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Paripi Koumei (2022)
Unexpectedly Heartfelt Gem
(contains some general spoilers, but nothing too big or specific)
From the beginning, the premise of this show had me quite intrigued. An ancient military tactician reincarnating in the modern era to help an aspiring singer rise to stardom? If I had a nickel for every time I heard that premise I'd have one, which isn't a lot but it's weird that it happened once.
The highlight of Ya Boy Kongming has to be the characters and their interactions. Almost every character (even side characters like the bartender and boss) is at the very least enjoyable and charming, and the struggles they face are very easy to connect with, from anxiety that comes with the pressure of having to live up to others' expectations to chasing success while remaining true to yourself. It's not like the ideas are revolutionary, but the executions are so earnest and real, and makes me sincerely cheer them on.
The character interactions are also quite gold. The dialogue is so organic, it really makes me feel like I'm watching real people just talking, which I especially noticed with Eiko and Nanami. Their chemistry was good from the start, but I noticed a subtle air of unfamiliarity in their early interactions. It didn't feel like it was trying to simply make viewers cringe at social awkwardness or something, but rather depicting what actual people meeting and befriending each other is like. And their dynamic is just excellent in general for reasons that'd be clear if you watched the series.
This show is also so kind in a clearly intentional way. Kongming creates several plans that feel a little morally iffy, but the way he does it so it ultimately benefits the enemy is really nice. Kongming is also ancient, and realistically would not be a good person by today's standards, but I'm kinda glad they decided not to have him be boomer like and instead more like a wise sage. Even a writing choice I have mixed feelings on somewhat makes me happy thanks to how genuine the moment is. The show just generally avoids being too grim and still doesn't feel overly idealistic.
Then there's the obvious thing which is probably the reason a lot of people were hooked into the show: the music. The opening and ending are absolute bangers for similar yet different reasons (they're both energetic and upbeat, but the opening feels more like it's bringing you on a journey while the ending feels more like the end of a fun night), and there are plenty of songs in the show proper that range from pretty good to really great. I wouldn't say I loved the show songs as much as some other people do, but I still enjoyed them quite a bit, and my appreciation is rising as I continue to listen to them outside the anime itself (which is itself a good sign).
Then finally (for the pros at least), the animation is very good. There are quite a few uses of sliding still frames, but besides that, the animation is quite fluid and is particularly eye catching in emotional scenes and certain songs. The designs and colors are great too (I especially love Nanami's design, she just radiates so much style).
Although I love Ya Boy Kongming a lot, I wouldn't quite call it perfect. I feel like Kongming is maybe a little too competent, as in it felt like he had too easy a time coming up with strategies for an unknown artist to become a big hit. It's not like the strategies themselves felt unconvincing, they were good, but I might've enjoyed the triumphs just a little more if there were bumps in the road to get there (I do appreciate what felt like an intentional choice of making it a show about the characters more than the struggle to accomplish a goal, but I think both could've worked together to create a slightly better experience). Additionally, while I loved the music for the most part, I do feel like the song selection was a little limited, which led to some songs maybe being overplayed a little. Finally, there's a certain thing that happens in the final S1 episode which is quite in line with the series' themes but I'm not sure how I feel about. Don't wanna say more than that, but if you know, you know.
TL;DR
Pros:
- original premise
- characters/character interactions
- very nice in a genuine way
- music
- animation
Cons
- Kongming made the overarching goal a little too easy
- limited song number
- mystery you shall have to find out on your own.
The Owl House: Young Blood, Old Souls (2020)
Really solid finale to an amazing first season!
I went into this episode with very high expectations, as the back half of the season has been significantly better than the first with the last episode being the best episode in the show so far, preceded by several excellent episodes. Honestly it wouldn't be surprising if the finale was a disappointment. Thankfully, I can say that wasn't the case.
This episode was really strong in many departments. The action and animation was great as usual, with the fight with Emperor Belos having some very creative choreography. The tension was high the whole episode because not only does the viewer care about Eda's fate, but the way the characters are acting reflect the gravitas of the episode. Despite this, there was still room made for some great humor, with my favourite joke being Luz and King getting arrested by stepping on grass. I could see how this could be taken as mood ruining, but I think it just keeps the situation from being unbearably grim. Also there were some very nice emotional moments like Eda telling Luz to go back to her world and King saying Eda was his family.
Something I had an issue with was that Amity had absolutely no involvement in the finale. Even Willow and Gus tried to help Luz. It's especially a disappointment because there's been so much screen time for her since Adventures in the Elements. I know she had an injured leg, but she could've still come to help protest for Eda's release without needing to get in on the action.
And then there's the thing that I'm neither really positive nor negative about. Lily and the start of her redemption arc. At first I was pretty disappointed and thought the owl house was gonna be another show that redeemed someone too easily and I thought it sort of went against the found family theme. But then when I rewatched the episode and thought about it, I realized the way it was handled was actually pretty good for now. She not only betrayed the organization that she dedicated her whole life to, but she also sacrificed her magic to return Eda to a relatively normal state. That's a pretty big sacrifice, and it feels natural too since it's been made very apparent that whatever Lily says and how she acts, she definitely does care about her sister. Plus she was a kid when it happened so it's more understandable. But that doesn't make up for her being a jerk before and it doesn't make her a good person. However I think her love for her sister could be a catalyst for her change. In the end, I think the quality of her arc will be determined by one main thing: how the relationship between her and Eda is developed in the next season. If the show is just like Lily made a good sacrifice so all is forgiven then I will retroactively be upset at this decision, but if there's some tension and animosity for a while and it takes time and effort for Lily to earn Eda's true forgiveness, I'll be happy about it. For now, I'm tentatively ok with it.
Overall this was a very satisfying finale for an awesome first season of the show. While it's not my favourite episode (that's still agony of a witch), it's definitely up there among the other episodes, and that is saying something. The action, the drama, the emotion, the comedy, the story, the characters. The finale fired on all cylinders and only left something to be desired in one or two areas. 9/10
The Owl House: Sense and Insensitivity (2020)
Fun and cute episode
After I finished watching this episode for the second time, I came to IMDB to rate it like usual, and boy was I surprised to see such a low rating (edit: the rating increased significantly since I wrote the review). Parts of the episode did come off as less interesting than usual Owl House fare, but the great plot with Eda and Lily and the hilarious jokes make it a really good episode overall. It's also interesting. I think it was revealed that Lily's actual task was just to get Eda to join and not something sinister like episode 5 implied. And I like that the positive side of the sisters' relationship was explored more this episode.
I also loved the bit at the end where the Lizard guy just moved on and stopped paying attention as he found a new star. A really funny comparison to real life stardom.
I do wanna address some complaints I could see for why people don't like the episode as much as others. King writing a masterpiece even with help from Luz seems far fetched, but I don't think that's a big deal. Maybe he has secret talent and he was really lucky one time. A part of writing is luck, so it seems plausible. Also the stuff with the cubed authors was not explored at all, like if they returned to their normal forms, but they're not important to the plot, so that's also an irrelevant detail.
My Little Pony: Pony Life: The Best of the Worst (2020)
Great episode with a great moral
The Best of the Worst has a pretty cool premise, and I found it better between the two first episodes because of that and the comedy that came out of it. The moral that Dishwater Slog taught about not stooping to others' level is also great. DRWolf101 put it well, talking about how this is very relevant when it comes to the internet. Besides that, it has all the strengths of the first episode: fun energetic fast pace, great comedy, etc.
My Little Pony: Pony Life: Princess Probz (2020)
Great Premier!
I already left a review talking about the aspects related to the show overall, so I won't be talking about things like the animation or ignoring rules and stuff here. Check out my review of the whole show for that.
Anyways, Princess Probz was a very enjoyable premier, with great humour, a really energetic fast pace, a fun plot that allows for many great moments, and I'm happy to say Celestia's fun side fits perfectly into the style of Pony Life. I also think the comparisons to Yakity Sax are overblown. There the moral was that even if it makes everyone around you miserable, you should just do whatever you want. Here the moral is that you shouldn't make someone do something your way if they already know a way that works.
My Little Pony: Pony Life (2020)
Really fun and energetic show
So I watched Pony Life today, and checked online to see what other peoples' impressions of it was. I was a little surprised (only a little) to find that most people seemed indifferent to it or downright disliked it. I read and watched some peoples' thoughts, and I understand what they're coming from, but I gotta say I disagree. I actually thought the first (first 2? 4?) episode was great. Yes, it doesn't have a deep lore or world or be as complex, and the animation is very cutesy, maybe overly so, but people need to remember this show is not FIM, and shouldn't be thought of as such. It's a different genre, and since it's completely a slice of life show, things like explaining everything doesn't matter as much as it did in the semi-fantasy focused FIM. I've heard multiple people complain about Fluttershy shrinking and growing giant, and besides the obvious possibility of her drinking a potion offscreen, it really doesn't matter. It's just a fun joke. I thought it was awesome honestly. Same with all the other little things like that. I'm ok with sacrificing a strongly developed and logical world for enjoyment if it works for the kind of show, and it does.
I also loved the fast pace other people have complained about. It adds to the feeling of energy the show has, which is pretty charming. Fast pacing can be a bad thing when it's a result of poor writing, but it was clearly an intentional feature here, and I think it worked very well. I've heard people say it's done that way to hold the attention of kids, but it worked for me too. All the characters are still endearing, albeit in a different way than in FIM. I like the humour a lot, and I actually like the animation. I prefer the look of FIM, but the new one is still pretty good. And again, it's a different kind of show, so a different art style fits.
As for the individual episodes, Princess Probz had more of the aforementioned energy and it makes it more amusing in a way, and I also think the comparisons to Yakity Sax are overblown. There the moral was that even if it makes everyone around you miserable, you should just do whatever you want. Here the moral is that you shouldn't make someone do something your way if they already know a way that works.
The Best of the Worst has a more unique premise, and I found it better between the two because of that and the comedy that came out of it. The moral that Dishwater Slog taught about not stooping to others' level is also great. DRWolf101 put it well, talking about how this is very relevant when it comes to the internet.
All around, I loved the first two episodes of Pony Life, and am looking forward to the rest. It's not unbelievably fantastic or anything, and it's not the kind of show I can really think too much about, but it's very fun, and that's enough.
The Owl House: Adventures in the Elements (2020)
Best Episode So Far!
This is my favourite episode of the Owl House so far, and that's saying a lot considering episode 5 and 7. I think Amity might be my favourite character, as she's one of the examples of a good reformed antagonist in recent cartoons since her actions were never that bad and she didn't just flip around in one episode, and her relationship with Luz is one I find very interesting. And I loved the two of them getting closer here. The comedy is also top notch in this episode, which is no surprise considering the extra focus on Hooty. On top of that, there was some very nice worldbuilding with Luz's exploration of magic under the tutelage of the ever amazing Eda. A little detail I also found interesting was that Amity and her siblings didn't give Luz a hard time for lying about her spells. They were probably too preoccupied by the giant monster in front of them, and they likely understood. Probably more the latter for Amity and the former for the siblings.
So great characterization, great story, great worldbuilding, great comedy, and overall an absolutely great episode.
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic: The Beginning of the End - Part 2 (2019)
Awesome, if a little fanficcy
Let me preface this by saying MLP FIM is one of my favourite shows of all time, right up there with Avatar The Last Airbender and Once Upon A Time. However, as much of a fan as I am, even I can no longer deny that I feel like the show's been going a bit downhill for a while. I do like season 8 overall, but I think it's one of the weakest.
Now that's out of the way, onto the review! So, as you can probably guess from the rating and headline, I think this was a great premier. But it certainly wasn't without its flaws. All the premiers have felt like this for the past few seasons, and it's hard to explain, but everything feels a little unprofessional. Some of the lines feel unnatural and certain scenarios are a bit out there. Also, a lot of stuff in the beginning and end felt a little rushed. That's a big reason this isn't my favourite premier. The set up towards it and the climax itself wasn't as satisfying as some of the other ones. Like the one this episode's main villain was first in, the crystal empire. Everything was really well paced and tense throughout. Also, I think Sombra was a weaker villain here than in his episode. His whole concept basically got changed around from an imposing force/presence to a typical in-your-face bad guy. And I'm not that big a fan of his new voice. I really don't think it fits him.
However, this doesn't mean I don't love this premier. Cause I do. I was so hyped when all the old villains joined together initially. Also, Twilight taking over the kingdom seems like a logical next step. And Twilight's "Twilighting" was hilarious throughout. Speaking of hilariousity, Discord had a really strong performance in this episode. I liked him stepping back and letting The Mane 6 handle things, and I really liked him faking his injuries to boost their confidence (which, in theory, seems counter-intuitive, but it worked). Though, I'm a bit curious about the one moment when he looked remorseful when Twilight said they couldn't do anything without him. It could just be him wanting Twilight to be able to do things on her own, but I feel it could be something else. Hmmm...Moving on, I think all the characters were also handled well, from the Mane 6 dealing with Twilight like it was nothing, to Starlight not saving the day for once, Celestia and Luna actually helping, Starswirl being supportive and awesome, Cozy being her usual over-the-top cutesy self (which is why I love/hate her), Tirek and Chrysalis having some great banter, and Grogar promising to be an interesting villain, the character work here was really impressive. Also, this is kinda a weird thing to bring up in an episode with no song, but I really liked the music in this episode, especially the tracks with Sombra.
So overall, even though this episode had quite a few problems, most notably the fanficcy feel and Sombra becoming a worse villain, the positives more than made up for it, and I think this one of the best premiers, and a great way to start the final season of My Little Pony Friendship is Magic.
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic: The Beginning of the End - Part 1 (2019)
Awesome, if a little fanficcy
Let me preface this by saying MLP FIM is one of my favourite shows of all time, right up there with Avatar The Last Airbender and Once Upon A Time. However, as much of a fan as I am, even I can no longer deny that I feel like the show's been going a bit downhill for a while. I do like season 8 overall, but I think it's one of the weakest. Also, this is a review for both parts.
Now that's out of the way, onto the review! So, as you can probably guess from the rating and headline, I think this was a great premier. But it certainly wasn't without its flaws. All the premiers have felt like this for the past few seasons, and it's hard to explain, but everything feels a little unprofessional. Some of the lines feel unnatural and certain scenarios are a bit out there. Also, a lot of stuff in the beginning and end felt a little rushed. That's a big reason this isn't my favourite premier. The set up towards it and the climax itself wasn't as satisfying as some of the other ones. Like the one this episode's main villain was first in, the crystal empire. Everything was really well paced and tense throughout. Also, I think Sombra was a weaker villain here than in his episode. His whole concept basically got changed around from an imposing force/presence to a typical in-your-face bad guy. And I'm not that big a fan of his new voice. I really don't think it fits him. However, he is sometimes amusing with how much of an in your face, typical villain he is. He's almost comedic, but it's played straight, which makes it even better.
However, this doesn't mean I don't love this premier. Cause I do. I was so hyped when all the old villains joined together initially. Also, Twilight taking over the kingdom seems like a logical next step. And Twilight's "Twilighting" was hilarious throughout. Speaking of hilariousity, Discord had a really strong performance in this episode. I liked him stepping back and letting The Mane 6 handle things, and I really liked him faking his injuries to boost their confidence (which, in theory, seems counter-intuitive, but it worked). Though, I'm a bit curious about the one moment when he looked remorseful when Twilight said they couldn't do anything without him. It could just be him wanting Twilight to be able to do things on her own, but I feel it could be something else. Hmmm...Moving on, I think all the characters were also handled well, from the Mane 6 dealing with Twilight like it was nothing, to Starlight not saving the day for once, Celestia and Luna actually helping, Starswirl being supportive and awesome, Cozy being her usual over-the-top cutesy self (which is why I love/hate her), Tirek and Chrysalis having some great banter, and Grogar promising to be an interesting villain, the character work here was really impressive. Also, this is kinda a weird thing to bring up in an episode with no song, but I really liked the music in this episode, especially the tracks with Sombra.
So overall, even though this episode had quite a few problems, most notably the fanficcy feel and Sombra becoming a worse villain, the positives more than made up for it, and I think this one of the best premiers, and a great way to start the final season of My Little Pony Friendship is Magic.