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Forum - View topicREVIEW: Xam'd: Lost Memories Blu-Ray
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SoandSo
 Posts: 204 |
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Ah yes, Eureka Seven 2, which is sorta awkward now that there's actually going to be a Eureka Seven 2. I remember being initially fascinated by this show, but never really being able to stick with it long enough to get to the end. It meanders a tiny bit too much, character focus, or focus on anything really isn't it's strong suit and the dynamic between the three childhood friends was a bit cliched and silly.
That said, I never really felt the show was particularly flippant or irresponsible in its storytelling(although, yeah, it kinda was), so much as the problem stemmed more from the story being hugely overstuffed and the show not having much idea of what to do with itself. The soundtrack comparison is also an...interesting observation, certainly not one I ever thought of to make and I adore the scores to both shows. I can sorta hear a fleeting stylistic similarity, but whereas Kanno and Mizoguchi's work was more classically-oriented and even Gregorian and John Williams-y in places, Oshima's work has more her typical, distinctly Russian-sounding brassy, heroic orchestration and strength of harmony characteristic of her work. The styles of the three composers doesn't really match up that much, but it is interesting food for thought, provided you're an OST nut. Wouldn't mind giving this show another try now that's it's all in one package, just to relive what I liked, see if it holds up, and finally catch the apparent doozy of an ending. Last edited by SoandSo on Mon Feb 20, 2012 1:57 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Animegomaniac
Posts: 4158 |
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The most I got from Xam'd was that it was wierd but it tried to present that wierdness like it was the most normal thing in the world. Kind of like taking science fiction so far past the point of fantasy that the resulting world was boringly mundane. If anything can happen, who cares what happens?
Also, I've never seen such an abstract, impersonal view taken on the subject of uncontrolled bodily transmutations. It was the usual type of transformations that take the terminal form variety and the snap backs were ungenrelistic. David Matranga was flat; I think it would save time to point out dubs where he isn't flat. In short, I saw it; Wouldn't see it again. |
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ajr
Posts: 465 |
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I devoured this last year over a couple of days while getting over some kind of flu; the first third was very good, the second less appealing but more surprising, and the last third I was racing to assemble what the plot was, only to realize it probably wasn't incredibly detailed, just a mishmash of snazzy scenes and themes thrown into a blender.
It's like a more exciting, more touching version of Fractal (the doctor was handled pretty well), and makes even less sense by the time it runs out of rail. I bet a group of fans could easily edit it into a coherent story. It's like a gourmet restaurant threw a dozen stunning dishes onto the floor, and then picked the least-squashed bits out and served them. Ugh. I was just so angry X'amd misled me so; they obviously had talent and a budget, a number of scenes really impressed me (I just notice it was directed by the assistant director for Eureka Seven, so that's why a number of things look familiar). Maybe he just couldn't make up his mind. The ending was a cop-out too. |
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Monster in a box
Posts: 671 |
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Hey, Kagisu was my favorite part of the dub. His VA made his character all the more difficult to figure out. His scene with Akiyuki's father in the graveyard is so great. spoiler[Where he cuts his eye out, and calmly says something like "Where this is light, there must also be darkness. I've given your world balance, you should thank me." You should thank me; it was the delivery of that line that made me finally realize 'Oh-, this guy isn't a good guy or bad guy. He's just crazy from the war.']
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B-503_MIA
 Posts: 149 Location: Green Bay, WI |
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Raises hand & fesses up, yep, I enjoyed the heck out of Xam'd... I got sucked in by the excellent opening song ("Shut Up And Explode" from the Boom Boom Satellites) & it's animation - actually surprised it wasn't mentioned. The foot tapping to the beat was a nice touch.
I wanted Akiyuki & Haru to wind up together, I liked the Nausicaa-esque Nakiami & her abilities, the storyline with Akiyuki & Kakisu's mother, Akiyuki's mother & her run, the human-form weapons, the world of the series, Ishuu & Yunbo's arguments - all things I enjoyed. It was a crazy, mixed up mad-libs of anime tropes &, maybe, that's why I liked it?? My only real questions are about the ending spoiler[ Did Haru know when Akiyuki was going to come back? Or was it just a coincidence that she was visiting at the time he "restored"? If she did know, was it explained - I may have missed that?] The first time we watched it was it's first run on ANoD & wouldn't mind watching it again in a marathon over a few days. |
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Big Hed
 Posts: 1607 Location: Melbourne, Australia |
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A... a review of Xam'd that I mostly agree with. I think I'm tearing up.
Maybe that's just because I feel jipped about a complete colleciton being out already.  Then again, wouldn't have the gorgeous cover art of Nakiami if I bought this.
Maybe. spoiler[We knew from the beginning that she could communicate with Xam'd Akiyuki, so if nothing else she may have had some vague psychic intuition that he was on his way back. Having said that, she was (I'm pretty sure) visiting him every day anyway.] I shall have to return to this space later to write more, when I have time. |
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partially
Posts: 702 Location: Oz |
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Hmm I didn't realize so many people viewed the series quite negatively, at least a fair few of the comments seem to be. I never found the series particularly incoherent, and followed along most of it. I guess the main issue was that there were simply so many side plots going on. But seriously I loved the fact that it went into some detail for even characters that other series wouldn't touch. E.g. quite a bit of screentime was spent with Akiyuki's parents. It really gave to me a feeling of structure and an actual world. Too many shows are this sort of small bubble that exists around the protagonist. Whereas here that is not the case. I seriously loved this show, certainly a lot more than I ever did E7.
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lesterf1020
 Subscriber Posts: 295 Location: Trinidad and Tobago |
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Actually my impression was that this series was very well loved. There is even a very vocal crowd that claims that Xam'd is Eureka Seven done right. I don't agree I much prefer Eureka Seven.
My only thoughts on this review is that it seems very spoilery. A whole lot of plot revelations and surprises seem to be mixed in to the review. So I think a little rewording and the loss of two paragraphs would produce something that keeps the tone without risking spoilers. |
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doctordoom85
 Posts: 2093 |
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Really? I haven't heard this group. Most people I've heard say Xam'd's episode count hurts it and it felt like it needed more episodes, whereas with Eureka Seven that wasn't an issue. I'll give Xam'd another shot in the future. I watched the first two episodes and was overwhelmed by the massive amount of characters and name-dumping (without enough context) presented at once. Hopefully the series slows down a little after that and makes some sense and exposition so I can get what's going on. |
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Big Hed
Posts: 1607 Location: Melbourne, Australia |
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Hear,hear! That's always been my position, that the show handles its various plot threads quite expertly, and that the explanation is all there. Carl's position that much of the explanation offered is audience conjecture is definitely the more common, though. In any case, it's interesting how in much of the discussion I've read/been involved with regarding Xam'd, the demarcation between fans and detractors is tied so clearly whether or not you treat these explanations of various story elements as implied or inferred. Interesting because I don't normally see that kind of criticism being leveled against anime in general so strongly, but entirely reasonable; I mean if I felt like I was having to make stuff up in my head to justify a good portion of what was happening on screen, I wouldn't be the big fan of the show that I am. Of course, Carl obviously quite enjoyed the series in spite of the storytelling flaws he perceived, on the basis of its great cast, and that I totally agree with. It surprises me that I haven't seen more (though I have seen some) people take the line that "the plot's a mess, but the characters make it enjoyable" with Xam'd.
That must be because you keep running into all ten Xam'd fans over and over again. Talk about coincidences! 
... And I disagree with the Eureka Seven comparison, too; I think E7 is a mediocre show on its own merits, honestly.
I thought it was archetypal, myself. Or perhaps I should merely say convincingly-executed, since I don't mean to incite reactionary comparisons to who knows how many other examples with more pedigree. Anyway, I loved it. |
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rabrek
 Posts: 188 |
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Just ordered. For better or worse, ANN reviews are my kryptonite. Hadn't been interested in the series before Carl's review, but a "just go with it" approach works well for me. "Feast of things bizarre and illogical"? Pure catnip. Add the review's spoilery bits - guaranteed impulse purchase. Series sounds more than surprising enough to absorb the revelations. I'm looking forward to this. Thanks, Carl.
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ajr
Posts: 465 |
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I didn't hate X'amd (until the ending, anyway), so much as I felt ripped off. Just go into it knowing the writers didn't bother to put together a coherent story; I'm just sore they managed to fool me into thinking it did. |
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lesterf1020
Subscriber Posts: 295 Location: Trinidad and Tobago |
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Really? It was seen by a lot of people and has high ratings on all the sites I visit so I guess those ten people have some serious voter rigging capabilities. Maybe I should contact them, I have a couple of elections I would like influence. |
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SoandSo
Posts: 204 |
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Archetypal is probably the better word for it, yeah. It's more that the actions of the characters involved go down some very well-trodden dramatic throughlines that approach the level of cliche, and the way certain...elements of the relationship come to a head(hurr hurr) struck me as rather silly. |
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Big Hed
Posts: 1607 Location: Melbourne, Australia |
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Well I know it's rated in the 700s around here; far from terrible, admittedly, but I remember when it was inside the top 100--and more often than not forum users are negative about it (doctordoom's already alluded to that, I believe). Just popped over to MAL, where I see it's in the 300s though. Maybe I should contact these ten Xam'd fans, come to think of it... Surely people who I share tastes in anime with will have similar political leanings to me...
Eheh... eheheheheheheheh... Rats, you preempted me! Anyway, that's fair, insofar as the general outlines of Akiyuki/Furuichi's final confrontation goes. I thought Haru was a more decisive agent than a character normally in her position is, though (certainly that's true of how she behaves overall--strong-willed, indeed). And Furuichi's emotional ugliness at the end was such that it struck me as... poignant, almost. spoiler[His suicide was a sight to behold regardless, and talk about out of left field!] |
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