Tsunami Channel - Want Moe?

"Reviews" by Konstantin
(2007-03-20)

Kanon (2006) - KyoAni does it again! I remember how excited I was when I first heard that they were remaking the Kanon anime, and now that it's over I'm happy to say that it has lived up to my expectations. Though I still haven't gotten around to playing the game, each character's story now makes a lot more sense, since this incarnation had a full 24 episodes to work with instead of the original's 13. And while I think there were some pacing issues early on (cutting an episode or two from the Makoto arc would have helped keep things moving) and I have some subjective fanboy gripes (zOMG moar Shiori plz, and while we're at it, how about a Nayuki ending?), all in all the show was touching and very well executed. The art and animation are as gorgeous as I've grown to expect from KyoAni, and while the music isn't as heartachingly beautiful as Air's, there is still a fair number of truly memorable pieces, particularly the opener and Mai's theme. Final Grade: A

Asatte no Houkou - A show that asks one of great questions that have perplexed man since the dawn of time: is this loli? The plot revolves around two characters, 12-year-old Karada and twentysomething Shouko, swapping ages when a shrine grants their respective wishes, and living to regret it. In spite of the silliness of the premise, the show treats the characters and their predicament seriously and offers plenty of character development as each tries to adjust to her situation and deal with the issues that led to the wish in the first place. Although somewhat slow-paced, the show is quirky and interesting, and has some really pretty background art (reminds me a lot of the original To Heart anime, which is not surprising since it was drawn by the the same guy). About the only disappointment is the main male character (who fortunately is not the protagonist), who looks like a generic eroge lead (down to the face-covering haircut) and has about as much personality as one. Final Grade: B+

Magical Pokaan - Cute little 12-epper that's pure fluff, but entertaining fluff for the most part. The show is mostly a collection of half-episode skits featuring the modern world misadventures of the four princesses of the Netherworld - a witch, a werewolf, a vampire, and an android. Unfortunately, each half-episode leads up to a single gag, and while some of the gags use the buildup to hilarious effect, others fall flat from the start and wouldn't have been able to carry a single scene, let alone half an episode. This gives the show a pretty laid back feel, though, so it might be just the thing to watch after crawling home from a day of server configuration. The biggest selling point for MagiPoka is its character designs. All the girls are cute (Liru in particular is made of 100% pure sex) and the animators never miss a chance at [never!] gratuitous fanservice. Other neat features are catchy OP and ED songs, the former being the most serious bit in the entire show and the latter having a separate in-character version by each of the seiyuu (including Hirano Aya, who's the best thing to happen to seiyuu music since Sakamoto Maaya). Final Grade: B-