First Thoughts: Great Teacher Onizuka

With all the new anime being released, it’s nice to step away and return to the classics. I recently finished the first episode of GTO and was pleasantly surprised. I remember a few years ago when I tried to pick up this series but couldn’t stand the art. It’s weird how your taste can completely change over time.

TEACHER BANZAI!

The story centers around Eikichi Onizuka, a 22-year old, ex-gang member who strives to become a great teacher through practically any means necessary. All the way from torturing his own students in order to get their attention. GTO brings up the topic of the borderline between students and teachers and the need to break down that wall. (With a sledgehammer if necessary…)

Onizuka is definitely…what I wasn’t expecting. Which is both good and bad. He’s wonderfully flawed in many ways (which is a good thing) and his determination and methods of getting his points across are entertaining as heck. While I couldn’t stand how utterly perverted he was, I’ll admit that I did chuckle at a couple scenes here and there. (Teacher banzai!)

The first episode definitely had me hooked. This goes to show that age doesn’t always deter from a well-written tale. While the 45 minute long episode made me fearful of what was to come, I was happy to find the episodes after are all in the normal 23-minute long time frame. I’ve never been a fan of long episodes because I find it harder to stay interested. But even with 45 minutes, GTO had me interested till the very end.

I also LOOOOOOOOOVEEED the twist in the first episode with the class he got! I should’ve seen it coming, but it actually took me pleasantly by surprise. It was great.

So right off the bat, the first episode was enough to keep me interested. Onizuka seems to be a memorable, fun character and I’m a sucker for delinquent anime. The only flaw I’m finding is all the suggestive dialogue. While the fan service isn’t bad, (especially since the art is old fashioned) it’s the mature themes that come into play that can make you feel rather…awkward.

Other than that, I’m hoping to finish GTO to the end and hopefully write a review some day.

Noragami

• Characters: 2  /3
• Story: 2  /3
• Enjoyment: 1.5  /2
• Art: 1  /1
• Animation: 1  /1

Overall Score: 7.5/10

Personal Score: 6/10

Noragami in one word: Interesting

Noragami is the story of a minor god named Yato who is one day saved by a girl named Hiyori when she pushes him out of the way of an incoming bus. She takes the hit but awakes in the hospital to find she’s completely fine. Only, she really isn’t. Hiyori has become a “hanyou”, a half phantom that is able to leave her own body in the form of a spirit. She makes a request for Yato to help her and change her back to human. The story centers Yato, Hiyori, and Yato’s “regalia” named Yukine, a weapon gods are able to use in combat.

I definitely had a love-hate relationship with the characters of this show. For the most part, I found the main three likable. But there were parts I was rolling my eyes or facepalming at the way they reacted to certain situations. Especially the story revolving Yukine. Yes, I did feel sympathy for him. But for the most part he came off as more whiny and bratty than anything else. In the end however, he redeemed himself and managed to get over my initial dislike. All in all, the characters weren’t bad, but there were just some things that kept me from really appreciating them. Also, the voice acting was great. I was especially fond of Yukine’s seiyuu who I give two thumbs up to.

There’s so much to discuss about these characters, that I think I’ll be doing an actual review of them some other time. But for the sake of trying to keep this short and sweet, I’ll move on.

The story was all in all, good. It wasn’t bad, it wasn’t great, and it was just enough to keep me watching to the end. From the first episode I was expecting the series to be more of a comedy, but as it progressed, it took on a more serious tone than anything else. The dialogue was well-written and there was a good sense of pace. The series seemed to move at the perfect speed. 

One of my favorite things about Noragami is that they took my hated “damsel in distress” trope and completely ripped it to shreds. What I found was that Hiyori was the one to save Yato (and even Yukine) more often than not, rather than the other way around! It was refreshing and I loved how it balanced equally with Yato rescuing Hiyori.

The only flaw that I can really pick out was the fight at the very end when the drama felt a little forced. Regarding the fight, the thing that bothered me was how Yato got a sudden power boost for no apparent reason. They tried to implement drama into the scene, but it ultimately fell short. And the part I hated most was the scene between Yato and Hiyori under the rocks. (If you’ve seen the anime already, you’ll know what scene I’m talking about.) What should’ve been a moment that tugged at your heartstrings and had you cheering turned around and slapped you in the face. How? Comedy. They tried to make you LAUGH at that part by putting in a joke. The one time it was necessary to be serious and they spit in your face.

Sigh.

It would’ve been FAR more endearing and smart if they’d kept the scene serious. But, let’s move on.

The art and animation in Noragami is fantastic. Characters are drawn well and animation is very smooth. There are few times where they cop out in these categories and take the easy way. The opening sequence is fantastic and fun. Also, the songs they choose for the opening and ending were both great. (You can never go wrong with Supercell music ❤ )

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So to sum it up:

Pros: The story pacing is well done and hardly ever stalls. The characters are all around very likable and fun. The art and animation is done extremely well. The voice acting is solid and in some scenes, the seiyuus seriously shine.

Cons: The mood of the anime can change at the drop of a hat and not really in a good way. There’s a fair amount of fan service, though it seems to gravitate towards being more serious than perverse (not by much at times, however). A lot of decisions the characters make (or don’t make) sometimes leaves you scratching your head. And for me, I cannot get that one scene out of my head where it should’ve been taken seriously rather than turned into a joke.

Worth watching? Yes. It’s not the best thing out there but it’s certainly not bad. It’s above average in most categories and all in all, a solid anime. The dialogue will make you laugh at times, but occasionally scratch your head. The plot moves well and the ending is certainly satisfying though it’s obvious there’s more to the story.

Shiki

• Characters: .5  /3
• Story: 1  /3
• Enjoyment: 1  /2
• Art: 1  /1
• Animation: .5  /1

Overall Score: 4/10

Shiki in one word: bloody.

Shiki is the story about a secluded little village where one by one, the residents begin mysteriously dying. After a secretive and strange new family moves in and their secrets are revealed, all hell breaks loose. The family’s secret? They’re vampires (aka shiki).

The characters are a weak point. In fact, the only one that stood out for me was Dr. Ozaki.

And the only other character I liked was Akira.

 But it’s just because he was adorable

Other than that, everyone was bland, weird, or just plain annoying. Like…really, really annoying.

The pacing of the story is atrocious. Almost nothing happens until the very end. Which is the high point of the entire anime. Some episodes I was just bored to death. Nothing happens. Nothing. The majority of the anime is them trying to figure out what the heck is going on. It’s as if every villager that dies needs an episode all to their self. Not to mention the residents are all pretty dumb considering the fact that they don’t even try to figure out why people are dying. They just blindly accept that there’s a disease going around. ‘Kay.

Also, the animation isn’t all that spectacular. Characters don’t do much and a lot of it is just standing around.

So what are the high points? As I said above, the very end. If you’re a fan of horror and gore, you will eat up the last few episodes. It’s so bloody awesome. -insert canned laughter-

I LOVED the portrayal of vampires. Shiki brought them back to their roots and showed them for what they’re suppose to be – monsters. Vampires are monsters and they acted as such in Shiki. The soundtrack was also very fitting and set the moods perfectly.

The art was great, but the character designs were…weird.

 (I can’t take him seriously, I just can’t! I want to pet his fluffy head!)

But the faces are well drawn, ESPECIALLY the creepy ones.

 (e.g. THIS.)

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So to sum it up:

Pros: The last few episodes rock. The art is well done and the soundtrack does a good job of mood setting. Shiki also takes vampires back to their original, roots of being feared monsters.

Cons: Almost all the characters are boring, annoying, or both. The story is agonizingly slow and the only eventful things that happen, happen in the very last episodes. The animation isn’t anything to sing about. The dialogue feels overused at times and you’ll hear the same things over and over again.

Worth watching? If you’re a fan of Higurashi-styled deaths, then you will love the ending. If you have a sadistic streak, there are a number of scenes that you’ll be grinning at. Pretty much, if all you want is blood and don’t care for characters or story that much, Shiki will be for you since the end will make up for pretty much everything. If you can’t stand stories that move slowly, STAY AWAY. Or you can always watch the first episode then skip right to the last few. I wouldn’t really recommend this series. While I did enjoy it, it was only because the ending made up for the most of it.

Deadman Wonderland

 

• Characters: 2
• Story: 2
• Enjoyment: 2
• Art: 0
• Animation: .5

Overall Score: 6.5/10

Deadman Wonderland in one work: Crazy.

Deadman Wonderland is about a young boy by the name of Ganta Igarashi who is accused of murdering his entire class after an enigmatic person known as the “Red Man” massacres Ganta’s fellow classmates. He’s sentenced to imprisonment at Deadman Wonderland, a privately owned prison/ (get this) amusement park! After realizing the Red Man has given Ganta some crazy blood powers, he’s forced to live in G Block, a secret area held off only for “Deadmen”; people who have the power to manipulate their blood. There he’s forced to participate in the Carnival Corpse and fight other Deadmen for the sake of experiments.

There aren’t many characters in this show that you wouldn’t find in your average shonen anime. The weak protagonist who won’t stay down, muscle bound characters who would rather fight than talk, ecstatic, bubbly characters, and crazy people.

Yet Deadman Wonderland is able to put their own twist on all these character tropes in either character designs, traits, or both. Most, if not all of the characters who are suppose to be likable ARE likable. Aaaannnnddd…I’ll admit it. One of the main reasons I continued to stay interested in DW was thanks to Senji Kiyomasa.

 (I know it’s a shallow reason, but look at him for goodness sake)

The story is what really had me hooked on DW. With brutal action scenes, I just couldn’t stay away. I’m a sucker for series with a darker twist. That being said, you do need to suspend your disbelief to a certain point when watching this to enjoy it. Of course, if you’re in it for the action more than anything else (like I was) that won’t really be a problem.

Also, the series ends with a cliffhanger, so if you’re not interested in reading the manga, you won’t feel satisfied.

The art was pretty solid, though it seemed to be somewhat lacking at times. Such as the fight between Minatsuki and Ganta. And the animation really seemed to only shine when characters activated their powers.

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So to sum it up:

Pros: The characters are all around enjoyable and at least have a small twist on their tropes. The action is brutal and there’s plenty. The story is interesting and gritty.

Cons: The art and animation is rather lacking and you have to turn a blind eye to certain aspects in order to enjoy it to the fullest. The ending is empty and leaves you hanging. Also, there’s a fairly large chunk of fanservice.

Worth watching? Probably. It depends on if it’s your type of anime. If you like action with a touch of horror and a darker tone, then this is definitely for you. If you can handle blood and scenes that make your stomach turn, check it out. There are few series like DW that I can think of.

Just throwing in my two cents, but the anime is a sad adaptation compared to the magnitude of the manga. The manga has excellent art, Ganta the crybaby actually develops into a strong character, and the drama implemented is fitting. Oh, and the ending just makes it one of the most satisfying reads. Thumbs down to the anime, two thumbs up for the manga.

First Thoughts: Noragami

I recently started Noragami even though I’d heard about it back in January. The first time I looked up pictures, I couldn’t help cringe. Another cat girl? Really?

But I decided, why not?

The story seemed interesting enough and Yato, the broke and upcoming god looked like a promising character should the story end up being a flop.

The first episode destroyed my expectations. It had GREAT characters, funny dialogue, action, plus incredible art and animation. There was some subtle fanservice here and there, but it was taken seriously rather than perversely. The opening sequence is definitely a treat. Not only did I find the song powerful, the art made my mouth drool. Thumbs up to you, studio Bones. The ending is also a favorite of mine. I knew the sound of Supercell after the first line ❤

I feel like the characters are going to be the driving force of this show, which I’m totally fine with. Even the “cat girl”, Hiyori, is lovable and fun. And Yato is everything I thought he was going to be.

Though with shows like this, they generally have the same set up plot in every episode and it gets kind of boring. I’m hoping Noragami won’t be like this after it got such high praise from a friend of mine who’s particular about anime.

The first episode was enough to get me interested and if it keeps that way, hopefully I’ll be writing a review of it in the future.

Mekakucity Actors

• Characters: 1
• Story: 0
• Enjoyment: .5
• Art: .5
• Animation: 0

Overall Score: 2/10

Mekakucity Actors in one word: huh?

The reason I started watching Mekakucity Actors is because I’m a die-hard Vocaloid fan. If you weren’t aware of Jin-P (aka Shizen no Teki-P), he’s a producer that makes some of the best Vocaloid music out there (imo). In 2011, he began posting songs surrounding certain characters. This project eventually became known as the “Kagerou Project”. Each song showcased a member of the Mekakushi Dan (or Blindfold Gang). (As seen above.) His popularity with his music skyrocketed and soon, novels, manga, and an anime came to be.

When I learned they where making an anime, I was ecstatic. I’d never bothered to read the manga or the novels, but the anime sounded interesting. And what I found…wasn’t really what I was expecting.

Let’s face it. The characters are all around rather bland. The whole “there are no parents or responsible adults in this world” trope comes into play, and the Mekakushi Dan does pretty much whatever the heck they want. There’s a NEET shut in who’s of course, a genius. An idol who’s spunky and doesn’t like attention. A shy, clumsy lolita. A quiet, mysterious guy who happens to have explosive, mysterious power. A young tsundere girl. And a young, tsundere boy who’s abrasive and stubborn.

That being said, it’s coincidental that the only characters that stood out for me were the three siblings: Kano, Kido, and Seto. Now these three I loved entirely. Especially the way they interact with one another.

And even though they use character tropes that I usually can’t STAND (ie characters like Momo, Marry, Ene, and Hibiya) I loved all these characters in their respective Jin-P songs and PVs. Therefore, I couldn’t get myself to actually dislike any of them just because of something unrelated to the actual anime. So Jin-P saves them there. But if I’d never heard any of his songs, I can guarantee I wouldn’t like any of them very much. Or at all.

Sadly, the dialogue isn’t very intriguing and the story can be dull most of the time.

But something I utterly LOVED was the fact they incorporated Jin-P’s music into the anime. The opening theme, “Daze” is a personal favorite. I never skip it. There are even clips where it’s all music and nothing else. Since I’m a fan, I love it. But if you aren’t, these scenes can come off as random and a waste of screen time.

I found the concept of this story to be unique and interesting, however, it isn’t delivered very well at times. I like the idea a lot and some of the twists concerning the characters are great; but for the most part, it isn’t very eventful.

EDIT: After doing some research on the light novel and manga, the anime really takes a nosedive into the pavement straight into hell. The anime was a horrific adaptation (which isn’t a surprise considering practically all light novel adaptations suck). The story was condensed and chopped up making the anime confusing.

The strong point of this anime is the art. Something Shaft is known for, I guess? However, animation isn’t smooth and character movements feel awkward and unnatural. One second a character is here and in the next frame they’ve moved closer or further and suddenly (just like in true Shaft fashion) random poses!

(whyyyyyyyy??)

Still, the art is beautiful and my eyes were drawn to it completely. The backgrounds are always utterly gorgeous.

Again, the obvious flaw that ticked me off was the shoddy character placement. You think they’re a few feet away but in some shots, they’re suddenly right next to each other. Not to mention the characters sometimes pose for absolutely no reason.

It’s distracting, strange, and just makes them look awkward. (Shaft, Shaft, no. What are you….no. Stop it Shaft. Stop it.)

And the use of camera angles is rather strange. They zoom into faces and have dramatic head turns even when characters aren’t saying anything dramatic or interesting.

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So to sum it up:

Pros: The art is BEAUTIFUL. (Except in a certain episode that made my eyeballs bleed. Blew your budget within the first few episodes, did you Shaft?) If you’re a fan of Jin-P’s work, you’ll at most, appreciate this. The original concept is clever and many of the twists they throw on you are interesting. Also, the story is very clean and there’s hardly any shallow pandering.

Cons: Both story and characters are rather dull. (Though certain characters DO have fun and likable personalities) It takes a while for anything eventful to happen. A lot of the things that happen can be very confusing such as scenes involving characters you’ve never seen before and would only understand if you listen to Jin-P. Character placement is off and a lot of the movements make no sense. Also, nothing truly eventful happens until pretty much the very last episode. The animation is choppy, the story is hellishly confusing, and overall, this adaptation is pretty much a middle finger to the original light novel and manga.

Worth watching? Not really. The characters can be pretty endearing at times and the concept is, well, cool. If you like Jin-P, definitely check it out if for nothing more but for the music and characters. If you’re at all interested in Mekakucity Actors, check out the light novel or manga. This anime adaptation will make you cry. It seems to be something you watch when you want to shut off your brain and just see Jin-P’s songs in action. Other than that, it’s really not worth the headache at all.

 

Samurai Champloo

• Characters: 3
• Story: 1.5
• Enjoyment: 2
• Art: .5
• Animation: 1

Overall Score: 8/10

Personal Score: 9.5/10

Samurai Champloo. How can I even properly describe this series? I recently finished watching this for the 2nd time and was reminded why it’s one of my all-time favorites. Maybe it’s because it’s 3 am here, but I found myself in tears, laughing like an idiot as the ending credits came on the screen. The ending was bittersweet. I didn’t want it to end, but knew it had to.

The story is about a young girl named Fuu who is in search of a “samurai who smells of sunflowers”. With the help of fate, she meets two samurai who turn her world upside down and the three embark on an adventure they never dreamed of. The first samurai, Mugen, is an “act first, think never” kind of guy. While the second, Jin, is the quiet, mysterious, stoic one.

Though I’ve never really cared for characters like Fuu, I absolutely LOVED her. In fact, she’s one of my favorite female anime characters. She’s quirky, loves food, and is able to see the best in absolutely anyone she meets. And for being only 15, she’s surprisingly strong-willed and can be very mature at times; often being the mediator between Mugen and Jin’s spontaneous fights.

The characters are most DEFINITELY the strong point of this anime. The way they interact with one another is done perfectly. They play off well with one another, bringing out the best and the worst. The only flaw I can pick out lies with Mugen. He’s strong. Definitely. But some of the attacks he withstands are a bit much. He survives everything, no matter how badly injured he is. (But, personally, even this I don’t mind, just because he’s Mugen.)

While the topic of Samurai Champloo’s story line can be controversial, I did my best to give it a score it deserved. It sometimes throws you off how easily the mood can change at the drop of a hat from comical, to tugging on your heartstrings, to action-packed. (Though I personally thought it was done very well with this series and made Samurai Champloo even more unique). One episode they’re saving prostitutes, the next they’re fighting zombies, and then they’re playing baseball. I found this creative and kept it from ever getting dull. Every episode was a different adventure, always something to look forward to. And the comedy! Oh the comedy! It seems the anime industry’s sad excuse for getting a laugh out of its audience is just to throw in a panty shot or a boob grab. You know, shallow stuff.

But with Samurai Champloo, I had to actually PAUSE the video at times because I was laughing so hard! I mean, if you don’t bust a gut when watching episode 23, you need to get a sense of humor.

Oh, and I’m not going to spoil anything, but I loved the ending. It was satisfying no matter how bittersweet. I felt like I was there with them at the last scene, that’s how connected to the story and characters I was.

The art is the only downside to this anime. Up close, the characters are drawn beautifully. The opening is a treat and I hardly ever skipped it. However, when the camera zooms out, the characters look…well…like this.

Regardless, we all know Samurai Champloo is famous for the action anyways.

The fight scenes are masterpieces. Everything is animated, it’s stylish, it’s great. Even the way characters MOVE is different. If you saw a generic silhouette of a figure, couldn’t tell if it were man or woman, yet it moved with a lazy flow, almost like it was dancing, you could tell it was Mugen. If the figure was more stiff yet elegant, you would tell it was Jin.

The animation is a high point of this anime. The fights are like nothing I’ve seen. Samurai Champloo definitely has its own style. It wasn’t just “hya! I will cut you with my sword!” It was an actual fight. Like something you see out of a Jackie Chan film. Only better.

Now let’s talk music.

First off, I have Nujabes on my Ipod. I couldn’t get ENOUGH of the soundtrack. From the opening to the ending and everything in between. Every time I heard that familiar beat going on in the back, I couldn’t help but bob my head along. There are only a couple of times I’ve actually paid attention to an anime’s soundtrack. Samurai Champloo takes the cake with this one.

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So to sum it up:

Pros: There’s a mix of pretty much everything. There are scenes that make you cry tears of joy and sadness. There’s hilarious dialogue, PLENTY of action, and well written, lovable, memorable characters. The soundtrack is a favorite, and there’s hardly ever a dull moment. Though there are some suggestive scenes occasionally, it’s overall a pretty clean series.

Cons: The story line is flexible and changes moods often. (Though depending on personal preferences, this can be considered a pro). The characters look very distorted when the camera zooms out, it’s definitely noticeable. Some of the themes can be somewhat mature (There are some suggestive scenes/dialogue).

Worth watching? Abso-freakin’-lutely!! If not for the story, then for the action. If not for the action, then for the characters. Samurai Champloo is a personal favorite of mine because I was able to connect with the story and the characters so much. Especially the characters. It’s not that they’re exactly relatable, but that you can’t help but grow fond of them as you follow them on their adventure. You’ll root for Mugen and Jin. You’ll sympathize with Fuu. You’ll laugh at their hilarious predicaments and reactions. Sorry if you think I’m praising the heck out of this anime, but I just love it that much. Samurai Champloo is more of an experience than anything else.

If you haven’t seen it, you are missing out.

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!!!!!SPOILER!!!!!

Oh, and all you people complaining about the ending and how bad it was, come on. I mean really. Remember how many times they’d try to get away from each other only to be thrown back together once again? You really don’t think they’ll ever meet again? They weren’t saying farewell. They were saying “see you later”. Of course they’re going to meet again some day. 🙂