundtrack rocks too.
Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
The question "Just how hyped up can a series be?" was answered by a quirky high school comedy with a difference. You might have loved it, you might have hated it but one thing's for sure: you'd have to be living under the blogsphere's own metaphorical rock to not have heard about it. A little too gimmicky and fan-aware for my tastes but I'd be lying if I said I hadn't found it fun.
Future Boy Conan
An early effort from Hayao Miyazaki, this is another ongoing series whose historical significance has kept me watching: many features of the guy's movies can be found in the episodes of this show. A great adventure for its time,
Conan is akin to hearing a hissy demo tape of one of your favourite bands.
Pale Cocoon
A one-off OAV sci-fi short, this was a technically impressive and inriguing tale from rookie director Yasuhiro Yoshiura. Nope, I haven't heard of hi either but more of the same and I'll be declaring him the next Makoto Shinkai. Overflowing with post-apocalyptic apathy and backed up by a bleak premise of a lost history, it could be a stark cautionary tale. Or just a short movie with a great industrial aesthetic and nice music.
Mushishi
What's to say about Mushishi? Favourite show of the season? Favourite show of the year? If anything, this is one of my all-time top ten series, full stop. The artwork was stunning, the drama heartfelt and the ideas imaginative; every episode was a haunting and atmospheric journey through both good and bad aspects of the way in which humans interact with each other and the world around them. I could go on for ages about it but I won't: suffice to say it's a shining example of what TV animation could and should be, but often isn't.
Conclusions
There's been a mountain of stuff I started before realising that it was merely 'not bad' and never got around to finishing. Some I'll continue with though:
Welcome to the NHK is worth seeing through to the end I think but there are too many that fell by the wayside. No doubt it will all start again with the spring season...
[2 Comments]
[Anime Reviews]
03 Jan 2007
Posted by Martin [Tags: First Impressions and Retrospectives]
To celebrate the fact that I've got my internet back proper, now is probably the best time to do the inevitable 'best of 2006' review thingy. Without further ado, I'll give my own ill-informed 'best bits' of the past year, kicking off with the UK releases, plus some random imports that I'd picked up.
DVD
One of the biggest events of the year was the release of Naruto, which I found more fun than I ever dared admit. Aside from the fact that it was the UK's most highly hyped series of the year, it starts off being really quite good. Expect reviewage for the second volume in the coming weeks.
In terms of good ol'-fashioned epic science fiction,
Crest of the Stars had me hooked right from the off. After the first season of Jinto and Lafiel's journey I was left screaming "C'mon Beez, licence Banner of the Stars already!" to anyone who would listen. Not in public places, obviously.
An old classic that I'd only discovered after I acquired a multiregion player and the financial means to buy an entire box set, Hideaki Anno's
His and Her Circumstances proved that down-to-earth romcom can have me as glued to the screen as any gritty thriller or slab of sci-fi. Aside from the woeful ending (thanks GAINAX, you've done it again) it is possibly the most heartfelt and insightful portrayal of young love in anime. If you live in the UK, buy yourself a multiregion player and import this show now. NOW.
In contrast, Studio Madhouse's taught action/thriller/drama
Gunslinger Girl was in turns picturesque, exhilerating, touching and downright chilling. Although it fell off MVM's catalogue rather suddenly a couple of months back, it's still available on general release and I urge anyone who is into more mature and realistic fare to check it out. Definitely not your average 'girls with guns' show.
2006 wasn't without light relief though, with the arrival of the spin-off comedy
Full Metal Panic? FUMOFFU. Proof that not only do I have a sense of humour that extends to slapstick, but that there are decent anime comedies around that can
do slapstick and be consistently funny into the bargain. A solid high school comedy...with added explosives and gun-toting cuddly toys. FUMOFFU!!!!!
Final thoughts
I know this only scratches the surface of what hit our shelves this year and this fledgling blog caught up with only a few of the great titles that I had the chance to see. In the coming months, expect more Naruto, Texhnolyze, Gasaraki, Speed Grapher and whatever
I am able to afford catches my eye in 2007. Next up, after a proper night's sleep and a shift at work, my fansub favourites of 2006.
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[Anime Reviews]
25 Oct 2006
Posted by Martin [Tags: First Impressions and Retrospectives]
And so ends my intro to the new season: possibly the most odd contender out of an impressive bunch. Red Garden scores highly in the strangeness department on pretty much all counts, which surprisingly makes it all the more recommendable.
I must admit that it took more than one attempt to watch this opening episode,
Farewell Girls; partly because the video file was corrupted and made my player crash and partly because the opening titles make it look like some chick flick trash like
Sex and the City! Gritting my teeth, I gave it a second chance...and was rewarded by an extremely innovative and unnerving piece of work. Never judge a book by its cover, as they say.
The 'story', such as it is, amounts to disjointed fragments of horrific murder and violence juxtaposed with everyday life at a New York high school - I'm not even going to try to do an episode summary because there is so little to go on. It came as no surprise to me either to learn that the director,
Kou Matsuo, was involved in
Perfect Blue and
Millennium Actress because this is mature, realistic yet off-kilter in the same way as something Satoshi Kon would come up with. As much as we anime fans claim the medium isn't 'for kids', it's still rare to see a show whose characters look in proportion and behave in a lifelike fashion, as in a live-action movie. Like Kon's films and the creepy-as-hell (and downright awesome)
Monster,
Red Garden IS animated but cartoonish it ain't.
Actually, the character designs are quite ugly at times and the show seems to have a lot of contradictory aspects. The choice of music for instance is bizarre: the op theme is bright and breezy, while the end theme is some sort of rap-rock. Neither fit in with the psychological thriller themes of the material itself and the less said of the 'angsty musical' scene the better *shudders*. Although the characters appear to be unconnected there is something lurking in the recesses of their memories that points to a recent event to link them all; this adds a crucial dose of mystery that will have me watching the next episode (which will hopefully be less glitchy). Out of this season's offerings,
Red Garden doesn't make for the easiest viewing of late but it's certainly the most intriguing.
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