References:
1. Berserk: series written by Kentaro Miura that was first presented in 1990
2. Vagabond: series written by Takehiko Inoue that was first presented in 1998
Anime and manga aren't always kid-friendly as many of us have come to accept. We have bloody stuff like Berserk, serious stuff like Vagabond and strange stuff like some unmentionables. But once in a while, we find a series that borders on the WTF and the Ohh, that's cool. Future Diary is one of these well-known and liked series that makes you just go WTF is happening once in a while.
Presented as both a manga and an anime, Future Diary is an incredibly dark yet oddly entertaining survival series.
STORY: Weight of 25% at 3.9/5
Explaining the premise of this story is probably one of the strangest things to do, but let me give it a shot.
The God of the world is approaching his death and needs to find someone to replace him. He decides to do so by choosing a bunch of wierdos and psychopaths and asks them to fight each other to the death. To make things more interesting, he grants them magical diaries, in the form of anything ranging from scrolls to cellphones, each one being able to foretell the future from a different perspective.
The story follows Yukiteru Amano (Yuki) who tries to survive the attacks of the other candidates with the help from an overly loving girl, Yuno Gasai, another candidate.
The plot picks up speed quickly and remains strong for most of the story. Plot twists will happen, shit gets revealed, and all these make for a bizarrely good experience. There will plenty opportunities for viewers and readers to get confused or to just say WTF did that just happen, so you don't need to worry about that.
Almost every candidate is given a back-story that is intense enough for people to come to come to care about the characters and everything works out into a finale that is mind-boggling to say the least.
At the same time, a lot of time is given to the two main characters Yuki and Yuno which keeps them interesting but it can also be argued that the emphasis on these two took away somewhat from the plot itself.
However, not all is fine and dandy and apart from the story becoming somewhat hectic or confusing at times, there was also a certain issue I had which is the ending, but I will discuss about a little later...
CHARACTERS: Weight of 25% at 4.3/5
Like other survival and arena-style series (with Battle Royale coming into mind), Future Diary takes a lot of time trying to flesh out the characters. As I said before, most of the other candidates were given a back-story to work with and those that weren't were usually given a certain quirk to keep them memorable.
Even non-candidates were given interesting roles to play, such as Yuki and Yuno's classmates with Aru Akise being the most interesting one of those.
Apart from that, we have Yuki, starting off the series as one of those annoying crybaby characters. He is quite naive and tries his best to avoid conflict which inevitably fails. But, he is also a huge coward, usually relying on Yuno to do much of his dirty work, even to the point of being called out by another candidate. At the same time, he does not have a quote-unquote static personality. His character fluctuates quite a bit throughout the serious, ranging from frail and weak to downright ruthless. But, these changes keep him fresh and make him for a more-or-less interesting protagonist.
But, the star of the show is without a doubt, Yuno Gasai, the main female character. Yuno Gasai belongs to a very obscure and niche archetype known as Yanderes and although she isn't the first yandere character to have ever been conceived, she has become to new poster child for them. As a quick definition, yanderes are characters to mixes love with violence. She is very caring for Yuki with reasons being given later into the story and she would do anything for him. This does not limit to killing, kidnapping, poisoning, or any other villainous crime. Because she cares for him so much, she willingly gives up her chance to become god and gives her everything to put Yuki onto the throne.
Something that peaked my interest though is why do people love her so much. I mean, sure she loves you, but she's f*cking dangeous dude. Well, for the heck of it, let me give you a few reasons why.
Firstly, she isn't a weak female character. And I mean that in both sense. Yuno breaks away from the typical anime girl role of princess in distress and she does so in a bloody manner.
Secondly, she makes up for Yuki's shortcomings. Now, like I said, Yuki isn't exactly an alpha male but Yuno fixes up most of the problems he had, even if in a strange way.
Thirdly, she is what all boys want, well sorta. Sure, she may kidnap you and enclose you in an abandoned building but heck, 60% of the time when you ask her to do something she does it enthusiastically and without complaint, I guess that's worth it.
Finally, she is pretty. At least, that's what I've been told, seeing as I'm not exactly too interested in middleschoolers but to each their taste.
ANIME: Weight of 24% at 4.1/5
The anime adaptation for Future Diary did everything it was supposed to, it presented a dark story in a dark way. It showed blood nicely, it showed decapitations skillfully and it showed Yuno's yandere mode perfectly. What else can you ask. Well, Asread decided to even include a horifically beautiful opening which to this day remains one of the most memorable opening for me. And possibly most importantly, the anime followed its source material pretty religiously.
MANGA: Weight of 24% at 4.3/5
Future Diary is in no way a long read, with there only being 12 volumes or about 60 chapters give or take. But, the more you read, the more pressed on you are to flipping the pages. The story was riveting and compelling and the art was pretty. Furthermore, this was the first take on the plot, meaning that no modifications had yet to be made on the story. Emphasis on the yet.
ENDING: Weight of 2% at 3.0/5
If there is a single complaint I could file against Future Diary, it would definitely be the ending. The manga ended in a way that made it feel both rushed and overly eager to find a happy ending. The anime sadly also felt like this because of how religiously it followed the manga. But, no worries for everyone out there, the ending will satisfy you, if you buy this. Let me explain.
The original manga was named Future Diary or Mirai Nikki but ended in a most bizarre fashion. If you actually wanted the quote-unquote complete ending, you would have had to read Mirai Nikki: Mosaic/Paradox/Redial, which is less of a continuation than it is a remedy.
The anime pulled a similar move, releasing an OVA containing the true or complete ending.
Although not an issue for people who would watch it now, this was quite vexing for me and anyone else who enjoyed it while it was originally airing. But I guess that would also be an issue for anyone who likes to collect the entirety for their collection.
FINAL VERDICT: Overall score of 82.52%
Mirai Nikki was an over-the-top, trigger-happy and generously bloody shounen series that people will enjoy for many different reasons. I personally enjoyed it for the pure uncensored fun that it displayed and the senseless gore and blood that it gave out in spades. This is still an enjoyable series but at the same time, it might not be everyone's cup of tea. But for those who don't mind anime not rated E for Everyone, I think you will have a blast with Future Diary.
Sunday 29 June 2014
Saturday 21 June 2014
Review of Deadman Wonderland
REVIEW OF DEADMAN WONDERLAND
References:
1. Gurren Lagann: 27 episode-long mecha anime TV series that ran in 2007 animated by Gainax and co-produced by Aniplex and Konami
2. Eureka 7 (Seven): 50-episode long mecha anime that ran back in 2005, regarded by many as one of the greatest "growing-up" stories
People seem to have this misconception to what shounen series are. Honestly, that's forgiveable seeing how works like OP, Bleach, Naruto and DB come into mind at the mention of the word. However, the real definition of a shounen is this:
Definition:
Shounen: Marketed to a male audience roughly between the ages of 10 to 18 (Wikipedia)
The misunderstanding here is caused by the better known series aiming for that 10 to 16 age group while darker series cater to the last 17-18 age group, while still retaining its status as a shounen. One such series is Deadman Wonderland, written by Jinsei Kataoka, a beautifully crafted work that is at the same time terrifying and exhilarating.
STORY: Weighed at 25% at 4.4/5
Sometimes I wonder how exactly this series made it through selection for shounen. The story starts with a regular kid named Ganta who gets involved in an incident where everyone in his class but him gets slaughtered. Because of corruption and poor investigation, the blame for this case falls upon the young boy who is sent to the prison/circus known as Deadman Wonderland.
If there are such things as delicacies in shounen, this would be it. The tone is so dark, so horrid, so... beautiful. Unlike other shounen where there is usually a or multiple villains to beat, Ganta would have to rediscover everything that he had lost. The setting is one of the most original I have seen in a while and the details that goes into fleshing out this hellhole is wonderful.
The plot is very serious and it gives off a vibe of "no-one-is-safe-from-dying", granted the more a character is popular, the more probable they are to surviving yet plot twists will happen and most of them will not be of the pleasant kind.
It's hard to explain how amazingly raw and pure this series's story is without spoiling it, so please, just trust me. This is no run-of-the-mill story.
CHARACTERS: Weighed at 25% at 4.2/5
Like any prison system should be, there are many strange and interesting people in it. The corrupt society however made it so that only the most screwed up of those are sent to the Deadman Wonderland. This is perfect though, this makes the creepy world even more creepy and in many ways, you would think this is anime's Arkham Asylum.
The main character, Ganta, is a delight to watch grow. He starts off as an unsure, unreliable, snotty brat, which is understandable seeing what he had gone through, but unlike other characters, he actually grows confident and eventually becomes a man. Some similarities can be made with both Gurren Lagann's Simon (Shimon) and Eureka Seven's Renton. The former is the most obvious one because the illustrator for the manga was the person who wrote and illustrated Eureka Seven.
I won't go as far as to say that the story is about the journey from boy to man because of the type of series this is, but whether or not it was intentional, any sort of progress is welcome.
However, the surprise factor for the series is not Ganta but the main female character Shiro.
Shiro is an amazing character, from the design to the personality to the role she plays in the story. The albino design choice is incredibly beautiful, with it, if we try to analyze it further, representing something pure in the dark world of Deadman Wonderland. At the same time, her (what I suppose is, they might have mentioned if it is something else but it's been a while) white body suit with red lines, neck cast and gloves are such simple things but highlight all the key beauties of Shiro.
In the cruel and strange world of Deadman Wonderland, Shiro first served as the mental and psychological support for Ganta but would eventually grow to be much more. While Shiro seems to lead Ganta by the hand through his journey, she also feels like a leash that keep Ganta from running off.
The relationship will grow to the point of interdependance and this feeling is transmitted to the reader that will inevitably love this pair. In a similar yet different way to how people loved Renton X Eureka, people will come to accept this strangely wonderful couple.
Apart from these two, the supporting and secondary characters play an above average role of filling out the roster. With specific highlights being Crow and Azami, the Deadman Wonderland prison will give you more than one reason to love its detainees.
MANGA: Weight of 25% at 4.4/5
The manga was illustrated by Kazuma Kondou, the same man who brought us the wonderful Eureka Seven series and similarities in the art can be found. Does that mean it's bad? No, of course not, the art is pretty to gawk at and does not fluctuate too much in terms of quality.
Another important thing to note is the length of the manga. Although the manga did take 6 years to complete (2007 to 2013), it only took up 13 volumes or about 60 chapters give or take. This is something that should be praised. The story is to the point and does not try to extend itself uselessly while giving enough content for readers to enjoy. Jinsei Kataoka manages to tell a story that most others wouldn't be able to tell in double that size and he does so in a beautiful manner, with the help of Kazuma Kondou.
Though more is something that is easy to ask, I rather keep what we have in hopes of preserving its existing state.
ANIME: Weight of 25% at 3.6/5
As an anime, the Deadman Wonderland anime is fine. However, as an adaptation to the manga, the anime is somewhat underwhelming.
The main issue here is that the anime producers were too hasty in wanting to get this done and could not or did not wait for the series to finish. What this made was a product that was similar but not there just yet.
What I would actually do is watch the first few episodes, maybe about half of the 12 episodes just to get enough and to read the rest.
But, there is some advantages to watching the anime. The single most important reason to watch the anime would be for the color. Now, color has never been such a major problem for me, but in this creepy yet colorful world of Deadman Wonderland, color truly brings out the worse of it. Red blood, colorful circus tops, all these things shape up this world better than the manga will ever be able to.
Other than that, the music was alright though not anything that I will remember for too long.
FINAL VERDICT: Overall score of 83%
Deadman Wonderland was and will remain a highly enjoyable series. With my personal recommendation being to read the manga, the series gives you a quick yet engrossing story of two people. And although it isn't the most romantic of romances, the scariest of horrors, the most tragic of tragedy or the most action-packed of action, Ganta and Shiro give us a wonderful package of pure enjoyment. It's creepy, it's bloody, it's Deadman Wonderland.
References:
1. Gurren Lagann: 27 episode-long mecha anime TV series that ran in 2007 animated by Gainax and co-produced by Aniplex and Konami
2. Eureka 7 (Seven): 50-episode long mecha anime that ran back in 2005, regarded by many as one of the greatest "growing-up" stories
People seem to have this misconception to what shounen series are. Honestly, that's forgiveable seeing how works like OP, Bleach, Naruto and DB come into mind at the mention of the word. However, the real definition of a shounen is this:
 |
| http://media.animevice.com/uploads/0/4479/533712-deadman_v_1.png |
Shounen: Marketed to a male audience roughly between the ages of 10 to 18 (Wikipedia)
The misunderstanding here is caused by the better known series aiming for that 10 to 16 age group while darker series cater to the last 17-18 age group, while still retaining its status as a shounen. One such series is Deadman Wonderland, written by Jinsei Kataoka, a beautifully crafted work that is at the same time terrifying and exhilarating.
STORY: Weighed at 25% at 4.4/5
Sometimes I wonder how exactly this series made it through selection for shounen. The story starts with a regular kid named Ganta who gets involved in an incident where everyone in his class but him gets slaughtered. Because of corruption and poor investigation, the blame for this case falls upon the young boy who is sent to the prison/circus known as Deadman Wonderland.
If there are such things as delicacies in shounen, this would be it. The tone is so dark, so horrid, so... beautiful. Unlike other shounen where there is usually a or multiple villains to beat, Ganta would have to rediscover everything that he had lost. The setting is one of the most original I have seen in a while and the details that goes into fleshing out this hellhole is wonderful.
The plot is very serious and it gives off a vibe of "no-one-is-safe-from-dying", granted the more a character is popular, the more probable they are to surviving yet plot twists will happen and most of them will not be of the pleasant kind.
It's hard to explain how amazingly raw and pure this series's story is without spoiling it, so please, just trust me. This is no run-of-the-mill story.
 |
| http://animeblurayuk.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/deadman_wonderland_review-1.jpg |
CHARACTERS: Weighed at 25% at 4.2/5
 |
| http://media.animevice.com/uploads/0/4479/533717-deadman_dvd_v_1.png |
The main character, Ganta, is a delight to watch grow. He starts off as an unsure, unreliable, snotty brat, which is understandable seeing what he had gone through, but unlike other characters, he actually grows confident and eventually becomes a man. Some similarities can be made with both Gurren Lagann's Simon (Shimon) and Eureka Seven's Renton. The former is the most obvious one because the illustrator for the manga was the person who wrote and illustrated Eureka Seven.
I won't go as far as to say that the story is about the journey from boy to man because of the type of series this is, but whether or not it was intentional, any sort of progress is welcome.
 |
| http://b-ten.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/deadman_wonderland_wallpaper_hd_4-1440x900.jpg |
However, the surprise factor for the series is not Ganta but the main female character Shiro.
Shiro is an amazing character, from the design to the personality to the role she plays in the story. The albino design choice is incredibly beautiful, with it, if we try to analyze it further, representing something pure in the dark world of Deadman Wonderland. At the same time, her (what I suppose is, they might have mentioned if it is something else but it's been a while) white body suit with red lines, neck cast and gloves are such simple things but highlight all the key beauties of Shiro.
In the cruel and strange world of Deadman Wonderland, Shiro first served as the mental and psychological support for Ganta but would eventually grow to be much more. While Shiro seems to lead Ganta by the hand through his journey, she also feels like a leash that keep Ganta from running off.
The relationship will grow to the point of interdependance and this feeling is transmitted to the reader that will inevitably love this pair. In a similar yet different way to how people loved Renton X Eureka, people will come to accept this strangely wonderful couple.
 |
| http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2012/059/1/5/deadman_wonderland_crow_by_ruymond-d4r9jra.png |
Apart from these two, the supporting and secondary characters play an above average role of filling out the roster. With specific highlights being Crow and Azami, the Deadman Wonderland prison will give you more than one reason to love its detainees.
MANGA: Weight of 25% at 4.4/5
The manga was illustrated by Kazuma Kondou, the same man who brought us the wonderful Eureka Seven series and similarities in the art can be found. Does that mean it's bad? No, of course not, the art is pretty to gawk at and does not fluctuate too much in terms of quality.
Another important thing to note is the length of the manga. Although the manga did take 6 years to complete (2007 to 2013), it only took up 13 volumes or about 60 chapters give or take. This is something that should be praised. The story is to the point and does not try to extend itself uselessly while giving enough content for readers to enjoy. Jinsei Kataoka manages to tell a story that most others wouldn't be able to tell in double that size and he does so in a beautiful manner, with the help of Kazuma Kondou.
Though more is something that is easy to ask, I rather keep what we have in hopes of preserving its existing state.
ANIME: Weight of 25% at 3.6/5
 |
| http://images4.alphacoders.com/192/192696.jpg |
The main issue here is that the anime producers were too hasty in wanting to get this done and could not or did not wait for the series to finish. What this made was a product that was similar but not there just yet.
What I would actually do is watch the first few episodes, maybe about half of the 12 episodes just to get enough and to read the rest.
But, there is some advantages to watching the anime. The single most important reason to watch the anime would be for the color. Now, color has never been such a major problem for me, but in this creepy yet colorful world of Deadman Wonderland, color truly brings out the worse of it. Red blood, colorful circus tops, all these things shape up this world better than the manga will ever be able to.
Other than that, the music was alright though not anything that I will remember for too long.
FINAL VERDICT: Overall score of 83%
Deadman Wonderland was and will remain a highly enjoyable series. With my personal recommendation being to read the manga, the series gives you a quick yet engrossing story of two people. And although it isn't the most romantic of romances, the scariest of horrors, the most tragic of tragedy or the most action-packed of action, Ganta and Shiro give us a wonderful package of pure enjoyment. It's creepy, it's bloody, it's Deadman Wonderland.
Review of Code:Breaker
REVIEW OF CODE:BREAKER
Contrary to what most people think, not all shounen battle series are extremely well-known and discussed about. One of these series is Code: Breaker, written by Akimine Kamijyo (best known for her work Samurai Deeper Kyo). It is somewhat confusing why this series isn't as popular as the other series, so why or where exactly did it go wrong?
STORY: Weight of 25% at 3.0/5
The story follows the adventures of a group of Code:Breakers, government-sanctioned agents given the right to eliminate anything that the law cannot. The story has a much more darker tone than other shounen series and where other series explore the themes of growing up and friendship, Code:Breaker instead explores the darker themes of what is right and wrong, who has the right to judge another, etc.
The plot begins simply enough but slowly "deepens" and "darkens". Plot twists will come in multitudes and everything becomes more and more complex.
However, while the writer attempts to make a dark, well-defined and detailed story, she takes too much time to do so making pointless twists and turns and sometimes ends up focusing on the wrong things.
Furthermore, while the story originally explored the limits of justice, it slowly degraded to a cookie-cut "beat this guy to solve everything" story. And although, it is still a decent watch or read, the problems may lead others elsewhere.
CHARACTERS: Weight of 25% at 3.2/5
Like most shounen battle series, there is a large cast for the story. There isn't a single "good guy" or "bad guy" which is good. However, thinking back, none of the characters truly stood out for me. In fact, after finishing the manga and anime over half a year ago, I had nearly forgotten the existence of this series. Granted, each important character was quirky and enjoyable in their own way however, we have seen better of them done elsewhere.
There are two saving graces though, that being the main male and female characters and the relationship between them.
Rei Ogami believes in the old philosophy of "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth". And although, he does not enjoy punishing villains, he does not see any reason to stop and is fully convinced in his action.
However, simply writing him off as a cold bastard wouldn't do him justice either. In actuality, he is much kinder than people think he is. This is caused by him having closed his heart to the world and becoming unable to fully express his thoughts. One think I really like about Rei though is how unconventional of a main character he is, instead of spouting bullshit which is typical of shounen heroes, Rei's view on the world, although flawed, is very "to the ground".
Furthermore, early Ogami was one of the best characters that I had ever seen, falling in line with the likes of Hei (BK-201) from the Darker than Black series or ... Spiderman? But that would be left for dead later.
The other "good" character is Sakura Sakurakouji (that originality though), the main female character and the official romantic interest for Ogami.
Being the polar opposite to Ogami, Sakura does not believe that anyone has the right to judge another and that violence is not always the answer. She voices her opinion and is very straight-forward, to the point of even being the one who takes the lead in their romantic relationship. Although not the brightest and quiet naive, her persistent and even comedic character makes her very interesting.
Overall, however, the character roster was somewhat lackluster and although viewers or readers might like certain characters enough, the masses as a whole will probably, like me, sweep them under a rug when they are done with the show.
MANGA: Weight of 35% at 3.6/5
The manga lasted for 26 volumes and was a mixed bag for me. It grabbed my attention early on, but eventually the interest faded away and I continued reading only for the sake of catching up/finishing the story. The art wasn't exactly bad but felt unpolished or rushed at times. Granted, I myself can't draw for the sake of me, so you can take that with a grain of salt. However, there were some ups with its downs with some scene remaining fantastically memorable like the "confession scene" shown above. But, if you do want to get the complete package that Code:Breaker can give you, with its fine points and its flaws, you should read the manga because...
ANIME: Weight of 15% at 2.9/5
The anime was produced by Kinema Citrus (who is responsible for... uh... Black Bullet.) in 2012 in the form of 13 episodes.
The anime was much like the manga, it caught you during the first few episodes but proceeded to let you down along the way. Some good points would be how they handled the first few chapters. While the introduction of the main characters and the foundation of the setting took quite a bit of chapters, the anime smashed that all together and fit it in more or less two episodes. However, the anime strays from its source material quite a bit and having lived through the FMA anime and FMAB, that might put some people off. Finally, the anime ends with still quite a bit of content left. However, I highly doubt that Kinema or any other studio would ever pick this up because of how much of a trainwreck this anime was as a whole.
Granted, credit must be given where it's due. The animation is solid, with the special effects like Ogami's blue flames being beautiful to look at. At the same time, the sound is decent with the opening song being reminiscent of Dragon Ball, though that might be just for me. But, these are not enough of a reason for me to recommend the anime to anyone close to me and I should leave the discovery of this anime to those lucky or unlucky enough to find it.
And to answer the question "is the anime better if I didn't read the manga?", the answer is no.
FINAL VERDICT: Overall score of 64.9%
Before anyone start complaining or agreeing, I have to first say that the series is in no way completely unenjoyable. Although I did say that reading the manga felt like a responsibility at a certain point, the manga was never so bad that I would decide to drop it. This is still an action-packed, somewhat thought-provoking and darker than average shounen series that could be enjoyed. However, when there are flaws, we cannot be so loving as to ignore them nor can we ignore what it had done right for the sake of vomiting on it.
VIDEO REVIEW: *Coming soon*
 |
| Code:Breaker volume 17 |
STORY: Weight of 25% at 3.0/5
The story follows the adventures of a group of Code:Breakers, government-sanctioned agents given the right to eliminate anything that the law cannot. The story has a much more darker tone than other shounen series and where other series explore the themes of growing up and friendship, Code:Breaker instead explores the darker themes of what is right and wrong, who has the right to judge another, etc.
The plot begins simply enough but slowly "deepens" and "darkens". Plot twists will come in multitudes and everything becomes more and more complex.
However, while the writer attempts to make a dark, well-defined and detailed story, she takes too much time to do so making pointless twists and turns and sometimes ends up focusing on the wrong things.
 |
| http://i11.mangareader.net/code-breaker/182/code-breaker-3393125.jpg |
CHARACTERS: Weight of 25% at 3.2/5
Like most shounen battle series, there is a large cast for the story. There isn't a single "good guy" or "bad guy" which is good. However, thinking back, none of the characters truly stood out for me. In fact, after finishing the manga and anime over half a year ago, I had nearly forgotten the existence of this series. Granted, each important character was quirky and enjoyable in their own way however, we have seen better of them done elsewhere.
There are two saving graces though, that being the main male and female characters and the relationship between them.
 |
| http://animengaming.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/codebreaker.jpg |
However, simply writing him off as a cold bastard wouldn't do him justice either. In actuality, he is much kinder than people think he is. This is caused by him having closed his heart to the world and becoming unable to fully express his thoughts. One think I really like about Rei though is how unconventional of a main character he is, instead of spouting bullshit which is typical of shounen heroes, Rei's view on the world, although flawed, is very "to the ground".
Furthermore, early Ogami was one of the best characters that I had ever seen, falling in line with the likes of Hei (BK-201) from the Darker than Black series or ... Spiderman? But that would be left for dead later.
 |
| http://media.animevice.com/uploads/2/20791/624927-code_breaker_ep1_8.png |
The other "good" character is Sakura Sakurakouji (that originality though), the main female character and the official romantic interest for Ogami.
Being the polar opposite to Ogami, Sakura does not believe that anyone has the right to judge another and that violence is not always the answer. She voices her opinion and is very straight-forward, to the point of even being the one who takes the lead in their romantic relationship. Although not the brightest and quiet naive, her persistent and even comedic character makes her very interesting.
Overall, however, the character roster was somewhat lackluster and although viewers or readers might like certain characters enough, the masses as a whole will probably, like me, sweep them under a rug when they are done with the show.
MANGA: Weight of 35% at 3.6/5
The manga lasted for 26 volumes and was a mixed bag for me. It grabbed my attention early on, but eventually the interest faded away and I continued reading only for the sake of catching up/finishing the story. The art wasn't exactly bad but felt unpolished or rushed at times. Granted, I myself can't draw for the sake of me, so you can take that with a grain of salt. However, there were some ups with its downs with some scene remaining fantastically memorable like the "confession scene" shown above. But, if you do want to get the complete package that Code:Breaker can give you, with its fine points and its flaws, you should read the manga because...
ANIME: Weight of 15% at 2.9/5
The anime was produced by Kinema Citrus (who is responsible for... uh... Black Bullet.) in 2012 in the form of 13 episodes.
The anime was much like the manga, it caught you during the first few episodes but proceeded to let you down along the way. Some good points would be how they handled the first few chapters. While the introduction of the main characters and the foundation of the setting took quite a bit of chapters, the anime smashed that all together and fit it in more or less two episodes. However, the anime strays from its source material quite a bit and having lived through the FMA anime and FMAB, that might put some people off. Finally, the anime ends with still quite a bit of content left. However, I highly doubt that Kinema or any other studio would ever pick this up because of how much of a trainwreck this anime was as a whole.
 |
| http://wallpaperpanda.com/wallpapers/dcK/boG/dcKboGb5i.png |
And to answer the question "is the anime better if I didn't read the manga?", the answer is no.
FINAL VERDICT: Overall score of 64.9%
Before anyone start complaining or agreeing, I have to first say that the series is in no way completely unenjoyable. Although I did say that reading the manga felt like a responsibility at a certain point, the manga was never so bad that I would decide to drop it. This is still an action-packed, somewhat thought-provoking and darker than average shounen series that could be enjoyed. However, when there are flaws, we cannot be so loving as to ignore them nor can we ignore what it had done right for the sake of vomiting on it.
 | ||
| http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2013/018/1/8/code_breaker___wallpaper_by_magg93-d5rxeae.jpg |
VIDEO REVIEW: *Coming soon*
Review of Gundam 00
REVIEW OF GUNDAM 00
Definitions:
Mobile Suit (Mecha): Generally humanoid in shape with two upper torso limbs and two lower torso limbs with the cockpit located in the abdomen, although in some cases it is located in the head or chest. An average mobile suit stands around 18 meters tall, roughly 10 times the size of a man, although later models are miniaturized to under 15 meters. (from Wikipedia)
Anno Domini (AD): Timeline in the Gundam universe that encompasses our own real-life timeline, the story in Gundam 00 starts on 2307 AD (24th century).
Epic: (in this situation) heroic or grand in scale or character
I'm sure every man out there has, at one point of their lives, to own a mech. Or is it just me? The "mecha" anime genre has always been a favorite of mine because of how easy it is to integrate to any other genre. You want a harem? Bam, Infinite Stratos. You want an action-packed, brainless fun anime? Bam, Gurren Lagann. But, in the world of mechas, there is only one franchise that deserves the name of the king of the mechs. Anyone who has been in contact with the anime world even for a moderate amount of time has heard of this name: Gundam.
Gundam 00 (Double O) is the first full-length anime series to have come out bearing the shining letters GUNDAM since the widely-acclaimed, fan-favorite Gundam SEED and its shunned-upon sequel Gundam SEED Destiny.
Spanning over two seasons and wrapped up in the movie "A Wakening of the Trailblazer", this Sunrise production was directed by Seiji Mizushima (best known for directing Shaman King and the original Fullmetal Alchemist) and written by Yosuke Kuroda (who was involved in works like Btooom!, Please Teacher and Trigun).
STORY: Weight of 25% at 4.0/5
Gundam 00 feels like a very typical Gundam show, but that in and of itself makes it a very interesting show in terms of anime in general.
In the Gundam 00 universe, that is taking place in 2307 AD (Anno Domini) and lasts about 7 years, which would technically put it as the closest show to our real life timeline, the world is split into three major factions each gunning for the throne.
During a combat exercise to demonstrate one of the three faction's new tech, a mysterious Mobile Suit appears and quickly destroys this new tech but leaves without any further damage. This sparks a series of events that leads to the revelation of this 4th party, who would call themselves the Celestial Beings, an organization that shall serve as the greatest intervention squad to minimize the damage caused by the other three nation's constant competition.
Like Gundam SEED or older Gundam series, Gundam 00 focuses a lot on politics and the intricacies of it. Viewers will see different perspectives on the same subject and each one being arguably understandable. A problem that some people might have with the series though is that the show takes itself very seriously. Little humor will be found although there are some short moments, but if you are in it for a show with an epic scale, you'll find it.
The plot remains solid throughout the whole series, with mini-climaxes in each episode and a slightly bigger climax at the end of each "arc". However, the show starts off in a confusing way and for those who are just exploring different animes after passing through more conventional choices, this can be somewhat unwelcoming. However, the story will and does bring itself together and eventually works out pretty decently.
The only major problem that I had with the series is its ending. To recap, the Gundam 00 series was divided into 3 different, let's call it, forms. You have season 1, season 2 and the movie. In a way, we have 3 endings. Don't get me wrong, the endings for all 3 will be spectacular but they don't give any sense of closure or a bizarre one. Season one's ending didn't matter to me because I knew that there was a second season waiting for me. Furthermore, if you have yet to watch this series, you might as well marathon it so you wouldn't need to worry too much about the endings for either seasons and to then watch the movie. But even then...
CHARACTERS: Weight of 25% at 4.3/5
Not to repeat myself but the story of Gundam 00 is nothing less than epic, so it needs quite a cast to succeed in presenting such an epic story. The show has an abundance of characters, all of which will eventually tie in one to another.
It would be hard to talk about any series without talking about the main characters. For me, Gundam 00 was a dual-protagonist series, much like Gundam SEED. However, the main focus this time is not on the civilian who becomes a soldier but the soldier looking for peace (Think of reverse Kira-Athrun). The main focus here though is Setsuna F Seiei.
Setsuna, on the surface, is a very boring guy. He speaks very little and sometimes when he talks, you wonder if he's got a clear mind. Setsuna rarely goes farther than answering a question or telling himself "I am a Gundam". This is a very interesting contrast to the last big Gundam series, Gundam SEED where every character has a quota of words that they have to fill. It's strange to say this, but it is actually refreshing.
Setsuna is a man of few words, but he speaks through his actions. Unlike early Kira and even more unlike Athrun, Setsuna is very resolute in his actions to achieve his goal. He does not hesitate, he does not back down and he does not smile.
On the other hand, we have Saji Crossroad. Unlike Setsuna, Saji loves to complain and to voice his opinion. He starts off as a very laissez-faire attitude toward world events as long as it does not affect him. However, events will affect him and those close to him and he constantly seeks someone to blame.
As much as I would like to continue on about how annoying of a character Saji is, he is actually a necessity to the series.
We must remember that Gundam shows love to play with themes of war vs peace, benefits of the few vs benefits of the many, but never touches upon a black and white approach to what is right or wrong. The same way there are, sadly, 50 shades of gray, each person is right to a certain degree about anything.
So while Setsuna belongs to the category of characters who believe that the benefits of the many is more important than the benefits of the few, like other wonderful characters like Lelouch vi Britannia or Light Yagami (though to a smaller extent), Saji represents the type of characters who believe that blame others, and acts like cowards, much like the ever-popular Shinji Ikari.
This category of people are actually the ones that represent society best and only helps enrich the believability and credibility of the series.
Apart from these two characters, there are codenames Lockon, Allelujah, and Tieria who round up the Gundam Meisters. Each one being more than fantastic characters with enough development to make viewers care for them. With these three, that rounds up the primary protagonists.
The supporting cast aren't to be ignored though. Sumeragi, Feldt, Christina, Marina Ismail, and Louise round up the primary female characters. Although visually they certainly are a step up, the female characters in the series are not here to only serve as fan service but instead presents us how anime could present women as strong, independent yet not invincible people.
The villains are plentiful, as in any Gundam series, though the first season presents us a vague antagonist, the second season, an obvious antagonist and the movie, something. Though I wouldn't go as far as to praise the villains for quality because we have seen the same type of villains done better elsewhere, the villains as a whole make up a fine batch of characters that will more than be enough to set things into motion.
The minor characters fill out the holes and there are more than enough of those. Although they only exist to enrich the story, there were a few standout ones for me and the series only gets better with them.
AESTHETICS (Animation, Sound, Voice): Weight of 25% at 4.8/5
Calling Gundam 00 beautiful would be an understatement. There is almost never a shortage of budget when it comes to Gundam and this one truly delivers. From the opening, we can see the quality ooze through and there isn't much more any self-respecting otaku can ask.
The sound is simply amazing, from the little beeps to the major explosions, viewers are presented a wide selection.
The music is better than most though nothing I would consider ground-breaking or award-winning. The first opening for example started off as being iffy for me but slowly grew into something much more beautiful than it originally was. One thing needs to be said though, all the music chosen were probably the ones that suited the show best. The first opening to season one was soothing at the beginning but start picking up near the end which represents perfectly the first season's goal of introduction and the first climax. The second season's opening, in comparison is much more fast-paced and can I say, energizing?, which fits the more action packed season two perfectly.
Now, before talking about voices, let me just first let out a dark secret. I. Watched. This. In. Dub. *dramatic piano* Yes, this is an old habit of mine, I have always watched my Gundam shows in Dub. I did not regret it in the original, I did not regret it in Wing, I did not regret it in SEED and I did not regret it in 00.
Between you and me, Gundam shows have always been for me a perfect example of an anime that is as good in dub or sub, with a high level of quality put into both quote-unquote versions.
Setsuna's harsh voice was well-done, Saji's voice was much better than what it could have been and actually fits a young male adult his age and the rest of the cast are more than solid. Would I recommend dub or sub? Honestly, I prefer dub when it comes to animes that I consider Epics because those are usually well done (see Fate/Zero or even Code Geass) and the disappearance of the need to read is a major plus to get yourself into the show.
As a complete package, Gundam 00 hit every right key for me and will serve as a good baseline for all future Gundam series.
MECHS: Weight of 5% at 4.8/5
No real Gundam review would be complete without a look at the Gundams that were introduced. Aligning with the rest of the series as a whole, the mechs are all beauty for the eyes with major respects given for the GN Drives and the particles that come out of it. The Exia and the 00 line specifically look amazing with the traditional blue, white, yellow and red colors but the others all deserve mention too. Watching a sniper Gundam fire a long range beam was satisfying. Watching plane-converting Gundam fly around the battlefield was enjoyable. Watching the "fat-man" Gundam obliterate was fantastic.
MOVIE: Weight of 20% at 3.5/5
In an attempt to conclude the 00 series, a 2 hour long movie oddly named "A Wakening of the Trailblazer" was made. The movie attempted to fill in the gaps that the original two seasons might have left and tried to make an epilogue for all the important characters. I have no complaints for the aesthetics, the movie retains the same standard in terms of visuals and sound that the anime first set.
However, a question must be asked if the movie was necessary.
To completely answer this, we have to first consider the plot of the movie. Unlike most other animes where the "world is saved" like between Gundam SEED and Destiny or even Avatar: The Last Airbender and Korra, where viewers are shown that things aren't as easy as beating this guy equals peace, the movie instead brought an alien invasion.
In many ways, the movie felt more as a way to bring in more cash rather than as a way to strengthen the 00 storyline.
Granted, as with any sequel or continuation, I would watch simply because more 00 is never bad and in fact, it isn't. However, the stand alone feel that the movie exuded was quite unappealing for die hard fans. We do see how the characters have lived on after the end of the second season but other than for that reason the movie was somewhat unnecessary.
FINAL VERDICT: Overall score of 84.3%
Definitions:
Mobile Suit (Mecha): Generally humanoid in shape with two upper torso limbs and two lower torso limbs with the cockpit located in the abdomen, although in some cases it is located in the head or chest. An average mobile suit stands around 18 meters tall, roughly 10 times the size of a man, although later models are miniaturized to under 15 meters. (from Wikipedia)
Anno Domini (AD): Timeline in the Gundam universe that encompasses our own real-life timeline, the story in Gundam 00 starts on 2307 AD (24th century).
Epic: (in this situation) heroic or grand in scale or character
 |
| http://cdn.myanimelist.net/images/anime/4/5123.jpg |
Gundam 00 (Double O) is the first full-length anime series to have come out bearing the shining letters GUNDAM since the widely-acclaimed, fan-favorite Gundam SEED and its shunned-upon sequel Gundam SEED Destiny.
Spanning over two seasons and wrapped up in the movie "A Wakening of the Trailblazer", this Sunrise production was directed by Seiji Mizushima (best known for directing Shaman King and the original Fullmetal Alchemist) and written by Yosuke Kuroda (who was involved in works like Btooom!, Please Teacher and Trigun).
 |
| http://shrine.lowyat.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/gundam-00.jpg |
Gundam 00 feels like a very typical Gundam show, but that in and of itself makes it a very interesting show in terms of anime in general.
In the Gundam 00 universe, that is taking place in 2307 AD (Anno Domini) and lasts about 7 years, which would technically put it as the closest show to our real life timeline, the world is split into three major factions each gunning for the throne.
During a combat exercise to demonstrate one of the three faction's new tech, a mysterious Mobile Suit appears and quickly destroys this new tech but leaves without any further damage. This sparks a series of events that leads to the revelation of this 4th party, who would call themselves the Celestial Beings, an organization that shall serve as the greatest intervention squad to minimize the damage caused by the other three nation's constant competition.
 |
| http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130311132522/gundam/images/7/79/Gundam_Meisters.jpg |
Like Gundam SEED or older Gundam series, Gundam 00 focuses a lot on politics and the intricacies of it. Viewers will see different perspectives on the same subject and each one being arguably understandable. A problem that some people might have with the series though is that the show takes itself very seriously. Little humor will be found although there are some short moments, but if you are in it for a show with an epic scale, you'll find it.
The plot remains solid throughout the whole series, with mini-climaxes in each episode and a slightly bigger climax at the end of each "arc". However, the show starts off in a confusing way and for those who are just exploring different animes after passing through more conventional choices, this can be somewhat unwelcoming. However, the story will and does bring itself together and eventually works out pretty decently.
The only major problem that I had with the series is its ending. To recap, the Gundam 00 series was divided into 3 different, let's call it, forms. You have season 1, season 2 and the movie. In a way, we have 3 endings. Don't get me wrong, the endings for all 3 will be spectacular but they don't give any sense of closure or a bizarre one. Season one's ending didn't matter to me because I knew that there was a second season waiting for me. Furthermore, if you have yet to watch this series, you might as well marathon it so you wouldn't need to worry too much about the endings for either seasons and to then watch the movie. But even then...
CHARACTERS: Weight of 25% at 4.3/5
Not to repeat myself but the story of Gundam 00 is nothing less than epic, so it needs quite a cast to succeed in presenting such an epic story. The show has an abundance of characters, all of which will eventually tie in one to another.
 |
| http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/42/Gundam_00_-_Crew_of_the_Ptolemaios.jpg |
 |
| http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y123/kawariver/gundam00/s2%20ep01/g00ep104.jpg |
Setsuna is a man of few words, but he speaks through his actions. Unlike early Kira and even more unlike Athrun, Setsuna is very resolute in his actions to achieve his goal. He does not hesitate, he does not back down and he does not smile.
On the other hand, we have Saji Crossroad. Unlike Setsuna, Saji loves to complain and to voice his opinion. He starts off as a very laissez-faire attitude toward world events as long as it does not affect him. However, events will affect him and those close to him and he constantly seeks someone to blame.
As much as I would like to continue on about how annoying of a character Saji is, he is actually a necessity to the series.
We must remember that Gundam shows love to play with themes of war vs peace, benefits of the few vs benefits of the many, but never touches upon a black and white approach to what is right or wrong. The same way there are, sadly, 50 shades of gray, each person is right to a certain degree about anything.
So while Setsuna belongs to the category of characters who believe that the benefits of the many is more important than the benefits of the few, like other wonderful characters like Lelouch vi Britannia or Light Yagami (though to a smaller extent), Saji represents the type of characters who believe that blame others, and acts like cowards, much like the ever-popular Shinji Ikari.
This category of people are actually the ones that represent society best and only helps enrich the believability and credibility of the series.
 |
| http://nerdreactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/gundam00.jpg |
 |
| http://www.darkmirage.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/25_gundam00_ep8d.jpg |
The villains are plentiful, as in any Gundam series, though the first season presents us a vague antagonist, the second season, an obvious antagonist and the movie, something. Though I wouldn't go as far as to praise the villains for quality because we have seen the same type of villains done better elsewhere, the villains as a whole make up a fine batch of characters that will more than be enough to set things into motion.
 |
| http://animehistory.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/snapshot20080229010754.jpg |
AESTHETICS (Animation, Sound, Voice): Weight of 25% at 4.8/5
Calling Gundam 00 beautiful would be an understatement. There is almost never a shortage of budget when it comes to Gundam and this one truly delivers. From the opening, we can see the quality ooze through and there isn't much more any self-respecting otaku can ask.
The sound is simply amazing, from the little beeps to the major explosions, viewers are presented a wide selection.
The music is better than most though nothing I would consider ground-breaking or award-winning. The first opening for example started off as being iffy for me but slowly grew into something much more beautiful than it originally was. One thing needs to be said though, all the music chosen were probably the ones that suited the show best. The first opening to season one was soothing at the beginning but start picking up near the end which represents perfectly the first season's goal of introduction and the first climax. The second season's opening, in comparison is much more fast-paced and can I say, energizing?, which fits the more action packed season two perfectly.
 |
| http://www.hdwpapers.com/walls/gundam_00_wallpaper_hd-wide.jpg |
Now, before talking about voices, let me just first let out a dark secret. I. Watched. This. In. Dub. *dramatic piano* Yes, this is an old habit of mine, I have always watched my Gundam shows in Dub. I did not regret it in the original, I did not regret it in Wing, I did not regret it in SEED and I did not regret it in 00.
Between you and me, Gundam shows have always been for me a perfect example of an anime that is as good in dub or sub, with a high level of quality put into both quote-unquote versions.
Setsuna's harsh voice was well-done, Saji's voice was much better than what it could have been and actually fits a young male adult his age and the rest of the cast are more than solid. Would I recommend dub or sub? Honestly, I prefer dub when it comes to animes that I consider Epics because those are usually well done (see Fate/Zero or even Code Geass) and the disappearance of the need to read is a major plus to get yourself into the show.
As a complete package, Gundam 00 hit every right key for me and will serve as a good baseline for all future Gundam series.
 |
| http://www.fimfiction-static.net/images/story_images/113923.jpg?1372618744 |
MECHS: Weight of 5% at 4.8/5
 | |
| http://mechachan.com/m/src/129594328717.jpg |
MOVIE: Weight of 20% at 3.5/5
In an attempt to conclude the 00 series, a 2 hour long movie oddly named "A Wakening of the Trailblazer" was made. The movie attempted to fill in the gaps that the original two seasons might have left and tried to make an epilogue for all the important characters. I have no complaints for the aesthetics, the movie retains the same standard in terms of visuals and sound that the anime first set.
 |
| images.hologfx.com/Doki/Gundam/Mobile Suit Gundam 00 The Movie - A Wakening of the Trailblazer - Movie.png |
To completely answer this, we have to first consider the plot of the movie. Unlike most other animes where the "world is saved" like between Gundam SEED and Destiny or even Avatar: The Last Airbender and Korra, where viewers are shown that things aren't as easy as beating this guy equals peace, the movie instead brought an alien invasion.
In many ways, the movie felt more as a way to bring in more cash rather than as a way to strengthen the 00 storyline.
Granted, as with any sequel or continuation, I would watch simply because more 00 is never bad and in fact, it isn't. However, the stand alone feel that the movie exuded was quite unappealing for die hard fans. We do see how the characters have lived on after the end of the second season but other than for that reason the movie was somewhat unnecessary.
FINAL VERDICT: Overall score of 84.3%
Gundam 00 was everything I expected from a Gundam show, serious plot, some romance without being obnoxious, hateable villains and well, mechs. Everything that the older Gundam series might have over 00 is at least balanced by the beautiful aesthetics of the show.
The first season captures the interest, the second one dumps down on us more of what we love and the movie... is fun to watch.
Either way, I would definitely recommend this show to anyone who loves mechs but it is still a more than enjoyable series for anyone who simply wants an "epic" anime.
Video Review: *coming soon*
The first season captures the interest, the second one dumps down on us more of what we love and the movie... is fun to watch.
Either way, I would definitely recommend this show to anyone who loves mechs but it is still a more than enjoyable series for anyone who simply wants an "epic" anime.
 |
| http://www.animeout.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/rsz_gundam004.jpg |
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