Anime Review: D. Gray-Man
Wil's Review of D.Gray-Man
(After watching episodes 1-25)
Version: Dub (Funimation) on Hulu.
Music: To me, first impressions are everything. If I don't care for the opening song, odds are I won't like the series. The first OP sequence is decent, "INNOCENT SORROW" performed by abingdon boys school, the same group who did "Strength" from Soul Eater. It gives a good first impression to the series as to what to expect. The first ED isn't bad either, but it does want the viewer to keep watching more. The score itself ranges from a creepy, heavy organ to light electronica.
Animation Style: Semi-realistic. The characters have the typical unnatural hair colors, but at least the styles don't defy gravity. Every once and a while the characters will turn chibi, but it's no more off-putting than it was in Fullmetal Alchemist. (Which isn't surprising, considering the character design was done by Hideyuki Morioka, who also worked on FMA.) The Akuma themselves are stylized to look other-worldly but still humanoid. However, there is a distinct darkness to everything, with a vast majority of scenes covered in shadows.
Voice Acting: Not bad. Although Todd Haberkorn as Allen Walker tends to be a bit jarring at times. After watching The Tower of Druaga a couple of months ago, it's a bit strange to hear Jil's voice popping up again. The rest of the characters (so far) are well-matched.
Plot: Group of supernatural beings attacking humans, and the protagonist with special powers is hunting them. It's a common theme, and in this case, it's an exorcist hunting Akuma. However, the setting is around the turn of the 20th century ("The End of Fictional 19th Century"), and there's a pseudo-Steampunk feel to the weaponized Akuma. There's also a nice mix of science and magic, which some series cannot pull of. However, it didn't keep my attention as well as FMA or Soul Eater, and most of the time, I keep it on as background noise. However, the story arcs with Miranda Lotto and the Vampire Krory had my eyes glued to the screen for almost every episode.
Final score: A-
Overall, if you're a fan of either FMA or Soul Eater, you should be able to enjoy this series as well.
(After watching episodes 1-25)
Version: Dub (Funimation) on Hulu.
Music: To me, first impressions are everything. If I don't care for the opening song, odds are I won't like the series. The first OP sequence is decent, "INNOCENT SORROW" performed by abingdon boys school, the same group who did "Strength" from Soul Eater. It gives a good first impression to the series as to what to expect. The first ED isn't bad either, but it does want the viewer to keep watching more. The score itself ranges from a creepy, heavy organ to light electronica.
Animation Style: Semi-realistic. The characters have the typical unnatural hair colors, but at least the styles don't defy gravity. Every once and a while the characters will turn chibi, but it's no more off-putting than it was in Fullmetal Alchemist. (Which isn't surprising, considering the character design was done by Hideyuki Morioka, who also worked on FMA.) The Akuma themselves are stylized to look other-worldly but still humanoid. However, there is a distinct darkness to everything, with a vast majority of scenes covered in shadows.
Voice Acting: Not bad. Although Todd Haberkorn as Allen Walker tends to be a bit jarring at times. After watching The Tower of Druaga a couple of months ago, it's a bit strange to hear Jil's voice popping up again. The rest of the characters (so far) are well-matched.
Plot: Group of supernatural beings attacking humans, and the protagonist with special powers is hunting them. It's a common theme, and in this case, it's an exorcist hunting Akuma. However, the setting is around the turn of the 20th century ("The End of Fictional 19th Century"), and there's a pseudo-Steampunk feel to the weaponized Akuma. There's also a nice mix of science and magic, which some series cannot pull of. However, it didn't keep my attention as well as FMA or Soul Eater, and most of the time, I keep it on as background noise. However, the story arcs with Miranda Lotto and the Vampire Krory had my eyes glued to the screen for almost every episode.
Final score: A-
Overall, if you're a fan of either FMA or Soul Eater, you should be able to enjoy this series as well.