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Reviewer: Tom (Webmaster)
Based
on: Anime DVD Vol 1
UK Distributor: N/A
Well I’m not sure quite how to sum this one up. One the one hand it is full
of the random speed line moments I would expect from a comedy, but on the other
the main characters are uninspiring and each episode has very few funny moments.
I found the main negativity lying with NieA, who is quite simply one of the most
annoying characters I have come across. She is an unemployed alien bum who
scrounges off Mayako for food and lives in her cupboard without contributing
anything at all. She spends each episode harassing people for food, shouting at
them for not providing it and that is pretty much it. She is just such a
pointless character! Then there is the other main character Mayako. She spends
the episode shouting at NieA for demanding food from her and telling her she is
a nuisance. Unlike NieA, Mayako is a hard-working student but she also depressed
at her situation so takes it out NieA, who does deserve it but it all makes for
one of the strangest double-acts I’ve come across in anime. NieA never shows
compassion toward Mayako for allowing her to stay, so in turn Mayako shows no
compassion to NieA. They are clearly not friends so why does Mayako not kick
NieA out?
On the positive side the animation is well above average. Everything is drawn
well and all exaggerated expressions down expertly. Also the soundtrack is a
brave attempt at a slow rock/country theme which surprisingly suits the series. It is a refreshing change from the j-pop soundtracks you get with most
anime
comedy.
The comedy in NieA_7 mainly comes from the supporting characters, but the
episodes usually only contain one so you have to put up with Mayako and NieA
instead. The best episodes are those which concentrate more on the other
characters but there are not enough of them to up the standard of NieA_7
as a whole.
NieA_7 is a big disappointment. If the characters had been made less
one-dimensional and had some feeling injected into them, this would have allowed
the viewer to relate more to the characters as they are both crying out for
sympathy, but do not do anything to deserve it. A little insight into their
feelings would have soon sorted this out. Also it may have made the episodes
move faster as they are very slow moving due to the lack of any decent plot.
The end result is a sub-standard anime with very few laughs. NieA_7’s
sub-title ‘domestic poor @nimation’ unfortunately isn’t tongue in cheek.
Feature: 
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