Spent yesterday (long weekend) catching up on anime.

Finished watching Ergo Proxy, Yukikaze and Karas. Strangely enough my brain is still operational and all OK.

Ergo Proxy AKA The End Notes to each episode is longer than the Reading List for my Philosophy units

Plot: C+
An interesting premise, however, it was dragged down by some truly confusing plot contrivances that was never explained nor shown properly. Though it held together well enough for viewers to gain an instinctive understanding of the overall plot if not the intricacies.

Characterisation: A
Wow. Fully realised characters; a female lead that is smart, quirky and real (HAHAHA, excuse the pun. The female lead's character is called Real Mayer). Hell, she EXERCISES to stay fit. By the end of the series you gain a very comprehensive understanding of the characters, and while you may not like all of them you do pity them.

Yukikaze AKA Hey, A Molesting Plane and stuff NEVER explained

Plot: F+
The only reason it didn't get a F- is the because the last 2 minutes wasn't a complete failure.

Characterisation: C
I like angsty main characters; I just don't like angsty main characters with very little redeeming features. Surprisingly enough the female characters and Jack saved the show for me.

Karas AKA OMFG! An ACTUAL story that MAKES sense!

Plot: A
It gets an A because it didn't fall under the trap of BELIEVING itself to be too 'Oh, So PHILOSOPHICALLY smart, that NO ONE can understands our Brilliance’. I’m looking at you Yukikaze, you and your pretty and ATMOSPHERE but NEVER bothering giving a shit about your audience. Screw you.

Characterisation: B-
Too short to really like any of the characters. Relies very much on anime archetypes, though the lack of over the top angst and a semi-competent hero (who DOESN'T whine) makes the main cast bearable. It is the series' supporting cast that brings the show to a B- when it comes to characterisation. They were all so very interesting; from the girl who acts in TV commercials and dress up in fast food Mascot outfits to make a living to the detective with a body full of charms because he believes in youkai. There is just something so brilliant vibrant about each of the minor characters, like the animators and directors made an extra effort to make each of them unique and interesting. So, despite the cardboard cut-out of a main cast the supporting cast was absolutely brilliant.

In Conclusion
Overall, watch Karas for something a bit different, shiny and UNDERSTANDABLE. Watch Ergo Proxy when you have some time and don't mind working for your entertainment (liker READ all the notes the fansubbers leave you, or you know, read ALL the books or at least wiki the references to understand the LAYERS of plot intricacies). And finally, watch Yukikaze when you have nothing better to do, or you know, like watching pretty things on a visual level... though graphically speaking Karas is of the higher calibre.

I do want to spend some more time talking about Ergo Proxy but today is not that day.