Mirai Nikki / Future Diaries

Title: Mirai Nikki / Future Diaries

Episodes: 26 (complete)

Released: Oct 9, 2011

Genre: Fantasy, Action, Drama, Highschool, Thriller

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So this is one anime I use to show people how good the entire anime genre can be. I don't say this lightly. There are a handful of anime that have really stood out in my time and few have made me love, and hate the same people as often as Mirai Nikki did. If I had to sum it up, it'd be an underrated masterpiece. The sadistic story, the sudden plot twists and the expendable characters all make for an addictive watch. You won't need to force yourself to watch a few episodes to get into the swing of it.

The plot revolves around a young boy called Yuki, who is by all means, average. Until one day, his diary in his phone, starts generating entries ahead of time. Before long, the viewer is introduced to other diary owners, who all are getting future diary entries. The plot comes thick and fast as the entire thing devolves into alternating between an intriguing story and a bloody battle royal. Fans of fast paced action will feel right at home, and you'll be stuck guessing right up until the end how it all goes down.

While the story is amazing, and the action incredible, there is one place I found mildly lacklustre. Mirai Nikki's ending leans heavily to the paranormal towards the end. This intensely satisfying depiction of a battle between ugly humans in an imperfect world is derailed by the ending being, for me, a little too magical. While the unexplained definitely has a place, I feel the show used it as a crutch to carry it towards what could have been a mindblowing ending. Still though, 9/10 for me. 

Telek Reviews - Suisei no Gargantia

Title: Suisei no Gargantia 

Episodes: 10 (so far)

Released: April 7, 2013

Genre: Scifi, Action, Drama

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Suisei no Gargantia is promising. Possibly the most promising anime I've seen in a while. The beginning of the storyline drops you right in the heat of a conflict between humanity and an alien race. At a glance it's interesting but you know it's been done countless times before in SciFi. What sets this apart is that the plot segways back to primitive earth. The idea of a super power in primitive times is similiar to Hellsing where the lead character has unlimited destructive power and it's only artificial constraints holding him back.

While the series is still relatively fresh, the quality is amazing. High definition artwork, in a scifi setting can be mindblowing and that's exactly what Suisei no Gargantia is going for. While the depicted architecture is impractical and cumbersome, the artists really capture that sense of a long lost human race that has branched off. In some ways it's a vanilla "outsider adapts to new community" show but there's the real potential for an amazing plotline and character development.

One of the unique twists I found in this series was the dialogue. As our lead is from a very different branch of humanity, you would expect him not to speak the same language as the remaining humans. And he doesn't. The subbers over at Commie Subs do a fantastic job of keeping it feeling the same way it sounds. The basis is that when a person from a different viewpoint to the person your watching speaks, it is portrayed to the viewer as gibberish. This leads to some awesome miscommunications and some amazing thought provoking situations you can really relate to. My favourite being where the lead character kidnaps a girl for negotiation and his translator lets him know the girl has mentioned the sanctity of excrement and commented on his mothers sexual preferences. 

In summary, this show is leading us down one of two paths. I feel it will either be the best next gen anime or a huge disappointment. Either way I'm looking forward to where it takes us in the immediate future.

Chris Reviews - Jormungand

Title: Jormungand (Season 1)
          Jormungand: Perfect Order (Season 2)

Episodes: 24 (12 episodes per season)

Released: April 2012

Genre: Action, Military, War, Violence

Official Intro

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Ooh now we're getting into the good stuff, lots of guns, lots of explosions, and one hell of a lead character, its time for a Jormungand review.

This show starts by introducing a boy called Jonah, he has been recruited into the bodyguard of a young Arms Dealer called Koko Hekmatyar. Everyone in this unit has had military or police experience, and that includes Jonah, he was orphaned and forced to fight in a war in Israel, and subjected to everything that goes with being a child soldier. That includes watching his friends sent away to probe for land mines, and never returning.

He has a heart of ice due to this upbringing, and hates everything to do with weapons and war, despite being  very skilled in combat himself. Ironic that he now travels with and protects an arms dealer.

The rest of Koko's team consists of some great characters, all with unique skills and personalities, there was not a single one I did not like.

Don't fuck with Jonah

I want to talk about Koko herself, because she is the lead character I mentioned at the start. Koko is perhaps the best lead female I have seen in any anime. She is smart and methodical, and everything goes in the direction she wishes. When the situation requires it, she is cold and unyielding, other times she opens up to her unit (particularly Jonah) and shows her lighter, happier side.

I cant find a single flaw in her character. She is brilliant from start to end.

Pictured: A bad-ass lead female.

As the show goes on you are shown a side of war that is rarely shown, the idea of war profiteering. Being an Arms Dealer, Koko and her team have the power to shift wars in one direction or another, not by choice however it is the bi-product of the business, like it or not the equipment they sell has one purpose - killing other people.

She is pursued by governments, as almost everything they do is illegal, and by other arms dealers, who see her as competition. The story really picks up through season 2, giving even more development to the already well established characters.

There is a climactic ending at the end of season two, however it is one of the good ones, it feels complete and leaves you thinking. It is a great look into the darker side of war.

And the darker side of people themselves.

This is one of the anime's that falls into the "mature" category, it possesses some real world issues and does not mess around. It leaves you with a burning moral question, just how much are you willing to sacrifice for the greater good?

Chris Reviews - Angel Beats!

Title: Angel Beats!

Episodes: 13

Released: March 2010

Genre: Action, Tragedy, Fantasy

Official Intro

Fan-Made AMV

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OK, stop for a second and watch the intro, its important, I'll wait.

That is a sample of some of the awesome music in this show. This shows soundtrack is one of the best I have heard. Sadly the show is a bit of a roller-coaster with its ups and downs but I'll get to that, I just wanted to point out the music because it is god damn amazing.

This show was created by the same guy (Maeda Jun is his name) that had a major hand in Clannad and Clannad After Story, the only anime to date that has made me feel genuinely sad, im talking crying sad, it was that moving. Now Angel beats on the other hand, the spark is there, but it just feels like it could have been so much more,especially considering the other works this studio has put out.

The story begins with the main character by the name of Yuzuru Otonashi waking up and realising that he has died and has passed onto the afterlife, a world that limbos between the world of the living and heaven. Essentially it is a place where people who have not accomplished everything they wanted to in life end up, and cannot move on without completing what their heart desires.

I desire this soundtrack

There are other people here who do not wish to pass on to heaven, and will do everything in their power to remain in the afterlife. They formed a group called the Shinda Sekai Sensen (Afterlife Battlefront), in order to defeat an angel sent by god to "erase" them. This angel is the antagonist of the series, however I use that word loosely, you will understand why later in the show. She is known by the name Tenshi (Angel).

One of the highlights of this show, as i have already pointed out twice now, is its soundtrack, another would have to be the visuals, while not amazing tier they are nice to watch, especially if you pick yourself up a 1080p version.

There was an awesome song in the background here too, just pointing that out.

I don't want to say any more on the story because it progresses very well and i don't want to spoil it for anyone, take my word on it though the ending is worthwhile, the ending was the part that reminded me of clannad, because I felt like sobbing in the corner again.

My complaint with this series is that beyond the really good start and amazing end, the middle is just.. meh. Don't get me wrong it is still a great watch but im not going to give it any praise in the story department, except for the flashbacks to the main characters past, which show the events leading up to his death and passing to the afterlife, he struggles trying to remember what happened and it all clicks in the last episode. Oh and the last couple of episodes of course, which made the whole series worthwhile.

And the soundtrack.

In short it was an enjoyable watch, worthy of praise. Now if you'll excuse me im going to go cry in the corner again.