Author Archives: Joanna

Jacquie’s 2012 Year in Review – Top 10 Anime

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My favourite anime shows of the year, selected from the titles I watched which finished airing in 2012:


#1.  Fate/Zero – This dramatic telling of the events of the 4th Holy Grail War was a far-superior prequel to the awful Fate/stay night anime. The grand storyline, epic cast of characters, and impressive action scenes made for a thrilling watch.  I found myself being very engrossed in the characters and the story, even though the final outcome was already known.  It was always an agonizing wait between episodes, tempered by the dreaded anticipation that any episode could be the last for characters that I’d come to love.


#2.  Chihayafuru – Endearing characters, great storytelling.  I really cared about Chihaya and Taichi and their team.  The anime even managed to make the old-fashioned card game of Karuta seem exciting.  Needless to say, I’m looking forward to the new season in 2013.


#3.  BEELZEBUB – Consistently funny, creative, and good-natured.  There were some duds during its 60-episode run, but they were remarkably few and far in between.  It’s a real shame that this is no longer airing.


#4.  Chouyaku Hyakunin Isshu: Uta Koi – The sort-of companion piece to Chihayafuru, UtaKoi featured the stories of the 100 poems from the Karuta game told in a way that was reverent and irreverent in equal measure.  The mature, bittersweet love stories really resonated with me.  I didn’t even mind the cart-race/talk-show episode.  Although I did find a few of the stories at the beginning of the second half to be weaker than the rest, the series came to a strong finish at the end.


#5.  Aquarion EVOL – I didn’t have any intention to watch this anime at first, due to the fact that I hadn’t seen the preceding Aquarion works and because I had seen supporting character Zessica’s fanservice-y get-up.  However, I was already watching the other 2 space operas (Moretsu Pirates and Rinne no Lagrange) to varying degrees of enjoyment, or not, respectively; and EVOL was often mentioned alongside those two.  EVOL turned out to be a blast!  Very over-the–top, with humorous fanservice and sexual innuendo (see, I don’t always hate on fanservice; I enjoy it when it’s funny) and a lot of heart.  And Zessica?  She became my favourite character.


#6.  Hakuouki Reimeiroku – I watched this because I also enjoyed the two previous Hakuouki series, of which this is a prequel.  It was a treat to revisit the Shinsengumi members and learn of the events of their early days.  The story as a whole may not have been amazing, and the new insert character was as useless as Chizuru from the original series; but the art, the recurring characters, the setting, and the way the events were based on actual history made the show really appealing to me, and I looked forward to watching it every week.


#7.  Kuroko’s Basketball – Watching this semi-fantastical sports anime reminded me of how I felt when watching the early seasons of BLEACH.  New characters were constantly being introduced as potential rivals for the main team, but they were interesting people, each with distinct personalities, and not necessarily “enemies”.  A new season was recently announced for 2013.  Looking forward to that too.


#8.  My Little Monster (Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun) – Ostensibly a romance, but this show was really more about the interactions between a group of friends.  Every episode managed to be entertaining.  Although every character had definite flaws, they came across as likeable people that I wanted to root for.


#9.  Jormungand – A bloody, thought-provoking, action anime about a group led by Koko Hekmatyar, an arms dealer and visionary who dreams of world peace.  The mostly serious subject matter was balanced out by just the right amount of levity to make it an entertaining watch.


#10.  KIDS ON THE SLOPE (Sakamichi no Apollon) – If I never loved this show, I did respect it for the convincing portrayal of its 1960s setting, the jazz music, and the friendship of the lead characters.

Special Categories:

  • Best Comedy (intentional):  BEELZEBUB  (runner-up: Daily lives of high school boys (Danshi koukousei no nichijou))
  • Best Comedy (unintentional):  CODE:BREAKER  (runner-up: GUILTY CROWN)
  • Best OP or ED:  “Gekkou symphonia“, by AKINO & AIKI from bless4 (Aquarion EVOL ED1)

Notable Drops: Because I like to complain, listed below are the otherwise well-reviewed and popular anime series that were not considered for my year-end list because I couldn’t finish them.  Number of episodes watched is in brackets.

  • Rinne no Lagrange (12) – unnecessary fanservice detracted from the story; I just didn’t care about the characters enough to continue watching.
  • Tsuritama (5) – unlikeable characters; it was about fishing.
  • TARI TARI (5) – too sentimental, bad storytelling, bad music.
  • SWORD ART ONLINE (15) – so much wasted potential; wish-fulfillment pandering written with the mentality of a child.
  • Say “I Love You” (7) – irredeemably cliché-ridden; most of the characters were not the sort of people I would want to associate with; seemed to imply that sexual harassment/assault is okay, desirable even, as long as the offender is good-looking and popular.  (Maybe I’m overreacting and this is often sadly true, but I raged.)

CHRONICLE

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2.5 stars (out of 4)

Released 2012

Three teenagers stumble upon an underground cave and encounter something which mysteriously gives them the power of telekinesis.  These are regular boys, not superheroes, and they do not have any exceptional maturity or mental stability to help them handle their newfound “great power”.  We follow them as they experiment with and learn to use their abilities and eventually see the effect they have on the outside world.

There’s the added gimmick of the movie being seen through the lens of a home-video camera and it’s mostly effective and creatively-used, and doesn’t detract from the story.

Coincidentally, CHRONICLE can function as an origin story for the ongoing anime series Shin Sekai Yori (From the New World), which imagines what the world will be like hundreds of years after some of the population acquire telekinesis and become a threat to humanity.  More on that later, maybe…

 

Mid-Autumn 2012 Anime Ranking

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How I feel about the anime on my current watch list.  The most recent episode watched is in brackets.  The order of the first four is kind of arbitrary…


01.  Shin Sekai Yori (From the New World) (ep.11) – I’m liking the dark, dystopian future setting.  It took me a while to tell the kids apart, but now that I know them better, I’m really interested in their actions and what the consequences of those actions will be.  There’s a lot of artiness and intrigue, and it remains to be seen whether things will come together or make any sense at the end.  For now, I’m happy to be patient and see how things unfold.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


02.  Jormungand (ep.21, or PERFECT ORDER ep.9) – Not many anime will reference quantum physics and super computers, but that’s what the current arc of Jormungand is about!  So far, the show is doing a really good job of fleshing out the members on Koko’s team.  We didn’t get to know them much during the first season, but now their backgrounds are getting some good attention.  Ep.19, about William Nelson’s past, achieved a near-perfect balance between dark, violent material and lighter, comic relief.
(streaming at Funimation)


03.  PSYCHO-PASS (ep.9) – Another brainy anime.  The storytelling is good and I’m enjoying the dark, psychological themes that are being presented.  However, the indignity-to-a-dead-body stuff makes me uncomfortable.  It is meant to be horrifying, but I just have trouble reconciling it with “entertainment”.
(streaming at Funimation)


04.  My Little Monster (ep.11) – This shoujo anime has its share of the usual tropes, but it works because the characters have believable, well-defined personalities.  Also, the textured backgrounds are some of the nicest I’ve ever seen.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)

05.  Blast of Tempest (ep.10) – The characters are interesting, as are their interactions with each other.  The show works best when the characters are not quoting Shakespeare, and the music is not overwrought.  Some episodes have been overly expository.  They’re also throwing out a lot plot threads and it remains to be seen whether things will come together or make any sense at the end.  As with Shin Sekai Yori, for now, I’m willing to give it the benefit of the doubt.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)

06.  IXION SAGA DT (ep.10) – Deceptively stupid, but actually quite clever, this show often displays more common sense than some of the serious-themed anime that I’m watching.  So far, my favourite character is the villain, Erecpyle Dukakis (yes, ED for short).  Although, after having had his ass kicked twice already by the main character, he’s somewhat more of an underdog than a villain now.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


07.  MAGI (ep.9) – Nice animation; the characters are likeable, complex, and genuinely strong.  Morgiana is a so-much-better female role model than Asuna from SAO, for instance, and new character Sinbad is awesome.  The current story arc is surprisingly balanced and thoughtful, especially considering that the anime seems to be aimed at a younger audience.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)

08.  Muv-Luv Alternative: TOTAL ECLIPSE (ep.23) – Looks like the meat of the story is happening.  I won’t mind if there’s less attention on Yuuya’s multinational harem now.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)

09.  K (ep.10) – Stylish and nicely animated, but the quality of the story is questionable.  Many of the large cast of characters are not very interesting.  Still, I’m curious to see where they’re going with this.

10.  Space Brothers (ep.36) – Good show overall, but lately it’s been dragging.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)

11.  CODE:BREAKER (ep.10) – So bad, it’s good.  And make no mistake, it really is bad: sloppy storytelling and plot developments, annoying and unlikeable protagonists, overdramatic score.  And yet, at the end of the day, it’s kind of fun, even if unintentionally.
(streaming at Funimation)

12.  BTOOOM! (ep.10) – Disturbingly exploitative at times, but otherwise, the battle-royale survival theme works.  This show also has some pretty hard-to-like main characters.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)

13.  Kamisama Kiss (ep.10) – Not terribly engrossing, but fine as a light distraction.  Unfortunately, I thought it was a bit more enjoyable before the romantic storyline began.
(streaming at Funimation)

14.  Chu-2 byo demo KOI ga shitai! (ep.10) – I find this show to be tedious and sometimes overly sentimental.  Maybe I’m too far away from my own eighth-grader syndrome phase to properly appreciate it.  Plus, I don’t buy the romantic sub-plot, even though I knew it was coming.  I do give the show credit, though, for being fairly straightforward about the romance instead of dragging it out unnecessarily.  Supporting character Isshiki is the best thing about this anime.  (Dekomori is the worst.)

Recently dropped:  Say “I Love You” (ep.7) – I tried to give it a chance, really I did; otherwise I wouldn’t have gotten this far in.  But I was complaining so uncontrollably after every episode, my family would probably have to take me out back and put me out of my misery if I were to watch any more of it.  Even now, when I see similar tropes used in My Little Monster, but executed so much better, I realize I’m still not done trashing this anime!  Bottom line: I don’t like Mei, I don’t like Yamato, and I’m not rooting for them to get together.
(streaming at Crunchyroll, but who cares?)

the twilight saga: breaking dawn part 2

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3 stars (out of 4)

Released 2012

I guess vampire films really are more my thing…

At the end of Breaking Dawn part 1, Bella and Edward’s half-human/half-vampire daughter, Renesmee, was born; and Bella finally joined the ranks of the undead.  Now, the Volturi become aware of Renesmee’s existence and suspect her of being an abomination.  That’s all the provocation they need to target the Cullens for attack.

At this late stage in the overall plot, there’s not much emphasis on the romance anymore.  Sure, there’s a love scene, but this is hardly a kissing story.  Instead, the focus is on the impending Volturi threat and the Cullen family’s efforts to avoid a war.

If you’re looking for action, there’s plenty to be had.  Lots of decapitations too!  Also some humour.

Basically, if you’ve watched and enjoyed the previous four Twilight films, there’s no reason you won’t like this final installment.  It really does provide a memorable and satisfying conclusion to the saga.

 

LINCOLN (Take 1)

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2.5 stars (out of 4)

Released 2012

This is the story of Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War, and his quest to enact the 13th Amendment to abolish slavery in the United States of America.  For the first time in maybe ages, Alice and I have gone to the cinema and seen the same movie together.  Therefore, expect to see two reviews of this film.

At the risk of expressing an unpopular opinion and revealing my ignorance and/or irreverence of American history, here are my thoughts.

The movie was talky.

I would have really liked to have seen more explanation of Lincoln’s thoughts and motives. There was only one brief scene about his past and how he was appalled at seeing slaves as a young man.  And incidentally, it could have very easily been shown as a flashback, but in a film that’s so resolutely verbose, it was all tell.

Much of the dialogue was intricately crafted, almost poetic, and I imagine it’s possible to get a lot out of it if you paid attention carefully.  That being said, there were a few lines at the other end of the spectrum too.

For example, toward the end, when decision day was drawing near, Lincoln instructed his men to procure the remaining number of votes needed to pass the amendment.  When his subordinate asked, “But how?”, Lincoln’s reply was something to the effect of, “I’m the President of the United States of America!  Just make it happen!”  And I don’t know… I’ve always thought of Abraham Lincoln as an admirable and forward-thinking leader, but that just sounded to me somewhat more arrogant than inspiring.

On the plus side, LINCOLN provided an excellent showcase for great actors to show off their acting chops.  Certainly the acting was stellar, and that’s a must for delivering wordy lines in such a dry, stage-play-like setting.  Unfortunately, I can’t say I found the movie to be terribly entertaining.  It was very much like a high-budget documentary, and it may have actually benefitted from a little artistic embellishment.  I’m not suggesting that Abe should have taken out his silver axe and started hunting vampires, but there must’ve been some middle ground that could have been explored.

 

WOLF CHILDREN

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3 stars (out of 4)

Released 2012

A single mother with limited financial and social resources struggles to care for her family.  All the while, she has to protect the family secret, that her two young children are part-wolf.  Early in the film, we see her facing the challenge of finding a suitable environment to raise her son and daughter in.

As they grow older, the kids must come to terms with their unusual situation and find their paths in life.  And their mother finds herself torn between wanting to protect them and allowing them to make their own decisions, their own mistakes.

Despite the element of fantasy, WOLF CHILDREN tells a realistic story that any family can relate to.  The animation is excellent, as expected.  One highlight for me:  the kids were actually really adorable, especially Yuki.  She was rambunctious, and she had a loud and cute voice to match.


ARGO

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3.25 stars (out of 4)  Quality-wise, I think it’s considerably better than a standard 3 rating, but it’s not the sort of film that I’d feel inclined to watch again, so it doesn’t quite make a 3.5.

Released 2012

  • Based on the true story of the covert (and unconventional) operation to rescue six American embassy personnel during the Iranian hostage crisis in 1980.  “ARGO” was the title of the fictional movie production that was used as the cover, and now, it’s the name of the real Hollywood movie documenting that mission.
  • Immersive and thrilling.  Was on the edge of my seat despite already having a general idea of the eventual outcome.
  • Feel-good message of Canadian-American diplomatic cooperation.

 

Add:  I just watched this film and entirely agree with you! – Bini

LOOPER

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3 stars (out of 4)

Released 2012

Joe works as a looper, that is, a hitman for the future mafia.  They send their hits back in time to be offed so the bodies will never be found.  Eventually, Joe has to take out his future self (to complete the loop).

Looper is an enjoyable time-travel action-adventure film.  It doesn’t stand up to any kind of logical scrutiny, but that’s a given for any time-travel story.  Taken as a fun ride, it’s just fine.

I’ll just comment that the one scene where the main character’s girlfriend is topless adds nothing to the movie.  Worse, it’s awkward and not even sexy.  That’s just bad fanservice.  The poor actress had to take her clothes off for nothing!  In contrast, the love scene later in the film manages to be more sexy, even though the characters remain fully clothed.

SWORD ART ONLINE (Ep. 10-15)

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(spoilers galore)

Ep. 10-12

Kirito fights another guy over Asuna.  This time, it’s the leader of her guild, Heathcliff.  Heathcliff wins and Kirito joins the guild.  He even has to wear their not-black uniform.  But there’s a traitor in their midst (the bodyguard guy who fought Kirito over Asuna in the earlier episode), and he’s trying to kill Kirito.  Asuna and Kirito take him down.  Kirito and Asuna take time off, get married, pick up a stray kid.  Mindnumbing.

Said stray kid, Yui, dies in episode 12, but not before giving Kirito some interesting information about Sword Art Online’s program.  Her grieving “parents” manage to save her core data before she’s fully deleted, and hope to re-create her later.

Ep. 13-14

Kirito goes fishing.  Then Kirito and Asuna get summoned to a big boss battle.  After the battle, Kirito takes a chance and figures out the in-game identity of SAO’s mastermind.  They fight.  Kirito and Asuna die.  Except they don’t die.  Of course.

Although there are plenty, plenty of things I could gripe about, in all fairness, these 2 episodes are not bad.  There’s fighting!  There’s action!  Things happen!  Best of all, Sword Art Online ends!  Well, at least the game is over.

Ep. 15

Regrettably, SWORD ART ONLINE, the anime, is not over.

Now, we’re being introduced to an extreme one-dimensional villain as a romantic rival for Kirito (I laughed at the stupidity).  First, there’s the absurdity that they are fighting over who gets to marry a comatose girl.  Then, Asuna X Kirito is already so well established that I don’t think there’s any risk that anyone would root for the other guy, even if he was flawless; there’s just no need to make him such an unbelievable dick.  I guess I should give the character designers some credit for making his appearance not completely butt-ugly.

But that’s not all.  It turns out Kirito’s own sister is in love with him (I facepalmed so hard).  The show goes to great lengths to emphasize that they are actually cousins, not brother and sister.  Of course.

Lately, it seems as if there’s one or two new imouto/onii-ai (ie, incest) anime series every season.  God knows why.  Anyway, SAO wasn’t shitty enough already, it had to get on the imouto-fetish bandwagon too.

I won’t be watching this anymore.  Stick a fork in me; I’m done.

 

In-flight movies – quick review

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Recently travelled overseas. On the way there, I watched a Japanese film starring Hiroshi Abe (Thermae Romae) and a princess-themed Hollywood movie (Snow White and the Huntsman). On the flight back, I watched another Japanese film starring Hiroshi Abe (Cheers from Heaven) and another Hollywood princess movie (Brave).

Thermae Romae (2012)

  • 3 stars (out of 4)
  • An ancient Roman bathhouse architect gets magically and repeatedly transported to modern-day Japan; and a somewhat parallel story about a manga artist he encounters there.
  • Best parts were the fish-out-of-water scenes. Great camera work and expressions on Hiroshi Abe. Makes you appreciate the wonder of modern devices, but also pokes fun at the silliness of some of them. Hilarious!
  • Waaay too much censorship in the modified version that I saw; even a nude painting was censored!
  • Some parts at the end may have dragged on a little longer than necessary, but I might have just been starting to get tired at that point.

Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)

  • 3 stars (out of 4)
  • Thankfully, not really about romance at all. Really about Snow White’s plight to free her people from the tyrannical rule of her stepmother, the queen.
  • Elements from the original fairy tale were mainly cursory. For example, there didn’t need to be seven dwarfs, but hey, this is “Snow White”, after all.
  • Small airplane monitor didn’t do justice to the special effects.
  • Great nuanced performance by Charlize Theron as Queen Ravenna
  • Great costuming on Snow White. Even though Kristen Stewart spent the movie grimy and tattered, her clothes looked really good!

Cheers from Heaven (2011)

  • 3 stars (out of 4)
  • Based on a true story.
  • Bento caterer suddenly decides to build a music studio for the local high school kids, borrowing money and volunteering his own time and effort. Basically, one hell of a random act of kindness.
  • Well, there are no special effects, so it isn’t necessary to see this on a theatre screen, but it is well-executed, with solid scripting and acting and an uplifting message to boot.

Brave (2012)

  • 2 stars (out of 4)
  • Some superficial similarity to La storia della Arcana Famiglia anime – a princess wants to participate in the contest for her own hand in marriage.
  • The original marriage issue resolved relatively easily, though. This film turned out to not really be about romance either! Like Snow White, it’s actually about the conflict between mother and daughter; except, of course, in Brave they are learning to understand each other, not trying to kill each other…
  • Many scenes in the second half were so dark that I couldn’t see anything on the small airplane monitor. Admittedly, that might have contributed unfairly to my low opinion of the movie.
  • Maybe I expected too much from Pixar, but I found the whole film to be mainly a yawn. Merida was a pretty good heroine, but there was nothing particularly original or amusing here.