Kaiba
Give it a try :D I finished the whole series (12 episodes) in just about 3 days - that’s pretty darned fast, don’t you think? And meanwhile, I haven’t even got to finishing up Manabi Straight or other 12-episode semi-recommended series. Of course, the compromise made in terms of time means my grades are pretty screwed this year. Twice over as compared to midyears. Last year was much better, trust me on that one.
Not to digress, though, I think Kaiba is really one of the rarer finds (or maybe it’s because I’ve been watching all sorts of crap or not watching at all). I think Surreal describes the setting perfectly, but it seems to go deeper than that. Oh, and the ending is Confusing, unless it’s just me. I also think Cartoon for Adults or for the more mature sort of fits Kaiba well.
Before one of you Bleatards goes SQUEE HOLLOW!!11!1one, this is Kaiba. Say hello, shake hands, yep yep.
Oh and by the way, I think one other reason why I love Kaiba is that his colours remind me of Link. ORZ WTF SELF |D
In terms of graphics, the art style is very cartoony; not moe, but nowhere near realistic–realistic referring to the style which GONZO (or whatever other animation studio, since I’m not too familiar with them all) usually chooses to use nowadays, and the style which most series with above-average animation use. I got put off by the art style/ ignored it at first because of how kiddy it seemed. Despite the cartoony feel, though, I don’t really mind it now. In fact, I find it pretty interesting, and cute in other ways. The animation was very fluid, too, which is probably more of why I could accept the style and actually love it, in addition to unique and distinct character designs. The production studio is Madhouse btw. Either way the pictures’ll speak ten thousand words.
What I find especially interesting is that the unique, cartoonish art style belies quite a mature theme and overall feel, which is most felt later on in the series… For example there is quite a bit of ‘blood’ or rather green or purple or orange funky-coloured organic fluid that spews out due to conflicts :\ and there was this part pretty early on in the series to do with sex. Not presented in a very tasteful manner since that wasn’t the point, but I exceptionally found the context in this case quite disturbing. You’ll know what I mean once you watch it, it should be in the first 2 or 3 episodes..
Left: Kaba, Right: Hyo Hyo; really cute and unique characters
In terms of music, it mostly uses one main theme (except for action scenes) with quite a few/a lot of variations of it to convey a slightly different mood. Quite fittingly, may I add. Most are engrishy and serene.
As for the voice-acting… Generally quite suitable and well-done imo. Kaiba, who is the main character, is voiced by Kuwashima Houko. She is probably best known as Tomoyo in Clannad and Sango in Inuyasha. Oh, and also Michiru in Zombie-Loan, which I just kind of picked up, and now I can’t stop thinking of her as a guy when I hear her voice. Yep, here goes a ‘wtf self?!’. The second-most main character is Neiro, voiced by Noto Mamiko. The name should at least sound a little familiar.. She was Kotomi in Clannad, Ana in Ichigo Mashimaro (yet another yet-to-complete series) and Enma Ai in Jigoku Shoujo. Ring a few bells now?
Is this considered a spoiler? Anyway, Neiro on the left and Kaiba on the right.
Special mention for Paku Romi who voice-acts Popo, a secondary character though more major only later on. Her voice almost ALWAYS makes me automatically register the character as a guy first orz even though she still does female roles now and then like Kuchiha in Amatsuki. (I haven’t been catching up on the anime or manga ever since, because it’s kinda incoherent although that’s true for me too.) Anyway as I said, Popo doesn’t play too major a role in the first part of the series, but later on he gets to be a major asshole, also spelt ‘retard’ in this case.. Look out for that one. You might better know Paku Romi as Edward from FMA, Hitsugaya from Bleach, Temari from Naruto, Teresa from Claymore amongst some other popular roles. She does it pretty well imo except maybe the ever occasional screaming/shrieking parts…?
And, as a bonus if anyone’s interested in the voice of that cute girl Chroniko, Saito Chiwa most notably voiced Lavie from Last Exile, otherwise I only know her as Yuuta from Zombie-Loan. I actually wasn’t paying very much attention to her voice… And who cares about Vanilla lol
Chroniko on the left and Vanilla on the right. I love the dog here though it's fanart
Okay enough of all this rambling though. Although, I guess you could count it as a trademark of mine 89 |D If you’re wondering about the plot, the style kind of changes slightly as more revelations take place.
I should start by introducing the premise of the entire series.. So. Kaiba’s lost his memory, and to get it back, he needs to know more about the world he’s in. The thing is, in the world the series is set in, there’s this guy called Warp, the King, who invented a system in which memories of any individual could be stored in a chip. Even if you die, as long as the chip is unharmed, if the chip is placed into another body, that individual will still live life in the same way as before, except for any major physical differences in which it would simply be more difficult to get used to life again.
At first, Kaiba’s just trying to make sense of everything he’s thrown into, gets chased, and ends up going on a little trip to different planets (yep this part reminded me of Le Petit Prince which I was forced to read in CHINESE of all blasted things) where the audience learns more about the world of Kaiba through Kaiba’s new experiences and memories. But later on as he gets to know more and more is thus revealed, the plot just thickens on a whole new level and there are more things like politics, clones, romance, rebellion etc. There are also a lot of plot twists and major revelations nearing the end, which isn’t always a good thing :\ I think I got lost at the final episode of the series, though I still enjoyed it as a whole.
Kaba, again. Fanart
In a sense, you could take it that this series is essentially simply there to answer the What Ifs if technology advanced to such a level/ major implications of a major What If question. It’s more of an interesting than impacting series, because the whole atmosphere gets too surreal in most cases to relate to, although the characters are more or less realistic (though I’m afraid Popo became a bit too much of a retard for me), though I’m not too discerning of such things.
If you just need the lowdown on everything, I would give it around 8 or 9 out of 10. You can just take it as 8.5/10 lol. I’m in a good mood, and I really love the art and music. Although, definitely not as much in the same way as I love Wall-E animation or Zelda and Xenosaga and Chrono Trigger music or say, Mx0 plot. Kaiba is simply really unique and …different to me, but this may change as I get exposed to more series :\ oh the ironies of life..
I shall end off with a Moe. Except she has a buttcrack, which rates disturbing everytime I look at it. Even though it’s really not that obvious, and even though she’s always looking so innocent, you Chroniko you.
Chroniko has got to be the cutest character in the whole series. In terms of Moe that is.
Well I hope that wasn’t too bad a read. I get really really rambly. All the time, too. Not good. Not good at all.
