March 17th, 2015
Anime Milestones
Anime Relations: Fruits Basket, Full Moon wo Sagashite, Wolf's Rain, Ouran Koukou Host Club, Wolf's Rain OVA, Death Note, Tsubasa to Hotaru
Because why not.
1. Wolf's Rain 10/10
My favourite anime of all time, forever and ever. I have fond memories of watching this on Youtube for the very first time...completely muted because there were subtitles and I could read them. I cried even though I'd watched it muted. It later became my mom's favourite anime as well. We've watched it at least five times. I love the themes, the characters, the music, the animation, the plot, everything.
2. Fruits Basket 10/10
Again, fond memories of watching this muted on my computer with subtitles...Fruits Basket also has the honour of being the first anime I watched with my mom. (I'd initially shown her Wolf's Rain, but she turned it off after the first five minutes and said it was inappropriate.) Its masterpiece rating is wickedly exaggerated, but I don't have the heart to give it a lower mark. I feel that would be disrespectful. Yes, the anime has feelings, damnit. Or rather, my memories are nostalgic and dear to me.
3. Ouran High School Host Club 8/10
This anime was the first anime I considered a "reverse harem", if only because it was more obvious than Fruits Basket (IMO). So many laughs were had from this show. It was also the show that sort of inspired me to start learning Japanese.
4. Full Moon wo Sagashite 8/10
This was the first longer anime I watched -- a whopping 52 episodes. I remember it being a roller coaster ride of emotions, and I thought it was great when I first watched it. It's still a pretty good show, but now I recognize that it's got quite a bit of filler. Plus, the manga is far better -- not to mention shorter. I still have fond memories of it, and I remember thinking that the music was excellent. I've grown less enthusiastic about the songs nowadays, but I still occasionally give them a listen. What I particularly have to applaud about this anime is that there's no real villain. Even the "bad guy" of the latter half of the anime is redeemed somewhat. Of course, he played an almost entirely different role in the manga, but...shhh. Details.
5. Death Note 9/10
The first more "serious" anime I watched aside from Wolf's Rain. I thought it was quite a masterpiece the first time around. Still do, even if the second half is a bit tedious. I hear the manga handles it better.
50. ???
Dunno, lol. Have a Shinsekai Yori AMV as a consolation.
100. ???
150. ???
200. ???
250. ???
300. Tsubasa to Hotaru 7/10
Super cute short OVA about a girl who becomes the manager of the basketball club of her high school. The main female character is absolutely adorable. There's not really much to say about this anime, because honestly it's more of an advertisement for the manga it spawns from than anything, but still. Cute.
350. TBA
1. Wolf's Rain 10/10
My favourite anime of all time, forever and ever. I have fond memories of watching this on Youtube for the very first time...completely muted because there were subtitles and I could read them. I cried even though I'd watched it muted. It later became my mom's favourite anime as well. We've watched it at least five times. I love the themes, the characters, the music, the animation, the plot, everything.
2. Fruits Basket 10/10
Again, fond memories of watching this muted on my computer with subtitles...Fruits Basket also has the honour of being the first anime I watched with my mom. (I'd initially shown her Wolf's Rain, but she turned it off after the first five minutes and said it was inappropriate.) Its masterpiece rating is wickedly exaggerated, but I don't have the heart to give it a lower mark. I feel that would be disrespectful. Yes, the anime has feelings, damnit. Or rather, my memories are nostalgic and dear to me.
3. Ouran High School Host Club 8/10
This anime was the first anime I considered a "reverse harem", if only because it was more obvious than Fruits Basket (IMO). So many laughs were had from this show. It was also the show that sort of inspired me to start learning Japanese.
4. Full Moon wo Sagashite 8/10
This was the first longer anime I watched -- a whopping 52 episodes. I remember it being a roller coaster ride of emotions, and I thought it was great when I first watched it. It's still a pretty good show, but now I recognize that it's got quite a bit of filler. Plus, the manga is far better -- not to mention shorter. I still have fond memories of it, and I remember thinking that the music was excellent. I've grown less enthusiastic about the songs nowadays, but I still occasionally give them a listen. What I particularly have to applaud about this anime is that there's no real villain. Even the "bad guy" of the latter half of the anime is redeemed somewhat. Of course, he played an almost entirely different role in the manga, but...shhh. Details.
5. Death Note 9/10
The first more "serious" anime I watched aside from Wolf's Rain. I thought it was quite a masterpiece the first time around. Still do, even if the second half is a bit tedious. I hear the manga handles it better.
50. ???
Dunno, lol. Have a Shinsekai Yori AMV as a consolation.
100. ???
150. ???
200. ???
250. ???
300. Tsubasa to Hotaru 7/10
Super cute short OVA about a girl who becomes the manager of the basketball club of her high school. The main female character is absolutely adorable. There's not really much to say about this anime, because honestly it's more of an advertisement for the manga it spawns from than anything, but still. Cute.
350. TBA
Posted by Cryptic-senpai | Mar 17, 2015 1:10 AM | 0 comments
October 26th, 2014
Visual Novels I've Played
Anime Relations: Togainu no Chi
As the title says -- visual novels I've played, in absolutely no particular order! (Although I'll place related titles together as I read them.) Have at it!
Note: I do not, under any circumstances, view hentai scenes, with Katawa Shoujo being the only exception (since the CGs weren't awfully explicit in the first place). Expect I've skipped through or disabled H-scenes in any VN that has them.
Completed VNs
Kodoku ni Kiku Yuri - 7/10
Boku no Shokora - 6/10
Narcissu - 9/10
Negaeba ~From the Bottom of the Heart~ - 7/10
Juniper's Knot - 7/10
The Second Reproduction - 8/10
Phenomeno - 8/10
Katawa Shoujo - 8/10
Dropped VNs
Yo Jin Bo
Togainu no Chi
Note: I do not, under any circumstances, view hentai scenes, with Katawa Shoujo being the only exception (since the CGs weren't awfully explicit in the first place). Expect I've skipped through or disabled H-scenes in any VN that has them.
Completed VNs
Kodoku ni Kiku Yuri - 7/10
Boku no Shokora - 6/10
Narcissu - 9/10
Negaeba ~From the Bottom of the Heart~ - 7/10
Juniper's Knot - 7/10
The Second Reproduction - 8/10
Phenomeno - 8/10
Katawa Shoujo - 8/10
Dropped VNs
Yo Jin Bo
Togainu no Chi
Posted by Cryptic-senpai | Oct 26, 2014 12:34 AM | 1 comments
September 6th, 2014
My Top 20 Anime Openings
Anime Relations: Kono Minikuku mo Utsukushii Sekai, Murder Princess, Darker than Black: Kuro no Keiyakusha, ef: A Tale of Memories., Ookami to Koushinryou, Amatsuki, Soul Eater, Nabari no Ou, ef: A Tale of Melodies., Kimi ni Todoke, Angel Beats!, Darker than Black: Ryuusei no Gemini, Durarara!!, Uragiri wa Boku no Namae wo Shitteiru, Kuragehime, Otome Youkai Zakuro, Blood-C, Mawaru Penguindrum, Sankarea, Hyouka, Psycho-Pass, Shingeki no Kyojin
Oh, wow! Another top twenty opening list! Yeah, these are mine, in no particular order really. I either really like the music or imagery in these openings, or both. (Usually both.) There might be some changes to this list on the occasion that I encounter a new opening song I really love and end up having to boot one of the ones on here. So, without further ado! The songs!
1. Psycho-Pass – Out of Control by Nothing’s Carved in Stone
The first time I heard this song, I didn’t like it very much. I vastly preferred Psycho-Pass’ first opening theme. But the more I listened to it, the more I began to like it, and it grew on me a lot. In fact, it’s still stuck in my head, despite having finished the anime, and I find myself putting the song on repeat. I’ve listened to this OP much more than the first one, overall, and it’s a lot catchier IMO.
2. Nabari no Ou – CRAWL by VELTPUNCH
This was one of my favourite anime when I finished it, and now that I’ve read the manga, I like it just a little less now, just because the manga is so amazing and goes much further than the anime did (not to mention that alternative ending). That doesn’t change the fact that I love the song and the opening for Nabari no Ou, and it’s one of the most played songs on my playlist.
3. Darker Than Black: Kuro no Keiyakusha – HOWLING by Abingdon Boys School & Darker Than Black: Ryuusei no Gemini – Tsukiakari no Michishirube by Stereopony
Darker Than Black is one of my favourite action series, so it might not necessarily come as a surprise that I really like the opening themes. The first opening, Howling, is superior to the second, in my opinion (although to some extent I do prefer the sequences in the second one). The opening for Ryuusei no Gemini is a nice pop song that does a brief callback to Kuro no Keiyakusha’s opening, which I enjoy.
4. Sankarea – Esoragoto by nano.RIPE
Sankarea is a romantic comedy horror drama about a boy in love with a zombie. The opening is as lighthearted and easy on the eyes as the anime is, albeit with some references to a few unsettling themes that occur in the anime. All in all, it’s a fun, enjoyable anime, and the song is pleasant to listen to and slightly relaxing.
5. Kimi ni Todoke – Kimi ni Todoke by Tanizawa Tomofumi
Kimi ni Todoke is one of the sweetest, slowest romance anime I’ve ever seen, not to mention realistic as far as two fairly shy leads go. It’s a humorous, cute show that’s nice to turn on after a stressful day and giggle at the developments. The opening theme is relaxing and mellow, and I can practically feel my heart rate relax as I’m listening to it.
6. Kono Minikuku mo Utsukushii Sekai – Metamorphose by Yoko Takahashi
This anime was the first ecchi anime I ever watched…so I suppose, in a way, it holds a “special” place in my heart. While I remember little of it, I do recall that it actually had a quite gripping plot and a fantastic ending. I’m somewhat afraid of rewatching it for fear it’ll leave the same impression on me as Elfen Lied, though. In any case! The opening song is one of my favourites, and I really like how the singer actually has a deep voice instead of the high-pitched squeaky ones we usually get in J-Pop.
7. Murder Princess – Hikari Sasuhou by BACK-ON
This opening never failed to get me pumped up for another episode of Murder Princess, a short action OVA with some yuri subtext. The song incorporates rapping and regular singing, as well as catchy visuals. All in all, it’s a solid opening theme for a fairly solid anime, and it certainly piqued my interest when I first watched it.
8. Ookami to Koushinryou – Tabi no Tochuu by Kiyoura Natsumi
A nice, calming song that’s just as soft as the show it comes from, Wolf and Spice is a romance between a merchant and a wolf god of harvest. Nothing much to say here. Just listen to the lovely music.
9. Angel Beats! – My Soul, Your Beats! by Lia
This song never fails to send chills down my spine. The beautiful piano playing and the lovely vocals really win me over for this theme. While the anime itself could have been much better, there’s no question that it really took it up a notch when it came to the music used in it.
10. Blood-C – spiral by DUSTZ
One of my favourite action anime, and created by CLAMP, one of my favourite manga authors. Of course we’ve got a winner. Plus, an opening song sung in Japanese, English, and French? Come on. Obviously it’ll end up here. I really got attached to this song the more I listened to it, and I haven’t found a reason not to like it.
11. Hyouka – Yasashisa no Riyuu by ChouCho
Hyouka is a romance slash slice-of-life- slash mystery anime (with heavy helpings of the mystery and SoL, not so much of the romance). It’s wonderfully animated by Kyoto Animation, and the song is very relaxing. The anime itself is lighthearted and definitely something that’s great to watch after a hard day.
12. Kuragehime – Koko Dake no Hanashi by Chatmonchy
An unusual romance anime by any means. A girl obsessed with jellyfish, and…a crossdresser. It’s hilarious, eye-opening, and adorable, and the opening is definitely one of the most energetic and reference-full op themes I’ve seen. The song is also very pleasant and uplifting, and listening to it makes me want to dance.
13. Uragiri wa Boku no Namae o Shitteiru – Uragiri no Nai Sekai Made by Rayflower
Uraboku is a yaoi anime with an actual plot…which automatically makes it awesome. It also covers one of my favourite topics, reincarnation. Regardless, an excellent opening, with great visuals and a great track over top of it. One of my favourites for sure. The song is one of the most played on my playlist.
14. Shingeki no Kyojin – Jiyuu no Tsubasa by Linked Horizon
At first, I did not like Shingeki no Kyojin’s second opening theme that much. But the more I listened to it, the more I enjoyed it, to the point that I started liking it better than the first opening song. I prefer the lyrics and the visuals, and it always got me anticipating what the new episode would be like.
15. Durarara!! – Uragiri no Yuuyake by Theatre Brook & Complication by ROOKiEZ is PUNK’D
The Durarara!! openings were destined to become my favourites, it seemed. Catchy music, plus short summarizations of what would be important in the current episode? Great! Not only does it serve to orient me (especially with a large cast like Drrr!!’s), but it also gets me interested in what is going to happen next. Other anime should learn from this style!
16. Amatsuki – Casting Dice by Yuuki Kanno
Amatsuki is a semi-historical and mostly fantasy anime about a boy who fails his history class and ends up being sent back in time to the Edo era. It was an interesting show with a pleasant soundtrack and a nice opening (which also manages to summarize the anime quite nicely!). Too bad the show got cancelled. I gotta unlazify myself and read the manga some time…I hear it’s a total mind screw.
17. ef: a tale of memories – euphoric field by ELISA & ef: a tale of melodies – ebullient future by ELISA
The ef series is definitely one of the better visual novel romance adaptations. Why? For starters, there’s no harem. In addition, the production values and the soundtracks are excellent. The openings for memories and melodies never, ever cease bringing chills to my spine, and they can even make me cry. Better yet, there are both Japanese and English versions of the songs, although the Japanese ones are usually used for the final episode. Memories is a happier anime than melodies, which is more drama oriented. In addition, the ef series may be one of the only anime I’ve seen that actually changes their opening in little ways every episode (especially melodies), easily foreshadowing the events of the episode to come. (You know there’s something wrong when only a song plays, but no visuals or lyrics accompany it…)
18. Otome Youkai Zakuro – Moon SIGNAL by Sphere
A cute romance with some intriguing plot twists and character relations, Otome Youkai Zakuro never failed to deliver in either visuals or music. With beautiful character designs and an occasionally haunting soundtrack, the opening is a fun and bright pop song that’s nice to listen to, coupled with exciting imagery that had me curious from the start. Benibana no Otome Uta, an insert song that deserves mention, is quite chilling.
19. Mawaru Penguindrum – Shounen yo Ware ni Kaere by Etsuko Yakushimaru Metro Orchestra
Confusing, strange, and unpredictable, Mawaru Penguindrum was a wild ride from start to finish, complete with various plot twists. It completely defied my expectations, and for all its absurdity it was definitely enjoyable to watch. The opening is as full of symbolism and allegory as the show itself is, and the song is light on the ears. The singer has quite a pleasant voice, in my opinion.
20. Soul Eater – Resonance by T.M. Revolution
“But you didn’t watch the anime!” Well, no, but I did read the manga, and loved it. Also, I’m more than capable of looking up openings on Youtube. Also, Stein~. In any case, I love the song, and the opening does a good job of introducing most of the important characters of the anime/manga. Speaking of which, I have to applaud the manga for this…none of the characters are just one-hit wonders who appear once and are never mentioned ever again. For all its large cast, every single character is important somehow and almost everyone gets some amount of development and a chance to shine. I really have to commend it for that. Go read it.
1. Psycho-Pass – Out of Control by Nothing’s Carved in Stone
The first time I heard this song, I didn’t like it very much. I vastly preferred Psycho-Pass’ first opening theme. But the more I listened to it, the more I began to like it, and it grew on me a lot. In fact, it’s still stuck in my head, despite having finished the anime, and I find myself putting the song on repeat. I’ve listened to this OP much more than the first one, overall, and it’s a lot catchier IMO.
2. Nabari no Ou – CRAWL by VELTPUNCH
This was one of my favourite anime when I finished it, and now that I’ve read the manga, I like it just a little less now, just because the manga is so amazing and goes much further than the anime did (not to mention that alternative ending). That doesn’t change the fact that I love the song and the opening for Nabari no Ou, and it’s one of the most played songs on my playlist.
3. Darker Than Black: Kuro no Keiyakusha – HOWLING by Abingdon Boys School & Darker Than Black: Ryuusei no Gemini – Tsukiakari no Michishirube by Stereopony
Darker Than Black is one of my favourite action series, so it might not necessarily come as a surprise that I really like the opening themes. The first opening, Howling, is superior to the second, in my opinion (although to some extent I do prefer the sequences in the second one). The opening for Ryuusei no Gemini is a nice pop song that does a brief callback to Kuro no Keiyakusha’s opening, which I enjoy.
4. Sankarea – Esoragoto by nano.RIPE
Sankarea is a romantic comedy horror drama about a boy in love with a zombie. The opening is as lighthearted and easy on the eyes as the anime is, albeit with some references to a few unsettling themes that occur in the anime. All in all, it’s a fun, enjoyable anime, and the song is pleasant to listen to and slightly relaxing.
5. Kimi ni Todoke – Kimi ni Todoke by Tanizawa Tomofumi
Kimi ni Todoke is one of the sweetest, slowest romance anime I’ve ever seen, not to mention realistic as far as two fairly shy leads go. It’s a humorous, cute show that’s nice to turn on after a stressful day and giggle at the developments. The opening theme is relaxing and mellow, and I can practically feel my heart rate relax as I’m listening to it.
6. Kono Minikuku mo Utsukushii Sekai – Metamorphose by Yoko Takahashi
This anime was the first ecchi anime I ever watched…so I suppose, in a way, it holds a “special” place in my heart. While I remember little of it, I do recall that it actually had a quite gripping plot and a fantastic ending. I’m somewhat afraid of rewatching it for fear it’ll leave the same impression on me as Elfen Lied, though. In any case! The opening song is one of my favourites, and I really like how the singer actually has a deep voice instead of the high-pitched squeaky ones we usually get in J-Pop.
7. Murder Princess – Hikari Sasuhou by BACK-ON
This opening never failed to get me pumped up for another episode of Murder Princess, a short action OVA with some yuri subtext. The song incorporates rapping and regular singing, as well as catchy visuals. All in all, it’s a solid opening theme for a fairly solid anime, and it certainly piqued my interest when I first watched it.
8. Ookami to Koushinryou – Tabi no Tochuu by Kiyoura Natsumi
A nice, calming song that’s just as soft as the show it comes from, Wolf and Spice is a romance between a merchant and a wolf god of harvest. Nothing much to say here. Just listen to the lovely music.
9. Angel Beats! – My Soul, Your Beats! by Lia
This song never fails to send chills down my spine. The beautiful piano playing and the lovely vocals really win me over for this theme. While the anime itself could have been much better, there’s no question that it really took it up a notch when it came to the music used in it.
10. Blood-C – spiral by DUSTZ
One of my favourite action anime, and created by CLAMP, one of my favourite manga authors. Of course we’ve got a winner. Plus, an opening song sung in Japanese, English, and French? Come on. Obviously it’ll end up here. I really got attached to this song the more I listened to it, and I haven’t found a reason not to like it.
11. Hyouka – Yasashisa no Riyuu by ChouCho
Hyouka is a romance slash slice-of-life- slash mystery anime (with heavy helpings of the mystery and SoL, not so much of the romance). It’s wonderfully animated by Kyoto Animation, and the song is very relaxing. The anime itself is lighthearted and definitely something that’s great to watch after a hard day.
12. Kuragehime – Koko Dake no Hanashi by Chatmonchy
An unusual romance anime by any means. A girl obsessed with jellyfish, and…a crossdresser. It’s hilarious, eye-opening, and adorable, and the opening is definitely one of the most energetic and reference-full op themes I’ve seen. The song is also very pleasant and uplifting, and listening to it makes me want to dance.
13. Uragiri wa Boku no Namae o Shitteiru – Uragiri no Nai Sekai Made by Rayflower
Uraboku is a yaoi anime with an actual plot…which automatically makes it awesome. It also covers one of my favourite topics, reincarnation. Regardless, an excellent opening, with great visuals and a great track over top of it. One of my favourites for sure. The song is one of the most played on my playlist.
14. Shingeki no Kyojin – Jiyuu no Tsubasa by Linked Horizon
At first, I did not like Shingeki no Kyojin’s second opening theme that much. But the more I listened to it, the more I enjoyed it, to the point that I started liking it better than the first opening song. I prefer the lyrics and the visuals, and it always got me anticipating what the new episode would be like.
15. Durarara!! – Uragiri no Yuuyake by Theatre Brook & Complication by ROOKiEZ is PUNK’D
The Durarara!! openings were destined to become my favourites, it seemed. Catchy music, plus short summarizations of what would be important in the current episode? Great! Not only does it serve to orient me (especially with a large cast like Drrr!!’s), but it also gets me interested in what is going to happen next. Other anime should learn from this style!
16. Amatsuki – Casting Dice by Yuuki Kanno
Amatsuki is a semi-historical and mostly fantasy anime about a boy who fails his history class and ends up being sent back in time to the Edo era. It was an interesting show with a pleasant soundtrack and a nice opening (which also manages to summarize the anime quite nicely!). Too bad the show got cancelled. I gotta unlazify myself and read the manga some time…I hear it’s a total mind screw.
17. ef: a tale of memories – euphoric field by ELISA & ef: a tale of melodies – ebullient future by ELISA
The ef series is definitely one of the better visual novel romance adaptations. Why? For starters, there’s no harem. In addition, the production values and the soundtracks are excellent. The openings for memories and melodies never, ever cease bringing chills to my spine, and they can even make me cry. Better yet, there are both Japanese and English versions of the songs, although the Japanese ones are usually used for the final episode. Memories is a happier anime than melodies, which is more drama oriented. In addition, the ef series may be one of the only anime I’ve seen that actually changes their opening in little ways every episode (especially melodies), easily foreshadowing the events of the episode to come. (You know there’s something wrong when only a song plays, but no visuals or lyrics accompany it…)
18. Otome Youkai Zakuro – Moon SIGNAL by Sphere
A cute romance with some intriguing plot twists and character relations, Otome Youkai Zakuro never failed to deliver in either visuals or music. With beautiful character designs and an occasionally haunting soundtrack, the opening is a fun and bright pop song that’s nice to listen to, coupled with exciting imagery that had me curious from the start. Benibana no Otome Uta, an insert song that deserves mention, is quite chilling.
19. Mawaru Penguindrum – Shounen yo Ware ni Kaere by Etsuko Yakushimaru Metro Orchestra
Confusing, strange, and unpredictable, Mawaru Penguindrum was a wild ride from start to finish, complete with various plot twists. It completely defied my expectations, and for all its absurdity it was definitely enjoyable to watch. The opening is as full of symbolism and allegory as the show itself is, and the song is light on the ears. The singer has quite a pleasant voice, in my opinion.
20. Soul Eater – Resonance by T.M. Revolution
“But you didn’t watch the anime!” Well, no, but I did read the manga, and loved it. Also, I’m more than capable of looking up openings on Youtube. Also, Stein~. In any case, I love the song, and the opening does a good job of introducing most of the important characters of the anime/manga. Speaking of which, I have to applaud the manga for this…none of the characters are just one-hit wonders who appear once and are never mentioned ever again. For all its large cast, every single character is important somehow and almost everyone gets some amount of development and a chance to shine. I really have to commend it for that. Go read it.
Posted by Cryptic-senpai | Sep 6, 2014 11:03 PM | 3 comments
May 25th, 2014
Madoka Magica Musings
Anime Relations: Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica
Warning: Obviously, this entry contains spoilers. Please don't read it unless you've watched the whole anime.
My impression of Madoka Magica was that it was an allegory for women in general. What brought it home for me was how Sayaka was treated. A lot of people say most of the characters weren’t treated properly or that they should have gotten more screentime, but I believe Sayaka’s troubles were the most important in the entire anime (and hence why they were concentrated on for the majority of them).
Many girls will do anything they can for a guy they have a crush on, or are “in love” with. Case in point: Sayaka. She makes a wish for Kyousuke, trying to fix him, thinking (and hoping) that he’ll love her. But he doesn’t – instead, he goes off with a girl who threw herself at him (because that was what was easiest for him), and Sayaka is left in despair. This is a pretty common occurrence, all in all.
When girls who are spurned in such a way grow older, some become bitter and unhappy. They become adults – “women”. Bitter, unfriendly women who, in some cases, seek to destroy the happiness of others because they were unable to attain their own. That’s why magical girls become witches (harbingers of despair), mirroring the transformation of a happy young girl turning into a spiteful spinster.
I believe that this particular aspect is especially clear just before Sayaka becomes a witch, when she talks to the two men on the train. She overhears them belittling a woman, and becomes angry, and only then does her transformation to a witch come to fruition.
In another way, Madoka Magica additionally showcases the rivalry and hatred a lot of girls have for one another, in the way magical girls fight one another for “territory” and grief seeds.
Anywho, just felt the need to get my thoughts on "paper", as it were. Now that I've articulated my thoughts for the anime, I feel quite better.
Feel free to comment if you wish, I'm always open to discussions.
My impression of Madoka Magica was that it was an allegory for women in general. What brought it home for me was how Sayaka was treated. A lot of people say most of the characters weren’t treated properly or that they should have gotten more screentime, but I believe Sayaka’s troubles were the most important in the entire anime (and hence why they were concentrated on for the majority of them).
Many girls will do anything they can for a guy they have a crush on, or are “in love” with. Case in point: Sayaka. She makes a wish for Kyousuke, trying to fix him, thinking (and hoping) that he’ll love her. But he doesn’t – instead, he goes off with a girl who threw herself at him (because that was what was easiest for him), and Sayaka is left in despair. This is a pretty common occurrence, all in all.
When girls who are spurned in such a way grow older, some become bitter and unhappy. They become adults – “women”. Bitter, unfriendly women who, in some cases, seek to destroy the happiness of others because they were unable to attain their own. That’s why magical girls become witches (harbingers of despair), mirroring the transformation of a happy young girl turning into a spiteful spinster.
I believe that this particular aspect is especially clear just before Sayaka becomes a witch, when she talks to the two men on the train. She overhears them belittling a woman, and becomes angry, and only then does her transformation to a witch come to fruition.
In another way, Madoka Magica additionally showcases the rivalry and hatred a lot of girls have for one another, in the way magical girls fight one another for “territory” and grief seeds.
Anywho, just felt the need to get my thoughts on "paper", as it were. Now that I've articulated my thoughts for the anime, I feel quite better.
Feel free to comment if you wish, I'm always open to discussions.
Posted by Cryptic-senpai | May 25, 2014 9:17 PM | 8 comments