JAINITUOS ANIME REVIEWS – AMAGAMI SS – アマガミ- MY OWN IMPRESSIONS – A NICE STORY FOR CHRISTMAS

Amagami SS

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Studio: Anime International Company

Hello my friends. Welcome to another anime review.

And one more time… Merry Christmas…

…and Happy New Year.

And just as I promised you a few days ago, I will bring an anime perfect for finialising this amazing 2022, which, again, it was a year of big challenges, but also of great victories and beautiful memories. But now it is time to move forward, and before I start the new year, I will present you an anime that, despite watching years ago, I kind of remember it with joy,

Behold…

But, before I start with my review, I must ask you now the typical question, a good way to start with 2023, and that is…

Are you my friends ok? Feeling healthy?

If the answer is yes, then I am happy.

Having said that, time to go with an adorable bite of love. This is Amagami SS

PREMISE

Based on the dating sim game released by Enterbrain in 2009, for the Playstation 2, Amagami SS takes to the story of a normal high school student, called Junichi Tachibana, who two years before the main story, suffered a big setback, when his heart was broken by a girl he was dating, because this girl never show up. And to add insult to injury, that date was supposed to take place precisely on Christmas Day, and that is why Junichi hates to celebrate Christmas.

But now, he has the opportunity of finding love again on Christmas, guided by six special girls – his senpai Haruka Morishima; his childhood friend, Kaoru Tanamachi; the shy Sae Nakata; the aloof, but kind Ai Nanasaki; his other childhood friend, Rihoko Sakurai; and the responsible Tsukasa Ayatsuji, in this wonderful adventure of 24 episodes.

Amagami SS was released from July 2 to December 23, 2010. Two years later, a second season was released under the name of Amagami SS +, from January 5 to March 29, 2012, with a total of 12 episodes. Moreover, Amagami itself has a lot of manga and spin-off games that I will not mention here because the list is long, but here are two for putting an example.

Amagami SS was produced by this company called AIC, or Anime International Company, which I truly never heard before, but, from what I read, they produced really old school anime like El-Hazard, Tenchi Muyo, Bubblegum Crisis, and one of the seasons of Date A Live. And, believe it or not, AIC was founded in 1982.

The voice talents include Shizuka Ito (Haruka), Rina Sato (Kaoru), Yukana (Ai), and Kaori Nazuka (Tsukasa) among others, of course, they were the same actresses who voiced her characters in the game.

Finally, Amagami SS has six different endings, with of each performed by the main actresses, and I will explain more about this later. But here are the links of all of them.

STORY

Now, before I continue, I must that I am not a very big fan of the anime versions of many dating sims, including Clannad, Kanon and Tsukihime (I have a lot to say about this last one), because sometimes I believe they choose either the lamest story or the least interesting heroines. Only my opinion. But I was never truly happy with either adaptation of Kanon (2003 & 2006), despite one being done by Kyoto Animation

However, Amagami SS does something that hook my attention, and that is every heroine starred in four episodes, like this.

Haruka Morishima – episode 1-4

Kaoru Tanamachi – episode 5-8

Sae Nakata – episode 9-12

Ai Nanasaki – episode 13-16

Rihoko Sakurai – episode 17-20

Tsukasa Ayatsuji – episode 21-24

And, on that time, I never saw something like that, but it was the thing that got me invested. So, I started watching each arc, and… I really ended liking all the characters. But I will talk about them later in my reliable Characters section.

Despite being only four episodes, I think these arcs distribute the story pretty well. We go to know our protagonist, his “trauma”, his personality, and his insecurities, and I enjoy that, it helps me to connect better. Also, with the heroines. There is not so much drama. Overall, the tone of the stories is light-hearted, and the comedy is not pretty original, but it is funny enough to have me invested.

I indeed had a good laugh. Not the best, but enjoyable.

Also, the episodes does not feel too slow or too fast. It is true that we could see more time of backstory with the protagonist and some of the heroines, like with Kaoru Tanamachi, because with Rihoko Sakurai, that is the case, the anime portrays them in their childhood. Nevertheless, the chemistry between Junichi and each of the heroines works well when it is needed, like in the arc of Sae Nakata and Tsukasa Ayatsuji. But my biggest surprise was with the episodes of Ai Nanasaki, for two reasons.

1. Because I thought she will be the least likeable character, when it was actually one of the most compelling of the heroines.
2. Because Ai arc has one of the best moments of Amagami SS.

Anyway, each arc has its strengths and weaknesses, but that can also depend of who is your favourite heroine. Especially with Rihoko Sakurai arc, and a very moment that I thought was atrocious (can’t mention which, because it is spoilers), one that, fortunately, was fixed in the second season (A shame we had to wait two years for that to happen).

Also, if you are a fan of visual novels, as well as their anime adaptations, or… you know… hentai adaptation, definitely the story of Amagami SS is the anime for you.

CHARACTERS

The characters, without being the most profound, are interesting enough. Junichi Tachibana is a better protagonist than I thought, while pervert and goofy, he is very likeable and hard-working, and in arcs like Sae Nakata, Ai Nanasaki and Tsukasa Ayatsuji we got to see more nuances of his. He is not great, but he does not need to be. He is a very remarkable protagonist, better than many “protagonists”, like one from another… adaptation… Uoti Otokam.

And the heroines have a solid personality, Haruka is laid-back and playful; Kaoru is the same, but with a very responsible, reliable side; Sae is shy, but charismatic; Ai is independent, but really sweet; Rihoko is the big eater klutz, but pretty likeable, and Tsukasa is not what she pretends to be.

In other words… More than meets the eye. Tsukasa in disguise.

The side characters are ok at best. But there are three that stand out the most, in my opinion. The first is Masayoshi, Junichi’s best friend, who gives moral support to the latter, like a normal friend, the same as Kanae Itou, the second, for Rihoko. But the third one is the one that made me laugh a lot. And that is…

Miya, Junichi’s younger sister.

Many will find her annoying, but not me. I have seen worse little sisters.

And every time she laughs, I laugh. That laugh of her is hilarious.

CONCLUSION

Overall, Amagami SS is a pretty decent, entertaining adaptation of a really interesting dating sim, one that is a must-see for the fans. And it’s setting during Christmas gives it more relevance for our characters.

Whenever you can, check it out, and let me yours.

Just one more thing. Sorry for Ai Nanasaki’s fans, but for me…

Mona will always be… the cute ass hero.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2023!!!!!!

JAINITUOS ANIME/MANGA REVIEWS – SHINSEKAI YORI – FROM THE NEW WORLD – MY OWN IMPRESSIONS

Shin Sekai Yori – From the New World

Genre: Dark Fantasy, Dystopian, Thriller

Studio: A-1 Pictures

LITTLE WARNING – THIS REVIEW HAS NUDE PARTS, MAINLY FROM MANGA

Hello my friends. Welcome to another entry of my blog.

I think I have time to do another entry for today. And I am here to work for another life story that has to do with LGBT themes, indirectly, unlike with Yuri!!! on Ice, but it is definitely there. To be honest, I watched this series almost seven years ago, but now I have read some episodes of the original novel, and read all the manga (That’s right!! It is a literary story). So here it comes.

Having said that, we got…

Shinsekai Yori – From the New World

But before I go on with the review, I need to ask you the typical questions:

Are you guys ok? Feeling healthy?

If the answer is yes, then I am happy. Now, let’s travel to the future. Sorry Satoru, you too Takemichi, this is a travel none of you can come with me.

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Now… Shinsekai Yori.

PREMISE

Ok. This is a really complicated story, so I will do my best to tell you the premise.

From the New World, of Shinsekai Yori (新世界より) is based on the novel, published by Yusuke Kishi, in 2008, by Kodansha.

The year is 3013, one thousand years ago, the humankind received a mysterious power, called «Canto», a psychic one to say the least. At the beginning, only 0.3% of the human population got this power. Nonetheless, this Canto power submerged the society into chaos, humans use the power for murder and rampage that, at the end, brought humanity into a complete dystopia. Worse still, the rest of Earth was deformed and new species were brought into existence, most of them living in an eusocial order. And now, societies are deeply controlled to prevent more chaos and rampages, through genetic modification and social conditioning, including homosexual relationships during adolescence to prevent births with no control of Canto, and immediate system collapse for those who commit murder, a technique called Death Feedback.

In this new age, five kids try to live through this new order, Satoru Asahina, Shun Aonuma, Maria Akizuki, Mamoru Itou, and their «leader» Saki Watanabe.

The anime was released between October 2012 and March 2013, directed by Masashi Ishihama, and with soundtrack by Masashi Sogo. Also, the public got access to the manga almost at the same time, from May 2012, to June 2014. I will try to comment more about this later, because, like I said, there is a lot to say here.

And before I forget, some of the species of this new Earth include Queerats, mole-like creatures capable to communicate through human language, and the Impure Cats, from where other two creatures were born, even if it was indirectly – the Karmic Demons, and the Fiends.

As you see, From the New World has one of the most developed worlds in anime, at least from 2010s. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Also… Shinsekai Yori has 25 episodes.

STORY

Now… Where to begin?

Unlike many recent anime, Shinsekai Yori relies a lot on time ellipses; Part I takes place when Saki has 12 years, Part II, during her teenage years, and Part III, shortly after Saki reaches 26 years, followed with another events happening after so… many years. Another element that I really love is the appearance of this dystopia. Different from franchises like Psycho-Pass, Ghost in the Shell, Cowboy Bebop, and from a Western perspective, Blade Runner, there is no flying cars, high skyscrapers, intergalactic flight. Simply a pseudo-feudalistic society with clothes and customs resembling Tokugawa Japan. And the story is about the kids trying to survive this world and discovering the awful face of it.

In that sense, it has vibes from the Bildungsroman literary genre, that is, coming-of-age genre, telling the story of our main characters, and their growth, both physical and psychological. Finally, loyal to its dark tone, Shinsekai Yori has large amounts of blood, violence and sexuality.

But in the sexual department, the manga is a bit more explicit, especially in the yuri side.

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Unfortunately, that is only for yuri

But in the anime is more subtle, both yaoi and yuri.

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I have to confess that, when I read the manga and saw this… explicit girls love, I was like…

I just couldn’t believe it. And I saw Scum’s Wish, Citrus, Peter Grill and NTR: Netsuzou Trap.

I know that the art of anime and manga tend to be different, but this deviation was something that even I didn’t see coming. And I have watched many Hentai throughout my life.

But, on the other hand, it is nice that mainstream stories take some risks and let themselves go regarding violence and sex, especially in Japanese art, as long as it has a purpose, either for storytelling or character development. I am well aware that sometimes this content needs some restraints, but that doesn’t justify that «censorship» has only erases completely.

In addition, just like Erased, 86:Eighty-Six, Sword Art Online and Kaguya-sama: Love is War, A-1 Pictures does a fantastic job with the animation, and like with Erased, it matches the drama of the story and the tragic nature. However, sometimes I think it is too dark, and I don’t dark in tone, like with Magical Girl Site, I mean… too little light, can’t see a thing Dark. However that is not something terrible, not one bit.

And finally, the narrative, rhythm of Shinsekai Yori is pretty enjoyable. It can be a bit slow, because we are reading a story that deals with many timeskips, but for showing how awful the world can be, allowing protagonists to grow, facing the obstacles and realising that the world, despite being so screwed, is worth fighting for, From the New World does the job pretty well.

CHARACTERS

The characters are simple, but easy to identify.

We got Saki, the intuitive girl; Satoru, the wisecracking dude who likes to tease Saki; Shun, the most mature and calmed of the group; Maria, the most popular red-haired childhood friend, and Mamoru, the shy boy who wants to prove his worth, especially toward Maria.

Of course, we got other characters, Reiko; Squealer, a prominent member of the Queerats and probably the most prominent of the non-human characters, at least in appearance, whose appearance and attitude give the impression of an ally, however, just like Saki and her friends will find out… nothing sees what it is.

Of course, there are others, but these seven are the most prominent characters of the Shinsekai Yori. And just like happens with Saki, all of them grow and change due to the events and revelations of the story, so rest assured that we will meet another versions of them. Better or worse? Well… you have to see them by yourself, but one thing is certain. Every character will leave you an impression.

CONCLUSION

Shinsekai Yori, or From The New World, is indeed a very challenging and entertaining story that will make you think for a long time, and a hard one for those who prefer lighter material. Something different that we are used to see, as anime and as manga from my perspective.

But trust me. It is worth checking it out. Just remember, the story gets darker, so be ready. And enjoy…

And also…

Don’t tell to Lena and Annette. If both find out that I reviewed a A-1 Pictures story, not 86: Eighty-Six, they will…

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UH-OH!!!

JAINITUOS ANIME REVIEWS – Inferno Cop – My Own Impressions

Inferno Cop

STUDIO TRIGGER

Genre: Comedy, Science-Fiction.

Hey Guys.

And welcome to another Studio Trigger review.

Today, I am going to talk about one of the early creations from Trigger, and one of my favourite guilty pleasures of all time.

From Trigger co-founder Hiroyuki Imaishi, here comes…

INFERNO COP

But before I continue with my review, I must ask you the typical question:

Are you guys ok? Maintaining social distancing? Washing your hands?

If the answer is yes, then I am very happy, and now, I will leave you with the same advices from my last reviews.

DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE CORONAVIRUS!!

And whatever happens, listen to the doctors and the General Practitioners regarding the virus. They are our heroes now!!!

With that said, let’s go with Inferno Cup.

PREMISE

After losing his family toward the evil organisation known as The Southern Cross, Inferno Cop comes back from the death in order to get revenge against those responsible of his suffering. And with the amazing flames in his head, and the most overpowered bullets ever created, Inferno Cop is ready to go to every single place in the World, every time age in time, and face the wackiest villains in order to… get Supreme Justice.

All while protecting jack Knife Edge Town (That name always cracks me up!!)

And that is. Simple as that. Moreover, Inferno Cop is not alone. He has the greatest allies, such as Mr Judge, the powerful vigilante that is both superhero and judge (Yeah!! Like you heard it). Mecha Cop, the secret weapon from Southern Cross created solely for destroying Inferno Cop… and then they worked together; Auntie Grenda, the aunt of Inferno Cop who lives in Hell, the FBI (Yeah, the FBI itself is a character), Claudia, a beautiful woman with an apparent dark secret. And many others.

Inferno Cop runs for 13 episodes, and, pretty much like Darling in the FRANXX, is a co-production, this time between Studio Trigger and CoMix Wave, who is the same studio that brought us…

Weathering With You

For me, that was  hard to believe at the beginning.

And also…

Well. That is not something you should be surprised about. After all, both movies were directed by Makoto Shinkai, who is a really big name in CoMix Wave Films.

Anyway… yeah. That is the premise from Inferno Cop. And now…

STORY

Honestly, I wish there was a real way to describe the story of Inferno Cop. But there is actually a big problem, though.

There is no story!!

Throughout these 13 episodes, all we got is a new random plot that doesn’t connect at all with the previous episodes. In one, Inferno Cop is fighting Southern Cross to protect Jack Knife Edge Town, the next he is fighting zombies, and in the other, he teams up with Mecha Cop and travelto Prehistory to fight dinosaurs, and the other, he races in the American Grand Prix, and in the other, he fights the FBI while some doctors are practicing illegal, unauthorised surgery unto him, and in the other…

You get the idea.

And let’s allow this image speak for itself.

Scalpel!! FBI!!!

It’s pure insanity.

But really entertaining insanity. Well. After all, Inferno Cop is a parody of those edgy superheroes that seek revenge for their misfortunes, as well as those anti-heroes that travel uncharted territories to see the worst of humankind and existence itself.

Case in point…

And yes.

Calling the obvious parody of Ghost Rider is an under-statement. But due to Nicolas Cage…

But again, Inferno Cop is one of those series that needs to be seen to be believed. Furthermore, it is so self-aware on the parody department that it makes it for a more enjoyable experience. Some may called it So Bad It’s Good, and perhaps it is, but definitely, despite the seemingly edgy factor, it is definitely anything but that.

Ok. I think I am still not being  coherent and clear enough, so I will leave you with more awesome GIFS.

Sorry Metal Gear. We just found deadlier projectiles than yours.

See? I can show you many GIFs from Inferno Cop, but it is still not enough to enjoy this delightful madness. And I am honestly not saying for trolling or goofing around, I am saying it because that is exactly what I felt about our character. And every single moment really cracks me up.

It is a unique experience.

And I haven’t even mention its «legacy» toward Ninja Slayer From Animation. (Crap!!!)

CHARACTERS

Seriously. Is that April O’Neil?

And the other roster of  characters include… Well. I think I already mentioned them all. However, I want to make a mention to… The Greatest Sidekick of the history of superheroes.

HELLFIRE BOY

There is really not too much to say about the characters. They are as insane and delightfully entertaining as Inferno Cop himself.

However, check this out.

This delightful… handsome boys.

LOL.

Ok.

CONCLUSION

Inferno Cop is one hell of an experience. Like I said, it is better to see it than to just merely describe it. Some will not like this, but Inferno Cop reminded me of other «gems» like The Room, Troll 2, Cats (2019) and Star Wars Holiday Experience, in the way that, despite all of these being plain terrible, they are so powerfully unique in what they offer that is practically out of this world.

Again… see it by yourself.

And thank you so much for joining me in my third Studio Trigger review. Tomorrow I will a new one.

But first… does anyone know the story of the girl with the talking, blood-sucking sailor uniform?