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.

Re-watching Macross Zero part four. I really love this episode. So very glad that the production people have taken the time to make a character development episode, not that the aerial scenes weren't mouth-watering awesome, or that the culture of the island weren't making my inner-anthropology student squee with glee. It's just that this episode have re-enforced a wonderful fact for me.

Roy Fokker owns.

Yes, he does. Macross Zero will answer so many questions to the Macross/Robotech universe. Yes it will.

On Yukikaze. My reaction to the series is one of curiousity. The designs are pretty and the storyline intriguing enough, but Macross Zero's aerial/action sequences beat the former hands down. Yukikaze's aerial sequences are chunky and really slow in comparison to MZ. I mean really slow. Thus, I'm confused at people's reaction on viewing Yukikaze's aerial sequences as competition to MZ. There is NO comparison. MZ is like a priceless piece of antique while Yukikaze is like new age art. Well, not that bad but close enough.

In addition, while I find the series intriguing I find the main character a bit of a, uh, well a bit of a card board cut-out ^^;; But I'll await for more of this series, 'cos you know I'm sure Rei will develop more of a personality *crosses finger* If not I shall entertain myself by re-watching MZ, and worship the ground that Roy Fokker walks on ^__^

Tenjou Tenge. I NEED more of this series. Right NOW! Oh, how I love my shounen fight series when it is properly animated. The action sequences are soooo smooth, soooo fast, soooo well animated *cries in tears of joy* The opening sequence is a creation of pure genius that I suspect was conjured up from a crack-addled mind. NEED MORE!

Midori No Hibi. I am falling in love with this series. Honest. It shouldn't work. It really should NOT work. Guy waking up with a girl as his right hand shouldn't work. But everything just clicks. It's truly funny, and Seiji and Midori are just damn cute. Beside, Seiji's sister rocks. Really, truly rock. Love! Love!

Avoiding Samurai Seven until I think I'll be able to view it without bursting a vein. It will happen. Eventually.