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Akame ga Kill Collection 2 (anime review)

akame-ga-kill 2Title: Akame ga Kill Collection 2

Director: Tomoki Kobayashi

Creator: Takahiro

Written By: Makoto Uezu

Studio: White Fox, C-Station (ONA)

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: May 17th, 2016

Format: Blu-ray / 12 Episodes / 300 Minutes:

Genre: Fantasy, Action, Supernatural, Drama

Age Rating: TV14

Overall Personal Rating: B+

Synopsis:

The convoluted path that has reunited Tatsumi and Esdeath takes another twist as they find themselves transported to a remote island where their strength will be tested as never before. Dr. Stylish may be dead, but Danger Beasts still remain, and that’s only the first challenge the two enemies now face.

If the bonds of love weren’t enough to bring their fates together, could the fire of combat forge a new form of alliance? Meanwhile, the embers of rebellion are being stoked into open insurrection by the pacifist organization Path of Peace. Drawn into the impending inferno, Night Raid and the Revolutionary Army prepare for a major assault on the Capital. But while their Imperial Arms may be indestructible, their wielders are merely flesh and blood.

On the anvil of battle, only human courage and the willingness to give their lives for a cause will lead to the ultimate triumph or failure in collection 2 of Akame ga Kill!

Commentary:

As series go Akame ga Kill is a little above average, but I was very concerned at the end of the first 12 episodes. I have seen all too many anime that started out with a solid story line that ended up become over indulgent and failed to bring it to a reasonable conclusion. Akame ga Kill manages to make it clear that the story is over and also does something very interesting for a mythic tail of heroes, it gives us closure with the characters.

Without giving anything away I have to say that I was a little emotionally wound up by some of the events and more than once felt both excited and sad by the battles fought.

Overall Grade: B+

I really like the second half of the Akame ga Kill  for what it was. The myth of the hero and the battle for what is right cam sometimes cross lines that both corrupt a moral existence but at the same time exact a price that can be too heavy to bear. When all is said Akame ga Kill manages to find a way to give us finality and hope at the same time.

If you are looking for a real action anime with lots of side plots and a harem tossed in to make it more interesting then Akame ga Kill it the one for you. I often find harm anime rather silly and only a very few make any sense, as for Akame ga Kill the story came together because of the harem and without the love story tossed in the plot would have been less favorable and entertaining. This is a winner and is worth the time to check it out.

 

Akame ga Kill Collection 1(anime review)

814131018571_anime-akame-ga-kill-blu-rayTitle: Akame ga Kill Collection 1

Director: Tomoki Kobayashi

Creator: Takahiro

Written By: Makoto Uezu

Studio: White Fox, C-Station (ONA)

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: February 9th, 2016

Format: Blu-ray / 12 Episodes / 300 Minutes:

Genre: Fantasy, Action, Supernatural, Drama

Age Rating: TV14

Overall Personal Rating: B+

Synopsis: 

When he set off for the Capital, all Tatsumi wanted was a way to make money. Instead, he finds himself rescued from a fate worse than death by a group of assassins known as Night Raid, and thrust into the middle of a bloody revolution. On the one side: Prime Minister Honest, his secret police, elite squad of assassins, and the armies of the Empire. On the other: Night Raid and a handful of rebels desperate to overthrow the brutal regime of Honest’s puppet emperor. Leveling the playing field: the Imperial Arms, a legendary set of unstoppable weapons created in the distant past. But to use an Imperial Arm is practically a death sentence, for only a select few can even survive using them… and when two Arms go against each other, only the user of one is likely to survive in Akame ga Kill!

Commentary:

I really like to say that Akame ga Kill is something new and different, but I just can’t. It is very entertaining and full of action. Akame ga Kill just falls into the trap of being another action anime that isn’t so worried about the plot but rather the movement across the screen. Akame ga Kill proved elements of being a harem, a supernatural drama and a fantasy series that provides plenty of battles with blood splattering all over the place. Why is it that we never meet the cleaning crew and the cloths washers. With these characters only having one set of close I would think that the cloths washers are always on hand and ready to scrub the blood out of teams duds. It might be interesting to see a comedy anime about these magical creatures and their washing skills. I would think they are prized employee no matter what action/fantasy/horror anime was in favor.

Overall Grade: B+

Even though I don’t find anything new or different about Akame ga Kill I still find a fun watch. It is fast and packed with action, albeit bloody, along with plenty of pretty girls. I guess that the thing that I find interesting is what is going to happen when Tatsumi is fitted with Imperial Arms that bring out his true power. I am guessing that in the second half of the series w will find out what makes him so special and if his stalker will get him back into her loving arms.

Akame ga Kill isn’t for everyone, but I think it will find broad appeal. If the Attack on Titan crowd discover it they just might make a huge hit. So, if you enjoy a fun, fast, action packed anime with plenty of splattering blood the Akame ga Kill is for you.

Aura-Koga Maryuin’s Last War- (anime review)

aura

review provided by Katie and Andrew

Title: Aura-Koga Maryuin’s Last War-

Director: Seji Kishi

Studio: AIC ASTA

Author: Makoto Uezu and Jun Kamagai

U.S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U.S. Release Date: December 8, 2015

Format and Length: Blu-ray / Movie / 90 minutes

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance, School Life, Supernatural

Industry Age Rating: 17 and up

Overall Personal Rating: A-

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: The Garden of Words and Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions!

The difference between reality and fantasy is that the monsters in the real world are more dangerous.

Synopsis:

Ichiro Sato used to spend his life dreaming, pretending to be a great fantasy hero. Pretend heroics, however, do not allow for much protection from bullies and social ridicule. Now determined to follow a different path and fit in, Ichiro thought he had managed to give up his old fantasies. Until he encountered Ryouko Satou, who is even more deeply immersed in her own imaginary world than Ichiro was – and is bullied just as cruelly for it. If he stands up for Ryouko, Ichiro could destroy the new life he is trying to build.

But at the same time, the intensity of her fantasies and predicament reminds him all too vividly of the person he once was. In the end, it may just be that the only one who can really rescue this damsel in distress is the dream hero that Ichiro thought he had buried forever in Aura. Will Ichiro save Ryouko? You will have to watch Aura-Koga Maryuin’s Last War- to find out.

Commentary:

There comes a time in everyone’s life that we tend to hate reality. Rather it be the monotony of everyday life, failed dreams, or even stress and being overwhelmed by life, we all turn to fiction as an escape. Some cases are much more extreme than others. Lately there have been a few series coming out addressing Chuunibyou (rough translation; middle school second year syndrome, a common stage of growth for most people in Japan, where fantasy is used to escape the reality of growing up). Aura-Koga Maryuin’s Last War- is a movie that introduces us to a more mature look at what a victim of Chuunibyou suffers from, but everything plays out like a typical high school bullying story. There are not many twists and turns and everything can be seen coming from a mile away. However, the story still works well and is enjoyable. The drama in Aura-Koga Maryuin’s Last War- falls perfectly in the center as everything feels natural. The angst and conflicts are perfectly and realistically presented and are not used as cheap means to manipulate our emotions. The drama is sincere, heartfelt, and heartbreaking at times. Aura-Koga Maryuin’s Last War- shows the pain of bullying either as the recipient, Ryouko and Ichiro, or as a bystander observing the damage done, the rest of the class, and Aura-Koga Maryuin’s Last War- shows that it is never a good thing.

The characters had a sense of realism in the way that they spoke that many will be able to relate to. The main characters, Ichiro and Ryouko, were very likeable and easy to sympathize with. In the short time the writers manage to develop the characters quite extensively, and it helps the story and the emotional attachments that you form with them. This does feed the interest as they developed the story, which in itself does not have many twists or unforeseeable turns to grab your interest. Without the awesome character development, I doubt that the story would have been as good as it was. From the first scene you are given a chance to see inside the mind of the male main character, as he lives out his fantasy he is highly ridiculed for. Bullying is an issue in Japan as Japanese society is highly conformist. “The nail that sticks out the most is hammered down the hardest.” This gives a realistic look into what happens in Japan schools and why chuunibyou exists, and the issues around it.
Extras:

Aura-Koga Maryuin’s Last War– includes Sentai Filmworks trailers as special features. This movie was released with both English and Japanese with English subtitles as language options. Both are enjoyable and I would recommend either one depending on your preference.

Overall Grade: A-

Aura-Koga Maryuin’s Last War– gives new insight into the strange phenomenon known as chuunibyou. I recommend this movie to anyone who is wanting to see something more realistic.

Devil Survivor 2: The Animation (anime review)

review by Luther

Title: Devil Survivor 2: The Animation

Devil Survivor 2: The AnimationDirectors: Seiji Kishi

Writer: Makoto Uezu

Studio: Bridge

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks / Section 23

U. S. Release Date: July, 1, 2014

Format: DVD /13 Episodes/ 325 minutes

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Age Rating: TV MA

 

Overall Personal Rating: B+

Synopsis:

When Japan is driven to the brink of despair by mysterious invaders called Septentriones, humanity fights back using Devil Summoners, 13 people of great distinction who have made pacts with daemons and been given the power to fight! This is the story where comrades’ death can be foretold, where mankind has been placed in the harshest of situations, a story of conflict and choices. Will they be able to survive the countdown to Armageddon?! Their choices will decide the future in Devil Survivor 2 THE ANIMATION!

Commentary:

The first thing to note about Devil Survivor 2 is that there is no Devil Survivor 1 anime. Devil Survivor 2 is based off the Nintendo DS game Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2, and is a self-contained story that is not a continuation of the first Devil Survivor game. That said, when I started watching Devil Survivor 2: The Animation I wanted to compare it to the game, however games and anime are two very different mediums. In the game, as the player, you have different dialogue choices and gameplay options that affect how the story progresses, compared to the anime which is a set story. So at first my opinion of the anime wasn’t quite as good as it could have been because I preferred game, but when I got adjusted to the anime, I did enjoy it.
Another reason I didn’t like Devil Survivor 2 at first is the main protagonist, Hibiki. Shortly after the anime started, Hibiki became your typical whiny anime protagonist, which is one of my least favorite character archetypes. Fortunately as the anime progressed, Hibiki’s personality evened out, and he became a much more likable character.

In general, I thought that Devil Survivor 2 was a well put together anime. Thirteen episode series can often feel rushed or incomplete, but I think all the time in Devil Survivor 2 was well used and very little of it was wasted. As a result, the story was deep and interesting and despite the fact that there are 13 main characters, most of them felt whole and rounded.

There is one little thing to note about Devil Survivor 2, and that is its packaging. Although packaging isn’t typically noteworthy, I quite like the box art for this anime. The box has a holofoil cover, thus is very shiny, and with its spiral pattern, it’s almost hypnotic. I will admit that due to its shiny nature, reading the words on the box is not easy, but ultimately I found the box to be really cool, and eye-catching.

Overall Grade: B+

Devil Survivor 2: The Animation is a quick and enjoyable watch, with interesting characters and a compelling story. If you have played the Devil Survivor 2 game, then you may not like anime as much, but if you’re unfamiliar with both then I would recommend watching the anime first.