Bonjour♪Koiaji Pâtisserie Review

Watched 10/2016

Type: TV
Episodes: 24/24
Aired: Oct 2014 to Mar 2015
Producers: VAP, Nippon Television Network Corporation
Studios: Silver Link

Bonjour♪Koiaji Pâtisserie is a video game adaption. A mobile game for girls that (according to wiki) is still in development. Which is strange, because it normally is the opposite way round.

Bronze
This anime was easy to watch and in many ways in very good for a reverse harem programme. It has beautiful shoujo characters, all of which are bases we have seen a billion times before. This anime does not get any points for originality with the art design but it is animated well.

The characters personalities are a touch bland but they aren’t unrealistic like some are. Their back stories are a little more outlandish but given what it’s an adaptation of it’s no surprise. The lead girl is amusing and while she is clearly falling for all the boys she does have a personality which is nice. When studios make otome game adaptations (or any adaptation where the MC is someone that would have been the playable character) there is a danger that the character ends up either too unbelievable or without any personality at all.

The plot line itself is pretty standard. Some people commented it was a rip off of ‘Yumeiro Patissiere’ but I can’t judge as I have not watched that anime. I can say it was similar to Uta no Prince-sama. The MCs even look similar to me and both are in a situation where love is forbidden. In this case, because 3/4 of the male love interests are teachers. Oh, and the ending were basically sparkles galore and considerably deeper than it should have been.

I give this anime a bronze. It would have been higher if only they had put some more care into it. Each of the 24 episodes were 5 mins long and it were the skits were entertaining,there were few clues about the timeframe everything was going on it. I think they could have made this a decent 13 full-length episodes with the right people behind it, but oh well. A chance lost, unfortunately.

Gatchaman Crowds Review

Gatchaman Crowds

Watched 2014

Type: TV

Completed Episodes: 12/12

Aired: Jul, 2013 to Sep, 2013

Producers: VAP, Tatsunoko Productions, DAX Production, Sentai Filmworks, Nippon Television Network Corporation

Gatchman Crowds is a anime based of a previous anime in 1972 Science Ninja Warror Gatchman. The 1972 series was written by Jinzo Toriumi. Gatchman Crowds was written by Toshiya Ono.

I have never watched the original series of Gatchman and as such, I can only actually review this as a series and nothing in relation to the original series. Gatchman Crowds is a fun anime which is focuses on the power of friend and how a community can band together to help each other and others in need out.

The lead in this anime is Hajime Ichinose. Hajime is a bit of an air head. She’s very unique and has a love for stationary. She is also an optimist to an almost ridiculous level. Like any true anime female lead, she entrances people and has some fantastic friends. Hajime gets granted the power of NOTE. Along with several other long standing Gatchaman, Hajime fights in a special reinforced suits powered of Note against strange beings trying to destroy the city they live in. In particular they fight against MESS.

Hajime’s team mate, and longer running Gatchaman is Sugane Tachibana. Sugane has a samurai type suit and is a bit of a stuck up prick.  A little harsh, he’s just very diligent towards his duties and believes in justice very strongly. It takes him a while to warm up to the teams latest member. Hajime’s easy going character grating against his own. But slowly she proves her worth and he begins to respect her. After all Hajime has a habit of being of the impossible. Including talk to psychopaths with out making them attack more people. She also get the Gatchaman to change their methods and update them to the new world. Something which everyone is resistant to at first but eventually Hajime’s plan works and they improve because of it.

The rest of the team are fun too. Including a few aliens, and a talking panda to boot! And the villian. The villian is fantastic! Berg Katse basically just loves destruction and knows just how to get it happening. Hes very flamboyant and reminds me of a cross between Grell from Kuroshitsuji and Moral from Hamatora. He is also quite taken back by Hajime, not that it stops him trying to destroy the world but it is fun to watch.

The art style for this anime is really cool to. Lots of unique designs and interesting characters. To anime the suits the anime uses a 3D animation program which blends in well with the rest of the world. Unlike most anime who randomly insert the effect in.  This anime is fun and there is plenty going on in the world to keep an eye on. Its not overly childish, nor is it very adult. To me its gold.

Kimi ni Todoke Review

 

Kimi ni Todoke (From Me to You, Reaching You)

Watched 2014

Type: TV

2 Seasons

Completed Episodes: 25 + 12

Aired: Oct, 2009 to Mar, 2011

Producers: Production I.G, VAP, NIS America, Inc, Nippon Television Network Corporation

Kimi ni Todoke is a manga adaptation originally written by Karuho Shiina.

Why did I watch this anime? Well. I had just finished ‘Yamato Nadeshiko Shichihenge’ and was looking at the recommendations when this appeared. They are nothing alike but the main characters share one major characteristic. Which connect these two mangas together. Both main characters remind people of  the ghost girl from the horror film “The Ring”.

Considering this is a shoujo anime, not really a good thing. Ignoring that the two animes are nothing alike but both are very amusing. Kimi ni Todoke is a cute, if not sometime trying romance anime about a naive but sweet girl and a boy who has fallen for her. Why trying? I often found myself yelling at them to just get together already! The pace is a little slow but that is part of the charm of it I guess. As anyone who has read my reviews before should know, I’m not that found of shoujo romances. Most of the romances I like are of the shounen variety. But I did enjoy this anime. It was quirky and had some fantastic characters.

Starting with our pure hearted heroine Kuronuma Sawako, who due to her unfortunate resemblance to the girl from the ring has the nickname Sadoko. Sawako is a very shy and socially awkward girl whose dream is simply to make friends. She is very kind and caring, always thinking of other first but rarely gets to chance to make friends due to her nerves. However as her kind nature comes out so does her ability to talk to her classmates. During the anime you watch her slowly come out of her bubble and bloom into a lovely young woman. Even if she does occasionally revert to over thinking situations and scaring everyone with her expressions.

Much of this is due to her having make friends with two class delinquents. Both girls get judged a lot for their attitudes and appearance. But Sawako genuinely doesn’t care and is just happy to make friends. Which endear her to them for life. The three girls relationship is similar to that of Tohru and her friends from Fruits Basket. Two ‘rough’ types and one very naive girl who occasionally needs protecting from the world around her. Which can be very cruel.

Then we have the love interest. Shouta Kazehaya. Kazehaya is outgoing and friends and yes, he has a fan club. One of the most popular boys in the school, Kazehaya fell in love with Sawako at the school entrance ceremony when she smiled at him under the cherry blossoms. Not clique at all right? But Kazehaya is in love with Sawako, but even when he admits it to her, she does not believe him. Leaving the poor boy to have to run around trying to convince her its true, while fending off other rivals.

This love story is full of twists and turns as the school body seemingly try to keep these two apart. From bullies and rumours, Kazehaya will have to fight if he wants to date Sawako. Not least because no one, including Sawako, believes he actually loves her. This is an cute anime to watch which does get very attached to the characters and makes you fun the same emotions they do.

I would argue though that it took far too long for the two to get together. But that might just be my opinion. So silver. I’m not likely to watch it again, but it was fun while the ride lasted.

Donten ni Warau Review

Donten ni Warau (Laughing Under the Clouds)

Watched 2015

Type: TV

Complete Episodes: 12/12

Aired: Oct, 2014 to Dec, 2014

Producers: VAP, Doga Kobo,FUNimation Entertainment^L, Nippon Television Network Corporation

Donten ni Warau is a manga adaptation written by Karakara-Kemuri.

Laughing under the clouds is set during a time when carrying a blade is illegal. Where science is being born but there is also magic. It is the tale of three brothers fighting against people who want to change how things are. They are close and share a close bond. The three of them work as boatmen, delivering convicts to a inescapable jail which is in the centre of the lake.

The oldest brother is Tenka Kumou. Tenka is a joker, something which can be infuriating to the people around him as he is one of the best fighters. He used to work for the government but eventually quit to take care of his brothers after their parents were killed. The governments officers in the area don’t like him much as a result. Tenka loves his brothers but he is hiding his own secrets. One of which will bring about his death.

Second brother is Soramaru Kumou. Soramaru is the main focus of much of the anime but he isn’t my favourite brother. Soramaru works hard to be considered equal with Tenka, though he does love him. Soramaru has a tough road, dealing with nightmares and more but he is headstrong and steady. Willing to break into the prison to work out what is going on. Willing to beg to get the training he needs in order to fight.

Lastly and not least we have Chuutarou Kumou. A bit of a crybaby and naive but he’s 12 so we have to give him some lack. Tenka has pretty much brought him up and Chuutarou has his own good points. Though he does spend much of the time with an escaped convict so how good Chuutarou’s moral dial is, is a bit debatable.

There is one more member to the family. Shirasu Kinjou. Having been saved by Tenka, Shirasu works as the Kumou’s housekeeper and he very fond of the brothers. However he is hiding a dark past and not one you would first expect.

As the world collapses around these four individuals, we watch as the villain’s plan unfolds and watch as the three brothers rise together to stop it and save them all from hell. But situations are never as simple as they first seem.

This anime is a well told story and is not afraid to take risks. All of the characters are well rounded and their good sides and their bad. Quite literally. There are moments when actions are doubtful, when they make you want to scream with anger. But also cry from despair. The final scene with Shirasu is once such scene. When all you want to do is make him stop. But his actions are the ones which make you remember that humans are not good nor evil. That there is no such thing as black and white. That the world is made up of shades of grey.

Barakamon Review

Barakamon

– Watched 2015

Type: TV

Completed Episodes: 12/12

Aired: Jul 6, 2014 to Sep 28, 2014

Producers: VAP, FUNimation Entertainment^L, Kinema Citrus, Nippon Television Network Corporation

Bakaramon is a manga adaptation originally written by Satsuki Yoshino.

Disclaimer: These are my own opinions. If someone disagrees, feel free to comment with your own.

Barakamon is one those special animes which warms you though and makes you what to laugh, cry and yell at the same time. This anime has no aliens or supernatural elements. What it does have is an 8 year old girl who loves nothing more than to get into trouble and have fun with her friends. Naru is a bundle of sunshine and mischief and the people of the town love her for it.

So who is the main character of this anime? That honour belongs to a Handa Seishuu. A young but talented calligrapher who has been banished from Tokyo for punching a famous calligrapher by his father. Handa Sensei is 23, the calligrapher was like 70? Not a cool thing to do at all. The calligrapher had criticized one of Handa’s pieces as “Academic”. Basically for those of us who are not calligrapher nerds, his work looks like its been typed by a computer with no emotion.

While on the islands, Handa is supposed to focus more on his calligraphy to find his own style. Handa, who is fondly called Sensei by most of the island’s inhabitants, ends up gets swept away with the everyday goings on of a small island community. Naru is his main thorn/ inspiration but there is a whole set of loveable characters. The children of the town bring Handa back to live in more ways than one.Giving him a new view on things and that much needed kick up the ass to discover how to make the art he truly wants.
Barakamon is not an action anime. Not a lot happens. But it is there is something very subtle which makes you fall in love with this anime. The feelings they all share and the changes they go through.

Its Platinum for me.I don’t think I have ever watched another slide of life anything like this.