Reviews

Let me start by saying that I did not laugh all that much for what is a stand-up comedy special. However, time and time again I was amused at how relatable a lot of the material was. And before I knew it, I was completely engrossed in Seinfeld's masterfully crafted comedy.

The special does admittedly take a while to hit its stride, but when it does reach that point, joke after joke manages to hit a home run. The comedy here is broadly appealing, yet still feels that its personally applicable, which is something that possibly only Jerry Seinfeld can accomplish. For example, I was blown away by how relatable a joke about people saying "it is what it is" was - and I'm the kind of person who says such a phrase! Despite always being willing to make an apathetic comment toward his life, Seinfeld is way more energetic, and by extension, more charismatic than anyone in their mid-60's needs to be. In addition, Seinfeld does not fail to include a few jokes that many a comedian would shy away from in this day and age, which ultimately adds to the quality of this special.

All in all, Seinfeld proves that he is the master of his craft in his latest comedy special. Though one can argue if it is laugh-out-loud worthy, few will argue that the material does not strike a personal chord with its viewers.

Lupin III: Part V is a prime example of an anime "masterpiece". Words cannot even begin to describe how well-crafted this iteration of Lupin III is. Now in France, Lupin III looks to the internet to perform his next heist. After releasing Ami, a girl who is adept at hacking, he steals bit-currency from other hackers. Now targeted by them, Lupin III must evade them, police, politicians, terrorists, and social media itself. Whereas Lupin III: Part IV dabbled in the idea of having an overarching plot, Part V looks to embrace this. The series has four core stories with only a few self-contained episodes, usually referencing previous seasons or providing a backstory for our characters. Even more so, the characters see significant development throughout the series, notably Lupin III, Fujiko Mine, and newcomer Ami. It creates a refreshing take on these beloved characters that we have yet to see. As for animation, every scene is intricately crafted. Action scenes flow flawlessly while slower scenes look like a moving portrait. The soundtrack is fantastic, as expected of the Lupin III series. This time around, the series takes on a France flair to it's established jazz soundtrack. It is absolutely a delight to listen to. All in all, Lupin III: Part V is the culmination that is 50 years of gentlemen thief adventures. Even if you haven't seen any previous season, Part V is great regardless.

Hyouka is a story about a high school boy who would rather not exert energy on everyday school life. However, after being urged to join the Classic Literature Club, but gets swept up in a girl's desire to investigate the simple parts of life. Hyouka revolutionizes the slice-of-life genre by diving deep into it's characters and pins down what makes them tick. No detail is left behind and every primary character is a changed person by the end of the series. The protagonist, Oreki, is a masterfully-crafted character and captures the sense of a apathetic high schooler perfectly. He also contrasts well with the other 3 main cast members who are very lively compared to him. As expected of Kyoto Animation, the animation is unparalleled. The musical score flawlessly mixes classical pieces with the up-beat ones. All in all, Hyouka is not only a well-oiled machine, but a innovative one at that. It's rare to see an anime have a plot so well-written while being consistent, two things which Hyouka does in stride. There is no doubt that anybody who watches this will become instantly attached to the Classic-Literature Club and their endeavors involving the everyday high school life.