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Terribly sorry about dropping off after that first Texhnolyze blog, procrastination and holidays got the better of me. Just to let you people know, I finished Texhnolyze quite a while back - it's an incredible series, but it's too far back in my memory to post a credible review for it - so I'm going to be moving on with my anime watching exodus.
This time, we begin with a series I've been putting off for a long time now - I've watched the first episode a grand total of three times now and have been repulsed by it every time, but I'll be bearing with it this time 'round to provide you, my readers, into an insight on how good/bad this series is. The name?
NOIEN!
Ep 1: Fourth Times a Charm
<^ My face after the first 10 minutes.>
First, the criticisms. These are not character designs! They're caricatures! I would understand it if the series was a comedy taking inspiration from the likes of Azumanga Daioh. But right from the get-go it sets up some serious plotlines without a trace of humour. Secondly, the soundtrack sounds like it been recorded using a keyboard from the 1970's - which is a major setback for me considering that the fist thing I look for in a good anime is a soundtrack which blends in. This does precisely the opposite, with themes that stick out like a sore thumb; sounding like court music for a medieval fair in what is supposed to be a sci-fi set in modern times. CG use is mixed so far... the monsters which those "ghosts" are fighting look exceedingly awesome, but its use elsewhere only emphasises the poor character design. The amateur use of pan and zoom also exaggerates this problem.
On to the good!
It's an interesting premise; though I wish they'd named the main plot device anything but "Dragon Torque" (Shounen levels of cheese there); what with the "ghosts" opening up the series with an excellent fight scene against some kind of priestly monster - there's symbolism somewhere in that design I'm sure, but of what kind I haven't the foggiest. Which leads on to my next good point, the fight scene at the beginning certainly set up an exciting premise for the rest of the show.
So really, it's the human side of the story which feels weakest about now. I hope it explores this alternate universe in full depth instead of hanging around to develop the clichéd main characters.
4/10
