Monday, September 30, 2013

Speed Grapher


It took me almost a year to finish this. It's not bad, but it is unbelievably hard to sit through. Speed Grapher takes a look at a city that is overrun by corruption, greed, and sexual depravity. There's also a bit of a supernatural aspect. The Goddess (a 16 year old named Kagura) grants powers to those that kiss her that are part of the Roppongi Club. The powers are an amplified version of that person's desire, and is often used for murder or manipulation.

The premise is original and daring, but the execution is oftentimes graphic and depressing. There's also a strange dynamic between Kagura and her rescuer, Saiga. Saiga is in his 30s or 40s. In other words he's a little too old to have such a bond with a teenager. It's heavily implied their relationship is more that platonic. It makes the whole thing a little weird considering he's supposed to be the hero. Every other episode also has the trend of someone wanting to rape Kagura. Long story very short, this anime is about messed up people, and what happens when they have even the tiniest amount of power.

It's really dark, gross, and a good chunk of it seems like it's done for shock. But, when I was able to stomach it, it held my attention and I wanted to know what was going to happen next. I give it a 3 out of 5. I love the plot, but it loses points for violence against young children, rape, pedophilia, human trafficking, and for having a lot of characters that need some serious psychological help. If you can stomach bottomless pits of depravity, I say watch it at least once. If you want to maintain some faith in humanity, pass on this.

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