"Katanagatari" Anime Review

Katanagatari is an anime that I have had to watch a couple times in order to fully pull my thoughts together. The first time I watched it I was very interested in the relationship between Shichika and Togame but the ending left a very bad taste in my mouth. After recently finishing it for the third time however, I have a revitalized liking to the show because after carefully deducting the plot, I am at peace with the ending.

Story: 8.8/10

A basic run down of the plot is that Togame (a self-proclaimed strategist) travels to hire Shichika in order to help her collect the twelve deviant blades that were left behind in the previous war. Unlike typical anime that have a runtime of around twenty minutes per episode, Katanagatari runs about fifty minutes per episode. When it first started airing, it only provided one episode per month so this pacing really made it a unique experience that both worked well and hindered the plot and sequence of events. Just a fair warning if you do not like excessive dialogue and the typical “I’m going to name all my attacks and tell you exactly what is on my mind at all times” speeches then steer far away from this anime. The very clever and witty dialogue between all the characters never gets boring or excessive in my opinion but to someone who is used to watching very cut up and short scenes, they might begin to lose focus. Everything about this anime feels like it’s continuously flowing on and never stopping or backtracking. Also the way each episode feels like a self-contained story focusing on one sword per episode is an example of how the runtime helped the anime feel more enjoyable. With all that screen time however there are some issues that affected me personally. While most of the dialogue is enjoyable and relevant to the story, in the earlier episodes there is quite a lot of rambling that honestly I think was put in to fill up some time. Also the real eureka moment where everything falls into place and you receive all the pieces of the puzzle doesn’t start formulating until around the ninth or so episode so while the earlier on episodes are entertaining on their own, I felt a little left out of the picture. These two negatives are the only reason I gave this anime less than a ten on the story section; it is a very well written story that’s ending will pull on your heart strings and also feel very rewarding for sitting through.

Animation: 8.7/10

A first glance at the animation will make you think it looks “cheap” and “plain” and you are completely right in a sense. The animation style is very simplistic but yet at the same time very unique and beautiful. The backgrounds, character models, and fight scenes are all very quality work. It is also apparent that as the show progresses, the animation quality does in tandem. It still retains its style and presence but we see better reflections, more color depth, and much more fluid fight scenes. Each character we run into looks very refined and unique. The anime tradition of including obscure camera angles of certain lady parts comes into play in the later episodes but it is by no means ecchi. Overall it starts out a very unique looking anime and by the last episode, it blossomed into a truly beautiful work of art. It’s just too hard to score it higher when compared to other great looking anime (Fate/Zero, Nisemonogatari, Redline, ext).

Sound: 9/10

I have to say that from a total music geek’s perspective, Katanagatari COMPLETELY caught me off guard. While most people will watch this anime and not really notice the score backing the show, it was very apparent to me from the beginning that the music not only set the moods perfectly but also as standalone musical tracks sounded great. The anime offers a very diverse offering of music ranging from pop and synth heavy parts to some of the best orchestral arrangements I have heard in a show. The music in the last episode really impressed me to a point that during my previous watch I grabbed my guitar and starting playing while watching the show. Not only is the music well done but also the voice acting of the Japanese staff. Since this anime relies on long drawn out conversations as a means to introduce different plot devices, it is very key to have voice actors that can bring out their character’s personalities and quirks. Each character in this anime was voiced very well and was distinctive from everyone else. I felt like this show really nailed all the acoustical elements needed for any form of film.

Characters: 8.2/10

For a show that introduces a lot of characters, I felt as if most of them were given ample amounts of time to have decent character development presented. There were essentially three “factions” in this anime; Togame and Shichika, the Maniwa Corps (a faction of ninja that broke away from the government), and Princess Hitei and her servant Emonzaemon (there is also another character that acts on his/her own accord but I don't want to ruin the surprise). All three of these groups play major roles of who controls what swords and information. While some of their intentions are not shown until very late into the show, you could honestly side with any of them. There really wasn’t a “bad guy” presented until the very late stages of the show. Each group had rational reasoning for their actions so you felt more inclined to their cause. Another thing that I really like about the characters in this anime was how the Maniwa Corps was represented by different animals. Each member was symbolized by a different animal and their techniques mostly resembled their animal counterpart. Overall each main character performed very well and had a lasting impression on me. There were however some characters (mostly the Maniwa Corps members that had almost no screen time and a couple of the sword owners) that really did nothing for me. They just had no awe inspiring personality and in some cases were left out almost completely. One BIG example was the swordsmen Hakuhei Sabi who took the sword made out of glass. His character was described in such a way that made him sound like the most badass sword fighting character in recent anime history and when the episode came that they would fight him, I was completely stoked...except that they didn’t show it AT ALL. So that I don’t want to spoil what really happened during that episode but as for the fight between Shichika and Hakuhei, they just skip over it entirely and in the final minutes of that particular episode they briefly go over the fight and just say how close and amazing it was. But they never show it; it really pissed me off.

Overall: 8.7/10

This show has gotten to a point where when new anime watchers ask what they should dive into first, I usually recommend this one first. It is just such a unique watching experience that I have never felt before. While I wish the plot was more prominent in the beginning and that some of the characters were explored a little more, this anime did more than offer an interesting adventure; it crafted a unique tale that had the best sense of growth that I have seen in recent anime. The ending ties up a very interesting plot that honestly caught me off guard. This anime has all the action, fighting, and beautiful set pieces you would expect from a high quality studio that made other great anime such as Steins;Gate. White Fox did an amazing job and I hope one day you will take the time to watch these brilliant twelve one hour episodes.

"Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei" Anime Review

 

Formulating this review was actually quite difficult because while I both admired and enjoyed the visuals and characters of this anime, I felt as if I had to force myself to sit through it.

Story: 7.5/10
The plot and how each episode flows within each other is actually done very cleverly. Essentially we follow Watashi as he struggles in college to find pure enjoyment and love. His so called friend Ozu is always causing trouble and leading Watashi down the wrong path but they always end up sticking up for each other. The love interest of the show Akashi isn’t utilized as much as she could have been but overall she plays a pretty important role in the story. So essentially in the beginning episodes we get a deji vu feeling because we see the same timeline played over and over again with the clubs Watashi joining changing every time and playing out differently but arriving at the same outcome. It isn’t until the final episodes that everything comes together and you get that, “OHH so that’s why that happened” satisfaction. Still even after eleven episodes I wonder why I sat through this show. I will admit that the plot was interesting and original but it still provided little enjoyment.

Animation: 8.2/10
This show sports a very abstract scheme that works very well with the universe. We see a lot of different animation styles used in many different ways to set the mood. My general opinion is that Madhouse really is one of the great forerunners of animation. This show was very visually appealing to watch.

Sound: 6.2/10
There wasn’t really a lot to comment on about the sound of this anime. While the music wasn’t distracting, it wasn’t anything to really comment on. The only praise should go to the voice actors. Atashi, Ozu, and Watashi had spot on performances and their voice actors really brought out their personalities well.

Characters: 8.9/10
The only other thing that I found this show delivered on other than the animation was the characters. To me a really well done character is someone you remember weeks or years after you watch a show. While I just recently finished this anime, the cast really left a lasting impression on me. The way the characters interacted with each other was very amusing and overall was what kept me coming back. A well done cast can help keep viewers stay hooked even if the plot is lacking or unenjoyable (Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu, Angel Beats!, K-On!, ext.).

Overall: 7.7/10
While I did not enjoy this show, the abstract animation style and close nick pack of characters really helped turn this deji vu, soul searching anime into something that I could sit through. Now I really bashed the plot and I do not want this to turn you away from watching the show. The plot IS original and thought provoking; I just either wasn’t in the correct mindset or mood to watch a show of this nature. First glances made me believe it was a lighthearted comedy but it turned out to be something drastically different. Regardless I only review with the facts and what I can explain so taking my personal feelings about the show out of the question, it’s worth your time.

"Initial D Fifth Stage" (Anime) Episode 1 Thoughts

Ahh after a very lengthy wait, Initial D is back hoping to keep its main protagonist Takumi moving on up in the drift racing world. I spent a lot of my very early anime watching days on all of the Initial D seasons because while it wasn't the best looking anime, it was by far one of the most enticing ones. Never have I been so glued to the screen so excited for the next race to start. With the limitations they had with animation during the late 90's they made this anime one of the best action/car racing shows in existence.

I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people have not heard of Initial D since it is a late 90's anime that didn't have overwhelming visuals and sound. The premise of Initial D follows Takumi Fujiwara as he strides to become the best drift racer in Japan. Along his way he runs into Keisuke and Ryousuke Takahashi who over the course of the various seasons from a racing team that takes on all challengers. If you truly want to enjoy this anime I strongly encourage you start from the beginning and work your way up to this current season because other than a very short and vague into, you will not be brought up to speed on what happened in the previous seasons. This show starts guns blazing right after the Battle Stages as a direct continuation of the main story.

What really set me back during this first episode was the animation style the show is continuing to sport. While it isn't horrible, the character models remain very similar to the previous works of the anime. They have been of course overhauled and look much better than say the first and second stages (seasons) but the overall look of the show stays intact. Usually when we see a show make its way back to tv after a lengthy break, the animation will look much different and more refined. What Initial D has shown is that you can have a show retain older characteristics while still making it appealing to the audience. Keep in mind though that this anime will not be the best animated work that you will see. Unlike today's anime that tries to make each male and female lead as attractive as possible to the opposite sex, the characters in this anime have a much more real look to them. No fancy smancy character models; just typical looking Japanese people. Not a whole lot of driving was showcased in this first episode but where it was present was pretty decent. It is by far a HUGE step forward compared to the previous seasons as the cars flow much nicer between frames.

This first episode seems like the typical, "Ok this is what the season's goals are and let’s introduce some new characters". Overall all that it ends up getting reveled in this episode is that Takumi is still on the racing team and he still only wants to further his skills. The team in general still has a mission statement of proving that they are the best downhill and uphill racing team in Japan. It is unclear if they (the animation studio) will introduce a new plot device as the whole “We are going to so and so region to kick some teams butts. Then we are going to so and so to do the same thing again.” is getting a little boring.

 I am very much looking forward to this season as I hope it continues to showcase some amazing car battles along the roads of Japan's most dangerous mountain passes.

"Star Wars the Old Republic" (Video Game) Review/ Opinions

 So breaking away from my usual posts for a second, lets talk Star Wars the Old Republic. I have been a faithful subscriber since day one and while I’m not a veteran MMO player (I played SWG for a couple of months, Terra for around three months, Guild Wars 2 for three months, and just started stopped WoW this past month) I can say there are some positives going for TOR and some negatives. One thing that seems to be a unison opinion of the internet is that the one thing TOR really delivered on was the leveling experience. Every quest has complete voiced over cut scenes that help make the grinding up to max lvl a little more bearable. Your specific class quest is also usually entertaining. I have lvled a Smuggler, Sage, Commando, Guardian, and Sniper up to the lvl cap and overall I had fun with their individual class quests (except with the Sage). The low lvl pvp is also a very fun part of lvling. I won’t talk about max lvl pvp because it’s completely broken at the moment making it very hard for fresh 50’s to even stand a chance in pvp but since your stats are raised to a reasonable amount in low lvl pvp, it’s very enjoyable and even. That is unfortunately where the positives run out as the rest of the game seems much like an afterthought.

See it is obvious that Bioware wanted to show off their storytelling in this MMO because they pretty much marketed the game as “The best story driven MMO”. I will give them that point because compared to Terra and WoW, TOR is light years ahead in the entertainment department from lvl 1-49. Now I don’t know about you but the reason I wanted to play an MMO was for the endgame raids that require careful planning and coordination. While there is somewhat a lot of endgame content, the problems that arise are:

1. The lack of challenge in 90% of the instances and ops
2. The horrible idea to have completely modable gear that you can reverse engineer and then craft and sell
3. The lack of mini games to keep people from racing around the fleet for hours on end

So my first point is by far the most frustrating one of the bunch. Disregarding the new ops, Terror from Beyond, every other ops and flashpoint in the game is a complete joke to take part in. It is painfully obvious that Bioware is catering too much to the unskilled, role-playing players because over the past months they have made every instance easier when they were laughably easy to begin with. The HM Flashpoints are so easy now that you can two man each one even w/o companions and still be able to get through them (most of them). Since they make the game easier for those who don’t research proper rotations and gearing, it leaves no room for these players to improve thus creating servers where 80% of the players still haven’t cleared EC HM (the ops that comes before TfB). For f$#^s sake the guild I am in has already cleared TfB 16 man HM and it has only been out for less than a month. 

Ugh so the next point brings up the endgame gear. All the endgame gear (almost all of it (at least the ones that really matter)) are completely modable which means you can take out the armorings, mods, and enhancements and if you have the proper crew skill, you can reverse engineer these parts and sell them. This pretty much breaks endgame because if you are wealthy enough or have a very good guild, you can get completely geared up w/o running any of the ops. Since we already cleared TfB and also one shotted The Terror from Beyond final boss, it seems like a waste to go in anymore. We have already learned most of the max lvl mods and armorings so we just have to wait until most of the guild receives their share. 

The last point is something that I thought Bioware would of included in a MMO where you might be sitting around for long periods of time; minigames. The Knights of the Old Republic had many different side and mini games that made the overall experience of those games much more enjoyable. The two events I enjoyed the most were swoop bike racing and Pazaak. Why oh why did they not include these two things in their OLD REPUBLIC MMO…? It seems like a sure fan favorite if people can watch other players racing while having the option to possible bet on the winners. The same goes for Pazaak; while waiting for a queue you could play against someone in your party. It just seems like a no brainer to include something that you can do instead of sitting on the fleet all day waiting for a queue pop. 

Overall I am still subscribed because for what the game gets right I still enjoy it. Healing is very fun in this game while Smuggler, Sniper, and Sage dps is also very enjoyable. Bioware unfortunately is just very inexperienced in maintaining an MMO and unless they fix the problems with the game, I might end up leaving it for say WoW or GW2.

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Here is a video of our first downing of The Terror from Beyond on 16 Man HM:

Anime Currently Watching (November 2012)

Wow it's already November; this past semester has blown by so quickly. Here is a list of the anime that I am currently watching:

Initial D Fifth Stage 2 out of ?
Little Busters! 7 out of ?
To Love-Ru: Darkness 6 out of ?
Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun 7 out of ?
Sword Art Online 20 out of ?
Onii-chan Dakedo Ai Sae Areba Kankeinai yo ne 7 out of ?
Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo 6 out of ?
Princess Lover 12 out of 12 Finished!!
Kamisama Hajimemashita 6 out of ? Stalled
K 1 out of ? Stalled
Haiyore! Nyaruko-san 1 out of ? Stalled

I really wanted to start watching K and Haiyore! Nyaruko san but for various reasons I have decided to put them off for now. Sword Art Online and Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun are my favorites by far while Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo and Onii-chan Dakedo Ai Sae Areba Kankeinai yo ne may be turning into the underdogs for this anime season. Have some different posts lined up so check back every now and then for some updates.