Plot Summary:
Rikugou Tokidoki is a high schooler going through the motions. School, life, they’re all the same: take them as they come, and whatever. His is the way of total apathy-until it’s shattered. What started as a virtual tour of the Bakumatsu Era becomes something terrible and inexplicable, as detachedness and half hearted feelings won’t do: now is one of them.
he is attacked by a monster that is all to clearly real and saved by a swordswoman wielding a katana, in the process of which the virtual goggles shatter, revealing that the sky and horizon are no longer projections. There are two worlds, not one, and for reasons unknown to any but it, the Yue has brought him to the second. Forced to take his adaptive ideology to the limit, he finds himself steadily more involved and steadily more alive. Which is good, because someone who comes from one world to the other cannot help but be different-in ways far from insignificant. There are times and places were

Studio:
Studio Deen

Cast:
Fukuyama Jun as Rikugou Tokidoki
Yusa Koji as Shinonome Kon
Paku Romi as Kuchiha
Nakata Jouji as Shamon
Suwabe Junichi as Bonten

Genre:
Historic, Fantasy, Adventure

Airtime:
Amatsuki aired from April 04, 2008 till June 27, 2008

Episodes:
Amatsuki has thirteen episodes. Judging by the ending, a sequel is almost guaranteed.

Review:
There are a thousand types of feelings an anime can try to evoke, and about the only thing they all have in common is that they are trying to create some kind of effect. Somehow, however, the one emotion I never expected to see was indifference. I doubt it was deliberate. Amatsuki managed to be somewhat interesting in the end, mildly intriguing, and the characters became just passingly real. However, that took until the end of the anime; by and large, Amatsuki scores a constant, steady impression of ‘ho hum’. Not really good enough to get excited, not really missing anything enough to irritate you, most of the first half of the series spectacularly does not create any reaction at all. It did go up, so the sequel is probably worth seeing, just in case, but overall-ho hum. Take your time.

The male lead, Rikugou, is kinda-nothing. He’s the quiet timid type that, barring a harem situation, will seem useless but win the compassion of some emotionally malnourished female warrior, usually tsundere, by being a nice guy. Usually they’ll turn out to be incredibly powerful later, and we’ll go through a toughening(haha) period. Check all those, and his power actually is very interesting, blends well with the explanation of the world and even fits with his character-and yet, response is still half-hearted. The female lead, Kuchiha, is tsundere-that’s about all there is to say. Someone born with a powerful wolf spirit(they call it a dog, but the only thing that monster will fetch for you is your head), she’s been subject to a lot of abuse and ostracism; perfect material to fall for the un-judgmental lead male. The only one she shows her care for openly is Shamon-sama, the exorcist/monk who accepted her possession and raised her. Your typical atypical monk build(ironic how predictable that one is), he’s a drunk, is always ready to enjoy good food, and is known to fall asleep during meditation. However, his spiritual power is great, he’s open minded and kind, all the usual. None of which, as per all, manages to break the tone much. Finally, Shinonome Kon, also from Rikugou’s world, from his school in fact. He was taken to the same world minutes before him, but there’s a time inconsistency involved: from the second world, Kon was there two years before Rikugou showed up. Originally a delinquent who skipped classes and had a tendency to brawl, he’s still something of a troublemaker, though dependable for his friends. Until nearly the end of the series, there is no clearly defined adversary, though full of ‘might be’s’, those shadowy types that could be on anybody’s side, assuming you know what the sides are yet. An old and favorite tactic. But whatever.

Yawwn…oh? Hmmm..not bad. I guess. Huh, interesting. Heh. She would say that. Mmm, kinda cute. Hey, who’s that guy? Weird. Whatever. No, I’m not sleeptyping, I’m describing watching the first six or so episodes. How they achieved it I don’t know, but they managed, no matter what the material, to register overall, as ‘mildly interesting’. After that things begin to get a little better, and smoothly upgrade to a somewhat more energetic version of the above routine. Somewhat. Judging by the flow, and the fact that it is probably more accurate to think of this as the first part of a three(or so) sectioned story than as any complete telling of its own, it and it’s sequel are probably worth seeing. If the pattern continues in the next set, this could get quite good before its through. It’s more that the anime takes its leisure than that it lacks the right material. I actually do recommend watching Amatsuki, since there’s a strong chance it will continue to improve come next season, but I also do not recommend rushing. It’s not worth it; take your time. It’s only thirteen episodes, you finish it when you finish it. So long as you’re ready when the next set is, it’s fine.

For now, all I can say is that Amatsuki is a two point five, and that the sequel will probably be better. Watch it at your own pace to be ready when it comes, and we’ll all find out together.

Final Rating: 2.5/5

This review was brought to you by Z.N. Singer

Credits:
Info such as cast and airtime were taken from ANN’s encyclopedia listing. All else is and always will be the origination of the author.

written by znsinger \\ tags: Adventure, anime, Fantasy, Historic, Reviews