Durarara – 12,5

by psgels, posted in Durarara



Most DVD-specials are simple side-stories. This one is too, but in this case I really recommend it because it was everything that made the first half of Durarara so addictive. It doesn’t have anything to do with the main storyline, but it’s a really fun ride from beginning to end.

I’m not sure whether this is an anime original chapter or a side-story taken from the light novels, but whoever it came from, they really went all out here. The time line was more screwed than ever. Because of that, the first scenes of the episodes are completely random and nonsensical, but as the episode goes on they all fall wonderfully into place. There are some great plot twists too, I especially had to laugh when the creators explained the source behind those sparkly ufos. The only thing I didn’t get was that really weird Daffy Duck laugh at the five minute mark…

Central to the plot were a number of mysterious red bags that kept travelling from one place to the other in this episode, and even though they mostly served to confuse the viewer rather than the characters apart from the Americans, it worked really well, considering how different their contents were. I also loved how ridiculously cheesy those American thugs were: their accent was horrible, and yet they had no problem pronouncing Japanese names. Ah heck, for all we know they could all be Japanese people who are forced to talk in English for their jobs. Oh, and Isaac and Miria made their comeback again!

Mikado and the others had no purpose whatsoever in the story, but I still like how the creators found something interesting for them to do, just portraying them hanging out and doing nothing with strange ears on. The TV-series should have had more scenes like those.

Speaking of which, yeah. I now fully understand why I didn’t like the second half as much as I would have liked: it had none of this addictive pacing, and instead went for a very straightforward style of storytelling without pretty much any kind of warning. It tried to make up for this with its character-development, but that just wasn’t enough. A second season would completely fix the problems I have with it, though at this point this seems unlikely, considering how the director has already moved on to a new series Kuragehime. I’m really looking forward to what he can do with a josei-series, though at the same time it looks to be one of the weakest premises he worked on for a long while. I don’t really like the thought of yet another one of those otaku-aimed shows. On the brighter side though, I just discovered that the Series Composition Guy has this habit of completely disregarding his original source material, so we might be in for something completely different from the original manga it’s based on. That provides opportunities, both good and bad.
Rating: ** (Excellent)

Kimagure Orange Road OVA Review – 85/100

by psgels, posted in Anime Reviews




With this, I get it. Kimagure Orange Road is annoying. It got on my nerves beyond belief. But in the end: it really is worth it. I mean, there is so much that modern teenaged love interests can learn from Madoka that it’s almost scary. This OVA at first sight seems much of the same as the TV-series, but there are a number of notable advantages that it has.

The formula is the same: get a bunch of episodes together in which the lead character (often with the use of his psychic powers) accidentally ends up in a really awkward romantic situation. The fact that this is eight episodes however, means that the cast has a lot less time to get on your nerves compared to the incredibly long TV-series. To me, this really worked in focusing on the good stuff of the OVAs: the serious and romantic scenes. And they really get their chance to shine in this OVA.

The graphics also got a major update here. You can really see that the artists especially put in effort to bring the cast to life now that they’re not bothered by a TV-series budget any more. It’s got this great classic look from the late eighties, and it doesn’t look as immature as the series did.

I can’t say that this OVA wasn’t annoying, because it definitely did have its moment. But really: if you finished the daunting task of watching the entire TV series of Kimagure Orange Road, then you might just as well continue with this OVA. At this point they’ve got 50 episodes worth of development behind them, so they sure as heck aren’t going to be shallow here. And besides: it’s great to see a show that isn’t incredibly scared to show teenagers drinking alcohol. Seriously: why does every modern anime try to pretend that teenagers never drink or smoke?

Storytelling: 9/10 – Annoying, but really knows exactly what it does in getting the best out of the characters.
Characters: 9/10 – I’ve said this before, but Madoka is one of the best characters of her kind. The others… they’re nice, but pale in comparison.
Production-Values: 8/10 – Smooth and detailed animation when it matters, with a few bugs here and there though.
Setting: 8/10 – Save for a horrible portrayal of a bunch of Americans, it’s solid and does its job.

Suggestions:
– Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-ouki
– Maison Ikkoku
– Mahou Tsukai Tai OVA

Kuroshitsuji II – 09

by psgels, posted in Kuroshitsuji II



Now that Alois is gone, this series did lose a big part of its fun factor, but this episode seemed to realize that and really had fun playing around with the rest of the cast to make up for it.

I mean, a plot to brainwash Ciel and make him think he’s Alois? That’s quite intriguing. If anything because of how the end of this episode promised Sebastian to go completely insane in the next episode. That shinigami that attacked Sebastian with that lawn mower also was another one of those crazy ideas I loved.

Not to mention that, even though this episode had quite a bit of action, the scenes that the animators spent the most frames on yet again was Claude’s hands as he was crocheting. It looked very good and realistic, really. But why that scene, of all places?

Now, the only thing I’m a bit worried about is the conclusion here. I mean, at this point the creators can easily revert everything back with another Deus ex Machna again, because at this point, this really seems to be one of those plots that the creators make up as they go along. I really want to see this show end with something epic. I don’t really care about the depth, this show never was one of those where you can expect that.
Rating: * (Good)

Densetsu no Yuusha no Densetsu – 09

by psgels, posted in Densetsu no Yuusha no Densetsu



Okay, so this is the long awaited moment in which Ryner “snaps” again. Is it as good as the third episode? Nah.

The second half of this episode was very intense, yes. But to me, it felt like it was trying a tad too hard to make Ryner’s life as miserable as possible, using too many cliches in the process. “Oh god, I’m a kid with lots of powers. I used to live peacefully with everyone but now that I’ve shown my powers after evil people killed my friends everyone sees me as a monster!” Yeah; been there, done that.

It’s a stock fantasy cliche, with not enough to deviate it from the other stories that use it. The reason why the third episode was so awesome was because it really was about the relationship between Ryner and that girl who was in love with him. It developed both him and her; it was well directed and just kept throwing in more and more interesting stuff. This episode was just there to show how sad Ryner’s past was. The enemies were also rather generic as well.

As a build up, I guess it suffices and it’s not like this episode was annoying like the one with that female captain, but this show has now reached the point in which I’m starting to get bored. Apparently, especially the later volumes of the original light novels are going to be awesome, but I first want to see that before believing it.
Rating: (Enjoyable)

Shiki – 08

by psgels, posted in Shiki



I like Natsuno. He’s no idiot and continues to use his head. He’s not one to rush into a situation, and instead thinks before he acts, and his actions are so far all taken with the intent to learn as much as possible about what’s going on. More protagonists should be like this.

The vampires in the meantime aren’t stupid either: they’re not going to let someone like him walk around freely, as shown by the counterattack at the end of this episode (which was really well directed and creepy, by the way). With fourteen episodes left, I wouldn’t be surprised if this show would evolve into a thriller, something like “humans versus vampires”. When both sides are this formidable, I can’t wait for this second half.

And I guess that that’s why Masao and Megumi are so important here: they’re the vampires who have many sentiments towards these characters. In fact, I’m very interested in how that cat guy manages his vampires. This episode really made it apparent that someone is tightly controlling the different vampires. How do those vampires react exactly when they run into someone they know or hold dear? Megumi showed that they don’t lose their memory, Masao showed that they don’t exactly lose their self-conscience.

Also, the soundtrack is just getting better and better, and I really like what Yasuharu Takanashi did on it. To compare it with his other work, it sounds closest to the combination between Jigoku Shoujo and Toward the Terra’s soundtrack. Beyond that, it’s also interesting that he has been experimenting a bit more during the past year: the OST of Jigoku Shoujo and Toward the Terra (but also Mononoke, Before Green Gables and Seto no Hanayome) lacked this… “spark” that I did notice at Heartcatch Precure and Shiki’s OST. They feel like they have much more contrast, compared to his more subtle earlier works.
Rating: ** (Excellent)

Aria the Natural Review – 82,5/100

by psgels, posted in Anime Reviews




Watching Aria the Natural was… a challenge. Seriously, watching it (especially its first half) was a unique experience in trying to not doze off while still paying attention to the dialogue. I was nearly put to sleep by how calming the storytelling is here; that’s usually a really big insult!

Aria is all about making memories: those small events that leave a lasting impression on you, and the Natural is also full of episodes that focus on moments like these, in the middle of a ton of slice of life. Calm and soothing beyond belief, it’s very much an “Iyashi-kei” (healing-type) series that even more than the first season of Aria, is perfect if you just want to relax, or get rid of some stress.

The dialogue is also very important for this series, as it loves to flesh out its cast and setting with it. I especially liked how detailed and imaginative the script was. The thing that also sets Aria apart from most other slice of life series is that it really pays attention to the unique setting it’s in: the culture, history, traditions and people of Neo Venezia all get their turn to show a bit about themselves, and to be honest: I actually enjoyed this part more than the characters themselves.

Whether it’s the best slice of life series out there, though… I can’t say that. Aria is very good at what it does, but personally I enjoyed series as Windy Tales and Akage no Anne more. Even though the main characters have gotten 39 episodes worth of screentime, in which we do get to know them quite a bit, I still think they’re missing something. It’s like… they were trying too hard at times to be adorable, especially with the overuse of those comical chibi-faces. I’d also have liked a bit more variety in the different episodes. There were a few times at which I felt that this series might have gone on for a tad too long. This is just nitpicking, though. I enjoyed this show a lot regardless.

Storytelling: 9/10 – Calm, soothing, yet detailed, and a great script.
Characters: 8/10 – A charming cast.
Production-Values: 8/10 – An excellent soundtrack. The animation itself is nothing special but nice to look at.
Setting: 8/10 – Neat idea, well fleshed out, well used.

Suggestions:
– Windy Tales
– Ristorante Paradiso
– Mushishi

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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