Paprika - Review

Some titles like Serial Experiment: Lain exhibit increasingly confusing plot twists that seem to thrive on their incomprehensive nature just about enough to convince you that the creator just served you a complex banquet of style over substance. With bizarre "classics" like Lain in mind it would seem that at least a considerable portion of anime fans are starting to support the notion that understanding is unnecessary and that the only justification a Mindfuck title needs to revel in its complex glory is the exploration of some philosophical or sociological theme. With these fascinated, dubious and more than anything ambivalent thoughts in my head I set out to re-watch Paprika; the last full-length feature ever produced by Satoshi Kon otherwise known as the demised master of visual expression. In this piece of amateurish writing I'll do my best to sum up my thoughts.

Story: 8/10

Once you've reached the, in my opinion mistaken, conclusion that absolute comprehension is unnecessary it might be a good choice to value the experience a complex movie provides rather than its explanations. In this sense Paprika is an undeniable success as it makes use of a concept we've encountered before, where the once unexplored landscapes of our dreams can be invaded after recent technological advances, to manufacture a story of originality and brilliance. Throughout the movie we get to follow the team of scientists who developed this technology as they are attacked by a dream terrorist who seems to have stolen a copy of their equipment. This results in outbreak after outbreak of severe psychological terror causing suicide attempts and downright disturbing behavior. Sounds interesting? That's because it most certainly is.

There can be no denial that Satoshi Kon has mastered the art of carefully structuring a narrative as he blessed his final work with enough psychedelic nightmare sequences combined with clever dialogue and a refreshing sense of humour to make it an incredibly memorable ride. Paprika breaks several clichés in its profound determination to entertain whilst telling an increasingly interesting and complex story in a creative and semi-experimental approach. Viewers are offered a gloriously surreal spectacle where dreams merge not only with other dreams but also with reality, resulting in an intellectual, if a tad incomprehensive acid trip of amazing proportions. Disappointed over not understanding the movie after the first watch? Don't worry, that is definitely to be expected. After several viewings though I'd like to add that Paprika despite popular belief does bother to explain its oddities in a relatively comprehensive language and the notion that it's too complex for its own good is one that I simply don't support. The fact that you'll need to re-watch it an unspecific number of times to get the gist of it might be considered a flaw in and of itself though. You make the call.

Animation: 9/10

In the world of Japanese animation you'll find several collaborations that are as frequent as they are benevolent. The one between Studio Ghibli and composer Joe Hisaishi is one example but seems to fade in comparison to the splendid co-operation between Satoshi Kon and animation studio Madhouse. When Paprika was first released in 2006 it looked absolutely stunning and six years later it has maintained its ability to mesmerize in its visual appeal. As the key point of the entire movie itself the visual section seems determined to observe a landscape of dreams that constantly changes based on interior and exterior events which result in a disturbing and beautiful turmoil of bizarre proportions. Just like a character mentions in the later part of the movie, there are no boundaries in dreams, a statement that the entire movie exploits in frame after frame of surreal brilliance.

Sound: 7/10

I really wish somebody had bothered to give Paprika a less introverted soundtrack. Admittedly, the common lack of attention-demanding music does work in favor of the atmosphere on a few occasions but some moments seem to demand a heavier instrumental focus to more properly enhance the suspense. Don't get me wrong, some scenes are complimented by interesting and memorable electronic compositions that fit in perfectly with the overall surreal approach, but judging the soundtrack in itself is a tedious chore because there isn't that much to speak of. Worth to mention though is that the voice actors maintain a relatively high quality that suits a movie of such top notch production values.

Characters: 6/10

So far we've been talking about all the magnificent things Paprika features but now it’s time to actually mention some of its flaws. Most experimental features are so pre-occupied when it comes to featuring cryptic commentaries on the aspects of humanity and enhance their visual exhibitions further that they forget to place a heavier focus on characterization. Thanks to the terrific script, Paprika is almost able to escape from this curse as numerous dialogues explain characteristics in ways that almost replace direct development. One example includes one of the wheelchair-bound chairmen for the company that produced the above mentioned technology used to invade dreams. As contrary to how a regular movie would make use of somebody in a powerful position this man seems to reject further technological advances that defile what he describes as the sanctuary of dreams. In other words he provides the moral value usually uttered by a main character only to metamorphose into a menacing antagonist who seems to have discovered the value of freedom he can only achieve in his dreams. Other examples include a surprising side story of a romantic nature and a dream world alter ego whose identity and relation to her realistic equivalent are shrouded in mystery. What needs to be said though is that all of this is based on minor implications gradually revealed throughout the story and while this in itself is an indication of skillful writing it doesn't entirely hide the fact that Paprika lacks the time to do things directly.

Overall: 8/10

Despite a few flaws, Paprika is intelligent enough to rely more on its visual superiority to transcend what some might call the boundaries of storytelling, making it the perfect gateway drug for those who haven't realized what the medium has to offer. In its ability to fascinate and encourage additional viewings it stands out as a remarkable feature that more than anything else is a title well worthy of being the last creation of Satoshi Kon*. If you're looking for an intellectual but comprehensive, occasionally slow-paced but intense tribute to moviemaking and the abilities of humanity, look no further.

* Unless Madhouse actually manages to finish the movie he was currently working on before he died.

Anime Shorts - The Diary of Tortov Riddle

Tortov himself

A common misconception about animated shorts states that they, bathing in creativity or not, never reach the same heights of storytelling as full-length features. While it's true that there's little room left for plot devices and character development if you happen to have a running time that doesn't even surpass half an hour, I still find this notion absolutely ridiculous. Rather than observing a short film and condemn it based on the lack of things you'd find in a movie, I've always been under the belief that the approach itself needs to be changed in accordance to the running time. Hopefully, viewers who happen to come across the subject of today's pointless scribbles will have their perception of animated shorts changed forever in the beautiful, mesmerizing and absolutely pointless creation that goes under the name: The Diary of Tortov Riddle.

Rabbits! As well as fellow travelers.

Now, visually speaking this little eccentricity plays out exactly like one would expect the incestuous offspring of Tim Burton and Cat Soup to do; character designs tend to be tall and slim; the color palette is muted to the extreme and there are enough semi-artsy oddities to give Yoji Kuji a heart attack. Story-wise though, the atmosphere seems a lot more inspired by Kino's Journey as the protagonist of the film, Tortov Riddle, travels on a pig with extraordinarily long legs, facing various encounters with other creatures as well as experiencing various strange things. His travels are documented in his diary which is shown at certain points, usually at the end of each story. Unlike Kino’s Journey though there are no fables or general lessons in moral to be found. Tortov is merely a lonely traveler whose motivations are never revealed and who seems to treasure his bizarre encounters more than anything else.

Tortov's pig thingy.

All in all there are six stories that together create a running time of approximately 18 minutes. These minutes are well spent on beautifully surreal artwork that depicts everything from Tortov's encounter with a mysterious woman to a town hosting a cinema party by projecting an animated movie on the back of a peculiar bear-hybrid thingy. Keep in mind that few of the stories have actual conclusions and there is no continuity to find whatsoever. The best way to enjoy it is to take in the beautiful but simplistic visuals as well as the equally harmonic soundtrack that relies on everything from pianos to more unusual instruments to establish a dreamlike feeling few other movies manage to invoke.

An absolutely normal town of common
mundane normalities!

The world of animated shorts suffers from an over-representation from the admittedly masterful Makoto Shinkai whose Voices of a Distant Star continues to rightfully mesmerize. However, in recent years it's become quite apparent that there are other creators out there producing shorts that reach an almost similar kind of quality. The Diary of Tortov Riddle was directed by Kunio Katou who later went on to create the Oscar-winning La Maison en Petits Cubet which I also recommend. However, inside the realm of anime shorts, that I have explored somewhat thoroughly, Tortov Riddle stands out as one of the better creations I've seen. It's able to invoke a strange feeling of an almost childlike wonder that makes you absolutely content just witnessing the peculiarities the film exhibits rather than questioning them. Sleep is never an easy thing for me, but after I finished watching this for the second time I fell asleep almost immediately and although I can't remember any of my dreams I'm sure they were quite pleasant acid trips from the fascinating and beautiful world of Tortaria.

Revolutionary Girl Utena - Review

Kunihiko Ikuhara is a director who used to work for Toei Animation on the production of Sailor Moon. When he left in 1996 he was frustrated over the restrictions imposed upon him and eventually created another shoujo series in which he took every cliché of the genre; every intensified component of fairy tales; each and every aspect of adolescent struggles and combined all of it in an apocalyptic turmoil of psychological drama. The result is called Revolutionary Girl Utena and is known by fans as one of the more eccentric and allegorical titles available in the world of anime.

Story: 8/10

In her younger years, Utena Tenjou met with a prince who comforted her after the deaths of her parents and received a beautiful ring together with the promise that they’d meet again as long as she maintains her nobility. She swore to become a prince herself and eventually ends up attending the strange Ohtori academy in which the student council members participate in duels where the winner gains possession of “The Rose Bride” Anthy; a mysteriously submissive girl who, according to an unknown entity known as “End of the World” holds the power to bring the world revolution.

Seductive Playboy Touga is one of
the less benevolent characters.

The above is about as much as one can give away without moving into Spoiler-land. The story revolves around a series of duels Utena has to win once she’s gotten possession of Anthy and relies on a highly repetitive formula with lots of stock footage to establish an almost ritualistic feeling for each episode. Combine this with the exploration of most subjects relevant to the process of adolescent maturity that you can think of and add Ikuhara’s fetish for prominent symbolism for further comprehension of Utena’s nature.

Another important factor is that the show treasures character development more than plot progression up to the point where the two terms not only complement but replace each other in favor of captivating storytelling. Viewers who demand a straight-forward approach will find themselves disappointed over the fact that most revelations are subtle and can only be found in the symbolism that ranges from simplistic to downright nightmarish. As far as purpose goes, the central story in Utena is not revealed until the later part of the show which means that patience is a virtue you’ll require. Those who can accept characterization as a substitute for traditional storytelling will enjoy this immensely and the subtle complexity of the story, as well as the high rewatch value, makes this a gem in the unpredictable sea of anime.

Animation: 8/10

Utena creates a fascinatingly surreal landscape with top notch animation based on contemporary standards and a visual direction that glorifies eccentricities. Masterfully including traditional concepts like shadow puppets but complementing them with heavy allegorical undertones, Ikuhara is so formidable when it comes to creating beauty that it’s no wonder people interpret every single frame in the show as symbolic.

Before her duels, Utena pulls the
sword of Dios out of Anthy's chest.

As should be expected, proclaiming that every frame carries symbolic value borders on both ridiculous and pretentious but, as will be clear to anyone who watches this, the entire series is packed with various undertones that reach the almost insane levels where the majority of stances; the most slight aspects of a character’s body language represent something such as dominance or submission. People who enjoy interpreting symbolism would be wise not to underestimate Utena since it might prove far too incomprehensive without several viewings. 


Even if you exclude the beautiful allegories, the show is a visual extravaganza with beautifully animated vignettes and splendid fluidity that creates an artistic flare that can’t be compared to any other anime out there.

Sound: 9/10

Utena thrives on featuring epic choirs who present increasingly bizarre lyrics that contemplate either duels or the repetitive preparations the protagonist undergoes before the actual fighting. Almost all the songs used throughout the show were designed for the very purpose of being used in it and few of them fail to provide a feeling of grandeur that is much needed. From an instrumental perspective the very same quality can be found in beautiful pieces dominated by violins and skillful piano play that’s about as impressively suiting as the magnificent voice acting.

Characters: 10/10

Protagonist Utena and possible love-
interest Anthy.

Every duelist in the student council has his own motivations for wanting the Rose Bride. While the story cryptically declares that she holds the key to revolutionizing the world, all of these individuals know what they want to change but seem to be clueless as to how. One thing is clear though, and that is that they all carry plenty of psychological baggage that include everything from severe brother complexes that border on the sexual frontiers and unrequited homosexual love. All of this creates an increasingly dark inferno of severely deranged emotions that origin from the very darkest aspects of human consciousness that Ikuhara wants to portray. There are few characters in Utena who have simplistic reasons for acting like they do. Furthermore, all of them are equipped with personal flaws that make the characterization come off as incredibly realistic. More importantly than anything else, though, they all relate to each other in various complex ways that create the very foundation for the plot.

In the end, the characters in Utena are nothing short of fantastic. It’s surprising to see them develop in a painfully realistic fashion whereas the story itself holds little regard for logic, but that in itself adds further to the sincere charm that complements the darker elements of the series. As is getting horribly rare for me as far as fictional works goes, I found at least a few characters I could relate to and I’m certain that most teenagers will. Come for the visual promises of eccentric glamour and stay for the top notch characterization!

Overall: 9/10

Utena is not perfect but then again I doubt anything fictional ever can be. Several episodes exist for no other purpose than to highlight a specific trait in a character we’re already aware of in occasionally amusing and occasionally tedious slapstick. However, with a thespian soundtrack and a serenely beautiful sense of expression the show chooses to explore interesting themes and glorify the very concept of eccentricities! The narrative uses hidden subtleties and a repetitive formula to work its way towards a climax of epic proportions propelled by the exceptionally wonderful characterization. If I were to summarize this review in one compliment I would say that nothing has been made either before or since that can be closely compared to the bizarre masterpiece that is Revolutionary Girl Utena.

Rose of Versailles - Review

The everlasting dilemma when you choose a historical setting for your story; is it more beneficial to aim for historical accuracy or inaccuracy? Pretentious historians would most likely point at "accuracy" and label it obvious while I personally think that a tone of creative liberty allows the narrative to soar into more admirable levels of grandeur. Rose of Versailles is not only famous for being among the first titles ever produced in the Shoujo genre and its strong female lead but also for the fact that it takes place before, during and after the French revolution using non-fictional characters like Marie Antoinette and Maximilien Robespierre as key figures. The inevitable ending is thus spoiled by one's standard knowledge of history, but the ride in itself and the terrific characterization is more than enough to still make the 40 episodes an entertaining ride.

Story: 7.5/10

The story takes a closer look on Oscar Francois de Jarjeyes, a tragic character born as a woman but raised as a man in an environment of fencing, horseback riding and responsibilities. I'd never dream of calling Rose of Versailles story driven in comparison to the amazingly portrayed characters, but the narrative still boasts a pretty impressive combination of twists, melodrama and dialogue. Many historical events like the infamous diamond necklace affair are used as plot devices, though in slightly altered ways, ranging from heavily changed to slightly modified.

 My interest for history aside, the excellent transitions between accuracy and inaccuracy are one of the reasons that I derived so much entertainment from this watch. You could argue that the show dwells a little on its melodrama, or that a few repetitive scenarios (like Rosalie crying in front of Oscar while stuttering her name) turns the task of watching it into a tedious one, but if you look for a somewhat educational, though not entirely trustworthy, story about the tragic life of a woman pursuing honor and the fundamental facts about the revolution, then this might be right for you.

Animation: 6/10

Compared to its temporary opponents like Galaxy Express 999, Rose of Versailles radiates extremely high production values for its time. It has since then faded into insignificance, but the relatively detailed character designs as well as a few decent moments of action are definitely impressive. Keep in mind though that this is more than thirty years old, and that you cannot expect the same quality that it's natural to do in modern times. Most moments of a more swifter haste tend to be slowed down to the point of abnormality in attempts to lower expenses, so it takes several seconds for the apple Andre throws to Oscar to reach her hands and whenever someone jumps a longer distance the same phenomena can be found.

Another aspect of the visual frontier that I relished was the creative and occasionally beautiful art direction. Shocking revelations are followed by equally dramatic facial expressions complimented by metaphorical cracking mirrors that burst onscreen. In each episode there are at least more than two dramatic close-ups (though likely many more) and while this reaches serious depths of annoyance on a few occasions, you'll get used to it.

Sound: 7.5/10

The opening theme was designed to be used in the show both verbally and instrumentally but works equally well in all cases. Worth to bring up though is that the show usually makes sure to decapitate the melody right before the chorus is about to make its entrance which seriously ruins the mood it has been so eager to establish. The soundtrack in itself is also good but does by no means deserve any praise.

What does deserve an endless amount of compliments, on the other hand, is the voice acting of Reiko Tajima who portrayed the protagonist Oscar. Her voice radiates the kind of authority and dignity that will have women and men alike experience delight and appreciate the powerful potential in her character. Other voice actors are competent in most cases, but nobody is near the most impressing vocal performance of Reiko.

Characters: 8.5/10

In the initiating paragraph of this statement, allow me to emphasize that I'm by no means a feminist. Not only has feminism reached the state in my nation where it's associated with the bizarre will to place women on pedestals and emphasize a non-existent oppression in favor of equality, but I also doubt that its followers even remember the nature of traditional feministic values.

However, if there's one thing that gets to me in Anime it's when female characterization is successfully made. Shows like Kino's Journey, Haibane Renmei and Rose of Versailles where female protagonists exist for purposes that do not include fanservice or anything alike. And that's why I heavily enjoyed watching Oscar develop throughout this show. She struggles to live her life in honor and masculinity, confronts her womanhood and attempts to oppress it in favor for her military and patriotic way of life and ultimately ends up falling in love with a man named Andre whose humble origin complicates things. Likewise, the rest of the show is heavily influenced by powerful, yet usually malicious, ladies who yearn for nothing more than power and wealth. Rose of Versailles explores corruption in its most unpleasant form and does so through a large variety of characters. Not to mention its infamous portrayal of Marie Antoinette who's luxurious and wasteful ways attracted public hate which made the bloody revolution possible.

Overall: 8/10

 Historically significant as well as a prime example of strong female characterization, Rose of Versailles entertained me while simultaneously making me realize that I should watch more shows from this era. It enjoys spending its time modestly observing flowers, sparkles and beautiful dresses, but fulfills its grander ambitions by exploring the many obstacles of royalty, the struggle of sexual identification and most fundamentally; love. On its way it throws in characters who long for democracy and glory, only to end with the inevitably grisly revolution followed by the executions that we all know lie in the future. A most pleasant watch!

Kaiba - Review

It was a gloomy Tuesday afternoon, during the final minutes of Freezing that I came to a conclusion somewhat comparable to the one Siddhartha Gautama reached when he sat under the Bodhi tree: "This crap makes me miserable".

Yup, our protagonist has a giant hole in his stomach!

Desperate for a qualitative compensation, I placed my faith in a peculiar-looking sci-fi love tale entitled Kaiba in hopes that it would follow the positive trend Madhouse seems to have established within the anime industry and this decision qualifies as one of the better ones I've made. Action-packed adventure to a reasonable degree, yet eccentrically romantic at its very core, this series is somewhat of an obscurity and I assure you that the lack of attention it's received is no valid reason for skipping it.

Story: 9/10

Straight from episode 1 it's clear that Madhouse tries to pull off a narrative in a reversed timeline as the first scene shows a strange boy waking up to discover that he has no memories.The setting is that of a future where memories can be transformed into data and transported from different bodies and as the world is explored more thoroughly, we also receive shattered pieces of information about the protagonist. These do little more than confuse you at first but prove to be vital if you want to comprehend the latter part of the show.

Pulling off a story with such an unconventional timeline takes creativity, but Madhouse is up to the challenge. Amongst the numerous clever plot twists and shocking revelations they bring up several questions of relevance; can the concept of a free will truly exist in a world where memories and one’s physical form is so easy to tamper with? And is a technological advancement that trivializes the vitality of one's memories and the body one was born into, an insult to nature and life itself? Another issue that becomes relevant with body-swapping and such is the less pleasant topic of sexuality that happens to be a not precisely prominent but still featured theme. People in the Kaiba universe have been known to download false sexual memories for their own pleasures, as well as create their own collections of mindless children to abuse; all of this depravity glanced upon occasionally as viewers are encouraged to either accept it as a natural development or turn to more technophobic values.

Kaiba proves to be an intellectually satisfying ride with an equal ability to confuse and enlighten. Remain concentrated though, and I promise that everything will turn clear when the show is finished!

Animation: 9/10

O_O

From the more experimental depths of studio Madhouse comes a mind-numbingly amazing piece of visual eye-candy that would justify watching Kaiba even if the story was horrendous. Eccentric character designs merge with a world of strange shapes and colors that use the full potential of sky-high production values to be about as memorable as the animation in Mononoke. 

Action scenes are usually impressive, and my only real complaint is that a few episodes (the latter ones in particular) seem to fail in bringing the same visual splendor to the screen as their predecessors.

Sound: 7.5/10

It could be argued that Kaiba's soundtrack is way too minor to fit a story of such extravagance, but just like in Serial Experiments I saw the muted use of music to be both favorable and negative. Most of the scores are memorable and well-made, but there are many emotional key moments that are accompanied with nothing but silence. The emotional punches tend to hit you effectively regardless thanks to excellent scripting and voice acting, but obviously they would have reached even higher levels of impact if they were backed up by some music. 

The opening theme, as well as the ending theme, is a calm and most fitting song that lays out expectations for the sci-fi love story you're about to see. 

Characters: 8/10

D'awwwww

In the end, this section is not rated positively due to an abundance of likeable characters. In truth, the individuality in Kaiba is so muted due to the constant swapping of bodies that you might end up perceiving each character as pretty much devoid of any form of personality. What becomes important is thus the way they interact and change over time, and in the end you might discover that they were in fact better than you thought.

Without resorting to spoilers I might just add that many characters are revealed to hold extremely fundamental secrets related to their actual identities that are exposed later on, but only implied in earlier scenarios. Your personal perception is bound to change over time as you learn new, unpredictable, things about characters that seemed trivial at first. Said unpredictability is most likely one of the key factors to Kaiba’s awesomeness.

Overall: 9/10

Though-provoking, extremely well structured and filled to the brim with frame after frame of artistic wonder; Kaiba is that rare anime that has shockingly few flaws that can be exposed. I also reckon that it's rewatch-friendly as it might be fun to search for details in the storyline when you're already familiar with the most basic aspects of the world. Warmly recommended anime from a person who rarely likes anything this much!

Mnemosyne - Review

Looking back on this review I wrote a while ago, god I can be pretentious at certain times... even thought it's a trait I tend to despise... anyways, here's a review of "Mnemosyne"; an insanely explicit anime that nonetheless is quite good. Hopefully I'm kind of able to explain why?

Mnemosyne is the
godess of memories
in Greek mythology

Story: 7/10

There can be no denial that Mnemosyne assembles its stylistic components from the cinematic gutter; the vast majority of frames are carefully reserved for outbursts of explicit sexuality or shock-inducing material in general, and as such one would expect the final product to be an obscene mosaic of pretentious mayhem. However, thanks to the careful navigation of the narrative and an approach that doesn’t adhere too willingly to the standardized norms of wanna-be-pornographic animation, Mnemosyne can proudly receive the prestigious award as a gem within a genre of nasties. But implement your approach of it with caution; as the anime equivalent of a Grindhouse-reminiscent exploitation flick I doubt I need to emphasize its inability to appeal to a more mainstream audience.

Leaving the painfully obvious moral objections aside, what Mnemosyne gathers support the most from, when disregarding its thespian soundtrack, is its beneficial determination to observe a world that’s constantly developing. Initially choosing its setting as the cold war era seen from the perspective of contemporary Tokyo, the story is swift to elaborate its perception of the past to post-millennium Japan that eventually escalates into a highly technological future. Furthermore, the inescapable possibility of technology subduing humanity into a state of passivity is explored hastily and is then incorporated into concepts like immortality and sexual desire.

The original chain of events blesses the narrative with commercial gold; potential viewers won’t be quick to judge a concept they haven’t encountered before as uninteresting, and spectating a unique tale unfold is a delight that’s rarely experienced. I'll admit that a pre-occupation with explicit sexuality possesses the power of making any narrative effort seem tragically futile, and if you sincerely believed that disturbingly detailed rape scenes belonged solely in the realm of hentai, then you were sadly mistaken. Mnemosyne has a tendency of ignoring the unwritten laws of decorum with provocative courage, but during certain key moments it manages to introduce taboos like bondage with an almost admirable sophistication that can’t be found anywhere else. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone whom I don’t know particularly well, but if you believe your perceptional skills are capable of overlooking growing numbers of paraphilia’s and sometimes unnecessary nudity, then I’d easily suggest that you give Mnemosyne a chance. It may use an almost offensive degree of its resources to create a repulsive panorama of gore and glorified BDSM, but it's insanely entertaining so can't we at least stop pretending that we're bothered by objectifications and sleaze and just lose ourself in the plot? Who knows, the somewhat satisfying end may even leave you with an equally satisfying sense of conclusion that's rarely savored these days.

Characters: 6.5/10

The exceptionally small cast provides an excellent advantage in characterization, but upon realizing the commercial appeal in explicit lesbianism, the creators decided to go for a more one-dimensional approach.

Rin; our protagonist

Don't misinterpret; Rin experiences her various misadventures with aggressively executed stunts and a polished persona that generates sympathy and fascination in equal amounts for her audience. Her not-even-remotely-interesting side-kick, Mimi, on the other hand was designed as the very epitome of sexism; her will to sexually satisfy in return for valuable information is abused gleefully by other women, and the girlish "qualities" of her voice actress contributed generously to the justified sense of disgust I experienced whenever she allowed herself to participate in some good old bed rocking.

The male characters come attached with similar plethoras of pros and cons aswell; While Maneo's complex personality and deeply embedded emotions make him one of the more interesting persons, he is cruelly bashed into the realm of minor characters as his existence plays no part in the impending climax.

A wasted potential among the virtuous characters is one thing, but a menacing antagonist that counterparts the goodies can navigate most plotlines into benevolence, and this role is righteously assigned to hermaphrodite angel Apos. His fair share of memorable poses as the dominator of subdued females wearing ball-gags work effectively in the struggle to portray him as pure malice, and on the visual plane he often accompanies scenes of morbid grandeur with his insatiable thirst for blood. As one of the most devilishly sadistic characters in anime he is easily able to leave a quite strong, and quite important impression.

Animation: 8/10

Anime: glorifying BDSM since 1982! Seriously though,
Mnemosyne is depraved, but it has lots of redeemable
qualities.

The action-orientated sequences are welcomed additions that temporary replace the more dialogue-driven narrative with buckets of guilty pleasures that promote fun rather than compelling eloquence. Benefitting heavily from the fluid moment, but establishing themselves as memorable through the use of innovative battle techniques, the constantly occurring fights complement the virtue of calm progression with an even more necessary diversity.

The real source of the visual grandeur, however, can be traced to the splendid artwork that propels the story forward with impeccable accuracy. The sacred existence of the Yggdrasill tree is acknowledged and highlighted through the careful use of illuminated spores slowly brooding throughout the extent of our universe, and the descents of malicious angels are finalized by the morbidly exquisite misery they invoke in their victims. During several occasions I wanted to do nothing else but to pause a specific episode and lose myself in the visual poetry of one particular frame, and savor the delight of comprehending such overwhelming beauty. I would have succumbed to these impulses if it weren’t for the fact that even a minor moment of passivity would derive heavily from the viewing experience.

Sound: 8/10

The opening theme disobeys the time-honored tradition of screeching out J-pop as if it was verbal candy, through the diligent use of scrappy metal that undergoes a metamorphose into a more beautiful entity. This transition is allowed to occur mainly because of the fairly poetic lyrics; not even the exceptionally prominent engrish can muddle their philosophical implications.

The soundtrack itself clings beautifully in symbiosis with the competent voice actors; the gruesome balance between the gore and beauty found in the visual section is enhanced remarkably by the diverse and beautifully composed musical score.  For moments characterized by a swifter pace the initially soothing music surrenders itself in benefit for loud drumbeats, establishing a good rhythm for pursuits to run their courses; with all things in consideration Mnemosyne boasts one of the more impressive soundtrack I’ve encountered.

Overall: 7/10 (remove 2 points if you're sensitive...)

Mnemosyne clings to its fanservice proportions with an almost despicable determination to use sex appeal as an advantage. However, it's occupation with sexual innuendos swiftly transitions into paraphilic exercises in gruesome sadism that's unlikely to earn any appeal from a mainstream audience, and as such it's able to escape the pursuing feeling that it was designed to sell. You can degrade its aesthetics in a large variety of ways, most prominently by illuminating the fact that it introduces notable portions of sleaze into an otherwise beautiful narrative, but unless you're easily offended by the possibilities of "wanna-be NC-17" animation you should be able to find at least the smallest indicator of something more endearing than lesbian nuns participating in group sex.

Captain Harlock - Review

The seemingly endless afternoon I spent reading an Anime encyclopedia a few months ago did not only provide me with more insight on glorified child pornography than I would have ever imagined: it also displayed a mysterious picture of a woman under the title "Queen Emeraldas." Somehow fascinated by a few passages describing the Leijiverse, I spent some time researching Leiji Matsumoto on the internet and eventually ended up seeing Captain Harlock. I approached this, by comparison to most other anime, antiquity with high expectations. It turned out to differ quite fundamentally from my personal vision of warfare and human drama, but by no means did it disappoint me. In this review I explain why.

Story: 7.5/10

After a quick narration that  introduces earth, which has developed for 900 years from our time into a state of apathy and corruption, the story initiates with a form of episodic nature. The protagonist captain Harlock finds himself in trouble every time he visits Mayu, the daughter of one of his past comrades. As he is an outlaw, the prime minister on earth is determined to use Mayu in order to trap the infamous space pirate, but fails each time. Meanwhile we're introduced to other characters who eventually come to complement the crew on Arcadia; Harlock's space ship.

The Arcadia - Harlock's ship

The story takes its time to pick up, but by the time you grow attached to the characters and the real point of the narration reveals itself, watching the show turns into an addiction. As an extraterrestrial race attempts to invade earth, Harlock and his crew sets out to protect the very planet they've abandoned. Known as the Mazone, their enemies engage in psychological and biological warfare in the name of their beloved but merciless queen Rafflesia. Turbulent space battles are combined with a profound sense of melancholia in an epic adventure that reaches admirable heights of quality. It relies more heavily on characterization than plot progression, but with plenty of twists up its sleeve, the story of Captain Harlock quickly leaves behind its initially boring episodes and blasts off towards awesomeness.

Animation: 5/10

Though not below standard for its time, Captain Harlock is still unable to reach equal heights of splendor when it comes to animation that contemporary contestants like Rose of Versailles and Mobile Suit Gundam did. Movement tends to be awkward and the numbers of mistakes you find throughout the series are far too many to list. Admittedly though, the character designs of Leiji Matsumoto are what make the show stand out. Minor characters are usually subdued to a state of cartoonism but Harlock and other various noble characters we meet later on are somewhat detailed and well made. Women tend to have long beautiful hair and slender bodies and overall there's something unique over the proportions and the eyes of the characters that the otherwise poor animation benefits heavily from.

Unfortunately, the space battles are unable to reach compelling levels as the animation does not allow that to happen. This is not a particularly big loss as the primary focus on the show lies within the characters and dialogue. It might put some people off though.

Sound: 7.5/10

The soundtrack is equipped with a large variety of instruments and several songs designed specifically to fit the content of the story. As such, the opening theme is a direct reference to Harlock's dedication to protect earth despite its corrupted state. 

A usual occurrence is that the characters themselves grab an instrument to play in a sudden state of melancholia. Whether it's Mayu playing on her ocarina or the mysterious extraterrestrial female Miime diligently using her harp, it's an interesting thing to see such a large portion of the soundtrack comprised of their melodies. Another memorable scene is when Harlock and his crew (SPOILERSPOILERSPOILERSPOILER) face to face. Mysterious voices that reminded me of Suspiria dominated the soundtrack at that moment and truly emphasized what mysterious creatures the Mazone are.

Voice acting deserves some praise as well, in particular that of Captain Harlock. 

Characters: 8/10

I realized it sooner than I thought, but during the 42 episodes I fell in love with the characters. Somewhat detailed characterization is a very big priority in the show, and most of the crewmembers aboard the Arcadia get their moments under the spotlight in the form of monologues or flashbacks. United by their inability to find their places in life on earth, as well as their common enemy, they all have harrowing stories of sorrow and agony to tell. Perhaps most memorable among the crewmembers is the mysterious and melancholic Miime. As the sole survivor of her kind she suffers from a grand feeling of alienation and loneliness. She swears to follow the man who saved her (Harlock) whether he chooses to roam the sea of space throughout the remainder of his life or venture deep into the pits of hell. 

Even amongst the vicious Mazone there are several interesting characters to follow; Queen Rafflesia being the most prominent one. Bewildered over Harlock's dedication to protect the very earth he despises she tries hard to understand her enemy. We also get to witness her initially prideful and strong persona undergo a gruesome metamorphosis to the point of desperation and cruelty. The one thing that's for sure though is that Leiji Matsumoto remains somewhat neutral in his depiction of humans and the Mazone. He makes sure to emphasize both virtues and corruption on both opposing sides, and even though the Mazone in general are depicted as malicious, their actions and feelings succeed at generating sympathy. 

Overall: 7.5/10

It only hints the grandeur within the Leijiverse, but Captain Harlock is a rewarding experience not only because of the excellent and loveable characters, but also thanks to its well applied soundtrack and narration. It also introduces a character whom I know little of, but who I find absolutely fascinating, a woman named Emeraldas who seems to be a female equivalent of Harlock. There's still a long way to go but I plan to continue exploring the Leijiverse, and hopefully I'll have the time and energy to review other titles as well.