Ane Log Moyako Neesan no Tomaranai Monologue Anime Review

Ane Log Moyako Neesan no Tomaranai Monologue
Information:
Other Names: Sister's Log: Moyako's Never-ending Monologue, 姉ログ 靄子姉さんの止まらないモノローグ.
Studio: Brain's Base
Writer: N/A
Director: Ichimura, Tetsuo
Music: N/A
Type: OVA, Manga Adaptation
Length: 3 episodes, 23 min per episode approx.
Genres: Comedy, Ecchi, School, Shounen
Rating: PG-13
Air Dates: 16th September 2014 - 15th April 2015
Alternate Recommendations: "Oneechan ga Kita" & "Watashi ga Motenai no wa Dou Kangaetemo Omaera ga Warui!"
(Source: MAL)

Synopsis:
When Konoe Moyako and her little brother, Akira, were young, he said he wanted to marry her. Naturally, Moyako decided that her little brother was a complete pervert who was obsessed with her. Now that they're both teenagers, Moyako is convinced she needs to "rehabilitate" him. However, it seems that the "perversion" is entirely in her imagination, and she can't seem to help turning completely innocent situations into creepy ones in her mind! (Source:MAL)

Short Review:

The story begins with older sister Moyako believing her younger brother Akira is pervert who loves her, such as believing that her brother asking for shampoo so she sees him naked now imagine this situation and multiply it by nine, that the show in a nut shell.

Overall I found the setting to be an interesting idea since the monologues Mayako thinks up are so strange they become unbelievable at times such as having a secret language around a ‘soccer’ game to talk about perverted things, ideas like this are what keep this short series fun to watch. However these situations can get progressively repetitive if you watch the series back to back, since nothing else happens within the show to keep it interesting, there’s no character development or strange plot twists due to the nature of the series as well as the length being only three episodes that leads to no ending with no sequel attached.

Though speaking of character development, I found the character do be one of the better aspects of the show as they are well thought-out characters that keep the series from being in the pit of mediocrity thanks to well written dialogue and fun personalities from a half Japanese girl obsessed with Japanese culture, to the childhood friend playing the straight man. Even though this do sound like plain archetypes they really add to the series effectively. However this can’t be said for the character designs which are plain at best, using designs we’ve all seen before, this could also be said about the animation as well, being decent at best.

The art on another note was a nice change from a standard style, being slightly different enough that it gels with the overall tone of the show, which can also be said for the soundtrack that helps carry the overall tone of the show well enough.

In conclusion I can recommend this to anyone looking for a good laugh and any who are interested in a different and fun setting. 

Final Scores:
Setting/Story: 6.7
Characters: 6.7
Animation/Art: 6.4 

Sound: 6.2

Final Verdict: 6.5/10

Cupid's Chocolate Chinese Cartoon Review

Cupid's Chocolate
Information:
Other Names: Aishen Qiaokeli Jinxingshi, 爱神巧克力ING...
Studio: ?
Writer: ?
Director: ?
Music: ?
Type: Short Series, Web Manga Adaptation
Length: 13 minutes per episode approx. 15 episodes.
Genres: Comedy, Ecchi, Harem, Romance, School
Rating: R - 17+
Air Dates: 2nd December 2015 - 16th March 2016
Alternate Recommendations: "Nisekoi", "R-15".

Synopsis:
Jiang Hao, a normal, high school student who is extremely scared of getting into trouble suddenly becomes the Harem King of his school and gets confessed to by a bunch of beautiful girls! The worst thing is, Jiang hao doesn't know any of the girls who confessed to him! What on earth is happening? 

Review:

So what can the Chinese do that the Japanese can't with animation? Well in many senses not a whole lot as this series is just another run of the mill harem show, clinches and all.

Though one think I will praise them on is the art and animation, with the art itself not looking to different from standard anime styles but there are some slight unnoticeable changes that are so small there barely visible but they will make a difference. In contrast the animation is very noticeable, being good for the type of show it is, as harem anime isn't known for its amazing animation, though I'm not saying this shows’ is amazing but it is much better than the norm. Unlike the soundtrack which while sounding nice brings nothing new to the slice of life table. But the opening and ending songs are worth listening to as they are uplifting and silly like the show itself, as they feature no singing and is just pure music but is produced just as well fitting with the series, however the animations at least for the opening is just confusing though not at first but in middle of it there a basketball game, why is it there? It makes no sense. Apart from the ending animation is nothing to talk about and just features still images of the characters that aren't much to look at.

However in contrast to the art & animation the rest of the show is nothing but cliché and predictable plot lines, with some of the most run of the mill characters, from a bland main character watchers can project themselves onto to the five girls for make up his harem which include: the rich girl, the sports girl, the bookworm, the helper and the childhood friend, yeah we've seen this all before, not to mention the character designs to match. On the other hand though these characters do get some development which, is different or at least it should be since the actual development itself is nothing we have seen before, with the issues that take place in these character’s lives.

And this strangely enough is the whole focus of the plot with the main character Jiang Haoyi, tasked with resolving these girls problem, in order to stop them from loving which happened because he gave them a cake that made them love him, which a cupid left around who know “helps” him with these problems. Sound dumb, yeah it is but it is one of the more original settings I have seen in a long time. The plot works in arcs where the MC fixes each girls problems over a few episodes, nothing new but I found each arc paced fairly well with nothing feeling out of place until the end of the series where he has “fixed” three girls but the childhood friend isn't however by the end after a time skip by the way, everything is fine like they just forgot about her which didn't feel right though the ending itself wasn't bad as it didn't finish on a cliff-hanger.

 In conclusion I can’t really recommend this to anyone unless you enjoy anime of this kind. Though if you are interested a second season is in production.

Final Verdict:

Story/Setting: 5.6

Characters: 5.3

Animation/Art: 7.1

Sound: 6.8

Final Score: 6.3/10

Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! Anime Review

Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo!
Information:
Other Names: この素晴らしい世界に祝福を!, Give Blessings to This Wonderful World,
Studio: Studio Deen
Writer: Makoto Uezu
Director: Takaomi Kanasaki
Music: Masato Koda
Type: TV Series, Light Novel Adaptation
Length: 24 mins per episode approx.
Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural
Rating: PG-13
Air Dates: 14 January 2016 - 17th March 2016
Alternate Recommendations: D-Frag &  Hai to Gensou no Grimgar

Synopsis:
The life of Satou Kazuma, a hikikomori who likes games, all too soon came to an end because of a traffic accident... It was supposed to, but when he woke up, a beautiful girl who called herself a goddess was in front of his eyes.

"Hey, I have got something a little nice for you. Wanna go to another world? You can take only one thing of your choice along with you."

"...then I'll take you."

From here on, the great adventure of subjugating the Demon King will begin for the reincarnated Kazuma... Or so one would think, but it's the labor for obtaining food, clothing and shelter that begins! Despite Kazuma wanting to live in peace, the goddess keeps causing problems one after another, and eventually, they attract the attention of the Demon King's army!? (source:MAL)

Review:

How would you spend your life in a parallel fantasy world?

Would you spend it slaying monsters, completing quests and getting the girl/man? Well I’m sure that’s what NEET Kazuma wanted after being transported to a fantasy like game world after his passing, but unlike all the other game related anime shows, Konosuba decided to be a little different as the main character is not the typical power house, “I can defeat anything” type of hero, no instead we get a weak starter character the feels more like a real game character which felt refreshing. But the real questions you want to ask is: Does he get the girls? Well yes and no, as he does get surrounded by three girls over the ten episodes, however they are far from normal and hold no real affection towards the main character, which was a refreshing take that made the show feel different.

The show itself opens up like any other fantasy series with the main character being transported to a fantasy land however, after this this is where the shows differs from others due to the main character who was a NEET while on Earth and wasn’t particularly strong; he died from shock and being his pants for god’s sake if that’s not weak I don’t know what is. Furthermore to complicate matters further instead of wishing for a super powered weapon to the new world, he takes the very goddess who offers him the choice thinking she’d be a great help. This however, turns out to be not the case as Kazuma discovers he underpowered and Goddess Aqua is useless and so begins there journey to defeat the Demon King and his generals in order to get back home, because you know that’s how this always work.

However I found the story itself, to be lacking in this as Kazuma abandoned this idea as it seems like too much work, which I though weakened the story some more as no real progression is made aside from main characters doing some occasional odd jobs and getting into shenanigans, which is okay if you think of this as an episodic series since each episode is generally fun to watch, having new enjoyable antics into the mix each time though if you’re looking for any real plot developments or a conclusion that isn’t a cliff-hanger don’t get your hopes up.  However if this totally your thing a second season has entered production, so good for you!  

Nevertheless one of the main points and buy far its better point that the show offers is its wide range of characters, as this based of a RPG-styled game setting there are quite a lot, though the vast amount of them are background characters from the guild, there are some who get some time in the spotlight that are interesting but sadly get no development or much screen time, one of which is Chris the standard thief like character, who has a great design and fun character but she just doesn’t get much of anything else sadly along with that one episode she barely appears in.

But enough about the bad, lets focus on the good, for one did you know the character designs in this are really good with plenty to choose from, as each character feels unique standing out in the crowd which is a great addition especially with the main characters since they are all unforgettable with great characterisation that don’t feel like the typical run of mill personalities from game-genre shows. Instead we get at first a heroine (Aqua) full of herself who has no interest romantically in Kazuma what so ever and instead spends her time drinking while learning new party trick skills instead of offensive ones. While the main character (Kazuma) is as said before completely weak and useless, though he is one of the funniest of the cast playing the “straight man” in a group full of wierdos. Later on though the group gets two new characters that help at more spark to it, from a chunni mage obsessed with explosions to a knight that can’t hit anything but enjoys to be hit, if that doesn't sound appealing I don’t know what does. Though even this characters get away completely free as they are held done by lack of character development.  

 Now for the last few points about the show, the art style used is a great fit that while looking bland at times fits the tone of the show well while letting in plenty of room for experimentation; this also works well the animation similarly which while looking alright at time can look beautiful in others mainly around fight scenes and anything containing EXPLOSIONS! But what really sets the tone of the show is the OST which while it doesn't stand out on its own, fits nicely the series’ fun and games atmosphere where as the opening and ending songs (plus animations) go along well with this tone making you feel generally relaxed.  

In conclusion the show was a nice addition to a genre that has been running dry lately and was s much needed take on that genre. Personally I would recommend this to anyone after a nice relaxing episodic series that’s short and easy to watch.

Final Scores:

Story/Setting: 7.2

Characters: 7.3

Art/Animation: 7.3

Sound: 7.6

Final Verdict: 7.4/10 (Good)

Evangelion 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance Anime Movie Review

Evangelion 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance
Information:
Other Names: Evangelion Shin Gekijouban: Ha, Rebuild of Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance, Evangelion 2.22, ヱヴァンゲリヲン新劇場版:破. 
Studio: Khara
Writer: Hideaki Anno
Director: Hideaki Anno (chief), Masayuki, Kazuya Tsurumaki
Music: Shirō Sagisu 
Type: Reboot, Movie, Sequel
Length: 1 hour, 52 min
Genres: Action, Mecha, Sci-Fi
Rating: R-17+
Air Date: 27th July 2009
Recommendations: Madoka Magica Movies & Densetsu Kyojin Ideon: Hatsudou-hen
(Source: MAl & Wikipedia)

Synopsis:
In the earliest battles against the monstrous Angels, young Eva pilots Shinji and Rei were forced to carry humanity's hopes on their shoulders. Now, with the deadly onslaught of the Angels escalating and the apocalyptic Third Impact looming, Shinji and Rei find their burden shared by two new Eva pilots, the fiery Asuka and the mysterious Mari. Maneuvering their enormous Eva machines into combat, the four young souls fight desperately to save mankind from the heavens—but will they be able to save themselves? (Source: MAL)

Review:
What makes a good sequel and reboot? (especially in film) What I believe makes a good sequel is that it builds of the original, adding new ideas into the mix while staying true to the old ones, which can also be said for reboots. Does Evangelion 2.0 do this? Is it better than its predecessor or even the critically acclaimed Neon Genesis Evangelion? Well yes to the first and No to the second.

Why would I say this, well to start I'll go over the differences between this and the original series, well no not the differences but I'll be comparing them a lot as this film is where the true changes take place in the story unlike in the previous film. 
One such change is the overall direction the film takes, with many events that happen earlier on and characters coming into light that either appear earlier on or are completely original, this isn't so bad if you haven't seen the original series before but if you have its up to you to decide whether you liked these changes or not, as for me I didn't mind most of the changes, however I felt the series lacked a bit in terms of the weirder aspects due to the dumbing down of the plot that occurs so new watchers can understand what is going on better, but as said before this takes away the experience the original gave us with its abstract story and strange mythology that made Evangelion, what it was.

Instead the plot is more watered done, having an easier storyline to follow which is great for the newcomers but fans of the TV series may feel disappointed at the result; though I must say that the world building is great in this film adding plenty of background lore to the scene that may even interest older fans. 

But as said if you've never seen the original this won't bother you as much, so now for the story, the film takes place directly after the last film the characters fight another three more angels, so a very similar set up as well; the battles themselves I must also add, thanks to well done directing in that department with some good pacing to go alongside as each sequence feels different from the last with great changes in execution that I felt added to the film as a whole, greatly more than the previous film. This is also helped by the animation which is still as stunning as ever, even more so than its predecessor, that just keeps on getting better until the conclusion; this partnered with the refined art style is truly a treat for the eyes.

Similarly to this another aspect approved upon from the previous films is the stress from fighting angels having effects on the characters both in good and bad ways, creating a good amount of development for out three main characters Shiji, Rei and new characters Asuka, though I found Asuka development to be done a little to rushed especially in the romance department. While both Rei and Shinji get the better development over the course of 2 hour long film, having had prior development in the previous film it makes a nice addition. Additional in the Asuka department (this is purely for the older fans) she is much less annoying in this version, even if I must likeable which still partners well with her psychological problems even if they are not as strong as before.  

But it's not just the main characters that deserve sometime in the spotlight, as they are performed well while also having a good role in the story rather than just being background characters, they actually help move the plot along and help the main characters through there developments. One in particular who I'd like to mention is Mari the new original character not featured in 1995 series, she is a great addition to the cast having a different viewpoint of the evas then our main cast of pilots, as she so far is the only character so far to enjoy piloting them which makes her quite a fun character. 

The last point I would like to make is in reference to the sound, in both the "special effects" and soundtrack departments. Firstly the special effects is in the reference to the more basic sounds like running sounds, or gunfire, that sort of stuff; so in light of this I must say that the use of these sounds in well done throughout the film, in particular in the battle against the 8th angel, when all the evas are running the sounds used are a nice touch with realistic sounding water splash and tree breaking down as they crushed helps create a realistic feel to the machines and the sounds made when the evas run on the solid ground or metal plating helps create a sense of scale as to how bug the evas are. 


The soundtrack is by far the jewel of the show as composer Shirō Sagisu takes control of the music again using new original songs that fit the tone of each scene well, while also sounding like something from the 1995 TV series which helps create the Evangelion feeling, while keeping older songs in to add to the experience. The insert songs and ending song was also a nice touch as they fit the tone of the show with their cold and depressing sounds that resonate well with that particular scene that they are placed in. 

In conclusion Evangelion 2.0 is much watch for fans of the previous film and any Mecha fan to be honest thanks to directing that leads a great cast of character through a developing and interesting world even if that world ends on a cliff-hanger. Though on another hand fans of the original series be warned as it may be a bit of disappointment to you as it lacks the truly weird scenes and tone that made the original what it is. 

Final scores:
Setting/Story: 8.5
Characters: 8.6
Art/Animation: 9.4
Sound: 9.6

Final Score: 9.1/10

Mawaru Penguindrum Anime Review

Mawaru Penguindrum
Information:
Other Names: Penguindrum, 輪るピングドラム.
Studio: Brain's Base
Writer: Kunihiko Ikuhara, Takayo Ikami
Director: Kunihiko Ikuhara
Music: Yukari Hashimoto
Length: 24 episodes, 24 min per episode approx.
Type: Original, TV Series
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Mystery, Psychological, Tragedy, Magical Girl
Rating: R-17+
Air Dates: 8th July 2011 - 23rd Dember 2011
Recommendations: Yuri Kuma Arashi & Steins Gate

Synopsis:
Once you make a decision, does the universe conspire to make it happen? Is destiny a matter of chance, a matter of choice or the complex outcome of thousands of warring strands of fate? All twins Kanba and Shoma know is that when their terminally ill sister Himari collapses at the aquarium, her death is somehow temporarily reversed by the penguin hat that she had asked for. It's a provisional resurrection, however, and it comes at a price: to keep Himari alive they need to find the mysterious Penguin Drum. In order to do that, they must first find the links to a complex interlocking chain of riddles that has wrapped around their entire existence, and unravel the knots that tie them to mystifying diary and a baffling string of strangers and semi-acquaintances who all have their own secrets, agendas and "survival strategies." And in order for Himari to live, someone else's chosen destiny will have to change. It's a story of love, fate, life, death... and Penguins! 

Review:
Penguindrum, a weird show that blends mystery and comedy in strange and odd ways, while tossing around the concept of fate.
Fate is strange thing, many think it to be a straight line that must be followed and will never be broken, but what happens when that line diverts and becomes a new line, well that is concept of the series Penguindrum, set within a strange world where ones fate can be changed, though not with consequences. This helps create a setting that is rick with good story but still stays fun to watch.

But thanks to great story and directing, this excellency wasn't lost and became something of a special show, with great symbolism behind it. But first I must say thanks to writer for creating a well blend of mystery and comedy, due to unpredictability of the series that will generally have you on the edge of your seat, as the world unravels before you. As said before the show has great comedy written into, though I the humour is mainly told through I group of small penguins that follow around the main characters and that they can only see; the interactions between them are very funny if you enjoy slapstick type comedy as they can't speak.

But back to the story overall the plot was engaging making you think about what happens, while remaining fun to watch with great pacing through near the start of show it can feel like a drag but once it starts going, you won't want to put it down until you reach the ending which ends in a most satisfying way, that just feels as great as breathing a breath of fresh air. Though I felt that another point that drove the satisfaction this fair was the use of the OST in great ways, as the director used the correct music for right scenes making the show more remembrance to me, though it mainly struck me during those really dramatic moments as the sounds become heavy and stand out a lot adding the series as a whole.

But what makes this show what it is?
Well allow me to answer that for you, everything in this show is possible thanks to its characters otherwise it could have fallen into ruin. As each character is complex and mysterious, having a great deal of back-story shown while getting a great amount of development over the course of the 24 episodes; well just the main characters get the development but most of the supporting characters get great roles that show of their twisted and strange personalities to the fullest with some additional back story as a nice bonus.
An additional bonus I will bring up is the character design, know I found not all the characters had the best of designs, the better ones did with some of my favourites being the truly mysterious characters like Sanetoshi who was a true mystery from to start being one of the better characters of the series, though I found the main characters to have fun and different appearances that helped them stick out from the crowd.

 Speaking of sticking out, the primary art style used in this series is a great addition helping the show stand out from the rest, which is also helped by the changes in art every now and then to the odder art styles all the way to the occasionally chibi art style. Though this art could have been greatly improved upon if the animation was up to the arts quality, now don't get me wrong the art can look amazing especially during the transformation sequences which are one of the highlights of the show especially when the insert song (Rock Over Japan) is played along making the overall sequence more fun to watch, however the animation outside this is satisfactory at best, adding nothing the show.
This could not be said for the opening animations that play, which are well crafted being one of the highlights in that department, which could be said for the opening music tracks as well as they mix in with the tone of the show, having a very mystic feel to them. This could also be said about the eds as some of them look nice and sound create, however the majority I found weren't worth my time as they felt much hit and miss.

In conclusion if you want a great story driven or overall exciting mystery series this is the show for you, thanks to great to amazing setting that mixes in well with story, while having a rich character base full of twisted and complex personalities.

Final Scores:
Story/Setting: 9.0
Characters: 8.5
Art/Animation: 8.1
Sound: 9.2

Final Verdict: 8.8/10 

RWBY Volume II Web Series Review

RWBY Volume II
Other Names: RWBY 2
Studio: Rooster Teeth
Writers: Monty Oum, Kerry Shawcross & Miles Luna
Director: Monty Oum
Music: Jeff Williams
Type: Original, Web Series (ONA), Sequel
Length: 12 Episodes, 13 - 17 minutes per episode approx.
Genres: Action, Adventure, Science-fantasy
Rating: N/A
Air Dates: N/A
Alternate Recommendations: Ajin (For good 3D animation) & Black Rock Shooter
(Source: Roosterteeth.com & Wikipedia)

Synopsis:
Team RWBY is back and ready for their second semester at Beacon, an academy that trains the world's strongest fighters. But real life doesn't stop. Between classes and homework, they still have to find time to save the world. And between the White Fang, Roman Torchwick, and a mysterious new trio, they certainly have their work cut out for them! (Source: Roosterteeth.com)

Review:
From my experience I have always believed that sequels must raise the roof when compared to the first season, does RWBY Volume II do this or does it fall back into the abyss with the original series?

Well let me tell you that the second season of RWBY is such as breath of fresh air, as it breathes live into the show, improving on everything in the show, though still leaves minor problems.
One of my biggest complaints last season was the animation, though not the combat animation,  instead the more docile type such as talking, character interaction and movement, however this second season has shown that they can do it probably, as lip sync I found to be much more fluid which helped me feel more for the characters, which by the way are much better characterised with some getting some much needed development and back - story that is worth the watch, especially during the romantic sub-plots some characters go through which further humanises their personalities, even if the romances go nowhere.

Though on another side newer character introduced aren't given enough time to be fleshed out or even given a decent amount of screen time. Although one aspect that did grab we with the characters was how well the voice actors did their roles this times around, with main roles being played much better than before, while supporting roles felt more human, making characters feel more alive.

At times though I found basic interactions like using objects to be better than last time but can still look odd at times and finally movement which similarly while looking more fluid and natural, sometimes still came around as a bit dodgy.
Though on another hand the animation used in combat was extremely well done, being one of the highlights of the series, with fast and fluid animation that are eye catching while remaining fun to watch. Though in another respect while art used in the show has greatly improved mostly on the character designs which have been fleshed out much more giving more individuality even though in other areas I found the scenery and objects within it to look out of place at times, as sometimes they'll look great but others times, objects can look just like blocks of colours and scenery will have a lovely detailed area in one, then have a silhouetted or bland shot next to it, which I found to be discomforting at times.

Moving on, one improvement most notable in the show is how the story is paced as in the previous season it jumped all over the place but in this one I felt a continuous plot that wasn't badly put together and had a real storyline. One of the better parts of this parts was that a really threat or threats were introduced, that felt both threatening and mysterious, so much as you don't even know there goal, which adds a great mystery element to the story but on the other hand leaves us the viewers not knowing what they want (aside from the White Fang group) and is not shown even by the final episode which is a disappointment, leaving us with a cliff-hanger, though a third season has been released so hopefully that will clear up the answers.

Though in contrast to this praise I can't say the story doesn't suffer, as our of old nemesis filler returns though mainly at the start of the series, due to when I started the series I wasn't expecting a food fight, which could have been funny but they decided to put in the fight music for the soundtrack, which just made it really cringe worthy.
Speaking of cringe worthy, the humour of this series is just awful, it doesn't feel like they tried at all, so much as I wanted to just skip out those parts.

Now onto the main highlight of the series, the soundtrack which is better than ever, thanks to Jeff Williams who managed to create the perfect music for every scene, even if it didn't fit into the one scene as mentioned above. I also must say that the opening song used this time around fits well with the tone of this season, fitting the mood well with a great animation sequence, that makes the viewer clamour for more, though on the other side while the ending songs can be nice and fitting they don't last long enough and 'animation' is more of the same flat pictures except with more variety, which I found to not be worth my time.

In conclusion, I'd give this one a go, it's worth the watch even if you have to sit through the boring first season and really shows us that America can produce I good 3D animation.

Final Verdict: 
Story/Setting: 7.3
Characters: 7.5
Animation: 6.9
Sound: 8.1

Final Score: 7.5/10

Ajin Part 1: Shoudou Anime Movie Review

Ajin Part 1: Shoudou
Information:
Other Names: Ajin: Demi-Human - Compel, 亜人　第１部「衝動」
Studio: Polygon Pictures
Writer:  Hiroshi Seko
Director: Hiroyuki Seshita
Music: Yugo Kanno
Type: Movie, Manga Adaptation
Length: 1hr. 43min
Genres: Adventure, Horror, Mystery, Seinen, Supernatural
Rating: R-17+
Air Date: 27th November 2015
Recommendations: Tokyo Ghoul & Knights of Sidonia

Synopsis:
For high schooler Kei—and for at least forty-six others—immortality comes as the nastiest surprise ever.

Sadly for Kei, such a feat doesn't make him a superhero. In the eyes of both the general public and governments, he's a rare specimen who needs to be hunted down and handed over to scientists to be experimented on for life—a demi-human who must die a thousand deaths for the benefit of humanity. (Soutce: MAL)

Review:
Ajin a 3D animation, well how does it hold up?
Well to start I must say the animation itself is superb, probably the best 3D animation I have seen since Knights of Sidonia, as all the character move in a great way with none of the animation feeling out of place or stiff especially in the facial animations; even the more faster paced scenes are fantastic, flowing smoothly; though the art I found to be a little lacking but fit the animation well. 

Though in contrast to the art I found the character designs to be well designed, as they have done a great job in disguising the Ajin characters from the human ones but have also given them unique appearances so you can't forget them, while in contrast I found most the human characters top look plain and uninspiring; but they were at least likeable, in fact all the characters are likeable having a great range of different personalities and quirks, though some are less relevant then others they are at least remember able. 

As they all contain a certain little core element to the film which is human nature, as most in terms of humans showcase the believe that Ajin are evil creatures and would sell them out for money if they could, even if there family or friends, this makes you despise them, though on the other side the Ajin are no different murdering innocents as they see humans as all the same. 


This tale is told well through the sight of the protagonist (Kei), who thought to be human his whole turns out to be Ajin, to which then his family and friends betray him while he struggles to become what he is and forget what he was, overall it is an amazing journey backed up by great pacing as nothing within the plot feels rushed or drawn out, creating a thrilling and emotional narrative that feels fresh and original, all the way to a great conclusion that makes you wish part two was out now.  Though I can only say that this would have been a lot better if the soundtrack would have been have at least memorable as I felt it was very plain even if as the film due to the conclusion the music began to pick up. 

In contrast to this the ending song used for the credits is amazing, as it really grabs the tone of the movie well, which is further improved by the ending animation that really just presents all the characters but the way it was done I found to be a great addition. 
Now hear is something I don't really talk about the sound and by sound I mean effects like explosions, gunfire and similar things, as they don't really stick out to me much unless there done well, however Ajin's sound is extremely well done, gun fights sound and feel realistic while explosions  feel as though they will jump out of the screen; all in all it was breath-taking, standing at one of the highest points for this film. 

In conclusion I would recommend this to anyone looking for a real high point in 3D animated anime, even with very few short comings, it is easily one of the best 3D animes I have ever seen, though if you real hate for 3D animation stay away. Also I would just recommend this in general as it was an amazing film that will leave you wanting more. 

Final Verdict:
Story/Setting: 9.1
Characters: 8.2
Animation/Art: 8.5
Sound: 8.3

Final Score: 8.6/10