GATE

Final Thoughts on Anime Winter 2015/16

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Here we are folks, the end of another season. I can’t say it was better than the last season, nor that it was worse than the next season, and don’t even get me started on how it compares to the season before that season before this season’s season. But I think I had a good time.

Durarara!!x2

Well, that sure was…something. Honestly, I can’t say I’m not at least a little disappointed with how this season wrapped up, and I’ll get to that later. First I want to talk about the characters. Specifically, how many there are. I mean, there were already a lot, and then the show just kept dumping more and more on us, to the point where I would have to actually take notes just to try and understand what the hell is even going on (I didn’t actually take notes, and so I was extremely confused). What’s really bad is how poorly/under-used some of the characters are, to the point where it would’ve been better off not introducing them in the first place. Then there are these villainous plots that seem to lack any rhyme or reason, but perhaps they do and the show just presents itself so poorly that you can’t possibly understand why some characters do what they do. Now back to the ending *spoilers-move onto next paragraph if you don’t want to be spoiled*, Durarara!!x2 committed a most vile cliché, one so off-putting that some might consider it a storytelling sin. A gun is put to Mikado’s head, the trigger is pulled, cut to credits, come back next week, he’s not dead, and I shake my head. No, Durarara!!x2. That is a cheap, no-good, dirty, rotten, obvious, terrible low-hanging fruit that no one in the right mind should pick. But I don’t know, I just really hate it when characters are killed only to not be killed. And then Mikado gets stabbed in the streets later for no apparent reason and still doesn’t die. Okay.

Konosuba

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Ooh! I liked this show! A lot! It starts off in dangerously generic territory, only to become refreshing and original, as well as charming and satirical. The animation is cute and derpy sometimes, swift and action-y at other times, and overall pretty engaging. The characters are likable and the way they interact with each other is even more enjoyable. It’s a fun show and I’m definitely looking forward to season 2.

Erased

Erased started off as an incredibly promising show, so much so that there was almost no way it could deliver an astonishing ending worthy of it’s amazing setup and premise. Sadly, it doesn’t, at least not for me. The killer wasn’t a very shocking reveal as there were really no clues leading to him being the killer in the first place. He revealed himself, rather than Satou uncovering him. And that in itself, is fine. I won’t knock a show for taking a different approach to certain things. What I will say however, is that the killer was not a very interesting villain. Sure, he was maniacal and had a cunning plan as to how to kill and frame all these people, but the reason for doing those things just wasn’t there. He did it just because he could, and the show doesn’t really get into what was really in it for him. Some sort of satisfaction, I assume, but can’t really say for certain. Perhaps I’m just asking for too much out of our fictional serial killers. You do you, psychopaths. Oh, and a 15 year coma is a ridiculous amount of time.

GATE (season 2)

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I feel like I might be coming off this Winter season a little negative. Also, this show was awful. There’s nothing interesting about Zolzal as a villain. He is very much a brash, idiot rapist that has more power than he know what to do with, with no secret plan or chance in hell to take down the SDF, and his sex slave bunny lady easily manipulates him only to accomplish even more of nothing. She wanted to take down the empire, and then didn’t? Doesn’t she want to kill this dude that keeps raping her or something? No? And then there’s the SDF, who are even less compelling to watch. They trample over everything in their way with their superior might and technology. Fin. Oh, and then Itami goes back to being an otaku, because that’s his only defining characteristic that the show just completely ignores until the very end. And although I kinda like Rory, she was definitely created to cater to gothic lolita loving weirdos like myself, and I take full responsibility for her existence. And even then, I didn’t really care for the over sexualization of her.

Myriad Colors Phantom World

I’m not going to get too much into this show here, as I have written every episode review so far and plan to do a complete review once the show is completed (so come back next week for that ^-^). What I will say is that it’s my favorite of the Winter 2015/16 anime season. So uh, check out my reviews.

And what did you think about this winter anime season? What were your favorite shows? And what do you plan to do about the upcoming spring season? I plan to try and watch more shows outside of Crunchyroll, because as you can see, I’ve missed out on a lot. Thanks for reading! Hope to see you next week!

The Revenge Story…In Anime

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It seems to me that revenge plots in anime, as well as in other media like video games and movies, have become much more prominent in the mainstream. Of course, vengeance is something that’s been around for ages. It’s the urge to get back at someone whom had previously wronged you. Perhaps it’s a natural feeling, but often times it’s also a malicious one. Revenge tales have been passed down for generations, and many would come across with the same message.

Revenge is bad. Two wrongs do not make a right. Vengeance is self-destructive, and you should refrain from indulging in it. Folk wisdom is very clear on this issue so why is it, that modern stories are rewriting the tale? Every now and again I come across a story, a movie, a game, an anime that deals with the theme of revenge, but offers the exact opposite lesson to be learn from it. Plots where the protagonist has had their parents killed or their possessions taken, to be wronged in any way by the antagonist, therefore creating the inciting incident that becomes their motive for the story to move on through.

The introduction is anger and hatred, the climax is finally taking revenge, but what’s truly different about these modern tales is the falling action. They’re happy and fulfilled, acting as if vengeance was the answer and the story was resolved.

But is it? What does revenge solve? Is revenge self-destructive? Or is it justice? Is revenge natural? Is revenge wrong?

I’m not going to pretend like I know the answer to this, but I’d like to think that it is wrong. It’s wrong to inflict pain on others. But if someone inflicts pain onto you, does that give you the right to hurt them back? Even if it does, should you hurt them back?

There’s just so many questions when it comes to the ethics of revenge, so why not look to anime for the answer. My first pick, while still airing at the time of me posting this, deals with revenge in a very straightforward, aggressive assault. The plot is very similar to what I had just described moments ago, where the bad guys invade and the good guys retaliate. And the good guys retaliate, HARD.

gate revenge

I’m talking GATE, of course! But instead of getting into the politics of the separate worlds fighting, I want to skip right to the latest arc: Fighting the dragon. First Lieutenant Itama embarks on a quest to kill the dragon that caused massive amounts of death and destruction to peaceful villages. One village of elves in particular was left with only one survivor, Tuka. Itami takes it upon himself to avenge Tuka’s village, and more importantly, her father. So he, along with the girls, set out to destroy this fire-breathing menace.

*Spoilers* they succeed, with no casualties of main characters. Now this accomplishment can be taken in a lot of different ways. On one hand, they did the world a service by preventing any more damage this beast could have caused. That winged beast did do quite a number on those innocent villagers, any I’m sure many would argue that killing the beast was necessary for the safety of the people. On the other hand, it was an incredibly risky, albeit stupid decision to have a go at this dragon with just their small group and some weaponry that, at least to my knowledge, wasn’t truly proven to be effectual at that point in the story. Had it not been for the additional troops dispatched to rescue them from some unexpected complications, our heroes, and our lord and savior Rory Mercury-sama (all praise Lady Mercury) would’ve have been finished.

But aside from poking holes in logic, let’s just take a look at what was to gain, emotionally. Pro: People no longer had to live in fear of this particular monster. Con: The people the dragon killed, well, they’re not coming back. Yes, revenge has been taught to us as a shallow victory, but GATE seems to approach it as a victory nonetheless, and so the characters are all happy and all is well and good. At least, that’s how it seems so far, but I’ll save my final judgement for when the series comes to an end.

naruto

GATE uses vengeance as a theme and driving force for its protagonists, and it works out pretty well for them (so far). But as for antagonists, no better example comes to mind than Sasuke Uchiha, from the immensely popular series, Naruto.

While I do believe the show to do quite a few things inadequately, I think it does a great job at showcasing the self-destructive aspects of revenge. Sasuke really is a torn character, removing himself from his friends and his village in his pursuit for power. While he’s driven by hatred he does horrible, uncompassionate things, even to the people he once called friends. And the effect he has on other people only continues the cycle of hatred.

But what do you think about revenge plots? Is revenge good, bad, or dependent on circumstance? Is it better for our society to idolize vengeance or degrade it? And is Naruto still worth watching? Please tell me your thoughts in the comments below, and thanks for reading!