EarlGenesis Reviews

Arcane (2021– )

After watching, I stood up from my couch and gave this show an applause

[10/10 · 28 May 2023]

I've never played League of Legends before. I wasn't familiar with any of the lore or characters before jumping into this. In fact, I've even asked multiple people who do play League if I should get into the game, and they all seriously said "no, don't do it!" I wasn't familiar with anything in this universe... which is why this show absolutely succeeds.

The fact that I was able to get a full, clear vision of the world-build, characters, and elements of this part of the LoL universe in the span of just 8 episodes speaks volumes of how masterfully this show is written. The animation is marvelous, the characters are incredibly compelling, and the story is near flawless. This is a bucket-list watch for anyone. Even if you aren't into videogames as a whole you seriously need to see this show.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022)

DreamWorks Animation is rising back up

[8/10 · 6 January 2023]

I'm sure a majority of the people who heard about this film had little to no intention in actually seeing it, much less expecting it to actually be really good. The first Puss in Boots film was decent but it far from struck me as one of DreamWorks' best. Seeing the studio go all in on a sequel that nobody asked for was a ballsy move, but fortunately they absolutely got it right.

Puss in Boots The Last Wish is an unexpectedly fantastic film that not only tells a great story, but it takes risks by diving into topics of death and mortality, something that you wouldn't expect from an animated kids' film. Not only that, but much of the humor was very risky, with the cursing jokes being the ones that made my eyes open widest. It wasn't a bad thing to me, it just really caught me off-guard. I always like it when animated films take risks without making it seem like they're trying to hard to be edgy. This film doesn't do the unnecessary. It's a fantastic adventure with a great story, great humor, great characters, and beautiful animation. Go see this film while you still can. It deserves your money.

Turning Red (2022)

A personal favorite Pixar movie

[8/10 · 17 December 2022]

While I don't think this film is top tier Pixar from an objective standpoint, personally it has become one of my favorites because, even as a male, I can heavily relate to it's coming-of-age themes. Puberty was awkward and things felt like they were moving more quickly than before, me and my friends always acted cringe as kids but what mattered was that we had fun doing it and never cared about what other people thought of us as long as we weren't harming anyone, and I also have an overprotective mother and had serious issues with growing up and making my own decisions. The way this movie handles all of these topics is excellent and really resonates with me on a personal level. Also the movie is hilarious and it made me laugh very often. I really love the quirkiness and fast-paced route that this film takes. I also love that it takes risks and is not afraid to get into sensitive coming-of-age topics. I wasn't expecting myself to love this film as much as I did. It's so much fun throughout its entirety and it's something that I can completely get behind.

Lightyear (2022)

Pixar budget without the Pixar heart

[4/10 · 17 December 2022]

Whew, um... yeah, this was not good. Personally, I rank this as the second worst movie Pixar has made, right next to Cars 2. I'm being serious. I have two positives for this film. One, of course, the animation and visuals look spectacular. That's to be expected from any Disney or Pixar animated film. Two, I like that robot cat, Sox. He was a definitely a bright spot in the film.

That's all I got for positives. The story is mediocre, the pacing is bad, the characters are mostly uninteresting and one-dimensional, and the film as a whole is just not very exciting. I never thought Pixar would release a film that was almost as trash as Cars 2 but man, they really dropped the ball on this one. Doesn't make me lose faith in the studio as a whole, though. They still put out plenty of bangers that I personally love. I'm regarding this one as a major misstep for them.

Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song (2021)

The most overlooked anime of 2022

[9/10 · 17 December 2022]

This anime had my full attention right off the bat in the very first scene. That's when I buckled up and prepared myself for an experience. Being from the creator of Re:Zero was enough info to convince me to watch this and I was thoroughly not disappointed with the results. Taking place in a futuristic sci-fi setting and also maintaining its deconstruction of the musical anime genre, Vivy succeeds in bringing both worlds together in such a way that is extremely intense and exciting. The story is profound and clever, the characters are interesting, the music is very well-crafted, and the action is astounding. The folks at WIT Studio have been on a major grind the past few years, and with a banger like this, it's unlikely that they're going to lose focus anytime soon. If you're a sci-fi nut looking for an anime that does a fantastic job at crafting its own view of the future, Vivy is a must-watch. It's surely an extremely overlooked gem for 2022.

Sonic Prime (2022–2024)

No cap, the BEST Sonic-related thing since Mania

[9/10 · 17 December 2022]

This show is pretty much all I've ever asked for from the Sonic franchise. Faithful to the original material while still creating its own separate story? Check. Story is actually enjoyable and not insufferable and cringe trash? Check check. The Sonic characters have actual diverse personalities and are fun to watch? We got that too. Fun and bouncy animation that emphasizes the characters' personalities? Ya gotta love it.

Sonic Team, I want you guys to take notes. THIS is how you make the Sonic franchise fun. Seriously, if this came out when I was a kid who was crazy about Sonic, I would've ADORED it. You can obviously tell that the creators actually cared about the franchise, and they cared about making a good show. That's something that has seriously been overdue for Sonic.

Dr. Stone (2019– )

Was not expecting myself to enjoy this one as much as I did

[9/10 · 11 September 2022]

I didn't have any interest in watching this for a while now, but now that I have, I realize that I really missed out on a great experience. Dr. Stone is an absolutely lovely anime. It's just so much fun to watch throughout its entirety. While the anime is a bit lacking in the animation and art department, what it lacks in visual style it makes up for in charm and entertainment. The characters in this anime are just so good. They all simply radiate charisma and personality and play major roles in everything that happens in the anime. The comedy and gags in this anime also hit and I laughed way more than I was ever expecting to. The scientific feats can sometimes be very over-the-top, but I think that absurdity just adds to the charm of this anime's role as a shounen. Even so, in the end, I loved how the series showed the progression of the science the characters used, so when you see the developmental process of everything, you know they work in real life. To keep it simple, this anime just maintained a dumb smile on my face. It is such a feel-good and uplifting show and I think it was something I truly needed at the time. Just something to lift my spirits up. Heavily recommend this one.

My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising (2019)

An explosive ride from start to finish

[9/10 · 26 February 2022]

This movie kinda reminded me of Dragon Ball Super Broly, in that once the action starts it hardly lets up for the rest of the movie. Nearly this entire movie is one massive action sequence, which is insane how Bones Studio went all out for this film. The story is rather simple and nothing to shout about, and I do have my complaints with the ending and continuity of the film to the series, but man, it's astounding how explosive this movie is. For MHA fans, this film may be exactly what you need. For anime fans who just want some well-animated balls-to-the-wall action throughout, this is 100% exactly what you need.

Mulan (2020)

It exists, I guess...

[4/10 · 7 September 2020]

So I saw this with my sister at her house... on her Disney+ account... no way in hell I was going to pay $30 for this... and my verdict for this film is that while I appreciate that they actually tried to deviate a bit more from the 1998 film (unlike another particular Disney remake that we won't speak of), this film is pretty much what you would expect out of a Disney remake. The fact of the matter is that this film actually did have a lot going for it, especially considering that they changed so much about the story, but at the end of the day, it's just another soulless cashgrab of a remake. Character development was quite shallow, a lot of the editing in the action sequences was really bad, the pacing of the story was uneven, and overall it's such a letdown. To be honest, I had some hope from this movie because the film didn't seem like another shot-for-shot remake (UNLIKE ANOTHER DISNEY REMAKE THAT WE WON'T SPEAK OF), but I'm honestly not impressed with the final product nor am I surprised by my disappointment in the slightest. Deep down, I knew this movie was going to be mediocre.

Disney is successfully conning people who worship the Mouse out of $30 for a single mediocre film. Blu-Ray + DVD + Digital combo packs are not even $30. At this point, I wonder how far Disney will go to make buck and how many people will fall for it.

Teen Titans (2003–2006)

Excellent superhero cartoon

[9/10 · 5 July 2020]

Unlike most superhero cartoons I've seen in my lifetime of being a fan of them, what I think stands out so much about Teen Titans is that it's not afraid to take detours and risks. It's not afraid to throw in comedic silliness. It's not afraid to flesh out its characters regularly. It's not afraid to add darker tones at times. It's not afraid to hit viewers with very deep moments at times. This is such a mixed bag of a cartoon that you never know what you're going to get as each episode goes by, but that's why I find it so entertaining and approachable for a multitude of audiences. I think it does a great job at not just sticking to one style of cartoon, but providing a multitude of things that different cartoons offer all into one fun show.

Gravity Falls (2012–2016)

One of the greatest cartoons I've ever seen

[10/10 · 5 July 2020]

I feel like me watching this show was long overdue. I would've never guessed how entertained I would be by it. This cartoon is extremely funny, the characters are lovable and heavily well-developed, and the plot for each episode are just a minefield of entertainment and hilarity. This easily lands in one of my top favorite cartoons of all time

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole (2010)

Groundbreaking animation, underwhelming plot

[6/10 · 5 July 2020]

Animal Logic is an incredibly underrated animation and visual effects studio. These guys animated Happy Feet and The Lego Movie, and coming into this film I was expecting the animation to be no less than spectacular, and it doesn't disappoint. In fact, it completely exceeded expectations. The animation and visuals in this film are absolutely marvelous and pure eye candy throughout. Although, while I haven't read the book series this film is based on, I can't say the same for its story. It throws a lot at you but in the end its a pretty bare-bones hero tale. Regardless, I think this movie was worth buying even for 6 stars. If I want to be mesmerized by some of the cleanest 3D animation I've laid eyes on, then I'll always come back to this.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008–2020)

Starts off decent but gradually develops into a masterclass of a cartoon

[9/10 · 31 May 2020]

The first two seasons of The Clone Wars are rather decent, but all of your interest will be completely captured once you begin S3 and onwards. The action is spectacular, the animation gets much better, the characters develop extremely well, and the story itself fits perfectly into the Star Wars story as a whole.

Onward (I) (2020)

Not a groundbreaking film but heavily enjoyable

[8/10 · 26 April 2020]

This is probably the most conventional animated film from Pixar yet. It feels like I've seen other animated films that are like this, but this film still stands out as an entirely enjoyable film about two brothers wanting to spend time with their lost father one last time. It's an entirely genuine and fun adventure with a lot of heart.

KILL la KILL (2013–2014)

One of the most creative and delightfully insane anime I've ever seen

[10/10 · 26 April 2020]

This anime is what got me into Trigger. I have never seen another animation studio take such full utilization of a limited budget and provide people with an experience that you can truly call unique. From beginning to end, nonstop, this anime is loud, wacky, wild, eccentric, and just downright insane, laced top to bottom with over-the-top fanservice, genuinely creative animation, and a ridiculous premise... yet that is what I love so much about this anime. This is purely unhinged entertainment at its finest.

The Promised Neverland (2019–2021)

The Promised Neverland promises one thing: you'll walk away from it with a high sense of ambition

[9/10 · 26 April 2020]

What do you do when your life and the lives of other innocent people you love are on the line, with all odds stacked against you? What if the people you're trying to escape from are just as smart as and always one step ahead of you? Is there any hope in making it out alive?

The Promised Neverland puts characters in the scenario of all of these questions and creates one of the most nail-biting thriller stories of 2019 anime. I was so hooked to this series that I binge-watched all episodes in a day, which is something I rarely do with certain anime. If you're looking for a really good thriller anime that puts you on edge from beginning to end, this anime delivers the goods.

The Lion King (2019)

Quite possibly one of the worst Disney films I've ever seen

[2/10 · 25 April 2020]

The problem I have with this film is the fact that it's impossible to not compare this to the original. Almost every scene - every line in this film is straight out of the original, and Disney expects me to me impressed just because they can flex their animation technology and bring together a celebrity cast. The animation is incredible, of course, but where is the emotion that this film is SUPPOSED to have? Am I supposed to feel something while looking at these expressionless and gesture-depraved animals? This is such a soulless drag of a film and it stands as one of the worst films I've seen from Disney.

Can't say it didn't work out for Disney, though. They got their money. Not from me, though, because I didn't even bother to go see this at the movie theater. I rented it for a dollar.

Spenser Confidential (2020)

An incredibly generic action film

[5/10 · 25 April 2020]

I think Mark Wahlberg is one of the most unappreciated actors outside of The Departed. He's had so many great performances in his career that it kinda doesn't make sense to me that he would agree to do parts in movies like Transformers and this. While there is some fun to be had watching the film, it's such a typical cookie-cutter action film with incredibly generic characters and a plot that's just too simple to enjoy completely.

Do I completely hate it? No. But I didn't feel like it was worth my time.

Repentance (I) (2013)

Disappointing

[3/10 · 25 April 2020]

Forest Whitaker's last few films have been really underwhelming, and this is no exception. The writing in this movie is just bad and not believable at all.

Infinity Train (I) (2019–2021)

I'm quite shocked that CN has gotten ahold of this...

[10/10 · 27 February 2020]

This cartoon doesn't even feel like something CN would have. It feels so much like something from Disney Channel and Disney XD. Although, I'm glad that CN actually took the liberty of grabbing this, because it is one of the most well-written cartoons I've seen in years. While I didn't find the cartoon to be extremely heavy on witty humor, its plot and creativity more than make up for this, as it includes a handful of material that can teach kids and teens how to cope with surprisingly realistic and relatable issues that they may run into as they grow up. Regardless of being a rather wacky fantasy cartoon, is has such a mature way of conveying its messages, and to be honest, I'm quite baffled that this is on CN as it is one of the most unique shows they've ever had in their entire history. You and your kids definitely need to watch this.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (2019– )

Yet more cliche shounen fodder, but done correctly

[10/10 · 14 January 2020]

The story and characters in this anime are nothing new in terms of development and personality. It's yet another shounen anime that takes the usual tropes of the genre, but what makes Kimetsu no Yaiba such a fantastic anime is how breathtaking the direction and pacing of it is. The fights are absolutely stunning, the art and animation are spectacular, the world-build maintains a flawless balance of treachery and beauty, and the soundtrack by Yuki Kajuira is masterful. Even with its usual tropes, the sheer novelty of the anime kept me hooked, and it seemed to only get better and better as each episode passed. This is one of the most gorgeous shounen anime I've ever seen. It's a must-watch and my favorite anime of 2019.

Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart (2014–2024)

Definitely another show CN needs under its belt

[9/10 · 9 January 2020]

This show is pretty much everything you could need in a kids cartoon. It's original, funny, charming, and especially lighthearted enough for children to enjoy. If I was in my younger days, this show definitely would've been on repeat.

Joker (I) (2019)

This is how you do a comic book movie

[10/10 · 10 November 2019]

Watch out Endgame, you've met your maker. This is an absolutely marvelous movie. I was honestly worried that people wouldn't appreciate this film considering what it is. The criteria of comic book films today are so action-oriented that it took the cinema by storm. Joker is simply a drama-thriller film. There are little to absolutely no action sequences throughout the film, yet it still does the comic book genre so much justice simply by telling an origin story. Joaquin Phoenix played Joker to a tee. His laugh was so genuine and believable that, instead of seeing him as a madman, you saw his pain and anguish. Joker's characterization is so good here that, regardless of his criminal acts, the film still pulls you to his side. It gives you a clear understanding that murderers aren't born that way or don't just become that way out of thin air. That's what I love so much about this film. Even though it's a comic book film, the story and morals tie into society of the real world, which is something that most comic films avoid. You're doing yourself a disservice if you haven't seen this film yet. Trust me, it's worth your money. I'll end this review with a music quote that relates heavily to the film...

"Anybody is a killer, all you gotta do is push them to the limits." - J. Cole (A Tale of 2 Citiez)

Re: Zero, Starting Life in Another World (2016– )

This anime floored me

[10/10 · 10 November 2019]

Before watching Re:Zero, I already knew what this anime was about. I've seen YouTube videos of all the torture the MC went through. I knew that it was going to be a stressful ride throughout, and honestly, I was under the belief that it would spoil my enjoyment of the anime. Fortunately though, this anime is so well-written that even knowing the main idea of it still didn't keep me from the edge of my seat. The main character simply steals the show. His complexity and development as a character drove the entirety of the story, and I was completely hooked from beginning to end. I took a several-week hiatus from the anime at about episode 20, and once I got back to it, I was instantly reminded of how enthralling it really is. This is something you really need to watch. It's easily one of my top 10 favorite anime of all time.