Angel Densetsu

[purplemo]

Angel Densetsu

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So here's the drafts of some reviews I initially planned a bit ago which I found when I was cleaning my "to be used AP" folder (which is full of those traps that I'm known for). Since like someone told me about why they don't do this basically is true (who else am I talking about when I insinuate like this? ;p), I don't really care to have anything put up as an official review. But since these were already done anyways, I might as well put these up. If nothing else, they might push someone to look at these anime. Or push them away. ;p

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Story 7/10

What is one to say about the story of a show that is nothing more than an extended trailer for the manga? How should it be graded? As a stand-alone story, or a small piece of a larger whole? Especially with its non-ending ending? Well, as a trailer for the manga Angel Densetsu is a rather average trailer. As a show it is, well, rather average too. Much like the beginning of Tenshi na Konamaiki, Angel Densetsu sets up the key characters in their environment (though noticeably absent are Ryoko and Ikuno who show up just after the events of the anime). There are no holes in the plot or such, but it feels as if this were the opening chapter and the rest of the book is gone. Which is, frankly, the case.

Animation 7/10

Angel Densetsu obviously did not have a big budget and it shows, especially with the faces. Kitano’s face is the only one drawn with attention to detail; everyone else feels like something a high schooler might draw. Many faces rely heavily on shadows to convey detail. There are major problems with this. First it makes the faces appear more like landscape (especially with the dependence on shadows cast by the nose and eyes) than real faces. Second, whenever there is a lack of shadow the faces look especially bland, more than they should otherwise. Kitano’s face, on the other hand, is a major contrast. Definite attention was put into making his face look evil and deranged and it shows. His face, if taken alone, would get a score of 8 to 9.

In terms of motion there is surprisingly little given Angel Densetsu has quite a few fights.


Sound 7.5/10

I am conflicted here. On the one hand a good number of voices do not seem to match the voices I had in my head from when I read the manga. On the other hand this is partially balanced out by the fact that most of the VAs does a good job keeping the right tone and inflection despite the overall mismatch.

Kitano’s voice feels appropriately friendly. Where his VA shined is Kitano’s signature screech and screech-speech. This is the one instance where the anime is better than the manga; being able to bring Kitano’s screech to life makes watching this anime worthwhile for any fan.

Musicwise there was very little. In fact, going through my memory I cannot recall a single tune.

Characters 6.5/10

The characters and their antics have always been the selling point of Angel Densetsu. Unfortunately all that does not start until Ryoko and Ikuno appear, which is after the events of the anime. As such characters like Takehisa basically fall into a right-hand man archetype. Kuroda never got to develop into his role as the court jester, and both Ryoko and Ikuno are not there for the boys to interact with.

Overall 7/10

A thoroughly average show that ends before it gets to the meat of the story, Angel Densetsu is a rather hard sell. As a trailer for the manga it generates some interest but would have been better off taking a clip from the middle than at the beginning when everything was being set into place.