Animehead Brothers: Wolfe: Steins;Gate

Wolfe reporting.

Just finished rewatching Steins;Gate the other day-- it was even better the second time around! Steins;Gate is, indeed, my favourite anime of all time. It is a 24-episode anime, has all of the elements that I look for in an anime, and there's only one thing which I wish was different. By the way, it's based off of a game (Steins;Gate Game). So, it shouldn't be a surprise that...

I give this anime a 13 / 13!

Introduction Sequence: 2 / 2. Yes, I'm introducing a new judging category, though this one won't have much weight. I mean, an introduction sequence generally takes up 2 or so minutes of every single roughly 26-minute episode in anime, so it has an impact on the entirety of the anime. I love the introduction sequence oh so much for S;G. First: no spoilers! The introduction sequence of most anime has bits and pieces that are, in my opinion, to some degree, spoilers... and I don't like spoilers. Second: the song! I love the song (Hacking To the Gate), not only because it perfectly fits the anime, but because the lyrics are beautiful (and pretty cool, if I do say so myself)! It's very, very catchy, and floats around in the back of my head oftentimes. Lastly: the visuals! It's all very tasty eye candy, with clocks and spinning and numbers and repetition of characters. To anyone who knows me, I love clocks and time, so the entire anime seems carefully tailored precisely to my tastes. Link: Introduction Sequence.

Animation Style: 2 / 2. Fairly realistic style, the animation style is neither harsh (see Death Note) nor chibi. While the eyes are indeed larger than anatomically present, it's only a standard deviation or two larger, and is therefore fairly close to reality. This is actually my preferred animation style, and while I despise chibi, I can also take a liking to the harsh style. Examples:

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/5074/525207.jpg

http://static.minitokyo.net/reviews/1741_1.jpg

Music: 1 / 1. I really liked the music in this! The music definitely helps set the mood. It isn't so bold that it stands out and disrupts things, but blends in well with whatever is happening at the time. Here's a link to the OST (Original Soundtracks, for those who don't know): Steins;Gate OST. I liked soundtracks 06, 08, 10, 13, 14, 18, 22, and 23. HOWEVER, I do warn you that these Soundtrack names are very accurate, as well as their background pictures-- while this is really cool for people who've already seen the anime, I DO NOT recommend anyone who hates spoilers and hasn't seen it goes and looks at that link.

Plot: 4 / 4. Good heavens, do I adore this plot. It's tough to write about the plot without spoilers, because episodes 11-13 really change the direction that the anime was going. By manipulating time, things change (due to a theory called the Butterfly Effect), and the anime is based on the manipulation of events and the aftereffects this causes. The characters are going about things their own way, until a specific goal is obtained later on. Basically, this anime has all the things going for it. There's romantic tension-- and just the perfect amount! I admit that I almost wish there were more, and yet, I almost wish there was less.. so, arguably, it could have been no better in that category. There's darkness, and though it's not introduced very much until later, it's introduced at appropriate times. After you've formed connections to characters, when.. things happen to them, you feel deep emotions. I admit that tears were shed by myself when watching this anime. There's occasional moments of comedic value, but it's subtle, not as in-your-face as I've seen in other animes-- you have to know the people to truly enjoy it, and if you do, you'll laugh outright. There's action, adventure, naivete, the harshness of reality... there are slow points and fast points, times for the plot to advance and times for the characters to develop. Truly a work of art... and, make sure you pay attention to every detail! Because of the variable of time, there is actually value to rewatching the anime, because once you know how things wind and unwind, it's interesting to see the details again from the beginning (no holes did I find). Everything seems realistic, in my opinion-- by being believable, it draws you in all the more.

Characters: 4 / 4. I adore these characters! You have antisocial characters (arguably highly social, just unsociable), tough/mean characters, analytical characters, intense characters, passive characters, gender-confused characters... No character is perfect; each has their flaws. Each character feels very human, and nothing done in this anime exceeds these expectations. Each of them have backstory as well, and, while some are covered more than others, it doesn't seem that any was covered too little or too much. Because of the way characters are introduced, I fear I cannot use specific instances without giving away spoilers, and so shall I leave the reader to watch for himself!

El. Psy. Congroo.

As for my aforementioned "one thing", I believe there to be one thing that could have been changed to make the anime better: there ought be more darkness. The main character goes through a lot, and while I recognize that it's inconceivable to show all of it, I wish he had flashbacks to scenes that weren't seen by the viewer already. I also wish that, when deaths or injuries are seen, they are shown to their fullest, in gruesome detail-- by saving us from this, I feel somewhat cheated. I want to feel as the main character does, and feel I cannot fully achieve this without having seen what he has.

Lastly: the OVA (episode [25]). I have to admit that I do not necessarily suggest watching this. This episode has outright comedy, and has a far greater focus on the romantic/cutesy aspects. I admit that it did appeal to me, solely because it answers a lot of the romantic tension buildup, but the episode lacks any sort of darkness. It's as if the animators were sick of pushing out such dark episodes and wanted to just have a fun episode.

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