Student Review Contest #15

[L-sama]

All right, y'all. Let's get things going again. With college winding down for some, time can be a premium. That said, the theme for the 15th Contest is.....

Short and Sweet

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to review an anime (be it TV series or OVA) with a running span of 13 Episodes OR FEWER (Movies will be fair game in the event of a lack of reviews). In your review, please also make a comment as to whether the episode length helps or harms the anime in question.

Rules:

1. One entry per person.
2. Only completed anime can be reviewed.
3. Reviews that are posted after the two week deadline will be disqualified.
4. Entries are final. Once a review is posted no more editing is allowed, regardless of whether it is still before the deadline.
5. The winner chooses the next theme and hosts the next contest.
6. Reviews must include at least a title, review, summary and grade.
7. The review and summary must be written by you.
8. No entering a review that has previously been entered in an Anime Academy Student Review Contest.
9. Fully clarify your theme. Do not be vague or over restrictive.

Guidelines
1. While it is not mandatory, including series details such as title alternatives; genre; company; format; dates; highs and lows; screenshots and a captioned screenshot, are looked upon favourably.
2. The preferred word count is about 300-500 words, as per the Anime Academy main page.
3. Previously written reviews are allowed to be entered as long as they don't break rule #8.

Submission deadline: April 28, 2007

A list of the winners so far:

Student Review Contest #1. Theme: Gonzo. Winner: Scoot
Student Review Contest #2. Theme: Synergy. Winner: Sorrow-kun
Student Review Contest #3. Theme: Tsundere. Winner: Kuzu Ryu Sen
Student Review Contest #4. Theme: Studio Ghibli. Winner: Mouse
Student Review Contest #5. Theme: Rodents. Winner: C0MPL3X
Student Review Contest #6. Theme: Complex. Winner: 7Raven7
Student Review Contest #7. Theme: Kanno Yoko. Winner: L-sama
Student Review Contest #8. Theme: Megumi Hayashibara. Winner: Milkymagic
Student Review Contest #9. Theme: Gainax. Winner: Two-twenty
Student Review Contest #10. Theme: WTF is this shit? Winner: Sorrow-kun
Student Review Contest #11. Theme: Anime based on novels. Winner: COMPL3X
Student Review Contest #12. Theme: Couple. Winners: LadySage and Sorrow-kun
Student Review Contest #13. Theme: Old-School. Winner: ohtori akio
Student Review Contest #14. Theme: Sailor Moon. Winner: L-sama

[L-sama]

I know...I'm double posting on my own thread, but I feel it's necessary. I mean, come on! It's been just about 10 days, and there hasn't even been the slightest hint of interest, let alone a response to this contest or thread. Perhaps the SRC has run out its popularity. I don't know.

At any rate, there's four days left in the contest if anyone out there sees this and is still interested in participating. If there's still no entry by the 28th, I'll extend the deadline for one more week or something.

There's my :twocents:

[C0MPL3X]

haha...your post makes it so sad for some reason. I can grab some shits I wrote about this series and get a review I suppose. If no one else submit maybe I can score a default win.

[Two-twenty]

C'mon people! It's such an easy topic! POST!!! I'd hate to see this thing die-out (I created it, so it's fully an ego thing going on here http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/Twotwenty/v.gif ).

[Milkymagic]

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p266/Milkymagic/giantrobo.jpg
Best Friends Forever!

Title: Giant Robo
Genre: Action
Company: Phoenix Entertainment
Length: 7 OVA Episodes
Dates: 1992-22-7 to 1998-5-1

Synopsis:

An invention named the Shizuma Drive helped start a revolution in energy resources, and for ten years it had been firmly established in everyday society. But after ten long years following a mysterious accident around the conception of the Shizuma Drive, a group by the name of Big Fire is searching for mysterious Shizuma Drive samples that could lead to world domination within their possession, and it's up to the Experts of Justice to make sure they get the last remaining sample before it is too late to uncover the dark secrets these samples hold.

Highs: Nice animation, great soundtrack, some interesting characters, a reliable storyline execution, intense action
Lows: Can be too old-school for some, some uninteresting characters, pace can be too fast to follow from the first episode's sudden opening

Review:

A longtime project in the making, Giant Robo was based off the manga from Mitsuteru Yokoyama, yet it is also said that the series remained a tribute to many of his other manga on that note. In truth, there was certainly some fine effort made in the 12 years this had been in production, but how does the series pan out on the whole today?

The series is really fast to follow, as we get everything in tidbits of the dark accident that led up to the modern technology of that time, and the many action sequences that fill the series as the Experts of Justice fend off Big Fire at every turn. Strangely enough, Daisaku Kusama is an interesting lead through all of this, but he never gets as much time as other characters like Ginrei and Genya to develop. The supporting cast is equally divided, as there's others that come and go within the confines of an OVA series format, and some that stick around and make themselves comfortable with the viewer to learn a little about. By the sixth and seventh episodes, there is an amusing character fiesta in which many characters pop-up and start fighting well into the climax's final battle, along with a few sudden twists that remained startling. However, there's enough character for an action-packed series like this to move along with little fuss, as the whole series at least keeps its priorities straight by maintaining its focus on the accident in question and the mystery behind the samples.

But as long as you stay on for the ride, there's plenty of crisp animation and brilliant orchestra work to keep one excited with all the special powers these characters hold, there's even some action sequences that give off the impression this anime was a forerunner for such anime as Read or Die.

Overall, Giant Robo is worthy mecha, with a storyline that doesn't insult your intelligence or try to be more mature than you. It's a grand adventure through a time in which mecha was more about the excitement a series like this was supposed to bring, not about teen angst or how corrupt the government of that time was. As long as newer fans understand where Giant Robo comes from, its production alone is worth a viewing from anyone who appreciates the genre altogether.

Grade: 80%

[Milkymagic]

There! I slapped one down for ya Sama! xD

I made sure to assemble this as best as I could, Giant Robo was definitely fun to watch, and I even made sure to keep in mind the nature of the show as I was reviewing it.

I'm more for mecha like Patlabor, Gunbuster, Macross, and Evangelion on the whole. But, its certainly nice to see a product this labored over for the first time, I can see why Ender and many others love it! :D

[L-sama]

*Gives Milky :cookie:

We have life in this contest! Thanks to Milky for submitting :)

[Ayumi Sawatari]

AIR: The 1000 Summer

Episodes: 12

Summary: A young named Keicchi, is a moody traveling puppet master. One day he comes to a small town and falls asleep on a wall overlooking the sea. When he wakes up a young girl is standing next to him reaching out to the sky. Through a series of events he comes to stay at the girl's home with her gaurdian (her aunt). He meets two of her classmates, one with a young girl who has the same name as her dead sister, and the other claims she has magical powers. Both of these girls play a strange role in this story. He finds a part-time job and stays at the town for a small time. But what happens in this small town has more of a connection to him than he thought.

Though it was confusing at times, this show was well thought out and carefully planned. The animation was brilliant. The story was magnificent. And it was a true tear jerker. The music was also very nice. If I had to rate it, I would give it a 92%. A true must watch in my opinion.


Um... I hope that helps! :sweat: I hope more people enter this!

[ohtori_akio]

Title: Ai Tenshi Densetsu Wedding Peach DX
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Romance
Company: KSS
Length: 4 OVA Episodes
Dates: 24.12.1996 - 25.07.1997

Synopsis:

These are the adventures of the four Ai Tenshi, two years after their battle with Reine Devila.

Highs: Great soundtrack, improved animation, enjoyable all the way through
Lows: An unnecessary outing, for fans only

Grade: 81%

Review:

What to call Wedding Peach DX? Is it a return to form or just a rehash of the previous story but with better animation? Well, the answer is both!! This outing does not bring anything new to the overall story, however it is enjoyable all the way through. Fans of Wedding Peach will want to see this set of OVAs because you get to see the fabulous cast again, the bigger budget makes this set consistently well drawn and animated, and these are four fun episodes!

The animation is an improvement on the quality of the TV series. This is no surprise though as this release is an OVA, which typically means higher budget and less episodes to make. The use of colour is still as great as ever with this series. They are bright and vibrant, and your eyes are totally drawn to them.
The character design is the same as the great one they had from the TV series but with some minor tweaking. Noticeacle examples are the proportions of the figures which seem a lot closer to right, and the textures created in the costumes which are excellent.
Talking about costumes, the Love Angels sport a much sexier look in this outing but it still manages to not be slutty which is a great thing. The only issue to be had at all with the look is that they could have had more inspired backgrounds. They work well in most scenes but they feel a little like a let down when you see all the improvements that were made in the other areas.

The sound in this release follows through with the wonderful standard that was set in the TV series. The new opening is an amazing piece of Pop/Punk that just grows on you with each listen. The ending is great too but on par with the wondeful intro "Merry Angel".

The story is a little standard for this release. There are some good points, like being able to see what life is like for the girls after their climactic finish in the TV series. Fans of Scarlet/Angel Salvia will also be pleased to find that the episodes on offer do deal with her more than in the preceding series.
The problem is that if one were to think back on this set of episodes, he would be left with a feeling that not much happened. Seeing that this release was played out for laughs, they get away with it - but something a little more substantial would have gone a longer way in pleasing the long-term fans of the show.

This OVA series is very easy to get into and love with the camp fun of the setting and atmosphere - if one wanted to preview Wedding Peach.

[Sorrow-kun]

I wasn't originally intending on submitting this review, but it fit the theme, so I figure, why not.

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Title: Bartender
Genre: Drama
Company: Bartender Production Team/Palm Studio
Format: 11 episodes
Dates: 15 Oct 2006 – 31 Dec 2006

Synopsis: Sasakura Ryu is a bartender in a quiet bar in the back streets of the Ginza district, called Eden Hall. He is famous in bartending circles for his “Glass of the Gods”, his ability to serve an alcoholic mix which always manages to strike a perfect chord with his customers.

The Highlights
Cinematography: Creative; allows for some unique story-telling.
Music: Classy; fitting for a show about bars.
Episodic stories: On average good, but not great.
Finale: Tries something special and succeeds admirably.
Pacing: Slow, as one generally expects from episodic slice-of-life.

http://www.nihonreview.com/images/AnimeBartender01.jpghttp://www.nihonreview.com/images/AnimeBartender02.jpghttp://www.nihonreview.com/images/AnimeBartender03.jpg

“Healing” anime, which are essentially episodic slice-of-life series that intend on making the audience feel good by developing and ‘healing’ its characters on screen, is an interesting concept and a small phenomenon in and of itself. It’s hard to draw trends, but they’ve become a rarity this year when compared to the above average number we saw in ’06, such as ARIA The Natural, Shinigami no Ballad (http://www.nihonreview.com/anime/shinigami-no-ballad/) and (to a much lesser extent since calling it a healing anime isn’t accurate) Mushishi (http://www.nihonreview.com/anime/mushishi/). I expected this mini-boom in the genre to continue into the present and further on down the road, but the indications so far this year are that I was wrong. Nonetheless, Bartender is a strong entry into a genre that is, no doubt, an acquired taste, hardly putting a step wrong.

Bartender has all the defining aspects of the genre in prominence: the pacing is slow, the focus is on characters rather than plot and dialogue rather than action (of which there is obviously none) and the atmosphere is surreal. The aesthetics do a fantastic job of creating this atmosphere, with an outstanding jazz piano soundtrack setting a fitting “classy bar” ambiance, while the animation remains adequate throughout. Visually, though, the highlight is the cinematography, which features some rather creative examples of segue. This allows the story to be told with numerous narrators and commentators and while the impact to the story telling may not be profound, it’s something different, which almost always gets my thumbs up.

Articulating the overall quality of an anime that consists of several episodic stories is a difficult task, since the difference between the best and worst episodes can easily be enormous, and they’re all independent of each other. Bartender’s episodic stories, on average, aren’t of the caliber of Mushishi (http://www.nihonreview.com/anime/mushishi/)’s or even ARIA (http://www.nihonreview.com/anime/aria-the-animation/)’s, but the majority of them are interesting. They’re the type that, if a friend was telling them to you, for example, at a bar over a drink, they would be sufficiently interesting that you’d hang on every word, but you’ve likely heard far more enthralling stories in your life. Each story does follow a standard formula, in which Sasakura listens to his customer’s story and serves a drink which turns their life around, but the series manages to keep itself fresh thanks to the varied and clever ways in which the drinks relate to the episodic stories and characters. Unfortunately, the repetitiveness finally catches up with the series in the penultimate episode, which pretty much dies on its feet half way through. Thankfully, Bartender chooses to do something completely different in its final episode, with a fitting tribute to artistic bartending, allowing the series to finish on a high, memorable note. The attitude that the final episode should be special is unfortunately rare in slice-of-life anime, but it is refreshing to see it here.

Bartender probably isn’t going to be appreciated by the masses, but fans of episodic slice-of-life will almost certainly lap it up. While the idea that a single serve of an alcohol beverage can turn someone’s life around may be difficult to swallow without having a few drinks yourself, following the plights featured in these episodic stories is still interesting and, oftentimes, heart-warming. I wouldn’t say this is the best of this genre, but it’s still an enjoyable, feel-good way to pass the time.

The Rating: 7
http://www.nihonreview.com/images/rank7.png

Reviewed by: Sorrow-kun

[Shadowmage]

Invasion of NHRV?

Crap, forgot about the editing rule. Good thing there is no rule about reposting. (If you're curious I added the word "the" the change the first sentence of the synopsis from "ire of Gods" to "ire of the Gods").
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Title: Kemonozume
Genre: Action/Romance
Company: Madhouse Studios
Format: 13 episodes
Dates: 5 Aug 2006 to 4 Nov 2006

Synopsis: After drawing the ire of the Gods, two individuals were cursed with a beastly form that manifests itself during times of stimulation. The decedents of cannibal monsters are known as the Shokujinki who survive by eating the flesh of humans. These monsters are hunted by the Kifuuken, a group of high caliber swordsman sworn to wipe out the Shokujinki. Trouble arises when the son and heir of the Kifuuken falls in love with a beautiful woman named Yuka who happens to be one of the monsters he has sworn to slay.

The Highlights
Animation: Rough, scratchy and highly unusual
Plot: Clever and engaging
Ending: What just happened?

http://www.nihonreview.com/images/AnimeKemonozume01.jpg http://www.nihonreview.com/images/AnimeKemonozume02.jpg http://www.nihonreview.com/images/AnimeKemonozume03.jpg

Genuine creativity is hard to come by in Japanese animation. Most artistic experiments are either too boring to watch or have more holes than Swiss cheese. Those few productions that turn out to be good, however, can only be considered delicacies. Unorthodox, violent and freakishly entertaining, Kemonozume tears across the boundaries of conventional anime making it one of the most creative productions of 2006.

This series is best described as a gratuitous exercise of extremes. Chaotic, sketch-like animation painted with dark, moody colors provide the visuals, while a unique slew of music and a strong seiyuu provide the sounds. The story ranges from dead serious to roll-on-the-floor hilarious, and it knows where it wants to go. While the show inherently caters to few people, it is nice to a take casual a dive off the deep end from time to time.

Set on the tune of forbidden love, the series bounces back and forth from drama to insanity. Kemonozume has a volatile chemistry of twists, revelations and sheer oddities. Not unlike sucker punching the brain, the show likes to openly screw with the audience with its disturbing imagery and chaotic ramblings. Yet, everything somehow comes together into an unusual but coherent finale.

Despite being morbidly original, the show is not without its flaws. As good as the character development is the constant slaughter of random individuals makes it hard to put significant emotional investment on anyone, even the main characters. To be honest, by the end of the show, I would not have cared much if everyone died – not that they do – save the monkey.

Neurotic, chaotic and everything in between, Kemonozume doesn’t simply break the conventional anime mold; it takes a sledge hammer and shatters it. For all those still interested in watching the series, I must warn you about the unpolished animation, gratuitous violence and the high dosages of “WTF?!” Quite frankly, half of my brain is wondering what the hell I just saw. The other half can only think of one word: “genius.”

The Rating: 7
http://www.nihonreview.com/images/rank7.png

Reviewed by: Shadowmage