Random Life Update Part 2

Now that it’s the holidays I’ve been sleeping excessively again. Although it’s a long break there is still a lot of work to do, I can’t ignore it and just enjoy the holiday. Although I called it a life update, it’s all about anime so maybe it’s more of a no life update.

(Plot summaries and most images from animenewsnetwork)

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Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (3 Seasons)

Itoshiki Nozomu is the world’s most negative person. To his way of thinking, there is no hope or meaning in this existence. Even the three kanji of his name become the two-kanji word zetsubou, “despair”, when compressed. What an ironic twist of fate, then, that he becomes teacher to a class containing his precise opposite, the invincibly positive-minded Fuura Kafuka.

Although almost all of the jokes are based on Japanese culture, language and society it still manages to be very entertaining. The first few episodes are about introducing the various different characters, all but one are crazy in some way. Then it switches in an “Excel Saga” like mode, with the theme constantly changing. Episodes are often in 3 unrelated parts too.

It might be better to read the manga, a good translator can explain things and you can take your time reading the large amount of background text rather than pausing constantly.

My favourite character is the girl who wants everything to be clean and proper (it’s a 4koma, read the two columns separately):

Rating: 8/10 (The every-episode-panty-shot character is probably the least interesting)

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Mobile Suit Gundam 00 (1st Season)

It is the year A.D. 2307. Fossil fuels on Earth have been depleted entirely, with mankind turning to the next available power source: solar energy. During this time, 3 orbital elevators with solar power generation systems are built, each under control by the Union of Solar Energy and Free Nations (formerly United States of America), the Human Reform League (Russia, China and India) and the Advanced European Union. However, not all countries are able to enjoy the benefits of this system, leading to widespread resentment and war. Arising out of the conflict, a mysterious military organization known as Celestial Being appears, dedicated to end all warfare using Mobile Suits called Gundam. This begins the stories of Gundam Meisters (pilots) Setsuna F. Seiei, Lockon Stratos, Allelujah Haptism and Tiera Erde as they are thrown into conflict between the 3 superpowers and the various other factions.

The Gundam series has always been focused on conflicts while blurring the distinction between good and evil. Gundam Seed did this especially well in the beginning, showing both sides equally. But don’t watch the horrific Gundam Seed Destiny “sequel”, unless you like seeing the main characters become invincible, recycled scenes recycled after being recycled and a plot that spirals down and disappears faster than that of DBZ.

So back to Gundam 00, it might be a bit early to judge since the story is left hanging after the first season, but they’ve already done the typical “kill characters off then revive most of them again later”. It’s one of those things you don’t mind if they’re bringing your favourite character back, but hate otherwise (or if there’s an explanation like the character is actually a clone and there’s a whole vat of them floating about underneath the HQ).

Judging the first season by itself, it’s nothing amazing, 6/10. If the second season is really good I might write about it again, but probably not since I don’t particularly like any of the characters (except the one that drinks constantly but she cries too much).

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Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (2 Seasons)

On one hot summer day in 1983, a transfer student named Maebara Keiichi comes to a peaceful rural village in Hinamizawa. There, he befriends his classmates Rena, Mion, Rika, and Satoko. Accepted as a full-fledged member of the “club,” Keiichi and the gang plays all sorts of activities ranging from card and board games to hide-and-seek. But just as Keiichi was beginning to be assimilated in simple rural life, he stumbles upon the dark history of Hinamizawa. As Keiichi dives deeper into the mystery, he finds that his new found friends may not be all what they claim to be.

Most animes based on games tend to suck, because there’s no possibility of multiple endings, so they always have to stick to one path (usually the most predictable). But Higurashi gets around that by having the same few days repeat over and over, with all the characters dying by the end (I don’t know if that’s how the game works).

At first there are lots of mysteries, characters act weirdly and say strange things. It seems to be about magic and curses. It’s fun to try guess what is really going on and there is a great feeling of satisfaction when some pretty absurd events are explained.

Since I usually watch while playing games, when playing Melty Blood I noticed something peculiar, but just though it was a coincidence.

(Chie-sensei on the left, Ciel on the right)

When she was shown eating curry in the OAV I was pretty suspicious.

Then after this scene I felt pretty stupid for not noticing it earlier:

Rating: 8.5/10 (It’s a happy end, but like all happy ends a bit corny)

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Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion (2 Seasons)

The Empire of Britannia has invaded Japan using giant robot weapons called Knightmare Frames. Japan is now referred to as Area 11, and its people the 11′s. A Britannian who was living in Japan at the time, Lelouch, vowed to his Japanese friend Suzaku that he’d destroy Britannia. Years later, Lelouch is in high school, but regularly skips out of school to go play chess and gamble on himself. One day, he stumbles on terrorists 11′s who’ve stolen a military secret and is caught by a member of the Britannian task force sent after them, who is Suzaku. As the rest of the squad arrives, Suzaku is shot for disobeying orders, while the military secret, a young girl, gives Lelouch the power of Geass, which makes anyone obey any order. While Suzaku is secretly made the pilot of Britannia’s brand new prototype Knightmare, Lancelot, Lelouch becomes the masked Zero to lead the rebellion to destroy Britannia once and for all.

Best friends forced to fight each other has been done before. Ambitious male protagonist aided by supernatural powers while hiding his identity has been done before. Giant robot fighting has been done many times before. It seems like there’s nothing new and before watching this I was already a bit bored of the mecha theme. The first few episodes are nothing special either.

Maybe it was low expectations, but somewhere in the second half of the first season I got hooked, each episode was progressively more exciting and I was afraid of watching the next because it was getting too interesting. But what really made this series great was the ending, it concludes the story and actually ties up all of the loose ends (but not in an obvious way).

Rating: 9/10 (I’ll never give something a 10/10 and 9.5 is reserved for something that interests me right from the beginning like Evangelion or Suzumiya Haruhi)

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So that’s it for my recently watched anime. Don’t be bored this Easter!