Hoshikozu Telepath: Touching Foreheads is a Sign of Affection, I saw it in Suddenly Human

Hoshikozu Telepath was a late 2023 anime from Studio Gokumi based off of a manga by Ookuma Rasuko. I have reviewed some Gokumi anime before: Yuuki Yuuna wa Yusha de Aru, Tonari no Kyuuketsuki-san, A-Channel and the god awful Dansai Bunri no Crime Edge. Let’s hope this is more like the other stuff I’ve reviewed of theirs and not that one.

Story:

Konohoshi Umika is an incredibly awkward girl who doesn’t fit in with people in general. I relate. She dreams about going into space and meeting aliens who will understand her. I still relate. Her life is turned upside down when a strange girl arrives at her school and declares herself to be an alien. Umika is immediately drawn to her. Can’t relate to that one but I wish I could. The story involves their budding friendship, which quickly starts growing into more and their quest to build a rocket to take them both into space. Naturally, they start small with various forms of miniature rockets. Fortunately for them, they make some friends who can help them along.

My only real issue with the story is that it stops dead in its tracks multiple times to explain the specifics of building model rockets. It really takes you out of the narrative when Raimon or Kei just starts going into ultra specific details about model rockets. I’m sure someone will argue that “it’s educational” but that doesn’t make it narratively cohesive. All those PSAs that used to get added to the end of American cartoons were educational too but they were still the worst part.

On the positive side, the anime is insanely cute. I appreciate the fact that its sci-fi elements are toned down to make it more relatable, including having the girls start small and do something within the realm of possibility for High School girls. Though I can get fully behind a more zany, over the top comedy there is something to be said for the more toned down, relatable approach. Most of the jokes are also really good. It also provides a solid sense of hardships and the girls going through a steep learning curve. They don’t just become masters through a short montage or have some uncanny knack for building rockets. There’s also a great little theme of finding a place to belong that we see all our main characters engage with to varying degrees.

Characters:

The thing I adore about the cast of characters is that they all have complexity, realistic motivations and character flaws. While I maintain that comedic characters don’t necessarily need those attributes, it is nice to see ones who have them.

Umika has extreme social anxiety and starts out only being comfortable with Yuu and her own relatives but we start to see her gradually putting an effort into socialising and the group of people she can talk to expands. Yuu has a much more extroverted outlook but that covers up a loneliness and sense of loss over not remembering who she is or where she came from. Haruno has a dream of helping others achieve their goals but in working with the others she starts to discover ambitions of her own. Raimon is obsessed with tinkering and feels isolated because no one can keep up with her so she pushes people away but Umika and the others may just be able to understand her.

It’s worth noting that these four also work very strongly together for comedic purposes. Their dynamics provide all kinds of possibilities for strong gags. They’re also just downright adorable.

Where the anime falters a bit is with the minor characters. Most of them are perfectly fine. They serve the function they need to and feel real enough. Then we have characters like the teacher or the little sister who just feel under-utilized. The situation will beg for them to do something more substantial than they end up doing.

Art:

I really love the character designs. The differently coloured highlights a lot of the girls have in their hair is really striking and the general designs are basically weaponised cuteness. They also go into great detail to make the various types of model rockets super accurate. The backgrounds are very good too.

Sound:

The cast is excellent. Funato Yurie, Fukagawa Seria, Aoki Shiki & Nagamuta Moe all have amazing performances. The music is great. Sakai Asuka did a phenomenal job.

Ho-yay:

There’s a lot. All four of the major girls, Umika, Yuu, Haruno & Raimon have a level of les-yay that would make a polyamorous relationship amongst them believable. And it’s ceaselessly adorable. Even the fact that they touch foreheads in multiple affectionate scenes like they adopted Jeremiah Rossa is cute. The les-yay is especially strong betwixt Umika & Yuu. They have so many exceptionally cute moments.

Areas of Improvement:

1. We don’t need long explanations of model rockets. Yes, they make it clear that you did your research but they also aren’t very entertaining.
2. The series really needs to do more with the bigger supporting characters. Even just a few extra lines to help flesh them out.
3. More cute Sapphic moments would work a treat since they are one of the strongest aspects of the series.

Final Thoughts:

Hoshikozu Telepath stands alongside Gokumi’s best work, Tonari no Kyuuketsuki-san. It’s an excellent series with some minor issues. My final rating is going to be a 9/10.

Shinryaku Ika Musume OVA: Featuring games more unplayable than Superman 64

I talked about a comedic anime called Shinryaku Ika Musume a very long time ago. It’s been over a decade at this point when you factor in the fact that it was a repost of an older review when I first put that one on WordPress. And even that repost is almost a decade old. At the time, it was the only thing I’d seen from Diomedea. It’s since been joined by Akuma no Riddle & Dai Mahou Touge. So, the studio has a strong track record. In any case, the comedy was enjoyable and we’re revisiting the series with a look at the 3 episode OVA.

Story:

The OVA is set up with one episode containing a variety of shorter episodes. The episodes deal with Ika Musume, the Aizawa family and the various eccentrics they encountered in the main series. They test the world’s second worst video game system after the CD-I, watch Gorou get embarrassed by his mum, try to prevent Chizuru from being mistaken for an alien and more.

The issue with this series lies in the format. They want every short to be around the same length. As a consequence, there are some shorts that feel like they don’t really take full advantage of the comedic possibilities, like Chizuru being suspected of being an alien, while others, Ika Musume trying to throw out a message in a bottle, drag on a bit. There are also definitely episodes that are better than others. None of them are bad but some are just okay while others are fantastic.

On the positive side, the comedy does largely work. There are a lot of good episode ideas in here and they’re executed well in spite of some of them being too short or dragging a bit. It manages to be consistently entertaining.

Characters:

The cast isn’t particularly complex. However, they don’t need to be. I’ve gone over this with comedies many times but comedic characters need to have strong comedic potential and play off of each other well. Which the characters in this generally do. Though there is a question of why we need three scientists when they quite literally all have the same function and personality. The characters also don’t get the kind of development they got in the first series. They’re pretty stagnant.

Art:

The art style is cute and vibrant. The animation flows well. The characters still largely have similar faces with different hair. I can’t really fault the OVA for keeping that feature since it was also in the original series. It’s just kind of lazy design.

Sound:

There are a lot of skilled actors in this. Kanemoto Hisako, Tanaka Rie, Fujimura Ayumi, Itou Kanae and more. Their performances are pretty solid. The music is upbeat and fun.

Ho-yay:

There’s a bit. The OVA doesn’t really feature Ika Musume’s seeming crush on Nagisa nor does it have many homo-erotic moments betwixt Ika and Eiko. It does feature Sanae’s very blatant interest in Ika. It also has the same issue as the original where it seems to be largely present because the writer finds it funny.

Areas of Improvement:

1. The OVA would definitely benefit from having fewer shorts and having more extensive explorations of the comedic possibilities within a given scenario. They could literally drop the weakest short from each episode and turn out a better product.
2. If you’re going to have Sapphic representation, at least give the character more to her personality than just mindlessly pursuing the girl she likes.
3. There are several characters who would definitely benefit from a bit more depth. Solely because the jokes they’re used for are obvious.

Final Thoughts:

This OVA is worth watching if you enjoyed the Ika Musume series proper. That being stated, it really doesn’t add much. It’s more of the same. It has the same strengths as the series proper and the same flaws. I’m giving it a 7/10 since I did mostly enjoy the comedy and found it quite endearing but it’s not brilliant.

Film Festival Week: Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha 2nd film A’s

At this point I’ve reviewed quite a few instalments in the Nanoha franchise. Including the first film and the A’s series. Thus far, it’s been a very strong franchise and I hope we’re ending this year’s film festival week on a high note with this.

Story:

We open with Hayate taking the bus while holding a chained up book in her lap. She’ get’s wheeling herself home in her chair when a sleeping truck driver nearly rams into her only for her to be saved by a mysterious light. Meanwhile, Nanoha is beyond excited for Fate’s upcoming return. They’re enjoying their reunion when we learn that mages and magical creatures alike have been attacked and had their linker cores drained. These events are quickly linked with the Book of Darkness incident that cost Captain Lindy her husband years ago.

The narrative of this film is really well put together. They set up the story with Hayate and her knights in a way that makes them and their cause come across as misguided but highly sympathetic. The film does a fantastic job of showcasing the knights’ desperation and building up on that as they approach the climax. The sequence where Fate comes face to face with her past trauma is brilliant. The NanoFate scenes where they’re very blatantly in the early stages of falling in love are adorable. The climax itself is incredible. It has high stakes, a grand scope and some very powerful moments. Then we have the ending which has some excellently handled bittersweet elements.

Characters:

This franchise has always had really strong casts and this film is no different. Nanoha, Fate, Hayate, The knights, Lindy, the members of the time-space bureau, Arf, Suzuka, Alisa they’re all great characters. A big part of the casts’ strength comes from the inter-personal relationships and how the characters interact with one another. And it’s not just the les-yay fuelled interactions that are superb. Seeing Suzuka befriend Hayate, Nanoha try to understand Vita, Liny assume a motherly role for Fate & watching Fate and Signum come to mutual respect are all very compelling relationship dynamics.

Art:

The film looks incredible. The characters have the best versions of their designs. The action sequences are really excellent. The backgrounds are vibrant. The one issue I have is with the transformation sequences. Which have been a continuing issue with this franchise. They’re very weirdly fan-servicey. Keep in mind, these characters are around nine or ten years old. And we have shots showing off their bare butts and chests. Who exactly are these shots for?

Sound:

The acting is fantastic. This franchise has always had an amazing vocal cast. Tamura Yukari, Mizuki Nana, Ueda Kana, Sanada Asami, Kuwatani Natsuko, Shimizu Kaori, Yuzuki Ryouka and the rest all reprise their roles flawlessly. The music is another aspect that the franchise always does really well and gets handled perfectly in this film.

Ho-yay:

There’s a lot. We get the obvious romantic tension betwixt Nanoha and Fate. There’s also a lot of it with Hayate and Vita. In addition to that, Arf gets really blushy around Captain Lindy. Methinks she wants the two of them to be Fate’s mums together.

Areas of Improvement:

1. The transformation sequences desperately need reworked.
2. I’m not joking. No transformation sequence involving a little girl should involve nudity.
3. For the one action sequence that Lindy was directly involved in it would have been cool to see more of her directly using her magic and getting involved since it’s not really something we’ve seen from the franchise.

Final Thoughts:

Honestly, most of the elements in this film are so well-handled and genuinely fantastic that I’m tempted to hand out a perfect score. The one thing that’s stopping me from doing that is the weird and creepy fan-service involved in the transformation sequences. Due to that, I’m going to give it a 9/10. It’s absolutely worth watching. I would just suggest skipping through the transformation sequences.

Film Festival Week: Doubutsu Tonarigumi

Doubutsu Tonarigumi is a propaganda film from the early days of World War II. Personally, I’ve always found this type of thing kind of interesting whether it’s blatantly racist American comics or my own country scapegoating Jews for everything. In spite of the fact that Jewish people did nothing wrong. Let’s see what some old-fashioned Japanese propaganda looks like.

Story:

The film is basically a series of snippets about the importance of having an organised neighbourhood association. They can pass on flyers, spread awareness of over-priced black markets trying to profit off of scarcity, put out fires, chase away pushy salesmen and shelter together in the event of a bombing.

This is a lot more mild and tame compared to a lot of the WWII propaganda pieces I’ve seen. Which makes it significantly less problematic to look back at but it also makes it less interesting. When I look at a comic of Superman using racial slurs while fighting very questionably drawn Japanese soldiers, it’s awful but also morbidly fascinating. The same is true for a lot of those old propaganda pieces. But this one is just cloying and boring. The big message seems to be “make your neighbourhood better by snitching.”

Characters:

The members of the neighbourhood association are basically indistinguishable from one another. There’s not even enough personality amongst them to be called archetypical.

Art:

For 1941, the animation isn’t all that bad. It definitely doesn’t hold up by any means. The animation is awkward and choppy. The characters look pretty shite too. The best you can say about it is that it doesn’t include a bunch of egregiously offensive designs. Which may seem like it should go without saying but it is a WWII propaganda piece.

Sound:

This sounds its age. The mixing is badly done. The voice acting is very stilted. And I’m sure part of that is just how bad sound recordings were back then.

Ho-yay:

None here. Partly because of when it was made and partly because the characters are beyond paper-thin.

Final Thoughts:

It’s pretty rubbish. Maybe in the early 1940s this looked and sounded impressive. But that doesn’t alter the basic fact that there’s nothing of substance here. It doesn’t even have the decency to be a PSA/ propaganda work that’s so outrageous and absurd that it’s kind of fascinating. My rating is going to be a 3/10. I wouldn’t bother tracking it down unless you’re really curious about WWII propaganda to the point where even the boring ones are of interest.

Flim Festival Week: Fresh Precure film- Omocha no Kuni wa Himitsu ga Ippai!?

I’ve talked about the Precure franchise many times. Fresh Precure being the most recent series I reviewed and one of the best. So, this film festival week we’re going to look at the film based off of that series. Omocha no Kuni wa Himitsu ga Ippai!? It came out in 2009 while the series was still airing. Is it a good addition? Let’s check it out.

Story:

We open with the girls planning to have three nights worth of pyjama parties. Unbeknownst to them, toys are disappearing around the city while they’re playing around. Naturally, when they find out they assume it’s Labyrinth only to find out that they have nothing to do with it. That’s when Love’s old stuffed rabbit, Usapyon, emerges from the closet to tell them that the trouble originates from the kingdom of toys and a being called Toymajin.

The big issue with the film is that the twists are all way too obvious. I understand that the Precure franchise is intended for a young audience but there’s a point where things are so obvious that you’re actively insulting that audience. And this doesn’t quite cross that point but it comes very close.

On the positive side, the film does have a strong sense of fun to it. The antagonist also has a legitimate grievance which does make things more interesting. I also appreciate the overall message of appreciating what you have. I also like the way each of our main protagonists has her own challenge to overcome. It’s kind of reminiscent of the X-men story where they get taken to different challenges in Arcade’s Murder World.

Characters:

Our main cast are as endearing as ever and all four of them get a chance to showcase the personality aspects that make them such. The two major characters who get added in for the sake of the film are Usapyon & Toymajin. Usapyon is quite a likeable character. Toymajin is more compelling than the antagonists we usually get in Precure films since he actually has a genuine complaint unlike, say, the antagonist of the Gogo film.

Art:

The artwork and animation are really good. It looks very much like the series. The only real issue would be the length of time spent on the stock footage scenes. The film doesn’t condense or combine the transformation sequences. So, we get to see all four one after the other with their full lengths.

Sound:

The acting is really good. Oki Kanae, Komatsu Yuka, Nakagawa Akiko & Kitamura Eri are all really strong in their roles. The film adds Sakamoto Chika and Tsuru Hiromi who are both solid in their roles. The film uses the same music as the series proper and it’s still fantastic.

Ho-yay:

The girls in this continue to read as a polyamorous lesbian grouping. There’s about as much les-yay in the film as there is in a standard episode after Cure Passion joins the roster.

Areas of Improvement:

1. Combining the transformation sequences would have allowed for extra time for more important content.
2. The film would have benefited from being less obvious with its plot line.
3. I would have liked to see more of the girls just interacting with each other.

Final Thoughts:

This film is pretty enjoyable. If you’re a fan of Fresh Precure, you’ll most likely enjoy it. It’s basically a long, stand alone episode. I’m going to give it an 8/10.

Film Festival Week: Golden Time

Golden Time is a 2013 film from Robot Communications. Yes, the studio behind Tsumiki no Ie. Is this as excellent as that film? Let’s check.

Story:

We open with an old cabinet television being taken to the junk yard. After being dropped off, the television tries to escape the junk yard, possibly wanting to return to the family that used to own it. The cabinet meets a bunch of other sentient objects in the junk yard led by a broken clockwork rabbit but refuses to engage much with them.

The biggest narrative issue with the film is that the rift between the cabinet and the other junk yard denizens isn’t resolved all that well. The cabinet has a moment with clockwork rabbit and that’s kind of it. It’s also a bit odd that a select few objects in the junk yard have sentience but the rest don’t seem to.

On the positive side, there are some really funny moments in this. It’s also effective at building its world and showcasing personalities of these sentient items without ever having them exchange dialogue. I also really like the ending. It has a bittersweet tint that really works.

Characters:

The major characters in this are the objects. The clockwork rabbit and cabinet are both well developed and have a good deal of depth in spite of not having any dialogue. The rabbit is pretty endearing as well. The other objects like the fan, chair and bucket are less compelling but you do get a decent sense of what they’re like.

Art:

The artwork in this looks very nice. They make the objects move around in a way that seems very realistic. The style is pretty charming as well. The film also uses visual gags effectively.

Sound:

The music is pretty solid. There’s very little voice acting. It has a little bit when the cabinet television turns on and it does sound like voices over an old, beat up telly.

Ho-yay:

There’s no romance in this. It’s about sapient objects.

Areas of Improvement:

1. The side objects could use stronger personalities.
2. We need some kind of explanation, even a heavy implied one, for why most of the junk yard objects are just normal objects.
3. The film could benefit from a little more time with the tell cabinet engaging with the other sapient objects after it comes out of its shell.

Final Thoughts:

Golden Time is almost as good as Tsumiki no Ie. It has charm, humour and effectively tells a story heavily rooted in animism purely through animation. My rating on this one is going to be an 8/10. Check it out if the basic concept sounds somewhat appealing.

Film Festival Week: Geu Yeoreum

Geu Yeoreum is a Korean film from Red Dog Culture House. All I know is that it’s a Shoujo ai drama. So, let’s hop right into it.

Story:

Lee Yi-gyeong is minding her own business when she gets hit by a football. All from a wayward kick from a member of the girls’ football team, Yook Suyi. Suyi apologises for breaking her glasses and starts showing up to her class to check on her with strawberry milk. This eventually leads to the pair developing feelings for each other and engaging in a secret romance as South Korea is still a bit shite when it comes to treatment of the LGBTQ population.

There are two issues with the film. The big one is the narrator. Yi-gyeong explains what we’re seeing/ about to see far too often when it would be far more effective to just let the scenes speak for themselves. The second issue is that some elements aren’t extrapolated on properly. It just feels like they need further development. A lot of the relationship development, for example, is accomplished through snippets.

On the positive side, the film does an excellent job of showcasing first love. The initial awkwardness, the pitfalls and how two people can grow apart but still have fond memories of their time together. It also discusses some of the issues that queer kids face when they’re in an area that’s not all that accepting.

Characters:

Yi-gyeong and Suyi have a lot of verisimilitude. Both as individual characters with flaws and obstacles and as a couple. Their relationship dynamic and the evolution thereof is really well handled as well. The side characters are more limited but the important ones still manage to seem somewhat realistic though they could definitely benefit from more screen time.

Art:

The film looks good. The characters are designed to look like normal people which works well for a realism focused drama like this. The backgrounds are really well-detailed and there are some beautiful scenes of Yi-gyeong & Suyi cuddling up to each other.

Sound:

The acting is excellent. The music is really well done as well.

Ho-yay:

Obviously, this has a lot of les-yay. In addition to the relationship betwixt the main girls, there are a lot of lesbian side characters. There’s a chunk of the film where Yi-gyeong is working in a gay bar and we get to briefly meet her co-workers and some of the patrons.

Areas of Improvement:

1. The film could use a longer run time to further extrapolate on some of its elements.
2. The narration should have been toned down.
3. The side characters could use more characterisation.

Final Thoughts:

This film is honestly really good. It’s a realistic look at young love that addresses the issues that come up when that love isn’t accepted. My rating on this one is going to be a solid 8/10. I do recommend it, just don’t go into it expecting a light and happy romp.

Film Festival Week: Chikyuu wo Mitsumete

Chikyuu wo Mitsumete is a 2011 film from Nippon animation. The same studio behind Kazoku Robinson Hyouryuuki: Fushigi na Shima no Flone. So, what is this science fiction/ edutainment film about? Let’s have a look.

Story:

We open with a look at Earth from space with some rather grandiose prose about how amazing it is. This is quickly followed by some scientific explanations about how the Earth was formed and how life on the planet evolved set to classical music. After a combined total of about seven minutes for those segments, we transition to the main plot. Aliens are watching us from a disguised space station and using a miniature camera that can change its size to track what they call a Z-atom. This leads to their camera being discovered by a pair of children, after its used to briefly discuss how cells work.

There are a couple elements that hold the film back. First off, it likes to repeat itself. There are multiple scenes that show the footage captured by the camera including large chunks of things we already saw. The worst being a five minute chunk towards the end that just recaps the film thus far. And this isn’t a long film where it really benefits from reminding the audience of prior events. It’s a half hour. The aliens are also incompetent to a silly degree. Their secret, special camera gets seen multiple times.

On a positive note, the educational aspects of this film are actually handled really well. It provides good information that’s presented in a fairly simple, easily understood way while still providing plenty of entertainment. Unlike 90% of edutainment works that are lacking in one or both. Seeing young Naoko’s journey in life is also kind of cute in spite of us only getting snippets from different points.

Characters:

The two big characters are Satoru and Naoko whom we get to see at different points in their lives. Naoko is more closely focused on while Satoru only gets briefly mentioned when it gets to the end. It’s surprisingly solid given how short the film is.

Art:

The artwork really shines when it comes to outer space, showing the circle of life and cellular structure and illustrating the evolution of life on Earth. Basically, every time they’re showing something educational they absolutely nail it. When it comes to character designs, especially the aliens, it’s a bit more mediocre.

Sound:

Toyoguchi Megumi & Nanao Haruhi both give strong performances. Gustav Holst’s Jupiter is used to great effect as well. And, unlike some anime that make use of classical compositions, they don’t fuck it up with awful sound mixing.

Ho-yay:

There’s no romance of any kind in this. Unless you think there might be a reason the two male-presenting aliens are on a small ship by themselves for years.

Areas of Improvement:

1. I think they would have benefited from showing something more substantial in place of the flashbacks. Possibly some more snippets from the lives of our leads.
2. There’s really no reason for Satoru & Naoko to see the alien’s camera since the film really doesn’t do anything with it.
3. The aliens could have used some personality. I understand that their main purpose is to explain things to the audience through the lens of discussing it but they could at least make some jokes or something.

Final Thoughts:

I kind of like this film, actually. This is edutainment done properly. Its narrative has charm to it and the artwork can be beautiful, especially when showing the Earth from space. Normally, I’d give something like this around a 6, but factoring in that this was made to show children at Planetariums to get them excited about space, and the fact that I think it most likely worked very well, I’m going to be generous and go up to a 7/10.

Film Festival Week: DBZ-Chikyuu Marugoto Choukessen

I’ve looked at a lot of films from the Dragonball/DBZ franchise. They’ve mostly been pretty decent. And this year we’re looking at another one. The third film with the Dragonball Z branding, Chikyuu Marugoto Choukessen from 1990.

Story:

We open with Gohan going camping with Bulma, Kuririn and Oolong. Everything seems to be going well until night falls and a Saiyajin pod crashes causing a forest fire. Fortunately, Kuririn and Gohan are able to use their Ki to combat the blaze and protect the animals. Unfortunately, the forest is destroyed. They gather the dragonballs to restore everything. Our heroes don’t see anything as amiss until North Kaio contacts Goku telling him that a Shinseiju is draining the Earth’s energy and will soon turn it into a deserted wasteland. Thus they begin their quest to stop the Shinseiju tree and save the world.

There are a couple issues with this film. First off, in DBZ they establish that the Saiyajins, Freeza and that entire group don’t know how to hide their power levels but in this film Tullece, who is a Saiyajin, and his group aren’t detected by Goku or anyone else until they show up to destroy the tree. I understand that the continuity with the films is always a bit off but this seems a bit egregious. The second issue is that the ending is a bit of an ass-pull with how Goku is finally able to beat Tullece and the tree stops being a threat. It feels like the writers put themselves in a corner and couldn’t figure out how to get out of it.

On a positive note, I do enjoy the whole bond that Gohan forms with Haiya dragon and how it plays into the story. The idea of a parasitic tree draining the life energy from the planet itself is also a good one.

Characters:

The new characters in this are the antagonists who, unfortunately, aren’t that interesting. They’re basically a bunch of thugs who want to gain power. Tullece does also pull a Raditz and try to get Goku and Gohan to join him which is the most interesting he gets.

Art:

The artwork is basically what you expect from DBZ. The big issue is with Tullece’s design. They basically just make him evil Goku and excuse it as “they’re both lower class Saiyajins so they look alike.” But other than that it looks good. The action sequences flow pretty well and the sequences that showcase the impact the Shinseiju is having on the Earth are well executed.

Sound:

The acting is well done. It’s basically the same as all these films have been. The regular cast: Furukawa Toshio, Nozawa Masako, Tsuru Hiromi, Tanaka Mayumi and the rest all do well. The antagonists of the week don’t really have anything to work with. The music is solid.

Ho-yay:

There’s none to be found.

Areas of Improvement:

1. The antagonists should have been better developed.
2. They needed a more clever way to beat the antagonists. Maybe some of the secondary characters could have dug into the Earth and destroyed the Shinseiju’s core while Goku kept Tullece occupied and that could have released enough energy for a Genki Dama that could beat Tullece. It might not be a brilliant solution but it would have been a lot less of an ass pull.
3. The major characters should have sensed the power levels of Tullece and his men.

Final Thoughts:

This isn’t a good film. It’s decent enough if you’re a fan of DBZ and you want a short adventure with the characters. I’m going to give it a 6/10.

Yami Shibai 4: A Major Step Back

I’ve talked about Yami Shibai many times. It’s a franchise built around short form horror from ILCA. Thus far, it’s been pretty solid. Let’s look at the fourth series in the franchise and see if it continues that trend.

Story:

We follow the same pattern as the first three series. The narrator welcomes us to the theatre of darkness and we get a bunch of short, stand alone horror stories. That being said, this is not on the level of prior series. The stories in this one are almost a joke. There are maybe two episodes out of the thirteen in the series that are kind of creepy. The others just come across as dumb and kind of silly. This is rated for young teenagers but it feels like it was written with small children as the demographic because most of these scares are not going to work on teenagers.

The two episodes in this worth watching are Calling Crane and Snow Hut. Those two actually have some creepy things happening.

Characters:

Like the rest of the franchise, the characters are designed to be very straightforward. That being said, this one has some problems. For one thing, this series has the absolute worst of the narrator. The third series had him at his best thus far, in this one he’s at the worst we’ve seen. Not only does he explain everything you’re seeing instead of just letting you experience it, but the actor they have voicing him sounds almost bored.

Art:

While I can appreciate the little paper theatre aesthetic they have going for it, the problem with this instalment of the franchise is simply that they don’t have scary imagery. Even the two solid episodes aren’t amazing in that regard.

Sound:

This is yet another aspect that’s worse in this series than it’s ever been in the franchise before. I’ve already mentioned that the new narrator just sounds bored but that’s not the only issue. Performances continue to be relatively flat and with absolutely nothing to work with, it’s even more noticeable. The ending theme is also completely inappropriate for the franchise. The song is really upbeat and, if you look up the lyrics, optimistic. Let me remind you, this franchise tends to end their episodes with the main characters being completely buggered.

Ho-yay:

There’s none.

Areas of Improvement:

1. This really needs to make use of body horror the way the third series did.
2. The narrator does not need to tell us everything we’re seeing. I’m sure it’s useful for people with visual impairments who speak Japanese but for the rest of us it just ruins any impact.
3. They really should be directing the narrator to speak in a less bored tone. At least try to sound somewhat menacing/ unsettling.

Final Thoughts:

The last time I looked at this franchise it was the best I’ve seen from it. This time, its the worst. The episodes offer very little in terms of horror. The narrator is horrendously bad. The ending song might be fine in a different franchise but it’s awful for this one. My final rating for Yami Shibai the 4th is going to be a 3/10.