hisashiburi!

While waiting for the second season, let me share some of my thoughts on Season 1 which is probably one of the best anime 2006 had to offer.

It’s not what I can call a unique series. The plot reminds me of the usual war themes in anime but the creators did quite well in presenting the story with all its socio-political elements, all revolving around very consistent characters. I particularly like how the sub-plots and characters are interlaced. The story is fast-paced but progression is smooth. It was exhilarating from its explosive start till the very end.

The ideological clash between Lelouch and Suzaku is a good concept and adds depth to the story. They both have their points and it’s hard to tell which is good or bad. Or perhaps it is not a question of good or bad in the first place. I’ll leave that to the philosophers.

The characters are beautiful; true to the CLAMP artwork (cute faces and seemingly wobbly limbs). I’m more interested in CC, the pretty and mysterious girl who likes pizza. I know a lot of things will be revealed about her. On another note, Geass actually reminds me of Gennouske’s ability in Basilisk - cool and devilish. The ending is a cliffhanger which is a fitting ending for the series in my opinion.

It’s an awesome series and I definitely want to see more.

I was looking for a relatively new anime which is short enough to squeeze in my schedule. I found ef - a tale of memories.

The first thing I noticed in this series was the cinematography. I don’t know much about the kind of animation used in it but as far as the execution of scenes and blending of characters and background images are concerned, it was really good. I also like how it shifts from one story to another. Kei’s story feels too trite for my taste though. I’m more drawn to Renji and Chihiro’s story. It’s more fresh and engaging. I’m actually intrigued with the novel Chihiro is trying to write. In my opinion, it can easily pass as a very good short fiction. The female characters look pretty but, aside from the hairstyle and that eye-patch, they look pretty much the same.

Overall, it was good; not something that I would include in my top list but it was really entertaining.