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CLUSTER EDGE
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Animation - 7.0 |
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Sound - 7.0 |
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Story - 6.0 |
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Character - 7.0 |
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Value - 5.7 |
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Enjoyment - 6.5 |
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Average - 6.7 |
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| Average |
8.3 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
7 |
| Story |
9 |
| Character |
9 |
| Value |
8 |
| Enjoyment |
9 |
| Cluster Edge is a pretty good anime if you are into shows like Gundam Wing and/or any other type of action oriented, bishonen [pretty boys] anime. Contrary to popular belief, this show is NOT shounen-ai regardless of the fact that all of the central figures in this series are male. It does seem to go a little overboard with the flashbacks but that's just the narrative style of this series plus it really doesn't interfere with the overall pace of the show. The art is pretty bad in some places but it actually gets better—or maybe you just forget about it—as the show moves along.
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eyeresist |
(2007-08-29 20:30:37) 2007-08-05 20:29:02 |
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| Average |
4.3 |
| Animation |
4 |
| Sound |
5 |
| Story |
5 |
| Character |
6 |
| Value |
3 |
| Enjoyment |
3 |
| Cluster Edge is a shonen ai-lite show set in an alternate steampunk world. Cluster Edge Academy (Cluster EA) is a school for the children of the elite, where they learn the qualities that will make them worthy and capable leaders when they graduate. In this world, man-made soldiers (clones) have been used in wars, but are now hunted as inhuman killers. Various groups - runaway man-made soldiers, rebel army groups, religious types - move around and have conflicts with each other. The main character, Agate Fluorite, is a mysterious young man attending Cluster EA - he has special powers and may be related to the man-made soldiers. (Most of the main characters have names related to minerals - Agate Fluorite, Beryl Jasper, Sulphur, Lode (which for some reason is usually translated as 'Rhodo').)
Character designs and action animations are good, but layouts and backgrounds are really drab and uninteresting.
Sound is okay, nothing special. The OP/ED themes are banal and forgettable.
Story is potentially interesting, but the script is banal and stereotypical. Possibly the original Japanese was more interesting - I did notice one bit in the sub which may have been a bit of shonen ai humour, but generally this aspect didn't come out (if you'll pardon the pun).
Character - along with the drab art, this is the main downfall of this show. The characters are cliched and, worse, dull. Their interactions pad out the show but just aren't very interesting. The quality of the voice-actors doesn't help.
Overall there's not much value or enjoyment here. It's not a show you'll feel particularly about one way or the other. It'll kill time for you, but there are better shows for that purpose.
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| Average |
6.3 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
8 |
| Story |
4 |
| Character |
6 |
| Value |
6 |
| Enjoyment |
6 |
| There's a certain air of excitement to this series when it first starts out, but it deflates after the 3rd episode. It feels like the creators lost focus, and by jumping from one character to another, the viewer never really gets a chance to digest events or acclimate themselves to the characters. There's a feeling of the viewer not relating at all
I liken this effect to Squaresoft's same game titles of the "Romancing Saga". By telling the story from many viewpoints, who does the viewer relate himself to. That is the defining part of any show. To understand is to be able to relate. I don't care much for Fon and the professors, but they seem to take center stage as much as the supposed main character does, Agate.
It's disappointing. I had high hopes. This was my favorite anime of 2005, but it's quickly deteriorated. Now, I am favoring "Noein" and "Shukagan no Shanna".
From the 6 episodes I've viewed, if things stay the way they are, I think this series is broken. The story is jumboed, flipping between flashbacks and present day. Not much really feels right with this series so far.
With all the harm done so far, it's hard for me to say, but it's remotely possible to salvage the show. By bringing the characters together. A great story is told through words and interaction between cast members, not through monologues explaining past and present situations.
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DTdude |
(2005-10-14 00:35:42) 2005-10-14 00:30:22 |
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| Average |
7.8 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
8 |
| Story |
0 |
| Character |
7 |
| Value |
0 |
| Enjoyment |
8 |
| Interesting...For some reason, 'Cluster Edge' reminds me of Gundam Wing, probably because the character design (designed by the good, old Sunrise). Not much is revealed in the first episode other than the fact that we see military pilots fighting each other on planes in the air. Two of the main characters are briefly introduced. The colors are pretty decent, but they're not state of the art or cutting edge, it gives you a feel of "Gundam Wing, Last Exile, Scrapped Princess, E's Otherwise". Many animes nowadays are hybrid of the top ranking ones and there's no doubt that Sunrise is trying to make their way to the top by following the popular hybrid anime formula.
There seems to be magic involved, which is a plus for many people. As animenfo page states, Agate possesses magic power to create Miracles. This is interesting, but it's nothing much to die for.
I'll continue watching this anime to see if it gets more and more interesting, but it doesn't give me the HOT feeling from the Gundam series. Instead, it gives me a calm pleasant feeling. The OP and ED are above average but still not the very best.
Animation: I won't say it's mediocre, but it's slightly better than that, just slightly. It's on par with the other creations by Sunrise.
Sound: The OP's pretty good, but as I said before, it's not the best, but it's pleasant to the ears.
Story: Interesting storyline, not much is known based on the first episode.
Character: The characters are pretty well drawn, but it's your characters from gundam wing, except a bit more detailed.
Value: I don't know if there's value in this show, which is why I'm going to leave this blank. I'm going to keep watching and see if there's lots of value or any in this show. I hope it gets very interesting later on.
Enjoyment: I enjoyed it, but not too much. It's on the ok side.
Bottomline: 'Interesting'
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