Reviews

Where do I start with this? At the time of writing, I'm convinced this is one of the best premiere episodes of new anime this Summer season.

Everything from its sense of humor, its commentary on unhealthy Japanese work life, to the production side of things like the use of jump cuts, the transition from muted to warm colors, and its stylistic approach to a zombie apocalypse, this episode was just perfect.

Really want to highlight the use of colors in this episode to emphasize how ecstatic Akira felt after being free from work, creating this hilarious juxtaposition that works so well to sell you on the premise.

Legit had me searching for the staff involved in the show. Wowzers. Seeing as the staff involved in the show are from the people behind Komi Can't Communicate and Summer Time Render, I have high hopes that it'll stay consistent in terms of its production values.

Akudama Drive is a dystopian, cyberpunk rollercoaster ride of hype, excitement, and edginess that raises its stakes every episode that either adds to the enjoyment or irritation while watching, depending on what kind of entertainment viewers enjoy the most.

Don't expect a drama story that sticks with you because of how it deeply impacted your emotions, because the story in this anime is fairly straight-forward. It's basically what a cyberpunk version of Suicide Squad is, except if Suicide Squad itself was actually a good movie in the first place. You get a bunch of criminals, make them a team whether they like it or not, and assign them a mission that can only be done as a team, forcing them to cooperate with each other through their unique special set of skills. Where this anime kind of diverts from Suicide Squad is with the main character, Swindler, an innocent bystander who is forced to join the team of criminals called the "Akudama." Along the way, we get to see twists and turns, crazy fights, and high-octane action that is surprisingly decently written for the most part but kind of falls a little when approaching the end, which could be expected from a series that already has a chaotic premise and of course, its crazy cast of characters.

It is near impossible to talk about this series without talking about its main "driving" point: its characters. If you're here to expect relatable characters that undergo dramatic character development that turns their lives around, then you, the viewer, might as well be the one to turn around and stay away as you're not going to find that much substance with the characters here in this anime, as most of the time, they are just characters that start off as one or two-dimensional shells that are unlikeable, which I find to be a double-edged sword in this case. On one hand, they do develop overtime, but not as deep as you might expect. On the other hand, their characters at times kind of feel lacking by the time they get the spotlight in specific episodes. Regarding the villains, they are also just doing "bad guys doing bad guy things" for the most part, except for some that do get some characterization to at least make them stand out. In short, the characters are exactly what you might expect from a series as chaotic as this, which can simultaneously be a good thing and a bad thing.

While the anime's characters certainly aren't all that amazing, I couldn't say the same for its art. Studio Pierrot, good job on you, as this anime really does capture the vibe of what a cyberpunk dystopia is. Its character design and animation is phenomenal and I feel that Studio Pierrot really outdone themselves with this anime, which makes me ask how do they pull this off while juggling two long-running series at the same time. Its music also does its job well as it helps set up the "aesthetically brutal" world that the characters are in. I'd say the production in this anime is pretty great and if the aim was to create this feeling of a dark, technology-driven world, they certainly pulled it off well.

In summary, Akudama Drive is surprisingly good for its premise that I would consider to be risky, but it certainly delivered on its strong points while still having flaws that don't really affect the overall enjoyment of the show. If you want a "turn off your brain while watching (for the most part)" kind of anime, this is definitely it. Otherwise, just skip it. (7.5/10)

Ikebukuro West Gate Park is a strange beast. On one hand, it explores serious real-world issues like racism, but on the other hand, it attempts to fit those conflicts and tell episodic stories with its diverse cast of characters that can sometimes hit home greatly, or miss by a long shot.

Story-wise, IWGP is an interesting take on the "gang" genre. The main character gets involved with different kinds of conflicts and attempts to resolve them without using forceful methods for the most part, but occasionally seeks help from his friend, who is the leader of a gang, to help him out when things aren't smooth-sailing. These conflicts are certainly great choices to tell multiple stories that happen in Ikebukuro, but there are times where it feels as if the episodes that tackle some of these conflicts feel like they are lacking the extra punch or "oomph" to really give viewers an impact that will be felt long after the ED plays, save for a few that are actually pretty solid because it does have that extra punch like the two-episode arcs.

On the positive side, IWGP's characters feel grounded to reality, which makes sense as this anime basically is grounded too. Their experiences in life mostly revolve around the conflicts that the episode tackles, which is a good way to set up the mood of the episode. While on the topic of characters, the main character, Makoto, fights for justice and will use any means necessary so long as violence is avoided for the most part. Aside from that, he also empathizes with those who seek help from him and help them out to make Ikebukuro a better place. Of course, there are characters that are one-dimensional, but they are mostly just there for the plot and are unimportant for the most part. One drawback, however, is that I don't really feel interested or invested with some of the characters, but for most of the time, they manage to keep my interest.

Moving on to its art and music, it's certainly not bad. Its minimalistic take on its character designs reminds me of another anime from this year from Doga Kobo, which is Sing "Yesterday" for Me. Speaking of Sing "Yesterday", IWGP is kind of similar to it in a way that it doesn't really use too much music aside from a few scenes, which makes me more focused with its dialogue and what's happening on the screen. Now while all these things sound positive, I think that overall, there is really nothing to write home about with IWGP in terms of art and music, as I think it doesn't really make enough effort in order for it to at least let its art and music stick with me.

In conclusion, Ikebukuro West Gate Park is neither a great nor bad show. It is simply an "okay" show from Doga Kobo, and here's to hoping that they manage to produce great shows in the future. Would I recommend it? If you have the patience, I'd say go for it, as there are certainly aspects of the show where I can see people enjoy it, but if you don't have the patience, it would be in your best interest to skip it, as you are not really missing out on a ton. (6.2/10)

Not gonna lie, a few episodes in and I thought I was watching some edgy fanfiction my 13-year old self would crave. The combination of dark themes and ecchi/erotic themes in movies/series tends to affect my viewing pleasure. Most of the time, I would just regard what I watched as plain bad, but after reading the source material while also finishing the anime, do I consider Gleipnir an exception or an addition to the catalogue of failed genre mixing that I've personally seen? Well, it's a bit of both.

Gleipnir, for the most part, has an interesting set of characters. The relationship between the two main protagonists and their character development are good, although I'm still suspicious of Clair's intentions. The side characters were okay, except for the "camera-cuck" as what the fans call him. The villains were not bad, especially that one villain named Madoka and of course, the flashback episode where some of the story begins to clear up and is probably what I would consider to be the first major turning point in the series.

The soundtrack was pretty great. It made me bob my head along as I watch an intense fight between the characters. Speaking of intense fights, the animation is very solid. Every frame of a fight choreography had so much detail put in it that it made my eyes stay glued to the screen.

However, I have mixed feelings with the plot. Some episodes I felt didn't do much to progress the plot, which is saying much for a 13-episode anime. Of course we can't forget the "ecchi-ness" of this series, which to my shock, is actually more censored in this anime adaptation when compared to the manga, which is mostly uncensored. For me, the way the studio pulls off ecchi can either make or break that anime, and in Gleipnir's case, once again, it's a bit of both.

Surprisingly, there were also quite a few changes to the anime like the fates of their characters and most notably, the ending. While I do understand the 13 episode limit, the anime-original ending could have been pulled off better. Some of the characters' decisions felt rushed and impulsive, which was completely different to the progression of the manga, which I will not get into to avoid spoilers, but what I can say is the flashback episode was good, but it was made rather redundant after seeing the ending. The last episode does set-up for a second season, which also made me wonder how will the studio continue this series' plot, especially when they derive this much from the source material.

At the end of the day, it's an okay watch for those who love dark shows, although you could spend more time looking for other shows that are far superior to Gleipnir.

6.3/10

Note: This is a Season 2 review of this show, not the first season or the overall show.

I rarely do watch seasonal anime, but for once in my life, since I have all this free time during quarantine, I decided to try watching some anime that aired this season. One of those anime series is Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai?: Tensai-tachi no Renai Zunousen (Kaguya-sama: Love is War - Season 2).

Among the very few shows that I've watched this season, this show was one that I was actively waiting for every Sunday (Philippine Standard Time). The show's first season was good, and this second season was even better than I expected.

As an avid fan of the source material, I wonder at times how A-1 Pictures would pull off adapting the manga chapters that I found to be very funny or very emotional. Fortunately, the studio's love for the manga shows as when I watched every new episode while having read the chapters they adapted, I felt their effort and passion trying to outdo the manga with its great voice acting, soundtrack, and of course, the animation.

The show doesn't take itself too seriously as its comedy gets better with every new episode and the relationships between the two main protagonists and their fellow council members develop at a slow but worthwhile pace. It has its serious moments as well, and when that happens, you actually get to know and appreciate the characters more as they receive great development not usually tackled in the first season or even the first few episodes of this season. The studio also went the extra mile and referenced other media like other anime and musical references, which I thought was a nice touch in order to make this season not just a straightforward adaptation of the manga.

Surprisingly, I have little to criticize about this season, except for the chapters that the anime skipped and some follow-up episodes felt a tiny bit bad after the season's best episodes. However, this did not affect my enjoyment of the anime as a whole at all. A season 3 announcement is inevitable seeing as how much the fans love this show, me included, and as a fan of the source material, expect the third season of this show to be just as good or even better than the other seasons if A-1 Pictures give it the same love and affection that they have have with this season.

8.5/10

I rarely do watch seasonal anime, but for once in my life, since I have all this free time during quarantine, I decided to try watching some anime that aired this season. One of those anime series is Kami no Tou (Tower of God).

Before the anime even got announced, a lot of my friends were talking about this thing called "Webtoon", which has a vast selection of comics to choose from. One of their most talked about Webtoon series is Tower of God. Back then, I really didn't care about the Webtoon at all. That is, until it was officially announced that this title would be the first-ever manhua to get an anime adaptation.

Needless to say, I was curious how a Japanese studio would handle a Korean manhua. Seeing the first few episodes, I thought they were kind of good, but not that special. Curiosity got to me and I decided to binge-read the manhua from start to finish in 4 days, and it got me hooked after a while.

Now, there are two viewpoints I have with this show. If we look at this series as an anime, it has the potential to be one of the standouts of this season. The plot is interesting, some of the characters have unique traits and the soundtrack is good. The animation itself can be a hit or miss for me personally, but the rest seem to be pretty solid. Overall, these factors are an ok start to a new anime series.

However, if we look at this series as an adaptation of the manhua, there were a lot of things the anime missed out on due to the fact that it was only limited to 13 episodes. Some of the world building was ignored, some of the characters and their relationships were underdeveloped, and some plot points felt a little rushed, lacking a good explanation that is usually seen in the manhua.

Nevertheless, the anime adaptation was surprisingly good for just 13 episodes. Sure, it had to sacrifice some factors in the manhua, but with how the season built up to its first major turning point and how it ended, I would say that the studio did their best to do justice to the original manhua, considering the episode count. Although this first season may not be the greatest among first seasons of other anime, I pray that this will only be the start of a stellar continuation of this series, along with many more anime adaptations of other Korean manhuas to come in the near future.

7.5/10

I rarely do watch seasonal anime, but for once in my life, since I have all this free time during quarantine, I decided to try watching some anime that aired this season. One of those anime series is Yesterday wo Utatte (Sing "Yesterday" for Me).

It's refreshing for me to watch a show that focuses more on human drama, or drama in general, one of my favorite genres. The first couple of episodes were particularly noteworthy, mostly because of the protagonist who I somehow empathize with despite me still being a student. The plot was interesting and I wondered how a Seinen type of anime would handle it. The way the characters of this world were introduced was great. I kind of like the rough-ish art style and the soundtrack was good. I also appreciate the show's quiet, minimalist approach when characters are talking with each other as to give emphasis on what they are saying.

Speaking of characters, I thought they were quite good. That is, until we reached the last couple of episodes. When I found out that this show only has 12 instead of 18, I thought to myself: "How will this show end?" I had no idea how the anime will have a good conclusion to a plot that takes it time to build up. There were some good dramatic interactions and some bad interactions with the main cast as the show comes to an end. What I thought was a good show that tackles relationships between friends and lovers, ended with a sudden conclusion that would have paid off were it not for the fact that it felt rushed and could have been better if it had more episodes to develop the plot and the characters more. Seeing the extras did lighten me up about the show a little bit.

I may read the manga soon, since I have heard that the ending is different. However, at the end of the day, what started as a great show, turned out to be kind of rushed in the end.

6.5/10

Note: This is my opinion. Feel free to agree or disagree.

This film feels like a combination of what Studio Ghibli and traditional Disney animated films give that makes them feel special, but this movie isn't necessarily special because of that. The animation is not bad, but not really noteworthy. Both the cinematography and soundtrack are good. The story isn't that bad, but it also doesn't give off the same feeling as when you watch other notable films from Studio Ghibli or CoMix Wave Films (Makoto Shinkai). The characters are alright, except for the main antagonist.

Still, amidst the current situation the world is in right now, it is nice for Netflix to release a movie like this. Basically, at its core, it's light-hearted, cute, and a feel-good film. If you're feeling down and have two hours to spare, try watching this movie because who knows, maybe it'll make your day feel a lot better than before.

This is my opinion. If you agree, that's fine. If you don't, that's still fine too. We all have different opinions.

I first heard of Beastars because of its opening theme. It was a jam to listen to and its visuals were interesting for an anime series. However, I got sidetracked by other movies and shows that I had no time to watch it. Thankfully, after many days have passed, I had four hours to spare and that was where it hit me; this is the perfect opportunity.

Like I said previously, the opening theme was a jam as I sway my hands like I was playing the drums. The opening isn't just where it stops getting good, because as the episodes went on, it just got better and better.

The plot had me interested and from the first episode alone, I realized that this show demanded my full attention. It tackles mature themes that I would expect coming from a Seinen manga, and this is made even better with the interesting use of its characters. Even if they were animals, it got me invested because of the worldbuilding, the depiction of carnivores and herbivores, and the conflicts that the world revolves around in. Also, I find it very interesting that I can empathize with a fictional, anthropomorphic, gray wolf who has anxiety issues. From the first season alone, I can already say that these are well-written characters, especially Legoshi, Haru, and Louie.

The animation was different than what I expected, but in a good way. I would have been fine with the stop-motion animation like in the opening, but the use of 3D animation and CGI were pretty good. A picture is worth a thousand words, and this saying holds true when you pause for a moment and think to yourself: this looks great.

In short, this anime and everything that makes it an anime is great. This is truly worth watching. I might probably read the manga as it got me very curious about what happens next. Hoping the Season 2 continuation will be just as good as its first season.

9.6/10

(NOTE: This is just an audience member's opinion. Feel free to ignore, hate, or read this review and express your own thoughts on the movie.)

Alita: Battle Angel is a stunning experience to watch in the theaters, even more so if it's watched in 3D. The film's trailer was hyped and pretty good. James Cameron has brought his talent and skills with heart and dedication, like one of his previous works, Avatar. The world and Cameron's vision of how his movie is going to look like felt really believable and real, and I wish I could also say that for the plot and the characters.

I haven't seen the original manga and/or the anime, but it looked pretty brutal. I think it would have been better had they given this movie a rating of "R-16" instead of "PG," because the amount of brutal scenes this movie had made me question how is this movie "PG" and how the film could really benefit if the scenes were made to be rated "R." The action scenes really deliver and are actually entertaining to watch, but when the film takes a breather and shows scenes of its characters interacting with one another, things began to fall apart, for me, at least, as an audience member, not a high-profile critic. The characters make some inconsistent choices that don't even match up with how they are represented in the film. The dialogue is at times okay, and at times, downright terrible. Some scenes were just corny and/or cliché for me. I don't see any chemistry in the movie's romantic sub-plot, and the movie's attempt at setting up a sequel was just.. eh, okay.

Overall, it's not really a terrible experience for most audience members out there, but if you go to this movie expecting something game-changing or breathtaking, you may just end up finishing the movie with disappointment in your face. Watch the movie if you really want to, because this is just another one of these films that you may really appreciate and don't even care about the critics' opinion on the film. Go ahead and have a good time watching this one. I know one thing's for certain if there's a sequel, and that is that I'm not going to spend money watching the sequel because I'll just wait for a digital copy to be released. 4/10.