13ack.Stab's Anime Reviews

[13ack.Stab 0]

Hey, guys. I figured that, since there are bound to be a few anime fans out there, I'd start up an 'anime reviews' topic.

 

My intentions behind this list are to spread my love for anime around; I plan to cater to both the anime virgins and the anime veterans. As a result, I will review both mainstream and underground anime; stick around and you're bound to find some keepers.

 

If you don't appreciate anime (or hate it with every cell of your being), please don't create a post saying so; I would like to keep this topic as clean as possible. Additionally, please don't post your own recommendations in this thread. If you have any questions, comments, recommendations (or even death threats & marriage proposals), feel free to shoot me a PM - I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

 

How to properly watch anime:

 

I'm probably going to take a lot of flak for this brief section, but I believe that anime should be watched in a certain way. This section consists entirely of my own opinions and experience; you're entirely welcome to ignore my advice here and skip straight to the reviews. However, keep in mind that I strongly, strongly recommend following the following guidelines for maximum pleasure.

 

 

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1. 
    
   
2. Watch anime in Japanese (with subtitles).
    
   This is the absolutely most important part of watching anime. Now, I understand that people are going to be apprehensive of following this recommendation. I love my native language, English, just as much as you do, and I, too, prefer to listen to, as opposed to having to read a translation of, the various videos in my collection.
    
   There are a number of reasons as to why I recommend watching anime in Japanese:
    
   
   1. 
       
      
   2. The grand majority of all anime originates in Japan, and, therefore, is in Japanese. Only a small portion of the countless anime series even have an English dub (most never will), and those that do are far, far behind the original (for instance, the dubs of many mainstream anime are 100+ episode behind!). You may as well get used to the concept of reading subtitles and listening to Japanese audio.
       
      
   3. As mentioned above, anime typically originates in Japan. Japanese voice actors are (with the very rare exception) superior to English voice actors (this from experience). Japanese voice actors deliver their lines with far more forethought, emotion, and understanding than their English counterparts; they place the emphasis precisely where it needs to be, making for a deeper, more human connection - even though you (probably) can't understand the Japanese, the raw emotion still gets through.
       
      
   4. As mentioned above, anime typically originates in Japan. This means that it is written with Japanese culture and history in mind, and translators (when subbing episodes) will typically explain these various elements as needed.
       
      
   5. There seem to be far fewer English voice actors in anime than there are Japanese. This means that they are recycled far more often between anime, and you will find yourself growing sick of hearing the same voices in different shows.
      

 

[*]Download the series that you plan on watching.

 

This, of course, is purely personal preference. Downloaded episodes (if you download from a good source - I shall always provide both a streaming and a downloading link) tend to be of noticeably higher quality. This higher quality, however, comes at a price: filesize and time. You may not be willing to devote the time and bandwidth required to download the anime that you wish to watch, and that's perfectly reasonable; there are always streaming sources to watch anime.

 

Typical episode filesizes:

 

• 
   
  
• [sD]: 100-150 MB.
  
• [480p]: 100-175 MB.
  
• [720p]: 200-400 MB.
  
• [1080p]: 300-2000 MB.
  
• [Dual-audio]: +50 MB.
  

 

 

 

 

Now, without further ado, review #1:

 

Gintama

 

 

 

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[Maximum Visual Quality]: [sD]

[Length: 201 episodes]

Note: Don't be put off by the episode count - see below.

 

Gintama is a peculiar anime, for many reasons. Hell, it's even hard to classify it as mainstream or underground; while it has had some financial success and has put out a large number of episodes, it isn't really mainstream. For those same reasons, however, it can't really be called underground, either. What I suppose this means is that Gintama is not for everyone; it is, however, my absolute favorite anime of all time.

 

Now, you have to understand something about Gintama - it is, first and foremost, a comedy. It has its fighting scenes (and they're of as high quality as top-notch fighting anime), but not every episode deals with some super villain that needs killing. Rather, it focuses on the ridiculous day-to-day life of its many unique and well-thought out characters. It also parodies countless video games, TV shows, cultural phenomena, and other anime.

 

Again - it's a comedy show. Gintama is the absolute most funny anime thatI have ever seen, ever. Period. Most episodes are a complete blast to watch, and, by the end of the series, you will have laughed more per unit time than you will ever laugh again.

 

Note, however, that Gintama is not an anime for everybody, for a number of reasons:

 

• 
   
  
• Not everybody likes everything - you're naturally bound to dislike a few episodes. Additionally, as mentioned above, Gintama often plays out as a satire; it makes fun of countless things, some of which you are bound to love.
   
  
• Gintama has somewhat of a slow start. It really does. In the first few episodes, you're probably going to wonder whether I'm just some worthless, dirty liar, as you may not be laughing as much as I made it seem. You'll wonder whether the events that unfolded during the course of the episode you just watched were supposed to be funny, and are what you should expect from future episodes. You may let out a disappointed sigh, thinking that my standards of humor are horrible.
  

Give Gintama a chance. Really. Watch more than two or three episodes - let it breathe and flesh itself out. Your future self will invent a time machine for the sole purpose of thanking your past self for sticking with Gintama.

 

Now, yes, it does have two-hundred episodes, which can be very intimidating. However, consider that, unlike the grand majority of anime out there, each episode is typically an encapsulated event, in that its contents have little to no relation to any other episode. This means that you can pick up and drop Gintama as needed, without having to worry about forgetting important story details or anything of the sort. While this means that you could potentially skip episodes that you aren't a fan of, you may end up regretting it, as you probably won't understand portions of the flashback humor in future episodes.

 

Gintama is one of those few shows that don't expire with age; rather, it's more of a fine wine than an aging grape, in that it gets better as the show progresses. Gintama has no filler to bog viewers down with, and doesn't try to jury-rig nonsensical bits of plot onto itself with the sole goal of generating revenue.

 

Now, don't take the show's episodic nature to mean that the show doesn't have a story, because that's entirely wrong - Gintama is definitely story-driven; its story is developed through the show's story arcs. These 'story arcs' diverge from Gintama's episodic nature, in that they each contain numerous back-to-back episodes. In these arcs, the backstories of many of Gintama's characters are revealed; each arc builds upon the previous in that they slowly uncover the paths and choices that made each of the anime's characters who they are, as well as their respective raison d'être. In addition, each story arc has its share of violence - the fights in these arcs often rival those found in mainstream anime. Most importantly, these 'story arcs' impact the Gintama universe, and any changes made therein are reflected in all future episodes, regardless of their episodic nature.

 

Many of the topics brought up this anime are surprisingly deep. During many episodes, you'll laugh until your stomach hurts and your eyes are filled with tears, but, later, you'll find yourself thinking back upon the profoundness of the subjects presented.

 

I laughed with and at this anime countless times. Occasionally, I felt exhilarated due to some new revelation, or was genuinely worried for a character. At other times, a manly tear formed at the corner of my eyes, and I was profoundly moved.

 

Finally, the voice talent and soundtracks in Gintama are fantastic. They always fit the moment at hand, and are phenomenal works of art in-and-of themselves. The music lends an exquisite atmosphere and vibrance to Gintama that you would be hard-pressed to find in any other anime, TV show, or movie.

 

Truly, I cannot recommend any anime more than Gintama.

 

There is no better time to start watching Gintama than now, as the series is coming out of its temporary hiatus in April!

 

Where to watch it:

• 
   
  
• Streaming: http://www.crunchyroll.com
  
• Download: http://www.animetake.com/forums/xvid/8172-fs-gintama.html
  

 

 

 

Death Note

 

 

 

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[Maximum Visual Quality]: [480p]

[Length: 37 episodes]

 

Death Note is a dark, mature anime that deals with a wide scope of psychological themes. The story centers around an odd notebook, known as a 'Death Note,' that causes those whose names have been written on its pages to die.

 

Death Note focuses on the humanity's raw emotional reactions to the series' namesake; that is, to say, the delusions of power induced in its owner, the tangible fear of the populace when people start dying for apparently no reason, and the reaction of the world's governments to what they interpret as an attack upon themselves.

 

Death Note is one of the few anime that I believe to be truly brilliant. The story plays out at the pace of a psychological thriller that keeps you spellbound through its sprawling web of lies and intriguing characters; Death Note is chock full of twists, turns, and dead ends. The depth of story and the exploration of the human psyche that occurs throughout the episodes are nearly beyond belief.

 

Each of the primary characters in Death Note is unique; unlike the generic, cookie-cutter characters found in many anime, Death Note's characters are intricate, believable people, each with their own backgrounds, beliefs, reasons behind their actions, and react in a realistic, human manner.

 

Death Note is presented in a manner such that it has its own, unique 'flow;' somehow, it effortlessly links elements of an incredibly complex tapestry to one another without ever getting bogged down or tangled. You will often find yourself sitting on the edge of your seat, trying to piece together the numerous tidbits of story, thinking you nearly have everything figured out, at which point the rug is pulled out from under you as you are shocked by yet another prodigious realization.

 

The art style of Death Note appropriately blends contrasting elements together, creating a realistic, gritty world that is a perfect playground for the dark story. The pristine, polished features are balanced by the grime and darkness found around the next corner, and the animation is sublime.

 

Additionally, the voice acting is very well done, further adding to the anime's depth. Concurrently, the score is phenomenal; not only are the songs appropriately haunting and full of emotion, but the timing thereof is, perhaps, the best I have seen in an anime. The score corresponds flawlessly with the anime's animation. I, personally, enjoy Death Note's music so much that I have gone to great lengths to obtain most of it.

 

This anime totals 37 episodes, with two very distinct arcs. The second arc (starting at episode 27), for reasons obvious at the time, loses a portion of the anime's unique feel. As a result, I believe that the second arc is somewhat inferior to the first, but is still worth watching.

 

Death Note also has three live-action counterparts: Death Note, Death Note: The Last Name, and Death Note: L, Change the World.

 

Where to watch it:

• 
   
  
• Streaming: http://www.animecrazy.net/death-note-episode-list/
  Note: The streaming quality is rather low. I would recommend downloading the episodes.
  
• Download: http://www.animetake.com/forums/h264/12271-mu-death-note-dual-audio-mkv-720p.html
  

 

 

 

There is much more to come; stay tuned!

[Pazaak 12]

Well, I guess you could help me out, you seem to be in the anime know-how.

 

I'll be blunt, I'm not big on anime. There are a few that I worship to death, and find them to be the greatest cinematic-esque masterpieces out there, up there with the greatest movies of our time, and the times before.

 

That said, I don't really watch my anime in Japanese anymore. I used to, back when I was into it more, but now that I'm older...it seems to be too much work. I don't really enjoy reading along while I attempt to watch as well. Plus, I just generally seem to enjoy anime more when I can hear it in my own native tongue.

 

If somebody asked me what my favorite anime was? I wouldn't have an answer. I like big robots, so stuff like Gundam is usually pretty cool for me. I like Sci-fi, (Obviously, considering where we are), and I like Mafia-esque stuff, although I've only really ever run in to one good "Mafia" like anime. I really don't want to say I'm losing "touch" with anime, but I really am. I seem to be enjoying it less and less, even when others constantly tell me how foolish I am for thinking that way, and how much THEY enjoy it.

 

I read your reviews for those two animes, never seen either of them. Never read them either, although that's the other thing. I don't read the manga versions. I don't really have the time to sit down and do that anymore, plus I'd rather be watching something anyway. Anyway, about those animes. I've heard of the second, never really "got" it, I guess. Never heard of the first, and it doesn't sound too interesting.

 

On a side note, your reviews were well-done, I'm just a very hard person to please when it comes to things like this. So, what I'm trying to say is, anime help? Recommendations? For my very strict guidelines for anime, and whatnot?

 

I know saying I only watch my animes in English pretty much limits that to 10% of all anime in existence, but...I'd watch an anime in Japanese if it were really enticing, I just haven't really found one like that yet. Anyway, appreciate the help, and good reviews.

[13ack.Stab 0]

  On 2/13/2011 at 7:03 AM, Pazaak said:

Well, I guess you could help me out, you seem to be in the anime know-how.

 

I'll be blunt, I'm not big on anime. There are a few that I worship to death, and find them to be the greatest cinematic-esque masterpieces out there, up there with the greatest movies of our time, and the times before.

 

That said, I don't really watch my anime in Japanese anymore. I used to, back when I was into it more, but now that I'm older...it seems to be too much work. I don't really enjoy reading along while I attempt to watch as well. Plus, I just generally seem to enjoy anime more when I can hear it in my own native tongue.

 

If somebody asked me what my favorite anime was? I wouldn't have an answer. I like big robots, so stuff like Gundam is usually pretty cool for me. I like Sci-fi, (Obviously, considering where we are), and I like Mafia-esque stuff, although I've only really ever run in to one good "Mafia" like anime. I really don't want to say I'm losing "touch" with anime, but I really am. I seem to be enjoying it less and less, even when others constantly tell me how foolish I am for thinking that way, and how much THEY enjoy it.

 

I read your reviews for those two animes, never seen either of them. Never read them either, although that's the other thing. I don't read the manga versions. I don't really have the time to sit down and do that anymore, plus I'd rather be watching something anyway. Anyway, about those animes. I've heard of the second, never really "got" it, I guess. Never heard of the first, and it doesn't sound too interesting.

 

On a side note, your reviews were well-done, I'm just a very hard person to please when it comes to things like this. So, what I'm trying to say is, anime help? Recommendations? For my very strict guidelines for anime, and whatnot?

 

I know saying I only watch my animes in English pretty much limits that to 10% of all anime in existence, but...I'd watch an anime in Japanese if it were really enticing, I just haven't really found one like that yet. Anyway, appreciate the help, and good reviews.

 

I shot you a PM.