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Completed Series: Black Rock Shooter

catystorm: (Default)
Monday, January 21st, 2013 07:02 pm

 Title: Black Rock Shooter (ブラック★ロックシューター)
 Episodes: 8
 Year: 2012
 Studio: Ordet, SANZIGEN Animation Studio

So Black Rock Shooter is borne of Hatsune Miku, but the television series has little to do with Vocaloid except for the original concept. I would have originally passed the series by, but I saw it was aired as part of the Noitamina animation block on Fuji TV, and Noitamina usually produces some, at the very least, interesting concept anime. 

 The show is primarily about the relationship between young girls. And that's pretty fascinating - they pretty it up by adding the supernatural spin of the Other World (as well as lavishly animated CG fight scenes), but the whole thing, the whole package, is simply about the relationships between them and the ways that they function, or fail to function, when they get hurt.

It's a very pretty show. Short, too, which allowed me to get through it faster than most. I enjoyed it for what it was - it did not feel AS moe as a lot of the more recent entries into the genre so I didn't feel quite the level of skeeved moe occasionally leaves me at - if anything the animation and the overall feel made me nostalgic for Madoka.

The show worked well, for what it is - and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Not anything I MUST OWN RIGHT NOW, but enough that I'd mention it to friends who I thought might enjoy it.

 

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Completed Series: Arakawa Under the Bridge

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Sunday, January 6th, 2013 08:25 pm
Title: Arakawa Under the Bridge (荒川アンダー ザ ブリッジ)
Episodes: 13
Year: 2010
Studio: SHAFT

I was recommended Arakawa Under the Bridge shortly after it started in 2010, but I had never gotten around to actually watching it. However, the show was made out to be - I do not want to say more serious than it is, but less gag-oriented. 

It is a delightfully absurd series; the events being propelled into place by Ichinomiya Ko managing to lose his pants on the bridge spanning the Arakawa river. He is rescued from an ignominious situation of his own making by Nino, a blonde girl who claims to be from Venus. Ko refuses to be indebted to anyone, so when he asks what she wants for reparations, she asks that he become her lover.

What follows is a silly, harmless gag-filled series with a very loose plot line. Each episode is cut up into many smaller chunks with episode titles, but the story flows from one event to the next. Everyone on the riverbank is there for a reason, whether they give an explanation or not - from Maria, the self-proclaimed sadist who keeps the livestock to Sister, the blonde Englishman perpetually wearing a nun's habit and running the church and a whole gamut of unique characters in between, there is rarely a dull moment to be had over the course of the series. 

I found the series enjoyable, but ultimately unmemorable. It was a fluffy gag comedy; the jokes in a milder vein than, say, Gintama, but the tone similar. 
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Completed Series: Katanagatari

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Monday, October 29th, 2012 09:23 am

Title: Katanagatari (刀語)
Episodes: 12
Year: 2010
Studio: WHITE FOX

Katanagatari is a story that was told slowly, over the course of a year. Unlike other anime series and seasons, this twelve-episode series was told a month at a time, one episode released at a time. Each episode clocked in at a whopping 50 minutes, though, so it was hardly a short story by any sense of the word.

This narrative follows Yasuri Shichika, the seventh head of the Kyoutoryuu school of swordfighting. The difference in his sword style though, is that it does not use swords. He is recruited by the strategician Togame to help locate and recover the twelve deviant swords of the swordsmith Shikikaze Kiki.

Each episode is devoted to a sword, the different styles of which are always unique. There is a much larger story here of course; about Shichika growing used to the outside world after having lived in exile his entire life due to his father's actions, never minding the machinations of shadowy characters just out of sight.

I have to say that the ending did not shock me as I saw it coming; but it's easy to miss the clues that are laid out. I did enjoy it, and I did particularly like the ending, I felt it fit the series very well. It's a very pretty series, the character designs and outfits certainly stand out, although it looks bright and colorful and childlike in nature it does not pull any punches when characters are killed. And there is a lot of death.

It's a slow build, a brightly colored yet melancholy tale set during the feudal era of Japan's development. Of course it appealed to me. I definitely recommend it for someone who is looking for something a little different in their anime.

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Completed Series: Karas

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Sunday, October 14th, 2012 06:25 pm
Title: Karas (鴉 -KARAS-)
Episodes: 6
Year: 2005
Studio: Tatsunoko VCR

For a mishmash of CG and traditional animation, Karas holds up well for being seven years old. The high, high production value has a lot to do with it. The story to this OAV does not really start coming together until the third episode, but it's fantastical to look at. After coming off of "K," the fall 2012's shallow-so-far-but-very-stylish-and-pretty, it's interesting to see what the same school of thought did more than half a decade ago.

Grainy fansub does not particularly do this series justice; I would love to see a high-definition blu-ray transfer. I bet it would really shine. This is a story about people who have forgotten that they must co-exist with youkai and ... well, there's more to it, including the nature of the karas; but that would be spoiling. "Karas" though, is pronounced the same, and meant to be karasu - which is "crow" in Japanese; and the karas are often accompanied by feathers. 

In conclusion, this is a shiny series. Wouldn't mind sitting through it again, but not high on my priority list to purchase.
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Completed Series: Hakuouki Reimeiroku

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Saturday, October 13th, 2012 07:55 pm
Title: Hakuouki Reimeiroku (薄桜鬼 黎明録)
Episodes: 12
Year: 2012
Studio: Studio DEEN

First, I just have to say I had to look HARD to find an image that did not make Ryuunosuke look badass. A lot of the promo art does that. Ryuunosuke is in fact the complete opposite of badass - not that that is a BAD thing by any stretch of the imagination, but he is a complete and utter dork and it makes me laugh.

So. Hakuouki.

Firstly, this is a prequel to the other series; as for most of the series they are still the Roshigumi; and do not get their signature haori until late in the season. 

Secondly, I do not know how I survived this entire series with Ookawa Tohru and Shinichiro Miki being bros*.

The interesting thing about this series is the role that Ryuunosuke plays. Any seasoned fan of bakumatsu-era media knows that there was no "Ibuki Ryuunosuke" in the Shinsengumi, so that right out the door tells you he won't be around for long. A lot of the times it seems like he would be better cast as a female character, considering the lengths a lot of the characters go to almost woo him. I expect there's a decent amount of fanwork out there in that regard. 

It's also interesting that the sword techniques and sword fights are kept well within the realm of how people really move. No giant sweeping badass sword techniques - which is paired with the demons that people become due to the "Water of Life." You would think a show with a heavy basis in the preternatural would allow some leeway with sword technique, but I'm impressed it doesn't.

I do recommend this series if you're a fan of Shinsengumi, or samurai in general. It helps to have a working knowledge of the previous Hakuouki anime but it doesn't hurt to go in blind. Hijikata is a bit of a woobie for most of the series, but we see a lot of that oni later on.

(*2003 Roy Mustang and Brotherhood Roy Mustang. I can't. Even. Nope. I occasionally had to watch scenes on mute because ... well, everyone who knows me knows why. Plus Hijikata keeps dressing like Kenshin and that's distracting, dammit. You could have picked any color combination out there and you had to pick THAT one.)
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Completed Series: Campione!

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Saturday, October 13th, 2012 07:39 pm
Title: Campione! (カンピオーネ！)
Episodes: 13
Year: 2012
Studio:  AT-X

Campione! was the other (much milder) ecchi series I watched in the summer season, although it was a lot less so than Hagure Yuusha no Estetica. Campione! is fairly uninspired shounen; one guy gets this massive power and has a flock of women warriors attending him. The nifty little spin on this otherwise-average series is the variety of gods that they chose to use, and the inventive ways that they are all connected together.

I did like the character designs, even though they are very simplified so you can easily tell who is who. This entire series is moe-bait, I can only imagine the daikimura that likely exist of Erica and Liliana; but, eh. I would not necessarily file this under a 'waste of time' because I did enjoy parts of it, but it's not anything I would be in a hurry to watch ever again.

I do have to point out that while there is no visible nudity, there is apparently a full-on clothed sex scene. I am not entirely sure what he was doing to her there, but boy, did she like it. I haven't heard noises like that outside of hentai.


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Completed Series: Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne

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Wednesday, October 3rd, 2012 06:36 pm


Title: Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne (神風怪盗ジャンヌ)
Episodes: 44
Year: 1999
Studio: Toei Animation

Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne is a relic of a bygone era of anime, the straight-up magicial girl show. It has a very, very dated feel to it and its production; from the opening theme to the ending theme it screamed "90's anime" at you the entire way through. That's not a fault, because I did still enjoy the series, but an observation. If dated production values and epic shoujo eyes don't scare you away, there's a bit of an interesting anime to be had here.

Kusakabe Maron is the reincarnation of Jeanne d'Arc - Joan of Arc, as we call her over here. Jeanne is tasked with fighting and sealing demons that take people's souls. These demons tend to hide in beautiful things, such as paintings and vases and such, so she becomes a thief to rid the world of demons.

There's a lot more going on there, and it does get very interesting with the mythology about halfway through. I am told by a huge fan that it differs vastly from the manga, and that the manga is much better - but having no background knowledge I enjoyed the show as it was. Maron is a well-rounded magical girl, and while her transformations sequence in every episode is exactly the same every time, she is definitely fun to watch.

 I did want to drop-kick her boyfriend throughout the first half the of series, because he was a smug jackass. Chiaki grew on me eventually, but he's still a dick.

Definitely nice to see something a little different and it made me nostalgic for the 90's anime that got me into anime in the first place. I sense an Escaflowne re-watch in my future....



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Completed Series: Hagure Yuusha no Estetica

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Saturday, September 29th, 2012 10:38 pm

Title: Hagure Yuusha no Estetica (はぐれ勇者の鬼畜美学（エステティカ）)
Episodes: 12
Year: 2012
Studio: ARMS

Between this and Campione!, this was the season of the soft-corn pornography. A word of warning, this particular series is high on the objectionable content list - it's not straight-out hentai but damn, is it close. Nudity, jiggle physics, a special move involving removing the underwear of all the ladies present, the naked girl in a suitcase syndrome ... yes, very objectionable.

That being said, this was an interesting series because of the plot behind everything. The sad thing is that an interesting plot goes very much nowhere, and is dressed by all the aforementioned debauchery. The plot behind things is essentially, "what happens after the teenager is swept away to a fantasy land, saves the world, and goes home?" A fascinating start for a series that ultimately squanders it.

This series is a train wreck in the best and worst senses. In the best sense in that I really could not stop watching, because I wanted to know what sort of assfuckery they were going to pull out next ... in the worst sense because even despite the ecchi content, so much potential is squandered away. This is a twelve-episode series and one quarter of it is filler episodes - one even about lingerie shopping! What's made worse is the way the final episodes ... it does not even feel like a last episode, as the story stops right in the middle of things. Frustrating to be sure.

I feel like I ought to warn people away from this show if they're delicate of sensibilities, but on the other hand it did genuinely have me wanting to know what happened next. Just ... don't expect much by the way of mind-blowing. Unless you're in to the jiggle physics .. in which case, have fun!
 

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Completed Series: Accel World

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Saturday, September 29th, 2012 09:14 am


Title: Accel World (アクセル・ワールド)
Episodes: 24
Year: 2012
Studio: Sunrise

Accel World is the .hack of a new generation. I don't mean that necessarily in the media saturation, just in the setting - this too is set in an MMO. (It's kind of sad to think how dated .hack really is - in this day and age of MMOs, the main thing that separates us from the .hack world is the fully- interactive ability.) This MMO, however, is secret - you have to be invited in to play, and each person can only "parent" one other player.

The technology, and the way the avatars are selected, is what sets this game apart. A player has no choice of their avatar or name, it is selected for them based on themselves. The rules are very specific, as well - once you get completed defeated, the game is forcibly uninstalled, and all your memories go with it.

The internet is ubiquitous in this world, and children have an inplanted neurolinker that connects them to the internet at all times. Gone are the days of laptops and smartphones, everything you ever need is contained in the neurolinker - including this game, Brain Burst.

I really did like this show. It was too fast in some parts, too slow in others - but overall I enjoyed it. I generally like well put together shounen drama and fighting shows, and this had a touch of moe as per the current trend. I can take or leave moe, I don't really have a preference on it, but give me some good old fashioned shounen fighting show and I am happy as a clam. The animation is pretty sharp and the in-game designs are memorable. Their regular designs are a touch generic, but you can still tell who is who

I really enjoyed this show - nothing spectacular, it did not shoot straight to the top of my purchase-list ... but enough so that I'd recommend it.


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Completed Series: Kaleido Star

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Monday, September 24th, 2012 05:36 pm

Title: Kaleido Star (カレイドスター)
Episodes: 51
Year: 2003
Studio: Gonzo

Kaleido Star is a bright, colorful anime set at a pseudo-Cirque-de-Solelil type circus. The performers put on a wide variety of productions including gymnastics, tumbling, trapeze work, trampoline, diabolo and more besides. Sora, a young athlete from Japan, wants desperately to join the Kaleido Stage and make her mark on the production.

This anime feels older than it actually is - not that that is a detriment. It is a bright, colorful and ultimately happy series that treds the line between shounen and shoujo. The majority of the cast are female, of course - but this does not feel like your typical shoujo in there's no magical girl, no romance to be had, and none of the other familiar trappings of the genre. I've heard this described as a "magical girl anime without the magic" and - well, that's a pretty good description.

Sora is bright, cheery, hardworking and determined. My main complaint is that she embodies these tropes 100%, and - despite having character arcs, learning about the downsides of show business and how brutal behind-the-scenes can be - she is still the same character coming out on the other side, just with more experience under her belt.

Perhaps this show was more groundbreaking ten years ago - and I could see how it would be, as it doesn't fit cleanly into into specific genre, something that a lot of series started to do in the early '00s - but viewing it through a more jaded anime watcher's eyes it just feels like a lot of things that have been seen before. Sora cannot catch a break to save her life - but she puts in the hard work! And perseveres! And wins the day! Although, truth be told, there were times when things did not work out for her, where she faltered and backed down. However, the series felt long in the shounen sense, in that there was a lot that could be trimmed to make this a tighter show.

Ultimately enjoyable, but not on my rewatch list.

 

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Completed Series: Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita (Humanity Has Declined)

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Sunday, September 23rd, 2012 01:05 pm
Title: Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita - Humanity Has Declined (人類は衰退しました)
Episodes: 12
Year: 2012
Studio: AIC A.S.T.A.

I have to say - with an honestly straight face, having known and watched Excel Saga - that this is one of the weirdest shows I have ever watched. It does not look weird on the surface; it is pastel colored and delightful and full of fairies with faces stuck in a constant :D :D :D expression.

(Not even kidding)

The setting is post-apocalyptic; as the title states, humanity is in a state of decline. There's bits and pieces of old technology everywhere, but for the most part people live peaceful, simple existences. The main character - who remains nameless and is credited as わたし (literally, 'me') - is a fairy mediator. She makes sure that the fairies, in their mostly-non-malicious way, do not screw everything up for the rest of them.

The first odd thing is that the story is told backwards. Each arc precedes the last one - which you may not even notice until the second half the series. It's not an every-episode thing, it's each story arc happened before the last one; so the first arc of the series is actually the last chronologically.

Then you open up the crazy. Bread that pulls its head apart and bleeds jam. Plucked, headless chickens plotting to take over the world. Two satellites - actual, named satellites from the NASA space program - fighting each other. A yaoi doujinshi convention. Groundhog Day meets copy machine. And more besides.

This show is utterly bizarre and completely charming. I don't even know what to do with it - I do not know what I was expecting getting into it, but it was certainly not what it actually was. I enjoyed the series thoroughly, as confused as I was half the time. Definitely different.

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Completed Series: Hyouka

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Saturday, September 22nd, 2012 11:04 am

Title: Hyouka (氷菓)
Episodes: 22
Year: 2012
Studio: Kyoto Animation

Hyouka is interesting. I am not usually the sort to get embroiled in slice-of-life anime, but this one caught my attention. It focuses on mystery more than the daily life, I suppose, so maybe it's fallacious to file it under a simply slice-of-life series.

The protagonist, Hotarou Oreki, is lazy. He has an energy conservation policy that falls in line with "shuts up and does not get involved." He is apathetic and lethargic and really does not care in any way. That all changes when he is bullied into joining the Classics Club and he meets Chitanda Eru. She has an insatiable curiosity, and knows that Oreki can find the solution behind any mystery, no matter what it is.

I thoroughly enjoyed this series, it is a nice change from the loud, action-oriented anime I am usually entertained by. There are only four main characters, and while there are a few background faces you might see more than once, the series primarily focuses on them. It's fairly easy to sympathize with Oreki - sometimes you'd rather be staring off into space than being dragged into whatever mess Eru has dug up - but the mysteries are fascinating and just when you think everything has come together, it turns out there was something hidden in plain sight the entire time. (Although, sometimes you just honestly have to ask - why do they not just go ASK "x" person about this - and then Eru makes a face at Oreki and he is done for.)

This is definitely going on my purchase list - it's a refreshing change from a lot of series I have watched lately. I would definitely recommend it.
 

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Completed Series: La storia della Arcana Famiglia

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Friday, September 21st, 2012 10:35 pm
Title: La storia della Arcana Famiglia (アルカナ・ファミリア)
Episodes: 12
Year: 2012
Studio: J.C. Staff

At first, I anticipated this to go much the same route as Hiiro no Kakera - a rather mediocre and uninteresting port from harem game to anime series. While it is nothing special - and given an especially shaky first episode - this entertained me 100% more than Hiiro no Kakera.

Essentially, everyone in this mafia family - mafia being such a vague, loose term used here - contracts with a tarot card. It gives them preternatural powers, and they beat things up and generally act all shounen with it. There's alchemy in the mix here too - several of the characters are named as alchemists; and one even has a proper homunculus, grown in a flask and everything.

This series is very trope-ridden and stereotypical. That being said, it hits the right notes with the characters. I truly enjoyed each of them, and each of the main characters got a little moment to shine at some point or the other along the line. The main thrust of the story is that everyone is training for the Arcana Duello; a huge inter-family fight to see who gets the rights to take over as head of the family. Oh, and the current head threw in something to sweeten the pot - the person who wins gets to take his daughter's hand in marriage. Felicita, said daughter, is a little shocked by this, and quite a bit pissed off. She ends up competing for her own hand, completely legitimately.

Ultimately, while there's a lot bit troubling about the show, the story, and some of the handling of early episodes. (Episode One; Exposition Central) I enjoyed it far more than I anticipated. I may purchase it if it makes it stateside, but it would be a "oh, look what I picked up for twenty bucks" kind of purchase, not one that I would seek out with the intention to buy.

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Completed Series: Hiiro no Kakera

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Friday, July 13th, 2012 05:50 pm
Title: Hiiro no Kakera (緋色の欠片)
Episodes: 12
Year: 2012
Studio: Studio DEEN

I picked up Hiiro no Kakera because the promo art reminded me of Juuni Kokki, and I was intrigued. I knew it was a reverse harem show going in, but I did not realize exactly how bad this show was going to be.

If you've been reading my mini-reviews, I tend to try to find the good in every series. Anime is a very subjective medium - things that I love, and make me happy might be someone else's tired and overdone tropes. That being said, I can't find much of anything redeeming about this series. It isn't even "so bad it's good" like Weiss Kreuz. It's just bad.

The story is nothing but a collection of tropes and pastiches. The characters are cardboard cut-outs with a smattering of personality. My favorite? When the female main character stops everyone as they're walking home and demands to know something about them, like, oh, their hobbies. The scene read as stupidly awkward and felt like someone reading character profiles aloud. There was absolutely nothing relevant about the scene at all.

It's clear to even the least seasoned viewer that this is a poorly ported game/visual novel. Everything that Hakuouki did right this series did wrong ... and from what I hear there is going to be a second season! (I will probably watch with all the fascination of a car wreck. Will it really be that bad? There's only one way to find out!)

Unless you have a particular fondness to this series, I would recommend giving this series wide berth. Don't waste your time.


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Completed Series: Fate/Zero S2

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Friday, July 13th, 2012 05:43 pm
Title: Fate/Zero S2 (Fate/Zero 2ndシーズン)
Episodes: 12
Year: 2012
Studio: ufotable

So the conclusion of Fate/Zero; which ultimately is just one series split into two seasons. I think I mentioned my distaste for splitting seasons like this - it's one thing if one season is one story arc and the second season is a different arc, but this is one series straight through split into two seasons. It's confusing for the viewer, and ultimately completely pointless. But that's all television politics, I imagine.

Anyway, the second season brings about the resolution to the Holy Grail War. What interests me the most is the way that this so thoroughly sets up Fate Stay/Night. It's been years since I watched the original series (I believe I watched it in 2008), and I barely remember it, so coming off of this origin story I am mildly interested in watching it again to see how everything ties together.

I did enjoy this series - it was pretty grim, knowing that there is a definite end and that there's not going to be a "happily ever after" for most of these characters, but the animation was top-notch. If you're a fan of the Fate series I do recommend this entry - and this is definitely one of those "video game/visual novel" adaptations done right.

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Completed Series: Persona 4

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Tuesday, June 26th, 2012 08:46 pm
Title: Persona 4 (ペルシナ４）
Episodes: 25
Year: 2011
Studio: AIC A.S.T.A.

Persona 4 is the anime adaption of a reasonably popular video game. There is little to no originality in the anime, it follows the story set down by the game to a T - which is not necessarily a bad thing, unless you've already played the game and are looking for something different.

The story follows Narukami Yu, who is transplanted from his city school to Inaba, in the country. There he gets involved in a series of murders and kidnappings, where the victim mysteriously appears on the Midnight Channel before the crime occurs. What he discovers about the Midnight Channel, and the serial murderer, changes everything.

Personally, I enjoyed the series. I've played enough of the game to get a feel for it, but I never got around to finishing it (for many reasons unrelated to the game itself). It is nice being able to hear the Japanese voices of the characters instead of the English dub cast; although I admit personally being a little too amused at Paku Romi's prodigy detective character Naoto and Kugimiya Rie's idol character Rise.

As an anime Persona 4 works well, even if you don't have any knowledge of the actual game. The social links, and merging Personas are not necessarily explained well but that's easily glossed over. What's most telling is once I got going in the episodes, I kept wanting to watch the next one, to find out what happened next.



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Completed Series: Guilty Crown

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Monday, May 21st, 2012 08:46 pm
Title: Guilty Crown (ギルティクラウン)
Episodes: 22
Year: 2011
Studio: Production I.G.

I picked up Guilty Crown completely by accident; at the behest of a friend who needed some episodes so I watched it myself, not expecting much from the summary I was given that included the phrase "boy pulls sword from girl." I figured a fanservice show, some mechas, and a shit-ton of panty shots and jiggling boobs. I am quite thankful it was none of that.

Let's get one thing out of the way first - the plot. It is not new or even very interesting on its own; it's pretty generic post-apocalyptic-virus fair. And I would not be surprised in the slightest if people wrote it off because of that, and I would not blame them one bit. The show is not hugely unique or does anything particularly new, it just works very well with what it has. And that is, the characters.

Ouma Shu in particular, is developed very interestingly. He starts out in the typical shounen fashion of "not wanting to get involved, given great power, et cetera" and goes from there - but his character arc takes some very interesting, and very dark turns. The first half and second half of the show seem almost like two different shows thematically, and while that could be a warning sign for some I loved the unexpected switch.

There are a lot of personal reasons why I adored the show, including a lot of the characters, but I don't think that colored my perception too much. Considering what I was expecting when I got involved, this show constantly surprised me - even with the things I was expecting. This has definitely moved into the "purchase" bin for me!

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Completed Series: Ben-To

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Sunday, May 13th, 2012 08:46 pm
Title: Ben-To (ベン・トー)
Episodes: 12
Year: 2011
Studio: David Production

Ben-To is a strange little fighting series about the "wolves" who hunt the recently marked down fresh bentos in convenience marts. (A "bento" for those unaware, is a pre-packaged meal.) There really is not much more to the series than that; it's an entertaining little jumble of gratuitous fighting and ... bentos. There is no deeper storyline, there is nothing particularly stand-out about this title. It was an entertaining, if ultimately forgettable jaunt. The characters were really nothing to write home about, all various stereotypes that may be found in harem or fighting anime - from the "Ice Queen" (her nom de guerre, it says all you need to know about the character), to the RPS-writing fangirl, to the utterly generic lead character, whose name I've already forgotten.

If these sort of shows are to your particular taste; or if you have a hankering for marked-down unagi, you might enjoy this show. Otherwise, I would give it a pass.

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Completed: The IDOM@STER

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Sunday, April 29th, 2012 08:46 pm
Title: The IDOLM@STER (アイドルマスター)
Episodes: 25
Year: 2011
Studio: A-1 Pictures

The IDOLM@STER is an anime based on an extremely popular series of console games. Essentially, they boil down to producing an "idol", which in Japan is essentially a celebrity, a star who sings and performs and does everything under the sun. The anime follows all the possible idols in studio 765 PRO throughout their path of becoming popular idols.

Frankly, you don't even have to know that there's a game to watch an enjoy this series. I picked it up because [personal profile] cuddlefish is a huge fan of the games and this way I know what she's talking about. I did not expect to enjoy the show as much as I did! It hit a lot of satisfying notes in that regard. You were really cheering for the girls of 765 PRO throughout their respective journeys.

I do feel like it was quite a bit busy with so many characters, but everyone got their chance to shine. A lot of the characters could be boiled down to one or two-note characters - there's the tomboy, the animal lover, the space princess, the twins, the spunky one, the airhead, et cetera - but I don't feel that the show suffered for it. You get to see performances; both the finished product and all the work that they put in to it to get it to that point. It's an idealized peek behind the curtain, kind of like Bakuman, in that respect.

I thoroughly enjoyed the show, though, and I do recommend it. It's perky and upbeat and even when bad things happen (and they do) they fight their way through. 

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Completed: Gintama'

catystorm: ([FMA] Busy at (computer) work!)
Sunday, April 22nd, 2012 08:46 pm
Title: Gintama' (銀魂')
Episodes: 51
Year: 2011
Studio: Sunrise

I don't think it's too far off the mark to call Gintama the "Family Guy" of Japan. It's off the wall, full of dick jokes and random nudity and really weird meta-call-outs. It also has a tendency to carry its jokes way too far. At the same time, there are ongoing story-arcs, often times with clear resolution that then loops right back around and intentionally reverts to status quo (with commentary by the cast pointing out how ridiculous everything is). It's silly and random and bizarre.

Something interesting about the jokes I've noticed is that on the surface they're funny, but the more you know about anime, about its tropes, or Japanese culture in general the funnier they get. You can enjoy it if you do not know all that much about the aforementioned things but the more you know, the more entertaining it is.

I honestly cannot say if I recommend Gintama or not. It's one of those series you have to experience for yourself to determine if you'll find it hilarious or offensive - or maybe, like Family Guy - just a fair bit of both.

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