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Kara no Kyoukai 4-5 and Ergo Proxy 9-18.

The fourth Kara movie wasn't anything special. Decent, but it was short and not a lot happened. The fifth, however, is a different story.

To quote myself from yesterday...

After just finishing watching it, I'm left unsure if it was a great film I just saw or a good film presented in the most confusing way possible. Following the first thirty minutes, every minute or so the plot kept jumping about, from past to present, making it hard to understand what the hell was going on. Most things fell into place by the time the plot stopped jumping around, but not everything, the terminoligy used not helping (for example, the "counter-force" thing lost me).
Click to expand...

I have to say, the film had top notch direction, and this fight sequence is something else:

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As for Ergo, it's a mess. I can't see any planning, very few of the episodes after the start adding anything. And, after many, many episodes of nothingness, when the team reached their destination, they turned back around, saying "****, what we were actually after was right at the start of the story. This was all a waste of time!" It's one thing for a series to drag-on forever, it's another for the pointless episodes to have not even mattered.

My favourite episode is episode 16; the one where the bitch/Re-l reveals her thoughts about the others while they were standed with no wind. There was some amusing content. But, on the flipside, Ergo Proxy wasn't intended as a comedy, and the fact it had two comical episodes in a row - one being a totally random, space-filling quiz show - speaks volumes about its lack of direction.

...oh, and the art stopped being consistent and the animation became limited after the start. Very noticeable.

The best part of the anime is the opening; when Vincent screams at the sky, the camera does a 360 and "Saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaavveee meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyyyy" gets repeated. Beyond that, not a lot of win.
 
When I watched Ergo Proxy I expected some grimdark boring Ghost in the Shell series, but instead I get a show which went around in a circle with entertaining characters to keep me going. Also, the best episode of Ergo Proxy is episode 19, prove me wrong.

Watched one episode of Gundam WING last night, an episode that didn't include Heero, without him putting up his forced badass attitude the show is actually a little better. Hopefully get some time to watch WING tonight after getting hope from the pub.
 
Oddly, I've rated it 7/10 all the way through, even at the start. It started out high-budget and interesting enough, but GitS-esque sci-fi isn't my thing, and it was all story and no characterization. It then switched to being episodic, with the plot not moving at all and the characters getting all the attention. But, whatever Ergo Proxy did, it failed to be special; not doing anything amazing. I might've given it an eight if the episodic content was all as good as episode 16, but most epispdes weren't funny or entertaining, added nothing whatsoever to anything and simply eating away 20 minuntes of my time... like the 'library in the wasteland, with the random gatekeeper of time' episode.

There are only two characters of note in Ergo: one comes across as a complete pussy (he looked cool as hell when he first opened his eyes, mind) and the other is shown to be nothing more than an uppity bitch who can't do anything for herself. While the episodes involving them together can be fairly entertaining, neither character is particularly likeable.
 
When They Cry 11-18 (volumes 3 & 4)

I was about ready to drop this series as I wearily made my way through the appropriately titled two part "Time Wasting" chapter. But the fifth arc, beginning at episode 16, finally has me interested again. This one focuses on the Sonozaki twins, the best characters in the series by a gazillion miles, and it soon became apparent that it tells the same story as the second arc, elaborated on and from Shion's perspective.

The series still hasn't hit the same highs as the tense, atmospheric first chapter, but at least I'm looking forward to what happens next for the first time since the fourth episode.
 
Higurashi is split up into two main elements:
Question Arcs and Answer Arcs (which shed more light on the QA's)

but it makes more sense in the 2nd season why we have all these story arcs like this 8)
 
Bakemonogatari: 1-4

A series filled with dialogue and a highly intelligent, violent, hot girl; a girl who hides a weaker side. When I say it like that, it reminds me of Spice and Wolf...

In truth, Hitagi's character aside, the two are nothing alike. Bakemon combines monster stories with characterization and a lot of insanity. It started with Hitagi slipping on a banana at school, a male student (Araragi) catching her, realizing she had no weight and Hitagi later putting a stapler in Araragi's mouth to threaten him. It's also full of jokes referencing anime early on, with 'tsundere' and 'moe' getting mentions, as well as some quality ecchi service. (Hitagi has no issue walking around in her underwear, or naked for that matter.)

What the popularity of Horo and Hitagi tell me is that, for many, those character types are a guys wet dream. A perfect girl in terms of intellect, looks and heart (and having an added dominatrix, 'put males in their place' thing added on top.)

Anyway, Bakemon is a bit mad, really. Visually, it's distinctive, with the characters and certain parts of the background standing out because of the use of vivid colours, in contrast to the rest being dull. Rather than locations, I often see parts of the background standout. It was awkward at first but, after getting into it, I like the style.

I'm looking forward to watching some more later.
 
Bakemonogatari 11&12

Senjougahara's father is Light Yagami's father...? Holyshit.

The Sacred Blacksmith 1 - I feel guilty for enjoying this. First episode is a 5/10, generic, predictable and the cast is about as good as one from Star Ocean.

FMA: Brotherhood 26

You know, after the last two episodes being one of the most disappointing things for me since 2006 I didn't hate it, good episode, but the grimdark moments were utterly destroyed... man.

EDIT: Oh, and onward to new Queen's Blade, Guin Saga and whatever is released next this Autumn.
 
Ouran High school host club and ghost hunt.
Great series.

I expected more from ghost hunt thouhg, being from the same author of my favourite anime of all times...
 
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To Aru Kagaku no Railgun (A Certain Scientific Railgun) - Episode 1
Out of this seasons Anime line up, this was one of few must see series for me. A side story to To Aru Majutsu no Index (A Certain Magical Index), a series I found immediately enjoyable and entertaining. It certainly didn’t disappoint, despite being mostly set up, it was done in such a stylish and captivating way. It was superbly crafted, from a script designed to both ease people in who had not seen To Aru Majutsu no Index and also aid in re-familiarising existing fans, yet told in a way to keep both sides interested, with plenty of fan service to great quality animation. It’s a sublime introduction to the series, for both new and old fans, and a series, which is looking very promising and I highly recommend people follow.

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Seitokai no Ichizon - Episode 1
I was very much in two minds about watching this. The light novels have had pretty dire reviews (a subject which they even commented on within this first episode), so I decided to stay well away. However, after the first episode aired it seemed to cause quite an interest with Otaku. After finally deciding to give it a go, it’s no wonder why. Full of references to everything from Dragon Ball Evolution to K-ON! It’s hard to ascertain at this stage whether this series is using references as a façade to hide its lack of original humour (a criticism which was levied at the light novels). I did find it funny, but also cheap in the routes it will go to in order to get a laugh. The animation is terrible at times (especially for a first episode, which is not a good sign for the remainder of the series) but largely passable. As a series that is pitched at Otakus and steeped with references related to the culture, I feel as if I want to will this to get better and do well, and certainly the reference about the light novels being so poorly reviewed aids me to believe the people making this are aware of the struggles they will have. I will continue to watch this, but as it stands I’m pretty mixed, and if its quality takes a dive my attention almost certainly will.
 
Gankutsuou 1-8

The first thing that struck me upon watching the first episode of Gankutsuou (and I can't imagine that I'm alone here) is the innovative use of CG for the characters' clothing, hair, and other objects. It's also often used in a more tradtional way for buildings and vehicles, and this can be occasionally clunky. But the overall result is a dazzling visual feast, a bizarre and wonderful fusion of retro and futuristic. There's always something that catches the eye.

The plot isn't bad, either. So far it's mainly focused on developing the large cast and laying the foundations of the Count's elaborate plan for revenge. Compelling stuff.
 
Seiken no Blacksmith ep 1. Wasn't impressed.

Finished 07-Ghost. The epic showdown I was expecting never really came... In fact, a lot I was expecting never came. Especially annoying because the previous ten episodes seemed to be spent doing virtually nothing plot-wise or character-wise. Ayanami needed a lot more screentime, imo. Now I think of it, his involvement was just like that of Ernst Blofeld in the James Bond films: he spent most of his time sitting in a chair, sending out his minions to take on the good guys.

I'm on ep 30-ish of FMA (Hughes... T~T), and somewhere around ep 6 of Pandora Hearts.

Thinking of watching Black Blood Brothers or Gundam 00.
 
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