Student Review Contest #16

[Sorrow-kun]

No imagination in this contest's theme, just a condition. The challenge, if you choose to accept it, is to...

Review a title NOT currently in Anime Academy's Library.

That's it. Everything else is fair game. Provided it's not in Anime Academy's library (http://www.animeacademy.com/search.php), as of 6 May, 2007 (today), and complies with all the other rules, it may be reviewed for this contest.

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: 8PM AEST 20 May, 2007

The honour roll:

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
Student Review Contest #15. Theme: Short and Sweet. Winner: Sorrow-kun

[L-sama]

Cool theme, Sorrow. This should prove to be rather interesting :yes:

[7Raven7]

Koi Kaze

74%

Title: Koi Kaze
Genre: Romance/Drama
Comapany: A.C.G.T.
Format: 13 episodes
Dates: 4/1/2004 – 6/17/2004

Highs: Well developed and realistic characters, gusty tackling of a taboo topic.

Lows: Story feels forced, might only appeal to a very limited audience.

Summary:
A chance occurrence bumps Koshiro, age 27, into 15-year-old Nanoka. A conversation; long enough for romance-troubled Koshiro to think “what if” and then the two part. But as fate would have it, the two are brother and sister and learn about this when both find themselves living in their father’s house. Now the two siblings, caught by surprise, try to deal with feelings they should not be having for one another but, as time goes on, neither of them can seem to deny.
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g179/7_Raven_7/KoiKaze-orange2.jpg
Oh. My. God. She dropped the oranges...
Review:
The title of this anime, Koi Kaze, in Japanese is a term for being bound by one’s love for another, similar to a “love against all odds” theme and the center of this series’ appeal. The "odds," of course, being that this particular love is sparked between a 27 year old man and a 15 year old girl who are brother and sister in a society where both are taboo.

If you were open minded enough to get past that first paragraph, there may be some hope in this series for you yet. The first impression Koi Kaze hit me with was in how realistic the characters actually were. Their thoughts and feelings echo what many of us might go through under similar circumstances, even if we wouldn’t admit it. And the slower pace of this series works to deeply develop the characters as well as the relationships between them; even if you don’t agree with their decisions you at least get a chance to know them well.

The series stays true to a romantic format, slowly building both tension and feeling while bringing us closer into the hearts and minds of Koshiro and Nanoka. While it could have shrugged off the responsibility of having to remain realistic, it didn’t take any shortcuts of a hasty and messy gathering and it is this uncompromising ideal to tell a story most would not while staying away from the more safely-marketable hentai that makes this series a breath of fresh air and an example of what is desperately needed among anime.

Of course the main problem of this title is that most seeking drama and romance will be turned off by the topics Koi Kaze presents. Yes the fact that she is underage and he is an adult invokes the “p” word and that they are brother and sister the “i” word. At the same time, those looking for the “excitement” a topic like this would normally present will be dissapointed by its slow dramatic buildup and almost complete lack of fan service.

Also, while the characters are realistic, it does seem like the world is conspiring against Koshiro and Nanoka as every possible thing pushes and accomidate these two to keep bumping into the same feelings for each other. While I’m sure the director is trying to make the point of “what if’ to get us to open our eyes, this puts a definate strain on genuiness and unfortunately some of the romance between these two siblings feels like it was forced that way.

Ultimately, there are few who will be willing to watch this title, which is a shame. If you are openminded in the least there is a romance here promising to offer you realistic characters and a compelling romance under dire conflict, if only on the far side of social norms.

Score Breakdown

Characters / Development: 8.5
Music, Seiyuu and Sound Effects: 7.5
Art, Animation and Cinematography: 7.5
Story, Plot, Theme and Symbolism: 8
The Big Picture: 5.5

(scores + together / 50 * 100 = %)

[L-sama]

Title: All-Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku DASH! A.K.A Bannou Bunka Neko-Musume DASH!
Genre: Action/Romance/Comedy
Company: MOVIC/Project Banneko DASH
Format: 12 OVA
Dates: 9/23/1998 to 12/23/1998

http://www.animemanga.ru/Catalog/Pics/nuku-nuku3.jpg
Feel The Breeze

Summary: On his way home, 14-year-old Ryunosuke Natsume witnesses a mysterious girl save a cat from a speeding truck with super-human agility and grace. He returns home to tell his parents of the event not only to find the same girl from before sitting in his living room, but to also discover that she’ll be living with them! Her name is Atsuko Higuchi, or rather Nuku Nuku, and she has Ryunosuke smitten for her. However, there’s more to her than meets the eye, for when someone threatens Maneki City or its inhabitants, she becomes a super strong Androbot fighter born to destroy that which threatens life!
Summary by L-sama

Score: 62%


Highs: Occasionally funny; The second part tries to redeem itself
Lows: Sub-par animation; Atypical Nuku Nuku; Useless fan service; Cop-out Ending


Released as a sister project to the Nuku Nuku TV series, Nuku Nuku DASH! is a totally different take on the Nuku Nuku story in comparison to the TV series as well as the OVA that came before it. Unfortunately, it seems as though too many things were changed, as this anime ends up being the weakest of the three.

DASH! still keeps one thing in common with its predecessors: comedy. Several moments made me chuckle (many of them focusing around Ryunosuke's pining over Nuku Nuku), but overall, the comedy that Nuku Nuku fans know and love just isn’t there. This is mainly because Nuku Nuku isn’t her normal, bubbly self. In DASH!, she’s much more soft spoken (not to mention sporting a totally different hair color) and with the exception of one episode, shows none of the cat-like traits that made her so funny before. Even Megumi Hayashibara's performance as Nuku Nuku is lacking. Most of the comedy from before is replaced with attempts at drama in DASH!, which fall well short of their intended targets. Fan service levels are also alarmingly high by Nuku Nuku standards, especially after watching the TV series. After the first five episodes alone, I almost decided not to finish the series due to the barrage of breasts that did nothing for an already shallow plot.

The action here gets boost in terms of frequency. However, it quickly falls under the “Villain of the Week” routine as each episode becomes very predictable: Someone tries to capture Nuku Nuku, the city gets threatened, Nuku Nuku transforms and attacks, the end. A good deal of these action sequences, as well as Nuku Nuku’s transformation sequence, are made of reused animation cycles that reminded me of such anime as Sailor Moon. There is just one fight that ends up being interesting, but nothing is developed after it, leaving me rather disappointed. The overall poor animation for this OVA does nothing to help out at all; even at its best, it pails in comparison to its older 1992 sibling.

In spite of all of this, the second part of this series, starting at episode 8, begins to show some promise. A main villain appears with real motives other than capturing Nuku Nuku, and some answers finally make themselves known in Nuku Nuku’s past. Though the plot devices are rather clichéd, it is still a welcome change to the former. Everything begins to gain steam, seemingly headed for a monumental final clash between Nuku Nuku and the evil forces of Mishima Industries only to turn into one of the biggest cop-outs I’ve ever seen.

Fans of the first OVA and the TV series should steer clear away from this, as virtually nothing is the same outside of character names. For anyone else, this series might be good for a weekend rental at best. Perhaps I set my hopes too high. Perhaps I expected too much from this anime. Regardless, DASH! is still a disappointment and an ill-fitting final installment of the Nuku Nuku franchise

[Sorrow-kun]

Only a few hours left, so get those entries in.