GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class

Moderator Posts : 623 Join date : 2009-09-03 Age : 31

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painting techniques, sketching techniques, art trivias

nid nyo ba nyan?

eto bagay sa inyo!! hiya!!

Synopsis:

GA is a class that specializes in the arts at Ayanoi High School.
Kisaragi, Nodamiki, Kyoju, Tomokane and Namiko are a group of five
friends who have colorful adventures and learn about art techniques.

Moderator Posts : 623 Join date : 2009-09-03 Age : 31

spoil ko nalang ung review maxadong mahaba eh

Spoiler:: One of the problems with anime these days is the tendency for studios
to stick to formulae, and to capitalise on what has gone before (also
known as jumping on the bandwagon). It's unfortunate then that GA:
Geijitsuka Art Design Class is a victim of this mindset, especially
given the subject matter and the potential for experimentation.

Originally a yonkoma (4-koma), manga by Kiyuzuki Satoko, the anime
adaptation is actually based on the 2005 serialisation that was
published in "Manga Time Kirara Carat", and while the series is very
much aimed at the moe market, it has benefitted from the directorial
talents of Sakurai Hiroaki (Di-Gi-Charat, Sweet Valerian, Majokko Tsukune-chan), and the art direction of Kasuga Reiji.

The story follows the lives of five girls who attend a specialist
design school, where they learn about various aspects of art and
design, art history, and various other art related subjects.

And that's it. Seriously. That pretty much describes the entire show.

One of the biggest problems with GA is that the entire show has been
done before, be it with Lucky ☆ Star and K-On, or with more relevant
comparisons like Sketchbook ~full color'S~ and Hidamari Sketch. In
truth, GA offers nothing new or different in terms of settings or
characters.

What it does offer though, is information, and this is ultimately it's
saving grace. Unlike most other school based slice of life shows, GA is
far more informative about it's related subject matter, and much of the
humour is actually derivative of this. The plot focuses far more on art
and design than it does on the characters, and while this may be an
anathema to some, it's actually a rather refreshing approach as the
viewer doesn't then need to worry about things like plot or character
development.

One way to describe GA would be to call it a moe documentary about art,
and the show makes good use of the subject matter to produce some
surprisingly well executed sequences and comedy scenes. In truth, the
majority of events are designed to provide visual examples of whichever
style of art is the current topic (Kisaragi's surrealist dream being a
good example of this at work), while the rest of the show is more along
the lines of a typical slice of life comedy.

Given that the show is about art and design, it would be fair to expect
some great visuals and animation, and while GA is good in this
department, it lacks a certain something...

Let me explain. Visually the show is a bit too "cutesy" to be taken
seriously. The characters are designed to attract a specific audience
(the moe marketor younger children), and the over-use of soft focus
scenes reinforces this aspect. While there is nothing overtly wrong
with this, it does mean that the show will only really appeal, at least
in visual terms, to those who like shows like Lucky ☆ Star, or to those
who simply don't care what the characters look like. That said, the
series is colourful and cheery, and while the majority of the design
falls on the side of cute, there are some superb moments when the
designers really get experimental with the show.

As far as the animation goes, the series is actually pretty well
executed. The characters move well, and while the general animation is
of a good standard, it can't quite make up for the "too cute" feel of
the show.

The voice acting is pretty decent for the most part, but here again the
show adopts a more "cutesy" approach. While the seiyuu are able to
deliver the humour fairly well, the show lacks a certain depth of
character due to some wooden moments.

The OP is a fairly upbeat track called "Osaki ni Sil Vous Plait", which
is sung by the female seiyuu who play the lead roles, and bears a
surprising resemblance to the infamous "Happy Material" (Mahou Sensei
Negima), in terms of it's composition. The opening sequence is very
well choregraphed though, and while the track is a little on the boppy
side, I found that I didn't actually get too bored of hearing it
(unlike a certain other song I mentioned).

The ED is an altogether different story. The show actually has twelve
different ending songs, and the artwork depicts the girls at three
different stages of life prior to them entering their current school.
What makes the ending sequences even more unusual is that each of the
five main seiyuu take turns at singing the ending theme, and each time
the song reflects a different aspect of the current episode. The final
ED is a group effort, sung by all five main seiyuu, and shows all three
stages of life in one sequence. Because of this, I never once found the
ED to be boring as each song is highly reflective of it's respective
character, and effectively adds to the charm of the series.

Aside from that, the show is reasonably well served in terms of it's
sound and music. My main gripe though (although it is admittedly only a
minor one), is that there is very little in the way of quiet time in
the show as almost every minute involves some form of accompaniment.

The characters aren't that bad for the most part, however they are
formulaic at best, and far too moe for their own good. Each of the five
main girls represents one particular moe archetype, the clumsy, ditzy
meganekko; the brash, monkey-like tomboy, to the cute-but-evil master
of games; the normal girl who mothers everyone; and the wierd, quiet
girl who has strange powers (like talking to chickens).

One of the problems that some may have with GA is that the characters
lack anything resembling a personality, however this is due to the show
being focused on art. Effectively, the characters are simply there as a
point of reference, a means to better facilitate the viewers
understanding of the various forms of art (basically they're tools for
teaching, like a pencil or a calculator). However, even with this
grandiose intent (to teach using anime), the director and writers
should really have found a method to make the audience relate to the
characters more, as this would have facilitated a better appreciation
of the subject matter.

Think about it. If your teacher is fun and interesting, then you want
to learn the lesson. If they're dull and boring, you want to do
something else.

On the whole though, this isn't a bad show at all. While there will be
direct comparisons made to Hidamari Sketch and Sketchbook ~full
color'S~, as well as with shows like Lucky ☆ Star, Azumangah Daioh,
K-On!, etc, GA is able to stand on it's own due to it's novel approach
and focus. Where those other shows were very much about the daily lives
of the characters, GA only uses this as a point of reference. Granted
it is very firmly on the moe bandwagon, but the show never really
pushes this aspect too much, which actually made it more pleasant as a
series.

In this respect it more resembles Sketchbook, as the moe aspect is simply there, nothing more than that.

GA would appeal to fans of any of the shows mentioned above as it has a
fair few things in common with each of them. Likewise, those who are
interested in art and producing artwork, or are artists themselves, may
find this as enjoyable as I did, as there are numerous moments when I
found myself thinking "that happened to me as well" or "I did that
too". Younger viewers may also find the series interesting, in
particular for it's rather simplistic approach to "teaching".

That said, some may be disappointed if they go into this show expecting
a moe-fest as, aside from the characters being cutely designed, there
isn't any.

GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class may not be as experimental in terms of
art and animation as I'd hoped, and it may be a little too tooth
achingly cute at times, but behind that there is actually a pretty
decent show that takes a completely different tack to almost every
other anime in recent years. The series isn't really trying to tell a
story, but is instead trying to impart knowledge - something that is
always laudable, and is remarkably absent from anime as a medium. While
the show does have it's flaws, the intent and purpose should be
appreciated and applauded.

You never know. We may end up seeing mahou shoujo wildlife
documentaries in the future, or the news read by shounen icons like
Goku, Luffy, Ichigo, etc, or even Yagami Light in a Judge Judy style
reality show.

Now wouldn't that be something to see :)

Moderator Posts : 623 Join date : 2009-09-03 Age : 31

nga pala madami daming pausing sa DVD yan hehe..

minsan kasi d mo napapansin may trivia na pla silang sinasabi

kaya nid pa ipause