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ShadowTrader's Anime

Want to see
Black Lagoon: Roberta's Blood Trail (OAV)
Nodame Cantabile: Finale (TV)

Seen some Rating Comment
Gintama (TV) Excellent seen 132
Kimi ni Todoke - From Me to You (TV) seen 11
Student Council's Discretion (TV) seen 10
Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 (TV) seen 7
Winter Sonata (TV) seen 5

Seen all Rating Comment
5 Centimeters Per Second (movie) Masterpiece This was definitely a work of art, it was exquisite beyond words, and without a doubt one of the best movies I have seen. The story was very moving and deep, and it was told in a very original way thus it didn't feel rushed even though it spanned at least 15 years. If my tears did not dry up years ago, I would of probably cried, but I still felt sentimental and saddened, not because of the characters situation, but because the story made me reflect on my own life, how fast it flew by, and how many memories I made. The film is a must see and I highly recommend it.
Afro Samurai (TV) So-so This is just another failed attempt by Americans at Japanese anime.
Ah! My Goddess (TV) Weak I don't know about this one, it was just too damn annoying, just grow some balls man and tell her you love her already!!! And the little sister just annoyed the hell out of me.
Ai Yori Aoshi (TV) Decent As far as romance anime go, this one doesn't make my favorites list. The fan service here was too excessive for me, even though it might be too little for some, and the moe factor has really gotten old on me and just rubs me the wrong way. The main story line wasn't bad but it just went off on a tangent and started pleasing the fan service community with the whole "4 girls for 1 guy" theme. There was really no need to have episodes showing every character falling in love with the protagonist, when they already showed that he will end up with Aoi, it was just a waste of time and really put this anime into the category of "baiting them with a worm and giving them the hook."
Air (TV) Not really good I didn't understand this anime, but it was beautifully done so it wasn't a complete waste... No I take that back it definetely was!
Akira (movie) Decent The neo-apocoloptic movie genre is my least favorite of all, so its hard not to have some bias here. The other difficulty here is that I am seeing it for the first time after its already been out for 20 years. From the late 80's perspective it is a landmark of animation and a credit to old school animators, given that this was made all before computers it is really a handmade work of art. The story is very on the sci-fi side and that makes it very hard to grasp. So as we struggle to familiarize ourselves with this new world, the story keeps adding more charcaters and sub-plots, but it never hesitates to develop any of those with some sort of depth. I had no emotions when watching it, and was dumb founded by the utter nonsense that was going on the screen. Maybe we are too spoiled nowadays and expect deep character history and developmet, as well as a meaningful romantic subplot, or some kind of suspensful plot twist, but since this movie offers none of these I wonder if this was the standard back then. Its so hard to rate it 20 years later, but taking everything into account I would still consider it a classic that should maintain at least a good rating today, even though 20 years ago it probably was a masterpiece of animation.
Allison & Lillia (TV) Bad No entertainment value here. It was really all over the place. The romance was extremely weak, the story was even stupider, no explanations of anything, and everything was shallower then a desert puddle.
Aria the OVA ~Arietta~ So-so I just wanted to see what this series was about and skipped straight to the half hour ova. As far as OVA go its pretty well made, nice flow, good graphics, can't really complain. As far as story or plot its a no go, there really isn't much here. I don't think I will be watching the first series or any other for that matter after watching this ova, it just didn't interest me. It feels this anime is a bit on the shoujo ai side and basically has no point except to show some fictional slice of life story with no real educational or entertainment value.
Azumanga Daioh (TV) Decent Obviously Sakaki is my favorite. It was a pretty simple slice of school life type of anime, not really deep or emotionally moving but none the less still humorous and entertaining. The animation here was a bit sloppy for me and maybe under budgeted or just simplified, but I can't give any points for it. The score was just as bad, and besides a craving for simple comedy or character plots I don't really see a need to really recommend it, it was just ordinary.
Baccano! (TV) Excellent Even though it was so crazy, it was just so unbelievably good! The story was told in the most unique way, with so many flashbacks that I couldn't understand what was happening until about the 3rd episode but thats what made it special. The opening theme was really nice and set the mood for this 1930's jazzy Chigaco-New York gangster type series. The last three episodes that are DVD release only are pretty good as well and wrap up the stories of every character and in a way leave the whole story unfinished. Its really great, watch it for some fun and good entertainment.
Banner of the Stars (TV) Decent The sequel disappoints a little in the manner that it loses focus on the romance. They introduce a lot of new characters and portray epic battles but at the same time they lose that homely feeling and close attachment to the main characters. There's also the fact that they tried to throw in some sort of shallow love triangle and spice up the drama but of course that too was an epic failure. Overall you can tell that there will be a sequel so there was really no dramatic climax or great resolution.
Banner of the Stars II (TV) So-so This series actually concentrated on a central story line and was pretty coherent. I just don't like that they basically cut out all the romance out of it and pretty much left the anime with just space battles and war drama. The character design and scenery looked better but I felt the characters could have a used a maturity upgrade. If you liked the series so far then this sequel shouldn't disappoint so much since it stays in that same realm of a space war drama.
Bartender (TV) Bad This anime was just really a waste of time, it wasn't entertaining or really educational, unless you're aspiring to be an alcoholic. I drink substantially and the world of alcohol is nothing like the anime portrayed. Nor is the bartender's job ever that glamorous or filled with such philosophical and profound views. The whole anime was full of crap, and the stories where all put together really badly, not to mention the character depth was none existent.
Basilisk (TV) Masterpiece Wow! I'm speechless! This anime has tied for the number one spot in my heart. I don't even know where to start... the suspense, the drama, the love.... I have never seen a ninja anime this good in my whole life. The mature rating is definitely warranted, there is a lot of blood, death, and sex, but it is all done in good taste and really brings the anime to life. This anime really had me routing for love to prevail, and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, the suspense was great. It hooked me in right from the opening battle sequence and kept me entranced all the way to the best ending I have seen in a long time. Onmyouza did a great job with the opening theme and I couldn't help but notice their efforts towards traditional Japanese language, this greatly helped establish that illusion of history and depth. This is a must see for anyone over 18, and definitely an all time classic.
Battle Angel (OAV) Weak OAVs based on manga are usually pretty bad and this is no exception. This is just like an earlier version of R.O.D., where the story just puts you in the middle of nowhere and expects you to understand everything. I guess it might be interesting for those who read the manga but for me its just a waste of time.
BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad (TV) Masterpiece I'll be honest and say that I was really moved by this anime, it was a masterpiece that revived feelings in me that I had long forgotten. Although true rock has been dead for a long time, and Japanese rock never even alive, the drama that unfolded in this series was the most genuine expression of true human sacrifice, perseverance, and personal achievement. To say that this is just another anime, is like saying that Guns&Roses was just a band, in reality this was a flawless work of art with one of the most original story lines, where the down to earth depictions of a struggling band with their victories and heart aches leaves the viewer wanting ever more exposure to this new world. Although I am no music guru, I strongly believe that human beings are born with an innate sense of rhythm and no matter what you like or don't like, this series will leave an everlasting impression.
Berserk (TV 1997) Good I don't know how the title is relevant to the anime, but still a kick ass anime and really bloody, although the ending didn't appeal to me.
(The) Big O (TV) Decent Dorothy! I want her more than Big O. Just watch it and don't ask stupid questions!
Black Cat (TV) Decent The first half really reminded me of Trigun: Lone gunman goes on the path of righteousness and helps people along the way to fulfilling his goal. It was pretty good overall but it had some flaws. It felt a bit rushed to me, they could of made at least 2 more episodes to make it a full season and fill in some nice gaps. The ending was a tad on the weak side, they could of lengthened the climax and the resolution by one episode each but I feel like the animators just got lazy or something. Also I didn't have that feeling like I need to finish watching this series ASAP because I need to know what happens, I stretched this one over a month while most other full season (26 ep) shows I usually watch in less than 3 days.
Black Lagoon (TV) Masterpiece This is definitely my all time favorite. Mainly because I can relate to Rocks' situation, always being pushed around the office, used by your boss, and then being pushed around by a woman. But those things just serve to make him stronger and into more of a man, I just wish my life had that much adventure in it... Thats probably the best thing about this anime is that it really got me out of touch with reality and that is the thing I really crave from the medium, that illusion of something greater...
Black Lagoon: The Second Barrage (TV) Masterpiece Same as first season... Put it simply, M-A-S-T-E-R-P-I-E-C-E.
Bleach (TV) Decent This one started out as the best shonen anime I've seen since Dragonball, but lately its going into filler arcs and takes too long to really get anywhere, like all 100+ series its just loosing steam, and I'm praying it finishes the main story line before the budget gets pulled.
Blood+ (TV) Decent This show was pretty twisted, one of the better vampire stories out there. The action and suspense here is what really did it for me, other wise it was too sci-fi for my tastes and too long for a series with such a mediocre story line.
Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-chan (TV) Worst ever I guess its supposed to be a parody but I didn't laugh once... maybe its just me anyway skip it if you have a life.
Blue Gender (TV) Excellent This is a classic, and very close to a masterpiece. Although it takes a little to get going, the action, the drama, the romance, and plot all come together nicely, and the ending was by far the best I've seen from the sci-fi genre, I didn't see it coming till the very end.
Blue Submarine No.6 (OAV) Not really good Just like the rating implies, it didn't really grab my attention. Mecha packed, sci-fi apocalyptic thrillers are just too out there and even when done as good as this one just don't give me enough entertainment, character depth, and good plot development.
Boku wa Imōto ni Koi o Suru: Secret Sweethearts - Kono Koi wa Himitsu (OAV) So-so It was different, I'll give it that, but I didn't feel the incest that was supposedly there. The history between them was poorly developed and it felt more like a mediocre school drama. Not having siblings might be another reason why I can not establish the connection to this anime, but I still can't comprehend the purpose of this anime. The conclusion left me puzzled, asking what the moral is? Is it trying to say that its okay to love your sibling as long as society doesn't know about it? That's kind of a sick moral, I don't know if I can recommend this to anyone with siblings otherwise it could put some degenerate thoughts into their perverted adolescent minds.
Bokura ga Ita (TV) Excellent Drama, angst, strife, suspense, love triangles; is there anything more you could possibly want!? This easily holds the number two spot in the romance category, I might have to re-watch Rumbling Hearts, just to see if it still holds to the image I have in my memories. The pacing here was great, it was slow and gentle but at the same time the drama was so heavy that it worked together really well. The masterpiece is not there because it didn't really touch my heart, I didn't cry, and the ending was too open, it was good, but it left more to the imagination then it concluded anything.
Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan Second (OAV) Worst ever Skip it if you have a life.
Case Closed Movie: The Time Bombed Skyscraper (movie 1) Decent I'm a big fan of the show so I can't miss the movies! This one probably wasn't the best of the movies but it wasn't that bad either, if you are a fan of the show then you might as well watch it.
Case Closed: The Fourteenth Target (movie 2) Decent This one was a little bit better as I was guessing till the end.
Castle in the Sky (movie) Very good I wanted to be a kid again so bad after watching this movie! This is a wonderful, feel good type fairy tale anime, that just takes you into different world and lets you get in touch with those age old themes of love and friendship. The nostalgia here was overwhelming, it brought back so many memories of dozens of childhood cartoons that stressed the same themes and instilled those very first thoughts of love, friendship, kindness, chivalry, and the power to believe in your dreams. It makes me sad to think how cruel the world is to our next generation, where such innocence can be swept away so easily like a nest from a sapling. Looking back I don't even remember when I became such a pessimist and started talking like an old man, but this movie really revived some long lost inspiration in me, and I would highly recommend it to any age viewer. The only thing I found troubling was that I couldn't find a subbed version anywhere, the dub was okay but I felt a lot of the original Japanese language was translated into very quick paced American slang. Although this might be more of a personal preference rather then a flaw, the sub would have made a more profound impact on my psyche and really let me understand the original authors words and feelings.
(Le) Chevalier D'Eon (TV) Very good I still don't know why I can't rate this as a masterpiece, but something is holding me back (Maybe because I wasn't too fond of the ending, but you can't change history). This was the best historical anime, with the most unique and original take on the past that I have seen coming from the medium. The art felt especially 3-D like and made the story feel enchanting. I especially liked the efforts put in by the creators towards historical accuracy, their portrayal of French, Russian, and British culture, and the images of the Crucifixion and God. With this type of genre you can not be picky about the story and must rate it based on the history it tries to portray and the scope with which it does. In my opinion it excels brilliantly in that manner and I definitely recommend it to anyone who is into this genre to go watch it.
Chobits (TV) So-so If you are going to make a mature romance anime at least have the decency to make a mature ending. Although the ending was decent it didn't feel climactic enough especially for all the echiness it put out there. When Chi says things like, "You are the only one that can come inside" you would expect that at by the end there would be some "coming inside" but instead we get some PG happily ever after ending. That was the biggest problem with this anime is that it alterated too much between realism and fantasy. Any guy out there will concede to fantasizing about owning their own "girl" and the story allows for such an escape, but then it quickly changes pace into some sad sub-plot about the down sides of owning Pesocons. When you look back on it you realize that there really is no moral or sense of purpose for this anime, thus it becomes obsolete in my mind and I will soon regret watching it.
Clannad (TV) So-so The story was very nice, I couldn't relate to it as much though, but if I was still a teenager I probably would have rated it as a masterpiece. I finally got an ending I liked because it didn't leave things so open ended as other anime do. I attribute that to animators thinking they are being creative or thinking its too cheesy to have a happy ending, but in my view concrete conclusions are necessary in order to have a pinnacle to all the emotions experienced while watching the anime.
Clannad After Story (TV) Very good The sequel is much better since it takes a more mature look at life, and shows some very deep and humane morals which any adult can attest to learning and living by. However the show played too much with viewer sentiments and I didn't like the fact that almost every episode was so focused on being dramatic that if it didn't bring you to tears each time then it didn't fulfill its purpose. The allusion to a second world was necessary but it served only to screw with viewer emotions in the end, again by giving us what any other fairy tale does. Predictability was a factor too as my emotions didn't sway as much after the middle episodes because I could foresee the twisted ending coming. The OVA was a bit irrelevant to me and again it was too satisfy some other segment of viewers who wanted to see an alternate ending or had different sentiments. Overall it was a very good anime, with superb morals and life lessons but the execution and story telling was not up to par with the maturity of the theme.
Claymore (TV) Very good This was a marvelous anime, and I hear that the manga is even better. The quality of the animation was top notch and the story couldn't be better to match. I almost couldn't resist giving it a masterpiece rating but a few things held me back. For one I wanted more character development and more history on the setting. Finding out that it was in the manga did not help because it makes me feel like it was only made for those who read it and left the anime viewers with a few gaps to fill. The ending also left me craving more, and that is one of my biggest pet peeves.
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion (TV) Very good Lelouch reminded me of Light from Death Note. Although not entirely evil he sees himself as a soldier of justice and although his purpose is revenge he justifies it to himself as being necessary in order to make his sister happy. I found his best friend to be more righteous even if naive and hypocritical. Overall the story does a good job portraying a wide variety of characters, their ideologies and their stories, this often detracts from the main story line, but this series avoided that syndrome and succeeded in progressing the plot nicely. Actually at some points I wished for more depth into the characters to make more attachments, but sadly none were made and when main characters started dying I had no sympathies. The psychological aspect is good but it lags in emotional connections and I found it could have had a deeper romantic sub-plot, especially for some of the female characters. I didn't mind the open ending, which just screamed second season coming, but I just hope they don't make a mess of it.
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 (TV) Decent Decent ending, a bit allusive, but what the hell was all that shit in the middle? What a load of philosophical bullshit, if I wanted to listen to that I could just watch an Obama speech. They kind of ruined it a bit with all the side stories as well, and really destroyed most of the story told in the first season, by killing of key characters and completely playing with viewer sentiments. Overall I felt this series was trying to do too much. Lets face it, it was like [input random Mecha series name] meets [input random school series name] meets [input any psychological thriller series name], they were focused too much on creating the perfect series and couldn't accomplish even one of them perfectly. It felt like the creators were trying to create the "perfect" anime by incorporating all the different varieties into one, but it just didn't work.
Colorful (TV) Decent Very perverted but very funny. It had a moral too, but there was just no depth in the whole series, I needed more development.
Cowboy Bebop (TV) Very good (dub), Excellent (sub) Nothing like the original... Its a true beauty and one of the most pivotal creations in anime history.
Crest of the Stars (TV) Very good This was the last piece of the anime universe puzzle that I had been longing to see, and it did not disappoint. This anime is probably where the true definition of the term "Moe" can be found, especially in episode 9 where Lafiel believes she is going blind and is willing to sacrifice herself, I mean how freaking "Kawaii" is that. Besides all the cute space elf moments, the plot was pretty intriguing and the character development was progressive. There wasn't as much depth to the romance and climax as I would have liked but for a late 90's, 13 episode series, aimed at teens its definitely top notch. This is also one of those anime that I would have to consider a must in anybody's repertoire especially if you are looking to broaden your horizons to the anime universe.
Cromartie High School (TV) Awful The production value of this anime is awful! Most frames have little, if any movement, and when a character is talking his mouth is not shown half the time. The humor was amusing at first, just because of how stupid it was, but later it just got repetitive and didn't make any sense. If it wasn't for the fact that this was supposed to be a parody show, this might be the worst anime ever just based on the cheap animation.
D.Gray-man (TV) Decent Wow, I was surprised at how quickly it ended, it almost feels like the series just jumped off the highest cliff possible to avoid rolling down hill. It wasn't conclusive and I'm expecting a continuation, but ending on a high note wasn't a bad idea. The whole series was nice but it was lacking in character depth, I still don't feel any connections to the characters or their plights. I wanted more intense relationships and perhaps more drama, but this was a shonen series after all so you really can't expect that.
Darker than Black (TV) Not really good This sci-fi stuff really isn't my favorite but I can't say that this was a waste of my time. It had some pretty good psychological aspects to it too...
Death Note (TV) Masterpiece By far the most original anime I have ever seen. Really psychological, lots of good twists, and it really plays with your emotions, I mean when was the last time you have seen anime this good that had an evil protagonist?
Detective Conan: 16 Suspects (OAV) Decent Just shut up and watch it...
Detroit Metal City (OAV) Not really good This OAV is a hilarious way to kill a couple of hours. The premise is original but unfortunately the budget is smaller than a grain of sand so the visuals really sucked including the flow and major plot points. The ending didn't resolve the romantic sub-plot and the comedy dissipated in the last few episodes. Good comedies are in the slim picking days and I fear it will remain so until someone starts putting up some decent money to comedy writers.
Dragon Ball (TV) Good What kid didn't love Dragonaball? I guess you grew up in a cave...
Dragon Ball Z (TV) Good Yea I know they took 50 epsiodes just to beat one bad guy BUT IT STILL KICKED ASS so STFU.
ef: a tale of memories (TV) Decent The duel story line kind of left me wanting more from each. There was a considerable amount of strife and I'm not too sure if it has any real world applications but it wasn't too out there. When compared to my favorite in the same genre, Rumbling Hearts, it has less mature strife and it's more on the teenager "first love" kind of strife. Romance anime such as this one, when portraying such tension in romantic situations often fail to establish a connection to the viewer and concentrate too much on the plot instead of developing characters. This left me wanting a more definitive conclusion instead of a relay to the second season.
Elfen Lied (TV) Very good Shit am I bleeding? No its my screen! Maybe it was a bit over done and took away from the story but it was very unique in that aspect, anyway I like blood and gore so I didn't mind at all.
Emma: A Victorian Romance (TV) Decent A very nice historical romance between a young maid and a young gentleman. For such a controversial romance it was a bit underdeveloped and I was hoping for a bit more drama or romance. However the anime stayed really true to its historical background and maintained a calm and dignified plot line that was slow but at the same time really nice and serene.
Emma: A Victorian Romance Second Act (TV) Decent The drama didn't feel edgy enough, I couldn't really connect with it. Honestly, the economics and historical facts intrigued me more then the romance. The ending was really nice but I wanted a bit more closure on every character, but at least they took the time to show each one.
Eureka Seven (TV) Not really good It was a nice story that's good for the high school crowd, but it just didn't click with me, and in my opinion it took too long, it could have ended in one season (26 ep).
Excel Saga (TV) Worst ever The rating should really be changed to immature. This was the worst parody anime I have ever seen, there was not one instance in which I actually laughed out loud. At best it was stupid, and if you laughed at all then you are too, I'm sorry but its just a fact. Some might point out that Japanese humor is different from western styles but that argument is inapplicable here because I find a lot of Japanese humor to be funny, and other parody shows like Gintama are hilarious. When compared to this disgrace of a series, Gintama shines like a brilliant star in the night sky. This series must be avoided at all costs for I fear that you will loose more brain cells than you can possibly gain back in one life time.
FLCL (OAV) Bad I don't understand. I mean I got it, but I don't understand why was it even made, was it supposed to be some new creative, artistic, psychological anime?
Full Metal Panic! (TV) So-so It was immature, even for the high school crowd. I feel like all the up skirts were only made to attract lolicons, thus I couldn't take anything seriously in this anime. It was good when it was funny, but when it tried to get serious or romantic I was just sickened.
Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid (TV) Decent This one was better, but why was there no resolution to the plot!?
Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu (TV) Awful I wanted to hang myself.
Fullmetal Alchemist (TV) So-so Not a fan but it was decent. The story was well written, but it dragged on too long and again I couldn't relate to anything in the anime, maybe because I don't have any siblings?
Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo (TV) Masterpiece A masterful tale of revenge and personal strife, captivating to say the least, and breathtaking at every turn. It would of been easy for animators to mess up this great story of Alexander Dumas, but the creative and original spin they added to it made it a completely new work of art. This anime probably opened up the most amount of feeling in me, and allowed me to escape into the deepest realm of fantasy, I still can't believe the imagination of the artists. If I was only able to chose three masterpieces then this would definitely be one of them.
Gantz (TV) Very good Finally after more than 20 shit shows, I found this beauty. Going back to my favorite genre always feels good especially when it has a mature rating and fills my craving for blood, violence, and sex. The poor ending on it however put me off again, and again I think the greedy bastards just wanted to leave the possibility of another season open so they can make more money, instead of giving me my climax! However except for this flaw the show was really original and even had some psychological aspects to it, watch it as soon as possible.
Genshiken (TV) Good Well, this was one was good. I can't really complain about anything but I can't praise it much either. It was pretty funny at times in a sad perverted kinda way, but never the less still good. This is only the second anime I've seen which explores the Otaku subculture, but unlike "Welcome to the NHK", this one focused on the funny and perverted side so it was something new to me and seemed pretty original. Kasukabe, the female lead, was really hilarious at times and probably the only character I could relate to, mainly because she had no clue what anybody was talking about when they started naming directors, voice actors, designers, etc., which is exactly how I feel when I read some of the forums on this site. Overall you probably need to have a good understanding of Otaku subculture and anime history to laugh at all the jokes or understand some of the things they talk about, but its still funny to watch and worth the time.
Genshiken (OAV) Decent This could of easily just been a continuation of the first season, but I guess they needed to deviate a bit to introduce a new character. The art work seemed a but different too, it looked to me as if the colors were a bit deeper and better drawn, maybe the budget increased after the first season? Not bad overall, some more insight into characters, and I got a few more laughs.
Genshiken 2 (TV) Good The life of an Otaku, definitely a hard life. I have to say this was a really a good show and that I enjoyed it. Having recently graduated I connected with the characters' anxieties and hardships, and I appreciated the authors subtle touches on this issue I also found it to be really realistic in that aspect. I'm happy that in the end it did not deviate from this and didn't show some "everyone falls in love" fairy tale ending.
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (TV) Masterpiece Major!! Wow I really have a complex for strong women with guns. No but seriously, this anime just kicks ass! It has everything any action anime fan wants.
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG (TV) Masterpiece This might be the first series that I have seen where the second season is better then the first. And the ending was just brutal, I kind of felt sad for the major.
(The) Girl Who Leapt Through Time (movie) So-so The art work and animation is wonderful, a lot of detail went into making this movie. I was expecting it to be more epic, but it was surprisingly down to earth. It was focused on one girl with the simple ability to leap through time. which automatically leads one to presumptions of trouble ahead. And of course the trouble is with her love life and other small problems around her. Overall it was a tad boring and not too memorable, but it had a nice romantic theme and a good ending, so if you want some down to earth entertainment go watch it.
Golden Boy (OAV) So-so The story here is very unrealistic, but its supposed to be that way so as to accommodate the copious amounts of fan service to flow nicely with the plot. Unlike Ikki Tousen where the plot centered around making as many opportunities for echhi entertainment, the story here allowed for such excesses because the main protagonists entire mission was to "study" women. Therefore the fan service does not feel excessive because it is supposed to be an integral part of the plot. If you are looking for some T&A, with humor, and a decent story line, then this series will fulfill the basic entertainment needs that you would expect from the genre.
Grave of the Fireflies (movie) Very good One of the saddest movies I have ever seen. When an innocent child gets swept up in a war, and struggles to even get nourishment while everyone just turns their back, how can you not feel for them?
GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka (TV) Masterpiece Back in the day I had aspirations of becoming a teacher so this anime really appealed to me. But the overall strength comes from the great character development. No matter how small the role each characters development was very detailed and didn't hinder the flow of anime one bit. This is definitely a classic, don't miss it.
Gungrave (TV) Very good This had some pretty good action, drama, and back stabbing. Some characters didn't make sense and the opening and ending were too over done in my opinion, but I don't regret watching it for a second, overall it was pretty damn good.
Gunslinger Girl (TV) Masterpiece I'm telling you I don't know what it is about girls with guns that just gets to me but this was just beautifully done. Again I liked how each character's personality was carefully explored and we get a sense of their motivations and build some sort of attachment to them.
GUNxSWORD (TV) Bad Crap! What was the point of this anime? First it was all serious, then it tried to be sad, then it tried to add some humor, I mean what the hell? At least I'll give them props for trying and a little bit of originality, watch it only if you are running out of stuff to watch.
Haibane Renmei (TV) So-so This felt like Air, but with a better story line. The story is definitely original, but again it was too boring. Even though this is not my favorite genre at all, if an anime can't envoke any serious emotions in me or spur my imagination, then I can't rate it any higher. Even though everything about the anime was great I believe that without that crucial emotional element of attachment I won't remember it in a few years, thus it ultimately becomes a waste of my time because I didn't learn anything new, and I wasn't emotionally or psychologically challenged.
Hajime no Ippo (TV) Excellent The best shonen series ever! This one barely nudges out Initial D as the most realistic and manly shonen out there. I thoroughly enjoyed this series and have no regrets in spending so much time in watching it. It was funny, it was serious, it was down to earth, it had suspense, it had great plot development, and it had the most coherent story line I have ever seen in a shonen. It's a must see classic that will not fail to entertain.
Hajime no Ippo: New Challenger (TV) Excellent One of the most awaited sequels in my book didn't disappoint! The overall feeling of determination, will power, hard work, and perseverance makes it one of the most inspiring anime in my repertoire. The character development is awe inspiring and Ippo's constant growth makes you want rip your own skin off and transform yourself.
Haruka Nogizaka's Secret (TV) Very good This is one of the better harem shows out there, mainly because it wasn't as harem but instead really really cute. Haruka was just the perfect character and Yuto wasn't some total wimp of a man. The romance wasn't deep but it was nicely developed and at least led somewhere. I liked how it didn't stray off course too much with the fan-service but actually focused on the plot and main characters. It was short, sweet, developed, and left a nice impression, thumbs up from me.
Hellsing (TV) Awful This is like the matrix meets vampires, what I mean is invincible vampires just don't make for good protagonists. Again watch it only if you are running out of stuff to watch.
His and Her Circumstances (TV) Weak This one is over rated. Yea it was decent but where is the ending? I hate endings that just leave everything out in the open. And why bother exploring the characters past and psyche just to leave everything unanswered? Frustrating as hell, or maybe I'm just too thick headed and missed the point. Watch it and tell me what you think.
Honey and Clover (TV) So-so This anime failed to invoke any emotions in me! I was like OK so what, where is this going?
Honey and Clover II (TV) So-so The ending was just horrible, I honestly watched the second to season because I was naive enough to believe that the protagonist would grow some balls and elope with the girl but instead he goes on a bike ride, I mean WTF?
Honey x Honey Drops (OAV) Bad Do I really need to write a review for this crap? The premise here was so ridiculous and fetish like, that only delusional lolicons would find it entertaining.
Howl's Moving Castle (movie) Decent There's a lot to hate and a LOT to love here. First I'd like to send out some love to Hayao Miyazaki for making another fantastic movie and not failing to live up to his great name. Next, I need to reemphasize my hate for dubs! This movie was completely ruined by the demented dub! Who the hell thought it was good to cast batman (Christian Bale) as Howl and Billy Crystal as Calcifer!? And an ex-drunk (Jean Simmons) isn't going to help either no matter how many movies she has starred in! Dubs need to be declared illegal and a crime against humanity, what happened to intellectual property? Don't the original creators see that their works are just being butchered into dumb property? I can't wait to get my hands on the sub and give this an excellent rating like it deserves.
Hunter X Hunter (TV 1999) Good I don't regret marathoning this one over a weekend. This reminded me of Dragonball and brought back a lot of nostalgic memories from childhood. The story and development was spectacular and the action got really brutal by the second half of the series, kind of like Dragonball went to Dragonball Z. The most important comparison however is probably in the story telling, each character grew, learned new abilities, gained new powers, and always had an ultimate quest to fulfill. I was entertained the whole way; my only regret is not seeing this series when I was still a teen, as I believe it would of had a greater impact on my psyche, but even now it still made a good impression.
Hunter X Hunter (OAV) Not really good As there are two more OVA after this I wasn't really expecting an ending, so I didn't mind that it barely managed to wrap the arc. The suspense was better here but the story line wasn't as fluent. I didn't understand the purpose of the love relationship between the secondary characters and the purpose of the dogs? Considering what happens to this character I'm thinking it was just to fill in time. I'm really happy I'm watching it fan-subbed, because this would probably cost a fortune to finish if I started buying the DVDs.
Hunter X Hunter: G I Final (OAV) Awful The worst possible thing happened to this great series, it degenerated into some Pokemon/Yu-Gi-Oh type kids anime. They ditched the best characters, focused on developing Gon and Killua and completely ignored the Ryoudan arc. There was also no resolution to anything, not one thing came to a conclusion! It just pissed me off so much that I almost wanted to go and change all the rating to shit!
Hunter X Hunter: Greed Island (OAV) Weak The story didn't resolve much, just left more open scenarios. The art seemed more colorful and better drawn, also the characters seemed to move better. Overall its just a continuation of the same series, nothing new nothing better, just the same.
I''s Pure (OAV) Decent Good romance OVA! It was the usual "shy guy likes girl, but is too much of a wuss to confess" theme, but it had some good drama and development. The story spanned a few years so I feel like it could have been more detailed but overall it wasn't bad and got straight to the point in 6 episodes. I did feel the ending was a bit under done as well, as I wanted a better resolution, like at least a kiss would have sufficed, but what can I say, its made for kids, so how deep can it really go, right?
Ikki Tousen (TV) Worst ever I was looking for a little bit of entertainment and decided to try something new, but boy did I miss on this one. The echhiness of this anime was to the extreme and it bordered on a hentai. The whole point of the plot was too make as many opportunities for up skirts and for girls to tear each others clothes off (which magically appeared back on them before they even had a chance to make it home). Almost every frame had some kind of angle that showed either breasts or butts, and if you happened to take your eye off these things for one second you would realize that none of the characters even move their mouths in sync with the words. Obviously any horny teenager would care less, but come on, breasts do not go :boing:boing: when they move! At one point the plot just disappeared and girls just started groping one another for no apparent reason then to just say hi! I understand that this type of genre exists and its targeted towards a specific audience, but this was one was just so horribly done that it might as well been a hentai. If it just threw the plot out the window after a few seconds and had all the girls screwing like rabbits it would of been much better, but of course then I wouldn't watch it either.
Infinite Ryvius (TV) Excellent A true credit to late 90's animation. This is one the best sci-fi anime I have seen in a long time. Unlike the shallow rip-offs and way to unrealistic mecha packed shows of today, the story here was brimming with drama, deep psychological emotion, and fantastic antagonistic forces. The ending was finally so good that I almost cried, good in the sense that it wrapped up every single characters' story line, and gave me the peace of mind I have been looking for.
Initial D (TV) Very good This will be a very biased review, because I honestly believe this to be a masterpiece of originality, suspense, and great story telling. First of all, this series is primarily aimed at guys, especially those who have a driver liscense and preferably those that understand the feeling of owning thier own car. I believe this series might be lost on the youngins' who have yet to experiene the thrill of driving 120 mph and living to brag about it. Although I'm not that big of a car enthusiast you don't need a lot of knowledge to understand the technical terms in the series so it is very easy to follow and even easier to get hooked. Even the romantic sub-plots were very well done, all three were realistic and did not portray some "hot racer guy gets hot racer girl" type ending, which is sadly the cliche all too often with this type of genre. All the races were really well done with a lot of suspense and great action, they did not drag out for episodes at a time and that allowed for a lot of room for character development and a variety of different races to be seen in one season. If there is fault to be found in this anime its probably with the animation style, but for a late 90s series its not bad at all. This series probably falls into the sports genre, and in my opnion it dominates the genre with extreme supremacy and it will still be a classic 100 years from today.
Initial D: Extra Stage (OAV) Decent If you feel like the ratings are slowly decreasing as you progress through reading the reviews, please don't. Although not as good as the first two seasons the OVA is still better then most OVA sequels I have seen. The lower rating is only due to the fact that it doesn't measure up to the first two seasons, but as OVAs go, it adds a lot more character development and suspense then most ever would.
Initial D: Fourth Stage (TV) Excellent First of all I'd like to say that the score for this show was amazing, ten out of ten, it really felt right for the action sequences and was really well done overall. Secondly, the last season was miraculously true to its predecessors, unlike many sequels today that try to do too much the second or third time through, this show just stuck to its' basic formula and just improved on it. Some might wonder why I am not complaining about the ending, though true that it didn't have a concrete finale, it did wrap up the story and left the rest up to the imagination, and that type of conclusion I don't mind at all. Out of all the shows with more than two seasons this one is by far the best put together series and definitely the most consistent when it comes to delivering non-stop action, excitement, and story development.
Initial D: Second Stage (TV) Good It wasn't as suspensful as the first season, but still good none the less. I also couldn't recognize some of the characters, I believe the artist might have changed some thngs. Also I was kind of dissappointed with the romantic sub-plot, but I think it was meant that way to get me to watch the next installment. Oh well, on we go...
Initial D: Third Stage (movie) Good That's more like it, now we are getting somewhere. The movie finally made some progress in transforming our main character from some gas-station worker with no ambitions and life plans, into a real man with a clear goal. Even though I'm biased towards this series, since it probably doesn't have the same effect on everyone, I will say that you should only watch the movie if you are a fan of the series.
(The) Irresponsible Captain Tylor (OAV) Good Again the nostalgia was overwhelming. Where did the great love stories, fictional dramas, and great story telling that anime once possessed disappear to? The score for all the credits was exceptional and brought the widest inner peace that I have yet felt, from the medium. There were minor flaws of course with the plot and the conclusion but nonetheless I can not resist to to praise this anime just on its classic appeal and incredible storytelling depth.
(The) Irresponsible Captain Tylor (TV) Good They really don't make them like they used to anymore. Anime has progressed to a level which is almost unrecognizable to its predecessors. This anime just filled me with nostalgic zeal and just made me want to spit on almost all the crap that's being released today. The progression of society can be traced though the window of anime, as we developed so did the medium but unfortunately today the medium, like a mirror reflects more of the self gratifying and escapist nature of our society then anything else. All innocence has been wiped out and replaced with panoramic vulgarity to the point where the medium now serves only as a delusional magnet for the perverse and immature of mind.
ItaKiss (TV) So-so This series had the longest internal time span that I have seen, nearly 10 years. As far as romance anime it was pretty weak. There was very limited strife and drama, although there was a few nice surprises and cute episodes, however it never got deeper then that. A pretty shallow romance anime, to me it was more of a slice-of-life anime then anything, and it was interesting only because of the unusual circumstances and situation that Kotoko and Irie were in. Also the characterizations weren't very fresh, I think we have all seen the mismatched couple anime where one person is not worthy of the other but works really hard to make the other person love them; or the logic and emotion pairing, that always comes in certain anime, when a genius character is paired with an emotional character. Basically it wasn't anything new or really commendable about this one.
Jin-Roh - The Wolf Brigade (movie) Decent Its hard to put into words what this movie really is. To me at least, it was a political tale with some human strife. The description is false because it does not comprehend the depth of the politics involved and the extent that Fuse KNOWINGLY plays a role in them. Overall its not something really entertaining but as far as mature and top class psychological anime go it ranks among the best.
Kaiba (TV) Awful So you travel world and the seven seas in search of new memories to find your old ones which will replace them once you do and become better memories with which you can see a brighter day. Did you get all that? On top of the mind melt down there's the highly metaphorical artwork and complete mind overloads with all the useless crap they tried to add in there. Avoid it unless you enjoy torturing your brain!
Kanon (TV 2/2006) Decent This is very similar to Clannad, but since it came before I guess its more original. It was a nice story with a lot of drama, but for me it was too dramatic in the wrong way. Although the moral is nice, to believe in miracles and never give up, it was portrayed in a way that did not seem realistic enough or applicable to the real world. Although that is probably the true definition of a miracle, I think at my age the message does not get across as much, and at times I felt really bored. This is probably a great show for the under 16 crowd, but I've already seen so much of this theme that it really is getting old, or maybe its just me. ::Sigh::
KenIchi the Mightiest Disciple (TV) Weak This anime is just about fighting, forget about depth or any serious sub-plots, its just straight forward "become stronger to win more fights." It was a bit humorous though and the fan service was desperately needed because without it even mindless teenagers might steer clear. But there really was no point to this anime as the moral is the same as millions of other fighting shows, the strongest is the one that has something to protect, etc., etc., hence there is really no reason to waste time on watching 50 episodes, just find something better!
Kiki's Delivery Service (movie) So-so Another great production from Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki. However to me this one lacked a bit of imagination and was a little short on explanations of character feelings and overall character development. The sub also left much to be desired, but I just can't stand to watch the dub. This one did win the Animage Anime Grand Prix award back in 1989 so for back then it must have been the gold standard, and even today I can still see why, overall its a really nice film for the kids but for some reason I still prefer My Neighbor Totoro.
Kimikiss pure rouge (TV) Very good This could of easily been a masterpiece if they did a better job on the colors and background designs and not stretched it out to 24 episodes. It had a double love triangle! That means double the drama, double the suspense, double the heartbreak! Kenichi KASAI is really building up his resume, but I'm questioning whether I should really give him credit or the script people since the artwork and direction really did anchor this one down a little a bit, I guess I'll keep a close eye on him from now on.
Kino's Journey (TV) Not really good It is my belief that the conclusion, because it really didn't have an "ending," was sad only to leave a lasting impression in the minds of people so that they won't forget the series. Because other than that it really had no memorable moments. It was filled with philosophical and profound views however when conveyed in such a purposeful and artistic manner the message losses its value. It did not arouse any emotions in me and the constant bombardment of the authors views and ideals to spur my imagination had the reverse effect. I questioned everything said, and had a "This is boring and an insult to my intelligence" feeling about the message trying to be portrayed. I strongly feel this anime is overrated and I believe only the weak of mind can be entertained by such a shallow story.
Koi Kaze (TV) Bad And the point is what? Entertainment is where again? The incest was sickening, and I can't believe someone had the balls to put this on TV and condone its' degeneracy. The conclusion left me baffled, and worst of all didn't give me any sense of resolution, which irks me mercilessly. If I had to find a reason to recommend watching it, then watch it only if you are a fucking nut job who is planning on eloping with a sibling, hopefully this series will give you second thoughts.
Kurenai (TV) Decent The uniqueness of this anime is unbelievable, its like that rare diamond in a chest full of pearls. I could say that it was a bit too much with all the action, drama, love, and comedy, but it all flowed so nicely together that it was just spectacular to watch. The animation was beautiful and the score was great, the depth of the voice actors was also tested and much to my amusement was extremely entertaining. The story itself is still hard to grasp, the theme is surely love, but the meaning is distorted. I'm still stuck on the whole incest and lolicon thing, and the inhuman abilities just seemed out of place. Mixed in this is the whole slice-of-life comedy part and that just adds to the underlying uniqueness. I can't say that I have ever seen an anime like this or will again, its just special in its own way, and that's why the overrating.
Kyo no Gononi (OAV) So-so I would classify this OVA into the slice of life/comedy category. It was pretty funny but at the same time I couldn't help but feel it was made for some perverted lolicon fantasy. After thinking about it though, it was too childish and cute to be perverted, it was just a compilation of silly childhood moments that made me laugh and regret not having some fun moments like that.
Last Exile (TV) Decent This one was pretty original as well, the ending was well done with a good concrete resolution! Whew I though I'd never get to say that. Overall not bad but I didn't understand some of the character's motivations, again probably cause I'm a little thick but maybe the development wasn't as good.
Looking Up At The Half-Moon (TV) Weak The character development here was one of the worst I have ever seen. The romance was very weak, the plot was spotty, and the climax was really lame. This anime has little if any value and you should avoid watching it with any sharp objects around, for I fear you might gouge your eyes out, or slit your wrists out of boredom.
Love Love? (TV) Weak If you want a grotesque amount of fan service this is the anime for you. The mature rating literally means non-stop nudity and obscenities. It wasn't that bad of anime, I found it funny how our protagonist can't stop having perverted dreams, but its just weak with everything else, including plot depth and a coherent story line. On the positive side if you want some fan service entertainment that's really quick and fun this anime might do the trick for you.
Lovely Complex (TV) Good This is a perfect combination of romance and comedy. The first episodes really hooked me in and I was literally laughing out loud. The pace slowed down a little bit later in the series but it still maintained its charm and comedy. I think it was stretched a bit and perhaps would of been better if it was more condensed, 15 episodes for example would of been perfect. The styling was nice too, almost every episode had Ootoni and others wearing something different, which is a good step away from the "uniform" standard of most other school shows. Overall it was a good romantic comedy and worth seeing.
Lucky Star (TV) So-so This was pretty pointless, but I found it cute and entertaining.
Lunar Legend Tsukihime (TV) Good I'm not big on the sci-fi stuff, so vampire series usually don't strike my fancy, but this one just made me want to go back and re-rate all the other vampire anime I've seen to below sub-par. Maybe its because this had a more mature feeling to it, so it appealed to me more, but what it actually is I can not really pinpoint. Unlike Blood+ this series was short and sweet, and to me that is a sign of a perfect anime. I only wish more anime could take a nice story and tell it so well in so few episodes, it would make my life so much easier. (Side note: 100th anime! Should I even be proud? I kind of feel like I wasted some of my life... ::Sigh::)
Madlax (TV) Weak I guess my equation failed here, girls+guns does not equal good. It was such a bad anime that I had to struggle to finish it. It was too metaphorical and tried to be really profound but it completely failed. Its almost as bad as Wolf's Rain with all the crap it tried to put out there like sin, conscienceness, and morality, it was all so fake and stupid that I wanted to puke after finally finishing it.
(The) Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (TV) Good Maybe I am getting too old for this. I found it funny but not hilarious, it was good but not great, it was original but not unique. I don't regret watching it though and I would recommend seeing it for some amusement.
Mezzo (TV) Decent It was a little too perverted for my tastes, with some of lollicon crap it was trying to portray but at least it wasn't a hentai like the OVA. The action was good but there was just no depth to the characters and I believe the plot was not connected enough for it to feel like a well rounded series. Of course there are budget issues and that translated to sub par animation and score but the writing didn't compensate so the just another middle of the road anime.
Midori Days (TV) Decent I actually thought this series was hilarious, but I thought of Midori as his right hand, which made everything she did funnier. I mean I couldn't stop cracking up when I realized some other guy had a crush on his hand! The ending however was lame, I kind of wanted more of a response from our protagonist, but he just didn't fulfill my expectations.
Millennium Actress (movie) Masterpiece Kon has left me speechless. Drama is a category that needs a subtle touch and a good story to tell it right, and this is the pinnacle of perfection on screen. A life story so unbelievable but told so well that I lived every moment of it just as the characters, and was able to identify with the journey of the heart. Watch it subbed, watch it in HD and watch it soon!
Minami-ke (TV) Decent The animation here was great but confusing at the same time, all three girls looked the same age to me. It was simple but funny at the same time, and I am looking forward to the second season.
Mind Game (movie) Worst ever This is just a horrible, horrible anime. Some might say I fail to see the artistic or philosophical side, but I would like to point out that it had neither. It was just a survey of random images from a nut house, or it could of been drawn in one, now if you can call that art then you are a moron. Calling it creative or cool is wrong, that kind of thinking will degenerate the anime industry to the level where someone can show millions of images of dog shit and call it art and entertainment, but in reality its just dog shit!
Monster (TV) Masterpiece There is a reason why this one is always among the top in all the ratings. By far the best psychological thriller ever made, it is an instant classic, and truly worthy of the title "MASTERPIECE." Everything about it was beyond spectacular, the story, the art, and the characters, I couldn't believe I was really watching an anime. Instead it felt as if I was living every moment of the suspense, sitting on the edge of my seat hoping for the good characters to survive. This is the best all around anime I have seen, and probably the best mature anime series of all time.
Moribito - Guardian of the Spirit (TV) Masterpiece This is the best anime since Ruruoni Kenshin! The opening theme and ending theme are the best scores ever, and L'Arc-en-Ciel should be immortalized in the music hall of fame after this. I CRIED! It was just so good that every bone in my body cried with happiness, I was almost depressed that it had to end. It was flawless, masterful, and could be put up next to the statue of David and no one would disagree.
Mushi-Shi (TV) Not really good Go watch paint dry instead you will be much more entertained. I mean yes it's very beautiful, yes its very well done, and yes its very original, but omg what is the point? Where is the emotion?
My Neighbor Totoro (movie) Very good In stark contrast to Grave of the Fireflies, this movie explores the more happier days of childhood, where the imagination is boundless. Really a joyful kids movie, with some kid drama, and lots of adventure and fantasy. You can really enjoy this at any age, it's a classic, and should be shown to kids today.
Myself; Yourself (TV) Good Although it was a bit sporadic and too drawn out the drama and romance was undeniable. It was kinda traumatic and sad too to see so many terrible things in a romance anime but at least everything was resolved and not left to the imagination. The concluding episodes were the best, and the ending was perfect. I would of liked to see more romance and intimacy but I think the drama was the highlight of this series so I can't really complain.
NANA (TV) Masterpiece Drama has never been done this good! The intense combination of friendship, love, strife, angst, passion, and determination makes this anime number one in the category.
Naruto (TV) So-so The show isn't that bad, it's probably really entertaining for the kids, but the fillers just really turned me off, and it just doesn't have that epic feeling like Dragonball did when I was still a kid.
Naruto Shippūden (TV) Decent It's still ongoing and I am keeping up with the weekly (read random week) episodes, but it looks like its just spinning in circles and not really going anywhere...
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (movie) Excellent Hayao Miyazaki's life work does not disappoint. The imagination and creativity of this man is beyond belief and to me this is one his best works. I have yet to see all his films but when looking at his other works I doubt I will be unsatisfied with anything yet to come, this movie is a definite must see.
Ninja Scroll (TV) Awful I had to watch the dub because I couldn't find it subbed anywhere, and I really regret it. The dub really ruined the whole experience for me, and now that I've seen it I don't think its worth re-watching even if I do find the subbed version. The whole story was good, but the execution, the writing, the battle scenes, the character's speeches, and almost everything else was really sub par.
Nodame Cantabile (TV) Decent What I liked: Character development was decent. The story was original, in that it dealt with classical music. The whole ambitious feel of the characters and sub-characters. What I disliked: Nodame's laziness and stupidity. Poor animation and drawing. Horrible background coloring. For a classical music theme the score was mediocre at best. Relay to the second season. No conclusion.
Nodame Cantabile: Paris (TV) Not really good Its not bad its just that its a continuous relay to the next season. There is no climax, drama, resolution or any other good structure to this series. Its really weak on the romance side too, and that's really frustrating at times, because you think something is leading somewhere but then there is no good climax or drama to get it out in the open. As a result it becomes sort of a teaser to get you to buy the next season and make the pigs fatter, and that I just loathe.
Noir (TV) Decent I haven't made up my mind about this one. It was too slow for me. I know you are saying, "But it had girls with guns," but I just couldn't connect with the characters. The last episodes were probably the best and the ending wasn't too bad but again not what I expected.
Now and Then, Here and There (TV) Very good Shu, the protagonist, is an unrelenting optimist even in the most dire of situations. His constant positive thinking (read as naiveness) gives hope to those around him and sustains him throughout the story. This moral of never giving up on life is a refreshing step away from the usual love, miracles, friendship, etc. type morals that plague the anime world. Although very on the sci-fi side the story was very intriguing and managed to capture the full scope of human emotions. I enjoyed this anime and I believe it to be flawless in its presentation of characters and sub plots.
Ouran High School Host Club (TV) Not really good It took sheer will power for me to get through this anime. It hit a mountain about 2 episodes in and became so mundane that I fought with myself to click play on the next episodes. It was so episodic and pointless that it gave me this anxious feeling resembling something like: "When is this loony torture going to end!?!" I don't even remember how I got to the final episodes but the last ones were definitely the saving points of the series. It focused on the main plot, wrapped up all the stupid side stories, and gave a reasonable conclusion, although extremely weak on the romance, and too heavy on the politics.
Paprika (movie) So-so I bet the writers had a good time coming up with all those random lines and those crazy dreams. I mean have you ever had a dream like that!? The movie left an awkward impression on me, I feel like I wasn't really enjoying it as much as I was trying to figure out what the hell was going on. This kind of mind stress isn't exactly what I'm looking for, but the movie portrays a lot of weird psychological stuff so its to be expected, its just not my favorite thing in anime movies or any other medium for that matter.
Peacemaker (TV) Weak Huh? Am I missing something? YEA HOURS OFF MY LIFE!
Perfect Blue (movie) Decent One of Kon's earlier works, this movie acts as a great introduction to his brilliant mind. As far as thriller or horror anime go, its not the scariest or the most suspenseful one out there, but it will keep you guessing until the very end. I wasn't too enthralled by the story line but it was definitely original and the spin at the end was something pretty new and cool for an anime movie of that time. The best part is probably how it plays with different psychological aspects and uses illusions to confuse the audience into believing a variety of different truths about the murders and the suspects. This is a good escape from the usual crap thats always polluting the industry so pick it up as soon as humanly possible and enjoy the great introduction to the world that is Satoshi Kon.
(The) Place Promised in Our Early Days (movie) Decent It was good and worth seeing again. A little bit hard to understand, it leaves some things unexplained, and you kind of have to guess, but it lets your imagination run and portrays a nice story.
Planetes (TV) Good This one was a lot less sci-fi then I expected it to be... which is a good thing. The story was nice and the setting was original, but I just couldn't relate with the characters that much. I felt the main character was an existentialist, a real loner who was trying to find the meaning to life, now there is nothing wrong with that except that I have seen it a few times before and I just can't relate to it.
Please Teacher! (TV) Not really good Although the echiness of this anime was somewhat in-check, I couldn't help but feel that it was made just to fullfill someone's fantasy. Again not my type of genre, it was too sumiliar to Oh My Goddess!, but if you like that kind of story, it was pretty well made in that aspect so I can't really dissaprove.
Please Teacher! (OAV) So-so I've concluded that the purpose of this series is for pure echi enjoyment, thus since the echiness of the OVA tripled the level of the TV series it gets a better rating. Overall it is basically the same thing, except now we get to see more "mature" content and again fullfill some adolescent fantasy.
Porco Rosso (movie) Very good Another Hayao Miyazaki film lives up to the name of its creator. In all his films the visuals are stunning so I do not need to tell you how beautiful it is, but aside from the artistry this anime portrays a beautifully simple story. I consider this to be a historical romance but one can also call this a comedy or just a slice of fascist era life. Its simple but entertaining none the less and a great escape from the shonen and moe filled series of today. How sad it is that anime has degenerated from such a peak to the shallows where it lies today...
(The) Prince of Tennis (TV) Good If you like tennis this is for you! Some of the abilities were a bit over done in my opinion, almost superhuman especially for a 14 year old.
Princess Mononoke (movie) Excellent I struggle to put into words why I can't rate this as a masterpiece, but there is an undeniable empyrean force holding me back. Something just doesn't sit right, maybe because the ending is not conclusive enough for me, or the maybe it's the excessive blood and violence, or perhaps it could be the semi-flawed flow of the plot. I will say this though, these are just minor nuisances which do not imply that the movie is not a masterpieces, hell even the mona lisa has imperfections but it is still a masterpiece, just for me its either all or nothing.
RahXephon (TV) So-so I'm still scratching my head after this one, I just don't see the reason why it had to be so sci-fi. First you have a great story; a guy has been isolated from the world and loses his memory of the past, he is reunited with his long lost love, whom he does not remember, and he struggles to "protect" her and save the world. To me that is a great story, but then you have all this other crap that's completely unbelievable and can never happen in the real world, why must there always be some giant robot!? Why is there a need for an apocolyptic event that threatens the entire planet? Why must everyone die, and then unrealistically come back to life and pretend like everything is happily-ever after? WHY must you torment me like this, oh great Anime GOD!? Why!? Why!? Please no more giant robots, I can't take it anymore!
Read or Die (OAV) Bad I'm guessing the manga is a lot better, because there is no way this show deserves this much attention. Besides the art work and animation the rest of it was crap. Not only was there no background or flashbacks to any characters, but the plot just landed in the middle of some story without any introduction. If there is no introduction how am I supposed to understand this new super power enabled world!? The only thing that made me even think about not writing it off as the worst ever is the fact that it didn't have any fan service, which forced me to take it seriously and actually give it some props for trying to portray some sort of original story.
REC (TV) Good Nice little romantic comedy. Nothing really substantial here to speak of, it wasn't too heavy or deep so the romance was just "fluffy." If you got 2 hours to kill its not a bad way to pass the time.
Rideback (TV) Weak "As long as the light in your heart never fades you can keep on dancing..." And that moral comes from a series with robots, gun fights, political strife, opposing factions, college motor clubs, and vengeful ex-army commandos. Hit your self over the head if that makes sense to you. I swear the anime industry is running out of ideas, they are just combining random themes, and its like a game of hit or miss with them. If that time and money could just be spent on the purity of one theme, we would have many more masterpieces rather than all these bullshit shows that are trying way too hard to be original and all they accomplish is the fucking up of the whole medium.
RIN - Daughters of Mnemosyne (TV) Bad The plot summary for this anime is completely false. The plot focuses on Rin who is actually an immortal destined to become the bride of the guardian of Yggdrasil, while she is unaware of this fate she is living an immortal life slaying Angels and helping humanity in any way possible. Sounds ok so far, right? Well there is more, in order to save humans and get closer to the truth she has to acquire information, but to do so she (or her female partner) have to sleep with another woman who only takes payment in the form of sex, getting better or worse?. Abundant fan service and nudity also rears up in another plot twist, where immortal women can not resist their urges for coitus whenever male Angels are in the vicinity, which translates into about every two minutes where we see clothing being torn off immortal women by hungry Angels who have to eat them to fulfill their cravings, hence killing them. Getting complicated? Hold on there's more, an immortal Angel (meaning he is both a man and a woman), is bent on taking over the world by creating as many Angels and immortals as he can so he can taste them, thus tasting all the knowledge of the world. Now if you are not breaking your neck running out the door to get this series right now then there is nothing more I can say. If you even read this far its a big sign that you need to get in touch with the real world and develop some taste, perhaps it might even be time to reconsider anime all together, I know this show definitely made me think twice.
Rumbling Hearts (TV) Masterpiece By far the best romance anime I've seen, I'm not ashamed to say that I had tears in my eyes on this one. Truly a masterpiece and worth watching again.
Rurouni Kenshin (TV 1996) Excellent You have to be a cohabitant of Osamas cause there is no way anybody living outside that cave could not have seen this series. By far the best samurai series I have ever seen, its both a classic and masterpiece. When Osama lets you out go watch it!
Rurouni Kenshin: Reflection (OAV) Excellent I'll be a man and say it, I cried. I got tears in my eyes just thinking about it... ::sob::
Rurouni Kenshin: The Motion Picture Very good I just love everything about Kenshin, so how can I give this a bad review? Maybe I'm too biased, but just go watch it.
Rurouni Kenshin: Trust & Betrayal (OAV) Masterpiece No words can describe the beauty of this anime, it was just stunning!
S-CRY-ed (TV) Not really good Also pretty original but I just couldn't connect with the characters and was too sci-fi for my tastes.
S.A (TV) Decent Great art work and animation here. It was another school romance but it had that whole competitive twist to it. It was nicely done but a little on the childish side as far as romance go. Also it was a bit elitist, too many rich kids, so I couldn't relate to their lifestyles at all. Overall its pretty average as far as anime go, and right there in the middle also as far as romance anime go.
Samurai Champloo (TV) Very good Awesome sword fighting scenes, but I'm a sucker for really happy endings or real brutal ones and this one just didn't give me the climax I craved.
Sayonara Zetsubou-sensei (TV) Decent Very funny series. I didn't like the animation though, and there was too much background noise for me to concentrate on too really enjoy the plot. I laughed a lot actually but I just think it was trying to do too much at one time.
School Days (TV) Good I'm so confused, I don't know whether to hate it or to love it. At first it seemed like a typical love triangle story, but then it turned into some weird lolicon fetish plot, where I started to hate the protagonist, thats only because I have some morals, but I bet any horny teenager out there would of been like yea, "Tap that." Surprisingly enough the ending turned in my favor and I kind of liked it. Overall its hard to explain or even rate because I don't really understand the whole point of this anime, I think the ending lesson was you reap what you sow, but then if that's true I don't like the way the story was told, and there would be no reason for all the up skirts and fetish shit. Anyway watch it for curiosity if anything.
School Rumble (TV) Weak Again no resolution?? Dammit I have to watch the second season! ARGHH!
School Rumble: 2nd Semester (TV) Worst ever Although I wasn't the target demographic of this anime, I honestly believe that no matter how old I was I would still not enjoy this anime. It was too random, and it didn't make any sense. I felt like there was no real point to this anime but to make stupid unfunny jokes and parodies, the characters were not funny, and the story was even worse. I still can't believe I was duped into watching the second season, oh well, lesson learned... Stay away!
School Rumble: Extra Class (OAV) Awful This one had no redeeming qualities to it, only another bad add-on to a crap show...
Serial Experiments Lain (TV) Awful This piece of $#!& needs to be put into the category of completely useless, irrelevant and utter wastes of time anime, and then burned along with the likes of FLCL and Witchblade. First, the story is a complete fabrication out of the mind of some God forsaken science fiction lunatic who had nothing better to do then try to get "creative", yea I'm talking about you ABE!. This anime did not fulfill a single requirement that even qualifies it to be considered decent. Did it portray a story which captivated the audience and took them from the realm of reality and into a completely new world? No! Did it portray a dynamic protagonist that many viewers can identify with? No! Did it develop deep characterizations so that viewers can have an emotional connection with the characters? No! Did it teach the audience anything new or challenge their psyche? No! Was there a moral or ending lesson? No! Did it excel in its animations style, music score, directing or had any other positive artistic impact towards the anime world? No! SO IS THERE ANY ENTERTAINMENT VALUE!? HELL NO!!!!
She, The Ultimate Weapon (TV) Good At first I felt this anime was trying to do too much, it had elements of school, war, daily life, romance, tragedy, mecha, etc., etc. But as the story progressed the real underlying theme of love really shined through and I realized all those other aspects of the anime were just accessories to express the real meaning. The ending was surprisingly good for a change, it was tragic but at the same time really good; I would have shed some tears if I were still so naive as too believe in these things, but all in all it was very good.
Shura no Toki: Age of Chaos (TV) Good Some nice story lines and samurai fighting scenes made this one worth it. I felt the ending was a little stretched with all the flashbacks and recaps but it had a great ending so I was happy.
Slayers - The Motion Picture Weak Did I mention how much I hate dubs? Well this movie just reinforced my loathing for crappy dubbing which completely ruined this movie for me. Why is it so hard to find a good sub these days!?
Spice and Wolf (TV) Not really good I can't categorize this one. Its too unique, it has some sci-fi, some church bashing religious themes, some politics, some romance, and a bit of drama but in the end it doesn't really get anywhere. I can't understand what this anime was trying to accomplish, it's almost as meaningless as Mushi-shi.
Spirited Away (movie) Very good An Oscar, huh? I can see why but I wouldn't go that far. Even though my innocence has burned out long ago, I am confident even if I still retained it that this movie would not be able to touch my heart or whisk me away to a realm of wonders. As a kid many anime and movies accomplished it, but the one thing that they had in common and this movie lacks is that ever lovable protagonist. I found myself hating the protagonist and questioning her motives and actions, most likely because of the lack of background development. I can't really say that Studio Ghibli can produce a bad movie but this one is just a matter of taste, and it just didn't sit right with me, but I can see why some might identify with it and believe it to be a masterpiece.
Suzuka (TV) Decent As a combination of romance and sports this anime is capital. There is quite a bit of strife although it was a bit hard to believe that Suzuka was so messed up for such a long time, I mean get over it already! The romance was a bit lacking in parts and some characters were inconsequential, and that kind of vexed me a bit. Comprehensively it was well put together and well made, however I must strongly advise against the dub, because it is shockingly horrendous, the sub is great however, watch it soon.
Sword of the Stranger (movie) Excellent Talk about epic. This movie had the best sword fighting choreography since Rurouni Kenshin. Really a well put together storyline, with good character development, and the best samurai action in a long time. Traditional japanese as well as mandarin along with a great score really made this anime feel and sound superior in every way possible.
Tekkonkinkreet (movie) Weak The inner demons within haunts you in times of despair, but makes you stronger in times of chaos. Nice metaphor but its all a crack of shit. Totally unrealistic, with no real world applications, moral, or entertainment value. Yes, the art was detailed and colorful but so damn ugly! I don't know who can find beauty in those thick lines and 2D drawings. Waste of time and life!
Texhnolyze (TV) Not really good Ten sentences were said in the first episode, and that pretty much set the mood for the rest of the series. It wasn't until the end that I finally understood the depth of it, and made the connections with heaven, hell, the devil, and God. Also it was pretty gruesome, a lot of blood and death, and I found it to be a very dark series. I did like the ending song "Walking Through the Empty Age," but thats about all I liked.
Trigun (TV) Excellent I felt Vash could of been more bad ass, he was just goofing around too much, and the ending was too western for me, you know what I mean cowboy walking off into the sunset. But don't you dare miss this one, definitely a classic and a must own in anybodys collection.
True Tears (TV) Decent A love pentagon is pretty rare so its kind of a shame that the creators didn't do something more with this. It was okay but the ending was really convoluted, it kind of played with your emotions a bit, but still gave you the ending that was expected all along. Nothing really special but its only 13 episodes so its not that big of a waste of time.
(The) Twelve Kingdoms (TV) Very good You might have to give this one at least 10 episodes to get really into it, but once the pace starts to pick up it becomes one of the greatest adventure Animes ever written. Although it did not create a critical emotional connection to the characters it did manage to ignite my imagination and whisk me away from the realm of reality. This crucial element along with great story telling and a slow but steady pace makes this a must see adventure series. Although sometimes repetitive and lacking a concrete ending, it is still enjoyable at any age and can be deemed an all time classic.
Vampire Hunter D (OAV) Awful Of course it was awful, it was one of the worst put together stories I have yet to see come out of the medium, second only to Ninja Scroll. The dub was horrendous, I still have the aftertaste of vomit in my mouth! Setting aside its historical importance as one of the first mature action movies with nudity and fanservice, this anime just does not qualify for any merits or positive reviews. Unless you're a anime historian this one should be avoided without prejudice.
(The) Vision of Escaflowne (TV) Decent The story had the whole fairy tale feel to it, but it was a nice escape from the ordinary but again the ending just pissed me off.
Voices of a Distant Star (OAV) Decent The animation seemed under budgeted. It was a very nice story, even though it was very sci-fi. I still can't figure out what the moral is, is it love? If so then this is a very sad anime, it might bring you to tears. I was just perplexed while watching it so I couldn't comprehend the ending.
Welcome to the NHK (TV) Masterpiece I didn't realize how much of an emotional ride this anime was until I watched it. I laughed, cried, felt apprehensive, sad, tense, and really out of touch with reality. I don't know about everyone else but this is exactly what I crave from anime! To give me a protagonist that I could identify with, to make me really reflect on my own life, and to leave a permanent impression in my mind. The drama was definitely unique and showed me a whole new world I have not seen before but I was still able to understand the protagonist's feelings and identify with his dilemma, thus in my eyes it truly is a masterpiece.
When They Cry - Higurashi (TV) Weak The moral portrayed here is that friendship cures all ills, and if you trust in your friends then you can even go around murdering people, without having to be paranoid. Yea, I know, you are very welcome, I just saved you a lot of time. It was so unrealistic that I almost couldn't bear it. I know it was supposed to be a horror anime, but I laughed every time someone got killed. I just couldn't handle the complete absurdity and stupidity of the characters actions. Someone might say that paranoid people are supposed to act that way, but it just really took all the reality and horror out this anime. In my opinion it tried too hard with all the different story angles and by the time of the ending, where everything was finally pieced together, it didn't feel climactic at all. Maybe my expectations were too high, but I really am disappointed with this series.
Whisper of the Heart (movie) Very good I can't believe I traded Youko Honna for Ashley Tisdale and Brittany Snow! What was I thinking!? Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Why is it always so hard to find the subbed version? Anyway this movie was perfection in a bottle. Childhood romances are so sweet and innocent, how can you not love them?
A Wind Named Amnesia (movie) Weak No matter the urgency with which you must see an anime it is never a good idea to settle for a dub. From now I will never watch another dub, even if the series will never be subbed, I rather not watch it at all then have to sit through another dub. It might as well have been narrated by Morgan Freeman, that's how out of place the voice over felt. The movie was too out there for me, and I didn't like the flow or the sloppy animation either, especially the part about the robot chasing them all over the country, what the hell was that all about!? Maybe the story itself had some meaning but for me it was too ideological, very naive and too unrealistic. For me to have any sympathies I really needed some connection or saving point for this movie but I really couldn't find anything that stood out, and watching the sub now would be worthless even if it does make the experience more enjoyable.
Witch Hunter Robin (TV) Not really good It started out REALLY slow, I mean it wasn't until about the tenth episode that it really got interesting for me, it was also a bit fragmented at the start. By the end however it got some good suspense going and a clear good vs. evil story line. The ending was conclusive just not clear cut, I can tolerate that as long there is no spin off or sequel, hence it was a good ending. The quality of the animation was also a bit lackluster and the score could have been way better, but I think this is one of those anime that if a little more time and money was put into it, it could have been rated into the all time best.
Witchblade (TV) Awful So the moral of the story kids, is that if you are a single mother with super powers make sure to kill yourself before your daughter inherits them.
Wolf's Rain (TV) Awful It was pretty original but again too sci-fi for my tastes, and I didn't understand some parts.
Wolf's Rain (OAV) Worst ever I don't know why they had to do four separate episodes to finish the series, but I think the animators got too full of themselves and thought that people would buy this just because they wanted to know what happens in the end. Trust me just avoid the whole series all together unless you really, and I mean really, have nothing better to watch.
X (TV) Decent The ending is what really did it for me, on this anime. At first I didn't like it because it was a bit choppy and I felt the character introductions were not as fluent as they could have been. But finally towards the last 10 episodes the action and drama finally started to pick and I could build some kind of connection to the characters. Actually the death of Saroto at the end, although expected from the very beginning, was still quite moving, and the moral was pretty nice too. Also at first I was going to say that I felt the background music felt too epic for this anime, but now looking back on it I think Arts Production really nailed it and it really added to the whole depth and feel of this anime.
Zoids/ZERO (TV) Good I think this is my all time favorite mecha series. It was just something about Liger Zero... Anyway watch it.