| Greetings! | 今日は! | Hej! | привет! |
Reviews~
First impressions~
Anime-related thoughts~
Favorite anime:
1. Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler)
2. Mushishi
3. Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo
4. Yuri!!! on Ice
5. Space Brothers
- Created By KyraChan
Post Info, and Questions (Suggestions needed!)
First off, so y'all know, I plan on posting a review every Saturday, and a First Impression every Monday. During the week, I'll be posting other anime-related things. So you aren't confused as to why I won't review/first impression this or that anime, let me set some ground rules:
Reviews:
- If it's less than 30 episodes, I have to have seen the whole thing to review it.*
- If it's 30-80 episodes, I have to have seen at least half to review it.*
- If it's 80+ episodes, I have to have seen at least 20 episodes to review it.*
- I have to have seen at least 10 episodes in the past six months to review it.**
- No reviewing anime that haven't had a full season out yet, I don't want to have to do the whole one-episode-a-week thing.
* I plan to watch the whole anime before I review it, the only reason I would review an anime without having seen the whole thing is if it is so terrible I simply refuse to watch the rest (which won't happen often)
** Unless said anime is less than 10 episodes, in which case I would have to watch the whole thing.
First Impressions:
- I have to have seen only the first episode, and nothing else. (Reviews of said anime don't count)
- While saying what I knew about the anime before making a first impression, other people's opinions will not sway my own.
- I cannot have had spoilers of it.
And as for my questions...
Should I review movies I've seen during the week that were made in the west? Should I review anime movies? If so, should it count as a full anime review, or should it be during the week? Should I review anime scores/Japanese video games (i.e. Legend of Zelda games)? How much value shall I place on top 10 (or whatever number) lists? Should I break them up (i.e. 50-30) or should I make long lists (i.e. 50-1)? What other stuff would you want to see?
Notes of Inactivity and Blue Exorcist: The Movie
Just FYI, I won't be able to be online from Aug 6-8 and Aug 19-22. I'll also have limited access from Aug 11-19. If you make a comment and I don't respond for a while, please forgive me.
And, in other news, Blue Exorcist: The Movie is coming out. I have mixed feelings about it, both of them strong, since it's one of my favorite anime, and my favorite shounen anime. I've watched the trailer about five times, and from it, I think it'll be quite good, but there is still the chance it'll fall flat on its face.
One of the biggest worries about the movie is how they'll portray one of my favorite characters of all time, Yukio. In the trailer it sounds as if he could go either way. There is also a moment that they threw at you real quick in which Yukio seems to be severely hurt, which did pull at my heartstrings.
What are your thoughts on the movie/movie trailor?
Death Note Review
For my first review, might as well do the first... er, well, it was the manga that got me into the otaku scene, but it's the anime that I'll be reviewing. Eh, tomayto tomahto. Death Note has been revered as one of the greatest anime to have been made. It's popularity is the reason why I started buying the manga in the first place.
Plot Summary
One day, a brilliant high school student named Light Yagami discovers a notebook marked "Death Note" lying in the middle of the street. Inside the front cover, it claims that "The person whose name is written in this notebook shall die." Light then decides to use it to kill famous and ruthless criminals around the world, which is noticed by world's greatest detective, L. L then gathers a few of the Japanese police to aid him in finding Kyra, the name which the killer of these criminals is known.
Story
Death Note is known for the twists and turns it takes. Each turn the game of cat and mouse is changing, and you don't really know who's the cat, and who's the mouse. Every moment the watcher is on the edge of their seat, trying (and failing) to guess what'll happen next. Even then, they do inject a little comedic relief, enough to give a breather, but not enough to be obnoxious. The plot is intense, and I loved it.
After a certain event in episode 25, the plot is known to take a nosedive. For me, that nosedive wasn't there. Sure it was different, but I found it just as good as the first part, despite the differences. But the second part is all up to personal opinion.
As for the ending, at first I hated it, because of the difference between it and the manga. But, the more I thought about it, the more I grew to accept that the ending of the anime wasn't necessarily bad, just different. Still, there are still some aspects of the manga's ending that I wish had been incorperated into the anime.
9.2/10
Characters
With an intense plot comes...pretty okay characters. The anti-hero, Light, seemed a bit boring to me, with no defining characteristics other than his intelligence and cruel, unmoving sense of justice. Of course, in my case, his coldness did elicit strong emotion - hatred. In contrast, his enemy, L, seemed so lovable to me, it's uncanny. There are other characters that, while not having not a whole lot of development, were still engaging.
8.2/10
Animation
When bringing the beautiful imagination of Ohba and Obata, the animators had a lot to bring to the table. They did well, making moments dramatic when they needed to be, although it lacked those dramatic moments towards the end, which, I'll admit, disappointed me.
8.5/10
Music
I found the first opening and ending beautiful and fitting for the anime. The second opening and closing threw me off at first, and I didn't like it. However, they sort of grew on me. Now I kinda like the second opening, and while I still don't think the second closing's great, I don't hate it, either.
The background music is really good, and fits the anime, but while there are a few songs you'll listen to over and over again, the soundtrack isn't completely composed of that.
8.9/10
Overall
This anime is quite good. It deserves its spot as one of my favorites. It's one I'd recommend, especially if you're into mind-bending twists.
Gibbous
8.7/10
Other
"I'll take a potato chip...and I'll EAT IT!!" ~Light Yagami
**WARNING SPOILERS** Episode 25 (the episode in which L dies) almost couldn't have been any more perfect for me. Beginning with the song Misa no Uta, it definately set the scene of "God watching your every move" and after the rain, when L wipes off Light's feet, aiojvkf the biblical reference makes me almost want to cry. The only thing I didn't like about the episode is that they left out L's last words from the manga, "...but...I..." Either way, I did love this episode.
If you really liked the anime, go check out the side novels L Change the World and The Los Angeles BB Murder Case Files. No really. Go look them up right now.
.hack//sign First Impression
So, I saw the first .hack//sign episode last night. Did I like it? Yes. Do I think I'm going to be fangirling over it the rest of my life? No.
.hack//sign is about a Wavemaster named Tsukasa, a player of a virtual reality MMORPG called The World. He woke up in a cave to find out he doesn't know where he and how he got there. He soon finds out he can't log out of the game.
What did I know beforehand?
I knew the basics of the story, and I knew that it wasn't a favorite of the two Youtube reviews I follow (Arkada and Tanime). I checked out some comments on it on Crunchyroll, and there seemed to be mixed feelings about it. All in all, though, I went into it expecting to like it.
What are the pluses?
I thought the music was beautiful, and from the very first background song I heard I knew I was going to be looking for the soundtrack.
The animation at points was beautiful.
The characters seem pretty good. The main character seems to be a definite loner with a realistic, depressive personality, making it hard to make friends, unlike Kirito (from Sword Art Online) who the show claimed to be a loner, despite his uncanny ability to make nearly anyone like him. Or like-like him, depending on their gender.
What are the minuses?
Despite the beautiful quality of the music, it seemed to overpower the actual story at times.
There isn't much story in the episode.
I thought the design of the monster-thing was weird, almost ridiculous. I dunno. Maybe it's just me.
Story: 6
Characters: 7.5
Animation: 8.5
Music: 9
Overall: 7.75
P.S. I might just start crushing on the main character >//>
Welcome, friends~
I am Kyra, and I am planning to become an anime Youtube reviewer...once I find my camera. I have always loved anime, and I'm going to be glad to be able to share my opinion on the various anime that I have seen. I hope you enjoy your time here and on my Youtube channel (once I find that dang camera T.T.
Lots of Love~~
KyraChan~
