Category: Other:

Mix: Meisei Story Review – 75/100

by SuperWooper, posted in Anime Reviews, Mix, Reviews by SuperWooper

Mix is, by my count, the eighth Mitsuru Adachi work to be adapted to animation. I’ve only seen one of the other seven, so it may not be my place to say this, but Mix probably ranks around the middle of those eight. Its main cast is complex, but the non-baseball players among them slip from the series’ focus near the end. Its visual presentation is drab, only springing to life during isolated scenes. Depending on which source you use to watch the show, you may experience a crippling audio issue that buries the dialogue beneath a string-heavy soundtrack (I recommend Commie’s version, which fixed this problem). And yet, for all its shortcomings, Mix retains that signature Adachi atmosphere of emotional realism, mixed with an unpredictability on the baseball diamond that keeps things fresh. The characters may not have completed their arcs in this truncated adaptation, but they’re still the lifeblood of the show.

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DanMachi2 Anime Review – 40/100

by Amunchet, posted in Anime Reviews, DanMachi, Reviews by Amunchet

“Is it Wrong to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon” burst onto the anime scene as something of a B-tier cult classic.  2015 saw Season 1 massively outperform expectations  – ignoring the occasionally shoddy animation – to bring excitement and mostly fan service (and the cosplayer favorite: the Hestia ribbon).  Now, four years later, the much anticipated sequel has concluded.  How did DanMachi2 do?

To answer that question, a word on my grading criteria.  For me, each show has 50 points to earn and 50 points to lose. Points are earned by going above and beyond the norm – showing me something I hadn’t seen or making me feel something unexpected.  Something that makes me applaud.

Points are lost when I feel a component of the show was below average or less than acceptable in terms of animation, storyline, etc.  Something that takes away from the show as a whole.

Let’s take a look!

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Kimetsu no Yaiba Anime Review – 70/100

by Lenlo, posted in Anime Reviews, Finished Series: Action, Kimetsu no Yaiba, Reviews by Lenlo

It’s hard to find a more ubiquitous genre in anime than Shounen. Maybe romance/moe-blobs, but it’s a close race. With series like One Piece and until recently Naruto, being a constant presence each season/year. Often this makes it difficult for newer series to break into the anime market in a meaningful way. With the recent success stories of that being My Hero Academia and Black Clover. However, with this season, I think Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba can stand toe to toe with its contemporaries and stand proud. As the series, written by Koyoharu Gotouge and adapted by Ufotable, has broken into the scene en force. Even managing to break into the mainstream on social media like Twitter with some episodes, really showing how far anime can reach today. So the question then becomes, what does Kimetsu no Yaiba do right? What does it do wrong?

Without further ado, let’s dive right in and see if we can’t answer those questions.

(Disclaimer: I am working to make 50 the new “average”. 70 is not an average score people. 70 is above average. Also this review contains minor spoilers. Carry on.)

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Youjo Senki Movie Review – 85/100

by HelghastKillzone, posted in Anime Reviews, Saga of Tanya the Evil

Outside of a very few exceptions, I have come to despise the isekai genre with its predominantly self-inserted overpowered male protagonists, massive harems, fan-service bait and overused fantasy settings. Youjo Senki is none of those things and it has gained a very special place in my heart where it features the combined arms of a magical World War One/Two, realistic military environment and a villainous main character. Aside from character title cards and a couple of very brief flashbacks, the movie expect you are familiar with its television series as it goes straight back into its worldwide war.   Continue reading “Youjo Senki Movie Review – 85/100” →

Fall Season 2019 Preview

by SuperWooper, posted in Seasonal Previews

Wooper: Are you ready for the season of sequels? We’re getting 15 this fall – that’s the most since spring 2018, which boasted nearly 20. What makes this season special, though, is that 7 of those 15 follow-ups belong to high profile franchises. That means a huge number of anime fans will be following multiple sequels this season. Even putting aside blockbuster properties like Sword Art Online, Seven Deadly Sins, and Food Wars, we found seven continuations that were worth bringing to your attention. And for those of you who prefer first seasons and original works, there are plenty of those here, too. With five writers currently on board, we’ve got a thorough mix of tastes and preferences represented in this preview, so we hope you find something to get excited about this fall.

We’re bringing back expectation tiers this time, so you can tell at a glance what we’re really hyped for, and what qualifies as a mere curiosity. With 19 shows being previewed, there are a bunch we won’t be covering, but they’ll appear in the poll below. Let us know what you’re interested in – we’ll take the results into account when deciding what to blog this October.

Next Throwback Thursday Show? (Choose All You Want)
VoteResults

 

Middling Expectations

 

Keishichō Tokumu-bu Tokushu Kyōaku-han Taisaku-Shitsu Dai-Nana-ka -Tokunana-

Studio: Anima&Co.
Director: Harume Kosaka
Series composition: Yuichiro Higashide
Source: Original

Amun: Everyone has something where their head tells them no, but their heart says yes. For me, I gamble on original anime works – I’m really hoping to stumble upon the next big hit. It hasn’t happened yet, but I’m still trying (I guess I saw the first episode of Re:Zero in Japan before the hype, so that counts, right?). Also, I have a soft spot for straight man rookies thrown into exotic situations – I can’t help it.

Tokunana is exactly such a project. With a composer who was previously an eroge company’s in-house writer (and did Fate/Apocrypha, to be fair) and director Harume Kosaka, an industry veteran without a major project to call his own, Tokunana has low expectations. As an anime original, this looks like a second rate Ghost in the Shell.

BUT. The trailer looked good, character designs look crisp, and as long as the plot can stay on point, this could be a nice, one season action show. For the staff’s sake, you can’t help but hope that this breaks out as the next Battlefront Blockade – it’s unlikely, but I keep my hopes up until I see the first couple of episodes.

 

Babylon

Studio: Revoroot
Director: Kiyotaka Suzuki
Series composition: TBA
Source: Novel

Mario: In any anime season, there is always a show or two that is destined to shake the waters – one that’s bold but utterly inconsistent, and sharply divides the audience. I’m thinking of Vatican Miracle Examiner or Kado the Right Answer a few years back, and it seems to me that Babylon is going to fit the slot. The premise about a prosecutor investigating and unveiling a whole underground conspiracy sure sounds juicy, and add to that, the original writer behind the novel is none other than the guy who wrote Kado’s script. Then we have the director who is behind other ambitious but messy works: FLCL Alternative and Psycho-Pass 2. Can’t say the art style in the PV looks that attractive, but even if this show turns out to be a hot mess, at least I’m sure that I won’t be bored by it.

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Fate/Stay Night Heaven’s Feel – II Lost Butterfly Anime Review – 91/100

by AidanAK47, posted in Anime Reviews, Reviews by AidanAK47

Long time no see and strap in cause this is going to be a long one. I will preface this review with the assumption that you have seen the first movie of this trilogy and this movie as well as the assumption that whomever is reading this knows what a command spell is. So basically expect spoilers after this first paragraph while I place my general thoughts at the beginning. To throw my final estimate on this right now I will say that Heaven’s Feel II is just as good, if not better than the movie preceding it. Ufotable truly have done great work in bringing this route to life and with two movies out of three adapted as well as this then as long as Ufotable doesn’t make any major missteps in the last movie this will be considered a perfect adaption with only nitpickers trying to amplify its flaws(Take note that nitpicking is to follow this paragraph.) The animation is steller, the music is…well I think Kajura held herself back enough to make my usual complaints of her less evident, the adaption of the source ultimately makes it better by cutting out the bloat and extending fight scenes which were originally nonexistent and the atmosphere and pacing is engaging from start to finish. For those curious I will confirm that yes there is a sex scene in this movie though temper your expectations as it is a sex scene on the level of which you would see in a PG rated romantic comedy. So I am afraid you will once again have to rely on doujins if you require some porn. Funny as it is though I would say that the strongest element of this movie isn’t the fight scenes, character interactions or the further developments of the holy grail war. But the show stealers here is when the story veers into horror as it’s there where Kajura’s soundtrack truly excels and highlights the utterly unnerving nature that the villain of this piece is. The “shadow” captures a near Lovecraftian level of unknown malevolence and any time it’s on screen is a showcase of just how powerless anyone is to oppose it. The combination of CGI and 2D animation makes it truly otherworldly and unsettling, almost making the uncanny effect its advantage. The story is dark to the point of giving Fate/Zero competition as developments long awaited and wished are finally happening to the cast. If there is a detriment it would be that some great scenes with Illya and Kirei were cut to make the runtime reasonable which is understandable but somewhat disappointing. So if you have already watched the first movie and was interested enough to move on to the second then I doubt you need my encouragement to continue.

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State of the Season: Summer 2019

by SuperWooper, posted in Other:, State of the Season

Wooper: Like a summer heat wave that just won’t end, anime is forever new in the eyes of seasonal watchers. Here at Star Crossed, we grind out countless episodic posts in an effort to keep up, but today we’re doing something a bit different. We’ve decided to call it “State of the Season” – a quarterly report on what we’re watching, what we’re most enjoying, and what we’ve dropped like a hot potato. This is our first time doing this sort of round table post, so it’s a chance for you to see which of our writers you’re most aligned with, and who among us has bottom tier taste. Ready? Let’s get started!

 

What show are you enjoying that you’re not reviewing?

Amun: Granbelm.  Normally I’m not into Mech or Mahou Shoujo, but this is pretty good.  Latest episode is lit!

Wooper: Dumbbell. It’s this year’s Yuru Camp – informative CGDCT that builds its characters enough to create real friendships between them.

Lenlo: Dumbbell. Everything tells me I shouldn’t enjoy what is basically a fanservice workout show. Yet I am all about that Fitmoe life, I enjoy the educational part of it, and Machio is a lovable beefcake. Sidenote: I hated Yuru Camp >.>

Mario: Two shows for me, the first one being Wasteful Days of High School Girls. I have a soft spot for these slice-of-life comedies that play with character tropes, but even then nothing prepares for this show’s quirkiness. I enjoy the tongue-in-cheek humor and I love every character. The second show is Lord El-Melloi II, which manages to make the whole Fate universe interesting in my eyes. And that is such an accomplishment.

Helghast: Ramming my way through Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba since I heard about the hype surrounding episode 19’s final five minutes. It’s alright so far with ufotable’s stellar animation propping up the show. 

Armitage: Dumbbell for me too. It’s such an easy watch. And each week, I feel more motivated to get off my couch and you know whispers exercise.

Continue reading “State of the Season: Summer 2019” →

Serial Experiments Lain Anime Review – 78/100

by Lenlo, posted in Anime Reviews, Finished Series: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews by Lenlo, Serial Experiments Lain, Throwback Thursday

Serial Experiments Lain is weird. It is a series unlike any other, wholly unique in anime, both modern and historical. Every aspect of it, from presentation to narrative, is best described as an experience. It is because of this that I believe Lain is a must watch, if only to experience a piece of anime history. That said, Serial Experiments Lain can hardly be said to be an “enjoyable” series. It is certainly evocative, Serial Experiments Lain will bring about emotions and force you to confront reality in a unique way. But I at least did not end the series thinking I would watch it again anytime soon, and this density will no doubt be off putting for many. However while these may keep it out of my favorites, it is without a doubt worth your time. Lets go.

(Disclaimer: I am working to make 50 the new “average”. 70 is not an average score people. 70 is above average. Carry on.)

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Penguin Highway (2018) Movie Review – 89/100

by Armitage, posted in Anime Reviews, Reviews by Armitage

You’re walking along in your neighborhood, going about your daily routine. It’s a fine morning. The sun is shining brightly. But suddenly, you see something strange. You squint your eyes; even rub them, to make sure it isn’t a mirage before exclaiming with excitement, “Oh, look. It’s a bird. No, it’s a plane! No no. It’s a…penguin?”

That is how this particular morning started for young Aoyama, who is the perfect embodiment of a child you would call wicked smart. Smarter than almost everybody in his class. Barring maybe Hanamoto-chan, but Aoyama considers her a bit too complacent. He is a self-proclaimed pupil of science. A true man of research. Well, actually just about 3681 days short of being a man (he keeps count), but you get what I mean. He is secretly in love with the dentist woman. Who is much older but that doesn’t bother him. His love isn’t the sexual kind. Yes, he does think about her breasts 30 mins a day but that’s for relaxation purposes. His sole reason for visiting the dental clinic is so as to get to talk with her for a little while.

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Summer 2019 Anime Coverage & First Episode Awards!

by Amunchet, posted in About

With BEM released we come to the end of the First Impression period and the real beginning of this Summer Season. With 2 new writers on board I am happy to say that the 1st Impression had gone smoother and much faster than ever before. To make it even more exciting, we have 2 good news for you readers. First, this season Star Crossed Anime will cover a total of 12 shows, which if my memory serves right is the highest since psgels left the site. After many behind-the-scene black-market deals and fist fights and Mexican standoffs to make sure we can cover shows we wanted, this is our Summer 2019 blogging schedule:

Mario: Kanata no Astra – Cop Craft – Carole & Tuesday (carry-over)

Lenlo: Vinland Saga – Dr. STONE – Kimetsu no Yaiba (carry-over)

Wooper: Mix: Meisei Story (carry-over)

Amun: Fire Force – DanMachi 2 

Armitage: O Maidens in Your Savage Season – Given

Helghast: Lord El-Melloi II-sei no Jikenbo: “Rail Zeppelin” Grace note

Second, it’s the new bloods’ idea to give First-Episode Awards where the staff vote for their favorites and worst (Credits entirely to Amun for the concept, layout and those lovely icons) so you readers can have a better grasp on the seasonal reception so far. Let us know if you like the idea and which category you would like us to include in the future. I’ll stop writing now and just let the awards speak for themselves.

Best First Episode
(The Death Note Award)

O MAIDENS IN YOUR SAVAGE SEASON

Spent All Efforts on the First Episode
(The Kyoukai No Kanata Award)

FIRE FORCE

Best Animation
(The Samurai Champloo Award)

FIRE FORCE

Season Sleeper
(The Gargantia Award)

COP CRAFT

Worst First Episode
(The Bleach Award)

ARIFURETA

Exceeded Expectations
(The Hyouka Award)

DUMBBELL NAN KILO MOTERU?

Most Disappointing First Episode
(The Berserk Award)

DR. STONE

Best Sequel/Continuation
(The Natsume Book of Friends Award)

MIX