Gurren Lagan Review

Gurren Lagan  is a 2007, mecha series created by a favorite of mine. Gainax, though the  company has gone down in quality with stuff they've  made reccently, except for   the Evangelion Rebulid movies and maybe even  Stella Girl's Academy  that I have yet to watch.  Gurren Lagan  in my opinion is defintely one of their best.

Story:
The story follows a young boy,  a digger living underground. Along with Kamin, he's awesome sort of big brother.   One day Simon finds a minature type drill, that glows.
Kamina tells our young hero that he's drill is the one that will piecre the heavens! but that's not all our two  characters find underground, a big skull type  creature. that is known as a Beastman, that our characters will keep fighting for the right and peace of living on the surface through out almost the rest of the series.  However, another character is fighting the beastman   as well    and comes underground from another village, the beautiful gun-carrying  Yoko. It turns out  Simon's drill is a key to   a tiny mecha known  as a  Gunmen.   So! Yoko, Kamina, and Simon finally escaped  to the surface from the beastman,  Our heros and heroine will meet other characters along the   way in their fight. Including  the  flamboyant mechanic, Lerron and  the Beastman hunter  Kittan and he's three sisters known as the Black Siblings.


Overall:
The series is just perfect, watching it  makes me think of what makes a good  anime.
The character designs  are good as well, and sometimes  the way the   characters look in certain lighting   is just great. The  battles are  quiet good.  Some people say Raxephon and other series make up for Evangelion, but honestly I think  Gurren Lagan does, even though  it wasn't created by Hideki Anno.   And of course being a Gainax series the soundtrack and music are good.     I really can't think of a bad thing to say about it,  I think the battles could be long sometimes, but they were still good.  Just when you think things are bad towards the end of  epsiodes sometimes in the series. at  the end of them  it just gives you a sense of hope and happiness. The ending is not  half done  with no ending, the series ends quiet beautifully. with that being said   if you want a good mecha series or  just hated Evangelion   or weren't even happy with it, go with  Gurren Lagan instead.  
There's    also   two movies  for the series,  Gurren-Hen and Lagann-Hen  that just basically give a  recap of the series,   and sometimes  skips things around alot  with montages basically,  I would watch the whole 27-episode   full series instead,  it 's completely worth it I promise!   and now..  I give the series a 10/10.   

Until Next Time!

Sword Art Online Review

I've never done a full series review before.  I've only done  reviews per episodes
As  I was finishing the series,  I was badly ill with a cold, so... I may not give the clearest and the best  review but  I'll try ^_^ 

Sword Art Online is a huge series that came out while  I was taking a break from anime,  I didn't know about it  until  JesusOtaku's   top openings of 2012   that I found out.   I watched episode 1 on Hulu then stopped,  I wasn't quiet ready to get back into anime. On my down time to decide what to do  after finishing Evangelion so many weeks ago....  since Toonami is now showing the series,   I honestly didn't care for  how the dub script was done, it just felt out of place to me. so!  I took it upon myself to finish the series.

Sword Art Online is based on a set of Light Novels by Reki Kawahara, who has also created Accel World,  (I plan on reviewing that next) published by  ASCII Media Works's  Dengeki Bunko label  in April 2009 following with a spin-off  in October 2012. There is also  a few manga adaptions as well. But today I'm talking about the anime  that was released in July 2012 to December 2012.

The plot is  set in the year 2022, were  gaming and MMOs has become  advance,  through the means  of Nerve Gear. The game device uses the brain of the player's all five senses to control   their in-game  character, in the game known as Sword Art online.  Our main characters are

Kirigaya Kazuto  "Kirito", a solo player   known as the Black Swordsman.

 










Asuna Yuuki, Sub-leader of the Guild   Knights Of The Blood

And a array of minor characters

 

So.. the series starts out quiet normally  following the plot  in episode 1 and 2. Then  in  episode 3  onward,  we get array of flashbacks. Then the plot  goes alot array of directions, not really sure where it wants to go and kind of goes flat We get a better even out plot around episode 7-9   In episode  9 or 8  felt like I started getting attached to the characters.   I'd also like to point yes, there  feels like there is  plot holes, and not everything explained quiet well sometimes. The main male character is sterotypical but  the female character,  Asuna   makes him a slighly more better character. The relationship  and love story alone is kind of makes the series  worth it, which in the end is what the series is  a love story in a MMO setting.  I'm sure some of the plot is filled in by the light novels, which.. I'm not sure if I'll finishing reading or not   there are 13 volumes in all.  Meaning  I'm not sure if  I wanna  go through the series again in  written form. In some ways you wanna just  wanna finish the series already or not finish at all but it kind of holds you on cause you get attached alot   I felt like I couldn't finish it  it was sometimes predictable. So! after 18 episodes I dropped it. it is way overhyped. (however  our newest  popular series,  Attack on Titian is not it's awesome!  :D)  Let's  hope  Accel World is better and doesn't go in a different   direction then intended   if not... screw it!  I'll move on to  something different. I do believe   anime these days has gone a little bit in quality or my tastes have completely changed  whatever the case,  I give a overall 7, at least for the  effort.
Until Next time!  ^_^

 

Evangelion Episode 24

Ok!  this is a post of something that means a whole lot me,   and  a  couple and relationship that means alot to me,  there's alot of misconception about these two characters in the   fandom, and people who just don't care all that much   about the series. i'm here to share and so... something from my own dvd. 
This is regarding the  almost the borderline romantic relationship between EVA pilot of unit 01  and main character of the cult 1995  Gainax classic. Shinji Ikari and  Kaworu Nagasi the 17th angel.  you can say i'm a fujoshi in some sense  (a fangirl or fan of boy's love) but i'm not gonna ignore  something right in front of me, and pretend  i read between and call it like i see it  :) this... is the subtitled ADV released    of Neon Genesis Evangelion,   Platinum Edition of volume 7, Episode 24:"  The Beginning of the end"/Knockin' on Heaven's Door.  the screenshots were taken by me to prove a point. I will not explain the plot of this episode, you'll have to wait until my  retrospect of the series. There's alot of things missing that i did not screenshot or explain but you can see those for yourself  :)

Shinji Meeting Kaworu: Kaworu hums "Ode to joy" explaining how music is great and singing etc.  introductions are exchanged.  later on something i did not put in  Shinji is listening to "ode to joy" on he's   cd/cassette player.

 

Shinji waiting or... maybe not  :) Kaworu asks  about  what Shinji is doing, Shinji explains how EVA synch tests are done for the day, and he wants to take a bath and go home.  Leading to Kaworu  telling Shinji  Home is happiness and about human lonliness basically.

(I squee everytime on this blush ^.^)

Famous  Bath scene :) (this  was a damn lengthy  one!)

 After words Shinji says it's time to go to bed. Kaworu  Shinji  means go to bed together and sleep, Shinji gets flustered yet again.

Shinji tells about the past, and questions why  he's telling Kaworu all this, cause Kaworu knew Shinji needed to tell him something.

We do find out Kaworu is in fact the suppose last angel  in End of evangelion it's actually man. that is not important right now neither is Kaworu's death, for the point of   this post what is is the assumption  of what Shinji said in the last few scenes. in English dub it's liked some people think loved/admire  which  either is true it still gets the  point across  :)that the feelings were completely returned  some say loved was in the fansubs which is a lie.   weather   ADV  translated differently does not matter,  it still has the same point across.  There's drafts of this episode that was partly fan translated,   either way  Hideki Anno to me, intentions were completely clear. you just have to know where to look  ^_^ i will  give the links for the translated  scripts, and  the post that provides more information on EVA geeks, a fan fourm, i am a member of . but do not  post on often. Now.. on with the rest of the show!

Misato    begins to tell our  future savior of  humanity how  the love of Shinji's life  gave up the complete will to live, and how   Shinji was  meant to live, people who give up the will to live don't survive. Shinji thinks that is quiet cold of  Misato,

So! there you have it. now here's links to the drafts etc.

and a youtube video that highlights things much better than me

http://forum.evageeks.org/thread/7702/NGE-Ep24-Script-First-and-Second-Drafts/ 

 In fact i take that back the fourm  post gives alot of what you need 

 Whoops! another update the video has been deleted for copyright claims 

 Just find the episode  wherever you can i did not review  the Director's cut cause i skimped through it, and it seems to be the same thing. 

Until next time!

 ~Koneko~

 

Regarding Reviews and being a fan in general

So!  I have decided  I don't wanna focus too much on newer anime as much.  I mean  I just  really wanna do my own thing and not be  caught up on the latest thing (lately has been   let's   do mecha and cute girls and some other bull crap that shouldn't be in a specific genre of anime).  With that being said  I do enjoy, mecha  I'm just still really new   to the genre , and Sci-fi in general in anime,  since  I  never    really cared for the genre  to begin with but that's slowly beginning to change. And don't me wrong  I mean who doesn't   like cute anime girls *points at Yuko on  blog header*  I also do sort of like Ecchi, I mean  a lot of it can be funny and the girls are attractive  (for you reading  I identify myself   as Bisexual but I'm really Pansexual) but not attractive as say Bleach or something  (I'm a big Bleach fan  I may not do  many reviews on it since there's just so many episodes, chapters and what not  it's a  Shouen series with the almost typical format so... I think there's no need to review it), moving on  the shows I'm talking   about is like this Spring's  anime  Date A live,  let's put the mecha genre with useless nonsense  with cute girls *rolls eyes*    I did watch the  first episode,  and instant main character's   little sister's panty shot,  which really wasn't needed for her to jump on the bed to  wake her brother up.  I'm sure it's a fine show, or maybe it's better than the average typical show like this, it's just not for me and not my  taste, and it seems to be  the same crap over again.  And don't you dare point out me liking ecchi or   something  like Gainax,  with what I've seen it's more  tasteful  with big boobs etc.   not just a panty shot that really doesn't need to be there.     I apologize    for my rant  I will get the Ghost  In The Shell   review   up as soon as I can and soon as I finish rewatching the movie .
Gomenasai 

~Koneko~

Upcoming Reviews & Plans for this blog

These are reviews I'm thinking of doing for the blog at some point.  I'm aware   people do Summer   anime etc.  though  I have been watching Summer anime including: Watmoto,   Gatchaman Crowds,   Blood  Lad etc.    I really don't feel like doing those, cause this is my blog and I do what I want! 

Besides  I took two years off from  anime, so I'm not all  "caught up" and during that time my tastes have changed a little, including   respecting older anime, that I really   don't have  no nostalgia  feelings for unlike some people  :).

-Rewatch Ghost in the Shell (1995): Since I have the first two Stand Alone Complex dvds,  I might as well  ^_^ I also have the sequel to the original movie, that Dreamworks released on dvd, but sadly it's  not in English,  I'm not about to get on my stance on Dub V.S. Sub.

Gurren  Lagan: Again I have  the  3rd volume two-disc dvd with episodes 19-27.  I  have not seen 1-18   yet, neither the movies.   since I also like Gainax so much as well.

-Rewatch Evangelion:     I finished the series weeks ago in English, after   so many  years.   This does not include   Rebulid    I've only seen 1.0   I would like to  watch  the English dub first, then  at some point   rewatch   everything  in Japanese.  I wanna give a really proper retrospect of the series  since it's a cult classic and I partly love it  :3  as a warning I have my opinion on the series  from  looking up things and then forming my own  thoughts, and  you have your   own opinions,  
if you don't like it tough crap! 


-Other Things:  I may retwatch series  I have already seen,  which is not  many since  I  have no motivation to ever finish anything sometimes.    I will also  write things about  that I love  or lists of things out like.  So!  it's whatever i feel like on this blog.  you will not see any specific genres  if you see a pattern that is fine.


You'll just have to stay tuned and see!

~Koneko~

Slayers (1995) Review Part 1: Episode 1

So.. Some of you may not   know    about the anime called Slayers,  it was a adventure/fantasy and comedy series, based on a set of light  novels with 52 books, it seems. In 1989 written by Hajime Kanzaka and  illustrated by Rui Araizumi, that  have been  conveniently   packed into 15 volumes, only 8 have been released here in the States, since Tokyopop has sadly shut down, along with the company who had released the original anime, Central  Park Media.  There is many prequels, OVAs and what not.  Those  I have not seen,  I have no nostalgia factor with the series,  since  I didn't truly get into  anime   until 2007, of course  I knew  about  Pokemon and what not, but that is not important.    
I purchased part A of the collection of the Slayers original series, distribute  by Central Park Media, at my local , resale shop, yesterday.  here's some photos of my own copy of the dvd,

Now.. on the to the review! ^^;

                                                                                                                                                                   
Episode 1: ANGRY? Lina's Furious Dragon Slave!

Our story begin, with our   heroine and master sorceress, 
Lina Inverse 

breaking  in on a group of bandits, as we come to learn named,  The Dragon's fang.
the Dragon's fang, are celebrating  their victory on finding treasure, which  Lina  decides to take from them and to  kill/attack their  leader with her fire magic.  
Later  on while traveling in the woods, a member of Dragon's fang, stops a heroine. To apologize, only to trick, Lina  and  other  members to ambush her out of revenge.
But as soon Lina, can use her  magic, to stop her attackers, our second known  main character pops up.  A passing traveler  who thinks  Lina  is a little girl, and not a powerful magic-using  young woman. 
Gourry Gabriev

comes to her aid. For rescuing her, our male lead decides to accompany  Lina  to  Atlantic City (why she wants   to travel there, has not been given yet).  Traveling to the next town to  relax and eat.  While enjoying their meal,  a elder  gentleman   approaches the pair Asking if  Lina, is  the great  Dragon spooker, thinking she had defeated the Dragon's Fang's leader's pet dragon.  (btw I'm doing this from memory  so  if  I get things wrong  I apologize, like i said before I'm not a expert, I'm a amateur). Which comes to be known, she did not,   leading also to realizing the dragon  has escaped. And the town/village has half been destroyed.  of course  the old man is mad,  our heroes fight the dragon. But!  here's the funny thing,   the dragon runs away, cause  Lina and Gourry fall down while fighting the dragon. so  the    dragon avoids stepping on them and runs away.   I tried to make  this  review  short as possible, even   I' m tried of writing out the plot  as much as you are tired of reading XD.

So!  here's my thoughts on the series  thus far....
Story and art 10/10 :
The story is very fun and entertaining  and   good and adventurous and funny as well =)   the art has to me has  aged quiet well, though I guess you can tell it's still  retro.


Dubbing etc. :  There's  some cheesy lines here and there,    it's the 90's so it's all in   good fun I suppose.   Though  Lina's one-liners can be  quiet good.

Overall: The series is not gonna be nothing special it's a entertaining, fun ride.   nothing more with 90's goodness,  I'm sure they'll be more action etc. at some  point. 

I give it a 9.5/10  

Until next time!  ~Koneko~