Lezarion's Anime
take a look at Lezarion's MangaWarning: Ranges from Cowboy Bebop to Yu-Gi-Oh the Movie. Talk about quality gap.
| Seen all▲▼ | Rating▲▼ | Comment▲▼ |
| Akira (movie) | Good (dub & sub) | I feel that every anime fan should see this at some point. It is just one of those titles that really cemented the art form in the cultural eye. The story may be adequate at best (see my review of the manga for more details), but the visuals and iconic moments in this movie are simply mind-blowing. I cannot say it is the best anime movie out there whilst maintaing credibility, but go into it expecting to see a turning point in anime history and you'll be able to appreciate it. |
| Baccano! (TV) | Very good (sub), Masterpiece (dub) | While some may balk at my rating, I will contend that this is one of the best anime on the market. The only possible flaw is a unique take on storytelling methods, but it is facetious to criticize it for this reason. Baccano! is not confusing at all if you follow the tone cues and watch it more than once. You will watch it more than once, too, as it is the easiest anime I know of for repeated viewings. It has a wide myriad of lovable characters, excellent stylistic choices, and some of the best music to represent the time. I have a particular fondness for gangsters, and this show reminded me what draws me to this way of life … minus the killing and the torture. |
| Barefoot Gen (movie) | Very good | This movie gem is one part tragic history, two parts overcoming adversity in hardship, and a dash of Shonen idealism. When compared to Grave of the Fireflies (a rather gentle, feminine look at Post-war Japan), this movie places our favorite hard-headed stereotype into a horrific landscape. Barefoot Gen, though, would be traumatizing otherwise. Whereas Grave is tragic and nearly hopeless by the end, Gen meets adversity and overcomes it in minute ways. Barefoot Gen requires these tired stereotypes to survive, but I greatly respect that fact. Highly recommended, but not for the faint of heart. |
| Blood: The Last Vampire (movie) | Bad | This movie is a gothic action flick, and I say that with as much disgust as possible. The art is gray and bland, action scenes are “satisfyingly” grandiose (meaning STEEOOPID), and characterization went the way of Vampire respectability. Blood+ fan or no, I can’t really recommend this one. |
| Castle in the Sky (movie) | Excellent (dub & sub) | One of my favorite Miyazaki films, this movie perfectly captures his fascinations with fantasy, flight, and feminism. The characters are memorable and (more importantly) likable, and the style maintains that grainy look that screams nostalgia. While maybe not his best film, this is one movie that belongs on your shelf. |
| (The) Cat Returns (movie) | Weak | Strange at best and silly at worst, this is a good movie for the young and easily-inspired. I would relegate its purchase to the Miyazaki completionist, but not to an everyday otaku. However, if you find his youthful joie-de-vie films more enjoyable than his adult fantasticals, watch it with youthful delight. |
| Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion (TV) | Good (dub & sub) | Melodrama aside (and holy crap is there loads of that), I had one major problem with this one. CLAMP’s characters do not really fit here. Their lanky and overexpressive designs are meant to communicate emotion, not political subtext. While emotion is important here, imagine Code Geass with the art style of Deathnote. Yeah, get my point now? |
| Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 (TV) | Good (dub & sub) | R2, in many respects, is superior to the original. However, if you are watching it, you probably already know a lot about the first part. Just know that it ends well, there are plenty of “epic” moments, yet all the issues of the first persist. As a whole, this series is good. Just not quite as good as it spiritual brother, Deathnote. Enjoy, but PLEASE do not become a fanboy! |
| Cowboy Bebop (TV) | Excellent (sub), Masterpiece (dub) | Honesty time, reader. I did not like Bebop on my first viewing. I found the lack of a connecting narrative rather odd, the characters were bland, and the English sub was above par, yet not spectacular. THEN, I watched it again with the English dub. The connecting narrative exists within the beats and tones of the atmosphere, the characters have a subtle quality that is lovably realistic, and this dub… nothing describes how well done it is. While a general knowledge of fringe counter-culture makes the show better (especially classic rock), Bebop can be enjoyed on a surface level as well as while plunging into the depths of its world. Undoubtedly a masterpiece, and highly recommended to any otaku. |
| Cowboy Bebop: The Movie | Excellent | This is another episode of Bebop, with a bigger budget. While it doesn’t have the cultural significance (or subtle fringe references), I still found this to be an outstanding film version of a fantastic series. If you like Bebop (and you should!), you’ll like this just as much. |
| Death Note (TV) | Very good (dub & sub) | This show has style, atmosphere, visuals, character, and intensity, but (like Light) it lacks one thing in its quest for power: SOUL. For a show billed as dark and mature, it really only succeeds in one of these endeavors. Fans and critics alike know which I refer to. Deathnote is an intense thriller, with plenty of awe-inspiring moments and great twists in plot. Complicated interplay and any shred of believability are lost in the second half, but I am willing to forgive this flaw. When a shows biggest detriment is its fanbase, it must be doing a lot right. Deathnote is no exception. |
| Desert Punk (TV) | Good | Desert Punk is perverted. Not in the pervy-old-man way. Not in the panty-shot way. Not in the ugly transvestite way. More of an amalgamation of all of the above. The first half of this series is borderline hentai at times: to put it simply, it can get really creepy. If you like your shows perverted to a point of weird hilarity, this show is for you. While it does get heavier in the second half, it is well-done and better than expected. However, if any of the adjectives used in my first few sentences scare you, you can find other anime you will like far more. |
| Digimon Adventure (TV) | Not really good | Digimon Adventure is one of the best seasons of the Digimon franchise. It has everything that is good about this series, as well as everything that Pokémon lacked. It has many flaws, but if you really want to relive your youth and bask in nostalgia, this season will cure the yearning. |
| Digimon Frontier (TV) | Not really good | After a couple of lackadaisical seasons, Digimon (to my utter surprise) returned to form with Frontier. I admit, I find many parts of this show ee-rolling. Turning into monsters, for instance, drastically changes the formula. However, the last few story arcs are especially engaging. This show is a rather unique one within Digimon, and I think it deserves a lot of credit for bringing the series back from the depths of failure. |
| Ergo Proxy (TV) | Good | Sexy, atmospheric, but overall subsiding on visuals. This is a shame, too, since it could have been quite a lot more. I can easily recommend this series to the action or sci-fi junkie, but in doses for anyone else |
| Eureka Seven (TV) | So-so | This is one of my least favorite BONES constructions, which is not the worst review to give it. It has a touching story, an interesting battle mechanic, and good (if not shallow) characters. It all just not mesh together as well as some of their better work. I suggest watching an episode or two in spare time. You won’t be disappointed if you look though the minor issues. |
| Fairy Tail (TV) | Decent | This show just started, so I will not give a full review. Just know that the manga is very good, and the anime seems to be treading similar ground. |
| Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (movie) | Weak | Ugh. Really, fanboys? This is one of your precipices? I thought this movie was nigh-on garbage. This show may be pretty to look at (albeit with an empty mind and heart), but that does not make it good. Pretty boys doing flashy things is NOT entertainment. This is not Ouran. Character designs look like lifeless mannequins, settings are beautiful but ultimately meaningless, and the story is borderline nonexistent. Even lip-syncing is poorly executed, which should have been solid for this. I was not only disappointed in this; I was face-palming throughout. |
| FLCL (OAV) | Decent | I need to watch this again, but I found it to be… well, I’m not really sure what to say. FLCL is hard to describe without the f word. If you are made uncomfortable by perverted humor, don’t watch this. If you like this type of abstract strangeness, FLCL may just leave you speechless. |
| Fullmetal Alchemist (TV) | Excellent | Just to let you know, I can easily call this a masterpiece. So why did I choose excellent? I think there are minor story flaws. This could be because of my obsession and passion for the manga, which I read before I knew there was an anime. If I seperate them, they are both masterpieces. I just want to show the difference of quality by rating the slightly inferior anime just a little less than the masterpiece of a manga. If you like this anime (and you should or you have no taste), read the manga for a slightly different yet altogether more powerful experience. |
| Fullmetal Alchemist: The Movie - Conqueror of Shamballa | So-so | |
| Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo (TV) | Excellent | |
| Ghost Hunt (TV) | Not really good | |
| Grave of the Fireflies (movie) | Masterpiece | |
| Gurren Lagann (TV) | Excellent | |
| Haibane Renmei (TV) | Very good | |
| Hellsing (TV) | Awful | |
| Heroic Age (TV) | Decent | |
| Howl's Moving Castle (movie) | Excellent | |
| Kino's Journey (TV) | Very good | |
| Kurau: Phantom Memory (TV) | Decent | |
| Last Exile (TV) | Excellent | |
| Lucky Star (TV) | Weak | |
| Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (movie) | Good | |
| (The) Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (TV) | Good | |
| Millennium Actress (movie) | Masterpiece | |
| Monster (TV) | Very good | |
| Monster Rancher (TV) | Good | |
| Mushi-Shi (TV) | Excellent | |
| Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (movie) | Very good | |
| Neon Genesis Evangelion (TV) | Good | |
| Now and Then, Here and There (TV) | Good | |
| One Piece (TV 1999) | Very good | |
| One Piece: Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island (movie 6) | Very good | |
| One Piece: Chinjō Shima no Chopper Ōkoku (movie 3) | Not really good | |
| One Piece: Dead End (movie 4) | Very good | |
| One Piece: Mega Mecha Soldier of Karakuri Castle (movie 7) | Good | |
| One Piece: Nejimaki Shima no Bōken (movie 2) | Good | |
| One Piece: The Curse of the Sacred Sword (movie 5) | So-so | |
| One Piece: The Movie | Not really good | |
| Ouran High School Host Club (TV) | Excellent | |
| Paprika (movie) | Good | |
| Paranoia Agent (TV) | Excellent | |
| Pecola (TV) | Decent | |
| Perfect Blue (movie) | Very good | |
| Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (movie) | Good | |
| Princess Mononoke (movie) | Very good | |
| Rurouni Kenshin: Trust & Betrayal (OAV) | Excellent | |
| Samurai Champloo (TV) | Excellent | |
| Shaman King (TV 2001) | Not really good | |
| Soul Eater (TV) | Good | |
| Spice and Wolf (TV) | ||
| Spirited Away (movie) | Masterpiece | |
| Steamboy (movie) | Not really good | |
| Trigun (TV) | Excellent | |
| Viewtiful Joe (TV) | Awful | |
| Welcome to the NHK (TV) | Masterpiece | |
| Wolf's Rain (TV) | Good | |
| X (movie) | Awful | |
| Yu-Gi-Oh! (movie 1999) | Worst ever | |
| Yu-Gi-Oh! (TV 2/2000) | Not really good |