The finale of Psycho-Pass 3 feels more of a setup episode than a proper ending to the third season and it bores well in delivering an exciting future for the franchise overall. It does nothing to bring closure to the overarching plot, has a couple twists and just an utterly chilling ending. Continue reading “Psycho-Pass 3 – 08 [Cubism]”
There are only a handful of manga out there that I believe to be masterpieces. Works such as Berserk, Vagabond and Monster. That come to define a time in manga history, such as Berserk. That are perfect in their execution like Monster, or are a work of art in every panel like Vagabond. Fewer still are the manga that get anime adaptations worthy of their legacy. We need look no further than the recent Berserk anime adaptations for evidence of that. However, I believe that Vinland Saga, written by Makoto Yukimura of Planetes fame and adapted by Wit Studio has gotten, just that. An adaptation that captures the beauty and story of the original peace. That not only adapts it faithfully, but also designed specifically for an anime’s format. Changing what needs to be changed for the new medium, without losing much of the original work.
So onward friends, for honor and glory! The review awaits!
Hello all to another week of Neon Genesis Evangelion! This week is much more light hearted than the last few, diving more into Misato and Shinji’s relationship. Meanwhile it seems something is a foot as a weapons test goes wrong. So without further ado, lets jump in! And stick around to the end, because I have some important questions about how you would like Throwback Thursday to run moving forward. Onwards!
Starting off, this week saw a bit more of Anno’s weirdness. As cuts come in some strange places, there is a lot of repeated footage and in general it just feels… different. This isn’t necessarily a criticism, as I can see what he was going for. The repeated morning segments do a fine job of setting the time frame of the episode and the pacing of it all. It also gives us a glimpse into Shinji/Misato’s life together, and what their general day to day is like. For those I suppose the question really becomes, are you invested in their life? If yes, then I think it informs a lot about where they are 7 episodes in. If not, then it’s a lot of repeated and wasted time. So suffice to say, I don’t have much a problem with it, but I can see the issue. Continue reading “Neon Genesis Evangelion – 7 [A Human Work] – Throwback Thursday”
Once again, I am late for this week’s Neon Genesis Evangelion post. It’s becoming a bad habit really, and yet something about Evangelion makes it difficult to write about. I need look no further than this week for proof of that. As here we see a competent governmental body, Rei stepping up to the plate, and Shinji getting in the damn robot. So let’s jump in!
As always, we have to start with the production, and this time I think Evangelion managed to impress. Say what you want about Anno’s… odd tastes in still shots, but the action is great. From the tanks to what is just a giant floating cube, I enjoyed it all. There was even a number of nice environmental animation to go along with the tank or Angel shots. And in general things like melting metal look fantastically fluid. Part of it is no doubt the dated, nostalgic charm that is cell animation. But I don’t think that really takes away from it at all. If I had one complaint though, it would have to be with the odd lighting at times. Like during Rei’s visit to Shinji’s room, I understand the time of day they were shooting for, it just looked weird to me. Minor squibbles aside though, onto the meat!
There are few genres more ubiquitous than Battle Anime. From classics like One Piece and Naruto to the modern like Kimetsu no Yaiba and Black Clover, they are everywhere. Constantly trying to one up or explore the idea in new ways. As a consequence of this, a sub-genre began to appear, cleverly called “Non-Battle” Battle Anime by Super Eyepatch Wolf. In these kinds of anime, it rare for a conflict to be physical in nature. Whether it be cooking in Food Wars or gambling in Ultimate Survivor Kaiji, a punch is rarely thrown. Dr.STONE by TMS Entertainment however takes this one step further, removing the battle portion entirely, unless you count battles with nature herself. And it is here, in the survival and science rather than physical combat, in a celebration of what it means to be human, that Dr.STONE excels.
Without further ado, it’s time to get into the review.
And so ends Dr.STONE, at least until next year when the announced 2nd season comes out. Its been a series of highs and lows, but one I ultimately enjoyed, and this episode is no different. As we get one more heartwarming moment of humanity, some comedy and a teaser of what is to come. Lets dive in!
Starting off, this episode was actually a nice look back at the season and all that was accomplished. Of course some of it was just raw montage’s of what happened. But most of it was presented in an organic way. Such as instead of raw flashbacks, we just cut to shots of the actual creations themselves. From the ramen stand or the forges, etc etc. Another good example of this was the juxtaposition between when the astronauts were making the record. Showing Senku and crew making a record player in the present, mimicking their bonds through the milenia. For what has partially a recap episode, it was nicely put together and felt more like a look back at how far we had come. Now though, let’s move on to the meat.
Continue reading “Dr.STONE – 24 [Voices Over Infinite Distance]”
Finally, Throwback Thursday returns, with a new episode of Neon Genesis Evangelion! Apologies for the wait. I have explained across a number of posts now, but work and moving the site really ate my time. But its all over now and we can get back into it! So let’s just dive in, as we check back in with Shinji!
Starting off with production, as I always do, this week was a bit of an odd one. There was some great stuff. From expressive character acting from Misato during her and Shinji’s interactions, to the effects. I will never get tired of how Evangelion liquefies metal and structures with its lasers and such. It’s a beautiful effect, and one I hope we continue to see more of in the series. On the other hand we also got some more of Anno’s weirdness. Long, hanging still shots with almost no motion. Just dialogue played over an extended escalator scene. Similar to the rest we have seen, I don’t think it’s inherently bad. It works to sell the awkwardness between Rei and Shinji, especially after what happened in the apartment. But it felt to me like it just carried on to long. Still, for the most part, Evangelion did well.
Continue reading “Neon Genesis Evangelion – 5 [Rei, Beyond the Heart/Rei I] – Throwback Thursday”
This episode was the exciting climax of the season as all the pieces of the current case snap together but leaves a few loose ends for the final episode to hopefully close out.
Continue reading “Psycho-Pass 3 – 07 [Don’t Take God’s Name in Vain]”
Hello all, and welcome to a double feature for Dr. STONE! Apologies for the missed week, but work called and I had to fly to Brussels. Such is the busy life of an adult. Regardless, it’s time to catch up! Onto the last two weeks of Dr. STONE.
Starting off, a general overview of the two episodes we are covering this week. It was a lot of the more human focused bits. Once again dialing in on how Science changes the villagers lives, giving purpose and such. From creating stoves to stay warm during winter to the “brain vs brawn” dynamics. Along with some just plain weird stuff, like Gen’s little working song. Still, while I don’t agree with all of these messages, that they exist at all makes for some interesting topics to talk about this week. As far as production goes, Dr. STONE once again keeps it all rather static. Lots of still shots, occasionally very pretty ones, with speed or focus lines to give the illusion of motion. It should be rather obvious by now, but Dr. STONE is not a particularly good looking show. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. Continue reading “Dr.STONE – 22/23 [The Treasure/Wave of Science]”
The plot thickens as Psycho-Pass’s spider web of connections splinters off in unforseen ways as it’s all starting to come together for the final two episodes.