D. Gray Man Hallow ep5 Review

Hey all This is GothicJazz31 again! This is my D. Gray Man Hallow episode 5 review :) If you've followed my tweets you will realise that I had some issues with the episode. (Let me re-emphasise something that I always say: This is based on my personal opinion and not everyone may agree with this.) At first I thought the anime was skipping parts from the manga because it seems to be too choppy. When I went back to read the manga I realised that the anime was following the manga relatively closely. So what was wrong? Honestly, I'm not really sure but re-watching the episodes a few times, I came to a conclusion that the way the scenes presented itself was a bit weird. Well, that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy he episode. There are some elements that I really love about it. So, get ready for the first time to hear me reviewing and  criticising my favourite childhood anime.

First impressions:
Like I mentioned earlier, my first impression is totally not good at all. I was confused and irritated because I initially thought the anime was having pacing issues. The pacing problems though not really a huge turn off for me but still was enough to overwhelm me from enjoying the other cool scenes and elements from the anime. The thing is I was getting a bit confused about the tone the anime wanted to set up. Remeber the last DGM Hallow ep2 review I mentioned I love how the anime balances out tension and humour effectively? Well, in this episode it seems they lost some control with it. Fluctuating tones and choppy plot scenes really affected my impression of this episode.

Highlights:
1. Alma's body
Here we see the Order's scientists hiding his body in a secret location which only a selected few knew about it. We also get to know that it was the Chang and Epstain family that were in charge of experimenting on Kanda and Alma and eventually Alma went out of control and murdered at 46 staff members. Also, not only revealed to us that Kanda killed Alma as well as how he killed him. It was horrible and gruesome however I wish there was a few images flashing on the terror that Kanda had to do. It will really add on to this horrid atmosphere and would make me connect more with Johnny's response. Speaking of Johnny, I find myself liking him a bit more. He has this more humane side of him not commonly seen in the Order. Yes, most of the people in the Order are normal human but most of them have became indifferent to human suffering and some were even willing to go through unscrupulous methods to achieve their cause. Getting to see this humane side of Johnny was refreshing and also sympathetic.

Alma's body hidden in a secret location

2. Earl and Road
Wow, this is the first time I've seen the Earl in a human body! I guess it would make sense because all Noah were once human. I also like how his voice changes when he shifts from his normal Earl get up to this more down to earth human side. When he stated that there was "Nothing sadder than infighting", I snickered to myself. What an irony. I can't really fully judge on this human side of the Earl but I just can't really connect to this Earl. Bringing out the human part of him was supposed to give this character more layers and make him sophisticated but really, to me it just seems off. What freaked me out was when he suddenly started crying. I have seen the Earl cried a few times but this is just something else...it almost makes him good. I can feel that in some way or another, he was genuinely sad. Hence this conflicted me because this is really a different Earl that I'm seeing and I'm not sure how to feel about it. In any case, I would still love to see how this anime continue Earl's character development from this direction. I know the anime follows closely to the manga but an anime brings the character to life and enhances the personality. Written words can mean so many things which then translates to different tones which would still be relevant.

Road and Earl

3. Future?
Okay, so there's this part of the anime where a "prophecy" is told. Whether this is legitimate or not it's unsure however since it's coming from Wisely, there must be some truth to it. This scene with Link and Tewaku looks out of place. From the previous scene to this it seems to be a bit of a stretch. I think what was missing was a smoother transition instead of the cuts seen in the anime. Back to the point, the future that Tewaku saw was Madaro and Tokusa would be killed by Allen Walker and that eventually she would kill him. This is really a huge deal! Allen Walker being killed by a third exorcist?! This got my attention because hey firstly Allen losing to Tewaku is like a bit mindblowing and also he is the main character! Of all people, he had to die by the hands of a newly introduced character? Still, we can never predict these sort of things so I'll just have to wait and see.

Tenwaku explaining what she visioned in her head

4. Desires
 From what I know in the manga, Desires is the "father" of Road, the fourth Noah...And he is damn freaking strong! He can manipulate a person's body without even touching them, also the fact that he controlled the whole of the Branch reflects the extent of his ability. His ability also extends beyond to non-living items. It's cool seeing his powers and I hope I get to see more of it in the future coming episodes. Other than Desires, I hope that we can see more of the other Noah members and their abilities especially those we have not yet seen in the previous anime before.

Desires

5. Allen/Neah and the Earl
I think this was probably the ultimate highlight of all. Neah and the Earl face to face. Apparently, when Neah talked to the level 4 akuma, the Earl was aware of it. From this scene we also understand his motive; he wants to kill the Earl and become one himself. The shock displayed on the other Noah's faces adds on to this tensed atmosphere. Wisely, probably the wisest one of them all should have known but the fact that he didn't says a lot. Neah is still a mysterious character we don't really understand and probably won't ever for this season. Also this scene reflects Allen slowly losing grasp of his memories and struggling for control. His determination to stay Allen is still dominant thus it's safe to say for now, Allen won't be completely lost in control.

Neah stating his motive to the Earl

Okay this part while it is awesome there is a thing that really really irritates me. Some characters stop moving halfway or rather they became still. I know that there are certain parts where you want characters to shine but the way this episode does it is is not only cringey but also a bit painful. You have Allen being ready to fight halfway then acknowledging Kanda's presence so casually. This makes it feel anti-climatic and too sudden of shift in tone. This shifting of mood is not unkown to DGM but all this while they have been pulling it off smoothly save for this episode in my opinion.

5. Road and Kanda
This scene is adorably cute! Not only is it funny but with the seriousness of Kanda's face we do not completely ignore the current situation and get too involved in the funny. Also, this is an example for how to effectively shift the mood. The tensed atmosphere is still present but there is now just a lighter tone to it. It doesn't ignore the dire situation. This is what I would say a good example of balancing between humour and tension. Neither outweighs the other.

Kanda stealing away Road (doll)

6. Kanda
Kanda has always know to be stoic and indifferent. This scene shows how scary he can be. When Kanda does not acknowledge Alma because he already killed him, his face is extremely scary. Honestly, it sent chills down my spine. Also the way he so easily crushed Road in doll form reinforces this fear and tensed atmosphere. I can see Kanda getting more of the spotlight for this season and after all since it is his ark so naturally he shines more. Expressions like this enhances his character and adds more depth to him because we do not really know much about his background after all. Also, it is notable that Road mentioned Kanda searching for a woman? Hmm...that's interesting.

Kanda's glare

7. Back to the past
Wisely uses his powers to send both Allen and Kanda back to the past or rather into Kanda's childhood memory. The first thing I saw was the horrible condition in which Kanda had to survive in. It breaks my heart and finally we will soon get to understand why Kanda behaved the way he is now. Also my heart breaks when Alma pulled Kanda out of this liquid container. His eyes looked so sad and there is some child-like innocence (no pun intended) in his expression. His story has not been told yet and I'm already feeling sad for him :(

Kanda when he was young

Credits: http://www.gogoanime.com/d-gray-man-hallow-episode-5

Overall there are some problems with this episode but that does not mean that it is not entertaining to watch. If you don't dig too deep, this episode is pretty enjoyable by itself. Just that compared to other episodes, this may not be as good. Now let's weigh the positive and negatives!

+ Road as a doll is just cute! I like how she is like the one trying to instigate Kanda's emotions. This manipulative side of hers is something that I quite missed.
+ / - Earl's human side is just weird I guess? Probably will have to see more in order to judge
+ But I would say Earl's duality is kind of interesting and does help to bring some layers
+ Allen/ Neah and Earl scene is something I've been excited over! That scene is like a huge OMG moment!
+ The characters Desires and Wisely from these past episodes have constantly grabbed my interest. I'm pretty much invested in them.
- The other characters. That's kind of the problem when you introduce too many characters before we truly get to know them. Before we even get to learn more about the Third exorcists, they seemed to just slide pass them. Also there's this part in the episode where there are still images of different exorcists fighting the Noah. Yes, you want to make us remember that there are other excorcists other than Allen and Kanda but the anime could have made them move a little. Let me see them fight for 3 seconds instead of giving me still images of 3 seconds. Honestly, this makes me feel like the anime is really neglecting the other characters. Yes, Allen and Kanda are the main but there is a classier and more effective way to let them have the spotlight but still bringing in the supporting cast.
- Some parts in this episode looks really choppy. It's like looking at a story board without any in between fillers to make a smooth transition
- The shift in mood is weird in some parts. They want to answer and show so many things that it destroys the flow and the mood as a whole could not set properly.

D. Gray Man ep4 review

Hey all this is GothicJazz31 again! Here is my next consecutive post. Do read my DGM Hallow ep 3 review first before reading this. :)

First impression:
When I thought it couldn't get any more epic...It apparently did! From the start to the end, I was so hooked and I can't believe I held my breath for certain parts. There's so many things to unpack here so let's start!

Scenes:
1. Dream
The episode starts off with Allen's dream. He was stabbed by Crown Clown and the background filled was debris all around. The destruction all around kind of reflects his emotional instability within him. I like how the dream is a one sided conversation by Allen and the Noah's theme song ringing softly in the background really do add to the haunting atmosphere. Mana's appearance in Allen's dream is disturbing too. The dream plays out innocently enough but every question, notice that Allen's name slowly gets cancelled off. I have a few theories about this. This could be reflect the identity crisis or crisis of faith that Allen is suffering from. Or it could be that Allen was never Allen at all. Remember Cross said Allen was a host to Neah but what if Allen was not just an unfortunate host? I don't think Allen's original name was called Allen. Anyways the dream is very impactful especially in setting the dark and morbid tone in the later part of the episodes.

Allen's Dream

2. Neah
Of course I have to mention this no matter how brief it was. The moment when Allen woke up from his dream and his eye colour was yellow I was like "Oh shit! It's Neah!"  I mentioned previously how Allen when being vulnerable or in shock can lead to Neah waking up and this episode once again proves that. I'm pretty sure between his last appearance and this one only a few days has past. The fact that he can wake up so soon again signifies how Allen is slowly losing control of himself both mentally and physically. When Allen woke up as Neah, his facial expression was just so disturbing and it brought chills to my spine! Props for the anime evoking that emotion within me.

Allen waking up as Neah

3. Tykki's suffering
It has been long established that Tykki had always embraced his dual personality; the human side of him and the Noah side of him. However this episode as explained by Wise, he is paying the consequences of it. He is suffering because neither personality can coexist with one another and their clash was slowly destroying him. Though I would like to think there was something more deeper in his suffering than just that. When he was in pain, he said, "he is hurting" and he wants  "shounen to explain to him why" to which I immediately associated shounen with Allen. Since Tykki is the Noah of Desire, he may have picked up Neah's desire. If that is the case then we know that Neah's intention is not that simple after all but then again the face that Allen/ Neah was showing was rather evil looking.

Joyd suffering

4. Allen and Marie
Marie is a cool character and this scene makes me appreciate Marie even more. After this scene I would love to know more about Marie especially when he stated specifically that Kanda was the one who saved him. He is a good character that did not have much chance to shine during the older anime and I'm glad the new one went ahead with this current route. The most important thing about this scene is still Allen trying to reclaim his identity or his beliefs. He is in a dilemma and like Marie stated he is special. He is probably the only exorcist out there who wants to bring salvation to Akuma's soul which is probably due to his ability to see the Akuma's soul and emphatise with their suffering. This scene reinforces Allen's vulnerability. It's sad to see Allen lost but it is effective in enhancing this sombre mood that the episode presents us with.

Allen and Marie

5. CROW
So it has been explained that Kanda and Alma Karma are second exorcist while the CROW are third exorcist who are genetically modified into half Akuma taken from Alma Karma cells. This is courtesy of the remains of the millennium egg left behind which Link picked it up and submitted to the Leverrier. The CROW were once humans whom could not accommodate an innocent but still want to do their job to save mankind. At first I was put off by their arrogant behaviour especially Toukusa. But towards the end I felt a bit sad for them. It was only natural they couldn't understand the pain that Allen felt when he couldn't save the souls of the ones that were bound to the Akuma. The Order seems sketchy now and I really wonder how many more inhumae experiments have they engaged in. From their stance I can see things going ugly when they realise what's happening to Allen.

Allen realising the souls bound to the Akuma's are lost as well

 Like I mentioned previously, the CROW are likely to be more powerful than the exorcist in terms of the magnitude of their powers. We see Toukusa so easily dragging the hoard of Akuma's down when Allen he himself was struggling and feeling a bit weary. However clearly they do not possess an innocence hence they have very limited effect on the Noah.  Seeing Toukusa getting so easily wrecked by Joyd only shows how powerful Noahs are and that they are way out of league for the CROW.

Toukusa easily defeated by Joyd

6. Introduction of the 13 apostles
All 13 of the Noah are reintroduced well except for Skin bolic who was killed by Kanda previously. However now we know all 13 of them with Tykki being reborn into a new body as Joyd. As stated by the Earl, once one of them is killed, they will always be reincarnated hence there is technically no way one could even defeat them. What I would like to point out more is the fifth apostle, Wisely the Evil Eye. Wisely is as his name suggest the wisest of all. He knows a lot of things and he can also read minds of people. Hopefully with his power we can understand more about Neah's real motives. Also, it's interesting to note that Wisely is very close to the Earl.

Noahs

7. Wisely and Kanda
Oh yes the end is another cliffhanger again! But the direction that the anime is heading is definitely to Alma Karma's ark. Wisely is a know it all and it is no surprise that he knows about "Alma" as well. In the earlier part, we kind of were already hinted at the possibility of Alma Karma being revealed. Since Alma's cells were used for the Third exorcist project it shows that Alma is still alive. I'm very interested to see how episode 5 will turn up especially with a cliffhanger like this!

Kanda falling into Wisely's trap

Credits: http://www.gogoanime.com/d-gray-man-hallow-episode-4

Overall, this is a exciting and thrilling episode like always and I'm enjoying the new haunting and sombre tone that the episode presents us with. I can see D. Gray Man Hallow going for the emotional aspect instead of just plain action sequences. Now let's lay the positives and negatives!
 + I take back my word about Road previously. She looks so damn adorable in this episode!
+ Neah's aura just reeked evil and the Noah music added on to the haunting atmosphere
+ Allen's emotional turmoil is effectively portrayed throughout this episode
+ The fighting scenes are good as always
+The ending is so tensed. The soft voice of Alma and Kanda's overwhelmingly loud heartbeat effectively bring out a tensed atmosphere.
- The art. Allen's hand that has merged with his innocence looked so ugly! The previous anime drew it better with better colour contrasts and texture rather than this current plain red.
- The art again. I remember how Akuma's used to look distorted and grotesque but now they look like furry animals gone wrong.

D. Gray Man Hallow ep 3 review

Hey all! I am so sorry that I haven't been updating my posts regularly. I have to warn you guys that this will probably be quite a common thing for these few months as I start preparing my A's. Thank you for your understanding and let's begin!

First impression: 
Bear with me, it has been a while since I saw this episode so I'll try my best to convey my first impression of this episode. As usual this is an amazing episode and I really like the emotional play here. I must say I am liking Timothy more and more...yes he is brash and extremely reckless but still innately he is a very compassionate person. Although some of the exorcist started from young, Timothy is currently the youngest so far. I'm really looking forward to how this anime will develop Timothy in his new path as an exorcist.


Scenes:
1. Timothy's origins
Timothy's origins is very sad, as do most of the exorcists have, and I can't help but feel sad for him. We get to know how he ended up in the orphanage and how he got his innocence. We also get to understand Timothy's intention of becoming Phantom G, he steals to fund the orphanage (his home). Seeing how Timothy slowly acclimated to the orphanage is extremely heartwarming and sweet. I'm glad the anime included this origin because it explains Timothy's personality which adds to some form of character development.

Timothy's past

2. Timothy's innocence awakening
OMG! My first reaction to Timothy's innocence is me literally gasping in shock (in a good way of course). The only time I got so damn hyped about seeing a new innocence was when Allen Walker evolved his innocence into crown clown so yeah this is pretty significant. First off, his innocence type is different from anything that I've seen. We have been introduced to parasite and weaponry type innocence but never something like Tsukikami. Tsukikami not only allows Timothy to possess an Akuma, it can also purifies the Akuma in the process with innocence hence allowing him to use the Akuma's powers to defeat other Akumas.  Apparently Timothy is only capable of possessing a level 2 Akuma now which is a good thing because it leaves many more room for him to develop as a character.

Timothy activating his innocence for the first time

We can't have Timothy being too powerful now because it would just make everything else boring, there needs to be a journey of failures and successes hence starting low is good. I see Timothy as an important character in the series  because he replaces the original Allen. His determination to fight Akuma is uncannily similar to Allen, Allen even states that Timothy reminds him a lot about his past personality. Timothy will bring some of that naive determination that Allen used to have unlike him currently who is too emotionally unstable and suffering a phase of darkness.

Timothy's determination to defeat the Akumas

The Tsukikami trainer is kind of hilarious especially when he remains chill even when Timothy seems to be frustrated in figuring out how to use his innocence. Having a ghost to possess Timothy's body is extremely useful also because it ensures that when Timothy's body is safe and not lying vulnerably elsewhere. I really like this dynamic duo and looking forward to see their interactions more in the future episodes. During a particular scene, we see  his face reflecting some form of sorrow when Timothy was feeling helpless. This scene definitely piqued my interest and since we don;t know much about him hopefully we get to know more in the future.

Tsukikami 

3. CROW
Yes, yes, yes! Previously the series has hinted about the Order engaging in experiments where they force humans to accommodate an innocence like Kanda went through before. Now, we see a new type of exorcist who is freakishly powerful. The Skrulls stated that only Akuma can enter the Heikiji barrier and the fact that he easily entered the barrier when Allen and Kanda can't get out is just...mind blowing. It immediately reflects his level. I would not be surprised if he is currently more powerful than Allen and Kanda. However I am still having my doubts on whether he really possess an innocence because he doesn't say "Activate innocence", rather he says "Activate Devouring Device". It may be  a device that is used to kill Akumas? What are the consequences of using such a device then? I think that the after effects will be quite devastating...maybe there's only so much akuma a person can take before dying? I'm not sure. But still, I would like to learn more about them and the experiments that the Order engages in.

CROW member that defeated the level 3 Akuma

4. Akuma Fight Scene
Of course, the end has to end off with a bang! Honestly, I expected Allen's words to come back to haunt him. Remember in the earlier episode he stated that Crown Clown only works for Akumas? Well, this time it's hurting Allen. The moment he started to feel the pain I was like "Oh damn, shit's gonna hit the fan!". I mean it didn't really happen but it clearly reinforces the fact that there is something evil within Allen. We also get to see Neah's brief awakening. Suddenly, the noah's theme started to play and internally I was dizzy with excitement because it's just so damn obvious what's happening next! The fact that the Akuma was crying and saying Noah" really seals the deal that Allen is indeed possessed by a Noah, or is one (if you weren't convinced earlier). This spells out trouble for Allen in the future and I can see him eventually losing control to Neah when he is shocked and vulnerable.

Neah and level 4 Akuma

Credits: http://www.gogoanime.com/d-gray-man-hallow-episode-3

Overall, awesome episode with great character introductions and the stand outs are Allen and Timothy! Allen has always been my favourite but Timothy has definitely won a place in my heart too. Now let's lay down the positives.

+ cute moments: Tim frantically miming to Allen about what happened to Timothy
+ smooth transition from comedic scenes to a more serious mood. this ensures that the whole episode doesn't feel too tensed or overwhelming
+ Brief moment when Neah appeared was so cool! The Noah music adds brings the atmosphere to a heightened level.
+Timothy's spotlight in this episode is commendable
- What happened to Tykki and Road?! No I don't like their new looks especially Road. It doesn't really fit her...
- The level 4 Akuma fight scenes were too short and ended quite abruptly. I am willing to overlook that since the Akuma is a tool to introduce to Neah.

Orange Ep3 Review

Hey all! This is GothicJazz31 again! I have to say that this is really one of my favourite episode of orange so far. I like the details, the atmosphere and the direction that the plot is heading to. So without further ado, lets begin...

First impression:
Like I mentioned earlier, I really love the whole atmosphere of the episode. From the music, animation to the dialogues, they are all very simple. However because it is very simple, sometimes the emotions evoked from us tend have more impact. This episode is a roller coaster ride of emotions and the pacing is good as well. The ending! The ending will be unexpected (expected if you see the hints these past 2 episodes) especially for anime watchers only.

Scenes:
1. 1st Letter & classroom scene

Classroom scene in the beginning.

We see the episode opens with a letter, a style which I believe will continue for the episodes to come. The letter tells Naho that Kakeru will quit the soccer club after a week and future Naho wants the present Naho to convince Kakeru to not quit. However as the episode goes on, we realise that Kakeru didn't quit the club. Suwa had managed to convince Kakeru to join the soccer club to which led to Naho's confidence that she could change the future. It's great to see Naho getting more sure of herself but of course this confidence will not last later. But anyways, here we get to see the gang's friendship deepening through their conversations and laughter.

2. Ueda-sempai

Ueda-sempai

We get to see a new character today. Her name is Ueda-sempai and apparently she has a crush on Kakeru. Ueda is seen to have an outgoing and confident personality. She is the opposite of Naho and this immediately makes Naho feel insecure. Naho also finds out through the letter that Kakeru and Ueda will date, so this blatantly makes Ueda the rival. I can tell there will probably be some cat fighting or just plain bullying between Naho and Ueda in the future. We don't get to understand much about her character so we will just have to wait till the next episode.

3. Kakeru & Naho's conversation

Naho and Kakeru talking about Ueda

This scene is extremely cute! With Naho blushing and all...Aww! So sweet!! The fact that neither of them are willing to confess to one another is adorable but also kind of sad. When Kakeru asks Naho if she was in love with any guy, Naho said "no" even though she was thinking of him. When Naho asks the same question back to Kakeru, he replied with a casual "no" as well. What is interesting is we don't get to see his expression so we can't really tell if he's telling the truth or not.

4. Buying drinks

Kakeru's blank expression

Okay, there is a part in this scene that got me like "What?!". It was the part when Kakeru was looking at his classmates from the first level, beside the vending machine. When he saw his classmates laughing, his face was expressionless. His blank expression is then focused on for at least a few seconds while the background fades out. Weird right? I can't help but feel a bit disturbed because Kakeru's true character still remains as a mystery to me. I really don't have a clue on his real personality. Yes, he may have joked or laughed here and there but most of the time you don't really understand what's going through in his mind. This scene only reinforces how little I understand about Kakeru.

5. Eraser cover

Letter hidden in the eraser

The letter advices Naho to look take out the letter hidden in the eraser after Kakeru returned her her eraser. She then realises Kakeru asked her if it was okay for him to date Ueda-sempai. Naho's reaction is immediate and she wrote back "no" and put it in his locker. This short little journey of her running to his locker is reflection of her increased confidence and I really love this new side to her. There is some character development from being extremely shy to somewhat brave. However Naho eventually finds out that Kakeru had already agreed to date Ueda-sempai. Naho's drop in confidence and sad expression really tugs at my heartstrings.

6. Suwa & Naho

Suwa after Naho ran away saying she liked Kakeru.

This is also another sad moment. Naho and Suwa. Both are depressed by the one that they love but Suwa made me emphatise more with him because he is depressed knowing that the girl she love is depressed because of another man. Suwa is like the backstage supporter in Naho's life. He knows she doesn't like him but he is still willing to be by her side even though it is clearly painful for him. Naho crying and Suwa's depressed look really makes it all the more upsetting. The emotions get even real when Naho went back home and crying softly in her bed. Naho drinking the orange juice and her comment on how it tasted sweet, sour and sorrowful is very impactful. There is no drama crying here. The crying is not overly emphasised and this reinforces my first impression of Orange being simple. Simple doesn't mean boring or shallow instead sometimes when things are simple, we get the message more effectively. This is so in Orange as despite the simple portrayal of the character's expressions and emotions, we feel the intensity of the sadness and heartbreak. The theme of this episode is clearly bittersweet love and both Suwa and Naho, especially effectively brings it across.

7. Future letters. 

Future themselves reading their letters they wrote from the past.

The best scene of the episode would probably be this, the ending. The ending ends of the episode at a lower note and contrasts so differently when the episode had began. The gang in the future dug up their time capsule and read their letters. When it came to Kakeru's they read it as well. What was shocking was hat even though it was a letter for himself in the future, he mentioned all of his friends but never himself. It was as if he did not expet himself to have a future and as it dawns upon them the harsh truth, I experienced it as well. Yes, I read the manga but this scene still got me bad. It's already bad enough that Kakeru died in an accident but the fact that it was a suicide and not an accident brought this whole issue to a new level of angst. The sorrowful expressions on each characters were heart wrenching. Hence this last scene really gives this episode a big punch.

credits: http://www.gogoanime.com/orange-episode-3

Okay now the scenes have all been settled, let's talk about the positives and negatives.
+ structure is simple but effectively conveys the theme of bittersweet love
+ Emotions of both Naho and Suwa are portrayed beautifully further reflecting their sadness and heartbreak
+ Character development in Naho from shy to confident to heartbreak. Naho becomes a charcter we sympathise more and more each episode
+ The music is soft and light, extremely fitting for the mood

Well...I can't really find anything bad about this episode so...
That's all I have for this post! Can't wait for the next episode and till then!

D.Gray Man Hallow ep2 review

Hey all this is GothicJazz31 again! Here is going to be my review of D.Gray Man ep2, hope you all will enjoy this! Although I may have some tiny irritations about this series but overall it is still highly recommended to all.

First impressions:
This episode as a whole is able to balance out the humour and tension. In times where there is too much tension, humour is added in to bring down the seriousness. This is good because it ensures that we do not get overwhelmed too much. Even though the plot shift seems quite abrupt, it is still extremely enjoyable especially during the fighting scene. Of course there's the cliffhanger as well. The cliffhanger is making me anxious and restless for the next coming episode.

Highlight (scenes): 

1. Cross Marian's assassination
The first scene introduced to us are the knocked out guards suggesting that someone entered the room to kill Cross. Okay so from my observations, the fact that someone was able to enter the room and kill Cross (who is one of the more powerful people in the series) suggests that the assassin is powerful or even more than Cross. Furthermore it was stated that it was the Central Agency's doing. This introduces a new player in the plot. Leverrier was not aware of their plan and neither is the Order aware of Leverrier's own plan and thus the issue has become more complicated. I also have my suspicions that DGM Hallow will explore the grey area in the Black Order more, who knows the there may be more than one antagonist in the series. After the guards closed the door, immediately a crashed is heard and Cross's body disappears leaving only his innocence, Judgment and his mask. The disappearance of his body reflects that Cross has dangerous secrets that can threaten the Central Agency hence his assassination and stealing away his body.  Okay, I have my hopes up and I am being optimistic here that he is not dead because the body was not present and technically we can't pronounce him dead...yet.

Disappearance of Cross Marian

We also get to hear Cross's last message to Allen. I felt that the message was very heartwarming and it shows a more humane aspect of Cross. We really get to feel that Cross do care about Allen. However there is a particular scene I would like to focus on. There is a scene where it shows Allen wearing a clown mask similar to Mana which ties in closely to Cross's last words of "Stop wearing Mana's mask." This is certainly one interpretation of the scene but I can't help but think there's something more to it. Wearing a mask symbolises a facade, hiding secrets which we know Allen has but he may not be aware of. Maybe I'm looking too much into the scene but still I feel there is a deeper meaning of it that we may not know yet.

Allen wearing Mana's mask.

2. Pursuing Phantom Thief G
The chase and fighting scene here is quite exciting and it also helps reveal more about Link. After being possessed by the Thief, we get to see that Link is actually well versed in combat and he has the skills of a CROW which is revealed to be part of the Central Agency and also one of the masked and hooded men that dealt with Allen in episode 1. We can be sure that Link will have a greater part to play in this series. The humour added was good as well. During Link's identity reveal there seems to be a heightened tension and when the humour is added, it allows us to release our breath. From the fight we can to witness more of Allen's innocence for instance the Crown Belt. The sequence is quite cool. One of the most memorable parts would be Allen stabbing his sword into Link. Possessed Link's reaction was hilarious and I can't help but laugh my way through. In the midst of the humour, Allen smugly stated that his "sword can't hurt humans". We kind of known it before but mentioning this again seems like a foreshadowing to me. We know there is something dark within Allen and I'm pretty sure that if one day the sword harms him, we immediately know that he is no longer human.

Allen stabbing Link with his innocence

3. Meeting Timothy
Timothy is a brash child but he also has a loving heart that cares deeply for his family. Immediately I feel for this child as we get to know his background and why he became a thief. His character reminds me a lot of Allen when he first started out as an exorcist. His attitude reminds me of Daisa Barry. Oh damn, I really miss him, he was one of my favourite secondary character. The fact that Timothy not only can possess a person but also use their powers as well reflects the huge potential that his innocence has. But does that mean that he can possess an akuma? If he can switch souls with another person is it possible for him to switch people's souls around? If so, that will be extremely dope and awesome. I hope that his character can develop further along with his innocence and I am looking forward to his action sequences in the future.

Timothy.

4. Akuma fighting and cliffhanger
Okay, I've stated this before but I will say it again, the fighting is quite good but I wish it was more epic enough though. Maybe we will get to see more action in the next episode. What stands out from this part is when Allen can't open the ark and also he can't use his cursed eye to look at the Akuma's soul. First thing that went through my head was: "What the hell is happening to Allen? Why is he suddenly so weak?!" I'm not sure if it is intentional or not but Allen being shot by the Level 4 Akuma so easily seems weird...I've seen Allen unable to defeat strong opponents before but not to this extent. I dare say there wasn't much a fight put on. The end though! What the hell?! The episode ends off with Allen infected by Akuma virus and then almost fainting/weak with exhaustion. This is such a mood killer, now I will have to restlessly wait for the next episode to come out! The other OMG moment is when Link turned into a doll. His energy in fighting the akuma by demonstrating his powers is awesome but the fact that he became defeated so quickly really drops the mood. I am sure he will survive but there will probably have to be a cost. My theory is that killing the akuma will turn Link back into a human. After all, his character has an important role to play in this series, killing him off like that would be such a waste.

Damn cliffhanger

Credits: http://www.gogoanime.com/d-gray-man-hallow-episode-2

Overall as mentioned at the beginning, this is episode has great fighting actions and the plot really makes me invested to watch the series. I hope the next episode will explain Allen's sudden weakness as well as develop more time for showcasing Timothy's innocence. Let's list down the positives and negatives!
+ there are some good action scenes
+ balancing of tension and humour is done well
+ emotions are being evoked in certain scenes
+ great potential in developing Link's and Timothy's character
- there is an abrupt shift in plot (maybe it's just me)
- Why is Allen suddenly weak (intentionally/ unintentionally?)
-action sequences can be more epic and the level 4 Akuma does not look as good as the original one

Orange Episode 2 Review

Hey all! This is GothicJazz31 again. Finally the second episode of Orange is out and yes I'm here to review it once again. I'm not sure if you've realised it but the way I organise my content differs and it may be confusing so now I hope to structure it consistently. (No promises though) My anime reviews will now consistently follow this kind of structure and of course I will make changes overtime if needed.

First impression:
Despite certain events that happened in this episode, it is overall light-hearted and sweet. The pace is slow for sure but at the point of time I think that it is need to develop their friendship established in the first episode. The subtlety shown in emotions of the characters in this episode is very good and adds layers to the general atmosphere.

Highlights (scenes):
1. Beginning interaction with the gang in the class
Did you notice Suwa's face when Kakeru was lightly knocking on Naho's head? That reaction was brief but there was a sense of envy. From episode 1 we already know Suwa is hiding secrets and he is also good at hiding his emotions. This paralles well with the Suwa in the manga and I'm glad that we get to see Suwa's subtle emotions expressed on his face throughout the episode.

Kakeru lightly knocking on Naho's head

Another time you see emotions flickered across of Suwa as well as Kakeru is when Naho agrees to watch the soccer practice. The blush on their faces are really adorable and sweet!

2. Soccer practice
The scene where Kakeru and Suwa were playing soccer as well as the gang cheering for them is very refreshing. I really enjoyed the scene and this is necessary because it brings the gang closer than ever before. Like I said from my first impression, it helps to develop their friendship so that we get to understand why the gang was really affected by Kakeru's death in the future.

Kakeru and Suwa playing soccer

3. Suwa and Kakeru's conversation
This scene is not only lighthearted but there is a layer of humour added as well. However  as fun as the scene was, there is a part I would like to focus on. We don't really know the reason yet at this point of time but Kakeru's hesitation to join the soccer club seems a bit unsettling. When Suwa kept pestering Kakeru to join, immediately you see a shift of hesitation before his face blanks out. Although we know the reason for him not joining the soccer club is because he promised his mom he would not join any club later but this scene can also be a foreshadowing. Also, we get to understand how Kakeru's expression can be hard to read and this episode proves that we still don't really know much about him at all.

Kakeru agreeing to Suwa to be on the soccer team on a provisional basis 

4. Dilemma of making Kakeru's lunchbox
This scene, I feel, is cleverly put out. It started as Naho's mother hesitation to pass the nieghbourhood bulletin layered on top of Naho's hesitation to make a lunch for Kakeru. The dialogue of the mother overlaps with Naho's thoughts everytime. This is an interesting and it portrays this part better than the manga had. It adds on to the atmosphere.

Naho's hesitation to make a lunchbox for Kakeru

5. Naho being afraid to pass the lunch box to Kakeru
This is a pivotal part in the episode because we get to understand Naho's character better. She said "A letter can't change a person's personality so easily." There are two interpretations to this. Firstly, she is referring to herself. We have got to understand that Naho is a shy girl who sometimes is not comfortable with opening up to a total stranger hence her reaction when Kakeru got so close. Therefore this is her excuse of why she can't follow the advice of the letter. Another interpretation is that this is a foreshadowing. Since a letter can't change a person's personality so what makes you think that Kakeru will change? Will the accident even be prevented in the future? Then again, I may be over analysing things.

6. Naho and Kakeru
This is another pivotal scene in the episode as well as the SWEETEST! The conversation they have with one another is so damn sweet and the music adds on to the sweet and adorable atmosphere. From this scene we get to learn more about our characters and especially Kakeru. When Naho asked Kakeru what he was absent for school for 2 weeks and why he didn't want to join a club, Kakeru was silent. This is already a hint that he was probably going to spill something important. He eventually revealed that his mom committed suicide. From this, we learn for the first time the consequences of Naho's actions which I certainly feels adds on to her burden and guilt. This helps with Naho's character development. Most importantly we still haven't learn the reason for her suicide. The end still ends of with a beautiful note when Naho follows the advice of the letter and passes the lunchbox to Kakeru thereby hoping negative effects will offset itself.

Kakeru and Naho

7. Flower
The very end we see the future gang where they are probably going to visit Kakeru's grave and give him a gift that each of them prepared. Apparently, Suwa was going to give Kakeru a bouquet of flowers. It may seem normal but there is a reason behind this and I like how the anime knows which direction it is going to go to. Just bear in mind that this bouquet of flowers is important and hopefully the anime will explain in the future coming episodes.

Suwa holding a bouquet of flowers 

Overall, this episode shows how promising this anime is and I am looking forward to it for future episodes to come. Let's now summarise the positives and negatives.

+ Naho's expression seem better and more expressive than episode 1 where her expression seems relatively blanked throughout
+The music throughout really adds on to the atmosphere
+ The subtle shifts in character emotions are very good
- The beginning of the episode a letter was revealed but it was shifted to the next scene too quickly and I can't  finish reading it. (maybe it's just me?)
- Pacing is a little slow and can be dull at some parts but I don't really mind since it needs to develop their friendship

Hope you all enjoyed this review and bear in mind that it is based on my personal opinions so it may differ for different individuals. Till next time!

Credits: http://www.gogoanime.com/orange-episode-2

D Gray Man Hallow Ep1 Review

Hey all this is GothicJazz31. Do you guys know how damn freaking excited I am right now!!! Even after watching the first episode for a few times the hype inside me still wouldn't die down instead I'm gripping on my seat and anxiously waiting for the next episode. Let me warn you guys for those who have not read the manga or rewatch the last few episodes of the previous anime, you will be CONFUSED. There were suddenly "new" characters and the story seemed to be starting in the middle of nowhere. I was damn lost even after the brief summary Leenale provided, I was still a bit unclear. So there is no need to feel ashamed about being lost or confused. This is the one point where the anime could have done a little better.

Okay, I wouldn't say this is the best or the greatest but it surpassed my expectations. Did it surpass the original, no. I mean no matter how cool or awesome D Gray Man Hallow is, it can never compete with the original because I am already damned biased with it. Comparing the both is just plain unfair. It was my childhood anime that started my love for anime and it was it is one of the few that I'm still damn obsessed about. That original feeling of awestruck wonder and love cannot be replaced. But despite all this, this anime is still very entertaining and I really really really recommend people to watch it! Then again, these are just based on my very own personal opinion.

Okay! Enough with the long and boring introduction! Now let's get down to the details.

Credit: http://myanimelist.net/D.GrayMan

1. First impression
It was meh...Who am I kidding?! It was AWESOME! SO FREAKING AWESOME, THAT OPENING, THE THEME SONGS THE...okay okay I'm getting too carried away. Ahem. What I was trying to say is that the overall presentation is very good. The art style not one of the best but still better than average. So for first impression it was great and I was immediately hooked. The only irritating thing is that parts of the anime seemed to be lagging as in the movements of the characters are not smooth. It's something like seeing it in frame by frame. This is the part that I hope will improve by the next episode because it can get really irritating at times.

2. Music
Firstly, I'm glad that they retained the original theme songs for the anime. When the exorcists were battling with the akuma and the theme song appeared I lost it! It was like watching the previous D.Gray Man all over again. It brought back so much nostalgia and I'm thankful for the studio in retaining the same theme songs.

Next, it is the ending song "Lotus Pain" by Ayano Mashiro. I feel the song name fits in with the theme of the ending which is heavily focused on Kanda. From the previous anime, we all know that Kanda owns a lotus and that lotus reflects his lifespan. Preciously we have no idea what the lotus meant and that he only wants to find someone before he dies. Now judging from the ending, the posters and the opening I'm sure these few episodes or even the whole series will focus a lot more on Kanda and (spoiler alert) Alma Karma. Overall, the ending song is both emotional and beautiful.

Ayano Mashiro. Credits: http://myanimelist.net/people/34399/Mashiro_Ayano

Lastly the opening song is "Key-bring it on, my destiny" by Lenny Code Fiction. The moment I heard the song I got the vibe of "Innocent Sorrow" which was the first opening song for the previous anime. The rough vocals along with the electrical rock music layered with heavy beats is fitting for an opening song and especially for me helps to bring up the hype!

Lenny Code Fiction. Credits: http://lennycodefiction.com/image/145308027525

3. Characters 
The characters I will be focusing more today is Kanda, Allen, Mana, Cross (duh!), Lavi and Leverrier. Before I talk about them let's briefly focus on all the characters as a whole. The characters all look sweet and the distinct personality traits in every character is present as well. The only one which I am not used to is Miranda Lotto. Her stuttering and nervousness is still there but she is the only one whose looks changed quite a bit. Before she had black hair and now she has brown hair. Not that I'm complaining, I think she looks beautiful! But then her face doesn't suit her voice. I mean her voice actress really brings out the personality of Miranda well and if it was the old Miranda it would be perfect but I guess with the new Miranda it seems off and weird.

Miranda Lotto. Credits: http://myanimelist.net/character/857/Miranda_Lotto

Okay now, let's focus on Allen! He is the main star of the episode today.  Allen is pretty much still the same Allen but as the anime progresses we get to see a more emotionally distressed Allen. From the start after he defeated the Akuma he prayed to "bring salvation to this akuma's soul". This is true to Allen's character where his Crown Clown is meant for both humans and akumas. However when he later rebutted Kanda by saying that "Is it wrong to have compassion for the (akumas)" because they were humans in the first place. I can't help but feel a little foreshadow going on here. This is because as the anime progresses Cross tells Allen that he is the fourteenth who was once a Noah. What this means is that Allen essentially is not a human at least not any longer if the fourteenth takes over him parallel to how an Akuma takes over humans. So I'm going to guess that Allen may be referring to himself or to the future. Later, we get to see flashbacks of Allen and Mana and his emotional distress on whether Mana loves him as Allen or loves him because of what's inside of him. This immediately develops Allen's character further providing more depth which I hope the anime will continue to bring in the future.

Allen Walker. Credits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXPdSTEBdhE

Next, we have Kanda. I'm glad to see the character still staying true to his original personality. He still is cold and distant. Although not much about Kanda is really revealed here but with this series revolving around Kanda I hope to see more character development especially during the Alma Karma arc. The line I would like to pick out a particular scene where Kanda seems to grit his teeth after Allen said that Akuma used to be humans and it is only right to be compassionate for them. The look that Kanda gives is a bit out of his character who usually is indifferent. Like I say in my Allen character analysis, there is a foreshadowing here and I am going to predict Kanda will be in Allen's position and he will have to choose between Allen or the Noah in him. (Hey it's just my personal thought.)

Kanda Yuu & Alma Karma. Credits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXPdSTEBdhE

The other prominent character is Lavi. I guess the most changes I see from episode 1 is Lavi. Lavi still retains his carefree persona but there are times in this episode where I see him being more mature than the previous anime. In this episode he seems to be embracing his identity as a bookman more and this is the first time I see him in action as a bookman. He states in the beginning that "I'm a bookman, whose duty is to record everything." This is very telling because he is stating his neutrality and also  foreshadows that in the future where either he would not help out his friends or betray his identity as a bookman. Furthermore, he goes on to say that "And I'm so good that I wouldn't even miss trival changes." This is a reflection of Lavi's intelligence and perception. This trait is later seen when he realises something wrong when his grandfather asked him to stop thinking too deep about the upcoming war. This part is also another foreshadow and because I've read the manga so I kinda know what may happen. All I can say is that because he is a "Bookman" and they are neutral people so they will constantly shift their alliance to whom them deem will be more favourable to win.

Lavi. Credits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXPdSTEBdhE

 Cross Marian comes next. Oh man, that damn cliffhanger got me so worked up! I expected his death but not so fast. Then again when i went back to the beginning of the episode I realised that they have already hinted his death especially when Allen said "His message without an image" and also "I've always wanted to give you Timcampy permanently." From this episode alone, we know that Cross knows a lot of things and he seems to be aware of Allen's identity. We see the harsh side of Cross but we also see that he does care for Allen too. There is pity in his eyes when he explains to Allen about his identity reflecting he is not completely cold or indifferent. I really would love to see more of his action sequences but now... Sigh. He was one of my favourite characters in DGM and will still be.

Cross Marian. Credits: http://www.gogoanime.com/d-gray-man-hallow-episode-1

Mana is next. This episode reveals quite a bit about Mana. On the surface Mana seems like your everyday clown trying to make people laugh but when I really invest into the flashback a second time, I somehow find it very disturbing. When Allen asks why Mana can't cry he states that "I can't cry and i wonder if I've exhausted my tears". This feels like he may be referring to his depression for Neah has overwhelmed him so much that he can no longer feel anymore sadness or it can also mean that Mana is apathetic. He seems to care less about death. Moreover Cross states that "Mana was never the same again" after Neah died so this may be another factor to his apathetic nature. The whole atmosphere just seem a little uncomfortable especially with Mana's actions and his look. Maybe it's just me but I really really hate clowns and Mana's behaviour reminds me of the Earl. Hopefully we get more flashbacks like this so build up the atmosphere.

Mana Walker. Credits: http://www.gogoanime.com/d-gray-man-hallow-episode-1

Lastly, we have Leverrier. Okay not much his known about him in the previous anime but here we get a glimpse of his character. He seems to be higher than Komui but still under the Council. He seems to be following the order of the Pope and in this episode alone, he is the antagonist. The Order may not see Allen as a threat but he sees him as. He raises some good questions which again is a foreshadowing of the future. He questions the reason to why the fourteenth wants to kill the Earl and that having the same goal does not mean he is not evil. I can already foresee Leverrier's words coming true (spoiler alert).

Malcom C. Lvellie. Credits: http://www.gogoanime.com/d-gray-man-hallow-episode-1

4. Highlights
Most of the important scenes I have mentioned them in the character analysis already so here are some scenes that I really love in the first episode.
This scene is where both Kanda and Allen were having a glaring contest. We all know that Kanda and Allen are rivals but the addition of their golems being rivals as well is cute and funny. In this episode, Tim seems to have a more distinct personality where rather than just flying around he expresses several actions as well. I think that is pretty creative and sweet. A good hero always needs a good sidekick.

Staring contest. Credtis: http://www.gogoanime.com/d-gray-man-hallow-episode-1

The next scene is definitely the fighting scene where the gang fought several akumas. The akumas can bleed in this anime as compared to the previous one where they just explode. This brings the anime into a more darker tone where we can expect more bloody scenes in the future. It is also pleasing to find out that they create different akumas with different shapes and sizes rather than just plonking down all the level 1s. The new variety of akumas seen here is refreshing and I do hope will continue in the future episodes. Also seeing the respective exorcist's power is pretty cool especially Kanda's one who seems to have an upgrade. The Eight Flower Mantis Slicer looks awesome! Of course, Allen has to come in at the end to finish off the scene and seeing his sword slicing the akuma so effortlessly is thrilling.

Akuma fight scene. Credits: http://www.gogoanime.com/d-gray-man-hallow-episode-1

 Overall, great episode with great characters, music and story line. I really can't wait for the next episode to come out!! Hope you enjoy the review and let me reiterate again that this is just based on my own personal view. Till then!