If anime is about the “WTF moment”, I think I have reached the stage of Nirvana. I just watched some of the new offerings of the fall 2008 season, and one anime struck out as one of the strangest anime ever. Instead of following traditional convention to pick a series based on prior interest, I decided to pick out whatever appears on the Rss Feed. What appeared first was Casshern Sins. Anyway, if there is ever a “strange” anime category to kick off my fall season watching, it must be Casshern Sins. With my bias toward old-school anime, will this break the mold or just follow suit like how all re-makes have generally failed?
After watching that totally bizarre old school anime, I decided that it is time for a series that I know something about, which is Kuroshitsuji. I did read the manga after realizing that there is a manga for this series. In addition, there was some bad blood among some readers of THAT for portraying this show as a yaoi show during our preview, and I got to review it to see if the vibes are going to be apparent for any would-be viewer.
Since I am on a roll of emo-ness and horror, I decided to watch something lighthearted. Hyakko comes to mind immediately. It is almost diabolical if I go into this show with the killing hands of a cold-blooded critic. Nonetheless, a job has to be done and this will be the third series in this review. Ready to know about my impressions?
Let’s go. The Fall 2008 season is upon us. The misery of viewing crap is upon me, you lucky readers.
Casshern Sins
Summary
A humanoid named Casshern is killing tons of robots. These robots alleged that he will bring about the destruction of the world, and they have to consume him in order to end this crisis. Although he does not understand what they are saying, he fought these robots that attempted to kill him. Dispatching them with ease, another girl suddenly appears and says that she knows him very well and mysteriously disappears.
Casshern stands in a wasteland, seeing a young child. The young child seems to be a malfunctioning robot that do not have much time to live. After talking to the child, it seems that Casshern has no memories of who he is. A stray metallic robot interrupted their idle conversation, as it tried to kill the young child. It also stated that the child might be human rather than a robot. Casshern went into overdrive rage and brutally destroyed that robot. Casshern also managed to scare the young child, as the child’s guardian. That mysterious girl then appeared again. She told him that she knew him very well, and he is created to be an assassin.
The good
It’s a remake? I guess it caters to old school anime viewers? Oh, the graphics is good during the fight scene. God, don’t force me to write a good comment about something that totally did not make any FREAKING SENSE.
As explained by Fin, this show is in fact meant to be cheesy with good action scenes to cater to those interested in old school action. I can see the charm of that, despite being unable to appreciate it too much. However, if its aim is to be rather cheesy, it is doing a good job at it, and the action scenes ain’t too shabby either.
The bad
I sat down, watched it for 15 minutes (which took me one hour to hit the 15 minute mark because it was very boring) and patiently waited for a sparkle of interest. It didn’t matter. Logical sense tells me that as a discerning anime viewer, I should give it a few more episodes. Girlfriend told me not to watch it after I started complaining at the 7th minute mark, but I continued viewing to have a decently objective standpoint. However, from a very pragmatic viewpoint, this show blows. Honestly, I feel like I am being an absolute a-hole for saying this, but this show does not excite me a single bit. I mean, there are shows like Gurren Lagaan that I did not like a lot, but I obviously can see the potential of greatness for shounen fans.
The main plot goes something like this: Casshern must be dead, but no one knows who he is. He emos and kills people for fun. You know that a show is doomed when the only redeeming fact comes from a barely-average fight sequence. The seiyuu sucks to be honest. Either that or they are cast very badly because no one sounds half-natural to me. The only natural sounding people are the robots, and that is very sad.
Graphics are old school and below par for me. I was expecting something better in the mold of Gurren Lagaan but I was disappointed to say the very least. People say that a shoujo anime viewer cannot appreciate good shows. Sure, we can’t, but we can at least be open-minded enough to tell you that it really sucks. It does, and no attempt to cotton bud this thing can help this first episode.
It throws things at you that makes little attempt for future exposition and sense. The all-so-emo male lead that cannot remember his identify is such an age-old cliche that can bore the most excitable anime viewer out there. Psgels has some better words for this show, but I think he is really trying hard due to the style of graphics that caters to his viewing habits. OP sucks too, by the way. I found it so queer.
Verdict: Unless you are ready to hold up on a emo-angsty action show that has not shown any ability for potential, stay clear. Of course, if you are a fan of Tohru Furuya or is a fervent mecha/action viewer, you do not need any second hesitation to pick this up.
Kuroshitsuji
Summary
Sebastian is the chief butler for Ciel, the heir to the Phantomhive empire that has strong economic powers in the game industry. Sebastian is preparing the mansion for a visit by a French businessman, as Ciel wakes up looking particularly grouching. While Sebastian prepares for it, the other workers overhear the conversation between Ciel and Sebastian. They decided to impress Ciel by accomplishing the cleaning, cooking and gardening. However, they are totally incompetent, and Sebastian has to clean up their mess.
When the French Businessman came, Sebastian is able to remedy the issues that were screwed up. The french businessman clearly wanted Ciel to invest in his factory, but Ciel was simply concentrated on the game they are playing. During the game, there are some clear premonitions on what is going to happen, as Ciel tells Sebastian to give the man a Phantomhive welcome. It turns out this French man wanted to cheat Ciel of some money after closing his factory, as he spoke on the phone.
He also told the other party that he does not care about his workers, and only wanted to cheat Ciel’s money. Just then, it seems that there was a phantom staring at him while a haunting voice tells him about death, pain and broken legs. Eventually, he freaked out and dislocated his ankle while moving. When he ran to crawl away, he found Sebastian and tried to hide in a small cupboard. It turned out that this cupboard is a stove, and he was burned alive. During the aftermath, it seemed that Sebastian simply gave that man a mirage to freak him out, rather than truly killing him. At the end of the show, we see a flashback of Ciel’s parents.
The good
This is how you make a decent introductory episode, Casshern Sins! You have a premonition of something. Then you start off with something casual before hitting the climax with a surprising twist at the very end (a very vicious one indeed). This is what defines good plot writing rather than throwing random action scenes for impressing others. You will never impress me with that sub-standard writing of yours, Casshern Sins!
This is also the first anime where the anime OP completely fits the series. The only yaoi vibe that you CAN even remotely feel is during the OP to be honest. I have a few seconds of total annoyance, but it passes by very quickly. I hope it does not degenerate into the abyss of yaoi vibes, but I did not feel that much of it even when I am reading the manga. I doubt you will feel it as well.
In terms of characters, they really found the right seiyuu for the job. Sebastian sounds just downright nice and creepy at the same time, but do you really expect anything else from Daisuke Ono. Getting Maaya Sakamoto to do the voice of Ciel is great as well because she is a very versatile seiyuu that can fit into many roles without blinking an eye.
The bad
Graphics seem somewhat waning at times during the character profiles and close ups, and this does not spell good for a series at the first episode. It is a bit worrying for me that the quality might drop after a few episodes. I am also extremely annoyed at the three retards. I really hate stupid characters. Other than that, it’s a very strong first episode.
Verdict: Ignore those ignorant people (like me) that this is a yaoi-vibed show. If it can repeat its antics in the first episode, we are ready for a total romp of a ride. Totally watching more episodes.
Hyakko
Summary
A girl named Nomura Ayumi separated from her friends as she left her phone back in class. However, she realized she is lost in the big school. This school is Kamazino, a private academy with primary to university levels of education. Ayumi is someone who is shy and finds it hard to be straight forward with what she feels. Just when she panics, she found a fellow classmate Tatsui.
As they moved around, it turns out that Tatsui is lost too after Ayumi finally gained the courage to question Tatsui. The girls are soon shocked to see a girl named Kageyama Torako jump out of a nearby window, seemingly spraining her ankle in the process. Torako started screaming with pain, and Ayumi wanted to call for help. However, a girl named Saotome Suzume appears as well and Torako miraculously felt better. It turns out that the two girls who jumped from the second storey window are also lost, and they moved on together.
After wandering around, Tatsui mentions that their dominant hand differences make it impossible to find their way. Ayumi also reveals that she has a GPS, but the signal disappeared. However, they have enough information. They then tried to open the locked door that is impeding their progress, with Suzume breaking the nob. Torako then picks up a brick. Tatsui tries to stop her, but the brick still broke during their struggle. A teacher saw them in the act, but Torako punches him right in the gut. When they finally reached their classroom, this teacher is their form teacher and criticizes them strictly.
The good
It is funny and ridiculous. That two qualities should be more than enough to entice anyone to watch this. I totally adore Suzume and Torako, because they are so darn funny. I have this liking for silent characters, since I find that a strangely endearing quality. Torako is just down right spunky without being a tsundere at all. She’s the perfect archetype for Impz’s favorite girl.
In addition, I like some of the random jokes thrown in. They are hardly laugh out loud sequences, but they manage to hold my interest to my very end. I have repeated many times that characters make or break a slice of life series, and this makes it through the finishing line with a time that nearly beat the Commonwealth record. It’s no mean feat.
The bad
I really did not like Ayumi. Yes, I have shown a tendency to dislike any shy, weak type of girl. I like my spunky Kyoko-sama, Shuurei and Sheryl Nome (yes, I betrayed Ranka) rather than those “oh no, I need to be saved from my distress.” That turns me off the most, and it is the actual reason why some shoujo series just annoy the living lights out of me. Nonetheless, it is a minor point because she is not the focal point of the series, and she does not annoy me as much as Sora from Sketchbook. Yes, my hate of things stay for a long time.
In addition, the graphics are pretty average, but it is expected for a series such as this. The OP is typical pop, but it’s all good.
Verdict: Light-hearted with a tinge of peaceful craziness is prevalent in this series. I don’t think that this will have any actual story plot, but it is just as good as it can be. I see it as a less cute and crazier version of Manabi Straight, and that is not exactly a bad thing. Worth viewing for one episode.
61 Comments
I agree with you that we were a bit unfair towards Kuroshitsuji, and after what I’ve heard I’m actually loking forward to it. Extrange has nothing but good things to say about the manga, so there’s not much reason to skip it. I am a little less excited about Hyakko than I was a month ago, because I hear that the cast is rather generic, but I still have enough hope to give it several episodes. Wacky scenes can make up for a less than stellar cast, and as long as it’s fun that’s all I expect or want from this show anyway. Casshern Sins? It was on my “no way” list before, and it has graduated to the “hell no” after hearing what you have to say about it. Thanks for saving me the trouble ;P
Hey Jiff,
I think I was the only person in the whole crew that wasn’t that bad to it. Everyone was like “yaoi, yaoi, yaoi.” I actually read the manga after doing that fall preview to read it, and enjoyed the series immensely. If I have to draw any comparisons, it feels a little like Neuro, and Neuro isn’t too shabby of a series to be associated with at all.
I actually do not think that a weak/unknown cast means anything at all. To me, the most important thing is whether a series can capture my attention right at the start. Hyakko did with some decent humor that are not over the top. I cannot really complain about it.
Casshern Sins, on the other hand, is a series that should never be RELEASED ever. Yes, I am that resolute.
I’m really surprised in how they fastforward the plot in Kuroshitsuji. Though I want to see the action badly! Grell~~~ Any ideas on how many episodes it’s going to be? 26?
hyokko ftw.
i totaly agree with your attitude towards shy girls in animes.
recently i began to develope an unknown hatred towards those dense, coward, shy girls & boys.
nonetheless, i will watch this anime, because it’s just the kind i like, comedy, slice of life and no heavy story plot.
watching this and torodora is one way to endure the sadness coming up in clannad – after story.
LOL. This are just the small fry for me, the real big bang comes with the bigger upcoming shows.
Hyakko FTW. Certainly the first episode was pretty good enough, hope they can keep it up for all 13, should hardly be too hard.
@elvadrieng: Yes, the action for the show will be pretty awesome, if the manga is of any reference. I am particularly amazed at the manga and will be looking forward to more episodes of it. There’s no mention of how many episodes it is as yet.
@Tommykn: WEll, I never like them too much because it’s very annoying. The good thing about Ayumi is that the shyness is not overpowering or exaggerated. It’s just nice and hence does not annoy me too much. Nonetheless, Hyakko is a very interesting anime series that is likely to be the sleeper hit. The characters are interesting and fun to view. There’s little to complain about it.
Am I a sinful person to be not even a bit interested in Clannad anymore?
Kuroshitsuji for the win. Can’t wait for the next few episodes, though i was kinda disapointed that they spoiled the action part. I found the three helpers quite stupid, yet they manage to add to the horror, without intention.
I hope that someone here blogs it cos Yaoi vibes? BS, its horror and comedy.
Ignore those ignorant people (like me) that this is a yaoi-vibed show.
Not referring to your post, but men are such wusses. (You ever notice how it’s the guys who’s making a bigger deal over the slightest hint of yaoi than the fangirls nowadays?
) Black Butler isn’t yaoi, but with the amount of complaints generated from the male-oriented fandom, I almost wish Sebastian would land a big one on Ciel, because it’s the ultimate troll. 
I think it’s probably a good idea for them to skip toward the action to get people interested…they can always skip back to the sillyness in chapter 2 if they want to.
I wouldn’t say it was completely vibe-free…but no worse than most shonen.
saotome suzume is my favorite girl, if it’s about looks.
i simply like the way her eyes are drawn – so cute & smexy.
althought, she really has no lines and is quite the silent type…which on the otherhand made me dislike her what a waaaste…ayu who got the voice of hirano is unfortunately the timid girl and they made her the narrator – oh noes !!!
i really want some more spice in her character but that won’t be the case, too bad they didn’t choose kageyama as the narrator.
@ impz
i wonder how long you will be able to keep that thinking about clanad.
Yeah, I was indeed a bit less harsh than you on Casshern, simply because of the huge potential of the dark setting, and if it wasn’t for that main character and his emo-memory-loss, I really could have seen myself loving that episode. Alas, here’s hoping that the guy will slowly develop into a more interesting character.
Yeah, I was indeed a bit less harsh than you on Casshern, simply because of the huge potential of the dark setting, and if it wasn’t for that main character and his emo-memory-loss, I really could have seen myself loving that episode. Alas, here’s hoping that the guy will slowly develop into a more interesting character.
Oh, and Hyakko indeed was quite fun to watch.
OMG OMG OMG KUROSHITSUJI IS OUT!
i guess from your first impression it should fine for me to watch with my mother XD
I think without the stupid characters ‘ignorant’ people would steer clear from this show T__T because it is just guys *garh* I like yaoi, shonen ai and I like slashable stuff, if it’s only SLIGHTLY slashable for the ‘fan girls’ i guess it’s okay but only a very little due to age gaps etc….
Hyakko looks like something my lil brother would watch XD
Hmn… Casshern Sins.. emo…. maybe not for me… i don’t need to get any more depressed thanks XD
I always get really pissed when a bunch of idiots call Kuroshitsuji yaoi when they know shit about it. It’s not man-on-man in any way. I think you will really like this Impz.
I agree w/ you for the most part – but what caught my attention to Casshern was actually the graphics – and only – the graphics (and of course the little girl) – everything else was dull
As far as I read Kuroshitsuji manga, I don’t feel that it’s Yaoi at all. I think people mistook it from info they get from fangirls who are Yaoi worshippers. Well, can’t blame them coz I understand that there’re some scenes which will invoke their Yaoi-ness and we can’t prevent people from their imagination after all.
Anyway, though I like its manga a lot, but honestly I didn’t expect the anime to be good. But I was wrong, and it’s really nice! love it, especially the ED
Hope they keep up with this quality through out the whole series.
Wherever there is a pretty boy, there will be yaoi fangirls dreaming of buttsecks between the pretties.
I’ve been reading the manga and I didn’t get that vibe either. I totally adore Sebastian and I agree with you on Bard, Finian and Meirin. Really considering Sebastian does a better job than all of them, they aren’t really needed.
They are comic relief I suppose, I do giggle at Bard’s afro whenever he fries dinner to a crips. But for the most part they are annoying, seriously I wish Meirin would get stuck in an oven and burnt to a crisp.
I’m also probably not going to be able to understand Elizabeth when she turns up, annoying brat that she is. I really felt bad for Ciel in the manga, I would have wanted to slap her three ways from sunday too.
I don’t really include Tanaka since he doesn’t really partake in the shenanigans, he just stands there.
I like anything supernatural pretty much, I like the music and well Sebastian is hawt.
Unfortunately for me I don’t get to blog this, I got Toradora instead. I expected better from J.C Staff on that one, the character designs are very disappointing
Thankfully so far they seem to be sticking close to the manga, we’ll see how far they deviate if at all.
Interesting tidbit for you Impz. Rie Kugimiya voices Taiga, you may remember her from Ghost Hunt since she voiced your beloved Masako! XD Speaking of which that should be out on dvd here soon. I’ve seen the first three dubbed episodes and well its not that I hate it, but I’m not enamored with it either…
Boo: I don’t know if you should watch it with your mother if she doesn’t like blood and guts…tell her I said hi.
@Panther: They just might. I fear that the only problem is for them to forcefully make cheap jokes to make others laugh. That is definitely not the way to go for them. Just let it be natural like this and everything else should flow.
@Cherubium: My girlfriend argued that the stupidity of the three helpers are there to magnify the awesomeness of Sebastian. Even though I cannot deny that logic, I still feel that they did not need to be so retarded. It just makes absolute zero logical sense to me. Ya, the unintentional horror is just surprising and makes a good twist.
@Maaya: Ouch, low blow there
. Well, most guys are very intolerant of yaoi vibes since it is very uncomfortable. I fully agree with you that it is not yaoi and I still cannot for the life of me feel any vibes as yet. Maybe I have been painfully indoctrinated after watching a few episodes of junjou that i am numb.
@Dana: Heh, totally true. I always feel that yaoi vibe in shounen.
@Tommykn: Oh i will probably avoid Clannad at all costs. I will probably go back to it when the whole season is over. I have grew very tired of harem-like shows lately, and the previous season of Clannad had me writhing in pain. Fuuko, my god, that one just bites the dust (pun intended).
@Boo: It is safe for mothers, i bet. There is no yaoi vibes at all or anything sexual at all to be honest. I actually cannot get it why it is slash for the fangirls. Unless they are trying very hard to relate it, I cannot see it at all. Hah, don’t push the blame to us guys. Most gals cannot stand yuri too
Casshern Sins make you ultra depressing. The theme about a lost world is bad enough, but the story is so terribly written with no logical sense that you just feel even more depressed watching it. Had to pop in 1 episode of Aria to make myself feel better.
@Jayers: I am not a fair judge of such things since I already read the manga, love it and was looking forward to it. Honestly, I blame the rabid fangirls who are so ready to ship this show as slash. That generally turns guys off from an actually competent horror/comedy show.
@HC: You are a lolicon, my friend?
@Blist: Why didn’t you expect the anime to be good? It’s the type of manga that transists easily into the anime form, so I am not even a bit surprised how it is done well. I hope that those scenes don’t appear too often because it will turn me off a lot. Yes, I have always been the strangest guy who blogs on shoujo and such shows
@D.J: The comic relief only works if you don’t mind those characters. I hated them. Elizabeth is actually quite funny because she keeps pestering Ciel. Strangely, I like her because her eventual back story is quite touching to be honest.
Why don’t you get to blog this O_O.
@Impz: haha, coz I don’t want to be disappointed if I put my expectation too high
Actually, I’m impressed with how far yaoi fangirls’ imagination is… after seeing One Piece yaoi pairings….
@ Impz, About Elizabeth, Oh really? I don’t get to blog it because I didn’t pick it fast enough lol ^-^
Its okay I probably couldn’t fit it in anyway with all the shows I’m checking out. I’m pretty sure already I’m gonna have to drop a few.
I think Yaoi fangirls can make a pairing out of just about any two guys…
I’m starting to Hyakko more since I read the 2 chapters of manga that were translated, I read the full 3 vol. that were released raw so I don’t know about any kind of plot but there seems to be a few things in store for us from what I’ve seen.
Then i must be one strange girl since i actually enjoy casshern a lot, it remanded me of the old cartoons, you know the oldies when plot was not an issue, and on top of that it remainds me of megaman but this is much older so i hear, call me crazy but i will take the dull guy over the stupid heroin in itazura na kiss which embody everything i hate about shoujo heroins, on toradora i am sick to have to lisen to Rie Kugimiya as a tsundere loli beaoch, however i will definely check up Kuroshitsuji to see if it won’t end up with the shit part of their own word >:).
DJ: Nobody was saying Kuroshitsuji is yaoi. From what I saw, it’s the guys who first accused Kuroshitsuji of being yaoi, and when it isn’t, they turn around and accuse the girls of making it up when no one said anything. What’s up with that?
@maaya: I feel guilty too since I’m the first comment saying about yaoi fangirls. It’s bcoz after I became a fan of its manga, I made a search for Kuroshitsuji’s fanarts. Luckily, I got many of them. The art is beautiful, Sebastian is so hawt, Ciel looks cute in his way (lol) only one thing that… why they made them look so yaoi T__T If I haven’t read the manga before, I’ll mistake it for yaoi too. I have no grudge againts yaoi, but I just don’t want people to turn away from this series coz they get the wrong impression.
Well, let’s stop the yaoi fangirls argument here. At least we all get to know that it’s not, but a nice one with the combination of comedy/supernatural together. Thanks to A-1 Picture for their good job!
@Blist: Please don’t go there. Please leave my blog with some bearing of sanity please ^^ Anything like one piece yaoi is like sinful and painful to even think. Yaoi fangirls never fail to impress me in a very strange way. I am glad my girlfriend is just a normal fangirl.
@DJ: I think so too. Elizabeth is actually quite an interesting character when you read more of the manga.
@Anime: Hahaha, I think that Hyakko is really very relaxing and fun and crazy. It’s all the good elements of slice of life. A good one.
@Lucky: Ya, it will cater to old school addicts, and i ain’t one by a long shot.
Can’t wait to see Kuroshitsuji subbed. The animation style just agrees with me. (Just wondering, while lurking the blogs, I see a lot of male complaints about yaoi. What are the views on yuri vibes from the girls’ side?
I know my roommate, who is a whole generation older than me, disliked the lobelia girls from Ouran. But then she took to some of the other yuri vibe shows very well.
i actually really enjoyed Casshern Sins, and quite the opposite to you it seemed to last five minutes to me lol. i was abit confused at parts but im sure it’ll all be explained soon enough, could turn out to be quite could imo
(didnt edit fast enough) – i think old school anime fans will enjoy this (Casshern) as it has so many old school effects etc.the sounds effects, very “clashy”?, the majority of characters, mainly Casshern himself, along with the melancholic vibe and of course the (awesome) fighting which was very reminiscent of an oldie.
I wasnt really expecting to enjoy this just by how stereotypical and…cheesy? his suit is, looks like something from Gatchaman. But yeh i really enjoyed it, i say people should give it a chance.
It’s like you literally took a nuke to Casshern.. then decided to use an atomic bomb for good measure. It wasn’t COMPLETELY terrible; in my opionion, the animation was good and the fight scene direction, although a bit hectic, made the action seem a bit more exciting. I’ll agree that Casshern’s an angsty and unpitiable lead at the moment, but to say the show has no potential whatsoever is going a bit overboard. I like the appearance of the hooded protagonist and the girl who appeared at the end seems to have a greater stake in the overall plot than I’d have thuoght at first sight. I’d like to give the show some time to develop and I will, as I like its style and the post-apocalyptic setting. At the very least, Casshern’s character didn’t instantly revolt me as much as it did you. I think you may be unfairly isolating the show, but hey, they are your impressions, and I won’t seek to try and change your mind.
As for Hyakko, the slice-of-life comedy is DECLICIOUS.
Ah. Casshern rocks, all because of Toru Furuya and his ability to kick robot ass to next week! XP
if you don’t like anime like Casshern, then why bother dissing them? This smells like some bad bias you have against the genre. If you can’t be impartial, then don’t make reviews of genres that you dislike
Tohru Furuya sucks? I can understand if you dislike Sins, and I don’t necessarily disagree with the rest of your post, but saying Furuya sucks is factually wrong.
@5: You can actually find the views on yuri vibes soon if I can get my girlfriend to start writing instead of lazing off as she usually does.
@Shugo2b: I don’t know. It lasted a whole century for me because the characters do not interest me and the story was just like a page from the 1980s. Nonetheless, it might work for action fans. Just not me.
@Omisynth: After the atomic bomb, I decided to throw in some chlorine poison gas and some fire elementals to eliminate any remaining survivors. Oh, if anything, I do not think it is completely terrible to an action fan. To someone who is rather objective (aka watching it without being an action fan but tolerable), it just does not capture the attention at all.
I personally HATE the protagonist’s appearance because he looks like every generic hero out there. Tell me if he does not. If you like CG, you like this guy. They look 80% the same. It might have some potential but I am not waiting for it. at all.
@Ominae: I don’t really care about kicking ass.
@Dr. Hell: Nope. If anything, I surprisingly watch quite a bit of shounen/action in my quiet time and enjoy them immensely. This one just turns me off at the start. Nonetheless, read my verdict. Hardcore action/old school fans can apply. Anyone else should really avoid this at all costs.
I might be biased (and everyone is biased), but people who read the blog knows that I can admit it is good even though I hated it after a while (like Gurren Lagaan or Soul Eater). I know my own issues with certain genres, so I always try to be objective at the end to make sure that whoever watched the show knows “this guy hates it, but he thinks it’s good for others). In this review, it’s not the case here at all. It’s just bad. Not terrible. Just bad.
@Leo7: I am not a fan of seiyuus to be honest. I apologize if I offended you but it makes me easier to criticize a seiyuu without knowing who he is. It gives less bias.
heh
Using “graphics” when talking about animation is pretty damn hilarious.
And shows how ignorant is teh reviewer.
Also I like how he says something about not caring abotu siyuus, hen in the next review: Daisuke Ono and Maaya Sakamoto.
I can understand not liking Casshern Sins, but saying it has no potentional to be a good show isn’t really wise. If anything, the whole point of the show was to be a rather cheesy show meant to cater to old Casshern fans, Tatsunoko fans, people who like action oriented shows, and so on. Besides, it’s too early to tell whether it’ll succeed or fail because it’s only the first episode.
It IS possible to compare the performance of a seiyuu in a previous series to their performance in another series without bias. Tohru Furuya was great as the title character in Saint Seiya, but his performance as Casshern was rather lackluster. Not to mention, he is probably one of the most well-known seiyuus in the entire business. Any reviewer worth their salt SHOULD know who he is, regardless of whether they are fans of seiyuus or not.
@Sage: Yep? I do not deny to be rather ignorant of anime seiyuu. It’s probably good that many of you pointed out about how this prominent seiyuu has done many great roles in the past. I am just trying to point out anything that I actually know about the series. I do think that everyone knows some things and misses others. Calling someone ignorant because of that makes you …well… I leave it to your imagination.
@Fin: Agree of course. I am perhaps a little hasty in passing down the judgment but I think someone without any prior knowledge of the series or the seiyuu or whatever about the series has to be extremely disappointed at this series at this stage. Obviously, I hope to be proven wrong and I will be more than glad to eat my own words and laugh at myself for being ignorant. Before that happens though, I really hope that this series can improve well.
Another mention by you is the fact that it’s meant to be a rather cheesy show to cater to the old school series. I didn’t know that at the start, and I find it queer to do that. If that is the case, does it mean that it is not open for fresh viewers to talk about it? It is almost like a form of old elitism. It’s like “You can only say something bad about Macross Frontier if you watch all the series of Macross from the original one.” I leave you to figure out the flaw in this argument.
I actually took the time to check the seiyuu’s works and found that he started seiyuuing a lot of prominent old shows. I am particularly fresh when it comes to viewing anime (only started watching it since 2006), so I have no clue who he is. It’s a good thing that I learn something new about anime today huh. I do not see your point about “should know who he is.”
I think it is giving too much deference to the “he’s a good seiyuu, so saying that he is bad is a total sin.” Your point is valid because I have presented a “biased view” in not knowing the famous seiyuu, but isn’t that objectivity because I don’t have any favorable or unfavorable bias of the seiyuu in the first place? I am very sure that all fans of him will definitely disagree with my criticism of the first episode and will be ready to flame me with all the hatred in the world. However, I never shy off from criticizing seiyuu when they are miscasted or somewhat bad.
All in all, thanks for giving me some constructive feedback on this show, Fin. I learned quite a bit today. I got to read a bit more about him now. ^^
I like Casshern Sins well enough to watch more, and I believe it will pick up in episode 2. Researching an anime before you decide to watch it always helps in the long-run. Also, I have never seen the original Casshern series so this is somewhat of a new thing for me as well. I’m mainly watching this because I enjoyed other Tatsunoko shows like Gatchaman and I’m a fan of Madhouse studios.
I think the ‘should know who he is’ part was probably some of my bias getting through. I’m the hardcore type that has to know everything and thus I research roles. I’ve really found out some extremely surprising things that way. I don’t think it’s necessarily miscasting since Furuya is often placed into those kind of roles…but he really needs to put a little more emotion in Casshern’s voice. Just because he’s part machine doesn’t mean he needs to talk like one.
Well, now that I’m done ranting, I’m glad that I could provide some constructive feedback.
Yep. Got it ^^ It’s helpful to hear from someone who is passionate on series. It’s better than the retards who make personal insults to make their egos fulfilled without allowing the recipient to understand why. That, to me, is showing how shallow, stupid and ridiculous they are. That is why I appreciate readers like you who tell me that I went off the line and tell me clearly about some misguided points. Cheers and enjoy Casshern Sins. That is perhaps the only thing I cannot agree with you
What’s the matter, is Casshern Sins too DEEP AND GRIMDARK FOR YOU?
Seriously, why start a blog with such an…unrefined outlook on anime.
Oh this is just perfect. You bash the whole series based on first episode even while knowing that 99% of first episodes suck. Also when you use “cool terms” like emos your opinion becomes void.
Anyway superb trolling.
Seriously, you must be blind. Casshern Sins looks great and you’re a retard for thinking otherwise.
“the graphics is good” – Learn/2/english dumbass
Considering they turned Casshern on its head instead of opting for a straight up remake, I think it was fucking awesome.
I suppose its differing tastes though, because you can write that you like shit like the shit that was below your “review” of Casshern.
I’ve watched a lot of great animes- Gurren Lagann, Death Note, Macross(Movie), Ghost In the Shell…
Watching Casshern Sins really impressed me. The graphics were very beautiful and the drawing was unique to say the least. The fighting scenes were not important in the first episode- It’s basically an intro. to the story and character-
You can say all you want about Casshern, but how can you appreciate anime when you follow Code Geass and Macross Frontier?
I like how this attempt at an anime expert doesn’t even know AMURO RAY’s voice actor, and replies with a “@Leo7: I am not a fan of seiyuus to be honest. I apologize if I offended you but it makes me easier to criticize a seiyuu without knowing who he is. It gives less bias.”
Then in his kuroshitwhatever review you have: “In terms of characters, they really found the right seiyuu for the job. Sebastian sounds just downright nice and creepy at the same time, but do you really expect anything else from Daisuke Ono. Getting Maaya Sakamoto to do the voice of Ciel is great as well because she is a very versatile seiyuu that can fit into many roles without blinking an eye.”
Oh okay, you have an aweful taste and have to lie, contradictions gallore.
Please end yourself.
Everyone needs to chill out here, its just Impz’ opinion on it, if you don’t want peoples opinions then go read ANN or Wikipedia. There’s alot of points i agree with, and a few i disagree with, but still i really enjoyed the show & i wont have a go at Impz cus this is OPINION. So everyone shut up n leave Impz alone, one of the best anime bloggers you’ll find!
Ok i won’t be as harsh as the others, but i do have some things i would like to say myself. First, this line here:
“Oh, the graphics is good during the fight scene”…..what the hell is that. “Graphics”? Are we talking about a game here? I find that’s it’s the noobs who are usually stupidly using terms wrongly…so why here from a so-called intelligent anime blogger? It should look something like this:
“Ah, the *Animation* is good during the fight scenes”. I mean seriously…i expected better from you dude.
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