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I should be asleep, so it's only natural that I post here.
This morning sucked. I had maybe four hours of sleep total. That counts all the sleep I got in the afternoon.
I was, however, able to convince my manager to lat me go at six so I could make it to the anime club meeting on time. :P (Well, I had said I can't work that late on Sundays, but I was scheduled then anyway, so he said it was okay.) As a result, I got to see the last episode of the first season of Big O, as well as the last episode of Stellvia. As a result, it's now anime review time!
*Spoilers may be included, be warned*
Big O (Season One)
Rating: 7.5/10
This was an interesting series. True, I've seen pieces of it before, but I'd never seen most of the first season, so there were plenty of new moments. The story is of Paradigm City, a city of people who have no memory of what happened before a certain point fourty years ago. They just up and forgot everything. Humans are, however, highly adaptable creatures, and have survived that long as a result. The plot centers around a man named Roger Smith who performs a very important job in the "city of amnesia" - he negotiates. The lack of memories makes any and all negotiations within the city highly volatile, so his is a high-risk occupation. When things get really rough, he calls in the Big O - a rather large robot to which Roger has some sort of tie. He doesn't know how or why he knows how to pilot the Megadeus, but he does it anyway. Throughout the course of the show, Roger starts uncovering things that he shouldn't. Things that lead to memories of fourty years ago. Things that prove the existance of people outside the city, as well as a past full of turmoil. Things that, just maybe, have something to do with the utter lack of memories in the first place.
I gave this series a 7.5 for several reasons. It's a very stylized anime, done as a sort of detective story almost. It's been referenced as the Batman of anime. The plotline, though quite intense and thorough, takes forever to actually get started. During that time, the actual events in each episode lead to the Big O doing pretty much the same thing, which gets repetitive. It is very good, though. The animation is amazing, the music - a sort of jazz motif - is top-notch, and the characters are all well-developed.
Stellvia of the Universe
Rating: 8/10
This may as well be the tale of students at New Mexico Tech. As a result, one can really relate to what's going on. Stellvia is a space station orbiting Earth, within which is a rather large school for pilots, programmers, scientists, etc. See, a long while ago, the remains of a supernova reached Earth, almost completely annihilating it. Somehow, people survived this First Wave, and decided to take precautions for the Second Wave. This was called the Great Mission. (For those who don't know, a supernova usually occurs in two waves: the first, which is mostly radiation and electromagnetic interference, and the second, in which the actual matter is thrown off.) The mission succeeds, but only because of the contributions of two students of Stellvia: Katase Shima, and Otoumaya Kouta. Shima is the main character of the story; the success of the Great Mission occurs at episode 13. The two of them have a short stint of love, after which, for a reason Shima herself isn't sure of, she stops liking him. The best excuse given was that she felt challenged by his abilities, but that's obviously not everything. Anyway, afterwards, they find out that the whole reason the star went supernova in the first place was because it was hit by a cosmic fracture headed straight for the solar system. As a result, mankind bands together once again to save itself from total destruction.
The plot, though fairly simplistic, is amazing in both its detail and its knowledge of actual astrophysics. There are all sorts of love relationships set up and destroyed, people's lives are manipulated, etc. The music, for the most part, wasn't that great. I liked the opening song, but the closing was kinda iffy. It was meant to be a cutesy anime, and it shows through the music selection. Character development is through the roof on this one.
Revolutionary Girl Utena
Rating: 9.5/10
Tenjou Utena is a rather unique girl. As a child, she was promised by a prince that she'd find him one day, and that they'd live happily ever after. The prince's nobility left such an impression that she swore she'd also be a prince one day. Which brings her to Ohtori Academy. Where some of the students wear the same ring given to her by the prince. These students, all members of the student council, participate in sword duels over something referred to as the Rose Bride. Utena, shocked by one of the council member's actions towards one Himemiya Anthy, calls him out on it, and thus is challenged to one such duel. She wins, and thus recieves the Rose Bride - Himemiya Anthy herself. How does all this fit together? What is the Rose Bride? Who was the prince? And why does EVERYONE seem to want Himemiya? There's some talk going around about revolutionizing the world, and the Absolute Destiny Apocalypse, but Utena can't make sense out of any of it.
This series is AMAZING. Sure, it can be a bit... "deviant", as it were, but it's still really, really good. The plot, though it repeats itself, really makes sense, and is incredibly intricate and detailed. The music is beautiful. The animation is an older style, but it's still really good. If you're not phased much by same-sex relationships (no, they don't show anything, but there are several suggestions), then this series is definitely worth looking into.
And now, a review of a show I just began to watch. Because I can.
Genjiken
Rating: 8.5/10
As I said, I've just started this series, so I can't really grade it properly. It's about this kid who joins an unofficial anime club at his college. Everyone there is an otaku to the max. So far, there has been one love interest, and several allusions to perversion / hentai (none of it shown [yet], of course). I've only seen the first episode and part of the second. Anyway, this group hangs out over at people's houses / rooms, playing video games and watching anime during their freetime. On occasion, they'll venture out to their favorite stores to check out the new anime, manga, and doujinshi. I really like it so far, mostly because it's pretty easy to relate. I kinda wish the anime club here was like that; sure, we get together on Sundays and watch stuff, but we never hang out in the city or anything.
I hope I get paid by the school tomorrow. I need money. I also need to find out my work schedule for this week. Meh.
This morning sucked. I had maybe four hours of sleep total. That counts all the sleep I got in the afternoon.
I was, however, able to convince my manager to lat me go at six so I could make it to the anime club meeting on time. :P (Well, I had said I can't work that late on Sundays, but I was scheduled then anyway, so he said it was okay.) As a result, I got to see the last episode of the first season of Big O, as well as the last episode of Stellvia. As a result, it's now anime review time!
*Spoilers may be included, be warned*
Big O (Season One)
Rating: 7.5/10
This was an interesting series. True, I've seen pieces of it before, but I'd never seen most of the first season, so there were plenty of new moments. The story is of Paradigm City, a city of people who have no memory of what happened before a certain point fourty years ago. They just up and forgot everything. Humans are, however, highly adaptable creatures, and have survived that long as a result. The plot centers around a man named Roger Smith who performs a very important job in the "city of amnesia" - he negotiates. The lack of memories makes any and all negotiations within the city highly volatile, so his is a high-risk occupation. When things get really rough, he calls in the Big O - a rather large robot to which Roger has some sort of tie. He doesn't know how or why he knows how to pilot the Megadeus, but he does it anyway. Throughout the course of the show, Roger starts uncovering things that he shouldn't. Things that lead to memories of fourty years ago. Things that prove the existance of people outside the city, as well as a past full of turmoil. Things that, just maybe, have something to do with the utter lack of memories in the first place.
I gave this series a 7.5 for several reasons. It's a very stylized anime, done as a sort of detective story almost. It's been referenced as the Batman of anime. The plotline, though quite intense and thorough, takes forever to actually get started. During that time, the actual events in each episode lead to the Big O doing pretty much the same thing, which gets repetitive. It is very good, though. The animation is amazing, the music - a sort of jazz motif - is top-notch, and the characters are all well-developed.
Stellvia of the Universe
Rating: 8/10
This may as well be the tale of students at New Mexico Tech. As a result, one can really relate to what's going on. Stellvia is a space station orbiting Earth, within which is a rather large school for pilots, programmers, scientists, etc. See, a long while ago, the remains of a supernova reached Earth, almost completely annihilating it. Somehow, people survived this First Wave, and decided to take precautions for the Second Wave. This was called the Great Mission. (For those who don't know, a supernova usually occurs in two waves: the first, which is mostly radiation and electromagnetic interference, and the second, in which the actual matter is thrown off.) The mission succeeds, but only because of the contributions of two students of Stellvia: Katase Shima, and Otoumaya Kouta. Shima is the main character of the story; the success of the Great Mission occurs at episode 13. The two of them have a short stint of love, after which, for a reason Shima herself isn't sure of, she stops liking him. The best excuse given was that she felt challenged by his abilities, but that's obviously not everything. Anyway, afterwards, they find out that the whole reason the star went supernova in the first place was because it was hit by a cosmic fracture headed straight for the solar system. As a result, mankind bands together once again to save itself from total destruction.
The plot, though fairly simplistic, is amazing in both its detail and its knowledge of actual astrophysics. There are all sorts of love relationships set up and destroyed, people's lives are manipulated, etc. The music, for the most part, wasn't that great. I liked the opening song, but the closing was kinda iffy. It was meant to be a cutesy anime, and it shows through the music selection. Character development is through the roof on this one.
Revolutionary Girl Utena
Rating: 9.5/10
Tenjou Utena is a rather unique girl. As a child, she was promised by a prince that she'd find him one day, and that they'd live happily ever after. The prince's nobility left such an impression that she swore she'd also be a prince one day. Which brings her to Ohtori Academy. Where some of the students wear the same ring given to her by the prince. These students, all members of the student council, participate in sword duels over something referred to as the Rose Bride. Utena, shocked by one of the council member's actions towards one Himemiya Anthy, calls him out on it, and thus is challenged to one such duel. She wins, and thus recieves the Rose Bride - Himemiya Anthy herself. How does all this fit together? What is the Rose Bride? Who was the prince? And why does EVERYONE seem to want Himemiya? There's some talk going around about revolutionizing the world, and the Absolute Destiny Apocalypse, but Utena can't make sense out of any of it.
This series is AMAZING. Sure, it can be a bit... "deviant", as it were, but it's still really, really good. The plot, though it repeats itself, really makes sense, and is incredibly intricate and detailed. The music is beautiful. The animation is an older style, but it's still really good. If you're not phased much by same-sex relationships (no, they don't show anything, but there are several suggestions), then this series is definitely worth looking into.
And now, a review of a show I just began to watch. Because I can.
Genjiken
Rating: 8.5/10
As I said, I've just started this series, so I can't really grade it properly. It's about this kid who joins an unofficial anime club at his college. Everyone there is an otaku to the max. So far, there has been one love interest, and several allusions to perversion / hentai (none of it shown [yet], of course). I've only seen the first episode and part of the second. Anyway, this group hangs out over at people's houses / rooms, playing video games and watching anime during their freetime. On occasion, they'll venture out to their favorite stores to check out the new anime, manga, and doujinshi. I really like it so far, mostly because it's pretty easy to relate. I kinda wish the anime club here was like that; sure, we get together on Sundays and watch stuff, but we never hang out in the city or anything.
I hope I get paid by the school tomorrow. I need money. I also need to find out my work schedule for this week. Meh.
