Should you watch Gatchaman Crowds?

Forty years after its original airing, the guys over at Tatsunoko Productions blessed us with Gatchaman Crowds, a remake about as faithful to the original as Dragon Ball Evolution. Although while DBE was like having a conversation with a serial killer wearing your best friend's skin, Crowds basically jettisons any connection to the original from the gate. 

The story follows Hajime Ichinose a girl who's hyperactivity is matched only by a seven-year-old with coffee instead of blood. While screwing around on the roof, Hajime encounters something (started this anime two years ago) that gives her a notebook called NOTE that gives her the power to transform into

Together she teams up with a guy with what looks like wedges of cheese for eyebrows, a bikini clad girl because of course, a too cool for school dude, a fabulous gay guy, and a talking panda to fight an androgynous alien with the apparent mindset of the aforementioned seven-year-old with coffee instead of blood. One character left out of the previous summary is Rui the cross dresser, a genius Zuckerburg who created the social networking system Galax a cross between [insert social networking site], animal crossing, and Uber.

The first you'll notice coming into the anime is its animation. Anyone read any of my other stuff, because you should be able to guess what's coming next. The animation looks fantastic (other acceptable answers include amazing, great, and hand-drawn orgasm). In all honesty it looks jaw dropping when it wants to and is enjoyable at the very least the rest of the time. Even the troughs are bursting with color and personality. The peaks, on the other hand, burst with color, personality, and CG. Yes our old friend CG is back in full force. Unlike Mekaku, however, it's implemented well. Special mention goes to whoever designed the Gatchamen themselves.

The second thing you might notice is the soundtrack. Composed by Taku Iwasaki  of Jojo, Soul Eater and Black Butler fame, the soundtrack is a mix of electronic and spoken vocals. Ultimately it's down to personal preference, but take a listen— I think that you'll like what you hear.

Again we're talking what could be charitably called a quirky cast here, so frankly I thought I was in for another dumb action filled romp. I am so glad I was wrong. 

It's easy to think of Crowds as a simple aliens vs humans anime that has been done to death, brought back to life as a horrible monster before collapsing into a pile of unidentifiable scraps. What I think saves it from being the above is everything about GALAX. It plays out like a mind-game. Rui initially thinks that he's using the Alien as a means to create the ideal world. In the end we learn that he couldn't be further from the truth. GALAX is the crux; the key to victory for both parties. This makes for a climax that hits all the right places; with enough action to keep the testosterone pounding at my head, but with enough intelligent tactics that it didn't feel like my higher conscience was on vacation. If I had to level a criticism at it, it would be the pacing. The first fiveish episodes are dedicated to developing characters and getting the exposition done. While I was ultimately glad for it, it was a little grueling to get through at first. I'm not going to act like I know how to fix that, so perhaps this is more a warning than anything.

Something to tide you over until the next image

If you asked me to give you one reason to watch this anime, I would wake up because no-one comments on these posts anyway. However in theory I would tell you that if there was one thing that the anime did right, it's the character. Here however it's a bit more subjective (because the rest of it was devoid of opinion). It all comes down to the main character. Basically she's an eccentric, charismatic, block-headed insane girl. In other words she's what would normally be considered a side character in another anime. It's like if The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya centered on the titular character instead of Kyon. The question becomes can you stand that? 

Even if that doesn't sound like a smashing good time, I'd still say you should give it a shot. Aside from the above, I'd say that the rest of the cast does its job very well. Most of the development in these characters here are given development not really seen in many other shows. While I wouldn't call the development they get in depth I will say that for 13 episodes, and such a large cast, I got a very clear sense of who they were and why they were doing what they did. There are a few reasons for this, methinks. First is the exposition, spending time with the characters and watching them interact with Hajime. The other is an entire half an episode is spent giving insight into the ways in which they have changed over the course of the series. 

Of course I can't finish this review without mentioning the villain...but I'm going to anyway. 

Should you watch Gatchaman Crowds? Yes. I would say so. The animation suits the anime well, giving it some personality. An interesting vision of the future helps give separate it from similar anime, and the main character and her supporting cast make this a fun little romp. 

Thanks for reading! Likes, follows, and spreading the word are all things that would make me pretty happy. Wishing you a late happy New Year!

Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo Anime Review

There is this anime called Sakurasou. Now I'm not exactly sure what I thought of this show. Okay, this paragraph is going to be a bit of story-time, so skip to the next one if you're just here for the review. So I went through this phase. it was a bit, okay a huge bit of denial. I told myself that anime was for kids, and that I should do the totally more mature thing which twelve year-old kids with grammar as good as Justin Beiber's track record is, and play violent gory video games with the substance of a spoon. Yes, I'm still slapping myself for this, please forgive me. Last Spring, when I got back into it, one of the first anime that caught my attention was Susei No Gargantia. However the second anime that caught my attention was the Pet Girl Of Sakurasou. Keeping in mind that when I was younger I watched none of this kind of slice of life moe stuff. The closest thing that I had to moe slice of life was Higurashi, and well...So needless to say I was blown away when I first started to watch this show. Everything about it was amazing...and then episode 21. But I'll get to that later. In any case, I stopped watching it for a while. Now I finished it. The end. What the hell was the point of this? I don't know!

 

Pet Girl of Sakurasou is a 2012 anime that actually came out around October. It depicts the life and times of Sorata Kanda who is forced to live in Sakurasou Hall, a hall of what seems like...reject geniuses? I mean it's not that much of a surprise, Leonardo Da Vinci liked to cut people up, Gengis Kahn killed innocent women and children, and Charles Dickens liked to use morgues and crime scenes for inspirations. So, I don't know. Sorata is the owner of a gigantic amount of cats, and is forced to live in the dorms because of this.

Animation-- Animation is astounding. Do you want me to say more? it's developed by JC staff, who are responsible for many great anime such as; Shakugan No Shana, Familiar of Zero, Chibi Vampire, and last but not least, my favorite anime of 2013, Hentai Prince and Stony Cat. Let me put it this way. The anime does not recycle frames like it’s some kind of climate change freak who believes that they have done their part to save the world by throwing a plastic bottle into a bin, before driving off into the sunset in their gas guzzler mk. 5679. Animation is fluid for the most part. It's also surprisingly colorful, with environments being a huge highlight. Since one of the characters is actually an artist, we have some nice artception going on as well.

Insert Mirai Nikki reference here

Plot--Okay, so how is the plot? You ask me. My first reaction is to slap you in the face, point to the tags, and yell 'it's a freaking slice of life!' And yet I can't. First of given JC staff's track record, when their anime is tagged slice of life, it's never just slice of life. Shakugan no Shana, mix of slice of life, Familiar of Zero, fantasy elements, Hentai Prince and Stony Cat, no spoilers, but go watch it now! Oh and as for Chibi Vampire, the title says it all. The plot in this anime, however has nothing supernatural about it. Instead it presents some of the best drama i have seen in an anime to date. The first four episodes of the anime have more character development, more emotion, and more heartfelt moments, then your average 13 episode anime. No screw that, more than your average 25 episode anime. Actually I'm going all the way. If were talking about anime like Naruto or One Piece, then it accomplishes more character development in the first four episodes than an entire 500+ episodes. After the first four episodes, it starts to settle back down into its nice slice of life roots. It gets some nice moments from there, including some interesting romantic scenes, some comic relief, and other fun moments. Here characters don't really progress that much, and the pace of the show slows down. Don't get me wrong, it is still damn good, but it just doesn't live up to the first four episodes. Then we get to episode twelve and...Okay it seems like the author was like 'oh hey i had some character development before, so let's do the logical thing, and make shit so depressing that it would make a baby cry tears of blood.' From episode 12 all the way to 21, these characters could not catch a fucking break. Just when it finally started to get better around 21, slam! The biggest of all depressing crap happens, and we spiral back into a hole of despair. Seriously, I'm fine with having my heartstrings pulled once and a while, but this anime said screw pulling a few strings, and proceeded to rip my heart out. I mean I had to look in the mirror a few times to make sure I wasn't a midget with posture problems, whose skin was coal black had eyes as yellow as a British guy's teeth, and squiggly antennae that may or may not pick up FM.

In case you didn't get the reference to Square's homage to HL3. Actually I guess I can't say that because, unlike HL3, Kh3 actually has a freaking release date!

 At episode twenty one, I formally dropped this anime. This anime become so much of a soap opera, that it felt like I was five years old again. You say the word 'damn' once and...No! Not the soap! I didn't mean it! Stop! Please! nbwhbJGde Anyway my lame jokes aside, this really did become a soap opera. Some of you like that, and that's cool. For the rest of us... Let me put it this way, soap operas are a major source of street crime, the president of Venezuela said it himself. However, the anime made a full recovery around episode 21. Yes we all knew it was coming as soon as the heavy stuff dropped on us like Hulk Hogan, but it had just as much, no even more of an effect on me than the first four episodes.

Sound--OSTs are nice in this. Are they as good as the DA DA DA DA ost from Outbreak company, of course not. Nothing could top that utter masterpiece. It's still damn good music. It doesn't get repeated enough to that it's distracting, but just enough so that you recognize it when it comes on. Let's see voice acting. Well I have to give Yoshitsugu Matsuoka credit. You know how I feel about SAO, or maybe you don't, I still have to review it...However in this anime, he's fantastic. Yes his solution to everything seems to be shouting, so much so that you might as well call him Dovakiin and be done with it. More hating on SAO, jesus I really need to get that review out so I don't sound like an ignorant asshole with a big mouth. In SAO Matsuoka, in my opinion duh, did not get the chance to really shine. I got the calm voice, and lots of shouting, but not so much of the performance he puts on here. I can't really explain it, just watch it and you'll know what I mean. The other voice actress worth mentioning is the little sister. If you don't know all ready I feel obliged to pronounce with full fanfare whenever anything related to Hentai Prince and Stony cat comes up, soooo guess who the voice actress for the little sister is? Anyhow the only other voice actress I feel obliged to mention is Shiina's. I didn't like her that much at first. She's silent, and shows as much emotion as a wooden plank, this couldn't be to set up contrast for when she finally breaks down is it? Yeah the contrast is sharp, and by the flying spaghetti monster, is it an amazing performance. 

                                              I'm actually taking it back, these Ost are not simply nice, they're freaking amazing!

  

Characters--hold on allow me to compose myself for a very objective deconstruction of exactly what the characters are and how they fit the---JESUS GOD, THE CHARACTERS ARE SO FREAKING AMAZING! ALL HAIL HAJIME KAMOSHIDA! No really, the characters are really amazing. Due to the fact that there are too many, and I'm already running out of audience's attention span like the U.S. is money, I won't analyze all of them.

Sorata--One of the best characters I have seen in any anime period. Why? Sorata is believable. He is not the ridiculous blockhead commonly known as I.C.H.I.K.A. I wish I had an acronym for that one but whatayagonnado. The best part about him is that he is human. He is not the god who does everything right every time--to I even have to point on the contrast between him and another one of Matsuoka's other roles? He screws up, he gets angry, and he hurts people he cares about. In the end he pushes through it, even with all of his insecurities. He is not the super shonnen badass, Mr. perfect that Kirito is, nor is he the complete and utter wimp Shinji is. He is human, and therefore unique.

                                          To show you the true extent of Sorata's character

Ryūnosuke + Rita-- I love these characters. If I was doge, I'd be all WOW, Much funny, Many sugoi des, but I'm not. Unfortunately I am not a cat typing on a keyboard, I'm just a dude with a computer. This dude on this computer says that this pairing is awesome, as are both of their characters. Really, though I love male tsundere. He manages to be strong charismatic, while still delivering some really heartfelt moments. Rita is equally as good, bringing out heartfelt moments, as well as comic relief like they were a rabbit in a hat.

Romance--Very simply put the romance in this show is not over. it hasn't completed yet and therefore I cannot pass judgment on it. However, seeing as the characters feel like real, if really wacky, people, the romance here measures up to that. There are a lot of moments in this series where you will be squeeing, or if you want to keep that masculinity up, slowly nod you head in approval. 

Is this show worth watching? Yes, it very much is worth your time. Even though that depressing arch was not exactly the best I've seen in recent memory, it still had a positive effect. Even though I gripe about it, the depressing moments did hit home. Character design is among the best I've seen in an anime, art is impressive, soundtrack is very good and overall this anime is not going to be forgotten. It is not one of those watch and forget anime. It will stay with you long after you finish. A very strong recommendation from me.

Thank you for reading my review. If you liked it, or clicking the like button is somewhat of a hobby, drop a like, follow or just spread the word around. I'll siya next time!