Negative-Tier Reviews (A Letter to Momo)

[kazukifafner]

Negative-Tier Reviews

Review Index

2011
Haibane Renmei
Kino no Tabi: the Beautiful World
Eve no Jikan
Kurozuka
Karigurashi no Arrietty
Last Exile
Bakeneko & Mononoke
King of Thorn
Mind Game
Redline
Whisper of the Heart
The Cat Returns
Mardock Scramble: The First Compression
Bartender
Onigamiden
The Skull Man
Welcome to the Space Show

2012
Hoshi wo Ou Kodomo
Hotarubi no Mori he
The Princess and the Pilot
INSIDE OF: Perfect Blue (Introduction)
INSIDE OF: Perfect Blue (Super Sentai and an Ugly Guardian)
INSIDE OF: Perfect Blue (New Computer and Dead Fish)
Berserk: Golden Age - The High King's Egg
INSIDE OF: Perfect Blue (Internet Persona and a Broken Cup)
From Up on Poppy Hill
INSIDE OF: Perfect Blue (Takakura Rika and Kirigoe Mima)
Mardock Scramble: The Second Combustion

The Literal Weeaboo
A Letter to Momo

Hey look, I centered the title of the thread and made it bigger in the OP so that it feels more official. "wooooooooo" and stuff.

Yeah, remember that one thread I made a while back? No? Good, because it's not important and was stupid. This one is slightly less stupid and more aptly named.

Basically, I'm going to review the various anime that I watch. Why should you care? More importantly, why should I care if you care? Short answer: I don't.

Moving on, I'm open to suggestions about what to review, though I prefer to review series that aren't as well known/actively talked about. I dunno, I guess I'm hip like that.

Also, I review anime as I see them. Seems obvious, but yeah, just saying. If I haven't seen a show in a while, I'll go back and rewatch it before I review it. If it's an ongoing show that isn't finished yet, I won't review it.

I might review manga every now and then, but I'm going to focus on anime, since I watch more anime than I read manga (because the pictures move, obviously).

I will have multiple segments that will each be given a score out of 5. There is no zero, it's only 1 through 5. Similarly, there are no half points for them either. Then, when I get to the overall score, I'll average them all. It will be the only score with a decimal after it.

Though the other sections should be fairly self explanatory (or at least obvious once read through), I just want to point out the the "Personal Enjoyment" is basically my "tilt" for the show. That one might end up getting nixed in later reviews if I find that it's pointless.

I don't have a lot of experience reviewing, so bare with me while I iron out the kinks in my writing and in the structure/content of the review. That being said, any advice about that will be much appreciated.

With that out of the way, I'll post the first review shortly (meaning, in a few minutes, because I want the reviews in their own separate posts).

EDIT: All future reviews will be posted on my new blog. You can find the link in my signature/review post.

[kazukifafner]

Haibane Renmei



Staff & Notable Cast

• Studio: Radix (.hack//Legend of the Twilight, .hack//Liminality, Inuyasha)
• Director: Tomokazu Tokoro (Hellsing Ultimate 1-4, Maria Holic Alive, NieA_7)
• Series Composition: Yoshitoshi ABe
• Script: Yoshitoshi ABe
• Original Creator: Yoshitoshi ABe (Serial Experiments Lain)
• Character Design: Akira Takata (Natsume Yuujinchou)
• Art Director: Shinji Katahira (Dog Days, Hellsing, White Album)
• Music Composition: Kou Ootani (Gundam Wing, Gunslinger Girls: Il Teatrino, Hyouge Mono)
• Rakka: Ryou Hirohashi (Kyou Fujibayashi [Clannad], Saya [Moribito], Koyuki Azumaya [Keroro Gunsou])
• Reki: Junko Noda (Veemon [Digimon Adventure 02], Dio Eracles [Last Exile], Mitsune Konno [Love Hina])

Plot

A group of humans who were “reborn” from cocoons that take on an angel-like appearance, known as Haibane, live in a town surrounded by a giant wall that they cannot go near. One day, they welcome a newborn as she emerges from said cocoon. What follows is a tale of how the new Haibane, called Rakka, comes to terms with her new reality, learns what it means to be a Haibane, and discovers the history surrounding her friends.

Haibane Renmei is a drama series with a heavy focus on self-discovery and redemption. Some would call this a slice-of-life series; however, I have a hard time calling it that due to my personal opinion that the slice-of-life genre shouldn't really carry over to groups that clearly live differently from what would be considered normal. Though the series does include concepts that can be seen in slice-of-life, they are too broad for me to pin this to that genre. I've always been a fan of trying to use as few genres to define a show as possible.
While the show's endgame isn't the most original I've ever seen, the steps leading up to it are part of what gives the series' plot its unique feel. The interactions with the Renmei, the organization that protects the Haibane, give off a feeling as though the characters were conversing with a humble deity, and seeing how they all talk with the regular humans in town give it a very strong communal feel that I wouldn't have expected at the story's outset.

There are numerous heartfelt and touching scenes in this series, and they all come together to give the impression that this is one community that really cares for one another. There's a strong sense of camaraderie, and it really helps some of the later scenes that come up. Unfortunately, certain scenes that arise throughout the series lose some of their power, since the time that went to preparing for that event went to another issue that had to be covered, and usually for the sake of developing the setting. It felt at times like they tried to fit in too much into their thirteen episode allotment, which resulted in moments that weren't as satisfying as they could have been.

Despite that, the finale had a strong buildup to it, with a little bit being added to it in early episodes and increasing as it got closer to the end; which resulted in the final scenes being the most powerful of the whole series. Of all the episodes, the finale was the only one to actually give me goosebumps. It was an excellent conclusion that allowed the story to go full circle.

The finale, and story in general, was also very character based. Though the early episodes doing a lot to build up the setting, there is still a lot that is not given to you when the show concludes. At best, there are several theories that one can craft with the knowledge of the story's events, but you'll never get a straight answer to exactly the way things work or exactly why the Haibane exist in the first place. It's strictly focused on the characters at hand, giving background details for the sake of improving the atmosphere and giving reason to events.

Rating: 4/5

Setting

As mentioned, the Haibane live in an isolated area surrounded by large walls that they are not allowed to get near. Within the wall are woods and Haibane residences and a city where humans live and work with them. There is also a group of people called the Toge, which make up the Haibane Renmei that protect the Haibane's livelihood as well as being their authority. The wall is not just for show either, being a structure that can actually hurt the Haibane if they come into contact with it.

The group of Haibane that the story focuses on live in a rundown collection of buildings called Old Home. Whenever they leave Old Home, they must sign out by turning over plaques with their names written on them at the entrance. The main reason for leaving is to go to work in the town, which allows them to fill in a sheet of paper in their pocket books that serves as their currency.

The setup for this environment and the detail of the way the Haibane live lends credibility to the setting and makes it all the more believable while watching. No section of the series' world feels out of place, and even places that make you question their purpose are cleared up by the end of the show. The amount of effort that went into giving us background information helped give it a real quality that further solidified it in the mind.

The “older, simpler times” feeling that the setting gives off also works well with the story itself, adding to the themes by removing modern technology that might have slowed the process down. It aided the slow pacing of the story and allowed it more time to breath. It also brings a nice contrast to the heavier emotions that play out at the end, instead of just being a part of it.

Rating: 5/5

Main Characters

In my opinion, this series has two main characters, Rakka and Reki. These are the two characters who receive the majority of attention, as well as the ones that undergo the most change throughout the story. As mentioned, Rakka is the new Haibane that must learn the ways of her new life. Reki, however, is the more experienced Haibane who has lived that life for a while. Reki is also the one who initially found Rakka's cocoon. The big reason that I would consider these two to be the only main characters is that these are the two that give the show its redemption theme.

They are both given ample time to develop, and both in similar ways. Given the nature of the redemption theme, a heavy emphasis is placed on the characters' pasts. In this case, the past takes the form of a dream that all Haibane have when they are in their cocoons. Their circumstances, which are never fully explained, cause them to forget part of their dream and taint their wings black, giving them the status of “sin-bound.” The second half of the series is entirely about these two characters struggling to overcome that status.

The two are very likeable and well voiced. Rakka's younger personality and Reki's more mature personality mesh beautifully and given them great interactions, even though they do seem one-sided a few times. They stay consistent during the entire series and feel much more fleshed out than stereotypes with said personalities.

Rating: 5/5

Supporting Characters

Naturally, the supporting class includes everything else, but I'm going to focus on the supporting Haibane and the Renmei, since the humans don't do much. The supporting Haibane, particularly the ones from Old Home, each have distinct and likeable personalities. Even when one acts annoying, it feels like just a part of the character and not a nuisance. The Renmei, especially the elder, have this strong guardian and trustworthy air about them, making them easy to trust regardless of their mysteriousness. The elder especially becomes much more likeable every time he comes on screen, striking a good balance between a man commanding respect and a truly compassionate individual.

However, the main problem that I had with the cast was that it felt too big. This is mostly directed at the other Haibane. They each had an episode devoted to them in early episodes, which provided some nice buildup for the setting and some good interactions, but aside from that, most of them didn't have much actual use. An event that happens to one of the halfway through the series lost a lot of impact simply because we weren't given enough time to really care about them. That's not to say that they couldn't be interesting and didn't add any value, it just seemed like more time was necessary to make the other Haibane strong, unlike the Renmei, who were helped by the mystery surrounding them.

Rating: 3/5

Art

The art in this series if phenomenal. In particular, the scenery is some of the most consistently gorgeous that I've seen in anime. Every building and area has a healthy amount of detail and feels very unified. Even the more surreal locations are made very believable through the artwork. The character designs are much more realistic than what is typically seen in anime, and were detailed enough to look good in place, but not enough to need toning it down to animate them well.

Rating: 5/5

Animation

The animation is not only very fluid, but also very consistent. Granted, most of the time, there isn't a lot of high-intensity animation necessary, but it makes up for it in little details such as the movement of the halos and the flutter of the wings. The final episode also has quite a bit of impressive animation that compliments the darker tone of the scenario. Though, with that said, not much actually stands out as very mind blowing.

Rating: 4/5

Music

For me, this was one of my favorite parts of the series. The soundtrack is phenomenal, being both subtle and powerful all at the same time. There's a simplicity to it that manages not only to avoid undermining the show, but adding to it. Regardless of whether it was somber or upbeat, it never got in the way and didn't feel like it was trying to manipulate you. The opening and ending themes also did a marvelous job. Very few have complimented their respective shows as much as these did. The opening theme provides a more upbeat tone that perfectly describes the uplifting wonder that the show can offer, while the ending gives a slower and much more haunting feeling that exemplifies the mystery behind it.

Rating: 5/5

Atmosphere

All of the elements come together to provide a certain surreal and mysterious, yet familiar atmosphere. The way the characters interact with each other is very natural and makes it feel like any other group of similar individuals. The town is very pleasant as well, and doesn't feel forced. However, the Haibane's and Renmei's presence, along with the reality of the setting, gives everything this haunting aspect to it, no matter what is actually going on. Everything has this strangely alluring feeling that grips you in and doesn't let go.

Rating: 5/5

Production

Though there is almost always something to nitpick at, there was very little that felt weak. The organization of the scenes and the way that they were “shot” felt very normal. They knew when to close in on something and when to back away to see the entire landscape. The writing was great and sounds like what you would expect in the interactions. The Renmei also have some great lines that are delivered without sounding pretentious and add to the experience. The only thing that I really noticed was the bit of cheese in the finale, but with this kind of story, that was to be expected.

Rating: 4/5

Personal Enjoyment

When I first started watching it, I was kind of unsure about the series. The world was interesting, but the characters hadn't been shown enough, so I found a lot of it to bore me at first. What made me stick around was the setting and a few choice scenes that were both vivid and touching (such as when Rakka got her wings and the human who ran the clothing store in town). However, after the initial couple episodes, I got hooked in the setting and the characters and their individual stories. It only got better after the halfway mark, as I found the entire “sin-bound” scenario to be quite masterfully executed, and I enjoyed it right through to the end. I would have liked a bit more explanation at the end, but I'm glad they didn't, as they could have very easily ruined the atmosphere.

Rating: 5/5

Overall

Haibane Renmei is a very moving drama with stellar production values. Though the slow pace and even slower beginning might be a turn off at first, I would easily recommend that you stick with it. The story and setting mix to create a powerful experience and one of the most uniquely presented anime that I've seen. It's a great series that everyone should check out.

Overall Rating: 4.5/5 (A)

[Orion]

bleach

oh wait it automatically gets a zero

the movies get ten

[kazukifafner]

bleach

http://forums.khinsider.com/anime-ma...bz-swords.html

/review

[Solar]

If it means anything, you have my support as I'll use you to discover good animes.

B)

[Ophan]

wow this is very detailed, though i've known Nevermore to be one who really uses his time. Looks like this thread will be a regular check up

[Zero Sora]

as I'll use you to discover good animes.

Ditto.

This Haibane Renmei already sounds like an anime I'd enjoy. I'm definatly going to check this anime out right now.

[kazukifafner]

Yay! My opinion is valued! I <3 you all!

On to another topic, I would just like to mention that I would prefer any TV series recommendations to not be particularly long. Not that Naruto and Bleach aren't modern masterpieces deserving my full attention and time, but were I to watch all of those episodes the review would probably come by the end of the year :)

I want to limit it to 26 episodes and under. Preferably 13 episodes, since I can easily watch a 13 episode series in a day if I really feel like it.

But don't worry, I'm not in dire need of recommendations, just wanted to clarify. I've got quite a bit of material that I can use `3`

Also, I really need to figure out how to adjust youtube embed size.

[Pinwheel]

just some suggestions to get you rollin if you want a few more. I know you've probably seen them all as well as I, but yeah.
X-Men
Katanagatari
hellsing ultimate σ_σ
Perhaps a movie or two you've seen?

[Relix]

If it means anything, you have my support as I'll use you to discover good animes.

B)

I agree with this 100%. I loved the review and will actually check Haibane Renmei out now. Thanks for this :)

[Solar]

I'd be interested in seeing a shonen style anime with actually a lot of depth and good animation. For example, I'm watching Blue Exorcist and as much as I love it and it's quirks, it's far from being terribly unique and I'm afraid it may suffer the trends of its genre so yeah, indie shonen anime GO!

[kazukifafner]

just some suggestions to get you rollin if you want a few more. I know you've probably seen them all as well as I, but yeah.
X-Men
Katanagatari
hellsing ultimate σ_σ
Perhaps a movie or two you've seen?

Oh, silly, two of those haven't ended yet :3

But yeah, I plan to do movies/ovas as well. Haven't yet decided which ones.

I agree with this 100%. I loved the review and will actually check Haibane Renmei out now. Thanks for this :)

I feel so appreciated ;-;

indie shonen

*thinks*



seriously though, i'll look into it

[Ip Man]

I'd prefer film reviews but whatever.

[kazukifafner]

I'd prefer film reviews but whatever.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Overall Rating:
About what you'd expect if you filmed Johnny Depp drunk while wearing a pirate outfit for three hours/5

[zachen]

Yay! My opinion is valued! I <3 you all!

On to another topic, I would just like to mention that I would prefer any TV series recommendations to not be particularly long. Not that Naruto and Bleach aren't modern masterpieces deserving my full attention and time, but were I to watch all of those episodes the review would probably come by the end of the year :)

I want to limit it to 26 episodes and under. Preferably 13 episodes, since I can easily watch a 13 episode series in a day if I really feel like it.

But don't worry, I'm not in dire need of recommendations, just wanted to clarify. I've got quite a bit of material that I can use `3`

Also, I really need to figure out how to adjust youtube embed size.

Eden of the East
TTGL
Star Driver
Eureka Seven
(Yes I'm aware of the majority being mechas)