IMHO. 'Baccano' ~ Certainly guns, but not roses

I'm pretty sure that many people give violent shows high ratings because of a subconscious feeling that violent = mature. I'm also pretty sure that many anime producers think that the greater the contrast between different aspects of anime, the greater the effect. They create bouncy jazz soundtracks, invite famous seiyuus, and even draw the smallest details of the ceiling in the first class dining-car, and all that just for the sake of contrast between that and the heavy, unpleasant story.

I did make great efforts to at least understand those characters with their REASONS or DARK PAST, but those reasons and pasts were not reasonable and dark enough to convince me. Maybe because the characters spent much more time punching, biting, shooting and devouring each other, and when not - threatening to do so or discussing all of these, than actually thinking, reminiscing or dreaming. And while immortality certainly brings up questions of the meaning of life, physical and psychological pain, I don't think I gained any insights into these topics thanks to 'Baccano'.

People who don't know much about anime use duck typing. Yes, they are absolutely wrong in thinking anime multiplies violence or inspires suicidal thoughts. But if an anime constantly drowns the viewers in blood and has little food for thought, than what else can we think? It's a violent anime with little meaning.

The most disappointing thing is that 'Baccano' was just this close to be good. The characters could have been so likeable, the story could have been so interesting, if only there were enough time for the characters and the story. Yes, you probably need to avoid shoving such an amount of characters into a one-season anime and then spending half of that season on meticulous depicting cruel fighting and its results. Especially when clearly half of the characters were repeating each other.

 

IMHO. 'Tamayura' ~ OVA, 2 TV series and specials, totally made of kindness

When I first watched 'Tamayura hitotose', it was just a short series for relaxed entertainment. What I didn't expect is that by the end it would turn out into such a wonderful coming of age story with the characters so deep and the story so full.

Speaking coolly, I can say 'Tamayura' is a great source for learners of the Japanese language and culture. It brings out many important aspects of the Japanese society such as taking bath together with friends and family members, even if they happen to be of the opposite sex:

gratitude and respect towards parents and relatives:

proper attitude to serving the clients:

and the importance of supporting and inheriting the family business:

But the main idea of 'Tamayura' is that this world is entirely made of kindness. To an unprepared person it will seem saccharine sweet. Especially if today in the morning you had to make your way into the bus with your elbows lest you fail to secure a seat in the bus. Especially when a couple of days ago another suicide bomber killed a dozen of people in some country.

The idea of total kindness and happiness appears the very moment 'Tamayura' starts and does not leave the screen even for a second. Happiness is everywhere, in the head:

in drawings:

 in photos and memories:

 in sweets:

 in fairytales:

Next time you worry about entering a new collective, try to whistle.
Okay, just a bit more happiness

 aaaaand

However, after watching lazily the first episodes about peaceful everyday life of several teenage girls eating desserts and having fun, I gradually noticed myself taking one by one paper tissues to wipe the tears streaming down my cheeks. By the last episode of the specials, I realised how grave the issues in the story had become, and how realistic the way the girls were dealing with them was. If some stories may be called 'bittersweet', this one I would call sweet-bitter, in the order of appearance.

graphics

If the first episodes may be simpler in terms of shapes and details of different things including faces, the last specials change very much adding even more lustre to everything. However the backgrounds were gorgeous from the very beginning. That wonderful ability to create beauty in everyday life and notice beauty in ordinary things is probably something I respect the most in Japanese.

music

If there must be a fly in the ointment, it will be music in 'Tamayura'. While the background melodies were good and always fitting the situations, the OPEDs were extremely weak expressing nothing in particular, being just average tender songs performed by average singers. The best songs in all 'Tamayura' parts were 'Yasashisa ni tsutsumareta nara' and 'Sotsugyou shashin', both performed by Sakamoto Maaya with her soft voice, but both being songs of the legendary Matsutoya Yumi. Which proves her legendary-ness once again.

voice acting

Since seiyuus with soft voices will never cease to exist in Japan, there will never be a problem to find proper seiyuus for cute teenagers in Japan. However, I can probably say I am completely satisfied with the performance of the 'Tamayura' crew.

conclusion

As for me, I would never agree that living on memories is enough. Memories will not bring you a cup of hot tea when you catch a cold, will not fill your stomach when you're hungry and will not hug you when you feel blue. However, there's no argument to the fact that just being near each other is not enough. The saddest thing is that not everyone of us is blessed to live in the world similar to that of Fuu - a world full of kindness and of people who would welcome her back whenever she wants to return.

p. s.

and a tint of humour just enough for the story not to become too serious. A funny PE teacher:

 mom's old friends from a biker club:

 and his majesty the Pink Cat

'Sailor Moon Crystal' ~ haters gonna hate, and I am one of those haters

- have you seen the Sailor Moon first episode?

- the very first one? I'm afraid no, I always started watching from the middle of the series

- no, the new one

- oh, is it already out?

- yes it is! so you haven't?

- I haven't

- and you better not 

Actually I wasn't going to watch that at all. I was already sure that I wouldn't like it at all - the new version of what, in my mind, should be remade extremely carefully or should not be touched at all. But my friend phoned me and after telling me some most important news about her everyday life her next question was the one above.

And I could not sit still. I knew I didn't give a damn about it, I knew I better keep cherishing my memories of the series I was watching numerous times in my childhood, but I realised I could not miss what everyone will for sure discuss on every corner.

And so I embarked on watching the first episode of the remade 'Sailor Moon'. And I probably decided on my next avatar

graphics

Instead of starting my 'review', if I may call it a review, with the usual paragraph about story and characters, I start it with graphics. Why? That's what spoils half the fun, that's why.
On one hand, I see beautiful watercolour backgrounds and static images.

On the other hand is everything else.

If people say that the old BSSM series were faraway from the manga thin, elegant, sophisticated lines, I acknowledge that. Now they're trying to keep those features in the anime.
And occasionally they succeed.

But what looks good in manga does not necessarily look as good in an anime.

Mostly the animators end up making it look like a second-quality hentai shoujo. Moreover, it is supposed to take place in early 90s, remember?
I'm not mistaken. Those gradual shadows, frames created in no more than 5 minutes - probably by young inexperienced animators who tried to draw the contours holding brushes with their toes and those bold lines that look like my scribble when I am browsing my brushes in Corel Painter, silly-looking faces that were made so inadvertently, that absolutely unnecessary 3D... that's so cheap.

Tell me, is this supposed to look cool?

Now this is cool

music

Instead of putting 'story' somewhere at least on the second place, here comes music. Being a person who puts audio signals before everything else, the one thing I cannot forgive at all is that opening theme.

Revo proves once again that he only writes pseudo-gothic-rock-songs with guitar riffs - maybe he was having a hard day and the deadline was already pressing, even though I know he's capable of much more.

My friend says the background music was composed by a person whose music she knows and who creates beautiful melodies which don't suit the scenes they're put in. Maybe.
Momoiro Clover are as always cute and... and... is there any other word to describe them? It's ok when such songs are used in some TV dramas with popular actors, but I was pretty sure we have a different case here with Sailor moon.
Is this a shoujo anime main theme?

No, this is a shoujo anime main theme

voice acting

Instead of putting 'story' somewhere at least on the third place, I am judging on voice acting first. That's what pisses me off, again.
Mitsuishi's voice sounds like a not-very-young actress is trying to produce something cute out of her throat. The only moment that makes her voice recognizable is when she shouts her usual 'Moon Prism Power' or 'tsuki ni kawatte'. Hirohashi isn't as good as I expected her to be. Nojima is awful. Even more awful is Ya... ma... shi... Yamashita... Dai... Daisuke, right? I don't know him.

story
<insert text here>

conclusion
Any of the shortcomings I've listed could be forgiven if something else was great enough. However, in the new Sailor Moon there is nothing to enjoy, nothing special.
You know, on 'myanimelist' people can write recommendations, describing anime that someone may like if he/she watched this or that anime. The only recommendation for 'Sailor Moon Crystal' so far is 'Kill la Kill'. And there is a comprehensive reason for that:

both series features girls that are the main fighters and shows awesome transformation scenes

Is this a mahou-shoujo anime series with fascinating henshin, showing young ladies examples of true friendship and love overcoming all obstacles?

Now this is a mahou-shoujo anime series with fascinating henshin, showing young ladies examples of true friendship and love overcoming all obstacles
http://www.google.com/search?hl=&q=bishoujo+senshi+sailor+moon 

my humble opinion on 'Working!!'

plot and characters

looking at the list of the anime Yoshimasa-san took part in (I mean the director of 'Working!!') I see good things are not apart from each other. like father like son, so as to say

he trained well as scenario writer in 'Aria', became an episode director there as well, and directed great things like Solty Rei, Kaleido Star OVAs and Sketchbook Full Color's (though I personally watched none of these, I just know they are good. they ought to be!)

direction of 'Working!!' is also very good and it can be quite a good example of a modern comedy. I still recognize funny elements so peculiar to 'elderly' ones like DGC, but they are not overemphasized, and the general story does not yield to fanservice - even when girls jump, or the 'camera' shows them from the floor, we see no PANTSU, so the comedy is not spoiled by anything like this

a bad point there is - unlike what I could expect from the anime description, the characters are not THAT diverse. the manager, Kyoko, who was named an apathetic person IS apathetic, but not unnoticeable, and 'tis she who turns out to be the most 'violent' in terms of using her vitality with full understanding of what she does. vice versa, Yachiyo who wears a katana and Inami who punches every boy are not very apt to using their strength when 'tis necessary - better to say, the plot evolves so that they have no need to. so, Yachiyo never really protects anyone with her katana, and even more - she is the one protected. and while I waited for Inami to be a boy-hater, she is quite opposite. not that they are worse because of this, but I am slightly disappointed

 a good point - Poplar, Takanashi and Souma only proved what they promised to be judging by the description. another good point - Satou proved to be even better. and another good point - I recognized Aoi's seiyuu!
 

seiyuus

well, at first I though I was mistaken because there ARE seiyuus whose voices sound alike and the type of heroine Yamada is could simply make me feel the same as Alice Caroll did in 'Aria'. BUT my feeling was right - their seiyuu IS one person, Hirohashi Ryou. I feel kind of happy

others' seiyuus were completely right in their place. no one seemed to be odd, no one made any visible mistakes. well, except for the fact that people like Souma, no - like most of them - sound as if I have heard them one trillion times. not that this is bad, I already accept the fact that there are only a few REALLY recognizable seiyuus. I mean, I could never mistake the voice of Ogata-sama, or Suzukaze-sama... well, ok, this is a bad example, such 'otokoyaku seiyuu' are just the only ones in the world... ok. BUT. I haven't forgotten all of the main 'Rurouni Kenshin' seiyuus, or 'Sakura Taisen', or the voices of DUP or PKO from DGC, or that of BSSM's Peach Hips, etc. - nope, we have no more seiyuus like that. give up

the only thing which distressed me greatly is that Ono Daisuke-san who is such a perfect 'dark type', so suitable for introverted logic guys, is actually famous not only for his characters like Satou, but also a hentai seiyuu. T____T

oh, well, then there is another disappointing thing...

music

while a good anime is still possible to find, good music seems to be extinct. the more recent works I watch, the more sad I become. none of the seiyuus are good in singing (REALLY good, I mean. singing good for karaoke does not count), and none of the OPED composers can create something really unique and memorable. same goes for characters' theme songs. boring

well, in this case we have at least nice OSTs, though none of them went to my Walkman playlist

conclusion

some say there might be a third season. I would be glad if so. and I agree there are still many things to resolve. and the potential is great, the plot, the characters, the comedy and the serious part are not exhausted, and are not exhausting yet. I would be really, really glad to watch the third season. even with all its bad points, this is still one of the best animes we can have in the new decade of the 21st century