Monday, February 28, 2011

Kämpfer - Review

Duration: 12 episodes (24 mins each)
Genre:
Harem, Action, Comedy
February, a month associated with the heydays of winter, Black history, and quite possibly one of my least favorite holidays, Valentine's day. Instead of focusing on what anime I love most, I'll change things up a bit and delve more into one that I hate don't like. Fresh from watching other harem anime such as Kanon, Clannad, and the such, I happened to catch a glimpse of Kämpfer one off of a random recommendation from my usual anime portals. Hoping to see more of the same quality offerings similar to Key/KyoAni, Kämpfer surely through me a loop to say the least.

Story
Natsuru Senou is your typical high school student. One morning he suddenly wakes up realizing he has been turned into a girl. In the midst of confusion and shock, a stuffed tiger comes to life at his bedside and tells him he has been chosen as a Kämpfer, a female warrior. Chosen by the "moderators", Kämpfer are destined to fight against other Kämpfer. Problems arise for Natsuru as he tries to live his normal life pursuing a school crush when he is attacked by an unknown girl who is also a Kämpfer.
Gender confusion and potential angry feminists aside, the premise is promising. It's not the best plot line conceived ever, but it's fairly unique. Just like any usual harem anime, the series isn't too long. The story does move at a a somewhat brisk pace, but audiences won't feel too rushed in between the plethora of fan-servicey scenes as the girls intensely vie for Natsuru's affection. Don't expect too much out of Kämpfer; it'll surely leave you foaming at the mouth or furiously scratching your head towards the end why you watched it.

Characters
Senou, Natsuru: When I talk about dull harem leads, Natsuru wins the award for being quite possibly the worst-conceived harem lead in anime history. Although he is around for parody and to essentially epitomize every harem lead ever, he's only a few brain waves ahead of being brain-dead. Dense as they come, if he weren't so hot as a girl, I probably would've dropped this series earlier. Let the sexuality confusion commence!

Mishima, Akane
: One of Natsuru's classmates, Akane can be summed up as the girl with bipolar disorder. Typically very shy and soft-spoken when in her Kämpfer form, she's a dirty-mouthed, headstrong, and bitter--a crazy bitch if you will. Of course, she develops feelings for Natsuru, but is usually too shy to make any constructive advances.

Sangou, Shizuku
: Surely one of the more inquisitive characters...scratch that. She's the ONLY character with a brain in the series. Naturally, she tries to uncover the mysteries and motives behind the moderators with Natsuru's help. Quite possibly the embodiment of perfection, her only flaw is her unwavering love for Natsuru. I just can't help but ask myself over and over again, "WHY?!"

Sakura, Kaede
: Natsuru's love interest. I'm fairly unsure what Natsuru sees in her aside from her nice rack; she has absolutely no personality. Keeping things a little interesting, she creates some conflict as she develops a crush for Kämpfer Natsuru, but absolutely detests regular Natsuru. Openly lesbian? You betcha!

Comprising your usual bunch of shallow, archetypal characters, Kämpfer does allow for some brainless entertainment. Surely not a bad thing, but it does leave more to be desired from audiences expecting at least a hint of depth.

Voice Acting/Sound
Despite how not special Kämpfer is, it does have an impressive list of seiyu. Unfortunately the first time watching it through, I barely recognized any of them despite the cast poking fun at each other for sounding like insert said voice actor. Those who are able to recognize the respective VAs may find some charm with it, but unfortunately its appeal will fly over most people's heads.

The soundtrack comprises some very average, nothing-out-of-the-ordinary sort of tracks. It was never meant to be a focus point, and it shows. Casual scenes of day-to-day activities are illustrated by tracks of the nonchalant/easy-listening variety while action scenes are depicted with a more uptempo track. One won't find any track too out of place...

Hated
For those wondering why there isn't a Loved section, it's quite obvious; there's not much positive I can draw from Kampfer. *compliment start* Sure, the animation is fluid and consistent; I'll add that the girls do look attractive. Admittedly, it was what drew me to the series in the first place.*compliment end*

Fan Service
: Most of the time, I can appreciate a little bit of fan service here and there. Kampfer on the other hand, quite frankly is all fan service. Despite all the obligatory scenes, the artists made sure there were no nipple slips. Suggestive themes, racy angle shots, limited clothing if it all, I'm not exactly sure why they kept it 'clean' as they did. Kampfer's premise would have worked well as a short series hentai.

Entrails Animals
: Simply said, they're stuffed animals serving as messengers to their respective Kämpfer. I'm not too sure how these were conceived, but they're just weird how they have their intestines and entrails hanging out from their bodies. Potential slapstick comic relief? Suuuure...I'll take it as such.

The End?!: Often times I gripe about how anime series end; it seems to be the achilles heel of most writers. Most writers will usually end the series on a haphazard note, leaving me completely underwhelmed and disappointed or some continue to keep the series ongoing until it fades into obscurity. Kampfer on the other hand, goes with neither, removing all traces of continuity and logic. The ending really hit the nail in the coffin in terms of letting me know that I've been trolled the entire time.

The Lowdown: I can say I gave Kämpfer multiple chances to wow me. I truly wanted to enjoy Kämpfer, but could never get beyond Natsuru's incessant blunders. Though a somewhat shallow and fan-service-based premise, it does have potential, and with a second season slotted in for release in the near future, I will most likely be duped into wasting time waiting for a more substantial advance in its shell of a plot. Its satirical direction will fly over most viewers heads (mine included), leaving audiences either confused, frustrated, or both. Please watch at your own risk.

Livin' the dream..

Notes: Watched series from beginning to end (gg fansub).

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Golden Boy - Review

Duration: 6 episodes (24 mins each)
Genre:
Adventure, Comedy
Well into the new year and off into the new decade, I hope everyone enjoyed their new years, preferably not too hungover. Anyways, again it's a new year, and people associate it with new beginnings, new challenges to tackle, a fresh start if you will. Collectively, these usually take form as new years resolutions. Sure, a good deal of you have probably broken or have not kept up with your respective resolutions for this year already. Regardless, I believe it's a good time to expand one's horizons.

Though fairly old by today's standards, Golden Boy is one of those stand-out series that will leave a lasting impression with viewers. Amongst its somewhat perverted and outlandish exterior is a wholesome piece of storytelling which often reminds me that it's never too late to start over and that the world is yours; hopefully not sounding like a children's morning TV show, and we can do anything we desire to be.

Story
Kintaro Oe is a 25 year old who withdrew from University despite meeting all of his requirements for his degree. He's become a wandering student/freelancer, traveling around on his bike seeking to learn everything he possible can about life, the world, and most importantly, women. Kintaro has an unwavering will to do any type of job and is determined to prove his abilities to others as he picks up a new trade. Extremely hardworking and very principle-oriented, the people he meets during his travels eventually learn to appreciate his qualities, though often times too late as he runs off to his next endeavor.

Its episodes are of the episodic nature with each featuring a particular job and because of its sexual humor, a woman respective job he takes on. The structure pretty much lends itself to this type of format, which is completely okay. Following a set-in-stone format, and with a fairly predictable plotline one may sayGolden Boy isn't really worth the watch, but its charm and inspiring lead set it aside as one of those classics that any anime follower should not miss out on.

Characters
Kintaro Oe: The main focus and Golden Boy himself, he embodies what I would say most guys would aspire to be. Naturally intelligent in school and in life, his weaknesses only appear when it involves women--indulge your inner pervert.

Madame President
: Unexpected to Kintaro, she is the owner of a software developing company. A super feminist who despises all men and their status in the world, until Kintaro shows up that is. Honestly, they should've given her a proper name. Ms. Jiggly Boobs will suffice for now.

Reiko Terayama
: The daughter of one of the richest men in Kyoto, she lives in ultra traditional housing and by old customs. As a result, she has an untamed wild side that few have ever witnessed. Let's just say she likes motorcycles...a lot.


Chie
: A cel painter at an anime studio. She doesn't believe to be that special or important and surely lacks some self-esteem. Not sure why I decided to include her in front of some other girls from the series as she might have been my least favorite out of the bunch. Hmm..I just happened to like her smile and she needs some TLC.

Voice Acting/Sound
Again, I'm beginning to believe I'm too easy of a critic when it comes to voice acting, the Japanese VAs have it down again. I honestly can't complain at all other than some of them seeming too standard and run-of-the-mill. Mitsuo Iwata's role as Kintaro was great and kept me intrigued as the series progressed. Though along with the rest of the cast, I can't say I was impressed too much. Perhaps a little too familiarized with the Japanese voice cast, I did some skimming through the English dubbed version and thought English VAs were a bit out of place, making me cringe at times.

Loved

90s animation
: One will immediately notice when watching the opening where you see Kintaro in his boot-cut light-blue jeans, this is not a recent anime at all. Some say it might look dated, but I still love 90s styled animation. Sure, I do like my fair share of moé-fied anime, but sometimes I'd like my male characters to look less androgynous and my female characters to look older than 10.

Onizuka who?
: One of my absolute favorite series to date is Great Teacher Onizuka. If left with only one anime series to watch for the rest of my life, GTO would be it. Though I can realize the truth and give credit where credit is due as Golden Boy pretty much paved the way for GTO; similar wholehearted and earnest leads with awfully similar enthusiasm for anything with a vagina.

Hated
Tatas: People may think I'm crazy, you don't like boobs? Trust me, I do. I'm often times on the fence when recommending an anime to people when it has blatant scenes of ecchi fanservice as many people can't look past the boobs. Love the boobs, but try to suggest watching this one with a lady friend and see what she thinks...

Length
: Despite the 'plot' coming full circle in the last episode, I truly felt the need for some more Kintaro "studying action", and perhaps more encounters with crazy women. Sure, the lasting effect of the series may be lessened if there were more episodes, but I believe the writers could have extended it to possibly 9 or 10 episodes. Six just doesn't do the series justice. I guess those who want more can find a similar lead in Onizuka from GTO.

The Lowdown: Most likely to only appeal to males, in order to fully enjoy and thoroughly appreciate how amazing Golden Boy is, one must be fairly open-minded in regards to sexual jokes and blatant shots of nudity. Aside from the sexual themes, it delivers positive messages and an overall good feeling that most people can agree with.


Quite possibly the best screenshot I've taken thus far.

Notes: Watches series from beginning to end (Japanese subs) and parts of English dub.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Kanon - Review

Duration: 24 episodes (24 mins/episode)
Genre: Romance, Tragedy, Harem, Supernatural, Slice-of-Life
First of all I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, New Years, and every other holiday that comes around this time. Finally, the winter season is among us. Though snow may not reach all parts of the world, one can still enjoy winter-themed anime. Not surprising, the only one that comes to mind immediately is one of my favorites--Kanon.

Story
Aizawa Yuichi returns back to a city which he often visited during his childhood. During that time, a particular traumatic event occurred seven years ago which made him block out any and all memories related to it. While in the process of settling into his new home, he comes across several young girls, all related to his past. As a result, Yuichi begins to remember his previously suppressed memories to come to terms with his childhood.

Quite a convenient story originally based off Key's visual novel. It's harem anime at its finest. At a solid 24 episodes, the story progresses naturally without seeming rushed; one of the most prevalent problems with its first anime adaptation. There are elements of fantasy and supernatural occurrences that help the story along to its story book end, which most people will appreciate. Each respective character arc tends to wrap up conveniently, naturally transitioning to the next with most loose ends tied if any. Who doesn't like a happy end to their romance/drama anime?

Characters
Yuichi: I often times have problems with the male protagonists of harem anime, but I can't complain too much about Yuichi--he's alright. I'm not going to discount how plain he is though. He is endearing to the people around him and is very genuine, which is a solid, fair reason why all these girls swoon for him, but aside from that he's plain like a manila folder.

Nayuki
: Yuichi's cousin. Plain and simple, she fell in love with him when they were kids and still does now. Doing a little bit of reading, apparently marrying first-cousins is a-okay over there in the land of the rising sun. In hindsight, my parents are second cousins so bleh, I'm not going to worry about it; though the first time watching it, I was a tad confused for sure. She loves all things cute, loves sleep, and has an upbeat, can-do attitude--my type of girl.

Ayu
: Cutting to the chase, she's main female interest of the series. The linchpin holding together all of the other arcs, the time she spends with Yuichi and the others help him recall his childhood memories. Short, clumsy, and maybe a little aloof at times, she has a big heart that no one can ignore. Oh yeah, forgot to mention, she likes taiyaki..a lot.

Mai
: Strangely quiet, shy, a girl of very few words-- she would make the Rei Ayanamis and Yuki Nagatos of the anime world proud. Not exactly viewed as a "normal" girl, she is deemed a delinquent amongst her peers. Yuichi thus befriends Mai and tries to assimilate her to society whilst inquiring about her mysterious nature.

Voice/Acting Sound
I'm pretty easy to please in the voice acting department, though most would agree that the Japanese voice actors for Kanon are great, if not excellent. Yui Horie shines again with her role of Tsukimiya Ayu. I'm certainly noticing her prowess as a well-faceted seiyuu. Not to discount the rest of the cast, they are all voiced well--no complaints.

Much of the soundtrack is what you would expect from any slice-of-life; nothing surprising or particularly outstanding, it's mostly forgettable (once you've let out the waterworks). There is a scene or two with Pachelbel's Canon in D playing in the background, which I found to be appropriate and quite charming. Lastly, the opening theme Last Regrets to me sets the ambiance and overall tone for the show well, though I have to admit the closing theme Kaze no Tadori Tsuku Basho blows it out of the water. It's truly one of my favorites and a good pick-me-up song. Run Ayu run!

Loved
Catchphrases: Just after watching the first episode or two, one will recognize that each girl has their own unique charms and respective idiosyncrasies or catchphrases. Uguu, Nyuu, Auu,--they're all annoying to a point, but at least for me, it puts a smile on my face hearing Sayuri's Ahaha~s.

Taiyaki:
Need I say more? Aside from the catchphrases, most people will associate Kanon with taiyaki (and maybe pork buns too). I seriously want to try one of these or make my own. Mmm, red bean paste in a fish-shaped cake? What's not to like?


Hated

Catchphrases
: On second thought, the idiosyncrasies are quite annoying; though only one in particular. Sorry Makoto, no more Auu~s please. Not to discount the good story arc, it was just too much. Beware of possible brain aneurysms.

All the same
: Anyone who has watched a previous Key/KyoAni work (Clannad, Air TV) or has played the visual novels may feel that it's all too similar. The type of drama that occurs, the humor, and also its storybook deus ex machina endings. Though if you're interested in watching any romance or drama you won't care either way.

The Lowdown: Those who have an interest for romance or harem anime have already watched this and are just looking for more praise from critics. There are some moments that will have your heartstrings pulled and have the manliest man tearing up at times. The winter-ish setting and theme certainly have their purpose in the overall charm of the series. Get a cup of hot cocoa with some marshmallows and enjoy.

Notes: Watched series from beginning to end (SS-Eclipse subs).