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Space Brothers collection 1 (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : February 18, 2015
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Space Brothers collection 1Title: Space Brothers collection 1 on Blu-ray

Director: Ayumu Watanabe

Music By: Toshiyuki Watanabe

Studio: A-1 Pictures

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: Feb. 24th, 2015

Format: Blu-ray / 13 episodes / 325 minutes

Genre: Sci Fi, Slice of Life, Action, Drama

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Grade: A-

Synopsis:

Mutta’s life has hit rock bottom. He’s been fired, blackballed from his profession, and even had to move back in with his parents. Meanwhile, the career of Mutta’s brother, Hibito, has taken off like a rocket as he trains for the job Mutta once dreamed of: becoming an astronaut. But is it ever too late to go after your dreams? Through a little coercing and a bit of covert activity, Mutta’s family and friends can get his resume on the right desk, but from that point on it’ll be up to Mutta himself.

Does he have what it takes to turn his life around and put his footprint on the moon? The first step on the highway to the stars is always the hardest, and in a job where crash and burn isn’t just a euphemism, it’ll be the biggest risk Mutta’s ever taken. But with the right support team, maybe he’ll find what he needs to rekindle the spark inside him and light the biggest candle of them all!

Commentary:

Space Brothers is a breath of fresh air in a room filled with sexual innuendoes. I have been loving this series for its simple straight forward story telling and the fact that it doesn’t need a bunch of young partially dress girls or boys to make it interesting. Space Brothers doesn’t pretend to ben anything other than a warn hearted story about two brothers who once dreamed the same dream but got separated and are now back on the path of realizing a special bond they experienced in their youth.

Of course, there are strange quirky things happening to keep it lively, but in its true essence it is all about he incredible optimism of youth and the though road that must be taken to follow those dreams. We may not know much about Hibito, but Mutta feels like he could be one of us. He has his odd quirks and his self doubt along with a relatively strong sense of self awareness that helps him stay on corse.

The writing of this series is what makes it special. The characters feel like normal humans with both fears and joy that go along with the big and little things that make up our daily lives. I think that if this series was about two brothers that wanted to be truck drivers it would still work based on the presentation of both the story line and the cast of characters.

Overall Grade: A-

There is a lot going on in this series even though it appears to follow a simplistic glide path. Knowing that it has a long way to go is a both frustrating because they manage to get the viewer involved and rooting for Mutta in a way that makes us want to know if he gets to his special goal. On the other hand that built in tension with the progression of the series makes it special to watch and it is even better if you space out the episodes.

Space Brothers is not a series that I would recommend binge watching. There are just too many episodes and the story needs to set in your mind so that you can discover the real pleaser that the series will provide.

I am finding Space Brothers to be a genuine pleasure and am looking forward to the next collection. I think that anyone who is close to a sibling and at one time dreamed about the future with them or even a best friend will find this series something to treasure.

 

Genshiken Second Generation premium edition (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : February 7, 2015
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Genshiken Second GenerationTitle: Genshiken Second Generation (premium edition)

Director: Tsutomu Mizushima

Studio: Production I. G.

Original Story: Shimoku Kio

Music: Shuichiro Fukuhiro

U. S. Distributor: NIS America

U. S. Release Date: Feb. 3rd, 2015

Format: Blu-ray / 13 Episodes / 308 minuts / English Subtitles

Genre: Slice of Life, Comedy, Otaku

Age Rating: T for teen 13+

Overall Personal Rating: B+

Synopsis: 

It’s a new semester at Shiiou University, and for “The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture,” AKA Genshiken, that can only mean one thing – new freshman recruits! Originally founded as a club for otaku to discuss their unabashed love of anime, manga, and video games with one another, the current president of Genshiken, Chika Ogiue, may have bitten off more than she can chew by recruiting a bunch of yaoi-obsessed fujoshis to join their ranks!

Meanwhile, the original members of Genshiken who have since graduated find themselves coming to terms with their new lives as productive members of society.

Commentary:

Genshiken Second Generation turns the original series upside down by taking the otaku world into the 21st Century. This changes the focus on the standard old school world to the new generation of girl fans that love the yaoi. This is new newer fascination even here in the U. S., the standard yaoi fan were middle aged ladies who enjoyed the oddly erotic world created by the series. For Genshiken Second Generation the world has changed, the number of young men in the club has dwindled to 2 and one of them prefers to come to the club dressed as a cute young lady who is also into yaoi or rather BL (boys love).

This dichotomy creates most of the tension and comic relief for the show. I’m not real sure if it is the savior or the failure but it is the major focus in these 13 episodes. For me I did have an issue with the way Hato was portrayed at times. For him to work so hard at cross dressing and then to have his development end up denying his feeling and sexual orientation. Hato clearly has erotic feelings for a former male member and to have him clearly state that he is strait is almost a cruel denial of the acceptance he has been able to experience from the current a former member Genshiken. I think that if Hato’s character would have come out a gay it would have added to the overall high quality of the series.

There was also another odd event in the series that put me off a little. When a older sister of one of the Genshiken member visits from America and speaks English the quality of her speech is not true to the character. She ends up sounding like a Japanese speaking English and it does not work for her characters and the involvement with the group. Actually, I really enjoyed her part and how it shook the club up, even if for a short time.

Overall Grade: B+

Even though there were a could aspects to the show that bothered me I did like the series and the way it shows how times change and genres ebb and flow, but all in all it is still fun to be an Otaku.

The quality of the animation is great and the writing was well done. Most of the characters were very well developed and easy to connect with, I liked most of them so much that I would have enjoyed being part of the club myself.

If you are familiar with the first series and connected with the club then I am sure you will connect with them in Genshiken Second Generation. There are plenty of old faces and the new members prove to be as much fun as the series offered before. So, if you are a self proclaimed Otaku then I am sure you will connect with Genshiken Second Generation.

Extras:

Even though there aren’t any extras to the show to speak of the premium box set comes with an awesome book. In the past NIS America produced their books in a long thin format and now the sets come with a manga sized hard cover book that provides plenty of additional information and amazing art work. These premium sets do really make a difference and with the price of anime today it is great to get a premium that is a true premium. Thanks, NIS America!

The Eccentric Family (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : January 28, 2015
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The Eccentric FamilyTitle: The Eccentric Family (Uchōten Kazoku)

Director: Masayuki Yoshihara

Creator: Tomihiko Morimi (novel)

Anime Writer: Shōtarō Suga

Studio: P.A. Works

Music by: Yoshiaki Fujisawa

North America Distributor: NIS America

North American Release Date: Jan. 6th, 2015

Format: Blu-ray / 13 Episodes / 307 minutes

Genre: Comedy, Supernatural, Slice of Life, Drama

Age Rating: TV 13+

Overall Personal Rating: A

Synopsis:

In modern day Kyoto, humans live in the city, tengus take to the sky, and tanukis roam the earth. One such tanuki is Yasaburo, the third son of Soichiro Shimogamo, famed tanuki leader who met his end far too early at the hands of a group of humans and their year-end banquet hot pot.

Yasaburo has since embraced his “fool’s blood” and strives for a happy, carefree life. But between taking care of his old tengu master Akadama-sensei, avoiding the life-threatening advances of the beautiful human Benten, dealing with his dangerously stupid twin cousins, and avoiding becoming a hot pot himself in the next year-end banquet, the young tanuki has his proverbial work cut out for him!

Commentary:

Ok, all you tanuki fans line up. This anime is the next best thing to Pom Poko. yes and I really mean it. I have to say I laughed and cried with this anime and was  left with smile on my face when it was over. The Eccentric Family takes on the every lasting struggles of understanding the world around you and also the differences that make a family unit. There are classic older brother issues along with the neurotic personalities that come with being a middle and youngest brother. Seeing this family represent the full spectrum is great and they are burdened with having a father that cast a huge shadow. How can a son ever live up the heroic legendary ideal that their father created before his tragic end?

The Eccentric Family is well written and adapted to this 13 episode anime. It doesn’t drag anything out and also manages to fill most of the gaps in a short period of time. I feel as though the story had a lot to say and really hit on a few points. I’m sure if it really explored the tanuki aspect as well as it could, but it managed to keep the supernatural world at the center of the plot line.

The animation was carefree and stood up to the story well. I would have preferred it to be a little tighter with maybe a more robust full feature to the characters. The background was bright and cheerful which help keep things in line with the overall fun filled attitudes of the world of the tanuki. The music fit well with the story and really helped out in a few critical points. Way to go Yoshiaki Fujisawa for understanding the nature of the story.

Overall Grade: A

The Eccentric Family is a well rounded story that I think the whole family can enjoy. I do think that percents will enjoy it because of the way it provides that archetype personas of children and the behavior based on their birth place. I think there is something to say about rediscovering the memories of a long lost loved one and trying to understand the meaning of their existence.

The only real detractor for me was that it was not dubbed into english. I believe that because of the quick pace much of the meaning can be lost and some of the dialog looses its punch. That being said I still enjoyed the series and may need to revisit it several time to catch all of it for what it really is.

A-Channel the Animation (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : January 4, 2015
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A-ChannelTitle: A-Channel the Animation on Blu-ray

Director: Manabu Ono

Written By: Tatsuhiko Urahata

Original Creator: bb Kuroda

Studio: Studio Gokumi

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Release Date: Jan. 27th, 2015

Format: Blu-ray / 12 episodes, 2 OVAs / 300 Minutes

Genre: Slice of Life, Comedy, Girls High School

Age Rating: TV PG

Overall Personal Rating: B

Synopsis:

Toru and Run have been best friends forever, so when Toru learns that she’s managed to get into the same high school as Run, she runs to tell her… only to find Run in a compromising position with yet another girl, Yuko. Needless to say, that makes things a bit awkward at school, with Toru fending off those who might be interested in Run while Yuko and their other girlfriend, Nagi, have to deal with Run’s own penchant for drama.

But it’s not all angst all the time, and as the school year progresses the four girls and their many classmates find time to laugh, play, and figure out how to handle the unexpected problems life likes to throw at the them. Like bugs in the house, accidentally giving each other horrible haircuts, freezing up at karaoke, or forgetting to put your underwear on in the morning.

Commentary:

Taking on the world of girl high school slice of life series is a tough road when you have series like Lucky Star, K-On!, and even The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, but A-Channel does a great job of jumping right in. There is plenty of simple cuteness and comedy though out the series and with a straight forward plot it is easy to get connected to the characters. I have to hand it to the creator (bb Kurada) for not making things too complicated and just letting these girls live in this rather happy world.

The real strength behind the series is the character development or should I say simple character development. A-Channel isn’t trying to make any grand gestures or give us something to contemplate over the year. It is just trying to give us something to smile about about and that is exactly what it does. I can’t say that there is a character in the series that I don’t like for some reason or another.

Overall Grade: B

The one area I felt was lacking was the animation. I get that the story is about these girls moving though their daily lives in high school, but the look flattened it out too much and left some of the enjoyment of the characters out of the equation. I understand the cute or Kawaii aspects to their almost chibi forms and do see how it might attract a wider female audience. For me I was a little less attracted to these girls because of the big heads and tiny limbs rendering of their forms. I guess that I just am not a fan of this look and also found it to be a little off putting with Lucky Star and some of the slice of life series that pick this basic form. For A-Channel and the simplistic approach to the plot line the animation style just left me a little flat. It would have been more suited to stylistic work done in Aria where the girls take on a much more human form rather than the big head thing that is happening in the series.

A-Channel is a solid comedy that tends to make you smile more than laugh out loud. The story is simple and this provides a carefree viewing experience that is sometimes just right.

Time of Eve: The Movie (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : December 23, 2014
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Time of EveTitle: Time of Eve

Director: Yasuhiro Yoshiura

Writer: Yashuhiro Yoshiura

Music By: Tohru Okada

U. S. Distributor: PIED PIPER

U. S. Release Date: Nov. 15th, 2014

Format: Blu-ray / Feature Film / 106 minuts

Genre: Sci Fi, Drama, Slice of Life

Age Rating: Not Rate, but would be TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: A

“Did you enjoy your time at Time of Eve?”

 

Synopsis:

Influenced by the Robot Ethics Committee, it’s become common sense for people to treat androids like household appliances. Their appearance – indistinguishable from humans except for the ring over each android’s head – has led some people to empathize unnecessarily with androids. Known as “android-holics”, such people have become a social problem.

Rikuo, a high school student, has been taught from childhood that androids are not to be viewed as humans, and has always used them as convenient tools. One day Rikuo discovers some strange data in the behavior records of his family’s household android, Sammy. Rikuo and his friend Masaki trace Sammy’s movements, only to discover a mysterious cafe that features a house rule that “humans and robots are to be treated the same”…

Commentary:

Each year there is always one film or series that captures the best qualities in the artistry know as anime. Time of Eve brings something very special to the genre that transcends the world of animation. I know this is high praise for just a movie, but we have all see plenty of shows that take on the question of how far Artificial Intelligence will go. Time of Eve does something a little special with that and it manages to leave the viewer with the ability to judge that for themselves. It does manage to get a little sentimental at the end and play on some base emotions, but for the most part the questions being raised are necessarily define and give a full moral imperative. The question still remains in the end, are they machines or something else with a definite slant in one direction.

I have always loved these type of cerebral shows that take the premiss and write something very special around it. I also think that half of the success is the animation of the story. On one hand it is clean and crisp but at times the somewhat, almost cliché quick movement of the camera becomes a little herky jerky that adds to the experience. There was a time when you were give the perspective of the character and force to feel like they were being forced to move their heads quickly that I couldn’t stand the thought that anyone believed that our minds eye really sees things that way. For Time of Eve I don’t see it as something unnatural, but rather a device that adds flavor and movement to the show.

The writing brings the story home and manages to set each character up with enough mystery that you never really know what they are thinking. I guess that I would have like to have a little more closure in the story, but the dialog and the plot movement was superb and not too heavy handed.

Overall Grade: A

I would have liked to give this an A+ but with it being so short and basically leaving us with no closure I have to know off a little. If you see only one new anime this year Time of Eve should be it. I think you will find it as enjoyable as I do.

 

Hanasaku Iroha: Home Sweet Home (anime review)

Posted by :Patches On : November 4, 2014
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Hanasaku Iroha: Home Sweet HomeTitle: Hanasaku Iroha: Home Sweet Home the movie

Director: Masahiro Ando

Writer: Mari Okada

Studio: P. A. Works

U. S. Distributor: NIS America

U. S. Release Date: Oct. 14th, 2014

Format: Blu-ray / Feature Film / 66 Minutes

Genre: Slice of Life, Coming of Age

Age Rating: TV 13

Overall Personal Rating: A-

Synopsis:

In the days before the Bonbori Festival, Ohana’s friend Yuina comes to Kissuiso for training. While cleaning up after her, Ohana discovers a logbook kept by Beans from when her mother, Satsuki, was still a youth at Kissuisso. Through the logbook, Ohana catches a glimpse of her mother’s struggles, and realizes that maybe the two of them aren’t so different after all. Meanwhile, the rest of the inn staff are caught up in dealing with a blackout.

Commentary:

In a continuation of the series a this simple little film manages to keep in line with the same strong sense of self and family that the original series gave us. Although this may be a simple story that just gives us a glimpse into how a girl discovers how much she has in common with both her mother and grandmother there  is so much more conveyed. The ability to reach out cross the divide and touch each of us with a sentimentality that is most often tossed away and make us feel both glad and sad about our own connection is something very special. It is seen in other series like Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day, Air and even Kanon, but in Hanasaku Iroha it is brought forth by using family connections that tell of both love and rebellion. This might just be more faithful to what most families go through than what is seen some of the other series.

For Home Sweet Home I found it to be come together slowly. At first I was confused by what I was watching and once the plot was drawn out it made sense. I guess that I enjoyed the confusion, but would have rather it not be presented in quite this way. As the story progressed I was pleasantly surprised how it did manage to give us some meaningful interaction with several of the other characters other than Ohana, her mother and grandmother. That was one aspect of the original series that I enjoyed a great deal and getting to spend some time dealing with Minko and Nako who have just as important roles to play in the life of the story as Ohana.

The animation was slick and at times I found the hard edge of CG out of place with the softness of the characters and some of the background. Overall it was beautiful. The writing stood on its own merits and prove that the story is the thing that makes the series.

Overall Grade: A-

If you haven’t seen any of the Hanasaku iroha series, I strongly suggest it before you watch the movie. I not saying the move could stand on its own, but I think have some historical background about the series and characters will help it be that much more enjoyable.

If you are looking for a heart warming film that both reaffirms our own struggles with our past and the connections we have with family the Hanasaku Iroha: Home Sweet Home is a film that you will love.

Stella Women’s Academy High School Division Class C³: The Complete Collection

Posted by :Patches On : September 23, 2014
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Stella Women’s Academy High School Review provided by Katie and Andrew

Title: Stella Women’s Academy High School Division Class C³: The Complete Collection

Director: Masayoshi Kawajiri

Studio: Gainax

Author: Getsumin Ikoma

U.S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks, Section 23

U.S. Release Date: September 2, 2014

Format and Length: DVD / 13 Episodes / 325 Minutes

Genre: Action, Comedy, School, Sports, Military, Slice of Life

Industry Age Rating: 14 and up

Overall Personal Rating:C

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: Girls und Panzer and Upotte!!

Synopsis:

Yura Yamato has just arrived at Stella Women’s Academy. She transferred in wanting to avoid people from her old school, seeking a “new life” because her shy nature has made her a social outcast at her middle school. On her first day she remains shy, but is overwhelmed with requests to join a club called C³, who are lacking members. After finding out her roommate Sonora was also part of the club, she was again extended an invitation to join. It quickly becomes clear that the girls of Stella Women’s Academy are VERY different. She joins C³ (which stands for Command, Control and Communications) whose main afterschool activity is playing survival games! It’s not a typical teenage girl pastime, but Sonora and her trigger-happy friends are seriously into it. The question that puts Yura in the crosshairs of a dilemma is if she has what it takes to join up, stand up, and deliver in the face of friendly fire.

Commentary:

Stella Women’s Academy High School Division Class C³: The Complete Collection on its face looked to be another notch in the belt of the “cute girls doing cute things” slice of life genre, a genre that has had a few successful entries in the last two years. Right off the bat, it wastes no time starting out as a “cute girls doing cute things” series. Cute girls playing war games with airsoft guns. What’s not to like? The main story line revolves around Yura, the quiet newbie that everyone continuously tries to get to come out of her shell. It continues on its way the way all the others did. It looked like it was gonna be a cliché addition to all the rest. At this point you are looking for something to differentiate one series from another. Then out of nowhere it changes. Suddenly it adds a supernatural link. A deity from feudal Japan suddenly joins the story line, to teach someone that they have some special power. The artistry in this portion is quite good. At first it seemed it would be quite an intriguing addition. You are suddenly drawn back in wondering where they may take this. You think of how this could make the series very unique. They focus on it quite strongly… For one episode… Then it returned back to the slice of life it was beforehand completely forgetting that a feudal deity ever even appeared. Then out of nowhere it changes once again. Then it becomes a motivational story line. How with hard work, you can do anything. That lasted for maybe one and a half episodes. After that it quickly becomes completely serious, a lesson teacher. Suddenly morals come into play. It’s now a story about how a character loses sight of what’s really important while chasing a dream and how she works to gain it back. This at least sticks around for a few episodes. Then once again, all is forgotten and returns back to being cute. This discombobulated mess tends to leave you scratching your head. Don’t get me wrong. Individually, they are all good ideas to go with this type of series, to help further expand the normally weak story line. But the problem is that they cannot seem to choose a direction of which they want to go. And this odd range of choices does not go well together, since they can’t seem to pick which one they really want to go with. And they change the idea as quickly as a quack experimental anime. I wish they would have choose one and stuck with it.
The character development was pretty decent. Even at the end you tend to see everyone is likeable, and that each have individual, and maybe a little cliché, but developed personalities. You even tend to like the person you least expected to like. The art was standard. Not anything special, except the details of the supernatural scene, and the weapons. None actually look like airsoft unless you see them loading and charging them. With no differentiating characteristics from the real thing, you would probably be arrested for having one in Japan. The battle background music caught my ear quickly, being a nice higher tempo modern jazz piece. The opening and ending were nothing special either. Overall I had high hopes for this one and they made sure to quash them at every turn.
Extras:

Stella Women’s Academy High School Division Class C³: The Complete Collection includes clean opening and closing animations and Sentai Filmworks trailers as special features. This series was released with only Japanese language with English subtitles.

Overall Grade: C

While I enjoyed watching Stella Women’s Academy High School Division Class C³: The Complete Collection, it fell short of what it could have been.

K-ON! Season 1

Posted by :Patches On : September 21, 2014
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K-On! season 1Title: K-ON! season one

Director: Naoko Yamasa

Writer: Reiko Yoshida

Music: Hajime Hyakoku

Studio: Kyoto Animation

U. S. Distributor: Semtai Filmworks, Section 23

U. S. Re-Release Date: Sept. 23rd, 2014

Format: DVD / 12 Episodes + 2 OVAs / 350 minutes

Genre: Slice of Life, Comedy

Overall Personal Grade: A-

Synopsis:

Rock ‘n’ roll may never die, but the Sakuragoaka Girl’s High School Light Music Club might not be here to stay unless would-be drummer Ritsu Tainaka can find three more members to replace the graduated seniors. Determined to see that the beat goes on, Ritsu can get a little help from her friend Mio Akiyama on bass, and together they might be able to convince choir-inclined Tsumugi Kotobuki to join on the keyboards. But even then, they’ll still need a hero, preferably of the juke-box variety with stars in her eyes.

Instead, they find Yui Hirasawa, who’s looking for a club to join and who’s never held a guitar in her life. But when Yui does pick up a beat-up six-string, it feels good in her hands, and it doesn’t take long to understand that maybe she’s finally found a place where she belongs. Because you can’t stop the music when four girls share a dream, even if it’s something as crazy as someday playing at the famous Budokan. It’s going to be a long and winding road, but if they find their passion and follow their muse, they could go anywhere!

Commentary:

The girls are back. As I stand and applaud Sentai Filmworks for not letting this wonderful series fair into obscurity with the closing of Bandai anime in North America I begin to remember how much I really enjoy the simple structure of K-On! If you have not had a chase to see this series and find yourself looking for a nice story that is about nothing more than a group of girls just having fun being friends and getting through high school.

Beyond the story line there is also the music that keep this series rolling forward. I can’t say that it is hard hitting rock or thoughtful full blooded roll, but it is happy music that will leave you with a smile. That smile is what is at the core for K-On! and keeping you smiling is the thing that this series does, I love the way that the story is developed. There is no heavy handed or over the top comic relief. It is all about watching these girls blend their personalities to make a group that anyone would want to be a part of.

Overall Grade: A-

As much as I like K-On! I still see how it could bother some who are looking for a show that gives you a solid slice of life and a coming of age story. With K-On! sticking to the simplicity of the story it does tend to drag at times. There really aren’t any heavy dramatic or crazy comedic moments that make you sit up and say yes this is what I cam for. K-On! just washes over you like a warm mild spring wind that gives you hope and a smile that reminds you of your youth or makes those high school years look like they a just plain simple fun.  If there was ever a series that makes you feel good with out any pain or heavy belly laughs K-On! is it and it does it so sublimely that you just might have to watch it twice to understand what makes it not just good, but something worth remembering.

Thank you Sentai Filmworks and Section 23 for not letting this wonderful series slipping into that world of obscurity.

WataMote-No Matter How I look at It, It’s You Guys’ Fault I’m Not Popular!: Complete Collection

Posted by :Patches On : August 28, 2014
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Watamotereview provided by Katie and Andrew

Title: WataMote-No Matter How I look at It, It’s You Guys’ Fault I’m Not Popular!: Complete Collection

Director: Shin Onuma

Studio: Silver Link

Author: Takao Yoshioka

U.S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks / Section 23

U.S. Release Date: August 26, 2014

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

Genre: Comedy, School, Slice of Life

Industry Age Rating: 17 and up

Overall Personal Rating: B

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU and Welcome to the NHK

Synopsis:

Tomoko Kuroki has already dated many boys and she is easily the most popular girl around at the young age of 15, however the only problem is that none of that has actually happened! Tomoko’s perfect little world only exists in dating games and romance shows on T.V. The sad truth is that she is unable to actually talk to people and she only had one actual friend in middle school. This makes Tomoko’s first year of high school miserable. She wants to be popular but she ends up trying too hard and learns that things so not play out the same in reality as they do in her “otome” games. She is in for a lot of pain and blames a new person every time she fails. Will Tomoko ever make a friend at school or is she doomed to be lonely for ever? You will have to watch WataMote and find out.

Commentary:

WataMote is a true slice-of-life anime as each episode gives us a daily view into the life of Tomoko. We see her at school, at home annoying her brother, and on summer break. Her days are filled with fantasying, video games, television, and her continual thoughts on why she is a ‘mojyo’(the anime provides a definition in the first and last scenes, but basically it’s an unpopular, dateless, unwanted, untouched female). In a nutshell, WataMote is the painful story of a painfully anti-social girl’s painful life. Some will relate to Tomoko and others will just shake their heads. She cannot interact with anyone, except maybe her own family, or people much younger than her. Every time someone speaks to her, they are greeted with stuttering, mumbling, and a constant view of her hair, as she stares at the ground, unable to even fake eye contact. There are not many characters because the entire story is about the life of Tomoko and without friends or the ability to interact with people, there is few people in her life. This first person perspective limited you to her views, ideas, and criticisms of the other characters. And she does have a lot of criticism for all who have ignored her, usually laced with dirty jokes and profanity. The plot progression is very lifelike, as in nonexistent. If you are able to relate to Tomoko then the progression will be very close to how life actually is. However, if you are on the other side you will not understand why the word ‘hello’ is so hard to say.

WataMote is a series that you will either enjoy or hate. This series dares to be different and wastes no time on romanticizing high school life. Instead it portrays it for what many of us really saw it for, a sad place that you are forced to endure for eight hours a day. Few anime series have had the courage to do this. That being said, I found that some of the episodes seemed to go on forever and some of the episodes seemed to be very similar to other episodes. The ending also upset me because it abruptly ended and gave no closure to Tomoko’s problem and the main plot line in the series. She at times would contradict herself, always wanting to be extremely popular, yet in the next sentence complain about how she cannot lead the life of a neet. In the end she gained nothing and was unchanged. I think they did this in hopes of a second season, or maybe so that you would check out the manga. Or in all truth, maybe she never changes and this will be her life. Either way there is no conclusion. She continually fails to understand that life is nothing like dating sims, or video games. The opening animation was definitely fitting for the mood of the series. Not often does a screaming heavy metal rage piece fit, but here it fit so perfectly, with the transitions of Tomoko screaming into the opening worked and set the tone for what to expect. The ending was a pretty normal j-poppy song with Tomoko singing over it at certain parts like bad karaoke, cute, but not really special. Overall, if you are another Tomoko, or have any ability to relate in any way, you will enjoy WataMote.

Extras:

WataMote includes clean opening and closing animations and Sentai trailers as special features. This series includes both English and Japanese with English subtitles as language options. Both are good options, it just depends on your viewing preference.

Overall Grade: B

I found WataMote to be an interesting series. However, just remember that this series is a little strange and has many dirty jokes and rough language running through it. As long as you are prepared for those things I think many people may enjoy this interesting, off the wall anime.

 

KinMoza! Kiniro + Mosaic: Complete Collection

Posted by :Patches On : August 28, 2014
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Category: Reviews

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KinMoza!review provided by Katie and Andrew

Title: KinMoza! Kiniro + Mosaic: Complete Collection

Director: Motoki Tanaka

Studio: Studio Gokumi

Author: Yuniko Ayana

U.S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks / Section 23

U.S. Release Date: August 26, 2014

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

Genre: Comedy, School, Slice of Life

Industry Age Rating: 14 and up

Overall Personal Rating: A-

Similar Series or Titles to Check Out: K-On! and A-Channel

The British are invading Japan once again.

Synopsis:

Shinobu Omiya loves anything and everything English. While still in middle school, Shinobu had the amazing opportunity to join an exchange program and was able to study in England. Funny thing, she still has problems in her high school English class. The daughter of the family she stayed with in England, Alice Cartelet, decides that it is her turn to study abroad so she comes to Japan to attend high school. Hilarity ensues once Alice meets Shinobu’s friends Yoko and Aya. Then Alice’s friend, Karen, shows up and nothing will ever be the same again. Will Shinobu be able to pass her English class? Will Alice and Karen find their place in the Japanese high school? You will have to watch KinMoza! Kiniro + Mosaic: Complete Collection and find out.

Commentary:

KinMoza! Kiniro + Mosaic: Complete Collection is a very heartwarming anime that brings entertainment and relaxation to its viewers. It is a funny, yet entertaining show that anyone can and will enjoy. However, you will not find any fan-service or complex storylines in KinMoza!, but do not let that keep you from watching this amazing series. The first episode is a little weird and full of Engrish, but do not be frightened as it is not how the rest of the episodes are. The story line flows well for being a slice-of-life anime and the art reminds me of Kiki’s Delivery Service, especially the scenes set in England.

KinMoza! mainly focused on five characters. Those characters include Aya, Karen, Shinobu, Alice and Yoko. Of those characters, I would say that Shinobu and Alice are the main characters with the other girls being a close second. Shinobu, or Shino as her friends call her, is your normal 15-year old air headed girl who is extremely fascinated with foreigners, especially blonde girls. She can get into loads of trouble unless someone looks after her. She dreams of being an interpreter, but she needs to pass English first. Alice is your typical blonde moe loli that likes Shino. Alice is probably the most level headed people in the group, although she finds herself embarrassed when she is in strange situations. Yoko is the energetic and loud big sister of the cast and is described as a convenience store by Karen because of how dependable she is. Aya is bright and graceful but is also timid and shy occasionally. She displays tsundere tendencies towards Yoko. I also think she is in love with Yoko. Finally, Karen is the other English transfer student. She is a half-British and half-Japanese girl who is very energetic, almost more than Yoko. She is also very outgoing and not afraid to show her emotions. Karen loves to make Alice jealous by saying that she loves Shino more than her. That makes for some very interesting scenes.

KinMoza! shows the everyday lives of these five friends that are filled with humorous situations. The characters are drawn so well that they jump to life off the screen and the seiyuus, or voice actors, did an amazing job on making you love these characters. I am so happy that the slice-of-life genre of anime is coming back around because you really can get drawn into the series if you enjoy the characters.
Extras:

KinMoza! Kiniro + Mosaic: Complete Collection includes clean opening and closing animations and Sentai trailers as special features. This series was released with Japanese with English subtitles as the only language option.

Overall Grade: A-

KinMoza! is one of the most enjoyable animes I have seen in a while. If you enjoy anime series that are the cute girls doing cute things genre then you will love KinMoza!.