Blog 224 > Angel Beats & Dead Monsters

Angel Beats. The beats of an angel. Beats. Wild. Guns. Hurt. Girls. Dead. Monsters. All the key ingredients of a brilliant anime series, eh? Haha, like my last mega-cast, that pretty much sums up another super-quick speed review. Inspiring. Mind-boggling. Heart-breaking. Four of five stars. My maximum for a short 13-episode season. But nonetheless impressive. Yup, about two-and-a-half months ago, on 23 July 2010, I finished my 18th anime title or season of the year. Now, two-and-a-half months later, Angel Beats! still resonates. Huh, haven’t seen it yet? Well, let’s fast-forward through this intro! One-two, one-two-three-four, let’s start the show…

Part 1 of 3 > Vertical Beats

Let me repeat: Angel Beats! Never heard of it before? If not, I’d say the May 2010 cover image (shown above) from the Japanese anime magazine Newtype is a nice visual sample of the anime series. Feel free to enlarge it! In fact, here’s a brief summary from Wikipedia.

Angel Beats! (エンジェルビーツ! Enjeru Bītsu!) is a 13-episode Japanese anime television series produced by P.A. Works and Aniplex and directed by Seiji Kishi. The story was originally conceived by Jun Maeda, who also wrote the screenplay and composed the music with the group Anant-Garde Eyes, with original character design by Na-Ga; both Maeda and Na-Ga are from the visual novel brand Key, who produced such titles as Kanon, Air, and Clannad. The anime aired in Japan between April 3 and June 26, 2010.

Yup, indeed! From the minds of Key, the same creators of Kanon (Blogs 122, 134, 188, 200), Air (Blogs 103, 108, 122) and Clannad (Blogs 168, 182, 195, 211, 212, 219)! As you can tell from all of my blog references, these are three of my favorite anime titles of all-time! So when I stumbled across this Key-noted background tidbit, I said, “Ahh.” Indeed, despite the unique afterlife-oriented action-violence, the style and flow of Angel Beats! carries the same familiar depth of character development and breadth of emotional interaction as these earlier titles. Nice.

Vertical beats. What do I mean by “vertical beats”? Essentially, by gathering over 150 wallpapers and images (wow), I needed to find a logical way to break them down into some categorized structure. For my own convenience. Ultimately, I split them into three sections: (1) vertical poster-type images and their wallpaper derivatives, (2) horizontal magazine-sourced images and their wallpaper derivatives, and (3) larger groups of about 5 or more elements or characters and their wallpaper derivatives. Makes sense? It does? Oh well, if not, simply enjoy the ride!

To celebrate the action-packed Angel Beats! series, here are over 40 high-resolution “vertical beats” ranging from 1000px to 8900px! Huge! Enjoy and feel free to enlarge!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Damn! Amazing set, huh? How’d you like that last massive vertical beat? But here’s another question: Don’t Yuri-chan and Kanade-chan remind you of Haruhi-chan and Yuki-chan from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya series? Then again, doesn’t every anime character remind us of another anime character? Haha, I mean, that’s the nature of Japanese animation, isn’t it?

 

Part 2 of 3 > Horizontal Beats

Horizontal beats. This time, the “horizontal beats” represent the horizontal magazine-sourced images and their wallpaper derivatives, including a few more fantastic fan-art pieces from a few random artists. Quite impressive. To further celebrate the brain-bending Angel Beats! series, here are over 70 high-resolution “horizontal beats” ranging from 1400px to 6400px! Do you think you can find the “Pizza Hut” ad? Enjoy and feel free to enlarge!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wow, another awesome set, eh? So did you find the intriguing “Pizza Hut” ad? Hard to miss it! Ever since the “Pizza Hut” shots first appeared in the Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion series, these ads have been a source of debate and amusement across subsequent anime series. Of course, I’m assuming that Code Geass was the first victim. Does anyone know if “Pizza Hut” or another real-life advertiser ever invaded an even-earlier anime?

 

Part 3 of 3 > Multiple Beats

Multiple beats. Now, for this third and final section, the “multiple beats” represent larger groups of about 5 or more elements or characters and their wallpaper derivatives, including even more fantastic fan-art pieces from even more random artists. There might be one or two exceptions, but you get the idea of multitudes. Rather amazing. To further celebrate the heart-pounding Angel Beats! series, here are over 30 high-resolution “multiple beats” ranging from 1100px to 6000px! Got cats? Got grass? Enjoy and feel free to enlarge!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Got cats? Got grass? Yup, gotta love the huge group scenes! So how was the 150+ wallpaper-poster-and-magazine-art ride? Definitely a memorable anime series which deserves another 150+ wallpapers. But not from me. I think I did more than my share, hehe. Multiple thanks to all the women, from Yuri-chan to Kanade-chan to Yui-chan, Shiina-chan, Yusa-chan, Masami-chan and Girls Dead Monster! But most of all, let’s not forget my Tasty Toyboxers. Thanks for reaching this part of the ride!

Does anyone know if “Pizza Hut” or another real-life advertiser ever invaded an even-earlier anime?

Till next broadcast. Peace. Out.

 

Final Flashback

Not really a flashback, but here’s a fictional computer product from the Angel Beats! series: “Macrosoft Winding XO”. Gotta love that logo! I guess “Winding” software is another way to get “screwed”, haha.

 

16 thoughts on “Blog 224 > Angel Beats & Dead Monsters

  1. What?! Mega posts are back?! Yeei! haha it’s nice to read your blog again Jay.
    You disappeared from the internet! Even from FB! but it’s nice to see you again.

    Angel Beats? mm… isn’t it like K-On? Lol it seems like i’m out of date. I really need to watch some new series ;)

  2. @Shagh-man: Well, actually, mega-casts were never gone. I mean, maybe a few long pauses in between, but never gone. But thanx! As for Facebook, that’s a different story, doesn’t interest me so much anymore, haha. Hmm, I’d say “Angel Beats!” is more like “Melancholy of Haruhi”, but like I mentioned, all recent anime have more or less the same appealing elements, don’t they?
    .-= xjaymanx´s last blog > Blog 224 > Angel Beats & Dead Monsters =-.

  3. “All hail Britannia!”- that ring a bell? I think they showed up in ‘Darker than Black’ as well.
    Do you read Newtype, or did you just snag that cover image for this post? Nice choice for an opening image though, it sorta makes the post look more… official, somehow.
    Seems interesting enough to make me want to give it a try- I don’t know about “The beats of an angel. Beats. Wild. Guns. Hurt. Girls. Dead. Monsters”, but “Inspiring. Mind-boggling. Heart-breaking” is always good:)
    .-= aprilius20´s last blog > For I am become Death- the Destroyer of Worlds =-.

  4. @A20-man: Yup, I only knew of “Code Geass”, “Darker Than Black” and now “Angel Beats”. Then when I checked Pizza Hut on Wikipedia, then mentioned quite a few victims, umm, series. But it still didn’t quite answer my elusive question…

    Thanx! Yeah, once in a while, I’ll start with a poster or cover or my own texted idol photo. I think the text spiced it up nicely, and represents the anime quite fittingly. But “official”? Hmm, perhaps “commercial” is the term we’re fishing for, haha. And no problem, I think I was hooked from the first or second episode. I didn’t even know till later that Key was tied to it, but the animation style definitely looks familiar. “Can we say: Clannad?”
    .-= xjaymanx´s last blog > Blog 224 > Angel Beats & Dead Monsters =-.

  5. Commercial, eh? I don’t know if that’d apply if you’re not selling anything- though I guess you are giving it free publicity, hehe.
    I haven’t watched Clannad either, so I wouldn’t really know (never heard of KEY either), but they do look rather (visually, at least) similar. Sure can’t say that for their respective themes, though:P

  6. @A20-man: Well, by “commercial”, I mean a “commercial look”, lots of text, headlines, flashy slogans, but not necessarily actual monetary gain. If I used an image devoid of text, it doesn’t convey as much “commercialism” so to speak. Not that I needed to. I just liked the text. But yeah, I seem to be giving some free publicity to “Newtype” magazine more than anything else! Ahh, if you mean “respective themes” in terms of angels and monsters, and simply reinterpret these as “supernatural themes” you’d be surprised how similar “Kanon”, “Clannad” and “Angel Beats” are.
    .-= xjaymanx´s last blog > Blog 224 > Angel Beats & Dead Monsters =-.

  7. Yeah, I have to admit, their covers sure are pretty. So much so that I got an issue that targets the gals (Newtype Romance)- it’s full of nothing but pictures of guys, guys, and more guys. ‘Romance’ was hidden behind some Macross guy’s head=.=;;
    Ehh? A monster bashing anime similar to a full-blown romantic anidrama? You’ve fried my circuitry there, haha. Unless you’re talking about whatever subplots run through ’em…

  8. @A20-man: Haha, if “Romance” was hidden, what did you think the “R” really meant?

    As for monsters and romance, sure, why not? I mean, aren’t the more dramatic romances tested best in the midst of danger, heat of pursuit or storm of battle? Star Wars has it. Anakin and Padme. Leia and Solo. Anime is loaded with it. Haruhi and Kyon. Even Lelouch and C.C., perhaps Zero and Kallen, if you stretch your definitions enough.
    .-= xjaymanx´s last blog > Blog 224 > Angel Beats & Dead Monsters =-.

  9. Haha, I don’t think I even noticed the ‘R’ till much later. All I saw was the price- it was on discount and I wanted to buy something cheap to get some small change.

    Well, I was thinking more of the main themes, while ignoring everything else- so it didn’t make sense until I looked at it in the round. Lelouch and C.C.? I’m willing to stretch pretty much anything to go with that;)
    .-= aprilius20´s last blog > Ancient History- Mumblings from the Sickbed =-.

  10. @A20-man: Then I guess “R” really stood for “Rip-off”, eh?

    Hmm, main themes. I guess with Key, the main theme always surrounds a personal journey, where every character, encounter and revelation makes up that journey. The odyssey may not span the same global- or galactic-battle proportions as in other anime, but infusing a supernatural or romantic glimmer more than makes up for that.
    .-= xjaymanx´s last blog > Blog 224 > Angel Beats & Dead Monsters =-.

  11. Sorry it took me so long to comment, I read your post a while back but all the images drove my work comp absolutely bonkers. Angel Beats! is on my to watch list but it’s not that high up there on it. Only because a few of my blogmates gave me the impression is that it was enjoyable but could have been better. It also doesn’t help that I honestly didn’t care for the anime Air, I think I would have liked the plot better if I had played the game. I really like that fanart of the pink haired girl in front of the graffiti wall. I recently saw the figure of that character Angel and I LOVED the wings! But I had just ordered Dizzy to satisfy my wing craving and didn’t want to go too nuts on the pre-orders
    .-= lovelyduckie´s last blog > Aishiteruze Baby Manga Review =-.

  12. @Duckie-chan: Heyyy, when Life calls, you shouldn’t have to apologize. No worries. But nice to hear that IE still wreaks havoc at your job, dare I say, even the latest IE8? ^_~

    Hmm, I’m always skeptical of reviewers who say “could’ve been better” as if it was meant to please only them. I mean, anything and everything “could’ve been better”, haha. Instead, I typically rate them as-is, as stand-alone, based on how it impacted me intellectually and emotionally, not how it might be lacking something another work might have. Though it’s somewhat tougher to separate in the anime world of story and character clones!

    Oh man, with “Air”, my eyes were tearing up with the final episode. Definitely more developed than the “Air” film version. But in the end, “Angel Beats” was a pretty unique ride. Plus with the teasing “epilogues”, I get the impression that a second season might help resolve any “loose ends”, hehe. Can’t wait!

    Who’s Dizzy? From Guilty Gear?
    .-= xjaymanx´s last blog > Blog 224 > Angel Beats & Dead Monsters =-.

  13. I like this blog very much… especially this anime and choose it for my car itasha project… I would like to suggest to my friend about this blog… many ideas can be generate by looking all of lovely anime…
    Nice job do you have bro… All the best

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