Showing posts with label 2012 winter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2012 winter. Show all posts

Friday, December 7, 2012

2012 Anime Report: The Best List

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I haven't really watched that many series this year so this list might be a little bit skewed. Moreover, I totally stopped watching anime the whole summer and only really started picking up in time for the fall season. There are many series that I was very enthusiastic about at first but eventually dropped for one reason or another. In any event, this list has a very narrow range: 2011-2012 Winter up to 2012 Fall seasons with a huge gap where 2012 Summer should be.

On a side-note, it's this blog's birthday. Exactly 5 years ago, or on December 7, 2007, this blog was created. :)

Now, on to the list....

Most Highly Anticipated Series

As soon as I saw the promo poster for Sakamichi no Apollon, I had high hopes this was going to be a beautiful series. Plus, the pedigree involved (Watanabe Shinichirou and Yoko Kanno). By the time the trailer came out and I heard the first jazz note, I was a goner. The visuals are just stunning and I loved the music, the setting, the characters, the premise right from the onset. 


Best First Episode


I came into this series with very high expectations and the first episode really delivered. I loved how the show immediately focused on the friendship between Sen and Kaoru, which is the series' selling point. But what I loved best about the first episode was the impromptu jamming session by the boys where you could actually hear Kaoru's initial hesitation and the freeing effect that jazz music has done for him. It was just beautiful.



Best Finale



This show wasn't as great as I'd hoped but it did unveil a neat twist at the end. For me, that's what saved Another from being another lackluster dark anime ambition. That and because there's really nothing better than having tons of characters die in just the span of one or two episodes.



Best Randomly Picked Series

(No runners-up)

This was the only show that I randomly picked up for the entire 2012 season. Ha-ha. And I'm very glad I did. Space Brotherswas one of the better shows that came out this year and it's still running. The sheer amount of episodes and my still watching this series should attest to how much I'm enjoying this show. I never watch anime that go beyond the 26-episode mark. This is an exception.



Favorite Female Character

(RUNNERS-UP: Svetlana Belikova [RE: Damnation], Mizutani Shizuku [Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun], Mine Fujiko [Lupin III: Mine Fujiko to Iu Onna])

Ada Wong isn't my favorite female character from the Resident Evil franchise. That singular title belongs to Jill Valentine. However, I've always liked the lady in red, mainly because of the ambiguity of her allegiance and the sexual tension she has with Leon. And then this movie came out and I was just...WOW. That knife fight has gotta be one of the hottest fight scenes I've ever seen.



Favorite Male Character

Nanba Mutta [Space Brothers]
(RUNNERS-UP: Nanba Hibito [Space Brothers], Leon S. Kennedy [RE: Damnation], Sasha [RE: Damnation], Nishimi Kaoru [Sakamichi no Apollon])

As a twenty-something girl who is among the rank of the plebes, I can relate very much to Mutta. I don't have any younger sibling but I do have older ones and they're all variedly stable in their respective lives. Mutta's insecurities are my insecurities and I have dreams that I don't even know how to begin to make them come true. Some days I'm just barely hanging on. Others, I feel very motivated. I'm just like Mutta, taking it one step at a time, perhaps stumbling along the way but picking myself up and trudging on.



Favorite Villain

(RUNNERS-UP: Karen Low [Jormungand], Orchestra [Jormungand], Svetlana Belikova [RE: Damnation], Makishima [Psycho-Pass])

An eclectic mix of murderers and psychopaths, no one can beat Shishio's "Ten Swords" in terms of villainy.



Funniest Character

Nanba Mutta [Space Brothers]
(RUNNERS-UP: Nyanko-sensei [Natsume Yuujin-chou Shi], Sofia Valmet [Jormungand], Hitagi Senjougahara [Nisemonogatari])


Unlike many characters in "comedy" series who are funny because of what they say or their antics, Mutta is just naturally funny. I mean, you look at him and you just know that he's a funny guy. 


Saddest Character


Sakakibara Kouichi [Another]
(RUNNERS-UP: Kawabuchi Sentarou [Sakamichi no Apollon], Mizutani Shizuku [Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun], Sasha Kozachenko [RE: Damnation], Natsume Takashi [Natsume Yuujin-chou Shi])


Kouichi lost his mom when he was only a boy, something that still haunts him. His father is in a far away country. And his aunt, who looked a lot like his mom and has therefore become his surrogate mom, turns out to be not quite alive. Yes, Kouichi is a sad character, alright.



Coolest Character


Kogami Shinya [Psycho-Pass]
(RUNNERS-UP: Kawabuchi Sentarou [Sakamichi no Apollon], Saitou Hajime [RK: Shin Kyoto Hen] Sofia Valmet [Jormungand], Kunizuka Yayoi [Psycho-Pass], Katsuragi Junichi [Sakamichi no Apollon])


I mean look at him. He's like Spike Spiegel's spiritual successor, without the martial arts, less of the pathos and more on the rage. His mortal enemy even has white hair. Kogami Shinya, you are one cool dude.



Favorite Het Couple


Yoshida Haru x Mizutani Shizuku [Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun]
(RUNNERS-UP: Nishimi Kaoru x Mukae Ritsuko [Sakamichi no Apollon] Araragi Koyomi x Hitagi Senjougahara [Nisemonogatari])


I just find them cute, okay? I love their blunt honesty, how they always say what they mean and mean what they say. I love that they approach their relationship problems head on. I love that they are such perfect foils for each other -- Shizuku with her reserve and Yoshida with his expansiveness. I love that their more romantic interactions make me feel giddy inside. It has been awhile since I felt anything like this from a canon pairing. They are the reason why I love this series.



Favorite Slash Couple


Karanomori Shion x Kunizuka Yayoi [Psycho-Pass]
(RUNNER-UP: Watanabe Saki x Akizuki Maria [Shin Sekai Yori])


I believe with all my heart that these two are a couple. I mean, there was that very telling episode with Yayoi, fixing her tie as she is coming out of Shion's lab just as Akane is coming in and catching Shion putting on her pantyhose. lolz Plus the fact that Yayoi seems to be always hanging out in Shion's lab. Surely, these aren't all just coincidence.



Favorite Crack Couple


Nanba Mutta x Itou Serika [Space Brothers]
(RUNNERS-UP: Leon S. Kennedy x Ada Wong [RE: Damnation], Karen Low x Sofia Valmet [Jormungand])


I hope these two are going to end up together. At the moment, we're clear on Mutta's crush on Serika but not so sure whether the feeling is mutual. Still, these are my crack couple at the moment and I always look forward to each scene of them together.



Best Dark Series


(RUNNERS-UP: Another, Shin Sekai Yori)


If the execution of Another was better handled, it would have easily won this category. Dark, brooding characters? Check. Futuristic society with dark underpinnings of dystopia? Check. Brutal murders? Check. Mysterious, unrelentless villain? Check. Lots and lots of pathos? Check. It looks like Psycho-Pass wins this round, easy.



Best Comedy Series
(RUNNERS-UP: Jormungand, Space Brothers)


A lot of the antics of this show revolves around the main characters' quirks. Yoshida is violent but is an animal-lover. He has a pet rooster (which is actually a hen), named Nagoya. For some reason, he is afraid of his brother and will go to extremes just to get away from him. Shizuku has virtually no interest apart from studying. Her coldness and other people's reaction to it are a source of consternation and hilarity. Yamaken is rich, handsome and popular but has a bad sense of direction and is too proud to admit it. These characters interactions, plus the usual school tropes, make for a fun show that is reminiscent of Toradora!



Best Drama Series




The series had to win at something. Even though Sakamichi no Apollon comes at a close second, Natsume  is just better in terms of handling drama. This show is gentle and just takes its own leisurely pace but when it does get to that point, the emotional impact will surprise you. At one point, I teared up over this series. That's how good it is at handling emotional scenes.



Best Action Series



This is like Black Lagoon light. The stories of Jormungand are nothing but the mayhem that happens every other episode is nothing short of fantastic. Truly, there is nothing more thrilling than traveling with an arms dealer.



Best Romance Series



Sakamichi no Apollon does not win this round because that series is more about the friendship between Sen and Kaoru than a love story. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun is unabashedly about a romantic couple and the only other romance series in the running is Sukitte Ii na Yo, which I abhorred on first viewing, so that leaves only this. This is both a default win and a deserving win because I do enjoy the romance in this title.



Best Production Value



It's by Production I.G. What else do you expect? Overall, the series just looks really good from its character designs to its color pallet and its excellent use of CGI. Even the music is good and I loved both the OP and ED animation sequences.



Best Opening Theme

BTOOOM! ["No Pain, No Game" by Nano]
(RUNNER-UP: Lupin III: Mine Fujiko to Iu Onna ["New Wuthering Heights" by Ichiko Hashimoto])


The tune is forgettable but every time I watch an episode and don't skip the opening credits, I find myself enjoying this song. 



Best Ending Theme

Sakamichi no Apollon ["Altair" by Motohiro Hata]
(RUNNER-UP: BTOOOM! ["Aozara" by May'n])


Piano solo. Nuff said.



Best BGM



Yoko Kanno. Jazz. Eargasm.



Best Ensemble Cast



They're just cool and like sex in black and white. Film noir with a sci-fi twist. And radiating danger like no tomorrow. The minute Kogami and Shion showed up on my screen.... AND OVARIES EXPLODE.



Best Art



The most stylistic outing this year, Lupin III: Mine Fujiko to Iu Onna took me by surprise because I honestly did not expect the art vomit. It is so visually stunning and eye-candy and so very, very different from everything else this year, I just can't find any comparison.



Best Character Design

(RUNNER-UP: Space Brothers )


Nothing beats a classic.



Best Storytelling



Perhaps because it has the advantage of spanning over several episodes. I don't really know how many episodes this is going to be but I'm not paying attention. I'm just here for the ride. That and because the story of Mutta and Hibito is that compelling.



Anime Series of the Year



This series for me is the most complete. It had a very good story, told really well, peopled by wonderful, well-developed characters with music that is to die for and visuals that are just gorgeous.


Monday, April 16, 2012

OVA REVIEWS: Gyo, Hotarubi no Mori E

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Gyo

Something stinks in Okinawa where Kaori and her friends, Erika and Aki, are vacationing pre-college graduation. Before long, the ladies find themselves attacked by walking fish -- that is, fish with mechanical legs! Say what?! It's straight out of science fiction, yo! The first half of this OVA is pretty heady stuff. And by heady, I mean sick, delirious and revolting. The walking fish come marching out of the sea like some really psychotic version of a zombie apocalypse and start attacking humans. Erika, the character who fit the sexy-bitch-who's-so-gonna-die trope, gets infected and turns into this bulbous green...thing that passes gas like no tomorrow. By this time, however, Kaori is off on a plane bound for Tokyo after getting an interrupted call from her fiance, Tadayashi. Fearing for his life, Kaori goes on some half-assed attempt to save him. On her way there, she teams up with Shirakawa, a freelance photographer, who is on the trail of the scoop of his life. What follows next is horror and mayhem in the city with walking sharks and walking squids overwhelming Japan's population.

I had some misapprehensions when I downloaded this anime. I knew it's going to be weird and probably disgusting. That's the consensus I got from people who've seen it. Yet, you're reading the blog of a person who watched The Human Centipede perfectly knowing what she was in for. So yeah, I watched this anime with expectations about the sick factor. And my opinion? I wish the producers had more sense of humor. The material is pretty sick stuff, no doubt, but it's also the sort of thing that could translate well into tongue-in-cheek humor. The potential for black comedy is exponential: there's the girl whose clothes get torn off by a zombie shark, all the fart and halitosis jokes that could go into this, the tentacles, and circus freak show. My god, this is expensive! But what did they give us instead? Some idiotic attempt to turn this into a romantic drama. The art style is okay. I like this sort of style, actually. But the animation is not that good. When I saw the more gory scenes, I found myself wishing the animation was better. The voice acting is bad. Kaori's voice actress especially is not convincing. I just don't believe her. When she's trying to sound scared or devastated, she just comes out flat. By contrast, the side characters do a decent job with what little they have to work with. The characters aren't developed but that's understandable in this genre. They're all victims so they don't have much of a personality -- more cardboard figures. The music fits the themes of this anime but doesn't really stand out. There's no opening theme but there's an ending one and it's a bland opera-inspired tune. The plot is actually one of the stronger showings in Gyo but since it's pointless, it leaves you with no feelings towards the end.

All in all, this is a somewhat entertaining 70-minute OVA -- entertaining in the way maggots consuming something dead and rotten may be entertaining to a select few with iron stomachs. After you get over the stink and all the disgusting factors, it holds a certain fascination. But if you're one of those people with delicate sensibilities, STRONG CAUTION: might cause you to lose your stomach contents earlier than scheduled.



Hotarubi no Mori E

This is the story of Hotaru, a kid who gets lost in an enchanted forest one day and meets Gin, a young man who wears a mask. Gin was a human baby abadoned in the forest a long time ago. The spirits of the forest decide to let him live and in exchange, Gin can never touch another human being or he will disappear. Hotaru befriends Gin and, despite being unable to touch each other, the two of them spend entire summers together. However, as Hotaru grows older, her feelings for Gin likewise grows and evolves into something more than friendship. During Hotaru's last summer before high school, Gin invites her to a summer festival held by the spirits. He reveals that during such festivals, humans sometimes get accidentally mixed up with the spirits. The two have fun together at the fair and afterwards as they are walking away from the revelry, Gin puts his mask over Hotaru's face and kisses it. Just then, a couple of kids run by and one of them slips and almost falls down but for Gin grabbing his arm in the nick of time. The kids soon leave but Hotaru realizes that Gin is glowing. It turns out that the kid is human and Gin having touched him means his enchantment has been broken and he is going to disappear. Instead of being saddened by this, Gin smiles and Hotaru runs into his arms, laughing and crying as Gin disappears.

I read the manga version of this some time ago.  I think the manga is better, although I can't really put a finger on why it's better. It just is. Not that the anime deviates from the manga either. In fact, the anime is pretty faithful to the manga from what I can remember, and maybe that's the reason why the anime falls a little flat for me. This production is by Brains Base, the same guys who brought us Natsume Yuujin-chou and you can tell where the series inspired some of the animation for Hotarubi no Mori E. I think the manga is also done by the same author. The best thing about this anime is the music. This you don't have in the manga and Brains Base made a perfect choice with the arrangements and even the opening and ending themes.

All in all, Hotarubi no Mori E is a quiet anime with an emphasis on subtle drama. I recommend it to people who loved the Natsumi Yuujin-chou series as well as Mushishi. This is not as good as those two but it's short enough and would provide a good introduction to this particular brand of slice of life quiet anime.


Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Natsume Yuujin-chou Shi 13 [Finale]: The Road Home

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The bug youkai still has Takashi under its grip, forcing him to slip into unconsciousness. There, his memories as a child returns. He remembers how the family that took care of him after his father died was kind to him although their daughter bullied him out of jealousy. The boys in his school likewise made fun of him for his strange behavior. The solitary Takashi tried to find refuge first in his parents' photograph, but finding even just the happy image painful, he turned to an abandoned shrine for comfort. There, he was free to spin dreams of returning to his real home. One day, he mustered the courage to ask his foster father for his old address. And when he was trapped at the shrine during a thunderstorm and her foster family had to go through all the trouble of asking people for help in finding him, he finally decided to return there -- alone, afraid, sick in his heart with cold and loneliness. He kept calling out for his father but no one answered. No one could answer. In the end, he never made it to that house and it was that moment he decided to forget all about his old home and his old life. 

The bug youkai wants to eat all of these bad memories but, just then, Takashi hears Nyanko-sensei calling for him. And the voice gives Takashi the strength to fight back against the youkai. He awakes to find the youkai hovering over him. Nyanko-sensei then transforms into Madara and destroys the youkai's spiritual energy, saying that it's now a harmless youkai. Takashi thanks him for saving his life. Madara scoffs, saying that he only did it to save the Book of Friends. Later, the two of them continue on their way until they find themselves standing in front of the Natsume house. "Tadaima," Takashi says. But no one answers back. No one could answer. Takashi doesn't have a lot of memories of the place but he sees some crayon drawings by the kitchen sink and Nyanko-sensei discovers another in a closet. Then he and Takashi sit at the engawa, watching the garden, now overgrown with weeds. Takashi remembers his father telling him about the flowers that his mother planted there and wonders if the flowers are still there. The memory brings him to tears.

Takashi returns to the Fujiwaras that same evening. As soon as he opens the door, he greets, "Tadaima." Both the Fujiwara couple are there to say, "Okaeri." Welcome home. 

A few days later, the Fujiwaras take a picture of the three of them together. Spying Nyanko-sensei walking by, humming some silly song, Takashi picks him up and asks Fujiwara-san to take another picture, this time with Nyanko-sensei in his arms. The family picture is complete. The next day, Takashi is out with his friends, still searching for the legendary soda water spring. The girls soon join them. They do find the spring but the water is all red from rust. As the friends argue over this unfortunate turn of events, Takashi's youkai friends watch them from the side.


COMMENTS:This brought tears to my eyes. Honestly. What a wonderful close to a good show. I think the series makers even surpassed themselves this season. Between this and the lackluster third season and the so-so second season, I think this is my favorite installment of Natsume Yuujin-chou.

more screencaps from episode 13:

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