School Days: A Spoiler Free Review

The hardest part about keeping this review spoiler free was the search for a proper image.  The most popular images for the School Days Anime are massive spoilers.

Anyway, the review.  This Anime has a special place in my heart.  A special place where love is replaced with hatred.  I do not hate the Anime.  In fact the Anime is genius.  What I do hate is every single character in this show.

This is one of those this is not what it appears to be stories.  This one might be a turnoff for people who do not have a lot of patience.  School days will surely test the strongest of patient people.  But for those who trek through it, this is an enjoyable Anime and dare I say, a fun social experiment as well.  As for what I mean by that, well, you will just have to take my word on that.

School Days as far as the initial story goes, is about a young man who is getting dating advice from a close friend.  Since this is high school craziness ensues.  And since this a love story, an inevitable love triangle forms.  Featuring shy characters, and others who are far more blunt than the rest, this Anime is fun and causes anger for all ages.

While it can be challenging to watch this Anime all the way through, it is worth is if you can stomach all the intrigue that happens.  As a bonus, there is a nice boat at the end.

Re: Zero : A Spoiler Free Review

When I went to Mega con Orlando this past May, I saw a cosplay group multiple times that intrigued me.  Twin maids with different hair colors: One blue and the other red.  After asking my friends who were familiar with the characters, I learned of this anime.  I was in the middle of Berserk 2017 at the time, but was told to drop even that anime to watch this one.

And so, shortly after Megacon Orlando, I set aside an entire day to learn the most important question of Re: Zero: Who is Rem?

Re: Zero is a deconstruction of a popular anime genre known as insertion in another world.  And unlike most of these tales with an overpowered protagonist who adapts quickly and turns into a Mary Sue, Subaru, the main character fails to accomplish these things.  Instead, we have a bumbling protagonist who is constantly wrong genre savvy.  Also, lets face it, his super power is pretty awful on both a meta level and a psychological one.  I leave those of you reading this blog post to watch the show and find out what I mean.

This anime does not pull punches, and it was certainly compelling enough from beginning to end to keep me entertained long enough to watch it all in one sitting.  Roughly 9 hours of my time was spent in rapid succession.  Re: Zero did not disappoint at any moment.

Like many of the other Anime I have reviewed recently, such as Berserk, Another, and Future Diary, Re: Zero is an anime that keeps the viewer guessing and constantly puts the protagonist in increasingly horrific situations that he is forced to find himself out of.  Insanity, betrayal, racism, and wrong genre savvy are only a few of the tropes at play in this glorious story and the more I talk about it, the harder it becomes to not spoil a thing.

With this in mind, I will point out that I am on the Team Emilia side of the ship wars that take up a large portion of the fan base.  To understand that I am in the minority (Team Rem is the majority as well as an indicator of who the most popular character is) one must watch the anime all the way through, and then to understand why I have chosen this character over her popular counterpart, requires an exercise in thought and potentially a peek into the source material.  Careful if you read the light novels though as they are ahead of the Anime.

My only criticism of Re: Zero is the pacing is solid, but the character representation is all over the map.  With a large cast, it is difficult to keep everyone constantly relevant, but Re: Zero can at times seem to leave plot points unresolved when suddenly prominent characters disappear from the plot.  The fact that the Anime is not complete yet might fix this issue, but as of the writing of this blog post, that is the greatest flaw of Re: Zero.

Do not let that deter you from enjoying this masterful story.  I recommend my friends to watch Re: Zero to prepare themselves for the even darker Berserk because the two stories have a surprise factor that manages to pull the rug out from the viewer and sucker punch in painful ways.  If you enjoy stories where you genuinely fear for the protagonists, this is an Anime to watch.

Berserk 2016: Spoiler Free Review

Hot on the heels of my last review, I choose now to review the much more controversial 2016 Berserk Anime. 

Warning, to even review this Anime means mentioning spoilers from Berserk 1997, so if you have not seen that Anime, I recommend avoiding reading this review.  This review is spoiler free in regards to the material being reviewed, but given the shocking revelations of the first part, it is near impossible to avoid spoilers.  Also, just like my last review warned, Berserk is a graphic story that deal with multiple extreme themes including Rape, Free Will vs Enslavement, Corrupt Religious Affiliation, Prostitution, and Mental Illness among other things.

Before I continue, I want to get one other thing out of the way immediately.  The greatest criticism levied at Berserk 2016 is the studio's choices in regards to animation. I will agree that especially in the first couple of episodes, the animation is nothing less than awful.  It can be quite jarring to the point where even the incredible narrative that is Berserk can seem interrupted.  If these issues are too much for a potential viewer, then I recommend to read the Berserk Manga instead and not continue with the Anime, however, if one is able to get past this major flaw, this is still a Berserk Anime, and as close as possible tries to remain true to the source material.

Anyway, for those who are continuing, let this review commence.  It has been years since viewers were exposed to the horrors of the grave eclipse, where betrayal was defined.  Where Guts lost an arm and an eye, and Casca was raped into insanity.  By now I assume that those still reading this review are desensitized to these issues and I will continue on.  Viewers waited for almost 20 years for the Anime to show what would happen next, and this Anime is the result.

Like the earlier arc, berserk 2016 deals with issues of revenge and the costs of such a crusade.  Guts goes through hell and back constantly as the Brand of Sacrifice on his back summons  enemies into the Black Swordsman's life each and every night.

Demons in the night are not the only threat Guts faces, and a Templar order also has taken interest in our protagonist.  This perfect storm of intrigue and themes of humanity and the darkness of hearts really do well to continue the narrative of Berserk that was introduced to the Anime world in 1997.

With a soundtrack that really nails Berserk and with an intro that I actually enjoyed more than the original opening from 1997, this Anime may not be as amazing as its predecessor but that still does not mean its terrible.  Berserk is a story so well constructed and with a cast of characters so incredible, that even a sub par adaption would be really good. And Berserk 2016 is still pretty good.

I definitely recommend this Anime to lovers of the original anime, but for those who have somehow gotten to the bottom of this page and completely ignored everything I said above, watch the 1997 Anime first.

Berserk 1997: Spoiler Free Review

Oh man, where do I even start with this review?

Before I begin, Berserk is an Anime that has been recommended to me countless times over the years and it was always one that I had meant to watch.  However, what really caught my attention, especially as a Dark Fantasy writer, is how every person that sings of this Anime's praises, hails it as the Darkest Anime in existence.  I set out to find out if these claims were valid.

This review deals with the Golden Age Arc plus the single Black Swordsman Arc Episode that is the Pilot Episode, and I daresay after seeing this show until its infamous conclusion that the critics are right on the money.  

After watching Berserk, I had to change my units of measurement of how I feel about dark fantasy because this story is truly genre defining. With a plot that has few to no holes combined with an absolutely well constructed cast of characters, Berserk left me spellbound and out of breath in every episode.

Before I continue, a couple things.  While I will be doing my best to avoid spoilers, talking about Berserk without mentioning major plot points is difficult.  Also, as this story has been in existence for more than 20 years now, some of the most famous plot points are late arrival spoilers in the same vein that everyone knows that Sheik in Ocarina of Time is Princess Zelda. Still, I will hold to the title above of spoiler free.  Second, Berserk is a Dark Anime of the highest caliber.  This story deals with intense themes involving sexuality, religion, philosophy, child abuse, and psychological trauma.  Berserk is not for the feint of heart, and neither is this review. 

"In this world, is the destiny of mankind controlled by some transcendental entity or law...? Is it like the hand of God hovering above? At least it is true that man has no control, even over his own will."

The opening narration of Berserk sets the tone perfectly. The deep seated philosophical issues addressed come into play immediately.   The three main protagonists: Guts, Griffith, and Casca all seem to be strung along and destined for... something.  But none of the three know what.  

Guts especially seems to be a cosmic plaything. Born from the womb of a woman who had been lynched and adopted by a child molester, the world has not been kind to the main character of the story.  He travels the land fighting strong enemies for money, but his fate becomes crossed by the two other protagonists, and a journey that none could have imagined occurs. 

I do not worry about how people will feel about the comparison I am about to make.  After I watched Berserk, I do not enjoy Game of Thrones anywhere near the level that I did before watching this Anime.  The infamous events in Berserk easily dwarf everything Game of Thrones throws at the viewer. Both have political intrigue, deep and bitter betrayal, a nasty world that I would never want to find myself in, and all the other hallmarks of Dark Fantasy.  But Berserk takes it many steps farther and makes the story much more personal than Game of Thrones is capable of.

This is truly one of the greatest Anime I have ever seen.  Its one of the greatest stories ever told no doubt. Just remember before watching, and I quote the TvTropes article on Berserk. "Dealing with themes of Despair, Rape, and what it means to be human, Berserk is not for the faint of heart." However, by those who can get through the story, they will find an absolute masterpiece that is life changing.  

I recommend this to literally everyone. There is nothing out there like this story.  Just make sure you know what you are getting yourself into before you take the journey.  

The Illusion of Freedom

Growing up like so many in the United States, I was taken in with the awe of such a country where people were free to practice their own religion or believe generally whatever they wanted. This idealistic situation would have not even three hundred years ago have been seen as possible.  Such a utopia we were living in!

But like any utopia, the reality is that there is no such thing.  The sweeter the illusion, the nastier the fall to realism.  My childhood exploded with the destruction of the twin towers, and my idealism melted alongside the jet fuel induced steel beams.  September 11th allowed me to begin coming to grips with reality.  As I was continually blamed at my middle school for the deaths of those involved.  I remember specific remarks such as me pleading that I was a Jew not a Muslim.  The responses were always the same: "You don't believe in Christ just like the Muslims.  You are going to hell.  You are evil." Words that a young teen boy should never have to deal with.

But rather than dwell in the fact that I was being targeted despite having nothing to do with 9/11, I decided to learn about Islam.  In doing so, I decided that perhaps it would be easier to understand why the comparisons exist.  I quickly found similarities, but those similarities stem into far more than just religious texts.  Indeed, humanity seems to have similar rules wherever you go on how to behave.

Rules such as murdering is wrong, alongside stealing being immoral make sense to me.  They make sense to the world at large, hence why those laws appear just about everywhere.  But that got me thinking.  If such rules are universal, and freedom is about the ability to choose what rules to follow, are we truly free?

It seems to me, that freedom only extends so long as one keeps their head down and follows the rules.  Upstarts and rebels are punished not just by the law, but by their peers.  Seeing the world as an outsider courtesy of my Jewish Heritage has shown me that for all our advancements, tribalism still guides humanity.  

To that end, the lovely ideas we subscribe to in America: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, seem to have fine print attached to them.  This superscript adds that "these rights shall vanish into the night the moment you stop following the complex laws put in place by those in power"

Many people constantly talk about the cost of freedom.  They will give you differing definitions about what that cost is.  My answer to this cost is simple.  There is no cost.  Freedom is an illusion. The cost for something that is fake is in fake currency.  Freedom is the ability to live lie according to standards chosen.  I do not think humanity favors freedom.  Instead we favor stability and control in our lives.  Freedom is the opposite of such ideals: Instability, chaos, and uncertainty.

x

Another: Spoiler Free Review

Getting back into the swing of things, here is another anime review, just for you.  (Yes, I am absolutely terrible)

I was told to watch Final Destination the Anime for quite some time and as of the writing of this post, it has been some time again since I watched the show.  However, like death, one must be patient to appreciate art and even more so to get a clear review on said art.

Anyway, Another is a psychological thriller featuring a school that is cursed in a most unusual way.  Many years before the start of the story, a class refused to acknowledge that one of their students had died.  This defiance of the laws of nature somehow caused the class to move closer to death.  Unfortunately, in this case, death does not like this closer union.

Every year, the curse creates an extra student who in reality is not alive.  Unfortunately, thanks to the power of reality warping, neither the student nor the class know the truth and even the records of the school update as if nothing is wrong.  However, the moment this extra student appears in the class, Death tries to fix the problem, by causing painful ends to the students.

With plenty of side plots that become increasingly important and fatalities that can sometimes come off as extremely absurd, this anime requires the viewer to pay very close attention to each detail.  As the truth slowly unravels, the ante is upped alongside the extreme and gruesome aspects to this tale that would make Edgar Allen Poe proud.

For lovers of this genre, Another will not disappoint.  To those who are not as used to this genre, a couple warnings in advance.  Deaths are graphic, cruel and unusual.  The second warning is that the pacing can seem a little strange at times.  Murder mysteries can do this at times for the sake of drama, but for those that are uninitiated, this can seem a bit jarring.

All and all though, I would recommend this anime to enthusiasts as well as those who like murder mystery. Another will not disappoint so long as it is given a chance to deliver.

Mentally Ill Human Race

I have tried my best to avoid politics in my blog posts.  I have tried even harder to do them without mentioning our commander in tweet, but with LGBT rights in the cross hairs yet again, I have emerged from the shadows, with my opinion.

Lets say that you see the genetics of an individual.  The code listed is XX.  What does that tell you? That this individual is a female of course.  But what happens when this individual also has a penis? Are they still a female?  Or are they a male now?  In just a couple sentences, I have proven that even science sees gender as fluid.

And yes, I know.  The most common counter argument to what I just said is that those mutations are the signs of a mental illness.  And that these same mental illnesses are why trans individuals should be barred from the military.

While I cannot deny that people who join the military have to be in the best condition possible, I question why having a mental illness of any kind is the end all be all.  Notably, I have Autism and was barred from enlisting.  However, at the time , I also suffered from other conditions that were far more likely to impair my time in the military.

Anyway, I do not consider LGBT a mental illness in the slightest, but for the sake of this argument, lets pretend that I do.  If we are going to bar individuals from being in important positions, cause this is not only limited to the military, we have to be consistent about mental illness.  Clearly people with Autism, and Schizophrenia are gone.  So is anyone with Bi Polar, Manic Depressive, and Depression conditions.  Don't forget any Narcissists and people on the anti social personality disorder spectrum.  Wait doesn't the President of the United States fit under one of those  umbrellas?

In fact, better bar people who are over weight and under weight.  People who are Anorexic and Bulimic as well.   And while we are on the nature of eating disorders, we better ban anyone who puts poison in their body intentionally.  Yep no one who drinks alcohol can be in an important position.   And if you eat chocolate or candy I have bad news for you.  Do you like smoking Tobacco?  Better not want a position of importance.

Too tall?  Too short? Too smart?  Too dumb?  Lets be real, we are all mentally ill.  We all have problems.  Our biology does not decide how we express ourselves.  We choose how express ourselves.  Sometimes our biology agrees, and sometimes it goes down kicking and screaming.  We are measured by how we handle our individual problems, and being in a position of power or the military should be defined by those same standards.

Rather, I think there is a different reason the same people calling for barring LGBT people from the military also claim to love the military.  They are trying to avoid a dilemma in honoring soldiers who they believe have been condemned by a God who in all likelihood, probably gives little to zero fucks about their opinions. Man oh man, people thinking there is a man in the sky that wastes time watching every little thing you do, waiting to punish you at a moments notice, now that is mental illness.