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Reviews
Eiga Reiton-kyôju to eien no utahime (2009)
A movie based off a video game?
But believe me, this one is actually (how to put it) good. Maybe even excellent. As a fan of the Professor Layton games, I can say that this installation in the franchise did not disappoint. The story remained pretty consistent, and the puzzles were integrated into the story-line perfectly without seeming like an unnecessary gimmick.
While not necessarily breathtaking in all aspects, the animation was still, in fact, well done, particularly during the end scenes – namely the machine and fighting sequences. Those really stood out particularly well. Overall, I think the music may be the boldest highlight of the film. Very melodic and beautiful. Definitely feels like a Layton story.
Some of the original voice actors for the North American release of the games are not present here, mainly because this is a direct port of the UK version. Despite having played the US version of the series, the voices here did not strike me as odd in any way. It all depends on preference, really.
Now for those who haven't seen or played the games, the film does quite a terrific job of explaining the gist of the series to the audience. Some references here and there might be missed, but the story itself is very well standalone. Newcomers shouldn't have too much trouble understanding.
Steven Universe (2013)
A very overlooked series. Give it a try.
Steven Universe has high potential as an animated series. We have an interesting cast of core characters, with the Gems and Steven being the main focus so far. Rebecca Sugar's art really stands out in its excellence and is one of the best I've seen, rivaling anything else thus far that Cartoon Network has released. It's also really nice to see more female-oriented animation that isn't always centered around "girly" themes.
I wouldn't say this is what I would call a "laugh-out-loud" cartoon, but the humor delivers through visual gags and dialogue that are definitely worth a crack or two. I think this is good because I think a lot of shows nowadays try too hard to be funny, but fail miserably. The main purpose of this show seems to be more centered around adventure than anything else, so it seems somewhat refreshing.
Is it worth the watch? Definitely. I have to say, I have never really been too big of a fan of the newer Cartoon Network, but Steven Universe has really kind of captivated me. Sad it isn't as successful as I anticipated, though. Hoping it does better in the long run.
Mushishi (2005)
Beautifully-crafted, yet utterly simple.
If you're looking for an anime with quick-paced action and loads of screaming and fan-service, look elsewhere. If you seek an engrossing anime with meaning and a certain "sentimental" charm, Mushishi is the deal. While there's nothing totally wrong with the former type of anime, Mushishi really sets itself apart from the others - with a very melodic and abrupt opening, calm atmosphere and music throughout the show, as well as minimal dialogue that is quite monotone.
The story is a very interesting one that explores the world inhabited by creatures dubbed "Mushi", which surround us and are much more complex than any standard organism. We are introduced to an enigmatic man nicknamed "Ginko", who is a self-proclaimed "Mushi master" and seems to possess a considerable understanding of these perplexing creatures. Each episode is standalone and the series does not have any discernible ending, but this is a huge part of the charm of the series and that allows it to be easily picked up from any point. In each episode, Ginko meets individuals who have been affected by the Mushi in some way.
The dub is surprisingly great and lacks the melodramatic and over-the-top voice acting that other anime tend to have, so I would definitely recommend it just as much as the original. This is a great watch for viewers of virtually any age. What's more? It's great for stress and insomnia.
The Legend of Korra (2012)
Not flawless, but definitely a superb sequel...
What I like about The Legend of Korra is - despite the fact that it's a sequel to The Last Airbender and takes place in the same universe – it manages to stand on its own. Why? So much effort has been put into crafting this series, that it is something entirely new. For starters, Korra boasts beautiful animation and a breathtaking score, unlike any seen in other cartoons. (The series combines traditional Chinese and Japanese culture, with elements of the 1920s and the "steampunk" genre.) The pacing is fast, but easy to follow. Book One is pretty much a standalone arc, as are the other books which are to follow.
The conflict stems from an anti-bending organization known as the Equalists, lead by the mysterious and charismatic Amon – a masked mastermind who possesses the ability to remove bending. Korra butts heads with gangsters, politicians, chi-blockers, and eventually Amon himself in the big reveal. There are plenty of great action sequences, but the show isn't just a "beat-em-up" show. There are plenty of messages riddled throughout, just as with its predecessor.
While the plot and overall concept are superb, there are some aspects of the narrative that I felt were lacking; mainly, the romance. Normally, I'm cool with this aspect if done properly. I understand that the show wants to cater to different types of viewers, but the romance is drawn out way too long and seems incredibly forced throughout the show. The relationship between Korra and Mako was pretty much inevitable from the start, since the creators blatantly hinted at it by the end of the second episode. The only thing that made it unbearable was the fact that Mako already started a relationship before declaring his love for Korra. (Also because Asami and Bolin are thrown under the bus just to exploit "Makorra".)
As with others, I agree that the ending could be improved (as well as character development) and that the Equalist conflict could have been handled better, but I'd also like to address the fact that the creators were under time constraints and the result was rushed. I would love to see more of Amon and have the writers drawn him out more, but Book Two promises an interesting concept as well. I do hope that the creators revive the Equalist arc, however, as there is still much potential left for it. Nonetheless, I highly await the next chapter and certainly recommend this series to both new and old Avatar fans.
Bravest Warriors (2009)
An achievement for an animated webseries. Interesting characters and humor.
Bravest Warriors was a concept that originally derived from a 7-minute animated short in Nicktoons' Random! Cartoons – a series that also established Pendleton Ward's other show, Adventure Time. I never truly got into Adventure Time, but would occasionally watch episodes that I felt were the funniest and simply because I loved Ward's quirky, but simple art style. Given the two of them, I would say I probably prefer the concept of Bravest Warriors, but that comes as a personal preference. The original short was a lot more child-like in nature and was (at least to me) reminiscent to the toons of the '90s and early- 2000s, which is why I seemed to enjoy it the most. When I initially heard that a new animated webseries of this short was to be launched, I was more or less ecstatic.
The first episode started out rough, though the story wrapped up cleverly. The minor vulgarity jokes in this episode felt out of place and generally unneeded, but afterwards, the show started to pick up more as it began to focus less on that aspect and more on the characters themselves. The humor, as well, improved and instead of the "forced" vibe I sort of got from a few of the jokes in the first episode (which I also felt was an attempt at being "edgy"), I found myself genuinely laughing at the clever bits in the episodes that followed.
The hand-drawn animation is superb for a webseries – considering a majority of internet animations are done in Flash – and succeeds in creating a show that is on-par with what can be found on actual television. The character designs are more dynamic than in the original short. I felt that the stories didn't always end perfectly and felt too abrupt, but this is excusable, since the episodes usually only run for about 5-6 minutes. I feel this is targeted more at a teenage/adult demographic, but I also feel that children aren't completely exempt.
Overall, this would likely appeal to fans of Adventure Time – as it shares similarities in both plot and humor – but I find that it was taken in a slightly different direction, especially considering the creators have more personal freedom than they would in a television studio. I really enjoy watching the episodes when I find the time and I am interested in seeing where the series will be taken. While it does have its flaws, I would say it's worth a watch.
Dan Vs. (2011)
A never-ending romp of laughs and genuine writing...
What I love about Dan Vs. is the maintenance of its writing quality through each episode. Rather than what's expected from viewers, the writers often take the series in a whole different direction, tackling such concepts as "The Wolf-Man" or "The Catburglar", so the show is unexpected and refreshing. Not only that, but surely (even though you may not be a rampaging jerk hellbent on vengeance in regards to everything you deem has wronged you), we can all relate to Dan's shenanigans one way or another.
You basically have the three main characters: Dan (voice-talented Curtis Armstrong), his friend Chris (Dave Foley), and Chris' wife Elise (Paget Brewster). Dan is an anti-hero in his own right and easily becomes one of the most hilarious characters on the show. Chris is a pushover known for his excessive eating and some of the humor stems from this fact. Elise often disapproves of Chris' constant aiding of Dan's schemes, but will occasionally join in if she has something to gain by it (as is the case in the pilot episode). This keeps the episodes varied and adds a touch of adventure to them.
The jokes are cleverly-written and - since the show was originally intended to be a live-action sitcom - you get that same sort of vibe in them, mainly stemming from Dan's witty intelligence... or a lack thereof. (Though you really have to love Dan's social commentaries.) While the character designs are great (particularly the main characters), the animation (which is done entirely in Flash) is occasionally shoddy and would need some improvement. Other than that, the show is generally visually-appealing and manages to pull off quite nicely.
I first viewed this show after seeing several promos of it back during the beginning of 2011, when The Hub was a fairly new network. Most often, people tend to skip this show in favor of The Hub's more prominent programming - such as My Little Pony. While I hold no grudge against these shows in particular, I would recommend thinking "outside the box" and giving this one a try. Not the best cartoon by any means, but one that manages to surpass other recent releases.
Gravity Falls (2012)
One of the best cartoons in recent years...
Over the years, many shows have let me down in terms of storyline, humor, and originality. It seemed to me that every major children's network disappointed in all three aspects. I actually anticipated this show months before it even aired because, despite the fact that there wasn't much information available about it online, the premise sounded promising.
As my rage towards Disney's mediocre attempts at teen-comedy and music grew infinitely stronger, I held my breath and awaited the release of that which is Gravity Falls. (Keep in mind, only two cartoons made up Disney's regular schedule prior to the airing of this fantastic show. Disney brings to mind animation, not anorexic twelve-year-olds dancing in miniskirts. Shame on you. Walt would be appalled.) Anyways, I was thoroughly impressed by the pilot episode, "Tourist Trapped", which pulled you right into the action of the show and delivered its characters in a quick and convenient manner.
Gravity Falls is about twins, Dipper and Mabel, who are sent to the quirky woodland town of Gravity Falls, Oregon to their greedy Grunkle Stan over the summer. While helping their great uncle run his tourist attraction - the "Mystery Shack" - the twins also discover a secret book that sheds light on the many paranormal and otherworldly oddities found throughout their bizarre, new setting. The show also focuses on a number of other topics, including the struggles attained through youth.
Viewers are provided with a balanced amount of mystery, action, humor, and suspense within each of the episodes. The characters each serve their purpose and contribute their roles to the storyline, which many other cartoons fail to do. I like the animation and the art in general, as the style is very appealing.
Gravity Falls treats its viewers with respect and regard to their intelligence. The plots in each episode are complex enough to keep adults interested, all while providing enough laughs for the children. In other words, Gravity Falls is a show that can be enjoyed by any age. Most certainly recommended.
SpongeBob SquarePants (1999)
A childhood favorite...
SpongeBob SquarePants has - without a doubt - been one of my favorite television cartoons over the years. 1999 marked the show's first airing and pretty much pulled its viewers in, with a cast of memorable characters and some pretty great, and not too over-the-top, humor.
I highly recommend seasons 1-4; in my opinion (and I'm certain many others will agree), this was the show's highlight. The humor from these particular seasons was just great, even witty, and really showed how much effort and thought the writers had put into them. The plots were never too repetitive, as well, and Stephen Hillenburg really made a name for himself through these episodes.
SpongeBob was both likable and funny, and in many cases, understandable. This is what made his character work well. He had many honorable traits: loyalty to his job with a good work ethic, remorse, among others. He was a happy-go-lucky sponge with a heart that welcomed everyone, even the scheming Plankton. While his best friend Patrick is an idiot (he's always been presented that way), his dimwitted personality worked well to create clever and inventive humor.
Squidward, on the other hand, serves the role of the no-nonsense, zero- tolerance, brash and pessimistic next-door neighbor of Spongebob and - as such - is constantly annoyed with his antics, whether it be blowing bubbles or laughing obnoxiously outside his bedroom window. Despite this, however, he still felt the occasional pity for SpongeBob and wasn't... what you say... a complete monster of a character.
And then we have the greedy, money-grubbing and - to some extent - sinister Eugene H. Krabs (aka "Mr. Krabs"), who serves as SpongeBob's boss at the undersea diner, the "Krusty Krab". Eugene's rival is Plankton, a microscopic creature intent on stealing the Krabby Patty formula and passing it off as his own at another restaurant called the "Chum Bucket". Despite being presented as the show's antagonist, he and Mr. Krabs are both as equally antagonistic (in my opinion, at least) and are both willing to go to extremes as business rivals. However, their rivalry was never overplayed and was often executed properly.
Sandy is another of SpongeBob's friends - one of the show's leading female characters - and is a Texan squirrel that lives in a glass dome underwater and has discovered ways to survive in her surroundings through her scientific work. Random? Yes. However, her character was presented properly and sophisticatedly and there was never a trait of her I found even remotely annoying.
Now as for the more recent episodes - it's unfortunate to say - some range from great, good, okay, to just downright bad. One of the more recent episodes, "Trenchbillies", was just one of those bad, or might I say terrible, episodes and probably the worst yet. The episode suffered from a lack of any real storyline and absolutely no depth or the clever humor that had made the show entertaining to begin with; needless to say, this was a bland and humorless attempt that went awry and just overall fell flat from any real expectations. (Idiocy and randomness isn't always particularly a bad thing, but this episode had no redeeming factors to balance it out.)
In fact, many of the characters began to lose their sense of realism (albeit not always), where they sometimes just became overdone and cliché archetypes. Squidward as angry as ever, with very little, if any, remorse for those around him; perhaps even Patrick, whose idiocy is now immensely overplayed and not quite as clever as it previously was. And on the other end of the bargain, some characters, like Sandy, have even less devoted screen time than - say - Plankton, whose schemes are often repetitive and no longer quite as hilarious as it had been in the past, mainly because too many episodes revolve around him in particular.
Midway through season five, the show's quality just began to decrease. Yes, there were still good episodes (let's not forget) and some were still as humorous as ever, but when Stephen Hillenburg (the creator of SpongeBob) left the show, it was just no longer the same. Eventually, the series just began to rehash and recycle ideas from earlier episodes and just kept milking them dry, where it was no longer original, exciting, or even funny. This is especially so, considering a lot of the jokes in these poor episodes are just downright gross and humorless. (On a lighter note, the show is seeming to redeem itself a bit and I certainly look forward to seeing the upcoming Christmas special, which will be utilizing stop-motion animation, a new step for the series.)
With both pros and cons covered, the show, as I said, was and still is okay in some aspects, despite having some poor episodes in the newer seasons. I feel the people that give the show such a low rating are those who prefer the original episodes over the newer ones and view them as just downright bad. While that is true in many cases, I think the show deserves at least more than five stars, mainly because I'm regarding the earlier episodes and also some pretty okay/decent - if not great - episodes in the latter seasons. However, we can at least feel satisfied that there was some pretty great and hilarious episodes in the long-run of this series.