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
Showing posts with label Magic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Magic. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 21, 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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