Feb 5, 2014 8:41 PM

9 Days

Just finished my 9 day marathon of nearly 200 episodes. Thoughts?



Well Maison Ikkoku was, I knew right away, going to be slow, and would lack and advancement for awhile. I could see the immediate similarity with Ranma (who couldn't?). So I decided to mix it up with other shows by alternating episodes. So here's my list and what I thought.



Maison Ikkoku was, like I said, slow. I could have watched the first and last fifteen episodes and gotten the story in between at a guess. I stuck to it though and was rewarded with a lot of small but joyful moments, unfortunately I also was tied down quite often by the urge to scream at the main character since I watched him mumble and fumble for so long through situations he didn't need to go through. I understand it though. I wasn't raised in the place or time they were, so it makes sense that I would be frustrated in seeing it one way while wanting them to do something else. Good story, glad I watched it. Never again. Too long for me to enjoy twice, but that isn't the point.



Asura Cryin. This show barely gets a 5. I was so pissed that I almost didn't watch the second season, but I'm glad I did. The second one actually better than first at least, though not by much. Incredible idea for a world and universe, executed horribly.

This reminds me of one time where I saw a show after having read the description, it was a neat idea but only 3 episodes. I was shocked halfway through first episode when it suddenly went 18+. The story held up really well despite this, but it kept being interrupted by these moments where it was obvious they couldn't get a script produced without tacking on some smut. This is something that happens too often to too many good stories.

Anyway, Asura Cryin does it too. Really great ideas, but little explanation, forced (I mean REALLY forced) into a high school setting. This story was better suited to 20+ characters and could have really benefited from removing the 'boing' and slapstick comedy. Comedy is fine, but the slapstick moments were too much. Sad & annoyed that this world didn't get a better treatment.



Infinite Stratos delivers what it says on the package. Watch these two and you might wonder how I like one but not the other. I think it is simple. IS doesn't always try to take the plot too seriously. It is meant to be a story about high schoolers and a single boy's troubles in an all girl school. The mechs are just a tacked on sideline. They could just as easily have done this with other sports and created the same moods. The bad guys could easily have just been kids from other schools. The difference is the technological sport is being used to provide a simple method to have in-fighting amongst the characters as well as providing a way to threaten mortal harm. Overall I was happy with this series.



Infinite Stratos 2 is the second season and I cannot say the same here. Most of it applies, but I was so annoyed at the amount of "fluff" episodes that I couldn't even enjoy those anymore. I think there were 4 plot-related episodes crammed in to a season of 'look at all the pretty girls'. Maybe others won't see it that way, but I was terribly disappointed in the second season.



Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo was a rewatch for me. I really enjoy the "almost" love story. I'm never quite sure if this should be considered a girl who gains a brother or a lover beyond the ending. I feel they want you to think they'll fall in love and have babies some day, but I feel like it is the story of two strangers who come to depend on each other as brother and sister. I quite like this one.



Nozoki Ana was a bit weird... or a lot. Yeah, a lot. Saw it listed as a romance. Did not notice the 18+ until I was watching it. I have to say that I actually really enjoyed this twisted little love story. It wouldn't have been something you could tell without that rating though.



Mayo Chiki was interesting. Not a lot to say about it. I enjoyed it and thought they did a pretty good job of actually creating relationships rather than people just randomly getting together or liking someone out of spite. Strange concept, but good method is my thought for this one.



Toradora was great. Wish I hadn't read anyone's comments at all about it. They didn't spoil it but they made it so it seemed obvious what the outcome would be. Maybe the show did that on its own? I'm unsure. I really enjoyed it either way. I won't say it is an amazing romance, but by the end you really have a good feel for the characters. They act in a way that is expected based on what you've learned about them which I find to be refreshing. It may be a little slapstick and over the top, but when it counts the animation stays true to life (not getting weird effects like shadow punching). A very simple, but heartfelt love story.



One Off is an amazing 4 part miniseries. I don't know why this isn't simply a movie. My only negative was the subs. The Australian's dialogue was meant to be a mess, I realize that. She mixed up words and phrases from different countries all the time, but the subber did the same but with entirely different words. If a character says something not in Japanese we usually can tell, so don't make a mess of it another way. (I also get annoyed when you obviously hear an English word that somehow is skipped in the subs.)

Anyway, off-topic a bit there. Not a romance, just a group of girls changing their outlooks of the world. Fun story.



Stranger: Mukou Hadan was excellent. Not at all in theme with the others, but I happened to click it for a break from Maison Ikkoku and what a gem I found. Good action with great animation. Not too overpowered, which is always nice I think. It is just a hair above believable skills. Darn good story that gives you a good history where it needed it be told. No fluff. Not one minute of it. I highly recommend this one.



Started Gungrave, couldn't get into it. Dropped it.





Anyway, that's what I did for the last nine days outside of moving snow and sleep. Hope someone ends up enjoying this and watches one of these because of me.