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Posts tagged "review"
Neon Genesis Evangelion review
Rating: 91%
Evangelion is beyond what we call groundbreaking; it establishes a kind of depth of purpose that no one had known animation could take on.
Tags: Neon Genesis Evangelion, Shin Seiki Evangelion, review
Haibane Renmei review
Rating: 92%
Featuring plentiful amounts of thematic sophistication and dramatic incisiveness, Haibane Renmei is without doubt the finest title in its genre, and one of the few genuine masterpieces of the anime medium.
Tags: Haibane Renmei, review
Spirited Away review
Rating: 74%
So rare in today’s anime, Spirited Away has an innocence and conscience that reinvigorates what made childhood so magical.
Tags: Spirited Away, Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi, review
Cowboy Bebop review
Rating: 84%
There’s really no point in saying that Cowboy Bebop lacks depth or structure, because it really wasn’t the aim of the series. Seeing it as 26 short stories, your mileage will vary on a per-episode basis, but the work as a whole is a stunning success thanks to its incredible cast and exceptional panache.
Tags: Cowboy Bebop, review
Trigun review
Rating: 80%
Although its story takes a while to get started, once Trigun picks up momentum, it hardly ever slows down. Through great characterization and an intelligent story, the series overcomes its expository weaknesses to deliver dramatic action with ample amounts of style.
Tags: Trigun, review
Azumanga Daioh review
Rating: 75%
Azumanga Daioh is so much more than just funny—it has wit, soul, and absurdity. It is a winsome comedy that urges you to stop taking yourself so seriously and just laugh at whatever life has to throw at you.
Tags: Azumanga Daioh, review
FLCL review
Rating: 85%
I guess you’d have to be a little crazy in the first place to enjoy FLCL, but I wholeheatedly recommend this raunchy, perverse escape from reality. I guarantee you’ll find something to laugh at, unless you grew up on that early ’90s wave of shoujo titles.
Tags: FLCL, Furi Kuri, review
Fruits Basket review
Rating: 72%
Fruits Basket shows how a touchy-feely story can be well executed and have a broad appeal. However, it could use some discipline in its construction, and not spring up bizarre, out of place plot and character developments.
Tags: Fruits Basket, review
Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu! review
Rating: 75%
I can’t berate the show too much for not aspiring to be more than what it is. Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu! may be light on the innovation, but it’s a wholly enjoyable and endlessly rewatchable comedy.
Tags: Full Metal Panic Fumoffu, review
Voices of a Distant Star review
Rating: 83%
Quite simply the most beautiful 25 minutes ever animated.
Tags: Voices of a Distant Star, Hoshi no Koe, review
Akira review
Rating: 47%
Akira is an anime classic that really shouldn’t be. Although packed with little nuggets of social commentary, it doesn’t do a good job of really giving you something to guide your interpretation. The end result is a confusing mess of a plot with characters that are all-too familiar and predictable. Maybe it’s a bit unfair to judge Akira by modern standards, but all “masterpieces” of this nature should withstand the test of time.
Tags: Akira, review
Fate/Stay Night review
Rating: 46%
Drawing from several European legends, Fate/Stay Night sets up an interesting scenario, but doesn’t use it to its full potential.
Tags: Fate Stay Night, review
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time review
Rating: 82%
Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo is a strong, character driven comedy/drama that accomplishes quite a lot in its ample run time. Most importantly, it shows that intelligent, thoughtful anime can be frivolous and lighthearted too.
Tags: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo, review
Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi review
Rating: 58%
Abenobashi has an unhealthy amount of frenetic vigor, libido, and madness, all the while trying to include some serious drama. As a comedy it certainly has its moments, but unfortunately, the series is too mired in its own crudeness to deliver the coherent narrative strength that the story demands. The end result is an anime that raises your expectations far beyond its capacity to fulfill.
Tags: Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi, Abenobashi Mahou Shoutengai, review
Origin: Spirits of the Past review
Rating: 41%
Origin: Spirits of the Past was competently put together, but its weakness is in its writing. There’s too little excitement, too little incentive for investment, and ultimately, the conclusion is unsatisfying.
Tags: Origin Spirits of the Past, Gin-iro no Kami no Agito, review
Paprika review
Rating: 85%
Paprika, like its extravagant imagery, is a bizarre combination of ideas both old and new. They wind together into a magnificent assemblage that is as complex intellectually as it is visually.
Tags: Paprika, review
Popotan review
Rating: 69%
Some parts of Popotan are unable to live up to its lofty aspirations. Nevertheless, the dramatic writing of the series is surprisingly astute, and its ideas will stay with you long after the last panty shot.
Tags: Popotan, review
Strawberry Marshmallow review
Rating: 60%
Strawberry Marshmallow is surprisingly proficient at squeezing laughs out of pre-teen life. I just wish the production had more of a sense of significance.
Tags: Strawberry Marshmallow, Ichigo Mashimaro, review
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya review
Rating: 78%
Funny, touching, daring, and yet headache inducing at times, Haruhi manages to be anything but ordinary. This is one of the best titles of 2006—not surprising considering the “Haruhiism” phenomenon.
Tags: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu, review
Battle Angel review
Rating: 43%
Whether for budget reasons or otherwise, Battle Angel cuts too many corners with its story and characters to have much impact on the viewer. The fact that it was adapted from a much richer source painfully highlights the OVA’s own lack of depth.
Tags: Battle Angel, Gunnm, review
Tenjho Tenge review
Rating: 34%
Tenjou Tenge is far too inconsequential to demand serious attention. Lacking the scope and feel of the manga is not a crime, but the series fails to establish any kind of presence or direction for itself.
Tags: Tenjho Tenge, review
5 Centimeters Per Second review
Rating: 78%
Despite Shinkai’s tendency to dwell on depression and loneliness, 5 Centimeters Per Second is still a touching, beautiful work. Visually, it is almost perfect, but what really matters is the elegance of the story and the ease with which it reaches the viewer.
Tags: 5 Centimeters Per Second, Byousoku 5 Centimeter, review
Love Hina Again review
Rating: 32%
Love Hina Again is not completely unwatchable, but that’s like saying solid lard isn’t completely inedible. Would you really want to try it?
Tags: Love Hina Again, review
The End of Evangelion review
Rating: 90%
The End of Evangelion is without a doubt Anno Hideaki’s magnum opus. For all the sorrow, grief, anger, despair, and loneliness that it contains, the film is ultimately an affirmation that we in this world are worthwhile and necessary. To put such a journey on screen is an act of daring, but to be able to make it so utterly entrancing is proof of Anno’s quality and mastery as a filmmaker.
Tags: The End of Evangelion, Shin Seiki Evangelion Gekijou-ban: The End of Evangelion, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Shin Seiki Evangelion, review
Lucky Star review
Rating: 55%
I can think of worse things to do than watch Lucky Star, but that doesn’t exactly exonerate it for its failings. Instead of writing jokes of their own, the show’s writers were content to point out how kinda-sorta funny other things were.
Tags: Lucky Star, review
Elfen Lied review
Rating: 53%
Elfen Lied is different, but that alone doesn’t make it worth watching. I appreciate what the story is trying to do; it just needs to be in the hands of a better director.
Tags: Elfen Lied, review
Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan review
Rating: 70%
I would fault Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan for its weaker moments, but honestly, this series is too absurd, offensive, and perverted to pass up.
Tags: Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan, review
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children review
Rating: 48%
I want to say Advent Children is a production for Final Fantasy VII fans, but it plays out more like an ill-conceived cash-in. It seems content to fulfill only the minimal requirements for a Final Fantasy movie; rarely does the director get the notion that he should be making a good film along the way.
Tags: Final Fantasy 7 Advent Children, review
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence review
Rating: 36%
Innocence is pretty indeed, but fails critically as both entertainment and art. I can’t think of a single reason to recommend this movie.
Tags: Ghost in the Shell 2 Innocence, Ghost in the Shell, review
The Place Promised in Our Early Days review
Rating: 61%
The Place Promised in Our Early Days is mainly hindered by poor pacing and a less than enthralling war story. However, it’s worthwhile to overlook these flaws in order to get to the heart of the characters. If you do, you’ll see a touching rendition of a love story set to some of the most beautiful imagery that has ever been rendered on a screen.
Tags: The Place Promised in Our Early Days, Kumo no Mukou, Yakusoku no Basho, review
Princess Mononoke review
Rating: 70%
Princess Mononoke carries with it a fair amount of sentimental value for me, but is still a good film on its own. It has a story you want to wrap your head around and an AV production that still impresses, but the lame dialogue and uneven pace make it a film you’d only pull out once in a blue moon.
Tags: Princess Mononoke, Mononoke Hime, review
Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honneamise review
Rating: 64%
The Wings of Honneamise is a daring, somewhat dark exploration of human nature, and for that I commend it. But the film ultimately betrays its own nature, setting you up for a conclusion that is never realized. The crime is not that the moral of the story is difficult to agree with; it’s that much of the film seems like it’s telling you something different.
Tags: Royal Space Force The Wings of Honneamise, Ouritsu Uchuugun Oneamisu no Tsubasa, review
Samurai Champloo review
Rating: 63%
Samurai Champloo carries onward the experimental style of Watanabe, but sacrifices a bit too much story and character play in doing so. Still, it’s watchable and diverting.
Tags: Samurai Champloo, review
Minami-ke review
Rating: 70%
Minami-ke is an entertaining and ultimately endearing series that is bolstered by a surprisingly amiable central trio. Unfortunately, I found a few too many episodes devoted to a weak supporting cast.
Tags: Minami-ke, review
Lucky Star OVA review
Rating: 67%
The Lucky Star OVA succeeds in that it manages to make the characters the main ingredient of the story without completely ditching the humor. But while I do appreciate the increased effort put into characterization, I don’t see much in this production that would stand out to people who aren’t already fans of the series.
Tags: Lucky Star OVA, Lucky Star, review
Minami-ke Okawari review
Rating: 71%
Minami-ke Okawari delivers improvements over the original, continuing to show the tumultuous relationship between Chiaki, Kana, and Haruka. Their relatability makes the show warm and accessible, although some dramatic or comedic flair could have made the series hit much harder.
Tags: Minami-ke Okawari, Minami-ke, review
Resident Evil: Degeneration review
Rating: 37%
I like the idea of Resident Evil: Degeneration more than the movie itself. I want to see Claire and Leon shooting zombies together again, but this movie is just a travesty.
Tags: Resident Evil Degeneration, Biohazard Degeneration, review
Shakugan no Shana review
Rating: 52%
Shakugan no Shana took a set of good ideas and threw them away, using up its potential on a series of uninteresting fight scenes and badly written drama. Without any sense of imagination or vision, this show fails to be anything more than a distraction.
Tags: Shakugan no Shana, review
Shakugan no Shana Second review
Rating: 59%
If you look past the flash and glitz of the action scenes, you’ll see there isn’t that much story being told. Shakugan no Shana Second begins to own up to this fact in the latter half, and you eventually stop feeling like you’re waiting to see something that isn’t going to happen. Hopefully, if a third season is made, they’ll drop the frustrating relationship drama and concentrate on making fresh, interesting action sequences.
Tags: Shakugan no Shana Second, review
Sword of the Stranger review
Rating: 61%
Sword of the Stranger is meant purely for fun. It works well with what it has—a lean script and paper cutouts for characters—by keeping things moving and going all out on the animation.
Tags: Sword of the Stranger, review
Minami-ke Okaeri review
Rating: 70%
Minami-ke Okaeri is perhaps a bit short on ambition, but a good cast pulls you through the series.
Tags: Minami-ke Okaeri, Minami-ke, review
RIN ~Daughters of Mnemosyne~ review
Rating: 69%
I admire Mnemosyne for daring to be different, even though it doesn’t always succeed. I recommend it, but make sure you can stomach the violence.
Tags: RIN Daughters of Mnemosyne, Mnemosyne no Musumetachi, review
Kemonozume review
Rating: 74%
Kemonozume tells an amazing story despite its idiotic ending. The noir style and dark thematic content stand out even in such an underrepresented genre.
Tags: Kemonozume, review
Windaria review
Rating: 43%
If Windaria had gotten a better script treatment, and was placed in the hands of a more capable director, it could have stood as an enduring story of love, loss, and war. In its current form, I can only say: avoid.
Tags: Windaria, review
Dead Leaves review
Rating: 29%
Dead Leaves is a candidate for the most agonizing 50 minutes of my life, in a contest that includes physical injuries and the deaths of family members. For something that so thoroughly rejects the intellectual high road, it also utterly fails to satisfy whatever primal urges you may have with its tiresome action scenes and laughable sexuality. Production I.G. has put out some crap before, but this is just atrocious.
Tags: Dead Leaves, review
Cencoroll review
Rating: 46%
Atsuya Uki may be a talented director, but he is no screenwriter and it shows. Cencoroll lacks the sort of depth that would do justice to its animation techniques. I recommend a viewing for students of animation, but not to anyone outside of that niche.
Tags: Cencoroll, review
A Certain Magical Index review
Rating: 31%
Like some people at a buffet line, A Certain Magical Index tries everything but doesn’t get the real substance of anything. Its scope is too wide, and is managed by a director who lacks the discipline to see any one story through to its full potential.
Tags: A Certain Magical Index, Toaru Majutsu no Index, review
Spice and Wolf review
Rating: 72%
Spice and Wolf is an original concept executed in an original way. The subject matter is a bit dry, but the wolf god Holo goes a long way into making each episode worth watching.
Tags: Spice and Wolf, Okami to Koshinryo, review
Spice and Wolf II review
Rating: 62%
There is good dramatic writing in Spice and Wolf II, and Holo is still a wonderful character who chews up the scenery. I just wish the story arcs focused more on what’s good, rather than try to shoehorn in new material.
Tags: Spice and Wolf, Okami to Koshinryo, review
Valkyria Chronicles review
Rating: 70%
I can perhaps describe Valkyria Chronicles as a work of courage, ditching the usual war cliches to tell a human story. The execution is imperfect, but I’m glad it was tried at all.
Tags: Valkyria Chronicles, Senjou no Valkyria, review
A Certain Scientific Railgun review
Rating: 80%
A Certain Scientific Railgun is equal parts fun and sentimental. It rises above the pitfalls of its genre by concentrating on telling a story about people you can empathize with.
Tags: A Certain Scientific Railgun, Toaru Kagaku no Railgun, review
Summer Wars review
Rating: 75%
Like a thoroughly modernized Miyazaki film, Mamoru Hosoda’s Summer Wars is very accessible and meaningful... to your kids. There’s plenty of entertainment to be had for adults, but this is not a grown-up work.
Tags: Summer Wars, review
Black Rock Shooter review
Rating: 75%
Black Rock Shooter is not particularly ambitious or challenging, but in this case it keeps its reach within its grasp. By seizing upon a single truth and building a story around it, the OVA becomes a rewarding experience with a sentimental core.
Tags: Black Rock Shooter, review
Strike Witches review
Rating: 57%
Strike Witches has a charm and a sense of fun that I can’t ignore. I just wish it would explore its own story a little more deeply.
Tags: Strike Witches, review
Review: Dead Leaves
Full review of Dead Leaves ...
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Review: Cencoroll
UPDATE: I had originally entered an incorrect score of 49% (typo) for Cencoroll. The correct score is 46%—not a meaningful difference but I made the edit to maintain consistency with my records. ...
Tags: Cencoroll, review
Review: A Certain Magical Index
Full review of A Certain Magical Index ...
Tags: A Certain Magical Index, Toaru Majutsu no Index, review
Review: Spice and Wolf
Full review of Spice and Wolf ...
Tags: Spice and Wolf, Okami to Koshinryo, review
Review: Spice and Wolf II
Full review of Spice and Wolf II ...
Tags: Spice and Wolf, Okami to Koshinryo, review
Review: Valkyria Chronicles
I think Valkyria Chronicles for the Playstation 3 is one of the best games I’ve ever played. Its story, colored alternately by hope and tragedy, affected me like no other game had before or since. If this was a review of that game, I would call it a masterpiece. But the anime adaptation deserves to be judged based on its own merits, so that is what I’ve done. I can’t recommend the game enough, but for the anime, there is a little more equivocating. ...
Tags: Valkyria Chronicles, Senjou no Valkyria, review
Review: A Certain Scientific Railgun
Full review of A Certain Scientific Railgun ...
Tags: A Certain Scientific Railgun, Toaru Kagaku no Railgun, review
Review: Queen’s Blade
Full review of Queen’s Blade ...
Tags: Queen's Blade: Wandering Warrior, Queen's Blade: Rurou no Senshi, review
Review: Summer Wars
Full review of Summer Wars ...
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Review: Black Rock Shooter
This review was a hard one to write, partly because of the OVA’s simplicity and partly because I wasn’t sure how to tackle the disconnect between expectation and outcome. Black Rock Shooter is not at all like what the marketing and merchandising say, but I feel that it’s stronger because of it. ...
Tags: Black Rock Shooter, review
Review: Strike Witches
A guilty pleasure for me, maybe more guilt than pleasure. ...
Tags: Strike Witches, review