Category Anime

May 4 2016

First Impression: Ace Attorney episode 1

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Rookie defense attorney Phoenix Wright faces his first trial, in which he must defend his childhood friend, Larry Butz, who has been accused of the murder of Cindy Stone, his ex-girlfriend. Prosecutor Payne brings out the key witness, Frank Sahwit. He claims to have seen Larry leave Cindy’s apartment after the murder. With help from his mentor, Mia Fey, Phoenix spots a flaw between Sahwit’s testimony and the time of Cindy’s death.

Sahwit states that the time he heard came from the murder weapon, a handmade clock modeled after “The Thinker.” This leads Phoenix to conclude that the only way Sahwit could have known “The Thinker” was a clock was to use it himself to kill Cindy. Receiving advice from Mia, Phoenix finds that the difference between the time of death and the clock’s time is due to Cindy having just gotten home from an overseas trip in another time zone. As a result, Sahwit is arrested while Larry is acquitted and gives Mia another “Thinker” clock as thanks.

My Thoughts

Being a fan of the Phoenix Wright games, I was happy to hear that it was getting an anime series. After seeing this episode, I really enjoy it. It stay very close to the first case of the first game while adding some small moments that wasn’t in the game like seeing Phoenix heading to the courthouse.

The animation is good, and reminds me of animated cutscenes from Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies. While most of it was hand-drawn, there are some CGI. In my opinion, the CGI isn’t that bad or out of place like in the first few episodes of Sailor Moon Crystal.

The characters are enjoyable watch, and I like how their personalities are close to their game counterpart. Also, the chemistry between the characters does feel natural to me. The only real problem I have is getting use to the Japanese names when I’m so use to their English names. Then again, I won’t be surprise if I’m not one with that problem.

Aug 31 2014

First Impression: Black Butler: Book of Circus episode 1

 

The episode starts with a glimpse of a ten year old Ciel being tortured by a mysterious cult. After being tortured, he is approach by Sebastian in his demon form. We jumped to the Phantomhive Estate where a thirteen year old Ciel is expecting guests for a business meeting that night. While making preparations for the meeting, Sebastian fixes the mistakes made by the other servants as usual.

Later at night, Lau and Ran-Mao arrive with Cedric Brandel, a businessman who claims that he wants to discuss business with Ciel. However, Cedric intends to have Ciel killed since Ciel’s position as the Queen’s watchdog is interfering with his illegal arms trade. When he orders his men to attack during the meeting, Cedric learns that Sebastian had dealt with them earlier that day and he quickly learns not to mess with the Queen’s guard dog.

After the meeting, Lau delivers Ciel an invitation to the Circus that just arrived in the city. The episode ends with Sebastian putting Ciel to sleep, eagerly waiting for the day when he will accomplish his part of the bargain with his master and claim his soul in return.

 

My Thoughts

This episode is what I aspect from Black Butler. However, this is the first episode in this series that made me want to pee my pants in fear by end of the episode. The animation feels the same from the previous seasons, and most of the Japanese actors return to reprise their roles.

I have to say that this episode is written very well. During the preparations for the meeting, the viewers are unaware of Sebastian dealing with Cedric’s men until he mentions it at the meeting. The audiences then thinks back earlier in the episode and they notice the little hints.

Now some of you are wondering if I see this season of Black Butler as a continuation of the previous seasons or its own installment to the series. I have to say it’s hard to tell by this episode alone, but I can see this season as a stand alone installment.

Jul 6 2014

First Impression: Sailor Moon Crystal episode 1

 

The episode starts with Usagi being asleep and is dreaming about a prince and a princess. Her dream is interrupted by her alarm clock, and quickly realizes that she is late for school. On her way to school, she accidentally steps on a cat. She apologizes to it, but the cat scratches her face. Usagi realizes that the cat has Band-Aids on its forehead, and removes them to reveal a crescent moon on its forehead. Usagi stares at the cat for a few seconds before realizing that she is late for school and runs off after hearing the bell. Meanwhile, at an unknown location, a mysterious blonde man creates a human-like creature from the ground.

At the school, Usagi is pulled out of class, and is put out in the hall for being late. She complains for a bit before pulling out her lunchbox, and starts to eat since she missed breakfast. Haruna Sakurada, Usagi’s homeroom teacher, comes out into the hall and yells at Usagi about her bad test score. After being able to come back into the classroom, Usagi is greeted by her best friend, Naru, and Umino, a classmate whom Usagi finds creepy. Umino gloats about his test score. Naru mentions that she couldn’t believe Umino made a higher grade than her.

As the students eat lunch, a classmate remarks that there was another break-in at a jewelry store. Umino points out that the burglars were caught by Sailor V. Usagi asks who Sailor V is, and Umino explains that Sailor V is a famous champion of justice is a sailor suit, and is rumored to be a special detective. Usagi’s friends state that they understand why someone would want to steal jewels. Naru mentions that her mother’s jewelry store has been having a big discount sale and invites the girls to come with her after school.

After school, Usagi, Naru, and two other classmates head over to the jewelry store. Naru wonders why her mother is acting strange because her mother has never promoted a sale before. While her friends look at the jewelry, Usagi is upset because she doesn’t have enough money to buy anything, and is unlikely to get her parents to buy any due to her bad grade on her test.

As she leaves the store, she crumples the test into a ball, and throws it over her shoulder where it hits a strange man in a tuxedo, who makes fun of her hair and her test score. As Usagi takes the test back, he tells her to study harder. She yells at him to mind his own business. After Usagi leaves, the man smiles to himself as he states he might find the Silver Crystal at this jewelry store.

Usagi spots a Sailor V poster at a local arcade, and wonders what it would be like to be Sailor V. She enters the arcade, and decides to play the Sailor V game. She is greeted by Motoki Furuhata, who works at the arcade and offers to help her with the game. Usagi hears a meow from behind her, and turns around to see the cat that she found that morning. Motoki mentions that the cat has been wondering around the arcade for a few days. Usagi laughs and points out that the cat has a crescent-shaped bald spot on its forehead.

Usagi returns home and is greeted by her mother, who asks her about her test. Usagi hands it over to her, who becomes furious at Usagi’s grade. Usagi is kicked out of the house, where she runs into her brother, Shingo. He asks if she got kicked of the house again, and calls her stupid. Usagi angrily kicks back, but Shingo slams the door in her face which she ends up kicking the door and hurting her foot. She cries loudly, and Shingo and his mother try to ignore her.

Elsewhere, women, who have bought jewelry from the sale, are losing energy. Naru’s mother feels the energy that she has collected, and thinks that her energy stealing jewels work well. However, the jewel that she is looking for is not in the store. Naru hears her mother talking to herself and enters the room. Her mother turns her head at Naru with a scary look on her face, which frightens her.

After being let back into the house, Usagi returns to her room while saying that her mother shouldn’t be so mad about her test score, and complains that she doesn’t want to do her homework. Usagi decides to go to sleep. She has a dream that she is Sailor V in the video game and then begins to think about the cat. Usagi is scratched and is woken up. She sees the cat from before. The cat states that it was rude for Usagi to call her crescent moon a bald spot.

The cat then introduces itself as Luna, and claims that she has been searching for Usagi. Luna thanks her for taking the bandages off her forehead, but Usagi thinks that this is a dream and decides to go to back to sleep. Luna gives Usagi a Transformation Brooch, and tells her that she has been chosen to be a guardian. Usagi points out that the brooch is glowing, and Luna tells Usagi to shout “Moon Prism Power, Make Up” which causes Usagi to transform into Sailor Moon. After transforming to Sailor Moon, Usagi hears Naru’s screams through her now glowing circles things in her hair. Usagi and Luna rush off to save her.

Back at jewelry store, Naru is still being attacked by her mother. She asks her what she is doing and yells at her to stop. Naru’s mother explains that she is not her mother, and that her real mother is in the basement sleeping. The fake mother reverts to her true form. Usagi appears, and tells monster to get away from Naru. When Usagi is asked who she is, Luna meows at the moon which then glows. Usagi smiles and introduces herself as the Guardian of Love and Justice, Sailor Moon.

The monster says she has never heard of her and commands the people, whose energy has been drained from the fake jewels, to kill Sailor Moon. After dodging a drained customer, Usagi cuts her knee. Luna tells Usagi to fight. However, Usagi states she is going to go home and starts to cry, which activates a large vibration. The vibration breaks a window, and a mysterious man yells at Sailor Moon to stop crying. After Usagi stops, Luna tells her to use her tiara. She uses it to destroying the monster. Sailor Moon hears the mysterious man saying he didn’t found the Silver Crystal, but he has found something interesting. As he is jumps away, he says that his name is Tuxedo Mask.

Elsewhere, the mysterious blonde man from earlier in the episode is watching everything that happened on a crystal ball, and says that Sailor Moon is “not bad.” Also, he states that he must get his hands on the Silver Crystal.

The next day, Naru tells other girls in her class about how she was saved by a girl in a sailor outfit. A few feet away, Usagi groans and tells to herself that it wasn’t a dream after at all. The episode ends with a blue-haired girl feeling a rain drop and running away.

 

My Thoughts

About 20 years ago, Sailor Moon was the first anime I saw. To this day, the show has been close to my heart for being the show that got me into anime as well as a show from my childhood. A few months ago, I caught wind that it was going to be re-dubbed by Viz Media as well as get a reboot. Now that the first episode of the reboot is out, I of course checked it out.

After seeing it, I like it. In some ways, it’s like the first episode of the original show while being different. The plot is the same as the original with some differences like Usagi’s dreams and Usagi falls down a flight of stairs.

The animation is one of the major differences from the original. The art style is similar to the manga. I do have mix feelings on the transform scene. I have to say that it is a good upgrade, but I can see some people not caring for the CGI being use during that scene.

The music is the other major difference.  The score is what I notice right away. It’s full of orchestra and chorus. As much as I find the opening of the original being catchy, I like the opening to this one.

I do recommend this show to Sailor Moon fans and anyone who hasn’t seen Sailor Moon. I’m going to continue watching Sailor Moon Crystal. Also, am I the one who thinks that Mamoru is hotter in this than the original?