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Reviews
Kimetsu no Yaiba (2019)
It's... okay
I'm not going to lie about the animation it is stunning, however that's really the only good thing I have to say about it. If you are looking for a show just focused on action, good animation, good soundtrack, and nothing else then this is the show for you.
I think, however, that the writing is ludicrous. There are a few characters that i thought were actually interesting.
Sometimes, even the art clashes with one of the themes (cruelty), and characters will make unnecessary jokes and it will clash and mess with the flow of the story, just like the art.
I think humor, especially in stories like this, should be in any show. Humor can help us look at the bright side of life, and since this a show aimed at younger boys, it can help teach them that when times are tough, you can always try to cheer yourself up with humor. Yet it happens so often, especially during the first season which could turn people away, that it makes me think that the writers don't even want to take it seriously.
Now, I don't have the manga for Demon Slayer, however looking up the manga panels on google, I could see that the manga must've been very difficult to understand when they are in combat. Now, compare it to say something like Death Note (a classic/masterpiece (especially when it came to internal dialogue)), a perfect example of showing the reader what was going on without making it messy.
Demon Slayer's panels are kind of difficult to understand, at least for me. Why do I say this? Well I think that the animators did an excellent job finding a way to bring it to life. So if you want to see an amazing adaptation, this is the show to watch.
TL;DR
Pros: The animation is a sight to behold, the soundtrack is beauty waiting to be listened to.
Cons: The writing feels almost silly, the characters are junk.
To conclude this, I think it isn't the best but certainly not the worst show.
Kimetsu no Yaiba: Never Give Up (2022)
The only good episode writing-wise, beautiful animation
Among the many episodes of Demon Slayer, this is one of the only ones to present decent writing.
Tanjiro is down on his luck; Tengen Uzui is dead, Inosuke is dead*, Zenitsu is underneath rubble. It seems all hope is lost. Upper Rank Six Gyutaro mocks his weakness and how fragile humans are compared to demons. Gyutaro offers him to become a demon, and all his wounds, which could be fatal if untreated, would heal up in an instant.
However, Tanjiro refuses and attempts to decapitate Gyutaro. Upper Rank Six Daki tries to defend her brother only for her to be attacked by Zenitsu.
The music is swelling and it's hyping to an epic climatic end, only for Gyutaro to fight back. Tanjiro nearly dies, however he is saved by Tengen Uzui, who was able to stop his heart to stop circulation of the poison. And the epic battle continues with amazing animation as well as an incredible soundtrack. At the climax of the episode, Tanjiro, Zenitsu, Inosuke (who was able to survive from a sickle thrust to the chest), and Tengen decapitate Upper Six at the same time, only to be left off at a cliffhanger.
It's a very good episode, the best of this show for certain.
*I really think that while we were let known of Inosuke's flexibility, we should've also been made aware of his flexibility of moving organs around in his body.
Mushoku Tensei: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu (2021)
Amazing Story
It's great to see the writers try to show Rudeus redeem himself from a perverted shut-in to a sort of hero. Although, I wished that they would have put more effort into his character as it still sounds like he is not making strides to become a better man. However, I am sure that he will eventually redeem himself completely, and I can't wait to see if he can improve in season 2.
Now onto my main complaint, the oversexualization of women in this is outrageous and astounding. I don't know if this is going to be part of some bigger picture that when Rudeus grows up he'll find out that women aren't just voluptuous and overly sexy and his perspective will change completely, but at the moment it seems like it's supposed to be this way.
Other than that I can't wait to see what happens in season 2!
Shingeki no Kyojin: From You, 2000 Years Ago (2022)
The Goat Episode.
Unmatched foreshadowing, down to the very title of the first episode in the series. Impeccable acting, storyboarding, soundtrack, writing, editing, art and direction. I will however focus mainly on the concept of the 'founding titan' and it's premise.
The founding titan has a very legitimate premise that makes for a realistic, although very mature, connotation to reality. The power is slowly shown, not spoken, to the viewer of how in order to use it. My general understanding after watching and rewatching this Anime is that there are two specific rules in order to use the founding titan's powers.
The first is that a subject of Ymir with Royal blood must turn into a Titan and eat the predecessor for the founding titan (however this has a problem, in which the 145th king, King Fritz, has bound his successors to a vow renouncing war; this creates a great conflict and plot point to the story, making it much more interesting). The second rule is that one titan shifter with Royal blood and a usurper of the founding titan without royal blood must come into contact, but only the founding titan may use the power (however Zeke Jaeger figures out a way to nullify the vow of renouncing war, so there is a way for the Royal blood to draw out the founder's power from the founding titan.
This concept while although very interesting could be very easily messed up by a somewhat less capable writer. However, Hajime Isayama tackles this task incredibly well and shows that this can be done even for new writers. The directors and storyboard writers did an excellent job conveying Isayama's original imagination and do it well.
Once we get to see Ymir Fritz's past all those years ago, we start to feel like she is a black mirror to Eren Jaeger: she has no free will, he has nothing but will.
When we are sent back from the 'paths' we see the 'source of all living matter' spring out of Eren's head, connecting him back to his body, and he transforms into the largest titan to have existed, and also to top it all off he starts the 'Rumbling'.
This shows that Eren became a devil to the world, and will keep moving forward until he's killed his enemy.
I will never get over how amazing of a plot twist Isayama did in these previous chapters.