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Recensie (1 700)

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Vikradena princesa: Ruslan i Ljudmila (2018) 

Engels This was an average fairy tale that was neither bad nor was it entertaining. As far as the animation is concerned, I was most surprised by the repetitive inclusion of the first-person point-of-view shots. For example, unlike the slow-motion animation mentioned by others, I have never seen this in an animated movie before. It was so strange, sometimes a bit rushed (especially the ending) with a narrative that could perhaps entertain a child. In contrast, a grown-up probably would not find it very interesting. 5/10.

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Hinamacuri (2018) (serie) 

Engels The fundamental problem with this anime series, at least for some audiences, is that Hinamatsuri is quite different from what it first appears to be. In the first episode, a young girl appears out of nowhere, has superpowers, and acts like some sort of sophisticated combat organism sent into the past to change the future. In other words, it really is a parody (not only) of Terminator, confirmed by the final scene where the parody is quite obvious. However, it becomes very quickly apparent in the later episodes that this is no science fiction or action anime series, and there is not even going to be a complex narrative here. It is not even much of a comedy, though the opening episode with its parody would suggest that. Despite all of that, it is still quite entertaining. In fact, Hinamatsuri ends up being one of those enjoyable and likable anime series that focuses on its characters and their relationships and manages to make the viewer happy with the pleasant and fun interactions between them. The whole thing is simply delightful to watch and just so heart-warming. This is one of those anime series that one reviewer writes "smiling throughout the whole episode", it felt like that all the time - at least to me. I mean, some will be disappointed that they "only" get short atmospheric episodes instead of a complex narrative. Lyrical instead of epic. In other words, this show is not for everyone. However, I guess I am lucky that this anime series really hit the spot. Some viewers found only wasted potential, repetitive jokes, a boring slice of life anime series, and forgettable characters. On the other hand, I found something amusing, often human and incredibly pleasant, with excellent characters. It is hard to choose a favorite from the characters. It could be Hina, the little bartender Hitomi, or the anguished and conscientious Anzu. Even though I did not see much of her, it could even be even Mao, whom I found intriguing. All of their narratives indiscriminately caught my imagination; some with Anzu even moved me. In other words, I found this anime series really worked. Oh, and it is not just the child characters that I am going to remember; I really do not think I am going to forget Nitta or Utako in a year. I felt that the comedy worked too, and it worked from the very first episode. The ending of first episode and the Terminator parody put a big and sincere smile on my face, especially. However, I did not stop smiling even when it changed from being primarily a comedy. As for the criticism about repetitive jokes, I will just add that it does not matter how many times a joke is told, but rather how it is delivered. If I had a problem with repetitive jokes, I probably could not have fallen in love with Gintama. What I can relate to is the criticism that the soundtrack and even animation are sub-par. However, I did not notice this so much because it was suitable and still sufficient for the purpose of this anime series. The quality of the soundtrack and animation simply did not affect me = did not spoil the impression. Personally speaking, Hinamatsuri is a well-produced piece of work that I enjoyed a lot. I think it is one of the best anime series of Spring 2018 releases. It is quite possibly the winning show of this anime season, even with only four stars - 8.3/10.

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Comic Girls (2018) (serie) 

Engels Okay, so I found that the last two episodes managed to move me, so I cannot award an average rating. Otherwise, I am going to say right off the bat that Kaoruko Moeta, aka Kaos, is the cutest character I have seen from the entirety of this spring's releases. In addition, she improved my experience of watching this anime series. In other words, I had the exact opposite experience from what my colleague Hellierer described. Kaos is a case of a completely tragic and weepy cute character who evokes deep sympathies in me, and then when I see how hard she tries, I feel like I just have to root for her. Then, when she succeeds, I am really moved, proud and satisfied. I call it the Yurika effect because I first experienced this with the eponymous character in the anime Invaders of the Rokujouma!?. So, I really enjoyed the whole Kaos thing; I found her really entertaining, even though I understand that not everyone can tolerate that much cuteness, because people have different taste (for example, I cannot stand weeping, sobbing, effeminate boys, or "traps"...). As for the rest of it, it was interesting to watch the girls, who were practically living representations of the tropes that symbolize the style of manga they are devoted to. So, for example, there is the creepy horror writer, the mature-for-her-age erotica author, etc. I also liked the animation and the soundtrack. Sure, some of the jokes were not that funny; I did not always have fun or find it interesting. However, because of the above-mentioned fact that it moved me, in the end, I am awarding this show 6.8/10.

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Saredo cumibito wa rjú to odoru: Dances with the Dragons (2018) (serie) 

Engels This is what you get when you have an elaborate and complicated fantasy world that features different nations with complicated relationships. However, you have very little screen time to present it all. Take all that combined with a sophisticated narrative focusing not only on the characters but also on the politics, the fight scenes, the love story, and who knows what else? In summary - this show is a mess! This project had a lot of potential, and this could have been an above-average fantasy anime series, at least. Suppose there was room and opportunity to introduce us in the plot correctly and have good exposition. Suppose it had a complex and adult narrative with all the politics and relationships between factions, nations, and even individual characters. Perhaps it would have then been better. In its paper version, i.e., the original novella, this narrative may possibly have those qualities, although that being said, the anime adaptation is a failure. There is too much information crammed into a small space. A lot of things are poorly explained, and some are not explained at all. I was lost in the layout of the world it is set in, the different factions and their motivations, and I was supposed to be following the politics and scheming, too? They  introduced the characters rather poorly and the world it is set in and its rules still largely escape me too. In other words, I have been left confused, and I doubt a second viewing would help me sort it out; furthermore, I do not think I would want to watch it again. It could have been great - the main protagonists, narrative, and setting had potential, but in the end - meh... 4.3/10.

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Otaku ni koi wa muzukašii (2018) (serie) 

Engels Love is hard for otaku, love is hard for everyone, so why, after watching this anime series, do I get the impression that it is not that hard with an adult perspective and some humor and tolerance? Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku is a likable spring romantic comedy that works in all aspects. It easily puts both an amused smile on my face and the kind of goofy expression that accompanies something pleasant and endearing. The main credit for this goes to the characters, who are excellent. Hirotaka is cool, Narumi is cute, and the other couple (Hanako and Tarou) are likable and quite funny. The most important thing is that I liked all four characters and enjoyed watching them - the chemistry between the characters works. There is a spark between the two main protagonists. After eleven episodes you can see that theirs is a relationship that was initially just based on the fact that they both have similar interests and have known each other since childhood. This meant that they did not have to pretend in front of each other, this couple evolved and grew, and you could see that they liked each other. Well, the other couple is again an excellent example of teasing. Relationships like this can be intense, especially when it involves two temperamental personalities; it makes it look like the proverbial blowing hot and cold. The reconciliation and those moments of peace, the kissing, and making up are just worth it. Well, in other words, the relationships are emotionally charged, and they are presented quite realistically. Combined with the fact that each character is an otaku (or, if you want, each character has a hobby bordering on obsession), there is a lot to follow. There is no shortage of entertaining situations - a pleasant 8.1/10.

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Tokyo Ghoul:re - Season 1 (2018) (Seizoen) 

Engels Best Tokyo Ghoul  season? Well, I donť think so! I am sorry; but I found the brainwashed Kaneki living under the identity of Haise Sasaki quite boring. His entire Quinx Squad was full of characters I could not relate to over the course of twelve episodes. So then, when someone in the show was in danger or even died, I was left completely cold, and it did nothing for me. I was expecting suspense and great controversy since the former ghoul was now an investigator. I was expecting characters from Kaneki's past to make imaginative and interesting attempts to bring back Kaneki's memory. In addition to that, I was somewhat disappointed, probably most of all, that one of my favorite characters, Gourmet, was reduced to a wreck for most of the season. He only woke up towards the end to achieve what? Well, even the rest of my favorite ensemble from the previous seasons were just there. They belong in this world, and their turns are probably still waiting for them, even though that could only happen next season. I did not enjoy watching the narratives and investigations from the other side. The best bit was probably the auction part and then the season finale itself, where at least something was finally concluded. So, I can say that after this rather mediocre and uninteresting season, I am at least looking forward to the next one. However, the storytelling was quite good; everything was presented clearly and understandably. The action and fight scenes were again full of gore, with so many severed limbs. Well, all the nice things for some people. All in all, it is a real shame that I enjoyed the fight scenes, even though I could not care about the people in them this time... 5.5/10.

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Jujušiki (2013) (serie) 

Engels Occasionally I come across a really weird anime series like this one. It leaves me kind of not sure what to think about it. So let me start with what I do know. I liked the animation, it was cute enough, and the girls in it were adorable. I most certainly did not feel like skipping the opening because I liked it, it was nice and fresh. Well, that is it. As for the rest of it, I have to admit that this was such an extraordinary and random show. The show tries to combine several different types of humor and the punchlines to the jokes in such a way that my head could not even register whether it thought any of it was actually funny, and, more importantly, whether I really got it at all. In other words, there were jokes that I would have understood if I had known the Japanese language in a more proficient way, and could have appreciated the way they played with words and inflections. Unfortunately, however, my ignorance meant that it all went over my head. There were jokes full of allusions to yuri, young girls' desires to touch each other, and they often ended up seeming like ecchi. That is to say, they were not successful (and were sometimes punished) and basically provided a kind of spoken fan service (even though it is hardly visible). What do I mean? Take the classic discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of large breasts (including repeated efforts to touch them). This time it is enriched with the new, novel, and strange observations by the girls themselves (she fell because she could not see the stairs because of her massive breasts! Her tie got soaking wet because it was sticking out too much on her enormous breasts!). In other words, that is how you could process data too, and I guess that is what it is all about. It is all about processing data and finding new, unexpected, and totally weird associations. So that brings us to the next set of jokes. Such jokes leave you wondering: "Why and how did they come up with this now." Well, almost every time you think this, there is no answer. This is because everything is so incredibly random in places that I felt like I was watching an episode of South Park where it turns out that the jokes for the popular show (Family Guy) are created by manatees pulling balls with words on them out of a swimming pool. So, for a substantial part of the show, I felt like I was listening to a conversation like --- "It is nice outside." --- "Why?" - "Because of THE DIGGER!" - "Why The Digger?" - "Because it is digging? - Why is it digging?" - "Because it is nice outside!" --- Even my playground metaphor makes more sense in some cases than what you see on the screen here. In other words, this anime series is very unusual, if only by the composition of the central three protagonists. We get not one but two girls who could be described as "crazy and carefree"! I have never seen this before, and it is a killer combination that only emphasizes the overall "random nonsense" effect I felt so intensely from this anime series. It is weird, random, and crazy, although it is also full of energy. When I was watching it, my mood was relatively positive despite everything I saw. Plus, I even smiled at times (often because I was embarrassed, sometimes because I did not get what was going on, and once perhaps even because it was sweet and I was amused.). In addition, who am I to say that if I could not understand something, it has to mean that it is terrible? What if I just could not get the genius behind this show - maybe I missed a lot of critical information, or I have been processing the data wrong all along... 6/10.

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Druaga no tó - ~the Sword of URUK~ (2009) (Seizoen) 

Engels Was this season really better than the first? In many ways, yes, it was. For example, the characters are given much more screen time and show a much more comprehensive range of emotions and decision-making. This character development means the audience can get more into them, as they now have the necessary depth compared to the first season. It works out quite well because you might even find the commander of Gilgamesh's expeditionary force likable, and because of his acquaintance with a robot Lolita, he eventually achieves redemption and touches everyone's heart. Furthermore, the narrative is appropriately wrapped up, so the audience can feel the satisfaction they did not get in the first half. That is to say; you can finally experience the satisfaction of seeing a conclusion to wrap up the fates of the main protagonists. For the most part, it really does provide what someone like me wants for the characters. There is only one major exception that I can live with because of what happened in the first season. As far as the plot is concerned, it is a bit more convoluted than the first season; however, you could consider this an advantage because of the fact that I previously criticized how too straightforward it was. However, the honest truth is that I did not enjoy the "mish-mash" approach to this show that much. In the beginning, I found it still quite entertaining, and even in the third episode, I welcomed all the movie references (the countdown like in 24 Hours, the Star Wars-like Lando betrayal, and the Shawshank Redemption-like prison break plan). However, then the killer robots appeared, and I thought to myself that this just did not fit as well as the final confrontation with the goddess. I am certainly familiar with fantasy anime series where similar elements are present, like the Might and Magic role-playing video games series I mentioned in the review of the previous season (because  for example in MaM VI, we find out that one of the pyramids is concealing a spaceship...). However, I am not always into that combination, and here it struck me as rather odd and out of place. Likewise, the whole main plotline concerning what the Tower of Druaga represents and its connection to the facts, the gods, and the individual characters was probably meant to surprise me, floor me, and keep me interested; I do not know. However, I simply remained calm, like, "well, OK". Back to the beginning and the question - is it better than the first season? To sum it up, the answer is yes, even though I immediately have to ask a second question - did I enjoy it more than the first season? Well, the fact is that yes, I indeed did, just not that much. 6.4/10.

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Druaga no tó - ~the Aegis of URUK~ (2008) (Seizoen) 

Engels The Tower of Druaga: The Aegis of Uruk is an immensely exciting and slightly above average fantasy adventure with slightly below average jokes, innuendo, and parodies. You cannot ignore the fact that it is an animated continuation of an old arcade game. When you find out about this, you suddenly find the part where the main male protagonist is literally controlled to replay the original Gilgamesh adventure, actually quite funny and well done. In other words, for fans of RPGs, D&D (just for those who know the adventures from old role-playing video games series like Might and Magic or Baldur's Gate), this will be familiar, i.e., it will hold almost no surprises for them. However, with its setting and atmosphere, it could be pretty entertaining. The main male protagonist makes visible progress (levels up) during each episode. Even though he is constantly told that he is nothing special, it is still clear to everyone that somehow he is going to make it, and what he cannot achieve with his abilities, and he will overcome through sheer determination. Of course, he also achieves this through cooperation with others, which is common in heroic anime series (like they have panties in ecchi that are way too skimpy). However, people will like it and it cannot hurt if it is done well (which is not the case in this anime series). As far as the other characters are concerned, there are quite a lot of them since it is basically a multi-group race. However, the anime's authors try to give us at least a minimal introduction to each player to outline their motivations. In other words, they try to help us relate to the characters so that we get upset when they die. Unfortunately, with how many characters there are and how much screen time they are given, it only affected me once anyway. Even though the deaths were always appropriately theatrical with an attempt to be as moving as possible (at one point, I was even reminded of the death of the knife expert Britt from The Magnificent Seven), I was hardly affected. I was just a bit sad only once. As far as the narrative is concerned, as the reviewer Subjektiv wrote, it is not convoluted, and it is more of a linear journey. Every now and again, we get undeniable indications that there is going to be a huge twist coming, which is going to take our breath away. However, that does not happen. Maybe it just comes across as a bit interesting, and someone like me will think that yes - I want to watch the next season because I want to know how it is going to turn out. However, being shocked, tense, looking forward - forget it! I thought this first part only deserved 6/10, but I am going to move on because the second half looks much better, according to the other reviews.

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Ačči kočči (2012) (serie) 

Engels This show has a considerable amount of jokes and funny situations, although most of them are not my cup of tea. It is simply not enough when you are only able to smile once or twice an episode when watching a comedy. Admittedly, the animation creates such a likable setting, making some of the (female) characters look very cute. However, this only partially redeems this show, in my opinion. The characters are too flat, typical formulaic stereotypes who are repetitive albeit in constantly changing scenery. So the punchlines of the jokes are often repetitive, as are the characters' reactions. Repetitive jokes and responses could get pretty boring for some, although for me, it just meant that the element of surprise had disappeared. Lack of surprise is not suitable for a comedy. Still, I did not have a problem with the characters; they were not irritating; it was watchable, although maybe just for only one viewing at most - to kill time. If I watched it a second time, I would probably just get really bored. 5/10.