Review: Comical Psychosomatic Medicine

A couple of episodes back, I (super briefly) talked about Comical Psychosomatic Medicine on the podcast. Seeing as how I haven’t written a review in a while and am being threatened by papa bastard, I figured why not just write a quick and simple little review for you guys to read and enjoy. Ok, so you probably won’t enjoy it but at least my job will be done. Let’s get something out of the way here: CPM consists of 20 episodes, each with a runtime of about 5 minutes (including opening and closing). There is no plot, no story, no character development, NADA.  What we have are two main characters, a doctor and a nurse, and their sole purpose is to educate us about psychological/mental disorders.  Any disorder you can think of, they cover: erectile dysfunction, Lolita complex, sleeping disorders, depression, etc, etc.

Of course, what good is an educational anime without jokes, right? I’m talking about tons and tons of dirty, perverted jokes. Every episode is chock full of them, yet they still manage to get the educational bits out without it being weighed down.  There’s also tons of puns and pop culture references which is nice. Too many dirty jokes and it just becomes dull and pointless to watch.

I wish I could elaborate on the art, but there really isn’t much to be said. Although this ONA came out in 2015, it looks dated.  Characters designs are reminiscent of those from the early 2000s.  It was almost like watching something from ’04 but in 1080p and with colors that pop. Again, it’s not necessarily bad, but it’s something to keep in mind if you’re really tempted to check this out.

So there you have it, ladies and gentlemen.  If you’re in the mood for something educational and always comical, definitely give this a go.

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Comical Psychosomatic Medicine

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Review: Shirobako

Since being dubbed a co-host of Super S – Anime Podcast, I’m always in constant search of finding something to watch to share with you guys, whether it’s bad or good. I mentioned Shirobako in a previous episode and gave it pretty good praise. It wasn’t until I watched more that I realized how much I undersold it and how much of a gem it truly is. Shirobako revolves around Aoi Miyamori and the production company she works for in their quest to complete a 12 episode series, Exodus. Yes, it’s essentially a freaking anime about making anime, though there’s more to it than just that. It’s a good look at a production company and all the technical aspects necessary to complete an anime. Not only that, but it also gives us an inside look on what a company must do in order to survive out there as a business. That alone peaked my interests and had me hooked from the get-go. Again, the series is not just a “how-to.” There is an actual story being told, which is greatly appreciated.

One of the areas where this anime really excels is with the characters and their development. All the character (around 20 or so) are all likeable and in some way relatable. There isn’t a character that you can’t get on board with. You have the jokester, the “heroine” (Aoi), the shy, timid one, etc, etc. As each episode is almost episodic, there’s a new problem or obstacle for our character(s) to conquer (eg. not getting the voice acting job, 3D vs 2D animation, getting key cuts completed, and so on and so forth). Because of that, we’re exposed to a lot getting to know the characters. Seeing each one come to their resolution brings a sense of fulfillment. It’s not done in a cheesy matter and they’re not instantaneously a completely different person. It’s subtle and done in a way that an actual person comes to terms when facing an issue of their own.

The animation is superb. The scenery/backgrounds are like what you’d find in movies: high quality and lifelike. It’s that good, every episode. There's also great detail put into everything being depicted. The male character designs are fine. Each male character is different and looks in no way similar to the next. I wish I could say the same for the females, though. If it weren’t for the different hair colors and clothing, you honestly would not be able to tell them apart. Luckily none of the enjoyment is taken away because of that, so I’ll overlook this trope as everything else is too good to ignore.

There are only two issues that I came across. One, and it’s really probably an only an issue for me, was the number of characters. Twenty characters is a lot to keep up with. Trying to remember their names and their positions was a chore. As it is, my memory sucks, so yeah...no easy task for me. Secondly, there wasn’t a character that you know every office has: the bitch/jerk. I mean, every office HAS one. It’s hard to believe that they wouldn’t have included one here. I would have loved to seen that dynamic tackled.

Shirobako is, of course, with some minor flaws, but thankfully those are easily ignored. This anime is definitely not for everyone. It’s light-hearted with a whole lot of slice of life, which is apparently my go to (thank you for pointing that out, Dustin), and is down right charming. There’s something about seeing how an anime is made that is strangely interesting and makes me appreciate the process even more.

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Shirobako

Official Website

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Review: Berserk (2016) E.02

What's that saying? You know, don't judge a series by its first episode? That is a saying, right? If it is, never has that applied more so than with Berserk. Some much needed storytelling and even backstory of Guts was presented in this episode. Guts is cornered and eventually captured by the Holy Iron Chain Knights, lead by Lady Farnese. Apparently in his time with Band of the Hawk (the group he was associated with before some crazy shit went down, as alluded to in the flashbacks), Guts, also known as the black swordsman, and the band plotted treason against a royal family which lead to there being a bounty on their heads.

Guts is a fucking badass. Even with all his injuries from his previous battle with the zombie skeletons and a stake in his leg, he’s still able to chop fully armored soldiers in two, in one swoop mind you. The gore, despite being in CGI, is pretty awesome and highly entertaining. Let’s not forget about annoying Puck, the elf that I inadvertently referred to as a fairy (oops!). He’s still here, annoying and providing unnecessary comic relief.

The animation still suffers from the same issues, but this time around it’s bearable and easier to watch. The CGI to traditional animation is better balanced and isn’t all over the place. The flashbacks were traditional, making it feel “old school” and bringing up a sense nostalgia of watching the first series. There was a new issue in this episode, though. When Guts (spoiler: he escapes from his confinement) kidnaps Farnese after her topless self-flagellation, we’re exposed to her breasts. These breasts are completely bare: no nipple, no areola. Whether they were intentionally left like that or were under some sort of censoring is unknown at this time. It was just perplexing to see.

If the season continues on like this, with an actual story being told, we’re in for what started off as a piece of shit to a mediocre series. If anything, this episode gives me hope for the rest of the season and I’m glad to be on board for the long haul.

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Berserk (2016) E.02

Website

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Review: The Boy and the Beast

I’ve had this movie on my “to watch” list for a good while now. It wasn’t until after our previous episode of Super S that I finally decided to give a whirl. I should have just left it there.

In a nutshell, The Boy and the Beast is about two beasts duking it out to take over for the grandmaster of the beast world as he is retiring and going to reincarnate into a god. One of the beasts, Kumatetsu (the beast), is in search of a disciple and decides to pluck one from the human world. Kumatetsu bumps into Ren (the boy), a runaway, and decides to take him on as his disciple. The story goes from there.

The animation in this movie is top notch. Everything is absolutely stunning. Both the beast world and human world are fucking gorgeous. There’s just the right amount of CG that it’s not overbearing or annoying. There are times when the human world looks like it’s an actual photo of Tokyo. It’s that good. The characters are also unique, no one character looks like the next. This is helped by the fact that the story mostly takes place in the beast world.

Sadly, though, I was bored halfway through the movie. The first half was great and chock full of character development. It was nice to see how Ren and Kumatetsu needed each and are better beings because of it. It’s just that the story dragged. As it is, the movie is two hours long, longer than your typical animated movie. Even then, it didn’t get to the climax until the last 20 minutes.

There’s also an underlying message in this movie: don’t let the darkness in your heart turn you into a monster. Great message, but did the grandmaster really have to tell us this as if we couldn’t figure it out on our own? No. It was painfully obvious when the “villain” turns to a black figure with a wormhole near his heart. Speaking of villain and painfully obvious, how stupid is everyone? From the second he was introduced, I knew that he was... well, I won't tell you that part.

Of course the movie ends with a happy ending, but by then I really didn’t care and just wanted it to finish. I went into this movie wanting so much and was extremely let down. The animation is by far the star and the saving grace of the movie, which is a real shame.

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The Boy and the Beast

Writer/Director: Mamoru Hosoda

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Review: Food Wars! The Second Plate E.01

Food Wars is back with it’s long awaited Season 2. Okay, so long awaited might be an overstatement. Could be worse, like all those losers (Dustin) waiting for Attack on Titan to return next year.

Within the first minute (literally), you're able to gather the story. The eight first year contestants that won the preliminaries are to duke it out in the main competition of the Autumn Elections. Soma’s up first in what I guess you would call the quarter-finals. His opponent is Alice Nakiri, the prodigious granddaughter to Academy Director. Their battle? Bento. For those of you that don’t know what Bento is, let me [attempt to] give it to you in layman’s terms: Japanese lunch with the presentation of a TV dinner.

Soma is a character that I feel like everyone could get behind. Tough exterior, but deep down there's more to him. He's confident but not overly confident making him a prick. He knows how to cook but he also knows how to deliver what people want to feel while eating.  Soma's pretty nifty, too, thinking of a molecular gastronomy technique by simply reading the ingredients from a cheap candy product. Who the hell does that?

Food Wars never failed to deliver something beautiful to look at. The quality of the animation is by far the best out there. The food... oh, man. How often have you seen an anime where the food looks so damn good that you want to rip it out of the screen and stuff it in your mouth? The “foodgasms” also make their triumphant return and they are as colorful as ever. Nothing like seeing a bunch of grown ass men frolicking through a grassy plain.

The pacing was a little fast in this first episode but it was never much of an issue. I’m assuming it’s going to a constant theme throughout the season as it’s only slated to be 13 episodes. Episode 1 held back no punches and it was every bit as exciting and enjoyable as I thought (and hoped... fuck you, Berserk) it would be.

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Food Wars! The Second Plate E.01

Official Website

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Review: ReLIFE E.01

If you were given the chance to partake in an experiment that would cover your costs of living for a year, would you do it? What if the experiment called for taking a pill that makes you look younger and you have to go back to high school? Would you still do it?

ReLIFE is just that. Kaizaki Arata is a 27 year old deadbeat who can’t land a full-time job and has to work part-time just to get by. After a night of drinking with his pals, Kaizaki is handed even more damning news: his family is not going to be giving him money for the next month. Kaizaki is then approached by a “spokesman” of ReLIFE and given this opportunity and jumps right on board. I mean, who wouldn’t? ME.

After finalizing the contract with ReLIFE the next morning, Kaizaki is ready for his first day back in high school. It’s at school that we found out that the spokesman, Yoake, is apparently a student as well. Of course Kaizaki is conflicted by this discovery. All of that gets put aside as he finds he has three tests to take. With luck never being on his side, he reaches into his backpack and what you do you know, no pencil box to be found. The teacher approaches him and requests to see the backpack. Disgusted with what she finds, she pulls out a pack of cigarettes and questions him. He casually replies with, “what of it?” It isn’t until after she repeats what he said that he realizes he is no longer 27 and freaks out. Hilarious.

After the end of school and on his way home, Kaizaki runs into Yoake. It is then when you learn that Yoake is in fact an adult as well. He is merely in his class to keep an eye on him as well as offer support. In order to train to be of adequate support, Yoake was a student the previous year as well. Yoake also reveals the true purpose of ReLIFE: a program to rehabilitate NEET’s.

The animation follows a lot of your typical anime tropes: over the top reactions, cloudy colorful backgrounds when a certain emotion is evoked, similar character designs, etc. It’s not bad, but it is something that has been played out for too long. Luckily, it doesn’t take away from the enjoyment. The only issues I had, however, was with Kaizaki. I could not tell the difference between him at 27 and him at 17. He looked exactly the same.

The premise is something interesting and not one that I’ve seen before. It makes me wonder, too, would someone really be willing to to take another stab at high school and aim for a better outcome? I’m curious to see how all of this plays out, so it looks like I’m on board for the long haul. Luckily for me, it’s available all at once.

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ReLIFE E.01

Website

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Review: Berserk (2016) E.01

When I first heard the news of Berserk coming back and FINALLY getting its deserved sequel, all I could think was that animated gif of Ron Paul... IT’S HAPPENING!

If this is your first time watching Berserk, you’re not going to be getting any back story. Really, I’m not even sure why you’re starting here. Go watch the movies. Anyway, all we can seem to gather from this uninformative first episode is that Guts, our protagonist, is a “mercenary” with a mechanical arm, can swing a huge sword like no one’s business, and attracts incubi (demons born from people that died). There’s also an obnoxious eunuch fairy named Puck that likes to pester Guts. That’s it.

The animation is all over the place and I fucking hate it. Some parts are CGI, some parts are traditional animation. There are even places where it’s both at the same time. Even worse is when characters switch to a different style in the same scene. In one instance, CGI Puck is bothering CGI Guts as he’s eating. After Guts tells Puck to fuck off, Guts switches to traditional animation as he takes a bite out of his dinner. Little things like that make this difficult and extremely annoying to watch.

The unfortunate thing is that both animation styles are done poorly. The CGI, for the most part, is flat, lacking lots of detail and shadows. When it’s not CGI, the traditional is reminiscent of those Marvel anime, inferior and cheap looking. I’m not sure why both styles are even present. Is it cheaper to have both? Is it faster? Maybe I should watch more Shirobako to find out.

I’ll be honest with you: I’m a huge fan of the franchise, but this shit flat out sucks. From the second I saw that the animation was going to be CGI, I knew it was going to be a problem. Not only that, but they didn’t even bother to give the series another name. Unless you’re a fan and/or have read into the series, there’s no way of knowing this is a sequel. I really wish I had something positive to say but I don’t. I will only continue watching this because of my personal bias.

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Berserk (2016) E.01

Website

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=XQr7LvFZrlE

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Review: Gintama

Do you have 126 hours to spare? GREAT! You’ll definitely want to check out this little number of an anime called Gintama. Not only is Gintama the one anime I recommend to everyone--yes, everyone. I even told my parents to watch it. Ok, not really..but it’s one of my favorite anime of all time, aside from One Piece, of course. [su_quote]Synopsis: Gintoki and his trusty “sidekicks” run an odd-jobs business. What could possibly go wrong? Anything and everything, that’s what.[/su_quote]

On the surface, and based on the lackluster synopsis, you would think that Gintama is a one trick pony. Well, dear readers, you’d be far from the truth. Not once have I ever stumbled upon an anime that not only supplies comedy so well, but action/adventure and even drama are delivered just as masterfully.

The series revolves around your four main characters: Gintoki, the ex-samurai; Kagura, the alien with superhuman strength; Shinpachi, the empty dojo running nerd; and Sadaharu, a freakishly large dog. An unlikely quartet, really, but that’s what makes it work. The dialogue amongst themselves and the shit they do to each other is amazing.

Gintama, for all intents and purposes, is an episodic comedy. Sure, there are the occasional “arcs,” but those are a dime a dozen. The comedy is where this anime shines. You know those silent issues of comics? Well, imagine the opposite of that and in anime form: all the dialogue taking place on a single frame. Within that one frame, the trio talks about how shitty their ratings are and for sure they’re not going to get picked up for another season, all the while bringing up how they need to save Sunrise money so they’ll be doing more episodes like this. They do get picked up for another season, obviously, but how often do you see an anime make fun of itself to that extent. Breaking the fourth wall is just the beginning. Gintama also exhibits a slew of other forms of comedy: slapstick, parody, gags, crude humor (not as bad as Prison School, though). Anything you can think of, Gintama will have it. To further shine the light, Gintoki is actually a play on words for silver balls. Yes, those kind of balls.

The animation is top-notch. For them saying that their ratings are so bad and they have to cut back on costs, they sure do know how to pump out something that is easy on the eye. That’s not to say that the scenery is realistic looking, but everything looks great overall. The action sequences are some of the best I’ve seen. Episode 180 is a prime example. Gintoki is fighting the enemy of an arc and during the battle the color shifts to some of the most beautiful black and white you’ll ever see. The lines, the shadows, the amount of detail, everything is just gorgeous.

If you listened to the latest episode of our podcast, Super S - Anime Podcast, you may have heard me mention how I want to rewatch it. Well, now that I’ve written this review, I REALLY want to rewatch it. This thing got me through plenty of hours at my old job. The least I can do is thank it by rewatching it.

Look, what it really boils down to is this one thing: watch the anime. You won’t regret it.

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Gintama

Seasons 1, 2 and 3 Streamable on Crunchyroll

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