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Rurouni Kenshin: An Anime Review

Posted on February 25, 2019 by thiathebard

rk3All anime gives the viewer different reasons to watch. Rurouni Kenshin is no different. It is an anime that shows that everyone can make a fresh start, no matter what they are battling.

Rurouni Kenshin started off in Shonen Jump magazines in 1994. The stories were created by and illustrated by Nobuhiro Watsuki. These stories then transitioned into a television series starting in 1996. The series closely follows the manga, even the American version, for the first two seasons. The show ran for three seasons. It has also had different variations created, even live action theater productions.

During the Meiji era in Japan there is a wandering man with a sword named Kenshin. He stumbles upon a struggling martial arts school.Through a series of events Kenshin becomes entwined with the school and the master of it. Kenshin finds a place not only to live but also to come to terms with his past. He finds people to protect and, maybe even, a future. His past actions do have consequences but now he doesn’t have to face them alone.

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The music of Rurouni Kenshin is an important part of the storytelling process. The score perfectly sets the mood for different scenes. It also gives the viewer insight into the characters.

Speaking of the characters they all have great designs. Everyone looks a little different. The characters all dress within the parameters of the historical confines of the show while being unique. The designs also help the viewer remember the time period in which the story takes place. The settings and the art style are also lovely. All of these elements come together to bring the viewer an anime that not only a great story but that is also visually stimulating. Rurouni Kenshin is a fantastic anime because everything comes together in such a seamless way to bring the story to life.  

I have always enjoyed this show. It was one more anime that my friends and I rushed home to watch. I would highly recommend it. The show is great for people new to anime or someone who just hasn’t seen this particular title yet. It has a great message and a well developed story.

rk

ALWAYS KEEP SPARKLING!

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Review: Escaflowne

Posted on January 7, 2019 by thiathebard

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Escaflowne is one of the most gorgeous animes I have had the pleasure of watching. The series also has an interesting story and cast of characters. This is probably why fans enjoy Escaflowne so immensely.

The Vision of Escaflowne, it’s original title, first aired in both Japan and America in 1996. The series has had Mandy different directors for various episodes. The series was originally released by Sunrise.  Escaflowne was then licensed by Bandai Entertainment for release in other regions. Currently Escaflowne is licensed by Funimation.

Hitomi is an ordinary high school student. She runs track, has friends and other interests. Though, in reality, Hitomi isn’t quite as ordinary as it would seem. She has psychic abilities. After having a vision of a battle she is transported to a magical land called Gaea. There is a war raging and Hitomi maybe able to help.

The soundtrack of Escaflowne is lovely. It helps set the mood for the story being told throughout the series. It also gives the viewer clues about different characters and situations. The soundtrack is also fantastic to listen to on its own.

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The setting and character designs are really fantastic. The industrial, pastoral and modern settings are well animated as well as diverse. Each character has a different design. The costumes are a real treat to view throughout the length of the story. The battle scenes are also just really fantastic. Escaflowne treads the line between what most animes looked like in the mid-nineties and having a very distinct difference in animation. It really is a great anime to watch.

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It is safe to say that I really enjoy Escaflowne. The series is a total package for any anime fans. Great soundtrack. Interesting story. Fascinating characters with a little bit of romance. It was an anime that I would rush to watch on television. It was also a favorite in my group of friends, the series has clearly inspired our styles of art and storytelling through the years.

I would really encourage giving Escaflowne a try if you haven’t seen it yet. There is also an interesting, and slightly more grim, movie version that came out in 2000. 

ALWAYS KEEP SPARKLING!

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Cowboy Bebop: An Anime Review

Posted on December 3, 2018 by thiathebard

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From 1998 to 1999 Cowboy Bebop aired in Japan. Cowboy Bebop is a beautiful and funny anime with a great soundtrack. It would debut in America in 2001 and would become one of the most popular animes to come from the Bandai Visual Company. 

3…2…1 let’s go. In the future Earth has basically become uninhabitable. In such a future humans have spread to the furthest parts of the galaxy. Because of this, crime is on the rise. With people so spread out there are too few faces of the law. Therefore special bounty hunters called “cowboys” help fill the void.

One such bounty hunter is Spike Spiegel. Spike is funny relatable character with some awesome martial arts skills. He travels around taking different jobs with his crew, just trying to get by. His mostly easy going demeanor is probably one of his best traits as he meets countless obstacles along the way. His crew is a lovely group of misfits that become a family to the viewers of the show. They have a lot of personality and spirit to help them through different jobs that the crew take on.

Cowboy Bebop is a really lovely anime to watch. The space sequences are really interesting. It is also fascinating to watch the fight sequences. Spike is a character who is really fun to watch in a fight. The character designs are an integral tool for telling the story. These designs really aid in transporting the audience into the world that is Cowboy Bebop. Overall, the show is aesthetically pleasing.

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The real star of this anime, however, is the soundtrack. The main song has a great jazz feel to it which is interesting for a futuristic cowboy space anime. To be honest the first thing that I think of when I hear Cowboy Bebop is the the theme song. It successfully sets elevates the energy of the anime right from the start.

Cowboy Bebop is a favorite of many anime fans for a reason, or maybe four reasons…and a cute dog. The characters have interesting backstories. They are fleshed out as the plot moves forward. The viewers really care about these characters. We care about their motives. We want them to succeed.

This is an anime that I would very much recommend. Cowboy Bebop has something for everyone. It is a great place to start for new anime fans and always enjoyable for those who have been watching for a while.

I hope that if you haven’t seen Cowboy Bebop then you will give it a shot! If you have seen it then it is probably time for a rewatch.

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ALWAYS KEEP SPARKLING!

 

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Ronin Warriors: An Anime Review

Posted on November 13, 2018 by thiathebard

220px-Ronninwarriorsdvd1 Ronin Warriors, known as Yoroiden Samurai Troopers in Japan, is one of those amazing older anime that simply does not get enough love.

In 1988 Japan premiered a new anime. Yoroiden Samurai Troopers would run for thirty-nine episodes. It would premiere in America in 1995 under the name of Ronin Warriors. The show would then continue to run on syndication thanks to networks like Cartoon Network.

The story centers around four armored warriors who each have special weapons in connection to the elements. They are the only thing standing in between a terrifying warlord known as Talpa and his minions. Talpa has set in motion events in modern Japan for himself to rule the mortal world. Each of his minions has power to fight one of the Ronin. Therefore the Ronin must find each other in the chaos and join forces to defeat Talpa. They are also aided by a student named Mia, a young boy named Yuli and a masked man known as “The Ancient.”

Ronin Warriors has a fantastic plot. It blends the history of Japan with the supernatural. It takes an interesting “what if” question and spins a story of friendship and overcoming the odds. One more interesting thing about Ronin Warriors is that it is an anime with a transformation sequence for male characters. Yes that is correct. A “magic boy” sequence where our male heroes are transformed into their armor.

While the animation is dated it does still hold a real beauty. The sequence for the transformations is one of my favorites. It is cleverly done featuring Japanese cherry blossoms with drums. The character designs are actually very minimalist, which serves the story as we are worried about the end of the free world here and not what the boys are wearing. That being said everyone has their own style and color. The hairstyles alone are worth watching for.    

The music is also a little dated but it fits the show. It adds to the fight scenes and the transformation scenes.

Ronin Warriors, thankfully, came back to syndication when I was in High School. My friends and I loved it. We still quote parts of it. Ronin Warriors did seem to be a favorite of a lot of American anime fans at that time. It also spawned some wonderful fanfictions, one of which is very sadly no longer anywhere to be found. In short, it is a fun show which had a great fandom.

Would I recommend Ronin Warriors? Most assuredly. Please give it a shot if you haven’t already.

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Always keep sparkling!

 

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Review: Vampire Knight (Anime)

Posted on October 22, 2018 by thiathebard

vamp mangaIf you are looking for an anime about Vampires then Vampire Knight maybe what you are looking for. It was not, however, what I was looking for.

Vampire Knight is an anime that came to America through Shojo Beat Manga in 2006. In 2008 it was adapted into a television show. The anime is centered around a young woman who is living and going to school at Cross Academy. Cross Academy is a school founded with one intention, as a place were higher class vampires can send their children to live with human students in harmony. The students are segregated into the Day Class, for human students, and the Night Class for the vampire students. There are very few times when these students are able to interact with each other, one of which is when the Day Class is finishing their classes and heading to their dormitories as the Night Class leaves for their classrooms. The day class students are very interested in the Night Class students and that is where our heroin comes in.

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Yuki Cross is the guardian of her classmates. When she was a young girl her family was killed by a vampire. Just when she was about to fall victim herself Yuki is saved by a…vampire? She is then adopted by the soon to be Headmaster Cross. Yuki spends her time juggling class, patrolling at night and keeping her Night Class obsessed classmates from the vampires. She also is torn between her affections for two different students.

Vampire Knight is not one of my favorite animes. There is a lot going on in the show and Vampire Knight has some wild plots. I have a difficult time with liking Yuki. I suspect it is because I am looking into her character from my own cultural perspective.

That being said the animation itself is gorgeous. The costumes are also really fun. The music featured is also wonderful. It adds immensely to the show. Vampire Knight takes an interesting perspective on the subject of vampires, particularly of a hierarchy within the community.

Would I recommend it? Eh maybe. It is one of the few animes that I haven’t really enjoyed. However I do know people who would enjoy it.

If you are looking for an anime with a supernatural theme that isn’t very scary then give it a shot.

 

ALWAYS KEEP SPARKLING!  

 

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Sword Art Online: An Anime Review

Posted on October 1, 2018 by thiathebard

sao manga

Sword Art Online is an anime series about a multiplayer game based on a manga of the same title. It originally aired in 2012 and is comprised of three seasons.

When the MMORPG that everyone is talking about is finally released gamers cannot wait to get into the game. Sword Art Online is created and released by famous game developer Akihiko Kayaba. Gamers scramble to purchase the game and the nerve gear technology that goes with it. Beta testers spent months in the game before. One such tester, named Kirito is also eager to get back in the game. After befriending a new player and gaming together Kirito finds he cannot log out. All the gamers are transported in game to receive a message from the Game Master. They cannot leave, any attempt to do so will leave them dead in the real world as well as in game due to technology in the nerve gear. The only way out is to beat the game.

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Sword Art Online is a truly beautiful anime to watch. The art really is amazing. With the setting being a game the artists really have a chance to shine as they create the world and graphics of the game. The detailing that goes into the costumes of the character’s avatars is so vital to the story. We see the characters grow and develop as they spend time in the game and their avatars level up. The work done to make everything from towns to pastures to dungeons is really fantastic. The score is also a treat for gamers and anime fans alike.

I really enjoyed Sword Art Online. I love watching characters develop and as leveling up is an integral part of plot viewers get to witness that. As a gamer I really appreciated the work done to show what it is like to be deep in a game. I enjoy the main character and there are many secondary characters who are also really fun to watch. There are also characters that do not thrive being thrown into the pressures of having to beat the game. I appreciate that Sword Art Online did that. We have all met jerks while gaming online so it makes sense that this game would be no different, only now you are stuck with them. You are also stuck with newbie gamers like me. Do you help them or leave them behind to insure your own success? These predicaments are all explored in the show.

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I would recommend Sword Art Online to many different kinds of anime fans. Gamers especially. Fantasy fans will also enjoy it since many of the games selements and settings are fantasy themed. Hopefully if you haven’t watched Sword Art Online yet you will give it a try.

ALWAYS KEEP SPARKLING!

 

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Howl’s Moving Castle: An Anime Review

Posted on August 20, 2018 by thiathebard

hmc movie poster

Howl’s Moving Castle is an extremely popular anime that is based on a book by Diana Wynne Jones. It was written as a screenplay and directed by Hayao Miyazaki.

Howl’s Moving Castle is the story of a young woman named Sophie. Sophie is the oldest daughter in a family whose father has died. Becuase of that Sophie feels that she must stay at the family hat shop to help her beautiful mother run it. Sophie doesn’t seem to mind much as she thinks herself unattractive and more suited for working. Her country is at war and there is also a mysterious moving castle on the loose whose master maybe a heart eating demon so it is better for a maiden to stay indoors anyway.

After Sophie insults the Witch of the Waste she is put under a curse. Sophie leaves home to find a way to lift the curse. She finds herself in Howl’s castle as the new cleaning lady. There she gets to know not only the mysterious Howl but a whole cast of characters. Perhaps there she can lift her curse.

I love Howl’s Moving Castle. It was my first Miyazaki film. The artwork alone is reason to watch the movie. Like all Miyazaki films the pastoral scenes are rich and gorgeous. The design of the castle is whimsical and a basically becomes a character in and of itself. In fact all the characters are really well done. Honestly, Sophie’s snark alone is worth watching for.

I would highly recommended Howl’s moving Castle. There is just a certain feeling you get from a Miyazaki film. Well for all except one that is. It is a feeling that everything will be alright. There is plenty of peril in the movie. Airships are fighting. Demons are also trying to gain supremacy but you know that so long as the castle is moving you are safe.

So give it a try if you haven’t seen Howl’s Moving Castle give it a try. If you have you are probably due for a rewatch.

ALWAYS KEEP SPARKLING!

 

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