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KochitaFujimoto
Reviews
Hagane no renkinjutsushi (2009)
A Shonen Masterpiece...
It's been a few days since I finished the series, my review is later than usual because I had to sit and think about what I had watched. The show is so complex, yet easy to understand and quick to entertain. The show is a masterclass in tone and storytelling, it has one of the best casts I've ever seen in anime period, and the animation quality is outstanding at worst and utterly mind blowing at its best. Edward Elric and his brother Alphonse are both some of the best protagonists anime has to offer, I think Al is now in my top 5 for favorite protagonists. He's incredibly easy to sympathize with, his Japanese voice actress, Rie, does an outstanding job at conveying his determination, as well as his self loathing and insecurity as he tries to understand who and WHAT he is. Edward and Al lost their bodies when they tried to bring their mother back to life, Ed at least had the remainder of his body beside his arm and leg, but Al's entire body disappears, and his soul has to be bound to a metal suit of armor. You feel this pain and anguish that both brothers have, the sadness it brings them, and the grief they still retain for their mother. It's even sadder when you see them this way because the show beautifully executes a balance of humor and drama, so when you see the brothers go from happy to sad, you feel the weight of the emotion and it's easy to believe they are real people feeling these ways. I could go on about this show for hours, it's a deep narrative that feels like a critique of power and having a god complex. I mention the brothers, but the entire cast is great. I particularly love May, Hoenheim, Maes Hughes, and Riza. The best villain for me was easily Lust, I found her character design super cool and I loved her sadistic nature, I wanted to see more of her but I felt like her defeat at the hands of Roy Mustang was satisfying and deserved. The show isn't too long, and it isn't too short. Everything flows smoothly together and the show is backed up with amazing set pieces, and beautiful music. I will definitely give this one another watch one day, there's no doubt in my mind that this will be even more of a classic than it already is in about 10 more years. I also really like the Japanese voice acting as a whole, and I am particularly fond of Romi Park as Edward, and the deep sense of authority that the women who voice Izumi Curtis and Oliviere Armstrong bring to the characters. I also really like how the show wraps up, it's a deep exploration of our wants and desires, juxtaposed with the reality of doing what's best for those you love, and for yourself. It's a hopeful story that isn't afraid to get deep and melancholic. I love this show very much and I definitely recommend it.
Shin Evangelion Gekijôban (2021)
Wow...
I was utterly mind blown by this movie. I have loved every rebuild movie, but this one is definitely the best. It's the perfect blend of quiet contemplation, hectic action and mind bendingly confusion filled euphoria, and heartfelt moments meant to remind us of the legacy that is Evangelion. The first thing I noticed about the movie was the beautiful colors, I love that the world is caked in red due to the third impact, I love how Paris is rejuvenated and we see the red literally melt away as the city becomes normal again. It's a visual treat to see the quaint little settlement that the now adult Toji and Kensuke manage, with all the hardworking citizens trying their best to survive in wake of the possible end of the world. There's so much beauty to see at the settlement, as well as in Paris and all the other places that were largely affected by the third impact. There's so much red, and purple, and flashes of color that overwhelm the eyes in the most beautiful way possible. The story is very confusing, but I understood the heart of it and it made me really happy. Seeing "Rei" interact with the people at the settlement, asking questions and trying to understand humanity and humanity's quirks, was so cute and fun to watch. My favorite moment was her seeing a cat for the first time, or thinking a baby was a shrunk human. Asuka deals with pain in this movie in a unique way, compared to her other appearances in movies, she's way more violent, and angry, she's just like Rei in the fact that she's not the original version of herself. The characters have evolved so heavily from the first 2 rebuild movies, and the continuity is so different yet so cool when our next to the TV shows original story. It's a story that is easier to follow in many ways, it's less heavy and the people we watch don't go through the same gut wrenching pain. It's still heavy, and there's still pain, but the hope we see in the rebuild series is much greater and much more apparent. This movie straight up has a happy ending. I really like what they did with Mari's character, I find her multi layered and I feel like her relevance in the plot will be clearer on subsequent rewatches. To see adult Toji and Kensuke was so amazing, it made me really happy, I actually really like the "curse of the Eva's" storyline, I find it interesting and I love when Japanese media does stuff I feel like American fiction typically takes in different routes. Megumi Ogata really knocked her performance as Shinji out of the park, I loved seeing Kaworu cameo, and anytime I hear Koichi Yamadera's voice I get happy, so I'm glad Kaji made an appearance. Misato and Ritsuko are like they were in the third movie, they are way different than their original portrayals, I love Ritsuko's shorter hairstyle, and I really liked the militant attitude they portrayed Misato with. The direction was excellent, the animation was stellar and the fight scenes were breathtaking, the characters all shined, and I particularly loved Mari's adult design, and the weird new design they gave to Gendo with his almost broken glass looking face, the red sort of fiery melted look really incapsulated how far this man was willing to go for his goals, they give him an amazing bit of backstory and context for his personality. I couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for him, and I understand finally why he loved Yui so much. This film is up there with End of Evangelion in my opinion, I loved that it was a longer movie, but I am a bit sad that it will be harder to rewatch it because of that, but this is a movie that has changed my life. I feel better now that I've seen it, seeing "Rei" interact with the village really drove home some ideas that I had never considered, it made me realize how beautiful life is, it was so sad to see both Rei's go, but I understood in the end, that this story was for Shinji, he was meant to have atleast one timeline where he could smile and not worry, where he could be Shinji Ikari, and he could live without feeling like Piloting Evas was all he had. I could go on forever, this is a masterpiece and I couldn't recommend it enough to Evangelion fans. This movie will go down in history for sure...
Shin seiki Evangelion Gekijô-ban: Air/Magokoro wo, kimi ni (1997)
I love this movie so much.
This movie is amazing, I love it so so much. I'm an avid fan of Evangelion, I have been since I watched it during my off time from work in July. I follow all the stories, from the original series, to this movie, and the rebuild movies too. I particularly love this film because of its atmosphere, it's so ominous and strange, there's an odd sense of hope in the movie and it makes my eyes feel heavy with tears. The movie has a colorful palette, it's washed out at the same time, it's the quintessential 90s anime look, but Yoshiyuki's artstyle takes it to another level. I love the soundtrack, it mainly reuses and remixes songs from the TV show, but there's a new song during the intermission/credits scene, and there's a new song that plays during the instrumentality scene called "KOMM SUSSER TOD" or "COME SWEET DEATH". My favorite scenes is when Shinji's choking Asuka in Misato's kitchen, and "KOMM" comes on, and I love the scene where a Ritsuko disguised Rei cradles Ibuki and begins typing on her laptop before Ibuki turns to LCL. I love the direction, and the scenes with Lilith standing over the earth and creepily moving around. I love the fight scene between Asuka and the Mass Produced Eva's, and I love the final 2 minutes. It's a masterpiece of a movie, there's not a bad entry in the Evangelion Franchise in my opinion, this movie is definitely the most symbolic and ambiguous of all of them though. I love that the movie is short, so it's super rewatchable because of how packed with detail the short runtime is. You definitely have to watch the TV SHOW to understand this movie, I'd argue this movie is the same philosophically as the 26th episode of the show, just with different scenes, story, and execution. This movie is one of the best examples of 90s anime beauty and I can't wait to watch it 700 more times.
Kôkaku kidôtai (1995)
A thought provoking masterpiece.
This is my second viewing of this movie. The first time I watched it, it was a few years ago and I didn't get to fully appreciate it because I watched the English dub. The English dub impacts the movie very negatively and it's not up to the same quality as the dub for Cyberpunk Edgerunners or Cowboy Bebop. This anime with its original language is incredible, the story is deep and thought provoking, but what really skyrockets this to be one of the greatest things I've ever seen is its stunning animation. The story takes you on this complicated journey of what humanity is, what it means to exist and what it means to be sentient and intelligent. This movie definitely requires multiple viewings, I barely remembered the plot from my first viewing years ago, and I can say without a doubt that this film is incredibly confusing in the best and most interesting way possible. The film is so packed with detail, the world feels more than alive, and the atmosphere and sound design is exquisite. I particularly love the computer sounds that literal the technology world this film presents with, and I love the washed out tones of the Cyberpunk buildings. The soundtrack is incredible, the scene where the main character (Major Kusanagi)
dives in the water, has some of the most beautiful and spine chillingly guitar instrumentation that I've ever heard. The main character, Motoko Kusanagi, is incredibly interesting. Her struggle of trying to understand the world she's in, and the meaning of her sentience and memories makes my brain hurt in a very inspiring way. Her voice actress delivers this wonderful performance that has a level of coldness that perfectly captures her cybernetic being. All the characters are excellent, but the main villain Puppet Master really steals the show, it's hard to describe him as a villain, as he's more of Maguffin to deliver the stories themes of sentience, memory, and individuality. It shares a lot with Neon Genesis in terms of themes, and it reminds me a lot of Full Metal Alchemist when it talks about humanity, the life we live and our morality. There's so much more I could say, I'm shocked that this movie was so much better than I remembered, Mamoru Oshii really delivered with the weird ominous feeling that this film goes for, and it makes me want to further explore the Ghost in the Shell universe and try to understand what it's trying to convey and why it's such a captivating universe to get lost in.
Blue Beetle (2023)
Much better than I expected
This movie is a great example of how to make a comic book movie. I loved it from start to finish. Initially, when this movie was announced and the trailer was shown, I was skeptical and I didn't think it would be very good. But after seeing it, I am shocked to see that I was wrong, and I couldn't be happier. Immediately the movie has this great sense of style, it feels like the 90s, when comic book movies were wilder and more fun, it's a completely stand alone experience so you don't need DCEU knowledge to see this. The characters are great, Jaime Reyes is a great main character, but his family shines with him to create an incredible ensemble cast that gives the movie a great and unique feel and personality to it. The costume designs and special effects really made the movie for me too, it has this power rangers feel. The costumes are by no means bad, but they have this quality to them that adds significantly to the unique style the film has. The main villain has an amazing design, and while I would've love for him to have an extensive set of scenes to flesh him out more, I feel like they utilize the time he has in the movie to a beautiful effect. If I had to pick a standout actor in the film, I'll definitely have to go with George Lopez, he really brings a lot of heart and humor to his character, and his development is very well done and heartfelt. The soundtrack was great too, a standout to me and one of the main reasons the movie has such a distinct 90s flavor to it, and the world we're shown throughout the movie is so unique and true to its comic book roots. I don't really have anything bad to say about this movie, every character is excellent and it never drags. It tells a great story dealing with family and finding purpose, it's a hopeful tale that feels extra special to me, as I am about the same age as our dear protagonist. I hope by some stroke of luck, Blue Beetle gets to shine on and get another movie, so we can see more of his development and the great performance Xolo brings as the character. I'm so happy this movie was way better than I thought it would be.
Evangelion Shin Gekijôban: Kyu (2012)
A mind blowing experience...
I'm not going to make the bold claim that The Rebuild series is better than the original TV show, I feel they are different entities that deserve their own attention separate from each other. I will say though that so far, this is the greatest ANIMATED experience Evangelion has brought us. It was a feast for the eyes, from the beginning fight involving Mari and a now eyepatch wearing Asuka, to the little details like cloth movement, or the beautifully animated piano sequences with Kaworu and Shinji. This movie makes an excellent first impression, its atmosphere feels distinctly Evangelion, but you will immediately notice more attention to abstract color palettes. The series has always played with color, and the colors that make up Evangelion are diverse, but this movie felt so bright and hectic, there's this uncanniness to the world that really drives how the effects of Shinji's actions in the last movie. Now, I'm not going to pretend to even 50% understand the Evangelion story, even the TV show begins to lose me in some spots with all the wordiness and AT Field type vocabulary, the series remains excellent and masterful throughout every entry I've seen, but I always feel like I'm lost in the frenetic nature of the Evangelion universe. I don't really understand Yui as a character, why she's been cloned multiple times into "Rei Ayanami". I don't understand Rei in man ways, why she's always turning into giant beings and brining about the end of the world. The parts I truly understand are the emotion, Shinji's continual anguish and mental decline, Asuka's tortured past, her inferiority complex that she disguises with a boisterous ego, I understand the emotional side of Rei, her existence, a child who has no childhood, a being that doesn't understand her place in the universe and hasn't been allowed the joys of regular human existence. There's so much to unpack, the series is weird and it takes you to strange places, you begin to examine yourself. Evangelion makes me think about dreaming, the life I led and the life I wish to lead. I'm currently 21 years old and I am not sure where my life will take me, I'm confused but try to reassure myself that I'm still on the ride, even if the ride seems broken and I have no safety belt. Evangelion shares those deep feelings with you, it comforts you and also discomforts you by making you examine the most vulnerable parts of yourself. It tells a story that confuses as much as it intrigues and impacts. It's one of the most human stories I've ever witnessed. My whole teenage life I wanted to get into Evangelion, it feels like a dream come true that it has finally happened. I want more stories like this, ones that emulate the human mind, because that's what Evangelion feels like. I'd argue Gainax's other series, FOOLY COOLY, does the same thing. I really respect the work and dedication that goes into this series, I feel like it's a world that will never get boring or have no stories to tell. I can't wait to watch the final entry in the rebuild series and see how Shinji's story ends compared to the 2 endings the original series brought us. I hope the movie leaves me as moved as this one has.
Tamako Market (2013)
Wholesome and Relaxing
This was such a joy to watch, I made it a routine to watch 2 episodes every night before bed, or early in the morning. It was an excellent way to start the day, or to end the night. The series has an amazing atmosphere, the music is excellent, some of the best I've heard in anime. The soundtrack really gives off an Animal Crossing vibe, like Wild World or City Folk. It took me back to the days of playing City Folk on my Wii, and making sure everything was just right in my little village. It reminded me of my best friend in City Folk, his name was Bizkit, he was such an amazing little pupper. The best thing about the show was the amazing art direction, it's got this beautifully bubbly vibe, it isn't too much but it also isn't too out there, it's a safe looking anime and I mean that in the greatest way possible. I genuinely became strongly invested in Dera's story arc, and the overarching themes of Community really made this show one I'll remember when I want that warm hug feeling. It's an emotional journey too, I almost teared up multiple times, Anko had an emotional arc involving this boy she had a crush on, and it has a satisfying conclusion, even though I felt like it could've been a bit more fleshed out of the show had a longer episode list. It has a movie too, I've yet to watch it and I'm pretty sure it's its own contained story rather than a bonafide continuation of the show's plot. My only critique is that it left me wanting more, and I wish it would've had more plot lines involving Mochi, there were so many mochi puns, and so many episodes that involved the mochi store Tamako and her family ran, but I feel like it could've benefitted from a chance to completely nerd out over mochi and have an episode with a stronger emphasis on the food. Other than that I enjoyed the story and I can't wait to continue my journey with these characters when I eventually watch Tamako Love Story. Kyoto Animation is a studio I'm very familiar with, but I haven't watched a single anime by them until now. I'm very pleased with this one and my hopes are high going forward, there's a lot to respect about the studio and I think I'm gonna become a big fan of theirs soon.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023)
A standout moment for animation this year.
Oh my goodness this movie was amazing, I loved every single minute of it. It had an incredible art direction, and I feel like it's some of the most interesting animation to come out this year. It was a funny, lighthearted, heart warming, and deep story about acceptance and doing the right thing. The cast of characters were all very interesting and well portrayed. Jackie Chan as Splinter and Ice Cube as SuperFly stand out as great performances to me. The soundtrack was excellent too, a wonderful piece of 80s/ 90s sounding electronic music with licensed hip hop music from the 90s. All of this, coupled with the amazing animation and wonderfully weird and atmospheric art design, the city of New York and its world feel particularly unique and grungy. It gives you this dirty 90s vibe that Hardcore hip hop of the time distinctly gave off. The film is set in present day, but it delivers a very nostalgic story that fits the Turtles perfectly, and it really captures the essence and beauty of the TMNT franchise. I feel like the Ninja Turtles are some of the most interesting and captivating characters in media, they are wonderful portrayed in this story and the young men who voiced them did an excellent job. April O'Neal was so interesting and her design is awesome, there's this sorta claymation kind of feel to the characters, there's this uniquely wonderful feeling you get watching the movie move and how fluid the animations are. The fight scenes were a joy to watch and they really captured the frenetic energy and personalities of each Turtle, I really can't believe that this movie exists. It's so good I feel like I dreamed it, it is an amazing time and I hope we see more from this version of the Turtles. This movie is of the same quality as Spiderverse if you ask me, and I think both franchises are taking animation in a seriously awesome new direction. I am very pleased with this film.
Evangelion Shin Gekijôban: Ha (2009)
An Excellent sequel.
This movie was absolutely incredible. This was some of the best anime I've ever watched, I was captivated immediately by the opening fight, which is beautifully animated and features one of the best introductions to a new character that I've ever seen. I instantly liked Mari, and I was happy to accept her into the Eva universe. What really caught my ear too was the remixed versions of songs from the original series, and how excellent the music was in general. The soundtrack conveys both bittersweet hopefulness, and ominous feelings of despair and impending doom. The movie really stands apart from Eva for how it utilizes Kaworu compared to the original show. I don't know where his plot his going, but I know that I find it super interesting, and I'm very excited to see where it goes. The stand out moment for me in the movie was the expanded plot demonstrating Rei and Shinji's relationship. You really feel the connection these character have, and you instinctively feel happy and heart warmed, but you remember that this is an Evangelion story and you immediately begin to think about how the plot and characters can never truly break from the despair and pain they are forced to face due to the cruelty of their world. There's so much I could say, I love that Tohji and Kensuke get a lot of screen time, seeing Shinji have friends really adds to the emotional atmosphere of the movie. The original series was excellent, and its portrayal of Shinji's friends was great, but I feel like this movie really has time to expand on new things, because it sort of take a more brisk pacing when it comes to plot lines you already understand and have seen. This isn't to the detriment of the pacing or the story's quality, it's a testament to how memorable the original Evangelion plot is and how much you can add to it. So many characters are seen, and I'm so happy with their story arcs and performances. Asuka and Ryoji really stand out as their scenes are a bit shorter and less complex in my opinion than the show, but they delivery a gut punch to your emotions with how personal their stories and problems are. An excellent moment for me was the switching of the Alien Eva plot being Asuka instead of Tohji. I really felt the original plot of the show was flawless, but I did kind of feel this certain way about the Tohji being an Eva pilot. I never disliked the plot and I felt like it drove the story forward in a meaningful way, but that statement is wherein the problem lies. I felt the Tohji story was only meant to convey the cruelty of the Evangelion story and demonstrate how much pain Shinji is forced to go through, no matter how hard he tries to avoid it. This movie fixes that one minor issue with Asuka, she's already a meaningful addition to the story, and I feel like her being in the Alien Eva, and her being injured by Shinji's hands, could perhaps not only make the rebuild story an interestingly different take on the original's story, but also take Asuka's "inferiority complex disguised as a superiority complex" plot line in an entirely new and compelling direction. Wow, I wish I could see this movie for the first time again, as a now hardcore fan of the series, I am very glad this movie exists.
No More Heroes (2007)
I love this game.
This is a very important game to me, I've wanted to finish it my entire teenage/adult life but I never had the chance to, I'm a bit bummed that I saved over my Save File so I can't do the true ending, but that gives me more than enough resin and motivation to play it again in the future. I find Suda51's style of writing very weird, and while I wish he wrote a bit more coherently (some of his concepts seem a little half baked to me) I really enjoy his story telling and I find his characters and worlds very interesting. Sylvia is a great character too, I wish she had more screen time and I can't wait to see what the future holds for her gamewise. The music is stellar, I love how they take the iconic melody that plays through all of the game and remix it into so many different catchy songs. The boss music is really good too, but I feel like the regular battle music is better. My favorite bosses were Jeane, Bad Girl, Holly Summers, and Destroy Man. I know alot of people dislike the open world, but Santa Destroy is one of my favorite locations in a video game, next to Kamurocho and Night City. I'm a bit tired so I hope this review is well written. The No More Heroes games are an excellent example of video games as art, and I'm incredibly honored and grateful I can call myself a fan and admirer of these games and Suda51's other titles.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners (2022)
An incredible addition to Mike Pondsmith's Cyberpunk World!
This was such an amazing watch from start to finish. I have always wanted to get into anime made by Studio Trigger, and I consider this an excellent first impression. I am so happy I gave this a chance, I don't know why I underestimated its potential seeing as I am a HUGE fan of Cyberpunk 2077. This feels so much like its own thing while simultaneously having a lot of weight and similarities to Cyberpunk 2077. The animation was stellar from masterful backgrounds, to the fast and frenetic animation that was on full display during the fight scenes and during high octane moments of action. David and Lucy were two excellent protagonists, and I'm really surprised at how incredible the English Dubbing was. Star studded actors like Giancarlo Esposito aside, the actors brought an authenticity that I feel like makes it the best way to watch. There's so much slang and verbiage that the Night City citizens use, and hearing it is a must if you want the authentic Cyberpunk experience. Not to mention the great lengths the shows English version goes to showing you the different accents, and even different languages that litter the streets of Night City. It's such an incredibly interesting world and there's so much to love if you're a fan of the game, the original pen and paper game, or just a newcomer curious about all the hype. I'm telling you, you will not be disappointed. It is an incredibly deep story about riding the waves of life and trying to reach your zenith in a world where you are destined to either fade into obscurity, or crash and burn into legend. It's a world where you live to die the perfect death, and your life only seen as having any meaning if you leave a path of destruction and rebellion in your rear view mirror. It's such an interesting take on the dystopian futures you've seen in so many movies and other forms of media. This is an offspring of Bladerunner, as well as an evolution of Mike Pondsmith's unique futuristic fantasy that deals with themes of nihilism and almost bushido like ideologies. This is quite possibly the Cowboy Bebop of our era. What a time to be alive and what a sight to behold. I can't wait to see more from Trigger, Mike Pondsmith, and CD PROJECKT RED.
The First Slam Dunk (2022)
AMAZING!!!
This film was absolutely incredible, Takehiko Inoue and the Staff behind this film should Pat themselves on the back a million times. I'm so happy I saw this movie in theaters, it was a blood pumping, contemplative, emotional journey that I never felt bored of. Ryota Miyagi was such an incredible protagonist, his journey of accepting the death of his brother through basketball nearly brought me to tears when his arc reached its conclusion, his strained relationship with his mother and their inability to move on as a family felt poignant and realistic. It was a story where basketball was perfectly used as a metaphor for life and the trials we go through daily, it was an expression of human emotion and the strength we must find in ourselves and together as teams, basketball wasn't merely a sport, because the game is so much like life that it coexists with our problems and tragedies and helps us build our futures and reinforce the strengths of our lives. Sports are no different than art, while I'm not into sports and I don't truly understand the intricacies of basketball, as a man who has used art to escape and to inspire me in my actual life for 21 years, I understand the 17 year old Ryota perfectly. The cast was stellar, while I feel like the supporting cast had little impact on the story other than to reinforce the positive impact the young men has left on their friends and family with their tenacious attitude towards basketball, I understand that the team was most important, and let me tell you, Inoue-San really came into his element in the second half with some of the most beautifully executed story beats I've seen in anime cinema in a long time. It's been a long time coming, I think it's high time we recognize the beautifully wonderful world of anime and the impact anime movies specifically have on the world of cinema. The story Inoue told compromised the abyss like depth a long running manga offers, but replaced it with a steady pacing that mirrored a live action film while still retaining the speed and intensity we expect from Anime and Japanese media as a whole. The soundtrack was amazing and the animation has some spectacular moments, the final 5 minutes will be ripped and rested into the core of my brain forever, I'm just so proud of the cast and crew, all the animation that went into delivering a heartfelt story with the intensity of a high speed chase, a realistic world that still offered a colorful cast of likable young heroes as they powered their way towards victory in a basketball game that can easily be viewed as a metaphor for a trillion different things. Like how the fights in Dragon Ball or Yu Yu Hakusho represented something, Slam Dunk too represents our world and the paths we must walk to overcome its obstacles. I'm so so happy, this film is a lifechanging one. What a time to be alive!
Jigokuraku (2023)
Great, but...
This anime was great, I really enjoyed the story and I feel like it has one of the greatest soundtracks I've heard in the last 5 years, I thought Gabimaru and Sagiri were interesting protagonists, and I felt like their relationship developed naturally and interestingly. The supporting cast was excellent too, my favorites were Yuzuhira and Shion, Senta was good too and I felt his death scene was really well done. All the characters arcs were handled well, on top of Sagiri and Gabimaru having well done evolutions throughout the story, I felt like the message and pacing of Tenza's character arc was awesome, and his death further drove home one of the show's many themes, which was perseverance and the belief in what you love. My only true complaint, is a complaint so large it single handedly keeps the show from being a 9 or higher. That complaint is the shows animation, it is by no means bad, and it has some great moments, but this is a MAPPA anime. I feel like MAPPA underdelivered on this anime's animation quality, the characters lack the depth and nuance of Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen. The creator of Hell's Paradise, Yuji Kaku, worked as an assistant for Tatsuki Fujimoto. Fujimoto went on to create Chainsaw Man and the animation quality of that adaption is stellar, some of the best I've seen ever. I know I'd be fumingly angry if I got my manga adapted by the same studio and they gave my animation less time and effort. But it's whatever, it's still a great show and I'm happy I watched it. Yuji Kaku is a great storyteller and his mind is just as interesting as Fujimoto's. I can't wait for a season 2!
Evangelion Shin Gekijôban: Jo (2007)
Holy shmoly
Christ on the cross, this was an amazing movie and I'm so happy I watched it. I've recently became a big fan of the Eva series, I just finished binge watching the original tv show and the alternate ending movie End of Evangelion. This was an amazing way to retell the first handful of episodes while also changing certain plot points, and elaborate on other ones. Some scenes were omitted so the story had a quicker pace than the show, but I feel like it's not a bad thing since they weren't really needed to keep the plot engaging, some people may disagree though because the biggest omission in this movie is the bond Shinji forms with Tohji and Kensuke. I feel like this rebuild series is meant to tell an entirely different tale with the same foundation, so I'm super excited to see where it goes. All my skepticism was axed in the first 20 minutes, the animation is great, the character designs have never looked better, it's especially amazing because the movie is 16 years old, it doesn't look aged at all and it would be something to marvel at even if it came out today, even the CGI looked good, and I'm amazed at how great the Evas looked, I can't describe how excited I am to see Asuka's (my favorite character) Eva, its red and white color palette sets my heart a flutter with how cool it looks. The environments, the city of Tokyo 3 looked so good, you feel the effect of the Angels more in this movie, there's a better portrayal of an apocalyptic atmosphere with the destruction and run down look in certain areas, along with the sea being much more red than in the original (the Red Sea representing the destruction of the angels and the impacts). I loved this movie and I'm so happy I've gotten into the Eva Series, will the rebuild franchise top End of Eva? Only time will tell. Also Kaworu's appearance on the moon was awesome, and I feel like the purpose of Nerv, Seele, and the instrumentality stuff was better explained. No complaints whatsoever, the final thing I'll say is that I was blown away by the soundtrack. Holy shmoly. Bye 👍🏼