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Shelf Life - Angels, Devils, and Goddesses

(yes, fear is the power of the dark side, I know).

I really enjoy Bamboo's reviews...it gets me all excited when I see something that I've bought and enjoyed in the Shelf Worthy section, and I like her witty comparisons and honest criticism, making Shelf Life my favorite column to read on ANN.

Shelf Life still needs to review Ergo Proxy.

Why don't you go rip into some of my other favorite series such as Maison Ikkoku or Kimagure Orange Road?

Belldandy is the perfect women we all fantasize about

I do a lot of anime reviews for various sites

do your research before you jump off the deep end with a millstone around your neck.

...do your research...

Trying to cram all of the [Black Cat] manga into a 24-episode series leaves it very jumbled at times, especially since it wastes so much time with filler episodes.

Quote:

Trying to cram all of the [Black Cat] manga into a 24-episode series leaves it very jumbled at times, especially since it wastes so much time with filler episodes.

it's 23 eps, not 24. and the filler is there because it was originally intended for a 52 ep run (at least according to the info I found early on while the eps were still on the single digits in Japan). around ep 10 the ep count got sliced to 23 eps. I'm guessing the ratings were a bit lower than they hoped, probably because the manga finished its run about a year before the anime started. that fact, and the Eden arc at the end, were the two biggest failings in the animated adaption of Black Cat (altho the first ED was Teh Win).

Sounds like your review is about Bewitched, Darrin, Samantha and all-

Bamboo's comments are short and too the point, which is what I like. Much easier than reading a long review (no offense to the reviewers here on ANN, I'm just lazy is all. We all are to some degree).

Jedi General wrote:

Bamboo's comments are short and too the point, which is what I like. Much easier than reading a long review (no offense to the reviewers here on ANN, I'm just lazy is all. We all are to some degree).

Totally. I am the queen of the lazys...in fact I'm not even going to finish thi

I happen to have been having an "Everything A!MG" marathon over the past couple of weeks, and I can kind of see both sides of the love/hate attitude towards the series.
I watched the first couple of eps of season 1 two years ago, when I was just getting into anime, and found them very boring. I watched the movie last year, and found it a rather bland throwback that reminded me of old Disney movies (I thought the music was key in understanding the movie).
Well, after coming across so many AMVs featuring the franchise, I decided to give it another look, and I have fallen in love with it. The original OVA was good, but not a masterpiece, imo. What it did, though, was accurately portray what everything else was going to be like.
AMG is a guy's series, since Belldandy is there to support him as he tries to make the transition to adulthood, with no family emotional support and after getting kicked out of his club residence, thereby losing the companionship of the only people in town he knew.
AMG is a fairly low-key series, so if you're not in the mood for that, which apparently Bamboo wasn't, then it can be irritating to sit through. (Bagpipes can be grating on the ears if you are tired, too, which may be why she hated the OP. Coming home from a convention, I would bet that this was the case.) If you are in the mood for something peppy, I think you'll find that it's a great song overall. (The OST has some really great pieces, too, but the best ones are at the end of the disc, so try and listen to the latter half first when evaluating it.)
I think the key to understanding Belldandy's appeal is summed up in a scene from later on in season 2, where Bell comes upon Keiichi in a compromising position with another woman. If this was Love Hina, we all know what would happen next. Instead, Bell simply asks if anyone needs help. When the woman asks why she's not upset, Bell replies that long ago she made the decision to give Keiichi her unconditional trust and faith, with the implication that so far he hasn't let her down. Who among us doesn't yearn for a relationship like that? Of course, Keiichi promptly explains what really happened, to put her mind at ease, since the thought that it might be something untword does cross her mind. To confirm this, there is an ep or two dealing with feelings of jealousy which develop in her as she falls deeper in love with Keiichi, showing that she's not inherently perfect- she just tries as hard as she can to be the best possible person she can be, based upon what she was raised to believe.
She's not an emotional doormat; rather she's been raised to believe in people's goodness and to give them the benefit of the doubt, which is a nice contrast to the suspicion and over-reacting which typify so much of real-life romance.

Funny you guys should mention Rumbling Hearts cause I'm watching the 2nd volume (@$$^@&*#!netflix sent me the 2nd disc first)-I really like it-but then I'm a big fan of this genre-it kinda reminds me of Boys Be. The story does have it's cliches, but it just sucked me in. I'll be able to make a more informed judgement after I see the first volume in a day or two.