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Seen some Rating Comment
Ah! My Goddess (TV) Good
Amatsuki (TV) Decent
Basilisk (TV) Very good Darker, more realistic ninja action, especially for those who are tired of ninjas running around wearing orange jumpsuits, for example.
Basquash! (TV) So-so
(The) Big O (TV) Good
Bincho-tan (TV) Weak Well, I guess if you like "kawaii" then you'll probably like this, but... nothing really happens, as far as I can tell. And not in a good way, like, say, Kinos Journey. More like the boring way.
Black Lagoon (TV) Good Good animation and interesting (if somewhat generic) characters, mostly let down by the absence of a driving plot.
Bleach (TV) Decent
Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-chan (TV) Worst ever
Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo (TV) Worst ever A comedy that falls flat due to trying much too hard to be crazy simply for the sake of being crazy. A total waste of time.
Bokurano (TV) Not really good I watched the first 10 episodes of this, and all was good. An orginal concept, good characterisation, and a dark, intriguing story. Then I read the manga it's based on... and suddenly it felt like I was forcing myself to watch any more. Because the anime is a pale shadow in comparison to the manga. And this seems to be the problem with Moriho Kitoh's work in general - it's incredibly powerful, but there's no way that such a story could be shown on TV. Thus we get a watered-down version, which fails to do justice to the source material. Ultimately, some things simply will not benefit from an anime adaptation, and this is one of them.
(Le) Chevalier D'Eon (TV) Excellent
Coyote Ragtime Show (TV) So-so
D.Gray-man (TV) So-so
Damekko Dōbutsu (TV) So-so
Darker than Black (TV) Decent
Death Note (TV) Very good
Denpa teki na Kanojo (OAV) Excellent
Disgaea (TV) Bad The game the anime is based on is awesome - so awesome, in fact, that in spite of adaptations rarely equalling or surpasing their source, I still thought the anime would be well-received. Somehow, they managed to mess it up. "Somehow" in this case referring to rearranging the story, failing to properly deliver the jokes that made the game funny, and having some awful artwork and animation.
Dokkoida?! (TV) So-so
ef: a tale of memories (TV) Good
El Cazador de la Bruja (TV) Not really good
Fantastic Children (TV) Very good
Flag (ONA) Very good
Genshiken (TV) Very good
Ghost Slayers Ayashi (TV) So-so
Gintama (TV) Not really good
Girl's High (TV) Bad
Glass Maiden (TV) So-so
(The) Gokusen (TV) So-so Not a bad series, but very similar to GTO - to which it doesn't compare favourably.
Gravitation (TV) Very good
Gunparade March (TV) Decent
H2O ~Footprints in the Sand~ (TV) Weak
.hack//Liminality (OAV) Weak
.hack//Roots (TV) Not really good
Hakaba Kitarō (TV) Bad
Haré+Guu (TV) Good
Hataraki Man (TV) So-so
Hayate the Combat Butler (TV) Decent
He Is My Master (TV) Awful Just what you're looking for, assuming you want nothing but maid nipples. Every episode, and as many times as possible. This is what they were referring to when they warned you against wasting your life away in school.
Hell Girl (TV) So-so From what I watched (I dropped it after a handful of episodes) it's a very episodic show, in a monster-of-the-week variety, except that instead of a monster it's someone else getting rather spectacular revenge, then having their soul taken. Doing an episodic show is difficult - while series like Mushishi may be able to make each episode interesting enough to keep people coming back to them, others - like Hell Girl - don't have the same creative spark. I found the episodes unmemorable, with characters whose development was so brief it was hard to sympathise with them. What I've heard from others who've seen the series in full indicated that while the motivations of people calling on Enma Ai (the hell girl herself) vary, and our red-eyed protagonist gets given some character development, any sort of underlying plot is, while present after a time, somewhat sidelined by new characters seeking revenge.
Hero Tales (TV) So-so
Himawari! (TV) Not really good
Honey and Clover (TV) Excellent
Ichigo 100% (TV) Bad
Indian Summer (OAV) Awful
Interlude (OAV) Very good
Intrigue in the Bakumatsu - Irohanihoheto (TV) So-so
Inukami! (TV) Awful
Inuyasha (TV) So-so
ItaKiss (TV) Good
K-ON! (TV) So-so
Kamichama Karin (TV) Good
Kanokon: The Girl Who Cried Fox (TV) Awful
Kekkaishi (TV) Decent
Kiba (TV) Not really good
Kimi ga Aruji de Shitsuji ga Ore de (TV) Weak
Koi Suru Tenshi Angelique: Kokoro no Mezameru Toki (TV) Not really good
Kurozuka (TV) So-so
Kyōran Kazoku Nikki (TV) Awful
Lemon Angel Project (TV) Bad
Library War (TV) So-so
Lil' Red Riding Hood Cha-Cha (TV) Decent
Love Hina (TV) So-so
Love Love? (TV) Awful Panty-shot show. Only memorable to me for being the cause of the phrase "Love pantangle" being coined. Like a love triangle, but 5 of them. Plus panties.
Loveless (TV) So-so Yaoi catboys and dull magical battles don't hold my interest.
Magical Canan (TV) Not really good
Mahoraba ~Heartful days~ (TV) So-so
Minami-ke (TV) Decent
Monochrome Factor (TV) Bad
Monster (TV) Very good A good series, but I stopped watching the anime in preference to the manga. The anime's hardly a bad adaptation, but I think both the artwork and pacing come off slightly worse than in the manga.
Moonlight Mile (TV) Bad Moonlight Mile is a show about men. Manly men. Virile manly men. To get this point across, the two heavily muscled protagonists spend their time engaged in manly activities such as mountain climbing, baseball, construction work, racing, flying aircraft, imbibing copious amounts of alcohol (with no negative effect) and having sex with many women. Oh, and they're smarter than computers. I think one of them got blown up at some point, but I have no doubt he'll turn out to be alive - it takes more than a few SAMs to kill a real man... Gods I hated this anime. I can only put the fact that I sat through (nearly) 4 episodes down to extreme procrastination. Since none of the characters seemed to be about to die of syphilis or liver failure (either would've been fine, and probably accurate), I've dropped this series.
MoonPhase (TV) So-so
My Bride is a Mermaid (TV) Decent
Myself; Yourself (TV) So-so
Nabari no Ou (TV) Not really good
NANA (TV) Good
Naruto (TV) Decent
Negima! (TV) Weak
Nodame Cantabile (TV) Excellent
One Piece (TV 1999) Decent Possibly my favourite of the SJ anime, with the exception of Hunter X Hunter. It doesn't take itself quite as seriously as some of the others, which works to it's credit.
Over Drive (TV) Bad I'm not a fan of sports anime at the best of times, and giving this one the most pathetic lead I've seen didn't help its chances none.
Papuwa (TV) Awful Potential winner of the "Ugliest anime" award. Even uglier than the bishounen in Shichihenge. Fast-food plot (slightly damp, and reminiscent of cardboard) and unfunny jokes send this series plummeting to near the bottom of the rankings.
Patapata Hikōsen no Bōken (TV) Good
Peacemaker (TV) So-so
Peach Girl (TV) So-so
Persona -trinity soul- (TV) So-so
Pita-Ten (TV) Weak
Princess Princess (TV) Weak
Pumpkin Scissors (TV) So-so
Ramen Fighter Miki (TV) Good
Real Drive (TV) Decent
Red Garden (TV) Good
Rental Magica (TV) Weak
Rocket Girls (TV) So-so
Rosario + Vampire (TV) Bad 10 seconds til facepalm, corresponding to the first panty shot in the series.
Rumbling Hearts (TV) Very good
S.A (TV) Weak
Saiyuki (TV) Decent Makes you realise that India must be a very very long way away... Bunch of bishounen fight demons, repeat ad nauseum. The fights and the jokes are pretty average, and get old fast with this number of episodes... and there're more series after this.
Samurai Deeper Kyo (TV) So-so
Sengoku Basara - Samurai Kings (TV) So-so
Shangri-La (TV) So-so
Shigofumi - Letters from the Departed (TV) Good
Shugo Chara! (TV) So-so
Shura no Toki: Age of Chaos (TV) Decent
Sketchbook ~full color'S~ (TV) Good
Sola (TV) So-so This series was ok for a while, but at around the halfway point I pretty much figured out how the rest of the story was going to go, and lost all motivation to finish watching it.
Solty Rei (TV) Decent
Speed Grapher (TV) So-so Stylish anime with a fairly original premise, but seems to have degraded into "monster of the week" at the moment...
Stellvia (TV) Decent
Sukisho (TV) Decent
Sumomomo Momomo - Chijō Saikyō no Yome (TV) Weak
Tenshi na Konamaiki (TV) So-so
(The) Third: The Girl with the Blue Eye (TV) Decent
Those Who Hunt Elves (TV) Decent
Tide-Line Blue (TV) Decent
True Tears (TV) Not really good
Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE (TV) So-so
Ultimate Girls (TV) Bad The first episode made me laugh, which just about raises it out of the "awful" category, but every proceeding episode is pretty much identical, with an endless parade of suggestive monsters and giant women with dissolving clothes. Urgh.
Ushio & Tora (OAV) So-so
Utawarerumono (TV) Good If ever an anime reminded me of the Dynasty Warriors series, this would be it. It was good fun up until they added mecha, whereupon I stopped watching it. I was expecting them to pull some sort of plot out of their arses, but I was still expecting better than that.
Valkyria Chronicles (TV) Decent
Vampire Knight (TV) Decent
Vandread (TV) So-so
Venus to Mamoru (TV) Not really good
(The) Wallflower (TV) Weak
Welcome to the NHK (TV) Decent
xxxHOLiC (TV) So-so
Yakitate!! Japan (TV) Very good
Yu-Gi-Oh! (TV 2/2000) Bad "Aha, but that trggers my trap card - which has never been seen previously, nor will ever be seen hereafter - allowing me to destoy all of your monsters and win at the last possible moment!". The only real plus points I can think of for this are that it's not so offensive as to make me hate it (thus saving itself from a lower ranking purely by grace of its bland nature), and the unofficial abridged series, which is quite a bit funnier if you've watched the original.
Zatch Bell (TV) Not really good
Zoids (TV) Weak

Seen all Rating Comment
Air (TV) Masterpiece Air is the evolution of Kanon, and it surpases it's predecessor in every way. The sound and animation are both exceptional, and the story more mystical (and compelling) than that of Kanon. Not for everyone, and the pacing in particular may put some off, but definitely worth a look.
Air In Summer (special) Good A nice expansion, but I can't see that it was really necessary. Only recommended for those who just can't get enough of Air. Which would be me >.>
Akira (movie) So-so Well, I know it's supposed to be a classic, staple of the medium and all that, but this never really appealed to me. The fact that I'd just seen Haibane Renmei a few days prior may have had an impact on my opinion of it, but it just seemed rather crude.
(The) Animatrix (OAV) Decent
Appleseed (OAV) Bad
Appleseed (movie) So-so
Azumanga Daioh (TV) Very good
Baccano! (TV) Excellent
BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad (TV) Very good If you can't see past the music, engrish and the colouring of this series it would be a shame, because you'd be missing out on an excellent, realistic coming-of-age story.
Boogiepop Phantom (TV) Excellent
BPS - Battle Programmer Shirase (TV) Not really good While this series had it's moments - a couple jokes that made me laugh, some fun battles - most of what sticks in my mind is in the negative. Three points in particular that turned me off - 1. The poor animation. This is probably one of the lowest budget series I've seen, and it shows. 2. The horrible canned laughter that they played, it really grated. 3. The fact that the main character kept trying to get a load of his prepubescent niece. And there was more loli fanservice on top of that.
Candy Boy (ONA) Very good
(The) Cat Returns (movie) Decent
Chaos;HEAd (TV) So-so
Chrono Crusade (TV) Decent
Clannad (TV) Excellent
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion (TV) Excellent
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 (TV) Excellent
Comedy (OAV) Masterpiece
Cowboy Bebop (TV) Decent Competently done, but let down by little to no story continuity between episodes, and uninteresting characters.
Cowboy Bebop: The Movie Decent Just a longer episode of Cowboy Bebop. More of the same.
Crest of the Stars (TV) Very good
D.N.Angel (TV) So-so
Den-noh Coil (TV) Excellent
Destiny of the Shrine Maiden (TV) Good
Di Gi Charat: Winter Garden (special) So-so
Don't Tell Mother Maria (special) Very good "Out-takes" from the OVA episodes. Funny, provided you've just watched the relevant OVA.
Dragon Half (OAV) Good
Elfen Lied (TV) Bad Gory violence and gratuitous fanservice stapled to a plot with more holes than metaphorical swiss cheese. In other words, nothing to interest me. Although it does get some small credit due to pacing and artwork.
Eureka Seven (TV) Decent Was pretty good for the most part, but I don't know what the hell they were thinking with that ending.
Excel Saga (TV) Very good Wacky, hyperactive anime, an excellent satirical comedy with the unexpected touching moment.
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (movie) Good Graphically unparalleled with amazing action sequences, but all sparkle and no substance.
FLCL (OAV) Masterpiece Wacky, colourful series, the best coming-of-age anime around.
Fruits Basket (TV 1/2001) Good
Full Metal Panic! (TV) Good Big stompy robots and school comedy, but doesn't do enough to really distinguish itself.
Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid (TV) Excellent A welcome change of focus from mech battles to quality character development. However, the shorter series length can lead to some episodes feeling rushed, and some characters being somewhat ignored.
Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu (TV) Excellent
Full Moon o Sagashite (TV) Very good
Full Moon o Sagashite: Cute Cute Adventure (special) Weak An blatant attempt to cash in on a successful series that lacks the charm of the original.
Fullmetal Alchemist (TV) Excellent
Fullmetal Alchemist: The Movie - Conqueror of Shamballa So-so
Futakoi Alternative (TV) Good
Gad Guard (TV) Decent
Gakuen Alice (TV) Good While a plot synopsis would probably just make this show sound like it was made entirely of cliche, the writing of the series sets it above others of the same ilk. Sadly it never fulfils the potential that it has, and the ending in particular seems a bit rushed - to be expected, perhaps, from a series that was intended to last 52 episodes but was cut to 26.
Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo (TV) Excellent Varied, entertaining characters, and wonderful animation stylings. Although fans of the original work may be disappointed by the reworking.
Ghost Hunt (TV) Excellent For me, Ghost Hunt is one of those series I like much more than their actual quality would suggest, in that even though it has some fairly obvious flaws I enjoy watching it so much that I don't mind them at all. One point I really like about the series is the way everything builds up, both in the individual arcs and the series as a whole. If you consider the series, the first few arcs are relatively mild, just giving you an introduction to the way things work - until the second arc it wasn't clear if ghosts even existed in the series or not. Whereas by the final arcs things are a lot more intense - way beyond setting up a few cameras. The individual arcs all progress at a good pace, and the variety of stories and situations always keeps things fresh and interesting. However one of my main criticisms of the show is that the solutions to the mysteries were all way too obvious - after the first arc (when I didn't know if psychic powers existed in the story) I pretty much figured them all out well in advance, and occasionally found myself thinking "For goodness sake, go f*** him/her/it up already!" ^^; . This variety of situations works to bring out the different characters well. Although apart from Mai (I'll get to her later) they're nothing special in terms of depth of character they seem like fairly original characters, and although they don't get any true growth through the series it's fun to see different aspects of them revealed, either in action against an opponent, or in the well-written interaction between the characters which makes the series more than just a case of mystery after mystery - the series becomes as much about seeing the characters as it is about the mysteries. Mai, on the other hand, is almost the opposite. While she starts out a bog-standard schoolgirl stereotype (telling ghost stories, getting giddy over some handsome guy) her growth throughout the series is awesome to watch, until by the end she's as valued a member of the team as any of them (apart from Naru, of course ^^; ). To me, the artwork and animation didn't appear to be anything special - they seemed to do the job without being anything breathtaking, but also without presenting anything in so poor a fashion for the atmosphere to suffer. The audio on the other hand I did notice - unusual for me, I'm normally to dense to notice things like that - and I was impressed by it, both the ghostly sound effects and the music that always kicked in at the right moment. I remember when I first saw the opening I was decidedly unimpressed - it was very reminiscent of the early 1990's style of ghost shows which were universally poor - but as I watched more it grew on me, until it seemed like a fairly appropriate opening in light of the series. It could never quite shake of that last hint of cheesiness, however. Ultimately, considering all the points, this series would normally rank a "Very Good" from me, but it's just too much fun... so it gets promoted to excellent :)
Ghost in the Shell (movie) So-so
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence (movie) Decent Impressive artwork and animation, and an ok story, but my god the pretension.
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (TV) Very good
(The) Girl Who Leapt Through Time (movie) Very good
Grave of the Fireflies (movie) Good
Gunslinger Girl (TV) Excellent
.hack//Intermezzo (OAV) Not really good Eh, just a standalone episode in the .hack universe. And not an especially interesting one, at that. Whether you should watch it or not just depends on how much you like the series, I guess.
.hack//SIGN (TV) Good
.hack//Unison (OAV) So-so A nice little wrapping-up to the .hack series, but that's all it is.
Haibane Renmei (TV) Masterpiece It's a common question that you'll hear in on anime forums - "What's the best anime? What's your favourite anime?" And while I honestly don't know if any title can truly be called the best, I always answer Haibane Renmei. Of course, this is solely based on my own opinion, ignoring such factors as mass appeal. Shows like this that focus on realistic charatcers and the interplay between them are hardly ones that attract a great deal of attention - there are no significant action, comedy, or romance sequences, already leaving it looking pretty thin on the ground. It can often attract negative comments like "slow pacing" or "nothing much happens". However, nothing could be further from the truth - each episode is filled with character development, which in turn is intrinsically linked to the plot progression. The story itself is split into two parts, the first seven episodes focussing on Rakka and the world she finds herself in, and the last six on Reki, a Haibane who cared for Rakka, and the fate of the Haibane. The story is told smoothly throughout, driven by the mysterious world that it takes place in. And what a world it is. From the giant walls which absorb the feelings of those they encircle to the silent Toga whose mouths are bound and whose eyes are covered this is quite a feat of imagination, brilliantly brought forth by a muted palette of colours. The music works well, adding emphasis to the moods of the scenes, quite an important factor in such a character driven series. While Haibane Renmei is not as artistically brilliant as series like Mushishi, for a series five years its senior it still holds it's own against brand new series. The way colours are used also shows a lot of subtlety, quite a rarity... This subtlety is evident too in the way the story is played out rather than spoon-fed to the viewer - this isn't like some detective story where they explain every clue at the finale. Unravelling the mysteries is left up to you, the answers left open to debate. So, by now you probably have an idea if it's your kind of series or not. For someone like me who places a high value on character development in a series, you'd be hard pressed to find a better one - I never have. For someone looking for some action or some laughs - it'd probably put you to sleep before the end of the second episode.
Hatenkō Yūgi (TV) Very good
Hellsing (TV) Decent Stylish vampire gunslinging action. Really, that's the only reason to watch this - the plot that starts to develop is just left to hang, and the series ends on something of a flat note. A "go read the manga" ending if ever there was one... or now you could watch the OVAs instead.
Higurashi no Naku Koroni Gaiden Nekogoroshi-hen (OAV) So-so
His and Her Circumstances (TV) Excellent One of the best romantic anime series around, and the best one I've seen. And neither the still scenes, nor the cut-out characters on sticks, nor the "go read the manga" ending can disuade me from this. It has a great blend of humour and romance, and the execution of some scenes for the first part at least shows what a skillful director Hideaki Anno is. The lead characters are both likeable, interesting and show plenty of growth throughout the series, and the supporting cast are well-developed. As a final point, the series has THE best music I've ever heard in an anime - the themes for each character/situation are used expertly, really getting the feelings across, and the ending song - Yume no Naka e - just works so well. I may not be able to buy the series, living as I do in the UK, but I sure as hell bought the soundtrack...
Hitohira (TV) Good A fairly standard story of gaining self-confidance, although still entertaining if such things are to your taste. Also gains bonus points for yuri subtext - as per the Yuri Rule (TM) it remains only in the realm of subtext, but it livens up the show.
Howl's Moving Castle (movie) Decent
Hunter X Hunter (TV 1999) Good A Shounen Jump series where the main character isn't the strongest on the planet - who'd have thought it? A more imaginative take on the "kids with super powers" genre.
Hunter X Hunter (OAV) Good
Hunter X Hunter: G I Final (OAV) Good
Hunter X Hunter: Greed Island (OAV) Good
Ichigeki Sacchu!! HoiHoi-san (special) Decent Haha, how very Japanese... a bit of fun for 10 minutes.
Jin-Roh - The Wolf Brigade (movie) Very good
Jing: King of Bandits (TV) So-so
Jinki:Extend (TV) Bad Failed, low-budget Eva clone, it's only saving grace is the ending soundtrack.
Kaiji (TV) Good
Kamichu! (TV) Excellent
Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens (TV) Decent
Kanon (TV 1/2002) Very good
Kanon (TV 2/2006) Excellent
Karin (TV) So-so
Kasimasi - Girl Meets Girl (TV) Good
Kaze no Stigma (TV) Decent
Kill Bill Chapter 3: The Origin of O-Ren (movie segment) So-so
Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World (movie) Very good
Kino's Journey (TV) Masterpiece Kino's Journey is definitely one of my favourite series. The series follows the journeys of a young girl, Kino, as she travels around a strange land. With one exception all the episodes are standalone (and, as is later shown, non-chronological), and there is no overarching story - it's pretty much a case of another town, another episode. The almost inevitable comparison to Kino's Journey is Mushishi, as both are relatively slow-paced episodic series centering around a wandering protagonist. As well as Mushshi, people sometimes compare the atmosphere of Kino's Journey to Serial Experiment Lain, Boogiepop Phantom and Haibane Renmei. The difficulty of producing episodic series like this is in making each episode varied and imaginative enough to keep the series interesting - and Kino's Journey does this admirably. Whereas Mushishi goes for a more mystical, fairytale route, Kino's Journey episodes are more thoughtful and penetrating, with people very much the focus. This can result in some episodes being rather depressing, but I never felt that the series goes too far in that respect (although mileage may vary). Kino herself is quite an interesting character. Quite a bit different from your usual protagonist, she often acts as a neutral observer in the palces she visits. This part of Kino's personality, her non-judgemental nature, is intrinsic in letting the story in each episode play out, and encourages the viewer to think about it. She's not just a vehicle for the viewer though, she does have her own distinct personality - although she is unnaturally self-possessed, she's not always as calm as she appears on the surface, getting just as scared or angry as other people would in her position. She can often appear sagacious beyond her years and yet still be filled with a wonder at the world normally found in much younger children. This makes more sense in light of her backstory. Her personality is slowly revealed more and more as the episodes progress, often in her interation with her companion Hermes, a talking motorbike. Invaluable in the series beyond the mudane travelling from place to place, Hermes acts at varying times as a mirror for Kino's thoughts and a foil for them, as well as providing some moments of comic relief to lighten the tone. The production of the series - artwork, music and so forth - works fine but didn't strike me as anything particularly special. But this is a series that focuses on content after all, so it doesn't need to be. I think that if any series could actualise that it's the journey, not the destination, that matters, it would be this one.
Kino's Travels: Life Goes On (movie) Good It's nice to get some backstory to fill in the gaps in the series, but it doesn't quite reach the same level as the series itself.
Koihime Musō (TV) Weak
Kurenai (TV) Very good
Last Exile (TV) Very good
Last Order Final Fantasy VII (OAV) So-so
(The) Legend of the Galactic Heroes (OAV) Masterpiece Epic space opera. EPIC. While it's age makes some of the art and animation seem a little clumsy compared to more recent titles, it's not too bad. Besides, such things take a back seat to the characters and setting, both of which are masterfully displayed.
Living for the Day After Tomorrow (TV) Good
Looking Up At The Half-Moon (TV) Good
Lucky Star (TV) Good
Lunar Legend Tsukihime (TV) Decent There is no Tsukihime anime.
Macross Zero (OAV) So-so
Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha (TV) Decent
Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A's (TV) Decent
Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS (TV) Good
Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi (TV) Very good I really loved the story, it was good fun and well told - but the excessive fanservice and some poor jokes detracted from it.
Magnetic Rose (movie) Very good
(La) Maison en Petits Cubes (movie) Excellent
Maria Watches Over Us (TV) Very good
Maria Watches Over Us 3rd Season (OAV) Very good
Maria Watches Over Us 4th Season (TV) Very good
Maria Watches Over Us Season 2: Printemps (TV) Very good
Martian Successor Nadesico (TV) Very good
(The) Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (TV) Excellent
Metropolis (movie) Good
Millennium Actress (movie) Excellent
Mind Game (movie) Excellent
Miyori in the Sacred Forest (special) Decent
Mononoke (TV) Excellent
Moribito - Guardian of the Spirit (TV) Good
Mōryō no Hako (TV) Very good
Moyashimon (TV) Very good
Mushi-Shi (TV) Excellent I don't really like giving out masterpiece ratings that often - it just seems like it would cheapen the system. However, Mushishi is about as close as a series can get without me saying it's a masterpiece. First off, the artwork is very realistic - not the most detailed or breathtaking, but the palette, the uses of greens and greys really brings to the forefront the dominant theme of nature. This strong artwork is seen in the character designs too, although here it almost works against itself, characters soon becoming indistinguishable from one another - with the exception of Ginko, the lead, whose character design and startlingly bright eye mean he is often the focus of every scene he's in. The lack of significant differences between other characters becomes somewhat of a moot point, however, as each episode is a self-contained story - Ginko is the only constant. And it is this point which leaves it just short of being a masterpiece for me - the story. While the individual episodes tell fascinating stories, they all effectively tell the same one, and there is no overarching story to give any momentum to the series. Still, to be imaginative enough to keep retelling a similar story in each episode, and for each episode to still keep me just as enthralled as the last, is quite a feat.
My-HiME (TV) Good Very much a series of two parts. The first half slowly introduces all the characters, with monster-of-the-week episodes and altogether too much fanservice for my liking (especially ep.4 ...). However, once this opening arc is over the series suddenly twists, becoming much darker and - to my mind - much more intriguing. The drama really kept me on the edge of my seat at this point. Unfortunately, the last episode was a bit of a letdown. Not entirely unexpectedly, but nonetheless I felt it cheapened the series.
Natsume's Book of Friends (TV) Good
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (movie) So-so While still a Miyazaki film - a name synonymous with high quality - this nevertheless feels somewhat rushed and incomplete. The manga is far superior, which makes me wish this had been made as an OVA series.
Neon Genesis Evangelion (TV) Excellent Certainly one of the most famous anime series, at least in fan circles, and heavily discussed due to its cornucopia of christian symbology and seemingly - to some people, at least - malapropos ending. While some people may view this as another giant robot show, personally and, given the ending, how it was probably intended to be viewed, I see it more as a coming-of-age story. It is truly rare to see so much character depth and development in a series, and as such I find the characters fascinating - although it should be noted that the characters are by no means especially likeable, and have indeed turned many people off from watching the show. The plot accompanying this development is both complex and original, although the show does fall victim to the trap of being cryptic just for the sake of it at times, so it could well require repeat viewing to take in all of what happens. The ending of the series is a major point of controversy, taking place as it does inside the main characters head, which, while a fascinating insight into the true nature of the protagonist, is hardly the dramatic macha action that some people seemed to be expecting. In short then, it is perhaps a series for more reflective people - those who go into the series looking for action will eventually be left disappointed. Not for everyone, but a great, mould-breaking series in it's own right.
Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth (movie) So-so An almost unnecessary movie. The first half is a vain attempt to compress twenty-four TV episodes into the space of one with the usual results, and the second half is identical to the first half of End of Evangelion. I'd only recommend watching it if you don't feel like watching the TV series again.
Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion (movie) Very good
Ninja Scroll (movie) So-so
Noir (TV) Good
Now and Then, Here and There (TV) Excellent Hauntingly familiar series that shows the brutality and senselessness of war.
Only Yesterday (movie) Good
Ouran High School Host Club (TV) Excellent
Paprika (movie) Excellent Vibrant artwork and exceptional music show this to be a top quality production. It's only flaw is in its story, which is somewhat... weak. Too many things happen just because. Still, the energy and expertise of the storytelling makes up for this to a large extent.
Paranoia Agent (TV) Excellent Psychological thriller, very reminiscent of Boogiepop and Perfect Blue. Although more accessible than it's predecessors, and contains moments of dark humour.
Perfect Blue (movie) Excellent Dark, disturbing, and confusing at times, this is a top-notch psychological thriller.
Planetes (TV) Excellent
Princess Mononoke (movie) Excellent
Psychic Academy (ONA) Awful Fanservice and love triangles are the order of the day, with a side order of generic magical powers. The meat and bread of some, I'm sure, but I found it rather unpalatable.
Puni Puni Poemy (OAV) Good
R.O.D -The TV- Good
RahXephon (TV) Good
Read or Die (OAV) Excellent
REC (TV) Good
Requiem from the Darkness (TV) Very good
Revolutionary Girl Utena (TV) Excellent
Revolutionary Girl Utena: The Movie Very good
Rozen Maiden (TV) Very good
Rurouni Kenshin (TV 1996) Good
Rurouni Kenshin: The Motion Picture Decent
Rurouni Kenshin: Trust & Betrayal (OAV) Good
SaiKano: Another Love Song (OAV) Decent
Saki (TV) Very good
Samurai Champloo (TV) Decent
Sayonara Zetsubou-sensei (TV) Very good I thought this was a fun series to watch in short bursts of, say, an episode at a time. The humour is black and dry, often verbal or social, very different from usual anime fare. On top of that, there are some great little snippets that work their way in - some of the writing on the blackboards ("Watch anime in a light room with a dark heart" was one I liked) and things such as yaranaika in the last episode made me laugh. Its way of taking a theme and running with it for half an episode works fairly well, but it can mean that sometimes half of an episode can drag if it doesn't work for you. The art may seem plain compared to other series, but I think it's quite stylish, and works well with the series as a whole. The music, too, is fairly unique for an anime series. I wasn't a big fan of it myself (I wouldn't listen to it by itself, I mean), but it certainly added flavour to the show.
Scrapped Princess (TV) Excellent Sci-fi and fantasy collide head-on, leaving fans of both satisfied.
Serial Experiments Lain (TV) Excellent
Shadow Star Narutaru (TV) Very good
She and Her Cat (OAV) Excellent Only a few minutes long, but truly touching.
Simoun (TV) Very good Simoun has an interesting sci-fi/fantasy vibe about it. While superficially the technology is very advanced, the manner in which it operates, as well as the archaic religious system with a seemingly extant deity, give the series a fantastical air to it. This duality is expressed fairly well in the deity, Tempus Spatium ^^ The story in Simoun has two major elements - first the war, largely beyond the control of the core protagonists, yet ever-present, and the second, the relationships between the main characters. As a war story, I think it's done fairly well - both sides have reasons for fighting, neither side having a monopoly on good or bad people, people make good descisions and bad ones. Basically, it has a feeling of realism to it - maybe not as harshly as something like NTHT does, more shocking scenes kept firmly at a distance in Simoun - but if war is portrayed I prefer it not to be just the goodies beating up the baddies, then everyone lives happily ever after. The relationship side of things is also handled well. It's nothing as tempestuous as many dramas, the characters and the relationships between them slowly outlined and developed as the show progresses, so that by the end of the series you're able to understand the choices each one has made. Other considerations... the artwork was good, effective... the clunky CG much less so, definitely the worst thing about the series for me. I quite liked the OP and ED themes, although I didn't notice anything special about the soundtracks used throughout the series - but then I usually don't. It may not be something to sit down and watch for some light entertainment, and it's certainly got it's flaws (not least of which is the suspension of disbelief necessary to accept the basic premise), but I'd still recommend it to anyone who watches much anime.
Sky Girls (OAV) Weak
(The) Slayers (TV) Good Fantasy fun with swords, spells and a liberal helping of comedy, but nothing special.
(The) Slayers Next (TV) Good
(The) Slayers Try (TV) Good
Spice and Wolf (TV) Good
Spirited Away (movie) Good Reminiscent of a Disney film, this is fun for all the family. An extraordinarily imaginative creation.
Stink Bomb (movie) Weak
(The) Story of Saiunkoku (TV) Very good
Strain: Strategic Armored Infantry (TV) Decent
Summer Wars (movie) Good
Sweet Blue Flowers (TV) Very good
Tenchi Muyo! (OAV 1/1992) So-so
Tenchi Muyo! The Night Before The Carnival (OAV) So-so
Time of Eve (ONA) Masterpiece
Tohai Densetu Akagi -Yamini Maiorita Tensai- (TV) Very good
Tokyo Godfathers (movie) Excellent
(The) Tower of Druaga: The Aegis of Uruk (TV) Decent
(The) Tower of Druaga: the Sword of Uruk (TV) So-so
Trigun (TV) Decent The concept and setting in Trigun are well done and quite original (in anime, at least), but the more "philosophical" component grated on me somewhat.
Twin Spica (TV) Very good
Uta∽Kata (TV) Very good While at first this may appear to be a fairly average, superficial magical girl show, if you underestimate it it'll sneak up on you - a few eye-opening moments around the halfway mark really drew me in. Also, the messages put across in the series were surprisingly mature compared to the sort of thing normally found in this genre. All things considered, I have no idea who the target audience for this is.
Uta∽Kata (OAV) Weak This seems to me to be one an OVA made solely to cater for people who were unhappy with the way the series ended - similar to the FMA movie, in many ways. As someone who thought the series ending was perfectly appropriate, this was pretty much a waste of time for me.
Vampire Hunter D (OAV) Not really good
Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (movie) Decent
(The) Vision of Escaflowne (TV) Good A true classic with something for everyone, however the characters had a tendancy to really get on my nerves.
Voices of a Distant Star (OAV) Masterpiece Short, poetic movie, filled with emotion and backed up by breathtaking artwork.
When They Cry - Higurashi (TV) Excellent
When They Cry - Kai (TV) Excellent
When They Cry - Rei (OAV) Very good
Whisper of the Heart (movie) Good
Windy Tales (TV) Very good
Witch Hunter Robin (TV) Good Very stylish, but takes a while to get moving and is episodic for the most part.
Wolf's Rain (TV) Good Entertaining post-apocalyptic epic, if only the characters were as interesting as the world they were in.
Wolf's Rain (OAV) Very good All the stops are pulled out for the finale.
X (TV) Excellent
Yamibo - Darkness, the Hat, and the Travelers of the Books (TV) Good
Zettai Shonen (TV) Very good