Review: Str.A.In (anime)

For me, I have an anime addiction.  At any given point, I need to be involved in an anime some way.  If I am not in the middle of one, I feel weird, like I'm not doing a good job of being myself.  With all that said, you can understand why I choose to watch this anime.  Not so much because it looked good or interesting, but because I had a need to watch something were the characters have huge eyes. Still, Str.A.In surprised me by being a pretty thoughtful, emotional run.

(SPOILER ALERT! Read this paragraph last! MAYBE!)

Str.A.In is set in a world were aliens are a constant threat to the earth and to humanity.  Enter Sara Werec.  She is the sister of Ralph Werec, a war hero, and Strain Pilot prodigy.  On an unfortunate night, her school and attack ed destroyed by an invading fleet.  This ambush was led by the one time hero, Ralph.  No one knows why he has switched sides.  After the attack, all the admiration he had garnered quickly becomes hate and fear now.  Sara must now take on a new identity in order to have a chance to confront her brother and understand why he has turned into such a monster.  

Likes - The first thing I liked about this show is how it started.  Similar to Gai-Rai: Zero, the first episode is this insane sucker punch.  If you've read the above paragraph, I've ruined it for you.  If not, you're set to have your head spinning. You really don't get a feel of things until the second episode where you come to see where the current struggle is heading.  

Another aspect of Str.A.In I liked were the lighter moments.  There were many comedic, cartoony moments and stories.  I'm glad for it though because if not for those, Str.A.In would feel so heavy and depressing,  It would be a struggle to watch the 13 episodes.  As the good times are a distraction for Sara, they also serve to distract the audience from the real story - People are dying, by the hand of one man, and no one knows why.

Related to the story are the characters.  At first they seem like stock characters, flat and no thought put into their creation.  Over time, the people and their stories, opinions, and experiences all begin to tie together creating unexpected complexity. Str.A.In started off seeming like another mecha driven anime but became a series about the meaning of family, friends, and the importance of letting go.  

Dislikes - Mainly, I could not stand Sara.  I think that was the point of her.  Watching her constantly pushing people away and instead finding comfort and conversation from an inanimate doll was creepy and sad.  I understand this is important to the story but it took her way too long to get out of this depression.  You can look at it as how much damage she really suffered by being betrayed, but still, it was SOO annoying.  Once you get past Sara though, the other characters can be charming and fun, especially compared to Sara's black light. 

Overall - I enjoyed this anime.  I don't know if I would brag that I watched this or that it was ground breaking. It did serve as a good way to pass the time and fulfill my anime addiction.  So if you watch a lot of anime, you might enjoy this one while looking for the next big thing.  For other people, there is a lot more out there to watch.  Overall 4 stars, though I don't know if I'd highly recommend this. 

Review: Exit Through the Gift Shop (film)

In an attempt to kill time and avoid some real work that needed to to be done, I decided to watch yet another film.  I had already seen Our Idiot Brother earlier today.  It was good but not worth writing.  After avoiding Exit Through the Gift Shop for awhile, feeling I was never in the mood, I decided to stop being a wuss and jump into this story.  Man, was I putting off a nice payoff.

Exit Through the Gift Shop is a strange and interesting tale, encompassing Theirry Guetta and his obsession with street art.  Things begin with how Thierry needed to film his whole life.  Soon, he become exposed to the world of street art. Two obsessions, now crashed together, created an experience for Theirry no one else had.  Documenting art that wouldn't last for a day, Thierry was the historian for a modern movement.  Events progress into a strange twist as Thierry soon becomes the artist he had been obsessed with for so long. 

Likes - The first thing I really enjoyed about this film is the initial documenting of the street art movement.  You are exposed to an amazing underground world, focused on pure expression and avoiding capture to paint another day.  You see some amazing pieces and the efforts made to put them up.  

Another great aspect of the film are the people in it.  Theirry, Banksy, and Fairey all are interesting, honest people with interesting takes on art.  Banksy and Fairey are at it from the beginning, before money was ever in the picture and fame was a consideration.  Eventually Thierry comes in and does the art and is loved for it.  Yet, he earns no respect from the street art community.  Much like most celebrities, he gives people what they want and expects people to make up for his shortcomings and poor planning.  Exit Through the Gift Shop is as much about credibly and fame as it is about art.

The last major facet I enjoyed is the dry humor in the film.  Though touted as a documentary, it is anything but.  The moments you wanna laugh, feel free too.  That was the point!

Dislikes -  I didn't dislike anything with this film.  It was subtle, informative, and overall entertaining.  I wouldn't sit in a theater or watch this with a group. For my desire to kill time and have a laugh though, this was perfect.

Overall - This was a very good, fun film thought nothing outstanding or ground breaking.  Still, it was a perfect introduction to street art and an overall movement that needs to be under the radar to exist.  Look up Mr Brainwash in Wikipedia too.  It'll make you really think about what Exit Through the Gift Shop was really about. 

Review: Night Raid 1931 (Anime)

Man, it feels like forever since I wrote anything on here.  I haven't really watched anything that spurned any strong opinions in me lately.  That changed when I finished this unexpected gem of an anime series, Night Raid 1931.

Night Raid 1931 follows the exploits of an espionage group - Sakurai Kikan.  This group is made up for four members - Rash Aoi, stiff Kazura, stoic Natsume, and grim Yukina.  Sakurai Kikan is a very special spy team since each of it's members has a special psychic ability.  Each one plays an essential role in protecting the Japanese occupation China.  The group goes on various missions in the beginning of the series.  In time we come to see that they are ultimately trying to prevent a 2nd world war.


Likes - When I first began watching this series, I wasn't really sucked in.  In fact, I only watched it to have something to do before bed.  As the series progressed, I lost sleep since I just had to push forward with the next episode.  The first strong point about this series is the overarching theme and plot.  At the beginning, it seemed the team was being sent out on random missions.  Halfway through, the series started to have a clear direction and, eventually, a fitting climax.  That is focused, thought out writing.  So many anime series will have 26 episodes, but the series can be summed up in less then 6 of those.  Night Raid 1931 is above that.  Every episode was vital to the plot.  When a series does that, then I end up not feeling like I wasted time on filler.  


The second strong point of the series is the characters.  I thought a team of 4 for Sakurai Kikan seemed small.  On the contrary, it was the right amount.  We come to see each member as a unique and interesting person.  The back and forth between Aoi and Kazura adds a healthy balance of opposing views and tension.  As the story charges forward, you understand the choices both men make.  With Yukina, you can feel her pain and frustration with dealing with her brother.  Each members' unique abilities also helps to create a very tight, symbiotic fluidity amongst the team as well.  I think the characters were the greatest triumph of this series.  


Dislikes - My only complaint is the play order that was given by Netflix.  I think their instant stream includes OVAs not normally a part of the series.  The second episode was actually the team's first meeting of each other.  It would normally be fine but I had no clue what was going on.  Other then that, nothing in particular stands out worth complaining about


Overall - I recommend this series highly.  The depth of the characters reminded me of Baccano! and the theme of war reminded me of Full Metal Alchemist, two series dear to my heart.  This series managed to surprise me with its depth, pacing, and overall excitement.  Put this one on the top of your 'To Watch' List!. You won't regret it!

Review: Batman: The Man Who Laughs (graphic novel)

Batman: The Man Who Laughs is a story written by Ed Brubaker, a writer whose work I've been constantly happy with.  I figured this would be an easy graphic novel to review as my second entry. 

B:TMWL is actually two stories, something that surprised me.  The first story is about Batman's first encounter with the Joker.  In Batman's then short career, he had never seen anything as dangerous or confusing as the Joker.  Nor did he ever plan to meet such a manic.  We find Batman trying to make sense of a man who is lost in madness.  The second story is a classic detective tale.  It is a good read because we see Batman team up with the Golden Age Green Lantern.  The contrast between the two is very revealing.

Likes - I was enthralled reading this book.  Both stories are great.  In fact, the back-up story was even better then the main one.

The Man Who Laughs - This story was really fun to read for a longtime Batman like myself.  You see Batman's first take on the Joker, who didn't even have his moniker until middle of the story.  This story let's you see the basic, classic elements of the Joker.  The mass murder, the dark humor, the twisted brilliance.  For as much as I love Batman, I love the Joker so much more.  He is why Batman is so amazing to follow.  Trying to keep your sanity fighting a guy like that time and again is an amazing feat. 

Made of Wood - The back up story really threw me for a loop.  A man is killed with the words "Made of Wood" carved onto his chest.  This murder recalls a series of deaths that occurred during the time of Golden Age Green Lantern Alan Scott's heyday as a hero.  This was one case he never solved and has haunted him for decades.  Along comes Gotham's current crusader, Batman, has he tries to uncover the truth.  The story does an amazing job of what it means to be a hero versus simply doing the right thing.  Another interesting plot point was what it meant to be a detective.  Batman explains to Scott how to think and act like a detective, something Scott confesses he never mastered.  Made of Wood is a interesting and nuanced story about the different kinds of heroes that exist and the fact these men are simply trying to do whats right in their eyes. 

Dislikes - There is only one thing I disliked about this book.  The overall art for TMWL wasn't that consistent.  There are panels and pages where the madness and paranoia are palpable.  Other parts though show a almost cartoonish version of the Joker.  Since the story was so good I didn't notice it much.  After a second skim though, I picked up on it.  Still, the art is good overall and doesn't hurt the story in any way. 

Overall - I think this book is a steal.  For the $10ish that it was on Amazon, you get two great, unique stories.  I am really happy that I got this when I did.  It has all my favorite elements of Batman in a nice little package!  This is a great buy and should be picked up ASAP.

Review: Portlandia (series)

Pure and simple, Netflix recommended this.  And it was a home run!

Portlandia is a sketch comedy show starring Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein.  The easy episode has a very loose, shallow plot.  It works for the show though.  Portlandia is a caricature of life in Portland, and to me, a send up on the hipster/new age living that I come across everyday. 

Likes - I loved this show.  It was only 6 episodes and I watched them all in one sitting.  There isn't anything else like this.  Personally, I deal with this kinda organic, green conscious daily.  It was great to see someone be able to pick out all the foibles and shortcomings of this green friendly crowd.  The women's bookstore owner skits were great and so spot on.  The opening song "I Dream of the 90s" really set the tone for the whole series.  One thing I really enjoyed is how the different skits were linked together.  The shrunken sweater in one skit was carried over the to the dumpster in another.  It's this kind of detail that really showed the time and care put into the show.  

Dislikes - My one grip is the series length.  6 episodes? REALLY!?!?  They could have done so much more 

Overall - I absolutely loved this show.  I started it just to help pass the time but it became a new obsession that only lasted an evening.  For anyone who is a fan of Scott pilgrim or is annoyed by the the kids who frequent coffee shops, this is for you!  Watch the first season and then be prepare for the 2nd one! It starts next week, January 6th!

Review: Batman:Noel (graphic novel)

I owe my friend Lee double.  Not only did he give me this graphic novel as a very thoughtful gift, but he also gave me the bright idea of reviewing it on this blog.  For as big as comics are in my life currently, I never thought to give them any 'print' space. With that said, HERE WE GO!

Batman: Noel is quite simply a Batman-ified take on the Charles Dickens tale of finding one's true worth and purpose on Christmas.

Likes - There were a number of things I liked about this novel.  First of all, I really enjoyed the art.  The whole book was painted. You can really tell this was a work of love.  There is a lot of effort put into the details.  More so, you really feel like you're in the middle of winter in Gotham.  Linked to that was the wording.  There are no speech bubbles.  All the words are white written directly over the pages.  It's a small detail but I thought it smart and novel to take this approach. It gave the book a different feel then your typical comic book.
Lastly, the overall story was really good. The narrative gave one impression of a story while the panels played out something different.  The back and forth between the two created an interesting tale.  What I also enjoyed was that Batman was portrayed as Scrooge.  For as much as Batman is regarded as a hero, he has his own shortcomings.  It was nice to see that even  his heart grow two sizes.

Dislikes - For this particular book, I didn't find anything I didn't like.  This wasn't a stand out, standard changing title but it was a fun holiday read.

Overall - I really enjoyed this book.  Especially reading it around Christmastime, it really had a specialness to it.  It was like watching a TV special unfold in front of you.  Cheesy at time but overall, a great, fun take on a classic.  GO buy it for yourself or anything Batman fans you know!

Review: Angel Beats! (anime)

Angel Beats! was another Netflix recommendation.  I wasn't nearly as sure about this one as some of the other suggestion in the past. With only 13 episodes consisting the whole season, it would be worth a shot.  The series turned out to be a nice surprise

Angel Beats! is a unique show in many ways.  For one, all the students at the high school are dead.  Yes, this high school is actually a strange purgatory for those whose lives have been cut short.  In the opening episode, we are introduced to a small faction within the student body rebelling against the school authority.  The face and prime enemy of this rule is Angel, a small, white haired girl capable of taking on a whole team of experienced and heavily armed student soldiers.  As the story progresses, alliances change, motives come to light, and we begin to see things are not at all what you were expecting.

Likes - There were a number of things I liked about this series.  First off, I enjoyed the animation.  If nothing else is was a nice clean and vibrant series.  It was really full of life.  I don't prefer that style but i found it fitting for the overall hopefulness the show was trying to convey.  Secondly,  the music was solid.  Angel Beats! actually had a real band involved and making the music.  So there was a distinct sound and consistency that stamped the series throughout. As a musician, I really enjoyed the music animation.  I could tell instantly that the animators were paying attention to how the music was actually played.  It wasn't some random strumming on the guitar, but in fact everything was in line with the song.  I appreciated that level of detail made.
The one big element of this series I enjoyed were the characters, character development, and overall plot.  There is a very large cast that constantly evolves in the this series.  It's amazing how there is as much development as there is.  The characters are very interesting and are all worth knowing.  As you watch the series, the plot turns into a redemption story for each of the main crew.  This is what really had me enjoying this series.

Dislikes - Nothing in particular stands out that didn't like.  I think the story was executed well and within a reasonable amount of time.  I 'm not totally raving about this series because it's not my usual forte.  It was very good for what it was though.

Overall - I would recommend watching this anime.  If you're looking for something cute, something dense but concise, and/or something uplifting, watch this.  It was nice to watch a story with as much development and earnestness as Angel Beats! did.  With the holiday break beginning for a lot of folks now, I think this would be a great time to watch this series and continue the good cheer of Christmas!