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Warning: Undefined array key "footer" in /var/www/minitokyo/www/html2/reviews.html on line 3Hachiko's Puella Magi Madoka Magica Tv Review
Rated:
Puella Magi Madoka Magica is one of the top shows of 2011 for a reason. Hands down, it redefines the magical girl genre by having its heroes deal with the dark facets of reality, and the heroes themselves having a story to tell, most of which is also dark and tragic. This is a show that makes you think about the meaning of life and the fact that life itself can't be taken for granted.
It may be a cliche, but it still rings true because it is true.
The plotline has excellent brevity and punch to go with solid artistic presentation—perhaps the best of this year—impressive voice acting from its leads, especially from Chiwa Saito, and great background music.
This is a show that you will want to experience again and again. And from somebody that has done just that, you should do it.
Tagged under Puella Magi Madoka Magica | 7 comments | Read More »
Hachiko's A Channel Tv Review
Rated:
If you are looking for a series that has a comprehensive plot that thickens with every passing episode, you're going to be a tad disappointed by what you see in A Channel. Keep in mind that this is a moe show riding on the coattails of K-ON!'s success. You can say that this is K-ON! without the guitars, club meetings, cakes and tea. There is not really much of a plotline to sniff at in this one.
However, if you like shows that have excellent art and animation to go with catchy music, you should give this a try. We all know that moe has been the in thing for quite some time. It's the moneymaker of all anime shows: the moe! Appreciate it, or at least try to. There has to be something about A Channel that makes you say, hey, I want to tune in. Where can I subscribe.
Tagged under A Channel | 5 comments | Read More »
Hachiko's Black Rock Shooter Ova Review
Rated:
Overall, I don't think Black Rock Shooter was fit to be an OVA. It's just too compact. It would have been more refreshing to see this drawn out as a TV series, with an emphasis on the aftermath what fans will see in this OVA, as well as the development of Mato, Yomi Takanashi, and Yuu. So much more could have been done to make this a 13 or 26 episode classic. It just wasn't meant to be.
That being said, for an OVA, this is enjoyable for the art, the sound effects, and the voice acting of Kana Hanazawa. And to think that this all started with a song by Miku Hatsune, of all Vocaloids...
Recommended.
Tagged under Black Rock Shooter | 8 comments | Read More »
Hachiko's B-gata H-kei Tv Review
Rated:
What makes B Gata H Kei a huge disappointment is not the art or the sound or even the story, but the presentation. And you know why? As I hinted to in the story section, that personal spirit that is supposedly guiding Yamada to her unwise decisions is hogging up a great deal of face time. This little wrinkle is completely unnecessary, and for this reviewer, it was detrimental to the enjoyability with the whole show crashing down like Yamada's early chances of scoring.
I do not need cheesy, pretentious commentary from this mini-Yamada with a fake mustache and a cloud that would see the likes of Son Goku sue for possible intellectual property violations.
Tagged under B-gata H-kei | 11 comments | Read More »
Hachiko's Hanamaru Youchien Tv Review
Rated:
There is a reason why Hanamaru Youchien was touted during the Seiji Mizushima panel at Anime Expo 2009. The joint forces between GAINAX and Square Enix was a match made in heaven. And this is a show that the Hachiko recommends. It's fun for the whole family to enjoy, it's got enough laughs to make you want more of the misadventures of Anzu and Tsuchida, and it's got the music to bundle it all up.
It's a show that speaks for itself. Recommended.
Tagged under Hanamaru Youchien | 5 comments | Read More »
Hachiko's To Aru Kagaku no Railgun Tv Review
Rated:
To Aru Kagaku No Railgun is best-watched with the main story itself, To Aru Majutsu no Index. But it can be watched on its own. What’s the secret? It's how you adapt the plot. Whether it's a side story or the feature, if you stick to how the plot goes without compromising anything, you are witnessing something special. And that’s what you get with Railgun.
I declare To Aru Kagaku no Railgun as the best spin-off since the Nanoha franchise. It's got an expert cast, a nice OP and ED, and visual theatrics to boot. If only a certain nun from England were viewing this from afar…
A must-watch. Recommended. And yes, Index Librorum Prohibitorum...we miss you.
Tagged under To Aru Kagaku no Railgun | 8 comments | Read More »
Hachiko's Seitokai no Ichizon Tv Review
Rated:
I’ll bet you this: you will see at least (or maybe close to) twenty shows that have been spoofed in Seitokai no Ichizon.
But if you think this is just a set of skits about five high school students imitating , you're barely scratching the surface. It's about the adventures of the Hekiyou Academy Student Council and how Ken Sugisaki immortalizes these escapades into something tangible, something imaginable, something...worth watching.
And it's more than just four pretty girls and one lucky guy. Seitokai no Ichizon marks the debut of a new fresh set of faces that you will see plenty more of. It's a treasure chest of harems, comedy and slice of life in Sapporo just waiting to be opened.
Recommended.
Tagged under Seitokai no Ichizon | 8 comments | Read More »
Hachiko's Needless Tv Review
Rated:
Crikey, class! Did you see those words across the screen? Whoa, another set of words! And another set! This is just ridiculous.
Every character gets their attack written out on the screen, it seems, every two minutes. In my playbook, it's unnecessary corniness.
But that's just one part of NEEDLESS becoming a hopeless show to lay your eyes on.
While the music and voice acting meets the standard, and the art is passable, the storyline is NEEDLESS's undoing.
The staff may be having second thoughts about condensing a great manga into so short a span. Picture putting 20 pounds of meat into a sausage skim the size of your thumb.
They chopped up and watered the storyline, and even chose to leave out one of Cruz's defining moments. (You can look it up.) So I've heard.
Tagged under Needless | 10 comments | Read More »
Hachiko's K-On! Tv Review
Rated:
K-On! should not be approached as a Lucky Star clone, nor should its characters be seen to be the protégés of a fab four that has already carved its niche.
Rather, K-On! should be enjoyed as a series in its own right, a show worth enjoying in its own right, whose band members aren't obligated to walk in the shadows of anybody but to rather go their own way with its fans, eliciting a "YOU ROCK, YOU GIRLS!" on their own terms, by their own merit.
It's unique. It's fresh. It has a stick-to-your-guns, make-you-feel-good storyline mixed with great make-you-wanna-cut-loose music and great characters to follow.
And if you can sense that the people at Budokan are making plans for a sold out date as you read this review...well, that leaves me no choice but to salute you.
Tagged under K-On! | 62 comments | Read More »
Hachiko's Hayate the Combat Butler Tv Review
Rated:
Hayate the Combat Butler has a few unique perks in terms of presentation. Aside from Hayate's saga of protecting Nagi from the forces of evil, picture this. A fourth wall goes down. And then another, and another, and another, and still another. The characters in the show can see that the audience is tuning in, and as a viewer, you can't help but think, "I'm in the show! Wahey!" A few members in the cast introduce themselves only to the audience. Think of it as a subliminal effort to make you want more of the show. Do not resist. I repeat, do not resist.
A second perk to Hayate the Combat Butler are eyecatches...Shiritori style. That is, a person speaks one phrase, and the last syllable of that phrase is used for the next phrase and so on (i.e. "Hayate no Gotoku!," "Christmas," etc.).
Tagged under Hayate the Combat Butler | 27 comments | Read More »