Tapir12's Anime Reviews

[Tapir12]

Also, I am thinking about applying to be a reviewer on an anime website I frequent. Are my reviews website worthy (probably with a lot more editing)? Or should I stick to just watching? Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks.

Edit: new review on the previous page.

[gcninja]

start with a blog and go from there, after about 15-20 send some into a site and see where it goes from there. Make sure it gets hits or its useless. but so far so good. Might be easier to organize it
para 1 intro
para 2 graphics
para 3 story
etc

[Genghis Ares]

I think your reviews are pretty good. They're informative and they show us what your opinion and point of view is. I like that you use "I" and "me" in most of your reviews, which makes it seem more genuine to me. In the Mushishi for instance, you used "We" and "Us" and it kind of sounds strange and it kind of sounds like your directing us in how to think about it.

Also, so far you haven't reviewed anything with less than a 6.5. Which could be that, just for this forum, you are reviewing anime you like, but I would make sure to mix it up some more with anime you dislike or found to be below average or middle of the road as well. I know that personally, I tend to review/rate things pretty highly, which I think makes it seem like I have low standards. If someone seems to like everything, than their opinion doesn't affect as much.

[Tapir12]

Thanks for the feedback both of you, and yes, as it stands, I do a lot of research before deciding which series to watch. I read a lot of reviews and usually take into account which company it came from and often the director. I don't want to waste my time on anime that is generally regarded as bad, so I avoid it. If I were a reviewer I am sure I would have to watch a wider range of series.

As of yet I haven't made any decision yet, so we'll see what happens

[The Jester]

Well good luck if you do decide to go with it, I really like reading your views on good animé.

Maybe including all those things you take into account when you write your reviews could be a cool "thing"? Give some background on the makers etc. not just the show itself?

[Tapir12]

Hataraki Man - 8/10

Hataraki Man, meaning "working man" in Japanese, is a series that examines the love/hate relationship we often have with our work. It centres around a career woman named Matsukata who works as an editor for a publishing company. The series takes a close look at aspects of the workplace that we see and experience every day, yet never stop to think about, and puts it all together in a fast faced and engaging tale that will pull you in.

Matsukata is a one woman show, but as we all have found at one point or another, she can't do everything herself, as much as she would like to. She hates having to delegate to her coworkers who never seem to do it HER way. The relationships she develops with the people in her office are realistic and genuine. It's clear that the characters have been modeled after the types of people you might find at any workplace, but each is given a distinct personality and rapport with our lead. She is jealous of the success of others, especially those who don't seem to work hard enough to deserve it. Don't we all hate those kinds of people!

Another issue that is explored is that of gender in the workplace. Matsukata wants to be the strong, independent woman. She tells her good friend that she thinks like a man and resents seeing the other women treated differently (usually favourably) by the male editors. Matsukata wonders what it means to be a woman and whether she is really being one. Despite her insistence that gender doesn't matter, she can't seem to escape it.

As Matsukata faces her challenges and battles her inner demons, she harbours the great doubt that all of us have felt. Is this what she is meant to do? Is her work meaningful? Does getting the scoop and publishing a great article make it all worthwhile? As she slumps at her desk after yet another all-nighter to meet a deadline, she has to wonder. These questions seem so natural and there is no clear answer. Some days she can't imagine doing anything else, sometimes she wonders if she can get through another day. Who amongst us hasn't had both such days?

Hataraki Man manages to do a lot in just 11 episodes, and manages to keep everything fresh and vibrant. Each episode focuses on one story, but these events are not forgotten in the subsequent tales and everything has consequences. The show is generally upbeat, with perfectly fitting opening and ending themes and strong animation. The only weak link for me was Matsukata's boyfriend, Shinji. He seemed more shallow and stereotypical that the other characters and the relationship between the two can seem stilted at times. But despite this, Hataraki Man stands as a fun, enjoyable series that examines relevant issues and makes us appreciate the hard work we put in every day.

[Dubious_wolf]

Holy crap an anime NOT about High School, this may be worth a look.

[Wej]

I have seen quite a lot of anime myself. Way too much probably. So much, I am actually grabbing around trying to find a good one I haven't seen already... I'm like a drug addict that has already done all the good drugs and getting bored of the old ones. In fact, I feel that the only good anime I haven't seen are the ones currently airing (watching all the good ones of course). And that leads to my question for you, Tapir12, do you know of an anime similar to Wolf and Spice (hope you have seen it) with the same type of romance? Basically, an anime without a love triangle, with a good story (witty or action, etc), with the addition of romance? Preferably with a girl character who doesn't have large breasts (I loves me some loli). Trying to find hidden treasures here.

And, in addition, I am looking for a good anime with an emotionally flat main girl (Like Yuki Nagato from Haruhi) (no harems or love triangles, and preferably a loli). If that even exists...

EDIT: I might want to mention that I don't like the 80/90's art style all that much, and I really don't like the really for girls art style either.

[Tapir12]

Sorry, I haven't seen Wolf and Spice and I honestly don't watch a lot of romance anime. I think I have seen 5 in total, but I don't think they would fit with what you have described. I've seen Kare Kano, Honey & Clover, Bokura ga Ita, Nana and Paradise Kiss, but most of them involve a love triangle and/or have a very shoujo style and I don't think any of them are "loli". I don't think I'll be able to make a good recommendation for you, unfortunately.

[Wej]

Sorry, I haven't seen Wolf and Spice and I honestly don't watch a lot of romance anime. I think I have seen 5 in total, but I don't think they would fit with what you have described. I've seen Kare Kano, Honey & Clover, Bokura ga Ita, Nana and Paradise Kiss, but most of them involve a love triangle and/or have a very shoujo style and I don't think any of them are "loli". I don't think I'll be able to make a good recommendation for you, unfortunately.

In that case, my recommendation to you is Wolf and Spice. That is a great anime. Look into it at least. Thanks anyway.

[Tapir12]

Holy crap an anime NOT about High School, this may be worth a look.

If you are looking for a series with characters in their 20s, I also recommend PlanetES, which I reviewed earlier.

[Tapir12]

Kino's Journey - 9/10

Kino's Journey is one of those rare series that really makes you think. This is a re-watch for me, since I first saw the series about five years ago. It's a very unique series that has always stayed with me and I'm sure I will be visiting it again.

Kino's Journey, like Mushishi, is a episodic series done right. As the title suggests, we follow Kino as she travels the world and visits different countries and cultures. Some stories take up just a third of an episode, some take up more than one. Nothing feels rushed here. While the situations that Kino finds in each country can seem a bit contrived and exaggerated, each one highlights an aspect of humanity. The issues raised include democracy, culture and traditions, the role of the traveler, and work, yet the stories are never predictable. Most of all, the series examines what it means to live a fulfilling life. After all, as Kino says, "the world is not beautiful, therefore it is".

Kino herself is not out looking for answers. She is not trying to change the world, or even form a distinct option of it. She merely wants to continue her journey and take in all life has to offer, good and bad. Her travelling companion is her talking motorcycle, Hermes, and the interactions between the two are interesting and engaging. Hermes brings a sense of humour to the series but never falls into comic relief.

One complaint I have heard about the series is the simplistic art design. Like Now and Then, Here and There, a series with a similar style, the art here is merely a medium to tell the story. It does not stand out, but it doesn't need to. The music is also very simple and subtle, yet matches the tone of the series perfectly. The opening and ending themes are awesome, and stand amongst my favourites in anime.

Kino's Journey was originally a set of short novels but is well suited for animation. This is a slow-paced series with very little action, but it will leave you thinking. There is no right or wrong here - just the world, beautiful or not.

[BipsCutie]

Has anyone watched School Days?
It's pretty pointless and theres not much of a story to it, but the last episode is amazing and makes it worth watching!! However there are 3 different endings that you can find, but I'm sure they are all on youtube!

Also Mayoi Neko Overrun! EXTREMELY cute and girly, but utterly utterly pointless, there is absolutely no advance in the story, but it is only 13 episodes and did i already mention it's CUTE =3

The World God Only Knows anime is better than the manga. I only managed the first 20ish hapters of the manga before I gave up, but the anime is only 12 eps up to now and is more grabbing than the manga!! I ope there will be another series!!

Does anyone know if there will be a 3rd season of Vampire Knight or Kuroshitsuji?? If you know anything about them I'd love to know ^^

[Lyinginbedmon]

News on the Mimm front is that there are over 100 episodes of Beetlejuice animated series that she is binging on, and she's even exposed her naive little sister to it.

I foresee a pair of female geeks in my family tree...

[Elomin Sha]

You're corrupting them aren't you Lying?

[Lyinginbedmon]

Only as a match unto a library. I start the blaze, I do not control it.

[Ringo803]

I'm noticing a distinct lack of Gurren Lagann in here...

[gcninja]

we all know it, heck half the relationship thread is "DONT BELIEVE IN YOURSELF! BELIEVE IN ME WHO BELIEVES IN YOU!"

Also, FUNNY school anime is "Best student council" if you ever get the chance, check it out..

[DJScythe15]

I was going to just post about how awesome Summer Wars is, as I got the DVD yesterday and really enjoyed it. However, when looking up some info on it, I couldn't help but realize it has a lot of similarities with the second Digimon film, which was also directed by Mamoru Hosoda (The Girl Who Leapt Through Time).

That being said, the film is pretty entertaining. The story focuses on a family gathering centered around the 90th birthday of the family's matriarch, Sakae. Her great-granddaughter, high school student Natsuki, knowing her beloved great-grandmother may not live much longer, wants to bring her fiancée to meet her; the only problem is she doesn't have a fiancée, so she drags along her classmate Kenji to play the part, springing his role on him once he's traveled with her to families large estate. The family is rather wide, consisting of three generations with a variety of occupations, appearances, and personalities. The sports fan mom, the loud-mouth working-class uncle, the doctor, the paramedics, the bratty kids, the black sheep, the quiet cousin; all are found in this very vocal family who avoids

Back to Kenji, the guy Natsuki tricked into acting as her fiancée for the gathering. In addition to being a math genius, Kenji also works part-time maintaining OZ, a online service/virtual world resembling Google, Facebook, and Second Life combined and magnified. During his first night at the estate, he receives a text message though OZ on his phone, consisting of thousands of digits. Thinking that its merely another math problem, he decrypts the sequence through the night and replies with the answer. By the next morning, Kenji finds his OZ account hijacked alongside hundreds of other accounts, with the media, and soon after the family, blaming Kenji for the chaos beginning to unfold online and in real life.

Visually, the film is fantastic in both the scenic countryside in real life and the fantasy of OZ. The characters in the family don't appear overly idealized, but instead as fairly normal people. The avatars within OZ are varied in design, which feels appropriate for a world where users create their own avatar. The story is engrossing, despite a few instances of deus ex machina. While some members of the family are a bit two-dimensional, you'd be hard-pressed to not see some of your own family in them.

Overall, the film is definitely worth a look.

[gcninja]

dude, just watched the trailer, HOW DID I MISS THIS?! I'm... obtaining it right now. And next time im in town, I'm probably gonna buy it if available.
I loved the animation of TGWLTT and this is just as awesome. It reminds alot of digimon too (yes I did just compare it to that

[DJScythe15]

dude, just watched the trailer, HOW DID I MISS THIS?! I'm... obtaining it right now. And next time im in town, I'm probably gonna buy it if available.
I loved the animation of TGWLTT and this is just as awesome. It reminds alot of digimon too (yes I did just compare it to that

My thoughts exactly. I remember seeing a brief teaser a year or so ago that didn't catch my interest, but then I saw a full trailer and knew I needed to see it.

I'd make more specific comparisons between Summer Wars and Our War Game, but it would be fairly spoilerific. I'll just say the climax is very similar. ;P

[Tapir12]

Summer Wars is definitely on my TO SEE list, but I haven't had the chance yet. I really enjoyed TGWLTT and have heard only good things about Summer Wars, so I have high hopes for Mamoru Hosoda for sure.

[gcninja]

two words YARRRR bay
I'm to pick it up next time I'm in town but wanna see it now and not wait