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REVIEW: Blood Blockade Battlefront


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Stark700



Joined: 30 Jan 2012
Posts: 11762
Location: Earth
PostPosted: Fri Nov 13, 2015 9:49 am Reply with quote
I had some mixed thoughts about the finale but the show itself was pretty well done and was something that I found overall memorable. For some reason, I enjoy a bit of the slice of life moments from time to time rather than when the show gets serious. The comedy (especially Zapp Laughing ) was spot on.
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justsomeaccount



Joined: 24 Oct 2014
Posts: 471
PostPosted: Fri Nov 13, 2015 10:10 am Reply with quote
This series didn't work for me. While I didn't dislike it, both Nightow's storytelling and the director's directing (redundant, I know) and extra storytelling are awkward and alien to me, and this becomes especially awkward when those two styles (original author and the director), instead of colaborating, start battling each other for screentime and at the end they don't quite mix and fulfill between them. BBB's main cast and storyline is too simple, light-hearted and over the top to properly mix with Black and White's complex, obtuse and slow, and it's so easy to tell they are different that even people who don't know that they were made by different people have very different feelings between one cast/storyline and the other. Can't say I prefer any of them (same reaction for both: "eh~"), but by being together they do more harm to each other than anything. So every episode left me just cold.

The art, colors and music are really good though. Really nice to look at.


Last edited by justsomeaccount on Fri Nov 13, 2015 10:25 am; edited 1 time in total
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FredMaki



Joined: 09 Jun 2015
Posts: 30
PostPosted: Fri Nov 13, 2015 10:21 am Reply with quote
Remember when a certain reviewer rate every single episode of this series by A, thinking this was a masterpiece of spring season, Pepperidge Farm remembers Laughing
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Crisha
Moderator


Joined: 21 Apr 2010
Posts: 4290
PostPosted: Fri Nov 13, 2015 10:30 am Reply with quote
Nick wrote:
BBB's last episode is long, dull, and archetypal

Man, were we even watching the same ending?

Nah, that's okay, I've heard similar complaints from others. Personally, I loved the ending, especially when BUMP OF CHICKEN's "Hello, World" started to play. I am dying to make an AMV for BBB to the full version of the song (I need a new computer though before I attempt that), which I've already purchased the single cd for. I have replayed that song so many times, it is the best OP of the year. Not only is the music gorgeous, but the OP visuals tied to the lyrics is also really well done. My favorite section of the song is the following:

Surrounded by a world painted with colors I chose,
I wonder where the meaning is in wounds I cannot choose.
Thinking I’m the only hero, constantly standing on stage
In the center of the world until it’s over.


Just the feeling that those lyrics invokes, especially when tied to the visuals of the opening. The whole soundtrack to the series is amazing, and I am going to be buying it soon (it's, what, only been 10 years since I bought an anime soundtrack).

I absolutely loved the series, I loved the White/Black story line, and I personally like how it was wrapped up. (Would I have welcomed more time between the siblings or sad/cathartic moments prior to the happy ending music kicking in? Yes, but I still felt the emotion in the last episode was on the ball). As much as I really enjoyed the humor in the series, my favorite parts were the serious ones...

And also Dog and Deldro's episode, which I have probably watched 6 times now. You can thank Hope for that one. They're my OTP for the series. It's actually forced me to crawl out of my hole and start writing fanfiction again after 8 years (not that I was a prolific or good writer, but I'm inspired to write again).

I'm in embarrassing Full Fangirl Mode(tm) now. Is it obvious? Razz

Needless to say, this series kinda broke into my top 10 favorite anime now. I really hope, if there's a 2nd season, that it continues in the same vein of having a serious story line thrown in (or if the original material has serious moments, expanding upon those). I like juxtaposition of the over-the-top humor combined with more serious moments.


Last edited by Crisha on Fri Nov 13, 2015 4:53 pm; edited 3 times in total
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chito895



Joined: 22 Jan 2015
Posts: 512
Location: Lima, Peru
PostPosted: Fri Nov 13, 2015 10:34 am Reply with quote
I dropped the series when it was airing because it just didn't work out for me. This is an anime with tons of details, and watching it subbed is the worst thing you can do. That and the ultra-super fast pacing of the series and the lack of character development make me just delete the show from my queue.

I, however, started watching it again dubbed, and my experience change for better. I now could focus more on the backgrounds and the setting. It was more fun now. Sadly, it didn't change the fact that the cast felt underused and the jokes were utterlly dull. This anime may have the worst slapstick jokes I've watch in anime ever.

The only times that I really liked the show were when the anime focused more on the Black and White arc and less in the boring, episodic nature of the show (with the exception of Ep 6, which was simply amazing). Those two were compelling characters with a very likeable background and very good development, and I liked how they mirrored Leo's life, and fortunately the last episode delivered a very good finale to that arc.

Maybe what this show needed was more time and less characters in order to make the episodic nature of the show work. Samurai Champloo totally worked because the only focus was in our three main characters journey, who got lots and lots of development throughout the show.

As I said in a comment in other website, this was a meh anime that got less meh when it was dubbed and introduced the Black and White arc.
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hatguy12



Joined: 04 Mar 2013
Posts: 36
PostPosted: Fri Nov 13, 2015 10:52 am Reply with quote
Something relatively minor, but the start of the review currently says Leo and his sister got caught up in the Great Collapse three years ago. However, the first episode says the encounter with entity giving out the All-Seeing Eyes was 6 months ago (they were visiting after the Collapse to look for a cure for his sister's legs).
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Raebo101



Joined: 17 Mar 2010
Posts: 792
PostPosted: Fri Nov 13, 2015 11:35 am Reply with quote
Quote:
Overall (dub) : B
Overall (sub) : B+


Resisting... urge... to tell... reviewer... that his opinion... is wrong..!
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-Ana-



Joined: 24 Jun 2015
Posts: 75
PostPosted: Fri Nov 13, 2015 12:25 pm Reply with quote
Raebo101 wrote:
Quote:
Overall (dub) : B
Overall (sub) : B+


Resisting... urge... to tell... reviewer... that his opinion... is wrong..!
Good thing that you're resisting since it's completely subjective.
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corinthian



Joined: 20 Feb 2009
Posts: 264
PostPosted: Fri Nov 13, 2015 12:26 pm Reply with quote
Raebo101 wrote:
Quote:
Overall (dub) : B
Overall (sub) : B+


Resisting... urge... to tell... reviewer... that his opinion... is wrong..!


That's not how opinions work.
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Angel M Cazares



Joined: 23 Sep 2010
Posts: 5407
Location: Iscandar
PostPosted: Fri Nov 13, 2015 12:34 pm Reply with quote
Blood Blockade Battlefront is my favorite anime of 2015, so I might have very biased opinions of it.

To me BBB's first and foremost intention is to be a visual spectacle. It is also an exciting and crazy action show that has surprisingly touchy moments (especially the stuff about White and Black).

On the front of executing its premise I give BBB an A+. In terms of the show's actual story, I more or less agree with Nick; I have no problem giving the show a B for story. But if we were to combine these two grades, Blood Blockade Battlefront easily gets at least an overall A- grade.

Also, the English dub is very solid.
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Wrangler



Joined: 11 Nov 2007
Posts: 1346
PostPosted: Fri Nov 13, 2015 12:41 pm Reply with quote
I'm not in love with the dub, causes it to be little flawed in my eyes.

Blood Blockade Battlefront was one best animes to come out this year, i wish and hope other shows are able come to being as good as this show.
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bleachj0j



Joined: 22 Nov 2008
Posts: 923
PostPosted: Fri Nov 13, 2015 12:49 pm Reply with quote
I agree that visually is where the show shines. Everything else is kind of meh. Wasn't in love with this BBB as much as others. The frantic pacing of the show and the lackluster characters just left me feeling empty for a show I should of liked more.
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Keichitsu0305





PostPosted: Fri Nov 13, 2015 12:59 pm Reply with quote
While I'm not in love with BBB, by far it was the most exciting anime this year. The infusion of retro Americana with supernatural and beastly monster was not only unique, but totally sold me on its world building. Typically, I don't pay attention to music in anime unless there's an "umph" factor where it distinguishes itself and the soundtrack deserves high marks for its wide array of genres. I prefer Funi's dub over the Japanese since, for me, I know most of the cast were from Gintama so, it was really difficult for me not to think of it as a weird cosplay event.

What I found interesting is that the food related episodes primarily involved Leo interacting with the locals and giving more insight on how the demons and humans interact, forms of prejudice against the weaker demons, and spoiler[hilariously scary restaurants where humans mysteriously disappear]. Wished other characters like Chain, K.K., or Steven had more time while Zapp and Klaus seemed to have the most episodes dedicated to themselves.

The ending was okay; I liked how they wrapped up Black and White's arc by having spoiler[Leo (not the super powered Libra members) defeat The King of Despair simply because he accepts his normalcy in the face of danger. Also, much like Shizuo from DRRR!, he grows stronger with every hospital visit.] Laughing

When Funi releases the series, I hope the collector/premium edition will include the covers where artist Toshihiro Kawamoto referenced Norman Rockwell's Saturday Evening Post illustrations. Part 1 and Part 2. If the series got a season 2, I would be all over that!!
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meiam



Joined: 23 Jun 2013
Posts: 3442
PostPosted: Fri Nov 13, 2015 1:23 pm Reply with quote
Completely agree, great show, mostly because of the visual, didn't stick the landing (it wasn't awful, just a few bar below the episode in the first half). I think the show could have been stronger if it fully embraced its weird crazy side and just dumped everything else. I think Leo should have gradually learned to use his eye power and at the end become just as useful as everyone capitalizing on his own unique power rather than just not really doing anything most of the show and being little more than a magical mack duffin who just happen to have a body. You often feel like the main character is just the damsel in distress and pretty much everyone else steal the spotlight (except for Black, who's incredibly boring throughout).

On the ending, spoiler[I found that the scene where white watched a silly movie about brothers had more emotional weight than all of episode 11. And dedicating the entire ending to black/white just made them less and less interesting.]
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Raebo101



Joined: 17 Mar 2010
Posts: 792
PostPosted: Fri Nov 13, 2015 2:51 pm Reply with quote
corinthian wrote:
Raebo101 wrote:
Quote:
Overall (dub) : B
Overall (sub) : B+


Resisting... urge... to tell... reviewer... that his opinion... is wrong..!


That's not how opinions work.


OF COURSE I know that's not how opinions work. Geez, guys Rolling Eyes
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