Blood Plus - A Short Recollection
Greetings, all! How long's it been, now? A good month and 3 weeks. A lot longer than I would have liked, but I couldn't think of anything to write about for the longest time. So, immediate apologies for that.
Now, down to business. I'm a little overdue for the end of Blood+, simply because I've been putting off watching then end for how many weeks now. So, here I am to disclose my final thoughts on the series, as well as to say good-bye.
MAJOR PLOT SPOILERS FOLLOW; READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.
~*~*~*
I'm sure I forgot to mention a few things, but these were the aspects of Blood+ that stuck out to me. I'll say though that the length might have shaken me off also. In order for me to last past 26 episodes, I think a series would have to go as big as say, Bleach (which I've seen every single episode of) in order to keep my attention. Though, I'm sure if the second half of the show was done better, things would have turned out more smoothly.
Now, down to business. I'm a little overdue for the end of Blood+, simply because I've been putting off watching then end for how many weeks now. So, here I am to disclose my final thoughts on the series, as well as to say good-bye.
MAJOR PLOT SPOILERS FOLLOW; READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.
Initial Series Thoughts:
Alright, I guess it would only be natural to start off with my first thoughts on the series when I first started watching it. That was a very long time ago, unfortunately, so I probably can't be as detailed as I would have liked. But anyway, proceeding forward.
Wow. Just wow. Those were basically my first thoughts when I started watching B+. I do believe that when I started watching this, I was a fairly impressionable viewer who could be easily amazed by anything. And well, here I was, amazed. I downloaded a batch of 1 - 12, and I finished it up within a day or two, even after juggling other things. I was officially addicted.
I'll be honest, though. I had heard of this anime when it first started out but never bothered to pick it up because (a) I've never had an interesting experience with vampirish anime, (b) It didn't seem all that interesting, and (c) I really was very annoyed with the way Saya looked (pre-awesome haircut). The only reason I bothered to even THINK about viewing this show was when I heard that my absolute favorite band, UVERworld, was going to be performing the 3rd OP for it. During my search for the song, I had heard many good things about the show, so I figured, "Hey, why not?", considering I was barely watching anything at the time (except Bleach).
As with many other people, I was one of those "hook, line, and sinker" folks who was easily addicted to an immensely popular and at the time good show. Did this impression last? We'll see...
Story and Plotline:
I previously mentioned before that I was an easy person to please, so I had no questions on the story of B+. It was simple, easy to follow, and good enough to keep my interest. So I stuck to it. What I very much loved about this show was that just when things were about to get predictable, they decide to throw in the most EVIL plot twist they can possibly think of.
Take, for example, the rape and death of Riku. Yes, both of them were very important to the advancing of the storyline, but good God in heaven, that poor boy. I think I must have felt sick for a good long while after watching that episode, because that was quite honestly one of the most disturbing things ever suggested in an anime I have ever seen. And for all the people out there who SERIOUSLY consider Riku to be "lucky to have been able to do it before dying", that's just disgusting. He was only a child!
Anyway, to press on, even though I liked the plot twists and all, I eventually got tired of all the death. I mean, in about 3 or 4 episodes, there would be like, 4 people dead. Part of the reason why I loved the show was the characters, and then they just had to go and kill them off. I'll admit that when the balcony fell on Hagi, I wasn't EXTREMELY surprised, considering how a lot of other people who I thought couldn't die so easily ended up dying anyway (Moses, anyone?).
A little death once in awhile is a good thing, but not once every other episode. I think the worst thing was that some of the most important characters (like Solomon), couldn't have had a more...extravagant death. Then again, considering how many important people died, doing a dramatic death sequence for each would be too much. But I thought that at least Solomon deserved a more pronounced death rather than a "is he really dead? Because I didn't see anything" scene.
Another thing was that this series sure did like to butter people up before letting them bite the big one. For example, Karman and Irene. Karman you knew was going to die, but they gave him at least a good half episode of fluff, and wouldn't you know it? They threw in Moses free of charge. Irene was especially sad because she and Kai got along so well, that it was a bit unexpected to see her go so soon. I believe it was Irene who started the whole "important-people-dying-unexpectedly" thing.
Why am I spending all this time on untimely deaths? Because they were very important aspects in turning the gears of the clock that is Blood+'s storyline. If you stop to think about it, most if not all of the deaths attributed to the story in some way, or at least resolved certain side-plots that eventually closed up holes in the main plot. And I actually found it kind of depressing that the entire series practically revolved around death (and Saya falling into either Hagi or Kai). I am more than sure that this was the first, full-on drama+action series I've ever watched. Sure there was the occasional gag here and there, but most of them came from the series' own over-drama.
To close up this section, I would like to say that despite all of what the deaths did to advance the plot, most scenes were done with such ambiguity that you weren't even sure people were dead. Take Nathan, for example. Even though you at first like to believe that everything's over, he comes waltzing back on the screen. It gives the series a bit of open-endedness, but some things could be more absolute. In this case I'll bring up Solomon's loss once again; for awhile there was speculation that he wasn't dead, but such thoughts seems to have subsided with the end of the series.
So, if you like watching beloved characers die, a big thumbs-up to Blood+.
Rating: 7/10
Characters:
It might already be more than obvious that I very much did enjoy the cast of Blood+. So much so that I felt sympathy every single time someone kicked the bucket. Except for Amshel, of course, who I always found to be a pain in the rear end.
I think at the end of it all the cast who managed to survive to the bitter end was pretty well fleshed out. I would normally have written a little blurb on each and every character, but I though well enough of all of them to say in general that I loved them.
I would also like to point out that this was the first time I actually discovered an OTP! Saya x Hagi forever, especially after that bitter-sweet kiss at the very end. But of course, knowing the creators, Hagi had to have a mini-disappearing act so that Saya wouldn't be able to properly say good-bye before her sleep. Feckin' bastards.
So, five million thumbs up for the cast of Blood+, who did a marvelous job!
Rating: 9/10
Presentation:
The animation and art were fairly decent, though the former could have been improved a tad. I think they did a pretty good job mood-wise, because even when it was all bright and sunny I always felt this kind of depression through it all. I guess if that's good or bad depends on the viewer.
Cheers to character designer for fleshing out some very appealing characters, moreso for the males than females (since there seemed to be more of a male cast). That made everything easy on the eyes and fun to watch, not to mention spawning some beautiful fanart out there.
I would just like to point out here that the haircut Hagi gave Saya looked five million times better than the one given to her by both Kai and George. And this is because Hagi touched her with his hawtness, and she in turn had to look prettier. Nuff said.
Rating: 8/10
At the End of It All:
I liked it. No, I'm not understating by using the word "like". The beginning was fantastic, but after the time jump shortly after Riku's death, things took a very slow turn (the only REALLY good thing that happened here was Saya's haircut). Also, the erratic schedule of fansub releases caused my interest in the show to reach a pinnacle before slowly subsiding because of lack of episodes.
Another big turn-off was episode 49. It was just so...I don't know, badly done, that I didn't even cry despite Diva actually dying in this episode. The flow during it seemed so off that I just couldn't very well enjoy it. The actual ending at 50 did some minor repairs, but most of it (after Hagi's disappearance) was predictable. The show really seemed to falter towards the end, perhaps to the point where it just couldn't hold up to the goodness of its first half. It's a sad thing. Two OVAs are due out, so one can only hope that at least one of the two can reconcile some of the damages done.
I will say, though, that Blood+ featured quite possibly my favorite single anime episode, which happens to be episode 42. I was very moved after it, and watched it multiple times. This would probably be the second good thing after the time jump, and one of the few things that really stood out to me as the series drew its final breaths.
So, now for my final words. Blood+ is indeed a very good show and very entertaining, and I won't say that I regretted watching it. However, despite its goodness, I wasn't left breathless at the end of it. This series certainly helped me realize that there is a line to be drawn when it comes to drama, as well as how a show can never have too many dead people. The ending could have used more work, so at least I could have shed a tear or two for Diva (I cried a freakin' bucket for Moses, but nothing for Diva). In conclusion, watch Blood+ if you have the time, just don't expect too much out of it in the end.
Final Verdict: 7/10 (not an average of other ratings)
Alright, I guess it would only be natural to start off with my first thoughts on the series when I first started watching it. That was a very long time ago, unfortunately, so I probably can't be as detailed as I would have liked. But anyway, proceeding forward.
Wow. Just wow. Those were basically my first thoughts when I started watching B+. I do believe that when I started watching this, I was a fairly impressionable viewer who could be easily amazed by anything. And well, here I was, amazed. I downloaded a batch of 1 - 12, and I finished it up within a day or two, even after juggling other things. I was officially addicted.
I'll be honest, though. I had heard of this anime when it first started out but never bothered to pick it up because (a) I've never had an interesting experience with vampirish anime, (b) It didn't seem all that interesting, and (c) I really was very annoyed with the way Saya looked (pre-awesome haircut). The only reason I bothered to even THINK about viewing this show was when I heard that my absolute favorite band, UVERworld, was going to be performing the 3rd OP for it. During my search for the song, I had heard many good things about the show, so I figured, "Hey, why not?", considering I was barely watching anything at the time (except Bleach).
As with many other people, I was one of those "hook, line, and sinker" folks who was easily addicted to an immensely popular and at the time good show. Did this impression last? We'll see...
Story and Plotline:
I previously mentioned before that I was an easy person to please, so I had no questions on the story of B+. It was simple, easy to follow, and good enough to keep my interest. So I stuck to it. What I very much loved about this show was that just when things were about to get predictable, they decide to throw in the most EVIL plot twist they can possibly think of.
Take, for example, the rape and death of Riku. Yes, both of them were very important to the advancing of the storyline, but good God in heaven, that poor boy. I think I must have felt sick for a good long while after watching that episode, because that was quite honestly one of the most disturbing things ever suggested in an anime I have ever seen. And for all the people out there who SERIOUSLY consider Riku to be "lucky to have been able to do it before dying", that's just disgusting. He was only a child!
Anyway, to press on, even though I liked the plot twists and all, I eventually got tired of all the death. I mean, in about 3 or 4 episodes, there would be like, 4 people dead. Part of the reason why I loved the show was the characters, and then they just had to go and kill them off. I'll admit that when the balcony fell on Hagi, I wasn't EXTREMELY surprised, considering how a lot of other people who I thought couldn't die so easily ended up dying anyway (Moses, anyone?).
A little death once in awhile is a good thing, but not once every other episode. I think the worst thing was that some of the most important characters (like Solomon), couldn't have had a more...extravagant death. Then again, considering how many important people died, doing a dramatic death sequence for each would be too much. But I thought that at least Solomon deserved a more pronounced death rather than a "is he really dead? Because I didn't see anything" scene.
Another thing was that this series sure did like to butter people up before letting them bite the big one. For example, Karman and Irene. Karman you knew was going to die, but they gave him at least a good half episode of fluff, and wouldn't you know it? They threw in Moses free of charge. Irene was especially sad because she and Kai got along so well, that it was a bit unexpected to see her go so soon. I believe it was Irene who started the whole "important-people-dying-unexpectedly" thing.
Why am I spending all this time on untimely deaths? Because they were very important aspects in turning the gears of the clock that is Blood+'s storyline. If you stop to think about it, most if not all of the deaths attributed to the story in some way, or at least resolved certain side-plots that eventually closed up holes in the main plot. And I actually found it kind of depressing that the entire series practically revolved around death (and Saya falling into either Hagi or Kai). I am more than sure that this was the first, full-on drama+action series I've ever watched. Sure there was the occasional gag here and there, but most of them came from the series' own over-drama.
To close up this section, I would like to say that despite all of what the deaths did to advance the plot, most scenes were done with such ambiguity that you weren't even sure people were dead. Take Nathan, for example. Even though you at first like to believe that everything's over, he comes waltzing back on the screen. It gives the series a bit of open-endedness, but some things could be more absolute. In this case I'll bring up Solomon's loss once again; for awhile there was speculation that he wasn't dead, but such thoughts seems to have subsided with the end of the series.
So, if you like watching beloved characers die, a big thumbs-up to Blood+.
Rating: 7/10
Characters:
It might already be more than obvious that I very much did enjoy the cast of Blood+. So much so that I felt sympathy every single time someone kicked the bucket. Except for Amshel, of course, who I always found to be a pain in the rear end.
I think at the end of it all the cast who managed to survive to the bitter end was pretty well fleshed out. I would normally have written a little blurb on each and every character, but I though well enough of all of them to say in general that I loved them.
I would also like to point out that this was the first time I actually discovered an OTP! Saya x Hagi forever, especially after that bitter-sweet kiss at the very end. But of course, knowing the creators, Hagi had to have a mini-disappearing act so that Saya wouldn't be able to properly say good-bye before her sleep. Feckin' bastards.
So, five million thumbs up for the cast of Blood+, who did a marvelous job!
Rating: 9/10
Presentation:
The animation and art were fairly decent, though the former could have been improved a tad. I think they did a pretty good job mood-wise, because even when it was all bright and sunny I always felt this kind of depression through it all. I guess if that's good or bad depends on the viewer.
Cheers to character designer for fleshing out some very appealing characters, moreso for the males than females (since there seemed to be more of a male cast). That made everything easy on the eyes and fun to watch, not to mention spawning some beautiful fanart out there.
I would just like to point out here that the haircut Hagi gave Saya looked five million times better than the one given to her by both Kai and George. And this is because Hagi touched her with his hawtness, and she in turn had to look prettier. Nuff said.
Rating: 8/10
At the End of It All:
I liked it. No, I'm not understating by using the word "like". The beginning was fantastic, but after the time jump shortly after Riku's death, things took a very slow turn (the only REALLY good thing that happened here was Saya's haircut). Also, the erratic schedule of fansub releases caused my interest in the show to reach a pinnacle before slowly subsiding because of lack of episodes.
Another big turn-off was episode 49. It was just so...I don't know, badly done, that I didn't even cry despite Diva actually dying in this episode. The flow during it seemed so off that I just couldn't very well enjoy it. The actual ending at 50 did some minor repairs, but most of it (after Hagi's disappearance) was predictable. The show really seemed to falter towards the end, perhaps to the point where it just couldn't hold up to the goodness of its first half. It's a sad thing. Two OVAs are due out, so one can only hope that at least one of the two can reconcile some of the damages done.
I will say, though, that Blood+ featured quite possibly my favorite single anime episode, which happens to be episode 42. I was very moved after it, and watched it multiple times. This would probably be the second good thing after the time jump, and one of the few things that really stood out to me as the series drew its final breaths.
So, now for my final words. Blood+ is indeed a very good show and very entertaining, and I won't say that I regretted watching it. However, despite its goodness, I wasn't left breathless at the end of it. This series certainly helped me realize that there is a line to be drawn when it comes to drama, as well as how a show can never have too many dead people. The ending could have used more work, so at least I could have shed a tear or two for Diva (I cried a freakin' bucket for Moses, but nothing for Diva). In conclusion, watch Blood+ if you have the time, just don't expect too much out of it in the end.
Final Verdict: 7/10 (not an average of other ratings)
~*~*~*
I'm sure I forgot to mention a few things, but these were the aspects of Blood+ that stuck out to me. I'll say though that the length might have shaken me off also. In order for me to last past 26 episodes, I think a series would have to go as big as say, Bleach (which I've seen every single episode of) in order to keep my attention. Though, I'm sure if the second half of the show was done better, things would have turned out more smoothly.