Review of Is This a Zombie? (2011)
Hey, everyone, it's time for a new review.
I know it's been a while since my last review. I was on a missions trip to Nicaragua (which I will write a full blog on soon), and then I was busy with work, illnesses, and other aspects of my life upon my return. I just finished the first season/series of Is This a Zombie?, so I wanted to write the review while it's still fresh in my head.
As of this day, it has a pretty high popularity rating-in the top 100- according to MyAnimeList (1). I went in with high expectations. In short, I found this anime to be nothing special. I didn't dislike it, but I don't see anything new or exciting with it either, earning it only an average rating.
While the story has some originality, I found the plot at times to be ridiculous. I only found three of the characters likable. I didn't find the humor funny. However, the anime had me at least wanting to finish it, so the plot was at least enticing enough not to drive me away. However, that alone couldn't earn this one a high score.
Story:
The basic story follows the protagonist Ayumu, who has recently died and been brought back to life by the necromancer: Eucliwood Hellscythe (or Eu, as Ayumu calls her). In addition, he runs into a magical girl named Haruna, and accidentally steals her magic. Due to this mishap, Ayumu is forced to fight the evil creatures in her place.
Along the way, we are introduced to other characters such as the vampire ninjas: Seraphim, Sarasvati, and Yuki. The latter becomes accidentally engaged to Ayumu. This group helps with the supernatural battles. During their down time, the team hangs out like an ordinary group of friends.
The plot sounds interesting enough, were the execution not so goofy. Certain elements such as Yuki fighting with ramen noodles, and the enemies being floating whales, as well as how Ayumu has to transform into a magical girl costume to reach full potential robs the show of what awesomeness it might had possessed.
Also, this anime feels like it shoved together so many genres into one. This may sound like a recipe for disaster, but it actually works well here. At its core, I think it's best to consider this a harem with the main male character being surrounded by females (more than one fighting for his affection). Then this anime would also count as an action, a comedy, and a magic series. Personally, I think it fails at comedy, but works fine as all the others listed.
There are several boring moments, such as the bowling scene, or the part where the girls are playing what seems to be extreme Jenga, that serves no purpose to the plot, other than to take up time. Fortunately, these moments don't last long, and it quickly returns to the plot. Even if that particular plot point is over the top or silly.
Characters:
The main character Ayumu is pretty likable. He cares deeply for his friends, and constantly puts himself in danger for them. It helps that he knows he is immortal, and has no real fear of death, however, pain works the same way on him as it does on normal humans. He is a bit of a pervert, which is shown in some of his fantasies surrounding the women, but that detail actually adds to his overall character. However, it's his loyalty to his loved ones that makes him likable.
Eu, the main female, and the necromancer, has to be my favorite of the cast. Her quirk is that she has to remain silent or else cause pain and destruction to those around her. All of her thoughts and communications are written on a notepad. I like how her every interaction is based solely on action and body language, making her a more complex character. The absence of speech makes the love for her friends more amplified. Not to mention, she is the only one who is not violent with Ayumu, making me support them as a pairing.
The only other character in this series that I like is the vampire ninja, Yuki. Due to an accident, Yuki finds herself betrothed to Ayumu. She then tries her best to love him, act as a perfect wife, and make him love her, so as not to betray her laws. I like the amount of devotion she has to her people by keeping her vow, and to Ayumu for trying to make the best of the situation. I also like her for being the only one who treats Ayumu respectfully. Honestly, I think she does eventually develop actual feelings for Ayumu.
The main villain in this season is pretty interesting. I won't say much on him to avoid spoilers, just that I can feel for him and his plight. Perhaps his methods for reaching his goal are messed up, but his motivation is sound. I would have liked to get to know him a little better, as there are many mysteries surrounding him that I feel weren't resolved.
Now onto the rest of the cast. I'll begin with Haruna. When she was introduced I wanted to include her on a list of most annoying anime characters. By the end of the season she had undergone some character development, but is still a candidate for that list. The fact that she beat up Ayumu over a dream involving him as well as his choice of not wanting to kiss her made me detest her. Her arrogance also detracts from her character. She just strikes me as a selfish spoiled brat with an inflated ego.
Despite what I said about Haruna, she is not my least favorite in the series, that spot goes to Seraphim. Sera (as she is referred to) is the first vampire ninja we're introduced to. From what I gathered, their purpose is to protect the world from evil sent to destroy it. She is rude and hateful to Ayumu for no good reason. She is so cold that I find it hard to sympathize with her. At least Haruna has a personality, but I find Sera to be lacking one. However, she does have some development on the issue of free thinking.
As for the minor characters. Orito is pretty much the typical harem anime best friend. Replace him with any other male best friend from any other harem series and there's not much difference. He serves no purpose and has nothing that stands out about him. Also there is Taeko. She is a friend of Yuki's. I get the vibe that she has feelings for Ayumu, but due to her friendship with Yuki, she chooses not to interfere. She strikes me as being kind and supportive, making her more likable than half of the main characters.
Art:
The art is decent. I really like the costumes used here. All of the magical girl garments are adorable. I think my favorite has to be Kyoko's. Also, the part where Ayumu's costume becomes cuter when more power is applied is a nice touch. I also love Eu's costume, it's cute and practical, matching her personality.
On the subject of character designs, they are rather typical. Eu is the only one who truly stands out. Her whole appearance, especially the costume is original. I can't think of another anime character who resembles her. As for the others, there is nothing that really stands out about them. Haruna, Ayumu, Sera, and Yuki all come across as generic in terms of anime design within the last decade.
I like the animation during fight scenes. They're colorful and swift, exactly the way battle scenes should be. On the other hand, I like how the more lighthearted scenes have slower animation, perfectly fitting the moment. This is a minor detail, but I do like the fluid animation used when Ayumu's wounds heal.
In all, my opinion on art and animation is positive. There's nothing spectacular, but it's still good.
Music:
The theme song is a perfect selection for this anime. It fits the overall mood of the show. It also works well with the images used during the opening sequence.
I love the violin music provided by Sera. That entire symphony played by the vampire ninjas in episode eleven is gorgeous. I actually wish that music was not interrupted by the scenes edited between. I think the fight scene could have still worked with that song playing in the background.
Each of the songs played in episode twelve is catchy. Eu's song is beautiful. Even Haruna's song is enjoyable, even if that is solely because of the energy. I wonder if full-length versions of those songs will ever be released.
In all, the music used in this anime is great.
Flaws:
I know I touched on this earlier, but it's hard to take this anime seriously. I know this is a comedy, but I didn't find the silly plot decisions funny, just ridiculous. They are fighting flying whales wearing jackets. How threatening is that? Not to mention Yuki can fight off monsters with certain recipes of ramen noodles. There is a line where the series crosses into the absurd, and that happens within the first episode. I understand that Ayumu accidentally steals Haruna's power, but to the extent that it gives him her costume? That's a little on the extreme side. I don't get how a man wearing a dress that gives him magical powers is funny. Then towards the end (excluding episode twelve) the series tries to take a serious turn, but it doesn't work when ridiculous stunts such as instrument playing to ward off evil spirits, or killer plush toys are being used.
Secondly, and, I know I've mentioned this so many times in previous reviews that I must be sounding like a broken record. Maybe someone can explain this to me, because I don't get the humor in it. Is This a Zombie? is yet another anime in which the women beat up on the male protagonist for no good reason. Okay, when he crosses a line, or does something legitimately perverted, I understand. However, there is a moment in which Haruna has a dream involving him, and she gets angry and clobbers him for it. What more, Sera defends her. Another example is when Ayumu does something that nearly kills him to save Yuki, and immediately after she attacks him for merely calling her by her last name, instead of the more intimate first name. I may be wrong, but that's not the way to show someone gratitude. This type of humor has been overdone in anime, especially in this one, and I just don't find it amusing.
That brings me to the next thing I want to talk about, and that is on the subject of relationships. How am I supposed to believe that one character has developed feelings for another when she treats him so horribly? I see this a lot in anime as well, in which the female shows her "affection" by behaving so awful towards the lead male. There is a scene where Haruna is truly upset that Ayumu refuses to kiss her (not to mention he doesn't love her, at least not at this point), and because of his choice to not partake in an intimate gesture with someone he doesn't have romantic feelings for, Haruna pummels him. How am I supposed to root for her, and hope a relationship forms between the two of them, when I see how abusive she is? (It's not just Haruna, I'm just used her as an example.)
Lastly, I wasn't impressed with the ending. There could have been so much more, and I feel it was lacking. I'm talking about the actual climactic ending of episode eleven, not the filler episode twelve, which was pretty funny (one of the few times I actually laughed during this series). I just felt it was a lot of build up for a low payoff.
Conclusion:
Is This a Zombie? has an original premise, even if it is beyond ridiculous at times; the silly plot points do take away any seriousness from this show. The two leads are likable, but many of the other characters not so much. The art is good, and there are some great moments of animation. The music is enjoyable. The humor however is lacking. I don't find character abuse funny, and that's the majority of the "comedy." The ending was also less than satisfying.
In all, I would say this anime is decent, but it's nothing special. It doesn't deserve to be on the bad end of the spectrum, but I also wouldn't rank it among the best. It's somewhere in the middle. I was entertained, but it's not likely that I would watch it again. There are other seasons, but I'm not rushing to watch them anytime soon.
Is This a Zombie?: 5/10
Beverage: Pink Lemonade
Music: Sleeping Romance
1. "Kore wa Zombie Desu Ka?" MyAnimeList (2015). July 21, 2015.
http://myanimelist.net/anime/8841/Kore_wa_Zombie_Desu_ka
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
2015 Mission Trip
Tomorrow I will be heading out for my first ever mission trip. Fifteen people (including myself) from my church will fly into Managua, Nicaragua for nine days of service to God and our fellow men.
This is something I have prayed about, and something I've wanted to do for years, I just never had the courage to sign up. Early this year I went to one interest meeting and I had this strange feeling that this is something I needed to do. I kept getting a feeling of encouragement whenever I considered possibly joining the team.
I had every reason not to, but no matter what excuse my mind tried to rationalize, it worked itself out. For instance, I figured my boss would not let me take off that much time for the trip, but she assured me it would be fine. Also, I worried about the financial cost, but the money was never a problem, and I still had enough to pay my bills. Lastly, I even wondered if I would miss my sister's baby shower, but she moved the date to the following weekend. Everything falling into place is a clear answer that if God wants something to happen, it's going to happen.
I have everything packed. All that's left is for me to board the plane. I've done what I can to make myself mentally prepared (mostly prayer, daily time in God's Word, and listening to calming music). I'm not even nervous right now. It's weird that I can feel my friends' prayers, perhaps what's easing any possible forming worries. I've done everything I can, and now it's time to just rely on the Lord, and let Him have the reigns.
Everyone from my church who has been on this annual mission trip has said it's a life changing experience, and was worth every sacrifice. I have yet to meet one person who regretted the decision to go. Therefore I am excited to see what God will do through us and for us on this trip.
I will be back in about a week and a half. I appreciate any prayers and well wishes anyone wants to offer. When I return I will relay my experiences within the next blog.
Beverage: Water
Music: Supercell
This is something I have prayed about, and something I've wanted to do for years, I just never had the courage to sign up. Early this year I went to one interest meeting and I had this strange feeling that this is something I needed to do. I kept getting a feeling of encouragement whenever I considered possibly joining the team.
I had every reason not to, but no matter what excuse my mind tried to rationalize, it worked itself out. For instance, I figured my boss would not let me take off that much time for the trip, but she assured me it would be fine. Also, I worried about the financial cost, but the money was never a problem, and I still had enough to pay my bills. Lastly, I even wondered if I would miss my sister's baby shower, but she moved the date to the following weekend. Everything falling into place is a clear answer that if God wants something to happen, it's going to happen.
I have everything packed. All that's left is for me to board the plane. I've done what I can to make myself mentally prepared (mostly prayer, daily time in God's Word, and listening to calming music). I'm not even nervous right now. It's weird that I can feel my friends' prayers, perhaps what's easing any possible forming worries. I've done everything I can, and now it's time to just rely on the Lord, and let Him have the reigns.
Everyone from my church who has been on this annual mission trip has said it's a life changing experience, and was worth every sacrifice. I have yet to meet one person who regretted the decision to go. Therefore I am excited to see what God will do through us and for us on this trip.
I will be back in about a week and a half. I appreciate any prayers and well wishes anyone wants to offer. When I return I will relay my experiences within the next blog.
Beverage: Water
Music: Supercell
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Review of Mars of Destruction (2005)
Review of Mars of Destruction (2005)
Hello, everyone, it's time for a new review. This week I will review the infamous twenty minute anime OVA: Mars of Destruction.
Before watching I had already been warned by several reviews on Youtube and on MyAnimeList that Mars of Destruction is terrible. Despite all those words of caution, I decided to go ahead and watch it anyway. Why? I wanted to see if it was truly as bad as everyone made it out to be.
In short, I don't think Mars of Destruction is the worst anime of all time (Pupa and Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-Chan still hold the top two spots in that category), but I still give it a pretty low score. The story jumps around and very little information is given throughout, the surprise ending comes out of nowhere, the characters have no development, and the animation is terrible. However, there are a few redeeming qualities that I will explain later in this review--those alone keep this OVA from receiving the score it gets.
Story:
The story begins when two astronauts are returning from Mars. They have a cheerful dialogue just before the ship explodes. Without any explanation, or decent transition, an unknown number of months pass and aliens called Ancients have invaded earth. Three girls who are a part of a special force arrive to take down the aliens. None of them succeed, and one is killed in a gruesome manner.
The main character Takeru appears in battle armor armed with a sword that he can create at will. Takeru fights the aliens, and wins at the cost of major injuries. To be honest, this is something that I do like. Too often in anime, when in battle the protagonist wins with little consequences, so I like that this one almost cost Takeru his life, it makes the situation more grave that their top warrior is far from invincible.
From there the support team--a blonde woman, and green-haired woman, both nameless--develop a rifle to help in the next battle, while Takeru recovers. Meanwhile, what remained of the ship is to be sent to America for testing. This all leads up to the final battle between Takeru and the leader of the Ancients which includes a bizarre twist ending that feels like was made up on the spot.
I know that this feels like hardly a summary, but that is pretty much all I can give without any spoilers. In the short span of time that is this OVA, there aren't that many major plot points.
I believe that this anime had the potential to be good. However, one of the main factors against it is that this OVA is only twenty minutes long. With a plot this complex, I think it needed to be a full series, or at least a full length movie. As it is, too much is crammed in the span of twenty minutes (that includes the credits), so unfortunately a lot is left out. With more time there could be at the very least some character development, better transitions, a smoother, more coherent plot, and even some clues leading up to the plot twist.
Characters:
I don't have much to say in this segment. I feel that the characters can make or break a series for me, and in this case it's the latter. Other than Takeru, no information is given on the characters. Even with Takeru the backstory is limited.
All that the audience knows about Takeru is that he disagrees with his father's choice to use him to fight. Also, that he is just an ordinary high school student. He has no personality. Nothing is known about his life, likes, dislikes, interests, plans for the future, personal beliefs--nothing. He is a bland protagonist, that it's hard to feel any sympathy for him. On the other hand, the fact that he's a fighter who is not a macho man makes him unique in that sense.
As for the supporting characters (only three of which were given a name, and only mentioned once, or in Yamabuki's case twice), there are no distinct personalities. The audience knows nothing about them other than they are a part of a special unit designed to defeat the aliens. In fact, they could all be switched out and no one would be the wiser.
There is nothing interesting about the aliens. Even with that little information given in the ending, their motivation is not clear. They are as bland as the rest of the cast.
All of the characters are underdeveloped and boring.
Art:
Now, here is where I will give this anime some praise. I do find the character designs to be decent. Takeru has an interesting look (despite his lack of character). Even though the girls have indistinguishable personalities, have distinct designs. I do like how each of them looks different. Even with the unknown names, they can be referred to by hair colors. I especially like Yamabuki (pink pigtails) and how her cheerful design contrasts with this dark story.
However, character designs is the only place that I will praise the artwork. The backgrounds are boring. The aliens look generic. Again, other than the bold hair colors, the colors used in this anime look dull.
The animation is terrible. Everything looks like it's been filmed in slow motion. I did like the action sequences, and they could have been great, but they move so slow it ruins the sense of urgency. I don't have a problem with slow animation if it fits, but in general fights are supposed to be quick. There is very little moment during scenes of dialogue. With such boring animation, it's a good thing this anime is so short.
Music:
Mars of Destruction uses popular pieces of classical music. To be fair, I like each of the selections used in this anime. The opera in the opening is beautiful. I also caught a bit of "Ride of the Valkyries" by Richard Wagner as well as Beethoven's, "Moonlight Sonata."
So yes, I do enjoy the music used in this anime, but not at the time presented within this OVA. The use of the opera at the beginning is great. However, every other time one of these music selections were played was unfitting to the particular scene. It would be like having a cheerful, upbeat musical number played at the climactic scene in Titanic, it just doesn't fit.
Conclusion:
The story had potential, but due to time, lazy writing, or a limited budget, it wasn't given what was needed to properly develop. The characters have even less development. The plot jumped around too much, while the animation moved too slow. The music is great, but didn't fit the scene it was placed in.
If Mars of Destruction was remade, revisiting all the problem areas mentioned in this review, it could attain a higher score. However, as it is now, it's another anime with wasted potential. No, it's not the worst, but it is far from being good.
Mars of Destruction: 4/10
Hello, everyone, it's time for a new review. This week I will review the infamous twenty minute anime OVA: Mars of Destruction.
Before watching I had already been warned by several reviews on Youtube and on MyAnimeList that Mars of Destruction is terrible. Despite all those words of caution, I decided to go ahead and watch it anyway. Why? I wanted to see if it was truly as bad as everyone made it out to be.
In short, I don't think Mars of Destruction is the worst anime of all time (Pupa and Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-Chan still hold the top two spots in that category), but I still give it a pretty low score. The story jumps around and very little information is given throughout, the surprise ending comes out of nowhere, the characters have no development, and the animation is terrible. However, there are a few redeeming qualities that I will explain later in this review--those alone keep this OVA from receiving the score it gets.
Story:
The story begins when two astronauts are returning from Mars. They have a cheerful dialogue just before the ship explodes. Without any explanation, or decent transition, an unknown number of months pass and aliens called Ancients have invaded earth. Three girls who are a part of a special force arrive to take down the aliens. None of them succeed, and one is killed in a gruesome manner.
The main character Takeru appears in battle armor armed with a sword that he can create at will. Takeru fights the aliens, and wins at the cost of major injuries. To be honest, this is something that I do like. Too often in anime, when in battle the protagonist wins with little consequences, so I like that this one almost cost Takeru his life, it makes the situation more grave that their top warrior is far from invincible.
From there the support team--a blonde woman, and green-haired woman, both nameless--develop a rifle to help in the next battle, while Takeru recovers. Meanwhile, what remained of the ship is to be sent to America for testing. This all leads up to the final battle between Takeru and the leader of the Ancients which includes a bizarre twist ending that feels like was made up on the spot.
I know that this feels like hardly a summary, but that is pretty much all I can give without any spoilers. In the short span of time that is this OVA, there aren't that many major plot points.
I believe that this anime had the potential to be good. However, one of the main factors against it is that this OVA is only twenty minutes long. With a plot this complex, I think it needed to be a full series, or at least a full length movie. As it is, too much is crammed in the span of twenty minutes (that includes the credits), so unfortunately a lot is left out. With more time there could be at the very least some character development, better transitions, a smoother, more coherent plot, and even some clues leading up to the plot twist.
Characters:
I don't have much to say in this segment. I feel that the characters can make or break a series for me, and in this case it's the latter. Other than Takeru, no information is given on the characters. Even with Takeru the backstory is limited.
All that the audience knows about Takeru is that he disagrees with his father's choice to use him to fight. Also, that he is just an ordinary high school student. He has no personality. Nothing is known about his life, likes, dislikes, interests, plans for the future, personal beliefs--nothing. He is a bland protagonist, that it's hard to feel any sympathy for him. On the other hand, the fact that he's a fighter who is not a macho man makes him unique in that sense.
As for the supporting characters (only three of which were given a name, and only mentioned once, or in Yamabuki's case twice), there are no distinct personalities. The audience knows nothing about them other than they are a part of a special unit designed to defeat the aliens. In fact, they could all be switched out and no one would be the wiser.
There is nothing interesting about the aliens. Even with that little information given in the ending, their motivation is not clear. They are as bland as the rest of the cast.
All of the characters are underdeveloped and boring.
Art:
Now, here is where I will give this anime some praise. I do find the character designs to be decent. Takeru has an interesting look (despite his lack of character). Even though the girls have indistinguishable personalities, have distinct designs. I do like how each of them looks different. Even with the unknown names, they can be referred to by hair colors. I especially like Yamabuki (pink pigtails) and how her cheerful design contrasts with this dark story.
However, character designs is the only place that I will praise the artwork. The backgrounds are boring. The aliens look generic. Again, other than the bold hair colors, the colors used in this anime look dull.
The animation is terrible. Everything looks like it's been filmed in slow motion. I did like the action sequences, and they could have been great, but they move so slow it ruins the sense of urgency. I don't have a problem with slow animation if it fits, but in general fights are supposed to be quick. There is very little moment during scenes of dialogue. With such boring animation, it's a good thing this anime is so short.
Music:
Mars of Destruction uses popular pieces of classical music. To be fair, I like each of the selections used in this anime. The opera in the opening is beautiful. I also caught a bit of "Ride of the Valkyries" by Richard Wagner as well as Beethoven's, "Moonlight Sonata."
So yes, I do enjoy the music used in this anime, but not at the time presented within this OVA. The use of the opera at the beginning is great. However, every other time one of these music selections were played was unfitting to the particular scene. It would be like having a cheerful, upbeat musical number played at the climactic scene in Titanic, it just doesn't fit.
Conclusion:
The story had potential, but due to time, lazy writing, or a limited budget, it wasn't given what was needed to properly develop. The characters have even less development. The plot jumped around too much, while the animation moved too slow. The music is great, but didn't fit the scene it was placed in.
If Mars of Destruction was remade, revisiting all the problem areas mentioned in this review, it could attain a higher score. However, as it is now, it's another anime with wasted potential. No, it's not the worst, but it is far from being good.
Mars of Destruction: 4/10
Monday, June 15, 2015
Frozen Doodles
One night at work (at a daycare), while drawing with a few children, I was requested to draw Elsa, then Olaf, and then a birthday cupcake. This is the result. My Elsa looks awful, and my Olaf looks funny, but I still like the picture. I did the best I could and the kids were pleased with the outcome. Anyway, this is my first Frozen fanart.
Friday, May 29, 2015
Review of The Rolling Girls (2015)
Review of The Rolling Girls (2015)
Hello, everyone. It's time for a new review!
Just a few days ago I finished the first season of the serious anime Black Lagoon. While I felt the show was decent, it has a heavy story, making me not as excited for the following two seasons right away. I was looking for something lighter, with a good amount of comedy, so I selected a new anime series titled The Rolling Girls.
The Rolling Girls is the second anime of 2015 I've watched thus far. The first was Isuca (also archived in the May 2015 blogs), which I felt had potential, but also a fair amount of flaws, earning it an average score. The Rolling Girls, however, I found much more enjoyable.
In general, I like the art, the characters, and the upbeat tone of the series. My major complaint is that there is a lot of information crammed into any given episode, and that the series takes a serious switch in tone towards the end. In all, I think The Rolling Girls is fun, but it's far from perfect.
Story:
Okay, this is probably the first time I have ever written/and probably will write, that it took over half of the series for me to understand what's going on with the plot. It is also important to know that this anime is not meant to be taken seriously. I would also advise to give this show a fair chance before quitting less than halfway. I understand it's confusing at first (and even in the end some things are not explained), but I am overall satisfied by the end.
The first episode begins with little exposition explaining that a war took place that divided Japan into separate countries. Each of these new countries is protected by and/or governed by a Best--someone who has super powers, believed to have derived from magic heart-shaped stones that rain from the sky, created from a human's deep desire or passion. These powers can range from super strength to elemental manipulation, to the ability to make fantastic works of art. The Best is supported by a team that is referred to as the Rest.
The action begins rather rapidly in which one Best, Shigyou, starts a fight with Masami (Maccha Green as her superhero name) for control of her land. Through the use of a trick, Masami's team wins. In the second episode both fighters are critically injured after a battle and their stones stolen away.
In order to make herself useful Nozomi, the protagonist and close friend of Masami, offers to take her place as a peace broker. Nozomi teams up with three other girls: Chiaya, Ai, and Yukina, to travel via motorcycle to the various Japanese countries in attempts to act as peacemakers among their civil battles.
As payment for their help, they are promised the magic stones. Meanwhile, both Chiaya's mother, and another organization are trying to collect the stones for mysterious purposes.
The plot itself doesn't actually begin until the third episode. The first two episodes focus more on the two Bests Masami and Shigyou. While those episodes are interesting, I do like it better when the plot actually moves.
I would classify this anime as an adventure story in addition to a comedy. The premise is basically four girls on a journey to pretty much help out with whatever they can. It does have a lot of slice-of-life elements as far as the friendships are concerned. However, the fact that there are a lot of random magic moments keeps the audience reminded that this is still partially a fantasy story.
There is a blend of anime genres here. You have some adventure, some slice of life, tons of comedy, a good dose of magical girl, some shonen battle, a bit of fantasy, some random sci fi moments, and even a pinch of mecha in the last arc. After finishing the series I wonder if this was done intentionally to pay homage to the different styles of anime.
I do like the comedy used here. For one, the humor is clean. The comedy is based around the four main characters' distinct personalities. For one, there is a running gag about a character who is horrible with directions, and is constantly getting lost, yet denies it whenever questioned. Also the fact that the people who asked for help are expecting the heroic Masami, but are receiving four people who have no real skills or talents welcomes good humor.
If you try to take this show seriously, you're not going to like it. However, if you accept it as the light-hearted comedy that it's intended to be, you'll probably enjoy it.
Characters:
For the most part I found the characters to be likable. There's nothing you haven't seen before in anime, but that's not to say it's not a decent cast.
First up is the protagonist, Nozomi. She heavily admires, and is devoted to her city's Best, Masami. When she takes over as Masami's substitute on the road, she tries her hardest to do a job worthy of Masami's name. The problem is that often times Nozomi fails. Add that to the fact that she's working her hardest brings the comedy. Sadly, since she is the main character, compared to everyone else I do find her bland. She has no real personality for the majority of the series. There is some development as the show progresses, but I find everyone else more interesting than her.
Next up is Chiaya, the daughter of the group's president. Of the four mains, I find Chiaya to be the most likable. She is sweet, albeit naive due to her past of solitude. Her mother is overprotective and keeps Chiaya locked away from people except on special occasions when she is allowed to leave the house. All she wishes for is to have one great adventure with friends. When she is finally given that opportunity, she plans to enjoy it to the very last drop. Chiaya also has several quirks such as constantly taking pictures, and that animals tend to be naturally comfortable around her.
Next is the comic relief character of the show: Yukina. Yukina's main quirk is that she has no sense of direction. When she is first introduced it's mentioned that it took her three days to find a location that should have only taken her minutes to reach. Also, she desires to be an artist, but due to her unique way of drawing faces, her finished products often receive negative (however polite) reactions. She is also portrayed as being clueless, but she is always among the first to volunteer to help, and proves herself to be a good friend time and time again.
The last of the four main girls is Ai. She is portrayed as being selfish and unintentionally rude. Her main goal is to gain possession of one of the heart stones so that she can become a Best. She believes that she is a tough fighter despite having no talent or training, and repeatedly ends up embarrassing herself by instantly losing when starting a fight against a Best. Ai's main quirk is her endless appetite, which sometimes annoys her companions.
All four girls have their own personalities, and each of them add to the story and the comedy in their own way. While each of them fail to equal Masami, it is interesting to watch how they will solve the current problem at hand.
The next character is not a main, but still I find to be important, that is Momiyama. Momiyama works for Chiaya's mother, and he is assigned to collect the stones in addition to bringing Chiaya back home. One of the major subplots is the mystery behind Chiaya's mother not wanting her daughter to socialize. Momiyama acts as a foil for her mother, as being someone who does understand Chiaya, provides her with a motorcycle, and acts as a guardian for her by allowing her to enjoy this road trip instead of intervening the way his boss wants him to. I do like that he offers support for Chiaya. What more, Momiyama has quite a few awesome moments himself during his action scenes in which he resembles a secret agent.
Throughout the series the girls come in contact with a variety of characters in the various countries they visit. Probably the most notable would be Kaguya who is pretty much the only person who asked Nozomi to butt out. In my opinion she is the most developed of the minor characters, and even more so than the protagonist herself. I did enjoy Kaguya's inclusion in the final battle.
Other than Kaguya, I did enjoy the two episode arc that takes place in Kyoto. I do like the characters of Misa (the rocker) and Mamechiyo (geisha in training). Even the antagonist of that arc is likable and funny. I will admit that episodes seven and eight are my favorites, thanks in large parts to the side characters presented.
Art:
If there is one word I can use to describe the art style of The Rolling Girls it would be: colorful. There is such a good use of color in this anime. The characters' costumes, the settings, the attacks. Even the stones they are collecting are bright pink. The fight scenes use burst of colorful energy. One of my favorite moments of animation is in episode eight, where a fire punch takes out a rocket and creates a rainbow cloud. Some of the settings such as Tokyo and Kyoto have bright and distinct color. In the Tokyo arc, the colorful settings are a nice contrast to the black cloaks the characters wear.
The character designs are cute without being overly so that it distracts from the story. I do like that each character has their own style. Even the designs of the side characters reflect that specific culture. Of all the character designs I like Kukino's the most (the antagonist in episode eleven): the fact that she is dressed so cutesy and in pink despite her age and the demon name she is given.
The animation is great. This show has a lot of high energy which is matched with the animation. I love watching the fight scenes. Everything is so fluid with the movements, periodically followed by colorful energy waves. I like the animation of the motorcycle race in episode six. I like that there are some cute and funny facial expressions as is common in anime, but they're not exaggerated.
Music:
The opening theme song is cute and catchy. I think it is cute that the girls are singing the opening song as if they are a band giving a concert; it's just a nice and creative touch that matches the tone of the anime. The same can be said about the song itself: it's cheerful and upbeat.
I also like the song that is played during the concert in episode eight. In my opinion, it is one of the best moments in the series.
Other than that, I don't remember much else about the music in this show.
Flaws:
The last third of the anime changes its tone. Something I enjoyed about this show is the fact that it is so cheerful and comedic, but then it tries to be more serious in the last three episodes, which I won't say ruins it, but it's such a sharp turn. I've seen this done several times in anime (both seasons of Black Butler for instance) where the show is mostly comedy, then for a dramatic ending will change its tone so late in the series that it can be difficult to adjust to. For the most part the story had included drama, but presented it in a humorous manner, but the last third was a huge tone shift. However, before it dove in too deep, the mood returned to its earlier state again, so I won't deduct too much for this one.
Secondly, there is a major plot twist concerning one of the characters that seemed abrupt. There is only one brief allusion to this plot point earlier in the series, so quick that it is easy to miss. I even misinterpreted it the first time I saw it. I think that twist still works in favor of the story, so I'm not going to consider that a flaw in itself, just the way that it is suddenly presented without much foreshadowing.
Thirdly, I found the main antagonist of the story to be a major letdown. Even now as I'm reviewing, I'm not sure what her motive, or even her goals were. She is introduced about halfway through the series as another who has an interest in collecting the heart stones. I'm not sure of her reason for collecting those stones. It's never explained what she wants with so many, and her overall plan doesn't even include them. I just feel she fell victim to the "twelve episode--not enough time for development of character or plot" syndrome.
Lastly, on that same note, I do feel that the plot itself could have been expanded were it not for the limit of twelve episodes. Even an extention to sixteen or twenty could have made room for more development. I do like the ending, I feel it's one of my favorite endings in anime, but there could have been a little more in each arc instead of trying to cram the arc into two episodes. Trust me, there is a lot happening in each episode.
Conclusion:
In all, I found this anime to be enjoyable. I like the characters, the art and animation is wonderful, I found the comedy to be genuinely funny. The story, albeit odd at times, is original. I looked forward to watching the next episode when finishing the previous. I also like getting a good glimpse at many different aspects of Japanese culture throughout this series.
However, there is a lot happening in each episode that could have been resolved by allowing it to flow into additional episodes instead of containing it within an even twelve. Also, the tone shift, and major plot twist were too sudden for my liking.
Overall, I did enjoy The Rolling Girls. If I have some free time, I wouldn't mind watching the entirety of the series a second time. It's humor and story is not for everyone, but I still would recommend it.
The Rolling Girls: 7/10
Beverage: Green Tea
Hello, everyone. It's time for a new review!
Just a few days ago I finished the first season of the serious anime Black Lagoon. While I felt the show was decent, it has a heavy story, making me not as excited for the following two seasons right away. I was looking for something lighter, with a good amount of comedy, so I selected a new anime series titled The Rolling Girls.
The Rolling Girls is the second anime of 2015 I've watched thus far. The first was Isuca (also archived in the May 2015 blogs), which I felt had potential, but also a fair amount of flaws, earning it an average score. The Rolling Girls, however, I found much more enjoyable.
In general, I like the art, the characters, and the upbeat tone of the series. My major complaint is that there is a lot of information crammed into any given episode, and that the series takes a serious switch in tone towards the end. In all, I think The Rolling Girls is fun, but it's far from perfect.
Story:
Okay, this is probably the first time I have ever written/and probably will write, that it took over half of the series for me to understand what's going on with the plot. It is also important to know that this anime is not meant to be taken seriously. I would also advise to give this show a fair chance before quitting less than halfway. I understand it's confusing at first (and even in the end some things are not explained), but I am overall satisfied by the end.
The first episode begins with little exposition explaining that a war took place that divided Japan into separate countries. Each of these new countries is protected by and/or governed by a Best--someone who has super powers, believed to have derived from magic heart-shaped stones that rain from the sky, created from a human's deep desire or passion. These powers can range from super strength to elemental manipulation, to the ability to make fantastic works of art. The Best is supported by a team that is referred to as the Rest.
The action begins rather rapidly in which one Best, Shigyou, starts a fight with Masami (Maccha Green as her superhero name) for control of her land. Through the use of a trick, Masami's team wins. In the second episode both fighters are critically injured after a battle and their stones stolen away.
In order to make herself useful Nozomi, the protagonist and close friend of Masami, offers to take her place as a peace broker. Nozomi teams up with three other girls: Chiaya, Ai, and Yukina, to travel via motorcycle to the various Japanese countries in attempts to act as peacemakers among their civil battles.
As payment for their help, they are promised the magic stones. Meanwhile, both Chiaya's mother, and another organization are trying to collect the stones for mysterious purposes.
The plot itself doesn't actually begin until the third episode. The first two episodes focus more on the two Bests Masami and Shigyou. While those episodes are interesting, I do like it better when the plot actually moves.
I would classify this anime as an adventure story in addition to a comedy. The premise is basically four girls on a journey to pretty much help out with whatever they can. It does have a lot of slice-of-life elements as far as the friendships are concerned. However, the fact that there are a lot of random magic moments keeps the audience reminded that this is still partially a fantasy story.
There is a blend of anime genres here. You have some adventure, some slice of life, tons of comedy, a good dose of magical girl, some shonen battle, a bit of fantasy, some random sci fi moments, and even a pinch of mecha in the last arc. After finishing the series I wonder if this was done intentionally to pay homage to the different styles of anime.
I do like the comedy used here. For one, the humor is clean. The comedy is based around the four main characters' distinct personalities. For one, there is a running gag about a character who is horrible with directions, and is constantly getting lost, yet denies it whenever questioned. Also the fact that the people who asked for help are expecting the heroic Masami, but are receiving four people who have no real skills or talents welcomes good humor.
If you try to take this show seriously, you're not going to like it. However, if you accept it as the light-hearted comedy that it's intended to be, you'll probably enjoy it.
Characters:
For the most part I found the characters to be likable. There's nothing you haven't seen before in anime, but that's not to say it's not a decent cast.
First up is the protagonist, Nozomi. She heavily admires, and is devoted to her city's Best, Masami. When she takes over as Masami's substitute on the road, she tries her hardest to do a job worthy of Masami's name. The problem is that often times Nozomi fails. Add that to the fact that she's working her hardest brings the comedy. Sadly, since she is the main character, compared to everyone else I do find her bland. She has no real personality for the majority of the series. There is some development as the show progresses, but I find everyone else more interesting than her.
Next up is Chiaya, the daughter of the group's president. Of the four mains, I find Chiaya to be the most likable. She is sweet, albeit naive due to her past of solitude. Her mother is overprotective and keeps Chiaya locked away from people except on special occasions when she is allowed to leave the house. All she wishes for is to have one great adventure with friends. When she is finally given that opportunity, she plans to enjoy it to the very last drop. Chiaya also has several quirks such as constantly taking pictures, and that animals tend to be naturally comfortable around her.
Next is the comic relief character of the show: Yukina. Yukina's main quirk is that she has no sense of direction. When she is first introduced it's mentioned that it took her three days to find a location that should have only taken her minutes to reach. Also, she desires to be an artist, but due to her unique way of drawing faces, her finished products often receive negative (however polite) reactions. She is also portrayed as being clueless, but she is always among the first to volunteer to help, and proves herself to be a good friend time and time again.
The last of the four main girls is Ai. She is portrayed as being selfish and unintentionally rude. Her main goal is to gain possession of one of the heart stones so that she can become a Best. She believes that she is a tough fighter despite having no talent or training, and repeatedly ends up embarrassing herself by instantly losing when starting a fight against a Best. Ai's main quirk is her endless appetite, which sometimes annoys her companions.
All four girls have their own personalities, and each of them add to the story and the comedy in their own way. While each of them fail to equal Masami, it is interesting to watch how they will solve the current problem at hand.
The next character is not a main, but still I find to be important, that is Momiyama. Momiyama works for Chiaya's mother, and he is assigned to collect the stones in addition to bringing Chiaya back home. One of the major subplots is the mystery behind Chiaya's mother not wanting her daughter to socialize. Momiyama acts as a foil for her mother, as being someone who does understand Chiaya, provides her with a motorcycle, and acts as a guardian for her by allowing her to enjoy this road trip instead of intervening the way his boss wants him to. I do like that he offers support for Chiaya. What more, Momiyama has quite a few awesome moments himself during his action scenes in which he resembles a secret agent.
Throughout the series the girls come in contact with a variety of characters in the various countries they visit. Probably the most notable would be Kaguya who is pretty much the only person who asked Nozomi to butt out. In my opinion she is the most developed of the minor characters, and even more so than the protagonist herself. I did enjoy Kaguya's inclusion in the final battle.
Other than Kaguya, I did enjoy the two episode arc that takes place in Kyoto. I do like the characters of Misa (the rocker) and Mamechiyo (geisha in training). Even the antagonist of that arc is likable and funny. I will admit that episodes seven and eight are my favorites, thanks in large parts to the side characters presented.
Art:
If there is one word I can use to describe the art style of The Rolling Girls it would be: colorful. There is such a good use of color in this anime. The characters' costumes, the settings, the attacks. Even the stones they are collecting are bright pink. The fight scenes use burst of colorful energy. One of my favorite moments of animation is in episode eight, where a fire punch takes out a rocket and creates a rainbow cloud. Some of the settings such as Tokyo and Kyoto have bright and distinct color. In the Tokyo arc, the colorful settings are a nice contrast to the black cloaks the characters wear.
The character designs are cute without being overly so that it distracts from the story. I do like that each character has their own style. Even the designs of the side characters reflect that specific culture. Of all the character designs I like Kukino's the most (the antagonist in episode eleven): the fact that she is dressed so cutesy and in pink despite her age and the demon name she is given.
The animation is great. This show has a lot of high energy which is matched with the animation. I love watching the fight scenes. Everything is so fluid with the movements, periodically followed by colorful energy waves. I like the animation of the motorcycle race in episode six. I like that there are some cute and funny facial expressions as is common in anime, but they're not exaggerated.
Music:
The opening theme song is cute and catchy. I think it is cute that the girls are singing the opening song as if they are a band giving a concert; it's just a nice and creative touch that matches the tone of the anime. The same can be said about the song itself: it's cheerful and upbeat.
I also like the song that is played during the concert in episode eight. In my opinion, it is one of the best moments in the series.
Other than that, I don't remember much else about the music in this show.
Flaws:
The last third of the anime changes its tone. Something I enjoyed about this show is the fact that it is so cheerful and comedic, but then it tries to be more serious in the last three episodes, which I won't say ruins it, but it's such a sharp turn. I've seen this done several times in anime (both seasons of Black Butler for instance) where the show is mostly comedy, then for a dramatic ending will change its tone so late in the series that it can be difficult to adjust to. For the most part the story had included drama, but presented it in a humorous manner, but the last third was a huge tone shift. However, before it dove in too deep, the mood returned to its earlier state again, so I won't deduct too much for this one.
Secondly, there is a major plot twist concerning one of the characters that seemed abrupt. There is only one brief allusion to this plot point earlier in the series, so quick that it is easy to miss. I even misinterpreted it the first time I saw it. I think that twist still works in favor of the story, so I'm not going to consider that a flaw in itself, just the way that it is suddenly presented without much foreshadowing.
Thirdly, I found the main antagonist of the story to be a major letdown. Even now as I'm reviewing, I'm not sure what her motive, or even her goals were. She is introduced about halfway through the series as another who has an interest in collecting the heart stones. I'm not sure of her reason for collecting those stones. It's never explained what she wants with so many, and her overall plan doesn't even include them. I just feel she fell victim to the "twelve episode--not enough time for development of character or plot" syndrome.
Lastly, on that same note, I do feel that the plot itself could have been expanded were it not for the limit of twelve episodes. Even an extention to sixteen or twenty could have made room for more development. I do like the ending, I feel it's one of my favorite endings in anime, but there could have been a little more in each arc instead of trying to cram the arc into two episodes. Trust me, there is a lot happening in each episode.
Conclusion:
In all, I found this anime to be enjoyable. I like the characters, the art and animation is wonderful, I found the comedy to be genuinely funny. The story, albeit odd at times, is original. I looked forward to watching the next episode when finishing the previous. I also like getting a good glimpse at many different aspects of Japanese culture throughout this series.
However, there is a lot happening in each episode that could have been resolved by allowing it to flow into additional episodes instead of containing it within an even twelve. Also, the tone shift, and major plot twist were too sudden for my liking.
Overall, I did enjoy The Rolling Girls. If I have some free time, I wouldn't mind watching the entirety of the series a second time. It's humor and story is not for everyone, but I still would recommend it.
The Rolling Girls: 7/10
Beverage: Green Tea
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Review of Zombie-Loan (2007)
Review of Zombie-Loan (2007)
Hey, everyone. It's time for a new review.
It seems that recently the zombie genre has gained a lot of popularity in the media, with shows such as The Walking Dead on TV, and movies like World War Z and Warm Bodies. In addition there are zombie parties, and artists depicting popular celebrities or characters as zombies.
I for one have never been a fan of the zombie subgenre of horror. I do like Shaun of the Dead and Zombieland due to the fact that they are both comedies that include animated corpses. Even with the latter portraying zombies in a more intelligent fashion, the zombies of today resemble the classic types such as Night of the Living Dead. Well, there does seem to be a show that breaks zombie stereotypes, that being the anime series Zombie-Loan.
I first watched Zombie-Loan about five years ago in my college's anime club. I was surprised to see the zombie genre tackled in a different manner. For one, there are different types of zombies: some that have their own will, some that are more intelligent, and some that just haven't died properly and survive on basic animal instinct. Another difference is the fact that two of the main characters who happen to be zombies are well, attractive. Neither of them show any signs of decay, they still have basic human needs (eating and sleeping), and they have their own thoughts and feelings just like any normal human being. In fact, had it not been for them constantly discussing what they are, and their superhuman abilities, it's possible to forget they are the living dead.
Story:
The story of Zombie-Loan is quite creative, at least in terms of the horror genre, specifically zombies. For one, this is a zombie show that's not that scary. There are a few images of "classic zombies" that might frighten anyone who is opposed to that kind of stuff, but for the most part, the story is not focused on scaring the viewer.
The plot follows a shy and easily scared high school girl named Michiru. She is an orphan, who will inherit a large sum of money when she reaches legal age. Due to this her relatives keep her with the promise that they will receive half of the inheritance on that day. Despite this, they still despise having her in their house, and treat her unkindly. In addition her "friends" at school are verbally abusive and seem to enjoy tormenting her, treating her as their servant rather than an equal.
One day when retrieving the snacks during lunch period, she trips over an object that turns out to be Chika's right hand. Therefore she meets Chika and Shito, two teenage boys who are famous for having survived an accident several months back in which everyone else involved died. One of her acquaintances are curious as to why those boys are speaking to Michiru and she snatches Michiru's glasses from her face. In this moment it is revealed that Michiru has a special ability to see rings around a person's neck indicating how close they are to death. Since Chika and Shito both have black rings she believes they are maybe hours from death.
After nightfall Michiru follows the boys into the school cemetery to warn them about their condition. She sees them remove and exchange hands then summon weapons. Michiru then witnesses them kill a zombie dog.
The next day Michiru learns that Chika and Shito are in fact zombies who are borrowing life and will need to repay their loan within a year in order to regain their real lives. They earn the necessary money by hunting down and killing dangerous and/or illegal zombies, afterwards, they guide their souls into the afterlife. The boys believe Michiru's special ability will help them in their quest and decide to include her as a part of the team.
That is all just in the first episode. Right about now this story sounds pretty awesome. To be honest, I thought it was. Episodes one through six intrigued me, especially the plot twists in episodes five and six. Episode seven is pretty much a filler episode, but it was still enjoyable.
However, in episodes eight through eleven the plot took a sharp turn and the story went in a strange direction. I won't say that I found the latter half of Zombie-Loan to be boring, so much as confusing and straying too far from the original premise. What more, the new direction felt rushed, and wasn't fully explored, leaving quite a few unanswered questions. Not to mention there was a major reveal about a certain character that seemed to have come out of nowhere. I also felt that the ending was too abrupt. Perhaps this is better explained in the manga, or would be build upon in a non-existent second season, but as it stands I feel unsatisfied with the second half of the series.
Characters:
The characters in this story are decent, but I feel that only a few of them really stand out.
To begin with there is the main character, Michiru. She is shy and a pushover. She's okay, but there's nothing that makes her an incredible protagonist, she's actually kind of bland. In one of the last episodes it's revealed that she adores cute things, but other than that not much is given on her likes, dislikes, interests, hobbies, immediate goals, hopes for the future, etc--she's just kind of there. What more she never shows much emotion on her subject of her deceased parents. Other than her special ability to see how close a person is to death, she is shown to have no other talents or ambitions. At the very least she does have some character development halfway through the show. In the first few episodes she is portrayed as easily scared and screams a lot. Of course that is a realistic human reaction to coming across a band of zombies. A little later on she does gather some courage and confidence, mostly when someone she cares about is threatened. Unfortunately, in the last third of the anime she seems to take a back seat to Chika and Shito, who get more screen time and overall attention. While she is not annoying (at least after she stops constantly screaming), she doesn't strike me as being interesting enough to make her a good protagonist.
Next, I'll move onto the two main zombies: Chika and Shito. I'm going to review them together due to the fact they are perfect foils of one another. For one, their appearances significantly contrast. I do think it is clever for the color associated with each character is the negative of the other: Chika's hair and clothing is mostly white while Shito's is primarily black. I won't necessarily say hate, but these two strongly dislike one another, however, due to a mistake they are forced to work together until their debts are paid, or they permanently die. If they spend any substantial amount of time apart, their right hands will rot, making their ability to hunt zombies near impossible. Beyond that while Shito may on the surface appear to be more polite, he is actually cold and distant due to his difficulty trusting others. On the reverse, Chika may come across as rude and complains a lot, but he is actually warmer and friendlier than his partner. I found Chika much easier to like than Shito.
Now onto the supporting characters. My favorite of the cast would have to be Koyomi. She is generally sweet and upbeat. What more, she has a second personality who goes by the name Yomi. Yomi has the ability to recall final moments of a late victim. Also she is proven to be a decent fighter as seen in episode five. She has a crush on Michiru which leads to the team using Michiru to awaken Yomi who prefers to stay dormant. As cool as Koyomi/Yomi may be, unfortunately she gets very little screen time after episode seven.
Among the others there is Bekko, or the Ferryman, who gives life loans to zombies. He wasn't given much time to develop in the anime. However, I'm very interested in learning more about him based on his last scene in episode eleven. There is also Yuuta, another zombie who has the ability to heal wounds. She has a morbid sense of humor, and while she doesn't get much screen time, she is amusing when she is on screen.
The antagonists are underdeveloped in my opinion. I don't know if it is due to the fact that there are so few episodes, and perhaps there is more depth in the manga (this is one manga that I will check out because I want answers to the many lingering questions). Each antagonist may have only two, maybe three if they're lucky, episodes to themselves. I feel that the fights with each antagonist ends too quickly, especially the one revealed in episode six--I felt that one was too anticlimactic. Overall, I feel that they're motives are never clear enough, or they don't make sense. What more I feel unsatisfied with the lack of use of the main villains of the series. They are introduced, have a little dialogue, and then do nothing else.
In short I find some of these characters okay, but other than Koyomi, and Chika for most of the time, I felt they were lacking.
Art:
The art style is decent. I especially like the design of the faces. The pink-haired golem in the last third has one of the most interesting face designs; I also like how much her innocence is displayed through her facial expressions. I also like the design of Michiru. As I mentioned before, the choice of having contrasting color schemes the two male leads is a good one.
For the most part the characters have physical variety. No two characters (well, except for the zombie extras) look alike. The one nitpick I have about character design, is that sometimes with certain angles, Chika's and Shito's bodies look weird. At times their limbs look exaggerated in length, almost out of proportion.
I like the dark, gothic feel of the setting. For instance the dormitory for special cases (such as Michiru, Koyomi, and the zombies) has a haunted house appearance. What more there is a school cemetery right outside that dorm. The same can be said about the abandoned and supposedly haunted inn that they visit for vacation in episode seven. While those designs may seem cliche were it used in a modern horror story, here I feel it adds to the atmosphere.
As for the animation, I have no complaints, but I wasn't blown away by it either. I do like the animation when a soul is released and guided into the afterlife. Also, some of the details of the battle scenes are fun to watch. It flows nicely and nothing looks out of place. However, there is nothing that stuck out as a defining moment of animation.
Music:
I hate the opening and ending songs used in Zombie-Loan. I'm actually a fan of metal and hard rock, and there have been times when that kind of music is an excellent choice ("Guren no Yumiya" in Attack on Titan and "What's Up People?" in Death Note to name two), but the two songs in Zombie-Loan were painful to listen to. I also feel that the songs don't match the tone, or the overall story. While there are plenty of serious moments, there is also a good bit of comedy. In my opinion the theme songs just don't fit.
Several times during a dramatic moment, or right before a cliffhanger ending to an episode, there would be an ominous choir piece. I like that song and I feel that it's eerie enough to fit the tone of the show. It's also vastly different from any of the other musical pieces in this series, making it stand out above the rest.
As for the remaining score, there's nothing much that stands out. It's not bad, as there's nothing apart from the opening and ending that I felt distracted from the show, it's just average.
Flaws:
I've already discussed a few flaws I found in this series, so I'll just recap my top three.
The first of the main problems I had was that the story starts out promising, but then the plot derails and goes off into a direction that makes it feel that this turn was out of the blue, or made up as it went.
I found less than a handful of the characters interesting enough, that they alone can't carry the weight of anyone else. Then there are some that makes me wonder why were the even included since they aren't properly expanded, or serve no purpose to the overall plot (ex: Chika's family). Had the show had more episodes, and allowed the characters to have further development I might not have this opinion. And again, perhaps the manga has the depth I'm looking for.
Lastly, and most importantly, I am unsatisfied with the ending. It's too abrupt that I don't even have time to feel anything before the curtain falls. There are too many questions I feel that are left unanswered. Perhaps a possible second season or the manga holds these answers, but as it stands, I am left wanting much more at the end of episode eleven.
Conclusion:
Zombie-Loan is an original show that had a lot of potential. It has some good characters, some that were less than average, and then some that were a waste of screen time. The art is pretty good: for the most part the character designs are interesting and the settings have their own unique charm.
I expected a lot more from the protagonist who pretty much became a secondary character by the end of the series. The focus is taken away from its main objective and replaced by a strange choice of plot points in the last few episodes. Also the ending is less than satisfying. I do hope there eventually will be a second season to clear some of that up.
I would recommend this anime as it is an entertaining watch. What more it's only eleven episodes, so it won't take long to view the entire series. However, this is a time in which I would recommend the manga over the anime to fill in a lot of holes in the show.
In all I would consider this show to be average.
Zombie-Loan: 6/10
Beverage: Monster Absolutely Zero
Hey, everyone. It's time for a new review.
It seems that recently the zombie genre has gained a lot of popularity in the media, with shows such as The Walking Dead on TV, and movies like World War Z and Warm Bodies. In addition there are zombie parties, and artists depicting popular celebrities or characters as zombies.
I for one have never been a fan of the zombie subgenre of horror. I do like Shaun of the Dead and Zombieland due to the fact that they are both comedies that include animated corpses. Even with the latter portraying zombies in a more intelligent fashion, the zombies of today resemble the classic types such as Night of the Living Dead. Well, there does seem to be a show that breaks zombie stereotypes, that being the anime series Zombie-Loan.
I first watched Zombie-Loan about five years ago in my college's anime club. I was surprised to see the zombie genre tackled in a different manner. For one, there are different types of zombies: some that have their own will, some that are more intelligent, and some that just haven't died properly and survive on basic animal instinct. Another difference is the fact that two of the main characters who happen to be zombies are well, attractive. Neither of them show any signs of decay, they still have basic human needs (eating and sleeping), and they have their own thoughts and feelings just like any normal human being. In fact, had it not been for them constantly discussing what they are, and their superhuman abilities, it's possible to forget they are the living dead.
Story:
The story of Zombie-Loan is quite creative, at least in terms of the horror genre, specifically zombies. For one, this is a zombie show that's not that scary. There are a few images of "classic zombies" that might frighten anyone who is opposed to that kind of stuff, but for the most part, the story is not focused on scaring the viewer.
The plot follows a shy and easily scared high school girl named Michiru. She is an orphan, who will inherit a large sum of money when she reaches legal age. Due to this her relatives keep her with the promise that they will receive half of the inheritance on that day. Despite this, they still despise having her in their house, and treat her unkindly. In addition her "friends" at school are verbally abusive and seem to enjoy tormenting her, treating her as their servant rather than an equal.
One day when retrieving the snacks during lunch period, she trips over an object that turns out to be Chika's right hand. Therefore she meets Chika and Shito, two teenage boys who are famous for having survived an accident several months back in which everyone else involved died. One of her acquaintances are curious as to why those boys are speaking to Michiru and she snatches Michiru's glasses from her face. In this moment it is revealed that Michiru has a special ability to see rings around a person's neck indicating how close they are to death. Since Chika and Shito both have black rings she believes they are maybe hours from death.
After nightfall Michiru follows the boys into the school cemetery to warn them about their condition. She sees them remove and exchange hands then summon weapons. Michiru then witnesses them kill a zombie dog.
The next day Michiru learns that Chika and Shito are in fact zombies who are borrowing life and will need to repay their loan within a year in order to regain their real lives. They earn the necessary money by hunting down and killing dangerous and/or illegal zombies, afterwards, they guide their souls into the afterlife. The boys believe Michiru's special ability will help them in their quest and decide to include her as a part of the team.
That is all just in the first episode. Right about now this story sounds pretty awesome. To be honest, I thought it was. Episodes one through six intrigued me, especially the plot twists in episodes five and six. Episode seven is pretty much a filler episode, but it was still enjoyable.
However, in episodes eight through eleven the plot took a sharp turn and the story went in a strange direction. I won't say that I found the latter half of Zombie-Loan to be boring, so much as confusing and straying too far from the original premise. What more, the new direction felt rushed, and wasn't fully explored, leaving quite a few unanswered questions. Not to mention there was a major reveal about a certain character that seemed to have come out of nowhere. I also felt that the ending was too abrupt. Perhaps this is better explained in the manga, or would be build upon in a non-existent second season, but as it stands I feel unsatisfied with the second half of the series.
Characters:
The characters in this story are decent, but I feel that only a few of them really stand out.
To begin with there is the main character, Michiru. She is shy and a pushover. She's okay, but there's nothing that makes her an incredible protagonist, she's actually kind of bland. In one of the last episodes it's revealed that she adores cute things, but other than that not much is given on her likes, dislikes, interests, hobbies, immediate goals, hopes for the future, etc--she's just kind of there. What more she never shows much emotion on her subject of her deceased parents. Other than her special ability to see how close a person is to death, she is shown to have no other talents or ambitions. At the very least she does have some character development halfway through the show. In the first few episodes she is portrayed as easily scared and screams a lot. Of course that is a realistic human reaction to coming across a band of zombies. A little later on she does gather some courage and confidence, mostly when someone she cares about is threatened. Unfortunately, in the last third of the anime she seems to take a back seat to Chika and Shito, who get more screen time and overall attention. While she is not annoying (at least after she stops constantly screaming), she doesn't strike me as being interesting enough to make her a good protagonist.
Next, I'll move onto the two main zombies: Chika and Shito. I'm going to review them together due to the fact they are perfect foils of one another. For one, their appearances significantly contrast. I do think it is clever for the color associated with each character is the negative of the other: Chika's hair and clothing is mostly white while Shito's is primarily black. I won't necessarily say hate, but these two strongly dislike one another, however, due to a mistake they are forced to work together until their debts are paid, or they permanently die. If they spend any substantial amount of time apart, their right hands will rot, making their ability to hunt zombies near impossible. Beyond that while Shito may on the surface appear to be more polite, he is actually cold and distant due to his difficulty trusting others. On the reverse, Chika may come across as rude and complains a lot, but he is actually warmer and friendlier than his partner. I found Chika much easier to like than Shito.
Now onto the supporting characters. My favorite of the cast would have to be Koyomi. She is generally sweet and upbeat. What more, she has a second personality who goes by the name Yomi. Yomi has the ability to recall final moments of a late victim. Also she is proven to be a decent fighter as seen in episode five. She has a crush on Michiru which leads to the team using Michiru to awaken Yomi who prefers to stay dormant. As cool as Koyomi/Yomi may be, unfortunately she gets very little screen time after episode seven.
Among the others there is Bekko, or the Ferryman, who gives life loans to zombies. He wasn't given much time to develop in the anime. However, I'm very interested in learning more about him based on his last scene in episode eleven. There is also Yuuta, another zombie who has the ability to heal wounds. She has a morbid sense of humor, and while she doesn't get much screen time, she is amusing when she is on screen.
The antagonists are underdeveloped in my opinion. I don't know if it is due to the fact that there are so few episodes, and perhaps there is more depth in the manga (this is one manga that I will check out because I want answers to the many lingering questions). Each antagonist may have only two, maybe three if they're lucky, episodes to themselves. I feel that the fights with each antagonist ends too quickly, especially the one revealed in episode six--I felt that one was too anticlimactic. Overall, I feel that they're motives are never clear enough, or they don't make sense. What more I feel unsatisfied with the lack of use of the main villains of the series. They are introduced, have a little dialogue, and then do nothing else.
In short I find some of these characters okay, but other than Koyomi, and Chika for most of the time, I felt they were lacking.
Art:
The art style is decent. I especially like the design of the faces. The pink-haired golem in the last third has one of the most interesting face designs; I also like how much her innocence is displayed through her facial expressions. I also like the design of Michiru. As I mentioned before, the choice of having contrasting color schemes the two male leads is a good one.
For the most part the characters have physical variety. No two characters (well, except for the zombie extras) look alike. The one nitpick I have about character design, is that sometimes with certain angles, Chika's and Shito's bodies look weird. At times their limbs look exaggerated in length, almost out of proportion.
I like the dark, gothic feel of the setting. For instance the dormitory for special cases (such as Michiru, Koyomi, and the zombies) has a haunted house appearance. What more there is a school cemetery right outside that dorm. The same can be said about the abandoned and supposedly haunted inn that they visit for vacation in episode seven. While those designs may seem cliche were it used in a modern horror story, here I feel it adds to the atmosphere.
As for the animation, I have no complaints, but I wasn't blown away by it either. I do like the animation when a soul is released and guided into the afterlife. Also, some of the details of the battle scenes are fun to watch. It flows nicely and nothing looks out of place. However, there is nothing that stuck out as a defining moment of animation.
Music:
I hate the opening and ending songs used in Zombie-Loan. I'm actually a fan of metal and hard rock, and there have been times when that kind of music is an excellent choice ("Guren no Yumiya" in Attack on Titan and "What's Up People?" in Death Note to name two), but the two songs in Zombie-Loan were painful to listen to. I also feel that the songs don't match the tone, or the overall story. While there are plenty of serious moments, there is also a good bit of comedy. In my opinion the theme songs just don't fit.
Several times during a dramatic moment, or right before a cliffhanger ending to an episode, there would be an ominous choir piece. I like that song and I feel that it's eerie enough to fit the tone of the show. It's also vastly different from any of the other musical pieces in this series, making it stand out above the rest.
As for the remaining score, there's nothing much that stands out. It's not bad, as there's nothing apart from the opening and ending that I felt distracted from the show, it's just average.
Flaws:
I've already discussed a few flaws I found in this series, so I'll just recap my top three.
The first of the main problems I had was that the story starts out promising, but then the plot derails and goes off into a direction that makes it feel that this turn was out of the blue, or made up as it went.
I found less than a handful of the characters interesting enough, that they alone can't carry the weight of anyone else. Then there are some that makes me wonder why were the even included since they aren't properly expanded, or serve no purpose to the overall plot (ex: Chika's family). Had the show had more episodes, and allowed the characters to have further development I might not have this opinion. And again, perhaps the manga has the depth I'm looking for.
Lastly, and most importantly, I am unsatisfied with the ending. It's too abrupt that I don't even have time to feel anything before the curtain falls. There are too many questions I feel that are left unanswered. Perhaps a possible second season or the manga holds these answers, but as it stands, I am left wanting much more at the end of episode eleven.
Conclusion:
Zombie-Loan is an original show that had a lot of potential. It has some good characters, some that were less than average, and then some that were a waste of screen time. The art is pretty good: for the most part the character designs are interesting and the settings have their own unique charm.
I expected a lot more from the protagonist who pretty much became a secondary character by the end of the series. The focus is taken away from its main objective and replaced by a strange choice of plot points in the last few episodes. Also the ending is less than satisfying. I do hope there eventually will be a second season to clear some of that up.
I would recommend this anime as it is an entertaining watch. What more it's only eleven episodes, so it won't take long to view the entire series. However, this is a time in which I would recommend the manga over the anime to fill in a lot of holes in the show.
In all I would consider this show to be average.
Zombie-Loan: 6/10
Beverage: Monster Absolutely Zero
Saturday, May 16, 2015
Review of Emma: A Victorian Romance (2005-2007)
Review of Emma: A Victorian Romance (2005-2007)
Hey, everyone. It's time for a new review.
Two days ago I finished the second season of Emma: A Victorian Romance. Even though they are classified as two separate entries, I will compose a single review for both.
If I had to pick one word to describe this anime, that word would be beautiful. The story is beautiful along with the art, the music, and the characters (I found only two unlikable characters in the whole series). Overall I found it enjoyable.
Story:
The story follows Emma, a polite maid in Victorian era, London, England. Kelly Stownar, the elderly woman Emma works for is a retired governess. One day they are visited by William Jones, a former student of Stownar's. William and Emma meet and eventually fall in love.
Everything seems wonderful, right? No. Both William's family and most of society are against them because William is of the gentry class, and Emma is a commoner. That and William's father has already arranged for William to court Eleanor Campbell, the daughter of a viscount.
Through many events, other characters, and hardships both Emma and William work for a way to their happy ending.
It should be warned that this anime is slow paced. While it may seem dragging at times, I feel that the slower pace works better for this kind of story. For one, it gives the audience time to get to know the characters, and two, it makes the romance more believable when it takes time, Since this anime is supposed to be a historical slice of life, I like that it does take time for the story to get there, rather than having it happen too quick.
Also, I think it's fair to say that I find this anime to be more character focused than plot driven.
Characters:
This is my favorite part of the anime. I just love most of the characters in the series. There are only two I shook my head at, but everyone else is amazing. For the sake of time, I'm only going to touch on a few of the major ones.
To begin with: Emma. She is probably one of my favorite anime protagonists (and that's not something I can say often). Emma is kind, humble, polite, hard-working, and never once complains. Several times we see the other servants mumble a complaint, but Emma mostly keeps a cheery outlook. She stands firmly by what she believes. She is also considerate of others' feelings, as seen in the first episode of the second season by the incident with Nanette--it took a lot of kindness to do what she did when anybody else would have done the exact opposite.
Next up is the lead male: William Jones. He is the kind of guy who thinks with his heart rather than his brain. While that may be excellent several times, especially when it comes to Emma, resulting in romantic delights, other times it was shown to have caused him trouble (mostly with Eleanor). I have to admit, despite how kind William is, for the most part I found him to be immature and selfish; it wasn't until the last fourth of the second season, when he undergoes serious character development that I was able to truly respect him.
On that note, I had the same opinion about Richard Jones (William's father). At first he comes across as traditional and austere, but he too had some growth in the last few episodes of the second season. What he says to Viscount Campbell in that last episode has to be one of my favorite comebacks ever.
Now onto Eleanor Campbell. While she may be the antagonist, as both she and Emma are interested in the same man, she is not a villain. I want to thank the anime for not portraying her as such. In fact there are no villains in this story, just people. Eleanor is shown as being a nice girl who never has anything mean to say about anyone. She is seen as being kind to her maid, is well-mannered, and is trying her hardest to make her relationship with William work. I found her to be a likable character.
Of course the person to thank for the story all together is Kelly Stownar. Were it not for her, William and Emma would have never been introduced. She is a kind woman who practically took Emma in. She views Emma as family rather than a subordinate. Episode eleven shows in detail why Emma loves her so much. Even though the primary focus of the story is on the romance, I also liked watching Emma and Kelly's interactions throughout.
Now onto minor characters that I will give a brief mention. First is Hakim, an Indian prince and friend to William. He acts as William's confidant, and beyond the party boy he may seem to be, he proves himself to be a good friend and offers sound advice to William throughout the series. Next is Hans, a servant who is introduced in the second season, and the competition for Emma's affection. He may seem grumpy at first, but it's interesting to watch how he shows his love for Emma, and how much it differs from William's. And lastly is Grace Jones, the eldest Jones sister. She acts as a mother figure to her younger siblings. She is given a fair amount of screen time, and is my favorite of the Jones children.
While most of the characters are likable, there are two I just couldn't. The lesser of the two is William's kid sister Vivian. She is a spoiled brat who expects the world to bow to her. She is also extremely rude, especially for a girl of that time period. She is particularly rude to Emma when the latter comes to visit. Vivian also runs off at the mouth way too much. They worry too much about William embarrassing the family, when they should be focused on Vivian's mouth as the source of family humiliation. The second is the Viscount Campbell. He despises anyone beneath him. He has such a condescending personality, such as throwing away the glove that he used to shake hands with Richard, or blaming Eleanor for something awful that may ruin their family's reputation, that wasn't her fault. His older daughter, Monica, is obviously aware of her father's character, and loathes him for it. I just found him difficult to like.
I spent a lot of time on the characters and there are so many more who deserve a mention, but for the sake of the review I need to move on. In short, I love the characters in this anime.
Art:
The art is beautiful. The character designs are pretty, the backgrounds are gorgeous, the colors and lighting look nice.
First of all, the character designs here are different from your typical anime. For one the people are designed to look like real people while still keeping an anime charm. There are no bold hair colors, exaggerated facial expressions, chibis, random changes in animation, moeness, or anything else often seen in many anime series. The facial expressions match what you would see in real life. The faces themselves may look a little odd at first, mainly because it's different from what I'm used to.
This is later Victorian, so the fashion is not exactly my favorite from the era, but it's still pretty. There is a flashback scene to an earlier decade, so I did get to see a more preferred style of clothing for a brief moment. To be honest, I'm glad that the creators were careful to make it as accurate as possible. I will get to that topic a little later.
The locations are beautiful. I like the details of London streets: the market, the carriages, etc, especially when compared to the countryside later in the series. The houses are ornate and fun to look at. Even the shop that William frequents has its own unique atmosphere, All the details makes it feel like you're there in that time period with the characters.
The animation, however, is not the best. At times it feels like there could be more. Of course this could go back to the pace of the show. As for the faces, I would have liked to see more display of emotions from the characters. The voice acting is superb, but sometimes the animation itself feels like its lacking, due to want of movement.
Historical Accuracy:
The historical accuracy is another plus this anime had. This is the second anime I have watched that takes place in the Victorian Era. The first was Black Butler, so there are some obvious comparisons between the two. It's no stretch to say Emma: A Victorian Romance is much closer to the time period compared to something like Black Butler, which is more of a fantasy, While Black Butler had several anachronisms, Emma: A Victorian Romance is a good representation of the time presented.
I like that the characters are limited by whatever technology they had at the time. For instance, all correspondence was done via letter. Also, other than Hakim, they don't have the luxury of cars and have to get by with a carriage (if the character can afford it [one of the coolest scenes was watching Emma chase after and jump on a horse-drawn bus]), a train, or on foot. It's also interesting to get a glimpse at how firetrucks worked during that time.
There are also the social formalities of the time presented here, such as when Richard scolds William for blowing off a meeting with a client. There is also an episode that shows how having to attend all these functions to uphold society took its toll on a more introverted character. In addition, all the characters are referred to by title, and while that is something that is common in subbed anime, it's especially important for this setting.
I also like how important the Crystal Palace, an actual building that was constructed during the Victorian era, is to the story. It was a place where everybody gathered, so I like how it is crucial to four major plot points in this anime.
I already mentioned how accurate the clothing is during the art portion of this review, but I want to touch a little more on that one. The clothes worn in this anime look like replicas of actual Victorian clothing, not just stylized ones that might be seen in Black Butler. I also like the depictions of costume for the different classes. Even when the servants dress up for outings, or parties their clothes are still less elaborate than the ones worn by the wealthier families.
Since the Victorian era was a time of prized propriety, as portrayed when Eleanor complains of how exposed she feels in a modest bathing suit, this anime includes very little fan service, something I'm happy about. In fact, the first season had none (unless you count the corset tightening scene). However, there are two very short scenes in the second season with a bit of nudity, but it's not excessive, or detracting from the plot, so I'm not annoyed with it. While there may be a few underwear shots in the second season, it's only their undress, so you'll only see the character in a corset and petticoat.
Another thing I wish to mention is that there is no break from the time period. There are no pop culture references, or anything done that takes this story out of its setting for an attempt at humor, or to wink at the audience. Everything feels like it is in place. Even though William wants to do something that is unheard of in their social standing, he still has to work around the obstacles of his time, along with adhering to the potential consequences dangling above him (such as his family possibly being tossed out of society).
In all, it looks like the creators put in extra effort to make this story as accurate to the time period as possible. Even in the credits, there is someone whose entire job is historical accuracy. For me, it makes it more enjoyable to watch a period piece without having to worry about ridiculous attempts at modernizing something.
Music:
The opening and ending songs to this anime are beautiful. Something special about the songs used here is that there are no lyrics. Each opening and ending is strictly instrumental. The opening song is the same in both seasons, but a different version of the song is played in the second one. I do like the first ending better with the playful, upbeat song that sounds like something you would hear on a Victorian street, carnival, or marketplace.
In addition, lovely instrumental pieces are played throughout the show. It makes sense as there were no catchy pop songs at the time, once again adding to the overall experience of this series. Even Tasha's song, the only piece of vocal music in this anime is a traditional rhyme set to a melody.
Conclusion:
This is one of my favorite anime series thus far. I would definitely recommend it to everyone. The series is clean: I think there is only one swear word in the whole twenty four episodes, and the art is beautiful to look at. However, due to its slow pace and some complicated social structure, it may not be best suited for kids, but I think teenagers or older might enjoy it.
If you want an animated look at the Victorian era, this is a good choice. If you want a sweet, realistic romance, this is a good one to check out. If you just want something that's different from most anime, this is a good recommendation.
Emma: A Victorian Romance: 8/10
Emma: A Victorian Romance Second Act: 9/10
Music: Whitney Houston
Beverage: Fruit Water Black Raspberry
Hey, everyone. It's time for a new review.
Two days ago I finished the second season of Emma: A Victorian Romance. Even though they are classified as two separate entries, I will compose a single review for both.
If I had to pick one word to describe this anime, that word would be beautiful. The story is beautiful along with the art, the music, and the characters (I found only two unlikable characters in the whole series). Overall I found it enjoyable.
Story:
The story follows Emma, a polite maid in Victorian era, London, England. Kelly Stownar, the elderly woman Emma works for is a retired governess. One day they are visited by William Jones, a former student of Stownar's. William and Emma meet and eventually fall in love.
Everything seems wonderful, right? No. Both William's family and most of society are against them because William is of the gentry class, and Emma is a commoner. That and William's father has already arranged for William to court Eleanor Campbell, the daughter of a viscount.
Through many events, other characters, and hardships both Emma and William work for a way to their happy ending.
It should be warned that this anime is slow paced. While it may seem dragging at times, I feel that the slower pace works better for this kind of story. For one, it gives the audience time to get to know the characters, and two, it makes the romance more believable when it takes time, Since this anime is supposed to be a historical slice of life, I like that it does take time for the story to get there, rather than having it happen too quick.
Also, I think it's fair to say that I find this anime to be more character focused than plot driven.
Characters:
This is my favorite part of the anime. I just love most of the characters in the series. There are only two I shook my head at, but everyone else is amazing. For the sake of time, I'm only going to touch on a few of the major ones.
To begin with: Emma. She is probably one of my favorite anime protagonists (and that's not something I can say often). Emma is kind, humble, polite, hard-working, and never once complains. Several times we see the other servants mumble a complaint, but Emma mostly keeps a cheery outlook. She stands firmly by what she believes. She is also considerate of others' feelings, as seen in the first episode of the second season by the incident with Nanette--it took a lot of kindness to do what she did when anybody else would have done the exact opposite.
Next up is the lead male: William Jones. He is the kind of guy who thinks with his heart rather than his brain. While that may be excellent several times, especially when it comes to Emma, resulting in romantic delights, other times it was shown to have caused him trouble (mostly with Eleanor). I have to admit, despite how kind William is, for the most part I found him to be immature and selfish; it wasn't until the last fourth of the second season, when he undergoes serious character development that I was able to truly respect him.
On that note, I had the same opinion about Richard Jones (William's father). At first he comes across as traditional and austere, but he too had some growth in the last few episodes of the second season. What he says to Viscount Campbell in that last episode has to be one of my favorite comebacks ever.
Now onto Eleanor Campbell. While she may be the antagonist, as both she and Emma are interested in the same man, she is not a villain. I want to thank the anime for not portraying her as such. In fact there are no villains in this story, just people. Eleanor is shown as being a nice girl who never has anything mean to say about anyone. She is seen as being kind to her maid, is well-mannered, and is trying her hardest to make her relationship with William work. I found her to be a likable character.
Of course the person to thank for the story all together is Kelly Stownar. Were it not for her, William and Emma would have never been introduced. She is a kind woman who practically took Emma in. She views Emma as family rather than a subordinate. Episode eleven shows in detail why Emma loves her so much. Even though the primary focus of the story is on the romance, I also liked watching Emma and Kelly's interactions throughout.
Now onto minor characters that I will give a brief mention. First is Hakim, an Indian prince and friend to William. He acts as William's confidant, and beyond the party boy he may seem to be, he proves himself to be a good friend and offers sound advice to William throughout the series. Next is Hans, a servant who is introduced in the second season, and the competition for Emma's affection. He may seem grumpy at first, but it's interesting to watch how he shows his love for Emma, and how much it differs from William's. And lastly is Grace Jones, the eldest Jones sister. She acts as a mother figure to her younger siblings. She is given a fair amount of screen time, and is my favorite of the Jones children.
While most of the characters are likable, there are two I just couldn't. The lesser of the two is William's kid sister Vivian. She is a spoiled brat who expects the world to bow to her. She is also extremely rude, especially for a girl of that time period. She is particularly rude to Emma when the latter comes to visit. Vivian also runs off at the mouth way too much. They worry too much about William embarrassing the family, when they should be focused on Vivian's mouth as the source of family humiliation. The second is the Viscount Campbell. He despises anyone beneath him. He has such a condescending personality, such as throwing away the glove that he used to shake hands with Richard, or blaming Eleanor for something awful that may ruin their family's reputation, that wasn't her fault. His older daughter, Monica, is obviously aware of her father's character, and loathes him for it. I just found him difficult to like.
I spent a lot of time on the characters and there are so many more who deserve a mention, but for the sake of the review I need to move on. In short, I love the characters in this anime.
Art:
The art is beautiful. The character designs are pretty, the backgrounds are gorgeous, the colors and lighting look nice.
First of all, the character designs here are different from your typical anime. For one the people are designed to look like real people while still keeping an anime charm. There are no bold hair colors, exaggerated facial expressions, chibis, random changes in animation, moeness, or anything else often seen in many anime series. The facial expressions match what you would see in real life. The faces themselves may look a little odd at first, mainly because it's different from what I'm used to.
This is later Victorian, so the fashion is not exactly my favorite from the era, but it's still pretty. There is a flashback scene to an earlier decade, so I did get to see a more preferred style of clothing for a brief moment. To be honest, I'm glad that the creators were careful to make it as accurate as possible. I will get to that topic a little later.
The locations are beautiful. I like the details of London streets: the market, the carriages, etc, especially when compared to the countryside later in the series. The houses are ornate and fun to look at. Even the shop that William frequents has its own unique atmosphere, All the details makes it feel like you're there in that time period with the characters.
The animation, however, is not the best. At times it feels like there could be more. Of course this could go back to the pace of the show. As for the faces, I would have liked to see more display of emotions from the characters. The voice acting is superb, but sometimes the animation itself feels like its lacking, due to want of movement.
Historical Accuracy:
The historical accuracy is another plus this anime had. This is the second anime I have watched that takes place in the Victorian Era. The first was Black Butler, so there are some obvious comparisons between the two. It's no stretch to say Emma: A Victorian Romance is much closer to the time period compared to something like Black Butler, which is more of a fantasy, While Black Butler had several anachronisms, Emma: A Victorian Romance is a good representation of the time presented.
I like that the characters are limited by whatever technology they had at the time. For instance, all correspondence was done via letter. Also, other than Hakim, they don't have the luxury of cars and have to get by with a carriage (if the character can afford it [one of the coolest scenes was watching Emma chase after and jump on a horse-drawn bus]), a train, or on foot. It's also interesting to get a glimpse at how firetrucks worked during that time.
There are also the social formalities of the time presented here, such as when Richard scolds William for blowing off a meeting with a client. There is also an episode that shows how having to attend all these functions to uphold society took its toll on a more introverted character. In addition, all the characters are referred to by title, and while that is something that is common in subbed anime, it's especially important for this setting.
I also like how important the Crystal Palace, an actual building that was constructed during the Victorian era, is to the story. It was a place where everybody gathered, so I like how it is crucial to four major plot points in this anime.
I already mentioned how accurate the clothing is during the art portion of this review, but I want to touch a little more on that one. The clothes worn in this anime look like replicas of actual Victorian clothing, not just stylized ones that might be seen in Black Butler. I also like the depictions of costume for the different classes. Even when the servants dress up for outings, or parties their clothes are still less elaborate than the ones worn by the wealthier families.
Since the Victorian era was a time of prized propriety, as portrayed when Eleanor complains of how exposed she feels in a modest bathing suit, this anime includes very little fan service, something I'm happy about. In fact, the first season had none (unless you count the corset tightening scene). However, there are two very short scenes in the second season with a bit of nudity, but it's not excessive, or detracting from the plot, so I'm not annoyed with it. While there may be a few underwear shots in the second season, it's only their undress, so you'll only see the character in a corset and petticoat.
Another thing I wish to mention is that there is no break from the time period. There are no pop culture references, or anything done that takes this story out of its setting for an attempt at humor, or to wink at the audience. Everything feels like it is in place. Even though William wants to do something that is unheard of in their social standing, he still has to work around the obstacles of his time, along with adhering to the potential consequences dangling above him (such as his family possibly being tossed out of society).
In all, it looks like the creators put in extra effort to make this story as accurate to the time period as possible. Even in the credits, there is someone whose entire job is historical accuracy. For me, it makes it more enjoyable to watch a period piece without having to worry about ridiculous attempts at modernizing something.
Music:
The opening and ending songs to this anime are beautiful. Something special about the songs used here is that there are no lyrics. Each opening and ending is strictly instrumental. The opening song is the same in both seasons, but a different version of the song is played in the second one. I do like the first ending better with the playful, upbeat song that sounds like something you would hear on a Victorian street, carnival, or marketplace.
In addition, lovely instrumental pieces are played throughout the show. It makes sense as there were no catchy pop songs at the time, once again adding to the overall experience of this series. Even Tasha's song, the only piece of vocal music in this anime is a traditional rhyme set to a melody.
Conclusion:
This is one of my favorite anime series thus far. I would definitely recommend it to everyone. The series is clean: I think there is only one swear word in the whole twenty four episodes, and the art is beautiful to look at. However, due to its slow pace and some complicated social structure, it may not be best suited for kids, but I think teenagers or older might enjoy it.
If you want an animated look at the Victorian era, this is a good choice. If you want a sweet, realistic romance, this is a good one to check out. If you just want something that's different from most anime, this is a good recommendation.
Emma: A Victorian Romance: 8/10
Emma: A Victorian Romance Second Act: 9/10
Music: Whitney Houston
Beverage: Fruit Water Black Raspberry
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