Arachnophobic

No spoilers, except just one: this show is a spectacular train-wreck. If you like good science fiction, beware: this show begins extremely well but manages to destroy everything it built up and trample on its viewer's expectations in every way imaginable in its final episodes. After hearing that this was an anime that had heavy parallels to Arrival, and watching the first five episodes, the sci-fi buff in me was ecstatic. Here was a mature, well-written and absolutely gorgeous looking and sounding sci-fi anime that was headed in a direction that didn't seem hackneyed. It was thought-provoking and sparked a lot of discussion among the viewership.It was a potential masterpiece, I thought. But as the series progressed, anime tropes that had no business appearing in a mature narrative such as this started popping up left and right for no good reason like some rash, creating a very jarring experience, and culminating in an ending that left many wondering how something with so much potential had ended up like this. It became incoherent to the point where one has to wonder whether the author's original vision was altered by others in the creative team to appeal to a larger crowd - one that wouldn't be watching this series in the first place. Story (3/10): The first half was a solid take on first contact, and the plot was genuinely creative and gripping at the same time. The last quarter was an unmitigated disaster for the most part. I don't think any other show with such a promising beginning has bombed so hard. Art (8.5/10): Ah, this is something that the plot couldn't touch, and does deserve a favourable mention: the characters and several other parts are in 3DCG, and it pretty much sets an industry standard to how 3DCG should look. At no point did it look awkward or badly animated - on the contrary, some CG-heavy scenes ranged from beautiful to downright jaw-dropping. Sound (8.5/10): Another thing the story could not completely spoil was the soundtrack, which was great. If there is one good thing that came from this show, it's that. Character (3/10): Just like the plot, the main characters start out with great promise, but end up getting development that is frankly appalling. Enjoyment (4/10): This reflects the effect of the ending more than anything - it leaves a very bad taste, especially because the first half was so enjoyable. Overall - 4/10. Tl;dr: You are probably better off pretending this doesn't exist. That, unfortunately, is the right answer.

addictionado

Story: 3 Seikaisuru Kado begins with an intriguing premise: An alien arrives on Earth bearing gifts to advance humanity. To ease communication between the alien and the government, a gifted negotiator offers his services. Over time, the alien and negotiator learn about each other and become friends, overcoming their many differences. Meanwhile, the alien's gifts are so vastly powerful and beyond human understanding, that they threaten existing international resource and power relations. Soon, the bigger, more concerning question looms: Why? That's a lot to work with, and the first 8-9 episodes actually do quite well in exploring these ideas. However, if you're after intelligent, well-considered, or satisfactoryanswers, you will most likely be disappointed. In fact, "disappointed" is the word I'd use to describe my feelings about this series as a whole. Many of the issues raised in earlier episodes are resolved by way of shoehorned deux ex machinas, then explained away in empty words as to sound somehow profound or meaningful. While I understood the reasoning behind the solutions and how they had to be done, there was little-to-no lead-up and foreshadowing, making them seem overly-convenient, and leave no satisfaction in the resolution. In essence, poor execution: It felt as though the writers wrote themselves into a corner, had trouble resolving everything in the space of a few episodes, or handed the reins over to shallow mahou shoujo writers altogether. Art: 7 As a fully CG-based series, Toei did surprisingly well (see: earlier efforts in the sad CG transformation sequences in Sailor Moon Crystal). While it was apparent that impactful action sequences are beyond the reaches of the overly smooth and measured pace of their CG animation, the need itself was rendered obsolete due to the setting and cast of white-collar characters, and it even enhanced the otherworldly quality of the alien. By nature of CG animation, the quality could only be consistent throughout, but overall visual interest is lost through over-reliance on it where there could be better angles or compositions. Sound: 7 I actually remember very little of the background tracks, but since nothing stood out to me as being particularly out-of-place either, I'll give this a pass. The opening and ending themes are actually quite lovely and help conjure a sense of wonder at the vast universe. Character: 6 First of all, I was very impressed by the variety of character designs; the old and young, physically imposing and frail, big and small, etc... Even the main character doesn't look terribly outstanding, which lends weight to his professional nature. That said, most of the recurring cast are attractive young people, which kind of ruins that thought. I had trouble taking the main girl seriously, for many, many reasons. The alien's design was appropriately strange, and subtly differentiated him as a whole other species, even while taking a human form. Design aside, I appreciated the developing relationship between the negotiator and the alien; in particular, the alien's growing attachment to his new friend manifested through subtle glances and not-so-subtle keeping of mementos. The relationship felt believable through their attempts to overcome cultural, linguistic, technological, etc... differences. The love interest, while soundly and reasonably developed as a character, on the other hand, felt lacking in chemistry by comparison, considering her importance in the conclusion. On a separate note, for all that the negotiator was set up to be one of the best in his field, he does very... little... negotiating...? Enjoyment: 3 Despite my enjoyment of earlier episodes, the conclusion was poorly done. I spent episodes 9-12 mostly feeling confused and in disbelief over every nonsensical turn of events, disappointed at the waste of potential, and the waste of my time. Overall: 5 Only the first 8 episodes and a few technical aspects manage to redeem this series. Good job effing it up, Toei.