Aquarion Evol

If there was one thing that absolutely stood out for me in Aquarion EVOL, it was the artwork. Aquarion EVOL shines brightest in its absolutely gorgeous setting and consistent animation. Each location is drawn with such care and beauty and there were plenty of places for us to see. The artwork is what I'd would call "eyegasmic" or "scenery porn". It was a completely positive surprise. As of 2012, I can only list a handful of TV series that had such amazing artwork on display. Unfortunately, aside from the delightfully eyegasmic setting it was in, the story and characters leave a bit to be desired. Atit's core, it's not a story to be taken seriously. Like the prequel, there are a lot of ridiculous and ludicrous events that happen throughout the show. How about a punch move that wraps the entire planet just to punch the enemy into space? How about each time the characters combine into the Aquaria mech they experience near-orgasms? If you can suspend a great amount of belief, you can enjoy this show since there are lots of funny and exciting material here. For some, the lack of a serious and well-thought out story can really be a disappointment. Indeed, the story in Aquarion EVOL had a lot of potential. The villains of Altair and their motives belong in a moral gray area, but the planet Altair is mostly left undeveloped and unexplored as the credit rolled. The characters also suffer from wasted potential in terms of depth and attitude. The main characters, especially, come off quite shallow and frankly, annoying. Both Amata and Mikono are shy and often unreliable, and they often misunderstood each other for both comedic purposes and really shallow and cliche reasons. On the opposite spectrum is Kagura - the bad boy villain who lusts over Mikono and Zessica - the scantily dressed confident girl who lusts over Amata. These main characters came off as largely one-dimensional. While they do receive character development, it was often too late in the series to really appreciate them. Kagura's sudden change of character near the end is frankly just sloppy writing. Their one-dimensional personalities became repetitive quickly. Character writing was undoubtedly not a strong point of Aquarion Evol. However, the side characters certainly were pretty entertaining even if they were one-dimensional. There is Andy W. Hole who is completely obsessed with holes, Mix who is obsessed with neatness, the loli president Crea who amuse with weird puns, the immortal Fudou who speaks in riddles, and many more. Their character interactions are usually amusing to watch even if the main characters comes off as annoying and boring. Each episode often starts with light-hearted character interactions, and usually ends with the mech Aquarion in action against an opponent mech. The CG in these fights is really obvious and differs in style from the beautifully rendered artwork, but it doesn't really take away any entertainment value. Combat flows fluidly and is entertaining in general since each fight seem to end really differently. Sometimes, it's just not enough to destroy an opponent with a punch. Aquarion EVOL will punch with such profound disregard to physics that will make other mecha series tame in comparison. Still, the problem with Aquarion EVOL is each episode becomes formulaic. The series is what I'd call mindlessly entertaining, but it really could've had more depth if it spend more time developing the villains and developing the world instead of spending time on flat characters and formulaic mech fights. Other than that, the presentation value is really high and I was pleasantly surprised. AKINO returns to this sequel with catchy j-pop insert themes and OP/ED credits. The soundtrack is varied with grand orchestra pieces, solo piano or violin pieces, as well as light-hearted or solemn moody pieces. Character models are pleasing to look at and remains in quality even if zoomed out. And of course, the gorgeous landscapes and space artwork whether it was day or night made lasting and unforgettable impressions. Words can't really describe the beauty I've seen, but I highly recommend it if anyone enjoys what the anime medium could offer in looks. Ultimately, Aquarion EVOL was an enjoyable series full of heart and ridiculous combat, albeit often ending up as melodramatic and exaggerated. The artwork and sound are gorgeous and catchy, but the story and characters came off as wasted potential. For someone looking for a serious and well-thought plot with realistic characters, this is definitely not the series for you. But if you are simply looking for some fun, Aquarion EVOL is definitely an entertaining series.

I saw this anime because of a Funimation Trailer on Youtube. And when i saw the trailer i saw Good looking characters and animation, and i could tell right away it was of a Romance genre. This show has alot of Fan service, but some of the fan service thats shown is shown when they begin to use the Aquarion as a group and i wont spoil what its called (Im guessing thats what those robots are called since they always shout out "GO. AQUARIOON" when they start to fight which can give a corny feel. I watched it all but if i sound ignorant ofit its cause i watched it a few months ago.) So the "Fanservice" during those parts can get corny. It definitely has some funny moments so you will laugh while watching it, but most of it is based on the romance. Now the story....im not gonna spoil it but the story is understandable but its explained horribly, you just have to use the information you get while watching it to get the story. This show is very hard to explain because it is hard to understand while watching it. I havent watched the Original Aquarion because others told me this is the second season, and i heard the first is better than this one. Its watchable, but if you have other anime you know has good recommendations and you're itching to watch those then go ahead and put this one on hold.

Aquarion Evol is not an anime to be taken literally. It is saturated with an abundance of metaphors and symbolism; some painfully and intentionally obvious whiles others subtle. Nevertheless, it is not particularly intelligent and never makes any attempts at being profound. Aquarion Evol distinguishes itself from others with its ostensibly ludicrous gimmicks: homosexual angels and donut philosophy to name a couple. Most significantly, however, is the amount of passion and love that pervades the series. Evol spelled backwards is love, and is filled to the brim with exactly that. Aquarion Evol is a dog bereaved of life, revived, and bestowed with wings. Itis conceived and directed by Kawamori Shoji, known for his works teeming with passion such as the Macross series and AKB0048. Aquarion Evol may not be his best work to date in terms of quality, but it is the absolute pinnacle of his creations in spirit. Set 12,000 years after Genesis of Aquarion, it renews the legend that the first series paved way for. Evol is not dependent on the original; it gives the audience bits and pieces of backstory throughout its duration, as well as incorporating an exposition episode which contextualizes all prior events. I have not seen the original myself, and the standalone experience of Evol was nonetheless seamless. Aquarion Evol is the ugly duckling: scorned for unsightliness, but an ethereal swan from the start. The intricate backstory notwithstanding, the premise of Aquarion Evol is simple and trite. Set in a city constantly terrorized by “Abductors” who kidnap women for unknown purposes, Sora Amata and Suzushiro Mikono are forced to enroll in a school for people with supernatural abilities that pilot mechas known as Aquaria. The nearly banal story then gradually escalates into an ambitious tale of fallen angels and inter-dimensional love. Similar premises have been seen countless times before, but Evol adds to it its heart. As the grandeur of the story unfolds, the audience is presented with an exceedingly corny story that despite its seeming unoriginality is bursting with genuine passion. Aquarion Evol exudes such love and imagination that it is difficult to blame it for being clichéd. Ultimately, Evol can be seen as a massive allegory for the indiscriminate power of love which, both figuratively and literally, brings worlds together. Aquarion Evol is a boy helplessly in love: mistaken for indecency, but with feelings ever so pristine. The public often fallaciously presume that Evol is filled with vulgar or lowbrow humour. Indeed, the robots are fueled by bodily communion and metaphorical orgasms. Though sexual it may be; vulgar it is not. Evol treats sexuality with utmost earnestness, approaching it indirectly through metaphors and symbolism. The mecha battling is another appropriate example of Evol’s tactfulness: the combat not only advances the story or provides enjoyment, it serves primarily as a platform for character growth and thematic development. During combat, the characters confront themselves as well as their enemies, and the battles are usually accompanied by some sort of symbolic exploration into sexuality or love. This is not to say that Evol is completely devoid of pandering, but the earnestness with which it is handled makes it forgivable. Aquarion Evol is a puzzle; its fragments hollow of meaning are but emergence potentials for its, if assembled, holistic magnificence. In the presentation of its themes, Evol’s characters play a far more pivotal role than anything else in the grand scheme. The cast of Evol consists of a wide array of characters; most of which are extremely likable in their simplicity. Their personalities are often defined by a single trait, and none of them are particularly complex. There is Andy W. Hol, whose obsession for digging holes embodies the desire for connecting worlds. There is the dying musician Shrade, whose love for music composition symbolizes the equilibrium between life and perilous passion. These simple characters are thematic representations more than anything else; each of them embody an abstract idea related to love, and it is through these ideas and their interplay with one another that the audience receives the messages of Evol. Aquarion Evol is love; nothing more and no less. The greatest charm of the series is the overflowing passion emanating from every single one of its components, from its characters to its symbols. In the end, no one and nothing is cast in a negative light. Even the antagonists, who initially appear heartlessly sadistic, eventually become heart-felt characters that the audience can sympathize with. The ending beautifully wraps up all the conflicts and strife using one thing only – ephemeral yet eternal, earthly yet ethereal – love. It is a conclusion so overwhelmingly corny, yet undeniably satisfying. Evol’s atmosphere is dramatically enhanced by its production values, which while not exceptional are above average in all respects. The art is sharp and detailed, the CG mecha combat is a feast for the eyes, and the soundtrack is fitting to say the least as some of the more touching tunes can be tear-jerkers by themselves. The production quality is epitomized by its ending theme, which complements a gorgeously archaic montage of the characters with an ambient ballad which perfectly captures the romantic and melancholic air of the series. The producers poured all of their heart into Evol, conceiving a series that is by no means insightful, but by all measures enchanting. Aquarion Evol is not everyone’s cup of tea. It is perhaps best treated as a lengthy parable; an anime allegory for the power of love. It does not feature complex characters or tactful development; nor is there any profound exploration of humanity or society. What it does offer is its heartiness unparalleled by any other anime. With a wealth of giant robots, radiant characters, corny passion, and unwavering love, it captures the anime spirit more than most other shows do. Words cannot possibly do its magic justice; Aquarion Evol is an anime that needs to be experienced.

The orgasm powered robots are back and ready to kick some ass. Now at this point I would like to say that if you dont already know, this is a sequal and I will admit that you dont need to see the first to understand this, I think you still should, because you will be able to appreciate this more. The original was good but the main problem I had was that I didnt really think a whole lot of the characters. There wasnt that one guy that I was like, hey I can relate to this; it just didnt happen. Here however they dida far better job creating appealing characters which is the biggest step up in my book. Another change is that the show isnt about the orgasm powered robots, in fact they kinda go away from that. I like that because while I can say it was funny as hell at first it got old after so long and I was scared that that was all it was gonna be for a second season. Instead its used more in a symbolic nature, saying yeah thats whats up, but we're not here to make a vulgar display. The story itself starts 12000 years after the stuff in Aquarion goes down, and as you probably know it follows the reincarnates of those characters, and of course the characters before that. As was the case in Aquarion, Evol follows a group of teenageish characters as they pilot Aquarion to save the world from abductors. It focuses on their relationships with one another and shit like that, but at the same time it is able to maintain an interesting story that keeps you going all the way through. One thing that the story does is this: it changes alot of stuff that happenned in the original Aquarion, as in details that mattered alot to the story. This was risky because if you start changing stuff people can become confused, but I didnt and I doubt anyone will because they do such a good job in just the overall story-telling effort. It answers all of your questions which is very very important in any show. The art was beautiful. I thought that the art in the original was pretty decent but damn, this just takes it all up several notches. The fight scenes are terrific and everything is so clear. The character models are done far better than in Aquarion and that was just fantastic to see. Now on to the characters themselves. As ive already said, the characters were far more appealing to me this time around and I found myself rooting for them, which is something that didnt happen in the original. It follows Amata and his friend (who he'd like to be more than friends with) Mikono as they enter the Neo-deava academy and become elements for Aquaria. As you should have figured out by now, or will shortly these are supposed to be the reincarnates of celian and apollonius which is kinda true but at the same time not and as it goes on you'll see what i mean. Also in this you have a villain who looks suspiciously like Amata and some others make return appearances such as that shadow-angel dude from Aquarion and that crazy bastard Fudo shows up(yeah 12,000 years later). As the story progressed, it got more and more tragic. There are just sad situations and the whatnot popping up everywhere at a point and I was all depressed and shit like "aw damn, this is gonna have a sad ending" which was the vibe I was getting. The actual ending though is very good and all the sad stuff that goes down at least gets brought to points where theres closure if nothing else. The ending also provides an actual end, by this I mean that the whole 12,000 year repeating cycle can finally be ended by the end to this. On a whole I was really happy with this show. It had subtle humor, good characters, orgasmic animation(sorry I just had to use that pun) and it fixed alot of the crap that Aquarion didnt do so hot with. I will recomend thsi to anyone who liked the original, hell, Ill recomend this if you didnt like the original because this is just on such a higher level. Enjoy.