You're Not You When You're Hungry [ENGLISH]

Anime Review : Ben-To

Ben-To

Ben-To (2011) by David Production. This series is freakin' AWESOME. The fighting scenes are very well animated, obviously, it's a martial arts anime. But still, very awesome. The concept of fighting over half-price convinience store bento is just laughable at first, but as you progress with the story, this is something really serious apparently. Not only saving highschooler's pocket and stomach, the fighting over half priced convinience store bento resembles the 'try hard to achieve' concept, but with bento, it's somehow become comedy. I actually really like the story progression, execpt the overdosed lesbians and crossdressing in the series. I don't know what the author was thinking, but honestly, those lesbian and gay actions should be reduced (though there will be no season 2 since the series itself is not so popular). Anyway, I found a new waifu in this series which makes me think about a certain post on this blog that I haven't updated for 3 weeks but that's beside the point. So many of you guys made Shaga Ayame, the MC's cousin as waifu. To me, she's indeed a potential one. But my choice is Sen Yarizui, the Ice Witch. She's just so beautiful, and strong, and sexy too, just everything you might need. Oh yeah, she's kinda similar to Mai Kawakami. Anyway, this one is base off a light novel, and not that many anime adaptation from a LN is good like this one, so that's a plus. Fanservice is well managed, though the yuri actions are a bit too much. What lacking from this series is too few episodes and a slight romance/drama that doesn't work out. I didn't think that this anime will have a slight chance romance in the story between MC and one of the girls. I really hope they worked out on the LN though. If only they worked out in the anime, it would be awesome, and I'll definitely put this under the 'Legendary Series' category. AND if they reduce the yuri and yaoi actions, I'll give a 4/4. But too bad they didnt, so Overall score is : 3.5 / 4 Thumbs.

Character Review

You Satou, voiced by Shimono Hiro. He is the main character and typical of the idiot one. But honestly, I'm really glad this series is not a harem because the MC will not won anything in the end because harem male leads are pathetic. He's just too damn unlucky hero, but for some reason really strong in the battlefield. Score : A.

Sen Yarizui, voiced by Ise Mariya. As I said, new waifu. She's kinda resembles Ouka from Koko no Uwasa ga El Palacio, it's my current favorite manga and Mai Kawakami from phantom world. But, when Ouka and Mai have a cheerful personality, Sen on the other side posses kinda gloomy and serious personality. Her eyes ir really sharp I love it. She's also strong but unexpectedly clumsy which made her got the title 'Ice Witch'. Sen is also a really caring senpai, plus point for waifu review. Score : A.

Hana Oshiroi, voiced by Yuuki Aoi. I don't like her fujoshi personality. I like how she put comedies throughout the series by somehow narrating stuff, but leading to fujoshi's point of view, that's just oo much. Score : B.

Shaga Ayame, voiced by Katou Emiri. She's the potential waifu that most people will pick. I personally like her too, and she likes the MC which is good. But my policy is to only get one waifu in every series, so that was a really hard decision to choose between Shaga and Sen. But I made up my mind and choose Sen as my new waifu. Sorry, Shaga. Score : A-.

Images from myanimelist.net

Light Novel? OK, Anime? NO

Anime Review : Hai to Gensou no Grimgar

Hai to Gensou no Grimgar

Hai to Gensou no Grimgar (2016) by A - 1 Pictures. Hmm, gua belum cek dengan pasti LN-nya, tapi entah kenapa gua bisa yakin kalo pengantaran novelnya jelek. Kenapa? Kalo penulis mungkin ngerti, ketika novel dibuat jadi animasi itu kan harus dibayangkan dulu seperti apa scene-nya, karakternya, dll. Dalam Grimgar, art nya bagus, unique, tapi sayangnya animasi yang ditampilin di anime nya itu banyak yang nggak perlu. Maksudnya ya karena pengantaran novelnya jelek, jadi ketika dianimasikan jadi bingung bagian mana yang perlu dianimasikan dan bagian mana yang nggak. 12 episode itu nggak panjang, dan animatornya harus menyesuaikan LN untuk dijadikan animasi, tapi dalam kasus Grimgar (dan beberapa anime lain), mereka maksa masukin hal-hal yang nggak perlu dianimasikan ke dalam animenya, mungkin untuk menuhin durasi. Gua nggak bisa sebutin contohnya karena males, tapi kalo diperhatiin pasti ada kok scene yang rasanya nggak perlu dianimasikan. Tapi nggak selamanya animasinya buruk, scene fightingnya bagus, special effectnya bagus, cuma itu tadi, packagingnya yang dipaksa. Gua tadi bilang pengantaran LN-nya jelek, tapi gua 100% yakin kalo Hai to Gensou no Grimgar itu jauh lebih bagus kalo dikonsumsi sebagai Light Novel daripada anime. Gua sebenarnya kurang yakin juga apa ini serial animasi atau AMV karena jumlah soundtrack yang gua ga bisa dan ga mau ngitung. Setiap episode deh, pasti ada soundtrack baru lagi. Kekurangan lainnya lagi yaitu di Manato. Siapa yang nangis ketika [SPOILER] Manato mati? Gua sih nggak. Manato mati di awal, dan kalo bagi gua, feelingnya belom kerasa. Mereka dengan nggak jelas masuk ke Grimgar, tiba-tiba jadi temen baik dan tiba-tiba mati satu. Kalo bagi para tokoh mungkin ia feelingnya masuk, tapi bagi penonton mungkin nggak, karena durasinya masih pendek, dan lagi nggak banyak juga scene yang emosional tentang Manato selain melalui PoV MC nya, karena gua yakin novelnya pake First Person. Dunia Grimgar masih abu-abu, nggak jelas, tiba-tiba begini, tau-tau begitu, mungkin di LN-nya di kemudian volume dijelaskan, tapi nggak ada waktu untuk menjelaskan di animenya. Gua asumsikan ini adalah salah satu cerita yang mengadopsi SAO, dan mencoba bikin atmosfir RPG. Tapi sayangnya, SAO itu jelas dunia RPG nya, sementara Grimgar seperti gua bilang, masih abu-abu dan nggak ada cukup episode untuk menjelaskan. Haruskah level kecil ngelawan goblin? Katanya goblin paling lemah, kok susah amat lawannya? Siapa aja yang masuk ke Grimgar? Apa orang-orang yang lain itu player juga atau cuma NPC? Terlalu banyak pertanyaan, terlalu sedikit episode. Score untuk Hai to Gensou no Grimgar : 2.6 / 4 Thumbs.

Character Review

Manato, voiced by Shimazaki Nobunaga. Karakter yang terlalu diworship. Itu aja, personality-nya ok, tapi sebenarnya gua menaruh kecurigaan sama orang ini dari awal, gua emang nggak suka karakter yang baiknya keterlaluan, termasuk karakter utama. Untung matinya cepet. Score : B.

Haruhiro, voiced by Hosoya Yoshimasa. Nggak jarang MC yang memilih jadi rogue dari awal. Haruhiro jadi thief, unsuer RPG nya sudah dikeluarkan dari awal, tapi mereka (penulis) nggak mau jujur kalo ini sbenernya game RPG. Seenggaknya berikan penjelasan sedikit tentang Grimgar di awal, masalah di sini yaitu sudut pandangnya Haruhiro. LN nya ngambil sudut pandang pasti dari Haruhiro (mayoritas), jadi apa yang diketahui sama Haruhiro, ya itulah yang dikasih liat ke penonton. Sebagai MC, okelah gua nggak banyak protes, Haruhiro juga OK kok, nggak lemah-lemah amat, indecisive itu sudah jadi ciri khas semua MC, kemudian terlalu baik juga nggak, bodoh mungkin iya. Score : A-.

Ranta, voiced by Yohino Hiroyuki. Karakter badut, tapi payah. Bukan kemampuan bertarungnya, tapi jokesnya. Ini salah satu kelemahan Hai to Gensou no Grimgar yang mau gua bahas di Ranta, yaitu bad jokes placement. Penempatan joke yang nggak tepat timingnya akhirnya cuma makan durasi. Score : B.

Yume, voiced by Komatsu Mikako. Perempuan ini alasan gua ganti judul Hai to Gensou no Grimgar jadi Grimgar : Pussies Grouped Together to Fight other Pussies + Ass and Boobs Edition! Lagi-lagi, kelemahan dari anime ini yaitu kebanyakan fanservice yang nggak perlu, apalagi mengingat genrenya. Mungkin gua ngerti, maksud dari penempatan fanservice di awal-awal itu untuk menarik penonton, tapi sayang bagi gua itu mengganggu. Sebagai genre Action, Adventure Grimgar menyuguhkan fanservice yang overdose, mending dibuat jadi Ecchi sekalian gitu. Alasan gua ngebahas ini di Yume adalah karena Yume salah satu kontributornya. Kalo personality wise, Yume harusnya jadi salah satu karakter favorite gua, dua juga yang bikin gua mengira kalo bakal ada romance, namun kenyataannya nggak. Oh ya, [SPOILER] ada Kirito x Asuna resemblance di sini antara Haruhiro dan Yume, dan yang gua maksud bener-bener Kirito x Asuna resemblance. Tau pas mereka ngelawan bos pertama di SAO? Selamat datang kembali. Score : A-.

Shihoru, voiced by Terui Haruka. Ini dia primadonyanya Grimgar, mungkin kalo nggak ada dia jadi sedikit yang nonton. Penyumbang fanservice juga, tapi nggak diberikan spotlight, bahkan ketika Manato mati, padahal semua tau kalo dia suka sama Manato. Score : B.

Merry, voiced by Anzai Chika. Waktu Merry pertama dateng, dia bertindak profesional dengan nggak mengobati luka-luka kecil. Itu tindakan profesional untuk menghemat mana, tapi karakter-karakter bloon lainnya maksa dia untuk bertindak seperti 'mantan' mereka, Manato. Masa lalunya Merry juga pahit, jadi wajar kalo dia mengantisipasi itu terulang lagi, dan pastinya trauma ada. Proses Haruhiro melunakkan Merry gua bisa kasih jari kelingking lah, tapi nggak jempol (setidaknya bukan jari tengah). Score : A-.

Moguzo, voiced by Ochiai Fukushi. Karakter favorit gua karena bakatnya ngukir figure dari kayu. Nggak banyak peran, tapi ikut jadi karakter utama. Gua nggak bisa bilang banyak sih karena dia sendiri nggak banyak spotlight, tapi yang jelas dia karakter favorit gua karena tindakannya yang logis, nggak emosional. Score : A-.

Images from myanimelist.net

ANIME THAT I WILL NEVER TOUCH AGAIN!

Anime Review : Ano Natsu de Matteru

Ano Natsu de Matteru

Ano Natsu de Matteru (2012) by JC Staff. I hate this series. I fucking hate this series... I don't know why, I just don't want to remember anything. I hate everything that're related to this series. Remembering it just hurting my chest. I can't, I simply just can't... I know it would end like that, I know very well from the very fucking beginning it would end like that! But I just got fooled by the flow of the story and when I came to I was hoping for things to end the other way around, and that makes my heart really hurts once the series ended. I can't do this, I don't want to remember anything, I don't want to cry anymore, I was holding down tears, keep denying as the ending ost played in the background, and the epilogue showed. I know she's back, she'c back, right? But at least tell me she's back! Show me that she's back! Let me see them together like in the previous episode! Don't just left with a glimpse of clue that she's back! I hate this! I can't do proper review like this, ugh...

Overall score :  4 / 4 Thumbs.

Character Review

Kaito Kirishima, voiced by Shimazaki Nobunaga. He's a main character and  a lot of girls loved him, but  he gently turned one by one down and going out with Ichika. Only to find out later that Ichika will leave him suffering. Score : A.

Ichika Takatsuki, voiced by Tomatsu Haruka. I recognized her voice from the first time, and decided to take a liking to her. But she easily give up, she give up on her dreams, she give up on her love, she did what she thought was right, but it just hurting him, and me. Score : A.

Kanna Tanigawa, voiced by Ishihara Kaori. She's the poor one, she didn't get anything at all in the end, even after Ichika left. But she pushed Ichika to confess, ignoring her own feeling, that's something rarely happen in a triangle love anime relationship. Score : A.

Tetsurou Ishigaki, voiced by Ogihara Hideki. He's a bro who can't live up to his own advices. Score : A-.

Mio Kitahara, voiced by Asumi Kana. She's a nudist, I knew it since the second time I saw her talking on phone naked in her room. At first I though she was just changing after bath, so I don't really mind, but the second time, I guessed "What the hell is wrong with her? Is she a nudist?" and then she confirmed it later. She's considered as lucky for her to be together with the one she loves. Score : A.

Remon Yamano, voiced by Tamura Yukari. She's my favorite character, the funny one, the badass one, the know it all one, everything. She's my only reason to laugh at the ending, despite I was holding down tears. I don't want to spoil who she is, go watch the series by yourself, and cry. Also, her laugh is just the besst laugh I've ever seen. Score : S.

I'm sorry I couldn't do a proper review for this. As I said, this is the record breaker, I gave the series a full score, and a character an S rank, the highest one, and the only one so far. The series is not bad, it's just I still can't settle my feelings. I watched Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki kun right after I finished crying to heal my heart, but it didn't work. I just can't get this series off my mind, I want to forget this, I want to forget everything, that's why I'm doing the review early even though I'm still hurt.

Images from myanimelist.net