Let's keep this up, here's another review.
Honnoji Academy is a school with a strict hierarchy of order led by a fearsome student council ruled by the iron sword of Satsuki Kiryuin.
Aiming to disrupt the order is Ryuko Matoi, a vagrant who challenges the Student Council with a large scissor blade hoping to find her father's killer especially when she learns that Satsuki has the other half of the blade. But after being defeated by Honnoji's Goku uniforms, special outfits that grant super human abilities, Ryuko ends up finding her own sentient version called a Kamui later named Senketsu that gives her the power to take down the Council and Satsuki. But her grudge may bring her closer to some unwanted truths.
Completely unrestrained from common sense and very much aware of it, Kill la Kill is a bonkers over the top action series that consistently brings delight on every viewing. It's funny, it's ridiculous and it's awesome.
Pity the story screwed itself over, my one biggest pet peeve is Satsuki, while she is argubly one of the most entertaining characters of the show, I point blank hate the idea that everything leading up to the final battle against the real final villain Ragyo, was all Satsuki's plan all along. This would've worked in a more grounded action show but Kill la Kill relies on being utterly ridiculous at all times so Satsuki acting as if she expected certain scenarios to happen is not only bull shit but breaks the story beyond repair and that is a real problem.
Dub is fantastic, you can tell the cast had fun with it.
Final Verdict: While it's ridiculous premise doesn't work with the way the plot is presented, it's still a solid action show with a great cast and plenty to enjoy.
Hopefully the start of a few reviews taking place over the remaining days of December.
Souichiro and Bob have always gone from school to school beating up anyone and everyone along the way, however upon reaching Toudou Academy, they get a rude awakening when they inevitably end up in the Juken Club after a display of strength from Maya Natsume drags Souichiro into their grudge against the Executive Council as well as unwanted affection from Maya's sister Aya. Brought back to Earth by such a battle hardened school, Souichiro joins Maya's personal war with the Executive Council after hearing Maya's backstory and the origins of the Natsume Family's more violent tendencies.
At the beginning I enjoyed the fact that I could watch a more mature fighting series that scratched the itch that just enjoyed good battles but the more the series dived into the backstory of Shin Natsume, the more disappointed I got as the backstory took up way too much of the anime runtime leaving nothing for a resolution as it never really went beyond said flashback.
It's a pity as the series has good characters and the feeling that it isn't held back from reaching it's potential by censors really helps give it a unique aesthetic. But it's need to spoon feed exposition really detracts from the well animated fight scenes and ultimately leaves the whole thing stale.
I never enjoyed the dub especially with Maya being horribly miscast, it isn't terrible but all I can hear from memory is Wendee Lee's distinctive tone.
Final Verdict: It hits it's themes of fighting well but is undermined by the need to tell us the whole backstory that sadly eats up most of the running time before it even got a chance to resolve the story. To put it simply I don't have the patience to finish the Manga when the anime couldn't even be bothered.
While I'm on my way to do Christmas shopping lets go corporate superhero with Tiger and Bunny.
In Stern Bild City, crime runs rampant but protecting the city are a number of superheroes with extraordinary powers. These individuals are NEXT Noted Entities with Extraordinary Talent but unlike most superhero cities, these heroes are sponsored to capture criminals culminating in a major TV series.
Hard working Dad, Kotetsu has been in the business for a while and isn't really that popular anymore, so after his sponsor sells to a competitor he is reluctantly partnered with a young upstart named Barnaby who happens to share the same power. Billed as a duo, the new partnership must put their differences aside to keep evil at bay especially when a vigilante starts challenging the moral grey areas of the hero business.
Tiger and Bunny dares to be different and I congratulate them for it, a well rounded hero show that nails it's theme of "what if businesses controlled superheroes?" in an era where Marvel cinema is king.
It plays each character's motive and personality well, the story weaves itself well into a great reveal near the finale and Kotetsu is the most endearing lead character for years that isn't young, inexperienced and the chosen one, but a passionate father who still believes in the job he does.
The dub is fantastic, the art style lends itself to blu ray viewing only and is worth your time investing in.
Final Verdict: A great addition to the growing list of Superhero shows and a good alternative for those who don't think My Hero Academia is mature enough.
Are you ready guys? Put your guns on!
The Sengoku era of war is in full swing as feudal Lords fight for supremacy of Japan but the rise of Nobunaga Oda threatens to destabilise the war bringing together the former rivals of Shingen and Kenshin to try and stop Nobunaga's reign of terror. Caught in the crossfire, a younger leader on a horse with tailpipes rides through the lands with his men intent on making his own history, Date Masamune. His fondness for battle crosses paths with the fiery Sanada Yukimura creating an intense rivalry that will explode in the crazy Sengoku period but even if Oda falls others may be waiting to pounce.
Do you enjoy battles? Do you hate rules? Then just sit back with a beer and enjoy the fun as Sengoku Basara aims to please the most hardened veteran of action anime.
It's pure adrenaline fuelled action start to finish with no rules to play, just see how well each fight out does each other in spectacle. It's gloriously absurd and they know it.
Dub is pretty good and has some good hammy acting in it as well, especially Yukimura.
There's not much bad to comment really, even the quieter moments are compelling to a degree. Season 2 felt a bit weaker than the 1st but that's really it, this is a good anime.
Final Verdict: You will feel pumped up watching this; it knows how absurd it is but is proud of that fact and runs with it leaving nothing but smiles.
To prove I'm not neglecting my reviewing here is Plastic Little.
Elysse is a young girl on the run as she is chased by the forces led by Guizel (a very laughable attempt to be Darth Vader) who requires her to unlock a secret weapon linked to her scientist father who is gunned down in the opening scene.
Elysse happens to come across Tita who is the eponymous captain of the hunting vessel Cha Cha Maru who saves Elysse but in doing so becomes embroiled in a battle with Guizel's forces. After forming an intimate bond with Elysse to keep the ecchi crowd happy, Tita decides to take down Guizel and stop his plan of conquest.
Plastic Little was written by Satoshi Urushihara dubbed the "Master of Breasts" and no I'm not joking, Plastic Little is very unapologetic about how much skin it wants to display leaving western distributor ADVfilms to trademark the jiggle counter, but it's pursuit of wanting to show skin all the time does make the story laughably bad.
Quite often the characters have a habit of bull shitting out of danger or somehow surviving not helped by a very incompetent villain who seems hardest hit by the insanity especially when his attempt at Darth Vader feels more like the Juggernaut cosplaying Dark Helmet from Spaceballs.
But that's nothing compared to the final moments of the OVA which makes power of friendship look redundant in comparison, it's such a glorious end to such a terrible OVA that I can't help but laugh at it.
Dubbing is okay if a little cringy from being a very early dub, not made any easier by the gratuitous Russian Accents.
Final Verdict: It's a bad anime but not a boring one, this is definitely a drunken anime night type show that can't help but make you smile
