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Jul 31, 2025
It kinda saddened me to drop Mushishi, because it should be a good anime by every metric. The author clearly has the ability to write emotionals stories woven in the complexity of Mushishi's world. The direction and soundtrack know exactly which buttons to push for maximum impact. But ultimately, this series shoots itself in the foot with how poorly it treats its episodic format
Each episode is a standalone tale, with virtually no links between the episodes besides Ginko, our protagonist. This means that the show gives itself 25 minutes to establish new characters, establish the setting of the episode, establish a hook/conflict, follow the established
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storyline of the week, resolve the conflict, develop its themes, etc from the ground-up every single episode. Now I know I'm literally just describing what an episodic series is, but Mushishi has it significantly worse than its peers.
To demonstrate what I mean, I'm going to compare Mushishi to Natsume Yuujinchou, sometimes called "Mushishi lite". Here, we see Natsume grow each episode as he interacts with different youkai and allows different parts of his personality shine and develop with each scenario. Watching Natsume grow keeps me engaged with him as a character, and since I am engaged with him, I am more attached to the 20 minute escapades he takes even if they were only developed over a short period of time. The impact of these individual episodes (that I am now paying more attention to) on Natsume makes me more invested in his character, and this forms a sort of feedback loop for engagement that makes the series a very enjoyable watch. On the other hand, there aren't really any episodes in Mushishi that are about the protagonist we follow throughout the series. All the stories are pretty much based around characters we have never met before that face one challenge then are never to be seen again in the series. As such, Mushishi isn't really a 26 episode anime series, it's just a compilation of 26 short stories that don't have much of anything to do with each other.
Now these short stories are genuinely of pretty high quality. I think they are executed as well as they can and milk a lot more from an individual episode than most anime can. But that's all it really is; an individual episode. To me, Mushishi can never be "great" series, because it can only be as good as its best 25 minute story. Most fiction I engage with take hours upon hours to develop characters, themes and make the journey as detailed as possible, and I simply don't believe a short 25 minute scenario can ever hold a candle to the amount of depth that can be explored in a longer format of storytelling. Natsume Yuujinchou's episodic nature frequently involves one-off characters and short storylines, but at least we have the common thread of Natsume and the people around him to watch. It gives me a reason to want to keep watching the show; because I want to see these characters and their interactions more. Mushishi simply doesn't give me any such reason. After finishing an episode of Mushishi, I have no reason to look forward to the next episode. It doesn't give me anything to expect. And this disengagement with the series as a whole leaks into an increasing disengagement with each individual story, almost like an inverse of the feedback loop I mentioned earlier.
The main selling point of this show is in how it's "atmospheric", but that really isn't enough to make an anime "good". If all I wanted was atmosphere, I could go on nature walks instead of being in my room watching anime. There needs to be substance to a story, not just style (there are exceptions to this actually but just know that Mushishi isn't one of them).
Each episode of Mushishi is still really good for what its limited run time allows. I might come back to it in the future if I feel like it even, but right now, I'd just rather invest my time in a new series that has the potential to to be extremely enjoyable, rather than something I know can't really get any better than it is.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Jan 11, 2023
**This is a review for both the main anime and the movie.
Your first impression of Revue Starlight may be that of a generic Shoujo or Idol-ish show, however prepare to have every one of your expectations subverted in a magnificent fashion.
This series is a beautifully complex, coming of age fever dream that doesn't hesitate to throw out every scrap of logic that exists out of the window. Telepathic giraffes? Life-size replicas of Tokyo Tower flying all over the place? The viewer is constantly kept on their toes, with these maddening images often serving as extremely powerful metaphors and symbols. Due to this Avant Garde-like trait,
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every watcher can extract a different personal message from this anime, enabling the themes to be much more engaging and relevant to each person, along with exponentially increasing RS's replay value.
Admittedly, on first watch, the first 4 or so episodes are bland. The characters are flat, the plot is basic and the themes are weak. However, once the world and the character dynamics are established, this show instantly begins dissecting them; characters are broken down, motives are questioned, relationships are strained; with all this serving as a stage for all of RS's brilliantly woven themes.
Using a music/theater school as the backdrop is simply a genius decision; not only allowing the director to capture the energy and naivete of youth, but also enabling the stage to act as a metaphor for life itself. This is setting is further utilized by the sequel movie; whose melancholier beginning about graduation and moving forward in life perfectly sets the tone for all of the subsequent themes explored within this 2 hour master piece.
The movie is exceedingly aware of its place as a continuation of the end, and uses this knowledge to its advantage in order to enhance the viewing experience as a whole. Not only does it serve as a coming of age story about personal growth and evolution, it also acts as a meta commentary on the entertainment industry as a whole, where we learn about these characters, not as meagre actors, but as humans, that will never stop evolving, even without an audience.
The main cast of Revue Starlight consists of 9 high school girls, all with unique ambitions and goals to work towards. Through this fever dream of an anime, all their inner thoughts, insecurities and hidden secrets are all materialized into this insane world, allowing the plot to break down these aspects into their core components. Is it justified to sacrifice others for your own victory? Is it okay to remain entrapped by a single glimmer in a sky filled with so many more stars? This anime presents the audience with many such dilemmas, where the answer is never shown as black or white, but rather as yet another small act on the grand scheme of life's play.
In the end, Revue Starlight is a show with virtually no parallels. It is not only one of the most unique shows I have watched, but also one of the best. It is the ultimate story about moving forward conveyed through some of the most bright and masterful direction this medium has ever seen. It is simply a star that'll shine forever.
Thanks for reading.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Dec 23, 2022
Pandora Hearts is a story that cannot be described in a single word. Mind-melding, convoluted, and above all else, beautiful, this manga treats the reader to a rollercoaster of emotions they could never experience in a million years.
This piece of literature cannot be overstated. From it's fascinating world to the horrors of a hellish alternate dimension called "the Abyss", Pandora Hearts manages to surprise you in every measurable metric. At the beginning, the story may seem fast-paced, or the characters could be considered tropey, however Jun Mochizuki doesn't take much time to unmask to true nature of the universe she created.
The story itself may
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be too complex and spoiler-heavy to discuss, however there are minor flaws that one can nitpick upon. In terms of its place as a mystery, it is nothing less of compelling, with each scrap of evidence dispersed throughout the chapters slowly piecing themselves together into a beautiful picture: the truth. Despite this, it was as if all the clues to solve this mystery weren't presented to the reader. We see things that we had no idea could even happen, and at the end of it all, I couldn't help but feel as if I was cheated. Regardless, this is a flaw that is easy to look past, and doesn't necessarily take away from the satisfaction of it all; the satisfaction of perfectly pieced puzzle.
The pacing is another aspect that could be perfected, but this is only bothersome in the beginning. Once the reader gets to the bulk of the drama and action, they begin to understand the complex circumstances surrounding the world better, and aren't constantly forcing themselves to go with a flow they can't comprehend.
Don't let all this criticism avert your eyes from the fact that this has one of the single best plots I have ever seen. The suspense keeps you on the edge of your seat. The symbolisms are multi-layered. The world is beyond refreshing and can be experienced again and again perpetually. Everything may seem confusing at the start, where the reader, just like the protagonist, has no clue what is going on, but this Kafkaesque atmosphere only serves to enhance the ultimate pay-off you reach after this 100 chapter journey.
Pandora Hearts is exceedingly ambitious thematically. From the ideas of loss to acceptance to self-sacrifice to friendship, this vast array of themes allows this manga to appeal to most audiences. Realistically, anyone who reads this could interpret it differently, giving Pandora Hearts a re-readable quality and truly shows the effort and mastery put into this piece of art.
The characters are all well-developed and feel human. Despite the massive cast, everyone is given a respectable amount of screen time in tandem with a unique and enjoyable personality. It's mostly because of these characters that so many different themes and feelings can be expressed. Those 2 aspects of the story work hand in hand to amplify each other's significance, making this story more unforgettable than it already is.
The art is jaw-dropping, and you can really see it's quality increase over this manga's 9-year serialization. As the series progresses, we see more page-wide panels where each individual stroke conveys the terror of a looming monster or the joy of spending time with your friends. Naturally, there are manga out there with much better art than Pandora Hearts, but it serves its purpose perfectly in this scenario, and there is no moment where anyone would genuinely wish for better art.
Ultimately, Pandora Hearts is unmatched. There will be no other manga with so much love and care poured into the construction of its intricate world, and no other manga that will give you an unparalleled feeling of joy once you clear those final, long-lasting pages.
Thanks for reading.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jul 29, 2022
(P.S. This is my first review, don't be too harsh on me)
In simple words, Aria is an anime series about life. I had fallen in love with Animation and Natural, and seeing that Origination had a significantly higher score and number of favorites, I assumed this was a departure from the episodic, light-hearted tales from the prior seasons. I assumed that there would be more drama, perhaps a tone shift, perhaps more elaborate themes. But I was mistaken. The tone didn't shift. Aria remained just as heart-warming and beautiful as it always was.
After completing origination, the only word I could think of to describe
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it was 'wonderful', after all, I had never seen anything so full of wonders as it. Origination presents a significant spike of quality within the series, in terms of both production and story-writing. The 2 seasons prior to this, Animation and Natural, didn't have any real goal in mind. Aria the Animation focused on people, their relationships and how one lives there life. Aria the Natural showed us the wonders that the world around us has to offer. The final installment, Aria the Origination tells us the point of it all. Why we cherish moments we find dear. Why we look for happiness in this world. I have never cried watching an anime, TV show, movie or literally any piece of fiction for that matter, but I couldn't help crying when I realised that these 3 girls (Akari, Alice and Aika) we have followed these past 40 episodes, these girls who showed us, the viewers, the love that exists in life, these very girls would grow up. They would move forward in life. There was something in me that didn't want them to move forward, I didn't want to those beautiful moments I had with them to end, despite every theme in the show presented so far encouraging me to be happy for them to move forward (which I was of course). This anime is undoubtedly as life-changing as everyone else makes it out to be, but don't forget to watch the 2 prior seasons (and the OVA).
The art and sound are simply outstanding. Very few shows have blown me away with their raw skill in direction, but Aria was one of them. Every shot is beautiful and the colour palette is relaxing to the eyes. The voice acting isn't too impressive, but the OSTs are beyond amazing. The soft plucks of the guitar as we enjoy a day at the seaside to the high-pitched piano melodies on a snowy evening. OP is really great too, I usually skip OPs, but this is one of the few shows where I felt like just leaving it on. I can't say the same for the ED though.
All the characters are 3-dimensional and all of them are best girl. They all have distinguishable personally traits that some may attribute to generic troupes, but they all feel human during moments of emotion. They all have that wish for their friends to have the best life possible, and they all have inherent flaws. My favourite character is Aria-shachou (it's amazing how there isn't a single bad scene with him on screen), but our main character, Akari Mizunashi, definitely deserves to be crowned the best-written. She is a living ray of sunshine and is just someone you want to succeed in life.
There isn't any 'story' so to speak of, the show is very episodic. We're realistically just watching a handful of characters' everyday life, but even so it is perfect. We see how these characters learn from this life, cherish it, and find happiness in it. There may be no plot, but you will end up crying nonetheless. If anything, the lack of a plot to want you to keep watching is this series' biggest flaw, but apart from that there isn't much. The world is built very well however there are some logic errors that can be derived from the show's raw premise (set in a few hundred years in the future in a terraformed Mars) but it isn't something that hinders your enjoyment.
This may very well be the only show that I wished would last forever, but all good things must come to an end. It may not have been the best, but it was definitely the most beautiful journey I have ever experienced. Thank you for reading so far, and I hope this makes you want to give this anime a try.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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