Change Your Image
cheetos0099
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
No Game, No Life (2014)
A thing of beauty
I was the type of anime viewer who mostly watched shonen-series like Naruto, Bleach, DBZ, etc. Recently I've branched out and have begun trying out other genres. Boy did No Game No Life impress me.
The story revolves around a sibling pair, Sora and Shiro, who call themselves "Blank." Working together, they've never lost at any game thrown at them. One day, they're taken to a world that suits them perfectly: a world centered around the concept of games.
Whereas shonen animes define "epicness" as intense action sequences involving fantastic displays of power, this show gives the word another meaning entirely. Many of the games that the characters engage in are a battle of wits, requiring complete knowledge of the rules and demanding clever manipulation of their opponents. Often we find ourselves wondering HOW, rather than IF the protagonists will win, seeing as they are this fearsome pair.
I do wish that more attention was given to the younger sister, Shiro. She's supposed to complement her older brother, yet he often outshines her. Many times Sora is shown as the mastermind behind everything when we know that Shiro is every bit as talented as he is. Another point that needs to be addressed is the explanation component of games. The pace needs to be slowed at these points, or else audiences will feel enthralled merely because of the exciting soundtrack and a general epic sensation. We can only truly admire these prodigies by understanding exactly what feat it was they just pulled off, which is hard to do when explanations are whizzing by lightning-fast.
Other than that, the voice acting, art style, premise, soundtrack, humor, and much more all coalesce to form one gripping anime you can't get enough of. If you're looking for a lighthearted yet awe-inspiring anime, look no further.
Sword Art Online (2012)
Disappointing, but still a worthwhile anime
The first few episodes of SAO lead you to think this will be an on-the-edge-of-your- seat tale of survival in a virtual world, when it quickly devolves into primarily a mushy romance.
In SAO, players become trapped in a virtual reality game, subject to real-life death if they perish in the fictional world. Everyone wants to beat the game to liberate all players from the death trap they're in. The main character is Kirito, a guy who prefers to be on his own while everyone around him is part of a team. That is, until he meets the love of his life.
I enjoyed SAO much more before the romance really started to kick in. I found Kirito to be a complex character, longing for companionship yet always straying away from it. He's a very skilled player with a caring personality, and because of this, we're always rooting for his survival in particular.
When the romance sinks its claws into the plot, things get awkward. We find young teenagers talking about love in ways that are far too mature for their age. The protagonists' devotion to one another is touching, but definitely not without a degree of repulsion.
It's a shame because the amazing soundtrack, animations, action, and survival theme are taken a little out of focus because of the great attention to romance. If you can overcome the very in-your-face presentation of the love story, there actually is a lot to like about this show. Just know that by the end, you'll find yourself watching something a bit different than what you initially expected.
Black Bullet (2014)
A disjointed mess
I cannot, in good consciousness, recommend Black Bullet unless you simply want eye-candy. The production values are high, but if you're into animes for deeper experiences, stray far from this one.
At only 13 episodes, any anime that's filled to the brim with a lot of material is going to struggle. Black Bullet is many things: it's a social commentary on the ostracizing of a group, a romance, a comedy, and a tale of humanity's struggle to endure. On top of this, within its 13 episodes are 3 distinct plot arcs. Black Bullet tries to achieve so much in so little time, that it stands out only as a Jack-of-all-Trades, Master of None.
Taking place in a city where humanity is pitted against invaders known as the Gastrea, Satomi Rentaro is an officer who fights against this enemy alongside his young partner, Enju. However, Enju is one of many girls persecuted by much of society for being a Cursed Child. These are girls who have enhanced combat capabilities because they were exposed to the Gastrea infection before they were born. Cursed Children, despite being hated for what they are, often assist as members of the defense force.
As interesting as the premise seems, it's only a part of the greater, messy scheme of things. While all of that is going on, Black Bullet attempts to develop characters and a relationship and unravel plot details in an almost incoherent way with little devotion to any one particular element. For the first couple of episodes, you'll be trying to wrap your head around exactly what this anime wants to be, only to give up in frustration and try to just enjoy the ride. Sadly, all the way up to the final episode, you'll find that this is just one messy ride that can only be enjoyed for its pretty animations on screen with occasional flashy action sequences. So many times, I found myself wanting more of something the show offered, only to never get it because the writers wanted to show a little bit more of other things.
I have never seen a more jumbled up anime than Black Bullet. Do yourself a favor and watch a show that knows what kind of identity it wants to carve out for itself.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
One of the best Marvel movies to date!
This is definitely a must-see. The plot may be a bit generic and not very compelling, but the main point of this movie was to introduce us to some of the most interesting characters in recent memory. The acting is superb almost all around, and the comedy is genius, with most material hitting the mark. Of course there are also some action sequences. Not the best I've seen, but they get a pass. One of the best things about this movie: the oldies soundtrack; from the offset, the old songs are used stylistically to great effect, making it seem as if they were made specifically for use in the movie.
If I had to make any complaints, it would be that I wish the main character's back-story had been explored more. I realize they're setting up for future entries, but I can't help but feel cheated out of a necessary origin story. And of course, I wish the plot had been more thought out instead of the cliché "bad guy wants to take over the universe without much motivation."
Despite those minor gripes, I can't recommend this movie enough.