Behold the Void's Anime Reviews

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

I'm bored and want to do some writing, so I'm going to start reviewing anime every week until I get tired of doing it or something. Reviews will probably go up Tuesdays since it's generally a decent day for me work/school-wise.

Some general notes:
First Impression: Usually used for airing series or series I'm just starting to check out but am too busy to get into. Can also be applied to something where I watched one episode and swore never to return. Generally the shortest of the reviews.
In Progress: Something I'm watching and only part-way through, or was getting through, became overcome with an urge to gouge out my eyes, and decided it'd be best to stop for health reasons.
Full Review: A full review of the series in it's entirety. Will not contain spoilers, but will be a full look at how the series is.

Dub/Sub/Fansub: Pretty self-explanatory, the version I'm watching. Dub and Sub, naturally, are official releases whereas Fansub (which is likely to make up a majority of what I review) is not an official release.

Tagline/Quote: I like to lead with a quote or tagline I think is indicative of the series. It's generally for my own entertainment, hopefully you will be amused as well.

I'm going to start with some first impressions of some of the newly airing anime this season, and then will probably go back and pick over classics or other things I'm watching at the time. Feel free to suggest series to me for review, but I reserve the right to pick and choose series based on my own preference/plans.

Reviews:
Sengoku Basara - First Impression (http://forums.eyesonff.com/2657623-post5.html) (4-14-09)
Shin Mazinger Shōgeki! Z-Hen - First Impression (http://forums.eyesonff.com/2660259-post17.html) (4-21-09)
Eden of the East - First Impression (http://forums.eyesonff.com/2662483-post19.html) (4-28-09)

Last Review:
Eden of the East - First Impression (http://forums.eyesonff.com/2662483-post19.html) (4-28-09)
Next Review:
Basquash (5-5-09)

[Momiji]

Do you accept review suggestions/requests, too? ;D

(also, are you on MyAnimeList?)

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

Do you accept review suggestions/requests, too? ;D

(also, are you on MyAnimeList?)



I'm going to start with some first impressions of some of the newly airing anime this season, and then will probably go back and pick over classics or other things I'm watching at the time. Feel free to suggest series to me for review.


Suggest away.

As far as MyAnimeList, no I am not.

[Bunny]

Code Geass, Ergo Proxy and Elfen Lied.

Also for fun: Weather Report Girl

>_>

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

Sengoku Basara
First Impression - Fansub

"YUKIMUUURAAAA! OYAKATA-SAMAAAAAA"

Within the first few seconds of watching Sengoku Basara, you know immediately how it's going to go. Seeing a man riding a horse with handlebars and exhaust pipes (a motorcycle horse, if you will) dressed in samurai armor and carrying six swords speaking to his burly men in truly inspired Engrish gives you a pretty good idea of what is about to happen. If that isn't enough, the scene immediately following it where he draws all six swords and uses them at the same time, or the scene directly following that one where his rival character busts open a gate and rides in with flaming spears to do violence on a bunch of hapless mooks will. This is a show for men. Manly men. The kind who like swords and guns and swords with guns, and having rough manly sex with each other.

Wait, scratch that last one.

Anyway, Sengoku Basara is loosely based on the Warring States period of Japan, the time when Oda Nobunaga made his rise to power and became a reviled demon in the eyes of the Japanese. Thankfully, this has not changed at all, and Nobunaga has once again taken his place in the storyline as the evil demon king the fiery burning-spirit good guys must take down in order to restore peace to Japan or something. There is backstory here, but it's not too well defined, at least in the first episode. The exposition creates a strange lull in the series, perhaps as a way for them to pretend they have some semblance of a plot before they can get to the important thing – the violence.

And speaking of violence, it's pretty classy violence. Characterized by glowing battle auras and dramatically over-the-top attacks, the anime is reminiscent of the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors series, which should come to no surprise to those who played Devil Kings (Sengoku Basara in Japanese), the game upon which it is based. Devil Kings duplicated the formula almost exactly, and that formula has been retained for the anime. Stalwart heroic figures rampage through the ranks of hapless redshirts before coming face to face with one another and engaging in high-flying duels of ferocious swording. What really sells the series, though, is the animation. Studio I.G. (Blood+, Tsubasa Tokyo Revelations) does a fantastic job of making the fights come alive, with scenes like one of the titular characters, flaming spear-wielding Sanada Yukimura cutting through a mook horde before unleashing a flaming whirlwind attack, or rival six-katana-wielding Masamune Date chopping people down with his six swords held like claws showcase perfectly the kind of action sequences you can expect. Even in the first episode, Sengoku Basara doesn't disappoint with bombastic action sequences that are liable to make up the core of the series. The upbeat opening by Abingdon Boys School helps set the mood, with a horde of dancing soldiers, shots of the numerous characters, and, of course, more gratuitous violence.

Sengoku Basara is not a complicated series. What it is, at it's heart, is a story about a bunch of dudes with fighting spirit and weapons trying to beat the crap out of each other. What really sells it, production values aside, is the fact that it is incredibly self-aware. It knows what it's doing, and isn't trying to be anything but brainless fun. Add in a genuinely entertaining cast, from the motorcycle-horse riding cocky Masamune Date to the bromance of Sanada Yukimura and “Oyakata-sama” which generally involves them screaming each other's names while gleefully punching each other in the face, there's a good mix of humor and fun in the series to round out the cool fights, which further helps establish a surprising amount of quality considering it's a show geared towards appealing to the lowest common denominator in all of us. For those who like manly sword duels and single men taking on armies, definitely give it a watch. For those of you without Y chromosomes, there's plenty of gay subtext too, further proof that studio I.G. knows EXACTLY what they're doing.

That's it for me, come back next week for my review of Shin Mazinger Shōgeki! Z-Hen.

[Momiji]

Ah, I missed that sentence. Anyway...

How about (picking some random ones from my list) 5 Centimeters per Second, Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora, Hidamari Sketch, Kara no Kyoukai (of what is released so far), Nodame Cantabile, School Days, and Tokyo Marble Chocolate?

For my amusement: Kodomo no Jikan ;D

[Rocket Edge]

It'd be cool to hear what you have to say about Bleach.

[Zeromus_X]

A review for Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo would be neat.

[qwertysaur]

Rock Musical Bleach!

[Ramza Beoulve]

A review for Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo would be neat.
That, and Mushishi.

[Tavrobel]

Bible Black
Boku no Pico

Higashi no Eden
Clannad (TV)
Clannad: After Story

I can't even imagine what you could possibly write for TTGL if we told you to review that.

[JKTrix]

Nice! I haven't seen Void around lately.

Starting off with some hotblood I see!

Norio Wakamoto as Nobunaga FTW!

Coming up next: JAM Project fueled hotblood FTW!

I look forward to providing more pointless colourful commentary if I've seen something Void writes about. (Which, in the case of the first 2, I have!)

As for suggestions: maybe stick to Current Season stuff for now (as you seem to be doing)? The backlog is vast and infinite, and I think your interests align with mine fairly closely. So I'll refrain otherwise!

[Gullick]

Havent seen you in a while BtV, welcome back


Good review so far, this is a pretty cool idea. Keep it up

[Jessweeee♪]

Serial Experiments Lain and Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei!

:</>D?

[black orb]

>>> The Hakkenden, Legend of the Dog Warriors.
that has been one of my fav anime since, forever..

[strawberryman]

Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei!

Seconded.

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

Shin Mazinger Shōgeki! Z-Hen
First Impression
Fansub - Gattai

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v439/Behold_the_Void/Quote-MazingerZ.jpg

Kouji Kabuto. Extremely comfortable with his own sexuality.

Mazinger Z holds a special place in the formation of mecha anime as the first show to explicitly use the term “Super Robot.” Considered a classic anime series, it has played a pivotal role in the formation of the popular “Super Robot Wars” video game series. It has stood at the forefront of “Super Robot” high-energy burning spirit shows, much as Mobile Suit Gundam defined the “Real Robot” genre of mecha geared towards more scientifically sound principles.

Like many Super Robot series such as Dancouga and Raideen, Mazinger Z has not stood the test of time particularly well, and like those series it too has been recently treated to a remake in the form of Shin Mazinger Shōgeki! Z-Hen, a re-imagining of Go Nagai's original work.

The first impressions are not favorable. The pilot episode starts with the build up to the final dramatic confrontation between titular hero Kouji Kabuto and his evil archnemisis Dr. Hell. What follows can only be described as a stream of consciousness, a montage of incoherency and generally horrendous pacing and storytelling. You see Kouji talking to Zeus, who reveals that he is actually Mazinger Z, you see a bunch of the evil villains and the heroes fighting them. It jumps schizophrenically from scene to scene with no rhyme or reason in a way that can only be described as bad.

It's possible fans of the original Mazinger Z may get more out of it, but even then it's so nonsensical even they might have trouble with it. For newcomers (which likely includes everyone but the oldest and most hard-core mecha fans, considering the original Mazinger Z came out in 1973), the first episode is hardly a recommendation.

The second episode, however, is a definite step in the right direction. The animation is a stylish take on Go Nagai's initial design, so while the characters and mechs still look like they should, the modern flair to it that was used successfully in Mazinkaiser to keep the classic feel without looking horrifically dated.

Plot-wise, there's not much to see. “This sure is a Super Robot Show,” Shin Mazinger says. “It's about Super Robots.” The show follows a pretty basic format with about as much subtlety as a blunt object striking the viewer in the back of the head. Hot-blooded Teenager Kouji Kabuto lives with his grandfather and little brother, both of whom he loves very much. As a mysterious menace attacks them, Kouji's grandfather gives him Mazinger Z, which will allow Kouji to become either “a god or devil.” To be fair, it can be forgiven to some extent, Mazinger Z is the progenitor of many of the Super Robot tropes, it is only right that the new series wallow in them.

Formulaic though it is, fans of the Super Robot genre can appreciate Shin Mazinger for having no illusions about what it is. It's a fun series with a definite retro feel, it doesn't make you think too hard about what's going on and let's you just sit back and enjoy the ride. The art style is sharp but attractive, although the mech designs are something of an acquired taste. Mazinger has never been the most visually stunning super robot, and the design remains more or less unchanged in this new iteration, and may take some getting used to by new viewers. It has also retained it's menagerie of ridiculous villains, as is to be expected with a big bad named “Dr. Hell.” Baron Asura, the literal half-man half-woman makes its triumphant return, along with a number of other colorful villains such as Lion-riding African tribesman Viscount Pygman.

Shin Mazinger is a series that knows what it's doing, and for what it's worth it does it pretty well. It's a super robot series, it knows it, and it doesn't take itself too seriously, which is really how a super robot series should be.

That's it for this week, check back next week for East of Eden, a show with actual depth.

[JKTrix]

How do you not mention JAM Project?!

I agree, the first episode was a nonsensical pile of what-the-hell. It's like it was supposed to be the final episode of the series, something that people who had been following the manga franchise through the years would be able to understand, but everyone else left bewildered. Generally not one that would get merely curious observers to stick with it.

One thing that will keep me watching however (outside of JAM Project!), is the Director of the show. Yasuhiro Imagawa is no stranger to 'retro remakes', having directed the fantastic Giant Robo OVA series of the 90's as well as the Tetsujin 28/Gigantor remake which was done a few years ago (that I haven't seen). In addition to that, he was also the director of G Gundam, which was a fine show of hot blood and stuff. He at least has a pedigree of greatness in that area, so I can expect at least a highly enjoyable experience.

Also, JAM Project! (The group that sings the OP is actually credited as 'ULTIMATE LAZY for Mazinger', which includes a couple of other individual artists with JAM Project)

Something to consider for Eden of the East...well, just that. I'd suggest calling it 'Eden of the East' as opposed to 'East of Eden', since there are other renowned yet unrelated literary works with that exact title. Despite the fact that 'Higashi no Eden' could be translated either way. (Plus, "Eden of the East (http://juiz.jp/special/index.html)" is I.G.'s official romanization) Judging from the way the show is being set up, there could be a massive difference in meaning as well between 'East of Eden' and 'Eden of the East'. But, I await your views!

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

Eden of the East
First Impression
Fansub

A practical guide on how to acquire clothing from strangers.

After having sated our need for uncomplicated manly burning spirit with Sengoku Basara, studio I.G. brings us Eden of the East, an incredibly artistic and intriguing series that can't help but draw you in. In watching Eden of the East you remember that studio I.G. IS in fact capable of producing subtler, thought-provoking pieces. Eden of the East does not disappoint.

Immediately, the stunning visuals assail your senses in all their glory. The animation is gorgeous, and the attention to detail in the scenery is truly masterful. Soon thereafter, another interesting tidbit makes itself known – the Americans are speaking English. And they sound fluent.

Eden of the East is not by any means the first anime to have Americans speak English, but it is perhaps the first ever to actually have them sound at all like native speakers (Among other series, Beck was probably the best I've heard but there was still a noticeable accent). Eden of the East does play a bit fast and loose with the language barrier, in later scenes characters speak in Japanese to Americans and are understood perfectly, but it's by far the best use of English in anime that I've seen to date.

What follows may not be an immediately apparent plot, but still is more than capable of drawing the viewer in. Japanese native Saki Morimi is on vacation in Washington DC and admiring the capital, as well as trying to make a wish and throw a coin into the fountain from outside the gate. Upon being questioned by the police, the conversation is interrupted by a naked man holding a cell phone in one hand and a revolver in another, a young man who has no apparent memories of who he is.

In the ensuing chaos, there is some solid characterization and some tantalizing hints of a plot. The young man, who later takes the name Akira Takizawa, manages to call someone on the cell phone who refers to him as a “Savior,” and there is also mention to missile attacks that hit Japan, along with the titular characters trying to catch a flight to Japan. The groundwork is there, although where the plot is going is still as of yet uncertain.

Pacing-wise, Eden of the East works. While it doesn't jump straight into the plot, it hardly meanders, the first episode does a good job of introducing the viewer to Akira and Saki and establishing their personality. Saki is absolutely adorable, and Akira is completely unflappable, able to take all the strange occurrences such as his being naked and without memories in stride without so much as a blink of an eye. While there is a definite sinister air surrounding Akira's apparent past, Akira himself is extremely charismatic and likable, able to smoothly and cleverly adapt to a troublesome situation with the skill of a pro. Watching him work, you can be certain this unflappable amnesiac SHOULD be able to do all of the things he's doing, and wants to know why. It's sure to be revealed, all in good time.

Eden of the East approaches it's hinting of a plot with an air of mystery, and it will likely maintain it for much of its run. The amnesia plotline is not new by any means, but Eden's take on it is an interesting one, instead of a wispy waif moaning piteously about how they can't remember anything and are afraid, Akira just steps in and takes charge with confidence and panache. It's around the time he's convincing a random businessman off the street to enthusiastically give him his pants that the realization hits you. This man is good.

This series has a lot of promise. It's beautifully animated, stylish, and intriguing. The visuals alone should be enough to give you pause, and the strong characterization and ability to mix understated humor and more serious and possibly sinister plotlines is a testament to the strong writing. If you're going to watch one show that makes you think this season, you could do much worse than Eden of the East.

Next up: Basquash

[Momiji]

Eden of the East is awesome so far. It's definitely outstripped K-ON! in my hierarchy of enjoyment.

[JKTrix]

I like how your last sentence leads to the Next Show preview :P

Production I.G. is no stranger to using 'Americans' to speak 'American' in their Japanese cartoons. The original Blood: the Last Vampire movie from 2000 also featured similar casting with decent results. Some of the English dialogue choices in Eden are a little odd, though ("Let me see your Johnny").

This is another show where I can talk a little bit about the people behind the show. Eden of the East's director was not only in charge of 'Guardian of the Sacred Spirit' (which I talk about briefly here (http://forums.eyesonff.com/lounge/113438-your-top-5-favorite-least-favorite-anime-series-2.html#post2391739)), but also the rather fantastic Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex series. I think if you keep the context of Stand Alone Complex in mind (if you've seen it) as you're watching this, a lot of things make more sense and you can derive even further plot details.

(I'll try hard not to spoil too much. I am leaving out some details here.)

For example, in SAC the act of hacking into someone else's cybernetic brain was fairly common, and allowed you to manipulate them. In Eden, when Akira gets the phone call with those modem-like sounds and suddenly his memory is erased, I went 'A Ha! Ghost in the Shell-style brain hacking right there.' Even just in that situation where he is naked with the gun, we can derive that something has made him do that since he likely wouldn't have done it normally. Later on, when he gets the man to give him his pants--something completely unrealistic--we don't see it, but we can assume that he was 'hacked' or manipulated in some way to do that. There are a handful of more subtle situations in just the first episode where manipulation could be said to occur.

So, if one decides to watch this show, keep this in mind. This is a world where seemingly normal human beings can be manipulated by a 3rd party. If you see something that seems unlikely--like a business man giving his pants to a stranger in public (no one is *that* persuasive)--someone else probably made that situation possible.


If there is one thing I'm less enthusiastic about so far, it's the soundtrack. Kenji Kawai is one of my most respected composers of soundtrack music, and so far in this show it isn't measuring up to expectations. The most recent show he's composed for is Gundam 00, which I haven't seen but am honestly interested in mainly for the soundtrack, but just before that he did Guardian of the Sacred Spirit and The Sky Crawlers film. Both of which had pretty nice soundtracks. As Eden of the East ramps up, I hope the music follows suit.

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

Gundam 00 is pretty sweet, for the record, I've got a Season 1 review in the wings for later.

The "Let me see your Johnny" line I didn't think was too weird, but I don't know the slang in the DC area so I can't say for sure how it goes, but it seemed about right.

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

Apologies on lateness and shortness, was busy this week.

Basquash
First Impression
Fansub - Himmel

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v439/Behold_the_Void/Quote-Basquash.jpg

Just in case you weren't listening, Big Foot Basketball is, in fact, the tits.

Basquash is an odd series, to say the least. The setting is a planet called Earthdash, where the biggest sport around is Big Foot Basketball, basketball played with giant mecha. The main character, Dan JD, goes by the alias “Dunkmaster” and goes around on a skateboard smashing TVs with a basketball to carry on his war against Big Foot Basketball, which he hates, since it isn't like real basketball and Big Foots ruined his little sister's legs so she couldn't play basketball anymore.

I swear I'm not making this up.

Anyway, first the good. Basquash has an interesting art direction that works really well with the setting. It has a certain aesthetic that really suits the basketball-centric plot. It's bright and colorful, and the sci-fi setting doesn't feature too prominently in the design outside of the Big Foots walking around, which jives well with the theme. The characters are colorful, and a number of them are black, which is something you don't tend to see in anime too often, which also helps bring the theme to the forefront. The art is sharp and stylish, and it all works really well together.

The Big Foots, however, aren't particularly impressive. They're somewhat spindly with cockpits that resemble cars. They're somewhat clunky and loud, which is a viable route for a mech but doesn't do much for the “cool” factor the series seems to be going for.

The plot itself is not particularly gripping initially. Dan reunites with a childhood friend who he doesn't remember because her breasts are too large, tries to bring down Big Foot Basketball, ends up in a Big Foot himself, ends up enjoying it, ends up playing Big Foot Basketball himself, ends up getting blocked from making a dunk, etc. etc. There's a subplot of getting to the moon city, which is made out to be the place of the upper class, and one can expect that Dan's road to the moon lies in Big Foot Basketball.

The set pieces here aren't particularly interesting or gripping, but the series does work in the fact that it doesn't take itself seriously in the least. Watching Basquash doesn't evoke any particularly strong emotions, but one thing it does evoke is just a general sense of oddity. It's a strange show with some potential to watch just for fun, but not something I can see one getting really into. Unlike other “for fun” shows like Sengoku Basara, it doesn't have the “THIS IS SO COOL!” factor that pushes past absurdity and comes back on the end of awesome. It's kind of interesting, but the viewer shouldn't be expecting too much. And art budget aside, I'm not so sure the studio does either.

Next up: K-On!