Quick Anime Review

Noblesse: The Beginning of Destruction (2015) | Rating: 3/5
The sequel of this manwha adaptation (I believe) popped up on my feed of where I normally watch anime and I learned that it was indeed a sequel. While getting into this OVA, listening to these characters talk was slightly off putting and took some audible adjusting. It wasn't that the voice acting was bad or anything, but it was a Korean anime. Hence, all the dialogue is spoken in Korean. I'm no stranger to manhwa as I do own a small handful of them, but I've never watched a Korean anime or an adaptation of a manhwa. The animation was very vibrant and the action was very smooth. I enjoyed watching this story unfold, although at times I wish I knew more information about our two main characters and their relationship history. Despite the lack of character background, it didn't fail to make me feel strongly about their situation with each other and society. I am looking forward to continuing forward in the sequel and hopefully learn more about Raizel and Mujaka.



Divine Gate (2016) | Rating: 1.5/5
I guess I've finally become that person that gets into the new series of the year. Perhaps the overwhelming feeling has washed away some. It's still a little overwhelming, but something about this winter season has eased up the pressure to some extent. Perhaps it is the quality of what I have chosen. In my first entry of the winter season, I thought the premise seemed interesting and the art style was somewhat unique. It had a bold and vibrant color and suited its mobile app source material, although I have no idea what the app looks like. Anyway, I was skeptical on how this "adaptation" would go as there's only so much you can do with mobile apps in the first place and honestly, the story had good ideas, but was poorly executed. I'm surprised I got myself through all 12 episodes when I should've dropped it about half way. It really was lacking and didn't explain a lot of the fantasy/sci-fi elements it presented. It also didn't help that the characters didn't have much depth, so when they face their fears or those most precious to them, you don't feel anything. Lastly, spoiler, the final episode is a complete let down as the goal these characters are trying to reach throughout the series, they decide not to pursue it at all. *facepalm* In short, this series was a complete waste of time and I didn't find anyone disappointed or surprised by the conclusion in the comments.



Haikyuu!! Second Season (2016) | Rating: 4/5
Getting into Haikyuu!! was a very good decision and I was excited to jump into the next season so soon. Watching this second season and thinking of the potential content in the upcoming third, really reminded me of the game setup in Kuroko no Basket. They have their own Inter High Tournament and "Generation of Miracles" to deal with. You still get to watch your characters grow, learn, and interact with each other, especially with the pressure of the third years graduating looming in the distance. Expect the game to be stretched out over several episodes and leaving you on the edge of your seat. If you're used to the game setup in Kuroko no Basket, then this shouldn't be any surprise or inconvenience. I still love these characters immensely and watching them play brings out so many emotions and a bit of stress (in a good way). Let's bring home the championship, Karasuno!!



Dimension W (2016) | Rating: 2/5
Next new series of the winter was another show that I thought had an interesting premise and I had a mix art style of traditional and CGI. I loved the opening a lot and had a hard time skipping it as it's performed by STEREO DIVE FOUNDATION, the same group that brought you the hyped opening "RENEGADE" for GANGSTA. Unlike Divine Gate, the characters had more depth and background and I kinda felt a little more attachment to some of the characters. Unfortunately, certain plot points throughout the series seemed either convoluted or confusing. I'm not even sure if the characters understood what the heck was going on in the second half of the show. I was surprised to find that people were looking forward to a second season, even though I thought it was only a tiny bit more exciting than Divine Gate. As much as I enjoyed learning about Kyouma and watching his relationship with Mira, I was bored and kinda pushed myself through this series.



Boku dake ga Inai Machi (2016) | Rating: 4.5/5
This winter season series I've been going back and forth on whether to do a full review or not. I know BlipMasta5 has something planned on his end, so I'll see how I feel later as I do have a ton of other things I'm working on here. Some may think this series is a little overhyped, but seriously I think this is this year's Zankyou no Terror a.k.a my favorite new series of the year (so far). The story was very much addicting and I loved following these characters from episode to episode. Any show that gives me a chance to form an emotional attachment to is a great one and this show succeed in that. Despite having to adjust to the character art style and the "big reveal" was quite predictable, it was still shocking to learn all these other details and sitting at the edge of my seat at the end of each episode. Sure, there are moments where you have to suspend reality, but overall, it's highly enjoyable and it's been awhile since I've watched such a great suspense, mystery series. I'm hoping at some point I can find the manga the show is based on and that it doesn't receive a second season. That might sound strange, but I have no idea where they would go from where they left off and I'm happy with where it ended. If it does happen, I won't ignore it.


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