Hamatora, Detectives or Super Power Group?

Hi mina san, LalakoKyubey finally reporting to scene! Wow, I did not expect that hiatus, and this time, I will truly go back to posting at humane speed. For today's anime recommendation...it will be the Hamatora series! (Both seasons, so also including Re: Hamatora.) Again, this has minor spoilers, but not that are hugely impacting to the plot, and only for the sake of introducing characters and plot. Please don't flame, it's my opinion, if you hate it, I'm sorry for being the worst person in your life. So, let us start  the review of Hamatora!

Hamatora takes place in modern Yokohama, and a small population of the city has a power called "Minimum", which basically is like a super power. This "Minimum" can vary from mind control to enhancing looks on camera. Nice, our main character, lives is Yokohama as a Minimum holder, and operates a Minimum detective agency in a cafe named Cafe Nowhere. There, we are introduced to Birthday, Ratio, Hajime, Murasaki, Honey, and Three, along with a close friend of Nice named Art who is an investigator. All have graduated from a school named, Facultas Academy, made specifically for Minimum Holders, but has it changed their future? And what are the secrets of Facultas and Yokohama?

Nice!

This anime has huge potential, to the point where it's overwhelmingly saddening to see this series end in an unsatisfying fashion, but this is a good anime, that should on your "to watch list" if not already watched. But most people ask, "Who do you recommend it to LalakoKyubey?" 

Hamatora is interesting in that, Yuuki Kodama has a comic gag scenes but 12 minutes later, you're bawling your eyes out because of this huge tragic moment. Kodama sensei is known for his crazy shifts in moods and tones, going peak happy to valley depressing, but also for his great talents in hiding underlying meanings. For a more common anime of his, refer to Blood Lad. This anime is aimed towards people who wants a balance between a human and antagonist. There is no romance, and this is not shoujo at all, and actually leaning more towards seinen, not for perverted scenes <there is none, so if looking for that, it's not in Hamatora>, but for the deep meanings that are better understood as a 17 year old and older. But, if you think you can understand it, I suggest to fully go out for it! 

With this we will move on to character development, the highlight of Hamatora. Hamatora has real life, down to earth human characters. These characters resemble human psychology, and don't have personalities like no one is bound to have on earth. Like, the hero, Nice, is at times, pretty antagonistic, like a normal human should be. All characters feel things, jealously,despair, happiness, and you can really connect to the characters because they are heartfelt and real. Each character has full development, not missing out on any back story, but there are no fillers, and moves the plot along at the same speed as the character development. As for characters, Hamatora did a good job defining personality and observing human feelings and putting it in to their characters. 

The downside of this anime may be the gag scenes. Some of you may know from watching Blood Lad, but Yuuki Kodama sometimes kills the mood and the whole depth to the conversation by adding a gag scene! The most frustrating part was at the end of the story, so be prepared. (Comments below, try not to spoil!) Now on to the scores...

Plot: 8/10 

Great story idea, but please, no gag scenes in the middle of no where! I wish that the ending could be a little more thought out, and sometimes, Nice was really overpowered. For example, (does not come out in the anime), if someone shot him, he would randomly manage to recover, and throw full on punches. Other then the terrible gag scene placements and Nice's overpower, the plot was detailed and thought out.

Voice Cast: 7/10

It was OK, but sometimes, the voice actor's voices would not match the character's emotions. Especially for Birthday kun, who would remain happy no matter what situation.

Art: 9/10 

The art was very interesting, and a new take anime art. It's hard to describe, but it is very natural, pretty, and clean.

Music: 8/10 

Again, not the best, but both opening songs were amazing. 

So, do I recommend this? Yes. Will you like it? I'm not sure. Hamatora is an anime that you either hate or love. Overall, it was a good anime, and it is something you should watch when you have time, or don't have anything else to watch. 

I hope you liked my review, and I will now go off from the stagnant periods I had on posting! So, until then! 

-LalakoKyubey 

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Character Analysis of ALDNOAH ZERO. Slaine or Inaho?

Hi mina san! Again, thank you so much for joining us on Otaku Anime Review, and today LalakoKyubey will be covering the character analysis of Slaine Troyard and Inaho Kaizuka. The character analysis will be composed of quick character background, why a character behaves a certain way, the reasons perhaps why one is favored over another, and some of my opinions and theories about what is about to come next. This review, being a review, is mostly aimed towards to those who are in the middle of watching Aldnoah Zero or completely up to date with it. (Episode 9). Again, this will not be spoiler free, and please no flaming! I'm glad to hear your opinions, but please, do not flame... With that, let us start our character review!

Slaine Troyard, a 16 year old Terran, living with the Vers Empire, due to being rescued by the royal family, specifically Asseylum Vers Allusia, the honored princess of the Vers Empire. As his father and him slowly continue to work under the royal family, Slaine develops a close relationship with Princess Allusia, teaching her about his home, Earth, and prepares her for the peace treaty that she will lead with Earth. Although being very quiet and obedient, Slaine continues to be looked down upon often beat due to being a Terran, but Slaine continues to stay loyal to the Vers Empire.

The recent episodes however, we are shown a new side of Slaine. We see the steadfast courage and the extreme loyalty to the princess. As he was one of the first people who was told about Vers Allusia's "death", without any doubt, he decides to go straight in to war to avenge her. Later on, as he figures out that Allusia is indeed still alive, and also finds out that Saazbaum and a group of people are trying to assassinate her, Slaine bravely tries to go after her alone. He knows that the knights are only trying to infringe Allusia's "death" as an excuse to start a war, and even when caught and tortured for hours, Slaine remains steadfast and quiet about Allusia, and continues to try to protect her, unable to trust anyone anymore due to the betrayal of the Vers Empire knights and Inhao. 

Inaho Kaizuka is the 15 year old main protagonist of the Aldnoah Zero series, and swears allegiance to the United Earth. His parents prior to the current war, and lives with his sister Yuki Kaizuka, who is one of the enlisted soldiers in training, and like many others, constantly in preparation for the war. Not much back story is known about Kaizuka san yet, and later since SEASON 2 HAS BEEN CONFIRMED, we will be able to know more about his back stories! 

His personality has so far stayed the same throughout the series. Very calculating, always thinking about how to defeat the Vers Empire, and not focusing on unnecessary ideals and concepts of friendship and heated passion. As seen in his behavior towards Slaine and Inko, he is very calm minded, and ready to sacrifice if not trusted and if need on combat. Also being very intuitive, he is not afraid to try out different battle tactics, and always remains very calm in combat, even when cornered. The only slight times he shows happiness or any slight feeling is when he is with Vers Allusia, whom he decides to protect and also decides to trust.

The number one thing that we have to confirm and understand is that Aldnoah Zero will have a season 2! This is huge news in that, if you had read my previous Aldnoah review, there will be no uncertain endings and if the things keep on going the way it's heading, the character development will be more sufficient. But the main question is that most of you may be asking is, "SLAINE OR INAHO?!" My answer to that is...*drums* Slaine! Like most of you, I do agree with you and your Slaine decisions, but those of you that agree with Inaho, please hear me out.

One of the top reasons why Inaho may be disliked is because the non sufficient character development and his weird unexplained tendencies to be somewhat apathetic and uncaring. This makes it difficult to connect to Inaho, because it is almost like he has no feelings. Without a reason to his extremly serious personality, it makes it very difficult to understand him. This is seen in episode seven, which many people were enraged at Inaho's desicion to randomly shoot Slaine off in to the ocean, and on top of that randomly declaring that Slaine was his "enemy." The number one issue with this situation is that Slaine clearly showed his kindness by helping Inaho, but is rejected clearly before being able to make connections with Slaine. 

This shows the hugely skeptical complex that Inaho has. He is constantly questioning the morals and thoughts of others to the point where it seems everything he does is done with reason, and somehow benefits Earth and himself. Inaho's thought process is hard to follow not because he is a bad character, but rather, he is so cold and unemotional and is almost like a robot himself. 

Uhm, don't know?

When comparing behaviors with Inaho and Slaine, Slaine does come out as a more compassionate character and I think that this character is the most relatable, and always suffering character. Unlike Inaho, Slaine is passionate, and although not as battle tactic enforced as Inaho, Slaine is willing to fight, and willing to take any punishment that comes to him. Always trying to save the princess, even when he is put in a torture chamber in episode eight, he stays loyal while being flogged, whipped, and electrocuted. The amount of willpower that Slaine has shown us throughout the first nine episodes shows the sheer power of human nature and feelings, and Slaine conveys the average person very well. 

Suffering...Internal tears...;(

Not only this, Slaine is the one character that is constantly suffering, and this "suffering" shows us that he is human. Constantly being tortured and loosing the purpose of his life, Slaine shows the in depth personality and the in depth feelings of a human. There are times that Slaine shows his dark side, in episode 6 as an example (shooting the crew down to get to the princess alone), and this is perfectly balanced out by the sweet moments of naive Slaine. A human is determined a human, not only by genetic arrangements, but also having both a light and dark side. Slaine is human, and we can grow to understand these feelings, unlike with Inaho, who is somewhat distant with his ideologies and theories. 

Aside from that, I think that both are capable characters, and I think in season two, Inaho will be explained more in depth.  By having this back story behind Inaho, fellow otakus from the world will be able to understand the true inner workings of Inaho, and the reasons why he may be so apathetic. 

After watching episode 9, I do admit to slightly shedding tears for the pain that Slaine will go through, loosing two most important people in his life.
So, what do you think? Today's recommendation was powered by my desire to share my thoughts on Inaho's slightly flawed characteristics. So with that, I end this review! Thanks for reading! 

-LalakoKyubey 

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