My Review on the Anime, Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight!...

Oh my gosh, IT's been like more than a year since i've last gotten myself involved with any animes/mangas. =O Finally feeling like watching something, i decided that i was in the mood for something short and sweet... so, nothing that would require too much concentration nor dedication and commitment, my eyes caught sight of "Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight" (Manabi Straight, for short)...

I watched it, & it's good to say it's worthy of its ratings on ANN, It's not the best anime out there, but it definitely has some charm to stand out of the average... =)

Info on Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight From AnimeNFO.com...
Title : Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight!
Japanese Title : がくえんゆーとぴあ まなびストレート!
Other Titles : Manabi Straight
Total Episodes : 12
Genres : Comedy, School Life
Year Published : 2007
Studio : ufotable

What Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight Is About...
It is Year 2035 when childbirth rates have greatly decreased, causing many schools to close. Amamiya Manami, a lively girl transfers to a new school where she soon becomes the student council president and brings some excitement in the students' lives...

Characters...
There are a fair number of characters, but i shall only introduce the 2 main characters who were shown mainly in the first episode...


Amamiya Manami, a lively girl who has travelled many places and is finally settling down to attend high school. A True leader, energetic and motivational, can seem weird, but is really friendly amyway...


Inamori Mika, the only member of the Student Council until Manami's arrival, is a somewhat normal high-school girl who meets Manami as she was late to school one day. With a new president, how will her life turn out?


My Review on the Anime, Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight...
The first impression I would get when i saw an anime like Manabi Straight, I was thinking, oh no, not another high-school life anime? There's so many out there already, but why is the rating on ANN quite good for this anime? with Majority saying it's Very Good & a favourable number of "Excellents"... Thus, I decided to give it a try, hoping that i would too be able to see why Manabi Straight could be so good?

Firstly, the Animation is pretty well done. Very Cutesy but well done Character Designs, the backgrounds and sceneries are really nicely done too. Ranging from artistic wet-paintbrush styles to really detailed backgrounds, it really fits the overall relaxing mood that Manabi Straight tries to achieve, and it's all well done being manipulated to the appropriate atmospheres. =)

The music is pretty nice too... Nice theme songs, but especially enjoyed the inserts which were sung by Horie Yui. =) Oh yes, the Seiyuus all did a wonderful job, which isn't surprising cause they are all at the Top of their games, with a considerably all-star cast of Horie Yui, Nanoka Ai, Hirano Aya, even Hisakawa Aya all did very decent jobs at their parts. =)

For the storyline and plot, it's really hard to do anything groundbreaking and world-changing with only 12 episodes without sacrificing good character development, so, for an anime which wanted to bring back some Fun & Excitement into lives of Students, that's EXACTLY what Manabi Straight Did, & Exactly what they Achieved... At the benefits of Not only the students, even the teachers and principals too. =)

Well, the storyline is fairly cliche, it's been done before, and nothing new nor spectacular, but the characters and good seiyuus brought enough substance to carry Manabi Straight through to become enjoyable. What mainly made this anime Great was no doubt, thanks to the new transfer student, Manami who so naturally brought life into what had seemed like the crumbling and dying life of schools...

I don't want to spoil too much, but the characters have their base personalities, which are fairly stereotypes, but when they're all brought together, the "group" is so much funner, Enjoying & savouring each and every treasurable moment of their Student-lives.

Once again, a round of applause to the seiyuus for a great job well done, Especially to Horie Yui, because she really did achieve Manabi Straight's Goals, by giving life to Manami, being so Positive, & Influential... Sometimes, i laughed at how it got on the corny side sometimes, nevertheless, she got the message through, and it's not hard to be caught in the flow, being motivated and inspired, like a fire blazing back into their hearts. =)

Because of such great seiyuus who brought such great characters to life, Manabi Straight is able to stand out from the rest & is a nice way to pass the time. =)

However, i guess this genre isn't really generally for everyone (Definitely NOT FOR YOU if you're an action freak who loves to see their guns and mechas), OR if you're a real cynic, you probably won't enjoy this anime, OR might spend most of the time laughing your head off, because everything's positive, and everyone's nice deep inside, hoping for the best, and just purely wanting happiness and satisfaction... (which is entirely laughable at if you're the kind that loves your sadistic villains. =/)

My Rating...
6.75/10


Animation: 7/10
Comment: Well done animation with quite beautiful sceneries, and cute character designs, but not good enough to be given anymore than a 7. =/

Music/Sounds: 7.5/10
Comment: Nice theme songs, but have personally heard better, but enjoyed the "anthem" very much & the seiyuus who are at the top of their games, did a very well-done job. =)

Story: 5/10
Comment: fairly cliche and predictable storylines, nothing that will change your life.

Characters: 7.5/10
Comment: Brought to life with the wonderful Seiyuus, sticking fairly close to their stereotypes, but Manami truly shines as a leader who brings inspiration to their lives, and Mika brings some nice emotions in. =)


Tear Factor:

Comment: It won't make you cry rivers, but there are some beautiful scenes which did make my eyes tear slightly. =/

Comedy Factor:

Comment: Not specialising in the comedy either, it uses the awkward factor many times. It does get a couple of smirks out of you though. =)

Excitement/Suspense/Surprising Factor:

Comment: Seriously, if Any, there's really not much surprise with this fairly predictable storyline... =/

Meaningful Factor:

Comment: It's not a Tear-Jerker, Not a Comedian, Not a Rollercoaster, but Manabi Straight does successfully bring out some meaning into their lives, which anyone can relate to and understand. =)

Overall, not a ground-breaking, award-winning anime that will change your life or anything, but it's not entirely a waste of time, and worth a watch if you're looking for something fairly short and sweet, and some hope and inspiration in your life. =)

Click Here to See Legend...


Screenshots...
Just two screenshots of the pretty animation. =)






Whew, this took quite a while to write, lol, cause i haven't written an anime review in ages and i'm getting real rusty. =/

Until the Next Post,
JoeL Un... x)

My Review on the Manga, Fushigi Yuugi...

I apologise for my EXTREME Inactivity for the past year due to my final year in high school. Yes, you can imagine all the workload, the final year exams, graduation, school ball (known as prom in most places), and etc.etc. Life was Really Busy, & I had been avoiding Animes & Mangas for... oh my gosh, like about 1 -2 years now. LOL. Wow, that's sad... =_="""

But Anyways, So, Onto My Review~ =D (Oh btw, I know it's been ages since i last reviewed a manga, sooo... sorry, if this review's not good. T_T""" I'll try my best. T_T)


Fushigi Yuugi, I had read the first 3 volumes 3 years ago... But never ever got around to finishing it. But I was Hooked onto the Pretty Nice Artwork & The SUPER Hooker Plot!!! =O Sooo, I finally Got around to Getting Hold of ALL The VolumeS & I Spent a WHOLE DAY Completing the Manga Series. x)


Info on Fushigi Yuugi From AnimeNFO.com...
Title : Fushigi Yuugi
Japanese Title : ふしぎ遊戯
Total Volumes : 18
Total Chapters : 106
Genre : Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Love-Romance, Shojo, Super Power
Year Published : 1992
Author : Watase Yuu (渡瀬 悠宇)
US Distribution : Viz Communications, Inc.


What Fushigi Yuugi Is About...
A typical student preparing for high school entrance exams, Miaka, goes to study with her best friend, Yui. They both find a book, "The Universe of the Four Gods" where their wishes may be granted when they reach the book's end... As they turn the pages, they find themselves drawn into the book, ending up in a Mysterious World???

Characters...
A bit lazy to work on this part >_<""" BUT There was this page in the Manga which nicely summarises most of it. So Here Goes. XD



My Review on the Manga, Fushigi Yuugi...
Okay. So The Storyline of Fushigi Yuugi is a Pretty Long Series & Can be Divided into 2 Arcs... From Volume 1 up to 13, & the 2nd arc from Volume 14 to 18... & Personally, I much Enjoyed the First Arc over the Second. Sooo, this review may be a bit... lopsided. LOL

Okay, So Firstly, The Art & Design of Fushigi Yuugi overall is Really Well Done. Beautiful Sceneries & Details in the Clothes & Architectures which sometimes are taken for granted. =/ The Character Designs are VERY Good Too!!! The Special Effects were also pretty well done too considering the Limited Technology from back them. =O Plus, Considering this is a shoujo manga, Watase Yuu has produced some pretty good Fantasy Action Scenes. Sooo, Definitely a Well Done Job! ;)

But The MAIN Reason why this Manga Shines because of its Complex, But Very Well planned, Cleverly laid-out, & Wonderful Story Telling, With Enough to Develop the Main & Supporting Characters, Fushigi Yuugi is Able to Communicate a Wonderful Story of True Love that Will NOT Be Lost nor Given Up... Between Families, Between Friends, Between Lovers & Even Between Enemies...

Mainly, for the First Arc, I Really Loved the way that Watase Yuu had set out the Story, with Many Surprises in Store, It was Very Hard to Predict what the Bad Guys had In Store. =X Or maybe I'm just naive & Gullible, being sucker for these things since Fantasy, Action & Adventure isn't my usual genre. =/

But Also, There was enough Pages to Venture into the Pasts of Most of the Characters, As well as Developing them. Through Thick & Thin, Good Times as well as Bad Times, I Grew attached to Many of the Characters as I can feel the sincerity & the Human Qualities & Flaws of Each & Everyone of Them, Thus, Their Joys & Pains Could Be Communicated Through this Wonderful Story-telling Skills & The Time Taken to Develop these Bonds that the hooked Readers will form with the Characters. T_T

Yes, & If you manage to get hooked onto Fushigi Yuugi Just Like Me, You Will DEFINITELY Find Yourself Tearing for the Losses that the Characters May Face in their Journeys. However, There are Also Beautiful "Miracles" & Watase Yuu Is able to Communicate Such Beautiful Messages of Love Between People of All Kind through the Characters, Wonderfully Woven with Qualities & Flaws, As Close to Humans as Can Be...

I Did not enjoy the 2nd Arc as I should have, but It does Please those Fushigi Yuugi Fans who Definitely WANT MORE Fushigi Yuugi at the end of Volume 13 (which i am one of them too XD). However, I found the 2nd Arc less enjoyable a fair bit. perhaps there was less comedy, or perhaps, it became a bit predictable... Mainly, I guess there were too many words in the 2nd part, & I was a bit too tired to read most of the messages. Sooo they didn't really move me as they could have...

Feels sad that i didn't enjoy it as much as I Could have. BUT, I Still Enjoyed Fushigi Yuugi, & It Is Definitely an Enjoyable Manga For Those Shoujo Fans who are into bishonen. Hahaha. XD

Anyone who's up for a Story of True Love that Cannot be separated Should Enjoy this Story. After all, I don't usually read Fantasy/Adventure Mangas But the Plot & Storyline of Fushigi Yuugi got me hooked, & I couldn't put the book down as i kept flipping through the pages, ANXIOUS to Know what would happen NEXT!!!! T_T"""

I guess some may find the romance a bit too mushy, and maybe even disgusting. I would suggest you to keep your distance from Fushigi Yuugi if you do find such romance disturbing, as it will get "worse" & "Worse" with each passing volume. =/ HOWEVER, For Those of Us who Can't Resist Such Wonderful Happy Lovely Fairytales, XD You Should Enjoy It, Cause I can't see why Not? =/

& Here is My Rating. x)

My Rating...
8.5/10


Art & Design: 8
Comment: Well Drawn With Beautiful Character Designs & Some Spectacular Sceneries... I liked the Effects of the Powers too. =) Done Very Well. ;) Also, considering how long ago this manga was produced without much Helpful Technology. =X The Wonderful Details in Watase's Drawings... Clothes, Statues, Architectures, Much Effort has been Put into this Manga. x)

Story: 8.5
Comment: Watase Yuu Laid out the Plot very Well... I found the story to progress at a nice pace. Sometimes, trying to fit a bit of humour in some serious situations. some may find that weird, But I'm okay with it. =) After all, some Light-heartedness is needed for this pretty deep storyline. =O

Characters: 9
Comment: Many Characters were used in this manga, But For All the Main & Most of the Supporting Characters, Much of their Background Stories & Character development is Shown, & So, it's not hard to share the bond with those Very Human Characters. Very Well Designed as well with Enough Depth & Characteristics, They were how the Emotions of Love were Communicated through this Manga, & They Did a Very Very Great Job... Bravo!


Tear Factor:

Comment: As the Characters form this really strong bond with its readers, The Obstacles that the Characters have to Face becomes Quite Tragic, & Some Immense Losses will cause you to shed a tear or two ( and maybe even more) T_T"""

Comedy Factor:

Comment: If you Enjoy Shoujo Comedy, Well, I found myself laughing along with the Pretty Original Jokes that Watase Yuu came up with. x) As well as Very Funny Expressions by the Characters. XD

Excitement/Suspense/Surprising Factor:

Comment: I found myself Constantly Anxious & Surprised by What would Happen As Well as What Would Happen NEXT... Yes, There Were Numerous Surprises Which Just Caught me Off Guard. But as mentioned, maybe cause i'm a sucker who naively believes everything too. =X LOL However, the 2nd arc was less "exciting" in my opinion =/

Meaningful Factor:

Comment: Very Strong Messages About How Powerful Love Can be, As well as The Presence of Love Between Any 2 People, Whether Friends, Family, Lovers & Even Enemies... Fushigi Yuugi Is Definitely Able to Fill the Hearts of Those who Believe in the Hope for True Love & The Characters Communicate the Meaningful Messages So Wonderfully... T_T

Overall, I Really Enjoyed Fushigi Yuugi. Mainly the First arc, & Lesser of the 2nd arc. HOWEVER, I Still Enjoyed The Amazing Surprises, Wonderful Storyline, As well as some Chinese History? (haha). But Mainly, The Characters who Feel So Human... T_T. It's as though they could actually be your real friends. T_T""" Bravo, Watase Yuu For Such a WONDERFUL MANGA~~!!!~!~

Click Here to See Legend...


& Here's a Preview of one section of the manga? x)


Okay, Until the Next Review,
JoeL Un... =)

ROUND TABLE feat. Nino - Koi wo Shiteru...

I know I haven't updated this blog in ages, & I won't really be updating, cause i've basically put my anime interests on pause because it's my last year of high school & all the bla bla major exams... Anyway...

Thanks to an Anonymous who had been posting on my Round Table feat. Nino Post, My Passion was been somewhat reignited... & I Found out that They've Just Released a New Song!!~! & Their Last Song was "Oh! Yeah!!!" from CLAMP in Wonderland II. But it wasn't exactly a single, i think. =/ Before that was "Puzzle" in 2006 for the Anime, NHK ni Yokoso!!! Which i have reviewed. x)



Tracklist:
01. Koi wo Shiteru
02. Symphony
03. Takaramono -homemade demo ver.-
04. Koi wo Shiteru -without Nino-
05. Symphony -without Nino-

Anyways. SOoo This New song, "Koi wo Shiteru"...

I was checking it out on Youtube, & The Chorus instantly hooked me!!! =O It's The Round Table's Unique Style of Pop, Dance/Disco, R&B... & Sometimes Jazz, maybe? But Their Unique Style Is Really Appealing & I Just LOVE their Songs... & This Song is a Yet Another Nice song of theirs...

Many blogs & journals I checked out generally didn't think this song was very good. Like some comments ranged from "a bit repetitive" to "good, but nothing that stands out"... Well, nevertheless, It's a Nice Song Which Gets Me in a Nice Happy, Light-Hearted & Bouncy Mood~~! (^_^)

The 2nd Song in the Single, is "Symphony"... It's the Round Table's Cover of Makino Yui's "Symphony" from the single which was from the anime "ARIA The Animation"... =D

Like, Makino Yui's Version Is Very Beautiful... The Melody's strong, & Her Vocals really Brings Power to the Song...

BUT, Round Table feat. Nino's version... Is more R&B with the bubbly smooth background music, And Nino's Vocals Makes this Cover a very Relieving song... It's a Really Great Song to Chill Out & Relax to... (^_^)

& The Other Song, which is supposedly a demo version... =/

It sounds like a good song so far, x) I Wonder How Great IT'll Sound when It Actually Gets Produced. =O

I'll Let Myself be Surprised. x)

Hmmm... For now, I was like, Looking for ways to Download this Single... & I Came across this blog... Which gave a Megaupload Link to the Single's Download. Too bad it didn't have scans. But Well, Just for the Songs, It's TOTALLY WORTH IT!!!

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=UZPKAFS5

with Credits to:
http://bangbangtang.wordpress.com/2008/06/27/round-table-feat-nino-koi-wo-shiteru/

Yep, So I'll Be Enjoying Round Table feat. Nino's Songs... x)

Well, Hmmm... yeah, I won't really be updating this blog until who knows... November/ december or maybe next year. =/

Well, Until the Next Post (Which won't be anytime soon, i think)
JoeL Un... (^_^)

Oh, & If Anyone has any leads to HElping me Find the Downloads of Round Table's Songs, before Nino Joined the Group. It'd Be Really Nice to DL those Albums & Singles. x)

The Discography is here. =)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ROUND_TABLE_featuring_Nino#Discography_.28Round_Table.29

My Review on the Anime, NANA...

I Had Been Craving for an Emotionally Powerful Anime, & I Stumbled across NANA... Yes, It IS Powerful... Emotionally Heart-Breaking... But Realistically Cruel at the same time...


Info on NANA From AnimeNFO.com...
Title : NANA
Japanese Title : ナナ
Total Episodes : 47
Genres : Drama, Love-Romance, Music, Slice-of-Life
Year Published : 2006
Studio : Madhouse Production


What NANA Is About...
One wintry evening, Komatsu Naka happens to sit next to Osaki Nana on a train bound for Tokyo. Komatsu Nana goes to seek out her boyfriend and a new life in the city, while Osaki Nana goes to pursue a career in music. They soon become friends after finding out they had the same names and through getting to know one another. Coincidentally, during their search for an apartment, they meet again and decide to live together...


Characters...
There Are MANY MANY Characters in this Anime... Characters that were important at the start, that became less important in the later part of NANA, or those that weren't important at the start, and become more and more important in the later half of NANA... So I'll Introduce the 2 Characters that have been the MOst Important Throughout the Whole Series...


Komatsu Nana, gentle, innocent, naive and like a puppy... She goes to Tokyo to find her boyfriend and live a new life there...


Osaki Nana, calm and cool, goes to Tokyo to pursue a career in music...


My Review on the Anime, Nana...
Been Craving for a POWERFUL, Dramatic Anime. Came across NANA, & It Has DEFINITELY Satisfied What I've Been Searching For... Yes, It is POWERFUL, Dramatic, Emotionally Heart-TEARING As Much As Impact of the Cruelty of Reality in the Storyline... NANA would Make Any Shojo Anime Lover Laugh, Cry, Frustrated, Touched, Emotional, & CRY EVEN MORE~!!!

To Start off With... The Animation is Pretty... It's Nothing Extremely Spectacular, however, Everything Works Welll & Looks Beautiful... The Sceneries, The Designs of the Buildings... The Character Designs & Outfits are All Very Well Done Too... Thus, Animation is Very Well Done...

About the Music? At First, I couldn't really stand the punk rock music, being a j-pop lover... But After Watching NANA, my interests have broadened & I Like the Songs that have been Performed by both Anna Tsuchiya & OLIVIA... They're Great Songs & They Fit Well in the Anime... =) The Seiyuus Did a SPECTACULAR JOB As Well. The Whole Experience was Great in my opinion, and nothing seemed flawed to me... =/

The Storyline... With a Very Unique Coincidence Occuring Right from the Very Beginning, NANA is started off as Komatsu Nana sounds like she's reminiscing their first meeting in the future... Komatsu Nana meets Osaki Nana and they both are polar opposites of each other, however their friendship surpasses friendship... & Seems like the Most Powerful Bond Between Any Friend could Have...

NANA Starts off by bringing its viewers to view the backgrounds of both of the Nana's... Then the story goes on as though it was everyday life where nothing special happens... However, these peaceful days were necessary for the viewers to be able to explore the personalities of both Nana's further, and watch them enjoy their daily lives, the funny comedy, the development of their relationships as we meet more and more characters...

After That, NANA Starts Climbing to Reach a Strong Climax which further develops the relationship of both Nana's.... This was when it had seemed as though the characters from Komatsu Nana's Old Life were disappearing from her current life as Komatsu Nana starts getting involved with Osaki Nana's Band... & Then The Storyline Started Building Up Again from there... yet still not fully recovering from the previous climax...

Not Wanting to spoil the story, this is all i can say... But The Conflicts & Dillemas just kept Piling Up... & This was where the Characters WERE EXTREMELY NECESSARY To Be Able Bring Out The Emotions of The Viewers... Thus... I believe that The Characters and Story go hand-in-hand with each other as both Characters & Story are Needed to bring out the Best In Each Other...

Both Nana's might at first, seem like those normal, typical energetic, girly Komatsu Nana & Cool, tomboy, punk rocker Osaki Nana... However, If you thought that? Prepare to be proven Wrong, Cause They AREN'T That Shallow & They're Personalities are Deeper & Stronger than You Think. & Thus, I Think the Presentation was very well done in Bringing out Their Characteristics, Thoughts & Opinions...

The Relationship Both Nana's Share goes through Ups & Downs as well... But Overall, The Relationship is Strong & a Really Beautiful Bond to View... I'm Happy that The Anime Bothered to Venture MORE into The Lives of the Other Supporting Characters & Even Developed them quite some bit & Explored Them More... Instead of just using them and throwing them away... NANA sort of reuses them even though they might seem a bit distant... But At the End... The Past Still has a Major Impact on Both Nana's Overall Character Development & Storyline...

Like I Said, Every Character is Developed Well, All of the Black Stones, & EVEN The Rival's Band, Trapnest, which seems totally unnecessary, however, NANA actually bothered to venture to their side... & Thus, I have to Say a Very Well Done Job... =)

With All This Said... My Overall Impression of NANA is that... I'm REALLY Attached to the Characters of This Series, & I Believe that's What Makes an Anime Series Great... Its Characters, & If They're Developed So Well, You Can Imagine That They're REAL... Those Animes are Definitely Better than the Usual Average ones around... Personally, I myself can Relate to the Selfish, Sensitive side of Osaki Nana, though i don't share similar tastes in the way she dresses...

Throughout the Progress of the Series, I Kept Finding Myself Crying & Calling Komatsu Nana Stupid For Constantly Choosing the Wrong Choice... 2 Choices and 1 of them Leads to the Truest Happines Anyone Can Have, she Just HAD To Pick the WRONG ONE?! WHY?! I Would have Hated The Series, but NANA had Explained Both Sides Well, & Thus, I Am Able to Accept the Storyline as it is now... However, I REALLY WISHED FOR THE OTHER ONE!!!

Well, Firstly, It is because of the Cruelty of Reality... I Guess, if you are able to look at it through Komatsu Nana's Point of View, When you have no one to lean on, you will rely on the first help you can get... & Thus... This would Hurt Most of The Viewers... Thus, If you don't Share Komatsu Nana's Point of View... You would then Agree with Osaki Nana's Point of View, which i share as well... However, at the end of the series... I Feel that, Reality's Cruel, But If this is how Life Is... then Let it Be. We Truly Do Not Have Any Control over Someone Else's Choices & Decisions in Life...

Hence... NANA is a DRamatic, Powerful & an EMOTIONALLY HEART-RIPPING Series!!! Yet REALISTICALLY CRUEL~!!! T_T If you're the kind of viewer like Me Who Prefers a Happy Ending Rather than a Cruel, Realistic Ending... You Won't Be Able to Fully Enjoy nor be Fully Satisfied with NANA... But Then Again... The Final Ending of NANA... I have to Say that It was a Really Nice Ending, a nice Way to End such a Climatic Series... Or Maybe It's Just Me... =/

But Yet Again... I Won't Forget NANA for being One of the Most Powerful Animes of 2006 Out There... If they're going to Make a Second Season, I'll DEFINITELY WATCH IT!!!

Of Course, I Only Recommend this Anime for those viewers who are interested in a really dramatic, slice-of-life, powerful anime that will make you cry... about love and life...



My Rating...
9.25/10


Animation: 9/10
Comment: The Animation is Done beautifully. The Sceneries Are Beautiful, The Character Designs Are Orignal & Great, The Outfits Are REALLY GREAT TOO~ It's Nothing Spectacular, But They Work Really Well with this Series... =)

Music/Sounds: 10/10
Comment: Beautiful/Powerful Songs Performed by Anna Tsuchiya & OLIVIA, They Fit Well in the Series & the OST are great as well... The Seiyuus did a SPECTACULAR JOB!!! I Don't See Any Flaws...

Story: 9/10
Comment: The Story starts off with a Unique Coincidence, & Builds Up towards Climaxes... Overall, I Believe the Storyline Is Really Well Planned, & has Worked Well with the Characters that it was working with... However, I Wished for the Alternative Happier Ending... T_T the Storyline of NANA is Powerful, emotional, Heartbreaking, But Realistically Cruel... T_T

Characters: 10/10
Comment: Both Nana's have Been Developed VERY Well, I Can Feel Them as Though They're Really Unique People... I Personally can relate myself to Osaki Nana... All the Supporting & Side Characters have Been developed As well... NANA Does Very Well in Using the Characters it has Introduced and Reusing them again, without forgetting them... =) But The Development & Exploring of both Nana's Personalities & the Black Stone's & the other characters are Really SUPERB!!! The Characters have Worked Very Well Hand-in-Hand with the Given Powerful Storyline... T_T


Tear Factor:

Comment: NANA Will DEFINITELY Touch You, & It Made Me Cry a Lot, (though i've cried more before)... But Yeah. NANA is an Anime That is VERY Dramatic & Heart-Breaking... T_T Prepare yourself with Tissues for this Powerful Anime... T_T

Comedy Factor:

Comment: The comedy is Rather Decent, & I Enjoy Every Bit of Laughter that Comes Along... =) Though the Comedy is Not NANA's Main Focus...

Excitement/Suspense/Surprising Factor:

Comment: There Is A LOT of Surprises... However, sometimes, you can probably guess what would happen next, But Overall, I'm Really Surprised by the Outcomes of Nana... It Didn't End The Way I Wanted it To, cause NANA has decided to give a Realistic Outcome instead of a Happy Ending... T_T

Meaningful Factor:

Comment: Definitely Meaningful... The Powerful Friendship that Can Be Formed from Just a Coincidence, the Amount of Emotions in it... NANA contains a Lot Of Meaning & Lessons about Life... Both Beautiful Yet Cruel... Life Doesn't Always Go the Way We Want it To... NANA Is A Very Powerful & Meaningful Anime as well... T_T

Overall, I REALLY LOVE the Series NANA, however, I Really Wished for the Alternate Ending Which could have been SO MUCH MOre Happier for Everyone... T_T But There's No Doubt about it that NANA is a Really Powerful, Dramatic, Emotional Anime...

Click Here to See Legend...


Screenshots...
A Few Screenshots to See the Well Animated Sceneries. =)








Well. I Really Enjoyed the Series, But I Still Can't Help Wishing that NANA PICKED THE OTHER ONE!!!

Oh Well, Will Watch the Live Action Soon. x)

Until the Next Review...
JoeL Un... T_T"""

I'm Still being Emotionally Impacted By NANA!!! T_T

My Review on the Anime, Hidamari Sketch...

Hidamari Sketch... I randomly stumbled across this anime & decided to try it out because it was slice of life and it had pretty good ratings. =/ What I Didn't realise was that it was produced by SHAFT, the same company that produced Animes like Pani Poni Dash!, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, and a number of other WACKY Animes (O_O)""". It's Interesting that SHAFT has tried to produce an anime of a different Genre, & Has Made A Really Great Anime!!! =O


Info on Hidamari Sketch from AnimeNFO.com...
Title : Hidamari Sketch
Japanese Title : ひだまりスケッチ
Total Episodes : 12
Genres : Comedy, School Life
Year Published : 2007
Studio : SHAFT


What Hidamari Sketch is About...
Yuno has just begun high school where she always wanted, Yamabuki High School. She moves out and into an apartment by herself in a complex called Hidamari Apartments, which is right in front of the school. There, she meets new friends. Although she's not used to her new life style, she tries to get used to her new life while her new friends...


Characters...

From Left to Right...

Hiro, caring, kind and like a mother, but is very conscious of her weight...

Sae, interested in writing fiction rather than arts, is tall, athletic, and generally mature, but has a playful side that can be at the same time enigmatic and cunning.

Yuno, the main protagonist in the story. Her friends think of her as a very nice person, but she spends her days having fun and trying to realise her dreams...

Miyako, has an active personality and is always trying to have fun with her friends. Her exuberance frequently borders on the childlike, but she is undeniably creative.


My Review on the Anime, Hidamari Sketch...
Hidamari Sketch... A Calm, Peaceful Anime about the Everyday lives of 4 art students who live in the same apartment... yet, Hidamari Sketch is Different from other animes... For some reason, after watching Hidamari Sketch, I feel as though it would be injustice to call this anime "just like those normal ones..." Cause It IS NOT!

Firstly, I Found the Animation done really Well... Well, it is expected since SHAFT is the producer, However, I Always found the Many Different Styles of Animation used in Hidamari Sketch Very Interesting, & the Variety Makes It a Wonderful Watch, and never too "same old same old"... Whether it's using real life pictures, or wacky/modern art styles, Even the Paintings Were REALLY AMAZING~! =O The Character Designs may seem a bit cute-sy, But they Work Well, & I liked their designs. =) The Animation was Done Really Well~!

& the Sounds? The OP Theme is a Fun, Light-hearted Song with a Catchy Beat. x) The ED theme is a Beautiful Song with a Sweet Melody... So Every Episode is Started off Happily & Energetically, and whether it ends happily or ends leaving you with thinking, the beautiful ED theme will sum up Every Episode in a Satisfying Way... x) The Seiyuus Did a Good Job. Once again, I Have No Complaints here. x)

well... The Story? Every Episode is Jumbled up, but each showcase one of the months in Yuno's first year in Yamabuki High School, & Unlike Suzumiya Haruhi's jumbling which may cause confusion, you won't mind the jumbled up episodes of Hidamari Sketch. What makes it Interesting too is that, some things that you see in the earlier episodes, the details would be explained in the later episodes anyway. Well, Basically, every episode features Comedy, Emotions, Thoughts & Reveals More & More Characteristics of Yuno and her Friends...

Without too many characters, Hidamari Sketch works Well for a short and sweet 12 episode anime, As each episode will Develop the main characters while showing the other supporting characters without ever leaving them out. x) & I dislike it when animes introduce a certain character and just dumps it after it has finished "using" it. -_- Also, Every Character in Hidamari Sketch are Eccentric & Different in Some way... Well, Okay, I'm sure we've seen these sort of characters somewhere before... There is Nice, naive Yuno. Energetic Miyako. "Cool" Sae. & Motherly but Weight-conscious Hiro. However, Hidamari Sketch have developed these characters to a such an extent that made their personalities Unique. They're not the same Characters as those you probably would have seen in other animes. The Interactions, Reactions & Bond between the 4 Tenants of the Hidamari Apartment Always Makes you Feel Warm, Comfortable & As though you're in a Home Sweet Home...

& Thus, whether this is or isn't the purpose of Hidmari Sketch, It has Definitely Achieved in being a Nice, Homely yet Different Anime... Not the Kind that would put you on the edge of your seat, not the kind that will make you excited for more or laugh like crazy or cry buckets, but a peaceful anime that will be ready to entertain you anytime you're ready. The Comedy that will Make you Laugh Out Loud, random fun little "adventures" that the gang has and Yuno's & her Friends' Personal Thoughts & Emotions, Every Episode of Hidamari Sketch is Interesting & Great to Watch... x)

I Really Enjoyed Hidamari Sketch, & I'll probably watch it again sometime in the future. Probably in the actual order though, just to see if it would make more sense. x)

But Well, somehow similar to the anime series, ARIA. If you're Expecting Something out of this anime, You won't get It. But if you can watch slow animes without being bored, and can just take Hidamari Sketch slowly, & enjoy every single moment of its slice-of-life fun and thoughts, you will then be able to appreciate this gem. x)

So I Hope I Don't see any Bad Hating Reviews/comments of Hidamari Sketch saying that It's Boring or etc. cause they were expecting it to be more "fun" or "exciting". >=(


My Rating...
8.5/10

Animation: 9/10
Comment: The Variety of Animation Styles are as expected by SHAFT, but still Done Really Well and almost every scene is like an artwork itself... x)

Music/Sounds: 9/10
Comment: Cheerful OP, Beautiful ED, Seiyuus did a Great Job. Can't Complain, can I? XD

Story: 7/10
Comment: Nothing Extreme, but every episode has a little adventure or twist and contains good comedy, thoughts and character development. =)

Characters: 9/10
Comment: The Bonds between the Characters is Really Tight, & You can actually feel the warmth and happiness of their friendship, even though all the characters are different with interesting personalities. x)


Tear Factor:

Comment: Nothing that will make you cry, but there are some episodes that will move you a bit. =)

Comedy Factor:

Comment: Not Meant to be an Anime that Makes you Laugh your Head Off. But It has Good Decent Comedy That'll Make you Smirk or Laugh Out Loud Every Episode. x)

Excitement/Suspense/Surprising Factor:

Comment: For a Slice of Life anime, one should not expect surprises or excitement, however, there are some parts that i found surprising. =)

Meaningful Factor:

Comment: Hidamari Sketch is Pretty Meaningful as every Episode contains Emotions or Thoughts that will leave you thinking and wondering (in a good way)... =) The Strong Bonds of their Friendship is Really Great Too... as well as Yuno who tries to realise her dream. =)

Overall, Hidamari Sketch is an Interesting Watch, & Isn't your typical anime out there even though it might contain boring genres or similar characters to other animes. BUT If you can appreciate this gem, You should be able to see why i think it's different and unique in its way. =)

Click Here to See Legend...


Screenshots...
For a Preview of Hidamari Sketch's Animation, here are a few Screenshots. x)








Oh Well... In the end, i never finished Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A's & started watching this anime. Anyway, I Enjoyed Hidamari Sketch even though i took 2 weeks or more to watch it. -_-""" But well, i still feel as though I want another good slice of life anime. x)

Until My Next Review,
JoeL Un... x)