Higurashi Archives | 100 Word Anime

Top 5 Mystery Anime

Posted on May 21, 2019May 20, 2019 by Karandi

A lot of people love a good mystery. Okay, some people get frustrated and skip to the end when it is a book, but given the consistent production and sales of mysteries there’s clearly an audience. I’ll admit, I get frustrated when a mystery takes too long to get going, doesn’t give enough indication of where it is going, or the payoff ultimately wasn’t worth the wait, but when a mystery gets things right I tend to fall in love with the story.

Anime and mystery is a bit of a mixed bag and I will admit my choices of favourite mysteries are based entirely on my own enjoyment of the story as a whole. Which is why Hyouka isn’t on the list. I loved the first arc and first mystery but found everything after that a little less satisfying. The Promised Neverland I really enjoyed but not for the mystery elements, same for something like Erased.

However, as always, I’d love to know what some of your favourite mystery anime are and why so be sure to leave me a comment below.

Number 5: Sagrada Reset

Also known as Sakurada Reset a lot of people dropped this anime fairly early on and I’ll accept the reasons they gave. The character dialogue is really clinical and detached and doesn’t resemble anything you would actually encounter between normal humans. The pace early on is incredibly slow and while there are bits and pieces indicating a bigger picture and mystery it takes a long time to get going.

Despite that, the conclusion of this two cour series is perhaps one of the best conclusions I’ve come across in anime. Every single arc and story comes together and every hint or idea actually serves a purpose. While it isn’t a realistic ending by any means from a narrative point of view it provides perfect closure to the story and just made me want to watch it through again to see all those clues I missed. For me that’s the mark of a good mystery and this one ended up paying off.

Number 4: ACCA

If you’ve followed my blog for awhile you will know I really got into ACCA. The conspiracy focusing around Jean, the gifts of cigarettes, the plot to overthrow the ruler, all of it just really got me hooked and interested as I wanted to find out who was actually behind what was going on and how they would resolve it. This one ended up being a lot of fun and while it isn’t exactly driving toward a conclusion as we follow Jean about in his work and visit each district in turn, there’s enough going on and the characters are interesting enough to keep you engaged until the later episodes where the conspiracy takes a more central role.

Number 3: No. 6

Dystopian story where the government controls the news and people’s lives and those who question anything are arrested (or forced to flee) – that in itself is enough reason to be interested in No. 6. Throw in the mysterious plague with the insects that are killing people and you’ve got a whole lot of story to cover. I’ll admit, the conclusion to No. 6 isn’t as satisfying as I’d like. Everything comes together but that ending really just goes a bit off the rails as they try to wrap things up and go for the dramatic conclusion. Still, the journey to that ending is one that is well worth following with two characters that are just awesome to watch and a lot of social commentary packed into the mix.

Affiliate Link

Number 2: Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni

It seems odd that there aren’t more horror mystery anime in this list but the bottom line is so many of them are either more psychological than mystery or the mystery they present isn’t overly satisfying. Something like Another does a great job setting up its mystery but ultimately we’re never given any answers for what has happened. Higurashi spends a lot of time setting up its various mysteries and through the various time loops we ultimately get answers for most of them. Whether it is the strange illness that sends people crazy, the murder of Rika, or even the motives of the characters, ultimately Higurashi explores and explains everything in a deeply satisfying manner.

Number 1: Shinsekai Yori

This one is another slow burn in the beginning as it sets up its world and characters but it is one that is incredibly worth the effort. In addition to just being beautiful to watch, finding out the secrets and lies that underpin this future society and seeing how the central characters react and respond to each reveal is truly a delightful viewing experience. While it isn’t the kind of mystery you can solve as a member of the audience it is one that presents puzzling inconsistencies and contradictions as well as strange rules and ideas that allow you to contemplate why they exist before the characters are forced to examine them closer and ultimately find out a series of truths that shake their understanding of their world. Truly delightful viewing even if a little horrifying at times.

And there they are, my favourite 5 mystery anime but as I said before, I’d love to know yours so leave a comment below.

Help Support 100 Word Anime This Spring Season 2000 × — _{Donate to the blog.}

Thank-you for reading 100 Word Anime.
Join the discussion in the comments.
Karandi James

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Series Review: Cute Kids, How Will They Die?

Posted on November 21, 2018November 3, 2018 by Karandi

This is part of a series of re-posts of older reviews on 100 Word Anime. The original review came out in August 2016 and can be found here.

Pretty much no changes in my opinion on this one so again, this post is for people who started following my blog after it came out. I did do some edits but otherwise the post has remained much the same.

Review:

Higurashi is one of those anime that truly divide the viewers. Some people love the slow approach and the absolute contrast between the cute kids doing absolutely nothing to the horrendous violence that will follow, whereas others are bored to tears by the every day activities of the characters or are nauseated by the level to which the violence is taken given the age of the characters. I definitely fell into the loved it camp but I will acknowledge that the series does have a number of glaring flaws. I’m going to attempt to avoid any major plot spoilers but that does mean that there’s going to be some points that I’m just going to have to skip.

I’m going to start with the main flaws of the show so that I can end by discussing what is amazing about this show.

First Criticism: The art and animation

I’m not even going to pretend that there is a justification for some of the animation in Higurashi. While at times it seems that the clunky style and odd off-model characters are being used for dramatic effect, mostly it just seems inconsistent and at times even ugly. I’m not normally one to criticise this aspect of an anime but in Higurashi it is absolutely the weakest part of the anime and I know from some people that this is the deal breaker for them.

Second Criticism: So season one finished and we know…?

Yeah. If you watch Higurashi you are definitely investing in a two season viewing. The time loop aspect of this show certainly gets under some people’s skin (but that’s what this show is so if you don’t like time loops you probably aren’t even going to start watching this), but that isn’t the problem. The problem is that you watch an entire season of time loops and while there are definitely some crucial reveals in that first season, you have no idea what they are or what is happening because explanation of the phenomenon starts with episode 1 of season 2.

On that note, the reason this didn’t throw me from enjoying this is because I accidentally watched season 2 first, not knowing it was a sequel. I just thought the flashbacks were flashbacks until I found out that they were actually scenes from the first season. And that’s a criticism. When the entire first season is actually unnecessary to make sense of your mystery (it does add some important character points and certainly enriches your understanding of some things but it isn’t necessary) then you have to wonder if the plot might have been able to be trimmed down into one season in the first place.

Third Criticism: Science

I know I said I was going to avoid major plot spoilers and so that’s going to make this point a bit threadbare however anyone who understands anything about mental health, parasites, or epidemics is going to tear some of the explainers in this anime apart. And while the vaguely supernatural feeling of the show (and some actual supernatural elements) may allow us to excuse some shoddy science, a lot of what enables events in the plot is the funding into the research taking place in the village. Who would fund that research with the explanations the audience are given?

Final Criticism: Too cute is too cute

The character designs of the group of classmates, the weird punishment games, the overly cute way of speaking attributed to Rika, Satoko’s pretend villains laugh, and even the theme that banding together will allow you to overcome trials you can’t by yourself… For a horror/suspense/mystery piece there’s a lot of overly sweetness and cuteness running around and at times it detracts from the atmosphere of what is otherwise a reasonably solid effort. Yes they are trying to establish a contrast and succeeding, but the balance (particularly in the first season) is thrown out by the length of time we watch kids playing games with little to nothing happening. Even the first arc of the second season seems to drag us through a slice of life comedy rather than anything even vaguely suspenseful.

Let’s move on to the good stuff.

First Reason To Love Higurashi: Understanding of horror

Higurashi is not just a slasher gone wrong with the expectation that it will shock audience because the cast are so very young. The violence is actually crafted beautifully to play upon the universal fears of the its audience. It finds those actions and thoughts that it knows will elicit a very strong response and presses those buttons in just the right manner to make you feel that little bit shocked, sickened and completely and totally engaged.

So if you aren’t a horror fan and don’t like the feelings that horror done well can evoke, then Higurashi is never going to be for you. But for those who want horror that actually gives them that emotional response (and not laughter at the cheesiness of something) then you will find some really well developed psychological attacks in this story. While the animation and at times the characters themselves may intrude upon the experience, it is horror done well.

Second Reason To Love Higurashi: Resolution

Too many stories, particularly horror stories, just leave you hanging. There are unresolved plot threads and character arcs left dangling and some things just never make sense. Maybe they were distractions or red-herrings but they just never fit with the overall story. Higurashi isn’t that story. By the end we know why we are time looping (even if the specifics of the power behind it aren’t explained). We know who was behind orchestrating the tragedies that occurred in each time loop. We know how they finally broke the cycle of tragedy. We know what each character’s individual weakness was and how they faced it to move forward. Really, what few plot threads are left open (mostly about characters and events outside of the village) do not seem very important. We have all the answers we truly need and it is satisfying.

And unlike other horror anime (Another, I am pointing the finger at you), Higurashi decidedly ends the tragedy. There’s no next year where things are just going to start all over again with a new group. The only thing that isn’t resolved with any level of satisfaction is the question of whether any of the characters will ever be able to leave the village.

Thrid Reason To Love Higurashi: It get’s better on rewatch

I’ve mentioned this when talking about a few anime (such as One Punch Man), that some stories just don’t hold up to a rewatch. I know that punchline, that character isn’t very interesting a second time round, there’s no compelling reason to be engaged with the plot a second time. Higurashi wasn’t like that for me. In fact, every time I rewatch it I find something new that I hadn’t noticed before. Some throw-away line that adds significant understanding to a character action or choice, some expression on a character’s face that signifies what they will do later in that arc, the links between arcs and timelines, there’s always something new to find.

Fourth Reason to Love Higurashi: Memorable characters

I know I haven’t given the characters a good write up so far. The kids are overly cute and the adults are all on the periphery, but they are all actually more compelling than they might appear at first. On the surface of the kids you have the smart boy who has gotten into trouble but now has his own little harem, the troubled girl with the bad home life, the cute priestess type, the tom-boy, and the weirdly obsessed with cute things girl. However each of these characters has a detailed story and through each cycle you learn more about them and by the end of the second series the audience really can connect with these characters which makes their success even more satisfying.

As I said at the start, I do fall into the camp of loving Higurashi. I love horror and this anime hit the right notes for me. I found the mystery engaging, I really grew to love the characters, and I got just the right amount of shock from the horror in the story (though the needle in the food kind of froze me for a moment even though this is arguably one of the less horrific moments).

Should you watch Higurashi? That entirely depends on what you are looking for and what you can tolerate in an anime. If bad animation is a deal breaker, then you are probably going to pass on this. If you like fast moving stories or horror that just keeps ramping up the violence, you will probably pass on this. That said, there’s plenty for horror lovers to enjoy in this story.

If you’ve watch Higurashi, let us know your thoughts.

Thanks for reading.

Karandi James

Consider supporting the blog by:

Or use one of my affiliate product links:

Tuesday’s Top 5: Anime With Blood and Gore

Posted on October 16, 2018September 8, 2021 by Karandi

Yes, we have more Halloween list fun this week as I count down my five favourite anime that have a lot of blood and/or gore. Now I had to think long and hard about my pre-requisite for something ending up on this list because just most amount of gross out moments didn’t seem like a great criteria. So instead I decided to go with anime that use blood and gore the best as part of the narrative rather than for the shock factor. That said, it is my list so I’d love to know what you would include on yours.

So what are my top 5 anime with blood and gore?

Please note, there will be spoilers below. And while it should go without saying given the list title, a lot of the images will be disturbing if you do not like blood and gore.

Honourable mentions: Tokyo Ghoul and Attack on Titan, both provide blood and gore aplenty but it always feels more sensationalist than necessary.

Number 5: Higurashi

Cute kids who turn into psychos and kill their friends, in sometimes truly horrifying ways. This anime really does push the boundaries with a young cast that are subjected to torture, dismemberment, and generally just misery and death. Despite the young age of the cast it doesn’t really hold back on showing the deaths seemingly relishing in each and every failed attempt to break free from the time loop. This one definitely earns a spot on the list even if it isn’t quite as graphic as some of the others.

Number 4: Elfen Lied

I almost just made this an honourable mention given a lot of the blood and flying body parts could definitely be seen as just an attempt to shock the audience. Still, the story does rely heavily on human fear of the unknown and of fear of the monster, and Lucy delivers both as she walks her way through a mass of armed guards leaving nothing but blood in her wake. After the opening the blood keeps coming but it is certainly diminished after the anime has set its scene.

Number 3: Another

While more about atmosphere and creepiness than blood, there’s something even more shocking about the moments of pure gore this anime delivers because of the slow build to them. Very few people forget the umbrella on the stair case incident and the teacher suicide in the classroom is a truly unsettling and disturbing visual that isn’t leaving me any time soon. As these deaths are the result of the curse the class is under the violence and shocking nature of these events are actually kind of necessary because otherwise the kids wouldn’t be half so desperate to undo the curse.

Affiliate Link

Haikyu Kotaro Bokuto (Re-Run)

Number 2: Devilman Crybaby

Want a break from simply dripping and splashing blood around the screen? Devilman Crybaby delivers true body horror with some truly violent and gory sequences that will leave you feeling fairly unsettled. As much as I didn’t really get into the story or characters of Devilman Crybaby, I have to admit that if you are after a genuine round of body horror with a lot of gore thrown in, this anime is going to deliver provided you don’t also mind a lot of sexualised content mixed in with that.

Number 1: Pupa

This one wins again (as it previously in 2016 on anime I recommended for Halloween). This is one graphic and disturbing short anime that will definitely get under your skin as a younger sister, infected with a virus, will feed by eating the flesh of her still living older brother (also infected but fast healing). This is blood, gore and a whole lot of shudder inducing imagery and definitely not for the faint hearted. Also, not for anyone who wants a conclusion because you’ll be left wanting.

And there we have it, my top 5 list of anime that use blood and/or gore. As always, feel free to share your list in the comments below.

Thank-you for reading 100 Word Anime.
Join the discussion in the comments.
Karandi James

Tuesday’s Top 5: Female Characters with Green Hair

Posted on February 27, 2018February 17, 2018 by Karandi

Today I am taking a look at the lovely green haired ladies of anime and I will admit this ended up being harder than expected. While there was no doubt who was going to top my list, the other characters proved a little harder to split. Basically I was looking for interesting female characters where their green hair was a distinguishing part of their appearance.

I’d love to know some of your favourite green haired female characters. Next week I’ll tackle the guys but until then be sure to leave your picks in the comments below.

Note: There will be spoilers below.

Honourable mentions go to Sailor Neptune (Sailor Moon) and Akari (Chaika).

Number 5: Nanami Yasuri (Katanagatari)

Nanami gets points for being the second creepiest character I put on this list. She’s a devoted sister but I’m pretty sure that her notion of raising or caring for her brother has definitely crossed a few lines. Admittedly, he is really strong and made stronger by her interference in his quest but Nanami is still one terrifying green haired girl. Her particular ability to essentially use any ability she has ever seen makes her fairly terrifying to almost all who encounter her and if it wasn’t for her weak body she’s be an unstoppable force of nature.

Affiliate Product Link:

Number 4: Tsuyu Asui (My Hero Academia)

Now I am not the biggest froppy fan but even I have to admit that Tsuyu is one talented hero. If she wasn’t in the same class as the protagonist and his rivals she might even get to stand out occasionally. She’s level headed in a crisis, has a range of useful skills and is pretty determined. Throughout the second season she demonstrated numerous times that she has what it takes to be in the same class as the others and while I didn’t really appreciate her getting her own mission episode as it felt a lot like filler, even I had to admit it was very high quality filler and you could totally see this character carrying their own series.

Affiliate Product Link:

Number 3: Lenalee (D Gray Man)

No real surprise here given I’ve made it fairly clear that I love Lenalee as a character. She’s such an awesome exorcist and a great partner for Allan. Unfortunately she gets sidelined too often, but the fight over the ocean on the way to Japan just proved how incredibly tough she is and how far she will go to save others and win the fight. She also got her innocence to evolve to the crystal type and while Hallow severely underutilised her I’m kind of hoping if we get another follow up series (please) that we’ll see more of this amazing character on the screen.

Number 2: Mion/Shion Sonozaki (Higurashi)

So who beat Nanami as the creepiest character on this list? Mion and Shion of course (and no, I’m not even going to try to split these two because depending on the time loop you are in either one of them could be crazy and it isn’t as though they don’t switch places making it even more confusing). Still, these two are fantastic characters. The older sister characters of the group and the children of gangsters, they come across as tough as nails but are surprisingly emotionally vulnerable. They both go through hell at various times but fortunately they learn from the experiences eventually, like the other characters, and finally find their happy ending.

Number 1: Nel (Bleach)

Whether in her child-form or fully grown, Nel was a fantastic character that Ichigo met when he invaded Hueco Mundo. As a former member of the Espada, she is one tough cookie but she’s got a grudge and Ichigo has a soft spot for little sister characters so the two of them bond fairly readily after meeting. One of my favourite Bleach characters ever, and rocking her green hair and matching shirt, Nel well and truly deserves the number one spot on this list.

And that’s my list done but I’d love to know your picks and remember to check in next week when I count down my top 5 male characters with green hair.

Thanks for reading.

Karandi James

If you enjoyed this post and would like to see more great content on this blog, consider becoming a patron for as little as $1 a month.

Another way you can support the content here is by buying a copy of ‘Thoughts on Anime 2017‘ as an ebook. It contains a selection of reviews, features and top 5 lists from 2017 and while the content is available free on the site, this is a great way to give a one off show of support for the blog. It is available for $3.99.

Finally, you can use the affiliate link to shop at Play-Asia.com if you are interested in anime, soundtracks, figures or games. Should you use the link and make a purchase, I will receive a small percentage of the purchase price.

Top 5: Characters Who Are a Bit Strange

Posted on September 5, 2017August 13, 2021 by Karandi

There are many anime characters who are a bit strange.

Alright, anime characters by their very nature are usually a bit strange. They are after all living in the anime universe and not the real world. That said, there are some characters that take being a bit peculiar to all new levels of strange. Sometimes there’s a really good reason for their actions (childhood trauma, etc), and other times they just like doing what they do. So today’s top 5, I’m focussing on my favourite top 5 characters who are a bit strange.

This list is kind of similar to my list on characters who weren’t all there but on that list I went more with characters who were a bit spacey and oblivious rather than characters who clearly have direction its just weird what direction they’ve chosen.

Please Note: There are some plot spoilers below if you read the descriptions.

Honourable mentions this week go to Oculus from Death Parade and Misaki Mei from Another.

Number 5: Koko Hekmatyar from Jormangand

Koko is an arms dealer in Jormungand. She’s tough and almost impossible to phase even if you point a gun directly at her face. That said, she’s also more than a little bit odd. She’s got a strange moral code and at times her decisions about who to deal with and who to walk away from seems fairly arbitrary. Also, after spending a lot of her childhood on battlefields she has picked up one very strange habit after she was told by one of her body guards she should always be smiling. All and all, Koko is a character I love, but the girl is strange.

Affiliate Link

Mondo: The Art of Soundtracks (hardcover)

Number 4: Kagerou Shoukin from Inu X Boku

This guy sees everything in the world through the classification of either being an S (sadist) or an M (masochist) and he goes to great lengths to explain his reasons and logic to those around him even when they tell him they don’t care. Even a Lazy Susan in a Chinese restaurant doesn’t escape classification.

Kagerou is one seriously annoying character in Inu x Boku, but he does have style and you certainly can’t accuse him of not being true to who he is. But yes, he deserves to be on a list of characters who are a bit strange.

Number 3: Miyo Takano from Higurashi

Miyo’s strangeness is really entirely understandable given the horrific experiences she had at the orphanage as a child, but that doesn’t excuse her decision to kill an innocent child and then massacre an entire village just to prove that her adopted father’s research was actually right all along. Higurashi’s villainess is definitely a bit on the strange side.

You do have to admire her dedication to the long term plan and she’s certainly tried to account for all the loose ends. If not for time looping and the power of friendship, she’d have definitely succeeded and she did many, many times before she was finally defeated.

Number 2: Akito Sohma from Fruits Basket

Alright, if you just watch the anime, Akito is just a bully and a nutjob (at least until the Final Season of Fruits Basket finally gave Akito a bit more nuance). Violent temper tantrums, control issues, and outright torture of younger family members litter the scenes Akito appear in.

There’s some attempt to justify this extreme personality in the manga, though while it helps you to see why Akito is so crazy it doesn’t really justify Akito’s actions given for the most part this is a case of misplaced anger. A tragic figure through and through, there’s something compelling about Akito so that even when you hate what Akito is doing, you can’t really look away.

Advertisements

Number 1: Ladd Russo and Claire Stanfield from Baccano

I couldn’t really split these two. In a show full of strange and extreme characters with strange and extreme personalities (Baccano), these two still managed to distinguish themselves as being severely unhinged and yet fantastic fun to watch. Their show down on top of the train was one of the highlights of an anime I loved through and through. They are also oddly similar though Claire is clearly the more refined.

Neither is squeamish or has an issue with blood and they both wholly believe in their abilities and that their actions and justified. They also severely lack empathy for pretty much anyone else except their chosen lady. All and all, these two guys are awesome to watch on screen but I would never, ever want to meet anyone like them.

Who is your favourite characters who are a bit strange in anime?

Thank-you for reading 100 Word Anime.
Join the discussion in the comments.
Karandi James

Top 5: Must-Watch Anime Sequels

Posted on July 4, 2017June 14, 2021 by Karandi

I tend to run sequels down a lot (see Feature Discussing Anime Sequels and Prequels), which is sometimes justified, but occasionally there are anime sequels, part 2’s, and follow ups that actually do add something to a series and are fairly enjoyable to watch.

So I decided to think about all the good anime sequels out there for a top 5 list. This is my opinion and I’ve chosen sequels that I felt added something actually necessary to a story but were entertaining in their own right. I’d love to know what some of your favourite anime sequels are.

I did however disqualify long running shows without clear divisions between seasons (Bleach etc).

Please Note – There will be spoilers below.

Anime Sequel Honourable Mentions

Sailor Moon, Natsume Yuujinchou (not sure if this counts as long running without clear division so left it off the list, but every season is amazing), Full Metal Panic (Second Raid is fantastic), and Noragami (Second season was amazing, but where’s the third as this story still isn’t finished). There are plenty of other amazing anime sequels I could have gone with but we don’t want to be here all day.

Best Anime Sequel Number 5: Clannad After Story

Don't tell me Clannad season 2 didn't make you cry - this is one anime sequel that knocks it out of the park.

I’d be the first to say that Clannad wasn’t really my thing as an anime. It is a beautiful story and there are some really great elements to it, but it just isn’t my type of show. That said, I watched through all of it and even cried so it works well enough and for people who like the genre it is probably an even more moving experience. After Story is a perfect follow up to the original series.

It narrows the focus to the main characters, though all the other characters are still there, and it legitimately adds to their characters. Not to mention, it finally reveals what was going on during some of the stranger moments in season one. As a sequel or follow up it does everything a show needs to and is perfectly entertaining on its own (though you’ll probably miss some of the character moments if you haven’t sat through season 1).

Affiliate Link

Horizon Forbidden West T-Shirt Black

Best Anime Sequel Number 4: Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai

Higurashi is simply a question without season 2. A necessary anime sequel.

Follow up to Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (or When They Cry, When the Cicadas Cry, or whatever other title you’d like to give it), this is a fantastic sequel. I actually watched this first, not knowing it was the second part, and while the first loop was a bit confusing due to me not having a clue who anyone was, I soon figured out what was going on and this is the part of this series that actually solves the mystery of who is behind the tragedy.

While the first season is fine, by itself it is unsatisfying. Lots of loops, lots of violence, there are clues and character moments, but it doesn’t end. Season 2 builds on all those clues and character moments and gives us a very dramatic final confrontation. It legitimately works by itself as a story and is highly entertaining (you know, if you are in to horror).

Best Anime Sequel Number 3: Kimi ni Todoke

While season one is a frustrating slow burn, you need season two to really get to the happy end of this romance.
Anime sequels worth watching.

Now this is more just an ongoing story. Season 1 has our main character, Sawako, slowly coming out of her shell and making friends. Yes, there’s a guy involved and there’s romantic insinuations, but the romantic aspect decidedly takes a back seat to building confidence and friendships. Having already established that in season 1, season 2 squarely turns the focus on Sawako’s ongoing relationship with Kazehaya and whether it is respect or love she feels.

For someone who has only just learned about friendship, there’s a lot that can go wrong as she treads her way into romance and season 2 takes us through all the ups and downs until we finally get to the moment we’ve all been waiting for. An excellent follow up on a very cute romance.

Advertisements

Best Anime Sequel Number 2: Snow White With the Red Hair

Seriously - who didn't want more of Zen and Shirayuki.
Anime sequel so worth waiting for and please give us more.

Possibly this is a theme given how many relationship heavy shows have ended up on this list, but I really felt Shirayuki and Zen had more story to tell after season 1, and season 2 proved that right though not as I expected. Rather than focussing fully on their relationship, season 2 kind of scattered the focus giving lots of other relationships time to develop and be revealed.

It was deeply satisfying seeing various characters have their moment, while an overall narrative involving Shirayuki’s kidnapping played out, but it did kind of leave the show with little time at the end to address the main question of Shirayuki and Zen. Which of course means we’re left with a sweet but not final ending and why is there no season 3?

Still, this sequel does the job of advancing the characters and the plot logically and adding to what we know about them and the world, so it succeeds even if it still felt unfinished.

Best Anime Sequel Number 1: Assassination Classroom

The ending of Assassination Classroom - this is the way to end an anime sequel.

Much like Kimi ni Todoke, season 1 of this focussed very much on building the characters up. They were learning skills, facing themselves, overcoming past difficulties, before they had the final test when the class was put in legitimate danger. Season 2 shifts the focus dramatically to the motive for the assassination and trying to find a way around it, dividing opinions and characters.

While there’s definitely some filler in season 2, the sheer number of excellent character moments, before we get to the very final and necessary conclusion, makes this a sequel that was needed and it delivered on the promise way back in season 1. Thoroughly enjoyable watch though one could argue the end was dragged out just a little too long. Despite that, it was unforgettable.

Be sure to share your favourite anime sequels in the comments.

Thank-you for reading 100 Word Anime.
Join the discussion in the comments.
Karandi James

Tuesday’s Top 5: Fight Sequences

Posted on May 23, 2017March 20, 2021 by Karandi

I thought this list would be pretty easy but then I ended up with a short list so long I couldn’t even begin to figure out where to go from there so I’ve narrowed the field. This is my choice of top 5 fight sequences that involve a blade of some description. So magic fights, gun fights, hand to hand fights, and random other weapons are being ruled out before this list even begins (though if one person in the fight is using a blade, I’ve kept it in the running even if the opponent isn’t). I’ll have to go back and do a list of fights that involve some of those at some point but that’s not today. Pretty much what I am looking for in a fight sequence is that it looks good, is entertaining, and serves some purpose in the overall story.

As always, I’d love to know what you would include on your list so please feel free to leave a comment below.

Please Note – There will be spoilers below.

Honourable mentions this week go to Angel Beats (Yurippe vs Tenshi) and Attack on Titan (pretty much any time Levi is actually fighting).

Number 5: Higurashi (Rena vs Keiichi)

For an anime about school children, Higuarshi regularly get’s quite dark. However, there aren’t all that many direct fights as the characters are more prone to acts of torture, drugging opponents, setting traps, and generally go about things in a less direct but still fairly lethal manner. That’s kind of what makes the fight between Rena and Keiichi on the rooftop of the school extraordinary. It is one of the few stand up fights of the series and is an excellent way for the first season to draw to a close. Now I’ll be the first to admit, Higurashi is not a good anime to look at. Characters are off model a lot and the animation is awkward at times. That didn’t interfere with this fight being very cool to watch as it really brought out the characters, addressed some of the ongoing questions about what was going on, and it certainly had high stakes given the situation they were in. All and all, this fight was a great mid-way point in Higurashi’s ongoing story and one I thoroughly enjoy watching.

Number 4: Sword Art Online (Kirito vs The Gleam Eyes)

As much as people like to criticise SAO, I really enjoy it and one of the fights I never get enough of is Kirito vs The Gleam Eyes. Partly its the impossible situation the characters are in. Neither Asuna nor Kirito were looking for a boss fight and it was only because the other group of morons trudged into a boss room unprepared that they get involved at all. partly its because we finally see Kirito use the dual welding skill and the sword that he had made. But a lot of the reason I like this fight is it is just fun and dramatic to watch. Okay, we know Kirito is going to win the fight from the beginning, but that does not take away from the way this sequence builds excitement and tension. Although, from a visual point of view they really do get a bit excessive with the light show at times and I’m guessing if you look at fights for actual technique this one probably won’t do much for you. Mind you, a lot of the credit has to go to the music in this scene. They really nailed it.

Advertisements

Number 3: Soul Eater (Maka vs Jack the Ripper)

The very first episode of Soul Eater delivers one of the best fight sequences I had ever watched (when I first saw the episode). It was the reason I fell in love with the series and Maka as a character. She’s cool, confident, and she is rocking that scythe. Anyway, if you’ve never seen this particular fight, you should check it out (it is literally all over YouTube or you know, watch the anime). Though I still love this fight, Soul Eater is full of interesting battles between characters, and some fairly interesting weapons, and really ends up being visually fascinating to watch.

Number 2: Bleach (Gin vs Hitsugaya)

Alright, you kind of had to know Bleach was showing up on this list sooner or later, and here it is. The reason for this fight over most of the others is that even though both Captains use their swords there are no bankai going on here, no over the top silly powers, just a nice simple fight between two characters, that may or may not end up involving bystanders, Gin really does fight dirty. Part of me loves this fight because Hitsugaya really has lost his cool entirely and part of me loves this fight because even though Hitsugaya has the upper hand most of the way through the fight, because he doesn’t consider that Gin will use underhanded methods, he still technically loses. It is great fun to watch and in a show filled with epic, ongoing and long winded fights, this one is short, brutal, and fairly effective (even if not quite as spectacular as some of the others).

Affiliate Link

Attack on Titan – Levi (Re-run)

Number 1: DanMachi (Bell vs the Minotaur)

Given the series starts with Bell getting cornered by a Minotaur, the turning point for the story and Bell as a character is when he finally is forced to take on a Minotaur single handedly in order to buy time for others to escape. Eventually other adventurers show up but by that stage Bell is pretty committed to taking the thing down by himself and what follows is one of the best fight sequences I’ve ever seen. Tiny dagger and character against very large and strong minotaur, it literally takes everything Bell has got (speed, magic, endurance, as well as a lot of tenacity) to win the fight and it is so worth it. It is one of those moments you can’t look away from. For all the silliness that DanMachi has littered through it, it is the moments like this one that really make the show shine. This sequence is cool to watch, it has a lot of memorable moments, there’s some real tension and fear for the protagonist’s safety (though you know he’ll live there’s definitely the question of how injured they’ll let him get), and the pace is fantastic. All and all, this is a fight that I love rewatching.

So that is my top 5 fights (using blades of some description). What would you have put on your list? Looking forward to your responses.

Thank-you for reading 100 Word Anime.
Join the discussion in the comments.
Karandi James

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Series Review – When Cute Kids Turn Vicious Killer

Posted on August 2, 2016July 17, 2021 by Karandi

Higurashi Overview:

Also known as When They Cry or When the Cicadas Cry, Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni is a story about Keiichi Maebara who moves with his family to a small mountain village called Hinamizawa.

There’s a lot going on in this village. Between possible curses from the gods, mental illnesses, seemingly corrupt police, the sometimes suspicious actions of the village council, a group of school friends who are more than what they seem, oh and the occasional murder of everyone in the village and then the resetting of time.

Maybe there’s something about remote villages and murder sprees but a lot of Japanese horror anime seem to use the remote rural setting as the backdrop for bloodshed.

Click here for more anime reviews.

Higurashi Review:

I definitely fell into the loved it camp but I will acknowledge that the series does have a number of glaring flaws. I’m going to attempt to avoid any major plot spoilers but that does mean that there’s going to be some points that I’m just going to have to skip.

Higurashi - Oh my goodeness, you have finally won at cards. — *^{The only time where playing cards can be as important as just admitting you murdered your neighbour.}*

I’m going to start with the main flaws of the show so that I can end discussing the many good points about Higurashi that have kept me coming back to it again and again. That said, I haven’t jumped onto Gou because to be honest I felt like Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni and Kai more or less told the full story. I was satisfied.

First Criticism of Higurashi: The art and animation

I’m not normally one to criticise this aspect of an anime unless something is an unwatchable eye-sore (like Hand Shakers) but in Higurashi it is absolutely the weakest part of the anime and I know from some people that this is the deal breaker for them.

higurashi is endlessly amusing for the gifs though.

Second Criticism: So season one finished and we know…?

The problem is that you watch an entire season of time loops and while there are definitely some crucial reveals in that first season, you have no idea what they are or what is happening because explanation of the phenomenon starts with episode 1 of season 2.

I have no idea what happens in the subsequent sequels with Rei and the new Gou and honestly, I don’t really want to as there doesn’t seem like there’s anything more that needs adding. But, you can’t just watch the first season and stop. Or I guess you can, but you’ll know pretty much nothing.

And that’s kind of a criticism. When the entire first season is actually unnecessary to make sense of your mystery (it does add some important character points and certainly enriches your understanding of some things but it isn’t necessary) then you have to wonder if the plot might have been able to be trimmed down into one season in the first place.

Advertisements

Third Criticism: Science

And while the vaguely supernatural feeling of the show (and some actual supernatural elements) may allow us to excuse some shoddy science, a lot of what enables events in the plot is the funding into the research taking place in the village. Who would fund that research with the explanations the audience are given?

Final Criticism: Too cute is too cute

For a horror/suspense/mystery piece there’s a lot of overly sweetness and cuteness running around and at times it detracts from the atmosphere of what is otherwise a reasonably solid effort. Yes they are trying to establish a contrast and succeeding, but the balance (particularly in the first season) is thrown out by the length of time we watch kids playing games with little to nothing happening.

Even the first arc of the second season seems to drag us through a slice of life comedy rather than anything even vaguely suspenseful.

Let’s move on to the good stuff.

First Reason To Love Higurashi: Understanding of horror

It finds those actions and thoughts that it knows will elicit a very strong response and presses those buttons in just the right manner to make you feel that little bit shocked, sickened and completely and totally engaged.

Higurashi - I'm not sure this is a good promise.

While the animation and at times the characters themselves may intrude upon the experience, it is horror done well.

Affiliate Link

Haikyu Kotaro Bokuto (Re-Run)

Second Reason To Love Higurashi: Resolution

Higurashi isn’t that story. By the end we know why we are time looping (even if the specifics of the power behind it aren’t explained). We know who was behind orchestrating the tragedies that occurred in each time loop. We know how they finally broke the cycle of tragedy. We know what each character’s individual weakness was and how they faced it to move forward. Really, what few plot threads are left open (mostly about characters and events outside of the village) do not seem very important.

We have all the answers we truly need and it is satisfying.

Thrid Reason To Love Higurashi: It get’s better on rewatch

Higurashi wasn’t like that for me. In fact, every time I rewatch it I find something new that I hadn’t noticed before. Some throw-away line that adds significant understanding to a character action or choice, some expression on a character’s face that signifies what they will do later in that arc, the links between arcs and timelines, there’s always something new to find.

Higurashi - That's not a very scientific view.

Fourth Reason to Love Higurashi: Memorable characters

However each of these characters has a detailed story and through each cycle you learn more about them and by the end of the second series the audience really can connect with these characters which makes their success even more satisfying.

0316e3939bb748737e2790561188d42c1251698329_large

If you’ve watch Higurashi, let us know your thoughts.

Images from: Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni. Dir. C. Kon. Studio Deen. 2006.

Thank-you for reading 100 Word Anime.
Join the discussion in the comments.
Karandi James

Higurashi

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Series Review: Cute Kids, How Will They Die?

Like this:

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Series Review – When Cute Kids Turn Vicious Killer

Higurashi Overview:

Higurashi Review:

Like this:

Higurashi

Sharing is caring

Like this:

Sharing is caring

Like this:

So what are my top 5 anime with blood and gore?

Number 5: Higurashi

Number 4: Elfen Lied

Number 3: Another

Number 2: Devilman Crybaby

Number 1: Pupa

Sharing is caring

Like this:

Sharing is caring

Like this:

Number 5: Koko Hekmatyar from Jormangand

Number 4: Kagerou Shoukin from Inu X Boku

Number 3: Miyo Takano from Higurashi

Number 2: Akito Sohma from Fruits Basket

Number 1: Ladd Russo and Claire Stanfield from Baccano

Who is your favourite characters who are a bit strange in anime?

Sharing is caring

Like this:

Anime Sequel Honourable Mentions

Best Anime Sequel Number 5: Clannad After Story

Best Anime Sequel Number 4: Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai

Best Anime Sequel Number 3: Kimi ni Todoke

Best Anime Sequel Number 2: Snow White With the Red Hair

Best Anime Sequel Number 1: Assassination Classroom

Be sure to share your favourite anime sequels in the comments.

Sharing is caring

Like this:

Number 5: Higurashi (Rena vs Keiichi)

Number 4: Sword Art Online (Kirito vs The Gleam Eyes)

Number 3: Soul Eater (Maka vs Jack the Ripper)

Number 2: Bleach (Gin vs Hitsugaya)

Number 1: DanMachi (Bell vs the Minotaur)

Sharing is caring

Like this:

Higurashi Overview:

Higurashi Review:

Sharing is caring

Like this: