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9. Iodine 
The biggest problem with GONZO shows is that they
usually have very weak, very disorganized stories that all the pretty graphics in the world can't make
up for. This is why SaiKano, despite some obvious
flaws, is such a great achievement for the studio.
The completely character-driven plot follows the relationship of two high-schoolers in the midst of a
devastating present-day war. One is Shuji, a tall,
bespectacled young man who's unsure of his place in
the world. The other is his petite, lovably clumsy
girlfriend Chise, who just happens to be an enormously
powerful living weapon as a result of military
experimentation. Their romance is overly maudlin and
depends on too many contrivances, but it's hard to
resist the charms of the two mixed-up characters who
have only each other to hold on to as everything
around them is falling apart. Chise in particular is
a stunner, whose fading humanity is in sharp contrast
to her role as a veritable angel of death.
Animation is average quality, and the music is
disappointingly fluffy. Character designs tend towards a softer style, more reminiscent of girls'
romance anime than boys' action shows. The writing varies greatly, and shameless manipulations are
frequently used to keep the level of angst high.
Technical errors abound, and there are plot holes
everywhere you look. But every so often, there are
moments of absolute brilliance that more than make up
for the rougher spots. Emotionally draining and
absolutely fearless, this is definitely GONZO's best
work to date.
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8. DFuzzy1 
Are you tired of the average lovey-dovey high school romance story? Looking for something on the apocalyptic side? Wondering how this series has consistently earned 5 stars? Then listen to the love song that is Saikano.
Saishuu Heiki Kanojo, or Saikano for short, takes place in Hokkaido, as two high schoolers - a somewhat socially blunt guy named Shuuji and a cute doofus named Chise - begin to fall in love with each other. One day, while Shuunji is out shopping with his friends in the nearby town of Sapporo, the town is bombed by fighter jets. As Shuuji and his friends run to safety, he sees a mysterious object that trashes every single jet in the sky. That mysterious object turns out to be Chise.
What do you do when your girlfriend slowly evolves into the ultimate weapon, losing her humanity in the process? For that matter, what do you do with an ultimate weapon, and what happens when you don't need it anymore... or when that weapon is your only means of survival? And can you even have any kind of meaningful relationship with a being that can destroy cities in the blink of an eye? Saikano explores these questions in the form of a heart-wrenching love story that simply raises the bar.
Each character, while important to the main plot, has his or her own story to tell. There are no stock personalities and there are no characters that are introduced with a bang and then simply forgotten. The music is also top-notch, and the animation is superb. Even the computer graphics are integrated fairly well. As for the romantic element... a believable rollercoaster ride all the way through. From mutually acknowledging that they're tired of "going out", Shuuji and Chise begin a relationship that becomes "the last love song on this little planet". No episode is filler, and yet each episode smoothly and logically follows the one preceding it, rather than simply introducing a new obstacle that the couple overcomes in the end.
The ending... well, there are two different ones, depending on how much of Saikano you want to see. The earlier one can actually stand on its own. But if you want to know why much of the story is a flashback, you'll have to watch the rest. I actually had most of my questions answered by the time I finished the series, which is actually a rare thing for me these days. Most series attempt to wrap everything up with the last few episodes, but inevitably leave some loose ends. Other series try to pack in a climax in those last few episodes to make up for the dragging plot. Saikano does none of this. However, there is one question I still have that I'm not going to put here for fear of spoiling the experience. Feel free to e-mail me about it if you're interested.
Saikano... the last love song on this little planet. And what a love song it is. Heck, you might cry almost as much as the main characters.
By the way, if you can find the preview episode that includes the interviews from the production staff, watch it beforehand. It points out the attention to location detail, voice dialect, and faithfulness to the manga that you would otherwise never notice (unless you're Japanese).
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| 7. Chris
Next to Cowboy Bebop, this is the best series I've ever
seen. Wow. Wow. Just… wow. Wowwowwow. I watched it over a month ago, and
it is still with me as if it were yesterday. Animation:
The animation in Saikano is superb. The only problem that some people complain
about is that Shuji looks fairly old, when in fact he is just a senior in high
school. Chise, on the other hand, is really cute. Oh, and don't expect much in
the way of fight scenes. That is NOT what this show is about. Sound:
Again, superb. Hell, I just bought the soundtrack to this series. That's only
the 5th music CD I've ever bought in my life. Story:
Wow. Everything else is good, but this is spectacular. The story is highly depressing,
and wonderfully interesting. It isn't so much about the events so much as the
characters and their reactions to the events in the story. Overall:
This is seriously the best series I've ever seen. Cowboy Bebop certainly
is more enjoyable, but this series is, in my most humble of opinions, actually
better. I urge every person out there to see it. |
| 6. Qian
Wan
Literally translated into "ultimate weapon girlfriend"
or better known as She-The Ultimate Weapon, this series raised my standards
of my expectations from anime series and movies alike. This is a pure love-written-all-over-the-serie's-face
(breathe!) anime. So what separates this from the other lovely competitors like
Love Hina, Kare Kano, and those of the sort? This one, is a tragedy.
From the first episode, SHK grabs you in the middle of a seemingly already
developed plot and drags you for a rollercoaster ride of sadness. Like Grave
of the Fireflies, this series also concentrates on the hardships of war...
but what happens if, the weapon of war is your lover, a cute and innocent girl
who possesses the power to save your countrymen... and kill? All
that put aside, allow me to say again that this is a love story. And like most
similar genre out there, two high school students are brought together to play
this sweet and bitter game. Chise and Shuuji, our main characters, cut class,
worry about exams, and of course love each other to death. But when Chise unknowingly
became the ultimate weapon, her time spent with Shuuji lessened. Shuuji who could
just look when the militants force Chise into action, blamed himself every episode
to remind us of his endless guilt-trip. The story
takes place in Hokkaido, a northern island in Japan. All the locations illustrated
(including "Hell's Hill") are selectively chosen by the manga artist.
To a Japanese resident, all of these carry a sense of detail. For instance, the
street lights and mail boxes in Hokkaido are unique to the rest of Japan and they
are all neatly presented in the anime. Even Orikasa Fumiko (voice actor
of Chise), known for her nice voice as the maid persocon in Chobits,adopted
a unique Hokkaido accent. You might have no idea what the heck the difference
is, but it is nice to know that our friends in GONZO took time to consider
the little things right? At the beginning of the
series, there are some nice moments where our cute Chise confesses to Shuuji.
Shuuji of course agreed (pfft who wouldn't?) and promised her to do an exchange
diary (that means one person write an entry and pass the diary for the other to
write and so on). All was going well until Chise suddenly became the 'ultimate
weapon.' They did not tell you why she became the ultimate weapon, along with
why is the war fought, who is the enemy, or even the character's last names. But
those small details are the last things you have to will notice missing. The series
can be funny at times, but the sadness that surrounds those moments will probably
occupy most of your facial expressions. The only
complaint that I have is that the series is too sad. As much as it attempts to,
the series never really gave me a break from the sadness that was embedded in
each episode. Chise likes to say "sorry" a lot (in a nice Hokkaido accent
I may add) and cries every 5 minutes. Because of how sad the series is, it is
difficult to watch (but then I finished the entire thing in a day simply because
it is too good), and one might have to take a 5-10 min break just to sit and stare
blankly into his monitor just to catch a breathe and appreciate life. Hugging
and crying is the big thing in every episode but heck, it works. Too much critique
of a series like this one won't do much good, and I am sure if you just sit down
and watch, the beauty of this series will unveil itself. Oh
right, don't say it, I forgot the music... hmmmm it is hard to explain. But I
assure you that it is good enough. But, why listen to my assurance when you can
check it out yourself at www.saikano.net?
Why I have it:
Recommended by my usual heartless friends who said they cried watching the anime.
High: Cute girls, very good plot, superbbbbb art.
Low: Girl
cries too much
Final words: Get it get it get it (oooh cookies!) *munch*
get it get it *munch* |
| 5. h8er13
I can't remember the last time an anime has evoked so much
emotion from me. Saishuu Heiki Kanojo literally translates as the Last
Weapon Girl, and war does play a role in this tragic love story. However, that
is what this series truly is: A genuinely heart-wrenching drama series about two
high school students. It doesn't matter that some things are not explained, as
the war and who the enemies are, or how and why the main female lead Chise is
a weapon. All these extra plot designs help fuel the main theme, which is love.
Not only do the two main characters make this anime worthwhile, but all the other
characters greatly add to the drama, emotion, and especially sadness. At the end
of this series, I didn't know whether to be sad or happy. Coming
from GONZO, I was a bit skeptical. They seem to produce anime with nice
artwork, but fairly mediocre storylines, such as Gate Keepers, Vandread,
Hellsing, Real Bout High School, and Final Fantasy: Unlimited
(that's a lot of mediocre anime.). The only production I particularly enjoyed
from them was that they did the art and character design for the Lunar
RPG's (a couple of the best RPG's ever) remakes for the Playstation. Saikano,
on the other hand, is amazing. I don't wish to hype this up so much that one may
be detracted from watching this anime, as I was, but it is definitely one I recommend.
The soundtrack is equally enjoyable and very appropriate. As is stated in the
promotional production of this series, Saikano involves "romance,
friendship, youth, war, and S.F. (science fiction)." Definitely not one to
miss. |
| 4. Olmanek
This is a peculiar one, the show decided to do something a
little different, in that it does not glorify war, it makes a mockery of it by
showing some of the more realistic aspects of it, I know it sounds vague but it
focuses on the emotional aspect of war, mainly one girl who is the most powerful
weapon available, it shows that great ability and power is not something that
comes with the perfect mindset of a killer, lacking conviction, experience and
knowledge she is an abomination, because she is human. A little separately it
shows the harsh reality of friends going off to fight a hopeless war, and it shows
that acts of great courage and of nobility are worthless if the most important
people aren't able to appreciate them, it is not something pleasant to behold.
You see she is a high school student, who has an infatuation with a senior, she
is naturally a clumsy soft spoken girl who isn't too good with people or with
life itself, she is a fairly typical character, it's just that you don't usually
have this character fighting a real war, where each death is a tragedy, and the
enemy isn't just an embodiment of evil, she is killing humans, ones just like
her, with doubts and fears and dreams and hopes, this series will not go easy
on you. I don't really need to go into detail about the occurrences during the
series, they are important but each in their own way and it really isn't feasible
to try and communicate what happened, but I do suggest all watch this, perhaps
especially now in this time of international conflict. |
| 3. SAGO
A girl and a boy struggling with their love in the harshest
of environments, Seishuu Heiki Kanojo depicts the pain and agony in wartime
Japan. The animation, character design, and music
are a step above your average anime. Combine that with an amazingly tragic storyline
and you have yourself a winner. Smooth and clean character designs and high production
value give this anime an oav feel. Its slow pace helps in creating a sharp contrast
between the chaos of war and the idle rural town. A guaranteed tear-jerker. I
was excited on getting this anime because I heard so much about it. I guess I
was expecting too much. There are times in the anime that tends to get repetitive
and slow but this "weak" point isn't enough to drag this anime to a
4.5 I highly recommend this to anyone. |
| 2. Himiko
Wow....what can I say about this new anime from Studio GONZO?
Firstly, I must say I was STUNNED to find that it was really THAT good of an anime.
Some people may disagree with me here but for the most of you I can only hope
you see this new anime as soon as possible! Saikano or also known as Saishuu
Heiki Kanojo is a story about a young high-schooler named Chise. Chise has
a boyfriend, Shuuji, and both of them fall in love. The kicker here is that Chise
is taken by scientists in the middle of the night and they make her into the 'Ultimate
Weapon'. The next day, Shuuji is shopping with some friends and he discovers outside
there is an aerial assault. As he watches his town becoming destroyed he realizes
a red light coming from the air and follows it. As he comes to after a shockwave
blasts him off his feet he sees a lone figure coming near him. As the smoke clears
he sees his girlfriend, Chise, with guns and the like attached to her body. Confused,
and on emotional overload, Shuuji goes to her and embraces her. Thus begins 'The
last love song on this little planet'. As the story progresses, we see Chise
and Shuuji try to figure out how strong their love is for one another and how
they can endure the pains of love and war. With Chise's body completely altered
and growing at an incredible pace we come to realize that Chise is trying her
best to try and deal with all that has been cast upon her. In most anime, for
me at least, I find the 'Breakdown' points to be the best. Chise breaks down many
times in this series and all of them are done beautifully which, in my opinion,
if the emotion is there and it affects the viewer, you got yourself a winner.
This anime takes you on an emotional rollercoaster that leaves you wishing it
could last longer - only 13 episodes. Every episode we are tossed a new conflict
that the couple must overcome together. It leaves you asking questions like: 'Is
their love really that strong?' or 'Will Chise completely break from her body
growing at such a rapid pace?' Definitely on my HIGH top ten list and probably
the best anime to hit the anime community in years. This will leave you emotionally
drained and wishing it was longer. Something you don't want to miss out on! |
| 1. Cross
Scars
Saikano has to be one of the most shocking
series I've ever watched and that it comes from a studio like Gonzo is
equally surprising. Following recent works like Hellsing and
Vandread this is a complete change of direction. When you start
watching this series do not be deceived into thinking that all it's going to be
is a fairly simple, enjoyable romantic/comedy anime. Nothing could be further
from the truth. Saikano's appearance is extremely deceptive and
it turns out to be one of the darkest anime out there and for me it's been the
saddest anime I've ever watched. The series sets out to make you depressed right
from episode one. Even the group fansubbing the series noted at the end of one
of the later episodes that should you wish for a happy ending to 'pretend the
subsequent episodes didn't exist'. Although by the end the series is almost a
victim of its earlier tragedies. I've got to admit I cried a fair bit during the
series (that's coming from a person who didn't find Grave of the Fireflies
particularly upsetting) and I think it would be difficult to find anyone would
be different. What makes this series so saddening
is the characters which the series is very heavily based around. The characters
in Saikano have probably the most consistently hard time of any
anime cast and just watching the series will show why. Evangelion
was so effective in that early on it showed its characters leading relatively
normal lives and thus when it tore away that façade later on it had all
the more impact. Saikano is much the same in that events become
progressively worse and you really start to wonder just how bad they can get.
The fact that Chise is the ultimate weapon is a very fantastical idea but it's
the human problems which this fact throws up which makes the series so sad and
more effective than Eva which in the end went over the top. Chise
suddenly has to come to terms with what she is and the indirect effects it has
on everyone around her further complicate things. The romantic side of things
in this series is also excellently done. Events between Chise and Shuuji are anything
but smooth and added to this are the feelings of numerous supporting characters
who all play a very touching role in the series. All these characters suffer and
one episode in particular stands out as the saddest anime episode I've ever seen.
There's a huge amount of feeling within in this series and a lot goes on underneath
the surface which makes it all the more interesting to watch. There
isn't much of a plot to the series as it's a very character based series but the
events and relationships within the series are more than enough to keep you hooked.
There are some elements to the plot which the series doesn't go into, like how
or why Chise is a weapon, but the series isn't concerned with those facts and
instead prefers to focus on the feelings of the characters. A similar example
would be Porco Rosso where it wasn't really an issue how Marco
became a pig but more about the other events going on. The graphics are very nice
as you'd expect from Gonzo and the soundtrack is an interesting and fitting
one with several metal style themes which go with the events very well. Saikano
is a rare anime series. It combines elements from so many series like Kare
Kano, Evangelion, hints of Lain and
puts them all into one tight package. The feelings that the series raise really
start to get to you quite soon and for me it feels like there's a lot of subtle
feelings and ideas I've missed on top of that. The sheer tragedy of Saikano
makes it a fantastic series for what it is but that doesn't necessarily make it
a series you'd enjoy watching in the way you would something like Mahou
Tsukai Tai. But that really shouldn't deter you from watching what, at
it's simplest form, is just an extremely touching love story.
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