Robotics;Notes – 22 (Finale)

Robotics;Notes is an anime that progressed through a series of ups and downs.  During its ups, the anime was amusing and entertaining with an ominous mystery and a robotics theme that was both strong and appropriate.  During its downs, the series was a curious and confusing mess with a story that felt disjointed and incoherent that bounced between two very different sides in a ‘Robotics’ half and a ‘Notes’ half.  And though the series cycled between these high points and low points, the second half of the anime saw a general trend downward with its obvious peaks in the first half and its lowest valleys in the latter half.  Just what happened to Robotics;Notes to take it from a promising and entertaining anime to one with an unclear, directionless plot with highly questionable storytelling.

Robotics;Notes – 17

The purpose of the seventeenth episode of Robotics;Notes was to show Aki regain her fortitude, determination and perseverance; for her to recognize her dreams of completing a giant replica of Gunvarrel in the wake of the disbandment of the Tanegashima High School Robotics Club and when facing the orders to dismantle and scrape GunPro-2.  But you have to really question, how was this challenge or a problem for Aki?  How and why was this viewed as an obstacle for her to overcome?

Winter 2013 – Week 6 Anime Review

This week: Robotics;Notes losing credibility, identifying with a character in Chihayafuru 2, the decentralization of the township in Shin Sekai Yori, the distinctive and original school uniforms in Tamako Market and why Zetsuen no Tempest is a fanservice anime.

Robotics;Notes – 15

It seems as though the spirited and cheerful Airi, the shining, sunny personality we knew and loved, is no longer with us in Robotics;Notes.  And though it seems like a cruel and heartless event to occur in the series, essentially the death of a character with her artificial intelligence being lost to digital nothingness, it does serve an ultimate purpose in the series from this point going forward.  That is to say, her character has fulfilled her duties and her intended purpose and now, is no longer necessary.

Robotics;Notes – 14

Robotics;Notes can be split right down the semicolon into essentially two separate parts.  The first is the ‘Robotics’ half which tells of Aki’s story and the construction of GunPro-1 and now, GunPro-2.  The latter piece is the ‘Notes’ side of things, focusing in on Frau’s story and the conspiracy linked to her mother’s sudden disappearance.  Although there is some overlap between the two halves, mainly due to Kai’s character playing fundamental roles in each, there have been two narratives developing throughout the anime that examine two distinct and dissimilar stories.  In doing so, Robotics;Notes has found itself some positives and some negatives.

Winter 2013 – Week 3 Anime Review

This week: issues of diplomacy in Magi, unintended hilarity in Robotics;Notes, questions of love in Shin Sekai Yori, Speedwagon’s unappreciated knoweldege and observation in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, the two distinct art styles of Sasami-san@Ganbaranai, and some remarkably brilliant writing and storytelling in Kotoura-san, Senran Kagura, and Zetsuen no Tempst.

Winter 2013 – Week 2 Anime Review

This week: an analogy between the war and the Crusades in Maoyuu Maou Yuusha, the unpopulated, empty world of Sasami-san@Ganbaranai, the damage and durability of the karuta cards in Chihayafuru 2, and thoughts on the criminalization of artists in Psycho-Pass.