Sunday, April 3, 2016

Trust Me - Live, Love Anime: Part XI

Sekaiichi Hatsukoi Movie: Yokozawa Takafumi no Baii (2014)
Video: Yokozawa Takafumi no Baii Promotional Video



A continuation of Sekaiichi Hatsukoi, Yokozawa Takafumi no Baai tells the story Yokozawa Takafumi, manga editor and former lover to Sekaiichi Hatsukoi protagonist Takano Masamune. Beginning after Takano rejects his love, Yokozawa meets a fellow editor, Zen Kirishima, who works in the department under the same manga publishing company. The two quickly become close and grow to be lovers, though Yokozawa still has some doubts about his true feelings. Will this new love be able to erase his old affair, or will it only deepen Yokozawa's buried feelings for Takano?

Why I watched this film: I was happy to find more Sekaiichi Hatsukoi and then to have the film completely dedicated to Yokozawa

Thoughts on the film:
Within Sekaiichi Hatsukoi itself, I absolutely hated Yokozawa. As most fans of the manga or anime would agree, he was the main person trying to seperate Onodera and Takano and the one causing trouble for them both. He would always be in the middle of many of their problems and would take actions that would just infuriate me, as a viewer. In Yokozawa Takafumi no Baai however, my harsh feelings about him somewhat subsided and I enjoyed seeing him as a more normal, relaxed person. Something I find interesting in all yaoi's, I was especially impressed that Yokozawa was made the "uke" of the pair. With his rough personality it was hard to see any one else dominating over him or being able to make him blush, but Kirishima was able to do it all with ease. Seeing a more sensitive, personal side of Yokozawa made him much more lovable as a character and as a person, while also increasing my respect for him while I don't condone many of his previous actions. In the end,Yokozawa just wanted to be loved, and though he would not be loved by Takano there was still someone out there who was perfect for him. The film itself is pretty cut and dry in its regard to plot, animation and characters if you are familiar with Sekaiichi Hatsukoi, but it still offers a very refreshing second look at one of its most emotional and complicated characters.

If you're read or seen any of Sekaiichi Hatsukoi and have always wanted more, this is the film for you. A short look into the life and personal crisis of Yokozawa, Yokozawa Takafumi no Baai is a great addition to the Sekaiichi Hatsukoi franchise and a film that's sure to change your mind about Yokozawa Takafumi.

Psycho-Pass: The Movie (2015)
Video: Psycho-Pass: The Movie Trailer



"Confident with the success of the Sibil System, the Japanese government begins exporting the technology to other countries. However, when foreign terrorists begin slipping through the System's security and attacking from within, Inspector Akane Tsunemori is sent overseas to investigate. When her hunt for justice forces her into a standoff with an old ally, will she be able to pull the trigger?" (Rotton Tomatoes, http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/psycho_pass_the_movie/)

Why I watched this film: After seeing both seasons of Psycho-Pass I was excited to see a movie as well. Broadcast in select theaters for two nights only I was lucky enough to find a theater near me showing it, and naturally, I sprang at the opportunity.

Thoughts on the film:
Sadly, Psycho-Pass: The Movie was not what I was expecting. Based off the anime series intense and great two seasons, I was expecting something very intense, conflicting and high strung, which was must different than what I got. Most of my upset with the film lies in its plot and script, as for most of the film I was utterly confused as to what was really going on. It got to a point where I completely gave up on trying to understand and focused on who was trying to kill who, even if I didn't know why or what their relevance was to the plot. The film tried to accommodate and make up for this big mishap by bringing back Shinya Kogami, arguably the favorite and most loved character of the series. I was honestly thrilled to see Kogami back in the game as his appearance in the series second season was small and added little to the plot, but in the end his coming back did nothing to remedy the situation and only made the film bit more enjoyable, Additionally, many new characters were added to the film in an attempt to make it more exciting. Doing this only added to the already present level of confusion and the addition of these new characters made the writers completely neglect the old characters we know and love from the series. As a whole the film seemed to be lacking in all areas, which was quite an upset due to its anime series great success.

If you're any sort of Psycho-Pass fan and would be easily upset with the lackluster film, I would honestly tell you to skip the movie. Not the worst, but definitely not the best.

Junjo Romantica: Pure Romance (2008)
Video: Junjo Romantica- Opening 2



Misaki is a young high school boy beginning to prepare for college entrance exams. In order to attend the university of his choice, he agrees to be tutored by his older brothers best friend who happens to be Akihiko Usagi, a famous author whose books are highly praised and loved despite their somewhat inappropriate content. When Misaki goes to meet Usagi and learns of his love for his older brother, Misaki protests and tells him "any other man will do". Taking him at his word, Usagi quickly becomes close with Misaki and a strong relationship forms between them, but the ultimate question lingers - is it love, and will it be able to stand the test of time?

Why I began this series: Just before finishing Sekaiichi Hatsukoi I discovered the same manga author also wrote a similar series known as Junjou Romantica, and since I enjoyed Sekaiichi Hatsukoi so much, I took to watching it.

Thoughts on the series:
While the entire setup and premise of Junjou Romantica was almost identical to Sekaiichi Hatsukoi, Junjou Romantica was completely different. At the start I didn't like the series, especially the fact that my impression of one of the main protagonists, Usagi, was watching him enjoy doing pervy things to the little brother of his current male love interest. As the series continued however I was swept away in the show and I grew to love absolutely everything about it The first thing that grabbed me was its unique characters, as the series centered around three couples and their growing relationships. Telling three similar yet incredibly different love stories, Junjou Romantica took typical preconceived notions of love and showed that love can happen between anyone at any time and for any reason. From the main pair of Usagi and Misaki, to Nowaki and Hiroki and even Shinobu and You, each told their own story and portrayed both the wonderful and painfully difficult sides of romance. Of course, my favorite pairing of the three was Usagi and Misaki, as they each grew individually throughout all three seasons in addition to growing together as a couple. At a close second however were Nowaki and Hiroki, as they also grew but faced difficulties balancing their relationship with their prospective jobs. And finally, not as emphasized but still grasping, was Shinobu and You who in this reviewers opinion had the hardest time of all in accepting their seventeen year age difference. Having such a vast but delicate cast played up the series entire feel and made it seem like one long movie or soap opera, minus the corny parts. Unlike Sekaiichi Hatsukoi and much to my surprise, I had no trouble keeping up each couples story and each individuals personal life and feelings, something I found quite difficult in Sekaiichi Hatsukoi. Alongside the series main cast, the entire supporting cast was equally as important and impressive, bringing little twists and turns to each story which mostly were predictable but in the end that didn't matter. Also noteworthy just in its uniqueness was the series animation, drawn exactly like its sister series. The animation from both series appears so simple, but it proves that you don't need CGI or highly animated characters to tell a beautiful story.  All this said, my biggest praise for the series goes to its Japanese voice cast and its soundtrack. I have never enjoyed a Japanese voice cast so much and Junjou Romantica delivered stunning performances from start to finish. Each voice fit the character perfectly both in age and look and every performance felt organic and genuine. There were very few times I thought about the voice actors reading their lines in the booth and instead would get swept away in the beautiful stories they told through the series. Praise for the Japanese cast aside, I would adore and be over the moon if the series ever received an English Dub but it would have some extremely high expectations to meet. The other element of the series that particularly struck me was the soundtrack. The soundtrack was far more than background music and added so much to the series, it was honestly unbelievable. Every time I heard a familiar track or a track that played during a specific scene, I became excited all over again and relived particular moments where I had heard it before. The soundtrack in its entirety was extremely emotional and beautiful, but one track in particular stole my heart (see below).

Junjou Romantica OST 1 - Track 11: Yumeni, Gokochi BOY

Junjou Romantica is much more than it seems. Yet another extremely popular Yaoi, I would recommend it over Sekaiichi Hatsukoi and to any anime fan due to its moving story, fun characters and emotional connection.

Inu x Boku SS (2014)
Video: Inu x Boku Original Opening



Ririchiyo Shirrakin has always had trouble interacting with others. In order to isolate herself from people she might be off putting towards she moves to The Maison de Ayakashi, a luxury apartment building otherwise known as Ayakashikan. Those living at Ayakashikan are special however, as they each posses the blood of supernatural monsters and are creatures known to the world as "throwbacks". Partially filled with the blood of their ancient ancestors and each holding special powers, residents of Ayakashikan are given a body guard to protect them from any danger that may arise, and Ririchiyo soon finds herself in the constant company and care of Secret Service agent Soshi Miketsukami. Now under the watchful eye of Miketsukami, Ririchiyo must adapt to her new life, but behind her hard shell, strange and unfamiliar feelings will arise and begin to change her fate forever.

Why I began this series: I was looking for a short series and something with romance, when I suddenly remembered Inu x Boku SS and when I found the series had been Dubbed, I started it right away.

Thoughts on the series:
A big welcome back to the cast of Clannad and Clannad: After Story. Needless to say the first thing that struck me about this series was its English Dub cast, and after realizing many favorite Clannad voice actors made up a majority of the main characters I was thrilled to see where the series would go and how emotional it would be. There were many performances of particular note, beginning with Hilary Haag as the rough, introverted Ririchiyo. Haag's performance was wonderful and was quite a refreshing change to see her playing such a serious character unlike her performance as the charming and extremely energetic Fuko Ibuki from Clannad. Opposite Haag was Chris Paton, as the fox yokai Miketsukami and known to me as the voice of the main protagonist in The World God Only Knows. The chemistry between these two characters was incredible and the performances from their actors provided an emotional buildup so great that by the final few episodes, it could not be contained. The other performance that struck me was that of David Matranga as Kagero Shokiin, the "self proclaimed" fiancee to Ririchiyo. Prior to Inu x Boku SS, I had only seen Matranga in his unbelievably stunning performance as Tomoya Okazaki in Clannad and Subaru Asahina in the recently dubbed series Brothers Conflict, and after recognizing his voice in Inu x Boku SS I was shocked. Like Haag, it was quite an interesting and unual thing to see Matranga portray such a goofy and somewhat clueless character, but in the end I still found his performance to be quite something even if I didn't particularly care for anything about the character. With other great performances by favorites including Monical Rial and Greg Ayres, the entire voice casting of Inu x Boku SS was wonderful and I enjoyed seeing much of the Clannad crew back together again. Alongside its voice cast, the series also had lovely animation. A very free flowing and seamless style, there were many beautiful frames and scenes that looked like something out of the perfect romance novel. I particularly enjoyed the character designs for Ririchiyo and Miketsukami, as they both were drawn and animated to physically embody their characters personalities. Ririchiyo's long black hair and dark purple eyes were a beautiful combination to portray her seclusion, while Miketsukami's short white hair and differently colored eyes emphasized his mysterious nature. This animation style was quite different from other series I have recently seen, and due to the series romantic nature this animation style was a perfect fit. If there is one thing the series falls short on however, it is the plot. It wasn't until the final three episodes however that I became really hooked on the series and finally began to understand what was really going on. The overall plot of the series was mostly confusing and very weak, but once more of the romance elements came to light and things were explained, I quickly became enthralled in the story completely. Had the series abandoned its vast amount of filler and completely focused on the growing relationship between Ririchiyo and Miketsukami, I would have loved it start to finish. This said, the final few episodes were both moving and incredibly emotional, and the series may have been one of the best love confession scenes I have ever seen. And finally, the soundtrack. Only make up of a few tracks, the soundtrack added so much to Inu x Boku SS it was somewhat unreal. The entire soundtrack was memorable and beautiful, with the following track being the most gorgeous and love themed musical moment used throughout the entire series.

Inu x Boku SS OST - Track 12: Alone

It's a series like Inu x Boku that makes me want to investigate and maybe read its manga series, just to see how the two compare. Recommended for anime fans who are die hard for romance with just a little bit of a twist, Inu x Boku is a perfect twelve episode fix.

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