Anime Review: Mirai Nikki Episode 2
Anime Review:
Mirai Nikki Episode 2
What this is about: Watching all of the anime shows so you don't have to! For more information about me and my reviews, click here for details on what I am reviewing.
Series Premise: Mirai Nikki, or "Future Diary", is a 26-episode weekly anime television series aired between October 2011 and April 2012, based on a long-running sci-fi/action manga by Sakae Esuno. Yuki Amano discovers that he is being told about the future one day in advance through diary entries on his cell phone. But he also has become an unwilling entrant in a "Diary Game", where he is competing against several other people with the same gift in a battle royale where only one contestant will survive to the end.
Click on the thumbnails below to view the picture in full size in a new window:
Very Quick Episode Summary: With Yuki unsure how to proceed, he is forced into running for his life when Minene, another diary owner, holds the school hostage with several bombs. After his initial indecision, he decides to form an alliance with Yuno, and they manage to survive Minene's attacks. As Minene escapes, Yuki and Yuno also decide to ally themselves with Detective Keigo, who is also a diary owner.
My Impressions: Hey, hey! I am now finally getting around to reviewing the second episodes of all the shows from the Fall 2011 Television Season that received a “thumbs up” - let’s see what shows survive to the next round!
Ladies and gentlemen, I think we have the clear successor in the viewing slot for the Spring 2011 Season's Deadman Wonderland in my viewing lineup. Let's hope that Mirai Nikki ends up being more interesting.
There are *some* similarities between the two shows, such as the indecisive teen male character who is immediately befriended/saved by a mysterious girl. They also have completely over-the-top concepts that bear no reality to, well...reality. And they both have a serious mean streak running through them. But mostly, they both have the same *feel* and *tone* -- it's hard to describe exactly.
Well, at the very least, Mirai Nikki has a much brighter and interesting color pallet. (As opposed to Deadman Wonderland which is oftentimes lit with little more than a ten-watt bulb).
Anyway, enough of trying to compare Mirai Nikki with something else -- how about just looking at the episode on its own merits? Yuki remains annoyingly hesitant (an overplayed character type that pops up waaaaay too often as the male lead in waaaaay too many anime shows). This is, of course, offset by the frightening stalker-girl Yuno, who is giving Ringo from Mawaru Penguin Drum a run for the money in the category of most bat-shiat-crazy-ass character of the year.
Plus we now have properly introduced two new characters: The nucking futs Bomber Girl and the aloof Detective Guy, and already alliances are starting to form. We still have, uh, seven more diary owners to introduce over the next several episodes, so there's plenty of time to form all sorts of tangled relationships...and watch them double-cross each other in a fight to the death. After all, there can be only one. This could get very complicated very fast. At least, that's what I hope.
The verdict:
There was one OH MY FUCKING GOD NO NO NO moment as Yuki nearly takes out Bomber Girl with one of his darts, and at the very last moment ends up taking out her left eye instead. If I have any sort of phobia, it would be touching/damaging the eyeball which FREAKS ME THE FUCK OUT. Jeezus.
For more information:
Mirai Nikki Episode 2
What this is about: Watching all of the anime shows so you don't have to! For more information about me and my reviews, click here for details on what I am reviewing.
Series Premise: Mirai Nikki, or "Future Diary", is a 26-episode weekly anime television series aired between October 2011 and April 2012, based on a long-running sci-fi/action manga by Sakae Esuno. Yuki Amano discovers that he is being told about the future one day in advance through diary entries on his cell phone. But he also has become an unwilling entrant in a "Diary Game", where he is competing against several other people with the same gift in a battle royale where only one contestant will survive to the end.
Click on the thumbnails below to view the picture in full size in a new window:
Very Quick Episode Summary: With Yuki unsure how to proceed, he is forced into running for his life when Minene, another diary owner, holds the school hostage with several bombs. After his initial indecision, he decides to form an alliance with Yuno, and they manage to survive Minene's attacks. As Minene escapes, Yuki and Yuno also decide to ally themselves with Detective Keigo, who is also a diary owner.
My Impressions: Hey, hey! I am now finally getting around to reviewing the second episodes of all the shows from the Fall 2011 Television Season that received a “thumbs up” - let’s see what shows survive to the next round!
Ladies and gentlemen, I think we have the clear successor in the viewing slot for the Spring 2011 Season's Deadman Wonderland in my viewing lineup. Let's hope that Mirai Nikki ends up being more interesting.
There are *some* similarities between the two shows, such as the indecisive teen male character who is immediately befriended/saved by a mysterious girl. They also have completely over-the-top concepts that bear no reality to, well...reality. And they both have a serious mean streak running through them. But mostly, they both have the same *feel* and *tone* -- it's hard to describe exactly.
Well, at the very least, Mirai Nikki has a much brighter and interesting color pallet. (As opposed to Deadman Wonderland which is oftentimes lit with little more than a ten-watt bulb).
Anyway, enough of trying to compare Mirai Nikki with something else -- how about just looking at the episode on its own merits? Yuki remains annoyingly hesitant (an overplayed character type that pops up waaaaay too often as the male lead in waaaaay too many anime shows). This is, of course, offset by the frightening stalker-girl Yuno, who is giving Ringo from Mawaru Penguin Drum a run for the money in the category of most bat-shiat-crazy-ass character of the year.
Plus we now have properly introduced two new characters: The nucking futs Bomber Girl and the aloof Detective Guy, and already alliances are starting to form. We still have, uh, seven more diary owners to introduce over the next several episodes, so there's plenty of time to form all sorts of tangled relationships...and watch them double-cross each other in a fight to the death. After all, there can be only one. This could get very complicated very fast. At least, that's what I hope.
The verdict:
There was one OH MY FUCKING GOD NO NO NO moment as Yuki nearly takes out Bomber Girl with one of his darts, and at the very last moment ends up taking out her left eye instead. If I have any sort of phobia, it would be touching/damaging the eyeball which FREAKS ME THE FUCK OUT. Jeezus.
For more information:
- My earlier reviews of the series:
- Episode 1 (December 23)
- Info resources: Sampling of Online Reviews:
- "Phew, if there’s one thing that Mirai Nikki does well, it’s creating a rather intense atmosphere. Admittingly, this series also gets very over-the-top with it’s plot twists, which is made even more prominent by the sheer lack of any guts in the main character Yukiteru. Nevertheless, the story continues to devolve into one heck of a chaotic mess between wielders of Future diaries, some ruthlessly hunting others down." - Emory Anime Club
- "Like the first episode, there’s a very strong mood of desperation and suspense which works very well with the music and the way the episode was directed - I didn’t feel bored once." - Moeronpan
- "All that mental priming for a bloodbath was for naught. Although the later parts of the episode did deliver on the violence and explosions, what really left me watching with my mouth agape was the total psychosis of the characters." - The Kotatsu
- "You may have figured this out already, but Mirai Nikki probably isn’t the best choice if you’re looking for something to restore your faith in humanity." - Random Curiosity
- "Overall, this episode made the show seem like a a series that would provide some second grade chills and cheap entertainment. As for whether it will turn out to be something more substantial in the near future… I am hoping that it does because this show is not really griping me at this moment despite its unique plot." - Otakuness
ROUND TWO (Second Episode) RESULTS FOR THE FALL 2011 SHOWS:
Thumbs-up for Round Two: Un-Go, Chibi Devi, Bakuman Season 2, Mirai Nikki
Thumbs-down for Round Two: Working Season 2
Coming up next: Shinryaku Ika Musume Season 2, Ben-To, Chihayafuru, Guilty Crown, Phi-Brain, Last Exile: Fam the Silver Wing, Fate Zero,Boku Ha Tomodachi ga Sukunai, Hunter x Hunter, Tamayura Hitotose, gdgd Fairies
- "Phew, if there’s one thing that Mirai Nikki does well, it’s creating a rather intense atmosphere. Admittingly, this series also gets very over-the-top with it’s plot twists, which is made even more prominent by the sheer lack of any guts in the main character Yukiteru. Nevertheless, the story continues to devolve into one heck of a chaotic mess between wielders of Future diaries, some ruthlessly hunting others down." - Emory Anime Club