tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90728103840402714222024-02-20T00:14:32.870+00:00Sakesend's BlogMy say and opinions on anime, manga, games and anything else I feel like at the time.sakesendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13318753729632399513noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9072810384040271422.post-89664707688437863782013-04-30T20:45:00.002+01:002013-04-30T21:04:38.338+01:00Top 20 Video Game Themes (#15-11)<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, this is the second part of my Top 20 Video Game Themes, if you've not read the first part and you're interested you can find it</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"> <a href="http://sakesend.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/top-20-video-game-themes-20-16.html"><span style="color: red;">here</span></a>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway, I won't delay any further, here are the next five entries on my list.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>15. Parity (Katawa Shoujo)</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'll try to refrain from going on about how great I feel this the game is, <i>Katawa Shoujo</i> is a Japanese-style visual novel developed by Four Leaf Studios. I'd been aware of the game for a while before its full release due to the prior distribution of its first act. After first starting the demo it caught my attention quickly due to its clever, immersive writing, its cast of diverse and interesting characters, its mature approach to a sensitive subject and, importantly here, its startlingly good score. Almost every song not only suits the scenes it plays over but goes beyond background music to really help develop the atmosphere of each event. Parity in the original demo was already a favourite of mine, however when the full game was released with a reworked soundtrack the new version quickly became my favourite song from the game. As a character theme it works less on overall atmosphere and more as a representation of Rin's personality, describing her quirky disposition of upbeat disinterest brilliantly. On top of how well it suits her character, however, the laid-back, cool tone of Parity makes it as much a joy to listen to out of context as it is in the game</span><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>14. Opening Theme - English (Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World)</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The <i>Tales of</i> franchise is one of my favourite series in video games and as such I have a number of songs from the games that I love, but this is the first song I heard from the series and the one I could never shake. While the game is not as good as a number of the other <i>Tales of</i> titles, the music is still excellent. I'm aware a lot of people will prefer the Japanese opening theme, and while I do think the Japanese song is good, I feel the English release simply does so much more. It describes a huge range of emotions and tones in a short space, transitioning from one to the next so smoothly, always complimenting the animation. The dynamic of the song changes as required and it brings to light the true diversity of a full orchestral piece. It gets loud and grand for the battle scenes, subtle and dark toward the middle yet can still create warm, light tones towards the beginning and end all while capturing a feeling of adventure. For me, this opening theme just works.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>13. Terra's Theme (Final Fantasy VI)</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let me say this now to get it out of the way...I have not yet played <i>Final Fantasy VI</i>. Trust me, I want to, but I've simply not gotten round to it yet. Despite my lack of context for Terra's Theme, however, it truly stands testament to Nobuo Uematsu's skill as a composer just how profound and powerful this piece can still feel. Admittedly it becomes quite difficult to discuss a song where I haven't played the game as I can't comment on how it suits the themes of the story or reflect's Terra's character and if I say I like it because of the way it captures certain emotions, someone might come up to me and tell me I'm reading the song completely wrong. Unfortunately, all I can say is that listening to this piece is something special and leave you to enjoy the music.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>12. Fire Aura (The Impossible Game)</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This time, a song with no extra meaning or contextual depth. No need to read into how it reflects the themes of the game or describes the story. Fire Aura simply starts a blood-pumping assault and never lets it die, creating an unbreakable feeling of determination as you play <i>The Impossible Game</i>. The tracks chosen for the game all carry this motivation with them, but for me personally Fire Aura does it the best. In my opinion, few other songs equal the same level of inspiration to get back up and not be beaten that this song presents.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>11. "Metal Gear Solid" Main Theme (Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater)</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">Alas, another game I've never actually played, again somewhat to my own shame. I first heard this song watching <i>Extra Credits</i>' episode on video game music (which is excellent, watch it </span><a href="http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/video-game-music"><span style="color: red;">here</span></a><span style="color: purple;">). The extract they played grabbed me immediately and I <i>needed</i> to listen to the full song. After listening through it only once or twice it had already become one of my favourite video game themes. The <i>Metal Gear Solid</i> theme in general is a stand-out piece of music, but I love the way it's used here. The song is overflowing with tension and action for most of the first half, though the stealth essence of the series is also wonderfully represented by the calmer, moody sections of music. All of it's brought together in the finale, however, which is nothing short of epic. From 5:10 the tone of the song changes completely, but creates such a vivid climax of power and emotion using the <i>Metal Gear Solid</i> theme and the result is spectacular.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">So that's Part 2. Hope you enjoyed it, feel free to leave comments and opinions about my choices or about your own, I'm always happy to discuss things. Look out for part 3!</span></span></div>
sakesendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13318753729632399513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9072810384040271422.post-61125222800210513072013-04-29T03:30:00.000+01:002013-04-29T03:30:00.815+01:00Hyakka Ryouran and Character Dignity<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Giving a character some semblance of dignity is essential if you ever want people to take them seriously. Without the sense of worth that dignity provides there is little reason for an audience to have any respect for or connection to them.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I recently began a series, however, which made me really think about the purpose of a character's dignity, how to sustain it, and how to completely remove all of it. At the beginning of this season I picked up <i>Hyakka Ryouran: Samurai Bride</i>, the sequel to 2010's <i>Hyakka Ryouran: Samurai Girls</i>. Now, anyone who has read my thoughts on <i>Vividred Operation</i> might wonder why on Earth I watched <i>Samurai Girls</i>, due to the large dose of fanservice and it's unerring way of getting in the way of any story at every turn almost as reliably as the abysmal <i>Queen's Blade</i>. The answer to that is quite simple... the first two minutes of episode one hooked me. Everything about that scene was stunning, the striking art, the beautiful animation, the stylistic use of the ink splatter across the screen with each strike all supported by the brilliant theme <i>Arata na Master Samurai</i> that steadily builds its earth-shattering crescendo.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unfortunately, I dragged myself through the rest of the series desperately hoping to see even a glimpse of the grandeur of that opening again. Admittedly, once the first season was through and finished I could have easily decided that <i>Samurai Bride</i> was going to be an equally large waste of my time and just not watch it... but I started it anyway in a naive hope that something interesting might emerge. My hopes were quickly shattered. The first episode begins with a scene not dissimilar to that of the first series, epic music and a memorable introduction for the new antagonists. Of course, after that it quickly crashes downhill at breakneck speed.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Why not? Need to pay them bills somehow.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is all really to expect with a series like <i>Samurai Bride</i>, however, ridiculous plot points that work as road signs toward fanservice. So what does this all have to do with dignity anyway? I mean, opening by turning a dojo into a maid cafe, clearly the series has none to begin with. It revels in every opportunity it can find to sexually exploit its characters for the sake of fanservice, how are they supposed to have <i>dignity</i>? </span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Picking up the scent to catch the panty thief.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Surprisingly, that's not what I'm planning to talk about here. I'm looking at a particular aspect of the first episode, the scene during which our hero and his harem meet this seasons' antagonists, the Dark Samurai. The four characters come to the dojo turned maid cafe looking to do battle with our protagonists. The battle begins and none of the characters that we as the audience are supposed to be rooting for last more than a couple hits before being thrown into utter and humiliating defeat. This is clearly done to demonstrate the new enemies' strength and the significant threat they pose if even the most powerful of our heroes are tossed aside as if nothing... But is there not a better way to do this?</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">True, this scene does demonstrate the new villain's power and define them as a clear threat, but it does it completely at the expense of the main characters dignity. There is no respect left for these characters by the end of the scene. How am I supposed to get at all invested in these characters when all they can do is talk big, but then prove their own ineptitude. When introducing new villains into a series where you've already proven the strength of your characters, how do you make those villains a clear threat without reducing your heroes' current power to something meaningless? After that scene that Master Samurai title and rank that was so coveted during the first season means absolutely nothing as they posed no more challenge to the Dark Samurai than the comic relief character did.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Kanetsugu's ill-fated attempt to take responsibility for her mistake.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In fact oddly enough Kanetsugu, the character who spends most of the time being treated as the series' doormat and running joke by the rest of the characters is so far about the only character to earn any of her dignity back after she becomes a Master Samurai and stands on even footing with one of the Dark Samurai, even earning a respectful comment from her foe in the process, significantly more than any other character has managed thus far (and it doesn't hurt that she looks totally awesome throughout the encounter).</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>No, but seriously she's calm, she's collected, she's confident and her power really shines through in this scene.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are numerous ways to tackle this question of dignity, however, which I'm sure many of you will have already considered or seen before. Providing tiers of villains, giving your characters the opportunity to at least stand up to some of the weaker ones can work well. Through this you don't necessarily even need to bring the stronger ones into the fight directly, their strength can simply be implied which often works even better in setting them up as an imposing threat. Giving your hero/heroine a notable disadvantage in their first encounter can be effective as it then invests your audience in seeing your character succeed. It creates a scenario where you want to see the protagonist fight them again but when they're at full strength, as you know that the protagonist is better than that battle implied and you want to see them prove that to this new antagonist. <i>Samurai Bride</i> had none of this, and I thought it was shocking how poorly the first episode handled this scene.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There's much more that can be said on the topic, and it would be interesting to hear any one else's thoughts or opinions on the matter, whether they agree or disagree with my own, but that's my personal thoughts on how <i>Samurai Bride</i> handled the introduction of its new characters.</span></div>
sakesendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13318753729632399513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9072810384040271422.post-67526769959373917112013-04-22T03:06:00.001+01:002013-04-22T03:18:02.806+01:00Top 20 Video Game Themes (#20-16)<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For a while now, I've not quite been sure what to do with my first video game related post. I've had a huge love of video games since I was young and they've been my longest and most enduring interest. There have been numerous releases I've not yet been able to play through for financial reasons and my backlog is getting huge, but those are for future posts. To start off, however, I thought I'd begin by combining my love of video games with my love of music and counting down my personal top 20 favourite video game themes.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These aren't the best or the biggest or the most influential or anything, they're simply my 20 favourite themes. So, let's get started...</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>#20 My Heart is Crying (Rusty Hearts)</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I first encountered <i>Rusty Hearts</i> around a year ago. I was browsing the Steam store and felt in the mood for an RPG of any sort, and decided to see if there happened to be anything for free. There were a few games that I browsed through but held no interest for me, when I came across <i>Rusty Hearts</i>. A free to play MMORPG with quite a nice looking anime art style. I didn't have anything to lose, so downloaded and installed it. The game isn't amazing, though the combat can certainly be quite fun, however from almost the opening screen the music grabbed me. The soundtrack is memorable and varied with numerous stand out pieces that evoke excitement during battle or drip with atmosphere in quest hubs. The most prominent track for me, however, was this beautiful piano melody that hangs softly over the character select screen, equal parts elegance and melancholy. This piece took me in from the moment I loaded the game and though I've since stopped playing I still frequently listen to this track.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><b>#19 Edo Castle (Mystical Ninja 2 Starring Goemon/Goemon's Great Adventure)</b></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Mystical Ninja 2 Starring Goemon</i> (or <i>Goemon's Great Adventure</i> in some countries) was a game I was introduced to as a child by one of our family's friends. It hooked both my younger brother and I as we dedicated hours to playing through it. However as we lost contact with our friend so too did we lose contact with the game. Many years later I decided on a whim to buy it again from ebay, as I remembered really enjoying it. The first few levels were fun, but it wasn't until I reached the first castle stage at the end of the first world that the magic came flooding back. As Goemon stood in the burning castle and this song came on I truly remembered why I loved this game. It has a great energy to it with a high tempo and upbeat melodies that never entirely subdue the undertone of danger eminent in the song as you slowly climb your way up the burning castle.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>#18 Mice on Venus (Minecraft)</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have sunk more hours into Mojang's enormous sandbox masterpiece than I could ever hope to count. By now I've played a bunch of the mods and spend most of my time in creative mode designing my own ridiculous structures, but I can still easily recall my first adventures into the ever-expanding world of <i>Minecraft</i>. Most prominent among those memories, however, is mining deep underground in dimly lit caves, glancing around warily for signs of monsters down shadowy passages while the ambient melodies of Mice on Venus echo softly throughout the caverns. Those memories were of such a pure wonder and immersion and have been rarely matched throughout my entire gaming life.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>#17 Working (SpaceChem)</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For those who aren't familiar with it, <i>Spacechem</i> is an interesting indie puzzle game that challenges you to create intricate paths that atoms travel along, getting them to form or break bonds with other atoms as they go. It has a fairly steep difficulty curve, but allows for plenty of experimentation in searching for the most efficient solutions to each problem. It was recommended to me by a friend and it was available on the Humble Mobile Bundle, so I bought it. Along with the game itself, you could download it's soundtrack and it turned out that alone was worth purchasing the bundle for. The peak of this soundtrack is the track 'Working'. Its steady, almost mechanical beat combined with its slow pondering melodies suit the feel of the game beautifully. As the song begins to pick up towards the middle however, the tone slowly builds to nothing short of epic. Embedded in the music is a strong sense of purpose, a meaning to the work you're doing, and the grand tone of the track is inspirational as you sit there clicking slowly away trying to figure out just the right path for your little atoms to take.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>#16. Phoenix Wright ~ Objection! 2001 (Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney)</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first game in the <i>Ace Attorney</i> series truly had an outstanding and memorable score with incredible diversity, easily capturing the wide variety of emotions that were portrayed through the characters over its numerous court cases. The most iconic for me, however, is without a doubt the Objection! theme. The progression it symbolises and the uplifting feeling of 'This is it, I'm on the right track!' is portrayed to the player so well through the music. It's not aggressive and it's not overconfident, but each time Phoenix's trademark 'Objection!' paves the way for this song it brings a feeling of security, satisfaction and determination. It sets the perfect mood for your steady, unyielding drive to uncover the truth of the case.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And that's the first 5 positions in this series of blog posts. I initially said I wanted to do one video game post every two weeks, but to prevent this list from lasting too long I'll try and post slightly more frequently than that. Hope you've enjoyed it, I'd love to hear any comments or opinions you have and I hope you stick around for the next part!</span></div>
sakesendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13318753729632399513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9072810384040271422.post-83381130046913203412013-04-20T19:45:00.002+01:002013-04-20T19:46:51.689+01:00Final Thoughts: Vividred Operation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This week I was initially planning to write my first thoughts on other series that have just started airing this season, however found pretty quickly that I didn't have as much to say about them as I thought I would. </span><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Luckily, last Sunday I picked up <i>Vividred Operation</i> </span><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">on a whim</span><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, a sci-fi series that aired last season, so I can talk about that. Please note this technically isn't a review, if I were reviewing it I would take a more objective look, these are just my personal feelings about the series. I happened across it as I was downloading the latest episodes of a few of this season's series and despite knowing nothing about it, decided that it couldn't hurt to look into it. Twenty seconds in, I started to worry I'd been mistaken...</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Though, while I may not particularly like ecchi, I'll generally put up with it in two situations. If a series is built around its fanservice and wouldn't work without it (e.g. <i>Golden Boy</i>, <i>Panty & Stocking</i>) then I'll put up with it because it's a fundamental part of the series. The other time I'm willing to sit through it is when it's there but doesn't get in the way of telling a story and is merely there as some bonus for those who do happen to like it (e.g. <i>Saki</i>). I'd prefer if such series didn't have ecchi because it doesn't <i>need</i> it, but as long as we don't get derailed every 5 minutes to end up in an unrelated situation where the girls need to take their clothes off and the plot continues I can deal with it. Fortunately, <i>Vividred Operation</i> falls mostly into that second category excepting a few occasions that are sparsely scattered. While there's ecchi in it, it's usually an occasional camera angle that provides the fanservice and doesn't halt the story's progression.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Speaking of the story, I was quite surprised by the end of the first episode. Not because it's story is anything unique or special, but because for all it's sci-fi cosmetics, <i>Vividred Operation</i> is at its heart a magical girl series. That might turn some people off from the series straight away but I've always had a soft spot for magical girl series. In the series everything that would usually be caused by magic is a result of technology but it's all still there: cute animal sidekick, transformation sequences, special moves, monster of the week formula, the incredible power of friendship and a trope made popular by <i>Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha</i> and <i>Puella Magi Madoka Magica</i>, the antagonist who may not be as evil as she seems.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So this series is basically <i>Madoka </i>and <i>Nanoha </i>except the magic is replaced by science and it never gets quite as dark. The tone of the series is far more uplifting and joyful, which isn't to say there's never a sad moment, but they're merely used to counterbalance the highs of the series and aren't constructed to create the same feelings of shock that <i>Madoka </i>provides. It also uses a similar moral choice to the one presented in both the first and second season of <i>Nanoha</i>. If both sides are fighting to save lives, who is right? However it never delves into the matter and the tone of the series makes it obvious from the beginning there will be a nice way to fix it all at the end. </span><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While this lack of aspiration to explore such a theme is a weakness in the series, personally it didn't take away from my overall enjoyment. It would have been nice to see some more depth written into the otherwise standard magical gril~esque plot.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The characters are what you'd expect from a series like this and do little to break their archetypes. A number of viewers will likely find them uninspired and boring, however I generally found them likeable enough to grow attached to over the course of the series. </span><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our main protagonist Akane is an energetic girl who likes making friends and helping people. In standard fashion, we're introduced to the other girls over the course of the first few episode and they're each given their ability to transform. Akane is soon joined by Aoi, a friendly but somewhat reserved rich girl, Wakaba, a kendo ace with a soft spot for cute things and Himawari, a genius introverted technophile.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Where I felt the series stood out, however, was in its art direction. Its character and costume design (excluding the absurd school uniform), the architecture and location design and the overall crisp clean look of the series. Battle and transformation scenes are fluid and full of life and a colourful variety of visual effects. The sequences and designs that result from characters' ultimate technique 'docking', where Akane combines with another girl to increase their powers, are all stunning and beautifully crafted.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The alien designs are diverse and interesting. I've heard that there are similarities</span><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> with the designs of the aliens in the series <i>Strike Witches</i> but having never seen it I couldn't help but draw parallels with the designs of the Angels in <i>Neon Genesis Evangelion</i>. The enemy design for the final battle is particularly memorable and really shows off the talents of the art team behind the series. Overall the art and the animation supporting the series really helps bring the anime to life creating an aesthetically rich and detailed world.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ultimately, I enjoyed <i>Vividred Operation</i> far more than I expected to, finding myself attached to the characters and immersed in its beautiful world that I was sad to let go of at the end of the final episode. It's not an outstanding series by any right, there are flaws in its underdeveloped story and characters, and the fanservice, while tolerable, brings nothing to the series. However I'm glad I picked it up for its wonderful design and uplifting spirit that sincerely improved my own mood at the time I watched it.</span></div>
sakesendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13318753729632399513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9072810384040271422.post-52883270577092918382013-04-13T21:23:00.002+01:002013-04-20T19:46:30.748+01:00First Impressions - Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Come wa Machigatteiru<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Genres: Comedy, Romance, School</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Source: MyAnimeList)</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With a single glance most frequent anime watchers can probably identify the sort of series that <i>Yahari </i>is and might dismiss it without a second thought. You can take one look at the above picture and the synopsis given for the series on anime website and no whether or not you'll be watching this series. On the surface <i>Yahari </i>is as formulaic as they come, set in a highschool we follow the day to day life of our main male character Hachiman Hikigaya, a loner who keeps to himself. He's suddenly thrown into an unexpected (only to him) situation where he's forced to interact with one of the school's most popular girls. Yukino Yukinoshita is that common anime breed of intelligent, beautiful girl who couldn't have less interest in a relationship with someone so out of her scope as the main character (but could easily end up falling for him anyway). By the end of the first episode they're joined by Yui Yuigahama an excitable, energetic girl whose mood switches with every few sentences. Ultimately it looks like almost any other highschool series to appear in the anime listings in the last few years.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When you start to look a little deeper at the series, it does have it's own quirks that give it its own identity, but doesn't make it unique or different. The main draw of the series is clearly going to be its characters, their personalities and the interactions and experiences they share. It breaks no new ground and doesn't introduce any novel ideas. That said, it's first 2 episodes are inoffensive and if a romantic comedy set in a highschool is what you're looking for at the moment, while you could do better, you could also undoubtedly do worse than <i>Yahari</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The three main characters that have been introduce so far have each been given distinct personalities from the beginning and while they all brush with the popular archetypes none of them quite fall directly into cliché. Hachiman is a loner by choice, with a suspicious and cynical personality. Despite this he appears quite self-sufficient and surprisingly intelligent in comparison to many lead males, though his abrasive character can be off-putting at times.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What I've found generally makes him interesting enough to stick by, however, is the security he has in his own reasoning for his beliefs. He's rude, uncompromising and is happy to keep to himself, but when questioned about these behaviours he can actually articulate genuine motives with an ability to rival those that do. A key weakness in this aspect of his character, however, is that the writers still find ways for him to play the deep down, good guy role. This usually works as a way of making the lead character relatable, but clearly clashes with Hachiman's personality even if he tries to explain it away.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His best moments, I feel, are when he's in discussion with Yukino. At it's core Yukino's personality is very similar to Hachiman's, cold, impersonal and distant, if a little more self-serving. Yukino has a very high impression of herself and sees it as her place to help those less fortunate. To do so, she is the only member of the Service Club when Hachiman first arrives, and helps people try to better themselves to solve their problems. Her disposition is very dividing, at times being polite and helpful (though never what one would call friendly), yet at others being blunt and belittling.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Having said this, Yukino has still quickly become one of my favourite characters this season, primarily due to her strength of character. While she may frequently be blunt or unkind I still feel she is well-presented as intelligent, firm in her beliefs, willing to help others and unyielding in the face of adversary.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Despite the shortcomings in their respective personalities, these two work together in the series because of their fundamental similarities and that they can talk to each other on an equal level, even if they don't see that in each other. Because of this, while not up to the standard set by some other series, the discussion and conversation between the leads can be both entertaining and engaging. </span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The last of the current three main characters, Yui, is distinctly separate from Hachiman and Yukino, being warm and personable. She can often still be direct (mostly when talking to Hachiman), but is far less so than the other two due to her insecurities about being her own person. It is these insecurities that might be the most interesting thing about her, however, as they nicely set up room for character development over the course of the series.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The series' artstyle is appealing, reaming consistently clean and crisp throughout. The animation is standard for modern slice of life anime, not outstanding but not poor either, merely sufficient. The music is similarly average, suitably backing each scene but not leaving any real further impression. The OP and ED serve as an apt opening and close to each episode respectively, but again don't particularly stand out from the crowd.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All together <i>Yahari</i> is neither a unique nor special anime, however it has enough of its own personality that if you enjoy series of this genre it's worth giving it a try. It doesn't do anything to make it stand out from the abundance of these series, but is entirely inoffensive in its existence. If you've looked at the genre before and decided its not for you, <i>Yahari</i> certainly won't be the series to change your mind.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">[Subs used: FFFansubs]</span></div>
sakesendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13318753729632399513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9072810384040271422.post-79093901556646068792013-04-13T21:23:00.001+01:002013-04-20T19:46:07.310+01:00Blog Reboot<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After another long break from any activity, I've decided I'm going to give blogging one last chance. In all honesty I love blogging, putting my opinion out there and providing grounds for discussion, both in agreement and disagreement with my opinions. There are so many things I feel so passionately about and I want an opportunity to express myself. However, I've tried doing this so many times in the past and struggle to achieve more than a few posts.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've decided this is it. I want to change myself, I want to do the things I love and be the person I want to be. If I can't follow through with that then perhaps I'm mistaken in my own goals and I should focus my efforts somewhere else.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My new schedule with this blog is as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- 1 anime post per week. This can be anything to do with anime, I might write my first impressions of a recently started series; a full review of a series I've completed; my own personal but informal feelings about a series; a top 10 list; or various other things.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- 1 video game post per fortnight. This is a similar prospect will occur less often as I have less time for video games than I used to. If I write a full review then it is unlikely I will keep up with modern releases as I don't have the money to spend on frequent new games. I have a huge backlog of games to play that range from retro to modern, so expect there to be no formula for what I choose to talk about.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Intermittent life posts. When I first started this blog I said I'd try not to talk about my life, however I feel that putting more about me, my moods and my life in general will personalise my blog more and may, as a result, allow any readers to see who I am.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I may also infrequently upload:</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Pictures, WIPs, art-related things. While not very good, I enjoy drawing but have been in a slump for a long period of time, but have recently started again. I might begin uploading images I draw primarily as a means to motivate myself in regards to drawing and blogging.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Music related discussion. I'm a huge fan of music, it's one of my most important hobbies and interests and so it's likely that I'll at least occasionally find time to talk about it on here. I love a wide variety of genres, so I could talk about almost anything.</span></div>
sakesendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13318753729632399513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9072810384040271422.post-47747430754457387382011-11-24T01:08:00.000+00:002011-11-24T01:08:45.075+00:00Thoughts on Blogging + Midway Impressions ~ Autumn 2011<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">So, it’s that time again.<br />
That time when I inevitably become once again interested in my blog, and vaguely try and revive it, before life piles up around me and I lose the time to write another entry.<br />
Well, over the last couple of months, after basically abandoning the internet, I’ve slowly been rebuilding my various accounts around a number of websites, and with relative success. So, I come to my blog, which has been all but forgotten since I initially started it.</span></div><br />
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">The problem with blogging is, I find, it’s difficult to come up with an interesting variety of things to talk about. My initial idea when I created this blog, was to have somewhere I could give my opinions about the things that interested me.<br />
I’m not expecting many people to read it, and I’d certainly never expect it to become popular. However, some people out there might enjoy reading my posts, and I’m confident I’d enjoy writing them.</span></div><br />
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">The problem arises when I realise that if I want to keep blogging, I’m going to have to come up with some sort of release schedule, otherwise I, being me, will just ignore it for months. Now, the schedule itself is fine, I’m quite comfortably able to write a deviantART journal each Monday, for example. Finding something to write about, however, is not so easy. If I could trust myself to simply write an entry every time I found something worth talking about, then I’d be fine, but I’m not good at that and instead need to force myself to commit to something.</span></div><br />
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">The remaining issue is that, while I could quite easily come up with something to talk about every, let’s say, fortnight, whether or not people would find them interesting, or more accurately ‘relevant’ if a better question. Now, I know I said above I’m not expecting many people to read my blog, but it would be nice to provide posts that people are actually interested in, and if I decided to write a review for something that aired a year and a half ago, would people still care?</span></div><br />
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">Anyway, that’s a basic overview of why my blog has remained as empty as it has, a combination of my own laziness and an apprehension as to whether readers would be interested in what I had to say if I forced myself to have a topic every week? 2 weeks? etc..</span></div><br />
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">That said I will, starting now, try and write a blog entry to go up every other Sunday evening (UK time).<br />
<b>Note: This post is late due to formatting problems with blogspot.</b><br />
So, in a petty attempt to stay ‘relevant’, this update shall contain my opinions at roughly the halfway point of the current season of anime, as the title of the entry suggests.</span></div><br />
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">I’ve been watching a total of twelve series this season, and I’ve managed, for once, to stay pretty up to date with all of them. I’ll go through them alphabetically.</span></div><br />
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">Bakuman II</span></u></b><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">[Watched: 6 episodes]</span></div><br />
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<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">*Minor season 1 spoilers*<br />
Having loved the first season of <i>Bakuman</i>, I was greatly anticipating it’s second season. The first season was involving and exciting, with a strong cast of characters. The goal throughout the first season was serialisation, and the series drew me in in such a way that I was on the edge of my seat every time they had to hear back from Jack. It was an emotional rollercoaster where you never knew what the next outcome would be.<br />
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The second season has pulled me in with the same level of investment in the series, but it doesn’t manage to catch that same true excitement. It’s a very good series, and I’m still greatly enjoying it, but with them now serialised it feels like the tension has relaxed, and the passion so evident in the first season had subsided a little.<br />
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It has been a solid series so far, but in my opinion hasn’t quite lived up to the first season so far. Luckily we have plenty of time left to go.<br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">[Watched: 6 episodes]</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Blog%20images/BokuwaTomodachigaSukunai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Blog%20images/BokuwaTomodachigaSukunai.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"><i>Boku wa Tomodachi</i> is as predictable as they come, with a set of characters filling all the stereotypes, brought together for the sake of a harem. If you’ve seen any other harem-comedy series, you’ll know what to expect from <i>Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai</i>. As far as harem’s go, however, you can certainly do a lot worse than <i>Boku wa Tomodachi</i>. While it lacks in originality, the comedy and characters generally make it entertaining enough for 20 minutes a week. If you don’t like harem series, you’ll most certainly find this generic and bland and not to your tastes, if you’re more forgiving of the genre you may find yourself smiling and laughing most episodes.<br />
<br />
The main problem with the series, in my opinion, is that of the two lead female characters, neither is particularly likeable. They each have moments here and there where I think they’re growing on me, but they never do. They feel a lot like Kirino and Kuroneko of <i>Ore no Imouto</i>, but lack any of the charm.<br />
</span></span></div><br />
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">Chihayafuru</span></u></b><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">[Watched: 7 episodes]</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Blog%20images/Chihayafuru.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="169" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Blog%20images/Chihayafuru.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"><i>Chihayafuru</i> is my surprise hit of the season. I was expecting to enjoy it, but not quite as much as I am. Every moment spent with Chihaya and her friends has been a joy for me.<br />
<br />
I picked up <i>Chihayafuru</i> because I enjoyed <i>Saki</i> and, while I wasn’t expecting it to be similar to <i>Saki</i>, I was hoping it could invoke the same sort of feelings in me. I loved <i>Saki</i> because it had a way of drawing me in to every match, and made me care about the outcome of every single one. <i>Chihayafuru</i> has that same effect on me, even though Karuta doesn’t appear that interesting. The first time we see Arata play, and in his game against Taichi it genuinely excited me, and I’m greatly anticipating the next time we see him play, especially if it’s against Chihaya herself.<br />
<br />
I’ve become quickly and deeply emotionally involved in <i>Chihayafuru</i>. I care about the characters, and truly want to see them succeed against all odds. I look forward to seeing what sort of opponents will arise in the future episodes and the journey the rest of this series takes us on.<br />
</span></span></div><br />
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">Fate/Zero</span></u></b><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">[Watched: 7 episodes]</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Blog%20images/FateZero.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Blog%20images/FateZero.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"><i>Fate/Zero</i> has, without exception, been outstanding every episode. The set-up to this series was truly phenomenal, taking the viewer carefully through a brief look at each of the main players and giving insight into their motives and plans for the Holy Grail War and it’s reward. Even having watched <i>Fate/Stay Night</i> I had no idea of the politics of the War, its history, the fact that there were even households that expected to have a member chosen by the grail, and could plan accordingly. That masters might examine each other and learn what they could before the War started never occurred to me in <i>Fate/Stay Night</i> even though it seems such an obvious thing to do. It was simple things such as these that were used to foreshadow the War itself. Over the first two episodes, as the masters and servants were introduced and their personalities and relationships established, it became all too easy to find yourself anticipating the coming battles and what twists they would bring.<br />
<br />
So far, <i>Fate/Zero</i> has proven to be entertaining, intelligent, exciting and thrilling, and it doesn’t appear to show any signs of slowing soon.<br />
</span></span></div><br />
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">Kimi to Boku</span></u></b><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">[Watched: 7 episodes]</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Blog%20images/KimitoBoku.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="182" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Blog%20images/KimitoBoku.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"><i>Kimi to Boku</i> is about as pure as slice of life series come. It truly is nothing more than the story of five boys at high school and their day-to-day lives. Some may wonder where the appeal lies in sich a slow-paced and direction-less show, but the answer lies within the characters of the series. The backbone of any slice of life series is its cast, as without any semblance of a plot there’s nothing else to provide viewers with a reason to come back. Fortunately, <i>Kimi to Boku</i>’s cast consists of a small handful of charming characters. They play off each other well, and although they appear an unlikely group at the surface, the series does a good job of making their friendship seem genuine. It provides a calm, relaxing, easy to watch glance into high school life. If it doesn’t sound like it appeals to you, then it probably won’t; however, if you enjoy slice of life series, then its definitely worth the chance.<br />
<br />
<i>Kimi to Boku</i> is a series that revels in its slice of life atmosphere providing soft, unobtrusive music; casual, natural characters and a beautiful art style.<br />
</span></span></div><br />
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">Mashiro-iro Symphony</span></u></b><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">[Watched: 5 episodes]</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Blog%20images/Mashiro-iroSymphony.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Blog%20images/Mashiro-iroSymphony.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"><i>Mashiro-iro Symphony</i> provides what you expect from almost any series based on a dating sim. A harem-style series, with story arcs for each girl based on their branching paths in the game. The characters generally tend to be likeable but also fall into all the traps of being from a game, which means they end up being very stereotypical and do little to stray from that, so as to appease the fans of each archetype who want to pursue that character through the game. <i>Mashiro-iro</i> isn’t a bad series, it does little wrong, providing a pleasant setting, a group of characters in which it’s fairly easy to pick a couple you like, a nice score and decent art style. The noteable faults that do exist in <i>Mashiro-iro</i>, however, mainly lie with the tsunderes.<br />
<br />
Airi’s story arc makes little sense, she’s completely happy to talk to Shingo at the beginning of the first episode, acting in a manner friendly enough that you’d believe they were close. Her sudden shift in disposition toward him just because he’s one of the male students attending the school isn’t natural, and it seems a fairly poor attempt at trying to provide a tsundere for the sake of having a tsundere character.<br />
Unfortunately the second tsundere character makes even less sense, and Sana’s sudden shift halfway through the series from a friendly, bubbly, pleasant girl to one who has an irrational hatred of boys is so jarring and confusing even the series doesn’t seem to fully understand as moments after that reveal, she’s acting in a perfectly normal way around Shingo.<br />
<br />
Other than that, the problem with the series is that is does nothing to stand out, everything is generic and has a ‘been there, done that’ feel, and that will turn off just as many people as a badly written plot or poor characters would.<br />
</span></span></div><br />
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">Persona 4 The Animation</span></u></b><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">[Watched: 6 episodes]</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Blog%20images/Persona4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Blog%20images/Persona4.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">I’m a big fan of the game this series is based on, although I haven’t yet finished it. The anime translates the plot of the game onto the screen very well, and the story so far has remained faithful. For this, I’m thankful as the game’s plot has been excellent thusfar. What the anime doesn’t manage to capture, whoever, is the same intimacy of character relations and the depth and analysis the characters receive in the game. It doesn’t do a bad job with these aspects, but because the game allows you to spend far more time with these characters, the anime cannot hope to reach that same level. The other aspect it can’t translate as well is the subplots; the social links within the game. During gameplay, expanding social links and following subplots feels very natural due to the way the game plays. Unfortunately, this is not something that can be replicated for TV, as shown by the 5th episode which would appear as filler to most viewers. It’s faithful to the game, but has no correlation to the main plot and seems out of place, and slightly random.<br />
<br />
<i>Persona 4 The Animation</i> is a good series, that manages to capture a lot of what makes the game great, however, unfortunately due to it’s pace and that lack of input and involvement from the watcher it falls short of the game it’s based on.<br />
</span></span></div><br />
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">Phi-Brain: Kami no Puzzle</span></u></b><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">[Watched: 6 episodes]</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Blog%20images/Phi-Brain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Blog%20images/Phi-Brain.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"><i>Phi-Brain</i> has been an interesting series so far, taking a standard shounen hero and plot structure and applying it to a world of puzzles. While it doesn’t suddenly make the series seem unique, it keeps it fresh and entertaining, the puzzles and setups are often interesting, and the variety of motivations for the puzzles set keep it from being monotonous. Prior hints of a larger story are starting to surface now with the introduction of a character, and so it’s hard to know exactly where this series will go from here. For me, I feel if the puzzles get more challenging, the stakes get higher and story becomes more defined I’ll enjoy it from here on out.</span></span></div><br />
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">Shakugan no Shana III</span></u></b><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">[Watched: 5 episodes]</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Blog%20images/ShakugannoShanaIII.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Blog%20images/ShakugannoShanaIII.png" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">I’m a big fan of the original <i>Shakugan no Shana</i>, and while the second season didn’t quite live up to the first, I still enjoyed it. <i>Shana S</i> then proceeded to get me excited for <i>Shana III</i> and I’ve been awaiting it’s arrival for some time now. This being the final season, the story starts pretty quickly and doesn’t currently look like it’ll give us the same story arc structure as the prior seasons, presenting us with a primary antagonist and a satisfying plot twist from the very beginning. However, despite the high stakes and what should be a thrilling series of events so far, I’ve found myself unable to get drawn into the series. It appears to have returned to the darker feel that the first season provided, but I felt was distinctly lacking in the first series, and the story so far has been fairly interesting. But, I’m not as involved as I thought I’d be. I expected to find myself eagerly awaiting each episode and watching it the moment I could, but I’m not.<br />
<br />
I don’t think I’m disappointed with the series, it’s just not as easy to get into as I thought it would be.<br />
</span></span></div><br />
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">Shinryaku!? Ika-Musume</span></u></b><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">[Watched: 6 episodes]</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Blog%20images/ShinryakuIkaMusume.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Blog%20images/ShinryakuIkaMusume.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">It’s hard to know what to say about <i>Shinryaku!? Ika-Musume</i>. It’s much like the first season, the characters are the same, the setting is the same, the style is the same and the humour is the same. I enjoyed the first season a lot, I loved Ika and the supporting cast was strong, the stories were short but entertaining and the humour appealed to me. The second season is strong in all the same areas, and so I’m enjoying it just as much. If you liked the first season, the second season provides more of the same and little else.</span></span></div><br />
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">Tamayura ~hitotose~</span></u></b><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">[Watched: 6 episodes]</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Blog%20images/Tamayura.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="189" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Blog%20images/Tamayura.png" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">Those few of you who read my top 10 anime of 2010 will know that I greatly enjoyed the 4-episode <i>Tamayura</i> OVA. It had a flavour of <i>ARIA</i> about it that hooked me, with it’s utopian setting, it’s cast of likeable characters and it’s uplifting & positive themes set firmly in the guise of photography. <i>Tamayura ~hitotose~</i> follows much of this, and it’s in the series credit that it does so, however, it loses a little something that the OVA had. The idea of photographs capturing and preserving moments of happiness is explored far less. It’s shown a lot, many times we see Potte with her camera out and the moments she saves in her pictures, however, it’s rarely talked about. Now, arguably, this is because the OVA has already done this, and so the series no longer needs to otherwise it’ll start to feel a bit samey. However, the problem with losing this is the themes the show stands for, memories and the happiness they can hold, becomes far less prevalent in the full series.<br />
<br />
While this is a shame, the series as a whole is good and what you expect from such a series. Slightly quirky characters, living in a beautiful area living out their day-to-day lives. It’s not for everyone, but what it does it does extremely well.<br />
</span></span></div><br />
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">UN-GO</span></u></b><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">[Watched: 5 episodes]</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Blog%20images/UN-GO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Blog%20images/UN-GO.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">Following <i>Gosick</i> and <i>Kami-sama no Memochou</i>, <i>UN-GO</i> continues the recent increase in detective series, which for me is more than welcome. I enjoy series like <i>UN-GO</i>, I find the main characters interesting and like following the trail of clues that leads them to a mystery’s conclusion. <i>UN-GO</i>’s ‘defeated detective’, like many detectives, seems unremarkable at first, but is quickly proven to possess a very sharp mind and, to the viewer at least, a likeable temperament. His partner Inga is where the series starts to get interesting. Even by episode 5 we don’t know much about Inga beyond a few brief mentions of backstory, what makes Inga a strong addition to the series, however, is the ability to ask someone a single question to which they must respond truthfully. The mystery style of the series, then, often will come down to ‘what will the question be, and who will be asked?’, and while on the surface this could appear a copout, the deductive reasoning that leads to this question is always well explained. It’s set in a post-war future, though what war hasn’t been explained in much detail, which allows for occasional plots driven by a sci-fi idea, but a number of cases stick to a more ordinary case.<br />
<br />
As <i>UN-GO</i> progresses it may grow in need of a more substantial plot, but for the time being, at least, it’s an interesting series with a few notable traits.</span></span></div><br />
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">All in all, I am enjoying this season. There are a number of series that are really standing out to me, and while most have faults, I’ve found myself enjoying everything I’ve picked up. If I had to pick a personal top three, I might say <i>Fate/Zero</i>, <i>Chihayafuru</i> and <i>Bakuman II</i>, though don’t read too far into that.<br />
<br />
As for blogging, I will genuinely try and be more consistent from now on. I may not be on time with every entry, but I do hope to get out a new post at least every 2 weeks. I’ll continue to talk about various topics, and if they provide to be uninteresting, I’ll work to try and improve that.<br />
It would be nice if anyone could leave feedback, just to give me some few pointers on areas where I could improve, but I doubt anyone will.<br />
<br />
Regardless! If you’re still here, thank you very much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!<br />
</span></span></div>sakesendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13318753729632399513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9072810384040271422.post-899751664915489332011-05-14T11:34:00.000+01:002011-05-14T11:34:41.106+01:00Time consumption.Unfortunately, my plans from my last post are unlikely to occur for a little while, so I apologise. I am still planning to write up reviews for the series mentioned and more, including Madoka Magica, but I'm so swamped with revision at the moment that I really can't afford to. When I write proper blog posts they do take at least a few days to finish, and I just can't afford to put aside that much time with exams right around the corner. I finish on the 24th, so hopefully *fingers crossed* the summer break will allow me more time. I do <i>want </i>to blog, really badly. But, finding the time has been difficult until I find a schedule to fall into.<br />
Anyway, we'll stay optimistic for the summer, but I can't guarantee anything as this summer will be <i>very</i> bust too due to IRL issues.<br />
Anyway, I'll try to post soon!sakesendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13318753729632399513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9072810384040271422.post-54574836071912030862011-05-03T12:57:00.000+01:002011-05-03T12:57:09.941+01:00Future PlansHey,<br />
Ok, so my blog's been effectively abandoned over the last 2 months. This is mainly due to various issues in real life, which I won't delve into. As of now, however, I'm back at university for around a month and while I do have exams in this period, so revision is a major requirement, I do have the chance to blog a bit more freely. So, for a little while, blog posts will occur at a slightly more regular rate. I'm hoping to average about 1 a week, to match my deviantART update rate.<br />
This current update won't count as a post for this week, so anyone reading my blog, there will (fingers crossed) be something up later this week. I'm currently planning reviews for several of the series I've finished, and a 'first impressions of the spring season', though I will need to catch up a bit first.<br />
Series I'm planning on reviewing include Hourou Musuko, Bakuman, Fractale and Toaru Majutsu no Index II, so if you're interested in any of those series hopefully you can look forward to them. I'm also potentially planning a top 10 list... maybe. However, this does all, of course, depend on how much time I have free when taking exams/revision into consideration too.<br />
<br />
Anyway, sorry the update's so brief.<br />
Expect a review later this week, I'll try and get one written soon.sakesendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13318753729632399513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9072810384040271422.post-13755705298595728942011-03-01T13:31:00.003+00:002011-03-01T18:30:11.229+00:00Update + Brief Impressions<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Hey, I apologise that it's been a while since my last entry...I really wanted to do a '<i>First Impressions of Winter 2011</i>' post, but as work and things got in the way I began to fall behind with most of the series I was watching. By the time I'd finally caught up with them, most of them were 7 or 8 episodes in and it became way too late. So instead, I've decided to give a quick outline of the series I'm currently watching at the moment (regardless of season), a brief opinion on each, then I'll post a 'Final Thoughts on...' entry for each series individually as I finish them. Then, hopefully next season I'll learn from my mistakes and make the opportunity to write up a first impressions much earlier.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Anyway, let's begin.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Carried over from previous seasons:</span></div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><b>Bleach</b> - Generally like Bleach's story, though of course filler can be a hassle. Particularly random one-episode filler. The series seems to be pretty much over, so I'm wondering if they'll continue to follow whatever the manga's doing now or just end it here. If they're ending it now, I'm also wondering why they appear to be dropping filler on us after the end of the main story.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><b>Bakuman</b> - Absolutely loving it. I've found it very engaging so far, I love the characters and cannot wait to see where it goes.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><b>To Aru Majutsu no Index II</b> - Still about five episodes behind with Index, but still enjoying it. I'm a fairly big Index fan, but mainly for the characters, the plots often confuse me. I'd generally rate it as a very entertaining series, as opposed to a very good one.</span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">From this season:</span></div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><b>Hourou Musuko</b> - Beautiful series so far. The art style's amazing and the characters seem so believable and real. Most likely my pick of the season.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><b>Gosick</b> - My other contender for favourite this season, I'm really enjoying it. I <i>love</i> Victorique's character, and really like murder mystery stories in general, so this is really my kind of thing. I was very glad to hear it's a 24 episode series as well, as opposed to just 12/13.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><b>Fractale</b> - I've liked this so far, but it hasn't been amazing. I've definitely found it enjoyable, nice characters, very interesting and quite unique setting, it's been good so far. It just hasn't quite caught me yet, if you see what I mean.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><b>Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica</b> - I'm still not sure what I think of this. I'm a big fan of magical girl series, and while I respect that Madoka's attempting a complete new take on the genre (well, almost complete, but I'm not the first, nor will I be the last to draw the parallel's with Nanoha), I'm not sure I'm a fan of everything Madoka's bringing to the table. It's definitely unique, but might be a tad too dark for me personally. At least one scene has shocked me to the point I won't be rewatching the series...ever.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><b>Starry Sky</b> - I'm still <i>way</i> behind with this. I've only watched the first two episodes, so I have a <b>lot</b> of catching up to do before I can give a realistic opinion.</span></li>
</ul>sakesendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13318753729632399513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9072810384040271422.post-34430982506751249662011-02-03T01:26:00.003+00:002011-02-03T22:07:51.777+00:00Looking Back ~ Top 10 anime of 2010<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">So, I thought I'd get right in and start off with my top 10 anime of 2010.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">In a way, 2010 was the first year I was really into anime. I started watching anime in early 2009, but it wasn't until 2010 that I grasped the concept of seasons, and that I could decide with ease which ongoing series I could choose and watch. So 2010 became the first year I started getting involved with ongoing anime series, up until that point I'd only watched a few ongoing series and had mainly concentrated on the vast amount of anime there was to watch that had finished airing.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">With this new knowledge I ended up starting a lot of series each season, often too many for me to balance with my academic work and other hobbies, so several series have made their way into my 'on hold' list. However I still finished a good portion of the series I started watching, and easily enough that I can decide on my top 10 anime of 2010.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">This list includes series that ended in 2010, but didn't necessarily start in 2010.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">10. Tamayura</span></u></b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Tamayura01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Tamayura01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">Tamayura</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"> </span></span><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">was a short OVA released at the end of 2010, running only 4 15-minute episodes from September to December. While it seemd to slip under the radar a bit,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Tamayura</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>instantly struck a chord with me when I saw it was a slow-paced slice of life OVA by the director of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>ARIA,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>which is one of my favourite series of all time. And while<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Tamayura</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>couldn't possibly hope to capture the same scale and depth in just 4 short episodes that<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>ARIA</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>did over the course of its 3 season run, the essence was still there. The main characters each with their individual quirks placed in a utopian setting and left to just do their own thing. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Tamayura03.jpg?t=1296477432"><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Tamayura03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Tamayura03.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">While this may sound like a recipe for disaster, or at least boredom, the beauty which these characters can see in such mundane, every day things really does allow the viewer to appreciate the smaller things in life, as long as they're in the right mindset. While<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>ARIA</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>does this through Akari's personality and experiences,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Tamayura</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>sets it up in a very clever way and uses photography as the staple for the series. Photographs, that which can catch a moment of beauty and preserve it forever.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Tamayura02.jpg?t=1296478810"><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Tamayura02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Tamayura02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">9. Ore no Imouto ga Konnani Kawaii Wake ga Nai</span></u></b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/OrenoImouto03.jpg?t=1296484100"><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/OrenoImouto03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/OrenoImouto03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">Ore no Imouto</span></i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">'s take on otaku life in Japan, while not necessarily 'accurate' is at least credible, as it doesn't paint the country as the otaku wonderland that some seem to believe it is. The first few episodes display this best, and in a sense that's good as these are the episodes that are there to draw people in, and they manage to do so. What<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Ore no Imouto</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>does well is the drama between Kirino and her family and friends, how the different people react when they learn about her hobby and how the relationships are eventually fixed. It also examines friendship within the otaku community. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/OrenoImouto02.jpg?t=1296484102"><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/OrenoImouto02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/OrenoImouto02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">However, after the first few episodes<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Ore no Imouto</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>does seem to lose its way a little and meander a bit too far into the realm of fantasy. I won't totally fault the series for this, though, as it generally remains entertaining even if it isn't what the beginning of the series set us up for.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">The characters in the series are either a good thing or a bad thing, depending on what you want. In their character designs most of them are oozing with moe, but in terms of personalities, most aren't particularly developed. Kirino gets the most screen time, and this will either keep you happy or frustrate you to no end. Kirino is not a particularly likeable character, however, she is relatable. Well, her position is. Most people watching this series will find at least one point where they can think 'I know how that feels', and in some respects that helps<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Ore no Imouto</i>, where Kirino's character lets it down. The rest of the cast are likeable if not occasionally a little bland. My personal highlight of the cast is Kuroneko, one of Kirino's 'otaku friends' (though she often doesn't show it), who manages to be a forthright, mature and overall plain likeable character from her relationships with the other characters to her older sister role at home and her openness about her hobby.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/OrenoImouto01.jpg?t=1296484102"><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/OrenoImouto01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/OrenoImouto01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">Ore no Imouto is not a spectacular series by any means, it has plenty of faults, but it's enjoyable nonetheless.</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">8. Amagami SS</span></u></b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/AmagamiSS03.jpg?t=1296485503"><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/AmagamiSS03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/AmagamiSS03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">A high school harem based on a dating sim isn't an original concept, and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Amagami SS</i>'s fairly generic appearance may only harm it.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Amagami SS</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>does nothing more than what it says on the tin '6 girls, 6 story arcs', however, it does what it sets out to do very well. It is in all senses a harem series and it delivers 6 very satisfying tales of high school romance. The characters may not seem much at first glance, particularly our protagonist Junichi, as you'd be hard pushed to find a more generic looking character.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/AmagamiSS04.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/AmagamiSS04.png" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/AmagamiSS04.png"><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">However, as you watch the series, the individual traits of each character start to become apparent and they each build their own personalities. Each of the girls is memorable in their own right, and while 4 episodes is a short time, the 4 episodes we see of each girl are well-constructed and do justice to the blossoming relationship between the characters. Junichi also has admirable character traits that aren't instantly recognisable, but as we see his interactions with each girl over the course of the series they become more apparent.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/AmagamiSS02.jpg?t=1296485510"><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/AmagamiSS02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/AmagamiSS02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">The 6 story arcs approach is a good one for this series. In other harem series like<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Kanon</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>or<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Clannad</i> there's an ongoing narrative, where the protagonist is given a set time in which he helps each of the other girls with their problems. In most cases in<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Amagami SS</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>the girls don't have such problems and the main driving element is the relationship between them and Junichi and this wouldn't work with an overarching story.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">Amagami SS</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">doesn't do anything that unique, and while that may not be a commendable quality, everything</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">Amagami SS</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">sets out to do it achieves and in the end presents a very entertaining series, full of romance and likeable characters.</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><u><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">7. Kaichou wa Maid-sama</span></u></b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Kaichou01.jpg"><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Kaichou01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Kaichou01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">Kaichou wa Maid-sama</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">is the type of series I can't help but love. A classic example of a shoujo, romance, comedy series, similar in style to the likes of</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">Special A</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">and</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">Ouran High School Host Club</span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">Kaichou wa Maid-sama</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">is primarily an episodic series with the occasional longer storyline spanning a few episodes, most noticeably at the end. It's a format that's worked before and continues to work well here, keeping the series entertaining and fresh.</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">If you watch</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">Kaichou wa Maid-sama</span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">, you'll generally know what you're getting into. Misaki is our heroine, Usui her love interest. Misaki will generally be a strong female lead, but in her occasional moment of weakness Usui will step in to help (this happens about once per episode). The main elements that keep you watching a series like</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">Kaichou wa Maid-sama</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">are the characters and the comedy, and</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">Kaichou</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">definitely delivers on both of them.</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Kaichou03.jpg"><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Kaichou03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="229" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Kaichou03.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">There's a fairly wealthy cast of memorable characters who each have their own roles over the course of the series, ranging from merely comedy to relief to having story arcs based around them. Most of the characters are given some back-story or development throughout the series, and while it's largely in vain with the series' finale, it does make them seem that little bit more 3 dimensional as characters. Our main characters Misaki and Usui both fit their roles perfectly, displaying all the necessary traits for leads, but remaining unique as characters and not falling to genericness.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Kaichou02.jpg"><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Kaichou02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Kaichou02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">Of course, the main draw of the series is the relationship between Usui and Misaki. This mainly consists of Usui teasing Misaki and Misaki stubbornly denying any feelings she has for Usui. Their relationship's development is one of the best parts of the series, with Usui coming on much more strongly than male leads in similar series. At times it can feel we've seen it before, particularly on Misaki's end, but it's entertaining, involving and certainly has its touching moments spread nicely throughout the series.</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">6.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>So<span class="apple-style-span">・</span>Ra<span class="apple-style-span">・</span>No<span class="apple-style-span">・</span>Wo<span class="apple-style-span">・</span>To</span></u></b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/SoranoWoto03.jpg"><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/SoranoWoto03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/SoranoWoto03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">When <i>So・Ra・No・Wo・To</i> was first announced, the first thing that came to most people's minds was</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">K-ON!</span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">. An endless list of comparisons was made between the musical elements, the art style, the character designs, the characters themselves and so on. Even after the series finished airing, plenty were happy to just call it a</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">K-ON!</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">clone and discard it, but for those paying closer attention it wasn't that simple. While there were certainly aspects reminiscent of</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">K-ON!</span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">, in essence it was far more like</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">ARIA</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">and similar series.</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/SoranoWoto02.jpg"><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/SoranoWoto02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/SoranoWoto02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">So・Ra・No・Wo・To</span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"> creates a deep, beautiful</span></span><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"> and at times quite dark world with a rich history and culture. It then proceeds to explore that world through the characters the series follows. The characters themselves may at first glance seem standard archetypes, but each has a history that is explored over the series and adds a noticeable depth to them. The bulk of the series is seen through the eyes of Kanata who, like Akari in<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>ARIA</i>, is new to the setting and so can see mystery or beauty in that which the other characters see as every day. This appreciation for the land she's in acts as the perfect gateway for the viewer to become immersed in this world. The episodic format follows a similar goal in that it allows each episode to explore different aspects of life in Seize and the area the girls live.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/SoranoWoto01.jpg"><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/SoranoWoto01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/SoranoWoto01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">Unlike</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">ARIA</span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">, however, </span></span><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">So<span class="apple-style-span">・</span>Ra<span class="apple-style-span">・</span>No<span class="apple-style-span">・</span>Wo<span class="apple-style-span">・</span>To</span></i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"> takes the chance to explore a war-torn past and introduces some very heavy and dark elements through it. It's not afraid to show the horrors of war and the long lasting effect it has on people even after its end. Every character's past has been heavily affected by the war and each character's life has been changed because of it, and over the course the series takes they each have to confront that past. <span class="apple-style-span"><i>So・Ra・No・Wo・To</i></span> is more than just a group of girls getting together to play music, it creates a vast world, presents us with deep characters and tells a beautiful and touching story.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><u><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">5. Shiki</span></u></b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Shiki04.jpg"><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Shiki04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Shiki04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">Generally when one hears a description that includes 'isolated village' and 'mysterious deaths', it's hard not to think of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Higurashi no Naku Koro ni</i>, so just as with <span class="apple-style-span"><i>So・Ra・No・Wo・To</i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">and</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><i>K-ON!</i>, comparisons between</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><i>Shiki</i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">and</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><i>Higurashi</i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">were inevitable. Whether the comparisons are just are more up to how the viewer interprets the series.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><i>Higurashi</i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">spends an entire first season creating nothing but questions for the viewers, then proceeds to throw out answer after answer in the second, revealing the entire mystery to the viewers.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><i>Shiki</i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">on the other hand condenses this heavily into one season, setting up the questions in the first few episodes, answering them in the next, and then spending the rest of the series on the equivalent 'battle with Miyo', though this doesn't harm the series. As we are shown the answers fairly quickly, we're then treated to seeing how each of the main characters tackles the mystery in front of them, and who comes to the correct conclusions, how they do so, and their actions from there.</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Shiki01.jpg"><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Shiki01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Shiki01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">What I felt<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Shiki</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>did well in comparison to similar series was its ability to show the human side of all of the characters. None were presented as either good or evil, all were just fighting for survival. This allowed the viewer to sympathise with any character, where other series with the same setup might not allow this. The characters themselves are very varied, and in the best of ways. As I said before, there are no good or evil characters in<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Shiki</i>, they're all merely human, and just like normal humans they come with a variety of personalities. Some are selfless and will do what they can to help others, some will make sacrifices to achieve their goals, believing it to be for the greater good, some just aren't nice people and take joy in others' suffering. They all have their own ideals and their actions are defined by them. It's likely that almost all of them will, at one point, spark some emotional response from you.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Shiki03.jpg"><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Shiki03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Shiki03.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">The plot of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Shiki<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>is followed from the viewpoints of several different characters, each of whom get involved in the events of the series for different reasons. The way the events unravel throughout the series kept me very interested, and there are plenty of plot twists in this series from the first revelations early on to some events that take place long after these mysteries are revealed to the audience. The slightly open ending does leave possible room for a sequel, but generally the series is well contained and complete in itself. I feel the series would benefit from being just a few episodes longer, as events tend to feel slightly rushed towards the end, but it doesn't mar what's otherwise a very good series.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">(*whew* managed to get through that spoiler free, I hope...)</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><u><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">4. K-ON!!</span></u></b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><u><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></u></b></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/K-ON01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/K-ON01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/K-ON01.jpg"><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">K-ON!</i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> quickly became a moe phenomenon upon the release of its anime adaptation in 2009, experiencing huge popularity. A sequel was not unexpected. The first season condensed the first 2 years of Ho-kago Tea Time into a short 13 episodes. <i>K-ON!!</i> would then take a further 26 to see the girls through their next year and the graduation of the four older girls. For those invested in the series and the characters, this was already guaranteed to be a touching and tearful finale to the series. The subtle signs over the course of the series leading up to this end helped the realisation that this would indeed be the end of <i>K-ON!</i>.. Except for the film.</span></span></div><div align="center" class="" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/K-ON03.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/K-ON03.png" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></div><div align="center" class="" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">In general <i>K-ON!!</i> continues the formula that the first season laid out; a generally episodic series with occasional ongoing elements such as the approach of an upcoming performance. However, while <i>K-ON!!</i> may follow what the original started, the second season eclipses its predecessor in almost every aspect. The increased length of the series allows for much more time to focus on each of the characters, and while character development may not be at the forefront of <i>K-ON!!</i>'s mind, the increased screen time allow us to get to know characters we skipped over or barely glimpsed in the first season. The episodic plots are each enjoyable to watch, but on top of that there are several stand out and memorable episodes for various reasons, be it memorable events or simply interesting premises. Many episodes also contain nods to the season's finale that add extra emotion to the season. Even the already excellent animation gets an improvement from <i>KyoAni</i>, making it look that little bit crisper, cleaner and smooth.</span></div><div align="center" class="" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></div><div align="center" class="" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">As expected, a variety of new songs have been written for the second season, and if you like the style of<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><i>K-ON!</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">'s music, these will probably sit well with you. The new OPs and EDs all reflect the essence of the series well, and have surely already become fan favourites among the series' now rather large backlog of music.</span></span></div><div align="center" class="" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/K-ON02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/K-ON02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></div><div align="center" class="" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Most importantly though, what <i>K-ON!!</i> does well is have fun. It's a series that doesn't take itself seriously, yet it still maintains that down to earth slice of life feel. It's all too easy to get swept away by it's casual pace and light-hearted fun only to find yourself deeply invested in these characters. They may not be the most developed or deep characters, but they're certainly among the most likeable in anime. Each one has their own quirks and charms that become ever more apparent over the series and saying goodbye to them at the end of the series is definitely every bit as emotional a moment for the audience as it is for the cast. </span></div><div align="center" class="" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><u>3. Angel Beats!</u></b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/AngelBeats01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/AngelBeats01.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have already seen <i>AIR</i>, <i>Kanon</i> and <i>Clannad</i> adapted into very successful anime series (courtesy of <i>KyoAni</i>), so even those who aren't familiar with the <i>KEY</i> games now know what sort of story we might expect in <i>Angel Beats!</i>, an original anime with story written by <i>KEY</i>. Most likely, a school life setting, a group of loveable characters, a fair quantity of humour and a series overflowing with emotion. <i>Angel Beats!</i> fits these characteristics perfectly. At the beginning of the series we're presented with the premise that this is the afterlife, the characters don't know why they're here but they do know if they fall into a regular pattern of life they'll disappear. So, naturally, they rebel and the mysterious character only known as Tenshi is there to prevent that. What follows is a beautiful series, full of heart-wrenching scenes as the characters learn the true reasons they're there, the identity of Tenshi and the mysteries of the afterlife.</span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/AngelBeats03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/AngelBeats03.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Angel Beats!</i> sports a very large cast of characters, and while some don't quite manage to leave a memorable impression, the majority are distinct personalities in the series who you'll quickly become emotionally attached to. Unfortunately, a large portion of these characters aren't given the development they deserve, and many remain mysteries even until the end of the series. This is one place where <i>Angel Beats!</i> loses potential and could have been vastly improved upon had the series been 24+ episodes in length. However, even while the majority of the supporting cast isn't given the time they should have, the main cast and select few supporting characters who are really given the chance to develop have such a powerful influence on the viewer, it becomes forgiveable. These are the characters the truly emotional scenes will build around, and tears will be shed. From as early as the second episode we start to receive hints as to the true reasons for the characters' presence here, and as the answer slowly becomes apparent we witness some truly touching moments. Friendships grow, dreams are fulfilled, relationships blossom and on more than one occasion a truly inspiring and powerful scene will emerge.</span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Possibly the largest surprise of <i>Angel Beats!</i> is the music, with the OP, ED and insert songs selling incredibly well, competing even with the releases that came with <i>K-ON!!</i>. The soundtrack for <i>Angel Beats!</i> is incredibly well suited to the series, with a song to fit every mood the series creates. The opening and ending songs are both beautiful additions to the soundtrack, the opening accompanied by Tenshi's very memorable piano performance and the ending playing over a simple yet moving image of the characters as a group. The musical success is also helped by the series' band Girls Dead Monster, who provide several of the insert songs of the series.</span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/AngelBeats02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/AngelBeats02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This series is one that truly makes the audience feel, and for that a lot can be forgiven. The problems <i>Angel Beats!</i> has are not once too great for the emotional pay-off, and that's why you watch a KEY series. KEY has always had this amazing storytelling ability to allow you to laugh with their characters one moment and weep along side them the next. You truly care about these characters, and for all the ups and downs the series has, the ending is all the more amazing for the emotional investment you've been forced to make.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><br />
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><u>2. FullMetal Alchemist: Brotherhood</u></b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/FullMetalAlchemistBrotherhood01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/FullMetalAlchemistBrotherhood01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By now <i>FullMetal Alchemist</i> should need no introduction as one of the most well-known shounen anime of the last decade. The first season was highly praised for its fresh take on the shounen genre and it's rather dark themes. However, because of it's release early in the manga's lifespan a large portion of the series had little to do with the manga it was based on. Eventually it was decided a faithful adaptation should be produced, and so we were handed <i>FullMetal Alchemist: Brotherhood</i>.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Based entirely on the story of the manga, <i>Brotherhood</i>'s story differs vastly from the original series', though they do have some similarities which primarily stem from their shared roots. Comparisons to the original should be left for another time, however.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/FullMetalAlchemistBorhterhood02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/FullMetalAlchemistBorhterhood02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>FullMetal Alchemist: Brotherhood</i> creates a wide world and introduces a vast cast of characters, each with their own story to tell. It's plot tackles politics, religion, racism and a variety of other themes, not the least of which are sin, despair and redemption. The first three are usually tackled on a larger scale, for example in the history and people of Ishval, the war that took place there and the repercussions it had. The second 3 are generally explored on a more individual level, as each character has a past they must tackle. The inclusion of the Homunculi being named after the seven deadly sins is the biggest hint to the theme of sin, but it's present in other aspects from the very beginning of the series. The act of human transmutation and the idea it treads on God's domain fit well with the themes of sin and religion, and there are plenty of other smaller nods to these running themes throughout the series.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the strongest elements of <i>FullMetal Alchemist: Brotherhood</i>'s plot is how tight the majority of it is. Even a passing comment in conversation could then be brought up again at any moment. It gives a feeling that the story has been well thought out, everything's been planned and much of it is interlinked. It feels much more complete because of this and there are very few if any dangling plot threads left by the end, even the frayed ends of the threads seem neatly tied together.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/FullMetalAlchemistBorhterhood04.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/FullMetalAlchemistBorhterhood04.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The cast of <i>FullMetal Alchemist: Brotherhood</i> comes (literally) in all shapes and sizes. There is a huge amount of diversity among characters, and this creates an incredibly interesting cast. While the series primarily follows Edward and Alphonse's journey to regain their bodies, a lot of attention is given to the wealthy list of supporting characters. Van Hohenheim is also given a complete new back-story that is the essential point to the new story. Many characters who never appeared in the original series come to be key parts in the story that unfolds in <i>Brotherhood</i>, also bringing, for the first time, culture from countries outside of Amestris. The expansive list of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">developed</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">characters in <i>FullMetal Alchemist: Brotherhood</i> is definitely one of the more important factors of the series, as it's this cast allows the series to explore many different and often dark themes in a number of ways, while also vastly increasing the many different elements and stories that create the overall plot.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="center" class="" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><u><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;">1. The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya</span></u></b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><u><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></u></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Disappearance03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Disappearance03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div align="center" class="" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><u><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></u></b></span></div><div align="center" class="" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><i>The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya</i> is the film adaptation of the 4th book, of the same name, of the wildly successful Haruhi Suzumiya series. The original novels received their first anime adaptation in 2006 which gained instant popularity among anime fans. The second season released in 2009 then lost it a vast amount of that popularity. After forcing the fanbase to wait 3 years between seasons, then airing the now infamous <i>Endless Eight</i> and holding back the heavily implied story arc <i>The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya</i>, people began wondering what <i>KyoAni</i> had been thinking. With the end of the series, when most were about to give up all hope, <i>The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya</i> was announced as a film to be released the next year. To pull the Haruhi franchise back, it would have to be good.</span></div><div align="center" class="" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Disappearance01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Disappearance01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></div><div align="center" class="" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Luckily, both for the fans and for <i>Kyoto Animation</i>, it was. <i>The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya</i> clocks in at a little over 160 minutes, and it uses every bit of time to its advantage. Once again, while Haruhi's name is the one in the title, this movie centers around Kyon. Everything about the film is designed specifically to get us into the head of Kyon. His inner monologue, now a staple of the series, is just the tip of the iceberg in the variety of techniques used. The audience is lulled subtly and yet quickly into seeing everything the way Kyon does, this happens through the way events are presented, the camera angles, the music, everything reflects Kyon's emotions and state of mind. This is done perfectly throughout the film.</span></div><div align="center" class="" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Disappearance04.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Disappearance04.png" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></div><div align="center" class="" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Putting Kyon aside briefly, the other character that gets the most attention is Yuki. Yuki, as a character, has always appeared as a constant in the Haruhi universe, never showing any noticeable signs of change. Regardless of how she may appear, however, Yuki has developed. More slowly and less noticeably than the other characters, but the change is there. This development in Yuki's character is then emphasised greatly in the course of the film. And just as Yuki's character is given a large amount of development in <i>Disappearance</i>, so is Kyon's. Kyon's character is thoroughly analysed throughout <i>Disappearance</i>, and the conclusions drawn by the end are extremely satisfying.</span></div><div align="center" class="" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></div><div align="center" class="" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Of course, none of this character development would be possible without the plot. <i>Disappearance</i> stays very true to the original novel, changing and leaving out very little, if anything at all. <i>The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya</i> is easily both one of the best and one of the most interesting tales in the series. As with most Haruhi plots, it's based around the paranormal elements that hang around the series, however <i>Disappearance</i> takes a slightly different angle on the ideas, and while the film certainly has plenty in terms of the usual supernatural elements, how it gets there is new and unique.</span></div><div align="center" class="" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Disappearance05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m482/sakesend/Disappearance05.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></div><div align="center" class="" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><i>The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya</i> takes the already great story from the original novel and does everything it should when adapting it to film. Everything is taken into account; the direction, the scope, the music, the visuals. All the right choices were made in the creation of this film, and it really shows. <i>The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya</i> is almost certainly one of the best, if not the greatest, anime films of all time.</span></div><div align="center" class="" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></span></b></div><div align="center" class="" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></span></b></div><div align="center" class="" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">And that's my list. Thank you for reading (I really hope someone reads it as it took me three days to write), and I hope you enjoyed hearing my long and rambling opinions on what I thought were the 10 best anime of 2010.</span></div><div align="center" class="" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></span></b></div><div align="center" class="" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"></span><b><span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Now, I should also mention that there are some anime that were released in 2010 that, had I watched them, could be on this list. The two that I most regret not yet watching are<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Durarara!!</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha: The Movie 1st</i>. Either could easily have the potential to change this list, <i>Durarara!!</i> because I've <u>only</u> heard good things about this series and <i>Nanoha: The Movie</i> because of my personal taste in anime and my love for the series.</span></span></b></div>sakesendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13318753729632399513noreply@blogger.com0