Hotarubi no Mori e Movie Review

Title: Hotarubi no Mori e (Into the Forest of Fireflies' Light)
Genre: Romance, Shoujo, Supernatural
Written By: Yuki Midorikawa
Synopsis: Hotaru, a young girl who was lost in a forest in one summer day met a young man named Gin who happened to see her crying. She suddenly run towards him but the latter dodged her. He said that if a human touches him, he'll be gone. Years past. Hotaru and Gin always spent their summer days in the forest playing and talking with each other. Soon, they already developed feeling for each other. Hotaru is finally a high school teenager when Gin invite her for a date in a Summer Festival held by the spirits. Accidentally, Gin held a human kid and vanished in front of Hotaru. 

(Gin casually told Hotaru that it is really a date.)

Thoughts:
What it would be? I am broken-hearted. This is actually a nice story that has a painful end. Their love for each other are so pure that they don't want to touch each other for the sake of the existence of Gin. This movie made me sad for two freaking days! I just can't accept that Gin was gone (;-;) If I will be Hotaru, I'll cry out so loud in the forest that night. 

(Gin vanishing in front of Hotaru when he accidentally held a human kid)

But then  just realized, maybe it's a good ending as well? Cause what kind of ending would you want for these two since Gin is not aging unlike Hotaru? Hotaru will probably be married and these two will be friends until Hotaru dies. In which the ship will fail! But still Gin vanished that soon and it's so painful in the heart. 

Animation/Art Style: 10/10
I saw in my Facebook account that the forest was based in a real forest in Japan (well probably all animes are like that. They have a particular subject in the settings of their stories) and seeing those photos from that forest, the setting of this anime is perfectly the same in the real place. If I will go to Japan (HOPEFULLY), I would like to go to that place as well. 

(The first time Hotaru and Gin met)

(Moment when Hotaru and Gin meet every summer)

Soundtrack: 10/10 
The OST is relaxing. Even though that scene is so painful, the music made it more calm as if it is representing Hotaru's feelings in that scene. She was lonely but calm. 

(Gin kissing Hotaru after they went to the Summer Festival)

Overall: 10/10
A recommended film. It only runs for 45 minutes short film.

Wotaku no Koi wa Muzukashii Review

Title: Wotaku no Koi wa Muzukashii (Love is Hard for an Otaku)
Genre: Shoujo, Romance, Comedy
Written By: Fujita
Synopsis: Narumi, trying to escape from her previous company because of her secret being an otaku (a big fan of a certain genre) was known by his ex boyfriend entered a new company. She thought that no one knew about her until she met her childhood friend Hirotaka who is a game otaku. Before her first day in her new company ends, she tried to talk to Hirotaka to keep her secret. At the end of the day, Hirotaka confessed and they started dating. Her co-workers Koyanagi and Kabakura are dating and also an otakus. Narumi dated a lot of guys but it is her first time to date another otaku like him. How will Narumi and Hirotaka manage their relationship?

(Hirotaka asking Narumi to be his girlfriend. Look at his romantic otaku lines.)

Thoughts: 
The moment I saw this anime on my Facebook news feed, I became very excited to watch the whole season. Otaku anime for otakus. It's actually a unique love story. While watching the anime, everything that the characters do, react and say are related to my otaku life so it's fun to watch this. Also some romantic scenes are so different from the typical romance anime you've watched. You will likely be related to the characters' problems as well as an otaku. And one of the good points of this series, the main characters are not students but office workers. Maybe the producer or the writer of this story knows that the otaku generation is at their early 20s now (like me. huhu) since today's kids are into new games and consoles. Most likely the target audience are adults. 

(Koyanagi, Kabakura and Narumi playing RPG in episode 07)

Each episode has different scenes but it tells how Narumi and Hirotaka's relationship is growing. I love the episode too where they played an RPG (Role Playing Game). I am into RPG when I watched this anime so I was really hyped that time and can relate to everything that the character explains in the episode. Also, Narumi is a Fujoshi (Female Yaoi fan) so I can see myself to her. She's actually the best representation of every Fujoshi in this anime fandom.

(Kabedon scene of the girls' boyfriends in episode 06)

Animation: 10/10 
Of course! 

Soundtrack: 10/10
The anime's opening song "Fiction" by sumika is a cute song and so much related to the story. The opening animation is so cute as well. This song was recently became famous and considered one of the best new anime openings. The ending song "Kimi no tonari" by halca is also a cute and romantic song. 

Overall: 11/10
Really, a recommended anime for everyone. My friends watched this together and the boys were feeling giddy. It was very unusual to see boys like that. And overall this anime is just so cute you can't miss from watching it.

Gintama Live-Action Movie Review

Title: Gintama

Genre: Chanbara, Comedy, Science Fiction

Based on/Written By: Hideaki Sorachi

Synopsis: Twenty years ago, Edo-period Japan suffered a great cultural shock—the aliens called Amanto invaded the Earth, overpowered the nation's government, and outlawed the carrying of swords by the once proud samurai. Moreover, the aliens took the people's jobs and are currently running Japan as a sweatshop using the natives as laborers. In this strange new era are Gintoki Sakata, an eccentric samurai whose personal trademarks are his naturally permed silver hair, his love of anything sweet, and his addiction to Shonen Jump; Shinpachi Shimura, the teenaged heir of the Kakido-Ryu style; and Kagura, an incredibly strong alien girl from the powerful Yato clan. The trio are self-employed in an odd jobs shop called Yoruzuya Gin-chan, which offers to do almost anything for a price, from finding lost kittens to saving the world. Unfortunately, the jobs rarely go as planned, or pay enough to cover the pain and suffering the employees encounter—never mind their rent.

(source: MyAnimeList)

(Elizabeth, an alien went to the Odd Jobs to seek help to find Katsura)

Thoughts:
The movie was the Benizakura Arc which was aired in Episodes 58-61. It is technically the story that made Kiheitai (Takasugi's group) to be introduced in the story. In my point of view, it was really good that the staff or the producer of this movie made a great job. I think it is really hard to create a movie like Gintama in which they were able to include the scenes on how this anime started (the scene when Shinpachi met Gintoki), introduced Shisengumi (Samurai police in the anime which was named from the samurai group from Japan's ancient time) and their individualities (except for Yamazaki being absent in the film ;-; ), their common jokes about plagiarizing other famous animes and of course the characters and the atmosphere of the movie are the same from the anime. I want to commend those in the live action film. The jokes that you all saw in the anime were seen in his film as well. 


                      

(A little comparison of the scenes from anime to the love-action film)

So if you haven't watched the anime, it is okay to watch the live action movie but you might be weirded out because the setting is really weird. They did their best for the best CG in the film especially for Sadaharu and the Benizakura sword. I would like to commend the sword choreography of the film. The fight scenes were so badass especially in Nizou vs. Gintoki at the last part of the film wherein everything was the same with the one in anime. I can't compare it though in the manga since I haven't read the whole manga.  

(Gintama is famous of plagiarizing some famous animes like One Piece)

Cinematography: 9/10
Hands down to this cause it made the film feels like Gintama atmosphere. 

(A scene where-in Katsura and Gintoki used Elizabeth's "body" to form a parachute)

Soundtrack: 10/10

Overall: 9/10
Some Gintama fans might not like this film but in story-based the film met everything aired from the anime. It is recommended to both non anime and anime viewers.
Gintama 2 will be showing in Cinemas on August 17, 2018 and it will possibly cover the Shisengumi Crisis Arc (episodes 101-105). Uwaaaah! can't wait to see Okita again!

(Gintama 2 poster, too excited for this!)

BY THE WAY KONDO ISAO, WHAT THE HECK IS THIS?!!!

Full Metal Alchemist Live-Action Review

Heya! Elle here ~ It's been a while now! 

Actually I have been in semi-hiatus mode in these 3 months due to incoming school requirements that I need to work on. However after my last post, May 30, 2018, I got really busy to the point I can't open my PC to update my files and my blog. I was on hiatus in my Johnny's WEST fandom as well (OMFG I am missing my Kotaki). Anyway, I AM FINALLY A JOURNALIST STUDENT!! And since I already finished everything, finally I got time to go back and flail again. To be honest, my list for all of my to-do reviews became long since I am watching anime during breaks. But it's good to be back on track. Now I need to lessen my queue. Here it is, Full Metal Alchemist Live-Action Review from Netflix! 

ADDED ON NOVEMBER 12, 2018

I will be editing this blog since I finished the whole FMA anime series and re-watched this movie. There will be changes in my comments about this live action film. This blog was originally posted on July 8, 2018.

Title: Full Metal Alchemist 

Genre: Adventure, Dark Fantasy, Science Fiction

Written By: Hiromu Arakawa

Synopsis: The Elric brothers, Edward and Alphonse were living perfectly with their mother in a peaceful town of Resembool. They are both smart children and they excel in alchemy like their father. However, their mother died due to an illness outbreak and they were left alone. They know an alchemy in which they can resurrect a dead called "Human Transmutation" which is a taboo. Alchemy requires an equal value of exchange or called "The Law of Equivalent Exchange" to perform the transformation. In Human Transmutation, they need to give the most equal amount to resurrect a dead. They took the risk to perform this dangerous alchemy. As a result, Alphonse's body and Edward's limb were taken as an exchange and unfortunately the Human Transmutation is a big failure. Luckily, Edward was able to take Alphonse's soul back and placed it in an empty armor. In exchange of that, Edward's arm was taken. In order to take back Alphonse' body, they are searching for the Philosopher's Stone.

 

(The Elric Brothers are having a fight)

Thoughts: 

I am such a failure watching and making a review for this while I haven't finished the whole anime series. I am talking about the "Fullmetal Alchemist (FMA)" in 2003 and the FMA: Brotherhood in 2006 (I guess?) With this I rewrite this whole blog to straighten my comments about this film. 

When this live action movie was announced, seriously a lot gave a negative comments about giving this anime a live action. Up until now, FMA is one of the most popular anime due to it's story. It lifted my feelings about this when it was announced that Yamada Ryosuke is the one who will be having the role of Edward Elric. Being bias aside (since Yamada is from Johnnys), Yamada is one of the best actors in Japan not to mention he is a popular idol/singer/model from a well-known talent agency named "Johnny's Entertainment". From that moment I knew that this live action will be safe. The movie was produced by Warner Bros. which is also a good thing. 

From my original review of this film, I mentioned that this movie didn't follow the real story of the anime but then I realized that I was wrong. |It was actually following the plot of FMAB. That time when I published the original version of this blog, I only finished FMA but now I am almost finished with FMAB.

This is really a good movie, aside from the movie was based on the anime (since I haven't read the manga, I am just comparing this movie from the anime adaptation). Maybe there are some changes but those are just minor changes. As expected, Yamada greatly portrayed Edward. I really commend him for being the best guy suited for our protagonist. Not only Yamada, the whole cast portrayed their roles perfectly. LOL I am not being bias, I am really telling the truth. Well, just one thing about Winry. Winry is not that soft-hearted. She is kind but not that kind. I am sure that you will understand me until you watch this movie.

 

(Edward facing the "Gate of Truth")

Cinematography: 10/10

Yes. They had good CG in the first fight scenes of the film however I am noticing the changes of the quality of the CG as the movie continues. Well it was a great one however if the staff will do a great CG in the first part of the movie, I hope that they putted that same effort up until the last scene. But it is still a good one. I liked how Alphonse's armor was made and also the chimeras in the film. (Oops I don't want to post the photo of Nina's chimera cause it is really a MAJOR SPOILER)

I am also thinking if the "Gate of Truth" was also a CG. Personally I believe that it was a real thing made for this movie. I want to commend that for making a big detailed Gate of Truth for this. It makes me wanna buy it and place it in my room (though my room is small ;-;)

Soundtrack: 10/10

Overall: 10/10

Last time I told that I can't recommend this movie but this time I RECOMMEND THIS EVEN IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED THE ANIME ADAPTATION. You will like it. 

Death Parade Review

Title: Death Parade

Genre: Drama, Mystery, Psychological Thriller

Written By: Yuzuru Tachikawa

Synopsis: When someone dies, they are sent to a bar run by bartenders who are arbiters. These people who dies must participate in a "Death Game" in which they will be judged by the arbiters if they will be sent to "Heaven" or Hell". Decim is the arbiter in Quindecim bar who met a girl who is the first person who knew that she died. While having troubles on how to give her the right judgement, she stayed with him for few days and helped him to judge other souls. 

Thoughts: To be honest, the title itself is already a catchy one. Having a title with the word "Death" on it will let you think that this anime or the story of this anime is cool or lit. So I added this anime to my "To watch" list until my best friend recommended it. I immediately watched it as soon as he gave good reviews on it. I had a right choice. The story plot is kinda dark but everything had a sense, you can completely relate this anime to real life. It is actually telling the viewers what is the actual nature of a human soul if they are facing death.

(Characters were brought to Hell) 

Animation: 10/10

Totally a good one. I really like the scene where in the girl protagonist skated on an ice rink prepared by Decim. 

Soundtrack: 9/10
One of the most favorite opening songs of every otaku is the opening song of this anime, "Flyers" sang by BRADIO. It is like a party song and the beat is really inappropriate to the anime in which that made this anime so popular.

Overall: 10/10
Of course. I am contented with the ending of this anime though it only have 12 episodes. It is short but a good anime to watch on your rest days.