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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
Casshern Sins Review
There are plenty of happy anime out there, ones that make you laugh, ones that make you excited, and then there are the ones that are really... sad. While I've seen many shows that are sad, there are only a few that make me want to cry only by thinking about them, and Casshern Sins has become one of these shows. So, what about it makes it so sad?
Plot Summary
Taken from MyAnimeList:
In the distant future, where cyborgs and humans struggle to survive after the war which destroyed the world, a being in white suit awakens. His name is Casshern and he remembers nothing of his own past.
In barren and dark dystopian world, where every being alive seems to hate his existence and the evil from his past wants him dead, Casshern, haunted by the flashes of his past memories has to survive and figure out who or what exactly he is and how he got to where he is now. But he does not know that he might not like the horrible truth of the past, hidden deep inside his mind...
Story
The story of Casshern Sins is certainly not a happy one. It addresses some really deep themes and looks at them from multiple different angles. It goes at a slow pace, making sure to not rush the viewer too much. Despite the slow pace, it manages to keep interest, have a few plot twists, and allows you to truly get attached to the characters
Characters
There are many characters, some only appear in one episode and some are there throughout the entire series. The episodic characters are interesting and the continuous ones are all dynamic. Casshern himself is a very interesting character, and he has a lot of development throughout the entire series as he learns about the heavy weight of his past and tries comes to terms with it in different ways. Overall, this show has some beautiful and top-tier development of characters.
Animation
The animation is also absolutely beautiful. It uses gorgeous contrasts between colours and flower symbolism to perfectly compliment the emotion of the story. The actions scenes are also done very well. The backgrounds of both barren wasteland and fields of flowers are all stunning.
Music
The music of this show is one of the first, and one of the greatest, things that pulled me into this show. The soundtrack is full of desolate, yet beautiful pieces, ones that I'd love to return to again and again. The opening is also great, a upbeat piece that contrasts with its lyrics and tone of the show. The only weak spot of the show's music are its endings, which don't quite carry the same gravity as the show itself does.
Enjoyment
I honestly really loved this show, to the point where I could probably show this show a favorite. It quickly pulled me in, held me there, and wouldn't let go for quite a while, even after I had finished it. The ending still makes me think deeply about it.
This show has a lot of themes and ideas that approach the idea of being alive, and the worth of being alive from many different angles. It really addresses the questions of what makes life worth living and whether it's better to live forever or to live a normal life span. These deep themes are shown very well and are one of the reasons why I love this show.
Another reason is for the previously mentioned symbolism. I've always loved symbolism, and they execute the flower symbolism very well in this show.
But I think the greatest thing about this show, the thing that all other aspects add to, is the overall atmosphere of the show. Because of the strong atmosphere, it manages to create a deep, thoughtful sense of melancholy that permeates everything in the show.
The only thing that could be considered a "negative" (even though it really isn't) is that it's sad and slow. Because of that, it's not one I'd really watch casually, or watch with friends. If I were to rewatch it in the future, I'd set aside time just for it to myself.
Final Verdict
Overall Quality: 9.5
Overall Entertainment: 9.2
Recommendation: Full Moon
I almost gave this show a Gibbous rating, but I cannot, in good conscience, do that. This show is too beautiful and too beautifully sorrowful to say that anyone should pass it up. If you are ever in the mood to pick up something sad, I could not recommend this show more.
End
