It's time to talk about an anime I mentioned
in a previous post, my runner-up for best new show of the 2014 Summer
anime season, Aldnoah.Zero! This show is being helmed by another dream
team consisting of Gen Urobuchi (writer of Fate/Zero, Madoka
Magica, Psycho Pass), Ei Aoki (director of Fate/Zero, Wandering Son,
Garden of Sinners), and Hiroyuki Sawano (Kill la Kill, Attack on Titan,
Blue Exorcist) composing the music! Aldnoah.Zero takes place in an
alternate present where mechs are commonplace in the military and
humanity has colonized Mars. During the colonization a powerful
technology known as "The light of Aldnoah" was discovered thus allowing
Martian technology to far surpass that of the lowly "Terrans." After an
act of terrorism the Martians have the excuse they need to flex their
proverbial muscles and invade the planet Earth.
I can't help
but notice the strong similarities between this show and Code Geass in
regards to the plot. I loved Code Geass so I have no problem with this.
It helps that the main character doesn't seem to have any type of
superpower like Lelouch, it makes the story more human. My only
complaint is that the main character, Inaho, is comically devoid of
emotion. In one scene, as he notices a missile fly past his group of
friends, he calmly suggests that maybe they should think of moving.
It's REALLY weird. Maybe his lack of emotions will become a plot point
in future episodes but for now it is just strange. Regardless, I am
hooked on this show! It is off to a great start and I highly recommend
giving it a shot!
It is available via Crunchyroll.
This title is officially my favorite of the
current season! Aldnoah.Zero being a very close second. Terror in
Resonance (Zankyou no Terror) is the newest work from the dream team of
Shinichiro Watanabe (Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, Space
Dandy), Yoko Kanno (Wolf's Rain, Cowboy Bebop, Escaflowne), and
animation studio Mappa (an offshoot of Madhouse [Hunter X Hunter,
Redline, Ninja Scroll]). The production levels on this show are as
superb as one would assume with a pedigree like that! The very basic
premise centers around a pair of teenage terrorists and a female high
school student they manage to rope into their twisted plot for revenge.
Why they are willing to go to such extremes is the big mystery thus
far. This show may be hard for some people to watch, especially those
affected by the 9/11 attacks and/or the Boston bombing. One cannot help
but draw correlations between this series and those tragic events.
If that is not an issue for you then there's no reason you shouldn't
give this show a chance. It has its own twisted style that sucks you
right in and has you on the edge of your seat in a desperate need to
learn more about these disturbed individuals. What trauma could have
been inflicted upon them that would justify this level of retaliation???
It's a question that I can't wait to learn the answer to!
It is simulcasting on Funimation for subscribers with the free streaming popping up on Hulu a week later. Check it out!
P.S. I haven't forgot about SAO 2, I'm just waiting to see a couple
more episodes. It has started off rather slowly. Keep an eye out for
it soon!
Just
finished watching the premier of Sailor Moon Crystal. While I don't
have the nostalgia factor that many of my friends do for Sailor Moon, I
found it to be a pleasant little show. It has solid production values
and good pacing. I already like it better than what I've seen of the
original series (about 12 episodes). I don't love the original but I
certainly don't hate it either, it makes for
good background noise. Thankfully Usagi is nowhere near as obnoxious
in Crystal, that is the one thing I don't care for in the original
series. Crystal seems to have found a much better balance between the
comedy and main plot line. Admittedly I have never read any of the
Sailor Moon manga so I'm not sure which is more accurate (I would assume
Crystal is).
In summation: Sailor Moon Crystal is a must-see
for fans of the original. It has the potential to be a "gateway anime"
for a new generation of fans that will ensure this title remains
important to the medium. It is streaming on Crunchyroll, Hulu, and
NicoNico.
Next up: Sword Art Online II
