A few weeks ago this particular topic popped into our heads as we thought to ourselves, ‘What are four things (or categories) that both creators and fans might want to take into consideration, before creating or reviewing an anime series?’ The answer to that question revealed itself in these four words: Balance, Placement, Timing, and Involvement. There have been many of times where if an anime title (subbed or dubbed) doesn’t do so well, the level of criticism without the evidence to back it up can really rub certain fans the wrong way, often causing disputes which may lead to the rise of small hate groups against the fandom of said title (or titles).

Everyone goes through a ‘Trial-and-Error’ period in their lives when it comes to being creative, even some of our most beloved creators of many of the shows that are out here today, have had their own ups and downs. Although there’s a percentage of us that don’t take to kindly to this too often, constructive criticism should be viewed as a way to help the creator improve on where he/she falls short on their work. (VA’s included.)

Hopefully these four categories will help you look at an anime title that you’ve had doubts about (or hate) differently now, than you did when you first watched it. You can also apply these four categories to movies and TV shows too! 🙂

Category 1: Balance

Balance is like the glue that holds everything together. If the other three categories are working hand-in-hand in perfect harmony, then the level of balance will be perfect! From an anime prospective this would include the overall plot of the story; such as the storyline, the characters/character development, the setting, the situations, and so on. Balance can also be incorporated through the mannerisms and behaviors of an anime character; such as an ‘All-Around’ type character like Goku.

For everything to fit into place there has to be balance. Poor balance in an anime title can upset the flow and nature of the other three categories, and can cause negative or unwanted criticism from the viewers who are watching the title. Balance is like the leader of the wolf pack; he’s the one who leads the charge while the others follow. When reviewing an anime title it’s a good idea to keep this category in mind as well as the others, so that it will make you a better reviewer in the long run.

Great balance can lead to a great story, so if you ever find yourself wanting to create your own original masterpiece (be it a manga, web cartoon, etc.), make sure that you incorporate a sense of balance in your work before you send it to the masses!

Category 2: Placement

The definition of this word could be defined as, ‘putting someone or something in a particular place or the fact that they’re being placed’. An example of this word from an anime standpoint would be the anime title’s setting, background, or environment. Placement can also be contributed to a specific genre of said title or even in the title itself; such as School Rumble having its story taking place in a school setting, or Ghost in the Shell taking place in a futuristic timeline in Tokyo.

Placement can also set the mood for where certain character events occur; such as an action scene in an anime title where almost half of the mall is blown up by a terrorist, and the protagonist shows up in the nick of time before a battle ensues after a brief exchange of dialogue. Having great placement in an anime title can enhance the overall viewing experience for the viewer, but having poor placement (including character placement) can upset the balance of the overall story and its elements.

Category 3: Timing

You know how they say that timing is everything? Well the same can be said about dialogue in anime (especially jokes in rom-com and harem titles). The audience’s reaction to a certain word or phrase said within an anime character’s dialogue with another, will vary depending on its timing. This category is crucial when it comes to fan service and slapstick comedy anime, because miscues in this area can result in poor reviews and possibly a lack of solidarity among the title’s fandom. (The latter may not be entirely true, but it could lead to something of that effect.)

Think of timing as a character’s reaction to a situation that he/she finds themselves in. If there was a big ball of fire coming at you, what would your response be? Would you run like hell and hope you don’t get scorched? Or (if you have super powers) would you try and stop it? Timing is basically having the choice or control of when to take action during a situation, when to insert a joke, or even how often to use a reoccurring gag (like the exploding ghost scene in Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt).

Category 4: Involvement

The emotional aspect of character development in anime. Although this is the last category of the four in total, this one is the icing on the cake. Does the main character (or supporting character) have a love interest? How is the main villain connected to the main character’s past? Questions like these will come up when it comes to this category, because this is a key element in the overall progression of the story’s plot. (Or even how the story progresses.)

Sometimes involvement is the driving force behind the reason why certain anime characters do the things that they do; such as saving the world because of a loved one, or avenging your honor by defeating a major villain who killed someone who was close to you. (Like a parent, sibling, or lover.)

Before making an anime review or even creating an original anime title, it’s a good idea to keep these four things in mind during the creative process and while also writing your review. You can use this as a little exercise for yourself whenever you find the time to watch your favorite anime titles. Perhaps reading this post will change your prospective on an anime title that you may not have liked in the past, but just like the concept of fan service and slapstick comedy in anime, the final decision will be entirely up to you.

If you’re an anime fan, then we’re pretty sure you’ve seen this type of comedy before; mostly being within the confines of the ecchi/harem section of the anime spectrum. For those who don’t know what Slapstick Comedy is, don’t worry – we’re more than happy to tell you. Slapstick Comedy is a type of broad comedy with exaggerated physical activity, that exceeds the boundaries that many would find in normal physical comedy. Classic examples of this would be the old school pie-in-the-face, or for us otaku, a male pervert getting launched sky high by a woman’s fist (which usually happens when he’s peeping at her through the girl’s shower window and is suddenly caught by an ‘unknown variable’).

Slapstick comedy has a bit of a history. Before it was used in many of the ecchi and harem anime genres it could originally be found in (get this) Shakespeare’s comedies. Yes guys n’ gals, Shakespeare used it waaaay before we did.

Around the 19th and 20th century, Slapstick comedy was used in many of the old school cartoons and television shows that many of us may, and may not know about. Examples included good ol’ Tom & Jerry, Tex Avery, The Three Stooges (or Ed, Edd, n’ Eddy if you’re a millennial), Looney Tunes, Monty Python and more! So now you’re probably wondering to yourself, ‘How is modern Slapstick Comedy used in Anime today?’ Well the answer’s pretty much the same way it was used in days of old, however there’s much debate over how much physical violence is used in anime-style Slapstick comedy.

It’s use in anime in general goes back to our previous post about Anime Fanservice, and whether or not it was a blessing or a curse. Our answer to this is the same as it was on that post; the usage will depend on the setting or place, how well it’s balanced within the story’s plot, and which character’s are involved.

To this very day Slapstick comedy can be found just about anywhere; from movie and film parodies to cartoons and anime. So now the question remains…is it funny or cruel? The final answer to that question will be completely up to the viewer themselves. Balance, placement, and who’s involved all play a part in whether or not you think this type of comedy is LOL funny, or downright cruel.

The choice, is yours! 😉

Whaaaa?! You’ve been following us for over 19 months and you don’t know what anime is?! Relax, we’re just kidding. In all honesty, if you’re an old school or new school anime fan, then this may come as a shock to you – depending on what your reaction to this question might be. The anime fanbase might not be as large any famous musician that you know (or don’t know) of, but there are new fans being exposed to its awesomeness every single day.

In spite of this there’s still a percentage of the population who don’t know what anime, or if you’re from the old school; Japanimation, really is and what it’s about. (That population might be your mother or grandmother’s generation.) We’re not going to turn this filler post into a full-blown lecture, but we are gonna give you the meat n’ potatoes of what this awesome medium called ‘Anime’ is all about! 😉

First, let’s define what ‘Anime’ actually is! It is a Japanese term for either hand-drawn or computer animation created in Japan, of course the word “Anime” is abbreviated from the word “Animation”. Anime from Japan is characterized by its colorful graphics, fantasy-like stories and plots, and vibrant characters. You’d have to go back to the 1960’s for the character art style, where many of the works from that time were created by Osamu Tezuka. 50+ years later it has grown into the global medium that it is today; from television broadcasts to podcasts and even video sharing/streaming websites! Anime also has various genres that spread to all ages, although a majority of them are directed towards teens and adults. (Basically Millennials and Gen-Z.)

Modern anime now takes on a more realistic approach, as many of the titles now have settings based on actual places in Japan, North America, and various other third world countries. It’s a diverse art form that uses story-telling with cinematography, graphic art, and various other imaginative techniques. Anime can also serve as an escape mechanism from reality, by immersing the viewer into a sense of fictional fantasy completely separated from the outside world.

Which may explain why members of the anime community find it to be a two-dimensional aphrodisiac from the trials and troubles of life.

If you get the chance to explain what anime is to someone who doesn’t know about it and get a response like, ‘All anime is for kids!’ then they’re wrong! Most of the genres that are out here today are geared towards teen girls, teen boys, and adult men and women (even both in some cases). Like genres every art style found in anime is different, and can range from a hand-drawn cartoon style like Shin-Chan, to something a bit more realistic like Ghost in the Shell or Hellsing Ultimate.

The source of all anime can be found in its production companies. There’s about 430 companies that produce/create a lot of the anime that is distributed in North America today. Before that happens however, the companies have to get a license for said shows in order to legally distribute them through home video, and over the internet.

In the last five decades or so, anime has done so much for countries on a global scale. It has given rise to anime clubs, anime conventions, cosplay, and various other elements of the otaku lifestyle. There have even been moments where anime has saved lives and prevented people from committing suicide or feel lonely, and for that it does serve some purpose in our lives. Anime may not be for everybody, but for the people who want to know more about it, don’t shun them away – tell em’! 😉

In 1991, we were introduced to a video game character that would soon rival a certain plumber, who is the mascot of another well known video game franchise. Within the last 25 years this speedy blue needle mouse has had some moments (both good and bad) that have made him one of the most iconic video game characters in the world! Just like a certain red capped hero, there isn’t a single soul on this planet who doesn’t know who he is. He may not be as famous as the King of Pop, but he’s definitely known as the Legend of Speed.

Sonic the Hedgehog is one of the most iconic video game franchises in the world; rivaling that of Nintendo’s flagship character, Mario. Contrary to popular belief both Sega and Nintendo were trying to out-due one another with each other’s franchise character. If you’ve gotten the chance to play games from both franchises then you’ll notice some slight similarities between the two (i.e. Bowser and Dr. Eggman, as both of them can’t stand Mario and Sonic).

Now back to the blue blur; if you’re a 90’s kid who used to own a 16-Bit Sega Genesis (or still do), then you probably couldn’t wait to get your hands on this old school classic. Sonic the Hedgehog, or Sonic 1 as fans would call it, was the beginning of something revolutionary. In fact it’s even noted that the game’s concept was inspired by the Super Mario franchise, which may explain why there’s so many similarities between the two. (We know, we said that twice already!)

Throughout the 90’s it was already clear that Sega had one goal in mind; to “defeat” Mario in any way possible! Enter the second and third installments of the series (with two new characters known as Tails and Knuckles) and you’ve got yourself a trilogy of high speed awesome-ness! ‘Why stop there?’ they thought as the 90’s decade was nearing its end, ‘Why not kick it up a notch and introduce Sonic’s first in-game rival?’ Now we’ve got ourselves the lock-on cartridge known as Sonic & Knuckles, where fans can play as either True Blue, or Rad Red.

Oh, and don’t forget about Sonic CD, as it has one of the coolest original soundtracks of the 90’s that you’ll ever listen to!

The 2000’s was going to be a time where Nintendo was going to set the bar a little higher. So what did Sega do? They stepped their game up in terms of keeping up with the red capped plumber, by doing some 3D shifting and re-branding of the World’s Fastest Hedgehog. Around 1998 came Sonic’s first real world adventure known as Sonic Adventure, where fans were able to play six different characters; Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Big, and E-102 Gamma. Their mission was to stop Dr. Eggman from collecting the chaos emeralds and releasing an ancient evil known as Chaos, the God of Destruction! (Other than Lord Beerus, that is. *laughing nervously*)

Now we shift our way to Sonic Adventure 2, where a new hedgehog comes into play known as Shadow, the ultimate lifeform. From that moment on we were going to see a greater rivalry (even greater than Sonic and Knuckles) come about between these two hedgehog’s, even though Shadow can activate the Chaos Control with just one emerald.

The mid 2000’s was also great for Sonic throughout the handheld years, although the 90’s is originally where his handheld gaming debut started. The blue wonder made his way back to 2D with the Sonic Advance series for GameBoy Advance and GameBoy Advance SP. Then came Sonic Heroes and Sonic Battle around 2003 and 2004, followed by Shadow the Hedgehog in 2005. 2005 through 2010 were some rough years for the Blue Blur, as three-star games weren’t exactly cutting it for the legacy of the franchise. Sega knew they had to do something, and they had to do something fast!

Now we find ourselves in Fall 2017, as a new era known as the Sonic Renaissance began! This newfound period began with the first Sonic game for the Nintendo Switch known as Sonic Mania! It follows a little after the events of Sonic and Knuckles and features the return of classic 16-Bit Sonic, only sleeker and with an FPS of 60. Also coming later on in the fall is Sonic Forces, which plays like Sonic Generations if any of you gotten the chance to play it yet. To most of us it seemed like Sega was trying to save their beloved mascot any way they could, but we do believe that they’ve got it right this time. As for the future of the World’s Fastest Hedgehog, we can only hope that Sega continues to be one step ahead of Nintendo. A dream that we, the fans, can only hope for.