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A Certain Magical Index, A the Movie: Miracle of Endymion (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : January 2, 2015
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Category: Reviews

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Certain Magical Index, A the Movie: Miracle of EndymionTitle: A Certain Magical Index,  the Movie: Miracle of Endymion

Director: Hiroshi Nishikiori

Written By: Kazuma Kamachi, Hiroyuki Yoshino

Studio: J. C. Staff

U. S. Distributor: Funimation Entertainment

U. S. Release Date: Feb. 17th, 2014

Format: Blu-ray / DVD / Feature Film / 90 Minutes

Genre: Harem, Supernatural, Action, Fantasy

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: B-

Synopsis:

Welcome to Academy City, a futuristic metropolis populated with super-powered students. As the brightest intellectual minds in the city work to complete the world’s first space elevator – a towering spire capable of taking citizens into the heavens – perpetually unlucky Kamijo and nun-in-training Index befriend a talented street musician named Arisa. When the beautiful singer lands a big break, her miraculous voice attracts unwanted attention, making the songstress a target for magicians and scholars alike. As the battle between sorcery and science blasts into space, Kamijo, Index, and their allies in Academy City are rocketed to a psychedelic stadium thousands of feet above Japan in a desperate attempt to keep Arisa – and the rest of the world – safe.

Commentary:

Well, I am not going to stand up and cheer for this film. I found it to be a little pandering to the audience and simply put I am somewhat disappointed that it did not wrap up the series. It is just a plan old filler that can be taken or fleet for what it is. Of course it can’t just stand on its own as a story because you must understand all of the back story or you will be lost. I didn’t see anything out of the film that helped make any of the characters better. There was no revelation that makes a difference to the series and in the end everything goes back to the way it was. There aren’t even any new characters to add to the pantheon of players in the series.

As a film is was entertaining for what it is. As a fan of the series I understood what was going on and knew most of the characters. It felt like one of the many Bleach or Naruto films where they run off to save the girl and in the end nothing really happened, well almost nothing happened. I guess the focus of the movie was to sell a music CD, but the music is not that interesting or even good.

Overall Grade: B-

I really wish that there was something positive to say about A Certain Magical Index,  the Movie: Miracle of Endymion, but in reality I just found it flat. The writing made Kamijo even more preachy then usual and very much the dunce who just happens to be there. I also found his final speech to be lacking any convincing arguments it just comes down to the reality of remembering the past that makes the difference.

So, if you are a fan of the series you just might find it entertaining, but if you are not familiar with the series don’t waist your time.

A Certain Magical Index II part 2 (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : December 25, 2014
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Category: Reviews

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Magical Index season 2 part 2Title: A Certain Magical Index II part 2

Director: Hiroshi Nishikori

Studio: J. C. Staff

U. S. Distributor: Funmation Entertainment

U. S. Release Date: Dec. 16th, 2014

Format: DVD / Blu-ray / 12 episodes / 300 minutes

Genre: Fantasy, Harem, Comedy

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: B+

Synopsis:

The Book of the Law – an encoded grimoire containing catastrophic magic – has been stolen, so naturally Kamijo, Index, and a few familiar faces join in the crusade to protect the one nun who can decipher the powerful text. But as the group battles church sects and holy assassins, they realize that discovering who their true enemy is may be more difficult than saving the sister.

Meanwhile, an organization known as the Science Society resurrects an esper-producing program, a school festival brings out the competition – and drama – in the student population, and a mysterious figure negotiates the purchase of a sacred relic that could threaten the future of Academy City.

Commentary:

As with the rest of the Magical Index series there is plenty of fan service, but this 12 episodes tends to take itself a little more serious. That is a nice departure from the earlier episodes. This are getting much more tense and I was really looking for some sort of closure  and as with the first season it just doesn’t happen. That is not to say I was left unsatisfied, instead I felt like I had been give a generous dose of this odd magic / scientific series. I am still rather confused as to the scientific aspects because all of the  special powers seem to be somewhat magical even though they call themselves ESPers. Still it is cleat that the church and the scientific community still have a long way to go before they can find common ground.

Overal Grade: B+

A Certain Magical Index season II part 2 brings it all back together and adds another layer of complexity to this simple yet strange harem series. The series has managed to move further away form the harem aspects and lean much more on the action supernatural backbone of the series and i for one really do enjoy that. There are still moments that the easy way out with moe / fan service is just a downer for me. I can enjoy the juxtaposition of an older teenage boy and a 12 year old girl, but to make a large number of the sexually charged girls in this series so blatantly young yet scantily clad is tiresome and somewhat a waist of time. Magical Index has a strong enough plot and rich enough characters that they could have all been college age and it would have made much more sense.

I do like the series and am looking forward to the movie to see if it wraps things up. I suspect it does. Maybe we will discover what the real importance of Kamijo’s right hand really is. I am not buying that he is a level zero who just so happens to be able to negate magic. He is also able to take a great deal of punishment and keep on coming back for more. I do hope the movie satisfies what ails the series and give it closure that is so deserves.

A Certain Magical Index II part 1 (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : December 5, 2014
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Category: Reviews

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A Certain Magical Index II part 1Title: A Certain Magical Index II part 1

Director: Hiroshi Nishikori

Studio: J. C. Staff

U. S. Distributor: Funmation Entertainment

U. S. Release Date: Oct. 28th, 2014

Format: DVD / Blu-ray / 12 episodes / 300 minutes

Genre: Fantasy, Harem, Comedy

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: B+

Synopsis:

The Book of the Law – an encoded grimoire containing catastrophic magic – has been stolen, so naturally Kamijo, Index, and a few familiar faces join in the crusade to protect the one nun who can decipher the powerful text. But as the group battles church sects and holy assassins, they realize that discovering who their true enemy is may be more difficult than saving the sister. Meanwhile, an organization known as the Science Society resurrects an esper-producing program, a school festival brings out the competition – and drama – in the student population, and a mysterious figure negotiates the purchase of a sacred relic that could threaten the future of Academy City.

Commentary:

Magical Index season 2 takes up right where season one left off. We jump right into the next drama for Index and Kamijo, but this time it looks like there is something rotten going on between the churches. Of course I really like the dramatic edge, but the one thing that makes me rather sad about this series is the Moe. The fact that Index looks like a 12 year old is ok, but when they bring in nuns that look 12 and dress like street walkers with very sexy habits on it is just disturbing. There is also the obligatory fall that becomes a face plant in front of a panty shot. Now I thought that took it too far.

Anyway, the series is staying strong and the characters begin to develop more. It is possible that Railgun will end up being the better series, but for now I still prefer Index. I think the premiss that is being setup is smart enough to take the series to a great ending. I just hope that the right questions are answered to finish it out. If they leave too much open then it will just be another failed series.

Overall Grade: B+

I thought these next 12 episodes did a lot to further the series, but lost me a little with the sexy 12 year old nuns. I think it would have been better to make them seem angelic and then give them a sinister layer beneath the robes. I guess there needs to be more secrets and some betrayal of the belief systems for the series to work, but I’m still not sold on what is being rolled out at this stage. I am looking forward to the completion of the series and feel as though people will be pleased with part 1 os season 2 of A Certain Magical Index.

 

 

A Certain Magical Index Season One (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : November 23, 2014
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Category: Reviews

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A Certain Magical Index Season OneTitle: A Certain Magical Index Season One

Director: Hiroshi Nishikiori

Writer: Masanao Akahoshi

Studio: J. C. Staff

U. S. Distributor: FUNimation Entertainment

U. S. Release Date: Nov. 18th

Format: DVD/ Blu-ray / 600 Minutes / 24 Episodes

Genre: Fantasy, Harem, Action, Supernatural

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: B+

Synopsis:

Kamijo is a student in Academy City, where people use science to develop supernatural abilities. The guy’s got a lot of heart – luckily for a young nun named Index. She’s on the run from a sorcery society that covets the astonishing 103,000 volumes of magical knowledge stored in her memory.

When Index stumbles into Kamijo’s life, she finds a faithful friend and protector, and while Kamijo’s easily the weakest kid in Academy City, he’s got something else going for him: the Imagine Breaker, an unexplainable power stored in his right hand that negates the powers of others. With scientists and sorcerers attacking from all sides, the Imagine Breaker will definitely come in handy – but it’s Kamijo’s loyalty to Index that will be his greatest weapon in the fight to keep her safe.

Commentary:

A Certain Magical Index is one of those Harem series that falls under a odd anti-harem frame of mind. Of course Kamijo does have his uncanny ability to collect girls, but he still stands out as less of a womans man than most male protagonist in most harem series.

The aspect of this series that stands out for me is the way that they setup the basic plot line. There is also the development of the characters. In most cases they allow the main characters to have some light or comedic aspects but as the series moves through its paces each of them become much darker and richer. In the first season the doors to the complexity of the series open and platy of questions ask left unanswered.

The animation is rather typical and not what makes the series stand out and in many ways it is average at best. The essence is the writing, which not only create several rememberable characters but also gives us a story that is strange, funny and filled with a deeply interesting sub plot that may be darker most of us may expect.

 

Overall Grade: B+

A Certain Magical Index season one if 24 episodes of real fun. There is a large and broad cast that is giving more and more as the series develops. It is easy to see why there was the off shoot series A Certain Scientific Railgun. A Certain Magical Index does have some rather typical harem aspects, but it seems to care more about the supernatural slant. I like Kamijo as a simple character who knows something deep about himself, but there is something very special about him that I am very interested to find out.

Come on Season 2, I’m ready. Thanks Funimation for taking season one and making it affordable.