Yma's Anime Review: Noein
Here's my latest anime review. It's of a show called Noein. Check it out and leave a comment if you can!
Anime: Noien (towards another you.)
Size: 24 eps
Summery: Haruka and Yuu are two children soon to enter high school, mid way through their last summer of freedom. But between exam stress, strange cosmic abilities, people from (a) future, blue snow, best friends, arguments, parental expectations and quantum mechanics it’s not going to be a quiet one.
Type: Science Fiction/Action/Conceptual
Technical: Noien is a very odd anime technically, because it’s style is so very different from any other I’ve seen. The voice acting and CGI is generally excellent, (I especially love some of the, for lack of a better word, Monsters, rendered. They manage to be both horribly grotesque and stunningly beautiful.) but the style of animation is very unique. It’s more of a western, nineteen twenties style of cartoon than the usual anime style and that takes some getting used to but, at last, I found I rather liked it. On the other hand I can also see people really not liking it, so it’s something that I’d have to put a little on the negative side.
The music is also excellent, especially the operatic action tunes. I still find myself humming that one occasionally.
Plot: Whilst Noein perhaps lacks the break-neck plot of some other shows, it is still pretty tight and interesting. It feels like there’s scarcely a needless episode in this, each one resolving something character or plot wise, whilst also building up stuff for the next episode. It’s not one of those shows which immediately explains things. You begin with questions and have to hang on and wait for them to begin to make sense, and that can be a bit off-putting to start with, but stick with it because most of the question are answered eventually.
Even if you can’t get all of the fine nitty-gritty bits, it is all explained and it’s done in such a way that it doesn’t get too hung up on the details.
All in all I’m impressed that this show manages both tight plot yet also good character development. It’s something a lot of the 24 ep long animes should try to emulate, in my opinion.
Character: Noien boasts something a lot of fairly ‘conceptual’ anime’s seem to lack. Dynamic and fun characters that stick with the audience and which really grow as well as a fun and pretty easy to follow plot that manages to resolve itself neatly.
There’s scarcely a character here I found card board or boring or dull. Each one was well fleshed out and fun to watch. Indeed, the only character I perhaps wasn’t as fond of was Haruka herself, and I still thought she was alright.
I love how almost all the main characters seem to grow and develop as the show continues, each one gaining new layers and interests, but also remaining pretty realistic.
I can’t say that any of the characters have really grabbed me personally, not on a huge scale. But I think I could put that down to personal tastes and, all things considered, I find the characterisation of this show extremely strong and interesting.
Concept: Noien is very Matrix like, in that you shouldn’t expect to understand everything at once. That said, it’s no where near as confusing as, say, Lain. Basically, it all comes down to Quantum. To explain all the scientific terms I think it beyond me, but that doesn’t matter. Perhaps one of the great strengths of Noien is that it manages to explore some really complex ideas in ways that are very simple and humane.
I found it impossible to entirely follow the exact science of the story, but the feel of it, the basic idea, comes through extraordinarily well. And what is more, unlike some animes, it is fun and interesting for more than the concepts alone.
I find the idea and the way it play with the idea of quantum, alternate universes, alternate futures and pasts, just fascinating and it’s an idea I’d happily return to. In fact, of all the bits of the show I find its concept the strongest. Especially since it doesn’t get too lost in its own musings.
The Good: Tight plot, good characterisation, well developed and fascinating concept.
The Bad: Animation that is very unique and takes some getting used to, a bit of initial confusion, and possibly the argument that, whilst it is *good* at all the above, it doesn’t really shine out in any one.
Rating. ****
Final Summery: If I was feeling especially cruel I could say that, whilst Noien has good plot, good characterisation and good concepts, it doesn’t shine out with any single one. That said it is so rare to see an anime that really does all of the above well that I feel this is a bit of needles criticism. A bit like complaining that, whilst all the elements of it have four starts, none of them have five. The point is that it manages four stars all the way though, and that’s pretty impressive in my opinion.
It does have a confusing beginning and it’s not perhaps for someone who wants a mindless action/comedy/romance. But it is, in and of itself, a wonderful show and one I can very highly recommend.
Anime: Noien (towards another you.)
Size: 24 eps
Summery: Haruka and Yuu are two children soon to enter high school, mid way through their last summer of freedom. But between exam stress, strange cosmic abilities, people from (a) future, blue snow, best friends, arguments, parental expectations and quantum mechanics it’s not going to be a quiet one.
Type: Science Fiction/Action/Conceptual
Technical: Noien is a very odd anime technically, because it’s style is so very different from any other I’ve seen. The voice acting and CGI is generally excellent, (I especially love some of the, for lack of a better word, Monsters, rendered. They manage to be both horribly grotesque and stunningly beautiful.) but the style of animation is very unique. It’s more of a western, nineteen twenties style of cartoon than the usual anime style and that takes some getting used to but, at last, I found I rather liked it. On the other hand I can also see people really not liking it, so it’s something that I’d have to put a little on the negative side.
The music is also excellent, especially the operatic action tunes. I still find myself humming that one occasionally.
Plot: Whilst Noein perhaps lacks the break-neck plot of some other shows, it is still pretty tight and interesting. It feels like there’s scarcely a needless episode in this, each one resolving something character or plot wise, whilst also building up stuff for the next episode. It’s not one of those shows which immediately explains things. You begin with questions and have to hang on and wait for them to begin to make sense, and that can be a bit off-putting to start with, but stick with it because most of the question are answered eventually.
Even if you can’t get all of the fine nitty-gritty bits, it is all explained and it’s done in such a way that it doesn’t get too hung up on the details.
All in all I’m impressed that this show manages both tight plot yet also good character development. It’s something a lot of the 24 ep long animes should try to emulate, in my opinion.
Character: Noien boasts something a lot of fairly ‘conceptual’ anime’s seem to lack. Dynamic and fun characters that stick with the audience and which really grow as well as a fun and pretty easy to follow plot that manages to resolve itself neatly.
There’s scarcely a character here I found card board or boring or dull. Each one was well fleshed out and fun to watch. Indeed, the only character I perhaps wasn’t as fond of was Haruka herself, and I still thought she was alright.
I love how almost all the main characters seem to grow and develop as the show continues, each one gaining new layers and interests, but also remaining pretty realistic.
I can’t say that any of the characters have really grabbed me personally, not on a huge scale. But I think I could put that down to personal tastes and, all things considered, I find the characterisation of this show extremely strong and interesting.
Concept: Noien is very Matrix like, in that you shouldn’t expect to understand everything at once. That said, it’s no where near as confusing as, say, Lain. Basically, it all comes down to Quantum. To explain all the scientific terms I think it beyond me, but that doesn’t matter. Perhaps one of the great strengths of Noien is that it manages to explore some really complex ideas in ways that are very simple and humane.
I found it impossible to entirely follow the exact science of the story, but the feel of it, the basic idea, comes through extraordinarily well. And what is more, unlike some animes, it is fun and interesting for more than the concepts alone.
I find the idea and the way it play with the idea of quantum, alternate universes, alternate futures and pasts, just fascinating and it’s an idea I’d happily return to. In fact, of all the bits of the show I find its concept the strongest. Especially since it doesn’t get too lost in its own musings.
The Good: Tight plot, good characterisation, well developed and fascinating concept.
The Bad: Animation that is very unique and takes some getting used to, a bit of initial confusion, and possibly the argument that, whilst it is *good* at all the above, it doesn’t really shine out in any one.
Rating. ****
Final Summery: If I was feeling especially cruel I could say that, whilst Noien has good plot, good characterisation and good concepts, it doesn’t shine out with any single one. That said it is so rare to see an anime that really does all of the above well that I feel this is a bit of needles criticism. A bit like complaining that, whilst all the elements of it have four starts, none of them have five. The point is that it manages four stars all the way though, and that’s pretty impressive in my opinion.
It does have a confusing beginning and it’s not perhaps for someone who wants a mindless action/comedy/romance. But it is, in and of itself, a wonderful show and one I can very highly recommend.