What makes a good review?

Inspired by and in reaction to Scamp’s post at The Cart Driver.

What defines a good review?

I’m sure we can all agree on the textbook definition:

  • No grammar mistakes
  • Back up what you claim with evidence
  • Persuasive
  • Informative

But what does that really say? It sounds like a badly written prompt for my English class.

So let’s turn instead to subjective definitions of “good reviewing.” Scamp says that good reviews agree with one’s own opinions – that is, there’s no such thing as a universally “good review” because the readers each label a review as “good” or “bad” depending on their own opinions of the anime being reviewed. Pointing to MAL, Scamp asks us all to reconsider before rating a review.

The only thing is, Scamp’s preaching to the choir. Is a review supposed to be seen before or after watching a show? Just having a review rating system means the latter. A MAL user will normally rate a review after they’ve finished the anime, judging whether or not the review was correct. There’s no way somebody who’s just watched a show will rate a review based on the eloquence of its text or the author’s powers of persuasion. They’re going to rate based on their own feelings for the show – nothing more and nothing less.

Wait, so what’s the point of even having reviews on MAL?

There is no point. Just look at the score and move on.

You’re a hypocrite! You wrote some reviews on MAL!

Even I have no idea why I wrote those. Except the one for TO. That OVA is so underrated.

But getting back on topic, I think reviews of both the pre-viewing and post-viewing types should be judged by the amount of enthusiasm the author has. No matter how “persuasive” a review may be, I find it hard to believe the author really likes/dislikes a show unless their enthusiasm is visible. An unenthusiastic review is one that tries to make everything sound nice and objective, one that shoves off the blame by telling the reader that he/she should check it out and see. An enthusiastic review actually convinces me that people are crazy for and/or against a certain show.

Honestly, nobody really cares why a reviewer thinks that _____ is great or _____ is horrible unless they’ve the opposite viewpoint. And even then, what’s the point of the review? To list out all the merits of _____ to somebody who’s already convinced that _____ is a really bad show? A short viewpoint is great, short justification is also great, but when you have stuff that goes on for pages and you have to scroll down to read useless analysis, give it up.

Hey, but what about showing the opposite side and admitting to the show’s faults or merits?

BLAH BLAH BLAH

If a show is good enough, you don’t need to waste more than a sentence on stuff that opposes your argument. Are you trying to turn off people from your point of view by writing pages about how your argument is wrong?

Therefore that Gurren Lagann fanboy review is a great review. I can clearly see that the guy likes TTGL, and I want to check it out again just so I can re-experience what made him so ecstatic about the series.

On another note, these “Best of 2009” lists have convinced me to give Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 another chance. A line like “This made me cry rivers” goes a lot further than:

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Constructive Criticism would be appreciated through either PM or Comments
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She’s Breaking Bit by Bit

Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 is something special. A human story told through naked eyes, this show did something that a lot of anime hasn’t done for me lately, spark an emotional connection. It gently nudged me through the tale of a young girl named Mirai, her little brother Yuuki and a motorcycling delivery woman name Mari, as the world around them shattered into pieces.

Tokyo is crumbling; foundations are upheaved, buildings are leveled, and bridges are twisted till the tensions snap, as a magnitude 8.0 earthquake roars. Fires break out like crimson rashes, burning away homes all over the Kanto region. From the wake of the chaos, people stumble and endure, somehow crawling back home.

Mirai and Yuuki are tremendously endearing. Mirai is terribly pessimistic, always believing that fate has a bone to pick with her. She snaps at her brother for being her antithesis, a hopeless optimist at heart who believes that everything has to turn out alright. The older lead, Mari, serves as a nice foil to the pair, level headed and calm; she serves as a guide and guardian to the children. It’s easy to appreciate how each character grew over the course of the tale; Mirai gaining a drop of her sibling’s positivity, Yuuki gaining a touch of his sister’s pragmatism and Mari learning she’s not so invulnerable, as they hobble over the fractured roadways and splintering scenery.

The plot focuses on the trio as they trudge their way back to their families. The urgency is palpable as snapshots of destruction litter each episode from radio snippets to television clips. The three are twisted by stress and struggle to best figure out a way to deal with death and disaster. Even Mari, grounded and collected, stumbles from this tightrope. Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 is fueled by emotion and the most fundamental instinct any human has: to survive. It starts off slow, but it builds like a powerful crescendo into an unforgettable ending.

Production

The art and animation are inconsistent. I love how most of the character models were plain, unadorned figurines on the broken canvas of Tokyo. It lets the viewer focus on the detailed scenery; the cracks veining through the pavement, uprooted trees, shattered windows, twisted steel, and burning buildings. The artists captured the ruination and didn’t seem to want ornate models taking away from it. On a more technical aspect, the CGI that is sprinkled throughout is done well, opting for a distinct cell-shaded look. It was irksome to find the animation to be uneven and, at some points, even choppy. It’s a shame, considering how much effort and thought was put into the art direction.

The music is nothing amazing, but it works with the show. The score moves with the ebb and flow of the small group’s journey, cascading gently with the moments of calm before beginning to tumble with scenes of tragedy. I didn’t quite enjoy the OP by the Abingdon School Boy, the upbeat tempo being too much of a contrast to the carefully paced tale. The voice acting is commendable for weaving the powerful tale. Mirai’s faltering voice, echoing loneliness, pulled at my heartstrings, while Yuuki’s voice brought a smile to my face.

Watchability and Enjoyment

The story slowly burns itself, never exactly rushing within the small frame of eleven episodes. I took Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 in tiny doses, an episode here and there. Nothing really pushed me to watch the next episode until I reached the last quarter. Things really pick up in the last three episodes, as the journey winds to an end, for a strong conclusion. It was only then that I felt satisfied with my investment in the series and appreciated the first eight episodes.

Closing Thoughts

It’s the realism that shook me. Every episode began with a disclaimer stating that the series was based on seas of research and simulations. Sure, the science is well and good; but it was really about the ‘human’ realism, overcoming the hopelessness. Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 is a great anime, worth a watch by anyone who appreciates a good story.

I really laughed while reading this review (pulled straight off of MAL). I can’t believe how many people put “Enjoyment” as a category. What does that imply, that you’re supposed to write an objective review until this one “enjoyment” category? Bah. I hate MAL’s stupid review system.

tl;dr: If you’re reading a review after watching a series, long analysis-type reviews might be good if you’re determined to prove your side is right (but by then, it’s less of a review than an argument/debate). However, no matter when you read a fanboy review, it’s still a hell of a lot better and more persuasive than those huge English class essay-like reviews.

tl;dr2: Basically, what are reviews for? As long as you keep saying an anime is the best thing since sliced bread, everybody who opposes you will eventually have to give in and check out the show again, if not only to make sure you’re not insane. That, or they nitpick at you for writing a bad review until you cuss at them, they cuss at you, and everybody gets angry. But hey, they probably haven’t read this, so their elitist attacks won’t work on you because they’re dumb and stupid.

This turned out to be a half-humorous post, but I assure you, this ain’t trolling. Have you ever been persuaded by a review that takes you ten minutes to read? Because I sure haven’t (lol peer pressure).


22 Comments on “What makes a good review?”

  1. fangzhao says:

    Hmmn. This post makes me seem really shallow. Or honest.

    Please take it as the latter.

  2. Dez691 says:

    I think humor is the 2nd most important thing about reviews. If you can make people laugh while reading about show x then people will obviously watch the show because they felt good about your review.
    Of course there are exceptions, you can’t write something funny about a horror manga or else you have some serious mental problems, but I think that conveying your feelings to the reader is a great way to influence them. Example: Glo. His reviews are so awesome that I am compelled to watch the show, no matter the genre. Fuck, he made me watch Queen’s Blade AND like it.

    • fangzhao says:

      Humor can only go so far, though. If you have a funny review, that’s all it is – funny. I’m a regular reader (and infrequent commenter) on Eye Sedso, and I agree that some of Glo’s reviews are funny.

      I might not be reading them right, but Glo’s reviews never convince me to watch an anime. Humor often gets in the way of persuasion – it doesn’t help me want to watch a show in any way. Of course, it does help Glo get hits for his blog. πŸ˜›

      P.S.: Most [non-episodic] reviews on blogs are meant to be read after watching a show, for discussion rather than persuasion. This is evident when you’ve got reviews going in-depth on certain issues in shows and revealing spoilers.

  3. Scamp says:

    Heh, glad I inspired someone.

    The thing is, every anime will have somebody who will rave about it if you search hard enough. I’ve even once read an very well-written review from someone who loved Akikan. Fanboying is all well and good but it might not give a true representation of a show.

    I think it’s the overall rating it gets on the site as a whole is a far better indicator of its real quality than any review could possibly get. Subjective opinions because objective facts through enough numbers

    • Scamp says:

      I meant ‘Subjective opinions BECOME objective facts through enough numbers’

      Damnit, I thought that turn of phrase was quite intelligent as well and I ruined it by not re-reading my comment πŸ™

    • Miha says:

      First of all, my 7 can be your 8, my 5 can be your 1.

      One problem is, you will more likely enjoy it more or less than the rating implies to you. So in the end you’ll have dismiss the rating that made you watch it or rage.

      • Shance says:

        Or just say you watched it and be done with it.

        • fangzhao says:

          I like your way of thinking! πŸ˜€

          Some obligatory shows are so big that we need to watch them to stay up-to-date. I would cite Haruhi S2 here, but Endless Eight got so big that it didn’t matter if you watched it or not, since everybody knew about it anyway.

      • fangzhao says:

        That might be the case for an individual’s rating, but when you have a database as large as MAL, it’s less likely to happen.

        …though it does happen with me. Why is GTO ranked so high?

    • fangzhao says:

      Overall ratings are indeed a good indication of the general area the show is in – whether it’s god-tier, shit-tier, shittier than shit-tier, etc.

      However, I often find myself hating top rated anime (GTO and Bakemonogatari, for example), so I rely on fanboy reviews. If there are enough fanboy reviews or a fanboy is so crazy about a show that he never stops talking about it (like me and Eureka Seven), I end up wanting to watch the show.

      P.S.: Haha, good thing you came back and corrected yourself. Being the rude ass that I am, I probably would’ve pointed it out.

  4. mefloraine says:

    “As long as you keep saying an anime is the best thing since sliced bread, everybody who opposes you will eventually have to give in and check out the show again, if not only to make sure you’re not insane. ” True. Which I didn’t really realize until, er, now?
    I guess you can’t help but me convinced by the forcefulness of other people. However, there is a point at which you hit the definition of a “good review”. Is a good review one that convinces you to watch/read something/think a certain way, or is it a review that’s fair and tells both negative and positive?

    • fangzhao says:

      …or is it a review that prompts discussion because it was written well? In the end, it comes down to one question: What is the purpose of a review?

      If it’s to persuade, then the most persuasive should be the best. But if it’s to show a clear picture, then the most objective might be the best. D:

  5. Canne says:

    For me,
    Reading review after finishing a show is trying to find someone who is on the same side.
    Reading review before watching a show is trying to find a confirmation that the choice you has already made is the right one or to learn what to expect from the show you are about to watch.
    But above all else: it’s for fun πŸ˜‰

    • fangzhao says:

      I can definitely sympathize with your reasons for reading reviews before watching a show. But I can’t say the same for reading them afterwards.

      I often seek out reviews that argue the opposite side. If I watched an anime that I thought was bad, I want to see why other people think it’s good, and vice versa.

      Yeah, it is for fun, I guess. πŸ™‚

  6. Ningyo says:

    Hmm, why do I do it, indeed? I think it really is just because I have nothing else to write about.

    With subjectivity in mind, the ‘ideal’ review really is the one that creates the norm/the one that one most agrees with. You realize right now you’re reviewing reviews? That seems to be quite the trend in, say, The Spoony One’s site. It’s interesting, watching people dissect reviews, which are meant to dissect another work, while other people review those peoples’ review of the review…

    I rather like reviews that present concise arguments though. If one is going to write about it anyways, why not be polished and argumentative? There certainly will be those who don’t agree, but this sparks discussion, which I believe is very important in an aniblog.

    • fangzhao says:

      Reviewing reviews isn’t redundant, though! Some reviews are truly bad, yet people place them up on a pedestal and worship their authors for no reason other than it was long and informative …and I think that’s pretty stupid.

      Ah, the discussion approach! As a blogger, I think our reviews tend to be more discussion-oriented. For persuasion, I go with fanboy and sometimes objective reviews, but blogs are a different story. Especially since the discussion happens because everybody’s already seen the show.

  7. kadian1364 says:

    The salesman is more important than the merchandise as long as the customer hasn’t already made up their mind about it. You’re opinion will be swayed more by how the writer presents the ideas and their personality/attitude. Entertaining and stylistic reviews are much more persuasive than just a final opinion or grade.

    • fangzhao says:

      That’s true. However, the hard part is defining what “entertaining and stylistic” really means. For me, all that really amounts to is an enthusiastic review with lots of praise and little attempt at objectivity.

      In the end, I guess it depends on the individual. I’m sure some people are swayed by the long, thought-out reviews on MAL, but I cringe in disgust whenever I see them.

  8. Razleplasm says:

    I knew you’d come around with TM8.0 sooner or later, so much for your “exquisite taste in anime”!
    *fist pump*

    • fangzhao says:

      TM8.0 has become something of a must-watch after so many people praised it at the end of the year. To have it go above After Story as biggest tearjerker on some lists was a shock to me…!

      P.S.: Shangri-La still sucked. >:D

  9. phossil says:

    I think I will fall in the grammar mistakes mostly. πŸ˜‰

    • fangzhao says:

      Haha, don’t sweat it! I hate it when reviews are filled with grammar errors, but there’s a clear difference between people who don’t try to get out of chatsp34k!11 mode and people who just naturally make lots of mistakes. The former is painful to read, and the latter isn’t. :p


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