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REVIEW: Paradise Kiss DVD 2 + 3




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KAtchan15



Joined: 22 Dec 2006
Posts: 460
Location: NYC
PostPosted: Mon May 07, 2007 9:04 pm Reply with quote
I couldn't have said it any better. Paradise Kiss was enjoyable indeed. And if you haven't read the manga, the ending is a surprise. I never saw it coming. Very Happy
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Jubet



Joined: 27 Jan 2007
Posts: 15
PostPosted: Tue May 08, 2007 2:03 am Reply with quote
Something I'll add to my basket soon ^___^

Characters were really a plus in Paradise Kiss but the visuals were amazing.
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sabriyahm



Joined: 24 May 2005
Posts: 291
Location: Georgia
PostPosted: Tue May 08, 2007 8:12 am Reply with quote
This is the first time I completely agree with Carl Kimlinger. The show was so mature, realistic and well done. I haven't read the manga but you don't need to to love this show.
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Randall Miyashiro



Joined: 12 Jun 2003
Posts: 2451
Location: A block away from Golden Gate Park
PostPosted: Tue May 08, 2007 9:08 am Reply with quote
I too enjoyed the series especially the ending. I'm convinced that the animation score is the most subjective score (I used to think music was) out of the different categories. Although the animation was good I personally wouldn't put it at the highest tier. This reminds me of Bamboo's recent shelf life for Le Chevalier D'eon 2 which she raves about the amazing animation, while Key's review of the same volume complained of the inconsistent quality of the animation. Likewise I was recently complaining about the animation in Hajime no Ippo consists of to many stills sliding across with a ton of motion lines, while another poster said they thought the animation was top notch. Then again although not fabulous, I think that the Speed Grapher animation was adequate enough, yet I believe Key and Zak completely panned the animation. The use of live action images (especially the overused back of George's car) also didn't work for me.

While I enjoyed some of the music it didn't really grab me and is not something that I would go out and get. I really didn't like Arashi's song and couldn't sit through the bonus concert material on the second DVD. I did love the use of the OP song at the end though.

The weird thing about the series is that even though there isn't a single element that I think that this show does perfectly the pieces fit together elegantly. I can't imagine a different series using PK's OST, or character designs. Everything about this show feels tailor made to fit together with the other elements. I'm also glad that Geneon is now releasing 12 episode series on 3 discs.
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DKL



Joined: 08 May 2005
Posts: 1933
Location: California, USA
PostPosted: Tue May 08, 2007 11:07 pm Reply with quote
The funny thing about the use of live-action pictures here was that they seemed kinda underwhelming compared to the drawn-up renderings (I specifically remember that shot of the eraser and board...)

And while I don't think that the animation is locked in total consistency (like episode 5, for example... but then, I don't think this is really possible with TV series' since they get shuffled around through different teams), it definately brings the goods (which is especially nice since the designs are rather intricate).
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hibi



Joined: 09 May 2007
Posts: 1
PostPosted: Wed May 09, 2007 12:28 am Reply with quote
Ah, I actually joined the forum just to hop into this discussion...

I was surprised that people were so pleased with the Paradise Kiss anime-- I was... significantly disappointed by it, but I had read the manga first.
(Is it annoying to hear from unhappy manga fans?)

I don't doubt that it's truly enjoyable in its own context, especially if you don't already know everything that's coming. Still, I... had already seen all those gorgeous dresses and I knew all the plot twists, and what I craved was a chance to see the characters move!

... unfortunately it seemed that a lot of the animators' time went into the gorgeous stills, and so there were a lot of extreme closeups, SD transformations, long periods where the camera seemed fixed on the background, and other things that seemed to be compensating for the time and money that went into the really amazing shots.

Another loss was Yukari's constant, fever-pitched internal monologue, which brought a lot of richness to the story, and let you understand all the different conflicting feelings she was struggling with, and how she saw George as half-adversary, half-love interest. These had a lot of charm and humor, and gave the story much of its maturity-- it seems that the maturity still came through, but less so (I think...) than in the original.

Maybe it's inevitable that fans of the original version of anything tend to dislike TV adaptations. But I completely recommend the manga to those who enjoyed the show! There's plenty of extra insight into the characters, and it's darker, happier, sadder, funnier, faster-paced...it's just got a little more of everything that the anime has.
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DKL



Joined: 08 May 2005
Posts: 1933
Location: California, USA
PostPosted: Wed May 09, 2007 12:39 am Reply with quote
Actually, I was a little disappointed with how the anime ended (and this is coming from some one who hasn't read the manga).

The main draw of this show to me was Osamu Kobayashi's sucessfully unconventional style; his purposely disorienting transitions and pacing stood out because of how coherent the end-product was...

The BIG problem however was the fact that the last episode came off as obviously rushed... it wasn't cool and it kinda soiled the experience for me (even though the actual scenes and ideas seemed like very good ones, on paper); this really needed like one or two more episodes... actually, I'm trying to convince myself that Kobayashi got screwed over somehow, but who knows what the deal is?

That said, I'm POSITIVE that BECK won't disappoint since it seems to have alk 26 episodes...
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Himalayus



Joined: 30 Aug 2006
Posts: 27
Location: Oregon
PostPosted: Wed May 09, 2007 5:58 am Reply with quote
Randall Miyashiro wrote:
I'm convinced that the animation score is the most subjective score (I used to think music was) out of the different categories. Although the animation was good I personally wouldn't put it at the highest tier...

While I enjoyed some of the music it didn't really grab me and is not something that I would go out and get...

The weird thing about the series is that even though there isn't a single element that I think that this show does perfectly the pieces fit together elegantly. I can't imagine a different series using PK's OST, or character designs. Everything about this show feels tailor made to fit together with the other elements...


Evaluating different aspects of a show independently is one of the most difficult things about writing reviews for ANN. I try (and before anyone gets on my case, I'll be the first to admit that I don't always succeed) to take an approach in which objective measures of quality in technical issues aren't given as much weight as the effect that those technical decisions have on the show. I agree totally with the statement that the style of Paradise Kiss is such that all of the elements fit together perfectly, and my ultimate evaluation is a reflection of this fact. Perhaps there were flaws in each independent category (though I would take issue with any statement that there were glaring problems with any of them), but the appropriateness of each creative decision, and the masterful skill with which they were employed renders any quibbling criticisms entirely moot.

It also bears mentioning that, in my opinion, all elements in a review are equally subjective. Each reviewer is an individual, with a different way of viewing the world than any other reviewer. Even with something as "objective" as technical merits, different eyes see different things, and different ears hear different things. The issue isn't the objectivity or subjectivity of a review, but whether the reviewer clearly explicates the position from which they are coming such that the readers can use the review to make informed decisions of their own. This is why it's important (in my view, and I am a confessed review nerd) for readers to take the time to understand the quirks of taste and thinking of their preferred reviewers (and for reviewers to be honest and clear about their opinions and evaluations).
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