Posted by OP Sequence
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OP: 「Zoetrope」 by やなぎなぎ (Yanagi Nagi)
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「I」
Our protagonist has no name. She is however voiced by Nazuka Kaori and is supposed to remain anonymous until… well I assume until she regains her memory. This anime is based off an otome game and the player actually chooses the character’s name so I’ll be interested to see how that plays out in the story. No one addresses her by name thus far so we’ll see how they keep up with the pronouns. From here on, I’ll just call her “Heroine“, since that’s what all other sources are labeling her as.
The Heroine of our story somehow wakes up one day in a restaurant (dressed as a waitress) with absolutely no recollection of her past. If that isn’t cliché enough, two men come to her rescue when they hear that she’s fallen down at work. Shin (Kakihara Tetsuya) and Toma (Hino Satoshi) are two of our leading male characters that the Heroine can end up with. Not much is revealed about them, other than… they’re childhood friends and (probably) both like her. I find that they both have really similar styles too with their black jackets and rag-like clothing. It’s soon revealed by a mysterious floating spirit named Orion (Igarashi Hiromi) that our Heroine lost her memory from her past up until August 1st. Surprise surprise… she has to spend her time socializing and working in order to regain her memory. I’m not too sure of the technicalities leading up to her memory loss but it seems like it’s taken at face value. She has no memories. Period.
There are also two other main love interests introduced – Ikki (Taniyama Kishou) and Kent (Ishida Akira) who both work with the Heroine as well. Ikki is more of the typical popular host whereas Kent is more cool and collected (I believe he’s the chef). Nearing the end of the episode, the Heroine is also attacked by a group of girls… whom I assume are either jealous of her or hate her because of good reason. I doubt it’s the latter, but you never know. She seems to have suffered a serious trauma from their bullying in the past though so they’re probably jealous of her attention from guys.
I admit that I was really excited to start the first episode of AMNESIA. I’m typically not one that enjoys otome games or anime full of bishies since… well the plot never ties me down long enough to watch the whole thing. AMNESIA caught my attention though because underneath the average dumbstruck girl, is a dark eerie aura that surrounds the setting of the show. The music is a dead giveaway that not all is as it seems; and if that isn’t enough, how about big-eyed stalkers? I also realize that since a large aspect of the show is romance, a lot of people might be interested to see which guy she picks. There are four prominent males to choose from (from first glance) and I’m sure they each have their own story and tragedies. Oh! And I’ve almost forgotten to mention that the obvious use of cards and suits are meant to represent each male that she can hook up with. I for one, am actually more interested in her history. How did she meet these guys? What do they see in her?
If I were completely honest, I would say that the Heroine is actually terribly bland and hard to watch. She’s a little too slow and I like lively, quick-thinking protagonists! Our Heroine doesn’t cut it for me… but I suppose that’s why she’ll grow and pick up a personality later on with the guidance of Orion. I feel that Orion is like your guide for the game anime and he’s there to explain things to confused individuals like myself. It bothers me a bit that everything is very one dimensional right now, but I guess that can be applied to many shows and they can still be enjoyable to watch in their own right. I don’t expect miracles from this anime, but it can end up surprisingly different and unique depending on the direction later on. There’s a lot of potential for hidden secrets and discoveries to be made.
Side Note: When I first heard of this anime, my first thought jumped to Amnesia: The Dark Descent. I kid you not, this is the king of horror games – it’s made grown men cry out of fear. For my own amusement, I like to watchYouTube videos of reactions; but seriously, this game should never be played alone or in the dark. Ever.
Full-length images: Roman numerals for episode titles! No wai!
ED Sequence
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ED: 「Recall」 by Ray
Preview
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I start off most seasons with a few select shows to watch but I always seem to gain stragglers along the first few weeks XD
i certainly thought of amnesia dark descent also at first~ my favourite lets play-er would be pewdiepie 🙂
pft. cr1tikal ftw.
lol pewdiepie in a nutshell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THd6aFYCu74
@Cherrie
Maybe you just don’t remember it.
Let’s call her Cherrie and be done with it….
A better one: Missus Amnesiac
Ooh…that’s a pretty nice name. I guess I’ll name her Cherrie then. 😉
I’m halfway tempted to call her Narukami Yuko.
Good to know that someone else thought of Amnesia: The Dark Descent when this was announced. XD (I like Markiplier and Pewdiepie for my Lets Players, personally).
I think I’ll try this one out, since it at least looks pretty.
With so many options present, there’s a possibility that this show can become quite good which isn’t necessarily something I usually say of most anime based off a dating sim. The art style and music caught my interest almost immediately and I’m liking how the tone can shift between the calm and somewhat cute atmosphere of the maid cafe to a delightfully darker ending.
I tried real hard. Real hard to watch this since the premise, the main heroine with no memory, was intriguing enough… but I just can’t do it with these bishies. Very female friendly full of bishies. And overall full-blown shojou feel. I can see this show is clearly intended to appeal mainly to female viewers. 17 minute was all I could muster before stopping. I can only stomach the main heroine and that’s about it. This show just isn’t for me.
This dark and mysterious atmosphere… feels like shoujo more than anything.
Same here! I really can’t digest this kind of genre.
I’m with you guys on this one. I can’t even ask what’s going on since it’s based on a game where YOU choose what’s going on.
Isn’t the same with eroge? :p
I usually don’t have a hard time watching bishies, but for some reason these guys give me the creeps *shivers*. I think its their style or their art… or maybe it’s just the fact that there is not a lot of movement – just a lot of single still shots of guys in excellent poses. Oh wells… I feel bad complaining about a female-targeted show when I’m a girl and should be loving stuff like this.
I totally agree. No one is really moving too much and indeed it is shots of them in perfect poses for the most part… Smh. Like I said in my comment below… Just because it’s based off a game doesn’t mean the anime has to emulate the game so much.
I got around to 4 minutes and 17 seconds before I gave up. Can’t…go…on…
Definitely thought of The Dark Descent as well. This anime does look interesting at the very least.
Because you brought up Amnesia: the dark descent
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYF5j6mW6l8
I only watched a play-through and that is all. That game is scary… f**kin’ scary.
Speaking about the anime, what’s bugging me the most is the males leads’ eyes; they look weird. Even the animation quality looks mediocre. Like that part when watching the opener where for 10 seconds the Heroine was falling… just falling.
Though, I’ll give credit that the mood of the anime was different. Not typical shoujo serenade and the reverse harem wasn’t the only selling point. There are questions that needs to be answered : the heroine’s memory loss, Orion’s existence, this guy… https://randomc.net/image/AMNESIA/AMNESIA%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2014.jpg
I’m curious what happens next.
Will you be able to blog this anime?
That’s one interesting part that pulled me to watch the video. Wanting to know more
about who she is, and her real name.
I’m rather baffled that none of the characters knew her name. Don’t she have an ID?
I actually like the heroine. She’s pretty cute and I like her soft spoken voice. Her voice sounds like she’s being careful with words, or she’s confuse because she doesn’t remember who she is or what her relationship with them bishies are.
I think I’ll stick a few episodes more to know if I’ll continue this or not.
I’m glad someone can relate. I never played the entire game… got too scared =( I just read the Wikipedia page later. My guy friends had to sit together in a room with a laptop to finish it.
Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll be blogging this anymore going forward. I have Robotics;Notes on Thursdays and that’s enough to tie me down for this season. If you do finish it though, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the ending – and who she ends up with.
Have watched 4 episodes so far.
2 words: Parallel Universes.
Plus the green-haired guy, Ukyo, knows more than he’s letting on.
Solely watching it for the Mystery. Hope there’ll be more clues!!
I’ve seen several otome game adaptations. Some good and some bad. And I have to say Amnesia is definitely going to be bad…
Brain’s Base being the animation studio doesn’t make it any better.
The only thing that could (barely) keep me watching is Orion.
The characters’ eyes are quite…captivating in color as well as their personalities are divided in the typical genre of potential lover types. I wonder if the card suits have any meaning to their personality.
I think those three girls will have to answer to the manager later on. (muhaha…ahem)
Why does the guy with the green attire have so many straps? (Although I did like how he made the Pauli effect joke, that actually made me laugh)
Liked the first episode, but I’m pretty cautious about animes like these.
Hope my worst fear about this anime won’t come true : the anime just becoming a typical, lame reverse-harem anime that mostly focus on lame pointless romance instead of its plot
I’m pretty sure it would focus on what you deem pointless romance. It is an otome game after all. I personally haven’t played the game, but I’m guessing that the plot is just a side-track to spice things up. (more like to get more people interested but end up failing to meet their expectations)
Worth noting that protagonist having no name isn’t entirely new.
For instance, Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita’s protagonist effectively has no name.
In a language like Japanese, it’s quite possible to get away with no mention of a name, most commonly you can substitute their position in for the name (beyond the “you” “her” “she” “that girl” type words).
The game gets pretty dark and suspenseful later on so I’m looking forward to seeing how the story in the anime unfolds. Thanks for blogging the first episode, Cherrie! 🙂
Thanks for reading =) Would love to hear what you think later on!
I just want to know WHAT THE HELL IS UP WITH THE CLOTHES? I mean, woah, that really takes the cake for silly clothes. And just look at all those belts! It looks so out of place.
Oh well, if that is what the target audience likes.
Blame Nomura for starting tht trend XD
I’m a guy in my early 20 who enjoys mostly shounen and seinen anime, not to mention that I love action comics. Yet for some reason, I find this show somewhat interesting. I wasn’t even annoyed by the bishies stuffs. Then again, this comes from from a guy who watches My Little Pony.
I personally don’t know why so many are against it. I’m a completely straight guy who happens to think that Otome games have some of the best drawn girls around. I much prefer to look at the main character in this show than the girls in most of the stuff aimed at guys.
I’m not saying I specifically enjoy this show. I just wouldn’t mind having this art style carried over into other genres (or at least, make the girls dress as well as the main character here is).
The premise was interesting but it’s just too shoujo for my taste.I’m going to pass.
CANNOT SWALLOW FUJOSHI FOOD
Ughhh too hard to watch….
Wow the hate for this show is pretty strong…. Personally I don’t mind the weird looking eyes and outfit. I don’t mind the bishie stuff and I find the plot pretty intriguing. Also abt those girls… Maybe she was bullied by them be4 she lost her memories? (Her flashback implies it) And srsly, the psycho stalker guy D:
There is a lot of hate o_o I guess it’s not everyone’s cup of tea which is fine. I don’t have anything against the design of their characters or fashion taste… but I think the lack of animation and how it’s made to LOOK and FEEL like a game, is what turns me off (personally). I wish the protag had a bit more of a personality, but losing your memory will probably do that to you =P
Somebody get me the name of their clothes designer. I wanna look that fabulous!
…I’m going to continue watching simply for the bishies and the pretty art. I think what they did with the eyes was really interesting and different. But honestly, they could’ve executed this so much differently. Just because it is based on an otome game, doesn’t mean it has to be exactly like it with the protagonist being an empty shell for the player to fill with their own choices. This isn’t a game. It’s supposed to be an anime. Therefore you’re allowed to give our heroine some kind of personality and maybe even a name if you want. Even Amagami SS had a protagonist with his own little personality that could make for entertaining interactions with all the girls around him. I don’t agree with this timid empty chick they’ve made the “heroine” be. Just because she lost her memories doesn’t mean she can’t have a personality still. Because as it is, I don’t really feel anything for the girl at all. Oh sure it’s too bad she lost her memories and is having a hard time with crazy fangirls now, but I don’t actually care much. It’s like “Oh, sucks for you.” Not “Oh damn that’s cray cray! They need to leave her alone!” I bet if she had more life to her, some people might not dislike this show half as much as they do right now. I have a feeling this is going to be like watching Snow White and the Huntsman. Ughhhh Kristen Stewart had like three lines, constantly looked constipated or like she was having an asthma attack, and no personalityyyyyyy!!! I watched it purely for Charlize Theron! With this show, I’m watching it simply to find out about the bishies and look at the pretty artwork. It would be lovely if the heroine got some personality soon.
LOL! I totally agree… the Heroine lacks major personality and it makes it hard for me to relate or even empathize or sympathize when she’s getting bullied. Don’t want to say she deserves it, but I’m sercretly hoping she used to be this bad-ass chick. I doubt it -.-‘
And now I’m going to go on a rant about Snow White and the Huntsman…
That movie was HORRIBLE. Wow… like… nothing will save that movie. Nothing. It was random, the acting was bad, the story was like WTF? A deer? Exploding deer? Idonteven… whatttt? o_O You know a movie is bad when you keep looking at your watch in a cinema and want to GTFO. Anyway – rant over. Worst movie of 2012. Save your money and watch Twilight. Seriously.
The only reason I watched that movie was for Chris Hemsworth and he couldn’t even save that movie in the end sigh*
^ Thisssssssss! Lol. No Chris Hemsworth couldn’t save it either. For everything that was going on, they could’ve made it all about him trying to kill the Queen for revenge or some crap. Kristen Stewart was just useless meat… :3
And yes, I secretly hope she used to be kick ass before losing her perso- I mean, memories. I’ll attempt to watch and see. And maybe the bishies won’t pose as much either. I feel like they’re the Weeping Angels from Doctor Who. When I blink or take my eyes off them, that’s when they move! O__O
She Cherrie Kristen Steward hating side slips out? ;P Prepare for the fanrage XD
IMO, Snow White & The Huntsman >>>>>>> Twilight… My only problem of tht movie is the climax/ending… I’m expecting an epic showdown not epic posing!!
Perhaps I will end up being the only one , but I am defiently going to continue watching this. The plot is intruiging, even though at the moment our heroine has no personality and name , I want to see what personality she ends up getting , and I love how each characters eyes are not just one colour-I don’t think i’ve seen that anywhere before.
Oh , and I simply love the OP song. Its amazing. Although I have no clue what “Zoetrope” means….if it means anything.
Does Amnesia Dark Descent generate terror in a similar way to Paranormal Activity, as in entirely “implied terror” as I read about somewhere? The playthrough videos were pretty hilarious but not scary, so I’m assuming that the terror requires the full build-up from the very beginning of the game.
I actually played a little bit of this game on the PSP so I will explain the idea of it.
Show Spoiler ▼
I’m curious as to who the heroine in the anime will go after. Probably Shin wwwww
Well I mean, I believe we all get the idea. As soon as Orion popped up, I pretty much put two and two together about what his role was going to be and why she had to pretend to go along with everything. I think most people are so put-off because it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense and essentially an excuse for fangirls to look at pretty anime boys with duo-tone eyes for 24 minutes. It appears that the show directly mimics the progression of the game. Not exactly the most entertaining thing to watch. For now at least…
I still can tolerate this… must watch…
I’d rather a show start out like this, leaving things to the imagination rather than starting out incredibly awesome and absolutely failing in the next 10-11 episodes(looking at you, Arcana Famiglia).
I hope we get to see the eyes of those three girls with the hats >>
Wow, didn’t expect to see this much of a negative reaction.
I’ve expressed my views in RC and in other sites of how one-dimensional some ecchi shows are, or other generic genres like harems, mecha, etc… or how some random scenes in an otherwise great show are completely unnecessary except to pander to a demographic, (not even for spice, just in your face worthless). Yet, those comments got downvoted to hell. Although I agree that this is pretty bland, it is on the same level, and shares the aim of going low, as many other shows on this site.
It is not crap either. It seems basic yes, but there is nothing overtly wrong with it compared to other one-dimensional appeals. So why does this show in particular get so much hate?
This show is freakin freaky. I had to will myself to finish and even then I didn’t make it through the end credits. This one’s a bust.
Is it safe to say that many of us thought this was related to Amnesia The Dark Descent at first? XD I’ll have to try playing that someday…
I didn’t really know what, or how much to expect, going into this show, but I admit that I’m intrigued to see how it’s going to play out. When I heard that Brain’s Base was doing this one, my hopes rose (Baccano/DRRR) and fell (Tonari, hnrghhhh) at the same time. The heroine is a little bland at first and may be slow for some viewers to get behind, but maybe that’s just the point for now as she simply cannot remember anything. But, being surrounded by all these guys! wow. They’re all so different and interesting and I can’t wait for us to find out more about them. I’m curious to see how this is going to develop because the game makes so many different endings available and possible; in making this an anime, I’m hoping that the producers at least give it some sort of direction. Not having played the game, I’m also wondering if there’s like one “True Ending” to it that is supposed to happen. Guess I’ll just have to hold out and see.
I do like the character and art designs; they’re certainly out there and really unique. Being in this cafe setting, the whole “Master/Milady”-thing seemed a little meh to me, but it’s just a part of the culture (and a job…) and will maybe really set the stage for out heroine to piece things together. As fragile and delicate as she may seem, I think there’s definitely more to her to uncover. Maybe Orion, quirky little thing he is, will be good at being her (and our) guide along this story. Sadly, I’m not putting all my eggs in one basket for this show because it could turn into a mess later on, but I can only hope that it will be cohesive enough to satisfy its viewers (if done rightly). Overall, I don’t think this is as bad as some folks are saying and I think it should get a little more credit. Time will tell!
I don’t think the intro and ending of the show are appealing in a way, I mean it gives me the aura of a girl who’s a player or something, but maybe I’m also too quick to judge.
I have no expectations yet, but I sort of like it. So there’s this guy that’s mean to her or cares about her in a mean way, the Shin guy, and the other guy that’s like sort of a big brother, and there’s this player guy, and the other one that’s very logical. Hmmmm, but the intro they’re all kissing her and uh…. mm, I don’t know, the intro/ending put alot of ‘first impressions’ in my head that play with what the anime is like, maybe.
Thanks for you’re review. I hope the show, if its based on a game, doesn’t end up like Arcana Familgia, that was with a very bad endinglol..
Cheers,
Mi
Probably gonna skip this anime this season
BUT… The OP song reminds me of another anime song.. what is it..? I cant remember.. dammit..
I remember reading a bunch of walkthroughs for this game.
It wasn’t really shoujo-ish but dark in terms of plot.
Show Spoiler ▼
But anyways, I hope people will give it less hate 🙁