JAINITUOS ANIME REVIEWS – AKUDAMA DRIVE – MY OWN IMPRESSIONS

AKUDAMA DRIVE

Genre: Action, adventure, sci-fi

Studio: Pierrot, Too Kyo Games

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Hello my friends.

Welcome to another entry of my blog.

You know? There are a lot of things that I love a lot in this world, but now I will just mention two. 1. The anime. 2. Cyberpunk. And yes, I know what most of you are thinking. That means that you also enjoyed Cyberpunk Edgerunners. And the answer is yes. After all, I made a review of that wonderful series here in my blog, which I will leave a link here.

JAINITUOS ANIME REVIEWS – CYBERPUNK: EDGERUNNERS – MY OWN IMPRESSIONS – FINALLY I CAN RELEASE THOSE PERSONAL THOUGHTS

Nonetheless, there is one series that I am watching right now, one released in 2020, and I have to say that I have loved it so much. To be honest I first heard of this anime a couple of months ago, but I did not pay too much attention because I was diligent watching other things. But now, I can go and let my thoughts go.

Having said that, let me ask you a question:

Do you guys love Danganronpa?

Then you will love…

AKUDAMA DRIVE.

Just like I did. But before I continue, let me ask you a question:

Are you guys ok? Feeling happy?

If the answer is yes, then I am happy.

Now… Time for a super-crazy ride with Akudama Drive. I just hope my words in this entry are worth of this fantastic anime.

PREMISE

Akudama Drive was heavily inspired in Danganronpa, and directed by Tomohisa Taguchi, who was impressed by the results and positive reception of Danganronpa, so they work together with Studio Pierrot (Bleach, Black Clover), in order to create something new and equally mermerizing.

Akudama Dtive takes place in a dystopian Japan, devastated by a war; as a result, Kansai becomes a puppet stated of Kanto. Inside, there is a group of infamous, death-sentenced criminals that operate in Kanto and usually work as mercenaries, called the Akudama. Many of these Akudama are paid to infiltrate into the Kansai Police Station and free a prisoner who is about to be executed, called Cutthroat. Meanwhile, a young Ordinary Person gets arrested and dragged into the job of liberating Cutthroat when she meets Courier, an Akudama who delivers the package to its destination regardless the distance. In order to survive, the Ordinary Person takes the identity of Swindler after she rescues a black cat, and just when Cutthroat is rescued by Courier and other four Akudama, Brawler, Doctor, Hacker and Hoodlum. Nonetheless, shortly after, the black cat reveals that the job of rescuing Cutthroat is only a front in order to do a bigger job – to infiltrate a Shinkansen and rescue its very valuable cargo inside.

In order to convince Swindler and the other Akudama to finish the job, the cat puts the Akudama an explosive collar. Now, they must work together to reach the Shinkansen and release the cargo, while escaping the relentless, ruthless goverment-led Executioners.

I know that Akudama Drive has a very complex plot, but, among other things, that is one of the elements that makes it so engaging. And as I mentioned before, Tomohisa Taguchi worked shoulder by shoulder by Kazutaka Kodata, the creator of Danganronpa, to produce 12 action-packed, well-written, beautifully animated episodes released from October to December, 2020. One fun fact is that every episode of Akudama Drive is named after classics of Western cinema, including Reservoir Dogs, Mission: Impossible, Dead Man Walking, and…

Se7en

You have no idea how much this last movie impacted me.

Additionally, there is a manga of Akudama Drive written by Rokuro Ogari, and published by Papyless, from July 7, 2020, to April 25, 2023.

The opening song is called STEAL, performed by SPARK!!SOUND!!SHOW!!, and the ending song is called “Ready” by Urashimasakatasen.

Another fun fact is that Akudama Drive has supposed to be released in July, 2020, but it was postponed to October due to COVID-19.

STORY

Now… Where to start?

I must admit that I only watched one episode of Akudama Drove a couple of months ago, and that I never thought I would ever watch it again. That is until my friends at the Deakin Anime Club decided to screen it. And… Oh boy! This has been an experience. Let the fact that Danganronpa inspired Akudama Drive be a start. As soon as you started watching episode 1, you really feel hooked up by everything, the animation, the characters, the plot, and the dystopian setting.

Regarding this last part, I never thought that something could be as good as Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, but even though Akudama Drive focuses more in the backstory of Kanto rather than its actual society itself, you feel genuinely invested, that is because, after watching the first episodes, you feel you are inside of everything that is taking place in the plot, because the music, the animation, and the characters combined together in such a fast-paced, action packed story. It’s like the Akudama does not have time to catch a breath, and neither you do, the anime just drags you inside itself.

And by the time the action stops, and the anime tries to develop its characters, you feel the humanity of all of them, even the evilest ones, because you discover their motivations are compatible of how they truly are. Of course, you end up hating some of the Akudama, but most of them are so well developed that either love them or love to hate them. And for me, if you love to hate a character, not just villains, that means they are mostly masterfully executed.

Furthermore, most of the story is about some of the characters trying to fight one of the most visceral elements of cyberpunk genre – Inhumanity, and by that, I mean this inhumanity provoked by technology so advanced and people to attached to them that it becomes less empathetic and solidary. I know it is hard to explain, but is basically most of our characters, and some of the antagonists, trying to keep their sanity and compassion intact after digging deeper and deeper in the ruthlessness of the dystopic Kanto.

It happened in Cyberpunk Edgerunners, it happened in Blade Runner, and it happens in Akudama Drive. In my opinion with Swindler, who starts as an Ordinary Citizen and ends up being the most resilient and bravest of the Akudama, along with Courier.

Another amazing element is the action scenes, there are full of everything – Swords, high-speed chases, blood, hand-to-hand combat, disembowelment, but not as graphic as Cyberpunk Edgerunners, and it is so creative and original that you never get bore. And still, I find hard to put it in words. For the most part, the action of Akudama Drive is something you must experience by yourself rather than me explain it to you.

Also, this is a personal opinion, but I believe that, unlike Cyberpunk Edgerunners, Akudama Drive starts in a very light-hearted way, and then, the story becomes darker and cooler, to a point in which you wonder how it got there.

The animation is also insane, there is so much colour in the scenarios, so much style in the action and in the violence, and so much detail in day and night, everything, especially in the character design is so carefully crafted. It makes the experience more immersive. Again, better to see it than to describe it.

I almost… almost… say that Akudama Drive is superior to Danganronpa. But hey! Let’s not go there.

Finally, the writing is one of the best I have ever seen. Nonetheless, I don’t think that script is as good as the one from Cyberpunk Edgerunners, because the latter takes more time to develop the characters in an organic matter, especially in their conversations. Akudama Drive does the same, but not with the same depth, at least in my opinion. Still, good story

Anyway. I consider the story of Akudama Drive as one of its best elements…

CHARACTERS

…along with its own characters.

For starters, Akudama Drive does the same thing as Goblin Slayer, in which instead of giving the characters a name and a last name, they simply receive a position – Courier, Doctor, Hoodlum, Swindler, Brawler, Cutthroat, Brother, Sister and Executioner. However, here it works better, because the concept is very simple, as well as the characters, so you don’t need too much background to know all of them.

And yes… I know that I said that is also a weakness in comparison of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, but on that regard, I meant during the story, but before the events of episode one. Like I said, most of the Akudama are trying to keep their humanity intact, such as Swindler, and along with the writing, her story arc becomes very solid.

Anyway, the design of the characters is beautiful, especially in the eyes; again… far superior than in Danganronpa. Everything has a very unique design, which makes them more relatable. Also, their personalities are well-defined too. Swindler is a naïve girl with a heart of gold, Courier is a stoic motorist that is relentless regarding finishing the job, Doctor is a skilful, resourceful woman who looks after her own interest, Cutthroat an insane serial, spree killer with an obsession with colour red.

But among my favourites are Brother and Sister. They love and look after each other, they have a pretty cool design, and their backgrounds are some of the best, heartbreaking of Akudama Drive.

Again, better for you to watch than we to describe, because it has spoilers, and it is better to feel the experience.

By the way… Am I the only one who immediately confuses Brother with Hanako-Kun?

If the animation itself was good, along with the characters, get better.

CONCLUSION

Without any doubt, Akudama Drive is one of the best cyberpunk anime I have ever seen, along with Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. While Cyberpunk has better characters and better story, Akudama Drive offers a more immersive and psychedelic experience, at least in my opinion. No wonder why it’s considered one of the best anime of 2020. You might think that is a generic action anime, but you must take the proper time to watch and to experience it, and definitely you will love it.

I admit that this entry took me longer than I thought. And not just because Akudama Drive is just so good, but also because I was busy doing many things these days. But I am working hard to bring more entries on my blog and make up to the time lost.

But… just to let you… I am seen things you would believe. Salt Cathedral in my hometown, nice houses with history of mythology, and… plaza full of mythological beasts near Tolima, the Pacific Ocean in the beach.

All those moments, that will be lost… in time… like tears in rain.

Oh!! Who am I kidding? Those memories will live as long as I do… Right?

See you next time.

JAINITUOS ANIME REVIEWS – CYBERPUNK: EDGERUNNERS – MY OWN IMPRESSIONS – FINALLY I CAN RELEASE THOSE PERSONAL THOUGHTS

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

Genre: Cyberpunk (Obviously), Sci-fI, Drama, Action

Studio: Trigger

«You don’t make a name as a cyberpunk by how you live. 

You’re remembered by how you die.»

Hello my friends. Welcome to another anime review.

First and foremost,… Merry Christmas

Yeah. The moment I was really waiting for. It has been a very memorable year, and we are almost starting 2023, which for me, it is one of the best moments of the upcoming week, but despite this, I got a very healthy, wonderful month, celebrating Christmas with my family and friends.

I apologise beforehand, because I still own you guys all my pending reviews of Chainsaw Man, and they will come. I promise, but I decided to take a little break of them in order to make some other reviews that I must bring you, and if I don’t, I will flatline. Having said that…

I bring to you… One of the best anime of 2022, in my personal opinion.

But before I start with this series. I must ask my friends the typical question:

Are you guys ok? Feeling healthy?

If the answer is yes, then I am happy.

Now… let’s jump to the future with Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. I better do it fast, otherwise, I will be in trouble.

PREMISE

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is a prequel of the famous video game Cyberpunk 2077, produced by CD Project Red and directed by Mike Pondsmith. For those who do not know about Mike Pondsmith, in the past, he created a lot of RPG games which personally I didn’t play, but I have a lot of interest in, including Meklon (1984), Cyberpunk (1988), Castle Frankenstein (1994) among others and, from what I heard it is an amazing fan of Dungeons & Dragons.

Cyberpunk Edgerunners takes place in 2076, Night City, located in the Free State of California, and, in the best fashion of Blade Runner and Blade Runner: 2049, it is full of poverty, overpopulation, crime, corruption and a very depressing atmosphere. David Martinez is a young Salvadoran American man going to the Arasaka Academy, with his tuition fees paid by his mother, the paramedic Gloria, but his life is far from perfect, well… It is freaking Cyberpunk: Edgerunners my friend. Because he is constantly bullied at school and harassed because of his background, no wonder he hates going to school, but he keeps going for his mother; however tragedy soon arrives, because a horrible accident provoked by a drive-by shooting severely injures Gloria, and because their health cover does not pay for her treatment, effectively she passes away, and then, David loses everything, his house, his place in the school, his future. When I say everything, I mean… Everything!

And the quickness in which David’s life took a turn for the worse really impressed me, because it really hits you on how putrid, corrupt, and relentless the setting of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners actually truly is, but I will get there in a minute. The point is that David discovers that Gloria stole a military-grade Sandevistan implant from one of the corpses she attended, because Gloria also sold some scraps to help pay David’s fees before her death. When she discovers that, David demands this implant to be added to him despite the severe risk of his body. But he doesn’t care and uses his new strength to take revenge on the student who bullied him and leave Arasaka Academy for good.

Shortly after these events, he meets with a really beautiful netrunner, called Lucy, and from there, both try to survive in the merciless, dangerous world of the cyberpunks to survive Night City, along with Maine and his gang.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is animated by Studio Trigger, which, at this point, I don’t think needs any presentation, but I will give a handful of their previous work…

… Many which I already have a review of their own, and I am leaving the links here in case you are interested.

Going back, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is on Netflix, and it has 10 episodes, all of them released on September 13, 2022.  Also, the series was directed by Hiroyuki Imashi, a very well-known name in Studio Trigger, and who also directed Gurren Lagann and Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt. The composer is Akira Yamaoka, who, for me, is best known for composing the soundtrack of Silent Hill 4.

But what really got me of is score is the opening song… This Fire, from Franz Ferdinand. Sheebus!! Man!!! They couldn’t choose a more appropriate song.

And yes… I am still watching all of these fantastic episodes. I am halfway through.

STORY

Oh my! Where to start?

Deja-Vu my friends! Because I am feeling to same way as I did when I was writing my reviews of Outlaw Star and Trigun.

I think I will start saying that I am a huge fan of everything that has to do with the Cyberpunk genre, because it not only has a very imaginative, futuristic setting in which the city can show a very weird beauty and a really depressing revelation about our society, but also because it deals with so many universal themes that always make us reflex in our existence as humans, regardless if it is present or if it is in a couple of decades.

Reason of why movies like Blade Runner, its sequel Blade Runner: 2049, Brazil, Akira and Ghost in the Shell are always some of my favourites. (Although I am still trying to understand the masterpiece of Mamoru Oshii at all.)

And Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is no exception.

The way David loses everything on episode one is full of nuances that made me think, for example, about the horrible inequality of Night City, not only financially, but also socially, because unless you have a very rich dad, or very powerful connections, you are a nobody, and that is perfectly reflected with Gloria, since she was a decent mother, but because she was practically non-existent in the system, she was discarded in a way only the most corrupt, automatized and inhuman societies will do. No matter how hard she worked, not even sheer effort is valued.

Because, in a world like this… If you don’t have real power… Who gives a sh*t about you?

David possibly understood that, better than Gloria, but does not make his backstory less tragic. Combine that with all the crap he has to go through in the next episodes, and you have a very relatable protagonist despite having the life of a criminal.

In other words, despite having only ten episodes, the narrative of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is pretty solid and well-worked, giving us the story of some outcasts that, despite being violent and almost sociopathic, you really root for them.

It is a ruthless world, but David, Maine, Dorio, Rebecca, Lucy and gang have the best motivations. Not a very altruistic one, but one that hooks you.  And personally, this is something that many series, both from West and East, can learn. You can have episodes of half an-hour, or almost an hour, like Squid Game, Breaking Bad or The Mandalorian, but if you take advantage of every second to the fullest, you can get something amazing.

In other words – it is better a couple of well-written seconds than hours of pure filler.

Another amazing point is the animation. My gosh!!! Just look at this!!

I still don’t know how Studio Trigger does that, but Night City comes to life with these frames. It is amazing!!! They do not want to water every bit of the setting, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners show us the identity of Night City to the fullest, and not just because it has different colours, buildings, and scenarios, also because sometimes the scenario plays well with the feelings of the characters.

Such as in episode two, where David and Lucy see the Moon. Their hearts are in the Moon… literally. And so are we as audience. You better enjoy that part while can because…

Also, the action sequences are insane. It is like Cyberpunk: Edgerunners took an inspiration from Amazon’s Invincible and The Boys. Every time David “stops” the time to move really fast, it is a treat to the eye. And due to the nature of the setting and ruthlessness of Night City, it is normal to have this much gore, nudity, and blood.

And trust me, after all the abuse of kid-friendliness and bullcrap from Disney, Marvel, and DC before The Suicide Squad, as well as the obnoxious self-censor and PC, something like this is always welcome, because the action is so intense, it sticks with you, it helps you to remember our protagonists.

Finally, and semi-spoilers. Since this world is tragic, most of our characters have tragic ends. Remember what the quote from the beginning.

Finally, every song of the soundtrack is perfect. As if they are composed just for those simple moments. But every time I listen “Let You Down” by Dawid Podsiadlo, I feel a little gap in my heart, and a deep gratitude about being alive.

Grande eres… Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.

CHARACTERS

And just like the setting of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is incredible, so are its characters. I think I already gave my positive feedback to David, who starts being a nobody, being forced to live a life he does not want to a cyberpunk that has acquired freedom, family, and a taste of life, both as an individual and as the partner of Lucy, because it is also through her that David grows, and permits himself to feel his humanity despite his implant.

But Lucy does not feel flat. Absolutely not! I must be honest, I started disliking her for many of her actions, especially through the first episodes, but then I grew up to sympathise with her a lot, especially after knowing her past.

In fact, Let You Down is the perfect personification of what Lucy has been. No wonder the song is present as background on Lucy’s most touching moments.

Furthermore…Bravo to Aoi Yuuki, this is indeed one of her best performances in her career, along with Tanya von Degurechaff and Tatsumaki.

And don’t forget the moment that symbolises the love between Lucy and David.

The other characters do not leave behind, At first, I was scared of Maine, but when I know him better, the same with Dorio.

And… here comes a very unpopular opinion. I mean… Rebecca.

I am aware that for many, Rebecca is the most popular character of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. And me… I am not saying she is not good. She is actually extremely hilarious when she needs to be, and many of her moments are definitely gold, finally, her design is pretty original, and that is a lot to say because many of the character design of this anime really stands out. She is amazing.

But for me, David, Lucy, and Maine stand out better than Rebecca, because I have become more familiar and more connected to their backstory, development, and humanity that it is impossible for me to take them out of my mind. And while Rebecca is amazing character, for me, nothing of what she does will overcome my feelings toward our protagonist. That’s all.

I will repeat myself in case I was clear. I love Rebecca, but if I have to pick my favourite character of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, I will go for either David or Lucy, and perhaps Maine. That’s all.

Anyway. The characters are amazing, and I love them as much as the anime itself.

CONCLUSION

It is no wonder why this anime has been so successful as of December 27, 2022. Without a doubt, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is one of the best anime of the year, and indeed one of my personal favourites, along with gems like Spy x Family & Chainsaw Man.

Also… Is this the best work of Studio Trigger? Well… One of the best. Personally, I think it is as good as Kill la Kill and… (incoming unpopular opinion) Darling in the FRANXX. Every single I was listening to people saying how good Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is, and now that I watched it myself, I understand its popularity is well-deserved.

Just like Argentina’s victory in Qatar (Admit it, French fans)

Finally, I am very happy that the sales of Cyberpunk 2077 improved thanks to this anime. And yes. After watching the ending, I understand that perhaps, perhaps… A second season might not come, at least in the short term.

But, unlike its characters, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners will be remember by how it lived.

And now… Back to holiday feelings. With a very great surprise I am preparing for the next days. Let me give you a hint.

See you next time because my fire is out of control.

JAINITUOS NON-ANIME REVIEWS – NETFLIX’S COWBOY BEBOP – NO MAN’S HEART

Cowboy Bebop (2021 TV series) a.k.a. Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop

Genre: Space western, action.

Hello my friends, welcome to another entry of my blog.

(sigh) Trust me. I don’t even know if I am crazy or just impulsive, let alone if I am doing the right thing. Why am I saying this? Because first I should be talking about one of the greatest, most precious anime of history, I think one of the greatest pieces of fiction of humankind…

…and then giving my opinion about the interpretation of Netflix, especially because I haven’t actually watch all the ten episodes produced by this streaming service. But, on the other hand…

Cowboy Bebop is Cowboy Bebop

And of course, for such a wonderful masterpiece, one entry of my blog is not enough. And yes… I am still working on the second part of Komi-san, and I will bring it when the time comes.So this is what I will do. I will use this pages to review Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop, and then I will give the original anime of Cowboy Bebop its respective space.

With that said…

But before I go on with this one hell of the experience, I must ask you guys the typical question:

Are you guys ok? Feeling healthy?

If the answer is yes, then I am happy.

And now… time to see you again space cowboy. This is Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop.

PREMISE

Just to let you know… SPOILER ALERT!

Also, after reviewing the fantastic series of SAO – Alternative: Gun Gale Online, reviewing Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop feels like going backwards.

Anyway, we got three bounty hunters, Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, and Faye Valentine, who travels around space on board of The Bebop, catching criminals, collecting bounties, and survive in the rough world of crime, all of them trying to escape or overcome a dark past. Spike is a former associate of the Red Dragon Syndicate with outstanding fighting and marksmanship skills. Jet is the captain of the Bebop, but he worked for the Intra Solar System Police (ISSP) but quitted after losing his arm, and Faye is an amnesiac femme fatale who uses her body to seduce men and get what she wants. But I will talk about her later.

For those who watched the 1998 anime, know what I am talking about.

And speaking about the original anime, the story run for 26 episodes, the Netflix version has ten episodes, whose runtime varies between 39 and 56 minutes, being filmed in New Zealand from 2019 to 2021, and having the stars of John Cho, Mustafa Shakir, Daniella Pineda and Alex Hassell as Spike, Jet, Faye and Vicious respectively.

Finally, Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop was produced by Tomorrow Studios, along with Sunrise Inc, which is the original Japanese studio that brought us the original anime, and distributed by… Who else? Netflix. All of the episodes were released on Netflix on November 19, 2021.

All the music was composed by Yoko Kanno, the composer of the 1998 anime.

STORY

Alright. This GIF of Jay Sherman represent my own feelings.

Ok. Jokes apart. First a little realisation of this series before answering whether is good or not.

Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop is absolutely one of the best live-action adaptations of an anime the company has ever done.

Relax. Take it easy. I never say it was good. Furthermore there is a valid reason of me to say that. The lack of competition… inside the Netflix originals. Because, on one hand, we have a soulless, rushed and incoherent adaptation of Saint Seiya, done with Uncanny Valley…

Yes. This sh$t exists.

…and on the other, we have, in my opinion, the WORST, GOSH-AWFUL ADAPTATION OF AN ANIME DONE BY A WESTERN COMPANY, EVEN WORSE THAN DRAGONBALL EVOLUTION. I mean…

And now, the big question, although I indirectly answered it. Is Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop good? In short terms…

NO!!! NO FREAKING WAY!!

Just because I think Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop is the best adaptation of an anime done by Netflix, does not mean I find it good. In fact, is all the opposite. But well. Let me start talking about the good points, which are practically counted with the fingers of one hand.

First and foremost… the soundtrack. And with all good reason, because it was composed by Yoko Kanno, like I said, the original composer. And that is the way, because nothing related to Cowboy Bebop can work without the music of Yoko Kanno. It is like doing a Star Wars movie, cartoon or TV series without the score of John Williams, or its essence. It is a crime. Also, John Cho as Spike Spiegel looks decent.

Obviously Cho’s age plays against him. He definitely does not like a 27-year-old bounty hunter, but somehow Cho compensates that with his acting, and I can forgive everything else. Also, the production design is really good on the space scenes, in fact, I will go far to say that is «Galactically Supernovistic», trust me, if you see the episodes, spot the space scenes, you will love them (I repeat myself… IF You see them.)

Finally, the opening credits are really fantastic, I would dare to say that it the best part of this adaptation. Well-done guys.

And now… the bad stuff.

Just like in some parts, the production design looks fantastic, in others it looks terrible, mostly in the urban areas, one example is on episode one, where the Bebop arrives to Tijuana colony. It really looks cheap, And I remember there is a scene from 2019 Alita: Battle Angel, where the background looks similar, but better. 1000 times better. And that is not the only example. Check this out.

I hope I am not the only one show thinks that the backgrounds look cheap. And this is not acceptable; I have seen many fan films who put more effort on the production design than this, and since this is all done by Netflix, is pretty sad.

Another big problem is that the fight scenes aren’t that exciting either, especially in comparison with the anime, and the movie for that matter. And the thing is that with animation, you have more freedom to transmit and polish the feeling of an action scene, and unfortunately the production of Netflix is unable to fully adapt that. Sometimes they attempt to make the action identical to the Taken and the John Wick franchises. But still, they do not succeed.

Finally… Is it just me, or this series is trying so hard to copy Quentin Tarantino in style and aesthetics? That could be consider a cute approach… if this was a fan series. But it isn’t! The key work here is… COPY. Not influenced, not referenced… A blatant copy, and with someone as Tarantino, that is so lame.

Moreover… Who told Netflix that forcing social commentary about big companies in Cowboy Bebop was a good idea? I mean… in the first episode, the criminal, I already forgot his name, tells about how he lost his job due to the «big companies», and that pushes him to hold a Casino at gunpoint. And of course, both Jet and Spike seizes him. But I ended up wondering… Was that background relevant to the story? NO! Was ever mentioned again? NO! Did that strengthen something like world-building? I’ll say NO! Then why did Netflix included it? Because is part of their political agenda. Simple as that.

Of course, those changes to the story appear to be the order of the day. But I will talk about that in a second. Because Netflix changes so many things to the story, that I don’t even know where to start, and those changes, far from improving the lore of Cowboy Bebop, they bastardises it. Case in point… Mama Matsumoto.

In the original anime, Whitney Hagas Matsumoto was a con artist who pretended to love Faye, but in the end, he dropped her massive debts; just to re-appear three years later and try to scam her once more, which motivated Faye to discard him and distrust people at all.

And what did Netflix do in its series?

Source: Watchmojo

Matsumoto was changed for a woman.

Look, If I hated Netflix’s guts, I would think this was done due to political correctness. No. I will go too far and say that Netflix executives said this:

«A man exploiting a defenseless woman? No! That’s sexist. If we include this, we are sexist. And let’s change this dickhead for a woman. Yeah! We are inclusive.«

And trust me, this is one example. My point is that, when you think Netflix adapted the story properly, it is accompanied by a forced change that ruins the story and the characters; trust me when I say they appear to be the order of the day; and when I speak of the characters, I will go into more detail. Speaking of Faye… What is that generic costume of hers?

Alright. I agree that female characters need as much development, writing and care as male characters in fiction, not just breasts and butts. But in the case of Faye, her sexy figure was justified, because her body was a weapon against gangsters and murderers, who fall for her and do her bidding. But no. Again… Let’s change that and do Faye a hooligan, with a sailor mouth because… Superficial empowerment.

WHEE!!! ALL MEN ARE GARBAGE.

And what really enrages me is that the costume designer admits she wasn’t feeling comfortable adapting Faye like this? Here is the link for you to check out.

<https://www.insider.com/cowboy-bebop-costume-designer-resistant-faye-valentine-overtly-sexualized-2021-11&gt;

And I ask… Woman… Why the heck did you take this job in the first place? If you were to do things horribly just to be more… realistic, then quit and leave it to someone who was do to this properly. Also because… it feels so lazy.

And most likely, some people who read my entry will call me – sexist, chauvinistic, retrograde, woman-hater, fascist for thinking like that. But… I don’t care. I am not going to lie just for make a bunch of SJW dickheads who are not going to even watch Cowboy Bebop happy.

Like I said, the story is not that well-adapted, and indeed, many of the fans will feel disappointed, myself included.

CHARACTERS

Also, the characters are not that engaging either.

John Cho looks decent, but Daniella Pineda looks awful, and the fact that she openly mocks and trolls those who disagree with her does not help het at all.

But she is not the only one.

I have nothing against Mustafa Shakir. As as matter of fact, I love him. He is a fantastic actor, especially as Jet Black. But in the physical part, he does not convince me, and it is not his fault.

Every time I think of Jet Black, I think on his imposing man of almost two meters.

But… just look

And I do not know if it is because he is not that tall, or he is not that built. But Mustafa Shakir does not complete the role of Jet, however… it is not his fault.

And it is not as sad as with Vicious… Good Grief!!! What they did to Vicious.

All the fans of Cowboy Bebop know that Vicious is simply one of the greatest villains in all anime – he is unpredictable, intelligent, sadistic and manipulative, and the fact that he is like that under that gangster, along with his actions, makes him more terrifying and dangerous.

And what did Netflix do to him? Just look.

What, in everything good and decent of this world, is this? A white wig and a bad cosplay of a NPC from Bloodborne. You know what I think? I think he looks less than Vicious and more than the white haired companion of Frank, you know, the talking dog from Men In Black.

And all that badassery is replaced with some spoiled brat attitude that looks awful, always at the servitude of Julia. Oh!!! Before I forgot to mention… Julia is the villain. Yeah… You heard it right. There is a plot twist in the final episode, in which Julia shoots Spike, and makes him fall through the Church Glass, just like in the iconic scene of the Ballad of the Fallen Angels.

JULIA IS THE VILLAIN. THE ONE WHO TAKES OVER THE RED DRAGON SYNDICATE. NOT VICIOUS.

Julia… that beautiful woman who represents the most human side of both Spike and the world of Cowboy Bebop. The one Spike hold on to feel Hope. But now… she is the main villain, worse still… she imprisons and tortures Vicious at the end.

Honestly… calling this a huge disrespect and travesty is an understatement. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

CONCLUSION

It’s no wonder why Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop is a failure toward fans. Leaving the huge impossibility to adapt the beloved 1998 anime in a perfect fashion aside, there are too many changes for the worse, and a more than notorious lack of passion and soul on this project.

The action is not that exciting, there are so many fillers, our beloved characters are mere stereotypes, and is boring… excruciatingly boring. And yet… I think is the best anime adaptation from Netflix. How bad is that?

All I can say is that… stick with the 1998 anime, and the subsequent movie. Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop is not as bad as Netflix’s Death Note, but definitely is still bad.

And since I already gave my opinion of it, when the time, I will give my opinion of Netflix’s Death Note, and trust me… I will save countless lives.

JAINITUOS ANIME REVIEWS – TAKT OP. DESTINY – MY OWN IMPRESSIONS

Takt Op.Destiny

Genre: Sci-fi, Fantasy, Musical

Studio: MAPPA/Madhouse

Hello my friends.

Welcome to another blog entry.

Who’s up for a bit of music? No one? Please, do not talk like that, because music is a beautiful art of expression, and one of the greatest legacies of human civilization since the very beginning. Do not listen to Homer Simpson.

SINGING IS THE LOWEST FORM OF COMMUNICATION

Well, here is not about singing, it is more about music. And again, the title says it all, but a part of me is now convinced that we humans need music, because it awakens the most beautiful part of our souls, and teaches us about the best of human history, especially because of Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, Salieri, and others. Well, I am digressing, but I need to live a good impression, especially since I do not think I will have another chance to express what I think about music and not having a piano.

Because yes. I took piano lessons years ago.

Behold…

But before I go on, I must ask you the typcial question:

Are you guys ok? Feeling healthy?

If the answer is yes, then I am very happy.

And now, let’s enjoy some music of the soul, and anime together. This is Takt Op. Destiny.

PREMISE

Takt Op. Destiny is the anime adaptation of a mixed media project from Bandai Namco Games and DeNA Co. Ltd that combines music and anime (Obviously). The series takes place on 2047, the world is condemned to live without music because it is plagued by the D2, monsters that hate human music and are attracted to its source, whichever it is, either by instruments or piano, and they create rampage whenever they go. The D2 are created by a meteor, called Black Night Siderites, and in order to fight them, the Symphonica International Organization created the Musicarts, girls drawn from classical music sheets and conducted by the «Harmonica Ore», a power granted to a human.

In other words, the Musicarts are like the girls from Kantai Collection, but instead of using Japanese warships from WWII to create them, the particular component is music. (Something that is more appropriate, in my opinion).

Don’t worry girls. I will takt about you eventually

Takt Asahina is a talented piano player, but as any respected genius, he prioritises music over everything. He has two very good childhood friends, Anna Schneider, and her younger sister, Cosette. One day, Cosette and Takt play piano together, but they attract a D2 that ultimately kills Cosette. Nonetheless, her pendant awakens Destiny, a Musicart that is very unstable, on the body of Cosette. And Takt becomes his Conductor. Both fight D2s together, and with the help of Anna, the pair must travel to New York to cure Destiny’s condition.

Takt Op. Destiny is available at Crunchyroll, and the animation is a joint venture done between Madhouse and MAPPA, much to my surprise.

And I will talk about this later.

This animation is beautiful, but it left me and impression that I will share with all of you

As of November 17, 2021, six episodes have been released. But I am not sure how many episodes Takt Op. Destiny will have as a whole, but honestly, honestly, I am counting that it will have at least 24 episodes (two cours).

Finally, the opening – Takt – is performed by Ryo from Supercell, while the ending – Symphonia, is beautifully performed by Mika Nakashima.

Here is a link for the intro, which I love.

And of course, the ending.

STORY

Here it comes.

Firstlty, I must say that, when I read that Takt Op.Destiny is based on a videogame, I was like…

Because, I got a pretty bad experience with BlazBlue, and that nefarious anime released on 2013, called BlazBlue: After Memory, which is basically 13 (or 12, I neither remember nor care), pure filler that tells me almost nothing about BlazBlue, or Guilty Gear for that matter, or with Akiba’s Trip: The Animation, which didn’t left me precisely a good impression. And then, I got this teaching for myself:

«There is something worse than a crappy movie because on a videogame, and that is a crappy anime based on a videogame.»

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But then, after watching the first two episodes of Takt Op.Destiny… I got hooked, with everything, the animation, the story, the pacing, the characters, and the soundtrack. This anime was beautiful in all of those aspects.

The animation… well. Do I have to say more? It is freaking MAPPA, along with awesome Madhouse. What can I say?

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However, the very first moment I saw the trailer of Takt Op. Destiny, I swear to you that I thought the animation was done by Ufotable, due to the similarities from their work with Fate series.

Just look at the stills.

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After all, how can you never suspected that with such a quality?

Anyway. Then I decided to see the series, and indeed, everything left a great impression. While the first episode gave us a good impression of how powerful Takt and Destiny truly are, and some great battles scenes that you will enjoy, the second episode starts on flashback mode, revealing more about the past of Takt, Anna and Cosette. And the rhythm of the story is so balanced and pleasant it makes you see the episode once more. Of course, on episode two, there are some elements of the story, as well as other characters that you will see later on, because the story reveals little by little.

And that is something that I appreciate on these stories – Three basic elements.

1. Story
2. Characters
3. The development of both.

And that is something you see on Takt Op.Destiny.

Does this makes this anime more artsy? Not really. I would say it is more conventional, but at least the feeling of classical music is always there, and if you are a fan of the Fate adaptations done by Ufotable, or Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba for that matter, you would have any problem with this story.

CHARACTERS

I can see that the characters have a really beautiful design, and I will definitely learn more about them while i watch the other episodes.

But for now, I will center about our protagonists, Takt, Destiny and Anna. Takt is the genius who is more focuses on his art rather than in his life, or even his health, pretty basic, but the work done by Koki Uchiyama (HoriMiya), really states the identity of the character; Anna is the older sister figure who loves them, but has a hard time looking after Takt and Destiny.

And with Destiny… let’s just say that she has the same aloofness and calmness as Saber. Both are very similar.

However, one element that is must praise indeed, is her design.

It is simple, beautiful, and definitely looks like a pianist or a violinist. MAPPA and Madhouse really nailed it with the design of Destiny.

As beautiful as Vivy, from Vivy – Fluorite eye’s song.

And by the way. Why many stories have the word DESTINY on their titles? Or have characters named as such? It is not like Destiny is a bad name, or that I hate it; but many people might notice by now that it is already used everywhere like this. Anyway, I wanted to point it out, that’s all.

The characters are interesting, and I enjoyed them a lot.

CONCLUSION

Takt Op. Destiny is an anime worth of your time. It has nice characters, interesting story, enjoyable battle scenes, and fantastic soundtrack. Of course, the series is not that innovative, but it doesn’t need to be. It simply needs strong substance to entertain you, which definitely has. But the best elements are the soundtrack and the animation.

Again, if you like Ufotable, their work with Fate Series, and Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song, you will absolutely enjoy this.

Right Bart?

Ok. Not for everyone. But definitely check it out.

And now… I will show it to Komi-san, I definitely can see her reaction.

JAINITUOS ANIME REVIEWS – BOKUTACHI NO REMAKE! – MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Bokutachi No Remake (Remake Our Life!)

Studio: Feel

Genre: Time travel, slice-of-life

Hello my friends.

Welcome to another blog entry.

I think that, after three weeks and various hours of planning, I have organised a way to consistently post entries in my blog. First I have watched a lot of new anime and another series from 2021. And then I will bring you one entry per day for the next week.

Let’s see how it goes.

Having said that, I want to start with a series that really touched my heart, because it deals with a theme all of us, especially me, can relate to. And that series is…

Bokutachi no Remake! (Remake our Life!)

But before I start, I must ask you guys the same questions:

Are you ok? Keeping healthy? Staying safe?

If the answer is yes, then I am happy.

Now, let;’s start with Bokutachi no Remake!

PREMISE

Based on the series of light novels written by Nachi Kio, and illustrated by Eretto, Bokutachi no Remake! starts in 2016. Kyouya Hashiba is a salaryman turned game developer and graduate of Economics, whose company went bankrupt; now unemployed, with neither money nor any relationship, he goes back home on the Nana Prefecture with his parents, regretting his life choices and wishing to go back in time and redo his life. Much to his surprise, he wakes up in 2006, to the exact moment in which he must decides on whether go to Economics, or enrol on the Onaka University of Arts; he decides the latter and starts living another of his dreams – meet the Platinum Generation that he admired on his previous life.

This time, his life will go as planned. At least Hashiba is decided to be that way.

Bokutachi no Remake! started publication on March 2017, and as of August 16th, 2021, it has released nine volumes, and the anime broadcasted its first episode on July 3rd. Furthermore, the anime is directed by Tomoki Kobayashi, who is famous for directing many well-known adaptations of visual novels and games, including:

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Tears to Tiara, Seiren and Amagami SS

The first episode of Bokutachi no Remake! has something in common with the debut episodes of The Rising of the Shield Hero and Sword Art Online: Alicization, it has over 40 minutes, but then every episode has twenty minutes, and, according to Myanimelist.com, 12 episodes will be released. I hope that this is enough for bring a really good series, like one in particular from A-1 Pictures that I will mention later.

Finally, Studio Feel, the animator of Bokutachi No Remake!, also worked in series like:

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Before I finished with the premise, I want to point out that Nachi Kio and Eretto also released a series called Bokutachi no Remake Ver.β, which is the story of what happened if Hashiba was unable to go back in time and keeps struggling to make a career in the video game industry.

So…

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Sorry Marvel… Japan STOLE YOUR INNOVATION. LOL

STORY

I will start telling my experience with this series.

The very moment I decided to stop and watch Bokutachi no Remake!, I was very surprised, especially when I saw that the first episode had over 40 minutes, and then I thought. NO WAY!! THERE IS NO WAY I WILL BE ABLE TO WATCH ALL OF THIS.

Nonetheless, I decided to have a lot of patience and go to watch as much as I could, so I put the episode, then I took a minute to read the synopsis of the series, about a young man whose dream was crushed and longed for a so-much needed second chance in life. Immediately I remembered one of the best anime I watch.

A very well-crafted story about time travel, or shall I say time-loops, that revolves a young man called Satoru Fujinuma, who uses his «Revival» power to go back in time to save a girl from being murdered.

Bokutachi No Remake! has a similar plot, but with less mystery and suspense.

Basically the first episode divides itself in two – the first half shows us a frustrated Hashiba who regrets his life choices and wishes to go back in time, and the second half is how he starts his new life in the Onaka University of the Arts, as he realises that his roommates are the Platinum Generation that he admires the most, so, in this sense, it is a very well-structured episode that takes its time to present the story and its characters.

I enjoyed the first episode indeed; it was a great premise, and the likeable characters that will stay with us for those 12 episodes got my heart.

Pay attention, Kevin Smith, this is how you tell a story!!!!

Sorry, it’s just that after watching the frustrating mess called…

Masters of the Universe: Revelation

…Watching Bokutachi No Remake! was really refreshing.

Anyway, just like Amagami SS and Seiren, both Tomoki Kobayashi and Studio Feel take a story that will happen in real-life, with a fantasy twist, and adapts it in a well-done way. Personally, I cannot say if this episode stays faithful with its source material, for I have not read the light novels. However I feel the heart and the creativity that the author used here and made something nice. To be honest, this is one reason of why I always consume anime and manga; they know how to still create great stories with the same troupes.

In the case of Bokutachi no Remake!, that will be time travel, same as Tokyo Revengers; working in entertainment industry, same as Shirobako! and Keep Your Hand off Eizouken!!!; follow your heart, same as many romance stories; and accepting yourself and others, same as Chuunibyou, Love and Delusions!!.

Seriously, and because it is a more realistic setting, you get to sympathise with our protagonist, in a way a bit quicker. I will say this right now. Indeed anime has the power to create the same type of characters and make them unique.

Furthermore, the animation is fantastic, as beautiful as another series that I loved and I am planning to discuss this week.

SHIROI SUNA NO AQUATOPE

In both series, the colour palettes are beautiful, and there are moments in which the attention to detail is majestic.

But I will discuss Shiroi Suna no Aquatope, when the times comes.

CHARACTERS

Like I said, the characters in Bokutachi no Remake! are beautiful and really likeable.

But for now, I will only focus in Hashiba and Eiko Kawasegawa. Indeed Hashiba is someone we all can relate to, because once we got the same frustrations, and throughout the episode, we meet him as a nice guy, reliable and caring, especially before the time travel, when he first meets Eiko. Speaking. of which, Eiko starts as a strong leader, trusting Hashiba and being as professional as she can be.

I will stop here with the characters, for two reasons. The first one is because I want to make a small reflection about regretting your life choices; something that we once perhaps… perhaps… experienced before.

And second, because I can get into spoilers, and that is something I do not want.

Having said that… Bokutachi no Remake! is a really fantastic anime that I won’t stop recommending.

And now…

YOUR EFFORT IS WORTHY. YOU ARE WORTHY

Look. I understand that sometimes we feel that we made the bad choices in life. That perhaps we could live our life in a different manner. Personally I don’t regret my life choices. Nonetheless, I felt that many things in my life could’ve been better, both professionally and sentimentally. And the pandemic is not doing making things easier.

Just remember. YOU DESERVE TO BE HAPPY!!!!

INDEED WE MUST HELP OTHERS AND PRACTICE MATESHIP. BUT I REALISE THAT MATESHIP ALSO INCLUDES OURSELVES.

So… If no one has told you this before, I do it now… YOU ARE WORTH LIVING, YOUR EFFORTS ARE WORTHY.

So… look after yourself. Fight for your happiness; for your life, and don’t let anyone make you feel like trash. Always remember, we all deserve happiness, and live your life with the greatest of joys, and the most beautiful peace of mind.

Nothing should overshadow your happiness. If no one told you this before, I tell you.

Find your happiness, and your path is worth living for.

Remember that… always.

Thank you for stepping by.

JAINITUOS ANIME REVIEWS – SSSS Dynazenon – First Impressions

SSSS Dynazenon

Genre: Mecha, fantasy

Studio: Trigger

Hello my friends. Welcome to another entry.

Again, I am on my own challenge of trying to write as many entries on May as possible. Let’s see if I can break the record of January. Fingers crossed, especially because work is pretty demanding these days, and now, I want to take my time to get the latest anime from Studio Trigger, and perhaps another great entry of the Gridman franchise.

Now, that entry is…

SSSS Dynazenon

But before I continue, remember to ask you the questions:

Are you guys ok? Feeling healthy?

If the answer is yes, then I am very happy.

I still own all of you guys an entry of SSSS Gridman. Don’;t worry, I am working on it, as well as the entries of one of my favourite anime… My Hero Academia. They will come when the time comes. Having said that… let’s start with SSSS Dynazenon.

PREMISE

SSSS Dynazenon is a sequel from SSSS Gridman, and it tells the story of Yomogi Asanaka, a high school student who works in a convenience store and lives with his grandmother and his recently divorced mother; one day, he meets a mysterious guy, called Gauma, in an alley, Yomogi «saves» him by giving him some food; the next day, Gauma comes again and thanks Yomogi, claiming that he is a Kaiju user.

Shortly, a kaiju attacks the city and Gauma summons a great robot, called Dynazenon, dragging Yomogi, his fellow classmate, Yume Minami, a 33-year-old NEET, Koyomi Yamanaka, who all drive Dynazenon. After defeating the Kaiju, Gauma, Yomogi, Yume and Koyomi must fight together to find out who is summoning the kaijus and defend the city at all costs.

Unsurprisingly, the staff of SSSS Gridman returns for this new series, including director Akira Amemiya, writer Keiichi Hasegawa, and composer Shiro Sagisu. On the other hand, Studio Trigger needs no presentation, in fact, I already made a lot of blog entries from their products, including BNA: Brand New Animal, Darling in the FRANXX, Little Witch Academia, and Kill la Kill, and just like its predecessor, SSSS Dynazenon will be composed of 12 episodes.

One thing is for sure, the upcoming episodes of SSSS Dynazenon must include the very best two things that SSSS Gridman had, courtesy of fan-favourite Rikka Takarada.

THIGHS!!!!

And…

CHARISMA

You thought I will say Thighs? Yes?

STORY

I think I will start pointing about one of the most notorious elements fo SSSS Dynazenon: its animation. Definitely they use the same style from SSSS Gridman, the 2D for all the characters, while most of the sequences of the kaiju and the robots are done in 3D; normally I will say that this mixture is not one of my favourites, especially after witnessing how it was horribly done in Ex-Arm, regardless the fact that the studio of the latter had no previous experience on producing anime.

Luckily, this is not any random studio that obviously didn’t care about the quality of the product (Perhaps I am being too harsh); this is Studio Trigger; and just like it was done with SSSS Gridman, the 2D and 3D mixture gives you a great feeling of having to face a gigantic mecha, or a dreadful kaiju (depending on your perspective), especially after the battles take place.

Again, Trigger has more great experiences with this kind of expressive, nuanced animation, so you will expect something pretty well done, especially from the Gridman franchise.

On the other hand, just like what happens with SSSS Gridman, the introduction of the characters can be a bit slow. Nonetheless is pretty solid, you get to know the characters. Well… I talked about that later.

I had a lot of fun with SSSS Gridman, and I remember many of its episodes. SPOILER ALERT – One thing that I didn’t like too much about the original anime is that the possible romance between Yua Hibiki and Rikka Takarada went nowhere, in fact… it was replaced by the arc of Akane Shinjou – END OF SPOILERS.

And from there, I see a lot of potential to SSSS Dynazenon in terms of story.

CHARACTERS

Now… this part where I am having some trouble. It is not like I didn’t love the characters, but it is just I do not know where to start.

I will start saying that, just like SSSS Gridman, Dynazenon, has a lot of interesting, defined characters; Yomogi, a relatable kid who is trying to grow up and become independent; Yume Minami, an aloof girl who lost her brother some time ago, Koyomi, trying to get some meaning to his life; his cousin, Chise, and Gauma… which I think it is the best character by far.

If Studio Trigger can get them lovely personalities, just like with its predecessor series, then there will be potential for these characters to become popular, or memes, like with Rikka Takarada and Akane Shinjou.

CONCLUSION

I am starting to love SSSS Dynazenon.

I will be watching the rest of the series, and if you like Gridman, or Studio Trigger, I really recommend it to you.

Now, I will a bit shorter on my conclusion, because in this occasion, there is a better way to conclude than a big paragraph, and that is…

THICC THIGHS!!!

Courtesy of Rikka Takarada.

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Credited artists (clockwise) – sakamoto masaru, lizta, mobu, sydus, mogi (tkyubi),Bison Cangshu.

JAINITUOS ANIME REVIEWS – Made in Abyss – My Own Impressions

Made in Abyss

Genre: Adventure, Dark Fantasy, Science-fiction

Studio: Kinema Citrus

Hello guys.

I am feeling a bit inspired today, so, right now, I am going to do another anime that really liked from the very first time I watched it, especially because of all the impressions it left on me.

Now, with no more delays, I introduce you…

MADE IN ABYSS

But before I continue with my review, I must ask you the typical question, my friends; that one I do every day in this quarantine.

Are you guys ok? Feeling healthy and happy?

If the answer is yes, then that means I am happy too. And remember, whatever happens:

DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE COVID-19

I insist is a very dangerous virus with unpredictable consequences.

Now, let’s go with Made in Abyss.

PREMISE

Riko and Reg

Based on the manga written by Akihito Tsukushi and published by Takeshobo, Made in Abyss (メイドインアビス in Japanese characters), tells the story of Riko, a young orphan who lives in the village of Orth, located next to the Abyss, a gigantic, mysterious hole with no clear end, and that apparently harbours the remnants of a long gone civilisation. Riko dreams to become an explorer of the Abyss, called Cave Raiders, the most senior being the White Whistle.

One day, Riko meets a young boy called Reg, who has cybernetic implants reminiscent of that long gone civilisation, but with no memories of his past life. Shortly afterwards, Reg discovers a letter from her mother, Lyza, one of the legendary White Whistles, telling Riko that she will be waiting for her in the bottom of the Abyss.

Now, Riko and Reg embark themselves to the bottom of the Abyss in search of Lyza, being completely aware of its dangers and a lot of secrets that will definitely change their lives for the years to come.

The studio in charge of Made in Abyss is Kinema Citrus, the same studio that brought us The Rising of the Shield Hero; coincidentally, the composer is Kevin Penkin, also famous for the soundtrack of the latter, in fact, when you hear the soundtrack, you will soon really that is definitely the same person. And recently, Penkin composed the soundtrack of Tower of God.

As of March 23, 2020, Made in Abyss consisted in a season of 13 episodes, as well as two movies that are basically a retelling of the first season, and a movie that was released past January, called Made in Abyss, Dawn of the Deep Soul, sadly postponed in many countries due to coronavirus pandemic.

Interestingly enough, Made in Abyss was awarded Anime of the Year 2017 at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards, as well as Best Score.

STORY

For the moment I saw the intro of Made in Abyss, along with the beautiful song, performed by Miyu Tomita and Mariya Ise (the voices of Riko and Reg respectively), I was certain that I will submerge myself in a beautiful adventure that will teach everything about a wonderful, yet mysterious and dangerous landscape. In fact, during the screenings at uni, I noticed they pass Made in Abyss during the time usually reserved for the more serious shows, like Girls’ Last Tour, Beastars or Demon Slayer, so I got a lot of curiosity about what exactly made this series be including on that time. Obviously I was not prepared for what I was getting into.

Because despite having cutesy-looking characters and the charm of a fairy tale, Made in Abyss is anything but generic. It is a story of kids facing some very rough situations, but psychologically and physically, while they also face a very creepy, supernatural environment with teases of children’s literature book. I know it is pretty random, but I saw it like that.

Let’s say less Gravity Falls and more Over the Garden Wall. And perhaps Little Nightmares, but more dialogue and colourful settings. Anyway. With every episode, we get to know more about the Abyss, the landscape, the bestiary, the environment, and the risks.

Because… yes. Getting into the Abyss is anything but hiking. The more you get into the Abyss, the more risks you got when it is about coming back to the surface, that is called the Strains of the Ascension. Pretty much is like going underwater; the pressure changes, and if you don’t de-pressurize, the results will be fatal.

Again, Back to Made in Abyss. The rules of this new environment are pretty solid and easy to understand, but something as marvellous as the Abyss itself, is the friendship between Riko and Reg, they not only help each other to survive, they also create a powerful bond that survives many trials throughout the story, and that is one of its strongest elements. And with the cinematography and animation from Kinema Citrus, the feeling of going into the Abyss is really strong.

There is something that called my attention, and it is…

Was Akihito Tsukushi influenced by Fumito Ueda?

I don’t know you guys, but I got the feeling that, because Reg looks very identical to Ico.

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Furthermore, some landscapes has that vibes from Shadow of the Colossus.

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Credits: creativeuncut.com

Perhaps it is only my own impression.

Overall. Made in Abyss has a beautiful, yet serious story that will always manage to surprise you.

CHARACTERS

Credits: Ho-Le-Dai

And of course… how could I forget about the characters.

Like I said before, it is mostly the friendship between Riko and Reg that starts moving the story, and it’s wonderful world of Abyss, then we got Nanachi and Mitty, and if you think that the episodes of Made in Abyss are not that dark, then you will see that these two will come to prove you wrong.

Then we have Lyza, Ozen…

In case you want nightmares…

Also, we have Marulk, Bondrewd, Wakuna, and many others who definitely enriches this beautiful world; and every you want to see can be found inside many of these characters. However, now that I mention Riko, Reg and Nanachi, I will tell you, that in order to comprehend the horror of the Abyss, you must stick to this character…

MITTY.

Of course, I will spoil anything, but Mitty has some of the best and tear-jerking moments. See it by yourself, but I warn you. It might be too much for you.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, Made in Abyss is a really beautiful story, with great visuals and a fantastic world. It is series like this that will always make me love anime as a whole, and definitely one of the best animes of 2017.

I think is available at Crunchyroll, so go, take a look and experience the great mysteries and wonders of the Abyss.

Hm….

I wonder if we can get to the Abyss of our own planet. I haven’t thought about it since I read Journey to the Center of the Earth, by Jules Verne. Perhaps some day we will be blessed by many great discoveries of the center of the Earth.

But for know… let’s ask this guy about it.

Link to Ho-Le-Dai artwork.

https://www.deviantart.com/ho-le-dai

JAINITUOS ANIME REVIEWS – Ninja Slayer From Animation – Studio Trigger Reviews

NINJA SLAYER FROM ANIMATION

Studio: Trigger

Genre: Science-Fiction, Action

Domo my friends!

I am Jaime.

Welcome to another entry of Anime Review.

And, as I promised, I am working in another entry of Studio Trigger Reviews, in this case, one that definitely has some of the most insane, hysterical, and mind-blowing ninja troupes to the maximum, becoming a worthy successor of Inferno Cop in all its glory.

I am talking about…

Forgive me, here, these lovely maidens are our protagonists.

And I am ready to juice off this series with my review. But before I continue, my friends, I must ask you the typical question, especially in these days:

Are you ok? Feeling healthy? Staying at home?

If the answer is yes, then I am very happy. And I leave you with the same words that I left before on my reviews.

DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE COVID19!!!

Remember, the coronavirus is a very dangerous disease, because its damage is unpredictable, so listen to the doctors and follow the quarantine, avoid social gatherings. I know it’s hard, but its necessary.

We will beat this together. We will!!!

With that said, let’s go with Ninja Slayer: From Animation.

PREMISE

(Featuring a cameo from Rocksteady)

Based on the novels written by Bradley Bond, Philip Ninj@ Morzez, and illustrated by Warainaku, Ninja Slayer From Animation tells the story of Kenji Fujikido, an average salaryman whose family is killed by ninjas in a turf war; seeking vengeance, Kenji was possessed by a mysterious entity, called Naraku Ninja, and both create this powerful being called Ninja Slayer, who hunts ninjas in all the fictional city of Neo-Saitama.

Sorry, can’t stop thinking of ONE-PUNCH MAN every time Neo-Saitama is mentioned

Ninja Slayer consists in 26 episodes, and since is a ONA, like Inferno Cop, each episode is 10-15 minutes long. Overall, the series is directed by Akira Amemiya, a renowned figure in Studio Trigger, animating many episodes of Little Witch Academia, Gurren Lagann and SSSS Gridman.

STORY

YEEART!

Oh boy… Where to start?

Firstly, Ninja Slayer is animated in the same ridiculous way as Inferno Cop, but with brighter colours and more facial expressions. The animation uses a single full body cut of each character and crashes it with another one. Imagine that scene of Spaceballs, in which Dark Helmet plays with dolls, but louder.

Ah!!! Childhoods!!

Finally, loyal to that insane style of animation, it features explosions out of nowhere every time an opponent is defeated, thanks to a very magical word.

(Sorry guys. I couldn’t find decent GIFS)

And like I mentioned before, Ninja Slayer wants vengeance for the murder of his family, just like The Punisher, and there some flashbacks featuring his wife and son, so you get hooked with the character because you feel his inner turmoil. And that is wonderful. The only problem? You end up forgetting about that. Why? Because you are so distracted by the absurdity of the action, the sloppy editing, the shaky camera, the bright colours, etc, that you forget there is a story.

In fact, it looks like the ONA itself forgets about that.

PURE EPICNESS!!!

Furthermore, the fights are extremely basic in terms of structure. What do I mean by this? They all follow some determined steps. The fighters introduce themselves with Domo, I am… , next

1. there is some filler dialogue,
2. fighting in the laziest fashion possible,
3. the bad guy dies,
4. the bad guys says sayonara…
5. explosion (Bakuretsu)

Again, going with the weirdest elements possible, Ninja Slayer also pays homage to those 90s ninja animes, including Ninja Scroll, Ninja Gaiden, Rurouni Kenshin, but also in a really over the top fashion that you cannot stop laughing about. In other words, the disparity between the background of our protagonist and the story-telling, if there is any, is so evident that you cannot stop enjoy it for the most ludicrous reason.

In terms of story, I even compare Ninja Slayer with…

Venom is supposed to be a faithful adaptation of the Marvel anti-hero, and it starts well, but from the second act, the movie abruptly departs from its source material, becoming a weird mix of ridiculous dialogue, unintentional comedy, messy action, awkward chemistry between Tom Hardy and Michelle Williams and parts that as logical as another entry of The Fast and The Furious.

But before this becomes a Venom review, I wanted to say that, just like with Inferno Cop, it is impossible to tell if this vision was intended for Ninja Slayer or not, but you are trying to cope with all that mess. Unless you don’t take too seriously Ninja Slayer, you will immediately think that this ONA is as bad or worse than Inferno Cop. Even after the supporting cast is slowly introduced, it happens the same.

And forgive for this.

BEHOLD NANCY LEE… THE QUEEN OF FANSERVICE

I will get there later.

But yeah. Don’t take the story too seriously. It’s basically for fun, like the rest.

CHARACTERS

And with Ninja Slayer, we got a bunch of «lively» characters, that help our hero in his quest of vengeance, including the high schooler Koki Yamoto, who gets possessed by another entity; Dragon Yukano, a well-endowed ninja, who is the daughter of Ninja Slayer’s sensei, training him to keep Naraku Ninja in check, and… Nancy Lee, a journalist and hacker that gets information for Ninja Slayer.

And, with the exception of Koki, both Nancy and Yukano have a very important purpose… Fanservice.

The supporting cast has a lot of cool scenes and great powers, and the background of Koki is one of the best elements of Ninja Slayer From Animation, but, for the most part, you see them adding more sauce to the madness of the series.

And, I want to mention to Nancy Lee and her… attributes.

With great well-endowed, comes great responsibility

But seriously, you will be surprised of the ridiculous amount of fanservice that comes from her, as well as Dragon Yukano; but, to its credit, you always enjoy it, even as some kind of guilty pleasure.

But what kind of ninja will Ninja Slayer be without rivals? We got these two.

DarkNinja

And…

Silver Karusu

Both of them really adding a lot of fun.

…

SAYONARA!!!!!

(Megumin’s wet dream)

CONCLUSION

And that was Ninja Slayer From Animation.

To be honest, it is a really bad ninja ONA, but that is part of the fun. The crazy action, the bright colours, the lazy editing, the fanservice, the over-the-top elements; all combined to make a really entertaining series that, like Venom, will always bring you with a great time, or a big laugh.

In other words, a guilty pleasure.

Definitely is better than Inferno Cop, but not a merit due to the latter also being bad. Just don’t take them seriously, and you will have a great time.

NEXT TRIGGER REVIEW

And thanks guys for being with me in another Studio Trigger review. Join me next time for another one, until we get to BNA: Brand New Animal, but before I give you a hint, here is a question.

Have you ever imagine Harry Potter combined with Magical Girl genre?

Let’s ask this lovely lady.