(II seasons 48 episodes Ongoing) 9.07 /10
A poetry card game called Karuta played in a competitive manner, with exciting velocity, nuance and transient dynamism, we have Chihayafuru. See this is one of those anime you might just write off because it looks far too bubbly or gooey in terms of idealism and sentimentality. Fret not, this an Ace production from Madhouse, with a high gear sound track and beautiful animation, regarding both art style as well as production style/quality.
Monogatari Series -
A poetry card game called Karuta played in a competitive manner, with exciting velocity, nuance and transient dynamism, we have Chihayafuru. See this is one of those anime you might just write off because it looks far too bubbly or gooey in terms of idealism and sentimentality. Fret not, this an Ace production from Madhouse, with a high gear sound track and beautiful animation, regarding both art style as well as production style/quality.
This absolutely radiates the childhood innocence of competitive play and it's magnetic allure, and the progressive nature to want to constantly improve and strive to be the best. We see interesting rivalries between a prodigy of an eternal grand master Arata and a dedicated guy with an iron wit Taichi. It also has characters biding their romantic feelings for each other, for those of you interested in a Romance sub plot...
Welcome To Chihayafuru ~
Welcome To Chihayafuru ~
Monogatari Series -
(4 seasons 84 episodes 12 Ova's + a Film Trilogy) 8.85/10
The Monogatari series is very loved anime here at RedQStudios, to me it's a series that's infinitely rewatchable & satisfyingly long . It's light heartedly comical, intuitively funny, and unexpectedly fragile, with tender moments. Also with subtly introduced mystery that's alluded to but not exactly defined. Instead of telling a story of happiness, I feel, it's a story of actually trying to find and fight for it, which to me really seems to what the first season Bakemonogatari (Monster story) was all about, and of course the tribulations and tumultuous events that occur in conflict with that goal.
Which brings me to Hitagi Senjougahara, the signature Tsundere impostor that's the poster girl for this series. like Araragi I feel both of them are somehow really sort of damaged as human beings, and coming out of those experiences, it feels like they're searching for something and/or for happiness, and that's why I think Bakemonogatari made me feel this sense great sense of optimism and happiness, not only for this series of course, but for just life in general.
Welcome To The Monogatari Series ~
Bokurano -
The Monogatari series is very loved anime here at RedQStudios, to me it's a series that's infinitely rewatchable & satisfyingly long . It's light heartedly comical, intuitively funny, and unexpectedly fragile, with tender moments. Also with subtly introduced mystery that's alluded to but not exactly defined. Instead of telling a story of happiness, I feel, it's a story of actually trying to find and fight for it, which to me really seems to what the first season Bakemonogatari (Monster story) was all about, and of course the tribulations and tumultuous events that occur in conflict with that goal. Which brings me to Hitagi Senjougahara, the signature Tsundere impostor that's the poster girl for this series. like Araragi I feel both of them are somehow really sort of damaged as human beings, and coming out of those experiences, it feels like they're searching for something and/or for happiness, and that's why I think Bakemonogatari made me feel this sense great sense of optimism and happiness, not only for this series of course, but for just life in general.
Welcome To The Monogatari Series ~
Bokurano -
(24 Episodes Single Season) 8.58 /10
Truly just about has a little bit of everything, there's a dash of a darker taboo of romance, has family dynamics, a little bit of comedy along the way, as well as being heavy in drama in it's science fiction & physiologically idiosyncratic premise. Though there's also more plush and sublime moments of happiness and peace, enough to actually bring me to tears on occasion, having the depth and urgent subject matter to sway my heart into a state of emergency.
In Bokurano we have a full cast of characters that initially had me intrigued from the first episode, you'll find yourself asking " who's he/she, there's something interesting going on there, I want to learn more about his/her story" etc. Especially since the character designs are so humanely depicted in the most ordinary sense of the word. From the lush green environments, the city gardens, to the giant robots, this is something that you just look at and accept, and I feel that's a very key component to have. Some including Mohiro Kitoh, the original creator scoff at some of the differences between the anime adaptation/manga - But really is it valid?
Truly just about has a little bit of everything, there's a dash of a darker taboo of romance, has family dynamics, a little bit of comedy along the way, as well as being heavy in drama in it's science fiction & physiologically idiosyncratic premise. Though there's also more plush and sublime moments of happiness and peace, enough to actually bring me to tears on occasion, having the depth and urgent subject matter to sway my heart into a state of emergency.In Bokurano we have a full cast of characters that initially had me intrigued from the first episode, you'll find yourself asking " who's he/she, there's something interesting going on there, I want to learn more about his/her story" etc. Especially since the character designs are so humanely depicted in the most ordinary sense of the word. From the lush green environments, the city gardens, to the giant robots, this is something that you just look at and accept, and I feel that's a very key component to have. Some including Mohiro Kitoh, the original creator scoff at some of the differences between the anime adaptation/manga - But really is it valid?
Welcome To Bokurano: Ours ~
Samurai Champloo -
(26 Episodes 2 Seasons) 8.35 /10
There's something that's to me that's so openly nostalgic about Samuria Champloo, it's something about it's relatively conservative film grammar, emphasizing diegetic continuity, in addition to a comical spin on it - With plenty of dry gags, jump cuts and a character first priority on scriptwriting. 13 years later, Shinichiro Watanabe's Samurai Champloo, while still decently popular, I feel is one of Watanabe's most slept on works along with Sakemichi No Appollon (Kids on The Slope), being that for a 2004 T.v animation, in terms of character animation & art direction, Samurai Champloo is a production at a fine eye point, the apex of it's era - A masterpiece given the time of production and circumstances.
Champloo is an episodic classic, set in a comically idealized version of the Edo period within Japan, where characters such as Jin & Mugen are the last generation of the declining Age of The Samurai, where they randomly stumble into a restaurant & meet Fuu, a waitress - From there on, the dysfunctional bunch set out on a seemingly aimless and coincidental journey, in Fuu's search for a Samurai who smells of sunflowers, slowly realizing that Fuu's ambitions to find him are more dangerous and involved than they actually realize... The story is Shinichiro Watanabe's Fusion Frenzy of styles and cultures, that's a warm and comical journey of desiring closure -
Welcome To Samurai Champloo ~
Samurai Champloo -
(26 Episodes 2 Seasons) 8.35 /10
There's something that's to me that's so openly nostalgic about Samuria Champloo, it's something about it's relatively conservative film grammar, emphasizing diegetic continuity, in addition to a comical spin on it - With plenty of dry gags, jump cuts and a character first priority on scriptwriting. 13 years later, Shinichiro Watanabe's Samurai Champloo, while still decently popular, I feel is one of Watanabe's most slept on works along with Sakemichi No Appollon (Kids on The Slope), being that for a 2004 T.v animation, in terms of character animation & art direction, Samurai Champloo is a production at a fine eye point, the apex of it's era - A masterpiece given the time of production and circumstances. Champloo is an episodic classic, set in a comically idealized version of the Edo period within Japan, where characters such as Jin & Mugen are the last generation of the declining Age of The Samurai, where they randomly stumble into a restaurant & meet Fuu, a waitress - From there on, the dysfunctional bunch set out on a seemingly aimless and coincidental journey, in Fuu's search for a Samurai who smells of sunflowers, slowly realizing that Fuu's ambitions to find him are more dangerous and involved than they actually realize... The story is Shinichiro Watanabe's Fusion Frenzy of styles and cultures, that's a warm and comical journey of desiring closure -
Welcome To Samurai Champloo ~
Always pending completion....
