Free: the anime

So I’ve been reading/listening to and watch some different things, but I’m just going to focus on one this time around. I watch several episodes of a new anime, but it really was not that good. Noting about it really stood out. It felt generic. It does make me think and hope my writing is better. Does anyone else struggle with confidence in their writing or other work? I mean, I like it and think it's good, but will anyone else? Anyway, I also listen to an auto book of Howl’s Moving Castle. I have ordered the book now, and two more books that are related. I rather enjoyed it and want to half-reread it when it comes. There’s a lot that happens. I will save that for next time.

This time I want to talk about Free, the anime. I talked about season 1 last time. I have now watched seasons 2 and 3, as well as the movie set in between. I was a bit hard on season1 but seasons 2 and 3 were better. The storytelling was more flushed out and set up. I also realized why I do not enjoy it as much as many seem to.

As I watch season 3, right at the beginning, with the way things were set up and going, I said to myself, “Oh we’re going with the angsty drama again!” And that was it. The over the top angsty drama. Many people like drama. Most chick flick movies are loaded with drama. (One could even argue that most stories have to have drama of some sort, but there is story drama (the problem, to move the story forward) and over-the-top drama. The kind of stuff that we think when we say drama.)

Movies that are loaded with drama (and often geared toward girls and women) are ones I tend to avoid. Just as you can have movies where the story takes a back seat to the action, the same can happen with drama. I have said for years, "if I want drama, I just have to go to work." I don’t find drama that entertaining. Some of that is me being amiable. I’m a people please and hate arguments. How could I then find people arguing enjoyable?

So that was kind of a tangent.

Free was not that bad. The drama served a purpose and did advance the story. In season one, I felt like some of the storytelling and planning was not that good. They set this all up and kept it going until the end, then wrapped it up without (I felt like) properly explaining it or leading into it first. The 2nd and 3rd seasons did better in this; also the relationship drama was not the only focus.

I really liked how in season 2, they set up right at the beginning that your main character is not sure what he wants to do after high school, and the pressure keeps mounting as the time draws closer. Others think they know what he should do, but he has to come to his own conclusion. All this set amongst life and relationships and what is going on. It felt better planned, exsiccated, and more realistic.

So in concision, I did enjoy it, but it’s not quite my cup of tea. The angsty drama takes me out a little. Part of me would want to yell at them, tell them to grow up, and talk. But then, they are high schoolers and early college age. That is the age where this kind of angsty drama happens. So I guess if you enjoy that kind of thing, I highly recommend this series. It was fun and entertaining but not my favorite. (Don’t hate me. J)

Well, I feel like I really rambled, and not sure if I got my thoughts and feelings a crossed accurately, but here it is.

Next time Howl’s Moving Castle, the book.

God Bless