First Impressions: Spring 2013

Dansai Bunri no Crime Edge

Crime Edge is probably the weirdest series I’ve seen in a long time. I know weird is nothing new in anime, but this show’s weirdness comes from a different place: it’s tone. The central plot revolves around a boy who loves to cut hair and a girl whose hair can’t be cut, but a darker element thrown into the mix gives this silly concept an air of tragedy. There is much more to Crime Edge than one could expect from reading it’s basic description. I’m really interested to see how they utilize this weird tone as the story progresses.

Date A Live

Probably the frontrunner for my favorite series of this season, Date A Live takes a dark setting, cute characters, and an interesting premise and turns them into something quite compelling. At first I was somewhat wary of this show, but the first episode had me already excited to see how the story turns out. It is also worth mentioning that the direction in this episode really surprised and excited me. It’s been a while since the direction in an anime got to me this much. I have high hopes for this series.

Hataraku Maou-sama

It’s been a while since an anime has made me laugh out loud more than a few times in one episode, let alone it’s first. Maou-sama has done just this. Even though I almost didn’t make it through the lore-filled intro, I’m glad I stuck around. While the fish out of water premise is nothing new to this kind of series, the jokes themselves were definitely a nice break from your usual comedy anime fair. This series came out nowhere and quickly charmed its way into my heart.

Kakumei Valvrave

Another one straight out of left field, Valvrave is the first giant robot anime in a while (not counting Robotics;Notes) to get me emotionally invested form the get-go. While combining some of the tragedy of Evangelion and the nostalgia for the robot anime I loved as a kid, Sunrise manages to reinvent the genre yet again. I can’t remember the last time I cheered during a robot battle, and this one was in the first episode! The protagonist seems to be different from your usual wuss, and I can tell he’s going to get much darker as the series progresses. Check it out.

OreImo Season 2

It’s the second season of one of my favorite series! I’m glad that it’s here after what seems like an eternity of not thinking it was going to happen. You already know whether you want to watch it or not, so I’m not going to try and convince you here. I’m excited!

Shingeki no Titan

It’s been a while since there has been a macabre show that has really peaked my interest, but I think I may have found one in Titan. While the fantasy setting didn’t really catch my interest, the intense emotion and grand scale did. It’s also worth saying that, while the character designs are something one would expect from a series with bad animation quality, the animation is top notch and works together with the designs to produce a memorable visual style to accompany the interesting concept.

Suisei no Gargantia

This one really surprised me. I went in to it knowing only that it was written by Madoka’s Gen Urobuchi and that it had some kind of science fiction setting. A good chunk of the first episode was nothing more than your basic alien fight science fiction army bullshit, but the remainder really showed the humor and character that the series is capable of. After only one episode, it’s hard to say whether this will be a great series or fall by the wayside, but hopefully it will succeed in reviving my love for Urobuchi’s work.

Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Come wa Machigatteiru

This title surprised me from the get-go with it’s brutal honesty. Many series have explored the idea of high school students that have no friends, but none more realistically than this. Both of the main characters stand firm with their opposing ideas and this leads to an interesting and enjoyable dynamic between them. Perhaps it’s because I see myself in the male protagonist, but I was instantly involved with this series on an emotional level. There are some gaps in the art quality towards the beginning, but it didn’t affect my enjoyment at all. I look forward to the development of this shows wonderful character dynamic.

Yuyushiki

I’ve seen a lot of slice-of-life-cute-girls-doing-cute-things anime in my life, but I’m happy to say that Yuyushiki still managed to surprise me in the most pleasant of ways. Having three characters, with two taking the role of the funny man and one straight man, is a refreshing change in dynamic in a genre crowded by four or five character groups. All three characters are cute and likable, and their antics still managed to make me laugh and smile. Also worth noting is the fantastic animation by studio Kinema Citrus, who I’ve never heard of before, but they seem to know exactly what they're doing. I’m excited to see what they can do and I hope I continue to enjoy Yuyushiki (The not-so-subtle yuri content wasn’t half bad either.)

Review: Kuuchuu Buranko

Centered around the flamboyant Doctor Ichirou Irabu and his psychotic approach to psychological treatment, Kuuchuu Buranko is an abstract look at common mental disorders and their treatments. Appearing as a green bear mascot character, an androgynous young man, and a precocious little girl, the good doctor endeavors to help his patients by forcing them to face their fears. Every episode of Kuuchuu Buranko sees Dr. Irabu helping a different patient, utilizing his odd methods that always include a distressingly large “vitamin shot” (which gives them animal heads for some reason) and an extensive home visit from the doctor himself. What started out as a psychedelic romp finished as a deep look at the human psyche that surprised me in more ways than one.

While the stories in the beginning of the series tend to lean towards the sillier side, the episodes get deeper and more heartfelt as the series goes on. A lot of them even hit particularly close to home and had me really feeling for the patients. As it progresses, Kuuchuu Buranko becomes less about a whacky doctor treating his patients and more of a look at how the way a persons state of mind can severely affect their lives and the lives of those around them.

The animation in Kuuchuu Buranko is nothing spectacular, but it is interesting. Actually, everything about how the series looks intrigues me in some way. From the odd character designs to the psychedelic background design filled with polka dots, everything works together in order to keep the viewer interested at all times. The designs of Dr. Irabu’s different incarnations were especially eye-catching.

I went into Kuuchuu Buranko expecting a fairly strange, somewhat funny series with good aesthetics that I would enjoy. What a got was a very strange, but great anime series that was funny, emotionally stimulating, and totally memorable. Even though every episode followed the same formula, I never found myself getting bored. If what I’ve written above doesn’t tell you how much I enjoyed this series then here you go: Kuuchuu Buranko is a great series that shouldn’t be missed.

Overall Score: 4/5

Review: Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi

Abenobashi Mahō Shōtengai (Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi in english) is a fun  comedy anime about two childhood friends named Sasshi and Arumi who suddenly start to notice strange things happening in their town. Before long-or even the end of the first episode-they are magically whisked away to a fantastical alternate version of the shopping arcade they know so well. The series is, for the most part, an episodic one. It sees our two young protagonists visit a series of different Abenobashis in an effort to make it back to their own world. 

The first episode of Abenobashi does an exceptional job of setting up its concept, as well as showing the relationships between the characters and the setting. The characters are all very likable and the dynamic between the two main characters leads to some hilarious as well as heartwarming moments. Despite the fact that every character has a very comical nature about them, none of them felt cheap or one-dimensional. A lot of the most touching moments of the series came from the choices that characters made for the benefit of someone they loved. I found myself caring a lot more about the plight of the characters than I thought I would or that I ever have before in an anime like this. 

While the plot of Abenobashi is fairly stereotypical plot for a gag anime, and there’s no doubt that it is a gag anime, the story does take some turns in some very unconventional directions that really endear it to the viewer. When I started this series, I had no idea that it would get as emotional as it did. I did, however, feel that the worlds the protagonists visited got less interesting as the series progressed. Abenobashi can even feel annoying or tedious at times due to its episodic nature, but these periods never last for long and I was soon having fun with it again.

As expected of Gainax, both the character designs and the animation were fun and interesting throughout Abenobashi. The variety in the worlds and situations the characters found themselves in definitely displayed the versatility animation team, not to mention their knowledge of every genre’s tropes. This is a fine work on Gainax’s part and I could definitely feel their unique touch behind every sequence in the series. The animation definitely added to how much I enjoyed myself with Abenobashi.

Even though it is a comedy anime to it’s core, Abenobashi's story and characters give it more emotion and nuance than other anime in the genre. Watching this series really made me feel nostalgic for the anime I watched as a kid: series that managed to be legitimately funny as well as heartfelt. The minor flaws and occasional tedium did little to disrupt my enjoyment of this series. Abenobashi is something that should probably be experienced at least once.

Overall Score: 3.5

Review: Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei (Tatami Galaxy)

Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei (otherwise known as Tatami Galaxy) might be the most peculiar anime series that I have ever seen. Its protagonist and narrator is an unnamed college students whose search for a “Rose-Colored Campus Life” and obsession with raven-haired maidens lead him to many failures, only to go back in time to try all over again. This basic premise is interesting enough, but it failed to really enthrall me. While Tatami Galaxy is far from compelling, it doesn’t really try to be. What it does try to be is different, and it is in that aspect that it really succeeds.

I want to start by saying that the way Tatami Galaxy uses its animation style is something that  I have never seen before. The series has a perfect combination of manipulated real-life scenery and whacky cartoon animation which gives it a tremendously abstract feel. This approach to visual style was a bold move by Gonzo, and one that could easily have gone awry. Striking this perfect balance made the series what it is. If it had been unsuccessful, Tatami Galaxy would have been totally ruined for me. The character designs, which lend themselves well to the visual style, are  easily stretched and distorted to match the fluctuating animation. Every character can fit perfectly into the situations which they are put, and their reactions are never boring or repetitive.

My biggest problem with Tatami Galaxy isn’t necessarily even a problem. I don’t really dislike anything about the series, but the pacing and storytelling failed to really pull me in. I never felt a strong emotional attachment to any of the characters, and the first half of the series got really repetitive after a while. A lot of the things that felt annoying early on in the series did end up serving a purpose later on, but the pacing never really made me feel like the series was building up to anything. However, I didn’t get the feeling that the writers wanted me to be engrossed in the story. There were no half-assed attempts to be deep, nor were there any signs that they didn’t know they were being repetitive. What I did sense from the creators of Tatami Galaxy was a desire to do something that had never really been tried in the medium of anime before, and it is here where they really shined.

Unlike most series I don’t really like, Tatami Galaxy didn’t feel disengenuine. No attempt was made to trick the viewer into thinking it was deep, nor did they resort to cheap tricks to make it seem that way. While I may not have thoroughly enjoyed myself with the series, I did experience some things that I never have before and doubt I ever will again. Tatami Galaxy is a nice little art project of a series that proves there is still potential for new ideas in anime, even this far into the medium’s existence.

Best Episode: Episode 6

Overall Score: 3/5

Review: ef - a tale of memories

Ef - a tale of memories-hereby referred to as ef for the sake of my sanity-is a series about memory and being remembered. It’s a drama about finding your path in in life and getting over personal baggage in order to see that path clearly. Ef is a heartfelt story about many characters’ intertwining stories in one high school that sets itself up to be amazing, but at times it struggles to be truly memorable.

I want to start off the actual, pun free, review by talking about my absolute favorite part of ef-the animation. I guess it’s really no surprise, but SHAFT does a fantastic job with making this story really pop. The studio uses a lot of really amazing ideas to increase the tension and especially the beauty of this little series. I’m not sure exactly how much I would have enjoyed ef if SHAFT hadn’t animated it. Many of my favorite parts in the series were either because the animation really enhanced the emotional experience or were animation decisions themselves. It’s for this reason that I’m willing to watch pretty much any series that SHAFT turns out.

That being said, the character designs were pretty annoying, specifically their heads and hair. I mean, what the hell is that weird cowlick thing on Renji’s head anyway? The girls were cute enough, but there were times that I just couldn’t get over the way they were designed. It wasn’t enough to seriously impact my enjoyment of the series, it just would have been nice to see some good character designs to go along with the impeccable animation. The only good part of this aspect was Chihiro’s eyepatch, because who doesn’t love a shy anime gal with an eyepatch?

The story of ef is well done for the most part. All of the character relationships are set up well and they refrained from making the intertwining story lines confusing, which could have very easily been done. All three relationships are identified early on and the writers were very delicate with how the stories were interwoven. The result is an easy-to-follow series that never really gets boring. The relationships are mostly believable, with some minor cringe-worthy details. Ef definitely delivered on the romance, and the story of Renji and Chihiro was especially compelling. 

Unfortunately, the way the writers chose to develop the stories took a turn for the worst around the middle of the series. Some choices are made in the course of the relationships that seemed forced and unrealistic. Many character motivations are unclear or shallow. A lot of the drama seemed to be thrown in simply to have more “twists” that ended up simply being predictable. They continued with this tactic until almost the very end,  at which point it had become tiresome. Even my favorite relationship in the series suffers from this to a certain extent. This kind of series usually makes me cry at least once. I was brought close to tears only once with ef, and I’m convinced it was because of that odd twist gimmick.

All in all, ef was a good series that was predictable, yet still compelling. I really liked most of the characters, but some were just fake and corny. If it wasn’t for the story of Renji and Chihiro, I’m sure this series would have been a lot worse, but luckily the inclusion of their relationship saved it. If different decisions were made in the progress of the stories, ef really could have ended up being a stellar experience, but some unnecessary plot twists made it significantly less enjoyable. That being said, if you like romantic drama series and can fight through some disappointment, I would recommend giving ef a shot. Hell I’ll recommend it on the basis of its animation alone.

Best Episode Part: Chihiro!

Overall Score: 3/5

Review: Tari Tari

Tari Tari starts as any high school slice-of-life drama does: A group of high school students-some friends, some just classmates-preparing and leaving for school. It’s an approach that I’ve seen may times before, but this time things felt slightly different. What I thought at first would be a decent enough thirteen episode series ended up affecting me way more than I thought it would, providing a thoroughly enjoyable and emotional experience for those who are willing to give it a chance. Also, it’s one of the funniest series that I’ve seen in this genre.

The story begins with lovable spitfire Konatsu, who wants nothing more than to sing in her school’s choir group despite an embarrassing, albeit comedic, accident at last year’s Big Competition. She attempts to complain to the club’s advisor, but ends up doing what anyone with a short temper and no filter does in this situation: She quits. However, she wants so bad to sing  that she forms her own group. Eventually, through a few close calls and some ill-advised antics, Konatsu ends up with a club of five distinct characters.

While it would be easy to place Tari Tari’s central cast into anime character stereotypes, it’s the little things that these characters do to break out of these definitions that really endears them to the viewer. For example, Wien is the token foreign exchange student who, unlike most characters of this type, actually has a emotionally poignant story tying him back to the place he moved from. They all seem more natural and realistic than most anime characters. Their relationships develop quite naturally and there is no shallow romance thrown in just to have it there. Each character has his or her own conflict that is smartly woven into the overarching storyline. No one overshadows the others and they are consistently touching and detailed. Some character motivations seem shallow and out of sync with their story, but this is easy to overlook for the most part. For the most part, the characters grow simultaneously as friends and people as they each come to terms with their own problems.

What really sets these characters and Tari Tari apart is their sense of humor. Hands down, my favorite part of this series was the subtle comedy. The conversations of the characters all feel very natural. The voice actors each deserve some serious recommendation for pulling off the scenes where characters talk over each other, which is both refreshing and genius. The inclusion of this also leads to some hilarious conversations that need to be viewed twice to get the full humor. There are also some callbacks that provide an essence of nostalgia to the humor. I laughed out loud more than a few times, which is usually rare for anime comedy.

The art style is well suited to the subject matter and the character designs are very cute, if not a little generic. P.A. Works did a predictably beautiful job with the animation, as I have always experienced with series that they produce. Every character’s movements are fluid and their expressions accurately convey their emotions. The dances that the characters do while they sing are especially well done. There are no huge sweat drops or stress veins and it is all kept really tasteful. Tari Tari’s animation and art are very natural and an active pleasure to look at. 

The parts that were really sad brought me to the verge of tears, sometimes farther. The jokes made me laugh more than they probably should have. My emotions went up and down with the characters and I was relieved and happy with the conclusion as it stood. There are some minor knots that weren’t tied up, but as with the motivations, they were negligible at worst. Tari Tari was more natural and realistic than most slice-of-life series and, as a result, is much easier to relate to. It’s not the best series I’ve seen in this genre, but I’d be hard-pressed to find someone who didn’t feel something at one point in the series. Overall, Tari Tari is a consistently entertaining and enjoyable story of friendship and music that I think fans of the genre realy need to see.

Best Episode: Episode 10

Overall Score: 4/5

Review (Sort Of): Paranoia Agent

I started Paranoia Agent with the intent of watching the whole thing in one sitting and writing a review about it, but I’m not sure if this is going to really be a review. Not in the common sense of the word. I guess that’s befitting of a title as unconventional as this one. Bare with me, as this is going to be a bumpy ride.

Paranoia Agent starts off in an episodic case to find a street attacker referred to as “Shonen Bat,” roughly translating to “bat boy.” They call him this because of his preferred method of attack: a twisted golden baseball bat. The detectives question the victims and look for clues, just like any police investigation. However, as the show goes on, the victims become more connected and any semblance of an episodic series quickly melts away. Trying to keep up with the story certainly keeps you on your toes. At least it never becomes repetitive, as some mystery series tend to be.

About halfway through, Paranoia Agent completely abandons the mystery investigation format to provide completely episodic tellings of people just living their lives, with the sole connection being that Shonen Bat appears in all of them. I said episodic, but every episode has a format that is completely it’s own. if they didn’t share certain characteristics, each could be easily mistaken for an entirely different series. Everything from housewives swapping stories to the goings-on behind the production of an anime are given that special Paranoia Agent twist. Especially worth noting is the eighth episode, of which I believe the premise could function as a completely enjoyable OVA or it’s even it’s own anime. It's worth seeing this whole series for nothing more than to experience this tale in context.

The characters are all believable, if not somewhat idiosyncratic at times. Each character is a little exaggerated, but this is anime, so I’m not going to put it past them. No individual character stands out right away, but eventually minor characters become the most important in the entire series. Just like the story, the characters of Paranoia Agent cannot be done justice with a simple explanation.

Paranoia Agent’s art style is simple and basic, but it leaves the animation team room for some great surreal sections once the series starts losing it’s focus, which is very early on. The character’s expressions are great as well and the way their faces are animated conveys their emotions very well. The animation team deserves a pat on the back for this one, as their treatment of the more abstract areas of this show are superb. I suppose I’m not spoiling too much by saying that the animation of cute mascot character Maromi is especially adorable and great.

The lack of detail I’m putting into this review isn’t because I didn’t enjoy the show, because I did enjoy it. Very much so. My reasoning is half because I’m not sure I could do the series justice, and half because I think everyone should see this show for themselves. Paranoia Agent almost defies description. Ultimately, it is a show that provides a great social commentary on the attitudes and behavior of society in the modern age, specifically focusing on the juxtaposition between old and new schools of thought. Paranoia Agent explores the escapism that many of us, including myself, seek in fiction. whether this be through lying to get out of something stressful, or through media like anime and comics. Even though i disagreed with some of it's views, Paranoia Agent really made me think. This is the only piece of fiction thats has actually made me question my fundamental beliefs. 

The bottom line is: watch this series. Whether you end up liking it or not, I believe it is something that should be experienced. Especially if you believe as strongly in the value of escapism as I do. I'm sure Paranoia Agent will stay with me for a very long time.

Rest in peace, Satoshi Kon. Your vision did not go without impact.

Best Episode: Episode 8

Overall Score: 4/5