Anime Review #2: The Psycho-Pass Series

Hey there guys, Endblade here. Today is another special day, because today's review will touch on the highly acclaimed series Psycho-Pass and its' sequels, Psycho-Pass 2 and Psycho-Pass: The Movie.

What strikes me is that the name Psycho-Pass distinctly sounds like a play on the word Psychopath, and that word clearly describes the emotional and psychological roller coaster that the viewer is subject to throughout the series.

This review will attempt to give an viewpoint which contains as little spoilers as possible, but for continuity's sake and when mentioning Psycho-Pass 2 and Psycho-Pass: The Movie, some plot details from the prequels may be discussed, although only very briefly and nothing major. So if you haven't watched the Psycho-Pass series, you can still read this review and decide for yourslef if you would like to pick up the series.

We will be discussing the shows in a chronological manner, but before that a broad overview on what the world of Psycho-Pass is like, and my thoughts before I watched this anime.

Having binge-watched the show Shinsekai yori (you can see my review here, its spoiler-free, don't worry), I wasn't too keen on watching something dark or psychological, but I decided to give it a shot, having heard amazing things about Psycho-Pass but being unable to discuss the subject matter due to my lack of exposure to the anime.

Psycho-Pass Season One

The first episode of Psycho-Pass, was for lack of a better word, harrowing. The themes touched upon in the first few scenes already indicated that this anime was not going to be a bed of roses. The setting of Psycho-Pass is reminiscent of Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, a dystopian future depicting Tokyo under the rule of a seemingly omniscient entity called the Sybil System. This system has replaced conventional democracy and methods of rule into a autocratic and bureaucratic filtering of people according to their Psycho Pass, or their emotional, mental stability and the likelihood of them committing crimes.

It paints a seemingly peaceful and perfect utopia where undesirables are filtered out and only the peaceful remain. Watching this made me draw similarities with the movie Minority Report, the one where there is the concept of pre-crime enforcement. This is somewhat similar in Psycho-Pass, where the protaganist Tsunemori Akane has everything handed to her on a silver platter due to her aptitude as deemed by the Sybil System as superior, while her friends and those she meets may not have this privilege. Psycho-Pass is based on the Sybil System and its' analysis of people, giving them ratings known as a Psycho Pass to differentiate dangerous members of society to those that are co-operative and productive. It directly results in a more peaceful and harmonious society on the surface, although as will be discussed in the series, results in cracks due to this intentional suppression on individuality.

Psycho-Pass touches on the struggles of inequality, profiling and the inner psyche briefly while filling its 22 episodes with action-packed sequences and interesting conversations. While the antagonists' motives may seem to be unclear at first, the build-up where Akane discovers her own strengths and weaknesses through a series of cases link up to create a conclusion that is not only satisfying, but keeps you thinking about the idea of omnipotence and the concept behind artificial intelligence.

Character development in Psycho-Pass was adequate for the main characters Akane and Kougami Shinya, but what makes Psycho-Pass season one great is the development of the supporting cast. This plus point could be due to the longer run in the first season (22 episodes) as compared to other animes, but some episodes were dedicated to fleshing out the supporting cast, which further built on the world of Psycho-Pass  and lent a realistic feel to the story.

One gripe that I had with Psycho-Pass season one was the way the antagonists were revealed and the minor crimes which served to push the story further. The reveal of these characters to the audience was too premature and removed the suspense behind each crime, although we got to see the inner workings and thought processes of these - for lack of a better word - psychopaths (pun intended).

Kogami and Akane: the Dynamic Duo

Pros

Cons

·        Character development was detailed, especially the supporting cast ·        Futuristic setting was largely believable, although specifics and technicalities were not addressed ·        Riveting plotline where main antagonist’s motive is not revealed until towards the end ·        22 episodes were just right for Psycho-Pass, not too short like most anime but every episode was utilized well to fit in either plot progression or character development

·        Minor antagonists’ motives and MO (Modus Operandi) were revealed too early; lack of suspense and immersion ·        Superficial discussion about real-world issues, most arguments and plot points are based on the dystopian setting ·       Violence and gore may be too gratuitous in some scenes, but most scenes are done well

While Psycho-Pass: Season One may not be the best anime of all time, it ranks pretty high in my books of a complete anime with a riveting story and fleshed-out characters. Psycho-Pass has the making of one of the best psychological anime without going overboard on complicated sci-fi conspiracy theories that may zone out the casual viewer. For viewers that can't take violence and gore, Psycho-Pass may not be the anime for you as its' depictions of crimes and action sequence make use of blood and gore to depict the cold and violent world of Psycho-Pass.

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      Moving on to the next installment, Psycho-Pass 2 picks off about a year and a half after the events of Psycho-Pass, with the roster of characters changing but with Tsunemori Akane remaining as the main protaganist. While only half the length of season 1, Psycho-Pass 2 builds upon the story left off at the end of the first season and introduces new antagonists with puzzling motives. 

What made Psycho-Pass great is replicated in the sequel, with new antagonists and motives, although with varying successes. The plot mainly revolves around Akane and the Sybil System. the second season feels slightly rushed due to the shorter run of 11 episodes compared to the prequel's 22, and at certain points the suspense and slow build-up which makes a psychological anime so enthralling was replaced with rushed confessions and rapid discoveries. This detracted from the formula which made the initial season great, and while standalone Psycho-Pass 2 would have made for a great anime by itself, when compared to season 1 it pales in comparison. 

Don't get me wrong, Psycho-Pass 2 is still a great anime and definitely worth watching especially since you grow attached to the characters in Psycho-Pass, but it doesn't live up to the initial expectation and bar set by the prequel. To use an analogy to describe Psycho-Pass 2 would be similar to comparing a set meal from MacDonalds (Psycho-Pass 1) with an a-la-carte McDonalds' burger (Psycho-Pass 2). Amazing, but leaves a taste of what could have been.

Psycho-Pass: The Movie is set after seasons 1 and 2 of Psycho-Pass, and while you could watch the movie right after season 1 (because there isn't any plot spoilers from season 2 in it), watching them chronologically helps to show the time distance between the plot of the movie and the first season.

Psycho-Pass: The Movie

What I liked about the movie was that it managed to tell the story well within the 2 hour timeframe, although the pacing of the movie could have been improved as the first half of the movie was basically setting the stage while most of the revelations and action occurred mainly in the last 30 minutes of the movie.

Short, succinct and sharp would be the three words to describe Psycho-Pass: The Movie. It features what seems to be a Southeast Asian country (most likely either present-day Thailand, Myanmar or Laos/Cambodia/Vietnam) due to the cultural icons present in the movie but fails to really establish the motives of the antagonists clearly, painting them as clear bad guys rather than showing the grey line between good and evil, which the first 2 seasons of Psycho-Pass touched on. While restricted by the runtime of 2 hours, it felt like the creators were trying to squeeze in a season's worth of plot into effectively 4 episodes.

While I would definitely recommend Psycho-Pass: The Movie to Psycho-Pass fans, you can skip this movie and still not miss out on the main developments in the first two seasons as those are based in Japan. But the movie does offer interesting insight into the idea of peacekeeping in war-torn countries and while largely ignored in Psycho-Pass: The Movie, more could have been done to include a native character (of Southeast Asian culture) as a main supporting character rather than just using it as a setting. Otherwise, a breath of fresh air from metropolitan Tokyo featured in the first two seasons and done decently.

Final Thoughts

The Psycho-Pass series is a captivating and riveting anime which sends you on a thought train on the concept of violence, justice and governance and is depicted in digestible capsules which do not require a lot of processing to understand the ideas being relayed throughout the series, thus making it suitable for the casual viewer looking to dip their toes into psychological or darker anime. 

While the first season was great in the direction and development, the lacklustre second season and confusing movie did not meet the high bar which the first season had set and while the sequel did come close, the movie felt more like fanservice with cameos rather than an actual stimulating plot. 

However, this does not mean the sequel and movie is not worth watching, the world of Psycho-Pass is still overall a compelling one. Definitely in the top 20 anime series' in my opinion and worth the watch if you can binge them all at once!

Overall Ratings:

Psycho-Pass                     8.75/10

Psycho-Pass 2                  7.5/10

Psycho-Pass: The Movie  7.5/10

Until Next Time,

Endblade

Updated 2020: Do take a look at my not-so-comprehensive personal list right here!

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Anime Review: Shinsekai yori

Hey there guys, Endblade here once again with a new series which I am trying out now. Being an anime fan (not a hardcore fan though) but watching seasonal anime; as well as catching up on older titles once in a while, I would like to give my two cents on anime which I have enjoyed. For now, I will be reviewing anime that are NOT in my top 10 lists, because those have a short write-up on the synopsis on those recommendations.

If you haven't already seen my anime recommendations, you can take a look at them here and here! Those links will take you to my top 10 recommendations for 2017!

Without further ado, let's dive into the anime that is: Shinsekai yori (From the New World)

Taken from MyAnimeList - poster for Shinsekai yori

Now, I know that this review comes about 4 years late, but I was only recently introduced to Shinsekai about a day ago by a good friend of mine (fellow NEET and anime-lover). What he told me I think perfectly sums up this anime: " The first three episodes are quite slow, but try to make it to the camp scene."

This review will be as spoiler-free as possible, as I know that some of you that are reading this post might not have watched Shinsekai, and the plot although seemingly slow-paced at first, builds momentum over time to become much better and more nuanced towards the end.

In this review, I will be listing down some of the pros and the cons of the anime, so that you as the reader can make an objective comparison based on my subjective opinion. Sounds unreliable, isn't it? But aren't all news outlets or online reviews like this anyway?

Pros	Cons
·        Riveting storyline and well-thought out plot	·        25 episodes; plot can feel slightly draggy at certain points
·        Subtle attempts to reconcile fantasy setting with real-world events and human behaviour	·        Initial 2-3 episodes of setting the stage and introducing the characters might feel slow paced to some
·        Stellar character development of main characters ·        One of the best conclusions to any anime	·        Use of time-skips may leave viewer slightly disoriented ·        Side characters do not feel as fleshed out, probably rushed attempts to fit the storyline

As you can see, this anime isn't perfect. No anime is. Nor is this anime in my opinion a cult classic or something worth rewatching. However, what Shinsekai does impeccably is tie in real world dilemmas and ethical concerns into the plotline without making it feel forced; unlike how a company would advertise its' brand on television.

It isn't 'in your face', but the subtlety and grace by which Kishi Yusuke, the author behind the manga of Shinsekai hints at is amazingly accurate, frighteningly so.

Shinsekai yori is a fantasy take on the future of humans: what happens when you have a minority of people wielding frightening powers of psychokinesis? While the basis of it isn't very scientifically sound, the analysis of the human condition in the case of Shinsekai 1000 years from the first psychokinesis users appearing in the year 2011 is unspoken horror.

Where humans and animals alike have evolved over the centuries to fit this new world order, we find our group of schoolkids which have this gift of 'Cantus' (what people in the future call psychic powers), they are drawn into the dark history of mankind's struggles to build a utopia which they are currently living in. The code of ethics and laws that safeguard this utopia is challenged and shaken to the core throughout the anime of Shinsekai, and protaganist Watanabe Saki is thrown into a struggle where the lines of good and evil are constantly blurred.

From left to right: Squealer (far left), Aonoma Shun, Itou Mamoru, Akizuki Maria, Asahina Satoru, Watanabe Saki and Kiromaru (far right)

The plot revolves mainly around Watanabe Saki, with her schoolmates and groupmates Shun, Maria, Mamoru and Satoru playing the supporting roles. The narrative follows her point of view and follows her story from age 10 to age 26. Such large periods of time are resolved using timeskips, which can be good to advance the plotline with more complicated ideas as the characters mature accordingly. However, the timeskip may feel very arbitary and the age compressing of such time to fit a narrative over 16 years does leave out certain points where characters mature into adults, which may remove some of the immersion into the world of Shinsekai.

While the main characters are largely well-developed, the side characters seem to be there to keep the plotline going or feel dispensable, like you could replace them with any other character and change their name and it would still work out to push the story to its' climax.

One remarkable point in Shinsekai would be the final 2 episodes, where the build-up from the first 23 episodes finally come to fruition and we see the plot resolve itself. While the ending is quite satisfying, it may feel rushed to some extent, given that the main bulk of the action happens in the middle of the anime and towards the end. The beginning and transition from middle to end of Shinsekai at times feels predictable and slightly slow and the cliffhangers between episodes don't leave you in suspense for the next episode.

However, having binge-watched Shinsekai, I can safely say that I really wanted to get to the final episode, not because the anime wasn't good but because I wanted to really see the plot weave itself together into a beautiful conclusion. The journey was slightly arduous but the end was largely worth it.

With that, I hope that you will give Shinsekai a fair chance, as I did! It grabbed my attention for the 25 episodes which and aired, and towards the end I felt a tinge of sadness knowing that it was about to end.

Final Rating: 7.75/10 

Until Next Time,

Endblade

New hobbies: Pokemon Card Collecting

Hey there guys, Endblade here.

Today I'll be talking about a recent hobby that I picked up around the beginning of 2017. I've always been collecting cards of different types, from poker cards (you can check out my post on poker card collecting here), to random TCGs over the years.

I've always been interested in card games since I was in primary school (or elementary school), I can't really remember the first cards I bought, or what type of card it was. Duel Masters and Yu-Gi-Oh were what I played quite often back then. One thing I hated (and still hate), is the fact that foil cards usually warp, and quite badly. Where I'm from, the heat and humidity does get into the cards and even with protectors, the deck tends to warp, which irritates me.

That's not really related to the topic at hand today, but I figured some of you card collectors out there (whichever TCG you collect) will surely dislike warping.

I never really played the Pokemon TCG, I did buy some single packs once in a while when I felt like opening something different, but other than the occasional loose booster pack I never really got to collecting or playing it often.

However, when I was introduced to the hobby by a mutual friend, I took a look at the prices and the art of the Pokemon and boy, did it not disappoint. Opening my very first booster box made me nostalgic and I remembered when I was a kid, opening those packs and anticipating getting something good. Something about nostalgia that just does it for me.

Look out soon for Pokemon collecting related articles!

Until Next Time,

Endblade

Anime Recommendation Spreadsheet!

Hey there guys, Endblade here.

Today its going to be a short and sweet post, because I realized it is much easier for people that just want the ratings straight up rather than a definitive list of top 10 or top 20 etc. It is more transparent and you can see the criteria by which I rate the anime. Note that the ratings most of the time do not vary over time because I usually fill in the ratings immediately after I finish watching the said anime.

Certain personal biases may skew the ratings of certain anime, but I can't really help to eliminate that entirely because the following ratings are based largely on personal opinion and not representative of a population. For an aggregated rating of the anime, you may check out MyAnimeList, which features cumulative ratings over time and may be more representative of a larger audience.

Personally, I may not agree with some of the ratings given on those websites, but I have not watched all of their top recommended anime. However, I do go on that website to look for recommendations on what to watch next, especially those older anime since I only started watching anime around early 2015 (hence a lot of catching up to do).

I will be providing a link to a Google Excel spreadsheet with my recommendations, which will change over time (live!). So no matter when or where you find this post, the excel sheet will be updated regularly as I follow up on or catch up on anime.

My ratings usually follow a spread of between 10 to 6, because I do not really believe in giving shows below that rating unless it is atrocious.

Generally, you can interpret the data as the following:

9 or higher: Must watch even for people who don't watch anime, you're missing out if you don't! Forerunners in the field of anime and the best works of their time.

8.25-8.75: Highly recommended, you should check these out if you're looking for something fresh. Some of the better anime out there.

7.75-8: Recommended, check these out if you're looking for a series to binge-watch. Mildly satisfying and enjoyable overall.

7.5-7.25: These pass for decent anime and worth a watch only if you have already watched those above. I cannot in good conscience recommend these, but they are passable.

below 7.25: Please, onegai, don't watch these anime. I watch them so that you don't have to subject yourself to such pain. Watch at your own risk.

Generally I do not give perfect '10's for any anime's overall score, yes, some might excel in certain criteria but they may be lackluster in others. I don't believe in the 'perfect' anime. Or at least I have not seen any anime worth that pedestal. Maybe one day I might.

With that, I hope you find my list useful and keep checking back to the sheet. Reviews for specific anime will still be done on this blog, so check back for updated content!

Updated 2020: Do take a look at my not-so-comprehensive personal list right here! Enjoy!

Until Next Time,

Endblade

New hobbies: Poker Card Collection

Hey there guys, Endblade here.

Some updates on my current hobbies, I've transitioned from playing card games like Yu-Gi-Oh, Cardfight Vanguard and Duel Masters years back to something fresh and new: collecting cards. I used to buy booster packs or singles to complete decks and play with friends, but having grown older, you realize that the amount of people in your age group playing trading card games dwindle quite a fair bit and it can be difficult to find people to play one a regular basis.

Plus, decks do cost quite a bit to create, and constant releases make older decks phase out of the 'meta' and make them obsolete due to power creep. Meaning the vicious cycle repeats itself all over again: you buy new cards to update you deck or replace it entirely in order to keep up with the changing environment. Costly and ineffective unless you own a card shop and have access to cheap singles. Another issue I have with such TCGs is the fact that most older cards (with the exception of flagship characters or games like MTG or Pokemon) usually fall in value quite a bit to about less than 50% of the original price, such that it is actually not financially sustainable in the long run.

What I found attractive about card games was always the art and the design of the artists, which I greatly appreciate the time they put into illustrating the cards.

So to find a hobby which is related to cards, focused on the art and somewhat financially sustainable (no requirement to buy every months to 'keep up' and having at least a slight chance of price appreciation over the years) was not something that came automatically.

However, while browsing YouTube about a year back, I chanced upon a video about Texas Hold'em Poker. After watching it, I was taken by how strategic some of the decisions are made during the various stages of a hand (pre-flop, post-flop, turn and river) and the cards used - I now know were Jumbo Index in the game that I watched, intrigued me.

You see, where I'm from, poker cards usually were normal index (which meant that the lettering was small and the pips (the diamonds, hearts, spades, clubs) were regular-sized. Below is a picture for reference:

Left: Jumbo Index / Right: Regular or Standard Index

I told myself: I need to get the Jumbo Index cards. Another thing I found out while researching back then was that some of the brands printed their cards on plastic stock! Amazing, isn't it. You can play your drinking games (not condoning drinking, don't drink if you're underage and even so, drink responsibly!) and not be afraid that your cards might get soaked due to an accident.

My very first deck. Picture not by me

Above is a picture of a plastic deck, similar to the one which I got a year back. Really sturdy, waterproof and easy to shuffle! Might feel a little weird if you haven't shuffled plastic cards before, but it is totally different from the usual paper stock poker decks.

Here the sad part: I went to the store which supposedly sold the Jumbo Index cards, but sadly they ran out of stock. But I did manage to get the plastic ones, and the intricate back of the playing cards really got to me. They looked so different from the usual depressing patterns of your dollar-poker card decks. 

Thus began my love for poker card collecting. I don't actually open most of the decks that I buy or get, but those that I do open and review, I share the unfiltered experience with you guys. You can check out my Youtube here (shameless plug), leave a comment there if you came from my blog here!

That said, moving forward on this blog, I might be posting new content related to some of the reviews that I do on Youtube for poker cards in the near future. Do look out for them! 

Until Next Time,

Endblade

List of Anime to Watch: 5th -1st place (Recommendations updated October 2017) Part 2

Hey there guys, Endblade here.

This is a continuation of my list earlier in part 1 of anime recommendation top 10, you can find it here. Recently I have been thinking about making this blog an ongoing effort as a side project of mine, so if any of you have any good suggestions on what I could talk/discuss about (pertaining to maybe anime or any of my hobbies), do comment below and let me know! I'm always open to constructive feedback and suggestions to how to improve myself and this blog!

 Do note that these are my personal choices and it is hard to please everyone, the parameters or criteria of what I think is a great anime or makes a great anime may not always be similar to others. I did take a look at other websites to see their thoughts on the anime that I have chosen, for example MyAnimeList.net  where you can find reviews and ratings of tons of anime.

Sometimes the ratings are higher than what I would give the anime, although to be perfectly honest the metrics I used were more of Animation Quality, Setting, Plot and Character Development. These 4 criteria were the result of trying to balance out the different aspects of an anime. Of course, there are many other metrics you could use.

However, I was trying to separate them by these criteria because I realized some anime (like action-heavy anime) may have high animation quality, with all the fight scenes, but they may suffer from a lack of realism in terms of setting. One good example would be sci-fi mecha anime like Gundam. On the other hand, slice of life anime like Sakurasou (see my past top 10 here) may not necessarily have the best animation sequences (for their time), but they are set in a relatively more believable setting, hence they would score better on the second metric rather than the first.

That being said, I do tend to prefer anime that focus more on Plot and Character Development, rather than just flashy graphics and explosions. Don't get me wrong, I have watched and enjoyed animation heavy anime and some do impress me because they go beyond that their genre of 'Action' entails them to provide and lay out an impressive plot or detailed character nuances.

With that out of the way, let us continue with my remaining five choices in my top 10 recommendations.

5. Occultic Nine aired October 2016 - December 2016 / 12 episodes by A-1 Pictures

The English caption in the poster doesn't make much grammatical sense

Coming in at number 5, we have Steins:Gate ripoff Occultic Nine. Just kidding, although they do have similar plot progression and equally weird endings. But enjoyable and good nonetheless. Occultic Nine is heavily influenced by the latter because the creators are the same - Chiyomaru Shikura, who penned both light novels.

The similarities don't end here. Both anime are heavy into the mystery genre, so much so that in the first few episodes (similar to Steins:Gate) you are completely lost, only being given drips and drabs of information to go along, just enough to keep you in suspense but not enough to satisfy you. Treading on thin ice here sometimes makes both shows slightly disorienting and frustrating to watch, because you would want to get down to the end of the show and find out what is going on.

But this is what makes Occultic Nine and its' predecessor so excellent. The mystery and supernatural aspect is drummed up hard such that you cannot but anticipate what is going to happen next. Its' a bit like HBO's Game of Thrones in the way that they both keep you suspended and wondering what would happen.

However, to binge watch the series would do it less justice, as the suspense element would be taken out from the context because you could just click 'Next Episode' and satisfy that curiousity. Which is why I would concede and say that I rated Steins:Gate lower than Occultic Nine because I binge watched it and the element of surprise so masterfully crafted was lost.

Occultic Nine features Yuta Gamon, a boy who is a NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training). Basically he is a bum with no aim in life, with a bunch of friends to help him run his blog. (wait... sounds like someone I know. But I don't have friends sadface)

Mystery abounds and our NEET is forced into something he doesn't want to be a part of, something unpleasant brewing underground. Overall an anime worth watching if you enjoy Steins Gate, although the progression is quite similar.

4. Orange / Orange: Mirai aired July 2016 - September 2016 / 13 episodes by Telecom Animation Film

Kakeru (middle) and his friends

What can I say? I just enjoy school/slice of life anime a LOT, and it is quite evident. Orange is a classic example of a great anime. Not too fast paced, not too slow either. Just right. Orange is about friendship, and friends overcoming the odds together. Kakeru Naruse is plagued with personality issues and family problems that lead him to eventually commit suicide. Filled with remorse and guilt over the fact that Kakeru took his life, his friends attempt to make amends by sending a letter, a letter to their past selves to save Kakeru and help him before its too late.

Orange is a bittersweet show: you have budding romances between characters, a tragedy and some form of closure. The show paints the perspective of Takamiya Naho, who tries to make amends and change the future.

An honorable mention alongside Orange would be the movie sequel, Orange:Mirai, which features Hiroto Suwa (guy with the orange hair), as he helps both Naho and Kakeru get together. A truly amazing movie that opens your eyes to sacrifice and the selflessness of Suwa.

Orange is a feels-good show. It is the type of show that encourages you and lifts you up like how a cuppa of hot chocolate would in a cold rainy day.

3. Joker Game aired Apr 2016 - Jun 2016 / 12 episodes by Funimation

The crew of Joker Game

Set during the 1930s, before the onset of World War II, Joker Game is a thriller historical drama that paints the picture of the Empire of Japan's spy network in Europe and around the world, with each episode focusing on each character. Although it does whitewash the atrocities that the Japanese committed during the war and could be seen as propaganda, take it with a grain of salt and enjoy it for the entertainment it provides.

Each episode is a mystery and tells of an overarching narrative, only evident towards the end. What I enjoyed about this anime was their ability to squeeze so many characters' narratives or mini-stories into one whole picture. Joker Game is the type of show that keeps you thinking, though not as hard as Occultic Nine but with the historical context weaved into it, it got me hooked.

The plot was intriguing yet simple to follow and it offered a small glimpse, albeit not the most accurate depiction of a show. (although better than Shuumatsu no Izetta, which was a disaster)

If you're into history, thriller and mystery, you have to watch this anime.

2. Tsuki ga kirei (The moon, so beautiful) aired April 2017 - June 2017 / 12 episodes by feel.

Innocent love

Beautiful. Simply beautiful. No words can describe how amazing this anime is. A tale of simple, innocent first love between Mizuno Akane and Izumi Kotarou is what spans the 12 episodes. You already know that they are going to get together, but the way the plot develops and the simplicity (along with subtle visual cues and on-point music) makes it seem so natural.

It is a reminder of how we met our first crush or first love back when things weren't so complicated and life was just going to school and hanging out with friends. Writing about this just brings a smile to my face, as you recollect fond memories of your past and how innocent and pure love was then.

This anime doesn't have any raunchy scenes or action-packed sequences, but what it does, it does excellently. The relationship between the two is depicted as how any relationship at that age (middle school) would be like: the lack of certainty and the belief in 'true love'. Jealousy, love, concern and care between Akane and Izumi is heartwarming and uplifting. It shows the raw emotions in a relationship and the touching moments where both do little things for each other.

Overall, Tsuki ga Kirei is one of the best, if not the best anime of 2017 for me so far, a year which hasn't seen much refreshing and excellently executed anime but rather more of the same old tropes.

1. Kimi No Na Wa (Your Name) aired August 2016 / movie 1 hr 46 min by CoMix Wave Films

A tale of two lovers separated by time and space

I tried. I tried to find something else to feature as my number 1 pick on my top 10 recommendations. I didn't want to bandwagon or follow what others picked and perpetuate the cliche. But I couldn't. Now, Tsuki ga kirei comes a close second, with it being the best of 2017 so far. But for 2016, the crown has to go to Kimi no na wa or Your Name. Your Name is a story of Miyamizu Mitsuha and Tachibana Taki, where they both wake up in each other's bodies, one living in the city and one in the country. They first think it is a dream, but realize that their actions seem too real to be dreaming.

Both Taki and Mitsuha try to communicate with each other to prove that they aren't dreaming and discoveries of each other unravel something bigger than themselves. Fate is the theme of this movie, with them being connected to a special meteor flying in the sky.

What I love about the movie truly is the art direction. The stark contrast between the city boy and country girl, two halves of a whole that never meet is a compelling story in this impossible love scenario. While Tsuki ga Kirei focuses on the innocence and the simplicity of love, Kimi no na wa shows us what love can do and the difficulties of long-distance relationships.

While not realistic in the deus ex machina used to conclude the story, the way both characters and their quirks were portrayed in a scant 1 hour 45 minutes is amazingly detailed and subtle, so much so that you would believe it if the animation were actual human motion captures or a live action film. 

What truly sets this anime apart from others is the way they could conclude satisfactorily the plot and tie up most important loose ends in the short period of time, a feat some full-length 12 episode series anime fail to do so. 

If you never watch anime ever again and you had to choose one anime to watch, Your Name would be it. The throwback to school life and the real problems some of us face in our lives are portaryed somewhat in this movie, and the characters are well-fleshed out to pass for a great movie.

Closing Thoughts

While the list of recommendations I have made may not always appeal to everyone, it is a good place to start watching anime if you haven't already. Trust me, there are many worse anime and the top 10 recommendations are usually pretty solid. While not neccessarily the top 10 absolute of all time (because I had a previous list), where some of my previous top 10 recommendations would definitely go above some of these choices, I can safely say that these top 5 would still find some place in an absolute list of top 10s. So I hope that you have enjoyed reading this post, and will explore some of the anime that I have mentioned in both posts.

Your Name?

Until Next Time

Endblade

Updated 2020: Do take a look at my not-so-comprehensive personal list right here!

PS4 Controllers for use on PC gaming

Hey there guys, Endblade here.

Below is a post that I half finished back in late 2015 and forgot to complete it. I will now attempt to post it with updates.

Original post 2015:

Having just got Witcher 3 a few days back (Review coming up!), I struggled like a madman to attempt to digest and internalize the controls. I can safely say the WASD keys and Mouse to play Witcher is REALLY HARD. Well why you may ask? Just imagine - The Camera pans together with your mouse, which means you can't mimic the console and serve the camera to aim at the back while riding on the horse in a direction.

The sprint/gallop on the keyboard is a hassle to reach, to hold down L-Shift AND use WASD to maneuver at the same time is a burdensome activity which got my pinky really tired. The combat portion of the Witcher 3 on keyboard makes it HARD as HELL to dodge enemies. This is pretty bad considering that you have to dodge quite often, especially against monsters which you can't just simply parry or block with your sword.

Hence my controller purchase. After the purchase, I was really satisfied as I felt I wa snow playing on a PS4 BUT on a more intimate level - just me and my computer screen, which was a comfort as I detest people coming up to interrupt me and stare at me when I game.

The model of controller I got was the new PS4 design, the stock pictures are below (Too lazy to take a photo and upload anyway), take a look, I find these new colourways much better than the generic old black/blue/red colours which are really dull.


Silver was the only one available, I would have chosen Gold had the choice been given to me. But hey, this isn't half bad haha. The controller has a good build, you can tell the years of research and effort gone into improving the PS controllers over the years have helped to create what the controller has become today. The touchpad of sorts is alos pretty good, I can control my mouse via it! Amazing huh. Battery life is decent, it can be linked via Bluetooth to create the wireless experience.

For software, if you don't already know by now, there is NO official software released by Sony to make it compatible with the PC (marketing tactic to buy their PS4...I WON'T SUCCUMB SONY).

If you're deciding between PS4 or other controllers, definitely get the PS4 controller. It may be slightly pricier, but if you're an Asian (like how I am) and have smaller hands, the PS4 controller affords you a lot more dexterity and flexibility than the normal controller.

Update in 2017:

Plus, it is long lasting. I have had it for 2 years and it STILL works perfectly. I have played countless games on it (FIFA, Witcher, Transistor, Pyre etc.) and it doesn't have any disconnect issues or battery problems, since it is fully rechargeable.

So if you asked me - which controller would I recommend? PS4 hand down no competition.

Until Next Time,

Endblade

List of Anime to Watch: 10 - 6th place (Recommendations updated October 2017) Part 1

Hey there guys,

Endblade here. In lieu of restarting this blog, I'll be updating some of my old posts with new information! This being one of them, I'll be introducing a top 10 anime to watch (including anime movies or series) as of today, October 2017! Do take note, recently I haven't been watching much anime due to school commitments and other events, but I have been following some here and there. Also, if you guys are interested, my previous posts backs in 2015 can be seen here:

2015 list of anime recommendations part 1
2015 list of anime recommendations part 2

DISCLAIMER: My opinion is purely my own and I welcome all discussion about the choices I made for my top 10, and these choices are made in comparison with anime that I have watched. It is based on my personal taste and hence greatly influenced by it. What I rate highly may not always be what you deem the same, hence this is called 'a noob's perspective, me being the noob :)

With that out of the way, let's dive in! Do note: minor spoilers ahead, I won't spoil everything, I'll talk about it like how you would recommend a movie to someone else. But certain events or points I deem necessary to include will be included. I will try to avoid mentioning anime that I have mentioned in my earlier posts.

10. Koe no Katachi (A silent voice) aired 21 September 2016/ runtime 2 hr. 10 min. (movie)

What is friendship?

Released in September 2016, I personally only watched this a few days ago (in October 2017). Before this, I remember some of my friends recommending this movie to me, but I never got around to watching it. After watching Just Because (An ongoing anime), I decided to browse around and stumbled upon this movie. At first, I was apprehensive. Would this be a waste of my two hours? I mean, with foresight (and the fact that this is my number 10 anime selected), obviously it was good.

The show revolves around Shouya Ishida, a highschooler who is a shadow of his former self. He used to bully Shouko Nishimiya, a classmate in elementary school for being deaf. However, the tables turned and now he is the one being bullied. This movie is basically a redemption arc for Shouya as he rediscovers himself and reunites with old friends to make amends.

What I found refreshing was the blatant honesty of the show in exposing the weaknesses of the main character, that he isn't someone who is the implicit hero (unlike other anime or shows). He is on a journey, like all of us are in our lives to find meaning and to seek purpose. Nishimiya, the girl whom Shouya bullied also has her own insecurities, and the way the film portrays it is realistic and you can empathize with how she felt.

How is this movie a good movie? At the climax (no spoilers) My heart literally beat faster with the tempo of the music. Did I say that the music is just so apt for the movie? Each scene and music accompaniment helped to evoke the right feelings at the right time, and that for me made this movie an unforgettable one. While the plot may be quite simple and mundane (at first), once you relate to the characters, you understand that after all, everyone, even anime characters, can be human too.

9. 91 Days aired July 2016 - October 2016 / 13 episodes

Avilio and Nero

91 Days takes places in 1920s, during the period of Prohibition in America. True to its' namesake, it takes place over a span of 91 days, or roughly 3 months. A tale of revenge where Avilio Lagusa's family has been murdered by the Vanetti Mafia family, Avilio goes down a destructive path of vengeance as Avilio Bruno, losing himself in the process.

What made me like this anime was the dark themes and the historical setting of the anime. While the town featured, Lawless, doesn't really refer to any particular town or city, the art style and dark tones in the animation help to ensure its' validity and sell the idea of a town rules by gangs vying for importance. While the ending left more to be desired, what 91 Days does well is the art and the portrayal of the environment in the 1920s, slightly romanticized but nonetheless riveting and leaves you on the edge of your seat while watching it.

91 Days shows that sometimes, people that could have been friends could be forced by the cruel twist of fate to become sworn enemies. And yet, inside each and every person, we all have feelings. We all want to be accepted by others.

8. Gundam: Iron Blooded Orphans aired October 2015 - October 2017/ 50 episodes (2 seasons)

Tekkadan

Ahhh Gundam. Always with the violence, dark themes and flashy machines. But what made this Gundam anime so great that it broke into the top 10 for me? Well, firstly being 50 episodes, its quite hard to summarize the entire plot and condense such that there isn't any major spoilers to be had. But I'll try. This show revolves around one word: Family. Family runs deep in the crew of Tekkadan (Iron Flower), who are a ragtag bunch of orphans forced into the warring business (think child fighters in the Middle East) and attempt to make a name of their own and create a future where they can live in harmony and peace against the corrupt and evil Gjallarhorn.

Of course, harmony and peace don't go well with the world of Gundam, and Mikazuki Augus, pilot of the Gundam Barbartos (the one you see in the picture above) is the demon of Tekkadan. This is a touching tale of familial bonds, horrible circumstances, plot twists and betrayals with bloodshed that could paint an entire house red.

The entire plot was well-spaced out, although it could feel like the main plotline might not be moving at times due to certain side events, but those side episodes provide a refreshing break from the warring in the Mars and Earth Sphere. Although the final ending may not be satisfactory for some, but the conclusion to this was well-thought out and touching to say the least. Towards the ending, things felt a bit rushed to conclusion but I could understand why - too many plot strings to tie up and it can feel a bit overwhelming in the final 10 episodes climax.

Family

I would recommend you to watch ALL 50 episodes (in spite of the amount of time it may take). For me, I followed it religiously every week for both seasons because it was simply so good, each episode left me wanting more. While the first few episodes may seem slightly slow-paced, it serves as a basis for Tekkadan and its' struggles so that when you look back, you realize how far they have come.

While the first season may suffer because of this initial setup time to lay the ground, when you look at it from a composite whole, the theme and message the creators want to portray definitely ring true towards the end of the anime. It really is a refreshing difference from previous Gundam series (of which I watched them all but never got to finishing because after a while it was too tiring and cliche).

7. Boku dake ga Inai Machi (Erased) aired January 2016 - March 2016 / 12 episodes

Its' too late for regrets

Erased. That's how I feel sometimes, when people forget my name or forget me. Not that it matters as much, but this anime rings true with the idea that some people just remain forgotten to most, but cherished by some. A touching tale where the washed-up main character Fujinuma Satoru finds himself in deus ex machina fashion, using a mechanic called Revival to go back in the past to right the wrongs he felt he did to Hinazuki Kayo, a female classmate in the 1970s.

Another touching tale of redemption, although plot device being slightly incredulous (well it is fiction after all), the interactions between Satoru and Kayo are heartfelt and genuine. Kayo seems like a mysterious girl and Satoru is awkward at first, but the development between the two characters blooms in the form of an innocent type of friendship and love. Who says anime is always about boobs and hentai? (well where did I get that thought from? Not me definitely!)

6. Hai to Gensou no Grimgar aired January 2016 - March 2016 / 12 episodes

RPG? I'm in

Ever reminisced the time you were playing games like Maplestory and DragonNest? Well, I did. Watching this anime a year back brought back many memories of fun times grinding low-level mobs (back when Maplestory had difficult levelling curves). Party quests, dungeons, bossfights, the full monty. All of it is represented in one way or another when 6 people wake up in the land of Grimgar, a fantasy world of goblins and kobolds. Forming a party, they each take up different 'jobs'. A tank, knight, cleric, mage, archer and thief. These are classic archetypes in all MMOs, old or new.

Their adventure starts them off as noobs, clueless as to the mechanics in the world of Grimgar. But united they stand, and they overcome the initial adversity to form a bonded party, taking on monsters for money. Like mercenaries for hire. What made this anime so amazing to me was the setting and of course the art style. A-1 Pictures did a A+ job of watercolour-like backgrounds melded into the animation of the characters smoothly. 

Beautiful art by A-1 Pictures

All-in-all, riveting fight scenes that seem more realistic than most other action animes coupled with amazing art direction places this anime in a solid 6th position. The plot follows a steady tempo throughout, which makes the show well-paced and although the ending leaves much to the imagination, similar to MMOs, the story ends only when you stop playing.


Final Thoughts
I thought about placing all top 10 choices in one post, but I realized that after writing at length on the first 5 anime (there's really so much to talk about that writing doesn't do any of these works of art justice at all), its' just too long.

Hence I have decided to split it into 2 parts, for ease of reading, like how I did my first recommendation post 2 years back.

Anime is a beautiful medium to express your fantasies and intepretations of the world. It pains me when people deride anime as a lesser form of 'real life' shows. The effort gone into animating every scene and the creation of entire worlds to fit these shows is no less of a mean feat. Every anime takes a great deal of effort and we should appreciate it. Some other honourable mentions (which did not get into my top 10 but nonetheless should be appreciated):

Fate/Apocrypha
Kuzu no Honkai
Gundam: The Origin
Tsurezure Children
Golden Time

I may do reviews on these anime above, do let me know if you guys are interested in any of them!

Also, you can check out my Youtube channel here

Until Next Time,

Endblade

Random Thoughts #8: Restarting this blog?

Hey there guys,

Endblade here. So recently I was exploring Google and its' apps, and I stumbled upon Blogger (Yeah the dead site). Not sure how many people still use this, if anyone even posts regularly on this website at all, but hey, this is a good website to supplement my Youtube channel.

So basically, I'll be posting discussions, reviews and thoughts on some of my new hobbies (Yes, hobbies do change) as well as maybe revisit some old ones too! Do look out for my new postings as I will be exploring new and old content, nostalgic as well as forward-looking content!

This will a be a short post, so until next time,

Endblade