| Anime Reviews |
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This is a new feature to the site where I will review anime series that I feel deserve some praise for either there unique style or just for having that something extra special about them. If your interested in my favourite anime of all time please check out the about us section to have a look at what I like. I’m pretty varied in my anime tastes and I like most Shounen (for guys) and Shoujo (for girls) alike so I’m not fussy. I have decided however not to review my favourites of all time, simply because I feel you should just watch them and make up your own opinions. Obviously you don’t have to but I think you’ll enjoy more than one or two of them (or at least I hope so).
I hope you find the reviews useful and that they allow you to further expand your love of this wonderful form of entertainment. Oh and if you feel I missed something in my reviews or wish to submit some for the site mail me at info@gundamnation.com and I’ll see if I can put them online. Many thanks, hope you enjoy, Gurinder.
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Now apart from the odd title of the show and the fact that I had never heard of it before made me more than a little curious when several folks recommended I watch this series. I’ll tell you that after the first episode I knew exactly why people were going crazy over this 12 episode series. As one person put it “you get that same feeling you felt when you watched anime for the first time”. It sends those happy shivers down your spine and keeps you wanting more and more for its entirety. It’s a kind of mix between Cowboy Bebop and Outlaw Star with a shot of adrenaline thrown in for good measure. The pace is fast, the characters are great fun and the action is brilliant. I would recommend watching it over a few days as a single shot can seem to slow down the otherwise well paced story. On the whole this was a great view and I would say any old-skool fans of anime would love this series and other fans would enjoy this dynamic and action packed adventure. It’s set in space and on various planets and is a sci-fi come pirate adventure with and excellent protagonist. Definitely one to consider as a top 10 favourite I’d say. |
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| Well I usually love horror films and I also love comedy anime. Never have I seen both combined into one series so uniquely. Higurashi is in a word a masterpiece, a true blending of genres. I have no idea how to describe it fully without spoiling it so I’m just gonna try and cover the basics. It combines many elements from the overly cute and comical styles of anime to the sinister and macabre reaches of the mind and the latter takes precedence as the series progresses. Some people may be put off by the mix in styles used in the series and especially the division of the series into chapter elements however; I feel it is an anime series truly worthy of praise. Never before had I felt freaked sout watching an anime series and seriously folks this series can be down right creepy. It leaves you with a mix of emotions and although the comedy elements provide large gaps of levity, when it gets down to its dark core some of those "cute little girls" become truly terrifying. This one may even get into my favourites of all time, I love horrors!. |
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BERSERK is one of those rare stories that truly make you feel some raw emotion when watching. At first I thought it was going to be another mindless killing fest with very poorly constructed characters and a super hero thrown in to keep the story going. In a sense it does fit many of those stereotypical criteria but it has such a level of depth and development in the characters that the story goes far beyond that of your average anime. BERSERK is ‘old skool’ anime and is of the vintage of the 1990’s, the animation isn’t as crisp and clean cut as modern day stuff but trust me when I say the characters and story carry this anime and serve it well. Although it may be too bloodthirsty for some, you can’t help but be intrigued by the way in which the story unfolds, I loved it soo much that I started on the manga and am currently 29 volumes through and I’m still hooked. The story is set in a medieval era and focuses essentially on one man name Gatts (or Gutts) and the story of his journey through a harsh cruel and brutal world. However the only thing that seems to be more frightening that the surroundings of this terrible world is Gatts himself! The conquests of his comrades, the love and betrayal he faces and the awesome power of one man make this a must for anime fans. And if you like it please read the manga, it expands the story soo much further. |
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Red Garden was an interesting watch for me, at first I admit I wasn’t a big fan of the animation style, but I stuck with it and now I’m glad I did. Much like Gankutsuou the animation style grows on you quickly and I soon learned to love the beautiful animation styles used, especially in the eyes of mail characters. Red Garden decides to take its action and storyline at pace and tries not to overwhelm you with too much at once, now don’t get me wrong, I am not saying it is slow by any means. The story is one that doesn’t sacrifice character development just for the sake of effects, action or shock value, which I liked. The story is relatively well paced and does leave a lot of space for future series and sequels. The story starts of in a muddle of confusion as to what events have occurred in the lives of several female characters and goes on to open up into a large story revolving around in-human beings and warring families. I liked the characters and the uneasy relationships in Red Garden and the action sequences were very well done, I was occasionally reminded of Blood the last vampire and the sort. I would recommend Red Garden to fans who like a story with character development and an element of mystery. Red Garden is an enjoyable watch and worth sticking with until the end. |
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Now if like me you were a fan of the original Fist of the North Star then this new update is an absolute must. The characters are well animated/updated with edgy, crisp animation and some truly gore-infused ultra violent combat sequences and Kenshiro’s brilliant bird cry. For those of you who haven’t seen the original series, this tale revolves around a lone wandering warrior scenario with a mysterious past and the goal of revenge and honour. The story focuses on the protagonist Kenshiro and his daily battles against a brutal and unyielding war torn future world and the evil inhabitants that roam it. There has been a large number of updated Fist of the North Star movies, however this 3 part OVA series follows only a side story of Kenshiro’s long and perilous journey but this does not in any way detract from its entertainment value. If your one for large complicated plots and intricate character development, then this one is probably not for you (but perhaps watching the whole original series might be . . a little bit), however if you like purely entertaining adrenaline infused fun with some cool fight sequences, then this one is probably for you. Also fans of the Lone Hero genre will probably love this one also. I am a fan but a, lowering my score as it’s not for everyone. |
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I’m sure many fans out there have heard of Full Metal Panic and some of you may have indeed seen the first series. However for those of you who haven’t seen Fumoffu I urge you not to miss out. Although the characters are the same as those in the original Full Metal series, the style feel and genre of Fumoffu is so different and brilliant that it is amongst my must see titles. The story of Fumoffu focuses around Sagara Sousuke and his time spent undercover (if you could call it that) at high school trying to protect the lovely Chidori with his unique interpretation of safety. Sousuke, being the hardened teen war veteran he is just cannot cope with daily school life and has to take all everyday situations to the most extreme levels. One of the funniest moments in my mind (note mini spoiler coming up) - - - > Is when Sousuke receives a love letter in his locker from an admirer in school. Realising the tampering of his property, Sousuke proceeds not to open the locker but instead detonate the entire locker room with a low yield plastic explosive < - - - I couldn’t stop laughing for ages. Fumoffu is one of those rare anime comedies that pulls of visual slapstick very well and will truly have you in stitches throughout. I have also shown the series to a number of friends and they all loved it (even if they never saw the original Full Metal Panic). I would recommend you watch Full Metal Panic to get a feel for the characters, but Fumoffu is truly one for great laughs and excellent light entertainment.
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