Student Review contest #18

[C0MPL3X]

This contest's theme: Year 2007.
Theme requirement: Review a title which aired in the year 2007. It doesn't matter if the title began in 2006, or if it ended in 2008. It only needs to have aired sometime in the year 2007.

---

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: Exactly two weeks from now

---

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
Student Review Contest #16. Theme: Review a title NOT currently in Anime Academy's Library. Winner: 7Raven7
Student Review Contest #17. Theme: /Sarcasm. Winner: no one
Student Review Contest Extravaganza - Action Prize Pack: Winner: Shinomatrix
Student Review Contest Extravaganza - Comedy Prize Pack: Winner: C0MPL3x
Student Review Contest #18. Theme: Year 2007.

[Two-twenty]

Awesome to see this back up and running!

[Niner]

Yay my first entry into one of these things!

Title: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
Also Known As: Heaven Shattering Gurren Lagann, TTGL, Gurren Lagann
Genre: Action/Mecha
Format: 27 Episodes
Company: GAINAX
Dates: 2007-04-01 to 2007-09-30

http://www.animesecrets.org/anime/ttgl/ttgl01.jpg http://www.animesecrets.org/anime/ttgl/ttgl02.jpg http://www.animesecrets.org/anime/ttgl/ttgl03.jpg http://www.animesecrets.org/anime/ttgl/ttgl04.jpg

Summary:
Simon is a simple driller, mining away underground, content with living his life like the rest of humanity, hiding from the oppressive Beastmen that rule the surface world. Kamina is a passionate young man who yearns for something more, and who knows that he is destined for greatness. Both of their lives are turned upside down when Simon discovers a small drill in the ground, a drill that will lead them towards an adventure full of action, suspense and ultimately, their destiny.

Grade: 98%
Highs: Superb animation, larger-than-life characters and plot, a simple yet powerful message
Lows: Can get episodic at times, the ending takes some getting used to

GAINAX has often disappointed me in the past. Whether it be the final two episodes of Evangelion or the wholly disappointing He Is My Master, suffice it to say that I didn’t really have a very high opinion of the studio going into Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. However, all that doubt and skepticism was promptly booted out the window by the first few episodes – as the series grabbed hold of me and took me through an amazing, awe-inspiring ride that stretched quite literally to the ends of the universe – single-handedly restoring my faith in GAINAX.

One of the major motifs of Gurren Lagann is the drill, and the series is very much like one, in that it starts out small and innocuous, but from that inauspicious start, spirals out into something bigger, something grander and something more powerful. Simon’s development as a protagonist typifies this, as he starts out a timid youngster wholly unsure of himself and his abilities, but through adversity and seemingly insurmountable odds, learns to kick reason to the curb and evolve into a legend who can do anything he sets his heart on. But it isn’t just Simon who overcomes everything stacked against him; almost every character in this series learns that they too can pierce the heavens if they give it their all. This isn’t a new concept in anime, but Gurren Lagann executes it with such style and panache that it feels truly unique. The Gurren Brigade’s bravado is so unwavering that they often ask of their enemies, “who the hell do you think we are?!” demonstrating a supreme confidence in each other that is matched only by their will to survive.

The music and visuals are two big reasons for the exceptional feel of this series. Composed by the venerable Iwasaki Taku, the soundtrack provides an exciting and engaging accompaniment to the slick animation. The mecha are stylish and pay homage to many of the great robot shows of the past and even manage to surpass them in both looks and sheer scale. During the climactic final battle, it is impossible not to be drawn into the vivid and stylized action along with the resounding chant of “roh, roh, fight the power” as Simon and company duke it out with their enemy on an immense, galactic scale and take their destinies into their own hands.

As with most super robot shows, the plot is easy enough to decipher as Simon and Kamina take on enemies of increasing size, learning and adapting as they go along. It’s a tried and true formula that has been seen many a time before, but GAINAX realized this and instead of trying to reinvent the wheel, focused on doing it so well that this series sets a new standard for its genre. Each fight is epic in scale, yet the one after it always seems to be able to find that extra gear and ramp up the ante exponentially. Reason is truly thrown out the window as the conflict stretches from the first skirmish on the desert sands to the ultimate battle at edge of the known universe. Towards the end of the series, each episode managed to trump its predecessor in terms of sheer tremendousness and magnitude that I was often left in complete and utter awe. I cannot remember any other anime that has elicited such a powerful response from not only myself, but seemingly thousands of other fans as well, many of whom shared my often incoherent reactions.

Despite its ever-increasing scale, Gurren Lagann never strays from its core message; that of overcoming the odds with sheer will and belief. Indeed, Kamina’s axiom of “believe in me, who believes in you” is consistently repeated throughout the series and provides all the motivation needed for the characters to reach for and take hold of their destinies. It’s a basic theme to be sure, but who said anime needed to be complex to be great? Sometimes the best approach is the simplest one, and Gurren Lagann is one of the finest realizations of that concept.

[animanic_critic]

Meh, what's there for me to lose by bumping in?

Title: Romeo X Juliet
Genre: Action/Drama
Company: Gonzo
Format: 24 episodes
Dates: 4 Apr 2007 - 26 Sep 2007

Synopsis: “Once upon a time, in The Sky Continent known as New Verona where the all-powerful ability to hover in the distant sky breathes life and prosperity upon the people. However, foolish passions will someday transcend eternity. Now let me introduce to you the tragic story of innocent pure love tormented by fate in the midst of chaos, Romeo and Juliet.”

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n256/animanic_critic/RXJ03.jpg http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n256/animanic_critic/RXJ02.jpg

Apart from Hamlet, Macbeth and King Lear, the original play written by English playwright William Shakespeare is perhaps one of the most popular piece of literary work in history. Its fame can be credited for setting the benchmark for an all-time tragic romance between two immortal characters, Romeo and Juliet. This benchmark includes the terms ’star-crossed lovers’, ‘love at first sight’ and the romance that should have but never was. Hundreds of adaptations have been made based on the play, therefore making it utterly difficult for a piece of adaptation to stand out from the rest. Gonzo has attempted to do so in the form of their high-budgeted Romeo X Juliet.

Now, there is something Gonzo that I need to get off my chest. It is this: I don’t favor Gonzo’s work most of the time. Why? It’s not due to their dreadful line of anime series like Gravion Zwei and Getsumen to Heiki Mina. It’s also not due to their reputation of throwing out potentially excellent anime such as Blue Submarine No. 6 and Saikano. In fact, it is due to their unpredictability. True, they do have a bad reputation for bad anime but there have been bona fide gems along the way such as Red Garden, Bokurano and their last novel adaptation from Alexander Dumas‘ work, Gankutsuou. Because of its unpredictability, it’s always giving me a hard time to decide whether to take up new series or not upon hearing its studio company. For their work this time round, it is neither a complete waste nor a complete success.

One of the risk Gonzo undergoes is its approach to recreate the plot to make it its own. The recreation includes the exchange of role play between the main leads and the various characters and creatures that are created based on Shakespeare’s actual previous works. Risks are inevitable; Gonzo decides to go ahead with their approach and ends up having a series that unfortunately isn’t as powerful and memorable as the original play. Their alterations did render the series unique but they also took away the consequential powerful sentiments and intricate plot depth. Gone are the famous literary quotes, the pivotal relationships between the cast and the definitive scene that launched the work into glory. In turn, in come the warm and simplified plot fueled by acts of greed, rage and naivety, and a two-dimensional cast that is shallow on depth - a far cry from the intricacy and brilliance of the former work.

Romeo X Juliet tries to shines itself among the other adaptations by recreating its world. Romeo X Juliet takes us into a fantasy world where mythical beings exist and laws of science are defied. A floating land, Pegasi and enchanted trees that flourish the land enliven the world of Neo Verona where the stage of this romantic tragedy is set. The skillful utilization of fluid animation and crisp computer graphics further enhances the aesthetic prowess of the series. Furthermore, Korean veteran singer Lena Park lends her voice to sing a cover of Josh Groban’s famous sing, You Raise Me Up. She does so with such immaculate grace that it help shape the dramatic scenes and ambience.

Gonzo dared to make an adaptation of a literary work that many others have fallen into obscurity. While it did put up a brave fight, the weak plot and angst-driving characters dragged the series into mediocrity. True, there were shining factors about the series such as animation and music, but they are just secondary to what make or break a series - the plot, story and cast. Most significantly, Romeo X Juliet retells its ending from tragedy to fairy tale, which was what defines the original Romeo and Juliet. In the end, Romeo X Juliet is just an anime suited more for the orthodox viewers rather than the contemporary. “For never was a story of more woe / Than this of Juliet and her Romeo” is how the original play ended. It’s too sad it didn’t end like this in the series.

Rating: 6/10 (What a waste; could've been as far as 8 if they hadn't botched the plot)

[Kavik Ryx]

Quick question. I know the requirement is a completed anime; however, what to series like Geass and 00 count as seeing as they have both been divided seasonally?

[animanic_critic]

According to COMPL3X's rules, those are valid choices. They were aired sometime in 2007.

[Kuzu Ryu Sen]

You know Niner, 98% rounds down to a 9.75.

[Niner]

In my book it rounds up to a 10.00! Hush you, Kuzu!

[Shadowmage]

Title: Mobile Suit Gundam 00, a.k.a. Kidou Senshi Gundam 00
Genre: Action/Drama
Company: Sunrise
Format: 25 episodes
Dates: 6/10/2007 to 3/29/2008

The year is 2307 AD. Fossil fuels reservoirs have been largely depleted, resulting in the creation of three solar powered orbital elevators. These massive structures are controlled by the world's three superpowers, and the distribution of energy has become highly unbalanced as a result. Numerous wars have started in those regions unable to access the solar power costing a countless number lives. In the midst of this chaos, a secret organization called Celestial Being has sent down four Gundams to wage a war to end all wars. -Summary by Shadowmage

Grade: 80%
Highs: Gripping fight scenes; Kawai Kenji's music; final 1/3
Lows: Underdeveloped characters; good bulk of the first 2/3

http://www.nihonreview.com/images/AnimeGundam00-01.jpg http://www.nihonreview.com/images/AnimeGundam00-02.jpg http://www.nihonreview.com/images/AnimeGundam00-03.jpg

Like with any alternate universe Gundam series, forget that the originals ever existed when watching Gundam 00. It's not because this incarnation is a complete bastardization of the source material, but because it's a whole new flavor not in the usual franchise repertoire. The normal teenage-boy-hijacks-weapon-of-mass-destruction formula is eschewed, and the focus is shifted away from the characters towards the story. The first two thirds of the series is fairly mediocre fanfare with occasional spurts of quality. The final third is a dramatic rollercoaster that makes numerous, unpredictable turns all the way to the screeching end.

In many ways, Gundam 00 is really an anomaly. Ignore all the advertisements and fan pictures of the four Gundam Meisters. This show does not have a main character. No, this is not like Baccano!. Baccano! showcases 18 main characters, but it has a few that jumps on the stage, does a number and steals the whole damn show. In Gundam 00, characters just sit around, do their gig, and then disappear until the plot needs them again. This set up is quite humorous since the plot really has no direction besides random missions, arcane politics and various character events. All this is mildly entertaining, but the overall experience is hampered by the flat, impersonal presentation.

The original Gundam may have helped usher in a new era of "real" robots, but there is still plenty of homage to the super robot roots. Case in point, all the Gundams in Gundam 00 are invulnerable. Get used to it. In this series, Sunrise doesn't even bother pretending that the Gundams are in distress. Despite the exceptionally well choreographed fight scenes, the pilots display zero tension in the battles, and they seem bored as they mow through hordes of enemies, which pretty much sums up how a typical audience member should feel.

While the first third is fraught with mediocrity, the show becomes good in the final third, really, really good. The characters grow, bonds are formed, and the story goes into a series of unpredictable twists and turns. All expectations are toppled with each passing episode, giving the show a breath of fresh air from previous incarnations. The top notch action actually becomes exciting as the Gundams lose their God mode hack and get their massive comeuppance in turn. Probably the greatest part of the change is the ensuing melodrama which is relatively understated but powerful nonetheless due to sporadic genius in the writing.

I admit, before I even started watching the show, Mobile Suit Gundam 00 was very much a false hope for me. Despite the fact that the show has stellar seiyuu, director Mizushima Seiji, and series composer Kuroda Yosuke, Gundam SEED Destiny has left a healthy dose of cynicism. I approached this show with a fake smile mentally calling this "that show I have to watch before I get the second season of Code Geass". After watching Gundam 00, I can calmly say that a large part of my animosity has been washed away, and I eagerly await the second season.

[Kavik Ryx]

Code-E

Title: Code-E
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Companies: Studio DEEN/Avex
Format: 12 episodes
Dates: 7/08/2007 - 9/23/2007


http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc257/hyukai/codeecap2.jpg
My electrons are attracted to your protons

Ebihara Chinami appears to be just another shy and awkward high school girl. However, she possesses the unusual ability to emit electromagnetic waves. The trouble she has caused because of this has left her recluse and ultimately lonely. That is until her power grabs the attention of one of her new classmates Kannagi Kotaro. His obsession with her leads Chinami to discover a great deal more about the ability than she would have ever anticipated, and that she is just one of many Type E.

http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc257/hyukai/codeecap.jpg
The Highs: Nice audio/visual; mildly entertaining; not as excruciating as I was let on to believe
The Lows: More fluff than plot; clichéd characters; even more clichéd character dynamics; comedy is a one-trick pony; uninspired animation; accomplishes nothing

The Grade: 59%

Literary analysts will go on and on about how there are no more original stories. Apparently everything is just another hero legend, romance, or coming of age. Even if this is true, time and again, amazing tales have been told fueled by raw human ambition. Then again, with drive has been the courage to take age-old conventions and put a new spin on them. Otherwise its just another generic plot on steroids. This was especially apparent when watching Code-E. No matter how ambitious it was, it had all been done before.

With the exception of Chimani’s power, nothing in Code-E feels authentic. The greater portion of the cast follows stringent archetypes, which are made painfully obvious by their highly predictable interactions with each other. It’s hard enough for a shy klutz, and obsessive geek, and annoying rich kid, and recluse miko to define themselves beyond their overused rolls. But an honest attempt never hurt. The relationship between Kotaro, the geek, and Sonomi, the annoying kid, one of the many overused relations that can be found in just about any anime out there. It’s a real shame, especially considering that series like Infinite Ryvius have taken that same dynamic, and found a way to make it its own. Code-E also faces the problem that it spends more time developing its generic cast and a bare minimum on the plot at hand. There is an antagonist, but he is not introduced till the last few episodes, has no name, and lakes any motives. While it leaves things open for a second season, overall, everything seems like such a waste of time.

To be fair, the series itself is a fun one to watch. The humor is well timed and quite amusing for a while. A couple of moments are even worth an outburst. It’s too bad that it gets old very quickly. Just about all of the jokes revolve around Chinami’s electromagnetic mishaps. These antics just become easier and easier to see coming to the point that they can borderline on aggravating. The same thing applies to the visuals. AVEX did a nice job with the animation on a technical level, but something feels missing from it. A feeling of so what occasionally engulfed the atmosphere, leaving me more attentive to the game of Minesweeper I had open.

If I were expecting much in the first place, I think it would be fair to call Code-E a sort of disappointment. With excessive fluff and not enough answers for there to be a sense of completeness, the best thing to take it as a guilty pleasure or distraction. If there is anything I may be able to sincerely recommend about it, it’s that the ending theme is quite nice and the opening grows on you. If only the anime itself weren’t so repelling at that point.

[L-sama]

Title: Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai, a.k.a. The Moment the Cicadas Cry - Solutions
Genre: Drama
Company: Studio Deen
Format: 24 episodes
Dates: 7/5/2007 to 12/17/2007

http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee172/guardiansoulless/Higurashi%20no%20naku%20koro%20ni%20kai/matsuribayashi02-4-1.jpg
For dry, red eyes...

Summary: As yet another Watanagashi Festival comes and goes, the same result eventually occurs: everyone will die a tragic death. Even though it all starts over again, no one seems to be able to remember a thing about what had happened. Everyone, that is, except for little Furude Rika. She has seen this vicious cycle go on for long enough and wants to put an end to it once and for all. However, she can't do it alone. It will take the help of everyone around her to try and defeat a seemingly eternal fate of death...

http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee172/guardiansoulless/Higurashi%20no%20naku%20koro%20ni%20kai/matsuribayashi07-2.jpg

Grade: 64%

Highs: Everything is brought into the light; Excellent back stories; A good twist or two
Lows: Dreadfully slow pacing; Very dull at times


After finishing the first Higurashi series, I was actually looking forward to seeing what Kai had in store for me. Despite my dislike of the horror genre, I was more than willing to give this one a chance too, since I was proven wrong by the former. I was proven wrong, all right, but it was not for the right reasons.

Where the first Higurashi was centered on shocking the viewer at every turn, Kai went for a slower, more suspenseful approach. Because of this decision, this approach turned out to be exceedingly slow. With only two major arcs present and twenty-four episodes to use, many events were stretched out beyond their limits. There were several occasions where the story virtually stalled for two episodes at a time with almost nothing being accomplished. Perhaps because of this, the twists that were thrown in became more surprising. There were just enough of these to help me see this series to its unexpected end.

Luckily, thanks to this pacing change, I did see some good come out of Kai. With several major questions raised at the end of the first Higurashi, the series took each one and explained the reasoning behind everything clearly. I can safely say that I had no further questions about any past events when the final credits rolled. There was one other good thing about this slower approach; something that I didn’t expect. The amount of back story given was a rather nice treat. Most of this was focused around Takano, someone that barely received any time in the first season, but proved to hold much more that what I saw previously. Her story was more compelling and memorable than the actual plot ever was at any given point.

Throughout the entire run of Kai, there seemed to be something missing. The sense of paranoia that was so prevalent in the first season was absent. Granted, this had to do with the focus shift, but there still could have been a way to keep it in the plot. Without the constant fear that someone or something may be lurking around the corner, this series felt rather dull outside of Takano's story. At least the beginning of each episode is enjoyable with the new opening theme.

When all was said and done, I could do nothing but sigh. The ending may have been satisfying, but I still wanted more. Despite my distaste for graphic violence and horror, I actually wished that it were there from the beginning. That, my friends, is saying something.