|
|
||||||||||
 |
| Overall | Art | Animation | Character Design | Music | Series Story | Episode Story | Reviewer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||
| Rent | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | chibi | # |
|
I didn't expect to like this series. From the opening credit sequence and its rather creepy music, it looked like it was going to be a show about demonically-posessed dolls or something. Instead what I got was an engaging story about overcoming personal demons that covered the 12 episodes very neatly and is now one of my favorites. The second season ("Traumend") takes the story further, but I don't think it did as good a job as this first one at resolving the themes and keeping them coherent.
Last updated Tuesday, December 05 2006. Created Tuesday, December 05 2006. | ||||||||
| ||||||||
| Rent | Stretch | # | ||||||
|
After seeing it mentioned several times here at Mikomi, I thought I'd take a look at Rozen Maiden--I'd avoided it for some time because the only lengthy review I could find frowned upon it. Peach Pit, I believe, was the manga outfit responsible for DearS, which had a basic premise largely borrowed from Chobits. Rozen Maiden, on the other hand, seems pretty original, and was no doubt designed to cash in on the Goth-loli craze in Japan. Hearing Japanese VAs singing along with the gothic OP song was kind of weird, but both the OP and ED songs are well chosen and reinforce the atmosphere of the show. The character designs seem well-drawn and sharply focused. What bothered me was that both Jun, Shinku and the other dolls he attracts seemed pretty obnoxious at first, and it was hard to get to like them. Jun has some problems, being reclusive and agoraphobic, which makes him unusual as a protagonist (and perhaps a risky main character for a manga/anime). Finding himself drafted to serve as Shinku's "servant" forces him to deal with other people (of a sort), and he becomes more likeable with time. My favorite character is Nori, his kind but scatterbrained sister. The slapstick violence seems Girls Bravo-esque at times, i.e., not funny at all; but the humor as a whole is reasonably amusing. This show can be creepy, and given the problems I'd noticed, I was initially unsure whether or not I should commit the time needed to watch it in it's entirety; but it is only twelve episodes, after all. Fortunately it's not too creepy, and the characters finally started to grow on me. Episode three is encouraging, as we see that even Jun can be kind if he has to. Episode five wasn't exactly hilarious, but was a pleasant change as humor takes center stage for once. The series takes it's time revealling the nature of the "Alice Game", (perhaps a metaphor for the "Rat Race" we are pressured to take part in to get ahead in life?) and it does so vaguely, so it's kind of hard to understand the dolls' motivations. I think it was a mistake to try to reintroduce the humor after the climax of the final episode, as Shinku behaves arrogantly again and we get mixed signals about whether she has a soft side or not; but it's not a major problem. I can't tell you exactly how the characters have transformed in the course of this series, but something good has definitely come about. Nor can I promise that I'll ever rewatch Rozen Maiden, but I do intend to watch the sequel, Rozen Maiden ~Träumend~.
Last updated Thursday, September 21 2006. Created Wednesday, September 06 2006. | ||||||||
| ||||||||
| Buy | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | bitem_e | # |
|
wow. just in the first episode i've cried, laughed and marveled. the premise is entirely refreshing and very well executed. just in the first episode you already get a feel for the characters and the little bit of action that you see, while humorous to the viewer because it involves little cute fluffy toys, isn't at all cute and fluffy, and just sets you up for wanting more and you already know when the bad guys come you're in for a real treat. i've only just watched the first episode, but already i'm in love with this series. let's hope it continues. the drawing and artwork is flawless if not beautiful, the soundtrack is composed of strings and other orchestral instruments and just fits right in and is never overbearing. i'm in love with the track "bara no jubai", it's heartbreaking yet hopeful at the same time. fits entirely with our angsty heroes. lol episode five is all kawaii. okay, so i've seen the entire series. and really, while the fighting was disappointing later on, somehow suigintou seemed stronger than shinku without a medium geez. i was expecting great things out of that battle, because suigintou and shinku seemed to have that whole sephiroth and cloud vibe. but well, yea disappointing in that area. other than that, the humor delivers, the drama delivers, geez, for dolls they have a lot of angst. it's still a pretty good series, there's still some magical fights if halfhearted, but the ending, while has a resolution, doesn't really "end" things. there's still no end to the alice games. but it's still watchable, and enjoyable, and there's already a sequel. heh. edited to say, this plus the conclusive sequel is just one very well done series. Last updated Saturday, September 02 2006. Created Thursday, August 31 2006. | ||||||||
| ||||||||
| Buy | Andy | # | ||||||
|
Last updated Thursday, March 03 2005. Created Thursday, March 03 2005. | ||||||||
| ||||||||
| Buy | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | Jan-Chan | # | |
|
Wow, what an interesting series. Who ever created the manga or script must have a very twisted view of the world. Jun finds out that by agreeing to be the spiritual medium for Shinku, she now considers him to be her personal servant. And while Shinku is only two-and-a-half feet tall, there is always a door that needs to be opened or another cup of afternoon tea to be poured. And the magic world that Shinku draws Jun into is very strange. It is a world where puppets can be animated and made to attack, where mirrors are portals to other places, and he learns how the subconscious mind can be a very surreal place cluttered with the memor.ies and fears of their host. It appears that there are a number of Rozen Maidens who are all in a constant competition with each other in the hopes of being the sole surviving Maiden, who will be allowed the special gift of being able to meet their Father or Creator. Jun finds out that Shinku is a very strong Maiden when she is attacked by two other Maidens. Shinku defeats them, but rather than destroying them, Shinku accepts them as her servants and Jun find himself catering to needs of not one, but three undersized and over-pampered Rozen Maidens. But together (along with Jun’s sister), they do form a family that was missing in Jun’s life, and his world and concerns begin to change. Last updated Saturday, March 19 2005. Created Tuesday, October 26 2004. | ||||||||
| ||||||||
Other Sites
| Name | URL |
|---|---|
| |
