First of many reviews today, let's get started.
Haruyuki is the very definition of a bullied kid, short, chubby and pretty much a loner with his only release being computer games, that is until he meets Kuroyukihime who upon seeing his game skills, enlists his help to defeat the six kings in an Augmented Reality MMO called Brain Burst, a game where by acquiring a certain amount of points can gain advantages in the real world by entering a zone that is akin to time slowing down to the point where life becomes easy.
Taking up the mantle of Silver Crow, a taller winged avatar, Haruyuki sets out with Kuroyukihime to defeat the kings and discover the true nature of Brain Burst.
The writer of this also did Sword Art Online and immediately this feels like an apology for the story decay of Sword Art Online and all it took was changing up the dynamics of the plot.
I felt absorbed in the story as I really wanted to see where this was going and I was also rooting for Haruyuki and Kuroyukihime as a couple but it's let down by the anime ending after one of the weaker arcs of the story in which an ass hole named Noumi uses the system to cheat life and abuse a program to steal abilities from other players, it really drags down the anime to it's lowest form and makes a number of characters look worse for it which up to that point had been doing pretty well.
Dub is mixed between exceptional performances to average, Haruyuki himself being the standout.
It's a massive upgrade compared to Sword Art Online, I just wish it was treated with a bit more care.
Final Verdict: An engaging story with unique characters only let down by a weak story arc to finish the anime that ultimately leaves the series with no resolution.
Now we are going full Japanese for this next title.
Harimanada has recently been promoted to Yokozuna, the highest rank in Sumo Wrestling, but upon receiving such an honour has shown up to the ring wearing a demon mask declaring that he will beat the record of 69 consecutive wins and will retire if ever defeated; such a declaration and lack of respect for the ancient customs of Sumo Wrestling has invoked the wrath of the Sumo Association who want to see Harimanada defeated.
Harimanada is an odd character for a sports genre anime, he's no underdog, his attitude doesn't lend itself to being well liked and his constant winning streak really gets old especially when other Sumos offer more to themselves only to get smacked down.
The only way to really see this anime is as an art piece on fighting for action not the reason; Harimanada is already the highest rank possible so beating the winning record is really the only thing left for him to accomplish but he approaches it as if it were an after thought and going against tradition much to the Chagrin of the Sumo Association means fighting without distraction as well as forcing other wrestlers into the ring by making himself a villain.
What happens in the end is spoilers but you can't help but watch it to the end just to find out Harimanada's fate.
It's way too Japanese to have a dub but some countries did licence the Sega game.
Final Verdict: Very much a matter of taste in anime as to whether or not you'll like this, as for me I understand the art form but wish it was shorter than 23 Episodes.
This has taken a long time but I'm finally tackling Kino's Journey
A lone traveller on a motorcycle rides the roads across the lands on a journey with no end, staying in each place no longer than two nights to avoid the idea of settling down as well as dealing with each nation's bizarre customs, armed with enough weaponry to protect her own life having run away from a potential life of being locked down in an Orwellian society and potentially being killed for going against it. Her only friend being the motorcycle she rides who communicates with her as if it were a person. That is the life Kino has chosen to live.
Anyone who has ever had the idea of travelling needs to see this, the topics covered range from fanatical religions to the dangers of helping strangers, from cautionary tales about knowing too much about how people think to forcing a perfect society by brain washing juveniles into quite disturbing ideas of the perfect adult. It's rare to look at a series that covers all sides of humanity with some subjects becoming more relevant 16 years after release.
Kino is quite an endearing character who you whole heartedly cheer on in every scenario well rounded by her relationship with Hermes her talking motorcycle.
If I have problems it's more to do with how it's licensing went in the west; you see when Kino's Journey was released in the west it was advertised as an action show and while Kino is very capable with firearms and knives it's a poor reflection on what the show is really about although that does get put right in another trailer, and while the dub is good, I think Hermes was miscast as it sounds like a Chain Smoking Teen Titan Raven; other than that it more than deserves the term beautiful in it's subtitle. The anime did get a 2017 reboot but I prefer the original 2003 release.
Final Verdict: Other than being mishandled by it's western release, Kino's Journey is a beautiful tale about the realities and quirky nature of travelling the world.
I really hope this is the last bad anime I cover, this is really starting to drag.
The kingdom of Sforzando has long had in place a barrier to keep demons away from the country but after 15 years the barriers weaken leaving it's Queen no choice but to call for the lost princess to save the Kingdom.
Flute is confused by her new status as a sudden Princess but reluctantly travels to Sforzando under the protection of Hamel, a sorcerer who can defeat monsters with music along with other would be Music Mages, but there's more to Hamel than meets the eye as he may soon find out.
There are two versions of the story, the manga is played more for comedy while the anime goes for dark fantasy drama with Hamel's personality most affected, in the anime he's an angsty edgelord, in the manga he's the jerk hero. I ended up watching the edgelord version, I think the only reason the anime became darker was to not be directly compared to Slayers, Violinist of Hameln does have more creativity to it's plot and plays a good selection of classic musical scores but it's characters don't lend themselves to more serious writing leaving the cast dull and underdeveloped, also it's lack of budget meant that it spends most of it's time with still frames and scenes so darkened you can't follow the action well. It's a pity because the series does have potential.
There's never been a dub although I can easily see the Slayers cast do this anime.
Final Verdict: There's a lot of good things to work with but it's decision to go darker and lack of budget has made the anime dull to watch.
I was just going to review the film but I may as well cover everything, this is Clamp's X.
The world is coming to an end and Kamui arrives into Tokyo as the one prophecy that will decide the fate of humanity and to which side he favours, the Dragons of Heaven or the Dragons of Earth, but he sides with the Dragons of Heaven as their outcome sides with Humanity and he likes his friends alive; not happy that Kamui has chosen their enemy, the Dragons of Earth create their own Kamui in Kamui's best friend Fuuma by baiting him with his sister Kotori. Fuuma's personality change sets the scene for the final battle as both factions go all out to decide how Armageddon plays out and all the angsty melodrama that goes with it.
I admit the animation is something to behold especially in the movie where the visuals are right up there with Akira but the story and characters are crap, made worst by the movie because no one is on screen long enough to make an impact because they die as quickly as Yamcha against a Saibaman.
The endings are pretty pointless as the story has been on hiatus for 16 years as of today with no plans to continue.
Then we come to Kamui, the best way to describe him is an early 2000s pretty boy with problems protagonist created by a yaoi fangirl who learned all her angsty writing from Twilight, he does nothing but burst into tears instead of I don't know actually using his powers to actually save someone and is only really there to be thrown into homo-erotic fanficton of himself being a play thing to every other male character from the series, now this is not me having a problem with Yaoi, in fact I criticised Fake for not having enough but if I had to watch the whole series with Kamui as a lead I'd lose my mind. I think Kira Yamato put it best in Gundam Seed, "what can you protect if feelings are the only weapons you have?" Clamp built a scenario with grand set pieces and enough creative freedom to go crazy and it completely wastes it on the wrong protagonist, this is why you are artists, not writers Clamp, you can make grand worlds with your beautiful art but all your stories are total and utter trash.
Dubs aren't really any better, the movie especially lacks decent acting as many under sell their performance.
I need pain killers after that.
Final Verdict: Setup like a grand master piece, performed by someone who thinks Twilight is literature.
