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Last edit: 2024-6-10
Edit: 2024-6-10
It looks like I've triggered an algorithm that has identified me as someone who consistently tries to manipulate the percentages either up or down. Oh, well.....

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
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Crystal (ONA 2014) Good (dub), Very good (sub)
Brain candy!
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Crystal (ONA 2015) Good (dub), Very good (sub)
More brain candy!
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Crystal: Season III (TV 2016) Decent (dub), Good (sub)
Still more brain candy!

But there's an inconsistency in the internal story structure.....

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Eternal (movie) Very good (dub & sub)
Brain candy as far as the eye can see!!!
From " Sailor Moon Got Me Into This Business and I'm Exhausted" by Lynzee Loveridge
What, you made it to the end of this and thought you earned reprieve? Remember the start of this, where I likened Sailor Moon to a personal moralistic figure that greatly informed my identity? I guess we have to talk about that a little to put this into perspective. Long-time readers (and haters) probably know me best for writing a piece about Vic Mignogna, which was later entered into court evidence during his failed lawsuit a few years back. While that report was an arduous task, it isn't the only one I've written. I actually spent a large amount of time immediately after it looking into an alleged rape by voice actor Todd Haberkorn.

To describe it shortly, an alleged victim made public allegations of a sexual assault at Anime Central that happened nearly a decade ago. They did not name their alleged assailant. However, Todd Haberkorn outed himself as the alleged perpetrator on Facebook, denied the allegations claiming both parties were drunk, and posited that the alleged victim was lying because they contacted him afterwards looking for a romantic relationship. By the end of my process of preparing the article, I'd spoken to everyone who was at the table with Haberkorn and the alleged victim that night, knew the name of the bartender that likely overserved the green room attendees, and tracked down copies of programming guides to know who was in charge of the party at ACEN that year. In the meantime, Haberkorn had removed his posts, lawyered up with the same guy that represented Mignogna, and sent out the usual cease and desist letters. The alleged victim backed out and the story died. It happens, but not before I received one of the most insulting e-mails in my entire professional career.

(The) Princess and the Pilot (movie) Excellent
Princess Mononoke (movie) Excellent (dub), Masterpiece (sub)
  • Hard to believe, but I actually saw this in a movie theater! What put this in masterpiece territory for me is the OST.
    If you care about subtitles, then avoid this release at all costs!
    From the review of that 2014 Disney / Buena Vista release:
    "It isn't quite dubtitled - the subtitles do change when you switch to the Japanese language track, and they've removed lines added for the dub and changed a few other sentences (the 'are you selling soup or donkey piss?' line appears no matter what you do) but largely it's just the dub script."
  • This GKIDS / Shout! Factory has both the Disney dubtitle and a proper subtitle.
Princess Nine (TV) Excellent (dub), Masterpiece (sub)
Princess Tutu (TV) Masterpiece (dub & sub)
See this thread.
Promare (movie) Very good (dub & sub)
Brain candy. You must turn off your brain to enjoy it. OST is nice.
  • My problem with Studio TRIGGER is that while their animation is brilliant, their scripts are mediocre. The only reason I rated it at 9/11 is because of the OST.
  • The dub is actually quite good.
Promare: Galo-hen (ONA) Very good (dub & sub)
1st Prequel
Brain candy. You must turn off your brain to enjoy it. OST is nice.
  • My problem with Studio TRIGGER is that while their animation is brilliant, their scripts are mediocre. The only reason I rated it at 9/11 is because of the OST.
  • The dub is actually quite good.
Promare: Lio-hen (ONA) Very good (dub & sub)
2nd Prequel
Brain candy. You must turn off your brain to enjoy it. OST is nice.
  • My problem with Studio TRIGGER is that while their animation is brilliant, their scripts are mediocre. The only reason I rated it at 9/11 is because of the OST.
  • The dub is actually quite good.
Psychic School Wars (movie) Good (dub & sub)
Psychic Wars (OAV) Not really good
Puella Magi Madoka Magica (TV) Masterpiece (dub & sub)
Rise of the Dark Magical Girls

Exclamation Point

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walpurgis_Night

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jv5FYrOthvE

I posted elsewhere:

Joey--
Your comments about being essentially trolled for expressing your 1st impression on this series [Rascal Does Not Dream of a Bunny Girl Senpai]reminds me very much of another 1st impression for which the author ultimately got trolled. I'm going to go back in time to the Winter 2011 Anime Preview Guide at AnimeNewsNetwork.com.

Specifically, the 1st impression of one Zac Bertchy regarding what was -- at the time -- commonly called Puella Magi Madoka Magica ( https://fast.animenewsnetwork.com/feature/2011-01-04/zac | you need to scroll down to find it ). Now mind you, he was not trolled for that opinion; no, he was trolled (and the trolls did come out in force) when he had the temerity to change his mind. I remember the buzz in the forums when that third episode came out, and Bertchy made a mention of that buzz -- I forget where -- when he mentioned why he decided to catch up and stay current with the series.

He was so impressed by it that when Aniplex released the Blu-rays he then assigned the review to himself (one of the privileges of being the Executive Editor) so that he could give praise to something that had seriously impressed him. ( https://fast.animenewsnetwork.com/review/puella-magi-madoka-magica ) Like I wrote above, the trolls came out in force -- it would be years before the trolls were finally and firmly reigned in (but that's another story). But that review of the first Blu-ray did not completely demonstrate just how impressed Bertschy was by that series.

No, Bertschy did not completely demonstrate just how impressed he was by Madoka Magica until he reviewed the third Blu-ray. ( https://fast.animenewsnetwork.com/review/puella-magi-madoka-magica/vol-3 ) He did something that had never before been allowed at Anime News Network (again, exercising a privilege of being the Executive Editor). HE PUT SPOILERS IN THE REVIEW. In so doing that, he changed A.N.N. editorial policy in regard to spoilers.

That's how impressed he was.

The trolls never completely stopped their sniping of him, but the offensive posts in response to his second and third reviews of the respective Blu-rays did decline.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie Part 1: Beginnings Masterpiece (dub & sub)
compilation film
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