Forum - View topicREVIEW: Taruto DVD 1
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DragonsRevenge
 Posts: 1150 |
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I couldnt get into it. Creepy was the best description. One thing though.. if the translation and dub voice acting was done so well, why the C score?
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Chrno2
 Posts: 6172 Location: USA |
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Ok so it's not everyone's cup of tea. And THERE IS NOTHING OBJECTIONAL in this series. Hell they could even put on 'FoxKids' or 'KidsWB' or even 'Toonami'. But I do have to agree it does have it's little level of "creepiness" and it's sugary-sweet. Funny that this show was created by 'Kaishaku' a doujin circle that produces both adult and non-adult materials.
It took me quite awhile to get into this one. Mainly because since the characters are supposed to be cats telling a story from their point of view. But the odd thing is that they look like little cat-like humans, and the humans are well...human. Walking around with their little cat persons on their arms. It often made you wonder if the people looked at them as cats or "little cat-people". Because they don't communicate the same way. Except with other cat-people. It does have a interesting little story. If you're into cute then this might be right up your alley. 
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Taruto
 Posts: 37 Location: England |
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I don't want to sound like I'm nagging, but has the reviewer actually looked into the series at all? Taruto is one of my favourites, without a doubt - and you can only really review it if you've watched the entire thing through at least once. Going by the first dvd is useless and even so, the review seems poorly done.
Simply going by watching rather than investigating is a little bit stupid and one of the major flaws in the review is claiming nothing about the cats is explained. It even says it in the first dvd's supplement booklet (which is backed up by the manga).
This also answers the part about Taruto sleeping on Iori's knees near his crotch in episode 1. Seems off to older viewers but the series is based around a child audience (it's rated 7+ for God's sake)! And anyway, normal cats do that! Surely it's alright for a child-friendly series to make cats act like cats. The music is fitting for a light-hearted series like this anyway. Not too strong and gives it the right kind of addition to the series. Believe me, I own the soundtrack and have listened it through multiple times - I can't find any faults. It's classic for Hikaru Nanase to do this kind of thing with music (like in Galaxy Angel). It might not as good as the soundtracks backing up things like .Hack//Sign or Cowboy Bebop, but it sets the theme of the story throughout and it's not too dangerous for the ears. Oh, and highlighting this point, too;
This is a stupid thing to go on storyline wise. It's meant to be forboding and meant to get the viewers to try and figure out what's going on. They appear again nearing the end of the series and more on the storyline is expanded in episode 8. Some series have to be given some time, y'know? The review is really biased regardless. Not only does it make a stab at the story, characters, music and whatever else, it insults the actual designs and concepts of the characters as well as how they act. There's nothing to say "maybe you'd like that, because of this, this and this" - it's just a straightforward review saying "I didn't like it and neither will you because it's all crap". It's not a bad series. You need to give it some time and it has to appeal to you, that's all. Shame the reviewer didn't like it enough to even research what they were saying. So I'll end by saying it's probably best to get someone who actually has an open mind to review this kind of series. 
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ChrisBeveridge
Posts: 162 |
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Thanks for pointing that out. I know that with some review copies we don't always get an insert or booklet with it. I don't remember if that was the case when I did my own review, but I had missed this part entirely and that lack of information really does make it hard to understand how the series is conceived. With it, it makes much more sense though they do get that point across further along in the show. There are some objectionable things in there but I agree that the 7+ rating is pretty much accurate. Younger kids will have a more difficult time with it in a few areas, especially with the dead babies in the first volume, but I'm not sure they'd maintain an interest with the slow pace of it. I think it could have worked out much better at half the length of the series and done as a full on OVA series instead that tightened up the larger story and took on a less lackadaisacal method to telling the tale. But losing that would lose some of its charm as well... |
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Taruto
Posts: 37 Location: England |
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You're welcome about the booklet thing. It's a shame they sometimes don't include booklets.. in this example, it's pretty confusing.
Well, the way that I saw the series at first was a little weird, especially with Taruto sleeping on Iori's lap in a rather suggestive place (but personally I think it's only suggestive if you're into that kind of thing or have a pretty twisted mind). Since the series is aimed at children, it's pretty obvious that the artists weren't putting that kind of thing in intentionally to raise eyebrows - it was mainly to make Taruto seem more like a cat. Cats generally get attached to their owners and sleep pretty much all over them if they're given the chance, so she really is in character once you've studied the background information. (Though I'm really not doubting that some parts were put in simply to please Kaishaku and their cutesy perverted approach to the majority of things, like in the manga ^^;...). The 'dead babies' thing is basically where the neighbour is remembering how he had cats and kittens in his 'family', really - it seems a little creepy when you watch it over again but it never seemed that way to me, or any of my friends on our first watches. It's almost as if seeing Taruto in his garden and explaining about them made him remember how it was and picture Taruto re-lighting their spirits and making them "blossom", like Taruto imagined. More than anything, the series is down to imagination... it depends on how you want to see it rather than how it's shown to you.
If the series was only 6 episodes long I think it would've ruined the series overall.. it would've seemed rushed. One episode, plot development. Next episode, more development. Next episode, a little bit of filler? It's out of synch and would've seemed more than a little bit strange - you don't really get many series where there's storyline one minute and then filler the next. They're usually one or the other, like Pita-Ten TV, another child-based series - some storyline at the start, some inbetween, some near the end. The rest is pretty much all filler and it makes the series what it is, and it makes it more lax and easier for children to watch and enjoy. And anyway; it helps viewers. In each episode, another moral is learned. For example, episode 1 is all about overcoming fears. Episode 2 is all about resurrecting the dea- er, befriending others and trying to help them. Episode 3, trying to overcome differences and set each other as equals. The episodes continue and so do the morals and in each episode, Taruto tries to help or overcome a challenge, and the storyline really picks up after episode 8, also combining the storyline with the original 'innocent' approach that's more of a filler than an actual story. But as I said before it's mainly a story to challenge the imagination - you've got to sort it out for yourself from the beginning to the very end, like when spoiler[Taruto is revealed to be the sister of the Kinka Princess - what happens to Pai in the alternate world, Ganashu? What happens to Taruto? Do they carry on as normal when they're seperated?] The series really is much more fitting for a younger audience, or those who have a high "cute" tolerance more than anything - all of the objectable parts or "filler" parts are just there to broaden the series a little and make it more enjoyable for the audience it appeals to. Nothing more, nothing less - which is kinda why the series has such a tiny fanbase compared to some (painful as it is). 
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Necros Antiquor
 Posts: 571 Location: Funny in a car crash sort of way |
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But that's how ANN does its reviews, one volume at a time. Rarely is a series reviewed in full. This allows closer examination of a series, through its ups and downs. Some series have had moderate reviews given to earlier volumes only to have spectacular reviews for later volumes, falling in line with your statement that "some series have to be given more time" before they get better or become clearer.
Yes, that's his job as a reviewer, to give an overview of the DVD, to point out the good and bad things, and state whether or not certain things work. He's supposed to give his opinion. In terms of bias, your post is much more biased, especially in light of the fact that your username is Taruto. We know you already like the series, and you obviously see some good things about this DVD that the reviewer doesn't. That's fine, but it doesn't mean that his review is "wrong."
No, he does say that, and I quote: "Taruto is a show that aims for one very specific audience: people who like catgirls. Even then, viewers may have trouble making sense of the cat kingdom back story, or believing that catpeople are regular residents all over town, or that a young human male can bond with a catgirl at such a disturbing level." He says that if you like catgirls, you'll like the show, but even with this anime standby, the show still has obvious flaws. And he doesn't bash all parts of it (other than the music); he just states where it's creepy, sometimes confusing, and where the animation is respectable.
It's not like the reviewer is someone who only watches strict shonen anime. He states in his opening paragraph that he can enjoy cute shows that Taruto would be somewhat similar to, so he must already be open to this type of show. Honestly, just because someone disagrees with you and says that he doesn't like one of your favorite shows doesn't mean that he is wrong; he just has a different opinion, one where he can look at a show rather objectively and then form his opinion about it. |
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Taruto
Posts: 37 Location: England |
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Yeah, I realised that after I posted that. But still, from the way the review is written, it's like they're not even going to give it anything near a second chance and watch the second dvd. It's a good idea to seperate the reviews via dvds in some cases - like if the series is able to drag you in - but for more mellow series like Taruto it's a little hard to get into, and therefore, does need a little more than the first 3 episodes to let you have a full, balanced opinion. But I must say I respect the way the opinions are based on ANN, even if it doesn't work for every series.
My username is Taruto because everything else was taken when I started using it as a nickname. I picked it randomly after watching a clip from episode 3 of the series and thought it was cute, and that's all. It may seem biased to others and it's obvious I like the series when I get talking about it, but there really is no other reason as to why I started using it. If someone's username is "Mint" does it mean they're obsessed with either herbs, ice cream or maybe - gosh - Galaxy Angel? No! A lot of people have that kind of thing as a nickname, it has no relevance as to what they like or dislike. It's similar with names like 'Ayame' or 'Yuki' - just because they're in one of the most popular series of the moment doesn't mean the name was taken from there (Fruits Basket in particular, but I guess Gravitation or Cardcaptor Sakura works too for Yuki). Yuki also means 'snow' and is a commonly used word with fans with any fandom, anime or otherwise. And anyway, for all you know, I could've been using it before the series was even begun or the concept was gained - there something else called "Taruto", a kind of sweet cake in a certain area of Japan. Japanese yes, but not linked to the series in any major way. The name is all that was taken from it and then incorporated into the theme of "sweets" in the series. Name recognition is a common thing and a lot of people automatically link me to the series, but all it is is my online identity. Taken from the series, yes - one of my favourite series, yes - but that shouldn't put people reading a post or topic by me in an uncomfortable position. I don't feel intimidated by people with 'inuyasha' or 'kagome' in their names when they're talking about the series 'Inuyasha', even though it's obvious where they got their names from. Where are good points in the review? I can't seem to find very many aside from the comments on the animation. There are far more bad points highlighted and the tone of the review gives a 'waste of time, don't bother' effect. I never said it was a 'wrong' review, because to begin all I wanted to do was question the author's opinion of the series and how they had been with facts. Sorry it turned into something much more thorough opinion on my side. I just wanted to highlight points I think he missed, like with the booklet containing information about the world the cats live in. And hey, surely some extra support and information about the series can't be bad, right? Even if our opinions differ it's always good to hear two sides of the story. I'm sorry I sounded out of place and forceful with my opinion but it can't have been a bad thing. If anything, I helped the reviewer by pointing out the lack of the information from the booklet. It's cleared that up a little bit and wiped out one of the more confusing parts of the series (and the review).
Even so, saying it aims for one very specific audience is kinda closed. It's a kids series, not one for what are usually classed as perverts. That's an audience they missed out on big time in the review. Not all of it is bashed, no - but a lot of it is, of what I could grasp. The music is, the character designs are classed as 'less than sophisticated' and are described as 'huge, vertical eyes and primary-colored hair suggest a sense of character design that's several years old' (even though they were all designed in 2001, when the series was being made), and the episode content is 'weird'. The wording almost puts me off watching it again.
I know that, and I made sure I read that over and over after reading the review itself. He seems to praise the other highlighted series but then goes into calling the cute factor in Magical Nyan Nyan Taruto 'weird' and 'grotesque'. Sure doesn't make it sound like a cute series to me after reading the review. Like I said before, it almost puts me off watching it again.
I never said their opinion was wrong! Where did I say that? I only wanted to highlight the fact that there is a small fanbase of people who don't class it as 'weird' and that their opinion isn't strictly what others think! For example, the point about the dead cats in the neighbours dream; it sounds stupid and horrible from the review, but when watching it, it's quite mellow. It's weird in thought and writing, but in practice, it really isn't as bad as it sounds - theres no leverage in the review, it's straightforward and bashes that point. It says nothing about that point and how it could seem to other viewers. It's just expressed as being downright weird in the review. I don't know if you've watched the series yourself, but if you haven't, try and borrow it from someone - or at least the first dvd. See what you think in regards to the review. Is it weird? Is it grotesque? Is it based around a single, catgirl fan audience? I really don't think so. |
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SnowfairyX
 Posts: 438 |
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The review seems pretty fair to me even though I only watched one episode of this series so far. I didn't decide to start collecting the series because I expected it to be some sort of masterpiece anyway, but because I really enjoyed the series A Little Snow Fairy Sugar and wanted something similar that's fluffy and cute.
Take a look at this review if you want to see something that is biased, not to mention extremely insulting. I only saw the first episode of this series and so far I haven't seen anything that I thought was disturbing yet. Reading this thread was very entertaining  . I never thought that such a series would be found to be disturbing by some people and surprised to see that it would be defended by such a vocal fan, especially one who knows proper grammar and spelling, .
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Joe Mello
 Posts: 2311 Location: Online Terminal |
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I think one thing that we all can agree upon is this: Accoring to Magical Meow Meow Taruto, cats are people, too. ^__^
She's spayed, right? |
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Taruto
Posts: 37 Location: England |
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Holy hell, that one is insulting o_o ! Are they allowed to post reviews like that on the internet??  That makes it sound beyond plain weird!
Haha.. thank you, whether that was a compliment or not.
Why yes :B That's the general thought behind the series, I'd imagine. ...And she's only a kitten!  (heehee.)
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