Merryberry

Last Edited: 30th October 2009

Background Info...

Having first got into anime through my brother showing me R.O.D. OVA, it was probably this which made me become interested in it.  I therefore joined the anime club at University and since then have watched far too much (mainly because being a student meant I had that much time on my hands).  However, alls that has come to an end as I’ve finally got a job, so my blissful days of mass anime watching will slowly come to a decline, but not gone for good.  It was the fact that I gained otaku status (well...if you went by v2 anyway) remains a personal achievement which makes me realise just how sad I am...

Since then I've managed to read up on a lot of manga to help fill the time while anime episodes are getting released and this has helped me enjoy the anime even more since I'm now looking for potential ones from the anime I watched.

Currently Watching:

Aquatic Language – I finished this one-off, small talk episode and was pleasantly surprised at how much you can get out of just 15 minutes of anime.  It was quite incredible and with a good quality animation and some really quick and snappy dialogue, the show it over before you know it and leaves you with the feeling of wanting more, although wraps most of it up nicely.  Well worth watching and it doesn’t take much of your time to do so.

Darker than Black: Ryuusei no Gemini – When the first series came out I was really into it, as for me, Darker than Black brought fresh-air into a much used magical powers genre.  While I thought that the first series had wrapped up nicely, I didn’t think that there was a second series to come.  So imagine my surprise when it was announced and now into week 4 of the show and the brilliance of the first series is coming to light again.

Haibane Renmei – After getting my hands on this series, I literally ploughed through it all in one sitting.  What can you expect though; I didn’t have much else to do and was somewhat bored, needing something to keep me entertained.  Personally, I felt that although the series had some nice ideas, it lacked the potential of what it could have been.  Since I wasn’t too disappointed, I think it’s a series that everyone should get around to watching at some point, although you don’t need to rush it.

Monster – Long...very...very...long.  Not that it’s a bad thing, but sometimes series are just too long.  The only reason why I picked it up was because I knew that it frequently appeared in the top 10 of anime rankings, so it must be good surely?  Imagine my disappointment when we’re 25 episodes in and the story is trailing along at snail’s pace.  But then the action starts and when it does, you are drawn so far into the storyline that you get the “just one more episode, just one more episode” effect and that was at 3am in the morning with an early start the next day.  And then your all of a sudden at the end of the marathon of a series and it’s time to breath and it is only then that you fully appreciate just why it get’s the high ratings it does.  Bear with the start, Monster is a show which just gets better and better with time.

 Aoi Bungaku Series – Currently broadcasting, Aoi Bungaku follows the story of some politicians son as he tries to commit a double suicide and fails.  Well, in terms of storyline it’s quite the dark series; yet something is strangely enticing in the portrayal which makes it different from most other series out there.

Kimi no Todoke – Unlike the majority of people who have been introduced to this brilliant show, I happened to have read the manga of it first.  So for me it’s a pleasure to see a great manga being adapted into an anime series which is just as good.  Kimi no Todoke is a series which brings new meanings to the word relationships and hopefully has a good potential to be one of the biggest hits this season.

-------->Anime Rewind-------->

For once I haven’t been watching a series I’ve already seen, in my desperate attempt to catch up with what I haven’t seen...I think however, it is time that I got around to re-watching RahXephon....for the 9th time.

Series well worth watching that you might not have heard of:

Aquatic Language – A brilliant, short animation series, which is well worth your time.  The quirky setting and snappy dialogue make this a treat which more people should go and watch as not only is it superbly animated, but also fills ever single moment of the anime with not stop genius.

Ani*Kuri 15 – Give an animator just 1 minute in which they can do whatever you like and then put the result of 15 of these together.  For me, this is the hardest anime that I’ve ever had to review or describe.  And the reason being is that 1 minute is not that long a time.  And while some of the animators produce some really good sketches, unfortunately there are those which drag it backwards.  Either way go and watch, even if you just see the ‘Cat’s Revenge’ one, which makes me laugh every time I see it.

Comedy – I must admit that it has been a while since I saw this anime and although I haven’t gotten around to re-watching it, Comedy still gives me the amazing hope of how short animes can be equally or better than their longer counterparts.  It’s rare for me to approve of a series to the high level that I did of Comedy, all the more remarkable since its only 10 minutes long.

Music

Since I play the piano (although badly) and took music as one of my subjects in school, I always have felt that anime music tends to be overlooked.  Yet, some of the shows out there have some incredible, high quality soundtracks, which frankly, should be listened to by more.  Here’s a somewhat, not comprehensive list of some which meet the requirements of should be heard more:

• White Night, True Light (DNAngel Opening)
• I want to become the wind - DNAngel Soundtrack
• Anything from the .hack//SIGN soundtrack
• Sousei no Aquarion - Sousei no Aquarion Opening. With music done by Yoko Kanno, it's a blast of an opening and will have you singing along with it... literally
• Death Note Soundtrack - There are some hidden gems that are fantastic to listen to Kyrie, Death Note Theme and L no Theme
• Through the Years and Far Away - Voices of a Distant Star
• Higurashi no Naku Kori ni - Surprisingly the opening to the anime of the same title. I actually liked this tune because it was unusual and had some nice melodies in it.
• R.O.D Soundtrack - Contains some incredibly good action tunes from the series that are outstanding. Suite for an I-Jin is particularly good to listen to.
• Garden of Sinners - Various tracks, has some outstanding vocal and the Oblivious is absolutely amazing.
• Lovely Complex - BON BON - The second of the two ending themes for Lovely Complex, BON BON is exceptionally uplifting a really nice to listen to.
• Little Wing - Scrapped Princess Op - When I first played this to my brother, it was one of the only songs that got him addicted to an anime before he hand even seen it! Give it a listen and maybe it'll to the same for you!
• Houki Boshi - Arguably the best tune to come out of Bleach...ending number 3 really rocks
• SAGA ~This is my Road~ - the ending tune so far this year, no questioned asked.  The lyrics and tune are just beautiful.  If you want to know, the first part is Handel's Sarabande.  You never know, someone might ask.
• Tsubasa Chronicles - If you liked the soundtrack to Garden of Sinners, then you'll enjoy this, it’s done by the same person and just really cool.
• Garden of Everything – From the RahXephon Film, its blows my mind every time I hear it.
• Still Doll – There’s something creepy about the way this is played, yet somehow makes you want to listen to it time and time again.

Manga

Many people have a tendency to say they prefer manga over anime or vice versa. I'm the sort who appreciates each for their own expression and enjoy both of them. Currently I've got more manga series on the go than I can keep track of, but it's only because I absolutely enjoy the refreshing and original storylines that they keep on producing.

Mangas that are well worth reading:

Mx0 - I was exceptionally surprised to have found that Mx0 had ended...stopped when it was in it's prime. Either way, the story of a boy who attends a magical school...without being able to do any magic is certainly interesting, not because it uses the same I'm bad at magic tactic, but more the amazing attempts to cover up that he can't use magic. The series is only 99 chapters long, but you'll be laughing all the way through and can't help but fall in love with the characters. Certainly a very different manga that should be on peoples list of ones to read.

GE – Good Ending – I always like to give any new release a quick flick through just to see if I like it or not.  I’m glad that I did for this one as GE – Good Ending has some pure comical moments which literally made me have to stop reading through laughing too much.  It’s a tried and tested formula, the boy who loves someone, but doesn’t know how to ask, and the customary, female who helps him to get together with the girl.  Yet, GE – Good Ending, just has this freshness about it which makes you glad you picked it up to read.

Ikagami – If you were told that you were going to die in 24 hours time, what would you do?  This series explores just that, in a society where everyone has been given an injection which may contain a nano-machine which when the fated time arrives, kills the owner.  However, to make it not that bad, you’re given 24 hours notice.  Oh, and when I said it’s not that bad, it’s actually quite interesting seeing how different people reaction to this revelation.  The series is fresh, original and highly hard hitting.  Read something different, that makes you think, “What would I do if I had 24 hours left to live”.

Anime you should avoid like the plague:

It's very rare that I watch a series and recommend people NOT to watch it since it's a sheer waste of time. So far only 2 animes have ever reached the criteria for me NOT recommending them. The awards for worst made animes are:

Blame! - An anime with no plot, little talking, half of the time is spent on the closing credits and no decent music. I only know the plot because I looked it up...any anime where you have to do that is really bad.

Demonbane TV - Shouting names at the top of peoples voices seemed to be the only thing capable out of a badly written script, below average animation and a storyline that seemed...bad. Don't go watching it, look at a wall for a while, it might be more interesting that this one.

Favourite Quotes

Smile, it confuses people

You should try everything once, except incest and folk dancing - Sir Arnold Bax

Men think of only 3 things: Money, Football and what they get up to Saturday Nights....

Women only think of 9 things: Relationships, Relationships, Relationships, Relationship.....

While reading a column on another website I came across this readers comment and still love it to date...

Mike Walko: "I believe Serial Experiment Lain was put out as a test to see what was the worst possible piece of crap an anime studio can put out that people will staunchly defend as a masterpiece."