Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Anime Week: The Future Diary (Mirai Nikki) review



THE FUTURE DIARY

The Future Diary boasts some incredibly unlikable characters, an annoying protagonist, a sometimes confusing plot, a convoluted script, and odd pacing.... AND I !@#$ING LOVE THIS SHOW.

So, Mirai Nikki is a story about this kid named Yukiteru Amano, who finds himself thrust into the middle of a survival game, where the 12  players must kill each other, using any tool at their disposal, including their cell phones, each of which can predict the future in a different way. Now, I love these Battle Royale type shows a LOT. While Mirai Nikki has its flaws, among them, the plot being very confusing at times, and the script's dialogue feeling pretentious, and the pacing getting off at times, it's surprisingly interesting. There are some very good character moments, unbelievably, sometimes hilariously violent action scenes, and a lot of  well done tension. There were a lot of twists I didn't see coming, one of which, made my jaw drop. Behind all of violence and Hunger Games-esque plot, there's a very cleverly laid out mystery. 

Yuki is a very annoying character for the first half of the show, 
until he grows up a bit during the climax of the second half. But everyone knows, that the real stars of the show are Yuno and Minene. It's hard not to love the psychotic, and not 100% right in the mind Yuno, as she just kills her way through the show's cast. My favorite character in the show is Minene, Ninth. Her hardass attitude and obsession with explosives make her a very likable and charming character... Despite being a terrorist. The show's supporting cast is slightly generic for a Battle Royale story, but luckily, a majority of the players are a mystery, keeping you on your toes.

The animation is a mixed bag. It really looks like the show has a low budget during the quieter scenes, but it shines during the violent and gory action scenes.

The soundtrack is ordinary, and decent, though nothing really stands out, except for the catchy first opening.

The ending was something I wasn't sure what to think of at first. Part of me didn't want to like it, but the more I think about, the better it gets. Thanks to the ending, it made me want to rewatch the show, just to look for any more red herrings, clues, hints and foreshadowing. I mean, seriously, the VERY FIRST SCENE OF THE SHOW is a hint to the conclusion of the show.

Mirai Nikki is violent, brutal, unapologetic, and amazing. Beyond all the gore, there's actually a surprisingly engaging story to it. I highly recommend Mirai Nikki.

STORY: 4/5
+ A  compelling mystery
+ Tons of twists and turns
- The script can feel odd at times

CHARACTERS: 4/5
+ Yuno and Minene make the show
- Yuki and some of the supporting cast aren't as fleshed out

ANIMATION: 3/5
+ Average, but shines during the action scenes
- Meh during more quiet scenes

SOUNDTRACK: 3.5/5
+ Dat opening
- None of the songs really stand out

ENDING: 4.5/5
+ Genius when you think about
+ Makes you want to rewatch the series, 
- Not for everyone

VERDICT: 3.95/5

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