Fate Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works-The Motion Picture

 

Every few centuries, the power of fate brings together seven mages, each with a Heroic Spirit as a servant, for a battle royale known as The Holy Grail War.  The winner of this battle obtains the legendary Holy Grail itself and the power that comes with it, along with one single wish that can be granted.  Shiro Emiya is the sole survivor of the last war that consumed Fuyuki City in flames ten years ago.  Now he finds himself an unexpected participant in the next Holy Grail War.  His servant: the beautiful swordswoman, Saber.  His ally: the beautiful prodigee Rin Tohsaka.  His enemies: Numerous and unseen, save for the servant who will stop at nothing to kill him.  If Shiro is to survive, he’ll need to discover a power he never knew he had…the power to challenge Fate and change it himself.

 

There’s a lot to love about the Fate Stay Night franchise.  The lore is vast and interesting.  The Heroic Spirits are very well explored and fleshed out as more than tools for battle.  The girl power factor is off the charts, led especially by Rin and Saber.  And yes, the action is pretty damn amazing.  So what happens when you make a movie based on one of the routes of the Fate Stay Night story and eliminate more than half of those elements, or at least dumb down three of them and put a heavy emphasis on the fourth?  Well…it’s not pretty.  The animation isn’t bad but still it’s not pretty.

 

The Unlimited Blade Works movie acts as a highlight reel of the arc, cutting down hours of story and character development into a just under two hour action fest that’s 75% action sequence; 10% explanations; 10% Shiro whining about his ideals and his dreams getting slammed on; and 5% character moments.  Yep, the action takes the lead on this one and rarely ever lets up for more than a simple walk to the next fight scene (seriously that does happen) or for Shiro and Rin to make a quick plan of attack before setting out on said walk.  If you need a decent example, here’s the first five minutes: Shiro wakes up, walks to school with Sakura (who isn’t in this movie past this and one other scene), Rin summons Archer, Archer fights Lancer, Shiro gets “killed” and revived by Rin, Shiro accidentally summons Saber, opening logo…THAT’S ALL IN THE SPAN OF FIVE MINUTES!!!. If you were disappointed by that summary alone, then this isn’t the film for you and you’re better off sticking to the series adaptation of UBW that came after this. 

 

It’s kind of funny in a way.  One of the downsides to the Unlimited Blade Works TV series was how slow it got sometimes or how repetitive it got, especially when everyone danced in cirlces around Shiro’s grand dreams only to realize…he’s never going to listen so screw it.  The action was phenomenal but never came at a rapid fire pace.  There was adequate explanation and plenty of time to get to know the characters and care for Rin, Saber, Archer…even Shiro if you wanted to.  This movie gives you as bare bones info as you need to get from one fight to the next.  If you’re an action junkie that’s fine but it’s surprising how this backfires trying to chop out the slow bits and just try to keep the action train going.  The characters are the biggest casualties of this approach.  You never get to understand why many of these characters do what they do in the Holy Grail War.  Saber takes the brunt of it as she just plays action heroine or damsel in distress (dressed in a sexy outfit and placed in a provocative pose that never really gels well with anything).  But Kirei, Lancer, Castor, even poor Illya, are left in the dust and cast away almost as quickly as they’re introduced.  Thankfully, Rin and Archer don’t quite suffer nearly as badly.  Rin’s moments are some of the best as the movie never diminishes her strength, determination and gusto.  Every threat she makes, you know she’ll carry out…unlike Shiro who you could just as easily ignore cause there’s a cute Anime heroine you’d rather have the camera on at all times.  Archer’s story remains intact but that’s only because of how closely tied it is to Shiro.  Still his moments are good, if a little rushed like everything else.

 

The animation is once again done by Studio Deen, the same studio that did the Fate Stay Night TV series I just wrapped up.  Again, it’s nowhere near as gorgeous as the Unlimited Blade Works TV Series or Fate/Zero prequel done by Studio Ufotable.  But at least the animation here is feature film worthy.  The fight looks great, the characters feel like they’ve been upgraded (especially Rin).  The story may have suffered from under development but the animation is in great shape (though it may did back to the quality of the 2006 series on rare occasion).  Also, kudos to Kenji Kawaii, who also scored the 2006 series, for delivering a sweeping score that’s both ancient with its choir and orchestra and modern with the occasional guitar and trance beats.

 

Would I recommend this one to newcomers of the Fate franchise?  Probably not, or at least not as the first title (start with Fate/Zero nudge nudge hint hint).  The explanations of the world and characters are miniscule, even if the action is top notch.  A couple of characters get some stand out moments but never the true recognition they deserve…unless of course you’re Shiro Emiya and everything has to be about you but I digress.  It’s not a bad watch if you know the story and just want to kill time with a shorter cliff notes version.  In any other case, you’ll wonder how you can fill up a film with so many fight scenes that leave you so dull and unimpressed by the end.  Rin, Archer and one or two of those fight scenes save the movie for me.  For everyone else…just watch the series.  It may be a slough, but it’s a more complete experience than this movie.

 

6/10

 

Happy New Year Everyone, see you in 2017.

X: An Omen

Kakyo is a Dream Seer.  His recent dreams foretell a future in ruins, the result of an epic battle between the Dragons of Heaven and the Dragons of Earth.  As fourteen souls engage in battle, heartbreak surrounds all and Kakyo can only watch as it all unfolds.  But then he meets two young women: Hokuto, the Dream Seer head of the Sumeragi clan, whose brother is a Dragon of Earth; and Kotori, a girl tied to the destiny of two young men doomed to battle to the death.  Through both, Kakyo breaks through his despair and begins to wonder if the future is truly set.

When I was reviewing X back in November, I hadn’t actually intended to review this bonus episode.  In retrospect, I was right not to.  But for total series completion sake, I decided to write up a short review after quick rewatch.  Basically, if you want to watch an extended trailer of the X series, that’s all this OVA is, nothing more, nothing less.  The chance to capitalize on expanding the character of Kakyo, who got a good introduction before being relegated to the far background, is wasted in favor of another clip show of main events and characters from the X series in montage form.  Even Kakyo’s portions are scenes we’ve seen before in the show.  We see him talk with Hokuto and Kotori briefly and…yeah nothing new is seen.  The only smidgen of new footage (I think) we see are Kakyo trying to reach Hokuto before she is killed by Seishiro.  But that’s maybe a minute of screentime, maybe a tiny bit more.  And really, that’s such a shame.  Kakyo was always an interesting addition to X, especially since he was a Dragon of Earth who couldn’t really fight in battle.  But he was pushed to the side and pretty much forgotten when Fuma became Darth Fuma and began to act like he was the next M. Bison.  An Omen doesn’t fix any of X’s problems nor does it expand anything of relevant importance.  It’s just a trailer with Kakyo commentary.  You’ve been warned now: don’t check it out.  You’re not missing anything.  What a waste of time.  Just go right to the series and enjoy.

 

X: An Omen joins Dragon Ball Z: Bio Brolly in the tiny club of Anime Corner features to receive an historic (but still sad)…

 

0/10

T5W#72-Top 5 Titles I’m Looking Forward to Reviewing in 2017

In just a few days, the horrific time of history that is 2016 will end and a (much more hopeful I hope) 2017 will begin.  I really enjoyed reviewing most of the titles I covered this year (even went over my Top 5 last week, see here: http://gundamanimeblog.blogspot.com/2016/12/t5w71-top-5-best-titles-ive-reviewed-in.html. But I’m looking forward to next year even more.  I didn’t get to really switch things up with more less action oriented series, like Bamboo Blade (despite the Kendo) and Love Hina (which wasn’t as good as I remembered).  It was a test though and I’m deciding to stick with what I do best and if I come across an unusual series to review (Ouran High School Host Club could always happen), I might add it to the roster.  For now, here are five shows (or movies) I’m committing to review in 2017.  Hope you’re as excited for them as I am.

 

And yes, the image of a Gundam above should be a clear indicator that more classic Gundam is coming in 2017 as well…two titles actually, ill let you guess what they are.

 

#5-Peacemaker Kurogane (Spring 2017)

So I asked around with some of my friends and readers as to which of two Samuari themed Anime I should review this year.  I was kind of surprised Samurai Champloo wasn’t chosen.  But I guess that’s not such a bad thing.  Everyone knows Champloo.  Fewer know about Peacemaker and I’ve been meaning to rewatch this one sometime.  This show is notable for being almost a companion piece to Rurouni Kenshin, or at least they deal with an event set in the same time period.  Peacemaker focuses on Testunosuke Ichimura, a young boy who seeks to join the deadly Shinsengumi unit in order to avenge his parents death.  There’s swordplay, humor, drama, history, something in here for everyone I think.  Look for this one in the Spring of 2017, it might even kick off Year 4 of the Anime Blog (I start years just after the special yearly reviews…which ill actually get to later on this list).

 

#4-Martian Successor Nadesico (January 2017)

The Mecha classic that was Gurren Lagann before Gurren Lagann even existed.  Nadesico has it’s own story and characters but plays more as a parody that overly serious…and that’s not a bad thing.  You’ve got a huge but diverse cast that stands out.  The action is a call back to the glory days of 70s and 80s mecha scifi.  The humor is hit and miss but random and unexpected in a good way, a good tension diffuser.  Plus it also gives us everyone favorite monotone poster child Ruri Hoshino and her infamous “Baka” reaction to pretty much everything.  If anything, watching this series will be worth it just for the get pumped theme song, “YOU GET TO BURNING!!!”  So excited to start 2017 off with this one.

 

#3-Full Metal Panic: The Complete Series  (Full Metal Panic-February 2017, Full Metal Panic Fumofuu-Summer 2017, Full Metal Panic: The Second Raid-Fall 2017)

 

 

While I’ll get to my Summer 2017 project announcement in a moment, this could be the greatest experiment ive undertaken on this blog: three series, all related, all covered at various points of the year.  Full Metal Panic is a franchise most people could get behind.  There’s mecha for the boys, romance for the girls, slice of life for those who love High School antics, military mysteries for those who love Tom Clancy.  The first and third series are a mix of all of these things while Fumofuu is a straight forward comedy.  I’ll spread them out all throughout 2017, reviewing one per season.  Season One will follow Nadesico, maybe a mini feature since id be reviewing the first part of FMP right before Katsucon.  Summer will be Season 2, either in May or just before the big Summer Project.  And Season 3 will be between September and November.  Pretty good spacing right?  Cant wait to see how this plays out.

 

#2-Fate/Zero and Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works (July 2017)

 

As long as Netflix keeps this in it’s cycle, this is happening (Cruchyroll still has it too I think).  Two series, linked by one amazing studio and one flexible narrative.  Having wrapped Fate/Stay Night earlier this week, I’m eager to bring more Fate awesomeness to the blog.  Fate/Zero, which i kind of covered in the Fate/Stay Night Finale, is the epic prequel to the Fate series, focusing on the last Holy Grail War and the precussor generation, including the parents of Shiro and Rin.  Unlimited Blade Works is the second of three routes you can take in the original visual novel and focuses on a new telling Shiro and Rin’s Holy Grail War with a few notable differences (for those curious, the 2006 Fate/Stay Night series covers the Fate route).  Both of these shows are done by Studio Ufotable, which is continuing to take the reigns of the franchise with the upcoming Heaven’s Feel trilogy starting in 2017.  Even if these shows have some flaws, and UBW definitely has more than it’s share, both are absolutely gorgeous pieces of work.  And hey, more Rin on my blog is never a bad thing.  If I do decide to go to Otakon 2017, I’ll plan the release of these reviews accordingly to coincide with my departure.  Hope youre as prepared as I am for this epic undertaking.

 

#1-Ghost in the Shell: The Live Action Movie (March 31, 2017)

All my hopes for every American Live Action adaptation of Anime rest on this movie.  The trailer has my thumbs up.  The visuals look more honorable than defiling.  Scarlet Johansson…yeah she looks good.  My love for Ghost in the Shell is well known on this blog, I think ive reviewed every Anime except the Oshii Movies and yes those are coming in and around this one as well.  Whether the film succeeds or not, I’ve chosen to mark this as the official entry for my third year anniversary review, ending Year 3 of the Anime Corner as Year 4 begins.  This could crash and burn, but could also work on so many levels.  This isn’t just the one title I’m looking forward to reviewing in 2017, this is my most anticipated film of 2017 PERIOD (topping Star Wars Episode VIII and Blade Runner 2049).  Come on America, let’s get just this one thing right next year, ok?

Fate Stay Night Part 4 Episodes 19-24

The bloody Holy Grail War nears it’s conclusion.  With several masters either dead or removed from the game, along with their servants, it comes down to a handful of combatants:  Shiro, whose growing feelings for Saber may hinder him from sending her to the final battle; Rin, who learns a horrific secret from her past that could threaten her future; Kirei, the priest who has played a long game to meet his own demented ends; and Gilgamesh, a servant leftover from the last Grail War who has his own plans to attain the grail.  As fire threatens to consume Fuyuki City once again, Shiro, Rin and Saber must combine all their skill and might for one last battle.  When it all ends, will Shiro really be able to let go of the woman he loves?  All fates have converged on this battle.  It all ends tonight.

Ok.  Before I get into the final episodes of Fate/Stay Night, we’ve gotta talk about Fate/Zero.  As the title may imply, Fate/Zero is a prequel to Fate/Stay Night, covering the Holy Grail War ten years prior.  Shiro’s Father, Kiritsugu Emiya, along with Kirei Kotomine are two of the main characters along with Saber and Gilgamesh.  As one might imagine, many of the tragic events from the war set the stage for the main series to come (across all three Fate routes actually).  Some of these events are actually talked about (finally) in these final episodes of Fate/Stay Night.  However, having seen Fate/Zero (which was actually my entry point to the franchise), I can say that Fate/Stay Night’s 2006 adaptation is at a severe disadvantage without these events seen on screen.  The motivations of not just Saber, Gilgamesh and Kirei, but also Rin, Sakrua and Illya are all fleshed out in amazing detail, details that are only glanced at ever so briefly in Fate/Stay Night.  When Saber mentions to Shiro that she was his fathers servant during the last Holy Grail War, I expected such a revelation to have a bit more impact.  But Shiro doesn’t even dwell on it for five minutes before he kind of just moves on.  Same with Rin and Sakura’s true connection.  Again, I thought that much of Rin rescuing Sakura was great but without seeing Rin actually experience giving up Sakura to the Mato clan in Fate/Zero, it kind of pales in comparison.  Then there’s Kirei and Gilgamesh’s true reasonings behind they they’re so F’ed in the head.  My point is, going into these final episode of Fate/Stay Night, I’m actually happy I started with Fate/Zero before coming in.  Without it, the sudden appearances of several “familiar” characters and their motivations don’t have as big an effect as intended.  Instead, the revelation of Kirei as the true villain of the series and Gilgamesh popping up out of nowhere just feel like last minute tack ons to give the series one last push to the end of the war. 

With all that said, how was the finale WITHOUT looking to Fate/Zero to back it up?  It was ok.  I liked some aspects of it but that didn’t forgive a ton of missed opportunities. 

Kirei being outted as the final boss alongside Gilgamesh felt rushed.  Even Castor and Kuzuki are swept under the rug just as quickly as they appeared to make room for these two, same with poor Lancer, who has spent most of the show out of sight and mind.  Their evil was felt though.  Time and time again, this show has tried to increase the level of difficulty for Shiro and Saber.  From Rider to Berzerker to Castor and Kuzuki, this show has never run out of OP characters to throw at them.  Kirei and Gilgamesh are a whole other level.  Not only are they powerful, they’re also incredibly F’ed up individuals.  Kirei is the true embodiment of Michael Caine’s description of The Joker in The Dark Knight, “Some men just want to watch the world burn.”  He claims to love humanity, but only when it is suffering and in pain.  Pretty twisted.  And then there’s Gilgamesh…easily my most hated character in all of Anime.  His arrogance, that smug expression of superiority…and basically threatening Saber with straight up RAPE to assert his dominance over her should she be defeated in battle.  I’ve ranted about annoying character on this show before (Shiro and Illya especially).  But Gilgamesh, never before in my whole of watching Anime have I EVER wanted a character to get his ass kicked so badly.  Thankfully Saber brought the pain and proved why she is one of the two best characters in this show.  Though, ugh, I have to admit, Gilgamesh’s take down in Unlimited Blade Works is a bit more satisfying…but that’s a tale for another time.

Even without thinking about Fate/Zero, I did enjoy the theme of “legacy” going into the final battle.  Tying the two wars together through Saber’s connection to Shiro (her being his father’s former servant) and therefore his connection to Kirei (his father’s arch nemesis) gave a full circle kind of feel to this conflict.  You could feel the weight of all these revelations building on Shiro.  To top it all off, we even learned the reason why it seems impossible for Shiro to die: Kiritsugu implanted Shiro’s ultimate healing sword sheath into him to keep him safe…wow that’s fatherly love there and also explains why Shiro can suddenly become a bad ass and take on Master and Servant alike even though he trained with Saber for like five minutes.  I also liked how the series built upon the idea that Servants and Masters are matched together based on personalities and various qualities.  I like how Saber and Shiro both thought about potentially using the Grail to reset time and make sure the tragedies of their two era never came to pass (Shiro losing Fuyuki City and Saber losing her kingdom).  These two really were more alike than I gave credit for and, to their credit, they did grow together as a team.  When Shiro wasn’t trying to force his philosophy in everyones face, he had a lot going for him falling for Saber.  Knowing Saber probably wasn’t going to be around after the battle was over was a tough decision to endure.  Still, it was a suitably sad but well done farewell between the two.

Still, their issues and stubbornness aside, my bets ended up being all on Shiro and Saber.  This is mostly cause I really wanted Kirei and Gilgamesh to just die.  And also…because they freaking sidelined Rin right before the final battle…WHY?  Rin had just as much right to be there at the final battle just as much as Shiro and Saber.  Hell, without her they wouldn’t have gotten that far.  But suddenly the writers decide to just brutally injure Rin off screen and leave her to nearly die giving Shiro advice for taking on Kirei.  As much as I’m all for the outcome of the final battle, Rin needed to be there.  I said Saber was one of the two best characters on the show, well Rin is the other favorite.  I think she and Saber did more of the work while Shiro just got sliced up and beaten more than half the time.  I suppose I should be grateful that Rin ended up surviving…and that she has more screen time and story importance in the other routes of Fate/Stay Night.

Well, not sure what else there is to say but my final thoughts.  As an entry point to a much larger franchise, you could do worse but you could also do better.  The action is pretty good and the characters (annoying or otherwise) are pretty memorable, for all the right (Rin and Saber are hot and bad ass) and wrong (Shiro thinks he’s the wisest kid on the planet when he’s a total incompetent) reasons.  There’s a hefty amount of interesting lore to go along with each character but many are just scratched at the surface.  The series tends to make more time for Shiro posturing or Rin explaining every single aspect of a magical element rather than go in depth into each Servant and Master.  Seriously, I love Rin but many times I felt I was in a Magic 101 course when the show needed to be moving forward at a brisker pace.  So long as Shiro, Saber and Rin are the focus, other characters come and go at a pretty rapid pace without much extra thought.  However, if you’re looking for a solid action Anime steeped in magical mysticism, the show does its job well sure.  As I said, you could also do better.  I’d actually recommend Fate/Zero first before going into Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works and I’m going to try my best to see if I can review them for the blog in 2017.

Fate/Stay Night receives a final score of 6.5/10.  Solid female leads and good action don’t spare the fact that the show is slow at times and needlessly hampered by a less than stellar lead hero and some really annoying side characters.  It’s not the worst but maybe not the best entry point into the Fate franchise.

And that’s that…or is it?  Actually no, there’s one more review (maybe two) I have to post before I close out 2016…and you’ll see it on the Anime Corner on New Year’s Eve.  Keep an eye out everyone and thanks for an amazing year.

 

FIF#30-Fate Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya 3wei

Illyasveil von Einzbern has faced many challenges since becoming a Magical Girl: Class Cards, church enforcers, evil twins, even the craziness of her own classmates.  After a death defying battle against a monstrous 8^th Class Card, it looks like real peace is finally in sight for Illya, Miyu and Kuro.  But that battle has left their world scarred.  A tear has formed between Illya and Miyu’s worlds and now those Miyu once ran from are coming for her.  These are foes on a different level from anything Illya has ever faced before.  Even with the power of Kuro, Rin, Luvia and Bazzet at her side, this battle for the fate of two worlds may be one she cant win.

It’s the last First Impression Friday of the year (next week I’ll have some special reviews in place).  I watched the first episode of this season a few weeks back but opted to save it for now, just cause of all the shows ive covered on FIF, Prisma Illya is the only series I’ve had one here multiple times, once per season.

I’ve enjoyed this Fate/Stay Night spin off up to this point.  The magical girl elements mixed well with the cute-ification of the cast.  Some of the humor is a little…unsettling to say the least and some of the characters bother me to no end.  However, as long as Illya, Miyu and Rin were around, I was satisfied.  As we head into Season 4, it looks like we’re getting a setup that’s the exact opposite of the start of Season 3.  The time for humor seems to be passed.  It’s time to get to the nitty gritty…ok it’s not totally that serious.  However, after the first half of the episode, dealing once again with Illya’s odd choice of school friends, I get the feeling we’re in for a far different experience this time around.

Ever since the beginning of the series, one huge question has been left unanswered: Where the hell did Miyu come from?  We’ve gotten hints that she might be from another world (a la Reiji from Gundam Build Fighters).  But why she got trapped on Illya’s Earth has never been touched.  Towards the end of Season 3, things seemed to be building towards a big revelation…only to be silenced with a “Friendship is Magic” excuse to keep things quiet until Season 4.  But now it seems that Miyu’s world is coming for her…and they are pissed.  A better question to ask is not why Miyu left, but why her guardians from her world waited so long to come after her.  Yeah, it would have made Servant Card hunting a bit difficult, if not impossible given the skill level of these new fighters.  But still, it’s been quite a bit since Miyu first met Illya and company and became part of their make shift family.  You’d think something would have happened long before now.

I’m a little confused about how Miyu’s world will work.  Is it a “Mirror Mirror” replica of Illya’s world?  Is it a mash of modern and olden day era Japan?  Why is the only person Illya’s seen so far a girl in a high school gym uniform with no memory and a high annoyance factor (hey the humor needs to stick around somehow)?  But it’s only the first episode.  I cant expect a heavy exposition laden answer session right off the bat.  Now that Illya is trapped, having gone after Miyu without any hesitation, I’m sure we’re going to be in Miyu’s world a bit.  I’m more anxious to see these worlds start to bleed into each other.  With the battle against Kid Gilgamesh tearing a huge hole in their “space time continuum” there’s bound to be more repercussions…my money’s on world fusion like Mortal Kombat Annihilation…just…you know…better.

Whatever the case, the action quota is going to be higher than ever I bet.  With any signs of side character humor diversions pushed aside, it looks like we’ll get a battle royale between Miyu’s OP kidnappers and Illya’s crew.  Hopefully Rin, Kuro, Luvia and Bazzet wont be kept out of the action for too long (I watch this a lot for Rin anyway).  But the stakes were definitely raised after that first battle, when Illya and crew got the crap kicked out of them.  Illya’s little Super Saiyan Magical Girl power up at the end of Season 3 might not be able to solve every problem instantly.  So I’m wondering what prep will be involved for the inevitable rematch in the battle to retake Miyu.

Fate/Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya remains one of 2016’s biggest surprises for me and I’m glad I’ve stuck with it.  If I had been thinking and planning better, I could probably have caught up completely by now.  As it stands, I’m going to aim to get 3wei finished by the time I head to Katsucon (really all I need to do is sit down and watch an episode or two in a row to build up some momentum, plus there are an extra 2 episodes but that’s no biggie).  Could this be the finest hour of the Magical Girl Fate Stay Night Fantasy or will this be the Gundam Build Fighters Try of the series…aka the season that forgets everything that made the series fun and tries to make it depressing as hell?

I’ll let you know sometime in 2017 I guess.  Thanks for taking a look at this new blog feature.  I might take another short break from these in early 2017 but I’ll have a more final decision about that within a week.  Until then, thanks for checking out the First Impression Fridays of 2016.

Catch ya later everyone.

T5W#71-Top 5 Best Titles Ive Reviewed in 2016

In two weeks, 2016 will be over and thankfully that’s a very good thing.  As crummy a year as it has been, I cant overlook some of the good that has come out of it.  Personal family moments, the final Otakon in Baltimore, and a very healthy year for this blog.  I’ve been writing for three years now (two of them on this blog so im still counting this as Year 3).  This year though, I feel like ive done far more than I have ever imagined in terms of reviews.  The title list was through the roof, so it was hard picking five titles that should go on this end of the year, “Best Of” list.  But here are the five I settled on.  I’ll include links of each review (or the start if they’re a series) with each entry.

 

#5-Shin Godzilla

Getting to see fresh Godzilla from Japan was a great experience.  The crowd was energetic, the movie was as epic as any classic Godzilla flick…and we didn’t have to wait an eternity to see it (only like five months).  It was a far cry better than the 2014 American film and I hope that when Godzilla: King of the Monsters drops in 2019 (I think), it will learn a lesson or two from the land of the rising sun as to how to make a Godzilla film better in the United States.  Hats off especially to Hideki Anno.  The man behind Neon Genesis Evangelion was a pitch perfect directors choice alongside Shinji Higuchi.  He was born for this.  Let’s just hope this isn’t the last time these two titans of destruction cross paths

Shin Godzilla Review

http://gundamanimeblog.blogspot.com/2016/10/shin-godzilla.html

 

#4-RWBY Vol.3

I literally sat on a bench at work, trembling with rage as I watched the final minutes of RWBY Vol.3.  Did all of that really just happen?  How could Rooster Teeth leave Team RWBY in such a shattered state?  How the hell would they rebound after such a tragedy?  I was pissed…but at the same time, I couldn’t ignore just how great of a season Vol.3 had been.  It brought the feels and the crucible for Team RWBY and their allies and that’s exactly what I had wanted from Vol.1 and Vol.2.  The action was better than ever, the soundtrack continued to impress.  But Vol.3 will be forever remembered as the year that two years of build up finally bore fruit…whether we liked the outcome or not.

 

RWBY Vol.3 Review

http://gundamanimeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/rwby-vol3.html

 

#3-Code Geass

What an undertaking.  In the wake of Summer 2015’s successful coverage of Mobile Suit Gundam 00, I knew Code Geass had to be my next attempt at covering a 50 some odd episode series in a few weeks.  Whew.  So much to reminisce: the awesomeness of Lelouch and most of Season 1, the total ball drop of the first three quarters of Season 2 (with a few good beats here and there), the epic finales of BOTH seasons.  If I had known then that a THIRD SEASON was on the horizon, I probably would have hyped up the series finale even more (though guess it’s not the series finale anymore).  Ups and downs aside, Code Geass is still awesome and I’m glad I finally got to cover it.  Hoping I can get the Blu Rays and enjoy it in HD soon.

Code Geass: Season 1 Review Starts Here

http://gundamanimeblog.blogspot.com/2016/07/code-geass-lelouch-of-rebellion-part-1.html

Code Geass Season 2 Review Starts Here

http://gundamanimeblog.blogspot.com/2016/07/code-geass-lelouch-of-rebellion-r2-part.html

 

#2-The Dragon Ball Z Movie Marathon

The lack of Dragon Ball Z on my blog is kind of a crime.  Well I remedied that big time this past spring.  When I got all 15 DBZ movies, I knew what had to be done.  And yes, I did watch them all leading up to their reviews.  So many fond memories of the earlier films, so much rage at the later films, the ehhh reaction to Battle of Gods and the “F*** YEAH” reaction to Resurrection F.  Dragon Ball Z is forever cemented in my corner of the Anime world and while I may not be into it like the old days, I still love it dearly.  It’s one of my top three Anime franchises along with Gundam and Ghost in the Shell.  Hoping to maybe do a little more with Dragon Ball later down the line.  I do have all 4 Dragon Ball movies lying around plus the two DBZ Specials (Bardock: The Father of Goku and The History of Trunks).  If I didn’t have Nadesico set and planned for January, I might’ve just given it to those flicks.  Just another thing to consider for 2017.

 

Dragon Ball Z: ROCK THE DRAGON Marathon Starts Here:

http://gundamanimeblog.blogspot.com/2016/03/dragon-ball-z-rock-dragon-marathon-part.html

 

 

#1-Free

I love this Anime…just fraking accept it.  I have and I’m not sorry.  Looking past all the service for the female fans, this is a beautiful show with a story and actually tugged at me.  Free and Free Eternal Summer became my feel good Anime of 2016, a year when I was in desperate need to titles like this (and Gurren Lagann, which would have made this list if it was a full review and not a First Impression).  I think I’ve said a lot about this one, so ill let the review say the rest.  This is my top Anime Guilty pleasure…sorry, not sorry.

Free: Season 1 Review

http://gundamanimeblog.blogspot.com/2016/03/free-complete-first-season.html

 

Free: Season 2 Review

http://gundamanimeblog.blogspot.com/2016/06/free-eternal-summer-complete-second.html

 

That was 2016’s best right there.  Be sure to check back next week for the last Top 5 Wednesday of 2016 for a look at what’s coming in 2017.

Fate Stay Night Part 3 Episodes 13-18

With Shinji and Rider out of the running, the focus of the Holy Grail War turns to two of it’s most powerful entrees: Illya and her behemoth servant, Berzerker, and the crafty Castor and her own, unseen master.  With Saber in a greatly weakened state, it may fall to Archer to face an opponent he cannot defeat.  Things get further personal when Castor kidnaps Sakura, a girl who is very special to both Shiro and Rin for separate reasons.  The Holy Grail War grows more desperate and soon the true enemy, who has stalked Shiro and Rin’s every move since the beginning, finally emerges from the Shadows.

Busy, busy, busy.  I think that about best sums up week three of four of Fate Stay Night.  Servants were eliminated, masters were with killed along with them or given new roles, and we got a few new revelations to shake things up quite a bit.  It’s a lot to take in but ill try to get to it all.

I should feel a lot more sad about the loss of Archer than I really do.  He was one of the coolest characters and he was Rin’s servant.  There, however, lies the rub.  Rin and Archer really didn’t share a lot of screentime together.  In fact, the show seems quite content to keep most talk heavy scenes centered on Shiro, Saber and Rin and hardly anyone else.  I do feel for Rin since Archer was her servant and with his demise, she’s out of the Grail War running.  But if we had seen more of the likeable, bickering bond between master and servant develop futher, the impact would have been greater.  Even so, Archer’s last stand was awesome.  Even when it seemed obvious Berzerker was going to come out the victor, Archer never backed down and got his own fair share of solid hits in.  That and his skill managed to stun the annoying as hell Illya slightly, so added bonus there. 

Illya…gah never has a child ticked me off this much since Mariemea from Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz.  Except where Mariemea was a blind puppet, Illya’s just a very demented and disturbing little girl.  She has no qualms about killing with a smile on her face and throws a violent hissy fit when she doesn’t get her way.  And this kid is somehow involved in one of the bloodiest magical competitions of all time?  That is totally F’ed up.  Listening to her cheer on Berzerker to kill everyone pissed me off every time she opened her mouth to giggle and boast.  This kid needed an ass kicking more than any character we’ve seen so far.  I really couldn’t wait to see her inevitably get hers, maybe not death but at least the gut punch of things not going her way.

Before we could get to Saber taking on Berserker, we had to sit through one of the oddest scenes yet.  In order to heal Saber, Rin had to transfer some of Shiro’s magical circuits to her.  Interesting idea…until Rin kissed Shiro and suddenly started getting Saber hot and bothered to “throw them off balance”.  Now, in all honesty, this whole sequence could have been ignored all together.  It goes on a bit long and I think it’s unnecessary.  But then there’s Rin looking like she’s about to rock Saber’s world and Shiro seems oddly ok with that.  One the one hand…yeah, that’s a steamy Ship right there.  On the other hand we’re back to the Harem Anime aspect that I doubt many associate with Fate Stay Night.  It’s a little uncomfortable but still has to be seen to be believed…still, Rin and Saber, I’m all for that ship right there.

The Berserker take down was as epic as expected and everyone got in their own moment to shine.  Rin got to actually land a kill blow on Berserker all on her own, that’s my girl.  Of course the real win was the actual win as Shiro and Saber teamed up to use Saber’s legendary Excalibur (pretty much confirming Saber is King Arthur…or Arturia? I guess that’s the feminine use of that name).  I know I’ve given Shiro a ton of grief for…well being him.  But seeing Master and Servant come together as one to take down the strongest of opponents is a huge step forward.  Im not saying Shiro is out of the dog house just yet, he did take Illya into his house after the battle and that’s a huge WTF move right there.  Sure she doesn’t have her murderous giant to do her bidding anymore.  But is that really going to make her turn over a new leaf and NOT slit everyone’s throats in their sleep?  Actually, I’m just more worried that the Harem Anime aspect got amped up with this development: that’s Saber, Rin, Sakura, Taiga and Illya all more or less living under the same roof as Shiro.  Illya wants Shiro to be her slave (weird), Rin loves teasing the hell out of him in addition to teaching him.  Most criminally, Saber’s getting a bit shy around Shiro.  She didn’t have a problem with him seeing her naked before but now…sigh, love really does change everything I guess.

Wow.  Covered a lot and there’s still Castor and Kuzuki to cover.  With Berserker and Archer out of the way, the mysterious witch we glimpsed last time rears her head again, and it turns out her “master” is the freaking Terminator.  Kuzuki is an emotionless robot who can go toe to toe with masters and servants with his fists and doesn’t even flinch when he takes damage.  He easily mopped the floor with Shiro, Rin and Saber.  I get making opponents strong enough for the main trio to face.  But this guy is almost impossibly tough and as dangerous as Berzerker.  To be honest, much like Archer and his final fate, I think that Kuzuki’s character should have been given a bit more build up rather than one or two brief glimpses.  If anything, Shiro’s friend Issei would have been a better candidate for a surprise reveal.  Yeah I know they did that with Shinji being an old friend of Shiro’s, but Issei has never been a jerk.  So him hiding it so well, or playing the role of secret mage, could have been a better angle to play.

Lastly, we’ve got our other reveals.  It may seem like im just adding in a last “Miscellaneous” paragraph, but these developments were just as important.  Saber’s true identity was confirmed as the King Arthur of legend (does that make her Arturia technically?).  As to why she needs the grail, what went so bad that it would be needed for her to reset her own past?  And Rin and Sakura…well that’s a big one there.  Sisters?  Separated by family politics?  There had been hints to a deeper connection between Rin and Sakura, if only spotted in their brief interactions.  But Rin bore it all out here, risking all, even her life, to save the sister she couldn’t call sister for a really long time.  It was a really well done scene and further testament to how awesome Rin is as a character.  You’ve got to admire her strength and loyalty despite her bossy exterior.  There’s plenty of heart to go with those good looks.

I could go on a bit further about another thing or two but I think this is a good place to wrap it up for this week.  Yeesh, if this week was chalk full of material, just how bad is the finale next week going to be?  I haven’t even covered how Shiro is able to summon Archer’s swords so easily.  Well…I do know what the reason is…along with Saber and Rin’s motivations and answers to those questions I mentioned above.  But again, I’ll cover the why’s and how’s next week as I wrap up Fate Stay Night.

And barely any Shiro bashing this week…go figure.  See ya next week.

FIF#29-Dragon Ball Super

Following the defeat of Majin Buu, peace has settled on the Planet Earth.  Many have embraced this peace.  However, for restless warriors like the Saiyans Goku and Vegeta, peace can only last so long before the lure of training to become stronger becomes too great.  And they’ll need that training fast.  The God of Destruction, Lord Beerus, has awoken and is seeking the fabled “Super Saiyan God” who might be the only one to defeat him.  Beerus isn’t alone as other foes, past and new, are coming for Goku and his friends as well.  The greatest battles have yet to be fought as a brand new chapter in the Dragon Ball saga begins.

After 18 years, the Anime series that made every kid in school rush home to catch Toonami on a weekday returns.  Dragon Ball Super is a big deal for a number of reasons.  First, it’s new Dragon Ball pure and simple, a franchise beloved both in Japan and in the United States.  Second, it’s written by Akira Toriyama himself (the man who made this whole story possible).  Ergo, Dragon Ball GT is pretty much wiped from the history books (thank God) and the story can (hopefully) go down a more enjoyable route.  Unlike some other series that are returning with a new lease on life (looking at you Lelouch of the Resurrection), this is a long overdue event in the wake of the recent success of two new Dragon Ball Z Movies (Battle of Gods and Resurrection F).

I am also very well aware that this show started a year ago and I’m playing catch up.  The Z fan in me hates me for that…I’ve just been busy.

Anyway, the first impressions.  The first couple of episodes are a nice easer back into the world of Dragon Ball.  We get a chance to catch up with Goku and Vegeta and see what they’ve been up to in the lull time following the defeat of Buu.  Goku’s a…radish farmer? And Vegeta is still trying to be the ultimate bad ass while trying to learn how to be a good father and husband.  Oh and Goten and Trunks are still getting into stupid adventures cause Toriyama thinks theyre still entertaining…theyre not.

I can both commend and cringe at this choice of start for Super.  It’s good to see everyone again and interesting to see where the route of peace has taken them.  Plus, rather than reanimate events of the past, we get to see the original Dragon Ball Z footage of the final battle with Buu, that was awesome.  Then again, the second half of the first episode is full of the one thing I hate the most about Dragon Ball Z: Goten and Trunks.  Couldn’t we just skip a bit further ahead to when they’re teenagers and maybe a bit more bearable?  Their BS-ery aside, I did like some of the stuff we had with Goku and Vegeta.  Vegeta’s clearly trying to do good by Trunks and Bulma but he’ll always want to be stronger than Goku, so his attempts at family man can only last but so long.  I really like a scene between Goku and Mr. Satan where Goku begrudgingly accepts a hefty amount of money.  But really, that scene goes more to Satan than Goku.  Satan has ridden the coattails of the Z-Fighters victories for years.  Basically he’s the poster man since the Z-Fighters tend to avoid the spotlight with the supernatural fighting abilities.  Still, Satan knows Goku has saved the world and doesn’t try to ignore it.  He wants to thank him…that is a true hero right there.

One thing I do know about the earlier episodes of Super is that the first two arcs are basically extended coverage of Battle of Gods and Resurrection F.  They follow the same storylines but tweak them a bit.  For example: Beerus is already awake in the first episode and off destroying planets when they don’t give him good food.  We also learn how Goku got to go train on King Kai’s world at the beginning of Battle of Gods.  I don’t know if this is a good move or not.  A, more or less, extended cut could work in fleshing out a few things and maybe even fix a couple of the problems Battle of Gods had in particular.  But couldn’t this be a turn off for fans who want to jump past the first 20 or so episodes and get to the real brand new stuff?  It’s a strange approach and im wondering if it will pay off.  I don’t think Resurrection F needed any reworking and God help them if they decide to insert Goten and Trunks into the action (their absence made the movie work a lot better for me).  Part of me is tempted to skip ahead but I know things are either changed, reworked or totally different in many spots…damn you Toriyama, I have to watch it all.

Also, there isn’t a lot of action in the first couple of episodes (no I don’t count Goten and Trunks battling a giant snake as an action scene).  And while Z didn’t start with balls to the wall action right out of the gate, the seriousness was always there.  Super’s decision to start off light and fluffy caught me off guard, even when it worked.  Still, fans of Z going in should heed the caution anyway.

As Dragon Ball Z was the first Anime to really get me into Anime in Middle School, I feel I am obligated to watch further and see if it gets any better.  Rumor has it some serious stuff goes down later on and my all time favorite character, Future Trunks, makes a big return later on.  Guess I’ll keep going then.  Who knows, maybe the series will surprise me…it kind of already has.  Whatever the case, it’s good to see Goku and company again.  I’m surprised how much I missed them all.  Just cant wait for the action to start.  Welcome to the new age of Anime: Dragon Ball Super.

 

T5W#70-Top 5 Most Anticipated Anime Releases of 2017

Well, 2016 is (thankfully) drawing to a close.  Looking ahead, I’m already planning out a couple of shows to review here on the blog.  But I’m also looking at next years fresh releases from Japan.  While I know there will be dozens of brand new shows popping up, I’m actually looking forward to the continuation of some old favorites.  So for this T5W, I’m looking at some of these returning favorites and, let me tell you, this was tough.  This could have been another two part, Top 10 listing.  But I want a couple of open slots to close out 2016 with these Top 5’s.  So, after much deliberation, here are my Top 5 Most Anticipated Anime Releases of 2017

 

#5-Code Geass: Lelouch of the Resurrection

I covered this a couple weeks back (See here: http://gundamanimeblog.blogspot.com/2016/11/t5w68-top-5-reactions-to-code-geass.html) so I wont say much here.  Not much else to say that’s different really: Has Sunrise lost their mind?  How is Lelouch still alive?  How to they plan to top that infamously perfect finale?  High flying success or crash and burn, I’m eager to see what the return of Lelouch brings to the Code Geass saga.

 

#4-Full Metal Panic Season 4

One of the titles I have lined up to review next year is Full Metal Panic, and I intend to do it all (Season 1, Fumofuu and The Second Raid).  One of the reasons I’m gonna attempt this was the announcement of a fourth season.  Full Metal Panic has always been one of those enjoyable anime with something for everyone: Mecha, slice of life, humor, romance, a guy who wants to be the next Solid Snake (looking at you Sousuke).  Not much is known about the plot of Season 4.  However, from the lone image released, it looks like the gangs all back, even that douchebag they introduced in Second Raid who gave Sousuke nothing but grief.  Will we see more mecha action than ever?  What are Sosuke and Kaname up to after the end of Season 3?  Does Mao look damn good in that Waitress outfit?  The answer to that last question is obvious.  I’m hoping for good things from this returning classic, even if it is just spy hijinks on a cruise ship.

 

#3-Fate/Stay Night: Heaven’s Feel

Despite some of it’s flaws, Fate Stay Night has become one of my new favorite Anime franchises.  Right now, I’m covering the 2006 series from Studio Deen to close out the year and I have added Fate/Zero and Unlimited Blade Works to the list of possible titles to cover in 2017 on the blog.  The third of the three potential routes of the story, Heaven’s Feel, will finally see the light of day in 2017.  Instead of a TV series, a la Unlimited Blade Works, it will be released as a film trilogy.  This, I think is a smart move for a couple of reasons…but I’ll cover that at a later date.  It should also be noted that Anime power house, Studio Ufotable, will be taking the reins of this one.  Even if the story is iffy, these are the guys who animated Zero and UBW and those are two of the finest looking Anime I have ever seen.  I’m also looking forward to seeing Sakura’s side of the story, as I feel she’s one of the more neglected characters (especially in the 2006 series).  The whole concept of “What if?” is a fascinating one with the Fate series and I’m glad that, soon, all three routes will be available to be seen in Anime form.

 

#2-Dragon Ball Super: The English Dub

This should have happened well before now.  When Dragon Ball Super was announced, we all knew Funimation was going to get it’s hands on it for release in the States.  But when was the dub coming?  I guess because DBS is more spaced out, it cant be simul-dubbed, that would just be too hectic for the cast.  Still, the long awaited English Dub of the brand new Dragon Ball series starts on Toonami in January 2017. So much is poised for greatness here.  I already mentioned Funimation, the American Shepherds of Dragon Ball since it came to the US.  Plus, Dragon Ball has been a Toonami staple series since forever and it pretty much it’s flagship show.  On top of that, most of the Funimation Dub cast will return, including Sean Schemmel (Goku), Kyle Hebert (Gohan) and Christopher Sabat (Vegeta and Piccolo).  I know we’ve had new Dragon Ball material in the US in recent years thanks to Battle of Gods, Resurrection F and DBZ Kai.  But this is the real new stuff, the first new Dragon Ball TV series in almost two decades.  And it is set to make a huge wave here in the US.  After all, Dragon Ball was a huge hit in Japan but it’s massive success in America lead to it being one of the main shows most people associate with Anime.  Fans have wished for this for a long time.  And the Eternal Dragon Shenron is about to grant their wish.

 

#1-FLCL Season 2&3

I am absolutely terrified of this one.  The original Fooly Cooly is my favorite Anime of all time.  It’s not for everyone but it is the one for me, the one I will say has a ton of plot holes and confusion but is still flawless and perfect.  I don’t think it needs a continuation (Kind of like Code Geass).  But we’re getting one anyway.  And it’s not just one new season of six episodes, it’s two of them.  The last time Adult Swim partnered with a Japanese Studio to continue a work best left untouched…we got The Big O II.  There’s plenty of cause for concern.  But much like Code Geass, curiosity will get the better of me.  Will it be just as wild and wacky as the original?  What about Naota?  The sequel is set to take place in a new town with a new female lead years after the first season.   So what about the original cast, even though Haruko is confirmed to return.  And, probably the most important…will The Pillows return to do the score?  Even if the Anime does suck, additional tunes from this J Rock band will always be remembered.  I’m bracing for this with great fear and a twinge of hope that the legacy of Haruko Haruhara and her Rickenbaker guitar will not be tarnished.