Review:
One thing that has become painfully obvious during the mid-season of Anime-Gataris is that this show is at its best when it is a straight parody of other anime or when the characters are passionately engaged in an anime discussion dropping references left and right. Devoid of either of those ideas, the story itself doesn’t have enough substance to stay standing and the one note nature of these characters becomes far too clear.
The reason episode 8 highlights these issues so beautifully is because the entire episode is a tug-of-war between the show trying to be plot driven with the anime club getting shut down and overcoming the student council’s meddling and a barrage of references about doing your best, the screening itself which dumps huge numbers of references and then we finish with a dance sequence that other than being filled with creepy CG was incredibly familiar.
Basically we had moments that reminded us that this show knew how to make us laugh and had some energy, and then we had all the scenes with Minoa thinking or moping or rallying to get her enthusiasm back up. Minoa is a cute character and when she’s discussing anime she shines. But otherwise, she just doesn’t have enough character, and the audience hasn’t been given enough reason to care about her as a character, for any of the rest of this to have much impact.
This one looks like it will be hard to review because early episodes were really good value in terms of just making me laugh. Now however, while I don’t dislike the show, it has definitely slumped into kind of watchable nothingness.
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Thanks,
Karandi James.
While I can certainly agree that the first few episodes were the best of the show, I still find myself entertained by this show. At worst the episodes have been ok and at best they have been a lot of fun. I kind of figured that the most plot we would get would be the group getting together and having various adventures in otaku life. You are right where the show has faltered a bit in recent weeks and I certainly won’t say it is the best show out there. If a show makes me laugh a little then I’ll see it to the end. Finding even a decent comedy is hard. And I don’t mind some low substance entertainment every now and then.
There’s definitely worse out there and for a comedy it isn’t annoying me or anything like that. Just those first episodes were so fun to watch and now I’m kind of just watching. Still, there were hints at a darker plot earlier that they’ve really never done much with and the whole student council thing is getting way over done at this point.
Still, watchable enough.
I’m finding myself bored with Anime Gataris. It was fun at first, but I don’t get why the student counsel or the principal are so against the anime club. Plus, I kind of feel like the whole subplot about the cat and the missing hat will happen soon, even though it hasn’t been mentioned in awhile.
Definitely. Started fun but hasn’t done anything with its plot and it hasn’t been as fun for most of the mid-season.
Nothing wrong with watchable nothingness in my book… Unless you’re trying to write a review each week. Then they *suck*.
Yep. I’d actually prefer bad because at least that gives me something to say in the review. But… they continued to do the same thing in the same way and it was okay doesn’t make for a great review.
Praising or dunking is easy. “meh, it was a half hour I don’t regret” is hard to expand on…