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Tokyo Ghoul (2014)
Tokyo Ghoul has an interesting premise and good production values, but lacks realism and empathetic characters
Just a warning, this review contains some slight spoilers about the structure of the show and how certain characters progress (no actual events), so you probably shouldn't read this if you want to go in completely blind.
Ah, Tokyo Ghoul. Where to even begin with this one. Some of the most common words I hear about this show are that it's "dark", "badass", and most of all, "edgy". And I think a good way to describe this show is through the meaning of the word "edgy" itself. In my eyes, edginess is used to describe something overly dramatic in a dark sense to the point where it's unrealistic enough to break immersion. Unfortunately for Tokyo Ghoul, despite doing everything else mostly right, it suffers quite a bit from this lack of realism.
STORY - 6.5/10
Let's start with some of the good stuff. The story revolves around a society built around humans and ghouls, which are humanoid creatures with weird powers that can only survive by eating people. I know, real pleasant. This dynamic created as a result of ghouls and humans living in the same world sparks some interesting discussions about discrimination, isolation, and best of all, the power of kindness. However, the story often feels forced into going in certain directions, not leaving enough time to properly foreshadow or develop big events. This starts happening especially near the end, and it takes quite a toll on character development. Which leads me to my next point....
CHARACTERS - 5.3/10
This was the weakest point of the show for me, and it's where the flaws in the writing really started to present themselves. Our protagonist is Ken Kaneki, the man who's worshipped around the globe by 12 year old boys and crushed on hardcore by 12 year old girls. Whenever this dude puts on his mask, panties drop so hard that....ok I'll stop. But yeah, this is the guy who gets the by far the most screen time, the most development, etc. He starts out pretty well as a nice kid at heart trying to fight off his harmful urges. So far so good, but there's a certain degree of ridiculousness in the way the show overdramatizes his inner conflict, to the point where I had to suppress my laughter. He keeps struggling with these urges for most of the show, and it doesn't really seem to get much worse or much better. That is, until near the end, where our boy undergoes some MASSIVE changes that are not just forced story-wise, but literally forced out of him by an outside influence. There's extremely little time to actually flesh out his development, and this causes his character to just feel unrealistic and inhuman, which is a shame since they'd been doing a fine job of showcasing his human side before then. As for the other characters, there's really not much to say. There are some nice ghouls, some mean ghouls, some nice humans, and some mean humans. There are also some of these who appear mean at first and later show caring sides, like say, Touka and Nishiki. But none of these are really developed beyond their personality traits. Now don't get me wrong, it's not all bad. The personalities of these characters are well defined and human-like, even in Kaneki (for most of the show). But in terms of development, there's definitely something left to be desired across the board.
ART - 7.3/10
The art in the show is the textbook definition of solid. Settings look realistic, fights are smooth and vibrant, and there's even some visual symbolism scattered throughout, which is always nice. Something that especially stood out to me was the art style for the characters. The people/ghouls look reallyyy good in this show. The dudes are hot and the girls are *hot*. That's all I really have to say, no complaints here but at the same time, nothing groundbreaking.
SOUND - 7.1/10
Soundtrack's also good. It fits nicely with the tone for each scene, and it never breaks the immersion of an impactful moment or fight. One track that stood out in particular was "Licht und Schatten," and it added a nice amount of hype/emotion to every scene it was played in. As far as the opening goes, it's also pretty good, and it's super iconic so there's that. The ending didn't really stand out to me though. And voice acting, well, it did what it was supposed to do successfully, but as I said before some of our characters can be quite the drama queens.
OVERALL ENJOYMENT - 6.5/10
As a result of all of this I definitely ended up enjoying the show more often than not. The premise was fun to follow and think about, and the more than adequate production quality helped drive home the experience. Even the characters were enjoyable to watch, but their emotional moments didn't hit quite as hard as they could've if these characters had been written more carefully. So in the end, If you like a lot of dark and heavy drama and you can suspend some level of disbelief in regards to characters, chances are that you'll thoroughly enjoy this.
Kimi no na wa. (2016)
Your Name is a fantastic escape into a dreamlike world that shows us the beauty of our own
Ever since its conception, storytelling has been used as a means of escapism. With its characters and settings brought to life in another reality, we are able to be transported from our everyday lives into something more spectacular. At its core, Your Name is all about this idea of escape. From its whimsical storyline to its otherworldly atmosphere, the entire movie feels like a fantastical dream. And an absolutely incredible one at that.
STORY - 8.2/10
While it takes place in the very real setting of modern-day Japan, the story is packed with supernatural elements. Just like a dream, you start off not really knowing what's going on. But soon enough everything starts to naturally unfold, managing to consistently maintain interest in its entire 2 hour runtime. There are also some really well done plot twists and moments of tension littered throughout, which I honestly wasn't expecting from a high school romance movie. On top of all that, there's a solid layer of depth that explores our connections with the world and the people around us. There are of course some minor flaws, like how explanations for the supernatural elements are mostly brushed over. But while it's nothing groundbreaking, Your Name's storyline is definitely a fascinating one from beginning to end.
CHARACTERS - 6.5/10
If there's a weak link in this movie, it'd have to be the characters. They aren't bad; in fact the personalities and interests of the two leads Mitsuha and Taki are explored quite well in the beginning of the movie. But there's really not much depth to those personalities, which leads to some shallow character development from both. Similarly, the supporting characters feel just like supporting characters - nothing much more than devices to move the plot forward. Having said all that, the movie somehow manages to really make us care about its characters. It's tons of fun to see them go through dreamlike journeys of their own, much like the audience's own dreamlike experience when watching. Their feelings start to become your feelings. Their desires become your desires. This was especially true for me near the end of the movie, where I wished with every fiber of my being for a happy ending for the characters.
ART - 9.8/10
Though its story is largely supernatural, through its visuals is where Your Name truly leaves the boundaries of reality to become something else. The hand-drawn art is stunning, and every single frame of the movie is more than wallpaper worthy. The animation is buttery smooth, with everything flowing, bouncing, or panning in the most satisfying way possible. The cinematography is breathtaking, utilizing ultra wide shots to create a massive sense of scope and beauty. And the movie is filled with visual symbolism in every nook and cranny, adding even more meaning to an already rich story. All of these aspects combine together in the best way possible to create a dreamlike atmosphere nothing short of ethereal.
SOUND - 8.7/10
The soundtrack only helps add to the atmosphere, beautifully complimenting every scene that its used in. Some tracks that particularly stand out are "Sparkle", "Zenzenzense", and "Again to Goshintai", all of which give me chills on demand. A minor complaint is that the soundtrack mostly just sounds pretty without adding much meaning to the story or its characters, but its still plenty enough to elevate the entire movie to a higher level of emotion. There are also some great sound effects that really help add to certain scenes, like a dramatic bell or a chorus of wailing whales. There's a particularly amazing scene which uses complete silence to turn something already spectacular into a borderline masterpiece. And as you'd expect from a fairly high budget movie like this, the voice acting is on point and does not at all detract from the immersion.
OVERALL ENJOYMENT - 9.2/10
I've said it before and I'll say it again, this movie feels exactly like a beautiful dream. Every time I watch it, I feel truly disconnected from the real world and absorbed into one more beautiful, innocent, and happy. And at the end of the day, that's exactly why I watch anime, go to movies, listen to music, or consume any type of media - to feel a sense of happiness that I can't get from reality. And in this sense, Your Name is an overwhelming success.
Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic (2012)
Magi: A jack of all trades, but a master of none
Before I get into this, keep in mind that this is a review for all of Magi up to this point, not just season 2.
When I was first introduced to Magi, I could only think, "great, an anime ripoff of Disney's Aladdin." Like come on. It's in an Arabian desert setting, it has magical blue wish-granting genies, and to top it off, one of the main characters is even named Aladdin. How they didn't run into copyright issues for this I will never know. But the more I watched Magi, the more I saw it grow into its own. I watched it meet, and often exceed, all of my expectations of what constitutes a good piece of entertainment. But looking back, I can't say I can pinpoint any aspect of the show that truly wowed me.
STORY - 7.7/10
There's no doubt that Magi has a very good storyline. It follows a journey through a surprisingly well fleshed out world filled with both dream-like fantasy and well-defined realism. Through this world, some genuinely interesting ideas about fate, class, and friendship are explored, and it's not afraid to get into the darker side of things. One of its most impressive features is its vast number of kingdoms, each with fully functioning governments and economies that really help showcase all the major themes of the show. But in general, the storyline seems to just wander around its world without any major focus or backbone, and it's often hard to see what it's really trying to accomplish. This also lets it drag at times, like in the middle of season 1 and and the beginning of season 2, where the pacing takes a hit. But overall, Magi tells a very impressive story, especially in the second half of season 2 where all its strengths culminate.
CHARACTERS - 7.3/10
Characters are a bit of a mixed bag for the show. On one hand you have characters like Titus, Hakuryuu, Morgiana, and Matal, who all have very engaging arcs and motives over the course of Magi. But on the other, main characters like Alibaba and Aladdin seem to pale in comparison. Alibaba's not too bad, but his characterization's pretty stale and it never really feels like he changes much throughout the story. And Aladdin, while fun for a lot of comic relief, doesn't really have much depth to his character at all. Side characters are similarly mixed, with some being really interesting, like Gyokuen, and others being comically bad, like Abhmad. All in all though, there's definitely more good than bad going on in the character department.
ART - 6.4/10
As far as the art goes, it's pretty good. Like I said earlier, the world has some interesting settings which look nice and colorful. There's nothing mind-blowing going on here though. The fights generally look pretty average, with some being better and some being worse. It does the job and it's more than good enough.
SOUNTRACK - 5.3/10
The soundtrack also does the trick, but it definitely leans towards a more average quality. It isn't very memorable at all and listening to it alone doesn't do much for me. I'll give it some points for matching the Arabian aesthetic and for combining a lot of different instruments and voices. The voice acting is also sufficient, but nothing really stood out there either. Same for its openings and endings.
OVERALL ENJOYMENT - 7.4/10
So in the end, did Magi end up being a diamond in the rough? (Heh, see what I did there Aladdin fans?). I'd certainly say so. It's really got no bad aspects, and for what little it may lack in art and sound, it more than makes up for with its gripping storyline and broad range of well developed characters. While I can't say that its ideas changed my life or that its moments moved me to tears, I'm confident that it'll satisfy anyone who's looking for some high quality entertainment.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Avengers: Endgame is some of the most thrilling, powerful, beautiful, and emotional entertainment ever put on the big screen.
When I walked into the theater for my first viewing of Endgame, I was prepared to see a great superhero movie. I expected some massive fight scenes, a few emotional gut punches, and to walk away with a generic positive message about overcoming obstacles. But I could have never guessed that night that I would cry like a baby, go completely numb from pure awe, and leave the theater with a fresh take on what it really means to be human. It was a night I'll likely remember for the rest of my life.
It all started back in 2008 with the first Iron Man, which was soon followed by several other movies based on popular superheroes from Marvel comics. These superheroes became known as Avengers, appearing together in several blockbuster hits to fight world-threatening enemies. Endgame is the culmination of 22 movies across 11 years, and the anticipation and pressure from the fans were higher than ever before. But somehow, Marvel managed to produce an overwhelmingly satisfying conclusion that met or exceeded all expectations.
The premise of Endgame's storyline is fairly simple: defeat the mad titan Thanos after he wiped out half the universe's population and bring back everyone he killed. However, it ends up quite complex, dealing with quantum physics and time travel. The directors, Joe and Anthony Russo, do an admirable job of making the storyline easy to follow, bouncing between dozens of different settings and timelines without feeling too cluttered. There are also a surprisingly low number of plot holes considering that the movie deals with time travel.
When it comes to pacing, the film has some minor issues. It sometimes feels unnecessarily drawn out during some of the middle sections, where the movie takes a less serious tone and the stakes don't feel quite as high. But it more than makes up for it with an action packed beginning and ending filled with shocking surprises and adrenaline rushes to keep the audience on the edge of their seats.
One of the movie's most impressive feats is how it is able to include so many characters without making a single one feel left out. The main characters of this movie are the original six Avengers, which include Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and the Hulk. Apart from the Hulk, who unfortunately does not get much of a spotlight, all of their characters develop beautifully throughout the movie and have several major moments to shine. Iron Man in particular ends up almost the complete opposite of his selfish, egotistical, and ignorant past self. Even Thanos, despite being the main antagonist, has a very interesting arc that affects his grand motives as he learns more about humanity's flaws.
As we have come to expect from marvel, the production quality is as good as it gets. The acting performances from all the cast members are easily some of the best they have ever done. Whether through dialogue or simply just facial expressions, the actors and actresses do an amazing job conveying their characters' emotions. The visuals are stunning, with a vibrant color palate and awe inspiring cinematography. The movie relies heavily on cgi, but it is done so well that everything looked completely photorealistic. Accompanying that was a stellar soundtrack by Alan Silvestri that masterfully matches the tone of each scene, elevating them to new heights. "Portals" in particular is one of the best soundtracks I have ever heard, and it still gives me major chills every time I listen to it.
The movie particularly excels at creating a very atmospheric feel to many of its scenes, using it's soundtrack and visuals to immerse the viewer into its vast world. Some of the best examples of this are in an early scene with Iron Man in a spaceship, which wonderfully captures the melancholic but peaceful tone of the scene. And perhaps the most prominent example is in the iconic "Portals" scene, which emanates sheer awe with its beauty and scope, starting slowly and naturally building up to an earth-shattering climax.
A common criticism with superhero movies in general is that they are mindless "popcorn entertainment" only good for action and surprises. However, with Endgame, this could not be further from the truth. Through the Avengers' personal struggles and Thanos's quest to make a perfect universe, the film goes the extra mile in showing how the world and its people are far from perfect, but our lives can still be beautiful. This idea is especially shown within the deeply moving final few scenes.
Avengers: Endgame is a wonderfully thrilling experience for its audience. But it goes a step further and shows us why cinema and storytelling are so important. As Endgame illustrates, emotions are defining characteristics of humanity, and whether good or bad, they shape our lives and allow us to grow. What better way to experience these emotions than through some amazing stories?
Avatar: Flight of Passage (2017)
Best Experience of my Entire Life
This is not just the best theme park attraction I've ever been on, it's the best thing I've ever done in my life. It's extremely immersive, thrilling, and even emotionally moving. This ride alone will make your entire trip to Disney World worth it. 10/10
Tengen toppa gurren lagann (2007)
The Most Epic Show Ever Made
You know that feeling of total shock and awe that you get after finishing a really good show or movie? Where you just sit there staring at the screen, unable to process the sheer epicness of what you just saw? Imagine that feeling, but ten times stronger, and you might get a taste of what I felt while watching Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. Every time I finish that final episode, I get this euphoric feeling that lasts for several hours on end, often keeping me up the entire night on pure adrenaline. There isn't a single day that goes by where I don't have flashbacks to certain scenes from the show and start getting the chills all over again. Yes, it's that good.
One of the most common misconceptions of Gurren Lagann I hear is that it's a simple, mindless show that's all about over the top fight scenes and cheesy inspirational speeches. And while the show has plenty of those, it has way more than just adrenaline rushes to offer. The story is very well written, following several intertwined character arcs and thematic ideas that all spiral around a very deep and thought provoking central message. The attention to detail is ridiculous, with extended metaphors that can be applied to almost every aspect of the show. On top of that, there are several plot twists and surprises to keep the viewer engaged. The only issue I might have with the story is with a couple episodes near the beginning, which I feel are weaker than the rest of the show, but the last few episodes more than make up for it with my favorite ending of all time.
The major characters of this show are brilliantly written. Kamina's bold relentless attitude has its own charm, and Simon "the Digger" has one of the best character arcs I've seen in any form of media. Other characters like Yoko, Viral, Rossiu, and Lordgenome all have their own traits and well written arcs throughout the series. While their world is very different from ours, the characters feel very real and relatable through their growth. And of course, the villains are also great, with justified and believable motivations that serve as a near perfect contrast to our protagonists.
The visuals are animation are outstanding in this show, especially when considering that it was made in 2007. The fights are beautifully choreographed and visually appealing with vivid color palettes. The cinematography is some of the best I've seen in anime. And there's plenty of visual symbolism that adds meaning to the story and characters. The art is especially good in the final few episodes, which the creators saved 40% of their budget for. And it shows; those final episodes are some of the most beautiful episodes I've ever seen. That final fight, oh my god.
The show is just as amazing in the audio department. The voice acting is powerful for both the sub and dub versions. In fact, it has one of the best dubs I've heard, right alongside Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. But where the sound truly stands out is in the music. There's a large variety of soundtracks that perfectly capture every scene, whether they're happy, sad, spine-chilling, or pure hype moments. One track in particular, titled "Libera Me From Hell", is the most unique and symbolic soundtrack I've ever heard. It plays during some of the best scenes in the entire show, and it makes those scenes that much better.
Yeah, as you can probably tell by now, I love this show. It's my favorite piece of fiction across all types of media and storytelling, and I've had more fun watching it than anything else. Hell, those last few episodes are probably in the top ten best experiences of my life. The show's messages have genuinely made a positive impact on my life and how I view the world. And while I don't expect everyone to enjoy it as much as I do, I think anyone would be doing themselves a huge favor by watching it. So what are you waiting for? Open a new window and experience one of the most epic shows anime has to offer.