Plastic Memories: I hope one day, you'll be reunited

Let this first sentence be a warning that there will be SPOILERS in this post. It's a last episode review, containing thoughts about what I think of the way they directed the ending. So let's get started shall we?

Damn You Tsukasa!

The last 3 episodes pretty much showed us the memories Tsukasa and Isla are making together, and how they're having the most fun before the retrieval. Episode 11 and 12's endings showed us that they love each other truly, and feel pain for having to succumb to fate and be separated when the time comes.

First thing to say about the last episode: KINSHIP BATH SCENE? TSUKASA YOU LUCKY ****** nah just kidding (yahright) anything to see the two be happy. Kazuki dismisses Isla and Tsukasa on the morning of their last day of work as to make their most out of their remaining time; so not surprisingly, they go to the amusement park.

They have fun during the day, while the audience enjoys the last pieces of moe-ness and kawaii Isla has to offer. There was a certain scene I like where as the sun starts to set and Isla set off to see something Tsukasa notices how his shadow is alone and realized that's how it would stay when Isla leaves. This puts an air of drama on the viewers just before they begin the last half of the episode.

And the last half is when their final scene together comes.

With the amusement park closing and Isla's deadline looming before them, Isla invites Tsukasa to ride the Ferris Wheel last. The scene was very very quiet and peaceful: only Tsukasa and Isla's voices and a hum of the Ferris Wheel's movement can be heard. Tsukasa was visibly sad since the "alone shadow" scene, and for the first few minutes Isla talks about her thoughts about Tsukasa's future, like probably still working for Terminal Service, it being shut down to cut costs, and ending in this:

Tsukasa cringes, and Isla apologizes to Tsukasa. She then invites Tsukasa to do a simple game; she tells Tsukasa something she loves about him, Tsukasa tells what she loves about her, and they do it alternating until Isla says, " The way you hold back your tears despite your pain, and try so hard to smile" and "the way that smile is so wonderful" where she drops the bomb.

 ...
"Tsukasa, I had a good life."
...
"Hey, Tsukasa, I was so very happy" 



"And now it's almost time for this dream to end."
...
"This is where I want it to end. Before the Ferris wheel goes all the way round"



Tsukasa starts to shed tears. Isla notes that this is the first time she's seen him cry, making even us viewers realize the pain Tsukasa's holding every second until they part ways. Isla wipes away his tears. She thanks Tsukasa for crying for her. Signifying that he loves her truly from the bottom of his heart, and that it pains him so much to see her leave. She pinches Tsukasa's cheeks and turn his lips into a smile. The smile of the person she has always cherished. She smiles back. Tsukasa, having felt how Isla was really happy to have lived this life, smiled too.

The Giftia Retrieval Process starts.

I love how the retrieval involves a ring that both the Retriever and the Giftia wears. The anime displayed it since episode 1 when Isla and Tsukasa first retrieve a Giftia, and it's been forever a set up for Tsukasa and Isla's final scene to look like a marriage. A wedding may be the happiest moment for a couple, but for them it's the saddest; nonetheless marriage symbolizes a love eternal, everlasting.

They hold hands and share a first and final kiss.

Kazuki was waiting outside to receive them, grieving the only word to describe her, as Tsukasa carries Isla towards her. She tells him that Isla looks so peaceful, and that he did a good job. Tsukasa, although trying hard to remain smiling, breaks down in tears. A letter she leaves to everyone thanks them for being such wonderful, kindhearted people she had made memories with.

 I'm not really a fan of dying heroines anime, but some of those anime just turn out to be so good: Angel Beats and AnoHana to mention. Others, not so good: Guilty Crown, Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso, RosarioxVampire. I think it's in the way you handle the heroine's ending and a set epilogue to see how the hero ends up after losing his loved one. In this case, Plastic Memories ends with an epilogue where after 8/9 months of training, he comes back to work at Terminal Service. He is introduced to a new partner who appear to have the legs of someone short, and the hands smaller than Tsukasa's, implying that it could be Isla's Giftia model. The epilogue lets you, the viewer, decide on what the ending should be: If you think Tsukasa and Isla being reunited although already with lost memories would make them both happier, then its Isla. But if you think Tsukasa would only get hurt every single work day if his partner is a reformatted Isla with no recollection of him, then it's another character, someone who's not Isla, so he can move on and be happy with only his memories of her.

Overall, the anime played the series perfectly: reading some opinions of other bloggers here and there, some people said that the other Giftias weren't given a story and development and would therefore eliminate the need for them to be Giftias. I say making a Giftia-producing company that doesn't use Giftias to aid employees doesn't seem sensible, so it's just about the setting. Another opinion would be that Plastic Memories is almost a pure Romance story where it focuses on the emotions of the 2 main characters: any character development between the side characters would not only deviate the story from its genre, but would also make the anime unnecessarily lengthy and confusing. The anime already gave Michiru enough side story related to the plot to justify Tsukasa not running away with Isla.

After watching some shonen-action anime for quite sometime now, I just realized I do like the Romance genre most. And if you do too or even if you're not, Plastic Memories is still a must watch.
It's well directed, perfectly balanced drama and romantic sides make it such a good anime.

Comments are very much appreciated :)

Goodbye, Isla, and I hope one day you'll be reunited with Tsukasa :)

Scratch that :/

I'll try to attend to both blogs, but i'll probably post less frequently, anyway, I'll try my best!
(Someone requested more RomComs on this blog, so why not)
Comments if you want a certain anime summarized/reviewed <3

Upcoming anime review: Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai! and Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai!Ren

Moving to the Anime Amino Community!

Hi Guys! I'm moving my blogging to Anime Amino for a while so I can build up my reputation and anime-reviewing skills :) I hope you join Anime Amino too (it's a mobile app) the community is really welcoming and it's a good place to meet anime fans.

Eventually I'll return to this blog, and I hope everyone will be waiting for me til then! Off to be a better blogger!

Psycho-Pass 2: No Kogami, No Problem

What makes Psycho-Pass  2 so interesting is the change Tsunemori underwent; big character developments make an anime so much more interesting. Tldr Tsunemori becomes SO FREAKING BADASS and it's TSUNEMORI we're talking about here. So let's get on with the slightly more detailed review shall we?

*Spoiler* With the death of the original team of Inspectors and the disappearance of Kogami, Tsunemori steps up to lead Division 1's new team of Enforcers (with a very different set of skills from the previous Enforcers') and a new, naive (kawaii) younger Inspector. Season 2 revolves around Tsunemori and the truth about the Sibyl System; the new antagonist doesn't differ much from Makishima, he can't be judged by the Sibyl System and he's planning to overthrow it. What makes it more complicated is he seemingly has the power to reduce one's psycho-pass to below dangerous-level, enabling him to create accomplices who can't be judged by Sibyl too.

What makes Psycho-Pass 2 one of those rare cases where a sequel season becomes so successful is its conclusion to the mysteries set by the first season: what is the Sibyl System? What would happen to Division 1 following the loss of the entire team's enforcers? What if another villain who can't be judged shows up again? Aside from intriguing unsolved questions, simply seeing our adorable Inspector Tsunemori become a Detective the same caliber as Kogami in all aspects (deduction skills, decision-making, leadership) makes her so much more interesting to watch. The disappearance of Kogami symbolizes that Tsunemori is already a strong enough person to fill his position; she has unlocked her full potential and would become the center of Psycho-Pass season 2.

Working with new characters, awaiting the perfect conclusion to the questions posed in season 1, while following the very interesting storyline makes Psycho-Pass 2 a sequel that exceeds its pivot season and makes it such an interesting watch for all anime fans out there. (plus badass tsunemori 11/10)

Comments very much appreciated :)

Psycho-Pass: Anime Review

Psycho-Pass is THE anime when it comes to insights on Human society; the anime’s focus is how people are judged through the eyes of an omniscient and omnipotent system in a future where you cannot escape the law. But when a criminal mastermind who cannot be judged wreaks havoc and exposes the system's imperfection, who will stop the chaos?

ifragmentix.deviantart.com

Everything is just spectacularly done in this anime; the written plot is perfect, with twists the viewer wouldn't expect; the well animated action scenes compliment the 'crime fighting' theme very well; the art fits the setting; the fight scenes, dialogue, overall plot progression and character development just nails a 10 on every criteria a critic has for anime. There isn't a boring moment in Psycho-Pass, every episode just compels you to watch the next and before long you're itching to watch the second season.

The characters are well thought of and have unique personalities, each having their own strengths and weaknesses, and offer lots of space for interesting character developments. The dialogue between characters offers deep insight and makes viewers rethink about their opinion of a perfect community. Definitely one of those anime you can rate 11/10, and is a must watch for every anime fan out there.

P.S. The ending songs were Egoist's (Guilty Crown) and it is AWESOME

Comments very much appreciated :)

Tokyo Ghoul Root A: Anime Review

A Huge Power spike and Personality Change for Kaneki starts off the second season of Tokyo Ghoul. Let's get on with the review shall we?

Tokyo Ghoul Root A strays from expectations; instead of focusing on the newly powered-up main character, 2/3 of Root A viewed the ghoul-human relationship through the eyes of the ghoul investigators; In my opinion it was a good compliment to the first season where the story was being told on the ghoul's side. They gave the investigators character (so they could kill them off later for drama) and had them express their views on the human-ghoul conflict. Kaneki was pretty much MIA until the third part of Root A, and the second season was totally dedicated to character building on the humans' side.

"Can't you just let me through?"

While the 1st season was more on action and the like, I would say Root A focuses more on the losses we suffer at war, and unanswered mysteries about human-to-ghoul conversion and one-eyed ghouls. The last episode topped off the series with a layer of drama when prominent characters add to the list of the war's casualties. The second season gives of a vibe of loss; a message to viewers that there are no victors in war.

It's still a good watch, and it gives viewers the push they need as to continue the series by reading the manga, but that my friends, is for another day. :)

Comments very much appreciated!

Tokyo Ghoul: Anime Review

Man, the Opening Song was the very definition of badass. Ghouls killing humans, humans killing ghouls --- Tokyo Ghoul was a very satisfactory shonen monster- anime. So let's get on with the review!

Short summary:
Tokyo Ghoul, as the name suggests, are about monsters (called ghouls) who are 1 level above the humans in the food chain; thus, the humans contain the ghouls and force them into hiding (we outnumber them). The main character, a human boy caught up in ghoul business, gets turned into a half-human half-ghoul and struggles to blend in with human society alongside other peaceful ghouls like himself.

So what makes tokyo ghoul different from other shonen monster manga? First of all, the anime starts of with a very weak protagonist due to the fact that he has not accepted his changes yet (yep, exactly like Kiseiiju) and the plot revolves around the interracial war between ghouls and humans --- complete with BADASS fight scenes, BADASS art, BADASS powers and characters; what made the anime a hit for viewers wasn't particularly the drama/conflict between being a ghoul and being human but rather the action packed battle simulations, may it be ghoul vs human or ghoul vs ghoul. Season 2 was also made a necessity because of how they made the last episode: Kaneki (main character) undergoes a drastic personality change after being traumatically tortured and DESTROYS his captor, a rather powerful ghoul. This leaves the viewers hanging from a cliff; dying to see the next episode, and just because of that sales for Tokyo Ghoul season 2 was already assured.

For those who enjoy fighting and general shonen anime, Tokyo Ghoul is a good watch; but for those looking for a more complex storyline/twists, you're better off looking at other upcoming anime.

Comments very much appreciated :)