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Last edit: 2021-12-27
I try to add enlightening commentary, but let's face it:
I'm far from perfect.

For cartoons that are not listed in the encyclopedia please click here.
    EDIT: 2020-12-31
    I have seen two three videos that examine the concept of "classics" from distinctly different perspectives:
  1. Gigguk | Garnt Maneetapho

  2. Mother's Basement | Geoff Thew

  3. Bonsai Pop | Mike ?
EDIT: 2020-04-11
In this video YouTube user Gigguk (Garnt Maneetapho) talks about SAO in the context of gateway anime.
    2 Videos That Share a Common Theme:
  1. "The Greatest Thing Anime Has Done"|Gigguk (Garnt Maneetapho)
  2. "A Love Letter to a Place Further than the Universe" | Isla McTear (Line/link added 2020-06-24)
EDIT: 2020-06-10
3 Different Perspectives On the Importance of The Ending EDIT: 2021-05-10
Geoff Thew ("Mother's Basement") has a fascinating video essay on the concept of "sakuga".
EDIT: 2021-12-27
10 Anime That Are Fantastic But Hard To Recommend
Anime only continues to get more and more mainstream, but these are 10 anime we wouldn't want to recommend even though they're great.
By Jacob Buchalter
(posted on cbr.com on 2020, Mar 30)
Seen/Read All (public list) Rating
Death Parade (TV) Masterpiece
Recommended by willag.
I would have rated it at 11/11 except for the fact that that the girl reappeared without any explanation at the very end of the show. The internal logic of the show was violated.
It would appear that what is shown is the doll that her spirit/soul was occupying.
Demon City Shinjuku (OAV) Excellent (dub & sub)
So there are pros and cons to the OAV. In my book, the biggest pro is Mephisto. He is mostly neutral in all of this. Kyoya Izayoi's evolving thinking and motivation is anther big pro. Other pros, in my opinion, are the denizens who are trying to eke out a living in the ward (e.g., the Old Woman and Chibi). I am impressed that internal monologues are used. I think that the difference in design styles between President Rama and Master Rai is rather interesting. I am pleasantly surprised by the measured lack of arguing during the fight scenes.

While I don't think of this as a con, viewers who are turned off by old animation (remember, this was produced in '88) will probably be turned off by this animation. I honestly do not know what to think of Master Rai's narration. While some of the antagonists are pure trope, they fortunately do not get much screen time.

I like this, but I think that I want to rewatch it. For now, I'm giving this a 10/11

Descendants of Darkness (TV) Very good
Destiny of the Shrine Maiden (TV) Excellent (dub & sub)
(The) Devil Is a Part-Timer! (TV) Excellent (dub & sub)
OK, so the idea is that someone as evil as a demon would transform his entire value system upon immediate exposure to the culture of Tokyo. I'm reducing the base value of the series from 9/11 (Very Good) to 8/11 (Good). But the OP & ED songs are quite good and,by themselves,raise the ranking back to 9/11. But the 2nd ED animation sequence raises the ranking by one level to 10/11 (Excellent).
Diabolik Lovers (TV) Decent
(The) Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya (movie) Excellent (dub & sub)
Domestic Girlfriend (TV) Excellent (dub & sub)
  1. And the sleazefest begins.....
  2. So Sensei has boyfriend issues.....
  3. Another divorce?! This dumpster fire is burning additional fuel.....
  4. 09:43 | This dumpster fire is insanely hot.
    The ending is simply too contrived.
  5. 08:49 | So now a triangle has become a four-way polygon? Trying to keep an open mind here.....
  6. 05:17 | Fan service for pubescent boys. I'm clearly going to have to pace myself to 1 ep./day here.....
    OK, I admit it: If this develops into a 5-way love polygon, then I'll be somewhat annoyed.
I cannot tell if there is supposed to be deliberate symbolism in the OP.
  1. I don't know what to make of this episode; still, never was the animation of feet walking in house slippers so tense/dramatic.
    • For some reason, I find this "Alex/Al" character to be really irritating.....
    • 09:44 | Dumpster fire. This is becoming rather silly; I really do wonder if the manga is as good as Gigguk says it is ─ I'm curious and apparently it has ended its magazine run.....
    • 10:05 | Kudos for the house slippers analogy.
    • 16:30 | This on-and-off agency for Hina is really irritating me; I don't find this flip-flopping to be realistic ─ she's an adult, after all!
    • I like the ED; other than that, I don't know what to think about this episode.....
  2. Rui is conflicted about Hina moving out.
    Definitely a love triangle.
  3. 17:30| Well, that's one way to make things even spicier.....
Is rain supposed to be symbolic of something? Just wondering.....
  1. Rain definitely seems to be a recurring symbolism in this series.....
    Last scene: Now what?
  2. The breakup was inevitable; that was the only way that Hina could move on

    • I am rating the sub at 10/11 because of the ending.
    • The dub ain't half bad.....
Now, on to read the manga!
Reviews/Commentary
Don't Tell Mother Maria (special) Excellent
It's only 10 minutes in length -- just take the time to see if you like it!
I think that that it is humorous!
(The) Dragon Dentist (specials) Masterpiece (dub & sub)
Shibana Bernard "Bell" Octavius Salvatore Bianco Nonoko Kishii Godo Arisugawa
  1. not everything is explained; but maybe that's the point?
    • Why is Salvatore Bianco unscathed by bullets/violence?
    • Who (& how) organized the mission of Salvatore Bianco & Shibana?
  2. the tragedy of death only exceeded by the tragedy of war.
  3. but the war seems to have been ended amicably..... But the war seems to be a distant memory and the world seems to be in a prosperous peace.....
  4. Re-listening to the dub, it seems to me that the civilians and ground troops have a quasi-Scottish accent.....
  5. "The ending is paramount."
    Bell's ending monologue, combined with Nonoko Kishii's last lines (calling for Bell) causes me to change my mind and change my rating from 10/11 ("Excellent") to 11/11 ("Masterpiece").
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Durarara!! (TV) Good (edit.dub & sub)
"Still Thinking About Izaya Getting Punched"|Digibro
Dusk maiden of Amnesia (TV) Very good (dub), Excellent (sub)
Well, I obviously liked it very much (Nice OST, too!); HOWEVER, the very ending is something of a cop-out.
Eden of the East (TV) Very good (dub & sub)
Eden of the East: Paradise Lost (movie) Good (dub & sub)
Eden of the East: The King of Eden (movie) Very good (dub & sub)
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