Latest Reviews

Super Serial: Minami-ke Okawari episode 1

August 24, 2008

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The second season of Minami-ke brings about some changes, mostly in the art style. I liked the look of the first series well enough; I’m not really sure why the switch in production studios was necessary. The look isn’t that much closer to that of the manga either.

There’s not much to say. I’m always appreciative of more Minami-ke. This first episode, while not superbly awesome, is still a good reintroduction to the characters. The quality dialogue seems to be intact, and even the Mako-chan segments aren’t unbearable.

(Archive)

Super Serial: Minami-ke episodes 6 and 7

August 5, 2008

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This will be the last of the Super Serial posts on Minami-ke because I think it’s pointless to blog a series to its completion, and then review it.  Episode 6 revolves around Makoto, who (like every other male character) becomes infatuated with Haruka and will go to insane lengths to get close to her.  I really hate Makoto, and if you refer to my complaints about histrionics in Happy Lesson, you’ll know why.  He embodies everything that initially turned me off to Kana in the first episode, and his schtick gets old very quickly.  Unfortunately, there are a few more Makoto centered episodes to follow, and that is a grating nuisance in an otherwise good series.

Episode 7 introduces some of Haruka’s history as a junior high student, who was christened “banchou” by her class.  My translation interpreted the term as “badass” with the meaning being something like “gang leader,” i.e. a jeuvenile delinquent.  I guess Japan has a problem with unruly junior high schoolers, although my personal feeling is that I could fight and defeat an unlimited number of them.  From the characters’ standpoint, Haruka’s appeal is her beauty.  I think that’s why she has become a great character; we as the audience understand the allure of her beauty, and sympathize with the fact that she’s the focal point of all these schemes from which she is powerless to escape.

(Archive)

Super Serial: Minami-ke episodes 2-5

July 27, 2008

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At last, the beach episode.  I was wondering when that was going to happen.  Let’s get down to it: I wasn’t terribly enamored with the first 3 episodes.  They spend some time setting up the supporting cast (each sister’s respective classmates), but it all played out like pretty standard fare.  However, episodes 4 and 5 brought about a change.  Kana got toned down, and the relationship dynamics of the 3 sisters got fleshed out more.  And I mean it when I say “fleshed out.”

Truthfully, I like this show.  I didn’t think I would, because there are so many others with a similar premise.  But the dialogue is sharper than it has any right to be, and the characters are amazingly watchable.  Minami-ke is hitting its stride early; the humor is actually funny, and the fanservice doesn’t hurt either.

By episode 5, Haruka has become a full-fledged character with her own set of motivations and development potential.  We’re also introduced to Hosaka, who is the greatest thing I’ve seen in anime since Lucky Star’s Shiraishi Minoru.  I’m also glad they pulled back on the pun-based jokes.

(Archive)

Addendum: Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan 2

July 23, 2008

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I don’t think this is worth writing a full review for, as it’s just 4 short segments on top of an already-short series.  As you may know, I’m a fan of this crude, idiotic, yet calculatedly so series about a busty and unstable angel living with an ordinary school boy.  The cast is back, Sakura is still as terrified ever, and Dokuro is reliably batshit crazy.

Nothing has changed, in terms of the structure of each segment and the characters themselves.  The humor might justifiably be called formulaic, but I’ll be damned if any other show I’ve seen straddles the line between sexual tension and terror half as well as Dokuro-chan does.  It’s more of the same, but that’s really not a bad thing in this case.

Full review of Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan

(Archive)

Super Serial: Minami-ke episode 1

July 22, 2008

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“This story is a simple illustration of the three sisters of the Minami household.  Please do not expect too much out of it.”

That’s what the disclaimer says.  Whether it’s an ironic statement about the humor featured within, or a glib admission of the quality of the show, is something I intend to find out.  I’m not sure what it is that keeps drawing me to these slice of life style comedy shows.  Is it the cute female characters?  Yes, absolutely.  Now I’m sure.

There are several ingredients that all such shows have in common.  You need to have an impossibly catchy opening tune, which Minami-ke has.  You need your central comedic trio: the whacky just-for-laughs person (boke, Curly), the straight and serious person (tsukkomi, Moe), and the 3rd wheel nice person (Larry).  Lucky Star has Konata, Kagami, and Tsukasa, for example.  This show has the sisters Kana, Chiaki, and Haruka.  A pretty standard setup, in other words.

Pretty much everything is standard in this episode: the situations, humor, and voice performances.  I do like Chiaki, who is almost android-like in her stolidness.  Her voice is suitably mechanical, with a few exceptions.  Kana is the hyperactive, bumbling ingredient in our stew of ordinariness.  Her antics feel forced and obvious, but hey you have to start somewhere.  There’s not a lot to say about the oldest sister Haruka, who generally ties the household together (because, inexplicably, there is usually a lack of parents in these shows).

Overall, the situational humor, the audio production, and the characters very much remind me of Ichigo Mashimaro.  So, to sum up (this is for you Jerry, you illiterate boob):

• + I dig the art style.
• + Catchy opening.
• + Solid voice work.
• + Chiaki was off-putting at first, but she’s funny when she demeans Kana.
• - Nothing really inventive in terms of humor.
• - Kana’s zaniness is forced and a bit hackneyed
• ? The kissing... don’t know how I feel about that.

(Archive)