thoughts from tsujirii

If Studio Ghibli (Hayao Miyazaki's movies) and Avatar the Last Airbender (ATLA) had a baby, this series would be it. If you like both of those things, this might be your new favourite.  But if you're looking for a light-hearted anime that doesn't make you think too hard, or can't stand supernatural / spiritual journeys, you're probably not going to like this. Full review: I wasn't sure what to expect before watching. Truthfully, I came here for Tanda's voice actor (Tsujitani Kouji), the muted color palette didn't seem very appealing to me. What could be that exciting about old people in palaces, forests, and herb gardens? I even planned to skip through it if I didn't like it.  - Characters: Then the first episode came on, and Balsa captivated me. She's everything I could want and ask for in a strong female hero who thinks on her feet. Someone who is respectful as she is dangerous. It's a pretty rare combination to come by these days.  I think

A woman trapped in a suffocating home, and a woman trapped in a heavenly palace... what's the difference? Looks the same to me.  I had really high hopes for this movie, and in the first half, it looked like it was going to exceed my expectations. The script, art, and characters imparted a kind of magic that only Studio Ghibli can do with traditional illustration and color palettes. The Kaguya-hime (Princess Kaguya) that they had chosen to portray had a youthful spirit and expressed herself in ways that most people in this century could probably relate to. She was fun, lovable, cheeky, and beautiful.  Compared to the traditional folk tale that is well known throughout East Asia, I think they gave her a very elaborate story and setting in this movie. And, probably, because of the opulent setting (e.g. this Kaguya grows up to live in a luxurious mansion, as a noble lady, with many servants), I was hoping that they would also take creative liberties with the ending too.  They did not.

Highly recommend for: Fans of visual kei, fairy kei, J-pop and C-pop, and handsome boys like NOCTIS Lucis Caelum come to life... or if you're a fan of Suwabe Junichi and just want hear him say seductive things. If you enjoyed 'Kamigami no Asobi' or 'Bonjour Koiaji Pâtisserie (Bonjour Sweet Love Patisserie)', this anime will also be totally up your alley. Do not recommend for: Everyone else Full reiew: Judging from the negative comments, I was sincerely expecting the worst. Went in with a very low bar and was pleasantly surprised. From the get go, the protagonist's voice pissed me off, but that's because I dislike Sawashiro Miyuki's high-pitched whine (she plays Sasada Jun in Natsume Yuujinchou). Aside from her, no complaints about any of the voice actors - they were amazing. I came for Suwabe Junichi (he plays Seiji in Natsume Yuujinchou), and got what I wanted.  From the first episode with the headmaster / principal, I treated the series like a comedy,