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
Showing posts with label 2015. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2015. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
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
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Review of Isuca (2015)
Review of Isuca (2015)
Hello, everyone, it's time for a new review.
I just started this new anime yesterday by the name of Isuca. From what I read on MyAnimeList, the show sounded interesting. For the most part I found it entertaining to watch, although I wouldn't rank it in my top anime. What more, the series is only ten episodes long, so it took little time to complete this one.
The story follows a high school boy named Shinichirou who is rescued one evening from a monster by a mysterious archer. The next day he runs into that very hero, one of his schoolmates, Sakuya. Shinichirou was on the scene during one of Sakuya's battles, and he attempts to aid her, and through that assistance, it is discovered that he has a special ability of passing on spiritual energy to anyone he kisses. What more, it is revealed that Shinichirou also has the ability to discover a spirit, or mage's true name. Needing money, Shinichirou takes on a job as the maid and cook for Sakuya, in addition to helping her with her responsibilities of sealing away specters who want to kill humans for their life force.
The first thing I have to say about the plot, is that it is pretty interesting. While it may have a few magical girl cliches, I still think it's original enough to stand on its own. The plot is easy to follow. The antagonist is powerful, without being over the top. There is also the subplot of the two teenage relatives--Sakuya and Suseri--competing for the title of the family's leader. The story alone makes the show worth a viewing.
The story gets high points for me, however, when it comes to the characters, I find several of them to be lacking.
I find the character of Shinichirou to be your basic, average high school male that anime fans have seen hundreds of times. He's nice and polite, but he's awkward around the women who desire him, and due to misunderstandings is often called a pervert by Sakuya. I find him to be too much of a pushover when it comes to Sakuya, and I'm surprised he didn't end up leaving Sakuya halfway through due to how awful she treats him. On the other hand, he proves himself to have lots of courage when it comes to battle, with how quick he is to put himself in danger, and sacrifice his life force to rescue his teammates. While he may be cliche, I still think he's likable enough to carry his weight in this series.
Now onto the number one problem I had with this show, and that is the lead female: Sakuya. I find it difficult to like or support Sakuya. She's currently the head of the Shimazu family, who hunts down specters, and she's trying to prove to them that she's the right candidate for the job. While I can understand she's under a lot of stress, her personality is so awful, I just can't root for her. She treats Shinichirou horribly, so much as to never even pay him for his services, as well as resort to physical violence for things that aren't even his fault. She is stubborn, selfish, and rarely shows any gratitude for anything anyone does for her--even small things, such as complaining about the stew and demanding that Shinichirou remake it for her. She's so quick to lash out at people that I just view her as an immature brat who isn't cut out to be the leader.
Tamako, the cat demon, has to be my favorite character in the series. I love how close she is with Shinichirou based on how he saved her life, and the fact that he unintentionally became her master. She is brave, which makes her useful in a few fights (at times even more useful than Sakuya), and willing to help out her friends at the cost of her own life. She also provides a few moments of comic relief.
And finally, there is Suseri. I find her to be more likable than Sakuya, but even she doesn't strike me as leader potential due to her recklessness. While she may come across as cold at first, she's not harsh like Sakuya. Her desire for wanting Shinichirou is initially based on his magical abilities, I do like their progressing relationship. Over time I believe that her love for him is sincere. I also believe that the two of them have better chemistry than Shinichirou and Sakuya. What more, she seems to be the only character in the series who undergoes some sort of character development.
Now onto the main antagonist of the anime, and that is the title character: Isuca. As mentioned before, she is a powerful mage, and I like how difficult it is for the good guys to fight her. However, her motive is not really clear. She explains that she hates Sakuya and her family, but never gives much of a reason for it. Also, her character has no redeeming qualities; she strikes me as being pure evil, at times just for the fun of it. Not to mention she has that cliche villain laugh. While she may be a decent adversary, the depth of her character lacks heavily. Perhaps this is something that is better explained in the manga, or will be explored if ever there is a second season, but as of now I find her to be a flat character.
There are also several minor characters that add nothing to the story and are given screen time for reasons I cannot comprehend. The most annoying of these would be Shinichirou's classmate and friend who is only there to stare at and talk about females. The teacher and I suppose family member, Nadeshiko, is also without purpose for the most part. It feels that she is mainly there for exposition. I know giving a decent amount of screen time to useless minor characters is a staple in many anime, but I still feel they're a waste of time.
The highlight of the show in my opinion are the fight scenes. For the most part I find them entertaining to watch. However, the moves can be repetitive, especially from Suseri who uses the same attack over and over again. I think the best one is in episode four when the katana possesses Sakuya and she is forced to attack Shinichirou. I just like the suspense of that fight. I also would have liked to have seen more sword fighting from Shinichirou as the series progressed.
I also like that the battles are not easy for the characters. In the major battle of the first episode, it took three characters to fight the specter. It's rare for Sakuya's attacks to work the first time (I think it may have happened once in the whole series). If the fights are too easy it makes it uninteresting for the audience. I think this anime did good with keeping the fights long enough to be interesting, while short enough to keep attention from fading.
In addition to this being a magical and action anime, it is also heavy with the ecchi. As I've mentioned in previous reviews, I don't like ecchi for the sake of ecchi, which unfortunately this show is. There are numerous unnecessary moments when clothing is torn off of characters during fights, or that infamous scene in the locker room with the rat demon in episode two. In regards to the first one, I find it ridiculous because after the fight in the first episode Sakuya sports no severe bruises/scrapes/scratches, and her hair is still neat, yet it's her clothes that are tattered; or the instance in a later episode in which the snake specter's poison burns off Tamako's clothes, but there is no actual damage to her person. Not only do I find that to be unnecessary fan service, but also unrealistic given the conditions. Then of course there are the many times that Shinichirou falls on a character, or accidentally ends up in a compromising position which leads to unfair abuse (slapping, being labeled as a pervert, etc) from Sakuya due to her embarrassment. This is not the first time I've seen this done in anime: I didn't find it funny before, and I still don't find it funny now. My opinion remains that if your story is good enough, you don't need useless ecchi to sell it.
The art is standard: it's not bad, but there's nothing about it that stands out either. The characters themselves look like typical anime characters. The only exception is the lead male, who just looks plain. There is nothing bold, or special about the color schemes used. Even the specters look like monsters shown in countless anime before.
There is nothing special about the music. There are no songs that stand out, nor are there any that I find annoying, in fact I hardly even paid attention to the background score. So as far as the soundtrack goes, I find it slightly below average.
In conclusion, I find the story to be interesting, however the ending is unsatisfying. If there is a sequel I will definitely check it out to fulfill my curiosity. The characters have little development, and this is another anime in which I find the protagonist too annoying to like. Fortunately for her, but not for the anime, the antagonist is also lacking in character development. There are some interesting fight scenes and plot twists. The art is neither good nor bad, just basic. In all, that's actually how I would classify the series: average. I think it's worth a watch if you have nothing better to do, but it's nothing spectacular.
Isuca: 6/10
Music: Anime openings
Beverage: Acai Berry Storm Mio
Hello, everyone, it's time for a new review.
I just started this new anime yesterday by the name of Isuca. From what I read on MyAnimeList, the show sounded interesting. For the most part I found it entertaining to watch, although I wouldn't rank it in my top anime. What more, the series is only ten episodes long, so it took little time to complete this one.
The story follows a high school boy named Shinichirou who is rescued one evening from a monster by a mysterious archer. The next day he runs into that very hero, one of his schoolmates, Sakuya. Shinichirou was on the scene during one of Sakuya's battles, and he attempts to aid her, and through that assistance, it is discovered that he has a special ability of passing on spiritual energy to anyone he kisses. What more, it is revealed that Shinichirou also has the ability to discover a spirit, or mage's true name. Needing money, Shinichirou takes on a job as the maid and cook for Sakuya, in addition to helping her with her responsibilities of sealing away specters who want to kill humans for their life force.
The first thing I have to say about the plot, is that it is pretty interesting. While it may have a few magical girl cliches, I still think it's original enough to stand on its own. The plot is easy to follow. The antagonist is powerful, without being over the top. There is also the subplot of the two teenage relatives--Sakuya and Suseri--competing for the title of the family's leader. The story alone makes the show worth a viewing.
The story gets high points for me, however, when it comes to the characters, I find several of them to be lacking.
I find the character of Shinichirou to be your basic, average high school male that anime fans have seen hundreds of times. He's nice and polite, but he's awkward around the women who desire him, and due to misunderstandings is often called a pervert by Sakuya. I find him to be too much of a pushover when it comes to Sakuya, and I'm surprised he didn't end up leaving Sakuya halfway through due to how awful she treats him. On the other hand, he proves himself to have lots of courage when it comes to battle, with how quick he is to put himself in danger, and sacrifice his life force to rescue his teammates. While he may be cliche, I still think he's likable enough to carry his weight in this series.
Now onto the number one problem I had with this show, and that is the lead female: Sakuya. I find it difficult to like or support Sakuya. She's currently the head of the Shimazu family, who hunts down specters, and she's trying to prove to them that she's the right candidate for the job. While I can understand she's under a lot of stress, her personality is so awful, I just can't root for her. She treats Shinichirou horribly, so much as to never even pay him for his services, as well as resort to physical violence for things that aren't even his fault. She is stubborn, selfish, and rarely shows any gratitude for anything anyone does for her--even small things, such as complaining about the stew and demanding that Shinichirou remake it for her. She's so quick to lash out at people that I just view her as an immature brat who isn't cut out to be the leader.
Tamako, the cat demon, has to be my favorite character in the series. I love how close she is with Shinichirou based on how he saved her life, and the fact that he unintentionally became her master. She is brave, which makes her useful in a few fights (at times even more useful than Sakuya), and willing to help out her friends at the cost of her own life. She also provides a few moments of comic relief.
And finally, there is Suseri. I find her to be more likable than Sakuya, but even she doesn't strike me as leader potential due to her recklessness. While she may come across as cold at first, she's not harsh like Sakuya. Her desire for wanting Shinichirou is initially based on his magical abilities, I do like their progressing relationship. Over time I believe that her love for him is sincere. I also believe that the two of them have better chemistry than Shinichirou and Sakuya. What more, she seems to be the only character in the series who undergoes some sort of character development.
Now onto the main antagonist of the anime, and that is the title character: Isuca. As mentioned before, she is a powerful mage, and I like how difficult it is for the good guys to fight her. However, her motive is not really clear. She explains that she hates Sakuya and her family, but never gives much of a reason for it. Also, her character has no redeeming qualities; she strikes me as being pure evil, at times just for the fun of it. Not to mention she has that cliche villain laugh. While she may be a decent adversary, the depth of her character lacks heavily. Perhaps this is something that is better explained in the manga, or will be explored if ever there is a second season, but as of now I find her to be a flat character.
There are also several minor characters that add nothing to the story and are given screen time for reasons I cannot comprehend. The most annoying of these would be Shinichirou's classmate and friend who is only there to stare at and talk about females. The teacher and I suppose family member, Nadeshiko, is also without purpose for the most part. It feels that she is mainly there for exposition. I know giving a decent amount of screen time to useless minor characters is a staple in many anime, but I still feel they're a waste of time.
The highlight of the show in my opinion are the fight scenes. For the most part I find them entertaining to watch. However, the moves can be repetitive, especially from Suseri who uses the same attack over and over again. I think the best one is in episode four when the katana possesses Sakuya and she is forced to attack Shinichirou. I just like the suspense of that fight. I also would have liked to have seen more sword fighting from Shinichirou as the series progressed.
I also like that the battles are not easy for the characters. In the major battle of the first episode, it took three characters to fight the specter. It's rare for Sakuya's attacks to work the first time (I think it may have happened once in the whole series). If the fights are too easy it makes it uninteresting for the audience. I think this anime did good with keeping the fights long enough to be interesting, while short enough to keep attention from fading.
In addition to this being a magical and action anime, it is also heavy with the ecchi. As I've mentioned in previous reviews, I don't like ecchi for the sake of ecchi, which unfortunately this show is. There are numerous unnecessary moments when clothing is torn off of characters during fights, or that infamous scene in the locker room with the rat demon in episode two. In regards to the first one, I find it ridiculous because after the fight in the first episode Sakuya sports no severe bruises/scrapes/scratches, and her hair is still neat, yet it's her clothes that are tattered; or the instance in a later episode in which the snake specter's poison burns off Tamako's clothes, but there is no actual damage to her person. Not only do I find that to be unnecessary fan service, but also unrealistic given the conditions. Then of course there are the many times that Shinichirou falls on a character, or accidentally ends up in a compromising position which leads to unfair abuse (slapping, being labeled as a pervert, etc) from Sakuya due to her embarrassment. This is not the first time I've seen this done in anime: I didn't find it funny before, and I still don't find it funny now. My opinion remains that if your story is good enough, you don't need useless ecchi to sell it.
The art is standard: it's not bad, but there's nothing about it that stands out either. The characters themselves look like typical anime characters. The only exception is the lead male, who just looks plain. There is nothing bold, or special about the color schemes used. Even the specters look like monsters shown in countless anime before.
There is nothing special about the music. There are no songs that stand out, nor are there any that I find annoying, in fact I hardly even paid attention to the background score. So as far as the soundtrack goes, I find it slightly below average.
In conclusion, I find the story to be interesting, however the ending is unsatisfying. If there is a sequel I will definitely check it out to fulfill my curiosity. The characters have little development, and this is another anime in which I find the protagonist too annoying to like. Fortunately for her, but not for the anime, the antagonist is also lacking in character development. There are some interesting fight scenes and plot twists. The art is neither good nor bad, just basic. In all, that's actually how I would classify the series: average. I think it's worth a watch if you have nothing better to do, but it's nothing spectacular.
Isuca: 6/10
Music: Anime openings
Beverage: Acai Berry Storm Mio
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