Man, time sure flies when you're busy with work and your advisor always happen to have more for you. I did manage to finish watching Jinki:Extend with mixed feelings.

I really do feel that it may have been much better if they extended the series to at least 24 episodes. After browsing through the manga, I realized that all the feeling on incompleteness and lacking in the anime were filled in in the manga. So, basically, they decided that for the anime they just kind of wanted to wet people's taste buds for the ideas. However, that sort of flopped a bit, since by picking and chosing things from the manga in such a disjoint way, it just felt kind of awkward. This is especially true when you introduce a new character in one episode and really don't talk about them much anymore. Part of the cast just kind of fell flat when it came to character development.

On the other hand, from the information given in the manga, I guess some of the stuff just wasn't suitable for TV, if they were aiming for a general audience. The relationship between Aoba and her mom was never clarified in detail in the anime, but the truth is quite stunning. Though, the anime does give it a nice warming twist. Considering that it seems the manga is still running, the anime kind of just ended at a high note with an open ending. The whole concept of revenge was all nice and dandy, just that the execution was a little half-hearted.

Jinki:Extend is a nice series with some good concepts. The big issue was with the execution and choice of story telling method. It was nice that they used alot of dialogue to push things forward, but they were at an excess sometimes. Long winded expositions just weren't time correctly, except for maybe a few. The action was nice, but the Jinkis sure can take alot of damage sometimes.

Oh well, that's it for that series. Most memorably, I'd say the music was at least decent, no, it was great. ANGELA was awesome as usual and Unicorn Table is probably going on my list of groups/people to watch.

posted by Sai 5:55 PM

Time to talk anime!
I know it has been a week or so, but things are busy. :p
(and in no specific order)

Jinki:Extend ep 2
Somehow, just like some may have thought, the series at this point is quite predictable. The second episode just somehow didn't feel as strong as the first. Most likely its because it sort of ended at the climax of the battle.
Things are moving along at a nice click as we see for a rare moment in anime, a mother and daughter conflict. This is quite rare, since father - son conflicts are more common, most famous being Evangelion.
There is also something about this series that mystify me. Somehow, there are short clips in the episodes that seem to follow another story segment, but we really have no clue the timeline in which that portion is happening. Kind of confuses me a bit, since its kind of hard for a person to be two places at once, especially since the main setting is like in the super "outbacks" of South America.
The setting continues to be quite fresh and refreshing to me, and I really dig that.
The music, epecially the OP, is really starting to grow on me. The vocal is pretty good, and the lyrics are fairly upbeat. However, in comparison, I'd still say that the ED by ANGELA still wins out by a bit. Definitely waiting to see more and for the OP/ED single to come out in a week or so.

Starship Operators ep 2
Somehow, this series has proven to be quite mellow in nature. Some of the scenes and how things are set up really remind me of old war movies and submarine flicks. The bridge is almost constantly dark with green and red displays, which is also true about the other departments except probably the central AI room.
We really have to wait to see more because it seems to be trying to build up to something, which they will hopefully show. We are also treated to our first deaths, but as the general nature of the series, the situation is taken without too much drama attached.

Xenosaga ep 2
Man, they really alterred alot of the story from the game. For the most part, they kind of tuned it down, since it was a little more gruesome in the game. They also took out the part where it is mentioned that all combat realians have built in self-destruct devices just in case they betray. And of course, in the game, there is a portion where the nasty military dude with the scars on his face uses this to try to get rid of some of the Gnosis. It wasn't pretty. The art still is kind of flaky to me. The lines and details seem to be inconsistent. However, the story may pose to be more interesting since, they get to play with it and tell it in a different way.

Ah! Megami-sama ep 2
This is slowly turning into a major character piece. I'm torn between whether I really like the alterration they made to the original or that they should have touched nothing. However, it is a definite plus that they are making the series more character driven rather than episodically event driven like the manga at some points.

Gankutsuou ep 13
The top two animes showing right now that has the best quality, execution, scripting, and intensity has got to be this and Mai-Hime. It just doesn't get better than this as the conspiracy starts to unfold even more and truths are dug up.

Mai-Hime ep 15
I was seriously shocked by this episode. I think I watched it twice. The climactic battle is truly climactic. However, I think Bandai too one too many ideas from their other giant mech animes. The "launching" of the Himes from the "secret underground base" was just funny to me. You have to have someone come out from behind a waterfall. :D
This probably ends the first part of the series and we'll most likely be treated to some major plot twists in the nect 11 episodes, especially since there are still 2 more Himes left that are unknown.

Gundam SEED Destiny 13 and 14
What can I say? I really find it interesting how by episode 13 of a 52 episode series, all the main characters have been cornered in one way or another. And once again, it really is questionable who the main characters are anyways. However, by episode 14, things really start getting interesting as the Archangel and its crew is reunited once again. Freedom is still hands down the most powerful gundam there is at this point, especially being nuclear powered. There are hints in the new opening sequece as to some of the events that may unfold later, but it may be quite tragic on certain fronts.
Generally, I get somewhat of a better vibe from Kira now, finally. As we see in episode 14, for once, he knows what he needs to do, and is ready to boldly step out and do it. My prediction is that the Archangel and the Minerva actually have enough power and may very well form a third front. That in itself should create some interesting dynamics.

Air ep 2
Ok, I have to admit, I'm starting to like this show more and more. There is more of a story as compared to Kanon. Also, that crazy little dog, Potato, has sure gotten me laughing.

posted by Sai 2:17 AM

I must be getting old because my judgement of animes before they start airing has become dulled....

Years ago, when I first started watching anime, I sort of had a sixth sense to things. Just looking at the covers, illustrations, and maybe a small description and I'd know if something was good or not. Nowadays, I'm usually 50/50. Probably because my tastes and interests have widened quite a bit.

Air ep 1
I wasn't really planning on watching this, but thought what the heck. In reality, its my little brother who is a big fan of Air and Kanon. Not sure why, since he's not too enthusiastic about anything else. But I was relatively surprised with Air. The story was pretty funky. To a certain extent it was pretty ridiculous too. Just when I thought nothing stranger can happen, something weird happens. Sort of reminds me of back when I was watching Paranoia Agent, without the darkness. But really, the light-heartedness of the episode just kind of got to me. And I'm also intrigued about many aspects of it. The show doesn't try to be mysterious, but sometimes the dialogue just kind of make you go..."Oh......I see........Huh?.....Wait......that didn't make too much sense!?" The soft and fluffy feeling is so reminescent of Kanon and Kimi ga Nozomu Eien. The character design is pretty much in line with the standard. The music...not too sure about. Have to listen to it some more.

Mai-Hime ep 14
Wow, we're really winding things up. Looks like the next 12 episodes will be a cool rollercoaster ride and we'll finally figure out who is good, who is bad, and who is just truly evil and insane. From past experience, with series like these, you never really know who is what until near the end. So, the Snake Hunt continues and should get quite interesting.

Jink:Extend ep 1 (again)
Watched it again, and I really like it. May be my top pick for the season, but that's just because I'm such a big old school mecha fan. Give me giant robots, cute girls, adrenaline pumped guys, an evil organization, and a few well placed plot twists and you have me entertained :D And once again, the ED song by ANGELA is just so catchy its driving me nuts. After the chilling music from Fafner, ANGELA's new upbeat performance really drives it home. Along with the optimistic lyrics, this song will be on my playlist for a few months once it comes out on Jan. 26.

Coming soon:
I'm currently working on a full review of Soukyuu no Fafner. It has been a week or so now from the initial shock of the last few episodes. I think I've finally pulled up enough courage and guts to actually review it. As a rule of thumb, I don't give spoilers whatsoever, 99% of the time. It should be interesting to see.

posted by Sai 1:48 AM

It has just been one of those days when nothing seem to get done....

So, the best solution....watch anime till you drop!!!

Beck 14
I really like BECK. But most likely its because its an underdog story about music and a band. Actually, most of the liking comes from the fact that I wish I had more musical talent, which I realized early on that I don't. Its not that I'm not good with musical notes and stuff like that.....its just that there's this mental block between me and instruments. Beck sort of bridges that gap for me as I look at Koyuki improve and everything starts moving. This episode keeps the story rolling as we start getting into the more interesting stuff. Still, I still feel they really cut quite a few corners with the animation....what's with all those still and pan shots....

Ah Megami-sama
The wait is over. However, mixed feelings abound. I'm so glad they seem to have kept the original cast. However, with the pace things are going, this looks to be set as another never-ending series....I'm not saying that's bad. The characters are much more brushed up. More time is spent with the many characters, but it just seems to be sidetracking. The opening was...interesting. I'm not sure whose idea it was to have bag pipes or something similar, but that guy should be shot. Somehow, I still liked the more upbeat OP and ED from the original OVA. We'll have to see more to tell, but dang it, why do shows these days always end in cliffhangers in one way or another..... It's as if the producers are avoiding what some may call "episodic" episodes like the plague. Oh well, I'm hooked, but not fully.

Jinki: Extend ep 1
Every season, there's always 1 or two new shows that just totally throw me my initial judgement off. This season, I had hoped Starship Operators would have stuck with me and Jinki would just kind of slide by as not being anything spectacular. But, boy, was I wrong about this one. It turned out that S.O. only mildly moved me, while Jinki just kind of made me stop dead. With a title like that, its completely deceptive as to how good the contents would be. However, I'm caught. Seems to have a interesting premise, though I do have to complain about the all female cast, but we all know cute girls and giant robots sell. A cute girl that loves giant robots with a passionate obsession, now that is gold in my dictionary. Of course, with the OP and probably ED sung by ANGELA, that's got me completely sold. The animation is fluid and the art is clean and polished. However, don't know much about the story yet, but from past experience, this will probably be a dark show with interlacing humor eps with alot of cute things.

Did I mention I love the group ANGELA? Atsuko's vocal has impressed me since I first heard her in Stellvia. Then in Fafner, it just went to the next level. To a certain extend they sound similar, but somehow I just love her vocal.

Good music is another selling point for me in an anime. The main reason I didn't complete ditch S.O. was mainly because the ED was sung by KOTOKO. I like her stuff too. Though very sharp at times, her new song sounded so smooth that I didn't recognize her voice at first.

Its going to be one interesting season. Though not my type, but I think I'll watch an ep of Air as well and see how it is.

posted by Sai 1:10 AM

Just finished watching Xenosaga The Animation ep 1. I'd say its a mixed bag. I liked the animation, which follows pretty much the story of the game, with a few minor alterrations. However, the overall feel of it was quite uneven. The art seem to sway between detailed and rough. The colors are bright and vivid in some areas, while other times they seem a little bland and dusty. The CG is fairly uneven as well with the Gnosis just sort of fading between pure CG and painted cels. Not sure if some of the effects were deliberate. It is really arguable whether alot of the things they do are deliberate.....So, currently, it seems that the CG is either just great...or just plain crappy. Will have to watch more to make a decision. The characters are nicely drawn, but KOS-MOS has a design that is slightly too soft for her personality. The lines were too smooth, but the voice acting seems to add the extra dimension that is missing to a crtain extent. Its so nice to see everything in the original japanese. :D

Also watched the first episode of Starship Operators, and it was pretty fun. Not sure where its going, but it seems to have a fairly strange mix of characters. The story may not be totally new, seeing that there are shadows of past series, however, the character placement is definitely interesting. I love the wimpy captain who is all talk, but no skill.

Gankutsuou ep 12 was just as riveting and filled with plot twists as before. The conspiracy thickens and Gonzo's new visual style makes some of the scenes just so much more potent. Wish I had time to read the original, but it was a 1600+ page novel anyways.....Just have to wait and see what happens :p

Otogizoushi sort of ended in ep 24 with somewhat of a strange taste. I personally didn't really like the Hikaru of the second half. A little too whiny as a main character, not to mention indecisive. But, I guess that's part of the drama, and you can't really expect much from her considering her background is alot different now. So, let's all just wait for the next "special" ep 25, which airs......March 22.......

posted by Sai 1:23 AM

Anticipation builds as we count down to the start of the new season and get to get back to seeing the stuff that hasn't ended.

Of the new season, Magical Canan has already started. For those that are not as knowledgeable, like me, it is based on a hentai series of the same name. One of the "clean up for general audience" series along with Air that will be coming along soon.

Magical Canan doesn't seem to be a bad show quality wise right now, but we'll have to see. Its definitely your standard run of the mill stuff, but you can never tell how series will turn out nowadays.

Gonna get a new episode of Gankutsuou this week and that will be really cool. More on that when I actually see it. :p

posted by Sai 1:52 PM

Things to watch out for in the next week as the new season begins:

- Starship Operators (sounds good on paper, let's see how they do)
- Xenosaga (FINALLY!!!!)
- Ah My Goddess TV series (been waiting for years)
- Mahou Sensei Negima (know one guy that wants to watch it, but really not my type)

At least I know I have something to watch that's new :p

posted by Sai 2:10 AM

It has been one damn long anime year, filled with good stuff and bad stuff. To recap the year is kind of tough, but there really are a few things I have to say about the year as far as I can remember.

The incredible series known as Kaleidostar came and went. The entire series was incredibly invigorating. It was such a new and interesting concept, yet felt old at the same time. I probably watched episode 51, the last one, like 10 times already. It was such a fuzzy episode that just made you feel all warm inside that I actually pick it up again now and then to watch again when I'm feeling blue. Definitely a great depression killer. But the series was top notch in all categories. The production value didn't seem to slip throughout and the animation was just right.

Full Metal Alchemist came and went. The ending was kind of "what the heck?", but overall it was still a very intriguing series. It deterred quite a bit from the original manga, but heck, it was so much fun to watch. By the last 10 episodes, all I could say to myself was to expect the unexpected. Hopefully the OVA fills in some the gaping holes they left though. But it was pretty hilarious how the scriptwriters dug themselves such a big damn hole and could only just leave the audience with "the world is not perfect, so deal with it" type of ending.....

Gundam SEED Destiny started out with a bang, and what a big bang it was. 12 episodes into the damn series and I still can't figure out who the main character is. Then you really get the feeling of deja vu while watching episode 12. But once again, its all about the politics. Well, not really, its all about characters mourning the lost of other characters from the previous season. Well, it wasn't really that either. Once again, its hard to describe what they really want to pull, but for starters, its almost too obvious that they want to pull some sort of ressurrection stunt down the road. However, as good obedient audience, we'll just sit and wait to see what they throw us.

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig started with a bang, and dang do the scriptwriting never stop. Its just as complex as before and the animation just keeps getting better. The music is great too. Its almost over as well, waiting to watch the last 4 episodes and see how everything draws to a close.

A little series called Uta-Kata came around and perked my interest while catching some of my attention. Directed by the artist bhind Kiddy Grade, I was mildly surprised at the content, though the going was tough at times. The guest artists that did costume designs were kind of neat too. Aftershocks from the series may end up in my random thoughts section.

A funky gruesome series called Elfen Lied flew onto my door steps as well. I was intrigued by episode and the massive violence and blood spill just kind of boggled my imagination. Its not because I'm a violent person by heart, its just that from a certain standpoint, the violence was so uncalled for that at times it got kind of funny. After watching the 50th arm go flying and heads popping like popcorn, you just kind of go..."what the hell was that for?" It wasn't a bad series. I loved the character development, which I felt could have been done better and replaced the violence, but it seemed that the violence was a crucial ring too. So, probably suitable for those that enjoyed Narutaru without permanent trauma.

The Mars Daybreak was a fun little romp by Bones that took me to Mars in the future covered with "water." And when you have water and ocean, you have pirates. A nice little sci-fi pirate fest with some adorable characters. It was a fun ride and a great fun series.

One of my all time favorite martial arts manga got turned into an anime! The result was Shura no Toki. I have to say that the results weren't perfect, but I guess it'll have to do. It settled itself into being a more classical Japanese drama than a beat 'em up run 'n gun fighting anime, which was good in a way, but slow in others.

Ah, speaking of the old, one should not miss Samurai 7. Based loosely off of the original Seven Samurais by Kurosawa Akira, the anime takes a futuristic spin to it, but keeps everything else intact. It was a truely powerful story, which earns its rightful place as an all time classic.

On the flip side, there was Samurai Champloo, which redefined how you can do a samurai anime. The music was fun, the characters were fun, and the situations, though plain, but were made fun by the characters. People had high hopes for it because it was from the people that brought us Cowboy Bebop. Some were disappointed, others like me were delighted by its style.

On the other end of the samurai genre, there was Samurai Guns, which was a project that seems to be funded by ADV. I don't have much to say about it, because I didn't really like it. Just a few things that didn't click with me I guess. Too dark sometimes and just strange some other times. I gave up after episode 1.

GANTZ. Just that single word summons up tons of memories. The concept was new and fresh. The premise was interesting. The violence, blood shed and the social commentary was hardcore. It is hard to describe the series without gory details, but it is nasty. Human nature exposed in some of the strangest ways imaginable. It beckons the question of whether being given a second chance in life is really a good thing some times.

One cannot summarize this year without mentioning the powerful series Soukyu no Fafner. It was innovative on the premise. Instead of showing you a world, it showed you paradise within chaos. It showed you a microcosm. It showed you what it meant to be human. What it is like to exist. It was deep, subtle, emotional, and gripping. It was not a happy ending, yet it wasn't a tragedy. It is still hard to describe what type of series it is, but it is definitely worth a watch. It may not have some deep philosophical meaning to some, but to others, they may be deeply moved by the overflowing of character and truthful emotions. I also dig the mechanical design. It is still so damn cool!

Well, that wraps up this long rant about the anime this year. I steer away from saying much about things I dislike, just because I know there are probably people out there who do like it. And this is by no means everything that I've watched this year. I've watched alot more than this, but this is as much as I can spill in one session. Maybe I talk more about others as they come to mind in the coming year.

posted by Sai 1:39 AM