Oh man it’s been awhile…sorry for the gap between posts, working full time can be hard.
So we all know that SquareEnix (in the past known as Squaresoft) is responsible for some of the most classic and well known RPG’s in the history of video games. We expect a lot out of SquareEnix…good graphics, uber realistic fantasy characters, compelling and usually heartbreaking story lines…but what I’ve noticed is that SquareEnix is branching out a little more lately and “spreading it’s wings” so to speak.
First example is SquareEnix’s DS game, The World Ends with You.
Making my way through this game was tough especially with the confusing battle style of having to control two fighters at once but what keeps me going is the visuals. Instead of their usual realistic characters dressed up in fantasy costumes, it’s different. The World Ends with You is all about Music, Style and Fashion. The characters have a 2D vector/comic Look to them that have bold outer edges and bright vivid colors. They aren’t afraid to push the character designs.The World Ends With You is really a contemporary game. It isn’t set in any other place or time in the past, it’s set in present day Shibuya (that’s in Tokyo by the way) and the gameplay and the style of the characters reflects that. It’s interesting to watch the game unfold because SquareEnix has never been this bold before. I like it
Second example is the relatively new anime series Soul Eater.
Yes! SquareEnix has branched it’s way out into animation. I know they’ve done so in the past but this is a major leap for them. It is so good. I have been pushing it on every person I know who enjoys anime because it is just such a fantastic show. Soul Eater is the kind of show that will grab you in from the get go because even before meeting the characters or watching the opening credits you’ll go ‘Wow! I have never seen anything like this before.’ The set designs and character designs are unlike any other anime I’ve ever seen. SquareEnix has really managed to push their limits and surpass their previous boundaries. They’re slowly breaking free of the mold of Final Fantasy that has categorized them for so long. What really impresses me about Soul Eater is the actual animation. I believe that many Japanese anime shows are falling into a category, the category of anime with no real animation. You know what I mean right? Where instead of anything really being animated it’s just well placed cuts and editing magic that make an anime successful, but Soul Eater is something I haven’t seen in a long time. It’s fluid. It’s smooth. The opening fight scene in episode one against Jack the Ripper is perfection.
Perfectly choreographed, Maka’s movements look like an elegant dance compared to her other similiar anime counterparts. And that’s only the first episode, the movements continue to impress as the series continues forward. And that’s what excites me about this series. The story is compelling. The characters are unique and nowhere near perfect. Every character has their weakness and that weakness is easily exploited in the series, (Maka’s lack of self-confidence, Soul’s desire for forbidden power, Black Star’s uncontrollable actions and his bold yet hasty decisions, Tsubaki’s meekness, Death the Kid’s OCD compulsion towards symmetry…etc etc) thus making each character’s triumph even more satisfying. The story is hilarious, this is one of the few shows that makes me laugh out loud: (for a major laugh fest watch Episode 14, my current favorite). The animation is top notch, the design is new and eye catching. Bright colors and almost Tim Burton-esque lines and patterns give Death City an edgy, eye catching sense of Gothic style.
Do I need to say more or do you get it now? GO WATCH THIS SHOW. You will not disappointed, I can guarantee that. Way to go SquareEnix! You have once again exceeded my expectations and have branched out to new horizons. 
