lowe.rocky - 2013-07-16 09:56:55

Series that are reputed to be bad or average are interesting things. Interesting because, more often than not, they don't mean too.That's how Jink: Extend is... It's the perfect example of something good, possibly great, turning into something puzzling, JUST because the staff got lazy.And it's a real shame too.Jinki had a few things going for it...Story: 6/10Honestly, the story wasn't bad. In fact, one could say it was semi-intriguing!A girl named Aoba gets kidnapped by unknown captors to pilot a mecha that's known as a Jinki.Aoba herself is an interesting heroine too, in that she herself is a fan of mecha model kits(it's actually pretty cute!), and doesn't seem to mind piloting it... In fact, she REALLY wants too!So what causes her to be resilient towards the whole predicament? Her mother. Aoba's mother abandoned her at an early age for an unknown reason. Sure, so far it sounds like nothing special, but subtle role-rearranging made everything surprisingly fresh!And that's what automatically created a lot of curiosity within me, as to how a formula that's been done before that received new life, transform into something that just plain crashes...The sad truth came right around the corner. The truth is, the story isn't really about Aoba, or her mother's wicked acts. Well, it is, but the whole beginning arc is aimed towards something other than what was initially believed(misleading premise).And that would've been okay, except that the true plot never gets properly pieced together. Everything up to episode 6-7 is lively and fresh only for viewers to realize that it was nothing more than the calm before the storm.And that storm isn't a "WOW, what a plot twist!!!", but a "Jeez, this isn't what I was expecting..."And since the series is only 12 episodes long, that doesn't give it NEARLY enough time to reveal everything. At the end of the series, it just tries to trick us into thinking that it was about Aoba and her mother's actions. And that, too, would've been alright as well, except that with all the additives mixed in we can't help but think "yep, I can't believe that's it."And that right there is Jinki's greatest weakness.Art: 8/10Artistically speaking, it's quite sound.What stands out the most are the female character designs(at first anyway). Aoba's figure and facial features clearly look like common moe', yet her reactions are amazingly one-of-a-kind. It also shows her strength as a character as the series progresses.Aoba's mother also has extra villainy reactions that make her more vicious, more hateful, and, ultimately, more enjoyable.The male designs are uninspiring, look a little plain, and just kinda sit there when things happen. Even when the action occurs, they're cheaply animated. It's a good thing the majority of the cast are females(at first anyway...)!Mecha designs are, surprisingly, a treat. The primary Jinki looks ordinary at first, moves with fluidity and with presence. The Jinki "feels" like a giant robot, in short.What sucks about the art later on, is how droll everything gets once the story's focus changes(another side-effect on the shift-change).Multiple characters pop out of nowhere. All borrow the same designs. All get old. Quickly.Sound: 9/10One of the highlights about Jinki, is the ultra-talented music composer, Kenji Kawai, try to save the show with his musical genius.And let me say that, without his music, this show wouldn't be NEARLY as enjoyable as it was.Moody, pumpy threads of background music course themselves during the mecha sequences, blending seamlessly. They constantly switch too, according to the circumstances. One could say it's not the music per se' that's so good, but the masterful control."Down time" moments are equally done too. Some of the songs resemble his other work on Moribito, ironically(those of you who've seen it will know what I'm talking about!).Sensually gentle songs help make the character development(the very few times it's used) feel more effective and genuine.Simply put, Kenji is WAY too good for this series. But because he's such a talented guy, he tries his best to make the series better than it can be. Admirable, but, sadly, futile...Character: 5/10This is what dragged down everything.While the story was needlessly compressed, it could've been more fun to watch if there weren't SOOO many extra people in the sidelines doing little to nothing, that previous characters were more than capable of doing...I swear, this part is so bad, that I wonder if the staff, themselves were frightened by the time they realized what they've done.The early episodes brought out Aoba's scenario with life and freshness, and that applies to the characters.Once it got "post-Aoba", every previous character got muddled with sudden new faces, popping left and right, that just keeping track of everyone became a challenge and a half.Once it the show declines it affects everything...Enjoyment: 7/10If I were to judge the series based on it's early stages, I'd rank it a 8 or 9.If I were to judge the series based on it's later stages, I'd rank it a 5 or 6.And that's where the 7 comes from.Granted, the later episodes may be frustrating, but they don't completely destroy the show.In addition to Aoba's time, half of what made beginning so fun, was wondering where it would go.So when the later episodes do arrive you get to know, but not without the excess baggage.The baggage may hinder a lot of the comprehension, but the points do get across. You just need to put extra effort into it! Which also, in a weird "can't put my finger on" way, creates another form of enjoyment: Deciphering everything.Even if everything CAN'T be deciphered(curse you Jinki's staff)!!!Jinki doesn't quite lose it's addicting factor in it's later on. It just changes the origin.Overall: 6/10Jinki literally is the definition of the phrase: "Mixed bag"It had nearly everything it needed to be successful as an independent mecha series. But instead of mediocrity or cliche's being the cause of it's downfall, it was it's staff's fault. Weird huh?Jinki: Extend will probably be forever known as "The Series that Never Could, But Tried". Oh, did it try.I have nothing against Jinki, just their producers.+ A rather interestingly fresh and highly enjoyable start. Took old elements and strung them together with subtle changes to make it work.+ Looks and moves better than one would think. Kenji's talent shows off well here as he does in everything he's in. The show is still watchable no matter what.- Later episodes take a huge dive in pacing, writing, direction, and concluding. More characters than a fish school in the Pacific Ocean.- Character designs make it harder to distinguish who's who. While enjoying the entire series IS possible, whether everyone CAN enjoy it is another story entirely.