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Ai no Kusabi
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Animation - 7.5 |
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Sound - 7.7 |
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Story - 8.8 |
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Character - 8.6 |
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Value - 8.8 |
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Enjoyment - 8.9 |
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Average - 8.4 |
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| Average |
7.5 |
| Animation |
6 |
| Sound |
4 |
| Story |
10 |
| Character |
9 |
| Value |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
6 |
| When I first started to watch 'Ai no Kasabi' I found the plot to be dragged out way.. too much. If you have the time and the patience the start would be brilliant, I suppose. But I found it to be too long and understanding and getting the idea of this anime at first was like trying to get beer out of a sock.
However, after the first ten minutes it does get better.
Riki in short is the fowlest of fowl. Well whats how the 'Blondies' see him and the rest of the people from the slum. The 'Blondies' are the highest living beings in this anime. They are gods in their own right.
- This anime I found.. wasn't too hardcore. But the end is worth all the boring sex. If you like angst you will love this anime.
All in all, it is worth a watch. But I suggest watching it twice before you run away angry.
This anime, for it's time is brilliant.
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| Average |
6.7 |
| Animation |
7 |
| Sound |
7 |
| Story |
6 |
| Character |
6 |
| Value |
7 |
| Enjoyment |
7 |
| In a word, I found Ai no Kusabi (Wedge of Interval) disturbing.
Before you say that my opinion is not of merit, I should say two things: I, rather admittingly, found something to like in this series. In addition, I found it disturbing in the sense that the storyline is aptly...well...tragic. :( If you want a title that's truly definitive in the yaoi genre, this would be the title that takes the cake. Yet, this isn't a series for the general population to watch, because it's downright brutal.
The story of Ai no Kusabi takes place in a distant future, where persons predominate according to the hue of their hair (I know, I know, ludicrious notion, just as much as the designation of "reds", "blondies" and such names schemes in the series, but stick with me for a bit.) Enter a young man named Riki, who longs to leave the city with his band of street buddies living within the slums. They reside under a rather oppressive ruling where people are bought and sold in sex slavery, under the heading of "Pets", servants to the upper tier of the society. Some are killed just for the hint of resistence, and in the relm of computer based control and coding, as one character in the series succinctly states: "Once you're in the city, you can never truly leave."
It's an interesting work of science fiction in premise...and I believed this to be a work of shounen-ai, so I thought I'd give it a try...only to find in the first five minutes a graphic scene where Riki's stripped bare and at the mercy of the main antagonist character in this series.
Yes, this is terribly graphic yaoi, and it was my first yaoi title, to be honest, in rather accidental pretenses. Nonetheless, Ai no Kusabi impressed me in some measures, not for the graphic sexual content (which disturbed me because there were a few scenes where Riki looks like he's brutally tortured *shutters*), but for the attempt of a mature sci-fi storyline. I think what would deter many from this title is the graphic nature of and the underpinnings of it. Goodness...and I thought Yami no Matsuei had a twisted antagonist: Iason Mink overshoots him by a longshot...except that Riki and Iason seem to have a bit of a tragic romantic relationship despite where it seems clear that Iason treats Riki like the lowest crumb on the earth.
This series emits a distinctly older, masculine feel to it, the animation standard quite a bit better production values than for its respective time. The music for the series is suitable to its time period, and I found the background themes suited to its sci-fi premise. The story, while distinct, can be somewhat confusing, and you may not realize what it's truly about until halfway through the first episode. And if you think the graphic nature is bad in the first episode, then you'll really get the boot in the second. :/ I think I pitied Riki throughout this whole series, truth be told.
I'll admit, with this title, I must have averted my eyes about 15-20 times in total for the graphic nature of it. It took me two watches to understand the story. Truly, it shook me in some measures. The full nudity didn't disturb me as much as the sexually tortuous scenes within it, but somehow it didn't take away from the fact that I actually liked where the story was going, and the conflicts presented within it.
The characters could have improved a lot with more expansion, but considering this is action/sci-fi, I'm not sure if I can take too much from it in terms of overall score. What I would take away in my ranking is that it falls under some heading of disorganized events, melodramatic undertones, and rather farfetched pretenses at times.
I'd recommend this title only for mature audiences 18+ who don't mind the yaoi genre. Definitely NOT recommended for younger audiences or sensitive viewers, nor for those who are opposed to yaoi settings. I'm hesitant to recommend it to sci-fi/action fans in general, because its content may warrant some offense, not for the suggestion of male/male romance, but the graphic depictions within it. Yet, I have to say it's one of the more interesting anime titles I've come across this past year, even by accident.
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| Average |
8.8 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
8 |
| Story |
8 |
| Character |
9 |
| Value |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
| Perhaps the most famous yaoi OAV in the world (save perhaps Zetsuai/Bronze), Ai no Kusabi deserves the popularity it has. The entire time I was watching it, I was completely surprised. This anime was a lot more "macho" than I expected it to be. It has so many fangirls drooling all over it, I assumed it would be another flowery BL story. But, for better or worse, I was wrong. This is 80's macho SF anime. But since it's mixed together with homosexuality, the traditional (straight male) action otaku haven't embraced it. My overall reaction watching this was kind of like "I can't believe this was actually made". It's so macho, so you would think it would repel the average female viewer, and so gay it would repel the average male viewer. (I think I'm contrary to the average female viewer, since I watch any and every anime I can get my hands on) But to unite the two audiences, Ai no Kusabi has an amazing storyline, a fully realized alternate universe, actual emotional characters...and it's simply amazing.
I truly believe that any and every fan of Science Fiction, 80s anime (even though this was made in 1992) and action anime would love this. Even though it's only 2 episodes long, it still has a lasting effect, and the ending seems very nobel, macho and romantic all at the same time.
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maya |
(2006-02-02 10:28:27) 2006-01-19 10:21:46 |
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| Average |
7.7 |
| Animation |
7 |
| Sound |
7 |
| Story |
8 |
| Character |
8 |
| Value |
8 |
| Enjoyment |
8 |
| Ai no Kusabi... interesting story... but a bit too much on the fan service (if you're a yaoi fan-girl) side. Even so, they (whoever made this) managed an equilibrium... meaning that there was fan service but it didn't "bury" the story.
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| Average |
7.5 |
| Animation |
4 |
| Sound |
7 |
| Story |
9 |
| Character |
8 |
| Value |
8 |
| Enjoyment |
9 |
| Really interesting story, although I did find it confusing at first because I didn't read the novel or the radio drama. But the version I saw gave a brief summery on it (10 minutes long...alright not brief), so I got it a bit later on.
I am a big fan of Shonen-ai/yaoi animes, so I can say I really enjoyed this, it's the yaoi that made think good of it, otherwise...well actually, it's a pretty creative and interesting story, forget what I said.
Animation: Well the version I saw was pretty crappy; also note that this is a pretty old anime.
Sound: I have nothing to complain about, but because of the animation I sometimes couldn't tell who was talking and who was listening because it was blurry, so I had to concentrate on the voices -_-'.
Story: I can't claim to know much because as I said before, I haven't read the story or heard the radio drama. Basically, it's this place that's controlled by a computer called...er...Jupiter, and everyone is ranked by their hair colour, blonds are the highest, dark brunettes the lowest.
So there are 2 guys, a blond and a brunette who fall in love. Well I was at first confused about how Riki (the brunette guy) felt about Lason (blind guy), but I could clearly tell Lason loved Riki XD (because of the sex). Also Riki was Lason's pet. Something about humans with lower ranks can be kept as pets. But Riki still loved Lason in the end.
Ah...but the ending made me sad T.T.
Characters: I loved them all...well except Guy, I mean at first he was cool, but than he went nuts XD. Lason, all cool, dark, and I-don’t-care-as-long-as-I-have-Riki sorta guy XD. Riki is the type who'd cause a lot of trouble, like the gang sorta type. And there was Kalze (or was the "l" a "t"? My subtitles were to blurry). He's cool, I like him. He was Lason's furniture I think, I didn't understand that though, but than he became his secretary*sp sorta thing (I think).
Well, overall, I really liked the love in the show; the ending was sad and well very sad XD. Even though it was 2 episodes and each like an hour long. it still made me depressed about what happened in the end, a tragic ending. But it was very sweet Kinda like Romeo and Juliet (the ending I mean, only the ending). Stupid Guy >.<, I don’t like him XD.
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Miss_Tomo |
(2006-02-06 22:07:20) 2005-08-29 05:06:52 |
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| Average |
8.3 |
| Animation |
6 |
| Sound |
7 |
| Story |
10 |
| Character |
8 |
| Value |
9 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
| DON'T LIKE YAOI? DON'T LIKE GUYS DOIN' IT?(Even though there's not a lot...)
DON'T WATCH THIS ANIME. Seriously...
This is one of the few anime that has ever made me cry. Really. Artwork is great.
:Animation: The animation isn't really good. It was actually hard for me to concentrate on it, because of the other elements in here. But it's nothing special. Afterall, it IS an old anime.
:Sound: Music was hard to notice. I didn't see the Opening Song, and I wasn't very appealed by the Ending Theme. The overall background music was okay.
:Story: Major element here. It's based on the radio drama, and novel (Mostly angst story).
They are controlled by some system named Jupiter, where everyone is judged in ranks. Something I never would have guessed was that the ranks are in HAIRCOLOR, of all things.
Shocking.
Anyway, the only ranks that you really need to know are that the Blonds are in highest of them all. (Hitler, anyone? Hell, he's probably what made Jupiter.) The ones with the dark hair are the lowest of them all.(Fuck, I'm the lowest.) So two guys that are opposite rank fall in love, havoc wreaks (Haircist Bitches...) and you know the rest. Ending isn't so full of sunshine. Awwww.
:Characters: Main guys are Iason(Blond), Riki(Black), and Guy.(Black...Brown. Can't tell.)
Anyhoo, Iason seems to be like...mysterious shiyat, Riki is like...the tough shiyat, and Guy is like...the follower/rescuer (Rescuer my ass. MY ASS.)
So Mystery Shiya-...Uh. Iason resues Riki from some gangsters, in return, Riki turns into his pet, Guy wants to rescue Riki from the pet shenanigan, public goes havoc-y, Iason and Riki fall in love, some mansex, and now you got some nice characters thar. With manse- you get the idea. :D
Well, I like yaoi, but trust me, the only time the fangirl energy bolted into me is when Iason gets pretty damn kinky with Riki.
...*hentai-freak*
But seriously, this is a good anime. Very tragic, angsty, and dramatic.
It's pretty damn great if you like shounen ai, too. Guys could it too, if they actually SEE THAT IT'S NOT PURE GUY PORNO.
Yeah, this anime is a nice one. Go buy it.
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| Average |
8.3 |
| Animation |
6 |
| Sound |
7 |
| Story |
10 |
| Character |
9 |
| Value |
8 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
| There was only one fact that threw me off from this anime, and that simply had to do with the fact that the producers decided to not show enough backstory in favor of more man-action. I guess it could be a good thing for fangirls, however.
I think it could have been more popular if it didn't have a BL romance. But people who don't like major drama should stay away from it.
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Mikoi |
2005-05-18 04:01:50 |
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| Average |
7.3 |
| Animation |
6 |
| Sound |
7 |
| Story |
8 |
| Character |
8 |
| Value |
7 |
| Enjoyment |
8 |
| A bit angsty yaoi anime with a tragic ending. Goood anime, a real classic.
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| Average |
9.7 |
| Animation |
10 |
| Sound |
8 |
| Story |
10 |
| Character |
10 |
| Value |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
| One of the best of the yaoi genre by my standards. Subtle, meaningful and takes its time to tell a story of tragic love and deep affection. It was a bit hard to figure out what was going on at first but by the end of the first episode, things were rolling speedily into place as the protagonists rush headlong into obsessive destruction. The characters are well developed and the art is beautiful. A story that has meaning on many levels, I believe that if this were a 'het' anime, it would be a classic right up there with Akira and Vampire Hunter D. Don't despair my beautiful Iason, Rikki loves you more than his own life!
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Pantha |
(2007-07-18 07:13:01) 2005-02-26 00:06:16 |
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| Average |
7.0 |
| Animation |
7 |
| Sound |
8 |
| Story |
7 |
| Character |
8 |
| Value |
5 |
| Enjoyment |
7 |
| Like Song of Wind and Trees, Ai no Kusabi is an angst-ridden yaoi; unlike the older yaoi, however, it lacks that certain something that could make it appeal to general audiences. It’s a love story, and it was fairly subtle. Until the second episode, viewers wouldn’t know the reasons for the characters actions. Ai no Kusabi has a storyline reminiscent of Anne Rice’s infamous Sleeping Beauty trilogy: it’s trashy, impractical, and yet strangely captivating at the same time.
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| Average |
9.5 |
| Animation |
9 |
| Sound |
8 |
| Story |
10 |
| Character |
10 |
| Value |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
| I consider this to be the BEST yaoi anime. It has a very nice plot with great characters unlike some other yaoi anime (ehem...). The ending is very sad, and touchy and good! It makes you go "SQUEE". The music and sound is not that good since the anime is pretty old, however, the voice actors did a wonderful job on not making the voices disturbing!! Recommended for people who like hard-core yaoi with a very very good plot!
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| Average |
8.0 |
| Animation |
9 |
| Sound |
7 |
| Story |
8 |
| Character |
8 |
| Value |
8 |
| Enjoyment |
8 |
| Not many reviews for this one... the plot was pretty solid, besides being somewhat unbelievable (I guess Riki loving Iason, slave and master, was hard for me to grasp, but what do I know?) The main characters have closure at the end and it is truly tragic. This isn't just a porno and you don't have to be crazy about homosexuality to enjoy it. (Though homophobes are warned to stay well away) The story stands on its own and the animation is done artfully. The tale is told in a setting of a futuristic world, with a definite caste system that provides the driving element of the story. Though much of the crucial development of the relationships occur before the movie, in the manga/radio show, the two OVAs can be watched and appreciated alone. If you're a yaoi fan, this is allegedly the best out there.
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| Average |
8.7 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
8 |
| Story |
9 |
| Character |
8 |
| Value |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
9 |
| Lived up to all expectation, and more. What a sad, sad, sad story. Predictable, yes, yet losing none of its impact despite so. Ah...how I would love to read this novel, if only I know Japanese. It was able develop a full, complex story, in a short two hours, as well as arouse from me such deep affection for each character. Beautiful.
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| Average |
9.8 |
| Animation |
10 |
| Sound |
9 |
| Story |
10 |
| Character |
10 |
| Value |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
| One of the best anime ever made, "Ai no Kusabi" still keeps me impressed.
I'm sorry to read that most of people who are homophobic dislike the title just because it's yaoi and flame it without even deeper thought. And you need that with this anime, the depth of the storyline is of great measure. The almost perfect animation (notice the year of production) and character design make this a rare title which you have to see.
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0 of 0 people found this review helpful.
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| Average |
9.8 |
| Animation |
9 |
| Sound |
10 |
| Story |
10 |
| Character |
10 |
| Value |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
| This is not just a good yaoi anime. It is a darn _Good_ anime.
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0 of 0 people found this review helpful.
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| Average |
9.5 |
| Animation |
9 |
| Sound |
9 |
| Story |
9 |
| Character |
10 |
| Value |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
| Wow.
This anime had my girlfriend and I sobbing like children at the end.
(a rare treat)
Ai No Kusabi is based off of a series of Novel/Radio Drama, so getting the Whole Plot in order is difficult, very much like Gundam F-91. (another favorite of mine)
However, once you have the world established in your head, this anime flows like the Drama story it is; a rare, illegal love, and the tragedies that follow it.
Though, what makes this anime BRILLIANT, as opposed to simply good is that it has closure for every character.
This Rare treat in anime (especially OAVs) is presented full force in Ai No Kusabi. By the end of the (short) series, All the characters are taken care of, their storys having reached their thematic end. All of them grow through the course of the show.
Overall, I theorize that this is the best YAOI anime ever made. If you like Yaoi, spare no expense in finding this one.
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| Average |
8.2 |
| Animation |
6 |
| Sound |
10 |
| Story |
7 |
| Character |
8 |
| Value |
9 |
| Enjoyment |
9 |
| Aside from the fact that you'd have to be able to understand/read Japanese to understand the radio drama and novel that came out first, this anime was very good.
It's yaoi, and that doesn't float everyone's boat, but if you can look around the gratuitous sex scenes, and find the underlying plot message in this anime, you'll find that it's worth watching.
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