Bakemonogatari Review

"To be blunt, I just enjoy talking to you... so I want to talk with you more."
"If our opinions clash, let's talk it over." (Dialogue from episode 5)

'Bakemonogatari', cleverly translated as 'Ghostory' or 'Monstory', is about five not-so-normal girls that Araragi Koyomi, a vampire himself, encounters and attempt to save from oddities possessing them.


CHARACTER:
The main characters of 'Bakemonogatari' are among the most unique and complex I have yet to encounter.
Heroine Senjougahara Hitagi is a tsundere like half of all modern heroines in anime, but she is also 「ドS」, a sadist to an extreme degree, which is more common for side characters and rare for heroines. Our protagonist, as expected, is rather on the masochist side who takes constant verbal abuse from Senjougahara.

What makes the couple extraordinary, is that Senjougahara is often boke while Araragi is tsukkomi. Traditional Japanese stand-up comedy consists of a duo: One takes the "boke" role who says something stupid while the "tsukommi" role points out the flaws in boke's argument, often with a violent slap in the head.

Yes, that's right. Boke is masochist by nature and often not very intelligent, while tsukommi is sadist by nature and often more observant.
The leading couple in this series, on the other hand, take turns with the roles. It is particularly interesting when the sadist and intelligent Senjougahara purposefully take on the boke role and overwhelms tsukkomi. Such as making insulting statements that sound flawed, but when Araragi tries to make a comeback, he realizes what she said was true. Or Senjougahara makes a blatantly flawed statement just to hurt Araragi, and his comeback fall into deaf ears. And of course, plenty of intentional boke or tease spoken with so much authority that Araragi just gives up and let it slide.

The unlikely toggling of comedy roles were delivered extremely well, and this back and forth interaction between the leading couple is a key part of this show's appeal.

The remaining four main characters are not as complex as the leading couple, but they all have their own unique issues that drive the story,each with distinct personalities that made them memorable.
There are 6 main characters in this series, and total of only 5 side/peripheral characters (Meme, Shinobu, two sisters, and Senjougahara's father) in the whole series. The limited character headcount made thorough character development possible despite being an arc-based series.


STORY:
Simply put, half the show is about the romantic relationship between the Senjougahara and Araragi.
The other half is about a constant argument between two values: The rational vs the idealistic, with Araragi as Mr. Nice Guy seeking happy end for everyone. Solution of supernatural oddities as the topic of the argument.

Hachikuji, Kanbaru, and Hanekawa's arcs developed the relationship of leading couple while offering new topics to the story.
The only flaw in the story in my opinion, is that Sengoku's arc was pretty much by itself, and contributed very little to the whole series other than loli and moe fan service.
Each arc is an incident focusing on a different girl, but all the arcs combine to show a whole picture of Araragi and Senjougahara closing their personal distances.

"Bakemonogatari" is essentially a verbal performance with visual support. Story is driven by back and forth debate on various issues.


SOUND:
With verbal performance playing such a big role in this show, voice acting is taken to a whole new level in this series.
Every characters' voices fit perfectly, and not only that, distinct tones and nuance of speech establish unique impressions for every single character. The characters speak so fast in this series with lots of tongue twisters, but the seiyuu cast had done a wonderful job in keeping up. I don't think it's an exaggeration to describe voice acting in this series as epic.

Music score in 'Bakemonogatari' has a generally consistent ambient feel to it with a nice flow. Other than intense music for action scenes, they don't particularly set the mood or enhance drama as what I usually consider to be strong BGM for anime, but the usually upbeat sounds in the background set the quick pace for dialogue, and make conversations all the more engaging.

OP song "Staple Stable" is one of the best anime opening theme song by a seiyuu, ever. Really memorable tune accompanied by great vocal and lyric by meg rock was simply amazing.
The other four OPs sang by seiyuu of each arc heroines were nowhere as impressive as "Staple Stable", but offers refreshment value to the OPs, and fits each character perfectly.
ED song's lyric made little sense at first, but its meaning was unveiled in a conversation between the leading couple in a certain episode, and it turned out to very suitable for the series. The two Senjougahara theme songs (OP1, ED) were masterpieces.


ART:
Animation in 'Bakemonogatari' mainly serve as a visual aid to the verbal performance, and it proved to be very effective.

Visuals for the anime got somewhat of an "art house film" treatment. There were many abstract and surreal scenes, unconventional cuts, and intriguing camera angles that made the viewing experience very pleasant. It's the perfected form of SHAFT's signature style.
Character designs were attractive, and main characters had visually shown a wide range of emotion that further portrays the character's state of mind.

The only complaint I have with the animation is the use of photographs/videos of real-life imagery. At the risk of sounding like a super-otaku, I would say 3D images do not belong in the world of 2D.


ENJOYMENT:
As a fansubber and having seen thousands of hours of fan/professionally translated works, I can tell you that at least 10% of the meaning is lost in translation, no matter how well translated. In conversation/narration driven series filled with wordplay and metaphors, at least 20% of the meaning, therefore enjoyability, will inevitably be lost to non-Japanese speakers.
Still, 'Bakemonogatari' is a true masterpiece with experimental production that actually worked. Attention was paid to the tiniest details, and a story well-told. Truly amazing direction by Shinbou Akiyuki left us with so many memorable scenes, and this will definitely be a series to be remembered.

The 8-month wait for the final three episodes were excruciating, but the ending was so satisfying that it almost made it worth the absurd wait. Given the commercial success 'Bakemonogatari' has achieved, I will be hoping for the remaining novels in the series to be animated. Possibly 'Kizumonogatari' OVA/film and 'Nisemonogatari' as a sequel season.


To be blunt, I just enjoyed listening to them... so I want to listen to them more.

Darker than Black: Kuro no Keiyakusha Review

Ah, the age old question; what to do when certain people suddenly begin manifesting mysterious superpowers. Darker than BLACK responds with a classic solution found in series ranging from Witch Hunter Robin to X-Men: Form secret organizations to monitor and control these people. However, despite the similar theme, this show is anything but derivative.

In the beginning of the series, the premise of the show is somewhat vague as little is known about where the powers of the contractors come from, or how they are related to the gates. As the series progresses more information is inevitably revealed, creating good plot exposition and allowing the story to move at a decent pace and keep each episode interesting. Where this series really shines however, is the characters.

Hei is portrayed brilliantly, having a rather comicbook superhero-like persona but adding a unique spin to it. His motives are not initially apparent, nor is his true relationship with the syndicate to which he belongs. Also, while contractors are known to be emotionless and purely rational, Hei somehow manages to retain his humanity, an anomaly which many of his acquaintances and opponents comment on. The true reason for this, as well as the origin of his powers remains hidden until the end of the series.

The other members of Hei's organization are similarly well portrayed, each being represented uniquely and interestingly. Huang, Yin, and Mao each have a well written back-story that is both engaging and important to the overall plot. The other characters in the story are outstanding as well, especially the antagonists. Despite the fact that the contractors are supposed to be unemotional, each character still manages to have a unique personality which often even enhanced by this fact.

If there is one weakness in this series, it is the ending, which is unfortunately rather inconclusive. I'm kind of hoping for a sequel, but this may be difficult for reasons that would be hard to disclose without revealing spoilers. The ending also has a "suddenly everything got weird" part to it that seems common in final episodes of supernatural anime, but at least it makes a lot more sense than many I've seen. If you like shows about people with supernatural powers, I think you should definitely watch this series. 

Neon Genesis Evangelion Review

Note: This is a spoiler-free review.

There comes a time when one gains knowledge of a certain story or event, in any form, that boggles his or her mind beyond comprehension. You don't know how you feel about it. Do you hate it or love it? It's definitely not just 'average' if it could evoke such uncertainty and conflict within you.

Neon Genesis Evangelion is that story for me. Animated by Gainax and created by Hideaki Anno, it is the tale of a fourteen-year old boy named Shinji Ikari and the unstable world he resides in. Shinji's father is the commander of an organisation known as NERV and his mother is a lost memory. At a very young age, he was abandoned by his father. In essence, Shinji is purposeless and neglected. When mysterious creatures known as Angels start attacking Tokyo, the young boy is recruited by his father to pilot the fighting machine known as the Evangelion. This is how Shinji is thrown into a gruesome reality he is absolutely unwilling to confront.

The Evangelion requires a certain amount of nerve synchronisation with its pilot, which is why all the pain of damage served to the machine is also inflicted upon the pilot. Thus begins Shinji's fight against obscure enemies known as the Angels.

NGE is often referred to as a classic masterpiece of utmost influence by the average anime viewer for its powerful psychological implications and startling symbolism. The creator himself was victim to various psychological problems, and partially because of this, the ugly realities of the human mind were brought to life in most frightening manners on screen.

STORY (8.7/10):

While the basis of NGE is not entirely unique, its manner of execution- as convoluted as it may be- more than compensates for that. Everything has been done before, and because of this, the quality of uniqueness comes only from presentation, perspective, and execution. NGE is quite possibly one of the best deconstructions of the mecha genre to date, using the mecha aspect in a way that is not only unique, but thought-provoking and perturbing.

NGE is one of 'those' anime. Yes, 'those' that do not acknowledge the direct translation of the term storytelling. More often than not, it is entirely up to the viewer to disassemble the events taking place on screen, and then reassemble them in a comprehensible manner so as to follow the complexity that is Neon Genesis Evangelion.

CHARACTERS (9.0/10):

The characters of NGE are one of its strongest points, but also one of its major downfalls. In a nutshell, they all suffer from various types of psychological trauma. Each character has his or her own coping mechanism to carry on with his or her everyday life (be it effective or not), allowing the viewer the opportunity to both compare and contrast these methods. In this regard, NGE does not falter in retaining an unyielding and well-established sense of realism in its portrayal of how the events that a character experiences affect his or her mental state of being.

A popular interpretation of Shinji Ikari's character is that of a spineless coward. I cannot disagree more. He is a young boy victim to severe neglect, and as a result, experiences social awkwardness, the curse we call loneliness, and more tragic circumstances that I dare not reveal. For someone already so psychologically disturbed to be flung headfirst into such a stressful and nerve-wracking position warrants genuine sympathy and kindness from us viewers. Unlike most young characters in similar settings, Shinji's personality is most faithful to reality.

However, the extent of the psychological tribulations they face are difficult for most regular viewers to relate to. They are extremely 'messed up'- for lack of better term, sometimes having entire episodes dedicated to showcasing their unstable mental states towards the latter half of the series. Most of the main characters are developed to a level that hits so close to home that it's frightening. Contrarily, the side characters receive little to no attention and development, often playing meaningless roles.

Towards the end of the series, this diverse cast starts to feel more distant than realistic, and more confusing than disturbing. NGE paints pictures of the unstable mind in ways that can be difficult to understand for many. Because of this, the regular viewer cannot draw the parallels between characters as is expected of them. This is, perhaps, the fault of execution.

ANIMATION (7.8/10):

Gainax distributed its small budget very peculiarly in this series. While the fight scenes between the Evangelions and Angels were animated with incredible fluidity and detail, more dialogue-based scenes and character interactions were an array of still frames with little to no movement. Many a time, the characters even took positions in which their mouths were covered, or the camera was zoomed out far enough to 'justify' the lack of lip movement, as if to avoid animating it. It is understandable to an extent that they had budget issues, but a more balanced distribution could have accounted for a much more effective execution, most particularly at the very end of NGE.

There is a considerable amount of both visual and direct symbolism in NGE, particularly Christian (take the explosions in the shape of crosses, "Melchior", "Balthasar", "Adam", "Angels", as examples). NGE does not make the effort to conceal these symbols, and for me this was a positive point because referencing the Christian religion inadvertently leads into a deeper, more human context. It isn't excessive to the point of becoming a distraction, but it isn't ignorable either.

There isn't much more to criticise about the animation. A comparison to present day anime would be unreasonable. In its time, it was a spectacular achievement worthy of ample praise.

MUSIC AND SOUND (8.7/10):

"A Cruel Angel's Thesis" by Yoko Takahashi was the opening song of NGE. It has topped many people's lists as their favourite opening of all time, and with reason. Accompanied by visuals that match the upbeat music, "A Cruel Angel's Thesis" is undeniably one of the more memorable openings. The lyrics to this song were written with Shinji Ikari as its subject, making it extremely fitting. The same cannot be said about the generic ending. Though the music isn't terrible on its own, it's too dull to watch every time.

The soundtrack within the series is an excellent and bone-chilling compilation of various battle themes ("Decisive Battle" being one of the more memorable ones) as well as emotional and heart-wrenching music that is employed with commendable attention to tension as well as detail.

OVERALL (8.4/10):

Do I personally like Neon Genesis Evangelion? I'm not entirely sure. There are definitely select portions of it that I love dearly, but there exist others that simply leave me staring at the screen with incoherent, muddled feelings. Do I recommend this anime? Absolutely. Every person who calls themselves a fan of anime should watch the original series at least once.

I'm not going to provide an in depth discussion about the ending for two reasons. Firstly, I have mixed feelings about it. It was indeed confusing and out of place, but somehow left me with a sense of completion and satisfaction. Secondly, it is an extremely controversial topic in the anime community, so it all depends on your taste. My first thought after watching it was "a twisted ending to a twisted, but excellent, series".

Neon Genesis Evangelion is an unforgettable experience, one that cannot be appreciated by everyone, but is too influential and important to dismiss.

Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi (Spirited Away) Review

I am going to talk about Spirited Away (yeah, obvious). It's been quite a long time since I watched it for the last time, more than a year in fact; but I became a really fascinating and influential piece for me at that time, far enough to define my current love for Miyazaki's works, the Studio Ghibli and animation in general as an art and a strong way of expression. Today it's still one of my favorite animated features of any sort, and not because of its lack of flaws than its amazing blend of concepts.

The first thing that appeals the audience in this movie is its art and animation. I, as unexperienced and poor in technical knowledge about the subject, think it's utter fascinating, it manages to create a whole world out of nothing, and the use of lights and shades, the forms and colours make the overall experience a visual joy. And in addition to that I find the characters' gestures and movements extremely plastic and realistic, some other scenes have been mentioned in that aspect by other reviewers but I was particularly fond of that one where Chihiro is walking with her parents and she gradually moves away, only to come back to her position with a little run-up. These things don't happen, usually, in animation. In so far as they are unnecessary, easily ignorable and feel like a waste of resources, we hardly see characters making these little movements which in the end result in nothing relevant. Ghibli, however, animates them, and does it with such a mastery, a love for detail and a goddamn naturalism that I can't help but feel amazed.

As if the visual aspect wasn't good enough, the movie is also a pleasure for our ears and has what I consider the best track of my heavily worshipped Joe Hisaishi, one of the best (if not the best) film composers I have ever heard. Spirited Away is exceptionally good at that aspect; I'd say it's one of the very few cases in which there is, at some scenes, such a strong fusion between story and music, that I can't conceive nor think of one without the other.

But despite all of these beautiful qualities about its setting, the real substance of this movie is at its story. I apologize in advance, again, because as I'm going to develop some points I will give some free spoilers. If you haven't seen the movie I'd recommend to stop reading at this point.

It has been said many times by critics that Spirited Away felt like a senseless blend of magic elements, just a simple story filled with many things the author introduced undiscriminatingly to drag out the experience. Well, I have a quite different point of view for that device. I just can't conceive that the animation, for example, is taken to such a high level of detail and, on the other hand, that doesn't happen with the story. And by rewatching it repeatedly in a short amount of time (once every two months, more or less), I began to develop some theories about the nature of the world that is depicted here.

What must be considered at first is that all this magical world, with strange creatures and spells, is just an allegory for the always difficult transiton between childhood and the first steps of adulthood. It's the age you start dealing with responsibility, when you realize your acts have consequences and you have to make decisions that will affect your future; you define yourself and the course of your life. Miyazaki puts these simple concepts by transforming the need of finding an identity into a way to escape the wonderful yet cruel world where Chihiro is suddenly trapped. Its hostility imitates quite well the drama of the process, as it reinforces the need of an additional effort every one of us have to make at some point and reset our lives and our positions.

Does this mean that Yubaba's world is an undeveloped blend of magic, hostile things that only serve as a situation that Chihiro has to overcome at some point? Well, I don't think so, as it seems to have a clear structure and hierarchy. One of the stories I see compared more often with this one is Alice in Wonderland. However, I would define that as a blend of unrelated events, a story whose main charm lies in its anarchic, nearly nightmarish, narrative. Spirited Away is not like that in any way. In fact I think there is an effort to transmit a strong sense of logic throughout, it tries to delimit the causes and consequences of every single case.

The key character to understand how Yubaba's tyranny works is, in my opinion, Lin. She just happens to be the link between Chihiro and the rest of the magical creatures, just like somebody that is in some sort of intermediate level. Her physical appearance looks slightly transformed, but not as much as the rest. She is aware of the existence of another world outside of that one, the importance of remembering her name, her "identity"; and knowing that, she helps Chihiro and takes the role of a mother. I have the theory that every one of the creatures that live in Yubaba's world were once human, maybe little boys and girls like Chihiro who couldn't find the way to escape, or other people; and they ended up forgetting who they were, losing their "humanity" and becoming mere pieces of this world. Lin is a special case because it seems she's not lost her identity yet, at least not at all, but forgot at one point her name, the key to come back home, and knows her situation is irreversible. She maybe observed this in some of her companions when she arrived, and Chihiro reminds herself of that. Maybe because of that, because she knows and appreciates what she's doomed to lose, she decides to help her in an altruistic way.

And what about Kamaji? Another key character in Chihiro's development in there; he seems to be quite aware of his situation too. I'd say he is a bit like the "sacrificed" individual, who Yubaba used to start his project and maybe the only one that didn't lose his identity at all. He's a slave in this world, he knows it but can't help it.

So yes, I have a more "adult" and crude view of the overall concept. This definition of the magical public baths as a place were people are doomed to end up losing what makes them "special" is quite harsh and melancholic for a -as targeted and admitted by Miyazaki- kid's movie, and it might feel even weird, but that's how I interpreted it and I think it makes some sense.

Does this mean Yubaba is a villain? Well, define villain. Somebody whose only objective in life is to harm people? That's hardly what Yubaba is. She, for better or for worse, created a world, and made it work. She imposed some rules. We could even say she created her own utopia (and that doesn't mean she is naturally "bad"), why not? And, most important, she has a strong sense of honor, she dictates and also OBEYS her rules. One of the (maybe) main reasons why she loses her battle against Chihiro, in fact, is that her weakness is shown eventually (giant baby); and reveals a hypocritical attitude, as she is protecting her lovely child from any influence while she's always preaching the exact contrary. As she knows it, it's a shameful thing to admit and maybe here is where her image of forcefulness starts to teeter.

All in all, these examples just show that the real strength of this story lies in the characters, as they are always depicted in a detailed way. Yubaba not being the typical villain, or not even being a "villain" at all; Haku, the hero and the "positive" one here has also an overambitious side and is for the most part guilty of his situation... and Chihiro, of course. She is a spoiled brat who learns to appreciate some things, but in no way overreacting at these points, as she sounds real and relatable at every damn scene. It's quite easy to understand her, she's not made to be likeable but her portrayal is solid enough to make us join her development through the story.

I could spend hours and hours talking about this precious anime and its many details, the enigmatic role of No Face, the negative influence of the parents in Chihiro's behaviour, and so much more... I love it. It breathes mastery at (almost) every one of its points, and I can enjoy it in many levels. My only grip would be the way things are resolved, which I have always found too rushed; reading Miyazaki's opinion on that ending I've come to understand the intention behind, but still I'd say the metaphor is made too subtle for the audience, and maybe the execution is also somewhat clumsy. But aside from this minor flaw, I can't help but admire this fascinating, eye-captivating piece of art, my second favorite anime behind Grave Of The Fireflies.

Sword Art Online Review

I don't really want to go into too much depth, but I'd like to give an overview of the series and give my opinions it. If you haven't noticed yet there are many negative reviews out there for this anime, and while many of them bring up some pretty fair points, I think some people are being a bit too harsh on it. Let me explain.

Yes it's a popular anime, yes it has flaws, no it's not perfect, but at the very least in my opinion it is enjoyable. The pacing is off, the beginning particularly feels rushed, there were moments where I thought I skipped an episode because of the time skips which made it difficult to really connect with any of the characters in the beginning, and there were some less than stellar instances where it felt like the anime was trying to make me care but failing hard.

Some characters felt to be completely forgotten throughout most of this series too. For example in the beginning we are introduced to a character named Klein who is quickly pushed aside after the first episode and barely seen again and doesn't really make much of an impact at all on the story later on. This seems to happen a lot throughout this series where there might be some emotional moments where a character dies, or something dramatic happens but there is really no emotional impact from it, and the main character seems to not really care that much about it or it doesn't really effect anything significantly.

I really felt this series shined from around episodes 4-13 and I wish they would have kept with that pace instead of rushing an ending midway and throwing something new at us. The second half just felt completely unnecessary and forced.

Pushing the negative aside, I found the overall theme and atmosphere of the series to be great, and being an avid lover the MMORPG genre obviously a lot of things in this series appealed to me. I really enjoyed the idea of being stuck in a game that was impossible to escape from without winning and having real consequences, it really made everything much more dramatic and meaningful in the story. Sadly this quickly goes away midway through the plot.

If I had to pick two of the best things this anime did well for me it would probably be the animation and soundtrack. They both were really well done, and honestly without them being as good as they were this series would have gotten a much lower score from me, and when I say I really enjoyed the soundtrack I mean that I loved it, it was superb.

I think what it really comes down was just the fact that I enjoyed watching it. I can look at the flaws and pick the anime apart pretty easily, but those flaws never really stopped me from enjoying this anime.I really do feel though that it had a lot of potential to be a top tier series, it just made far too many mistakes. Looking at it objectively I simply cannot give this anime higher than a 7. It was good because I found it to be enjoyable, but it wasn't great or amazing.

At the end of the day I watch anime because I want something that will entertain me and keep me interested, and I feel that Sword Art Online did a good job at accomplishing that.

Highschool of the Dead Review

As popular as zombies have been over the last decade, you might expect to find at least a few anime about a zombie apocalypse. But aside from some vampire-themed series where zombies (or ghouls) play a supporting role (Hellsing, Blood+), there hasn’t really been an anime about people trying to survive hordes of the living dead, until now. Granted Highschool of the Dead is standard fare as far as zombie stories go, it’s still the first anime of its kind, well-made, and a lot of fun.

It’s also occasionally terrifying. Within the first ten minutes, the story shifts from the calm of everyday life to pure madness. And by focusing on the students’ mental states as they realize what’s happening and desperately try to escape, the first episode delivers one of the scariest moments of any anime (extra points if you’re afraid of zombies like me). This is the rare genuine horror anime.

The rest of the series is (fortunately) less frightening but still no less engaging. By the second episode, it becomes clear that the zombies, while innumerable and deadly, are also slow and feebleminded, and our main characters are badasses, wielding swords, bats, drills, nail guns, and basically anything they can their hands on to beat some zombie ass.

With the zombies losing their ability to invoke fear, the story shifts to developing the cast and plot, following the group as they escape the school and seek refuge amidst the chaos. What fear remains comes from the suspense of not knowing what will happen next. Occasionally the focus turns to events elsewhere in the world — Washington, D.C. burning, or a reporter signing off from the news for the last time — that add to the sense of global despair. The story also intermittently considers larger issues like quarantine, citizen unrest, and anarchy, and how they might play out during a zombie outbreak. Above all, Highschool of the Dead is simply fun, with a great balance of fright, action, humor, romance, and yes even fanservice.

Where the series falls short is not really in dispute. This is a show that is unabashedly about three things: zombies, tits, and ass. It’s a standard horror story that falls into the standard horror story pitfalls, all while flashing bras and panties in increasingly novel ways (at one point, someone shoots a bullet at a zombie, which passes between Saeko’s bouncing tits as she does a samurai leap through the air). There are plenty of stupid decisions and unfortunate coincidences to keep the zombies threatening and the plot going, as well as loads of fanservice shots that will alienate some people. Even if you aren’t bothered by the fanservice and consider it a welcome distraction from the fear, episode 6 is pure soft-core porn that will only appeal to those horned-up teenagers who are watching for that moment. Most problematically, the series is incomplete. Although the recent resumption of the manga is promising, for three years and counting the anime has been an unfinished product, and given its relative lack of success in Japan, I’m not holding my breath.

Setbacks in story aside, Highschool of the Dead‘s animation is gorgeous, especially the scenery. This creates an interesting contrast between the often awe-inspiring backdrops and the carnage taking place in the foreground, cherry-blossoms fluttering in the wind as someone is ripped to shreds. The animation also excels in the action and ecchi scenes, which manage to capture every detail, be it a bat crashing down on the head of the zombie or a boob jiggling as a girl runs for her life.

The soundtrack, by contrast, is so-so. The orchestral pieces are completely forgettable, but the J-Rock OP and ED songs are excellent, and the use of a different song from Kurosaki Maon for each ending is refreshing. The English voice cast is great, with noteworthy performances by lesser-known actors Leraldo Anzaldua (Takashi) and Maggie Flecknoe (Saya), but the dub has some disappointing edits, making gratuitous use of profanity (“F*

ckin A”) and pop culture references that are clearly meant to add to the “cool/fun” factor but come across as trying too hard.

Whatever your views on zombies, ecchi, or gratuitous fanservice, Highschool of the Dead is an important series. It fills a void that desperately needed filling and does a nice job at it, featuring strong production values and direction that results in one of the few truly frightening yet still enjoyable anime. While the common criticisms are entirely warranted, they don’t change the fact that the series is the only zombie epidemic anime around and, even for many of its detractors, one hell of a fun show

Soul Eater Review

Soul Eater is an impressive anime. It's one of those where you will no doubt enjoy watching

::STORY::
After watching some of the first episode you'll think Soul Eater will have your typical Shonen story. Basically, human weapons and their student technicians reside in Shibusen and have to collect 99 evil human souls and 1 witch soul, the reward being that the technician's weapon will transform into a Death Scythe.

It seems pretty formulaic, nothing you haven't seen before. The way the first few episodes pan out will make this seem like the main goal, but soon after you'll realise there is actually a deeper story developing. This story isn't something complex or too clever, but events that happen during the story makes Soul Eater watchable and interesting, the action is ever present, it always keeps humour in mind, but can be serious and emotional when it needs to be. Eventually you will forget what the main characters were initially trying to acheive because the story drags it in such a different direction. The problem is that the story isn't anything memorable. At points you might watch and forget the reason why they are doing something. That is the anime's weak point


::CHARACTERS::
This is what Soul Eater will be remembered for. Its colourful cast of characters.

Maka, our main character and a technician, despite being flawed she is always looking to do the right thing, always thinking of others, easily annoyed and determined. She grew on me as I realised she is probably the most human of all the characters. Soul, Maka's weapon. Just your typical cool guy? No. He is much deeper than he looks. Despite what he says he is only concerned about one thing: To protect Maka.

Black*Star is Energetic, rash, loud, bashful and his one goal in life is to become bigger than God. He can provide you with comic relief and become involved in intense battles yet shows his human side often, his weapon Tsubaki is always willing to help him whenever she can.

Death the Kid seems like some 'Mr Perfect' character. And he can be, but also has his flaws, most notable his obssessive compulsive disorder about symmetry. Anything slightly out of alignment will either cause him to fix the problem immediately or spiral into goth style depression. His weapons Patty and Liz are usually around to comfort him when he goes crazy or gets depressed.

The supporting cast are memorable as well. The grim reaper is always cheerful and relaxed; Spirit (Maka's father) is desperate for Maka's attention, even though she doesn't enjoy his company much; Blair is your typical fanservice character; Professor Stein is strong and clever yet deeply maniacal; Crona is shy and fearful, but powerful; Medusa, the main antagonist is pure genious; Mifune is an action and Samurai fan's dream character and plenty more who you'll come across.

Most characters will stand out at least once giving you reasons to like or dislike them. Characters are a strong point in this anime.

::ANIMATION & ART::
The good thing about this anime is that nobody looks ordinary or familiar, you'll notice every character has a certain design, from Soul's sharp teeth and Maka's plain green eyes to Kid's strange hairstyle and Liz & Patty's odd hats, all characters are uniquely styled.

All scenes are quite detailed, the atmosphere is usually dark but manages to look bright at the same time (a rare sight in anime). If its what the background artists were going for, I think they nailed it. Shortcuts are rare which is good, you can see that episodes weren't rushed. The art stays consistent (unlike Naruto) and the quality remains the same throughout.

The action is fluid, creative and non-standard (unlike Bleach) fight scenes aren't just repetitive movements shown at different angles, or just sword bashing and gun blasting. It manages to keep fight scenes interesting. Another strong point is action, which never fails.

::SOUND::
At first you will be introduced to 'Resonance'. A memorable opening track that fits very well to the series. This would be among the best if it wasn't for 'PAPERMOON' the 2nd opening which is even better than Resonance. I'm yet to come across anyone who thinks otherwise. This opening is epic. All ending themes are decent. Some are generic, the best being the current ending 'STRENGTH' and the 2nd ending 'Style' which stands out more than the 1st ending 'I wanna be' and 'Bakusō Yume Uta' which you will not remember at all.

Audio is decent, but there aren't any special moments or tracks that will hype you up or give you that tingly feeling inside when coupled with a good action scene. Songs aren't memorable like something Bruce Faulconer could cook up but do fit well with most happenings.

::CONCLUSION::
Soul Eater is an anime that manages to keep consistency throughout. It's lack of fillers (with the exception of the excalibur episodes which will drive you nuts) is enough for action fans to watch without worry, seriously 98% of the episodes are significant to the story (unlike Bleach which has whole filler arcs. 20+ FILLERS IN ONE GO!!!).

I find this more enjoyable to watch than Naruto or One Piece (which are heavily overrated). Mainly because the anime has a point and sticks to it. The Medusa Arc is to stop Medusa reviving the Demon God. The Arachnophobia Arc is to stop Arachne to allow the Demon God to spread madness over the world.

People complain about lack of originality but I am yet to find an anime that is truly similar. Shinigami's have been used before, but Shinigami literally translates to The Death God or The Grim Reaper, who in this case rules Shibusen and his son. Due to the halloween theme of Soul Eater I find the Grim Reaper necessary and is in no way similar to Ryuk of Death Note or characters like Rukia of Bleach. Let's get this straight their only link they have is the word 'Shinigami'

And finally Soul Eater is a must watch for any Shonen (Action, Comedy) fan. It has already been licensed by FUNimation which means a dub is coming soon and I believe Soul Eater will become another one of those famous anime shows. The only difference is it is actually has consistent entertainment value.