Tag: MAPPA
One thing that (fighting) shounen anime can do so well is stretch a fight (or a contest) over several episodes – and Jujutsu Kaisen fits that bill for me, and yet my favourite episodes were probably the more self-contained ones.
Jujutsu Kaisen (2020)
And so the drawing together of the main cast, the investigations and especially Nanami's episodes stood out most for me.
I loved the premise too, especially as a fan of supernatural stuff, and while the action sequences were ace, I do have a few niggles to report. While the 'bro' joke oscillated between amusing/overplayed/all the way back to maybe amusing again, I do find myself growing weary of a trend that seems to exist within and beyond anime: the zero progress per season.
Okay, I'm exaggerating.
But I'm referring to the huge battle at the end of every season that doesn't come close to defeating even the first Big Bad, no matter how visceral or satisfying the actual scenes or blows themselves are. (That same Big Bad usually can't manage to defeat newbie heroes either… but that's a trope for another review :D).
And in a way, once you buy in to the series, that sort of thing never matters.
And in time too, I tend not to care too much, because I'm more interested in seeing the main characters grow and succeed.
And there's a great deal of growth, usually accelerated, for the leads and in particular for Yuji. And he has that lovable goof vibe which is fun too. Actually, as the series continued it was interesting to see the writing team rope in Nobara to a similar role.
(Just quickly also, having hammer and nails as weapon caught my eye, certainly not something I see a lot of in anime).
Another double-edged blade I guess, would be Ryomen Sukuna.
I finished this season with the sense that he and Yuji did not have enough screen time together.
Of course, there needs to be stuff left over for future seasons. But still, I felt that only allowing them a few scenes together, or at least limited interaction, both weakened the central narrative (as it had to take a few long detours to introduce the wider cast) and at the same time, also heightened mystery.
Basically, I wanted more, because those scenes held the most tension for me.
But that also means that I now have something else to really look forward to – keen for another season!
ashleycapes Anime, Series 5 Comments September 17, 2022 2 Minutes
Yasuke
Yasuke (2021)
Let me preface this review by saying that I will watch more of Yasuke.
I did find that the scope of events in the latter half quickly outstripped the amount of episodes allocated to the season, resulting in a pretty rushed feel which left me feeling a little cold toward the show.
If Netflix would simply stand by their creators and not rush out a handful of episodes at a time, maybe it'd be easier for shows to pace their storytelling, to give characters and events room to breathe/develop. (Of course, I don't know if that is actually what's happening).
But stepping away from possible production issues, I didn't need much convincing to try this short anime at all – samurai, supernatural stuff, outsider lead character, all things that I tend to enjoy.
And enjoy them I did. Most of the action was great and while there were times where the dialogue didn't land for me, the range of character designs and colour palettes balanced that out.
While I didn't go in seeking historical fiction from the anime, I did really enjoy the flashback portions of the story. In fact, Yasuke's backstory became more compelling than the main storyline at one point, and I would have watched more in that vein for sure.
That's not to knock the mentor relationship between Yasuke & Saki but there was a lot about other characters that didn't work for me.
An example of that would be the sense that Achoja and co were meant to be rogues that come around to the side of the good guys when faced with a bigger evil, and yet the narrative sort of jammed them and their flat banter into events then did away with them before giving enough time to get to know or care about them.
Maybe I misread the purpose of those characters in the narrative?
As much as I liked the variety in character designs, Saki did sometimes have a little of an 'adult face in kid's body' look and Father Abraham reminded me a bit too much of Anthony Hopkins. Minor things, but I noticed them.
For me, the first few episodes feel like a great beginning to a pretty epic story.
The next ones less so, but I'm still keen to see what happens next with future seasons should they appear and ended up preferring Yasuke over Cannon Busters.
(I should mention that the OST by Flying Lotus really stands out too.)
ashleycapes Anime, Series 7 Comments July 4, 2021 2 Minutes
Dororo (2019)
There are a few gaps when it comes to my knowledge of Osamu Tezuka's works beyond Astro Boy, which is something I've been wanting to fix for a long while.
Being well-aware of his other stories but only having having seen a few or just bits and pieces over the years has been kind of frustrating, especially when it comes to finding a copy of Phoenix 2772 🙂
However, when I started Dororo I didn't realise that the anime was the second adaptation of Tezuka's manga, so that was a fun surprise! And even through the grimmer, more splatter-filled 2019 series probably doesn't look like it on the surface, I think there are both character design and story-telling aspects that reveal the source material.
Dororo is a classic underdog story, with both Dororo and Hyakkimaru up against a harsh, unforgiving world – and that's just the humans. The demons are bad news too, but the duo prove to be a match for the things they face. And while what they face can be, at times, a monster of the week, Hyakkimaru's quest to restore himself provides a narrative link looking forward, while Dororo's past offers a similar thread of consistency.
Perhaps the injustice Hyakkimaru must face, and one that certainly had me onside with him right away, was the nature of his birth. After all, not only does his father sacrifice his organs and senses, almost his entire body, in exchange for prosperity, but nearly everyone around Hyakkimaru chooses to overlook the father's cowardice, instead turning their blame on a more convenient target.
Part of why I watched 4 or 5 episodes each night (more than I'd planned :D) was that injustice, but knowing Osamu Tezuka's storytelling, there's no simple answer. There is a cost to Hyakkimaru's restoration, so Dororo has more than one good moral dilemma.
Reading up on the reception, I see that one criticism aimed at this modern adaptation is that compared to the manga, ronin Hyakkimaru has so little dialogue that it is harder to connect with him as a character. I half agree. On one hand, it meant that the ending had a little extra impact, on the other, it meant that I missed out on hints of how he was dealing with everything.
To compensate, we learn a lot about Dororo throughout – so I was happy with the trade off, myself. In terms of the 'modern' violence, I did take a quick look at the manga in an attempt to compare and maybe it's partially colour, movement and sound that makes the show feel more violent?
But getting back to the anime, I wanted to quickly share a few favourite aspects – one being the pre-Jaws moments but I also really enjoyed what felt like a nod to the 'hidden Ainu treasure' trope, along with Izume or Jukai as characters. 'The Story of the Jorogumo Silk Spider' was another favourite; it had a few twists and a non-typical ending perhaps.
I suppose that in some moments, the character design might bring to mind that late 1960s look, especially with Mio and the golden horse to give two examples, and I wondered whether they 'fit' the grimmer aesthetic of things elsewhere, but I can't really complain since I liked it all.
Oh, and when folks joke about Hyakkimaru being the original 'demon slayer' there will be aspects that appeal to fans of both shows, at minimum the historical setting and the slicing up of monsters, however the two are obviously different in a lot of ways.
Really enjoyed Dororo and I'm keen to find the first anime one day too.
Review count: 151 (Dororo was the 'runner up' in the little vote I had for the 150th review)
ashleycapes Anime, Series 12 Comments September 30, 2020 3 Minutes
Kids on the Slope (Sakamichi no Aporon)
Kids on the Slope (Sakamichi no Aporon) 2012
No preamble here, just two (and a half) reasons on why this short series joined my top ten the other month.
Kids on the Slope is a great romance with very few instances of manufactured drama, which is really nice in a genre that sometimes suffers from such contrivances. In a way, the series is almost about the cruelty of youth, where the sweeter, coming-of-age elements are contrasted with the mistakes that are all too easy to make when you're trying to figure things out.
I found myself quickly invested in the lives of Kaoru, Sentaro and Ritsuko, and I wanted them all to end up happy. (I was even able to almost remember how it felt to be that young and unsure).
The second reason will probably be no surprise: the music – both literally, and the way it forms part of the storyline and a bond between characters. If you enjoy jazz, especially (but not only) Hard Bop or the Cool sub-genres, along with the piano of Bill Evans, this will definitely appeal. And yep, Kids on the Slope is another collaboration between Shinchiro Watanabe and Yoko Kanno, but the OST isn't as eclectic as say, their work on Cowboy Bebop.
Instead, I think Yoko Kanno looks after most of the incidental music and motifs, whereas a pair of young (certainly back in 2012) musicians perform the jams and standards. And the rotoscoping really shows fantastic fluidity in the performances – I'll share one of the highlights at the end, but maybe if you want to see this series skip the youtube clip because it's far better in context. (Elsewhere, the story really captures what it's like to play in a group, another memory the anime managed to activate for me.)
And finally the 'half' reason!
Most of what I've talked about seems to be nostalgia, but it's not just my own I guess – Kids on the Slope takes in a historical setting: sea-side Japan in the 1960s, and is fairly dripping with a nostalgia that I obviously cannot truly experience, but which seems to be captured so well in the settings.
ashleycapes Anime, Series 8 Comments August 11, 2020 1 Minute
Rage of Bahamut (Shingeki no Bahamut)
Rage of Bahamut (Shingeki no Bahamut) 2014
Okay, here's a challenge for me – can I review a series in four paragraphs only? Let's see.
Demons, Angels, Gods and Humans clash (and sometimes work together) in this supernatural fantasy, one that's based on a card battling game from Cygames. You can expect a lot of modern, flashy animation (which is not a bad thing) and a memorable cast of characters too, along with a well-paced story. At the end, I was definitely left curious about the follow-up series, so I went away from Rage of Bahamut invested in the characters for sure.
Since I missed this show at the time of release, I did a bit of reading and apparently some folks were down on Naoyuki Onda's character designs but for me that was a highlight – here they seem 'off the wall' for a fantasy setting, especially Favaro's afro. The rest of the visuals are great, the settings and the creatures all memorable for me, evocative of what they represented with what felt like welcome modern touches – I'm thinking of the angels especially here.
I suspect at times folks might question a few character choices that suggest inconsistency but for me I was more thrown by a certain reveal that explained a sharp twist in one character. She started off kinda mysterious before transforming into tediously immature… but that was only a few times and it definitely makes sense considering the storyline.
In terms of audience, Rage of Bahamut is not so light-hearted as another Cygames/MAPPA collaboration (Granblue Fantasy). The tone here is at times closer to 'Lupin' only with more bounty-hunting, blood and demons too. If you've played the game you'd probably enjoy what seems like a proper fleshing out of the characters and if you like the genre, give this a look if it's still streaming somewhere.
*I'm not counting this note as a paragraph – but since my discs for this series are not playing nice, I've had to source the images from online.
ashleycapes Anime, Series 7 Comments May 5, 2020 1 Minute
Ushio and Tora (Ushio to Tora) – Part Three: Visual Comparison
I don't have a particular plan or structure for this post – it'll mostly just be me pointing out what I think are interesting differences in art styles and approaches between the two series.
Not every scene is an exact one-to-one comparison either, though more than a few are. There are a couple of instances where I've found a panel or two from the manga as well, just to illustrate a point. At times, I might broaden the rambling a little but I'll mostly try and keep it focused on the comparison.
(And a final note – I'm obviously not an artist so I won't always know or use the proper vocab).
Actually, here's the real final note – this has turned into a crazy-long post!
Meet Tora (and the Beast Spear)
Here's a quick comparison of one moment in the scene where Ushio meets Tora: the first thing I noticed was the shot choice – the OVA goes with a side profile but the 2015 series introduced a slight angle, probably to give the Spear more prominence in the frame. As fans will know, 'Tora' is named so by Ushio due to his tiger-like appearance but I think in the OVA he's a little more dog-like in the face? I like the blue of his eyes matching the cellar's light. Both scenes go with darkness but the extra detail of blue blood appearing purple in the dim light is a nice touch in the new series.
Family is the most important thing, right?
As I mentioned in the reviews, Ushio and Tora plays to its demographic. That means, as with most YA/shonen fiction, the parents kinda need to be absent to let the adventure begin. In a lot of shonen featuring martial arts, there's a pretty stern approach to discipline – and both OVA and 2015 play that aspect pretty similarly though 2015 is usually more dynamic with is composition.
Ushio forgets to return Asako's notebook but homework is not the only trouble he's in here.
The storyline difference in the way the scenes play out is how Ushio's ability to transform and use the Beast Spear is hidden from his friends – the OVA builds up differently, whereas the 2015 has the girls barricade themselves quickly but I think what's similar is interesting. Obviously, the designs are really close but basically 'cleaner'. Mayuko's eyes have become almost grey rather than kinda golden brown from the OVA. The poses are different enough but also evoke the same character shorthand – Asako looks like the hot-head and Mayuko is obviously more happy-go-lucky.
… I think this is going to be a longer post than I first thought 😀
So, I'm going to jump around between episodes now (as the above all came from episode 1) and perhaps close with some things that aren't directly comparable but are still something I wanted to highlight anyway.
First flashback – and for the 2015 series, one that establishes the visual style to be used thereafter.
Here there's a flashback from the creepy Nukekubi episode, which in the OVA is a fair bit more violent than the 2015 series, actually. But let's get focused back on the visuals – I liked the costume match between the two but the low angle shot from the OVA is a little more dramatic, I think. The blood-tinted flashback in the new anime is really effective too, that and what seems to be a film grain effect.
These Nukekubi jerks are bad, bad news.
Above, the Nukekubi have an interesting shot that is essentially mirrored, and both versions of the series have them appear in similar ways but I prefer the OVA simply because it has the nice bonus of appearing to 'melt' into view.
Below, a quick comparison of a scene near the end of the episode where Tora discovers the joy of hamburgers – I was a little disappointed that in 2015 we don't get to see him take a bite but the OVA uses a heavily stylised look, almost a 'pencil strokes' visible moment. In both, there's still those 'comedy-eyes' visible thought 🙂
Ushio and Chinese exorcist Hyou talk – also an example of the way the OVA gives Ushio more of a 'uniform' but the 2015 branches out more re: costume.
Again the OVA presents the scene in a more stylised look that's almost Impressionistic but here I really enjoyed the inverse symmetry between the characters. In one, Ushio has his back to the audience and in the other, Hyou is facing away. I also thought it was interesting that both artists framed the shot in similar ways – OVA with shadowy plants and in 2015 with the shadows of plants.
It does make me wonder whether the MAPPA team at least watched the original before storyboarding, so as to put such little references within, or whether one studio simply went closer to the manga's blocking? I should check, actually – because I suspect this is at least somewhat true, since other scenes are often replicas of panels from the source.
Hello, Hyou
In this case I know the 2015 plays this moment (and the entire scene) far closer to the manga but I have a soft spot for the depth of field in the OVA, the blue on blue, the classic 'half-shadow' face so you know the character could be a bit morally 'grey'. Also, his jacket looks better here 😀 The light in the new U&T is great too but it doesn't have the same menacing, low-angle shot from the POV of the 'street trash' that Hyou is hunting.
Select scenes from the memories that haunt Hyou.
Now, I've been a bit selective here in what I choose to lift from each sequence and both are great, though I tend to prefer the OVA's work for the most part. The 2015 sequence is subtler (which can be a real plus for sure) and darker in terms of the lighting, no doubt to fit in to the overall and previously established flashback-aesthetic but the OVA really spotlights his anguish with the stark red, white and black palette.
The beginning and end of a quarrel between Ushio and Asako.
Let's lighten things up a touch – here the two scenes are pretty similar but in terms of character, I noticed the 2015 version had Ushio come to the realisation that he was being a fool while looking 'off-screen' to nothing but in the OVA he's looking after Asako. Obviously, both scenes used romanticised colour and lighting but while the OVA features a bold gradient, the detail and lighting effects in the 2015 show are softer and offer more depth. You can also see again that while the new series keeps the hatching, it's reduced.
Tora's snack
So, apparently Tora gets bored and hungry enough to just bite the face off a shark in one of the 'beach' episodes? 😀 However, the 2015 series doesn't have him get snacky before he encounters the monster of the week but again, the modern lighting techniques really sells the idea of a nice sunny day at the beach.
(Maybe this monster of a post should have been two? Oh well, I feel like I can't stop now!)
The first four shots I use here are a little misleading because they suggest disunity via colour – the OVA will appear more unified at first glance but it's not so pronounced in 2015. But the OVA does show that clash in detail common to older works, where the extra detail of something (the sea creature Ayakashi here) gives it the look of a static background piece, especially when compared to Tora and Umizatō. Later in the episode, there's another 'flipped' moment and I like the way we're told via the visuals, by the 'muting' of other holiday makers, that only Ushio can hear/see Umizatō.
Asako lays down the law.
The same episode also had some other interesting changes, this time in fight choreography. When Asako gets stuck in to some bullies it's far more dynamic in terms of camera, cutting between close-ups, tilts and wider shots. Obviously I'm focusing a little 'micro-level' when I say the colour balance is great with the lifesaver. In the OVA it's a bolder orange to contast with the paler background, whereas it becomes paler orange to contrast with the blue sky but also to pop against her swimsuit and his shirt in the recent adaptation.
Near the end of the OVA's run is where Ushio and Tora meet the Kamaitachi Siblings. Their character design is tweaked among the most I think, especially Kagari – who in the 1990s has the 'big hair/tiny mouth' thing going on. A key scene near the end of the Kamaitachi arc is very similar but the hatching has actually increased in the 2015 version:
Ushio protects the siblings from being crushed. Tears feature in the 2015 one too but I have this screenshot instead, for some reason. I noticed his eye colour has changed too.
That's about it for the actual comparison part, hope there was some interesting bits in there, despite the long post (which hasn't ended either!).
The next two sections are mostly just an appreciation of the character design and visual style of the villain, after a quick detour to check in with Hyou from the manga. I nearly screen-capped this fight as the final panel appears in 2015 but not 1992.
Here's a few images, all but one from the 2015 Ushio and Tora, of the many disturbing faces of villain Hakumen – the effect of utter, utter unhinged weariness is achieved so well by the cross hatching and disproportionate eye and teeth, or the mass concentration of lines elsewhere. Enjoy – if you can!
(If you got through this post, congratulations – I am impressed you were able to put up with me for so long, but also thanks, since these last few posts took me three days :D)
ashleycapes Anime, Series 2 Comments December 15, 2019 December 16, 2019 7 Minutes
Ushio and Tora (Ushio to Tora) – Part Two: 2015
Let's jump forward 23 years (to what is now nearly 5 years ago actually) and land in 2015 for the proper adaptation of Ushio and Tora.
And I say 'proper' not due to any perceived importance placed on the notion of fidelity to source material, but because this adaptation is a complete story. There's a beginning with increasingly mysterious set ups offered to the audience, a middle with a few dire moments where the hero seems defeated and also an ending, where plot threads are brought to a conclusion.
Ushio and Tora in 2015 is also far prettier and the action sequences more satisfying, benefiting greatly from modern animation techniques and palettes (though I do have a soft spot for the more muted colours often found in the 1990s). The 2015 version also dials up the ante when it comes to pacing, humour and vastly expands the scope of the saga that's being told.
What it does maintain from the past is what I guess you'd call an 'old school' feel to not only the story beats and characters but also the visual style – you'll doubtless notice that the hatching is often retained, which I thought was really interesting.
While at first the story focuses on getting to know characters within the framework of the 'monster of the week' it quickly expands the scope and the episodes begin to reveal arcs. As with the 1992 OVA, the strengths are the classic things that won't convince folks who aren't fans of shonen – action and humour.
But again, the interplay between Tora and Ushio as they gradually become friends is why you keep watching, I reckon. A lot of the humour is also derived from their relationship, which is very 'buddy-cop' in many ways, with Tora being the grumpy one.
Ushio one the other hand is a quintessential shonen hero, determined and kind, and like with most YA fiction, there's a lot of 'absent parent' stuff going on at the start to give him a chance to land in hot water, though his father and mother both have significant roles to play. (Speaking of fathers, the screen time and tone of Asako's father is pared back this one).
Due to the 39 episode count (compared to only 10 in the OVA) there's a lot more time to get to know the secondary characters and sub-plots too, and while I really enjoyed 90% of them I think the best thing was probably being given time with the main villain – without which, an action text/heroic journey can too often fall flat.
If only you could hear the creepy sound in this scene 😀
And Hakumen no Mono is a memorable and menacing villain indeed – not in the least due to the voice acting of Megumi Hayashibara (no doubt recognisable as the voice of, among many others, Rei Ayanami, Faye Valentine and Atsuko/Paprika). Here, she delivers a rasping, unhinged performance that is miles away from the smooth tone of characters like Faye. It was a real highlight – though in terms of voice acting I occasionally heard Ushio as 'older' than his character, which pulled me out of the universe momentarily.
To wade a little further into the aspects that didn't work for me I have to mention Nagare Akiba – I suspect compared to the manga, his storyline was compressed too much. This meant that his motivation for some actions seemed a little underdeveloped and then, his defining moment maybe didn't play out so well.
Similarly, I found myself growing impatient with a 'no-one' remembers sub-plot because it broke momentum and bugged me a little, not in the least since it erased a whole lot of important character development but also because it felt like an unneeded way to extend the series.
However, when the show took time to step away and reveal back stories of other characters I was usually on board 100% – especially with Hyou, his was one of my favourite aspects about the series. It's probably only topped by Tora's history too, his flashback episodes really land at a great time and provide extra emotional impact.
So, what's left to say?
Well, I guess I'll try a recommendation – Ushio and Tora should be a hit with fans of shonen and/or seemingly 'oddly paired' heroes, along with people who dig shows that go for (and achieve) a retro-feel.
Ushio's 'classic' outfit doesn't appear for a good while from memory
The supernatural themes are a really big part too, but at least for the first two-thirds the comedic parts are also important. I guess if you like light harem aspects then you'll enjoy Ushio and Tora for that focus also. (And to sneak back the OVA – maybe, give it a shot if really want to compare the two).
Oh, I couldn't leave the review without sharing this – Tora has to operate as Mayuko's doppelganger at one point and it's a highlight 😀
Part 3 (the comparison) is due tomorrow!
ashleycapes Anime, Comparisons, Series 2 Comments December 14, 2019 April 9, 2022 3 Minutes