Welcome to the first installment of Ambrosia Rae's Anime Corner!
I have always been a fan of cartoons of all kinds. Being an animator I tend to have an affinity for the medium in general. So, it's not too terribly surprising that I enjoy anime.
What I love most about anime is that the stories are limitless. Animation, in this context, is truly used as just a medium to tell a story, and no story is off limits. :)
For todays first installment I wanted to talk about the anime Angel Beats.
This is currenlty available on Netflix instant stream if anyone is interested in checking it out.
If you haven't heard of it, the premise is that one of the main characters, Otonashi, wakes up in a limbo realm for the dead. He is there with several other High School age kids (also dead) who enlist his help to fight Angel (later to find her real name is Kanade), a Non Player Character of the limbo realm, who they believe is there for the sole purpose of helping them 'move on' to the afterlife. However, these kids believe that 'moving on' is just another way of saying obliterated, so they've decided to fight back. Instead of conforming to the world set up, attend school, eat and sleep; they decide to skip class and plot attacks and try to keep from following any daily routine that might make them too comfortable and lead to obliteration.
The series originated as a manga, as most animes do, before being transformed into an anime adventure. I have not had the pleasure of reading the books, however, I'm sure the anime series has done them justice. The original managa, released in Nov 2009 was written by Jun Maeda with original character designs by Na-Ga. Both of whom are from the company Key. Key is popular for titles such as Kanon, Air,and Clannad. To which I will review at a later date. Key is great at balancing humor with serious emotion. To which you'll see if you chose to watch either of these famous titles.
The anime series was released in April 2010 and was directed by Seiji Kishi. The series totals 13 episodes. The intro to the series where they set up the whole 'afterlife' scenario did not ensnare me as much as perhaps it should have. Instead, what really caught my attention was the opening song.
"My soul, Your beats!" By Lia. This song encompasses the show in many ways and just feels like it is "Angel Beats". The song has a lot of emotion but isn't depressing or sad. It is inspiring and yet not without hinting that there is something serious about it all.
Throughout the series music is played by a band the kids use as a distraction for the NPC's. This band plays songs by Marina and LiSA that are equally impactful to the episodes design. Albeit, the bands performance isn't necessarily the main plot line they have incorporated it well into the episodes. Some parts of the drama definitely wouldn't be as dramatic without this spectacular music.
The other twist to the series is that the main characters that have come to this limbo realm cannot remember thier living lives. Everyone who comes to this waystation has experienced a traumatic death and perhaps even a harsh life. As the series goes on, these past memories are revealed and the characters are given more depth and purpose. The question, however, is will solving the problems of their living life lead to their obliteration?
There are more twists and turns that I'll let you learn for yourself as this is not a forum for spoilers. But if you enjoy a good comedy that is not above getting serious to explain the nitty gritty drama, this is something you don't want to miss. Be warned some episodes may make you cry. :)
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