Sunday, September 30, 2012

SWORD ART ONLINE: EPISODE 13

Here's a glance at the episode reviews I do for GoBoiano. Enjoy!


9 stars out of 10

Sword Art Online. Copyright - Reki Kawahara, A-1 Pictures.


   YES! YES!! YES!!!

The first half of this episode is about utter ridiculousness, a most welcome interlude for a series that at times takes itself way too seriously. The mandatory 'Beach Episode' a lot of anime employ is replaced by a brief fishing tourney. Grandmaster Nishida helps Kirito reel in some mutant fish that probably resembles the first stage in land-to-sea prehistoric evolution. The second half of the episode sees our fighters returning to the front lines to investigate the disappearance of a scouting party. The Knights of the Blood Oath summon Kirito and Asuna for their aid in fighting the dungeon boss that killed the scout team. As of now, the Skull Reaper is wiping the floor with the party members, and next episode will reveal what becomes of our woefully weak comrades.

ANGEL BEATS!

*Published September 30th, 2012: http://www.goboiano.com/read-more-news.php?id=691

My only prior experience with Key/Visual Arts was Clannad, which made my expectations for Angel Beats!phenomenally high. Compared to a gem like that, Angel Beats! is clearly lacking finesse, but even those who've never seen a Key adaptation will notice that this anime could have been a lot better. The producers expect viewers to sit with their requisite box of tissues, waiting for both the laughter-induced and sorrow-induced tears to start falling; such moments never came for me. Angel Beats! is a little funny, a tad charming, and at times tragic- but that's all it is.

Angel Beats! Copyright P.A. Works, Key/Visual Arts

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Updates

* Update: As of May 2013 my senior project is completed and titled "Establishing a Post-human Identity through Mamoru Oshii's Ghost in the Shell and Innocence Films." It can be found on the Post-humanity tab above, and is available in PDF format.




Ah yes, school has resumed! I find myself with too much time and not enough time, all at the same damn time! But The Anime Guardians is still drudging forth. Expect an Angel Beats real soon, as well as a video review on a Super Mario Bros. anime Fallettus is in the middle of, and the senior project on anime cyborgs I announced in the summer. Things are moving along, albeit slowly. Sorry for the lack of posts. I hope to remedy this soon as I manage to get my work schedule up to snuff once again.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Musings: On Anime Review Blogs



What makes a 'good' anime review blog? Better yet, what makes a good anime review writer? Who's the one judging: the general populace, fan boys, or other anime critics? Writers don't exist in isolation, because if they did, they'd be wasting their time; no one wants to assume the world does not care to read their thoughts. Like any artistic means of expression, review writing unveils a personal experience with the content in question. In order to avoid seeming like an over-opinionated boob with no point of reference, comparing the reviewed content with a similar work is also common practice. "Anime review blog" is almost a contradiction of terms; whereas a 'review' or 'critique' implies importance (misplaced or otherwise), 'blog' or 'journal' often connotes simpler writing and less concern with grammar, technique, or even political correctness. How much of one's writing should pander to the tastes of the internet youth, who tend to utilize social networking sites for uploading pictures and reblogging them? Does anyone bother to actually read a review, or are the photos what the public looks forward to? When does craft and artistry give way to popular demand and business ventures? Is the writer truly a long-dead figure, a maverick in a world that replaces text with neon pictograms and GUI? And if so, where does that leave the last generation of writers? Will the job market cast them aside in favor of video game and software developers? Has imagery come full circle and supplanted writing as the world's primary mode of communication?

Did I make a mistake in choosing to become a writer? Or do my values simply need to change, so that my dignity and pride are stomped into the ground in favor of ever-morphing trends? When Facebook and Tumblr and Pintrest fade from memory, having since evolved into an even greater telecommunications matrix, what will I be doing with my writing? What form will logos take? Will that practice be part of my world anymore, or will I have moved on, conquering challenges unknown, surmounting summits unimaginable, distancing myself from the juvenile blog writings of yesteryear?

Monday, September 10, 2012

A Few Thoughts on CLANNAD

First of all, let's dispel a few myths about Clannad. The overwhelming impression people get before watching is that the series is a huge sob fest; as my friend put it, "You're going to cry man-tears." From what I understand, most adaptations from Key (Angel Beats) are similarly loaded with emotional drama. What audiences don't reveal is that those sorrowful moments are few and far between; furthermore, those rare occasions derive their strength from the heartwarming relationships that Clannad's cast fosters through many comedic high-school antics. I literally laughed out loud at least once every episode, confounded by the thought that there are people quirky enough to develop such a brilliant comedy. The visual novel origins are present, and the tale is obviously some variant of harem stories, but unlike most adaptations, the Clannad anime paces its story very well, avoiding the usual pitfalls of fillers and useless subplots. Those who haven't seen Clannad are missing out on an exceptionally good show; my penchant for science fiction anime does not change the fact that I enjoyed every minute of Clannad.

Clannad. Copyright Visual Art's/Key, Kyoto Animation.