[ Movie Review ] Kuroshitsuji / Black Butler 2014 - Movie

Everyone seems to be in distress with their first impression of this movie. HAHA ! Behold ! What you think it is , is not what it seems to be. So let get things straight shall we?

First, the characters, their development and costumes.
Second, is the time setting and the set , itself.
Third, is it even worth watching after reading and watching it’s Manga/Anime Adaptation?

* * * * * * 

So dealing with the characters.

 First impression **

 Sebastian Michaelis ( Hiro Mizushima )

 I’ve heard , well also in my perspective, I sincerely don’t like who’ll cast the role of Sebby my love. I was really disappointed with what I see in the poster. Sebastian, as a demonic "super butler" with impeccable knowledge, manners, grace, cooking skills, martial arts, looks, and more, is somewhat incompatible for Hiro-sama. That was what I think. BEFORE. But minute by minute, in the theatre sitting there and watching the movie, you’ll be dealing with yourself; He surely does resemble the smirk and smile of one hell of a butler to his young master. How he encompasses the fight scenes as if he dances in the wind. All those you think before we’ll make you regret if you won’t watch it.


Ciel Phantomhive ( Ayame Gōriki )
Seen in the poster, You won’t take your second guess if Ciel is portrayed by a girl. He should’nt be right? ( for otaku’s point of view ) well ofcourse, I don’t think so. At first, it was okay for me since, I sincerely accept the concept of crossdressing to the film. Who cares. She’s cute anyway  
Demou. What you think before is you don’t get. ( Take a wild guess, cause Im not giving you any spoil )
Like the master Ciel in the original manga , Ayame-sama has a seal in her right eye as a symbol of her contract with Sebastian. Sebastian watches over and protects the young master, but at a price — he consumes the contractor’s soul.
 Portraying the role of Ciel Phantomhive, I could say 10/10 . Everything that Ciel has , the charm, attitude problem, his feelings toward the accident is reflected to Ayame-san’s portrayal! The first appearance of her in the film will rapture your heart wishing it happened in the manga or anime also.
Oh.. also some of the lead cast are Mizuki Yamamoto as the maid Lin, Yuka as Ayame's aunt Hanae, and fashion model Louis Kurihara as the undertaker Jay.
So there was Maid Lyn ,Tanaka-sensei,  Madam Red, Undertaker……
HAHAHAHA. xD I’ll leave that open.
Seriously Undertaker give me a heart attack. = w =~

The film revolves around the first 8 episodes of the anime, Jack the Ripper issue, but the time setting is a bit different to what otaku should expect. Negative thing right? I know! we have been waiting for the moment to see the Victorian England style in the movie but I think it is too crucial if it was put on the set. The characters aren’t the problem at all. The mansion? You wouldn’t be surprised anyway; it’s still the same, especially the garden! Oh! You’ll love the landscape! (Speaking architecturally)

The time setting, itself, changes everything. EVERYTHING. 

This is what makes it worth watching.

 SO… If you think you know it all, you better think again. 

You don’t have to spoil your seatmate what will happen because you don’t know either. Actually I was packing my things, which I thought it was the end of the movie, but gives me more of what the anime and the manga have given. No cliché ! and fangirls will scream for YAOI ! Sh- It was embarrassing though. I couldn’t help it. This movie is refreshing, alive, gives you a touch of comedy, shocking revelations esp. with the maid and the cat and a sense of reality. 

I really like the line the young master told to the demon butler , how demons became demons and human became human.    

photo used are from google

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written : 10/06/14

[ Review ] No Game No Life - A review

No Game, No Life: A review
 

Synopsis:
Before when we were born, the world, itself, confined us to its own set of rules.

As for the brother and sister gamer, both NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) and hikikomori (complete social withdrawal), those rules considered on the real world is just another "crappy game."  Sora and Shiro, whose reputations spawned legends all over the Internet was summoned by an unknown challenger in a game of online chess. After beating the boy, who calls himself “God” in the alternate world, (being weary to their world) the siblings decided to accept his offer to be reborn to his world decided by games. Journey begins when the two became Humanity’s Hero, (King) to redeem its property and to have the right to challenge Tet “One True God”.

Genre:

Anime adaptations of Fantasy, Game and Supernatural genre banged the otaku community when they released Reki Kawahara’s of Accel World and Sword Art Online (which became hit on 2012). Incomparability to increasingly hope of demands to match these kinds of genres would probably bore the community to wait for another season for SAO: Gun Gale Online airing on summer, but it wasn’t the case though. These genre and demands of fans entirely freshen up mood when No Game, No Life aired this April 2014. This twelve episodes series surely made it to the Top Ranking! Why? Compared to Sword Art Online, It does not closely ape only VMMORPG (which is only the main theme in SAO) albeit the whole concept of GAMES as well. In episode two, the series explains how complicated and scientific simple games are. This attests the reality if we either fall in to the category of being a player or from being a gamer. “You think you know it all? “, It’ll answer you with a sure NO. Yū Kamiya’s work to No Game, No Life is prized to be one of the geniuses with the lineage of anime adaptations to the said genre. Bonus points though, sarcasticly saying, the anime runs with a spoil of mimicking other series that was also streaming then! It was a sure hit if you notice this.

Story:

Being able to reborn in a world decided only by games with the pledges sure is exciting! In No Game No Life, the story regarding the alternate world is prototypical for a fantasy, but with a line twist in episode one given by Sora (“why would a person go back to the messed up world (reality) “ ) ignorance to classic stories drawn you back to the question “we’ll they ever stay up for good?” The approach that the series takes can eventually be a satisfying one, like how comedy (without being cocky) underscores fight scenes beforehand. The point that the series tries to make is simple, complexes by games itself. It’s potential to be considered as a game story suited to the main set of the series. Thus, No Game, No Life, won’t let you lose sight to its goal. Convincing you how games should not be underhand and exploiting the fun. Substantial for its style while encouraging players to be gamers.Character and Development:Breaking down to characterizations, Do not be fooled how passionate not being a virgin is! (Talking to men) Sora, elder brother, with his passion to graduate from being a Virgin is the insane fact how to be a badass for ecchi type! He’s showy brother side, sometimes, too is artful for the flawless beauty sister, Shiro, to work one as Kohaku or Blank. These two combined in a series guaranteed a combo skill of winning your hearts to continue watching it! The races in the series are mystical as well. Random behavior of one character affects the whole circle, shown in episodes 11-12. A flugel, machina , elves, war beasts, imanity etc. etc. is a nice thing to make the story noteworthy like how you play each characters in Otome Games. Selling the series to these characters opens the opportunity to the viewers that the characters are still created by the style of game. Obvioliviously, the character’s moderation of its clear vision to its goal is somewhat lacking but this overlacking had been explained by the end of the episode proving that the vows seen by our eyes in not what it seems to be. The anime series, No Game, No Life, apprehended that this is not a merely game we are in to also the story goes deep into the boundary of being a game. Also, after re-watching the anime,taking note to Shiro’s background is somewhat lacking. Sora’s character is more visible on Blank, underhanding Shiro as his main support character. Is it not Blank supposed to be equal? It will be nice that in the next season they will feature more of Shiro’s passion than Sora’s vision.


Staffs and Crews:
Mad House’s craft have never down their viewers from the past years by giving crucial and artful details to characters and productions. Incomparability of insanity by choosing the color contrast to characters give the feeling of being inside a virtual reality. Madhouse and its crew gave justice to their viewers once again. It won’t be a success too, for the seiyuu who cast out the main and supporting characters. Their shift from serious, mildly epic comedy and determination of voicing out created the atmosphere of enjoying the series, taken back to how Sora and Shiro’s dream casting their dreamy lines (episode 3, when they were in the carriage together with Kurami and Steph) Also, salute to Yū Kamiya, one of the first non-Japanese manga artists to find success in Japan, for his own strategically critical non-biased story of No Game, No Life. The struggle to comply with an enormous talented crew bathed the series to its success!

Music:
Technicality to graphics, the chosen contrasting palette of colors to the character fits the setting of the story, virtual gaming. Also for the  background music giving cretids to the sound director, Jin Aketagawa, back when it’s still streaming, I noticed that from the other series, for example Hitsugi No Chaika, if you started watching this series after No Game, No Life, you’ll find it dry, I could not say also that No Game, No Life’s track is overrated with or without fight scenes. But because of having music on background, it upper handed the other series that was streaming also. No anime that was streamed last season was appreciatively good; it’s just that people do not consider musicality aspect to appreciate better the series; giving points to No Game, No Life. For the soundtrack, It’s one of the good music genre that I’ve encountered, opening and ending were a bit soft contrasting to the each plot driven by a specific episode which is streaming. This fashion, given by the song, eludes the true purpose of the upcoming episode creating a tramp card. Music in their totality brings up the episode by giving them a hangover from pianissimo to fortissimo!

Techniques:

Due to its complexity, is it not a high to see the future like Blank? The character’s spirituality to their God-given-skills and the situation they are in will handed you to provide time quality service that runs in 23 minutes! Unseeingly better for the next season is not to manipulate the past just to give justice to Blank for winning the game. (For example, is Episode 12). It would be pleasing to see the future by giving out details to the present rather than manipulating the past. It would be a cliché if the next season will still use this kind of technique, it’s just that how will it happen.Over all, music is good, character designs too, casting out being epic with its producers having outnumbered successful anime than this, It is recommendable for non-gaming and gaming consoles ! The series itself is born, biased, created by the pledges of being a true gamer. This brain whacking anime will surely leave you proud of being below than others! Feeling of being born as the weakest race, but have given to master defeating the strong will will you to have fun, be excited and be wracked as this anime comes up for another season ! Surely, one of its best features next season is that “Who will first defeat Blank? “Or “Will they ever be defeated?”

This twelve episode series will surely mockingly answer you –
Saa, Geimu Hajimeiyou ! (Okay , Let’s begin the game !)