Summer has finally come to an end. And with it, a new beginning: fall 2014. But this post isn't about fall. That's for another day. Today, we come together to mourn the loss of a truly great anime series: Free!. It will truly be missed, along with a few other anime shows this season, but they will not be missed as much. . . . OH MY GOD, SUMMER'S OVER. ;___; MY BABIES ARE GONE—THEY'RE GONE!—ALL OF THEM. I CALL FOR A MOVIE. I CALL FOR A VISUAL NOVEL. I CALL FOR SOMETHING. FANGIRLS UNITE!
Okay, okay. But in all seriousness, it is bittersweet to say good-bye to a show I've been following for two years. It's bittersweet to say good-bye to the spring anime as well as the summer. But as a Chinese philosopher once said: "New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings." Let us hope that this painful ending is the start of a new beginning. So let's begin with my final thoughts of the summer season for 2014!
Okay, okay. But in all seriousness, it is bittersweet to say good-bye to a show I've been following for two years. It's bittersweet to say good-bye to the spring anime as well as the summer. But as a Chinese philosopher once said: "New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings." Let us hope that this painful ending is the start of a new beginning. So let's begin with my final thoughts of the summer season for 2014!
Barakamon
Want to be reminded of the fun summer days of your childhood? Do you just want a fun slice of life to watch on a relaxing day? Well say no more! Barakamon provides the perfect entertainment to remind you of sweet summer days. With its humorous cast, colorful animation, wonderful music, and entertaining lives of the characters, you'll find yourself with a show that leaves a smile on your face!
Barakamon was a show I just needed. I needed a show that was slow, but not so slow it dragged; but also one that was episodic, but not so episodic the characters had no development. Barakamon was the perfect slice of life from the summer season. Characters were definitely the highlight of the series. While most characters didn't really get "development" per say, our main protagonist, Handa-sensei (or just "Sensei"), received a lot of development.
In the beginning, while Handa had a strong passion for calligraphy, he was a hot-tempered, impatient man who had the guts to punch an old man—who not only had a cane, but was also the director of the calligraphy contest—and refused to apologize for his actions afterward. As such, his father sent him away to an island in the Kanto region, where the town is so rural you know everybody. In just one episode, Handa quickly realizes that staying in such a small town is not really a bad thing, as everyone quickly develops a liking toward him. And as the series goes on, Handa grows closer to everyone in the town and finds inspiration multiple times for his calligraphy. Handa is probably one of the few characters this season that received the most, and best, character development. From episode one onward he grew and changed—gradually, but surely.
But just because our main protagonist got more development than the rest of the cast doesn't mean he's the only good one there. Barakamon has a relatively small cast with many memorable characters, who, while you don't really remember their names, you remember each of their quirky personalities. I don't think there was a single character I truly despised in this anime save for one, which is Handa's mother; but she really doesn't have much to do in the story till the end, so I'm not too bothered by her.
What can I say? The music is great, the story is great, the artwork is great. This is a summer show you should watch, regardless of what time of year it is.
Barakamon was a show I just needed. I needed a show that was slow, but not so slow it dragged; but also one that was episodic, but not so episodic the characters had no development. Barakamon was the perfect slice of life from the summer season. Characters were definitely the highlight of the series. While most characters didn't really get "development" per say, our main protagonist, Handa-sensei (or just "Sensei"), received a lot of development.
In the beginning, while Handa had a strong passion for calligraphy, he was a hot-tempered, impatient man who had the guts to punch an old man—who not only had a cane, but was also the director of the calligraphy contest—and refused to apologize for his actions afterward. As such, his father sent him away to an island in the Kanto region, where the town is so rural you know everybody. In just one episode, Handa quickly realizes that staying in such a small town is not really a bad thing, as everyone quickly develops a liking toward him. And as the series goes on, Handa grows closer to everyone in the town and finds inspiration multiple times for his calligraphy. Handa is probably one of the few characters this season that received the most, and best, character development. From episode one onward he grew and changed—gradually, but surely.
But just because our main protagonist got more development than the rest of the cast doesn't mean he's the only good one there. Barakamon has a relatively small cast with many memorable characters, who, while you don't really remember their names, you remember each of their quirky personalities. I don't think there was a single character I truly despised in this anime save for one, which is Handa's mother; but she really doesn't have much to do in the story till the end, so I'm not too bothered by her.
What can I say? The music is great, the story is great, the artwork is great. This is a summer show you should watch, regardless of what time of year it is.
Captain Earth
Captain Earth was an anime that started off with a lot of potential, but ultimately failed to achieve that greatness. While on a personal enjoyment level I actually enjoyed this anime, from a critical standpoint Captain Earth fails to be something truly fantastic. The biggest problems Captain Earth faced were an unfocused plot and undeveloped characters. However, it definitely did do good in the animation and music department.
So, story . . . It's a mess. I was very confused as I watched Captain Earth. I'd question why the characters were where they were, try to figure out what a specific term meant—just trying to place all the pieces of the puzzle. I think a lot of the problems root from the confusing terms used in this universe and lack of explanation. You have words like Livlaster and Kiltgang, amongst others. Maybe if these terms were better explained and explored then maybe I would've been able to follow the story better. But those aren't the only looming problems in the plot. There are a lot of plot holes, questions that aren't answered by the end of the anime. What purpose did so-and-so have in the story? Where did that character go? WHAT IS EVEN HAPPENING? To figure out the story is like putting a kindergartner in a rocket science class and expecting him pass the test. It's just not possible.
Characters are a hit or miss. Our main cast of characters received ample development—well put-together backstories, likable personalities, the whole shebang—while the supporting cast just . . . faded away. I'm serious. By the last episode, there is no appearance, no mention, no nothing from them. And it's a shame, honestly: I think they had potential to be complex, but the anime decided to put them on the back burner and forget all about them. The villains are also underwhelming—while they did receive backstory like the main cast, they were also kinda sidelined. And again, this is a shame because they had so, so much potential.
But I will give credit where credit is do: the music and animation are just amazing. I loved the OST to Captain Earth, my favorite song being "Flower of Dreams" (夢幻の華), sung by the seiyuu of Hana, Ai Kayano. Just take a moment to listen to it—it's simply beautiful.
While you're at it, check out the first opening of Captain Earth—IT'S AWESOME.
So, story . . . It's a mess. I was very confused as I watched Captain Earth. I'd question why the characters were where they were, try to figure out what a specific term meant—just trying to place all the pieces of the puzzle. I think a lot of the problems root from the confusing terms used in this universe and lack of explanation. You have words like Livlaster and Kiltgang, amongst others. Maybe if these terms were better explained and explored then maybe I would've been able to follow the story better. But those aren't the only looming problems in the plot. There are a lot of plot holes, questions that aren't answered by the end of the anime. What purpose did so-and-so have in the story? Where did that character go? WHAT IS EVEN HAPPENING? To figure out the story is like putting a kindergartner in a rocket science class and expecting him pass the test. It's just not possible.
Characters are a hit or miss. Our main cast of characters received ample development—well put-together backstories, likable personalities, the whole shebang—while the supporting cast just . . . faded away. I'm serious. By the last episode, there is no appearance, no mention, no nothing from them. And it's a shame, honestly: I think they had potential to be complex, but the anime decided to put them on the back burner and forget all about them. The villains are also underwhelming—while they did receive backstory like the main cast, they were also kinda sidelined. And again, this is a shame because they had so, so much potential.
But I will give credit where credit is do: the music and animation are just amazing. I loved the OST to Captain Earth, my favorite song being "Flower of Dreams" (夢幻の華), sung by the seiyuu of Hana, Ai Kayano. Just take a moment to listen to it—it's simply beautiful.
While you're at it, check out the first opening of Captain Earth—IT'S AWESOME.
In short, Captain Earth had potential, but ultimately failed to be what it could've been. If it had gotten a rewrite or two, maybe—maybe then—it would've been a lot better.
DRAMAtical Murder
Did anyone like this show? I mean seriously? I'm friends with someone on the Hummingbird community who has played the visual novel and enjoyed it, but finds the anime to be utter garbage. And I definitely agree. Where's the story? The characters? The music? An explanation?
I wasn't even expecting much from this show anyway, so don't think I'm all that disappointed. I mean, it would've been nice if this show was actually good, but after watching episode one I could tell it was never going to satisfy me. Regardless of that, I was "interested" in what would happen next. What I mean by "interested" is that I was kinda wondering where the story might go, but then I really didn't particularly care.
This may all stem from the characters. The characters are just dull—may they be main characters or not, they have little to no personality and I honestly could've cared less what happened to them. If you couldn't write a good story, then at the very least create interesting characters. Sadly, that was not to be. (Although I will admit I rather liked Clear: he was just adorable.)
Next problem: music. The thing is, the writers could've easily incorporated the visual novel's music into the anime. Yeah, the same studio who did the game is doing the anime, so there shouldn't be any copyright issues, right? Just copy and paste. From what I've heard, the music is pretty decent. Having a soundtrack to listen to in the background would've been nice and could've made the atmosphere better, and maybe even the "story." *cough, cough*
So uninteresting and uninspiring, don't waste your time and just skip it.
I wasn't even expecting much from this show anyway, so don't think I'm all that disappointed. I mean, it would've been nice if this show was actually good, but after watching episode one I could tell it was never going to satisfy me. Regardless of that, I was "interested" in what would happen next. What I mean by "interested" is that I was kinda wondering where the story might go, but then I really didn't particularly care.
This may all stem from the characters. The characters are just dull—may they be main characters or not, they have little to no personality and I honestly could've cared less what happened to them. If you couldn't write a good story, then at the very least create interesting characters. Sadly, that was not to be. (Although I will admit I rather liked Clear: he was just adorable.)
Next problem: music. The thing is, the writers could've easily incorporated the visual novel's music into the anime. Yeah, the same studio who did the game is doing the anime, so there shouldn't be any copyright issues, right? Just copy and paste. From what I've heard, the music is pretty decent. Having a soundtrack to listen to in the background would've been nice and could've made the atmosphere better, and maybe even the "story." *cough, cough*
So uninteresting and uninspiring, don't waste your time and just skip it.
Free! Eternal Summer
Let me be honest with you: my love for Free! runs deep. I began watching this series when the first season, Free! Iwatobi Swim Club, came out. It was one of the first few series I devotedly watched while it was currently airing. As such, Free! has a special place in my heart. Despite my fangirling earlier (and in other posts), Free! had a great story (that didn't really appear until the second-half), fun characters, great animation, and awesome music. With that being said, Free! Eternal Summer was just that but five times better in greatness. Maybe it's just me being bias as a fan, but . . . bleh.
Our same lovable characters are back and, to my and others' surprises, experienced development. Yeah, that was actually pretty shocking. I mean, two or three of them got some backstory, but the others just didn't have much (or even any). So it was to my great pleasure a character that previously had no development got some much needed backstory to further make his character interesting. Thank you, Free! Eternal Summer.
KyotoAni knew what they were doing when they decided to step up their game in the animation department, because whoa. Great stuff there, KyotoAni. I just keep getting more and more impressed with the ascending quality of animation. The music is also great, with some old but great soundtracks making a comeback and some new ones being added. The new OP and ED are just catchy as hell and very enjoyable to listen to/watch. Definitely looking forward to the full OST.
With all this being said, KYOTOANI, MAKE A FREAKING VISUAL NOVEL, MOVIE, SOMETHING. THE FEELS ARE REEEAAALLLL!!!!!! watch Free! Iwatobi Swim Club if you haven't already—with an open mind. If you've seen the first season but not this one yet . . . what the hell are you doing? Watch this NOOOOWWWW.
Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun
A common reaction I see to Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun is often life: OMG!! THIS IS THE FUNNIEST SHOW OF SUMMER 2014!!! I'M DYING FROM LAUGHTER!!!! OMFG!!!!!!!! My reaction is a very different one: Haha, that was a good joke. Hahaha, that was funny. Ugh. Sakura. What a bland and stupid heroine. As you can see, I have very parallel opinions on Nozaki-kun.
I'm not saying this is bad by any means—it's actually a pretty decent show—but I have a hard time understanding why some people think this show is different from any other shoujo show that pokes fun at its own characters and plot lines. I've seen this premise a bajillion times, and Nozaki-kun isn't doing anything different. I've seen stereotypes get poked fun at, and I'm starting to believe that making fun of a cliché is starting to become a cliché itself in anime.
It also doesn't help to have the blandest, most annoying heroine I've seen in a while. Sakura is a cardboard cutout with no personality or depth and is completely outshone by every single character in the show. That is not to say the other characters even have any depth—'cause they honestly don't—but the reason why I like them much more than Sakura is because they have something called personality quirks. Using another show as an example, Free! doesn't have the most complex characters. In fact, I could compare them to the ones here (not including Sakura, of course). While we've seen their personalities before, they offer their own little set of quirks that sets them apart from each other. Haru, in particular, starts off as a very blank slate, but we gradually learn about his little quirks that thereby makes him more three-dimensional (such as his bizarre urge to take off his clothes and swim when he sees any body of water and artistic ability).
With that being said, Sakura offers nothing to the show—nothing whatsoever. You could literally remove Sakura from the show and nothing would be affected. That is how important she is to the show, that being not at all. She is probably the reason why I enjoy the opening song a lot more than the ending song, the latter of which features just her and none of the other characters.
I really wanted to like Nozaki-kun as much as everyone else did. I wanted to laugh so hard from the jokes that my stomach hurt, that I started crying, that my cheeks hurt from smiling so much. But sadly, no, that wish was not to be as I only really giggle or at most laugh for one minute after hearing a (decent) joke. While it was good while it lasted, I and many others will soon be forgetting this show like many others from the previous seasons, this season, and seasons to come.
I really wanted to like Nozaki-kun as much as everyone else did. I wanted to laugh so hard from the jokes that my stomach hurt, that I started crying, that my cheeks hurt from smiling so much. But sadly, no, that wish was not to be as I only really giggle or at most laugh for one minute after hearing a (decent) joke. While it was good while it lasted, I and many others will soon be forgetting this show like many others from the previous seasons, this season, and seasons to come.
Haikyuu!!
Haikyuu!!, to put it simply, is just awesome. Animation is awesome, characters are awesome, music is awesome, everything is awesome. I'm not really a fan of sports anime, but Haikyuu!! drew me in right from the start. The characters were so well-developed they were realistic. There was not one single character I did not like from here. Not a one. Every episode, no matter how big or small their role was, a character received development. That's how important the characters are to the anime—which is probably why I gave this show such a high rating. The characters are most definitely, without a doubt, the heart and soul of this anime.
That's not to say the animation isn't up to par. The animation, done by Production I.G., was just wonderful and fit the series to a T. Upping their game from Kuroko's Basketball, Production I.G. did a fantastic job of portraying the sport of volleyball and how spikes, blocks, and whatnot are done. Speaking of those moves, I'm impressed by how much I've learned about volleyball from this show. True I don't really remember the position names, but if I heard them I would know what exactly they did in the game.
The music was another positive for Haikyuu!!. The OST was pleasant to listen to, and I recommend you give it a listen too. While I wasn't the biggest fan of the second opening to Haikyuu!!, it did start to grow on me a little by the end. The first opening, however, is by far my favorite of the songs in Haikyuu!!. If you ever find it, listen to it and fall in love with the catchy melody.
Again, even if you don't like sports anime, give Haikyuu!! a go. It might be a pleasant surprise.
Re: Hamatora
Re: Hamatora is just one of those second seasons where you truly and honestly believe there won't be any answers for the whole series, but then—boom!—sorry, never mind, we were just kidding. Here ya go: answers! Okay, Hamatora, I'm grateful that you at least gave us very good answers for our questions, but did you really have to save it till the end? Really?
The main problem the second season of Hamatora has, and even its first season, is its lack of focus. STOP IT WITH THE POINTLESS FILLER SHIT AND GET ON WITH THE STORY. I'm sorry, but if you have time to put in filler episodes, you have time to move along with the plot and/or develop characters. I don't mind there being one or even two pointless episodes, but Hamatora has a habit of doing more than that. Just, please, STOP IT. However, when Re: Hamatora decided it wasn't time to troll its viewers, it was very interesting. I liked seeing how things unfolded—interesting twists, shocking character backgrounds—and it probably would've been more entertaining if it got rid of all the filler crap and just focused on the plot.
Characters are still relatively the same, but the development we get this season was just fantastic. Yeah, most of the characters were still underdeveloped, but Nice, Hajime, and Art all received the most backstory, which was just awesome. The few villains in this story was pretty dull, but since Art was a villain I guess we can just say he was the most interesting (but that's kinda cheating, since he was already interesting in season one).
Like season one, Re: Hamatora has a kick-ass opening. Just . . . watch the awesomeness here:
OST is forgettable, but there were a few nice jazzy tunes that sounded nice. Animation-wise, Hamatora stepped up their game due to switching animation studios. I liked the change: there were more details and production quality was overall better.
If you watched the first season of Hamatora, watch this, regardless if you liked or hated it. It will finally give you some closure to your questions, even if it does have filler bullcrap.
Terror in Resonance
The second I had heard about this anime and its premise, I was instantly hooked and added it to my to-watch list. Terrorism is a big no-no topic here in the U.S. Just saying the word is taboo enough. What's ironic is that the cover of Terror in Resonance has two buildings in the background on fire, as if from an explosion. Anybody who's anybody knows that it's very similar to the Twin Tower Buildings during 9/11.
Unlike 9/11, however, our two main protagonists—our antiheroes—always ensure that no one gets killed during their attacks. The question is why? Why do they go so far to save civilians? After all, they were the ones who planted the bomb in the first place. The answer is, unfortunately, something I cannot say due to spoilers. But I promise you, you will discover an interesting, and rather bittersweet, revelation. That's not the only plot twist, however. . . .
Terror in Resonance loves to give its viewers intricate, and sometimes shocking, reveals, leaving you waiting to see what happens next. However, while this works in the show's favor, I also believe it to be a flaw. I believe, in order to get the full effect of Terror in Resonance, you had to watch the show while it was still airing. That's not to say you shouldn't watch it now, but it would've added to the fun if you had been pulled along on the ride. It was especially interesting that episode nine aired on, whaddya know, 9/11.
But if I am honest . . . I would've preferred this show taking a different route than it did. I don't know, the whole antihero thing is interesting and all, but I would've liked to see straight-up terrorism from the two main characters. You know, blowing up buildings, terrorizing Japan and the world. Things like that. Of course, that doesn't make for much of a story and would probably get repetitive by episode three, but that's just my two cents. I think it would've been very interesting to see the mind of a teenager as a terrorist. That whole psychological shebang.
The characters, I'll be honest, aren't the most three-dimensional I've seen. Like, they're interesting, but I have a hard time feeling an emotional connection to them. Maybe if we had learned their backstory and reasons for their actions earlier on it would be different; however, that is not the case in this show, as we do learn all about them, but that was really more toward the end of the series. But then, it's better we get something rather than nothing at all.
The high points of Terror in Resonance is definitely, definitely the animation and soundtrack. Oh my goodness, yes. Just check out this one track by Yoko Kanno (this is my personal favorite):
And I bet you decided to listen to the whole OST, right? I adored the detailed, fluid animation provided by MAPPA (a pretty new studio), and the soundtrack by the famous Yoko Kanno is to die for. Even if a person didn't enjoy the story or characters, I am 99.9% sure they'd agree with me the animation and soundtrack are the best things this show has to offer.
For what we get, though, Terror in Resonance was a very, very entertaining watch that kept you on the edge of your seat wanting more. And the ending will certainly satisfy you as it was very realistic and expected from episode one, but didn't hit home until you saw it.
And there we have it, everybody! The summer season has officially wrapped up, and it's time for the fall season to shine! We have a whole list of shows waiting to get on air, each one being a little ball of so much potential. I've realized I've only really made posts about my impressions of seasons and what I plan to watch, but I plan to change that by doing more series reviews and episode discussions. Also be expecting some food for thoughts in the near future! Join me on my next post where I discuss my to-watch list for fall 2014. And with that, take care, otakus!
Unlike 9/11, however, our two main protagonists—our antiheroes—always ensure that no one gets killed during their attacks. The question is why? Why do they go so far to save civilians? After all, they were the ones who planted the bomb in the first place. The answer is, unfortunately, something I cannot say due to spoilers. But I promise you, you will discover an interesting, and rather bittersweet, revelation. That's not the only plot twist, however. . . .
Terror in Resonance loves to give its viewers intricate, and sometimes shocking, reveals, leaving you waiting to see what happens next. However, while this works in the show's favor, I also believe it to be a flaw. I believe, in order to get the full effect of Terror in Resonance, you had to watch the show while it was still airing. That's not to say you shouldn't watch it now, but it would've added to the fun if you had been pulled along on the ride. It was especially interesting that episode nine aired on, whaddya know, 9/11.
But if I am honest . . . I would've preferred this show taking a different route than it did. I don't know, the whole antihero thing is interesting and all, but I would've liked to see straight-up terrorism from the two main characters. You know, blowing up buildings, terrorizing Japan and the world. Things like that. Of course, that doesn't make for much of a story and would probably get repetitive by episode three, but that's just my two cents. I think it would've been very interesting to see the mind of a teenager as a terrorist. That whole psychological shebang.
The characters, I'll be honest, aren't the most three-dimensional I've seen. Like, they're interesting, but I have a hard time feeling an emotional connection to them. Maybe if we had learned their backstory and reasons for their actions earlier on it would be different; however, that is not the case in this show, as we do learn all about them, but that was really more toward the end of the series. But then, it's better we get something rather than nothing at all.
The high points of Terror in Resonance is definitely, definitely the animation and soundtrack. Oh my goodness, yes. Just check out this one track by Yoko Kanno (this is my personal favorite):
And I bet you decided to listen to the whole OST, right? I adored the detailed, fluid animation provided by MAPPA (a pretty new studio), and the soundtrack by the famous Yoko Kanno is to die for. Even if a person didn't enjoy the story or characters, I am 99.9% sure they'd agree with me the animation and soundtrack are the best things this show has to offer.
For what we get, though, Terror in Resonance was a very, very entertaining watch that kept you on the edge of your seat wanting more. And the ending will certainly satisfy you as it was very realistic and expected from episode one, but didn't hit home until you saw it.
And there we have it, everybody! The summer season has officially wrapped up, and it's time for the fall season to shine! We have a whole list of shows waiting to get on air, each one being a little ball of so much potential. I've realized I've only really made posts about my impressions of seasons and what I plan to watch, but I plan to change that by doing more series reviews and episode discussions. Also be expecting some food for thoughts in the near future! Join me on my next post where I discuss my to-watch list for fall 2014. And with that, take care, otakus!
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