anime reviews

I am bored to death... due to the fact that we have no classes today... as expected, my groupmates in the thesis came up with excuses not to fix our work... yeah.. shit really happens

Ocean Waves ~ Umi ga kikoeru

well, it was quite a humdrum... a love story.. not a typical one though... high school girl slapping guy, high school guy slapping back and they fall in love during their college years... It all started because of an indifferent girl taking advantage of cute guys, best friends... one fall head over heels in love with her, one just wanted to know what was behind that fucking attitude of hers... the one who was in love with her got dumped, while the other was again taken advantage off... they ended up slapping each other... and meeting at the train station full of love hehehehe

:D fun... you gotta watch this..

HERE IS A REVIEW FROM THE NET...
Reviewer: Rowena Lim Lei (10.8.2003)

Synopsis:
Taku Morisaki and Yutaka Matsuno were the best of friends... until Rikako Muto came along. Matsuno has been attracted to Rikako ever since the first time he saw her, but Rikako seems more drawn to Morisaki. Morisaki thinks of Rikako as nothing more than a nuisance... but is that how he really feels?

Review:
Ocean Waves is Studio Ghibli's take on a coming-of-age anime, featuring characters, events, and emotions that are so real you'd feel that at one point you or someone you know had experienced them too.

Taku Morisaki is on his way back to his hometown Kochi for a high school reunion. He remembers how his life was changed forever by a girl named Rikako. Taku narrates as he recalls how he met Rikako and what had transpired between him, Rikako, and his best friend Matsuno. It's kind of like a less angsty and more pragmatic episode of Dawson's Creek... but a lot more tasteful and better done in all aspects. What I liked best about Ocean Waves was the characterization. Just about anyone can identify with Morisaki, Matsuno, and Rikako. They're regular people. They're not perfect. They have problems and issues just like everyone else.

The visuals are impeccable, as can be expected of a Studio Ghibli release. As usual, character designs are simplistic but everything else from foliage to vehicles are stunningly detailed. Each scene is meticulously composed with just the right combination of elements, punctuated with an appropriate piano score.

Ocean Waves is an elegant piece, offering a wistful trip down memory lane for virtually anyone who's ever been in high school. It's something along the lines of "Whisper of the Heart", and even "Boys Be..." to a certain extent. Recommended for those who are into realistic anime.

Miscellanies:
Ocean Waves is about an hour long, since it was made for TV. It has not yet been released in the United States.

Whisper of the Heart

hmm, I love this :D although the subtitles did not appear at the 7th and 8th chapter, it was hell great... :D i wish all parents were like that to their children. :D it was very inspiring... now it made me update my blog more often... I need to polish my writing skills, since i am in nursing i have not used it to the fullest of my capacity... hopefully i would be a famous writter in the future (naks)



Review by Charles Peklenk:

This movie is available on laserdisc from Japan and in fan-subtitled versions elsewhere.

Fourteen-year-old Shizuku notices something strange...all the library books she has checked out have been borrowed before by some boy named Amasawa Seiji. (Since "Whisper" is based on a shoujo manga, or girls' comic book, you can bet that at some time during the movie she will meet this mysterious Mr. Amasawa.) Shizuku loves books and reads them whenever she can, and so she makes many trips to the library. When she encounters a cat commuting on the city's rail system, she follows him to a little shop, where her story begins to unfold.

Much of this movie is about creativity. Inspired by what she has seen and done, and encouraged by her friends, Shizuku writes an adventure story with a fierce passion that writers, artists, builders, and programmers will recognize. For young watchers, this movie may validate and encourage their own passion. Their parents should watch also, and in some cases consider if they are ready to cut their potential prodigies some slack rope in pursuit of their dreams (in Shizuku's case, though, it was more than enough to hang herself with). Speaking as someone who was on the receiving end of such freedom, this reviewer attests to its potential value, although neglecting other areas of one's life can be hazardous to one's normal development.

This movie is set in modern-day Tokyo and is a fun way to learn about school life there without the distractions of magic and martial arts that distort reality in other anime. Viewers see how students court one another in middle school: one of Shizuku's friends gets a "love letter" from an admirer who cannot just walk up and introduce himself - it's just not done that way in Japan, as a rule. (Shizuku is a bit of an aberration, though; her parents, who are remarkably liberal as Japanese parents go, don't require her to go to cram school every night to fill her with facts that will get her into the best possible high school.)

Though unusually heavy on the synthesizers, the music is lively and fun. Animation quality is equal to other Studio Ghibli works: inimitable backgrounds, but not enough drawings per second when detailed motion is depicted. There is a slight blurring of fantasy and reality in this movie, but the story features mostly real people living mostly real lives, which is a nice break from most American animation.

Approach: Upbeat, shoujo-style romantic.

Parent's guide: Recommended for all ages. No violence at all, no nudity, no sex, and no foul language, except for one crass word in translation ("p----d"). Boys of certain ages are likely to be bored. Shizuku's older sister appears in a brassiere for a few seconds. Since it has absolutely nothing to do with the story, it is probably culturally obligatory (or cleverly placed to snap the boys to attention just as they nod off, perhaps). The ending has an event which may not seem natural to American viewers; a study of Japanese culture will explain it.

Note: Shizuku's mom and dad seem to let her stay up late. Very, very late. Parents should be prepared to explain why sleep is important for growing bodies.

Student review: Whisper of the Heart

Title: Whisper of the Heart, a.k.a. If You Listen Closely, a.k.a. Mimi wo Sumaseba
Genre: Drama
Company: Studio Ghibli
Format: 1 movie
Dates: 7/15/1995

Highs: Endlessly inspiring; fleshed out, likable characters
Lows: Ending certain to displease some

Grade: 95%

Out of all the classics credited to its name, Studio Ghibli created a true gem in Whisper of the Heart. It is emblematic of everything that Ghibli has come to represent. And with Miyazaki penning the wonderfully understated script, it contains his usual bundle of themes and quirks. I don't think any other animation studio in the world could make a movie like this as successfully as Ghibli (and first time director Yoshifumi Kondo) did.

Ghibli films have an uncanny knack for making routine activities look completely natural and appealing. Miyazaki preaches to his animators about the importance of not only visualizing an event but being able to convey that event to the audience. WotH follows that mentality, and the result is complete immersion in the concrete jungle of West Tokyo.

The BGMs are pleasant and fitting. It's not quite up to par, though, with Hisaishi's work. John Denver's Country Roads is an integral part of the plot and is implemented so well that I now forever associate that song with WotH.
WotH, like many other Ghibli films, is a coming-of-age story. It can be summarized as a teenage girl attempting to find both love and self. Normally, such a cliched plot would induce cringing as it automatically brings to mind any hackneyed Duff/Lohan vehicle.

What sets WotH apart is the believability factor. Shizuku is not attempting to high-jump to the top of her school's social pyramid. She isn't pining after the school quarterback(or kendo star or whatever). She just wants to write a good story. Shizuku is simply chasing her dream with such sincere fervence that you can't help but be inspired.

WotH also contains my favorite moment in any Ghibli movie, the violin workshop scene. It is completely minimalistic, with only a boy, a girl, and a violin. Other movies would give Shizuku a perfect singing voice. Ghibli allows her to be flawed and identifiable with the audience. As Shizuku's shaky, quavering voice grows stronger and more confident, you can almost see her maturing before your eyes.

When I try to comprehend how some shows fail to include enough character development in 26 or so episodes to match the amount packed in WotH's two hour running length, my head almost explodes. By the end of the movie, you will know Shizuku. You will understand her mentality, her personality, and her idiosyncracies. She is an ordinary teenage girl who somehow becomes extraordinary. Her developing relationship with Seji is too sweet for words, falling just behind Kare Kano as one of the best romances in anime. Some of the best moments in WotH lack any dialogue. It is a tribute to the animation that simple, candid movements give more character insight that entire monologues would.

One notable caution about WotH is the non sequitur ending, which is sure to leave viewers scratching their heads. Other than that, the movie is basically like a shot of pure, unadulterated optimism. Whenever I watch it, it has the effect of assuaging my inner cynic. Thankfully, it's the end of the review, as my stock of superlatives has run dry.