Anime Review: Natsume Yuujinchou

Today I will review:

Natsume Yuujinchou

When you watch an anime there are certain things that we all look for. They are as follows: Character Development, Artistic Appeal, Opening and Ending Originality and Interestingness, and Plot Complexity. These are our FOUR anime judging qualities and by reviewing this way we can avoid spoilers, I think. So let's begin!

Summary

Madara as Nyanko-sensei

Natsume Yuujinchou means Natsume and the Book of Friends. The book of friends was left to Natsume after his grandmother passed, inside it are names of Youkai or Lost Spirits that she has made to be her servant. Like her, Natsume can also see youkai while most normal people cannot. Natsume has been haunted by this and by the youkai that want to take the book of friends by force. However, Natsume made friends with a powerful cat spirit named Madara and nicknamed Nyanko-sensei. Nyanko protects him as he goes on numerous quests to find out more about the world of youkai, his grandmother, the meaning of the book of friends.

 

 

Nyanko-sensi as Madara

Character Development

Natsume yuujinchou is a slice of life anime. Some aspects are shonen especially when Nyanko-sensei fights off the other youkai. The true purpose of the anime is to be a slice of life anime, so the main focus is relationships. Natsume meets many different youkai some of whom are friendly, some need time to warm up, and others are not friendly. Natsume forms connections with ALOT of different youkai over the 39 episodes or so that are out so far. Natsume also makes human friends which is challenging for him because he is always interrupted by youkai...

A Youkai Party

Artistic Appeal

First of all, Nyanko-sensei is voiced by Kazuhiko Inoue. The voice of Hatake Kakashi in naruto and many other tough guy characters. This anime is a piece of his seiyuu prowess because he plays a witty high pitched cat. And wow Natsume's voice actor Hiroshi Kamiya was Mephisto in Ao no exorcist which is a stretch of the imagination too. The visual art in this anime is also amazing, the style is unique and tries to be realistic in terms of hair colors and faces. The youkai are drawn with a flair of imagination.

Opening and Ending Originality

My favorite opening and ending

The openings and endings of this show are very calming and relaxing. Even the one I posted is calm, for being the most up beat opening of the whole series. Whenever you need to relax just watch these openings and endings... 

Plot Complexity

This anime is more of an episodic anime. There's no overarching quest that the characters are facing that continues. In fact this anime takes a break after every 13 episodes, I'm currently hoping for the next season to come out. With each season more characters are introduced and in the last season some bad guys were introduced which is interesting. Each episode is a new story and has a really good plot and substance. Character development always continues in this show. It's a great show to watch when you want to relax or when you want to be intrigued. Some of the supernatural occurances in the show made me think about life. That's why its Slice of Life!

Overall: Recommended

Because Natsume's friends are just like you...

Hatsune Miku takes Game Industry by STORM!

Video post -- In Japan, Hatsune Miku has surely made a name for herself, and is getting major roles in console-based gaming. Prior to the recent Vocaloid boom in the gaming industry, Vocaloid was limited to the original software, fan-creations (the basis of musical production and PVs, etc), and the rhythm game for PSP -- Hatsune Miku: Project Diva that was followed by a "sequel" and two PS3 additions.

But outside of the genre of music, Hatsune Miku has been given a JRPG make-over for her Black Rock Shooter game, for PSP. The opening, "No Scared" by ONE OK ROCK is in full (yet, heavily accented) English, possibly a foretelling of an English adaptation for us in the US and beyond.

The other game featuring Hatsune Miku('s singing talent) is "7th Dragon 2020", a sequel to the somewhat obscure chibi JRPG game "7th Dragon" that came out for DS. Like the BRS game, 2020 is Japan-only at the moment, and also for PSP. Miku didn't have a role in the first game, but in this new sequel Miku sings the opening track and many other scores for the game. The music, beautifully crafted, as always, by sasakure.UK ("Shuumatsu ga yattekuru!", "Eternally fleeting burning bird", "Campanella", "Wanderlast") fits the futuristic RPG feel of the game, and has really upped the hype for the otherwise underrated series.

Some gameplay + more Miku music:

Like me you must be thinking "Why does Japan get all the good stuff?" I wish I knew myself, but I'd rather not have American adaptations/translations that make me want to bash my head into a wall either. We, as otaku need ported games with English text, yet retaining all the original Japanese qualities (VA skill, culture + traditions, etc) that make the games so well-received in the Far East. 

Let's all cross our fingers that these games get fair adaptations! Until then!

-chansu

【J-Music Remixes】 4 - Ambiance in Vocaloid {ELECTROCUTICA}

Welcome to the segment on J-Music Remixes, where conventional Japanese music is given an upheaval and shaken in ways we don't usually see. Last time we looked at Vocaloid Composers working with real singers; this is a spinoff of that, but in an entirely different genre.

Are you prepared to be electrocuted? Or rather, ELECTROCUTICAted? Laugh at my bad pun, reader! Laugh before I make more! I'll shock you with an Arca aimed straight at your Hysteresis, unless you sigh relief with the First "A"lphabetical letter! Frustrated? Want to know more? Come right in, the doctor is ready.