MidnightSerpent
Joined Mar 2018
Welcome to the new profile
Our updates are still in development. While the previous version of the profile is no longer accessible, we're actively working on improvements, and some of the missing features will be returning soon! Stay tuned for their return. In the meantime, the Ratings Analysis is still available on our iOS and Android apps, found on the profile page. To view your Rating Distribution(s) by Year and Genre, please refer to our new Help guide.
Badges4
To learn how to earn badges, go to the badges help page.
Ratings5.5K
MidnightSerpent's rating
Reviews6
MidnightSerpent's rating
Ever since its conception, storytelling has been used as a means of escapism. With its characters and settings brought to life in another reality, we are able to be transported from our everyday lives into something more spectacular. At its core, Your Name is all about this idea of escape. From its whimsical storyline to its otherworldly atmosphere, the entire movie feels like a fantastical dream. And an absolutely incredible one at that.
STORY - 8.2/10
While it takes place in the very real setting of modern-day Japan, the story is packed with supernatural elements. Just like a dream, you start off not really knowing what's going on. But soon enough everything starts to naturally unfold, managing to consistently maintain interest in its entire 2 hour runtime. There are also some really well done plot twists and moments of tension littered throughout, which I honestly wasn't expecting from a high school romance movie. On top of all that, there's a solid layer of depth that explores our connections with the world and the people around us. There are of course some minor flaws, like how explanations for the supernatural elements are mostly brushed over. But while it's nothing groundbreaking, Your Name's storyline is definitely a fascinating one from beginning to end.
CHARACTERS - 6.5/10
If there's a weak link in this movie, it'd have to be the characters. They aren't bad; in fact the personalities and interests of the two leads Mitsuha and Taki are explored quite well in the beginning of the movie. But there's really not much depth to those personalities, which leads to some shallow character development from both. Similarly, the supporting characters feel just like supporting characters - nothing much more than devices to move the plot forward. Having said all that, the movie somehow manages to really make us care about its characters. It's tons of fun to see them go through dreamlike journeys of their own, much like the audience's own dreamlike experience when watching. Their feelings start to become your feelings. Their desires become your desires. This was especially true for me near the end of the movie, where I wished with every fiber of my being for a happy ending for the characters.
ART - 9.8/10
Though its story is largely supernatural, through its visuals is where Your Name truly leaves the boundaries of reality to become something else. The hand-drawn art is stunning, and every single frame of the movie is more than wallpaper worthy. The animation is buttery smooth, with everything flowing, bouncing, or panning in the most satisfying way possible. The cinematography is breathtaking, utilizing ultra wide shots to create a massive sense of scope and beauty. And the movie is filled with visual symbolism in every nook and cranny, adding even more meaning to an already rich story. All of these aspects combine together in the best way possible to create a dreamlike atmosphere nothing short of ethereal.
SOUND - 8.7/10
The soundtrack only helps add to the atmosphere, beautifully complimenting every scene that its used in. Some tracks that particularly stand out are "Sparkle", "Zenzenzense", and "Again to Goshintai", all of which give me chills on demand. A minor complaint is that the soundtrack mostly just sounds pretty without adding much meaning to the story or its characters, but its still plenty enough to elevate the entire movie to a higher level of emotion. There are also some great sound effects that really help add to certain scenes, like a dramatic bell or a chorus of wailing whales. There's a particularly amazing scene which uses complete silence to turn something already spectacular into a borderline masterpiece. And as you'd expect from a fairly high budget movie like this, the voice acting is on point and does not at all detract from the immersion.
OVERALL ENJOYMENT - 9.2/10
I've said it before and I'll say it again, this movie feels exactly like a beautiful dream. Every time I watch it, I feel truly disconnected from the real world and absorbed into one more beautiful, innocent, and happy. And at the end of the day, that's exactly why I watch anime, go to movies, listen to music, or consume any type of media - to feel a sense of happiness that I can't get from reality. And in this sense, Your Name is an overwhelming success.
STORY - 8.2/10
While it takes place in the very real setting of modern-day Japan, the story is packed with supernatural elements. Just like a dream, you start off not really knowing what's going on. But soon enough everything starts to naturally unfold, managing to consistently maintain interest in its entire 2 hour runtime. There are also some really well done plot twists and moments of tension littered throughout, which I honestly wasn't expecting from a high school romance movie. On top of all that, there's a solid layer of depth that explores our connections with the world and the people around us. There are of course some minor flaws, like how explanations for the supernatural elements are mostly brushed over. But while it's nothing groundbreaking, Your Name's storyline is definitely a fascinating one from beginning to end.
CHARACTERS - 6.5/10
If there's a weak link in this movie, it'd have to be the characters. They aren't bad; in fact the personalities and interests of the two leads Mitsuha and Taki are explored quite well in the beginning of the movie. But there's really not much depth to those personalities, which leads to some shallow character development from both. Similarly, the supporting characters feel just like supporting characters - nothing much more than devices to move the plot forward. Having said all that, the movie somehow manages to really make us care about its characters. It's tons of fun to see them go through dreamlike journeys of their own, much like the audience's own dreamlike experience when watching. Their feelings start to become your feelings. Their desires become your desires. This was especially true for me near the end of the movie, where I wished with every fiber of my being for a happy ending for the characters.
ART - 9.8/10
Though its story is largely supernatural, through its visuals is where Your Name truly leaves the boundaries of reality to become something else. The hand-drawn art is stunning, and every single frame of the movie is more than wallpaper worthy. The animation is buttery smooth, with everything flowing, bouncing, or panning in the most satisfying way possible. The cinematography is breathtaking, utilizing ultra wide shots to create a massive sense of scope and beauty. And the movie is filled with visual symbolism in every nook and cranny, adding even more meaning to an already rich story. All of these aspects combine together in the best way possible to create a dreamlike atmosphere nothing short of ethereal.
SOUND - 8.7/10
The soundtrack only helps add to the atmosphere, beautifully complimenting every scene that its used in. Some tracks that particularly stand out are "Sparkle", "Zenzenzense", and "Again to Goshintai", all of which give me chills on demand. A minor complaint is that the soundtrack mostly just sounds pretty without adding much meaning to the story or its characters, but its still plenty enough to elevate the entire movie to a higher level of emotion. There are also some great sound effects that really help add to certain scenes, like a dramatic bell or a chorus of wailing whales. There's a particularly amazing scene which uses complete silence to turn something already spectacular into a borderline masterpiece. And as you'd expect from a fairly high budget movie like this, the voice acting is on point and does not at all detract from the immersion.
OVERALL ENJOYMENT - 9.2/10
I've said it before and I'll say it again, this movie feels exactly like a beautiful dream. Every time I watch it, I feel truly disconnected from the real world and absorbed into one more beautiful, innocent, and happy. And at the end of the day, that's exactly why I watch anime, go to movies, listen to music, or consume any type of media - to feel a sense of happiness that I can't get from reality. And in this sense, Your Name is an overwhelming success.
Before I get into this, keep in mind that this is a review for all of Magi up to this point, not just season 2.
When I was first introduced to Magi, I could only think, "great, an anime ripoff of Disney's Aladdin." Like come on. It's in an Arabian desert setting, it has magical blue wish-granting genies, and to top it off, one of the main characters is even named Aladdin. How they didn't run into copyright issues for this I will never know. But the more I watched Magi, the more I saw it grow into its own. I watched it meet, and often exceed, all of my expectations of what constitutes a good piece of entertainment. But looking back, I can't say I can pinpoint any aspect of the show that truly wowed me.
STORY - 7.7/10 There's no doubt that Magi has a very good storyline. It follows a journey through a surprisingly well fleshed out world filled with both dream-like fantasy and well-defined realism. Through this world, some genuinely interesting ideas about fate, class, and friendship are explored, and it's not afraid to get into the darker side of things. One of its most impressive features is its vast number of kingdoms, each with fully functioning governments and economies that really help showcase all the major themes of the show. But in general, the storyline seems to just wander around its world without any major focus or backbone, and it's often hard to see what it's really trying to accomplish. This also lets it drag at times, like in the middle of season 1 and and the beginning of season 2, where the pacing takes a hit. But overall, Magi tells a very impressive story, especially in the second half of season 2 where all its strengths culminate.
CHARACTERS - 7.3/10 Characters are a bit of a mixed bag for the show. On one hand you have characters like Titus, Hakuryuu, Morgiana, and Matal, who all have very engaging arcs and motives over the course of Magi. But on the other, main characters like Alibaba and Aladdin seem to pale in comparison. Alibaba's not too bad, but his characterization's pretty stale and it never really feels like he changes much throughout the story. And Aladdin, while fun for a lot of comic relief, doesn't really have much depth to his character at all. Side characters are similarly mixed, with some being really interesting, like Gyokuen, and others being comically bad, like Abhmad. All in all though, there's definitely more good than bad going on in the character department.
ART - 6.4/10 As far as the art goes, it's pretty good. Like I said earlier, the world has some interesting settings which look nice and colorful. There's nothing mind-blowing going on here though. The fights generally look pretty average, with some being better and some being worse. It does the job and it's more than good enough.
SOUNTRACK - 5.3/10 The soundtrack also does the trick, but it definitely leans towards a more average quality. It isn't very memorable at all and listening to it alone doesn't do much for me. I'll give it some points for matching the Arabian aesthetic and for combining a lot of different instruments and voices. The voice acting is also sufficient, but nothing really stood out there either. Same for its openings and endings.
OVERALL ENJOYMENT - 7.4/10 So in the end, did Magi end up being a diamond in the rough? (Heh, see what I did there Aladdin fans?). I'd certainly say so. It's really got no bad aspects, and for what little it may lack in art and sound, it more than makes up for with its gripping storyline and broad range of well developed characters. While I can't say that its ideas changed my life or that its moments moved me to tears, I'm confident that it'll satisfy anyone who's looking for some high quality entertainment.
When I was first introduced to Magi, I could only think, "great, an anime ripoff of Disney's Aladdin." Like come on. It's in an Arabian desert setting, it has magical blue wish-granting genies, and to top it off, one of the main characters is even named Aladdin. How they didn't run into copyright issues for this I will never know. But the more I watched Magi, the more I saw it grow into its own. I watched it meet, and often exceed, all of my expectations of what constitutes a good piece of entertainment. But looking back, I can't say I can pinpoint any aspect of the show that truly wowed me.
STORY - 7.7/10 There's no doubt that Magi has a very good storyline. It follows a journey through a surprisingly well fleshed out world filled with both dream-like fantasy and well-defined realism. Through this world, some genuinely interesting ideas about fate, class, and friendship are explored, and it's not afraid to get into the darker side of things. One of its most impressive features is its vast number of kingdoms, each with fully functioning governments and economies that really help showcase all the major themes of the show. But in general, the storyline seems to just wander around its world without any major focus or backbone, and it's often hard to see what it's really trying to accomplish. This also lets it drag at times, like in the middle of season 1 and and the beginning of season 2, where the pacing takes a hit. But overall, Magi tells a very impressive story, especially in the second half of season 2 where all its strengths culminate.
CHARACTERS - 7.3/10 Characters are a bit of a mixed bag for the show. On one hand you have characters like Titus, Hakuryuu, Morgiana, and Matal, who all have very engaging arcs and motives over the course of Magi. But on the other, main characters like Alibaba and Aladdin seem to pale in comparison. Alibaba's not too bad, but his characterization's pretty stale and it never really feels like he changes much throughout the story. And Aladdin, while fun for a lot of comic relief, doesn't really have much depth to his character at all. Side characters are similarly mixed, with some being really interesting, like Gyokuen, and others being comically bad, like Abhmad. All in all though, there's definitely more good than bad going on in the character department.
ART - 6.4/10 As far as the art goes, it's pretty good. Like I said earlier, the world has some interesting settings which look nice and colorful. There's nothing mind-blowing going on here though. The fights generally look pretty average, with some being better and some being worse. It does the job and it's more than good enough.
SOUNTRACK - 5.3/10 The soundtrack also does the trick, but it definitely leans towards a more average quality. It isn't very memorable at all and listening to it alone doesn't do much for me. I'll give it some points for matching the Arabian aesthetic and for combining a lot of different instruments and voices. The voice acting is also sufficient, but nothing really stood out there either. Same for its openings and endings.
OVERALL ENJOYMENT - 7.4/10 So in the end, did Magi end up being a diamond in the rough? (Heh, see what I did there Aladdin fans?). I'd certainly say so. It's really got no bad aspects, and for what little it may lack in art and sound, it more than makes up for with its gripping storyline and broad range of well developed characters. While I can't say that its ideas changed my life or that its moments moved me to tears, I'm confident that it'll satisfy anyone who's looking for some high quality entertainment.
