My collection of short anime reviews

The main male protagonist.

The penultimate review for the ongoing ‘Anime of the Year 2010’ audition will be made specifically for Durarara!! ahead of B gata H kei. I’m saving the latter for the finale of the audition because I have heard ‘good’ things about it. It is not to say that the former isn’t good; in fact it is and is able to go toe-to-toe with the current front-runner for the ‘Anime of the Year 2010’ award, Working!!

This beautiful long-haired brunette here, who is immortal and ride a bad-ass motorcycle that is every environmentalists' wet dream, is our silent main female protagonist. Did I say she is beautiful? You can gawk at her beauty with the picture above.

Story:-
A country bumpkin who has a thing for big breasts, enrolls in a private high-school in Ikebukuro, Tokyo after being invited there by his old friend. Never being out from his rural village before, his wish for a life out of the ordinary was swiftly fulfilled as he encounters the upright, law-abiding and outstanding Ikebukuro icons; such as a Ghost Rider-like female grim reaper who is looking for her missing head, a Sadako-like sword-toting freak who slashed people randomly, a debt collector who hurled vending machines at other people, an informant who likes to stomp on mobile phones and more. Thinking about it, this anime is no different than Arakawa Under The Bridge after all.

This anime spends the first 8 or 9 episodes or so planting the multiple story arcs that will converge themselves later, and also do character introductions and developments. Prominent in this phase is the Kara no Kyoukai-style time-shuffling story presentation technique, usually applies in character-specific episodes like the ones for the aforementioned grim reaper and the debt collector. In fact, I think this anime uses that technique better than Kara no Kyoukai did. After the initial phase, the multiple story arcs mentioned above has merged into a single multi-faceted larger storyline that flows very smoothly with flawless pacing, all the way to the ending.

The story itself is very good and has one trait that is rarely seen in other titles in the same shounen genre: unpredictability. This anime has its fair share of plot twists that steered the story in a different direction compared to what I have originally predicted in the course of watching this anime. For example, at first, I thought that the story would paint itself a darker tone in the middle of the series during the Sadako slasher arc but eventually it doesn’t, taking up a more conservative turn instead. In hindsight, while the anime doesn’t go far enough out from the mainstream in that arc, the alternative turning point the anime has taken is not that bad either.

This anime also have some references to other anime/manga/novel titles. A very glaring example is the wolf-girl cut-out board early in the series. It was so blatant that even I, who are used to external references done by other anime titles, paused the episode at that point wondering whether this anime is trying to pull my leg or something. The only weak aspect of this anime’s storyline would be the ending, which amounts to nearly nothing at the end despite the frenetic activities in the flurry of events that makes up the final 3 or 4 episodes. So many things happened, yet nothing is over. The ending set up a potential second season very nicely though, although if ANN is to be believed, there is none in the pipelines.

Character developments in this anime are done very well all-around. The ones that really shine includes the main antagonist and the main protagonist’s best friend. Talking about character developments, the main female protagonist has a very weird and negative character developments strategy. She is a cool character up until the scene where she performed that skyscraper-descending bike stunt (the Ghost Rider movie also has a similar stunt) before kicking plenty of asses, halfway in the series. Right after that, she forgot that she has a head to find and highly likely, she forgot that she is a grim reaper too. Being separated from her head sure does serious damage on her personality.

Proof that the Japanese in this anime who doesn't have black hairs dyed theirs. This probably applies too for characters in other anime titles.

Character Design:-
The character design in this anime is just your average shounen genre stuff. Black hairs are quite common though, and those who doesn’t have one has definitely dyed their hairs. See above.

Voice Acting:-
This anime has done very well in this aspect overall. Outstanding characters notable for their voice actors/actresses great jobs includes the two best characters in this anime, the grim reaper and the slasher. Definitely a positive for this anime.

The main antagonist and also one of the two best characters in this anime.

Music:-
The OST of this anime is excellent, definitely the best one amongst all 9 anime titles reviewed in the audition so far, by a million miles. B gata H kei will have a lot of work to do to match this anime in this department. Too bad though that the four OP/ED themes cannot keep up with the OST excellence, with only 1st ED theme worth listening.

Animation/Direction:-
Animation quality in this anime is good, even in fast-paced scenes. This anime did use that blurry animation technique mentioned negatively before in this blog, but only briefly and under the correct context (flashbacks), therefore I will let this one slide. Choreography in action scenes is decent overall. The director has done a very good job in this anime, as seen in my commentary about the presentation aspects in the story section above.

The main male protagonist's best friend, also one of the best characters in this anime.

Conclusion:-
9 out of 10, the same score as Working!! I would not proclaim this anime to be the new front-runner for the ‘Anime of the Year 2010’ title though, because the final anime in the audition, B gata H kei, may gazump both of them with a perfect score and run away with the title instead. The next entry will definitely see a new winner at the sidebar of this blog for 2010, joining (as of writing) Chocotto Sister (2006), Bokurano (2007), One Outs (2008) and Zan Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (2009).

Just one of the creepy monsters that inhabits modern Tokyo, therefore YOU SHOULD NOT GO THERE!

Shortlink: http://wp.me/prgSo-fT

Still paranoid main protagonist.

The end of the ‘Anime of the Year 2010’ audition is nigh with the eighth review out today, for the 2nd season of Ookiku Furikabutte titled Ookiku Furikabutte Summer Tournament. If not for the customary sport-genre handicap I dished out for all sport genre anime titles I reviewed for quite some time now, this anime would have given the current front-runner of the audition a run for its money. The first season of this anime was favorably reviewed by me here last year. The second season did not actually matched its predecessor in general, but with a caveat, the whole series so far is still a very good watch and deserved a third season.

Quoted for truth!

Story:-
Fresh from their first victory in the prefectural tournament, the team trained for a bit (no training camp this season) then played the second game, which the team won. Then, then is more training before the third round match, of which the team also won. Lastly, there are more training done and then the far more important fourth match come, which will decide the winner for a quarterfinal place. Watch this anime to know the result of that game.

The second season started right off the bat from where the first season finished off, and you will be forgiven if you think you are watching the 27th episode of the first season instead of the first episode of a new season. There will be no recap or flashbacks from the first season to refresh the memory of the viewers. Watching the first season is definitely mandatory to understand what really happened in this newly minted second season.

As far as the story goes, nothing has changed from what you can see in the first season. It is still your typical clichéd sport-genre storyline where there are plenty of positives traits such as determination, never-say-die attitudes, hard work and things like that (and of course, the Koushien). Instead, what have changed in this sequel is the presentation. Taking a leaf from the playbook of the second season of Nodame Cantabile, the pacing in the second season has been vastly accelerated with very minor omission from the manga. This is very noticeable during the baseball team second game, which spanned only 3 episodes. This makes me unable to follow the action in that game sometimes, wherewithal of all of the fast-paced scenes and abnormal amount of dialogues. If the same pacing of the first season applies to that particular second game, it will definitely take two or three times longer to finish. The torrid pacing slowed somewhat in the fourth game, but the damage has been done.

Just like the storyline, character developments in this season continues where the first season left, and this aspect is actually where this anime has improved from the first season. With more games (3 of them, 2 with significance), the members of the team grows almost exponentially compared to their rates in the first season. Just like what I wrote in the first season’s review, this is what I hoped will happen in its subsequent sequel(s). The main protagonist grows rapidly during this season as expected, but so are some of his fellow club mates, like his nagging boyfriend.

The ending is even more awesome in the second season, and I hope a third one will come some time in the future. If the manga is any indication, it will not be anytime soon.

His relationship with his boyfriend can never get better.

Character Design:-
My comments for the same section in the first season’s review still applies.

Voice Acting:-
My comments for the same section in the first season’s review still applies.

Music:-
The OST is still hard to notice at all (hard to blame this anime for this though due to its nature), but the OP and ED themes are good.

Animation/Direction:-
For animation quality and choreography, my comment from the first season still applies. The director screwed up somewhat with the pacing, but apart from that his directing is up to par with what he has done in the first season.

Conclusion:-
7 out of 10. Just a little bit off the track compared to the last season. Durarara and B gata H kei, which one will be next? 

The team shouts this slogan every time the team something good.

Shortlink: http://wp.me/prgSo-fI

This is the main MALE protagonist. I repeat: This is the main MALE protagonist.

The ‘Anime of the Year 2010’ audition reached its seventh entry today with my review of Working!!, which style is disturbingly similar to Minami-ke, an awful anime I reviewed here before. Comparison will be inevitable, but the former doesn’t waste its time in proving that it is much better than the latter by a million miles. In fact, this anime is currently the best title I reviewed in the audition as of today.

And his manager has some serious and fully legitimate concern about our main MALE protagonist.

Story:-
One snowy day in Hokkaido, our main protagonist is walking down to his home from school when suddenly he was ambushed from behind by a well-endowed 12-years old girl. The girl asked our hero to work part-time at a family restaurant where she moonlights her services, but he refused, thinking that she is just a jail-bait. But the main protagonist changed his mind after learning that the girl is actually a shorty (and well-endowed) 17-years old high-school student (read: LEGAL IN ALL JURISDICTIONS). He then reports in for his first day at work alongside her new busty colleague, expecting good ’things’, but the fact that the restaurant is no different than that place under the bridge will hit him on the face, LITERALLY!

Just like Minami-ke, this anime doesn’t have a plot. But unlike Minami-ke and just like Urusei Yatsura, this anime was sustained instead by the character strength of the main protagonist. The main protagonist is not as powerful or interesting as the legendary Moroboshi ‘Darling’ Ataru is, but he is not far behind. He is grossly offensive in mannerism and can be very inconsiderate, but is also very snarky and proficient in all kind of humor. I want to call him a lolicon, but then again the main female protagonist is a 17-years old high school student and his senior, so I will leave it at that.

Two samples from the cesspool that makes up the employment of the establishment.

Unlike Hirasawa Yui in K-On!, the main protagonist doesn’t have to work alone at propping this anime up, because he was assisted by most of his new colleagues in the said family restaurant, and to a lesser extent, his sisters at his house . Those characters are unique and quirky in their own respect and are trapped in their own circumstances. The interactions and relationships between the main protagonist and all these characters are what made this anime shines brightly. One-sided crushes, toilet humor and crass jokes, blackmail, gratuitous amount of violence, you got them all.

Character developments is also where this anime has done very well as a whole, with our main protagonist being the best character of the bunch. The only apparent weakness this anime has is the ending, where its chain of events are predictable, lacks in substance and, well, just weak. It is structured for a second season though, but a quick look at ANN website doesn’t indicate that there will be a new one. How on earth Minami-ke has 3 seasons while this blatantly superior series only has one?

A long-distance relationship like the one above is only possible in this restaurant located somewhere in Hokkaido, Japan.

Character Design:-
As mentioned above, this anime is very similar with Minami-ke in style. And just like Minami-ke, the character designer for this anime totally failed at drawing beautiful female characters. Mitigating that weakness is the fact that the main protagonist of this anime is male. And apparently people in Hokkaido, Japan doesn’t have black hairs. Maybe it is because of the cold.

Voice Acting:-
This anime performs strongly in this department, just like Minami-ke did. Outstanding characters includes the main male protagonist and the busty 12-years loli 17-years old female high school student which I presume to be the main female protagonist. A positive aspect for this anime.

Music:-
The OST is good but not used too much in this anime. Meanwhile the two OP and ED themes in this anime are excellent. A positive aspect for this anime.

A delicious amount of violence is available in this anime, like the one that is about to happen above.

Animation/Direction:-
The animation quality in this anime is good, even in fast-paced scenes. While there are plenty of violence in  this anime, choreography is basically non-existent, in a good way. The directing is flawless and conservative, with none of the innovative presentation techniques seen in the previous anime title reviewed here. A positive aspect for this anime.

Conclusion:-
9 out of 10, three times more points than Minami-ke can ever dream of. With that score, this anime has surpassed Hakuouki as the front-runner for the first ‘Anime of the Year 2010’ title winner. Considering that the second season of Ookiku Furikabutte will be saddled by the sport-genre handicap, this anime’s only challengers for the title will be Durarara and B gata H kei. The next review will be for second installment of Ookiku Furikabutte, so that I can finish this audition with suspense until the end.

The main female protagonist, probably the sanest character in the establishment.

Shortlink: http://wp.me/prgSo-fD