Strike the Meh

Before we get going, definitions need to be addressed. Anime of multiple genres involve vampires, but few actually focus on them as main characters or focal points of the plot. I’ll definite a “vampire anime” as a show which has vampires in the main cast or a narrative structured around vampires as a concept. With my narrower definition, finding vampire anime is arduous and good ones are even more elusive. When Strike the Blood started airing in 2013, I was reasonably excited. It’s a shame my expectations are always higher than they should be.

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Genre: Shounen, Science Fiction, Vampire, Action, Comedy Ecchi, Romance, Magic

Concept:

When I saw ecchi as one of the genre classifications for this anime, my expectations plummeted. My experience in this genre can summarized with one word: shit. Complete and total garbage. However, strangely the excessive fan service does play a small narrative role. In this mythos, Kojou’s (our protagonist) vampire powers are triggered by sexual desire. Normally a cheap gimmick like this infuriates me, however, it provide purpose beyond getting Japanese boys to buy it. A plethora of vampire literature places taboo desires or sexual practices the reader would find disturbing on vampires. The act of consuming another’s blood falls into either of those categories. Thus, what I would perceive as useless fan service actually makes some sense in the anime. Sadly, it also accomplishes the prior as well. Since Kojou is a vampire, a mythos that intertwines sexual desire and the need to drink blood is fine in my book.

Strike the Blood’s world is very similar to Dance in the Vampire Bund. A man-made island where super-natural creatures co-exist with humans, know as the Demon District. It’s not original because many science fiction anime are set on man-made islands, however the setting is utilized well. Vampires are placed at the top of the magical food chain, but they exist within a board range of magical beings including: witches, beast people, and familiars. While I prefer vampires without the context of other supernatural creatures, Strike develops the vampire’s place properly. Four Progenitors remove the “one royal bloodline” cliche found in some modern vampire iterations. This anime’s world building leaves a myriad of potential narrative plots to traverse down.

Characters:Since this anime is twenty four episodes long and a relatively complex cast, I’ll only list “main” characters.

Kojou Akatsuki is the inheritor of the Fourth Progenitor’s blood and our main protagonist. Honestly, Kojou’s character frustrates me. So often shounen heroes are apathetic to their circumstances and wish “to live a normal life with friends and family.” In other settings that works, but there was wasted potential in this mythos because of Kojou’s apathetic tendencies. His romance with Himeragi suffers the most from this poor writing decision. His progression is surface level and only deepens in regards to Himeragi.

Yukina Himeragi is a sword shaman from Lion Heart Organization which specializes in exercising demons. Her orders are to observe Kojou, to determine if he is a threat to the world. Again, not an original premise, but one that makes sense within the established world. Kojou and her make a great pair because she exhibits opposite character traits. She worries, gets reasonably jealous, and genuinely seeks to protect Kojou. Their romance is a boon for this anime. It’s real romatnic tension that only Kojou and her share.

Natsuki Minamiya  is a teacher at Kojou’s school and an attack mage who knows of his true identity. I’d describe her as a distant parent in regard to Kojou. Her role is sigificant both to plot and other characters in the show. Natsuki isn’t explored even when she’s the focai of an arc. Fight scenes involving her are awesome and she’s a crazy powerful witch.

Dimitrie Vatler/Lord Ardeal is a high ranking vampire from the Warlord’s Domain (First Progenitor). He’s probably the most interesting character, but his actual role consists of a pseudo-villain and plot device. Openly gay, transgendered or cross dressing characters are not uncommon in anime; however, rarely do they reside in the main cast. Vatler represents a traditional vampire. His attraction to Kojou is the same regardless of the fourth’s gender. A long existence has warped Vatler’s perception of morality, leaving only a desire to be entertained. The safety of Itogami Island and it’s habitants mean nothing to him.

This anime is full of one dimensional characters who could be flushed out more. The four listed above are what I consider “relevant” characters. If I had a section for each character in Strike, the list would be at least fifteen points. Thankfully, my laziness superseded that desire. The other characters either move the plot forward, provide convenient escapes, give harem-esque romantic tension or a combination of the three. If the writers had retained focus on a few characters versus trying include the entire cast, less of the viewer’s time would be wasted.

Story:

I’ve noticed that Japanese light novel adaptations divide the anime into arcs. Anime adapted from manga will use story arcs as well, but adapters seem to be more liberal with the source material. There are seven story arcs of varying length (the light novel continues to be published). Each arc is stand alone, each with it’s own villain. Only characters, establishment of new abilities and setting connect these arcs together. While a central plot or villain isn’t necessary for excellent story telling, Strike needed a centric plot. The last two arcs are two episodes each, as if the writers were just trying to fill space. In other anime, arcs tend to build on one another and culminate at the end and Kojou’s story needed a bombastic climax. However, ending given seemed half-assed, but more on that later.

Disregarding the last two arcs, pacing inside the other arcs are excellent. Characters and conflicts are established succinctly. None of the episodes felt like filler and drew me in as a viewer. As the story progresses, Kojou learns more about the world he’s been thrust into. Truths about what Itogami Island is and how it sustains itself are revealed as one arc finishes and another begins. It was refreshing to see such a complex world.

Strike also keeps subtle ambiguity about Kojou’s past and the Lion Heart Organization’s intentions which was awesome. Mysterious elements ensure further story development, but this anime suffers from “Lost syndrome.” I realize the light novel isn’t finished yet so maybe a second season is coming; however, don’t introduce questions one has no intention of answering. Kojou has some prior connection with Avrora (previous fourth), but can’t remember due to a memory block. Unfortunately, we learn nothing about this connection. Other elements and characters seem privy to this information, but remain silent. I’m not asking for an explanation about every little detail, just hints. It’s frustrating because Strike sputters out; copping out to the point where the audience sees a glimpse into the future, but receives no on screen action. The Ecchi

I’m not a prude; mild nudity or fan service doesn’t bother me. If either of those serve as a device informing the audience about an anime world, then I’ll let it go. To a small extent, fan service in Strike does a service a narrative purpose; but it’s far too gratuitous. Is it titillating? Sure, I like a female body as much as the next guy. Female members of the cast will strip most of their clothing off for almost no reason at all. Kojou will pull the typical “fall and land on top of girl while holding her breast by accident.” I’m sick of that shit. For reasons unknown to me, the Japanese find sexual humor hilarious; a sentiment I share to a lesser extent. Gratuitous fan service doesn’t create a better viewing experience and disrupts descent story telling.

A vampire exerting their power through familiars is an engaging re-imagination that breaks from traditional vampire mythos. I enjoyed Kojou’s task proving himself to Avrora’s familiars, but the techniques infuriated me. Essentially, it boils down to Kojou drinking the blood of a spirit medium. Apparently, it’s not the only way, but it expedites the process. Cue almost every other female character in this anime. Every new arc comes with a new supporting female, another vessel for Kojou to “level up” his power. This angers me for two reasons 1) those female characters don’t have any purpose which is kinda sexist. 2) Kojou’s agency is reduced to almost nothing. I wanted to him gain control of a familiar through a different method; one that showed his strength, not the convenience of having three or four spirit mediums hanging around. This shit is taken straight out of the “harem anime” play book, yet it doesn’t technically fall into the genre. Enough harem elements exist to distract from an awesome world with so much potential. Animation

Strike is superbly animated. None of the cg is intrusive or invokes a cringe upon viewing. Fight scenes are awesome and one aspect that initially sucked me into this anime. Thank God Gonzo didn’t get their hands on this one.

Score: 6/10

What a waste. Strike the Blood shares a remarkable number of similarities to Campionie. The prior dominates the latter, but both suffer from a boring formula. Conceptually, Strike had a great start and stopped halfway through. It’s possible the light novel is to blame rather than anime studios. Either way, don’t go into this anime with high expectations. 

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Anime Adventures

In my first post, I reviewed an awful anime. Despite the global popularity of anime, most folks I encounter don’t watch it for a plethora of reasons. Movies became a primary focus of my reviews because film is an easy medium criticize. A small part of my day can be spent in a theater and a few hours of content are easily encapsulated. One might assume that movies are my passion, but watching anime supersedes film for me. The problem stems from my laziness; anime consumes far more time, thus my reluctance to review them. However, content diversity demands a greats spectrum of subjects.

As a style of animation, anime can turn people away with incredible proficiency. Additional misunderstanding about content (distinguishing between normal anime and pornographic anime) causes further stigma against a legitimate medium. Character archetypes and cliches can plague the best anime has to offer. Unfortunately, one must deal with these cliches because finding anime without them is difficult; however, let us remind ourselves that all mediums have cliches. Below is a list of anime curious individuals should watch instead of diving in head first.

Hayao Miyazaki films: Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Laputa: Castle in the Sky

Any Miyazaki film has no content that would cause a non-anime viewer to stop watching. The four mentioned above are my favorite films and a great place for an anime beginner to start. The obnoxious cliches that flood new anime almost don’t exist in these films. Having not seen of all of Miyazaki’s other films, I can’t speak for their quality. Note: Miyazaki and two others founded Studio Ghibli, but not all of movies from that studio are directed by him.

Cowboy Bebop

This is an amazing anime, probably one of the best ever made. I know the gravity of such a statement, but Bebop set a bar of quality that few anime have come close to surpassing. Given the setting, characters and plot, this is perfect for non-anime viewers. There’s almost no fan-service or idiotic character archetypes that cause me to smash my head into the wall. In addition to a great show, its soundtrack is unbelievably good.

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing

The Gundam franchise developed the anime science fiction genre known as “Mecha.” It involves people piloting large human shaped robots that fight each other, usually in a war against aliens or other humans. Wing is a spin-off set in an alternate time line to the original show. By the time Wing was released, Mecha cliches had solidified, thus this anime has many: teens piloting the suits, earth warring with the colonies, and the angsts of war. Thankfully, Wing subverts those cliches to produce an engaging story. Politics and moral ambivalence play a greater role in Wing than in previous installments. When this anime came to the U.S. in 1998, it propelled the popularity of anime. I became a fan of anime because this show, thus Wing should be more accessible to non-anime viewers. For the love of God, don't watch the dubbed version. 

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust

Real Gothic horror doesn’t find its way into film very often, even less in anime. This is easily one of the best vampire movies produced. The unique drawing style creates a strange world where fantasy and technology weave together. I didn’t know this was an anime on my first viewing many years ago. Those new to the medium should enjoy this film.

Akira

I am reluctant to put this movie on the list. By far it exceeds the limits of weird even for anime. However, two very important reasons compel me to keep it on. 1) Akira’s historical significance can’t be ignored. This movie came out in 1988 and introduced the world to anime on an epic scale. We can partly attribute anime’s rising global popularity to this film. Suddenly anime wasn’t just for kids. 2) Its weirdness provides an excellent barometer. Technically, Akira was the first anime I ever saw and scared the poop out of me. The ending destroyed my innocent defenses. However, nothing pornographic so teens can watch. If one can watch this movie and enjoy it then almost no anime will be questionable. 

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Campione! Why Did I Watch This?

Well, let’s jump right into with an anime I don’t like! It’s so much easier to be critical of something you hate. 

Today’s review is of:

Campione!: Matsurowanu Kamigami to Kamigoroshi no Mao or Campione for short. 

Here is some basic information: http://myanimelist.net/anime/12293/Campione!:_Matsurowanu_Kamigami_to_Kamigoroshi_no_Maou/

Genres: Shounen, Romance, Supernatural, Harem, Ecchi, Comedy

Concept:

What is this anime about? Basically, it is a world just like on own. The show takes place on earth in current times. However, there is a small hitch. Beneath the mundane lives of mortal exists another world! (dramatic music) Unseen by normal people, there are gods of every stripe. Pretty much every god in every mythology ever actually exists. Even heroes of old can become gods under circumstances that are never explained. Sounds good right? Well not so much. Apparently, these gods like to fight each other and when they do, stuff gets destroyed. To combat this problem, various organizations have raised witches or sorceresses to deter the gods from fighting around populated areas. I assume there are warlocks or male magic casters, but we never see them. Once in a while a human will kill a god. He or she becomes a “Campione.” They are kings of the world who can use the powers of the gods they kill.

Do I have a problem with the concept? Not really. Do all of the characters have cool powers? Yes. Are the battle scenes well executed? Yes. Are there funny moments? Yes, quite a few. Is it the most original setting in the universe? No. However, working on this concept alone would make a pretty interesting show. So, where does it fall apart?

·         First, it creates a mess as gods from Greek, Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Mediterranean mythologies are all thrown into the mix. This anime takes the attitude of “all gods exist equally.” If you are a mythology purist this will royally piss you off. The anime design of many of these gods doesn’t help either. Athena being a little girl? Yeah, because that makes sense -- screw you Japan.  Basically it’s a dirty free-for-all because there is no explanation of how these gods co-exist with each other or how a god comes into being.

·         The second problem, and arguably the bigger one, is the purpose of this show. The key indicators in the genre: “ecchi” and “harem” We have a pretty interesting concept that is drowned in a sea of fan service and cheap romance. However, I will get to that later in the review. Safe to say the show does not augment its strengths.

A quick positive note: this is the first harem anime that gives a semi-logical reason for the harem’s existence. Campione are treated as gods in this world. Following in the traditions of ancient kings, attracting multiple women is not that outlandish. Plus, Godou is breaks the “worthless, but nice” cliché enough that I can see it happen. Overall the concept is not what sinks this show.

Animation:

I don’t have a lot to complain about here. The animation was pretty solid. Not the best I have seen, but certainly not the worst. The CG effects weren’t bad either, which can be a problem *cou–Gonzo-gh*

Plot:

This is where the show starts to fall apart. The pacing is absolutely terrible. Like many anime adaptations of visual novels (graphic novels in the states) and manga, Campione tries to do too much in twelve episodes. It almost seemed like entire episodes of content happened off-screen, which was confusing.  Since this is a harem, the show’s arcs are broken down in roughly two or three episodes for each heroine. There is plot that culminates at the end of the show, but it is way too subtle to mean anything. Since the show is so focused on each individual girl and her relationship with Godou; there is very little room for anything else. It is so bad that Ena Seishuuin’s arc is barely included. This anime has no real conflict. Yeah, Godou fights another Campione, but that doesn’t mean anything. The “main” villain is defeated in the end, but like the previous villain it doesn’t mean anything. Probably the most significant romantic event occurs between Godou and Erica in episode eleven, but since this is harem, that doesn’t matter either.

Characters:

Campione gets the axe here. Like most other harem anime, none of the characters break out of their archetypes. If any of you have watched any harem anime, none of this will be surprising to you. There may be names for each cliché, but I don’t know them.

·         Godou Kusanagi: Nice guy who secretly wants to fight. Indecisive, but in a tolerable way. Believes in justice, saving the earth, and treating everyone equally. Despite not being a pervert and turning most of the girl’s advances down; he is still a harem protagonist. There is nothing about his character that makes him compelling, nor does the show give itself to possibly draw one out.

·         Erica Blandelli: Main Heroine. She is harem girl that provokes the protagonist sexually, always trying to make a move on him. She also displays the “rich foreigner who looks down on all the other characters” cliché. Is the most power of the girls. Nothing else defines her.

·         Yuri Mariya: She is the quiet, polite, and self-conscious harem girl with the gigantic breasts. (huge breasts not exclusive to this archetype) The one that needs to be saved, but comes through in a pinch. Falls in love with Godou because he is nice to her. Really? That’s just sad.

·         Liliana Krancur: She is the Tsundere of the group. She acts cold and hostile towards Godou, but slowly warms up to him. By quickly, I mean in two episodes. She is also the really intelligent girl. Generally emotionally distant. Calls everyone by their full names. Her romance is actually the most compelling of all the arcs.

There are the main heroines. I left Ena out because her arc hardly exists. None of these archetypes form actual characters. This is what I meant by cheap romance. All of these women fall in love with Godou within minutes after seeing him. As a romantic that really pisses me off. That never happens and I can't suspend my belief enough to overlook this pitfall. Even the romance between Godou and Erica feels rushed and formulaic. In addition, every female character, major or minor, states that they either want to sleep with Godou or claim some sort ownership over him. The makers are just pandering to otakus way too much.

Sound Track:

The music in this anime is actually quite good. The score is chosen well for every moment in the show. This is especially true during the fight scenes. The music is definitely one of the only strong points of Camipone!.

Score: 4/10

This anime could have been fairly descent, but there is too much holding it down. I understand that the harem and ecchi genres exist because there is a fan-base. However, my counter argument is the internet. There is whole world of Hentai/porn to fap one off to. The harem is what destroys this show. If less time was devoted to nudity and fan service, then they could have written interesting characters. Focusing on Godou and Erica as the romantic couple would have eliminated the pacing issues. Campione! is a symptom of a much larger problem afflicting the medium. Unless you are already a fan of the harem or ecchi genres don’t bother watching this.