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Brother, Dear Brother
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Animation - 7.3 |
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Sound - 7.8 |
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Story - 8.8 |
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Character - 8.8 |
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Value - 8.4 |
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Enjoyment - 8.8 |
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Average - 8.3 |
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| Average |
8.3 |
| Animation |
7 |
| Sound |
9 |
| Story |
8 |
| Character |
8 |
| Value |
9 |
| Enjoyment |
9 |
| Imagine being a new student to a well-renowned school, somewhat isolated because you're separated from your best friend in the other class and you have no other friends except for the dark, beautiful girl who eagerly tries to gain your attention. To make matters even more complicated, you haven't been in the school for very long when you suddenly realize that you're a candidate for one of the most prestigious organizations the school has to offer.
Result: you become the target of every student's ire....to the point of pure prejudice and violation.
Misonoo Nanako is such a protagonist, facing this rather troublesome dilemma among many complications that lie within the twists and turns of this dark and rather mature series. Accepted into the illustrious Serian Academy, Nanako and her best friend Tomoko seem to embrace the new school with open arms, even with their separation in the different classes. Nanako even states at the end bits of each episode preview "...there is no end to my suffering," which gives you an idea that this series is a dismal drama from the start.
Her greatest sense of comfort comes from a man she's only known for a short time in her life, Takehiko Henmi, her handsome, former tutor whom she asks to be her "brother." Their relationship is what forms the main focal point of this series, as she writes him a series of letters to show her new life in Serian Academy as a high school student. One of the series greatest intrigues is the identity Henmi takes on within this series and how he responds and interacts with Nanako's experiences.
I tend to think of this series as a darker mix between Hana Yori Dango and Maria Sama Ga Miteru (which...like quite a few reviewers stated before me, tries to be like Oniisama E to a fault), because it deals with the prejudices that girls have to go through within the realm of prestige compared to the lower rungs of the school clique. There are a lot of deceptive politics within the school realm that make this an intriguing series, and personally what gave me the greatest enjoyment from this series.
However, I also have to say that this series is not for everyone. There are a lot of lesbian tones in this series (sometimes downright uncomfortable...hence to leading bans of this series in France and quite a few other countries), and many mature themes: suicide, death, nudity, blatant deception, prejudice, patience and caring for others when they can't take care of themselves, and hazing are among the many themes this series presents, and downright well at that.
With all the mature themes this series had to offer and despite some places where it rattled me to bits....this is one of my most adored series. Why? Because of its inherent, dark complexity...I'm drawn to stories with that quality. It does play off as a manipulative soap opera at times, but if you can see the underlying, realistic complexity this series has within it's deceptive web of politics and the roles each character has, you will get the full effect this series means to have.
This series was made in 1991, the manga I think was made earlier in the 80s, by the same creator of the highly-regarded Rose of Versailles, and all things considered, I was not disappointed in the quality of her work here.
Animation is decent for it's time, and when it switches to the still frame illustrations of the characters, it's quite lovely. It takes a bit getting used to the character design because some of the girls look a bit unfeminine (a la Rose of Versailles, especially Saint Juste-sama, who looks oddly like a hardened version of Oscar from RoV) The music is love...I would love to buy the soundtrack of this series with it's wonderful classical themes-the OP being one of my favorites with its haunting vocal-and dramatic surges. The story presents itself well, the only reason I gave it an 8 was because it tends to over-dramatize in bits, and the sheer number of twists and turns, though complex, can take away from enjoyment as well. Characters make series as well versed as it seems: they're well-rounded, progressively developed, and everything I expected for a series of this type. I would definitely recommend this for those who love complex thematics within an anime series...but be warned, if you do not care for yuri anime series, series that are a bit melodramatic, or are turned off by some of the controversial themes I mentioned above...it may not be your cup of tea.
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| Average |
6.0 |
| Animation |
7 |
| Sound |
5 |
| Story |
8 |
| Character |
7 |
| Value |
4 |
| Enjoyment |
5 |
| First off I'm not going to lament the story, I think if you watch it, or read the others reviews you'll catch the jist of what people are trying to say.
I think what people are forgetting to say to those who watch this, is it's one huge soap opera story for teenage girls. It is basically like revisting your teenage years, except in an all girls school. Poor them. Boo hoo. The trials of being a teenager are so so sad. Whilst this anime has dark undertones that should probably not be watched by those under 14-16 years of age, I wouldn't give this to any teenage girl to watch because it's plainly horrendous at how it depicts people. And the angst filled in it, if it isn't enough to make someone grit their teeth I don't know what is.
The animation was good for its time. The sound whilst not the best, was pleasing even if it was slow and boring. The characters were enough to make you want to grit your teeth and tell them to grow up and live a few days in the real world, where no one cares about your petty problems to get into a mere sorority, in fact in ways it sort of objectifies women, but we won't get into that. The plot is rather deep though and for that I actually commend the anime.
It's jam-packed with girlie goodness. Even portrayals of lesbianism, drugs, and suicide.
I suppose if people want to revisit their teenage years in a 39 episode angst filled teenage girl soap opera that's their choice. I gritted my teeth and bared through the whole entirety of it, I just hope that those that don't like that sort of thing read this and realise they don't need to waste their time.
If you really need the adventure, go back to high school, or have a reunion with all your old classmates. 39 episodes is a lot to waste on a good story and mediocre characters that could be better told in "General Hospital".
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| Average |
9.8 |
| Animation |
9 |
| Sound |
10 |
| Story |
10 |
| Character |
10 |
| Value |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
| NOTE: Only for 16+ due to nudity and lesbian situations.
It really amazes me to see this older, early 90's anime look so great. When I saw the first episode (DVD RIP), I thought it was some new anime. To my surprise I found out that it was about 12 years old.
The story is the key point to any anime and Oniisama scores big here. There is not a single boring episode and there are many shocking moments in this classic anime. This anime deals with suicide, health issue, love, family tragedies and other hardships. There are also lesbian moments to watch for :)
The only thing I didn’t like is that the anime ended at episode 39. I wish more was released since the story was so enjoyable.
Overall, I highly recommend this anime for anyone looking for something "different" in a good way.
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Ridian |
(2005-05-08 00:11:04) 2005-03-20 15:39:40 |
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| Average |
7.8 |
| Animation |
6 |
| Sound |
7 |
| Story |
8 |
| Character |
9 |
| Value |
8 |
| Enjoyment |
9 |
| Pantha stole the words right out of my mouth: Brother Dear Brother is what Maria-sama Ga Miteru tried to be. In fact, it's almost like Marimite's grandmother, far older, far wiser and in short far better than the latter series. There are three prevalent factors that set the quality of these animes apart, all of which Brother Dear Brother possesses in spades: superior characters, good writing, and a plot in which things actually happen. These three facets are where Marimite is left in the dust.
As far as the characters go, their development is handled in a very interesting way. The anime takes the standard approach to character development -- grabbing a character, putting the character's external personality traits on display and then digging into them as time goes on -- and completely reverses it. With every single important character, the viewer is exposed to a rather unpleasant side of them first and then their development is taken from there. All of these characters are initially watercolored by some outstanding issue they may have, with themselves or another character, but they consistently develop into less of a caricature after that. Shinobu Mariko, for instance, is a good example of this. From the initial ten minutes of the very first episode, the viewer gets the impression that not everything is quite right in her head. The viewer would be right, in fact, especially as we continue to watch her rather unique character unfold. But eventually all the threads pull themselves together marvelously, and a rather unlikeable character easily enough becomes one who the viewer sympathizes with.
As a result of this, however, less traumatized characters such as Nanako and Kaoru-no-Kimi don't come off as quite as interesting. A similar approach is taken with them but they don't have nearly as many conflicts right off the bat to work with, and because those issues are so vital in shaping character in Brother Dear Brother we don't really get into them immediately. To remedy this, the anime instead beats them into shape with its plot over time. We get a better grasp of their characters through how they deal with situations that are put in front of them and how people react to them.
For this reason, the character development in Brother Dear Brother is primarily passive; like in Rose of Versailles, you don't really realize how much the cast has changed until when the anime puts it into perspective for you. Everyone is changed throughout the span of this anime, for better or for worse. Though RoV spans over two decades, Brother Dear Brother feels just as epic as its sister anime in only one school year...and the characters do as well. Interestingly, a lot of the characters make their true changes not because of what happens in front of them, but because of what happened in times long past -- and how they finally confront it. Nanako, though primarily devoid of her own personal secrets and drama, is valuable as the catalyst for these changes.
This also ties into the most interesting part of all about Brother Dear Brother, that being its narrative tactic. The anime uses Nanako's letters to her brother as a way of depicting the story, especially in her point of view. For the first eight or nine episodes, all of the drama concerns her being randomly appointed to the prestigious Sorority and the ensuing bitterness among some of Seiran Academy's elites. However, after this is primarily resolved, the anime elegantly switches hands to Shinobu. For a few episodes, it concentrates on her, before once again changing gears; this time, to Saint-Juste. The anime proceeds like this, with each significant character getting about three 'cycles' a piece. Sometimes they may be intertwined with one another, but regardless, this storytelling works surprisingly fluidly...most likely because the cast is connected at more levels than meet the eye.
This brings me to one complaint I have about Brother Dear Brother. There's a lot that the characters are holding back in their pasts, and sometimes it just gets to be too much to believe. I found myself re-realizing plot points that had only had significance ten or fifteen episodes ago. They do work despite their tenuousness, but this occasional winding can be very awkward and a little contrived. This is also done with several fairly important characters as well; one, in particular, disappears off the face of the planet for about twenty episodes and then comes back with a vengeance only to disappear again within two. This meandering, however random, does manage to function because no matter how far-out the plot point is, it never feels irrelevant or out of place. And that's the beauty of Brother Dear Brother: filler is kept at an absolute minimum. Every episode feels valuable in connecting with Seiran's half-insane student body, and despite their occasional over-the-top melodramatics it's always a wonderful experience watching them in action.
What really sets this apart from Maria-sama Ga Miteru is that things actually happen, and they are things of great consequence as well. 90% of Marimite's conflict was Yumi going "Oh no, I think I displeased Sachiko! Will she like me anymore? What if she renounces her sisterhood with me? I'd better angst about it for ten minutes to be safe." And of course it's always about dumb crap like making bad chocolate or scolding Sachiko for eating hamburgers with a fork. This blather is nowhere to be seen in Brother Dear Brother. The characters are challenged with real, true-to-life issues and moral dilemmas that would make anyone quiver, and the way they handle them is what truly makes this an intriguing anime. Some run to the safety of drugs. Some hide behind guises of dignity. Some take the problem and face it head-on. The strongest characters of all, however, are the ones who can put down their problems and try to aid the ones of others, and that's the stuff that Brother Dear Brother is made of.
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Pantha |
(2005-08-03 13:44:57) 2005-03-11 20:31:15 |
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| Average |
7.7 |
| Animation |
6 |
| Sound |
8 |
| Story |
8 |
| Character |
9 |
| Value |
6 |
| Enjoyment |
9 |
| Although the title sounds like something incestuous this side of Angel Sanctuary, I can confidently claim that I haven’t seen anything quite like Brother, Dear Brother. I’ve seen certain ill-considered imitations to be sure, but none have reached the genius achieved in this anime. For example, Brother, Dear Brother is what Maria-sama ga Miteru tried to be. MariMite didn’t have much of a story because the characters WERE its story. However, MariMite makes the error of assuming its viewers will automatically care about its unmemorable characters; and as a result, the entire anime fell flat. Brother, Dear Brother makes no such mistake. One girl changes the heart of many. Yet this isn’t a story about a Jesus-like figure coming to the salvation of others. With unforgettable characters, this series creates an astounding and depressing story of loneliness, of never understanding someone no matter how hard you try. And of embracing life despite the odds.
Ikeda Ryoko, who also created the classic Rose of Versailles, has a penchant for creating larger-than-life female characters. Although Nanako is the main character, she’s easily bested by others in the series. Nanako is only an observer; in fact, as she becomes more isolated from her own problems and more intertwined with the issues of other characters, she becomes less of a character and more of a narrator. No, the fascinating characters are those around her: Rei (a.k.a. Saint-Juste), Fukiko (a.k.a Miya-sama), Kaoru-no-Kimi, and Mariko. All the primary female characters share similar characteristics, but have one or two distinct differences that make them stand apart.
For example, Rei and Kaoru-no-kimi are practically the same character. However, Rei has a complete disregard for her own life. She takes drugs and jumps off buildings like it’s cool. Kaoru, on the other hand, is Rei’s foil: she suffers from an illness; and to her, living and breathing is a real joy. She doesn’t understand how anyone could deliberately “abuse” their own lives. With the exception of Nanako, Kaoru is the most stable person in the series. Mariko is essentially an extreme version of the protagonist. Both have scandals involving their families but they react in very different ways. Observe Mariko’s borderline insanity. Fukiko undergoes prevalent character development, but her story doesn’t become clear until near the end. All in all, the only complaint I have about the characters is that sometimes they are a little bit too much like the characters in Neon Genesis Evangelion: angst-ridden, fanatical, and more than a little disturbed.
Because of the excellent characters, the plot pulls through; however, there are certain things that can’t be ignored. For starters, there’s a fine line between drama and melodrama and this anime sometimes straddles the line, particularly in the last few episodes. Because there are many (perhaps too many) plot twists literally crammed in the last five episodes, I feel as if this anime should have been a bit longer. Either that or it should have been shorter because after the climax, the anime perhaps dragged on a bit too long. Despite this, the ending still managed to be semi-satisfying. Last but not least, Brother, Dear Brother is probably not for everyone. I can't imagine anyone not enjoying it, but it's worth mentioning that this is a character-driven shoujo. There is no action whatsoever. Therefore, if you're expecting, oh I don't know, Hellsing, then perhaps you shouldn't be watching it.
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vohveli |
(2005-02-24 17:14:31) 2005-02-24 17:11:33 |
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| Average |
9.5 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
9 |
| Story |
10 |
| Character |
10 |
| Value |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
| After 13+ years, Oniisama E still remains an unparalleled in its genre. No other shoujo series to my knowledge has ever reached similar uncompromising heights. The few lighter moments in the series are there only as contrasts to the prevailing dismality. Oniisama E is hardcore shoujo drama if there ever was one. There are no transformations, no villains, no worlds to save, but yet its one of the most fantastic and most morbid accounts of the tragedies flawed people cause to each other and themselves.
Whereas your average anime features characters that commoners easily identify with, OE has only cultural elite, or clear upper middle class. There are no working class characters, and all the dialogue is perfectly up to its marble surroundings, flying cultivatedly on the standards of classic literature and poetry. This will probably alienate many viewers from OE, along with the fact that there are practically no male main characters at all.
Anyone who has been to a public school will gape at Seiran (the school in OE) and see it just as fantastic as Utena's Academy, both just as unreal,
and both with an evil organization. But be warned, the one of OE, called Seiran
Sorority, appears much more cruel.
In summary, OE will be very entertaining for anyone with patience, who is on lookout for something more stylish, more 'classic' or perhaps ... more 'sadistic'.
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| Average |
8.2 |
| Animation |
7 |
| Sound |
7 |
| Story |
9 |
| Character |
8 |
| Value |
9 |
| Enjoyment |
9 |
| This anime greatly departs from many popular anime series commercialized in the U.S. However, I enjoyed this series very much, and it became my favorite shoujo series. Although some viewers complain that the animation isn't fantastic, keep in mind that this show was made in the early 90s. The high-strung drama is unlike anything I've ever seen before; the painful and dark events throughout the series bring out different facets of the main characters. I know that there are a number of people who didn't like this series, but I think everyone should give it a shot. If you're a die-hard, classic shoujo fan, don't miss this.
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Luminaria |
(2004-06-18 16:11:54) 2004-06-18 16:10:00 |
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| Average |
9.0 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
8 |
| Story |
9 |
| Character |
10 |
| Value |
9 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
| This show really took me by supprise. Going of a recomendation by a friend I was rather aprehencive to start this, as it reminded me somewhat of Utena, which I've been unable to watch after three or four attempts now. Portraying the life of a freshman's first year at a elite all-girls high school, angst is everywhere in this show and the tension between characters is so thick you could walk on it.
Not to say that this doesnt have any fun-filled moments, but BDB shows some of the most extreem cases of jealousy, deception, controll, and dimentia that I've been exposed to in anime. The characters were well thought out when series conception was going on. Everyone grows in the show, by the end of the series characters aren't the same as they were in the begining, friends become enemies, enemies become friends, etc. I was quite taken by Shinobu Mariko actualy. Something about here really got to me, be it her personality, her life, situations, etc.
The animation is a flip-flop of still-frames and animated scenes. It takes a little getting used to, but the stills used in this show are of the utmost quality and capture the moment far better then the standard animation methods of the times could.
If this wasnt recomended to me I probably would have never watched it. After seeing it though I was left with a great feeling that I had just seen something fresh and worthwhile.
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| Average |
9.2 |
| Animation |
7 |
| Sound |
8 |
| Story |
10 |
| Character |
10 |
| Value |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
| The high point of shoujo anime drama, a work which is unlikely to ever be equalled. Produced with a constrained budget at NHK, the great shoujo team of Osamu Dezaki and Akio Sugino reach their peak in this stark and detailed portrayal of one girl's first year at an elite girl's school. Though it is based on the manga by Riyoko Ikeda, it diverges from it in several ways. No other shoujo anime has ever maintained such an intensity of melodramatic tension throughout the entire story. Unique, beautiful, and a treasure to be enjoyed over and over again. This anime cannot be enjoyed by viewers who are only seeking gags, adventure, martial arts, action, or fantasy.
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isokana |
(2006-10-09 15:22:43) 2003-05-06 09:54:42 |
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| Average |
6.0 |
| Animation |
5 |
| Sound |
8 |
| Story |
5 |
| Character |
7 |
| Value |
6 |
| Enjoyment |
5 |
| First thing I have to say is that Brother, Dear Brother isn't a series for me. That is a shame because there are some great ideas in the plot and the characters are really strong.
The series revolves around a girls' school and its excentric students. The leading stars are charismatic seniors with a difficult past, a problematic present and a possible future. We get to view their life through some freshmen (or freshgirls?) who adore them for various reasons. To make things more complicated these girls aren't close to normal cases and involvement with the problems of the seniors just make things absolutely haywire. Put all the problems together and you have more than enough material for 39 episodes.
Well, everything is all good until the show actually starts. Those characters really have potential to become greater than life, the school a place where you can drown yourself in great emotions. Then the terrible executions hits you on your face. The most notable thing is ridicilous use of freezed frames. They come around when something dramatic happens and without failure destroy whatever mood had been building. So many times I just burst out of laughter when I was supposed to be close to tears or something. As the things happening lost their meaning, I quickly stopped caring about the characters and rather than empathized with them, I was annoyed by their stack of problems and emotional reactions.
It's hard to see the 10+ years difference between BDR and Rose of Versailles (from the pen of the same author Ryoko Ikeda). More or less the animation is Versailles was more impressive than here. Sure, it's from 1991 but still the stiff movements disturbed me. Character designs are of the distinctive Ikeda-style that is realistic but rather unimaginitive in the otherwise melodramatic surroundings. I think sound was easily the best part of the series with beautiful pieces of music, good voice acting and effective use of sound.
I'm sorry to say that this BRB just butchers all the chances it has. If you can stomach the melodrama going on, you can probably enjoy this a lot (as other reviews around suggest). For me the whole thing boiled down to creepy comedy of dramatic situations.
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| Average |
9.3 |
| Animation |
9 |
| Sound |
8 |
| Story |
10 |
| Character |
9 |
| Value |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
| This anime is a classic and one of a kind. I recommend this series for people who like serious stories and if you like a good plot (and also a bit of drama) watch this.
This is not an anime for children by the way.
(I normally don't review series if I haven't watched all episodes, but to see people judge without even knowing what this anime is all about annoys me.)
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| Average |
9.2 |
| Animation |
9 |
| Sound |
7 |
| Story |
10 |
| Character |
9 |
| Value |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
| Ryoko Ikeda's work is unparalleled in terms of originality... It is to be expected from the creater of Versailles no Bara.
This work needs to have disclaimers however, it is not geared to everyone's tastes...
There are issues of drug abuse, shoujo ai, suicide, and some gender bending...more like mistaken sexual assignments... lol...
I have only watched up to Episode 27, but I am anxious to watch the rest. The plot is haunting, memorable, and in ways unrequiting...when will the pain of these young women end?
This is a definate must for a fan of Ikeda-sensei's work and of course for anyone who needs a bit of originality in their diets of strictly traditional relationship anime...
Overall, I love this series!
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