Author: psgels

Rainbow – 21

by psgels, posted in Rainbow




It’s Baremoto’s turn now, and by god is it an awesome episode. The episode may have started a bit slow, in which Baremoto slowly showed Suppon his family, but as the episode revealed more and more about what was really going on, the episode only got better and better. I also loved the background song that the creators used at the end of the episode. Talk about epic.

I’ve said this plenty of times by now, but I really like what the creators are doing here. You can really see how the characters are trying to continue their lives, but with their background and within this setting… they are bound to run into problems, for which they have their own behavior to blame. Mario had his violence problems, Joe was the one exception because his goal was stronger than any other. Cabbage had his innocence, and now Baremoto is about to throw away his entire future because of a prostitute he fell in love with.

Heitai. He really stole the show again at the end of this episode. I really hope that he and Suppon will get their own arcs as well. Both of them have been pretty much the most stable members of the cast, and key side characters throughout the entire series, but it will be awesome if they could step into the spotlights so that we can see them shine on their own.
Rating: *** (Awesome)

Onii-Sama e Review – 87,5/100

by psgels, posted in Anime Reviews




Usually when I compare a series to melodrama, I mean this in a negative way. Onii-Sama e, however… is just one of those exceptions that struck me by utter surprise. It comes with such a style, grace and elegance that the huge amounts of teenaged angst and bitchfights fit completely into place.

It’s another one of the television series directed by Osamu Dezaki, and seriously, the more I watch of this guy the more respect I get of him. The direction in this series is just fantastic, especially considering how old it already is (1992!). It’s a series that may not have the highest budget, but it makes optimal use of the animation techniques that were available at the time.

Characters are drawn swiftly and elegantly. Even the still frames are packed with movement, while the animated scenes have surprisingly good frame-rates. Everything is dedicated to making the characters look as elegantly as possible, without going over the top and just making the characters look silly, like what’s happening to most modern shoujo series.

The melodrama is obviously there: the characters in this series really have issues, and vicious catfights, screaming, yelling and suicidal thoughts are no stranger in this series. But the thing is that while it’s over the top, it never gets cheesy. The drama doesn’t get silly in how hard it tries, and instead it continues to colour the different characters throughout the series.

Characters, who are another part of the series’ highlights. Ranging from the main characters to the side ones, they are varied, engaging and deep. It’s great to watch them grow throughout the series, and deal with their own issues that while over the top, are things that I can very easily see teenaged girls to relate with. The chemistry and bonds between the characters is also great to watch, not to mention the excellent script that hits the mark time and time again.

At the same time though, I do see how Osamu Dezaki’s involvement can be a bit of a double edged sword. Judging from the reception of the Air and Clannad movies and Ultraviolet, his style is something that you can hate just as easily. His series also often have character-designs that look like no other anime out there. In Onii-Sama e’s case, it pretty much depends on how you’ll be able to stomach the dramatic scenes. The scenes beyond that are very accessible though: I’m still amazed at how much life the creators managed to put into them.

Storytelling: 9/10 – Fantastic direction, excellent dialogue, really dramatic.
Characters: 9/10 – An excellent cast, well fleshed out and developed throughout the entire run of the series.
Production-Values: 9/10 – Love it or hate it style. I loved it. The soundtrack is beautiful as well.
Setting: 8/10 – A bit of a soap opera setting, but solid and does its job to make the rest of the series shine.

Suggestions:
– Ultraviolet: Code 044
– Revolutionary Girl Utena
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