Prince of Tennis - ReTrO ReVieW

If you were wondering what I've been doing for the last month or so, here's your answer. I rewatched all 178 episodes of POT. For the record, this review is limited to the anime series. It does not include the National Championship OVAs as they are still not completed.

What is it?

Sports-themed anime following the trials and tribulations of a Japanese middle-school tennis club's quest towards qualifing for the National Championship.

What's good about it?

The diversity of characters is the strength of PuriTeni. The opponents are a mixed bag, which adds to the strategic battles that unfold.

What's bad about it?

The filler episodes are hell. There's a lot of recycled animation. The matches are too long. The moves are not realistic. In real life, having a strong backhand is more important that being able to perform the gimmicky moves that are on display.

Final Verdict

It's hard to say exactly what the appeal of Prince of Tennis is. There are a lot of obvious flaws and the good points are hard to put into words. Still, it remains an addictive experience. It must have something going for it to have me watch all 178 of its episodes...Twice!

7.8/10

FYI-If you're curious about the OVAs, I have watched the first part of it (13 episodes) and it is clearly superior to the regular episodes. All the matches last one episode and the action is more fast-paced.

Ef ~ A Tale of Memories - Completed Review

I'm finally getting back into my backlog of overdue anime. My first move was to watch the final episodes of Ef-A Tale of Memories.

What is it?

It's kind of hard to pinpoint a genre. If I had to name it, I would call it a fantasy-drama romance with some philosophical tendencies. The story chronicles two separate stories. One about a young manga writer/high-school student who is caught in a love triangle with a childhood friend with a onii-chan complex and a qwirky delinquant with some deep-seeded issues. The second story revolves around a high-school student who falls for a girl that can't remember anything that happened 12 hours ago, and thus, kind of makes their coming together somewhat of a challenge. It kind of reminded of the premise of the mediocre romantic comedy 50 First Dates starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore, except it wasn't funny. Oh wait...they are the same!

What's good about it?

My intro is a little misleading in that the story is not as formulaic as I make it seem. The characters are relatively deep and the plot is pretty engaging. The ending(last third of the series or so), so often a weak-point in anime, is the strength of this title. Despite it being a tad predictable, it was mostly satisfying, which is what's most important. Besides that, animation is great, the shooting is creative and the character designs are pleasant.

What's bad about it?

This anime isn't very original. It's a style very reminiscent of other series, like AIR. The philosophical parts, though short, were boring.

Final Verdict

If you can dismiss the fact that Ef isn't reinventing the wheel, it's viewing experience is generally quite enjoyable. It being somewhat forgettable doesn't mean you should skip over it. It remains a well-produced product that keeps you engaged until the end.

8.9/10

Anime Roundup - New Year's Edition

Hello fellow anime-lovers, I'll take this opportunity to wish you all a happy new year. You may remember I said last year that 2007 would be a forgettable year, and I think it generally was. I further predict that 2008 will be more of a hit-and-miss year and stand by my earlier prediction that 2009 will be the money year. You heard it here first!

Enough with the joking. I honestly don't have much to report, even though I haven't reported in a while. I've pretty much taken a whole month off watching any anime, a few retro series aside. (I'll review those in the next few weeks BTW). I intend to get back in the game soon. The winter anime season has begun. I intend to pick up some series, though I have no idea which at the moment since I haven't researched them at all. The only one I can guarantee is the new season (the fourth?) of Major, the baseball themed franchise. I'll let you know about them as I pick them up.

In fansubbing news, it seems that Dattebayo, the biggest group out there, has restarted subbing their signature series, Bleach and Naruto. The cause of the stop was a protest against their releases being uploaded to sites like YouTube. It'll be interesting to see how big of a problem those streaming sites become for the future of anime fansubbing. In unrelated news, the very enjoyable One Piece filler arc has concluded and the newest arc has begun.

That's it for now, stay tuned! Bye-bee!

Doujin Works - Completed review

What is it?

Inspired by her friend, a young woman decides she wants to make it big in the self-published doujinshi world. Besides the fact that she can't draw and that she knows nothing about otaku-culture, what can stop her?

What's good about it?

I found myself surprised at how much I enjoyed this! All the characters are likable, if not deep. The jokes come at you fast and often. The setting is the now-common, yet still enjoyable doujin publishing world. The comedic material is the now-common, yet still enjoyable otaku culture. There are 12 episodes, but since they're only 14 minutes long (including OP/ED), it feels like an OVA series and doesn't ask for much of a commitment.

What's bad about it?

The production values are below-average and the product looks unpolished at times. The story and characters are not plausible, though that doesn't necessarily hurt a comedy. The jokes are recycled to a certain extent.

Final Verdict

It took me a few episodes but I really got into this series. It doesn't take itself too seriously and it stays inside its confort zone. A large part of the comedy is sexual innuendos and misunderstandings, but that was funny and the series wasn't long enough for it to get old. In times like these where fansubbed light fare is hard to come by, it's so refreshing to get a great sample.

8.8/10

Lovely Complex - Completed Review

I know this review was a long time coming, but better late then never.

What is it?

Two friends go through an extremely long series of events until they finally hook up.

What's good about it?

It's got its moments where its got a nice combo of comedy and tennage angst. It's a school romantic comedy anime, which almost guarantees I'll watch it (I know, I'm weak!). Most of the supporting characters range between good and adequate. I like the girl chasing the guy angle for a change.

What's bad about it?

Many times the main characters felt unlikable and brought their misery upon themselves. The guy tends to have this whining high voice when he gets angry which is quite annoying. Sometimes the jokes felt misplaced or recycled. The plot movement was a disaster. As do many of shows do, it creates challenges to the relationship that you don't really feel are credibly going to be dangerous. It took forever for them to finally start going out, during which you feel the show is just delaying the inevitable.

Final Verdict

As I often find in shoujo anime, the first episodes were the most enjoyable and the series progressively got worst, so much so that I put off the last three episodes for months (as those of you who were waiting on this review can attest). Still, it had its moments and I'm vulnerable to the genre.

7.3/10

Genshiken - ReTrO ReViEw

I've recently tried watching the second season and I found I had no idea what was going on. My solution was to rewatch the first season + the 3 OVAs. While it's difficult to call a 3 year old series a retro series, since I had to rewatch it to remember the characters, and since this is my blog, I've decided it qualifies.

What is it?

The story of a University club, nicknamed Genshiken, who are devotees to all things related to otaku culture: anime, manga, doujinshi, H-games, fighting games, cosplay, figurines and Gundam models.

What's good about it?

A lot. The characters are all likeable(except the ones you're not suppose to like) and well developed(litterally for one). The series presents most sides of the otaku way, in a balanced and light manner, presenting the arguments and counter-arguments for many stances. While there are many comedic elements and despite the subject matter, the show is surprising mature and dramatic, a big boost to it's credibility.

What's bad about it?

In a show like this, the use of stereotypes is inevitable but still prevalent (though much of it is valid). One of the main draws is also it's weakest point: it's tediousness. To elaborate, obscure references and minute observations abound and while they are astute and well researched, they make following some of their conversations impossible to the casual observer, and sometimes burdensome to some who can be considered experts.

Final Verdict

An instant classic, Genshiken has become something of an anime icon. Memorable quotes and situations abound. All otakus can feel a certain attachement for Madarame, not for his flamboyant and shameless devotion to anime, but for his honest nature, his awkward social graces and his hopeless crush. Genshiken is favorite of any otaku and a must-see for any anime lover.

9.4/10

Code-E - Completed Review

What is it?

Chinami is a student who emits electromagnetic waves which disrupts electronics around her. A classmate finds out this secret and begs her to let him study her condition. This somehow becomes a love triangle.

What's good about it?

I like the main character Ebihara Chinami. I think it's the glasses. The show is pleasant and all the main characters are good-natured.

What's bad about it?

The other characters are tired stereotypes. Kannagi is a clueless, incredibly bland character. The plot moved erratically. Most of the comedy comes from a couple of bumbling foreigners who are also terrible stereotypes.

Final Verdict

While I found the show easy to watch, there is nothing new here and there is no real reason to watch it. A forgettable, average series with no defining elements.

6.8/10

Gundam Wing - ReTrO ReViEw

What is it?

Five young pilots of special mobile suits nicknamed Gundams are sent to earth to overthrow the military alliance oppressing their native space colonies and trigger a multitude of world-changing events.

What's good about it?

You get the standard Gundam setting, steeped heavily in political and military organisations. The show starts off with a decent amount of intrigue since the motives and identities of the young boys are mysterious unknown.

What's bad about it?

Where to begin? It seems the motive of almost every character is inconsistent, unbelievable and never really explained. In fact, many plot turns are never realistically explained. Things "just happen" or a character will do something totally out of character just to serve the plot. Worse than that, that lame goal isn't even achieved since the plot also seems to runoff in unreasonable directions. The character development is also hindered in that there is almost no explaining the past of the characters, which might go a long way in explaining their motives.

Final Verdict

For some reason (probably nostalgia), I remembered this as being better than it is. I was shocked at how bad it was upon rewatching again after 10 years or so. This makes Gundam Seed look like a masterpiece (for the record I feel Gundam Seed, like almost all Gundam series, is mediocre. Unless you're a hardcore Gundam or mecha fan, don't bother watching this. I can't believe I made it through the 49 episodes.... again.

5.5/10

Fall Season Pickups

I've finally settled on a list of shows from the new fall seasons that I intend to start watching. Which ones of these I cover on this blog will depend on my mood after watching them.

--Clannad TV
--gundam 00
--Shakugan no Shana II
--myself; yourself
--Kaiji
--bamboo blade
--Genshiken 2
--Minami-ke
--Shion no Ou
--Kodomo no jikan
--Da Capo 2
--ef
--Kimikiss Pure Rouge
--Shigurui
--Sketchbook: full color's

Realistically, I'll probably drop a few of those after a few episodes if they are boring or rub me the wrong way. If I drop more than I expect to, I may consider giving these a shot:

--Goshuushou-sama Ninomiya-kun
--Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro

I may be absent for a stretch while I taste all of these series and I finish off a few I'm watching right now. Here are some upcoming reviews (probably):

-Code-e
-Lovely Complex
- Retro-review: Gundam Wing
-Ikkitousen

I guess that's all for now, fellow anime-watchers. Bye-bee!

Sumomo mo momo mo - Completed Review

What is it?

Tale of a student who wants to be a lawyer who is the son of a martial artist who wants him to marry a fellow martial artist who is very motivated to bear his children. Meanwhile, other martial artists are after his head.

What's good about it?

hmmmmmmmmmm. I really should find something nice to say about this. Ok. I like the Voice actress' portrayal of Momoko. Her way of speaking is charming!

What's bad about it?

Everything else.

Final Verdict

It's so much easier to write a short review for such a bad series. To remember: Don't watch this!

4.0/10

Anime Roundup - Halloween Edition

Hello Everyone! Happy Halloween!

Don't let Halloween edition fool you, that greeting is it. Well I'm pretty proud of my review output this month, though I've still got some to get done (and I'd still like to make them briefer).

The fall anime season is well on it's way, though I haven't watched any of the new shows yet. I like to wait till a series is at least 6 episodes into the season and I'm still settling on which ones I'll be covering and those that I'm watching.

I'll update those shows that never end: One Piece, Bleach and Naruto.

Naruto is as lame as ever (though I still watch it).

One Piece has just started a filler arc, and I have to say, the first episode showed some promise.

Bleach is finally done with filler and the action has picked up. Ichigo, Chad and Megame(if you don't recognize that name, google it idiot! So I have my own nicknames for anime characters I watch. Sue me!) have broken into Hueco Mundo to recover Orihime and potentially have to fight a shitload of Espadas. Awesome!

Hayate no Gotoku! is still going strong. The show kind of seems like it has no direction but it's still plenty entertaining so no real complaints here. I'm kind of annoyed at all the censoring they do when they refer to other anime and manga characters and names.

You know what! I'm going to do another review right this minute but I'll strive to make it as short as possible. Bye-Bee!

Major (Season 3) - Completed Review

What is it?

Shigeno Goro is now a senior high school student and he makes a fresh start a Seishu High. One problem: not only does Seishu not have a baseball club, it only has 10 or so guys attending it (since it was recently converted from an all-girl school). Shigeno takes this ragtag group of newbies and hidden talents, and this new team tries to make it all the way to Koshien, battling old rivals along the way.

What's good about it?

Oh the passion of youth! This is sports anime incarnate. You either hate it or love it. I'm in the love it category. Most characters from previous seasons make appearances, albeit much shorter ones. Full of willpowed drama.

What's bad about it?

This is probably the weakest of the 3 seasons so far. Shigeno (and the series) kind of starts over from scratch after leaving Kaido. He starts a NEW team with a full cast of NEW characters, but since the show has been about Shigeno's progress, this seems counter-intuitive and didn't sit well with me. The new characters are not great either. The season ended on a climatic note so I'm hoping there's another season left in the series. Major should've focused a little more on non-baseball matters. Namely, school and social interactions (get a girlfriend!).

Final Verdict

I'm a sports anime junkie so I'll never turn down a season of Major, but I know I won't be watching Major 3 a second time. In retrospect, season 3 will be remembered as the filler season in between Shigeno playing with Kaido and going to America to play (if there's a fourth season). Probably an above average sports series(mostly since most are not very good), though well below it's previous efforts.

7.6/10

Code Geass (season 1) - Completed

What is it?

Story of a brilliant young student who is given the power to control people by a mysterious girl. He creates a double life and uses this power to create a revolution against the conquering power and have revenge for his sad past, all the while playing the part of the honest student. As the world changes around him, he struggles to keep control of various events, while fighting to remain true to his ideals.

What's good about it?

Great storytelling! The plot moves at breakneck speed and doesn't stop till the last episode. Though this has some Gundam elements (mostly the mechas and political feel), this feels a lot more like Death Note to me, almost oddly so.

What's bad about it?

It feels like all these characters are recycled from other series. Lelouch, the star of the series, shares many characteristics with Yagami Light from Death Note. Lelouch is different in that, unlike Light, he feels moments of self-doubt and is inherently good.

Final Verdict

One of the top shows of last year, Code Geass will get you keep you hooked till the last episode and leave waiting in torture for season 2. Unlike many such series, characters die, the plot unfolds and once events happen, you feel there is no going back. Since the final episode ends on the mother of all cliffhangers, I find myself struggling to rate a non-concluded series but I'm a reviewer so I'll just have to suck it up.

9.2/10

Lucky Star - Completed Review

What is it?

Bunch of cute Japanese schoolgirls do a bunch of cute japanese schoolgirl things. A formula for success!

What's good about it?

Lucky star doesn't take this Moe-moment filled schoolgirl anime halfway. It shamelessly includes every character stereotype in the genre. The naive and innocent glasses-wearing beauty(pink-haired featured below), the indulgent and lazy girl(yellow-ribbon), her tsundere sister, the naive sickly little girl, her tall, silent, cool, insecure friend, the foreign exhange student who knows waaaay to much about otaku culture, the irresponsible teacher, the mangaka with a dirty mind. The star of the show is Konata(blue hair), a hardcore otaku, well-versed in manga, anime, collectible figurines and cards(among others), ero-games and MMORPGs. Charming!

What's bad about it?

As you may expect from stereotypic characters, many of the character interactions and jokes are kind of repetitive and predictable.

Final Verdict

Lucky Star is a must-see for any anime junkie. Your level of appreciation for many of the references and themes can be an important factor in how much you enjoy this series. Those that are clueless about otaku culture will repeatedly find themselves frustrated and are in danger of not "getting it". Luckily for you, if you're reading this blog, you know enough about these themes to guarantee a fun ride.

9.4/10

City Hunter - ReTrO ReViEw

What is it?

The story of a talented man-for-hire who works in the underground world with his inexperienced partner.

What's good about it?

For a series that began 20 years ago, City Hunter remains quite watchable. Many of the story arcs are well written and most of the characters have their charm. City Hunter is a great indicator of the time it aired, both in its anime style and cultural referencing. The mood of urban Japan in the 80's is very well-represented.

What's bad about it?

Running 150 episodes long with half a dozen movies, most of the episodes are filler episodes. Character interactions are incredibly predictable and repetitive. The good guys (and the bad guys) always seem to make the same mistakes (especially Kaori). The story arcs range from 1 to 3 episodes in length and while the non-filler ones (the vast minority of the arcs) are quite worthwhile, the filler arcs are hit and miss with some very tedious ones in there.

Final Verdict

City Hunter could never air today as it stands. The filler hurts but the animation reflects its age and the formula is tired and has been replicated to nausea. Most of the emulation reflects the popularity of the show and it's characters at its conception. Like most retro anime series that were popular in their time, you can only enjoy City Hunter if you can appreciate the impact it had on the way anime is made today without holding it's faults against it.

8.0/10

Kaze no Stigma - Completed Review

What is it?

Bunch of elemental-powered clans fight demons and each other.

What's good about it?

The powers they control are nice. Character designs and animation are above average.

What's bad about it?

No story arcs were as good as the first one. The final arc was the worst by far : lame dialogue, none of the vilains are defeated, unoriginal plot turns.

Final Verdict

Not a very good but still watchable series.

7.2/10

History's Greatest Disciple Kenichi - Review Revision

I've previously reviewed this series, even though I had only watched around half of the series. At the time I believed I had seen enough to review it and gave a harsh enough review. Having placed much of my ire at the number of filler episodes which dominated the first half of the series I was then pleasantly surprised to find them to be completely eliminated form the second. By no stretch is this a "great" series, it sufficiently improved in the latter half to justify me changing its rating.

Previous rating 7.0 ----------------------> Revised review 7.7

I'm taking a break now but expect some more, briefer, reviews in the next 3 days. Here's a list of them so I don't forget.

-Lucky Star
-Kaze no Stigma
-City Hunter
-Code Geass (season 1)
-Sumomo momo momomo momomo momo momomomomomo
-Lovely Complex (whenever KissSub gets off their asses and sub the last episode)

After those reviews I'll be concentrating mostly on examing the batch of new shows of the fall anime season.

Death Note - Completed Review

What is it?

The tale of a brilliant student, Yagami Light, who finds a Death God's notebook. By writing down a person's name in it, he can kill that person. He decides to enterprise his own brand of justice by killing of criminals in waves. It doesn't take long before the world notices this trend and before the hounds start circling in on his identity, in particular a prodigic world-renowned investigator going simply as "L".

What's good about it?

Plenty! The main characters, especially in the opening half of the series are extremely likable and impressive characters. Their analytical battle of wits really carry the plot and make for addictive watching with many episodes ending in cliffhangers. The animation style is very manga-adapted which is awesome.

What's bad about it?

Just a few points. L's succesor, Near, isn't nearly as engaging as L and the rivalry with Light suffers because of it. Also, the other character's besides the leads are not very perceptive as they seem to just watch and hardly know what's going on half the time. This is partially corrected towards the end as the amount of apparent coincidences becomes obvious, even to them. Though the ending is conclusive and, in most respects, appropriate, I felt there was a plot twist or two too little, definitely less than what we had gotten used to.

Final Verdict

Thoroughly enthralling series which remains high-paced from start to finish. A must-watch no matter what genre of anime you like watching. The criticisms I have are mostly generated by my adoration of the series (I would even bother trying to find faults in some lesser series) and personal tastes and should not be mistaken for fatal flaws. Though I, as I often do, wished to see the vilain win, I don't hold it against the series that he doesn't and neither should you!

9.6/10

Our Protaganist, Yagami Light

His brilliant counterpart, "L"

Anime Roundup - September '07

Well, it's been a while, has it not? Let's consider the last month and a half my vacation time and hopefully I can keep a more agreeable schedule from now on. Thankfully, I'm not that far behind since many fansubbing groups have also taken a late-summer vacation.

I'll keep it short since it's 1:28A.M. and I have work in the morning. This is more a blog update than an anime update. Many of the shows I'm following will be ending in the coming month or so, so I'll be keeping silent on them till their final review is done. I have many final reviews to do and that's my priority. With my backload and the coming boatload of reviews that will come shortly, I have waaaay to much on my plate. To accomodate this my next dozen reviews or so will be much shorter than the already short reviews I usually deliver. Put it down as laziness and me knowing the laziness I have. Here is a list of some of the reviews so that I don't forget:
-death note
-sumomo momo momomo (I know this isn't right but I don't feel like looking it up right now)
-code geass (season 1)
-.....wow that's all that comes to mind at the moment , I know there's plenty more I'm forgetting. I'll try to remember them.

If you're wondering if I took a break from watching anime since my last post, do not fret. I've been following all of my usual series (from the fansub groups that didn't take breaks) and a few of other series on the side. Mostly though, I've been watching old City Hunter episodes. For those of you who don't know of City Hunter, it was a very popular anime series from the late 80's to the early 90's. Anyways, I've rewatched the entire two first seasons (50 & 63 episodes respectively!) so that's kept me pretty busy. Maybe I'll start a ReTrO aNiMe section after I'm done watching the rest of the batch (two more much smaller seasons and half a dozen movies). No promises there though. Anyways it's getting pretty late so I'll call it a night. Rock on true believers! Bye-bee!

Nodame Cantabile - Completed Review

What is it?

Nodame Cantabile is the story of two musicians. Chiaki is a uber-talented musician who wants to become a world famous conductor and study under his idol. Only problem is, he is afraid of flying (and boats :P) so he is stuck trying to form his own orchestra in Japan. Nodame (Noda Megumi) is a uber-talented yet untrained and unmotivated pianist. She quickly develops a crush on her neighbor (Chiaki). As the story moves along, both characters try to break away from their traumatic past and get lost in the world of classical music.

What's good about it?

Lots. First of all, the characters are great, especially the title character, Nodame. She is a lazy, pathetic, childish, hilarious character. While Chiaki is forced to play the straight man all the time, he is far from annoying. He has his own twisted sense of humor which he mostly keeps to himself. The animation and theme will remind many of Honey and Clover. However, this series is more than just Honey and Clover with music instead of art. While Nadame Cantabile does get serious at times, it is much better at keeping things light and not become a pity party(my biggest complaint with Honey and Clover). As to be expected, the music is fantastically chosen.

What's bad about it?

Not a whole lot. Sometimes the character interactions get somewhat predictable and the character development can be slow-moving.

Final Verdict

Great characters and easygoing plot made this series a slam dunk. It doesn't take enough chances to qualify as a legendary series but if you are looking for a drama that isn't angst-ridden, you can't go wrong with Nodame Cantabile. Thoroughly enjoyable lighter fare.

9.3/10