Girls Band Cry
a review by SallyOtak
a review by SallyOtak
Girls Band Cry is surely the surprise that few people could have seen coming, due to the lack of interest from the community at the anime's launch, and also to the 3D aspect which has been much criticized in anime circles to date.
I actually made a post in the Episode 1 thread about this, and was very happy to receive so many likes in support of the good use of 3D in Girls Band Cry!
Messages below :
People's relationship with CGI is always negative, whatever the quality. To say that the CGI is average would be to say that the anime is rather average in its animation, and that would be a lie. The CGI in Girls Band Cry isn't "average", it's objectively good. The dinamism is there, the scenery works well with 3D, the characters don't lack facial expression. In general, we tend to accept bad 2D rather than good CGI.
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Bad CGI is often recognizable with a lack of expression and jerky animation. I don't think "Girls Band Cry" can be considered average CGI.
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It's perfectly normal to take a dim view of 3D when it has more often than not marked catastrophic works such as the famous "Berserk (2016)". But since then, we've had good licenses like "Houseki no Kuni", which is today the pillar of "Full CGI" and the one that gave 3D its letters of nobility in anime. (I haven't seen the series). There's also "Trigun Stampede", to name but two. Even the CGI in "Chainsaw Man" was criticized when it came out, even though it was really very good.
Nor is 3D well promoted by some studios, who use it to make disgusting anime, which disgusts newcomers who discover that these animes are mostly aimed at maximum economy.
*The main strength of the series already lies in the characters, especially Nina, the first character to be shown on screen and the very essence of the anime.
We're treated to a very lonely character, misunderstood by those around her, despised at school, and also very impulsive. Nina will then meet Monoka, who will enable her to convey her powerful feelings through song, and little by little Nina will take more and more initiative and confidence in herself, even going so far as to make decisions cruelly impacting her future.*
For her part, Momoka remains a rather withdrawn character throughout the series, keeping her feelings to herself and finding it hard to reveal herself, even in the face of Nina's insistent temperament. It will take some time and a certain scene for Momoka to dare to move forward, but time is a good thing, so why solve a problem in a hurry when you can take your time.
*Subaru will then come into play to bring a slightly more zany, light-hearted aspect to the group and the discussion between the girls.
Subaru hesitates between satisfying her family and living out her own ambitions, as many of us do during our school years.*
Tomo's a pretty straightforward girl, and I recognize a lot of myself in the character, because I tend to be like that too. Generally speaking, we can offend people who don't know us. At the same time, I think Tomo's way of talking is a bit over the top, but she's still a very likeable girl with a very cute side. As for Rupa, all we know is that she's lost her parent, but the anime doesn't really go into it, so there's very little information. But Rupa is a bit like the group's mother, she has a very caring attitude towards the group and especially Tomo x)
*The main role of "Diamond Dust" will be to give Nina and ultimately the group a sense of purpose, as well as Momoka's development.
Unfortunately, as in many series of this kind, whether it's an "idol" or a "group", the rivals don't get enough in-depth development.*
*The characters are alive! They argue constantly, disagree, throw glasses of orange juice in each other's faces.
The characters don't say "no, nothing", they talk like we talk to our loved ones, they're not cute, characterized characters.
And the 3D gives such power to their exchanges, with such striking facial expressions!
We quickly become attached to these characters, who are more like us than like stereotypical Japanese characters.*
The same goes for the music videos, which are incredible!
It's much better than "Love Live Supertars", which offers an already sublime 2D/3D mix, and much better than "Oshi No Ko" in Full 2D, which is nevertheless an extremely popular series.
*The camera isn't made to stay in place, it spins, it flies, the characters move in such an energetic way through such powerful lyrics.
You really feel like you're at a live concert, farting your brains out!*
I don't think anyone would have expected an anime with such striking force, be it in a story that was so classic but so real through every character in the anime!
The 3D sublimated the anime, with its color schemes, camera movements, and the powerful feel of the screen!
In short, Girls Band Cry is for me the anime of the season. I know that it won't be able to convince everyone, notably because of the presence of "Full CGI", but I'm terribly happy to have been able to discover a work with such a good atmosphere, and so full of emotion!
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