It honestly doesn’t feel that long since the debut of the manga, and yet here we are, about to discuss the already wrapped up Season Three of the anime adaptation of Mairimashita! Iruma-kun. As an avid reader of the manga, I’ve had opportunity to experience the ongoing journey and growth of Iruma, a once fearful fourteen year old Japanese boy who is transported to the Netherworld, and is now discovering friendship and personal ambitions as he continues to forge a path forward in his new life. In the manga, Iruma had already overcome many trials; physical, mental, and emotional; and continues to set and achieve personal goals all the while keeping in mind his friends and loved ones when doing so. He has grown much and matured, though, unimaginable silliness, pure chaos, and unsought attention still follow him close by. As for Season Three, we rewind a bit in Iruma’s story, privy to the animated telling of the second to last event in Iruma’s first year at the demon school Bablys; the Harvest Festival. I came into this season with expectations of action, energy and tension, as I prepared to once again experience Iruma’s endeavors through what is arguably still one of his greatest trials in the demon world.

Mairimashita! Iruma-kun Season Three covers the Harvest Festival arc, which begins with the announcement that Iruma and his misfit classmates must all raise themselves to daleth, rank four, before the end of the year or face eviction from their prestigious classroom: Royal One. An impossible task on their own, they are then informed they will be assigned elite, renowned demons as tutors to refine their particular skills and traits. While the others are broken into groups of two, Iruma finds himself on the receiving end of individual attention by his tutor Bachiko, a magenta clad archer with attitude. Iruma and his classmates endure grueling training throughout the weeks before the Harvest Festival, and once the fated day arrives, they emerge pensive from their hellish training and ready to put to use those personal hells in full force.

Don’t let that innocent look fool you

This is certainly one of the most exciting story arcs in the series and there’s plenty to love here. In the manga, scenes are full of emotion, energy, and pressure conveying the stresses of combat-filled battles and internal struggles, as well as the joys and reliefs of reunions and successes. Regarding Iruma specifically, this is a transitional moment for him, as we see him dialed into his desires for, and truly working towards, a life in the Netherworld. Training under Bachiko and the twists and turns of Iruma’s individual route through the Harvest Festival allow for his personality to shine, and nurture his ongoing emotional growth. We get to see his selflessness towards others, and his drive to succeed and make proud those who have helped him get this far. We also get to see his genuine fears. Not the joke-like spooks he used to face at the start of his story, Iruma will realize and must endure the true depths of his fears regarding identity and place among those he has now come to love. Thus, through his desires for acceptance, wanting to remain close with his friends, and wanting to see them grow alongside him, Iruma’s character will ultimately receive praiseworthy advancement.

The other classmates have their moments too, as throughout the arc, when they encounter each other, all of their particular peculiarities come out in full, as they argue, fight, or scheme for themselves. There’s also a subplot, in which the misfits find themselves with an additional rival, Coco Orobas, adding even more tension, as Coco’s, and a mysterious companion’s, intentions go damningly beyond the scope of the Festival. It all comes together for a nice bit of storytelling and character development for several of the classmates. And with all that happens within the arc, in its entirety, the results are an appreciably immersive and satisfying experience.

As for this arc’s anime adaptation, overall, I am pleased with the outcome. I think the production does a noteworthy job of capturing similar moods and tones to character specific scenes like discussions, planning, arguments, and similar, as well as capturing all of the particulars regarding the misfits’ personalities. The raucousness of arguments, the silliness of over-the-top schemes and demands, and the heartfelt actions by friends stepping up, these are what keep the manga charming, and I believe the distinct moods and tones of those key moments are markedly recaptured here. Indeed, I think these communicative types of scenes are Season Three’s greatest strengths, as they best recapture the original natures and intentions of these scenes from the manga.

Regarding the more energetic scenes, such as battles, these have far more intensity to them compared to the manga, as expected, yet also compared to similar scenes from Seasons One and Two. I’m pleased to say that this intensity works incredibly well throughout given the nature of this story arc, delivering satisfying levels of zeal and force when called for. This is especially true for nearly all of Asmodeus’s scenes, as most of his scenes are action oriented this season. While this story arc provides growth for Iruma, it does so for Asmodeus as well with him tapping into the higher gears of resolve, power, and passion that he’s unlocked. And so, his scenes are intense, yet the purpose for said aggressiveness and emotions are not lost, keeping with his character depth from the manga. In these and similar action sequences, the higher levels of intensity work incredibly well.

Intensity really is the theme this season

Despite the overall impressive efforts, I do have some issues with Season Three. My main issue regards the action, in that several situations tote the line between authentic and cliché. As I said above, I’m mostly pleased with the action sequences however, some do drag on longer than necessary. Also some have terribly flashy moments that feel exaggerated, as if I’m watching other shounen series that also overuse these stylizings. And I get it, this production is meant to attract a wider audience who may prefer the over-the-top demonstrations of power. Yet, I cannot help but feel these instances take away from the charms of the original work and intentions of the author in favor of forced attempts at reaching more potential viewers. Personally, they broke immersion, taking me out of the experience for moments at a time. Although not an often occurrence, it’s a repeated issue that sticks out for me.

Another issue, though more a comment on my part, is that I would have liked to have seen more of the training before the Harvest Festival. In the manga, the training is not much of a focus, as we are introduced to each group’s hardships and see small snippets of their ongoing training. So I had hoped we would see more of that training here in the anime, yet this training component is treated the same way. This is one instance I wished the producers had added extra. Lastly, those musical scenes, which have become an anime staple, yet which I still do no care for in the slightest. Like with Season 2, since I knew they were inevitable, I was somewhat prepared. Personally, I can still do without. My personal feelings aside, from a professional standpoint, I will say they are fun additions for viewers that appreciate them, and they add mood and energy to the scenes in which they are featured. Perhaps it’s because they seem shorter than in previous seasons, so they add without fully taking over scenes or drastically altering tone. And, even with my biases, I can see that they are more a help than a hindrance in context. As a whole, the smaller issues will be negligible to most, and if you don’t mind the over-the-top moments of pure shounen marketing, then Season Three’s flaws are easily departed from.

Moving on to its aesthetics, Mairimashita! Iruma-kun Season Three looks as great as previous seasons. The artistic reproduction is once again remarkably accurate, capturing the styles and uniqueness of the manga. Backgrounds and environments, character designs, and character expressions all possess the unique styles, personalities, and charms of their manga counterparts. Animations are smooth and detailed, bringing new, and appreciated, vividness to interactions, struggles, and triumphs. And again, the action is mostly appropriate for this story arc, bringing expected intensity. Visually, Season Three keeps with what was done right in the first two seasons, continuing a trend of solid, expressive animation and authentic adaptation.

Thought few, Amelie has her moments, too

As for the audio, this is also a mostly strong effort. Starting with the voicing, I previously felt several of the classmates’ voices were too deep. Now that I’ve become more accustomed to this cast, I don’t find them as much of a distraction as I used to. The distractedly deep voice of newcomer Coco however, is enough for me to comment on it. Other new characters such as the tutors, have serviceable voicing that fit their personalities and never detract from the experience. I am especially impressed with popular voice actress Junko Takeuchi as she lends her talents for Bachiko’s voice, which I felt perfectly fit the character’s personality. The pink-clad, rambunctious, blunt badass that is Bachiko sounds great, with a voice amiably fitting her brand of crassness.

As for music, ignoring the main theme, which is just more shounen pandering, the soundtrack is fairly strong, with its mix of old, new, and remixed music. The tracks from previous seasons are never overused and are always fitting to the scenes in which they’re used as are the new tracks, though they are noticeably less of them in comparison. The remixes are most impressive, especially Asmodeus’s remixed theme, which perfectly matches his raging intensity in one of his particular scenes early in the Harvest Festival. This specific moment stands out as one of the best this season, made satisfyingly dynamic by the music and voicing. Voicing and music together make for a solid audio effort which mostly helps, and rarely hinders, the overall presentation. And so, the visual and audio aesthetic efforts of Season Three are thoroughly noteworthy for their abilities to capture the style and magic of the manga’s scenes while also enhancing and bringing new atmosphere to them.

Mairimashita! Iruma-kun Season Three does well by its source material, faithfully adapting one of the most exciting story arcs from the manga. The story, with all of its twists, action, interactions, and unique tones and moods, is satisfyingly portrayed throughout. Iruma and his classmates are also conscientiously adapted, accurately depicting their individual thoughts and emotions, as well as their growth through their personal trials. Add in the advantages of strong animation, authentic artistic recreation, and satisfactory sound work, and you have a viewing experience that is energetic and engaging. An easy recommendation given its equally imaginative, immersive, and entertaining as its source, Mairimashita! Iruma-kun Season Three is an absolute blast to watch.

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Mairimashita! Iruma-kun season two is available on Crunchyroll

The post ANIME REVIEW: Mairimashita! Iruma-kun Season Three appeared first on oprainfall.

It’s been appreciably easy to praise the two seasons of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and for many a good reason. From the story and character development to its aesthetic decisions and production, both seasons of Stand Alone Complex shined in most every aspect. And with a foundation laid from its developed characters, its detailed, intricate cyberized backdrop, and with the talent of its story writers, I imagine the creators could have told so many more stories while further intriguing and immersing us in the vivid Stand Alone Complex universe. However, the decision was made to forgo the production of any additional anime seasons and instead for Stand Alone Complex to conclude with the film, Solid State Society. Loosely based on the main storyline from the original manga, the task of the creators became one in which they would need to translate those elements that made the anime such a success into a film worthy of concluding such an amazing series.

Set two years after the events of 2nd GIG, Public Security Section 9, now led by Togusa, investigates a number of supposed suicides, all of which have occurred by a particular group of refugees. This link, which suggests a conspiracy, leads to the discovery of a virus which was used to hack the refugees and force their actions. The hacker behind the virus is dubbed the Puppeteer, who is using a vast number of kidnapped children to distribute the virus. As Section 9 investigates, Batou is reunited with Kusanagi, who is conducting her own investigation into the Puppeteer and the virus. Having her own knowledge of events and the hacker, she warns Batou not to approach the Solid State Society before continuing with her own investigation. Left on their own again, Section 9 learns of the possibility that the Puppeteer is a mechanism within this Solid State, and Batou suggests to Togusa and Section 9 an unsettling theory that Kusanagi herself may be the Puppeteer. And so, with questions regarding who or what is the Puppeteer, Section 9 must contend with this enigmatic entity whose origins and ultimate motives allude them.

Solid State Society features a mostly entertaining story effort, recapturing much of the intrigue and energy of the two anime seasons. Though with some borrowing from the manga, the writers manage a notable degree of originality and complexity with its plot, and include a few good doses of action too. Also, the conflicts and questions surrounding the Solid State and the Puppeteer, as well as watching the cast work through them, have their moments of pure mystery and immersion. Lastly, serving as both a revisit and a farewell to such amazing characters, I feel the film does an excellent job of letting us see where everyone is, how they are, and leaving us with a sense that these characters will continue being the same incredible individuals well into their futures. As it indeed feels like a final chapter to this amazing series, Solid State Society does plenty right, adapting many of the strengths of the anime to deliver one last story and gifting us a last expedition alongside these outstanding characters.

However, there are a number of issues, many of which stem from the constraints of film. As I said, the story has complexity to it, yet needed to be condensed to fit the film’s length, and so the film has moments in which plot development and details feel as if they’re unloaded on you. These moments can feel a bit overwhelming and the more subtle details presented may be missed or forgotten as the film progresses. Another issue, much of this unloading is done through straight dialogue and the result, I feel, only hobbles immersion. Yes, there are moments of raw emotion, self-reflection, pure energy, and excellent use of visual presentation, and they are each fantastic and reminiscent of the brilliance of the two seasons’ storytelling. But if the film just had more of it, and more variety to break those dialogue heavy scenes, I believe the story would have reached the anime’s level. Lastly, and more an understandable observation, there are no side stories or any world building. Again, I get it, it’s a film, yet they’re definitely missed due to how much of a noteworthy mainstay they are to the anime. Overall, although the story has its flaws due to time restraints and decisions in its presentation, the story is nevertheless engaging throughout and possesses familiar depth through its complexity.

It’s good to see this amazing cast again

Regarding its characters, Solid State Society focuses on the main three; Kusanagi, Batou, and Togusa, presenting them in a way that mostly maintains their personalities and growth from the anime. Especially Kusanagi and Batou, they very much feel like the same characters, with all of their previous depth and individuality on full display here. We also get those moments of particular humor and snark during calmer scenes that allow for it, and we also see their raw emotions and intensity when called for. One observation, and again due to film constraints, is that there isn’t much room for further character development. We do see some change regarding Togusa through his handling of his new leadership role, however, he is shown as less of the detective he was and has less of his personality shine through. Instead, he is curt, annoyed, and while he does demonstrate emotion, with displays of stress, frustration, and fear, I struggle to call it genuine development. And, all of this is ultimately moved on from once Kusanagi retakes the central role in the film. Similarly, another observation concerns the supporting cast, for although present and several are given some screen time, it feels as if their roles and presences are relegated to the background. Yet, I’m just glad they’re all included in some way and not completely forgotten about. Overall, the main characters remain the personable individuals we have come to know and love, and I appreciate this opportunity to see them all once more.

The team back together again

Along with its notable story effort, Solid State Society features as impressive an aesthetics effort as the two anime seasons, which means strong visuals and fantastic audio. Starting with the audio, Solid State Society sounds every bit as amazing as the anime, from its soundtrack and sound effects to its voicing in both Japanese and English. The soundtrack is fitting, bringing additional energy to action scenes, and instilling the proper moods for the more moderate scenes. It was nice to hear familiar songs from the anime, as this soundtrack borrows several pieces, and these tracks sound just as amazing while feeling every bit as fitting here, too. The new tracks are equally praiseworthy, as Yoko Kanno delivers at the same high level she’s known for. My one comment would be that I would have loved more new music, as I am thoroughly impressed by Stand Alone Complex’s music every time I hear it. Regarding the voicing, since they are the same actors as the anime, both the Japanese and English voicing remains stellar. As I’ve said in my reviews of the anime, this is how these characters sound when I think of them.

Concerning its visuals, Solid State Society keeps with the styles and quality of the anime seasons, making for a familiar, excellent presentation. The characters continue to look great and the backdrops convincingly channel the feel of this cyberized world. The animations are impressive, conveying mood and tone through subtlety in the slower scenes, offering pure energy during combat, and depicting those few, yet powerful emotional moments with impressive authenticity. The overall effect of the visuals are remarkable, as they noticeably emphasize story elements and add to the overall immersion of the experience. Together, the audio and visual aesthetics are incredible, making it clear to me and to any viewer that this is a production made with the highest of care and worthy of the highest praise I can give.

I would have liked more action, though not necessarily combat, to break up the talk-heavy scenes

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex – Solid State Society is praiseworthy, serving as a revisit to such an outstanding cast and to a deep, detailed world, as well as a poignant conclusion to this absolutely awesome series. Although its story isn’t quite as exemplary as the two anime seasons, the film manages an engaging, entertaining story nonetheless, and maintains and expresses the brilliance of the characters so profoundly developed previously. The voice acting is as stellar as it always is, the soundtrack is full of feeling, the art style remains bold and distinct, and the animations are smooth and never fail to add tone or energy. As a whole, Solid State Society provides that familiar degree of imagination, emotion, and immersion as the anime, reminding us why Stand Alone Complex persists as one of the best animation efforts ever.

With a feel of open-endlessness, the whole film serves well as a goodbye to these versions of these characters

Review Score
Overall Story
Art & Animation
Music

The post TBT Anime Review: Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex – Solid State Society appeared first on oprainfall.

Stand Alone Complex is one of the few works that never fails to impress me. I continue to regard it as nothing short of an accomplishment, with its exceptional degree of story and character depth, elements which I can never praise enough. I even used the word quintessential in my review of its first season, again, believing that the label is wholly deserved for its consistently remarkable level of quality across its storytelling, animation, music, and voicing. Ghost in the Shell has always sought to intrigue its viewers; to encourage them to question, imagine, consider, and, at its best, to even empathize. The first season of S.A.C does all of this effortlessly, remaining an engaging and entertaining watch all the while. Fortunately, that quality and those aspects that make the first season so outstanding are present in Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG. A second season full of action, curiosity, and emotion, 2nd GIG only reaffirms my feelings of praise for the series.

Still my favorite version of Kusanagi

2nd GIG takes place two years after the first season, where Kusanagi and Section 9 continue acting as a spec-ops unit that investigates and opposes real-world and cyber terrorism. This season focuses on a present national unrest due to past conflicts. After World Wars III and IV, countless refugees became displaced all throughout Asia, many of which were later welcomed into Japan for the country’s own reconstruction. Seen as cheap labor, these refugees would be treated as second-class and forced into refugee districts, while denied the same quality of life standards as native Japanese. Meanwhile, natives face rising taxes and unemployment, and are quick to blame the refugees. With the two sides clashing, and with the largest of these refugee districts, Dejima, requesting their independence from Japan, the unrest comes to a head when a radical group of refugees, The Individual Eleven, attempt to commit high-profile acts of terror. These acts are foiled by Kusanagi and Section 9, yet the intended flame-fanning is successful, as are the intentions for a refugee leader to arise. An idealist named Hideo Kuze rises as a champion for the refugees, and through his ideology and actions, the refugees become emboldened in their fight for independence. As Section 9 investigates Kuze and The Individual Eleven, a member of the Cabinet Intelligence Service, Kazundo Gouda, offers his aid. However, his particular knowledge of recent events and later involvements cause Section 9 to suspect Gouda and other government entities of a deeper connection with the current national unrest.

The supporting cast have their moments throughout, too

Similar to season 1, 2nd GIG has its episodes grouped by Dividual (and Dual), those telling the main storyline, and Individual, those which offer a deeper look into a particular character, event, or side-story, and provide a bit of color or backstory. Starting with the Individual episodes, these are again as fantastic as the Stand Alone episodes of season 1, in which they not only provide those back stories for characters and the world, they do so exceedingly well. Each of the Individual episodes is intriguing and entertaining, and always emphasizes the tones and shades of the world they occur within. Also like Season 1, they are noteworthy for proposing topics, issues, and conflicts that would potentially arise in this cyberized, technologically advanced setting.

Saito’s episode is perhaps my favorite of the Individual episodes

Then there are the Dividual episodes and the main storyline told through them, and I believe it’s here that 2nd GIG differs the most compared to Season 1. Rather than the complex web of Season 1’s story, in which its characters, story points, and events are ultimately weaved together, 2nd GIG features a more linear story, drawn out by history and taking its time to disclose its major plot points through a saturation of detail. History is the key word, as past events, from the international and national levels down to the individual histories of participants, and the ways they connect to present affairs are what drive this season’s story.

Maybe try to hide the antagonist better next time, though…

As for its execution, 2nd GIG’s main story is a mostly intriguing experience, successful in its ability to bridge and bring to life an intense past and a volatile present. It’s presented with plenty of detail and that hallmark Ghost in the Shell style and feel that kept me mostly engaged throughout. Also of note, there is a slight, yet noticeable decrease in violence and conversely an increase in vocal and emotional confrontation. Although the methods are different, the levels of energy and fierceness are nonetheless as high as Season 1. I found this to be an excellent alternative to the more traditional violence while maintaining the franchise’s trademark fervor. Not to say there is none, there is still plenty in the forms of martial arts, gunfights, and military level altercations. A last note, the only shortcomings regarding the story that I experienced are the seldom occasions in which the story felt bogged down by its own pace and excessive detail. These moments, perhaps oversaturated in detail and exposition, felt as if they droned on. Fortunately, these feelings were seldom, as the story is overall amusing and its progression has plenty of dynamic scenes that helped me to quickly reengage. Overall, the stories are thought-provoking and captivating, different from Season 1, yet recapturing the brilliance.

Let’s antagonize the main cast now…

Regarding its characters, we get to see as much in the ways of development and backstory in 2nd GIG, in similar style and quality seen in Season 1. The standout accomplishment in this season is Kusanagi’s development, as we are offered a more internal view, as in how her memories, thoughts, and emotions are influencing her. We get to see moments of her childhood during which she struggles with loss and the painful process, both physically and mentally, of her adapting to a prosthetic body. We see flashes of the earlier years of her career, when she works with Batou for the first time, as well as her first meeting with Saito. Of course, other characters, too, have their moments to shine like Saito, Batou, and the Tachikomas. Yet, this is very much Kusanagi’s arc. We get to witness her transformation from a calculating military head to something so much more. We are again treated to her brand of humor, glimpses of her playful sides, and the compassion that makes her so much more than a stoic major. Yet, we are now granted even deeper insight. We see Kusanagi questioning her purpose, revisiting events that shaped her, and rediscovering the myriad of emotions felt through her memories. It’s a stunning arc of self-discovery and transformation, and its execution is impressive, making Kusanagi a truly genuine character whose development alone is nothing short of a creative achievement.

Having these opportunities to see such a rich glimpses of Kusanagi’s past is just amazing

Moving on to its aesthetics, 2nd GIG highlights the successes of season 1 and the series as whole, with stellar music, appreciable voice casting, and in the case of season 2, a stronger overall visual production. Starting with its audio, 2nd GIG features an equally stellar soundtrack as season 1, taking influences from rock, metal, techno, jazz, and more to create truly outstanding works. And each featured track elevates the scenes they are paired with, accentuating events on-screen with substantial emotion and depth. Also as impressive as season 1 is the voice work and, again, my praise is equally high for both the Japanese and English actors. They capture the essences of these characters. Never does an emotional outburst, a melancholy dialogue, nor a reaction made ever feel disingenuous. Rather, the casts bring unparalleled vividness and authenticity. It’s one of the many reasons why I consider the S.A.C version of these characters to be the best versions in any Ghost in the Shell production. With the outstanding voice acting and the amazing soundtrack, 2nd GIG’s audio efforts are an achievement all on their own.

2nd GIG also features an impressive visual effort, matching the high points of season 1 and addressing its few flaws. The overall artistic quality is still as impressive as ever, depicting expressive characters in a believably cyberized world. The art style is bold and sharp, bringing added life to the product and further defining S.A.C.’s particular, remarkable aesthetic. The animations are also as noteworthy for their boldness, as they never fail to convey the energy or tones of the scenes. They are as smooth, detailed, and fluid as season 1 and remain a highlight of the series as a whole. Lastly, I had mentions a few flaws in my review of season 1 and I am happy to say that most have been addressed. However, I did still notice occasional drops in artistic quality and this mainly occurred when needing to show depth. In seldom cases, the details of facial features would diminish to the point of feeling like laziness on the artists’ parts. Though, this is a far less frequent occurrence than seen in season 1. Other than this, the visuals of 2nd GIG are just fantastic, once again demonstrating the masterful efforts of the series’ artists.

Most everything done right in its first season is reproduced in Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG. Its storyline, one full of strife and intrigue, will entertain throughout. Kusanagi’s character development will never fail to awe and draw out my emotions and empathy. 2nd GIG delivers impressively, not shying away from real conflicts and issues, from a global level down to the personal and intimate, and at the same time offering ideas and proposing questions that stir our curiosity and challenge our perspectives. It truly is every bit an accomplishment as season 1 and I cannot praise nor recommend it enough. This is indeed quintessential Ghost in the Shell; captivating and immersive, ever stirring our emotions and imagination.

Review Score
Overall Story
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As a longtime fan of the Hyperdimension Neptunia franchise, I was pretty excited when Idea Factory International said they were going to release the latest two anime OVAs on Steam. I loved the anime when it was released a few years ago, so any additions to the story I always welcome. Let’s dig into these and see how they stack up with the rest of this fantastic anime series.

The first episode, Nep-Nep Festival, has Neptune very much overworking herself. I was pretty shocked to see Nep working so hard and not being her lazy self, she decided to take her festival seriously. The very overworked goddess passes out and ends up in a dimension with other lazy versions of her friends. Meanwhile, Big Neptune arrives and is going to try and help Nepgear save the festival. Will their plan work? Will Neptune ever wake up, or will she continue to live in the world of lazy Goddesses?

In the second episode, Little Purple Sunshine, our favorite Goddesses are once again doing battle with the evil Arfoire. She has a new trick up her sleeve however, that gives her the ability the level down the Goddesses. The side effect of this is they all become little kids, and of course Arfoire gets caught up in the crossfire as well. While the little sisters are able to recover Noire, Vert and Blanc in their tiny forms, Neptune is still missing. She is actually with Arfoire on her famous Eggplant farm, and both of them have lost their memories. Nepgear is frantically searching for her sister and with the help of Big Nep, things might just work out.

The animation quality here is on par with all the of previously released episodes, and I always loved the look of it. I feel it captures the series’ style, and seeing all of my favorite characters like this always brings a smile to my face. I feel like all the animation here looks great! This is especially true of Neptune’s transformation scene in Little Purple Sunshine, it’s just amazing. But as you all know, I am very biased when it comes to Nep. The audio here is top notch as well. You will recognize many of the music tracks right off the bat, since they have been used since the anime series began years ago. The Japanese voice cast returns to reprise their roles as our favorite characters, and they do a fantastic job like always. There is no English dub for these episodes, but Idea Factory International did a great job making the subtitle text flow well with the dialogue.

I had been looking forward to watching these Hypedimension Neptunia: The Animation OVAs for a while, and they were worth the wait. I had a great time watching them. I think pricing is a bit steep at $14.99 for each episode, but you do get a discount for buying both of them in a bundle. The fact that this will only be up for sale til’ November is a bummer. I think Idea Factory International would be better off finding a different video hosting site for these, or hitting Crunchyroll or Sentai up for some help getting these out to market. Steam was never a good place for videos and them going out soon, makes this release on that platform a bit odd honestly. Outside of that, if you’re a big Neptunia fan picking these up will make you a very happy camper, and you should do so ASAP.

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Idea Factory International provided the videos for this review via a Steam Code.

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Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex is quintessential Ghost in the Shell; a mesmerizing, thought-provoking exploration of humanity and its unceasing metamorphosis through conflict and crusade, from the individual level to the global, amidst a vivid backdrop of cyberpunk. It’s likewise the kind of anime experience that makes me love anime, for it’s relentless in its brilliance. Effortlessly immersive, compels one to imagine, and thoroughly entertaining, I regard Stand Alone Complex exemplary of what makes a work such as this truly exceptional. With its striking story, bold characters, gratifying animation, and amazing soundtrack, Stand Alone Complex is an achievement which continues to impress and outshine, even beyond the sci-fi and cyberpunk genres. And my most recent viewing only served to reaffirm my adoration and respect for such an exceptional series.

Major Motoko Kusanagi leads Public Security Section 9, a special operations team that investigates and neutralizes digital and real-world crimes. From digital theft and manipulation, to terroristic insurgency, corporate corruption, and even internal affairs, Section 9 is designed to expose and counter any threat on any level of the nation’s infrastructure. In this season, Kusanagi and Section 9 investigate a series of occurrences all having ties to an event labeled “The Laughing Man” incident. This particular incident involved a genius hacker-turned-activist kidnapping an owner of one of the largest nanotechnology companies in Japan. This hacktivist uncovered evidence of corporate manipulation, with possible links to several government officials, regarding the medical treatment of a rare, yet impairing disease onset by cyberization. His intent was to force a confession out of his hostage over live stream, hacking the cameras and the eyes of onlookers to protect his own identity with a Laughing icon over his face. This Laughing Man, having become a popular topic of online communities, would seemingly inspire copycats and similar grand-scale cases both over the net and in the real world. When Kusanagi and Section 9 investigate and connect the ensuing crimes and occurrences, a deeper story of buried secrets, espionage, and collusion on a national level begins to emerge, and the culpable parties show a willingness to do anything in their power to remain undisclosed.

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex has such great stories, and its ability to tell them is just as outstanding. The series is divided into two types of episodes; Stand Alone and Complex. Stand Alone episodes typically focus on a particular character or two and offer a more in-depth look, such as an event from a character’s past, exploring more of a character’s personality, or something more exclusive to a character, like relationships, individual viewpoints, opinions, or personal struggles. I can only praise the idea and execution of these Stand Alone episodes, as they’re such a fantastic way to develop its characters. We get to see personal opinions, thoughts, and problems that not only further flesh out these characters, but make them vastly more relatable. Although not every character has opportunity to shine, the main characters; Kusanagi, Batou, Togusa; all benefit from the opportunities the Stand Alone episodes provide.

Staying with its characters a bit more, I want to point out just how strong the character development is in this series. These are the versions of the Ghost in the Shell cast that come to mind when I think of them. Kusanagi is a total badass in this series, as expected, yet we get to see so many more sides of her, too. She has a subtle sense of humor that adds just enough sarcasm and snark to her which perfectly complements her personality. She’s also much warmer and approachable as a person, aspects shown, to a degree, in the original manga, yet shine here, feeling totally natural and authentic. She shows care, flirtatiousness, even vulnerability, which all contribute to her appeal. I could go on and on about her. Furthermore, we get to see Togusa as more than a conversation partner, as we see so much more of his investigative skill, as well as how he conveys empathy and compassion, traits a good husband and father would have, through his thinking, efforts, and behaviors. And, we get to see Batou as so much more than a soldier. He’s definitely not the blunt tanker, nor the dull response giver he was in those films. He, too, demonstrates genuine feelings, has a willingness to show vulnerability, has his own sense of humor, and possesses and shares his own personal thoughts and opinions. Regarding them all, the depth and uniqueness of these main characters is just remarkable, and I’m so impressed that I believe they make for one of the most likable and memorable set of characters across all anime.

Coming back to the Stand Alone episodes, these episodes also provide further opportunities to explore the issues, themes, and possible conflicts outside of the main storyline that may yet arise and exist in the everyday of this world. The more philosophical themes Ghost in the Shell is known for are present, such as ghosts, or souls, and their roles within a cyberized world. Artificial intelligence, individuality, and questions of what constitutes life are recurring themes as well, especially through the Tachikoma tanks and their various discussions and escapades. Additional topics include the unequal availability of cyberization to individuals, and the mental and emotional tolls on young patients requiring major body modification and prosthetics. Even the impacts cyberization has on peripheral aspects of society like sport, leisure, or organized crime are examined. It all serves to develop and explore this world and the results are engagingly immersive and thought-provoking. Overall, with the wealth of character development, backstory, and world building, the Stand Alone episodes are a pleasure to watch and raise the experience to a masterful level.

Using the Tachikomas as a means to discuss AI, individuality, and life is wonderfully clever

Then there are the Complex episodes which introduce and develop The Laughing Man plotline. Throughout these episodes, a web is weaved connecting the many facets of a major conspiracy, from the aspects of the original Laughing Man event, to the subsequent crimes, sabotage, and copycat activities, as well as the investigative aspects into the guilty parties’ attempted defamations and cover-ups. And as more revelations are made and the truths become clearer, the attempts to prevent further truths from coming out are ramped up, making for a storyline that remains intense and captivating throughout.

This is the version of Kusanagi I like most: funny, caring, and still a badass

The efforts are praiseworthy, for the main storyline is striking and detailed, and it does an excellent job of taking its viewers through its multi-faceted web. We are offered a variety of perspectives through the cast of investigators like Kusanagi and Togusa, as well as opposing characters, and those that are seemingly benign at first. We also see limited glimpses, perhaps intentionally, of the perspectives of the victims whose voices have been actively and tragically silenced. And in true Ghost in the Shell fashion, there is plenty told through the many action scenes, whether it’s an attempted assassination, planned civil unrest, or the many hostilities that can only be solved through munitions and brawling.

It wouldn’t be Ghost in the Shell without the fight scenes

Although framed within a futuristic world, the ideas conveyed, the actions taken, and the consequential victims, damages, and follow-up conflicts are all very relatable. It’s actually quite easy to see many of these very proceedings as possibilities in real life, making their employment and development in this story all the more impactful. We see it in our every day the entitled actions of the powerful; in business, in politics; and we witness, too, the corollary oppression upon its victims. The main cast also reacts with the same anger, disappointment, and moments of helplessness as we may in similar situations, adding to their appeal all the more. The Complex episodes, with their deep relate-able stories, make for an uncommonly exceptional effort, one that continues to impress me every time I watch.

The one criticism I would offer regarding the main story is that, yes, it’s complex, in that finer details and more intricate connections tying together all of the mysteries, crimes, and wrongdoers may be missed during a first viewing. There’s a lot happening within each episode and subtler details like tips or musings said in passing are bound to be missed or simply forgotten. For a story so detailed, this tendency of over-subtlety doesn’t do it any favors. The worst it does, though, is it may seem like how connections are made and how later events play out do so in a rough or abrupt manner, as if the buildup to said discoveries or events was thin. Having said that, it’s not an immersion-breaking issue by any means, nor will it greatly impact viewers’ overall understanding of subsequent events. And with this being the only notable issue with its story, I can confidently say that this season of Stand Alone Complex remains an absolute joy to watch.

Equally as impressive as its story, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex possesses a truly outstanding aesthetic effort. Perhaps both the strongest, as well as my personal favorite, aspect is the musical score for this season. Yoko Kanno’s talents are on full display with her composition of this dynamic, atmospheric soundtrack. Each piece of music has genuine feeling to them, lending their impressions to developing events and to the emotions and moods felt by the characters they’re paired with. The results are simply incredible, as the moods and depth added by the music to those character moments or to those particular scenes always make for even more memorable of an impact. Kanno, Tim Jensen, Origa, all that contributed to the musical score of Stand Alone Complex have earned every bit of praise they receive.

Along with a strong sound score, Stand Alone Complex features a voicing effort of which I can easily give my highest praise toward, and this praise is for both the Japanese and English voice casts. When I think of how these characters sound, these are the voices that come to mind, and it’s not simply because these actors have been used in other Ghost in the Shell media. No, these voice actors do a remarkable job of capturing these characters’ personalities and conveying their emotions. Whether it’s Atsuko Tanaka or Mary McGlynn, Kusanagi sounds authentic. Her consoling, her joking, her rage; Kusanagi is brought alive with unmatched genuineness. And the efforts put in for Togusa, Batou, and the others across both languages are similarly commendable. So whether you choose to watch with the original Japanese voices or the English dub, the experience will be equally satisfying.

The emotions of these characters genuinely comes through on every level

Lastly, Stand Alone Complex’s visual production is adequate overall, as it has both its brilliance and less flattering attributes. For the most part, the presentation of characters and backdrops, as well as the animation quality are all excellent. The details that went into each character’s design are distinguishing and exemplary. Similarly to how these characters act and sound, these are the versions that I visualize when thinking of them. As for the world, each environment is detailed and expressive, perfectly fitting and adding further style and mood to the events playing within them. From the clean, advanced aesthetics of Section 9’s headquarters and similar locales, to the grim, dark, and weathered stylings of places forgotten or used illicitly, the backdrops have been designed with palpable care and skill. And with that level of detail, I find myself most impressed with the contrast of backgrounds, further instilling the feel that this a vast and varied world shaped by its spectrum of advancement and opportunity. As for the animation, it’s impressive overall, channeling the sheer energy of combat, the stress and tenseness of covert movements, or instilling the calmness of a night’s drive or a walking conversation. And, it’s smooth throughout without ever an awkward moment. As a whole, when at their best, the visuals are excellent, which only makes me wish this level of excellence had been consistent.

Quality dips aside, the tones and moods of scenes remain well intact

This brings me to the visual flaws, which mainly pertain to dips in artistic and production quality. Throughout the series, there are these noticeable drops in the level of detail of the characters. Facial creases, shadowing, and other finer details will be absent, making the characters look strange and leave impressions of shoddiness. A similar issue, though not as frequent, there are moments when the positioning of facial features, such as eye placement, looks a bit off. Fortunately, these are always temporary, mostly during conversations or combat, and are quickly corrected or moved on from as the scene changes focus. An even rarer issue, yet one I did notice, there are also seldom transparency issues, in which the background will bleed through the edges of the characters. They’re another minor issue, but again, one which demonstrates this inconsistency in quality. Taken as whole, the visuals are more than satisfactory, yet as a fan, of course I would have loved to have seen a production closer to perfect.

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex never fails to impress me, persisting as one of the most remarkable and profound series I’ve experienced. It continues to offer an imaginative and fresh vision of the future as it proposes and delves into themes and ideas that intrigue and ignite our imaginations. Its story is deep and thrilling, its cast captivating and vivid, and with the creators’ willingness to explore an array of possibilities, the experience overall is acutely immersive and entertaining. An easy recommendation for fans of cyberpunk, I would also recommend it to anyone who seeks an anime with spades of story and character development, and with good doses of action throughout. I have and I shall continue to adore and respect the accomplishment that is Stand Alone Complex, and I will always look forward to my next viewing of this amazing series.

Review Score
Overall Story
Art & Animation
Music

The post TBT Anime Review: Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex appeared first on oprainfall.

Unlike Ghost in the Shell (1995), of which I had fond memories wholly colored by pure nostalgia, my recollection of Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence is starkly different. Having only watched the film after experiencing the brilliant revitalization of the franchise through Stand Alone Complex, I remember Ghost in the Shell 2 being a convoluted, poorly developed examination of the series’ common themes framed around a storyline that received the absolute minimal of effort by its writers. In fact, what I remember most vividly is my own feeling of disappointment when contrasting the success of Stand Alone Complex’s fantastic stories, character development, and world building with the clash of Ghost in the Shell 2’s struggle to engage and immerse me throughout the film. Nostalgia again may be playing a role regarding my feelings and memories here, as I have fond ones innumerable for S.A.C. With that in mind, I’ve decided to revisit Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence in the hopes that I discover new charms, new depth, and a perhaps an appreciation for a film I have since felt unfavorably towards all those years ago.

Taking place after the first film, Ghost in the Shell 2 begins with Public Security Section 9’s Batou and Togusa investigating a string of killings by supposed malfunctioning gynoids. Due to the frequency and specificity of the particular types of robots involved, the investigative tone transitions from hardware failure to premeditated murder, yet with no clear motives in view. The investigation takes an umbral turn when the remnants of a ghost, a human consciousness, are found in one of the gynoids. Soon after, a Yakuza hit involving an employee of LOCUS SOLUS, the manufacturer of these specific gynoids, provides a step towards a far deeper conspiracy. And so what began as a probe of possible hardware malfunction turns into a vastly more sinister narrative of corporate malfeasance, organized crime, trafficking, and the exploitation of both body and soul.

After my rewatch, Ghost in the Shell 2 remains in my eyes a mishmash of philosophical themes, droning dialogue, and sequences that try, but fail, to set mood, all bearing over a poorly constructed story. Beginning with its story, it’s a spotty, fragmented drama, whose key points are nearly buried by the producers’ attempts to jam as much existentialism and implicitness into every scene. The story is so hollow, it comes off as if the writers made a list of points to cover from the manga chapters this film is based on without any desire whatsoever to flesh them out. The result is a wisp of a plotline, unable to hold one’s attention, let alone begin to immerse.

A glaring example of this lack of detail is the scene where the dead LOCUS SOLUS employee is discovered. This should be a major turning point, as this is when the story begins its transformation from murder investigation to the realization that something deeper is unfolding. The scene is portrayed in a nebulous manner, however, in which viewers may miss the connections that, later on, tie all of the pieces of the mystery together. Instead, the connections and final resolution feel anything but, too far stretched thin and buried under stylized allegory by the time they occur. Perhaps the writers realized they had taken their reliance on implication and metaphor too far, as towards the end of the film, one of the characters provides a short expositive monologue for Batou’s sake, yet more likely for ours. Needless to say, I would have preferred substance throughout rather then failed profundity and a summary at the end.

The nature of robots is one aspect of the larger discussion

Alternatively to a deep story, Ghost in the Shell 2 focuses on introducing existential and philosophical themes framed around its trademark backdrops of technological and digital advancement. Ideas concerning constituents of life, and questions pertaining to consciousness, their origins and what may possess them, are some of the themes the film presents. Can a shell, in any of its robotic iterations, be considered living if having possession of a consciousness? Does the method of how that consciousness came about play into the answer? Similar to Ghost in the Shell (1995), these themes and resultant questions are proposed to make its audience think; to consider possibilities that may arise as the lines between life and technology blur.

Unfortunately, just like its predecessor, Ghost in the Shell 2 only vaguely attempts to prompt said discussions, as there is hardly any depth offered to keep the discussion going. Rather, these themes are brought up haphazardly throughout a wash of convoluted conversations, silent implications, and attempts at tone-instilling symbolism. These methods of narration are partly to blame, most notably the dialogue, as it’s uninspired and quote heavy, purely to serve as a means to pack in as many references to philosophy, religion, and symbolism as possible. A passing quote or mention of a philosophical topic before firing off the next only serves to exemplify the detached style of narrative. The results are interactions full of indifference rather than the implications and allusions the writers are trying for. And those attempts to encourage the audience to contemplate those existential themes fail in the end, as no room is left for further exploration through narration, nor time for viewers to consider the deeper meanings. I, personally, kept having to adjust my attention and train of thought as I tried to make sense of the detached strings of theoretical verbiage. In the end, the reliance on themes through brute force and implication simply doesn’t hold up. Pairing all of this with its shallow storyline and you have a film that’s just downright plodding.

Thankfully, the dragging conversations are offset with some action

Ghost in the Shell 2’s characters don’t fare much better than the story, again being treated as an afterthought rather than receiving any kind of investment by its writers. Batou is the ever gruff tank and Togusa takes Batou’s place from the first film as the discussion partner. And similar to the first film, character development is also nearly nonexistent. All we learn of Togusa is that he was recruited when he was a police detective and is your stereotypical family man. As for Batou, he’s still the blank-faced tough guy, but now with the smallest of hints of sentimentality for the missing Kusanagi, and a soft spot for his pet basset hound. However, there is one stand out moment for Batou; a single, burst of emotion where he shows anger and sympathy for the dolls involved. Normally, I love these emotional moments and would have loved to have seen more emotion by the characters throughout the film. Regrettably, the emotions Batou displays in this instant only make me feel downright uncomfortable and leave me with a poor impression of him. How the scene plays, overall, comes off as ill-fitted to the rest of the film, simply because of the lack of emotion throughout. But what ultimately will stick with me, the one defining moment of this film, is Batou losing his cool to a child; a trapped, desperate victim. That, to me, is the stand out scene, for it turns Batou into a complete ass. And that’s it; Batou’s an ass, Togusa exists, and regarding the rest of the cast, there’s so little to them that I just won’t bother.

While the 3D animations look good, I think I would have preferred a completely 2D visual style

Whereas the story and its parts only leave subpar impressions and a feeling of exasperation, which you may now be feeling after having read that top half of this review, the aesthetics of Ghost in the Shell 2 leave a better impression. Starting with its animation, the quality is excellent, with its characters and their actions rendered fluidly and adding much needed mood and spirit to help draw in its viewers. The small actions like opening a can of beer or lighting a cigarette stand out, as they all feel authentic to the point of relatable. The equally subtle play on lighting throughout the film, such as the orange glow of holograms or the shifts in lighting when characters walk or drive under lights, also impresses and never fails to contribute to the moods of their featured scenes. Of course the complex animation sequences, such as the adrenaline-pumping action scenes where we see sprays of bullets, raucous melee, and brutal physical destruction, are all outstanding and captivating. They inject plenty of energy and instill that intensity we’ve come to expect from the franchise. My one issue in relation to those more complex animation sequences would be their noticeable scarcity, as heavy action and combat are secondary to the more moody, implicit scenes of mundane inaction and stoicism.

Though real-life holographics may never look like this, I find these portrayals convincing

As for its art style, the film implements a mostly 2D endeavor with 3D CGI, similar to its predecessor film. The 2D style is, of course, saturated in digital and hardware advancement with also quite a bit of holographic portrayal. The quality is high, with detailed illustration across its characters, animation, and backdrops, making for a plausible depiction of a cyberized future. Regarding the implementation of 3D CGI, there’s certainly more than the first film, ranging from static adornments within a 2D backdrop, to fully 3D and animated environments, too. The results definitely stand out, as one would expect when having 2D characters moving about a 3D CGI world. And so, the two styles tend to clash, making for a few awkward sequences here and there, though I do give credit to the times when the two styles work well together.

Lastly, Ghost in the Shell 2’s audio is a mixed bag, in that it possesses some excellent sound effect usage and competent voice acting, however also features a limited and forgettable soundtrack. The sound effects played during wordless scenes and moments that call for ambience are notable, further helping to set moods along with its paired imagery. Solemn scenes of routine or wordless stretches of reason and reflection all contribute to the feel that something deeper awaits. But too much of a good thing can hurt, as these scenes of ambience and silent thought are used far too often, taking away from their impact and leaving me bored at times. The opposites of these scenes, the ones full of gunfire and brutality, are only enhanced by the exquisite accompanying sounds of chaos and destruction one would expect.

At times, perspectives and angles meant to add atmosphere are instead just weird. Yes, that’s Batou’s face when he looks at stuff. We get it.

The voice acting, both the original Japanese and the English dub, is also fairly strong, as this is the only real source of life the characters receive throughout the film. Most of the voice actors that lent their talents to the first film and S.A.C. return here, a huge plus given their abilities.

Then there’s the soundtrack, whose music never adds to the moods or tones on screen, and never quite caught my attention. The tracks just fade into the background of the scenes they’re used for without making any lasting impression. Many of the tracks also sound curiously similar, and that could have been a contributing factor as to why I find the music so unmemorable. Thus with sound effects that have their successful moments of impact versus a sound score soon forgotten, the audio aesthetic is adequate at best.

So it seems my impression of Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence has not changed much between my initial viewing of the film years ago and this rewatch. It remains an unimpressive attempt to delve into the franchise’s common themes without the needed depth and development to nurture any kind of lasting intrigue. Its story is a framework at best, a collection of plot points easily lost between stretches of inaction and convoluted scenes filled with philosophic verbal logorrhea. Although the film looks impressive and possesses an audio effort that deserves merit, aesthetics alone are not enough to cover up the film’s glaring flaws. Bottom line, the film just isn’t entertaining. And so, whether it be fans of the genre or the franchise, this is nonetheless a hard pass for most. If curiosity gets the better of anyone, I would only suggest that one prepares themself for a slow, uninteresting drudge through attempted profoundness.

Review Score
Overall Story
Art & Animation
Music & Audio

The post TBT Anime Review: Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence appeared first on oprainfall.

Ghost in the Shell has been a mainstay in the cyberpunk genre for decades, defined by its distinct themes of physical augmentation, as well as the inter-connectivity and interweaving of the mind with a digital landscape, and the emphases regarding the soul that the series’ many interpretations introduce. Captivating and intriguing, to think Ghost in the Shell has been igniting our imaginations and continues to have us ponder those more philosophical questions posed since the debut manga back in 1989, is nothing short of extraordinary. The manga managed to lay a foundation of profound concepts and thought, along with plenty of style, action, and tone that defines Ghost in the Shell’s particular brand of cyberpunk. And from the manga came the franchise’s first animation in the form of the 1995 film adaption of the same name. Whether it was my previous knowledge and interactions with the franchise, or perhaps it was purely nostalgia, I had regarded Ghost in the Shell (1995) rather highly. Years later, I find myself wanting to know if this film adaptation remains as truly magnificent as I once believed it to be.

Major Motoko Kusanagi leads the task force for special operations Public Security Section 9, a department that handles digital and traditional national security and counter-terrorism. From digital theft and manipulation, to espionage, to military level incursions, Section 9 is responsible for investigating and neutralizing the most dangerous of digital and real-world threats. An entity only known as The Puppet Master is one such threat, and one that captures Kusanagi’s intrigue. Considered to be a genius hacker, The Puppet Master is able to hack the very ghosts of individuals and through these “ghost-hacks,” controls several individuals to commit digital and real-world crimes on their behalf. However, what starts as a string of crimes leads to a hostile discourse regarding the definitions and purposes of life and existence in this digitally amalgamated world.

Motoko’s implied inner turmoil is often symbolized through reflections throughout the film

This series has always excelled at posing questions and making its audience think through its core themes, and Ghost in the Shell (1995) is no exception, as the philosophical play here is in full force. The concepts surrounding technological augmentation of the body and mind definitely spur the imagination, as do the possibilities that arise when blurring the lines of what constitutes life. Those overlaying themes all serve to engage, which they do so capably.

Having said that, the actual delivery of these themes through the film’s story, as well as its participating characters, is surprisingly weak; weaker than I recalled. In truth, there is little in the way of plot development. Putting my prior knowledge and experience with the series aside, I came to realize that plot points are more thrown at you throughout the film rather than given proper introduction and depth. Details regarding those themes, too, are actually quite limited and receive hardly any genuine development. It’s mostly left up to the viewer to extract the deeper meanings behind what’s being portrayed. On top of that, there are a number of wordless scenes that depict reflection into oneself and other symbolism that, again, is left entirely up to the viewer to interpret.

Physical augmentation plays a crucial role in the world, as well as to why Motoko struggles with the concept of what constitutes being alive

What I believe is the fatal flaw here is that the film fails to ever establish a proper foundation for its story. Right from the start, the film begins with a hardly-pertinent discussion between different parties and soon spirals into a gun fight. Then it’s just action sequences and inner-reflection on Motoko’s part with story fragments, in the form of bits of dialogue, banter and leaps in logic, haphazardly jammed in between. The result is an incoherent, vague story, unable to spark interest or bring together the themes and animation the film inarguably prioritized and relies upon instead. Lastly, for those completely unfamiliar with the series, given all of the shortcomings I’ve discussed, I can certainly see the film failing to provide enough immersion or coherence for newcomer viewers to consider it an appealing watch.

Character development is also lacking, as we never receive much more than each character’s base personalities. Kusanagi is the overly-capable heroine with an existential crisis. Batou is the partner and a dialogue partner. The rest of the cast simply serve to move the story along to its next objective and that’s it. As far as actual development, we get glimmers of Kusanagi’s and Batou’s personalities through a half-philosophical conversation, but really nothing more. None of the humorous banter that’s in the manga. None of the personal conversations. Zero opening up. There isn’t even any fleshing out of the existential crisis Kusanagi supposedly has throughout the film.

In fact, what should be the driving force for Kusanagi’s character; an individual who questions her own existence due to her augmentations, inter-weaved with the Puppet Master’s own existence and his outlooks over what constitutes life and its purposes; is never directly addressed nor developed accordingly. Instead, Kusanagi remains a person of few words, idly staring at her reflection at times, until the latter twenty minutes of the film. Then, Kusanagi’s personality sees a rapid, dramatic change towards obsession. I realize that her fascination, perhaps to a point of obsession, crossed with her own existential crisis, is what drives her actions late in the film. Yet, to say she becomes obsessed is just too much of a stretch, as that aspect of her character is never developed to a believable point. Similar are her actions, as her style transforms from calculated to full-on reckless too quickly, contrasting with her behaviors and character seen in the majority of the film. To put it simply, in the final acts, her character is jarringly, and poorly, rewritten from capable and cool-headed to a reckless idiot. And this is all to convince the viewers, that she now, suddenly, must feed an obsession-laced need to find something that only her counterpart in the film supposedly can offer her. Without any real details or development, Kusanagi ultimately comes off as nothing more than a plot device to move the film to its end. Therefore, and as brusque as it is to say, the story is a resultant novelty at best, let down by its overly-convenient heroine and one-dimensional supporting cast. I am fully aware that this is not only a striking departure from the majority opinion of the film, but is also a significant change to my own opinion when I first watched it so long ago.

Leaving story and characters behind, Ghost in the Shell (1995) possessed many aesthetic strengths that still hold up today. Starting with perhaps its greatest pro, the film’s animation remains strong, even after all this time. It’s still fluid and energetic, able to hook and hold any viewer. From the big, attention-grabbers like the fight sequences and the destruction, to the more subtle, yet complex sequences, such as Kusanagi altering parts in her rifle, the animation remains the most praiseworthy contribution to the overall experience. Equally impressive is the artistry of the backgrounds and supplemental scenes, depicting a convincing clash between technological advancement and the gritty, worn-down aspects of the locations and people that have suffered or been left behind by that prosperity. That dismal style in the art only helps to bring much needed mood to the film. Similarly strong are the sound effects that further contribute to establishing the tones and moods of its scenes. Those sound effects, as well as the ambient noises throughout the B-roll, are exceptional, bringing plenty of needed immersion with them.

Plenty of action sequences and they all still look phenomenal

Unfortunately, time has taken its toll on Ghost in the Shell (1995), making certain flaws more evident and interpretations feel more dated. The visuals aren’t sharp, given the limitations to animation technology back then, and this has only become more apparent now. The scenes are grainy and the upscale efforts can only do so much. Having said that, most of the visual’s subtle details, thankfully, haven’t been lost. Another victim of time, however, are the depictions of the film world’s futuristic, fictional technologies. They simply haven’t aged well, which I suppose is an inevitability for most interpretations of fictional technology given enough time. Lastly, yet not a fault of time, I found the soundtrack to be rather underwhelming. For one, there aren’t many tracks to begin with, which may have been a wise choice, given the strength of the ambience and sound effects. What music is there, though, is grating at its worst, unmemorable at its best. Perhaps it’s because I really can’t say I found the music to benefit any particular scene. I would notice a new track playing for a time, but I found myself naturally dismissing it as the scenes went on. If anything, this soundtrack makes me appreciate Yoko Kanno’s contributions to S.A.C just a bit more now. Taken in their entirety, the aesthetics have their strengths, which remain praiseworthy for what they continue to offer, however the shortcomings, I fear, will only become more perceivable as time goes on.

The dirty, dismal artstyle speaks volumes

Viewing Ghost in the Shell (1995) on its own, while pushing aside all of my previous experiences with the series, most definitely changed my opinion. As a film, it interests and entertains to an extent, but fails to satisfyingly immerse. Its themes and aesthetics are its strong points, yet not so strong as to carry it. Its story is shallow and its characters are unmemorable, cons that are far too detrimental to the overall production. As an adaptation, it truly lets down its source material, especially since its manga source succeeds in these very areas. I will admit that previous fanboying and nostalgia had kept Ghost in the Shell (1995) high on my favorites list, yet having come back with a clear mind and the resolve to review this impartially, I must rate this lower than I had ever expected. Does it still intrigue and make you think? Yes. Is it still an action-packed lark across an interlaced scape of flesh, code, and hardware? Of course. Will I probably return to it, being the cyberpunk and Ghost in the Shell fanboy that I am? Probably. As an entry point into the franchise, it’s just too difficult of a recommendation. However, if one were to read the original manga or watch Stand Alone Complex, which I would recommend as an entry point, and then return to this film, you may then come to appreciate the few, yet brilliant, charms of this film.

Review Score
Overall Story
Art & Animation
Music

The post TBT ANIME REVIEW: Ghost in the Shell (1995) appeared first on oprainfall.

The overwhelming popularity of Mairimashita! Iruma-kun comes as no surprise, as it continues its creative trend as one of the most charming and intriguing shounen manga out there. A smashup of isekai and school life with a willingness to include themes and elements from other genres, Mairimashita! Iruma-kun remains uncommonly entertaining. The first season of the anime mostly captures the same magic that makes the manga so widely captivating, yet it has its flaws, too. An over-dependence on current shounen anime trends compromises the distinctiveness the manga possesses while at times also overly amping up the intended moods to grating levels. Despite these drawbacks, the first season is largely a successful adaptation. But now that we’re past Iruma’s introduction to the demon world, we see his adventures become more intertwined with the world and people around him. So let’s see how well Mairimashita! Iruma-kun season two does in adapting these moments in Iruma’s demon school life.

One of Iruma’s trials this season is temporarily training with the Student Council

For those unfamiliar, Mairimashita! Iruma-kun, or Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun, chronicles the amiably turbulent adventures of Suzuki Iruma, a 14-year-old human boy who finds himself living the life of a doted over grandson in the Netherworld. And as any good grandparent does, Iruma is loved, pampered, and also soon enrolled into Bablys, the best demon school around. A far cry from his former life as a neglected, exploited adolescent in the human world, Iruma will make new demon friends and learn the nuances of both demon school and the Netherworld as he becomes accustomed to his new life. And whether it be his friends, the staff, or a product of the fantastical world he is now part of, he will often and unwillingly be dragged into mostly jovial mischievousness, with touches of genuine threat and terror thrown in.

This season, Amelie sees quite a bit of development too. And yes, I prefer Amelie to Ameri as I think it fits better with the L sound in Azazel

Now that Iruma and his supporting cast have been introduced and established, along with their preliminary school life struggles and the first seeds of antagonism sown, the proceeding story arcs place Iruma in more familiar scenarios for a typical high schooler. And, of course, nothing is actually familiar nor predictable for the wide-eyed Iruma given his misfit teenage demon classmates and the various Netherworld peculiarities. A flamboyant student council election with a mystery behind it, a petition for the misfits to move from their rickety old classroom to one built for a king, a trip to a demon amusement park, and Iruma’s first ever date. Iruma, wishing to avoid drawing attention to himself being the only human amongst demons, fails miserably as he once again takes the spotlight throughout these events that become nothing short of full-on escapades.

Iruma goes Iru-mean–

–and he wants Royal One

Simply put, Mairimashita! Iruma-kun season two is a fun watch. The high-level of the manga through its corresponding chapters, I feel, are adapted well, holding as true to its source material compared to the efforts of season one. While there are again, liberties taken depicting the storylines that at times trend a bit too close to shounen clichés, the allures of the stories and its characters throughout these arcs remain wholly intact in the anime. Perhaps it’s because these arcs possess numerous more flamboyant, jovial, and battle-stricken moments to begin with that I found the more energetic scenes feeling less forced into the production. Also, I feel the anime does a fantastic job of adapting all of the humorous moments throughout these arcs. The lightheartedness and humor that comes with these scenes of character interaction and personal development remain impressive in the adaptation, and are an absolute pleasure to watch. I believe this is the greatest strength of Mairimashita! Iruma-kun season two; these moments of pure whimsy, whether it be individual characters working through their emotions, or the close-knit interactions among two or three of them that lead to adorable chaos.

Unfortunately, there are missteps along the way, the main culprits of which are some of the extra scenes not found in the original manga. Many serve the purpose of better tying together personal story arcs or better transitioning from one major arc to the next, and for that, I applaud the effort. However many are completely unnecessary, failing to add anything genuine to the episode. Examples include extra battle scenes throughout the season like the one during Iruma’s and Asmodeus’s visit to Clara’s home. Not in the manga and only loosely tying to a personal struggle Asmodeus is working through, this scene is entirely shoe-horned in and the tiny bit regarding Asmodeus could have been addressed elsewhere, even being held off until later chapters are adapted and when it becomes relevant again.

The adapted fight scenes are great and remain true to their source, like when Amelie’s being a total badass

Another example are the extra bits and elongated scenes throughout the episode with Iruma’s and Amelie’s date. The misstep that stands out for me here is the moment between the two in which Amelie bashfully requests Iruma to carry her. In the manga, it’s a short, sweet moment as he agrees and steps up by simply saying a spell that lets him carry her, making for a perfect lovey-dovey moment. In the anime however, the emphasis is more on the spell casting, as it depicts Iruma glowing and charging up for a time before finally lifting her. Forced and obnoxious, choosing to emphasize the powering up shifts the focus completely away from the relationship building, utterly ruining the mood and moment. A last example is Iruma’s exposition that he spouts a few scenes previously in the same episode. The handling of the scene in the manga is concise and moves the interaction along, but in the anime, it drags to the point where I’m left wondering why this kid is just standing around and one-sidedly droning on. Overall, while not a common enough occurrence to mar the season as a whole, the use of extras, those that trend towards shounen clichés, and particularly the extras and elongations in this date episode that negatively alter mood and tone, hurt just enough to leave an impression.

From badass to lovesick

Moving on to aesthetics, Mairimashita! Iruma-kun season two’s adaptation of the manga’s visuals is satisfactory. The animation sees improvement over season one, with a smoother effort throughout. My small complaint with season one was a just-noticeable occurrence of unintentional janky animations that looked like low frame count animated .gifs, but this season, I never once noticed any issues of the kind. I also applaud the effort that went into the action sequences. The manga’s action scenes were plenty throughout the corresponding chapters and thus the animators had opportunity to go all out, which they expectedly did. The end result, when appropriate and called for, were remarkable. I could have done without the exaggeration when inappropriate, as they, again, altered the moods of scenes that had no business being tampered with.

The strong-willed Amelie is turned cute and docile

As for the adaptation of the manga’s art style, it’s a mostly strong effort. The Netherworld and all of its locales look vivid and imaginative, staying true to the source material. The characters are once again depicted with similar style to the manga, maintaining their outstanding uniqueness and favorably contributing to their personas. My one wish, though, would have been to see more detail when it comes to the more emotionally driven scenes. More vividness in expressions, such as detail depicting facial features and body language, in those close-up, personal moments, would have raised the art production from great to amazing.

Oh Amelie, she sure has her share of struggles this season…

Regarding for the audio, I’ll start with the Japanese voice acting, which remains unchanged in its quality compared to season one. The voicing of Iruma, Sullivan, and a number of the side characters is as strong and as fitting to their personalities as ever. Some new characters, such as Balam-sensai, have been cast with equal care, as his creepy, yet caring demeanor shines through his voicing. The voicing of Ronove is particularly outstanding, as his over-the-top energy and pure self-absorption are only raises to new heights through the impressive voice work. Altogether, the casting choices that I feel can be called successes further contribute to the personalities, interactions, and humor on-screen. However, my previous complaints regarding certain voice acting choices remains too, though at this point, I suppose it’s now a simple matter of me needing to become accustomed to these castings.

Ah yes, enter the flashiest red herring this season

As for the music, the background music featured throughout the season is fitting, matching the higher energy and joviality of the scenes they’re paired with. Each track also possesses that element of minor tonality that matches well with the Netherworld setting. The few musical numbers featured are as ridiculous as ever, though they don’t offend as much as last season. Perhaps that’s only because this time around I was prepared for them to steal the show. The music helps set the mood when not in the spotlight, and when meant to drive a scene, does so notably without feeling overly forced or foreign this season.

It’s not all Iruma and Amelie, as Clara and others receive some big moments in the spotlight

Mairimashita! Iruma-kun season two is an impressive adaptation, mostly succeeding in maintaining the high level of quality of its source chapters. The humor, character growth, and all of the wonderful interactions and emotions seen throughout the corresponding manga chapters are well reproduced here. However, similar to season one, the production will get in its own way at times, with extra or elongated scenes that don’t quite flow, and missteps that diminish or outright alter the intended tones and moods of the source material. The artistry continues to earnestly recreate the imaginative qualities of the manga, as well as continue to respectably bring its characters to life. The audio, both the voicing and music, remains satisfactory, as the audio efforts never truly take anything away from the overall production, while its pros contribute admirably. In its entirety, Mairimashita! Iruma-kun season two is fun and entertaining, and an easy recommendation for any Iruma-kun fan.

Despite the missteps, moments like these are absolutely praiseworthy, for they hold true to the source

Review Score
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Mairimashita! Iruma-kun season two is available on Crunchyroll

The post ANIME REVIEW: Mairimashita! Iruma-kun Season Two appeared first on oprainfall.

It’s crazy to think that it’s been 35 years since The Transformers: The Movie was released. It was a 90 minute romp of pure non-stop 80’s action, the kind that makes you say, “That was rad.” This 35th anniversary Blu Ray really makes this movie shine better than it ever has and I’m glad that this exists so we can continue to enjoy this movie in all its glory.

This film takes place in the distant (for the time) future of 2005. The Decepticons are attacking Autobot City, leading to a massive battle that ultimately results in Optimus Prime’s death and the Matrix of Leadership being passed on to Ultra Magnus. Meanwhile, Unicron – a planet sized transformer – is plotting to consume Cybertron. Unicron even goes as far as to make a deal with Megatron, where he offers him a new body in exchange for him tracking down and destroying the Matrix of Leadership, which has the power to defeat Unicron. Megatron agrees and becomes Galvatron, making him even stronger and more threatening than ever. The Autobots set out to protect this Matrix and save Cybertron from both Unicron and Galvatron. Admittedly, the story is fairly simple; however, it assumes you are already familiar with most of the Transformers Generation 1 cast, as no time is spent introducing any of the characters. Despite not growing up with Transformers, I was at the very least familiar with some of these characters, which was enough for me to get the gist of what was going on.

But really you’re here for the sheer spectacle of it all. The Transformers: The Movie has some truly stunning animation. Almost every frame is incredibly elaborate and detailed to the point where you can really just get lost in all of it. This is further emphasized with the incredible score by Vince DiCola, who has also worked on music for Rocky IV (another incredible movie). Make no mistake, you will be singing along when “You Got the Touch” is playing. In fact, don’t be surprised if after watching this movie, all of the songs end up stuck in your head for the next week. The Transformers: The Movie also features an all star voice cast including Orson Welles as Unicron. This is particularly noteworthy casting considering this would be his last role before he died in 1985.

The only real flaw with The Transformers: The Movie is that it cuts a very fast pace and some viewers may not necessarily enjoy that. A lot of robots, lasers and explosions are constantly occupying the screen and while it’s highly entertaining to watch, you’re given little time to actually process all of it. Also, quite a few major characters are killed off very quickly, which I imagine really frustrated some fans back in the day and I’m sure newcomers may find it bit jarring since they would have lacked proper context for what is going on. This 35th anniversary set comes with two discs: a Blu Ray copy and a 4K UHD version. The Blu Ray version looked incredible and made such an old movie almost feel modern despite being presented in 4:3. The widescreen UHD version is also pretty good; however, it seems like the film is slightly re-framed. It doesn’t take away from the movie, but some of you hardcore fans may notice this. Some extra features with this set include audio commentary featuring Nelson Shin, Flint Oille, and Susan Blu, over an hour’s worth of storyboards, deleted scenes, a 46 minute “Til all are one” Documentary, a Q&A, acoustic performances, trailers and TV spots, and quite a bit more.

If you’re a Transformers fan, you really should try and get your hands on a copy of this. The lovely steelbook with Hot Rod front and center will look incredible on your shelf, and these copies of the movie have plenty of extra features to keep you occupied for hours. At around $30, this is a wonderful little treat for those of you who want a nice nostalgic weekend with some beautiful robots, breathtaking animation and awesome rocking tunes!

Review Score
Overall Story
Art & Animation
Music

Review copy provided by Publisher.

The post REVIEW: The Transformers: The Movie 35th Anniversary Edition appeared first on oprainfall.

I love music and I think most people reading this do, in fact. Maybe we’re not all massive fans of a band, or know the intricacies of specific styles, or have studied its long history through human civilization, but I feel like it’s a safe bet to say we all have a favorite band or style that we listen to. It’s hard to avoid music, but that’s also why it’s easy not to necessarily appreciate it. On-Gaku: Our Sound managed not only to convey that appreciation through its masterful soundtrack and stellar animation, but it also got me thinking about my own history with music and why I love it the way I do.

Based on the manga of the same name, On-Gaku follows Chiku High School delinquent Kenji and his misfit followers Ota and Asakura, who spend their days lazily playing video games, reading manga, and fighting with rival gangs – assuming they can find them, of course. After their friend and fellow delinquent Aya tells them they’ve received a challenge from Oba, leader of the Marutake High School gang, our intrepid “heroes” run off to fight, only to get lost on their way and then get bored of the idea the next day. Instead, as he’s walking home from school, Kenji witnesses a purse snatching and while standing on the side of the road simply watching, a passing musician asks him to hold his bass so he can apprehend the thief. Kenji, being an upstanding citizen, takes the bass home with him. The next day at school, he informs Ota and Asakura that he wants to start a band, despite none of them having ever played an instrument, and our story is now underway.

Kenji, Ota, and Asakura try out their stolen equipment after forming their band on a whim.

As I mentioned in my Marona’s Fantastic Tale review, I love when animation helps tell a story. Marona used loose, fluid animation and vibrant, striking colors to recreate the world as seen by a dog, while director Kenji Iwaisawa leaned heavily into recreating our world while remaining true to mangaka Hiroyuki Ohashi’s style. The screener I received from GKIDS included a “Making Of” documentary that went into detail on how Iwaisawa used rotoscoping to capture realistic movement from professional actors, after which he and a small, rotating team of animators painstakingly traced video stills for more than seven years to create traditional 2D hand-drawn animation, and the finished product is stunning for his efforts. There’s a weighty, grounded feel to every moment in this movie, and exceptional fluidity when it’s called for. Not only does it look impressive, it also helps emphasize character’s emotions, giving the audience an intimate look at how the cast feels. This is especially true with Kenji, whom we follow the majority of the film, and whose bored, lackadaisical attitude is exemplified by long cuts, plodding movement, and a predilection for avoiding almost all action – which is hilarious, considering his notoriety as a badass fighter. We never actually get to see Kenji throw down the entire movie, with almost all action happening off-screen. I found it a fantastic way to show his disaffection and disconnect with the world while also hammering home the comedic effect of how other people react to him.

Kenji’s fellow classmates all shine in their own ways, as well. Like him, both Ota and Asakura are lazy do-nothings who go along with Kenji’s ideas because they don’t have anything better to do. When he says they’re starting a band, the three of them rather casually steal a bunch of equipment and proceed to fumble their way through a single riff, which they conclude is good enough. Their excitement and passion is genuine, and the animation goes a long way to showing just how into playing they get. On the flip side, classmate Morita and his band display exceptional skill, but still find the primordial rock energy inherent in Kenji’s group’s performance. Music doesn’t have to be refined to be beautiful, and there is worth in even the most basic of sounds, so long as there is heart involved.

What demonstrates more heart than a musician smashing their instrument in the middle of the street?

Speaking of music, the soundtrack to On-Gaku is great. In order to capture the chaotic energy of the movie’s sound, Iwaisawa hired professional musicians to jam together in order to create the individual styles of the different bands, as well as a jaw-dropping finale that has to be seen – and heard – to be believed. Grandfunk, Tomohiko Banse, and Wataru Sawabe all lent their talent to the film to help round out a soundtrack that really helped capture a funky rock feel. While at times understated, the overall package had me tapping my feet and jamming along.

I would be remiss not to note the multiple instances of music history and paraphernalia that show up in the film. The most obvious one is the reference to The Beatles’ Abbey Road album cover, but there are also nods to Nirvana, Keiji Haino, and others scattered throughout the film. On-Gaku is all about music and our individual experiences of it, but it’s also a salute to rock ‘n roll in general, and watching it revived a lot of my own love for the genre. I grew up listening to a lot of the musical influences this movie wears on its sleeve, and seeing Kenji and company’s first foray into music, seeing Morita’s obsession with it, and experiencing the highs and lows that come with following a new passion really resonated with me. I started playing drums in elementary school on a lark, because I absolutely sucked at playing my first choice instrument (the French horn, which my sister went on to play throughout high school). I absolutely felt Kenji’s impromptu desire to experience music, as well as Morita’s passion. It was like coming home after a long trip.

Kenji’s band performs during a music festival with Morita and others.

On-Gaku is a brilliantly animated, hilarious slice-of-life story that succeeds at capturing the essence of playing music in ways few other movies have managed. The cast is overall likable, the music is a jam, and the animation helps liven an otherwise bare-bones story that still packs a lot of heart. Knowing that it took Iwaisawa seven years to complete this project only highlights the passion with which he approached his medium, and mirrors that of Ohashi’s characters toward finding their own sound.

On-Gaku is available on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and releases on DVD/Blu-Ray on March 9.

Review Score
Overall Story
Art & Animation
Music

Review copy provided by the publisher.

The post Anime Review: On-Gaku: Our Sound appeared first on oprainfall.

For some time now, I’ve had the pleasure of following the manga Mairimashita! Iruma-kun, a shounen that combines isekai with school life, slice of life elements, and droves of mischief and action. Similar to many popular manga of the sort, this one has received an initial anime adaptation with plans for a second season in the near future. I’ve enjoyed the manga thus far, for its ability to execute both school life and isekai in tandem, as well as for its plentiful humor. There is also an individuality to this manga, due to its imaginative world and, again, its humor, yet also for the author’s boldness to incorporate elements from other genres, which allows it to prominently stand out within the sea of shounen manga. Colorful characters, unique situations, and plenty of shenanigans, the manga shines in its ability to captivate its readers. The question however, is whether this first season of the anime adaptation is able to convey that same uniqueness and magic that make the manga so peculiarly satisfying.

Mairimashita! Iruma-kun, or Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun, follows the lighthearted story of Suzuki Iruma, a fourteen-year-old boy whose past and present life is anything but average. Born to incompetent parents, Iruma was forced to learn how to fend for himself at an early age while staving off the dangers of survival and the questionable situations his parents would place him in. Our story begins when his parents announce that they have sold the now fourteen-year-old Iruma to the demon Sullivan, who brings him to the Netherworld. Despite imagining the worst when it comes to demons, to Iruma’s surprise, Sullivan instead announces that he has always wanted a grandson and that he would treat Iruma as his own: caring for him, doting on him, and of course, granting him the best education the demon world has to offer. And so, Iruma finds himself thrust into a new school life, in which he will attend the demon school Babyls and learn to navigate the seemingly endless peculiarities that make up daily demon world life.

The story of Mairimashita! Iruma-kun is filled with imagination and humor, as we delve into Iruma’s misadventures and witness his new life in the demon world. From meeting his first demon friends, to being placed into a class of misfits, we are shown how Iruma manages in his new and exciting life, all the while desperately trying to keep his identity as a human a secret. We learn fairly quickly that humans, to demons, are both myth and edible delicacy, making Iruma a potential target if he’s not careful. Fueled by fear and anxiety of being discovered, Iruma tries to stay out of the spotlight. He, of course, fails miserably, as he’s unable to keep himself from attracting attention and, conversely, becomes something of a school celebrity. Much of the humor plays off of this aspect, as we often see Iruma roped into his classmates’ or his own founded silliness, adventures, and conflicts, all the while utterly failing to keep from attracting attention. Yet, unbelievably, he’s able to continually convince those around him that he, too, is a demon. It’s fun, energetic, and lighthearted and the result is a story that has zero trouble making you laugh and wanting for more.

School life takes on new meaning for Iruma

As for the anime’s ability to deliver said story, for the most part, season one remains true to its source, achieving that same level of humor and lightheartedness. The anime does an excellent job of depicting the same degree of energy and emotion and the results are commendable. We also see extras in season one, perhaps due to the manga’s space constraints, such as more in the ways of character background or connections made between story arcs. I like that we get these touches of deeper character depth. For instance, the unpleasantness Clara had to endure in finding friends, which makes her an even more lovable character when she becomes a fixture in Iruma’s story. I also appreciate the connections and allusions to the story arcs that are not as obvious in the manga. For example, Crocell Kerori’s jealousy at Iruma’s effortless attention-grabbing is further depicted in the anime and more strongly ties in to her story arc. It makes the buildup and payoff of their fated meeting all the better. Another example is Iruma’s initial discovery of a grand, locked-up classroom on the school grounds, which foreshadows another story arc that will be covered in the second season. Those extras are much appreciated, for they fill the gaps and make for a better flow between story arcs.

One of my favorite aspects of the manga’s story, the endless ways these demons are able capture the best parts of humanity, is perfectly conveyed in the anime

Unfortunately, this season’s adaptation isn’t perfect and I found some of the liberties taken to be unnecessary or, at worse, altering the intended tone of the manga. Perhaps to reach a broader audience, the adaptation is full of clichés seen in so many shounen anime out there already. One example is the additional or elongated action sequences. Although there is action and even the grand battle scene or two in the manga, it’s not often the main focus, and so it comes off as feeling forced. Another example is the over-the-top or exaggerated reactions and behaviors of the characters. Again, though present in the manga, as exaggeration is often used for humor or suspense, I felt that the anime takes it to such an extreme that it loses some of the original charm in the process. I find the biggest cliché offense to be the opening of season one; purely a study in going completely overboard, as just from that, I would have thought this were a pure action anime rather than the humorous, lighthearted school life production it’s meant to adapt. Finally, and not the most egregious of additions, there were a few musical numbers that weren’t present in the manga, having been randomly thrown in and that I could have done without. Overall, my complaints here have to do with how the season one adaptation falters in maintaining the charm and specifically the various tones of the manga and instead favors overdone tropes that only mar the manga’s individuality.

Many of the extra bits do help, such as to foreshadow in ways the manga could not…

As for its visual production, the aesthetics for Mairimashita! Iruma-kun season one are fairly strong. I thought all of the characters were depicted accurately compared to the manga, maintaining their specific details and the parts of their personalities that shine through their designs. I also felt the backgrounds and environments of the anime serve well to emphasize the imaginative qualities of the manga. The animation itself is adequate, as it’s smooth and dynamic for the most part. They also do well in enhancing the more outstanding movements and sequences the manga can only imply. However, I did think the animation had its moments of stiffness, as if watching a low frame count animated gif on repeat. Fortunately, this was a rare fault and I never found it to be distracting. Other than that, the art is true to its source and the animation is appreciable, making for a visual effort that won’t disappoint even the most stubborn or loyal of Iruma-kun manga fans.

Clara’s exuberance is perfectly captured

As for the audio, it’s definitely a mixed bag. The voice acting for several characters is commendable, as I felt they got the right actors to voice characters such as Sullivan and Iruma. Sullivan’s doting, carefree attitude shines through with that particular performance and succeeds in adding depth to the character. Iruma’s voice acting is fitting, as his innocence and naiveté are prominently conveyed through his voice. Unfortunately, and despite these few successes, I feel many of the voicing choices and efforts fall completely flat. Too many of them sound generic and only add to that cliché feel the anime suffers from thus far. The powerful types have those typical gravely voices, while the rest of the side characters are uninspired and fade into the background. We’ve all heard these voice styles before, as they’ve been done to death, and so the performances fail to bring anything new, nor manage to individualize the characters in any meaningful way. Lastly, the soundtrack, while possessing a musical style and tonality fitting for a demon world, is unremarkable. Other than that sorely obnoxious opening theme, I can only truly remember a single track that is used in various episodes. The others leave nary a lasting impact and I can only hope that this and some of the other audio missteps are addressed in the upcoming second season.

Mairimashita! Iruma-kun season one, while not a perfect adaptation, has plenty to offer. It does justice to the source story and ably incorporates that same level of humor seen in the manga. It also notably adapts those imaginative qualities that make the manga a favorite of many. I appreciate most of the extras in the ways of connecting story arcs and adding further connection and depth to its characters, however, the attempts that I believe were made to make the anime more mainstream only hurt the overall quality. Despite the various missteps, I believe the adaptation does enough right that any fan of the manga would appreciate watching it. And since the source story is so outstanding to begin with, newcomers, too, will find something to look forward to. So whether you’re a longtime follower of the manga or just a fan of lighthearted isekai fantasy and the school life genres, Mairimashita! Iruma-kun season one is an easy recommendation.

One last foreshadow, here’s my looking forward to the second season

Review Score
Overall Story
Art & Animation
Music

You can currently stream Mairimashita! Iruma-kun at Crunchyroll

The post ANIME REVIEW: Mairimashita! Iruma-kun Season One appeared first on oprainfall.

The much loved and long-running Lupin the 3rd series has made its grand debut in a CG movie with Lupin III: The First. Admittedly, I wouldn’t consider myself someone who is well-versed in this massive franchise as I’ve only seen bits and pieces of episodes here and there. However, I am somewhat familiar with the characters along with a couple stories, and have watched and enjoyed Castle of Cagliostro. I always wanted to give the series a fair chance and when I heard a new movie was coming out, I was interested. I was especially interested because the trailer showed me that this film had a lot of potential.

The story is relatively simple: Lupin is out to steal a World War II-era diary that belonged to famed archeologist Professor Bresson. This diary is said to be the guide, and key to, finding an elusive treasure called the Eclipse. Many people are after this diary, including a group of Nazis. Lupin’s grandfather had allegedly attempted to steal this diary once in the past, but was unsuccessful. Lupin manages to get his hands on it during a museum exhibition held in Professor Bresson’s honor. His plans are foiled by both a young girl named Laetitia and Fujiko, who are also after the diary. Lupin is arrested by Zenigata and then escapes. He then follows Laetitia and sneaks into her apartment where he gets to know her better and, eventually, finds out that she is a descendant of Professor Bresson. The two work together to not only decipher the secrets hidden in the diary, but also beat the Nazis to the treasure and stop them from getting their hands on it. The narrative itself won’t win any awards and you’ll likely see many of the twists coming from a mile away, but it’s executed well-enough to still be entertaining.

Lupin III: The First is a fast-paced adventure filled with action that never lets up. Some may say the film moves a bit too quickly at times, but personally I welcome it as it doesn’t spend anymore time than it needs to on most plot threads. I was admittedly a bit skeptical about the decision to animate this using CG. However, much to my surprise, the animators did an amazing job at not just creating a well-animated film, but creating a well-animated Lupin feature. The way the characters emote and ooze personality, it’s clear a lot of time and effort was put in to make sure every character feels familiar to longtime fans of the series. Seeing Lupin’s smug grin animated in this style genuinely got me excited to see what kind of crazy idea(s) this guy is about to come up with. The animation adds so much elegance to all of the chase scenes and stunts being pulled off by the cast that it’s a real visual treat.

Yuji Ohno graces us with a lovely, jazzy score just to further remind you that you’re watching a Lupin story, and it compliments Lupin’s crazy antics incredibly well. Both Goemon and Jigen also make appearances throughout the film, however, I would have liked them to play a bigger role in the story. If you’re new to Lupin the 3rd, their portrayal in this film won’t really tell you a whole lot about them as characters, despite some funny moments involving them. The new character Laetitia has the spotlight in this film and it’s mostly her interactions with Lupin, alongside her relationship with her grandfather, that drive the plot forward. For what it’s worth, she was likeable enough, however, I couldn’t help but feel like more could have been done for her to really steal the show. She’s introduced as someone who can potentially outsmart Lupin himself, yet is rarely given moments to truly shine in that way during the second half of the film. Some might say her relationship with Lupin, especially towards the end, is meant to be an homage to Lupin’s relationship with Clarisse from Castle of Cagliostro. I do think Laurie Hymes’ performance in the English dub as Laetitia was really great and made her arc feel more convincing and compelling than it otherwise would have. The English cast does a nice job at bringing the cast to life, which should come at no surprise considering many of the English voice cast including Tony Oliver (Lupin), Richard Epcar (Jigen), Lex Lang (Goemon), Michelle Ruff (Fujiko), and Doug Erholtz (Zenigata) have returned to reprise their roles as their respective characters in previous Lupin dubs. So if you’re a fan of their work in those older episodes and movies, you will likely be satisfied with their work here as well.

The GKIDS release of Lupin III: The First contains a decent amount of bonuses such as trailers, a CG model Gallery, “Yellow Carpet Premiere,” a Q&A with the English cast as they share their experiences working on Lupin, an interview with director Takashi Yamazaki, and an “Animation Breakdown” feature to give some insight into how a few of the scenes in the movie were made. These features are well worth checking out after finishing the film and add to the experience. I actually really enjoyed the Q&A with the English cast as it was a surprisingly lengthy feature and showed just how passionate that cast is about their work on the series. The Animation Breakdown was also a fascinating watch as they show you how they went from a simple storyboard sketch to the gorgeous animation you saw in the final cut of the film. If you purchased the gorgeous steelbook edition, it includes a 16-page booklet featuring some additional art. It’s a small little booklet, but it’s a welcome addition to the overall package. Overall, Lupin III: The First is a fun film and the home release has a nice amount of extras for you to enjoy as well. I recommend it to both long time Lupin aficionados and people who are new to the series.

Review Score
Overall Story
Art & Animation
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Review copy provided by publisher.

The post ANIME REVIEW: Lupin III: The First appeared first on oprainfall.

Witches are a fascinating concept. There are no shortage of interpretations on their history, purpose, and lore, and there are so many stories you can tell about them. Studio Ghibli has, famously, animated one of the most recognizable witches and with Earwig and the Witch, they’ve set out to do so again, only this time without hand-drawn animation. The feature-length anime marks the first time in the studio’s storied history that it eschewed time-honored animation methods and instead embraced 3D CGI. For the most part, I think they really hit it out of the park. Developed by Hayao Miyazaki and directed by his son Goro, this is the second such arrangement by the pair at Studio Ghibli following From Up on Poppy Hill.

Originally written by Diana Wynne Jones (of Howl’s Moving Castle fame, which Studio Ghibli also animated), the film begins when the titular Earwig is left at an orphanage by her witch mother who is running from her coven. With a simple note saying it could take years for her to return, Earwig’s mother vanishes into the night, and the child is left with the kind Matron of the orphanage, who names her Erica Wigg. (Earwigs are too awful to name a child after, you see.) Cut about 10 years into the future (the time lapse isn’t specified), and Earwig is leader of the pack at the orphanage, bossing around not only the other children, but the adults as well — that is, of course, until she catches the interest of witch Bella Yaga and the Mandrake, who whisk her off into a world of magic and music.

Earwig’s mother leaves her at an orphanage, where the girl will spend her formative years.

Since it’s going to be the aspect of this movie I think most people are interested in: Yes, the animation is gorgeous. It’s fluid and expressive with a color palette that absolutely pops. Going with 3D CGI rather than traditional 2D animation has some limits, especially in how fabrics move, but it more than made up for those handicaps through texture. The characters remind me of a cross between stop-motion clay and dolls, but with impressively expressive faces. There were times it felt like a Tim Burton film minus the macabre. While I did miss the studio’s iconic weightless surprise faces, the animators really leaned into giving everyone, Earwig especially, some of the best facial expressions. Using CGI also gave a more viscous and slimy feel to a lot of the magic ingredients found in the movie and really sold the nasty, smelly aspects of witchcraft that I’m not sure traditional animation could have captured quite as well. For the most part, I also really liked the character designs, done by illustrator Miho Satake. Earwig’s “horns” looked fantastic, and as mentioned, her expressions were top notch. Her design was simple enough to make her easy to animate bouncing about and scurrying around like a child would, but striking enough to be memorable. While large heads are a staple of child character designs — and Ghibli characters as a whole — they didn’t always work with the CGI, giving the characters a more bobble-head feel that I found a little off-putting. It was less an issue with Bella Yaga and the Mandrake, whose designs really popped.

Where the animation and art direction didn’t really work for me was in the magic itself. Unlike movies like Kiki’s Delivery Service or Spirited Away, or even Howl’s Moving Castle, the magic in Earwig was rarely present. Earwig helped Bella Yaga make spells, and she spent plenty of time in the brew room and trying her hand at spellcasting herself, but the magic always felt like a plot point rather than a living aspect of the environment. Studio Ghibli has always excelled at capturing whimsy on screen, and even their movies that have nothing to do with magic feel magical in the ways the world is animated. With Earwig, I never felt that sense of wonder at what was happening. There’s a point in the film where Earwig actually casts a spell but rather than see it, we only hear reactions to it off-screen, and then stumble in on the aftermath. It felt like a wasted opportunity. The movie also lacks the studio’s classic quiet moments where the environment is just allowed to exist and immerse the audience in this world. It would have been nice to have a better sense of the world in which Earwig lives, especially considering how much I loved the design of the witch’s house.

Thomas the cat is Earwig’s trusty partner in crime and your requisite black cat.

One of the major plot points in the film revolves around music, and for a movie so integrally tied to the medium, it was a bit of a mixed bag. I actually really liked the soundtrack — all thumping mid-’90s electronic rock and jazz fusion with a bit of gospel keyboard — but it never really fit into the scenes in which it played. For every scene where it worked, the next it felt overbearing or out of place. The score was composed by Satoshi Takebe, and it’s fun, groovy, and loud, but it never really has any softer moments. Earwig is a precocious, intelligent, and energetic child, so the music fits her, but it also ends up feeling like too much by the end. For the English language version of the film, the theme song “Don’t Disturb Me,” originally sung by Sherina Munaf, was dubbed and sang by Kacey Musgraves, who does a fine job but whose performance just didn’t quite resonate with me.

Speaking of the voices, they were overall pretty well done. I watched both the Japanese and English language versions, and putting all my cards on the table, I am heavily biased toward original language casts. That being said, both Kokoro Hirasawa and Taylor Paige Henderson did really good work as Earwig, as did Gaku Hamada and Dan Stevens as Thomas the cat, and Etsushi Toyokawa and Richard Grant as the Mandrake. Unfortunately, the English language track never seemed to sync up properly with the animation, which was distracting. I also don’t know if this was a case of localization on the part of the Japanese script, but Earwig is clearly called “Aaya” in Japanese but referred to in the subtitles as both “Earwig” and “Erica”. Having not read the original book on which it’s based, I can’t definitively say which is correct, though I suspect this could be a hold-over from when the book was originally translated into Japanese.

The Mandrake is perpetually on the brink of having a nervous breakdown and it shows.

Studio Ghibli has always had the uncanny ability to bring fantastic worlds to life through the power of hand-drawn animation, and for the first time, the studio has taken a crack at doing the same for 3D CGI, to mostly successful ends. The animation is fluid and fun, the characters engaging. While some aspects of the movie didn’t completely coalesce for me, I overall enjoyed my time with Earwig and the Witch basically up until the ending, when the film went from a pretty decently paced affair to suddenly feeling like an extended seasonal anime opening rather than a standalone product. Considering the movie was originally designed to air on NHK, this might have been deliberate, but it ended up leaving me feeling like I’d missed something crucial. Still, if for no other reason than the novelty of seeing the most stalwart 2D studio in the world take a dabble with 3D CGI, I think Earwig and the Witch is worth a shot. Maybe you’ll find more magic in it than I did.

Earwig and the Witch will be available in both Japanese and English languages in the United States beginning Feb. 3, 2021. You can find a movie theater screening near you or watch it streaming on HBO Max.

Review Score
Overall Story
Art & Animation
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Animation is a potent tool for storytelling. Live action film captures the world around us, but animation excels in the fantastic, bending reality in ways traditional movie-making cannot. It paints for us a world of living, breathing emotion, imbuing stories with an added oomph that grasps our senses and doesn’t let go. Marona’s Fantastic Tale uses this expertly to draw the viewer into the world of one lonely dog to share with them her small moments of happiness.

Created and directed by Anca Damian, with screenplay by Anghel Damian and produced by Brecht Evens, this French film follows the titular Marona as she recounts the movie of her life after being hit by a car. Right off the bat the film goes for the heartstrings, not unlike the Ghibli classic Grave of the Fireflies, and even though it’s a shorthanded way of investing you in her story, it also helps reinforce the driving theme of the movie: Happiness is small and fleeting, and you should grasp it and cherish it as hard as you can before it’s gone. As this review will contain spoilers for the movie’s events, for those who would like to experience the film for themselves, the bottom line is this: Marona’s Fantastic Tale is a wonderfully animated, emotionally poignant look at the ways in which humans affect the lives of animals, both positively and negatively; the unconditional love pets afford their owners; and how our worlds intersect in ways we may not consider.

Marona and her first human, Manole, an acrobat who leaves an indelible mark on the dog’s life.

Marona is the ninth pup of a litter born from a pampered street dog mother and a “racist” pure breed father, as she explains. Love, it would seem, didn’t care about where either of her parents came from. Unfortunately for Marona, her life with both her mother and father is short-lived, and she’s thrust into a world of meetings and partings, of new names and new faces, of heartbreak and yearning and the smallest, most fleeting moments of happiness.

Early on, the animation helps punctuate each of these moments, with the world warping and twisting as the young Marona must navigate the unfamiliar. Her first human, Manole, is a mercurial spirit, prone to poetry and dreaming, perfectly captured in the animation through constant movement, his limbs and clothing twisting, elongating, and sloughing off as he moves effortlessly through the landscape. An acrobat by trade, he ropes Marona (whom he names Ana) into his act, the two forming a strong bond despite their thin circumstances. For her, happiness is simple: It’s a soft bed, a ball to play with, and her human. But for Manole, happiness is a constant game of chase, and when it eventually comes down to picking between her or his career, Marona makes the choice for him and leaves. You can see how this choice effects the acrobat when, during a nice moment later in the movie, you see a Wanted poster for Ana, because despite his desires, Manole still loved his dear dog.

The larger-than-life Ishtvan is a gentle giant who eventually takes Marona home after his construction job is complete.

Her next human is the exact opposite of Manole in both character and his animation. Ishtvan is a larger than life gentle giant who towers over the world, his stocky frame often struggling to navigate a world for which is was not built. Broad shouldered, he is quiet and serious and burdened to despair by his responsibilities, but proves a steady presence who gives Marona (whom he names Sara) a home. At first it’s with his aging mother, but her bouts of dementia lead to Marona suffering a terrible injury, and Ishtvan eventually takes the dog home with him to his wife, a vulture of a woman who feeds off Ishtvan’s kindness and constantly chases after the newest, trendiest topic. Despite supposedly hating dogs, she claims she loves Marona, only to eventually grow bored and abusive toward the pup. Once again, Marona’s human is forced to choose between her and the world. Marona’s last moments with him are chasing a ball in the park, a small salve of happiness before she is once again left to fend for herself.

Marona’s final family is with a young girl named Solange, her single mother Medeea, and her stern grandfather. Found one day in the woods, the young Solange spirits Marona back home, in the manner of all precocious children, and begs to let the dog stay. After some argument, it’s agreed she can. Of all her humans, Solange and her family look the most realistic, steady and familiar in a world that has been mostly abstract so far. There are still moments where the animation does amazing work to help portray these characters in ways that go beyond their dialogue. My favorite is Medeea’s hair. The haggard mother generally keeps it up in a severe bun, but when she lets herself relax, the hair comes down in literal waves, often enveloping Marona in its softness. The grandfather is always portrayed in stark greys despite his colorful family, but for all his gruff demeanor, he still treats Marona with dignity (even if he can’t remember her name). I love the dynamic of Marona with Solange’s family, especially with the grandfather and Medeea, as both only show their softer sides around the pup in very different, but also familiar, ways. We’ve all known the strict person who lets herself go around animals, or the outwardly aloof and uncaring one who still makes room in his heart for a creature weaker than himself.

As I mentioned before, animation has a way of bringing to life the fantastic, and Marona’s Fantastic Tale definitely benefits from the format. The fluidity of the animation, coupled with the surreal imagery and vibrant color palette, really help drive home how different Marona’s world is from ours. Still screens do not do this movie justice. It is beautiful in motion and when coupled with an amazing score by Pablo Pico, offers a particularly moving experience for those who have had pets of their own. I’ve always been a sucker for animal films, but this one touched a particular nerve and I constantly find myself thinking about it and reflecting on the nature of humans, animals, and the ways in which we effect one another. Though to be fair, this is a French film and I went in expecting to cry like a baby, and I was not disappointed.

I’ve written before about the powerful bond that can form between a pet and their human, and Marona’s Fantastic Tale delves deep into the concept. A dog’s life is defined – for better and for worse – by the humans with whom she lives. Will they love her? Accept her? Will they treat her kindly or discard her? Are the moments of happiness worth the heartbreak? Early in the film, Marona tells the audience two pieces of wisdom she learned from her mother: That dogs must learn the human language to understand their people, but that people do not need to learn a dog’s language; and that it was a kindness to give her puppies placeholder names because a dog’s name is given and discarded easily throughout her life. (As the ninth puppy of the litter, Marona was named Nine, and often falls back on that moniker in her lowest moments.) Unlike My Roommate is a Cat, the answers in Marona’s Fantastic Tale are not as life-affirming as the bond formed between Haru-chan and Subaru, but they are also raw and real and profound. Happiness is small and fleeting, but it can be found in even the darkest of places, and that darkness cannot take away the brightness and warmth of the best moments life has to offer. Humans are capricious and their happiness more demanding than a dog’s; humans struggle with choices a dog will never have to face, and those choices are not always in a pet’s favor. Despite this, Marona continues to love her humans and accept them unconditionally, and it’s a message I think us humans could take more strongly to heart when we interact with animals, pets or no. Our world is not theirs, but our world shapes the one in which they must live, and we should afford them as many moments of happiness as we can, because we never know when it will end.

Marona’s Fantastic Tale is distributed by GKIDS and available on Amazon Prime Video.

Review Score
Overall Story
Art & Animation
Music

Reviewer copy provided by the publisher.

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My first impressions of The Wonderland was that it’s incredibly beautiful. There’s so much color and detail to be found in every corner of the screen. Interestingly enough a lot of the background detail seems to disappear after the first 20 minutes. At first I took this as a sign of budgeting issues or severe oversight and was kind of put off by the disappearance of things to stare at. However, as the plot moved forward it kind of began to make sense why the background was so lacking but I’m getting ahead of myself here.

The Wonderland begins with ill-mannered, high school student Akane seemingly rather bored with her comfy life and fairly uninterested in doing much of anything and having no self-confidence to get it done anyway. Very quickly into The Wonderland you get a massive, lingering shot of a cats balls, followed by face sitting and tail pulling. Yes, this is relevant to the plot. We find out it’s Akane’s birthday and her mom wants her to go pick up her present from Chii, a family friend, at her shop. Akane protests this to no avail and eventually goes off very annoyed by not only the fact that she must pick up her own gift but that she’s being forced to visit Chii, someone she does not like at all.

Follow the yellow brick, wool covered road!

Enter Chii a merchant, world traveler, serial liar, recently single and ready to tease Akane on her lack of feminine maturity (read: butt). Her shop is her home and it’s loaded to the brim with nick-knacks, books, lights and junk from all over the world, allegedly. Akane begrudgingly explains why she is there and Chii claims to have no recollection of a gift order being placed but goes to check what she can provide. While browsing the shop Akane notices a concrete slab on a table with a hand print in it. Like any teen would she tries to fit her hand into it and, surprising anyone that’s never seen a movie before, it fits and gets stuck. Suddenly, appearing from the basement, Hippocrates, a man claiming to be from another world, is looking for the “Goddess of the Green Wind”. He claims Akane is the one because of her Cinderella hand print because no two women in the world have the same sized hand. Being an alchemist, he forces her to wear a necklace he crafted and refers to as the “Momentum Anchor” that will give her the courage to move forward when everything in her body wants her to run away. Then immediately uses the power of the necklace to force her to follow him to… the basement.

To reiterate: This strange man dressed like the Polar Express conductor appears out of nowhere, forces a teenage girl to wear fancy jewelry and then kidnaps her. It’s ok though because he has a keebler elf-sized sidekick, named Pipo, to make the kidnapping cute. Chii comes along so it’s less weird. Shortly after entering Hippocrates’ world, from the basement, our victims and their kidnappers experience a series of violent events. The power of the Momentum Anchor comes into full swing as Akane is physically incapable of running away from something that is about to kill her. This forces Chii and Hippocrates to pick her up and carry her away so she doesn’t die! For the vast majority of the movie, Akane is adamant about returning home but is powerless to do so. All personal agency is removed and she has no choice but to just go on with whatever she’s told.

It’s cold in the desert.

This event introduces our villains; A man made of metal and a talking cat magician. Our villains are collecting steel to destroy a well and drives through the world in a tank with a crane claw, terrorizing citizens, stealing metal, food and drink. After a romp around the gorgeous scenery we discover the whole purpose for Akane’s kidnapping: This world is dying. The King and Queen died a few short years apart and the Prince is ill, he’s perpetually sleeping. As he is unable to perform a ritual that makes it rain, the world is experiencing a drought. Naturally, the crops are withering and the sheep’s fur have grown coarse, making sweaters less comfortable pushing a small hamlet near bankruptcy. Hippocrates believes Akane can cure the Prince from his mysterious illness and save capitalism, somehow. It’s not explained very well what they think is going to happen but they know they must enlist the help of a magician that is close to the royal family. So, Hippocrates is on a mission to save his world, it’s an operation to make it rain… erm-Operation Rainfall! That’s what they should have called this movie because “The Wonderland” gives off an entirely different impression that, for me, this movie didn’t exactly live up to. At this point I feel it’s important to mention the original Japanese title of the movie is “Birthday Wonderland”. It is, after all, Akane’s birthday.

Although Akane and Chii are from a different world, no one ever questions their mannerisms, clothing style, language, nothing. One character even explains the technological differences in their worlds to Akane. This world stopped advancing around the beginning of the Industrial era because people were “content with the way of life” and apparently just decided, “ehh”. Which sort of explains the missing city skylines and background details from the beginning of the flick. On Akane and co.’s long trip we visit many exotic locations; There’s a rickety bridge, underwater swimming, 1920’s New York, a court trial by cats where they punish her with face sitting. See, relevant. It has everything you’d expect from a fantasy land all gorgeously crafted and thrilling to watch. From moment to moment it all seems very well done and cute, full of sugar and spice and everything nice, but it all let me asking myself questions like: Why does that exist? How does that work? What relevance does this have to the plot?

Going to put my second home down here.

Many beautiful scenes later, we discover more about our villains and why they want to destroy this well and so we begin to sympathize. See, he doesn’t terrorize humanity for the fun of it. He’s got an operation going of his own. He’s driven by the belief that the well is the source of the worlds misery and instead of making it rain he wants to destroy… the water supply. I was dazzled by this movie’s ability to make me think this was a good idea while watching it. There’s a lot of issues with The Wonderland‘s story. Plot-holes that make the entire purpose for Akane’s visit kind of meaningless. It is said that this rainfall ceremony has been failed many times in the past and every time the world goes through a drought but the world isn’t dead so why can’t we just let nature run its course and have the hamlet diversify their enterprise? The cat court trial, while being the funniest part of the movie, didn’t make any sense. How do the cats in this world know how she treats her cat back home? Why does the cat in this world look like her cat back home? There are several comments and suggestions made throughout the movie that if given the slightest bit of scrutiny don’t really make much sense and sometimes come off contradictory to what was previously understood. Hippocrates has a way to travel across the world in a few minutes, or maybe hours it’s not really clear how much time passes over the course of this movie, yet only unveils this high-powered engine secret sauce after everyone has risked their lives countless times and it serves purely as a plot device to quickly wrap the story up. Akane and Hippocrates needed to make another Momentum Anchor but Hippocrates tells Akane that she no longer has hers. So where did it go? Why couldn’t they just use that? Like all warm, fuzzy-feely, fantasy plots we discover the strength was within us all along. Akane had the courage and self-confidence to get things done after all. The character development here is subtle. So subtle you can’t tell there was any development at all. All the symbolism from the opening becomes apparent. Akane stops being a brat and loves her mother and cat. Because she has to. Because of the implications.

Look at them, standing there, menacingly.

Overall, I have to say that I honestly did like this movie. The art, animation, voice acting and music are all incredibly well done. The ending, all things considered, is very satisfying and has a fantastic way of bringing the story full circle, now with all the symbolism in the opening having meaning. There’s even a plot twist connecting our villains to our heroes that slightly surprised me. It’s just that the story doesn’t go anywhere for a long time. There’s a lot of filler here that exists to show off the craftsmanship of their artists and animators with an abrupt conclusion as if they simply ran out of locations to draw. If you can turn your brain off and just enjoy the pretty colors, this is a fantastic watch.

The Wonderland Blu-ray comes in Japanese and English dubbing and English subs. It also features commentary voice over by a character designer and director, Ilya Kuvshinov, as well as, two Eleven Arts employees, Chris Platt and Amelie. It wasn’t a bad watch, listening to one of the directors discuss details I missed out on my first play through and other concepts they were trying to work with and convey was really neat though they seemed to have some issues covering the plot-holes mentioned. There’s a 24 minute bonus cast interview that was really just full of jokes and pure silliness with some explanation of how they got to where they are. Finally, there’s also “Mayu’s Amazing Adventure” 17 minutes of what was really just more interview, taken more seriously, that also showed off some real world locations that were inspiration for some of the scenes in the movie. So it was honestly some pretty cool stuff that gave you an insight in how it all came together.

You can grab The Wonderland Blu-ray/DVD for $16.99 right now. Check out the official US trailer below.

Review Score
Overall Story
Art & Animation
Music

Review Copy Provided by Publisher

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Idea Factory International recently released the Hypderdimension Neptunia: The Animation on Steam. They did so in form of two compilation episodes that cover the entire series, and and the brand new Summer Vacation OVA that has never been released in the West. The first Episode Hyperdimension Neptunia The Animation: Hi☆Light: Crystal of Light covers the saga of the Goddesses battle survive the grandest plan the evil Arfoire has ever schemed! They will also have to face a new enemy more dangerous than any before. The second episode Hyperdimension Neptunia The Animation: Hi☆Light: The Blazing Bifrost tells the story of two visitors from another dimension and the rise of the new nation! Last but not least Hyperdimension Neptunia The Animation: Neptune’s Summer Vacation is about Neptune being lazy, big shocker! Neptune gathers the other Goddesses and their sisters and decides to go on vacation. While they are there, the sisters stumble into another dimension, happens a lot in this franchise, and there they run into someone with a very familiar face.

I’ve seen this anime many times since its release back in 2013 and I was pretty curious as to how they were going to cram the entire series into two around 100 minutes episodes. I got my answer pretty quickly, these are cut together like you basic anime recap movie. They do go into more detail than most of those do, but by me comparing the two you can get a general idea how this was done. I feel like they a good job of keep the story and flow for the most part, but there I have on big issue with this. Putting last two parts of the anime and the end of the 1st episode was jarring. They were referring to events and showing characters that hadn’t been introduced for a first time viewer. I feel like this would be confusing for someone if this was the first time they had seen the series. I kind of understand why they did it this way because it does make more sense to end the other episodes with the OVA since they are all about Plutia and Peashy. First time viewers that bought the entire bundle if you get a bit confused at the end of the first episode just stop and watch the 2nd then one go back. This will clear up any questions you may have.

If you own the series already or are checking it out for the first time all Neptunia fans should definitely get the new Hyperdimension Neptunia The Animation: Neptune’s Summer Vacation OVA. This is a fantastic episode and we get to see the cute sisters in action. It’s been a while since we’ve seen them since they have been MIA for the last two game releases. The Neptune and Nepgear fans get some special treatment in form of a new transformation scene as well. It’s a bit pricey at $14.99, but you can snag up the bundle that includes episodes 1 and 2 for around $40. This bundle also includes a total eight of opening and closing songs from the Hyperdimenison Neptunia game series.

Re-watching this series of compilation episodes showed me just how well this series has held up over past 7 years. The animation still looks good for the most part. There were a few parts were I could tell they cut corners, but none of these hurt the experience. The English dub has been dumped for these compilation episodes and they have been given some brand new sub titles courtesy of Idea Factory International. I feel these do a better in keeping with the series tone than the ones found on the Blu-Ray release by Funimation. Traditional and Simplified Chinese subtitles are also available. I’m sure the dub fans might be a bit let down here, but for me this is one of those franchises I enjoy both voice casts so it wasn’t an issue for me.

I think one of the most underrated aspects of Hyperdimension Neptuina: The Animation has always been the soundtrack. The opening and closing songs are all top quality, and the many insert songs series fans have known and loved for years already make this a fantastic OST. It’s the instrumental tracks I’ve always felt never got the love they deserved. Tracks such as “Launch”, “Tune” and many others really help drive home the emotion of the fight scenes as well as the series more somber moments.

At the end of the day I can’t help but feel this is a bit pricey at the $40.45 price tag for the bundle. I’m not saying its bad quality or there isn’t enough content here. I just think it would be a more attractive package if the price were a bit lower. These maybe compilation episodes, but they cover all the major parts of the series without leaving anything major out. I did have a bit of an issue in the way they cut some of this together, but it nothing mixing the watch order a bit can’t fix. If you’re a hardcore series fan you will likely want to jump in on this ASAP. This will give you a different look at something you already know and love with a brand new OVA as a cherry on top. Newcomers will find a lot to enjoy here as well, this is actually a good place to jump into the franchise since the anime doesn’t really follow the games you can get a basic idea of what to expect from them without spoiling much of anything.

Review Score
Overall Story
Art & Animation
Music

We received a Steam Key to review this anime from the publisher.

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Makoto Shinkai is back with a new film called Weathering With You for the world to experience. If you managed to catch the film in theaters or are experiencing it for the first time, GKIDS have prepared a really neat little release here filled with lots of extras to keep fans of the film entertained for hours.

Weathering With You takes place in modern day Tokyo. A particularly gloomy Tokyo where the clouds and rain never seem to go away. It follows Hodaka, a young boy who is coming to Tokyo to escape and find a better life. He ran away from home and is roaming the streets of Shinjuku looking for work and a way to start over. He eventually gets a job writing for a small publication where he is tasked with investigating an urban legend involving a “Sunshine Girl”, or someone who can bring out the sun during the rainiest of times. He eventually meets a girl named Hina, an orphan who is doing her best to take care of her and her younger brother. As the two spend time with each other Hodaka realizes that Hina was in fact this sunshine girl, as she has the ability to pray the clouds away temporarily. The two eventually decide to start using her power to help those around the city and bring some light into their lives in more ways than one. The two eventually fall in love, however, there are some consequences to Hina being a sunshine girl that will get in the way of their relationship, forcing the two to overcome that obstacle.

The film’s story is similar to Your Name, for better or worse. On one hand if someone is going to make a story about two star-crossed lovers overcoming a great hurdle in their relationship and make it interesting to watch, it would be Makoto Shinkai. On the other hand, that also makes this movie feel a bit too much like it’s simply following in the footsteps of its predecessor, and as such the comparisons from critics will be inevitable.

On the surface, Weathering With You is a much simpler story than in Your Name. However, it sometimes gets a bit too vague and vanilla for its own good. For example, we really don’t get to see much of why Hodaka left his home in the first place. There are some hints here and there that imply he was in an abusive household though it would have been nice for more time to have been spent establishing this, which could have given him some more room to grow throughout the story. It could have also added some more perspective to certain decisions he makes throughout the film, especially towards the end. More time is spent on Hina’s backstory to give more context to the origins of her powers but it wasn’t enough for me to really be invested in rooting for these two as a pair. In fact their relationship kind of felt a bit rushed in comparison to Your Name. In that movie, both characters got to spend time in each other’s shoes, literally. By doing that they both got a chance to learn about the other in a deeper and more meaningful manner. In Weathering With You, we don’t get to see the characters interact and get to know each other on the same kind of level. As a result, the buildup to the romance isn’t anywhere near as interesting or satisfying. These two are just teenagers that just happen to meet each other one day and almost immediately fall in love and that’s it. While that’s not necessarily a bad way to tell a story, the execution here is a bit disappointing considering how the same director has shown us in his past work that he can be a bit more original and unique with his approach to this kind of story. As a result you have a film with some genuinely great ideas especially considering the stories ties to the weather, but misses the mark in execution in comparison to the director’s previous works. Perhaps the movie’s biggest mistake is simply being released right after Your Name.

One area where Weathering With You really shines is in the visuals. This movie is nothing short of breathtaking. Every single shot of the city is highly detailed and stylized to the point of almost looking real. The attention to detail shines even in terms of all the product placement. There is a scene where Hodaka is eating at a McDonald’s and I’ve never seen food from there look so appetizing. Hodaka even comments that it was the best meal he ever had and I’m inclined to believe him considering how well drawn the burger was. The score further helped set a rather somber atmosphere and mood which fits in line with the rainy and cloudy climate that is seen for most of the film.

This release contains several extras such as a Director Interview with Makoto Shinkai where he talks about his thought process behind recruiting animators and writing about climate change for the movie. He also spends some time offering commentary on Your Name. Another fun extra is the ‘Weather Front Featurette’ which is a 24-minute narrated by Hana Mori, Hina’s voice actress in the Japanese dub. The feature shows us some backstage footage of much of the film staff and some of their thoughts and concerns moments before the film was about to premiere last year. And if you are looking for even more content, there is a feature highlighting Shinkai’s filmography and an additional 70-minute talk show where journalist Yumiko Udo sits down with Shinkai in his own home and further discuss the film and his storytelling style.

Overall despite my feelings about Weathering With You itself, I think GKIDS and Shout! Factory have delivered an excellent package that fans of Makoto Shinkai’s work will appreciate. There are plenty of extras here along with both an English and Japanese audio track. And of course this is the kind of film that will greatly benefit from being on Blu Ray. It’s worth watching just to experience yet another beautifully crafted world by Makoto Shinkai.

You can purchase a copy of Weathering With You on Rightstuf. The standard edition is currently available for $23.98 and you can preorder a special collector’s edition for $71.98 that will release in November.

Review Score
Overall Story
Art & Animation
Music

Review copy provided by Publisher

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As I continue my foray of getting back into anime, I find myself greatly appreciating the charm and simplicity of the Iyashikei genre. Iyashikei in Japanese means soothing or healing, and the purpose of this genre of anime is to relax its viewers. Depictions of natural beauty, emphasis on pleasant ambience through its audio and visuals, and an appeal for us viewers to take a step back and enjoy the simpler aspects of life are just some of the focal points that make for a noteworthy Iyashikei. And now I have the pleasure of reviewing and introducing to you seasons 1 and 2 of Non Non Biyori, perhaps the best example of Iyashikei anime and easily one of the best anime series I’ve experienced.

For those unfamiliar with Non Non Biyori, back in September of 2009, a mangaka named Atto debuted the manga version of this series in the Japanese magazine Monthly Comic Alive. The manga quickly attained popularity for its charming short stories featuring its appealingly memorable characters set to the backdrop of a rural, agriculturally lush village. Full volumes of the acclaimed manga were published to strong sales and soon after the release of the 5th volume in 2013, fans of Non Non Biyori were soon gearing up for the anime’s 1st season to be debuted later that year. The original 12-episode run was a major success and alongside the continued popularity of the manga, additional installments of the anime were produced. This includes two OVAs, or 13^th episodes for seasons 1 and 2, bundled with the 7^th and 10^th manga volumes respectively, and, of course, the 12-episode 2^nd season called Non Non Biyori Repeat. August 2018 saw the debut of the Non Non Biyori movie, which received such demand during its limited release in Japan that a country-wide release was soon implemented. Popularity of the manga and anime outside of Japan is also strong, resulting in the international licenses and releases of both. With the very recent announcement of a third season, fans worldwide wait with joyful fervor for the return of our beloved series.

Non Non Biyori follows the lives of four schoolgirls living in Asahigaoka, a fictional farming community in the Japanese countryside. Set to the theme that everyday life and the simplicity of country living can yet provide adventure, excitement, discovery, and joy, each story provides a charismatic glimpse into the wonderful lives of these girls. Each chapter of the manga depicts a unique story in the daily happenings of the cast and in similar fashion, each episode f the anime typically features two of these stories. One of my favorite aspects of this anime is that it vividly shows that everyday life can yield adventure and fun around every corner and reminds us viewers just how jam packed a single day can be. Something as simple as walking to the local candy store, spending a day at the beach, or trying to hide bad grades and run away from an irate parent all have their humor, lighthearted troubles, and abundant charms. And that’s the real magic of Non Non Biyori, conveying the hidden joys and simple pleasures in life through the everyday.

What makes this theme, this one of joy and discovery within the simple, truly shine is its characters. Non Non Biyori easily has some of the most lovable and memorable characters you’ll find anywhere. Though their personalities may be a bit form fitting, their experiences, circumstances, and their reactions through it all make them so incredibly appealing. Taking place in a remote, rural village, our main cast all share a single classroom, despite being in different grades, which lends itself to the interactions of such a diverse group. Hotaru Ichijo is a 5^th grader who has just moved from Tokyo to Asahigaoka. The stark changes in her environment and lifestyle are a common focal point to the stories involving her. For her, it’s the discoveries and the coming to appreciate her new home and new friends that define her character. Despite only being a 5^th grader, she is the most poised and mature character of the group, both in her personality and appearance. This plays well with the contrast of Komari Koshigaya, the oldest of the group, yet has a childlike temperament and short, childlike appearance. While Komari is Hotaru’s senpai, Hotaru often fawns over Komari the way one finds a kitten or puppy adorable. Komari’s short fuse also lends itself to her unintentionally cute reactions. Komari’s younger sister, Natsumi, is a bit of a tomboy with her abundant energy and, many times, her aversion to anything schoolwork related, often getting herself and those around her in heartwarming shenanigans. And finally, there is Renge Miyauchi. I could write an entire piece on the brilliance of Renge’s character. Creative, perceptive, intelligent, unusually low energy until adorably excited, at times down right philosophical, and comedically blunt, Renge is a loving little sister, best friend, and force to be reckoned.

Every character has their appeals and what I find equally impressive as the characters themselves is how natural their interactions felt and how well they play off each other. Despite ranging in grade from 1^st to 8^th, so from about age 6 through 13, I love how effortlessly their strong friendships form and how they take to one another. Hotaru’s powerlessness at viewing Komari with adoration, Komari getting riled up whenever referred to as short or thought of as a child, Natsumi knowing how to push her sister’s buttons or getting others in trouble alongside her, Renge’s ability to seamlessly banter with everyone one moment and completely stump them the next, these interactions are what brings immersion to the stories and gives them their brilliance. Even the interactions with our main group and the many minor characters is just as brilliant. Kaede, who runs the local candy store, finds herself the butt of jokes and many times a means to move a story along, but she also has this unique relationship with Renge which is always a pleasure to see when it does reveal itself. Though few in number, these moments of character development, even between the major and minor characters, propels this anime over the top.

As wonderful as these characters and the stories they share are, I am equally impressed with the quality of the visuals and audio. Starting with the visuals, I am completely impressed with the way everything is depicted. The efforts by the artists to bring the Japanese countryside to life is outstanding, as they excel at immersing its viewers with the levels of ambience and moods they’re capable of producing. The characters’ personalities shine with the quality of the animation and their depictions are not just accurate, but are far more vivid. The adaptation not only keeps them true to their manga counterparts, but also adds the energy and emotions that may not always come through with the manga.

The audio is also astounding, adding to the already remarkable visuals. The Japanese voice casting is brilliant and every actress accurately voices their characters similar to how I had imagined when reading the manga. And, whoever cast Kotori Koiwai as the voice of Renge is a genius. I could not have imagined that better. She brings so much more dimension to Renge’s character than the manga could hope to achieve. Beyond the voicing, the soundtrack is as lovely as the visuals, pairing nicely to complete that country ambience that can soothe any soul. The melodies match the events perfectly, whether it’s comedic, solemn, or idyllic, each song complements perfectly without ever sounding intrusive. Even the moments of silence to appreciate the scenery or when only the sound effects, such as cicadas buzzing during summer mornings or the bubbling of a stream, are playing, the effect and significance it brings is simply incredible. Overall, the visual and audio aesthetics really take the whole anime to another level, to the point which I couldn’t imagine the producers doing anything any better.

Non Non Biyori is a gem. It won’t just succeed in relaxing you, it will do so exceedingly. I’m very glad to have watched it and I’m ecstatic that a third season is on the way (as of this writing). As strong as the manga is, with its unforgettable cast and witty stories, with all of the advantages of an anime adaptation and with such a high level of execution, I can say, after having read the first 5 volumes of the manga, that I enjoy the anime even more. Rarely does an adaptation match or outshine the source material, but this is definitely one of those few cases. If you haven’t had the pleasure or you need some relaxation, I highly recommend you give Non Non Biyori a watch, as I can assure you won’t be disappointed.

For more information on the Non Non Biyori anime and manga, please visit the links below:

Blu-Ray available on Amazon

English translation of the manga provided by Seven Seas Entertainment

For more nyanpasu

Note: Images featured in this review have been compressed

Review Score
Overall Story
Art & Animation
Music

The post Anime Review: Non Non Biyori appeared first on oprainfall.

Since I usually handle classic and retro game reviews for this site, my goals are to discover lesser known titles and hidden gems. In gaming, I find that to be a joy; finding a game with little to no coverage, yet provides a wonderful experience worth sharing. Though when it comes to anime, I typically feel underprepared and unknowledgeable about what’s out there. Needless to say, there is a ton of anime on the market and, for me, it’s completely overwhelming. It’s to the point that I feel unable to follow references made online or in forums or even conversations with my colleagues here. Similar to my gaming tastes, I’m open to a multitude of genres and that only makes things worse. However, I was fortunate enough to discover a genre that seems to address my apprehensions, as well as anxiety in general; Iyashikei. Iyashikei is Japanese for soothing, or healing, and this anime genre is meant to calm you down with its allusions to the simple, yet comforting aspects of life, sometimes through fantasy settings and with a bit of mischief thrown in. Still distressed with the sheer volume of series available, pure luck led me to an anime called Konohana Kitan, one that very much managed to calm my nerves and reminded me that it’s okay to just start watching.

Konohana Kitan follows the everyday stories of a young fox girl names Yuzu, who is newly employed at Konohana-tei, a hot spring inn. Other fox girls who work there teach Yuzu and look out for her as she learns and performs her duties, as well as accustoms herself to the inn keeping lifestyle. At first, they are annoyed or cold towards Yuzu and her clumsy yet overly upbeat personality and are reluctant to help her. Yet as they all begin to open up, backstories are revealed, hidden personalities come forth, friendships are made, and deeper relationships blossom. As this resort resides between the realms of heaven and earth, colorful visitors arrive at the inn, bringing with them their own stories or struggles, which make Yuzu’s experiences all the more lively. Many of the characters and the lore behind them are taken from Shinto and Japanese folktales, making the world that much more intriguing. Throughout the series, Yuzu learns about the worlds outside of her sheltered upbringing and is always ready to lend her help while remaining completely incapable of holding back her positive outlook in any situation.

The overall series focuses on the many individual stories that occur in Yuzu’s daily life as a trainee inn keeper and each story is squarely dependent on its characters and their interactions. Fortunately, the character development of the main protagonists is incredibly strong throughout. I was easily captivated by Yuzu and her charming personality, as well as how her positivity, and many times, naiveté, influences the people around her. Despite her inexperience both at her position and in the world around her, she always manages to lend the help her visitors need through sheer will. I also appreciate the depth of the other characters that’s slowly revealed throughout the series. Satsuki, an older fox girl who is often assigned to oversee Yuzu, is serious about her duties and, as a result, cold towards the clumsy Yuzu at first. As their relationship develops, we are treated to the many layers that make up Satsuki as an individual worth investing in. From her backstory to her growing respect and developing affections towards Yuzu, all is a pleasure to see.

Similarly strong in their developments are Ren, Natsume, and the relationship shared between these two. While Ren initially comes off as a typical tsundere and Natsume a tomboy, they too have layers to their personalities. Ren has a unique backstory that drives her towards Natsume and through that, we get to see a more emotional, yet charming side to her. Natsume is more a source of humor, in which her energetic personality and androgynous appearance bring their own lightheartedness. What really stands out is that we are treated to the even-paced revealing of their relationship, one that initially seems one-sided with Ren seeking more from Natsume, and then followed by cute moments of reciprocation. I was also impressed with how well this and Yuzu and Satsuki’s relationships are worked into the episode plots. Rather than trying to shoehorn yuri, it’s instead seamlessly implemented while maintaining a genuine, youthful innocence at an appreciable level for all audiences. Finally, outside of the developing couples, those interactions when these pairings mix, or when they interact with the remaining cast, are equally full of charm, pleasant calmness, and plenty of humor.

Moving on to its presentation, Konohana Kitan’s anime adaptation is aesthetically pleasing in its entirety. The artists responsible for transitioning the world and its characters from manga to anime do an excellent job of preserving the allure of Sakuya Amano’s works. The characters look great and the world around them is equally beautiful. The spiritual aspects of the world, as it resides between the realms of deities and man, are effortlessly believable and the references to Shinto and folklore are also impressively depicted. The animation quality is great, never stiff, bland, or unrefined, and always adds to the tones of events and actions of the characters. The anime is also audibly strong, as the soundtrack matches nicely with the overall tones of the story and the moods of the characters. Its soft melodies and easy listening appeal add to the calming nature the anime induces. Finally, the voice actors (I watched in Japanese with subtitles) do a very convincing job of bringing life to these characters, as personalities, eccentrics, and all are convincing and remarkable.

Simply put, I had a wonderful time watching this, having my emotions stirred and calmed in such a satisfying way. This series will definitely keep you entertained, relax your nerves, and let you easily immerse yourself into a world full of charm and exceptionally charismatic characters. Having recently returned to watching anime and, again, overwhelmed by the volume of options out there, I can say I’m very glad to have found this series when I did. I immediately wanted more after I finished and I feel a 12 episode run is just too short. Unfortunately, there has yet been any news of a potential second season despite several volumes of untapped potential via the manga. Having said that, since the manga is available via TokyoPop and both its print and translation are ongoing, I definitely plan on picking up the Konohana Kitan manga in the near future. As a perfect example of an Iyashikei, hopefully one day we see the Konohana Kitan anime return, as it most surely deserves it.

For more information on the Konohana Kitan anime and manga, please visit the links below:

Blu-Ray available on Amazon

English translation of the manga provided by TokyoPop

Note: Images featured here have been resized and compressed

Review Score
Overall Story
Art & Animation
Music

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Somehow being able to be a part of one of your favorite stories is a fantasy that quite a few people have had. Dragon Ball: That Time I Got Reincarnated as Yamcha is a manga in which a student who’s a Dragon Ball fan gets put into his favorite series as the former bandit. While he was initially excited due to him having a crush on Bulma and being at a point where she is with Yamcha, the bliss is short lived. As a huge fan of the series, he quickly remembers the events that will begin to befall on Yamcha.

An unfortunate fate.

The jump into the Dragon Ball world first starts when Goku is still a kid. From there it jumps around to events such as the arrival of the Saiyans and the Cell games. The deviations from the series start a bit early on as the reincarnated Yamcha sets out to train harder and become strong enough to avoid his infamous death scene. However, with his extensive knowledge of the series, the new Yamcha actually has a chance to go against enemies such as Vegeta and Napa. Along with with that, he has the secondary goal of making sure his relationship with Bulma survives.

It helps to know what will happen.

One thing that maybe disappointing is that the manga is a bit one the short side. It’s a three part story that also has two additional short bonus chapters. So there are quite a few things and events that we don’t get to see the reincarnated Yamcha experience. This maybe disappointing depending on what you would’ve liked to have seen. At the same time, for a story like this it might be best that it doesn’t drag on for too long.

This manga is definitely for Dragon Ball fans. You can see that the creator, dragongarow LEE is quite the fan too. He does a fine job trying to emulate Toriyama’s art style, and at times it wouldn’t be difficult to think some panels were from the Dragon Ball creator himself. Seeing Yamcha take on the leading role along with being able to hold his own against someone like Vegeta is great. The fact it puts the spotlight on a character whose role decreased over time makes it a bit more refreshing than say if it followed one of the Saiyans. In addition to the action the manga is quite humorous. Even the all important question of “Why Yamcha?” is asked by the main character at one point.

What fan wouldn’t want a chance to fight with the Saiyan Prince?

Dragon Ball: That Time I Got Reincarnated as Yamcha is a manga for those that would like to see the story from a different point of view. It does great job replicating the feel of Dragon Ball with its art, action, and comedy. It’s a short but, enjoyable manga that might make you feel more for one of Goku’s oldest friends.

Review Score
Overall

Reviewer’s own personal copy was used for the review.

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