Keep It or Delete It?: Pushmo (3DS eShop)
Keep It or Delete It?: Quasar Quinn: Escape from Zargnon (Android)
Keep It or Delete It?: Mutant Mudds (3DS eShop)
Final Cut: Hetalia: World Series (Season 3) (DVD)
Keep It or Delete It?: Paper Monsters (iPad)Let’s face it: First impressions are always important, and with a new anime season upon us, now is a great time to start this column. When it comes to anime, first impressions can dictate which shows are must watch, which ones we follow leisurely and which ones we discard by the wayside. With that, I welcome you to the inception of my First Glance column. The honor of first reviewee goes to Senjou no Valkyria. It just so happens that I just picked up the Playstation 3 game that inspired the show last weekend and got my first taste just yesterday. I’m really enjoying it thus far; so, keep an eye out for my review of the game in the near future. Today’s review is about the anime, but I would be remiss if I didn’t give some comparisons to the game on which it’s based.
The game’s art is a sketch-like cel-shaded style which lends for an easy transition of character designs into anime, and Aniplex’s A-1 Pictures did a pretty good job in holding true to the character designs. The texturing that was done to the characters’ clothes and hair gives it a similar feel to the game. The backgrounds are nice, and the quality of the animation is solid, nothing awe-inspiring, but certainly not something that detracts from the show.
Alicia Melchiott (PS3 version left / Anime right). As you see, the character designs made for an easy transition.
The plot of the opening is changed a little bit from the game, but still leads to the same conclusion. I think I like the way the anime handled it better as it allows for more action.
Sorry, but no way those two boys are 15. I might believe the one on the right is part cat, though.
The opening theme “Ashita e no Kizuna” is sung by Animax Anison Grand Prix winner HIMEKA. As far as I know, this is her first major exposure since winning the contest. I was surprised to learn that she’s French Canadian and Japanese is at least her 3rd language. Her speaking skills are certainly not fluent (not that mine are that great anymore, either), but she has a pretty good voice and her pronunciation while singing is great. I look forward to hearing more from her. The ending song “Ano Kaze ni Notte” by pe’zmoku uses a voice that’s run through a synthesizer that made me think I was listening to an Eiffel 65 song in Japanese. It’s catchy and I’m sure it’ll grow on me as I hear it, but I definitely preferred the opening theme more. The chibi animation in the ending is very cute though.
It’s hard to describe character development from just one episode, but you can already see that there are going to be some basic archetypical roles filled out. Alicia is going to be the tsundere, and, as, Alicia herself points out, Welkin is the kind but a little strange protagonist and Isara is the reliable little sister. We’ll see how the rest of the characters are handled. I admit, I’m looking forward to the occasional Jann sighting. I want to see if they give him the Major Armstrong treatment.
This show has some definite potential, and I look forward to seeing how both the game and anime play out. I consider this a must watch for me this season.
Review at a glance:
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Final glance: A-, not perfect, but a great pick to watch this season.
