Shuffle! Review

シャッフル! Shaffuru!
Who would you choose?...




Synopsis:  Rin Tsuchimi is a typical teenager living with his childhood friend, cute Kaede, who's only goal in life is to take care of him. Everything seems to be going great for Rin, until two new transfer students join his class. Both are cute, and both are here to win his heart and marry him!  As if that wasn't enough, one is from the demon world and one from the god world.  Depending on who he chooses he could be the next king of the demons or gods!

Review: Normally I know exactly what I want to say before I'm even done watching a show.  However, I have had a very difficult time writing this review.  I've started over numerous times and scrapped many rough drafts.  I have not had problems writing because Shuffle! is a bad show, it's actually really good.  Every time I write the review for Shuffle! it sounds overall negative, so hopefully this one does not seem that way.

     Cliches.  Every anime has cliches, some do them well and some don't; and if anyone has spent a decent time watching anime you know the common cliches.  Shuffle! has its fair share of cliches and archetype characters throughout the show, but it does them pretty well.  The main characters each have their own back story and their own depth.  We don't get stuck with a large ensemble cast that are all fluff and no heart.  The show spends a few episodes with each girl; giving her back story, explaining why she loves Rin, and adding the depth to the character.

     Shuffle! is very story and character driven.  It starts as a funny romance/harem but later shifts gears to a more serious romance.  The stories behind all the characters play into the central story, giving each episode a purpose and significance.  There are a couple episodes that wander a little and seemed drawn out to me, but it picks right back up after.  One thing I noticed, the humor is well placed.  It never distracts, ruins, or draws away from a serious moment and even the funny guy is serious when the scene demands it.  Also, the humor is funny; it's not just there for gags or just to be there for the heck of it.

     There is nothing special about the animation, its pretty simple and typical to this type of show.  The soundtrack is decent, they actually use sound effects throughout in the background.  It may be hard to notice but there are some repeating sounds that seem associated with certain characters and their back story.  I really enjoyed the parts where Nerine and Lycoris sing.  The voice actress who does their voices, Haruka Nagami, has a beautiful singing voice.

     I highly recommend watching Shuffle!.  It is a show with many themes; harem, ecchi, fanservice, yandere, romance, comedy, drama, and supernatural.  It has many archetypes and cliches, but they're easily overlooked and well done.  The animation is simple, the soundtrack decent, and the story is great.  If you watch it for the story alone you will not be disappointed, I guarantee.

     

Shuffle! -- A- nudity, fanservice, adult themes, comedic violence

PS There is an alternate retelling called Shuffle! Memories, this is a retelling of the original with one extra episode (12 epsiodes total).  It was not released outside of Japan, though there are fan subs available.

Personal Update 11-20-12

     A lot has been going on recently.  Presidential election is over, Thanksgiving is peeking around the corner, Black Friday is looming on the other side, and Christmas music is already playing in stores!  It seems the Holidays are coming quicker than I can prepare for.  I'm not even able to go shopping on Black Friday, that's where I usually get all the Christmas presents (and a couple goodies for myself).  I hope you all are better prepared than me.

     I've been watching a lot of anime.  I am currently simulcasting two shows, watching two or three more on dvd or blu-ray, and have plenty on the back queue.  I have added a little "current projects" tab on the side of the site so everyone can see what I'm watching and what is up next.  If you are in the mobile version you will not see what I'm talking about, sorry.  I've also bought five or six shows in the past two weeks, some that I've partially seen and some I know nothing about really.  My goal is to produce one review a week and currently I'm a little ahead of schedule.  As long as I can stay a couple weeks ahead I should be able to give you all a new review each week. (fingers crossed)

     Also besides anime, I do play games regularly.  I have been playing MoH:W, Max Payne 3, and am currently working on platinum for Dynasty Warriors 7.  I'm also trying to platinum Medal of Honor Warfighter, this requires some multi-player grinding though.  I have been playing some other games, but just a little bit here and there in between the others.  I do have a milestone coming up, 1000 trophies.  I currently (at the time of this writing) have 993 trophies.  'Tis a big deal for me, never thought I'd get that high.

     Well that's what I've been up to.  Hope everyone out there is doing well and staying safe during the Holidays.  Feel free to email me, or if you play PS3 hit me up there (just explain where you're from).  Be sure to listen to the podcast I'm on weekly, The Dragon Cast.  We had an exciting guest speaker on episode 011; Chase, a video game developer.  He is currently working on a game called ForgeQuestRPG.  Also episode 009 is full of some random, quirky and funny stuff.

follow me on twitter @whitelodoss
listen to the podcast #TheDragonCast

email the site at blacklodoss@gmail.com

Panda Kopanda Review

Panda! Go Panda! (US)
Short, Simple, Sweet....


*Dubbed Review*
Synopsis:  Mimiko's grandmother goes away for awhile, leaving little Mimiko home alone.  Shortly after her grandmother leaves, a baby panda appears in the garden along with his father, Papa Panda.  We follow Mimiko, Papa Panda, and Pandy on their adventures.

Review:  The literal translation of Panda Kopanda is "Panda, Baby Panda".  The movie is actually two movies put together in one collection; Panda, Go Panda and Rainy Day Circus.  For those who do not know, these two movies were one of Hayao Miyazaki's first works.

     When I started this movie I knew it was Miyazaki right away.  Anyone who has seen Miyazaki's work will see the resemblance in these short films.  The animation is dated, the film came out in 1972 after all, but it still holds the characteristics of Miyazaki's work.  The animation is more of TV quality so the backgrounds and the world are not as detailed.  You can tell Miyazaki was already throwing around the idea of Totoro when he made these.  Just look at Papa Panda's smile, if you don't see the resemblance go watch Totoro again.

     I watched this movie dubbed (as there was no other option) and thankfully its pretty good.  The voices match all the characters right, and Papa Panda's accent is hilarious.  I don't know who decided on his accent but it was a good choice for entertainment value alone.  So, the dub is good but the music is a little lacking.  The opening music is a catchy tune and there is some music throughout, but it's not much.

     The movie overall is very simple.  Mimiko finds Pandy and adopts him as her son, then later adopts Papa Panda as her father.  This equation doesn't quite make sense, but Miyazaki makes it work.  From there we watch the three of them in their journeys and adventures.  It is definitely more simple than Miyazaki's recent works, aimed more at children.  Don't let the simplicity deter you though!!

     There is not much more I can say.  If you've seen any of Miyazaki's work and liked it, you'll like this.  If you've seen Totoro, you will like this.  I definitely recommend seeing it, its short, simple, and worth the fun.  A great family movie and perfect for children.

Panda Kopanda -- A nothing objectionable

Eureka Seven Review

 
 Eureka Seven Psalms of Planets
An exciting journey with a timely ending...


Synopsis:  Renton Thurston is a 14-year-old boy whose life is the same every day.  He lives with his grandfather, who is a mechanic, and dreams every day of a more exciting life.  Nothing ever changes, until one day a giant mecha called an LFO (Light Finding Operation) literally comes crashing down on his house.  From that he meets a girl named, Eureka.

Review:
     Every anime has a central theme (or multiple); whether it is revenge, romance, coming-of-age, discovery, impending doom, or others.  Not very many shows attempt a central theme like Eureka Seven though; the theme of love.  Not the simplicity of falling in love, but the act of choosing to love someone.  This is the central (though underlying) theme throughout the majority of the story and not only with the two main protagonists, but the side characters as well.  There are of course other themes; the coming-of-age and the possible destruction of the world, to name a couple.

     Not only does Eureka Seven attempt an uncommon theme, it also executes it well.  We see the theme displayed through many of the characters.  Choosing to love someone and loving them no matter what they do or may not do, what they become or may become.  I like that they were risky enough to choose this theme and I'm glad that they execute it so well.  It's not too obvious, actually being somewhat subtle at times (of course after reading this you'll notice it for sure).  Normally a show trying to portray an uncommon theme like this would be lacking in some other key aspects.  Eureka Seven was able to portray the theme successfully while keeping the integrity of most everything else.

     The story is simple, though kind of confused by fillers or possibly unnecessary parts at times.  It tends to move along a little slow, while the action parts definitely take on their own pace.  I found the main protagonist, Renton, often annoying; to the point of almost quitting on the show.  This is probably a fluke thing with me and no one else will have this problem.  So, at times I had to remind myself that Renton is only fourteen years old and there is a coming-of-age story in here.  Other than that, each character had their own depth and they were mostly likeable.  Some of them were predictable at times, but they created a nice "family".  The action was done well and is fun to watch.  The show really only has one villain and he's forgettable if he's not on screen at the time.

     The animation was crisp and the characters and mechas were done very well.  The expressions were a little funky at times, but the world was absolutely gorgeous.  From desolate waste towns, to space, to the other world, and the rolling plains; everything was beautiful.  It was and is a gorgeous world.  The soundtrack was excellent, I especially enjoyed a couple of the endings and loved the last couple insert songs towards the end of the show.  I will be getting the soundtrack for sure.

     In short, it's a great show with a well executed theme and great characters.  A simple story with maybe a little too much length to it (fifty episodes); I was kind of relieved it ended when it did.  The animation is good, the music is great.  If you have not seen it I would recommend watching it.  How far up it goes on your priority list would be different for each person.  But make sure you see it at some point, it is worth the viewing.

Eureka Seven -- B+ violence (some graphic), adult themes, profanity, partial nudity

Personal Update 11-06-12

     Its been awhile since I've posted anything. A lot has been going on, you get busy and its easy to forget certain things.  As I'm new to blogging I easily forget to post.  I'm going to make it a priority to update and post more often.

     I'll just give a quick update on what I've been up to.  I'm still watching Sword Art Online simulcast, and the show is great.  SAO gets better with each episode and I'm excited to see how it ends.  I've also watched Shuffle! and Wagnaria!! (also known as Working!!).  I finished Shuffle and should have a review for it shortly, I'm still in the process of watching Wagnaria!!.  Also, I know I was supposed to have a review of Eureka Seven up already, its done and will be posted in the next couple days.

     I can't even begin to get into all the games I've played on my PS3.  As any real gamer can attest to, a gamer's backlog can get quite large.  My backlog is no exception to this, so lately I've been trying to go back and finish (or play for the first time) some of this backlog.  The list of my recently played games is extensive but I'll name a few of the big ones.  Medal of Honor: Warfighter, Borderlands 2, Zone of the Enders HD Collection (got the limited set and its gorgeous), and Max Payne 3.

    Trying to keep this post short, so that's the highlights of the last couple weeks.  I love watching anime and love writing reviews, so if anyone has show suggestions or a request for a review please email me!  Also if you just want to make comments or hate that's welcome too.

    Be sure to check out the podcast I'm on quite regularly.  #TheDragonCast

follow me on twitter @whitelodoss
email the blog:  blacklodoss@gmail.com