kivandopulus

Did not want to give Jungle wa Itsumo Hare nochi Guu Deluxe a masterpiece to allow some other decent anime a highlight, but 'tis a barren wasteland this season. 1. Princess Tutu プリンセスチュチュ [Hal Film Maker] (Finished 3/38) Tags: Mahou Shoujo, Performing Arts Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance In a fairy tale come to life, the clumsy, sweet, and gentle Ahiru seems like an unlikely protagonist. In reality, Ahiru is just as magical as the talking cats and crocodiles that inhabit her town—for Ahiru really is a duck! Transformed by the mysterious Drosselmeyer into a human girl, Ahiru soon learns the reason for her existence. Using her magical egg-shaped pendant, Ahiru can transform into Princess Tutu—a beautiful and talented ballet dancer whose dances relieve people of the turmoil in their hearts. With her newfound ability, Ahiru accepts the challenge of collecting the lost shards of her prince's heart, for long ago he had shattered it in order to seal an evil raven away for all eternity. Princess Tutu is a tale of heroes and their struggle against fate. Their beliefs, their feelings, and ultimately their actions will determine whether this fairy tale can reach its "happily ever after." It reminds me Utena the most as there is also private girls school SOL and surreal battles full of powerful music and symbolism. But I'm not target audience, and I have no desire to watch it further. Overall Rating: 6/10 2. Witch Hunter Robin (ウイッチハンターロビン) [Sunrise] (Finished 4/26) Tags: Detective Action, Drama, Mystery, Supernatural Robin Sena is a powerful craft user drafted into the STNJ—a group of specialized hunters that fight deadly beings known as Witches. Though her fire power is great, she's got a lot to learn about her powers and working with her cool and aloof partner, Amon. But the truth about the Witches and herself will leave Robin on an entirely new path that she never expected! I love Sunrise originals, I mean to bash them. It's a horrible super boring detective mystery with superpowers very rarely used at all. Sunrise scenario writer should have been fired long ago. Overall Rating: 5/10 3. Saishuu Heiki Kanojo She, The Ultimate Weapon 最終兵器彼女 [Gonzo] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Military, School Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi Chise is an ordinary schoolgirl: small, frail, and not particularly intelligent. Her greatest joy is her budding romance with her classmate and childhood friend, Shuuji. They both live in a small military town in Hokkaido, where high schoolers have few concerns other than who is dating whom and complaining about the steep climb up "Hell Hill" every day before school. One day, Shuuji and his friends make a trip to Sapporo to buy gifts for their girlfriends. A massive air raid on Sapporo that day kills thousands, including one of Shuuji's friends, and signals the beginning of a war. Fleeing from the carnage, Shuuji spots Chise, though now she has steel wings and a massive gun where her right arm should be. Against her will, she has been transformed into the ultimate cyborg weapon, capable of leveling entire cities. As the war rages closer and closer to their hometown, Chise and Shuuji's relationship is strained by her transformation, and they are left to wonder whether she is even still human. Wow, I'm so enraged. Basically, this anime tries to be second half of Evangelion without normal introduction, right away presenting constant drama over nothing at all. There's no story, no action, just nakige where half of screen time is taken by crying and mindlessly blabbing characters. I understand that it was golden time of nakige back then, but this is an overkill and total waste of time on pure nonsense... Overall Rating: 5/10 4. Samurai Deeper Kyou Samurai Deeper Kyo [Studio Deen] (Finished 5/26) Tags: Shounen Historical, Samurai Adventure, Comedy, Supernatural In the year 1600, at the fog-covered battlefield of Sekigahara, a fierce battle was waged by two exemplary swordsmen. One was Kyoushirou Mibu, a skilled and noble warrior in possession of the unique powers of the Mibu Clan. The other was the thousand-man slayer, with eyes and hair the color of blood, "Demon Eyes" Kyou. Their legendary clash was cut short when a meteor from the heavens fell down upon that battlefield, leaving both to vanish in its wake. Samurai Deeper Kyou begins four years after that battle, when a gun-wielding bounty hunter by the name of Yuya Shiina hunts down Kyoushirou—now a perverted, traveling medicine-man who has built up a large debt. On her way to claim his bounty, they are attacked by an inhuman monster that seeks to devour Kyoushirou. This encounter awakens "Demon Eyes" Kyou, whose mind has been trapped inside of Kyoushirou's body ever since that fateful battle. Thus begins a grand tale of legendary two swordsmen and the discovery of their secrets. A new bunch of sword and gun wielding characters gather to... do pretty much nothing except getting attacked constantly. Getting to know some lousy secrets is not a good enough motivation to watch this mess without much substance. Overall Rating: 6/10 5. Dragon Drive ドラゴンドライブ [Madhouse] (Finished 2/38) Tags: Shounen School Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Sci-Fi If there's one word to describe Reiji Ozora, it would be "quitter." He can never find the motivation to finish anything, and loses interest at the drop of a hat. This all changes when his best friend Maiko introduces him to the new game "Dragon Drive." In this virtual reality game, each player is assigned a dragon tailored to match their personality and strength. Reiji hopes for a big, strong, scary beast, but instead, he is stuck with Chibi, a cute, friendly-looking dragon smaller than he is. How disappointing—except it turns out that Chibi is the rarest dragon of them all! Reiji finally discovers something he can remain interested in, and works hard to train both himself and his newfound friend. Soon this training will be put to use to save the world, for there are people who have dark aspirations for Dragon Drive! Another virtual reality fighting competition. Extremely bland and cliché. Overall Rating: 5/10 6. UFO Princess Valkyrie UFO Ultramaiden Valkyrie 円盤皇女ワるきゅーレ [TNK] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Comedy, Sci-Fi, Ecchi UFO Princess Warukyure, aka UFO Princess Walkyrie is about a princess from outer space who accidentally crashes on earth, where Kazuto desperately tries to maintain the public bath of his grandfather. Due to circumstances, Kazuto receives part of princess Walkyrie's soul which forces her to stay there with him. But that's not the only problem ... because her soul lost strength, the princess transforms both mentally and physically into a little kid! Very irritating fetish something, because I failed to see traces of comedy here, maybe parody. Overall Rating: 5/10 7. Maou Dante Demon Lord Dante 魔王ダンテ [Magic Bus] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Shounen Mythology Action, Horror, Supernatural While sleeping one night, Ryo Utsugi had a nightmare of monsters attacking him. One day he learns a mysterious power to let him hear voices and have visions of girls getting killed, but one night he hears the same voice. If you don't like Devilman, don't even start as this is part of that franchise with those characters. Very familiar story and flow, and not likable for me. Overall Rating: 5/10 8. Asagiri no Miko Shrine of the Morning Mist 朝霧の巫女 [Chaos Project, GANSIS] (Finished 4/26) Tags: Seinen Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Supernatural Since childhood, Tadahiro Amatsu has two different-colored eyes - one brown and one light hazel. But because of a dark secret behind his left eye, he's become a target for the masked sorcerer Ayatara Miramune and his band of demons. To combat the demons appearing all over town, Yuzu Hieda, a priestess in training, recruits four other girls from her high school. Under the supervision of Yuzu's elder sister Kurako, the five young priestesses must undergo months of training to master their abilities. Episodes are just 12 minutes long, so it's just cute SOL gags, average. Overall Rating: 5/10 9. G-On Riders G-on らいだーす [Shaft, TNK] (Finished 13/13) Tags: School Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi At Saint Hoshikawa School there is a secret group called the G-On Riders. Students with superior strength and ability are chosen to be in the group, which was formed to fight against alien attacks on the earth. However, many of the problems that the members face are ones amongst themselves, and the same is true for the invaders. And another student at the school, Ichiro, tries desperately to confess his love to Yuki, one of the Riders. Managed to watch it fully in the past since glasses fetish was rather unusual. Chaotic slapstick comedy not really worth discussing. Overall Rating: 5/10 10. Fortune Dogs ふぉうちゅんドッグす [Vega Entertainment] (Finished 0/39) Tags: Pets Adventure A French Bulldog is adopted from the Happy Kennel by a girl named Ai and is given the name Alex. She tells him stories and reads to him from a book titled The Adventures of Freddy about dog who leaves home to find the Fortune Tree. However, he is separated from Ai when he mistakenly follows a girl wearing the same clothes as Ai on a bus. Adopting the name Freddy, after the hero in Ai's storybook, Alex begins his quest to return to Ai. But before he can return to his owner, Freddy and his new friends must find the Fortune Tree and save it from dying, otherwise all the humans in the world will lose their good will and no longer care about their pets. Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10 11. Futari Ecchi Step Up Love Story ふたりエッチ [Chaos Project] (Finished 4/4) Tags: Seinen Comedy, Romance, Ecchi Makoto and Yura Onoda are a newly-wed couple with zero sexual experience. Yura is a shy and naive 25-year-old woman whose good looks grab men's attention, something that she dislikes because she gets embarrassed very easily. Her husband Makoto is of the same age, but as opposed to his wife, he loves having dirty thoughts about other women. Physically though, Makoto is truly faithful to Yura. Both of them may be virgins, but now that they are married, they are ready to dive into the world of sex, "practicing" as often as possible. However, the world of sex is complex, so they need all the help they can get to find their way through it. Thankfully, their friends, acquaintances, and porn media lend them a helping hand. It's all around ecchi and about ecchi, plus some thematic comedy on the side, everything is quite expected. Overall Rating: 5/10 12. Sentou Yousei Yukikaze Yukikaze 戦闘妖精雪風 [Gonzo] (Finished 5/5) Tags: Military, Psychological, Space It has been 33 years since an alien race, known as the JAM, emerged from a hyperspace passage over Antarctica with the sole purpose of invading Earth. Despite their unexpected initial assaults, a combined effort by humanity not only pushed the JAM force off of Earth but also moved the frontlines of the battle onto the JAM's homeworld of Fairy. Though out of sight and mind for the majority of Earth's inhabitants, the conflict still rages on Fairy, where the United Nations has established five bases and a powerful, technologically advanced military—including the Fairy Air Force (FAF). Lieutenant Rei Fukai acts as a pilot for the FAF Special Air Force’s Boomerang reconnaissance squadron, flying a Super Sylph fighter jet with the personal name "Yukikaze." Soaring high above and observing the battles for air superiority, he is responsible for collecting and analyzing valuable intelligence on JAM methods. While his flying skills are unmatched, he also heavily relies on the highly advanced weaponry and near-sentient AI system of his aircraft. Though despised by other members of the FAF for his antisocial and standoffish nature, Lt. Fukai continues to carry out his duties along with Yukikaze. However, during a particularly bloody battle, the appearance of an unresponsive and hostile aircraft catches the lieutenant off-guard—an aircraft which is of the same make and model as his own. SOL about space pilots. was really boring for me as execution is horrible and characters are totally forgettable. Overall Rating: 5/10 13. Nurse Witch Komugi-chan Magikarte ナースウィッチ小麦ちゃんマジカルて [Kyoto Animation, Tatsunoko Production] (Finished 5/5) Tags: Gag Humor, Mahou Shoujo, Parody Comedy Ungrar, the King of Viruses, has escaped from his prison cell in Vaccine World. Maya, the Goddess of Vaccine World sends Mugimaru down to Earth to find a human to accept the powers of Vaccine World and become the Magical Nurse. He finds the best (and the only willing) person for the job when he meets Komugi Nakahara. Komugi is a playful, lazy, and easily distracted (typical) teenager whose dream is to become a cosplay idol. Balancing her career with the Kiri-Pro Promotion Company and her new job battling Ungrar's loyal henchman, the Magical Maid Koyori, Komugi delights audiences in this parody anime series. Lighthearted cosplay competitions with some mahou shoujo elements - nothing that we have not seen. Overall Rating: 5/10 14. Jungle wa Itsumo Hare nochi Guu Deluxe ジャングルはいつもハレのちグゥ　デラックス [Shin-Ei Animation] (Finished 6/6) Tags: Shounen Gag Humor Comedy, Slice of Life After the events in the city, Haré and family come back to the Jungle. But it is never calm for Haré as he first must deal with an unstable substitute teacher, then with some big news: Weda is pregnant. The answer to how and who will change his family forever. Poor Haré, now has to deal with a father in addition to his drunk mother and Guu, and soon a sibling too. It's a sequel, so inherits some drama. Humor not stable here like was in the series, more like decent and with adding parody. Overall Rating: 6/10 15. Koroshiya 1 The Animation: Episode 0 殺し屋１ THE ANIMATION EPISODE 0 [AIC] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Seinen Martial Arts, Psychological Action, Avant Garde, Drama, Horror A masochistic mobster meets his match in the dark streets of Tokyo. His nemesis, Ichi, is a psychopathic killer with an unrelenting thirst for bloodshed. A horrifying secret burns in his mind, and his hands deal death without mercy. At last, the shrouds of mystery are parted to reveal the origin of the monster. The city will know its greatest fear at the unveiling of Ichi the Killer. Disgusting avant garde movie about ultra violence.. Overall Rating: 4/10 16. Neko no Ongaeshi 猫の恩返し [Studio Ghibli] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Anthropomorphic Adventure, Award Winning, Drama, Fantasy High school student Haru Yoshioka is bored with the monotony of life. One day, she saves Prince Lune of the Cat Kingdom from being run over by a truck. As a token of gratitude, the Cat King sends her "presents" and invites her to the Cat Kingdom to become Lune's wife. Haru's inability to properly communicate with the cats leads to the misunderstanding that she has accepted the proposal. As Haru ponders on ways to escape the predicament, a mysterious voice instructs her to search for the Cat Bureau. However, not long after she finally arrives at the bureau, a horde of cats swarms in and forcibly takes her to the Cat Kingdom, along with a member of the Cat Bureau. Concerned for their safety, owner of the Cat Bureau, Baron Humbert von Gikkingen, follows close behind. The more Haru immerses herself in the activities of the Cat Kingdom, the more cat-like she becomes. To her dismay, she soon learns that, unless she can find her true self, she may become a cat permanently. Haru's adventures in the world of cats lead her down a path to self-discovery, allowing her to return as a more confident person. Turns out I watched this, but forgot about it because of how forgettable it is. Mimi wo Sumaseba was on the weaker side of Ghibli movies, but someone decided that it was great and needed more development in a childish way... I'm just out of words for this poor logic, self-repeats are a sign of degradation. This is exactly average. Overall Rating: 5/10 17. Sennen Joyuu Millennium Actress 千年女優 [Madhouse] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Historical, Showbiz Action, Adventure, Award Winning, Drama, Fantasy, Romance At the turn of the millennium, Ginei Studio's dilapidated buildings are set to be demolished. Ex-employee and filmmaker Genya Tachibana decides to honor this occasion with a commemorative documentary about the company's star actress: Chiyoko Fujiwara, the reclusive sweetheart of Shouwa Era cinema. Having finally obtained permission to interview the retired starlet, an enamored Genya drags along cynical cameraman Kyouji Ida to meet her, ready to put his lifelong idol back in the spotlight once more. Hidden in this secluded mountain retreat is a thousand years of history condensed into one lifetime, waiting to be narrated. Chiyoko's recollections take them on an illusionary journey through Japanese cinematic history that transcends the boundaries of reality; the saga of her acting career intertwines with her filmography, the actors in her life blend seamlessly with the characters on screen, and the present melds with the past. Though the actress may have retired at the height of her career 30 years ago, the curtain on her life's stage has yet to fall. I don't like biography stories even if it's a story chosen to shape century perfectly and references are thrown around millennium. This is just not interesting, show made for media critics rather than wide audience. Overall Rating: 6/10 18. Xevious ゼビウス [KENMedia] (Finished 0/1) Tags: Space Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi In the year 2150 A.D. space pilot Takeru and human computer Martha come across a giant ship which contains two mechanical beings called Sara and Ru Mi. They warn Takeru and Martha of the Gump, an alien race that is heading to Earth so that it can take over the planet. With only 40 mintues remaining until Earth's invasion, Takeru enters the Solvalou, a combat aircraft, and heads to the Gump's base on the planet Andoa. Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10

Abenobashi Mahou☆Shoutengai is the only work I can call a masterpiece this season 1. Chobits ちょびっツ [Madhouse] (Finished 26/26) Tags: Seinen Comedy, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi, Ecchi When computers start to look like humans, can love remain the same? Hideki Motosuwa is a young country boy who is studying hard to get into college. Coming from a poor background, he can barely afford the expenses, let alone the newest fad: Persocoms, personal computers that look exactly like human beings. One evening while walking home, he finds an abandoned Persocom. After taking her home and managing to activate her, she seems to be defective, as she can only say one word, "Chii," which eventually becomes her name. Unlike other Persocoms, however, Chii cannot download information onto her hard drive, so Hideki decides to teach her about the world the old-fashioned way, while studying for his college entrance exams at the same time. Along with his friends, Hideki tries to unravel the mystery of Chii, who may be a "Chobit," an urban legend about special units that have real human emotions and thoughts, and love toward their owner. But can romance flourish between a Persocom and a human? Have to admit that I was quite impressed when I watched it for the first time, and it still delivers. It has become a golden standard of quality for romance comedies with artificial girls, and it provided example of cuteness done right. Still after a few episodes it becomes a habitual fetish comedy, so I'd prefer a shorter size, plus ending is quite disappointing. I refuse to treat it as a masterpiece , after all it has no real story and cuteness is not a reliable fuel for long trips . Overall Rating: 6/10 2. Azumanga Daiou The Animation Azumanga Daioh: The Animation あずまんが大王 THE ANIMATION [J.C.Staff] (Finished 4/26) Tags: CGDCT, Gag Humor, School Comedy, Slice of Life Chiyo Mihama begins her high school career as one of the strangest students in her freshman class—a tiny, 10-year-old academic prodigy with a fondness for plush dolls and homemade cooking. But her homeroom teacher, Yukari Tanizaki, is the kind of person who would hijack a student's bike to avoid being late, so "strange" is a relative word. There certainly isn't a shortage of peculiar girls in Yukari-sensei's homeroom class. Accompanying Chiyo are students like Tomo Takino, an energetic tomboy with more enthusiasm than brains; Koyomi Mizuhara, Tomo's best friend whose temper has a fuse shorter than Chiyo; and Sakaki, a tall, athletic beauty whose intimidating looks hide a gentle personality and a painful obsession with cats. In addition, transfer student Ayumu Kasuga, a girl with her head stuck in the clouds, fits right in with the rest of the girls—and she has a few interesting theories about Chiyo's pigtails! Together, this lovable group of girls experience the ups and downs of school life, their many adventures filled with constant laughter, surreal absurdity, and occasionally even touching commentary on the bittersweet, temporal nature of high school. Only watched couple episodes in the past and was not motivated enough to go on, so I owe it a better treatment now. It's realistic enough, maybe moderately absurd, so I'd compare it with Ping-Pong club. First of all, Ping-Pong club had a lasting plot, and this one is just discrete gags at a set stage. Secondly, I don't find many jokes in Azumanga funny, and eventually those get repetitive. Lastly, I like characters of Ping-Pong club a lot more than this bunch of clutz. Having lost in every way, can't rate Azumanga Daiou equally, and best not even start comparison with some titan like Lucky Star. Overall Rating: 6/10 3. .hack//Sign [Bee Train] (Finished 26/26) Tags: Video Game Adventure, Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi A young wavemaster, only known by the alias of Tsukasa, wakes up in an MMORPG called The World, with slight amnesia. He does not know what he has previously done before he woke up. In The World, the Crimson Knights suspects him of being a hacker, as he was seen accompanying a tweaked character in the form of a cat. Unable to log out from the game, he wanders around looking for answers, avoiding the knights and other players he meets along the way. As Tsukasa explores The World, he stumbles upon a magical item that takes the form of a "guardian," which promises him protection from all harm. Subaru, the leader of the Crimson Knights, along with several other players who became acquainted with Tsukasa, set out to investigate why Tsukasa is unable to log out, and attempt to get to the bottom of the problem before it gets out of hand. I really don't know why I finished it in the past, but I sort of hated it even back then as it's one of the most boring and bland MMORPG concepts that I've seen. It had maybe couple somewhat memorable moments and characters, but those 26 episodes were mostly a pain. Overall Rating: 5/10 4. Digimon Frontier デジモンフロンティア [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/50) Tags: Isekai Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy With five new kids and an exciting new mission in the Digital World, Digimon Frontier brings back all the great action and adventure of the last three seasons. Takuya, Kouji, Izumi, Junpei. and Tomoki meet each other in a train that takes them to the Digital World where a war against evil is being fought. The Angel digimon, Cherubimon, one of The three angels sent to save the World from the power-hungry Lucemon, has turned to the dark side and the entire Digital World is in peril. To fight this great battle, the five CHOSEN ONES must find the Densetsu no Spirit (Legendary Spirit). Can't block series with openings, or I definitely would block this one. Even contemporary more grown-up versions of franchise like game Digimon Cyber Sleuth were still not serious and interesting enough for me. Frontier has a better stage in my opinion, but all those simplifications drive me mad. Overall Rating: 5/10 5. Tokyo Mew Mew Mew Mew Power 東京ミュウミュウ [Pierrot] (Finished 2/52) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Fantasy, Romance, Sci-Fi Ichigo Momomiya expected her date with her crush, Masaya Aoyama, to have a more romantic ending than her falling asleep after she sees a vision of a cat entering her body. Things get even stranger when, the next day, she begins displaying cat-like behaviors such as an intense craving for fish. When Masaya is attacked by a monster, she discovers that she is able to transform into the cat-eared magical girl, Mew Ichigo. After she saves Masaya, two researchers named Ryou Shirogane and Keiichiro Akasaka approach her and reveal they had injected her with Iriomote Cat DNA in order to create a magical girl that can save the world from aliens. Ichigo is tasked with fighting these monsters, but saving the world proves to be just too much for Ichigo to handle by herself. Fortunately, she learns that there are four other girls just like her, and now, Ichigo must find them quickly before the aliens completely take over the planet. Such an evident Sailor Moon imitation, but with elements of parody, more bishounens and side work in a cafe... because Pia Carrot or something I guess. Of course tilt into half-beasts is the main fetish dish. Was too much irritation for me to even stay for the 3rd episode. Overall Rating: 5/10 6. Juuni Kokuki The Twelve Kingdoms 十二国記 [Pierrot] (Finished 9/45) Tags: Isekai Action, Adventure, Fantasy Youko Nakajima has only ever wanted to be normal. She does what she is asked, gets good grades, is the class president, and even helps her classmates whenever she can—but because of her red hair, she has never fit in. With her pushover attitude, Youko lets classmates take advantage of her, so she has nobody she can really call a friend. But on an otherwise ordinary day, a man who claims to be from another world barges into Youko's classroom and bows before her. This elegant blond-haired man, Keiki, claims that Youko is his master and belongs on the throne of his kingdom. However, their first meeting is cut short as Keiki has been followed by otherworldly beasts called youma. He is able to escape with Youko into his own realm, but two other classmates—Ikuya Asano and Yuka Sugimoto—are caught up in the madness as well. Unfortunately, their troubles have only just begun, as the youma attack leaves them separated from Keiki. Alone in this strange new land, these ordinary students must learn to fend for themselves or die. Two girls (and one guy who gets lost and forgotten soon) getting into isekai is a cool enough stage, so I liked first three episodes, but it takes its time to unveil, so only in 5th episode we finally see girls ways split. I dragged for some time, because soon after I got angry about some element it was uncovered, that happened with girls connection, with 12 kingdoms that's only explained in episode 6, with Keiki who eventually shows up again, with super weird spirit that sent all kind of madness illusions to Youko. But in the end there's no big story or interesting politics. Youko just wants to get back to Japan, and apparently way goes through most kingdoms, and she is getting constantly attacked by youkai beasts or something. And story goes in cycles as Youko joins new people and eventually gets separated from them. There's a lot of beating around the bush, stupid moves and weird emotional rollercoaster. It did not get better for me with more episodes, and 36 more episodes of such mess is a grim prospect. Overall Rating: 6/10 7. Ai Yori Aoshi 藍より青し [J.C.Staff] (Finished 3/24) Tags: Seinen Harem Comedy, Drama, Romance Kaoru Hanabishi, a college student who lives alone, met a beautiful but bewildered girl dressed in a kimono at a train station. He volunteered to guide her way to the address she was looking for, which happened to be in his neighborhood, but turned out to be an empty lot. Not knowing what to do next, Kaoru invited the devastated girl to his apartment and asked for any additional clues to her destination. She supplied him with a photo of two children whom Kaoru immediately identified as himself and Aoi Sakuraba, his childhood friend. It turned out that the girl in front of him is Aoi Sakuraba herself, his betrothed fiancee who came all the way to Tokyo to marry him. Her revelation was not only surprising but also reminded the deepest part of Kaoru's memory for why he left the Hanabishi family in the first place. It's straightforward deredere romance that would be pretty tiresome to watch over the course of 24 episodes, maybe with the right mood. Overall Rating: 6/10 8. Full Moon wo Sagashite Searching for the Full Moon 満月をさがして [Studio Deen] (Finished 3/52) Tags: Shoujo Music Comedy, Drama, Romance, Supernatural Two years ago, Mitsuki Kouyama's friend, Eichi Sakurai, moved to America before she could confess her feelings to him. Though she cannot contact him, they made a promise to fulfill their respective dreams: Mitsuki wants to become a professional singer, and Eichi an astronomer. She hopes that one day her music will reach him across the world with a brilliance like that of the full moon. There is just one catch: Mitsuki suffers from throat cancer, which makes her voice quiet and singing strenuous. Her grandmother, who has a hatred of music, insists that Mitsuki undergo surgery to remove the cancer, but she refuses due to the risk of losing her voice. One day, two shinigami—Meroko Yui and Takuto Kira—appear to tell her that she only has one year left to live. This sudden revelation spurs Mitsuki into action, and she decides that with Meroko and Takuto's help, she will become a professional singer in the time she has left. Full Moon wo Sagashite follows the emotional story of Mitsuki and her shinigami friends as they discover what it means to sing—and ultimately, what it means to live. Seriously? The way to idol through tearjerkers? Life useless without ability to sing? I just wonder how much more stupid it can get. Believe me, it can as there is all kind of nonsense in the sleeve. Mitsuki turning into older version of herself and back with shinigami taking any appearance at will is only the tip of this iceberg. Overall Rating: 5/10 9. Abenobashi Mahou☆Shoutengai Magical☆Shopping Arcade Abenobashi アベノ橋魔法☆商店街 [Gainax, Madhouse] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Isekai, Parody Award Winning, Comedy, Fantasy, Ecchi Satoshi "Sasshi" Imamiya believes his life is in shambles, as only a 12-year-old can. Having lost his card collection, his childish dilemmas worsen when he learns that his childhood friend, Arumi Asahina, will be moving away. Suddenly, their issues are dashed aside for the surreal, and they find themselves transported away through bizarre worlds of science fiction, magic, and war. Any attempt to escape only catapults them into another alien land. Soon, the two come to a realization: every world is just a reimagining of their hometown. But there are two unfamiliar faces—the voluptuous Mune-mune and the elusive blue-haired Eutus—and they just might be the key to escaping their predicament. Abenobashi Mahou☆Shoutengai follows Sasshi and Arumi's comedic exploits as they desperately attempt to return home. However, when the pair unravel a tale spanning generations, they begin to wonder if the cause of their situation is more personal than they thought. Is returning home truly what they desire? I consider Abenobashi to be an extended take on FLCL with even more freedom and parody - heck, boy protagonist is absolutely the same. Due to episodic nature it's hard to watch it all in a row, but there's enough goodness to rate it at least the same as FLCL. Overall Rating: 7/10 10. Rockman.EXE MegaMan NT Warrior ロックマン エグゼ [Xebec] (Finished 1/56) Tags: Shounen Mecha, Video Game Action, Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi In the year of 20XX, a young boy by the name of Netto Hikari receives a very special gift as he enters the 5th grade. His very own customized net navi, Rockman! Despite Rockman's small size and far more responsible personality, the two boys quickly become the best of friends. A net navi is designed to guide his operator from the inside of his or her PErsonal Terminal, or simply PET for short. Children and adults alike enjoy friendly "Net Battles", where they spar their navis against each other to prove their worth. Why this ridiculous plot of toy robot sparring repeats over and over again... it's doomed before start. Overall Rating: 5/10 11. Ou Dorobou Jing Jing: King of Bandits 王ドロボウ JING [Studio Deen] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Shounen Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Sci-Fi Jing may appear to be a young boy, but his remarkable skills make him one of the most feared thieves on the planet. Along with his feathered partner Kir, Jing travels from town to town, stealing anything of value regardless of the amount of security. But when he's in a pinch, he has one more trick up his sleeve: Kir bonds with Jing's right arm to perform the effectively deadly "Kir Royale" attack. And because of all this, Jing is infamously known by many as the "King of Bandits." First episode is bandits competition, second episode is new adventure with getting a partner , third episode is a new adventure again... and withou partner, moreover with a new brief acquantance partner. There is no plot here, just episodic stories, so it can be described as fantasy version of Eat-man. Can't rate that highly. Overall Rating: 6/10 12. Tenchi Muyou! GXP 天地無用! GXP [AIC] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Detective, Harem, Mecha, Space Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi From crashing his bike to falling in lakes, Seina Yamada just cannot shake the bad luck that follows him. But his fortune begins to change when he is forcibly recruited into the Galaxy Police and ends up capturing the most pirates in the force. Now, Seina is no longer just the unfortunate boy from Earth; he is a man that pirates have come to fear. Despite his reputation, Seina is still the same clumsy guy, but at least he has Amane Kaunaq, a former model, and Kiriko Masaki, his long time friend, to keep him together. With their help, Seina sets out on an adventure in the hopes of becoming a great Galaxy Police Officer. Tenchi and the whole harem except space police officer irritated, so this reinstallment has better and less generic protagonist Souma, that space police officer girl and many busty babes. It's a better stage, but show still lacks substance and normal humor as usual, and change of staff can't fix that. Overall Rating: 6/10 13. Tokyo Underground 東京アンダーグラウンド [Pierrot] (Finished 4/26) Tags: Shounen Super Power Action, Adventure, Romance, Sci-Fi Under the capital city of Tokyo, Japan, there exists a large, vast, and unknown world known as Underground. There, people known as Elemental Users exist; people who have the ability to control the elements: Fire, Water, Lightning, Magnetism, Freeze, etc. Meet Rumina Asagi and his best friend Ginnosuke Isuzu, two average high school freshmen who reside in Tokyo. When they meet Gravity User, Chelsea Rorec, and the Miko of Life, Ruri Sarasa, their whole lives change into one big adventure. Pilot is great, but there are just new enemies each episode, so it gets stale. Better than average action, but nothing really outstanding, and I'm definitely not sitting through 20 more filler episodes to get the crumbs of the story. Overall Rating: 6/10 14. Happy☆Lesson (TV) [Studio Hibari] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Harem Comedy, Drama, Romance Hitotose Chitose was always alone and untrusting of people but when 5 female teachers appear and started living together with him in his family's house as his mothers, things started to change and pick up, together with Hazuki-nee and Minazuki (his 2 sisters) everyday is a lesson. Remake of useless OVA about useless cute abusive teachers. Many "jokes" are recycled from OVA. Overall Rating: 5/10 15. Tenshi na Konamaiki Cheeky Angel 天使な小生意気 [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 3/50) Tags: Shounen Magical Sex Shift Comedy, Romance Megumi-chan is a girl with a secret past. She used to be a boy until she met a person she thought was a magic user. This person gave him/her a magical book from which a genie appears to grant one wish when blood is applied to it. Megumi made the wish to be a man in a man's body but the genie has a twist: he grants wishes backwards so he turns Megumi-kun aged 9 to Megumi-chan. Years pass and Megumi enters High School where she immediately beats up the school bully who of course falls in love with her. She is looking for that book again to be able to reverse the spell placed upon her. Today in gender studies there is a man who is temporarily a girl and who gets harassed by other guys... It's better than it sounds, but seriously... 50 episodes? Concept is executed well, but it's a normal delinquents anime with tomboy instead of a hooligan protagonist, and there's a bit of strange romance on the side. I'm not enjoying this. Overall Rating: 6/10 16. Rizelmine りぜるまいん [Madhouse, Imagin] (Finished 3/24) Tags: School Comedy, Romance, Sci-Fi, Ecchi Iwaki Tomonori is an average 15-year-old boy who likes older women. He happens to have a crush on his teacher, but soon thereafter, learns she has become engaged. He heads home brokenhearted, only to find a 12-year-old girl named Rizel at his home, who he learns the Japanese government has married him to against his will. Furthermore, he learns Rizel is no ordinary girl; she is a biochemically engineered human, and her creators (her "papa"s, as they are often referred to) promise to waive multiple bills of Iwaki's parents in exchange to be allowed to stay at their house, and thus Iwaki's life with Rizel begins. Exotic girl at home is a poor concept and Chobits nearly perfected that already. This anime is on the lower end of the food chain as it's baked from average elements. Overall Rating: 5/10 17. Pita Ten Pita-Ten ぴたテン [Madhouse] (Finished 2/26) Tags: Shounen School Comedy, Fantasy, Romance Kotaro was pretty much supposed to be your average boy, worried about the pressures of education while enjoying a simple life with his friends. Much to his despair, he one day finds the overly cheerful Misha at his door, asking to be friends out of nowhere. Even more shocking is that Misha is an apprentice angel, yet she does more bad then good. Along with Kotaro's school friends Takashi and Koboshi and the so called devil Shia (once again being able to do more good then bad), the group of friends spend their days getting into all sorts of adventures and troubles. Based on the manga by Koge-Donbo. Exotic girl neighbor next door is only slightly better as a concept. It saves from cohabitation silly humor and fanservice, and this anime requires that handicap as it's aimed towards younger audience, some elementary school or so. Cuteness and conventional humor aren't enough to stand out. Overall Rating: 5/10 18. Wagamama☆Fairy Mirumo de Pon! Mirmo Zibang! わがまま☆フェアリー ミルモでポン! [Studio Hibari] (Finished 4/172) Tags: Shoujo School Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance Kaede is a cheerful and energetic eighth grader. When it comes to boys, however, she is hopelessly shy. One day, on her way home from school, Kaede walks into a mysterious shop and buys a colorful cocoa mug. When she reaches home, she casually peeks into the bottom of the mug and discovers an engraved note, which says, "If you read this message aloud while pouring hot cocoa into the mug, a love fairy ("muglox") will appear and grant your every wish." The skeptical but curious Kaede follows the directions and announces her wish to date Yuuki, the class heartthrob. Suddenly, the adorable blue Mirumo appears! We soon find out, however, that this cute little muglox would rather eat chocolate and create mischief than help Kaede. Mirumo, it seems, is prince of the muglox world. Horrified at the prospect of having to marry Rirumu, his princess bride-to-be, Mirumo has escaped the muglox world. Hot on his heels, however, are Rirumu, Yashichi the bounty hunter, and a cast of hundreds of muglox ranging from the good to the bad to the nutty. This gang of adorable troublemakers will see to it that school life for Kaede and her friends is never the same... It's amusing enough and thus decent, but I did not find myself smiling even once, and apart of humor and cuteness there's no more strong sides. Overall Rating: 6/10 19. Whistle! ホイッスル！ [Studio Comet] (Finished 1/39) Tags: Shounen School, Team Sports Kazamatsuri Shou's dream has always been to become a professional soccer player, but he has one problem: he's not very good at the game. He was accepted to the prestigious Musashi no Mori Junior High, known for its top rate soccer team, but he was never able to rise beyond the rank of third stringer. After transferring to Sakura Jousui Junior High, he can finally play soccer. And, with the support of his new friends and teammates, his strong determination, and lots of hard work, his soccer skills are developing rapidly and setting Shou well on his way to achieving his dream. One sample episode is enough for most spokons. This piece wants to be Hajime no Ippo for soccer as protagonist starts as a lousy, but diligent player. Overall Rating: 5/10 20. Gun Frontier ガンフロンティア [Vega Entertainment] (Finished 4/13) Tags: Seinen Historical Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi It is a harsh and barren wasteland, where the weak aren't allowed to dream. It is also a sacred land for true men, for there is no place a man can feel more alive. This is the Gun Frontier. Sea Pirate Captain Harlock and the errant samurai, Tochiro arrive in the United States on the Western Frontier. Along with a mysterious woman they meet along the way, the two friends challenge sex rings, bandits, and corrupt sheriff. They are searching for a lost clan of Japanese immigrants, and they will tear Gun Frontier from end to end until they find it. Recycled character designs as usual. Less confusion this time, but it's just random adventures in the wild west environment with not interesting enough characters and constant losing. Overall Rating: 6/10 21. Atashin'chi あたしンち [Shin-Ei Animation] (Finished 3/330) Tags: Comedy, Slice of Life Outrageous misadventures of an almost normal family with a housewife, her husband, and their two kids Yuzuhiko and Mikan. Wacky humor about this weird family's daily life. Partially translated. There seem to be three stories inside one episode. Visuals are even worse than Yamadas while humor is better. Overall Rating: 6/10 22. Bakutou Sengen Daigunder Daigunder 爆闘宣言ダイガンダー [Nippon Animation, Brain's Base] (Finished 1/39) Tags: Mecha Adventure, Sci-Fi Akira Akebono, a young boy who is competing in a robot tournament where many of the robots are capable of transforming into animal forms. Akira wants to win the ultimate prize, the Titan Belt, with the help of his group of robots, all of which are capable of forming into the robot Daigunder. Daigunder is the creation of Akira's father, Professor Hajime Akebono. Together with a girl named Haruka, they compete under the name of Team Akira. However, Team Akira faces opposition from not only their competition, but a robot named Ginzan who is under the control of the evil Professor Maelstrom. A new fantastic toy robot battles concept anime that I skip! Overall Rating: 4/10 23. Wild 7 Another Bouryaku Unga Wild 7 Another ワイルド7 another　謀略運河 [E&G Films] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Shounen Detective, Gore Action, Adventure, Mystery A big transatlantic ship, full of rich and important people for international business, has been taken by a group of terrorists. The only hope for their rescue is in the hands of a Japanese man known as Japa, but first, he must hire seven companions to help him, and together they will be the Wild Seven. The main plot occurs in the waters of Nicaragua's Canal. As a sequel to ancient movie, it also looks both morally and technologically old. It's a slow and boring gathering of bland team consisting of a big number of characters, then lots of talking with detective mystery elements and finally a bit of action with rescuing. Not impressive, sadly. Overall Rating: 5/10 24. Forza! Hidemaru フォルツァ！ひでまる [Gallop] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Team Sports A soccer anime with a cast of wacky animals in sports getup seems far out of its time in the early 21st century, but it was the year of the World Cup in Japan and South Korea, and the very young audience sees these tropes with fresh eyes. Hidemaru is a feisty fox; his friends include bunnies, dogs, horses, and a couple of hefty hippo girls. Based on a manga Hidemaru the Soccer Boy by Makoto Mizobuchi, serialized in CoroCoro Comics. Super childish soccer, don't know why it's not marked properly. Overall Rating: 5/10 25. .hack//Liminality [Bee Train] (Finished 4/4) Tags: Video Game Mystery, Sci-Fi While playing the newly released MMORPG "The World," Minase Mai and Tomonari Kasumi collapsed in the real world and were sent to the hospital after hearing a mysterious sound. Only Mai had recovered while her friend Kasumi had slipped into a mysterious coma. Mai is later approached by the creator of "The World," Tokuoka Junichiro, who unveils to her that, just like her friend, six other players across the country had also collapsed while playing "The World" and are now in mysterious comas. What exactly is "The World," what is this mysterious sound Mai keeps on hearing, and why are people slipping into comas from this game? Minase, Junichiro and their acquaintances set off to get to the bottom of this problem before any further harm happens. .hack OVAs are either hit or miss for me as I know at least one definite masterpiece among them. This one is just real world detective mystery around MMO, total miss. Overall Rating: 5/10 26. Cosplay Complex こすぷれCOMPLEX [TNK] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Otaku Culture, Parody, School Comedy, Ecchi Meet Chako and her friends from the Cosplay Association at East Oizuki Academy! They're the hottest new cosplay team in Japan...fresh from a winning streak of local battles, they're set to sweep the Cosplay World Series! Yeah, right. In reality, Chako and her friends are barely able to keep their club alive at all. Feeble club membership and a lack of sponsorship might be the end of their cosplay dreams before they can even start. But don't you dare underestimate this group of spunky girls! They'll survive a barrage of pervy newcomers, cosplay rivalries, costume disasters and dating mishaps in order to reach their ultimate goal of competing in the World Series. The clothing flies as the girls suit up (and strip down) for Cosplay Complex! Lighthearted and not memorable. Overall Rating: 5/10 27. Gate Keepers 21 ゲートキーパーズ21 [Gonzo] (Finished 1/6) Tags: Mecha Action, Drama, Sci-Fi Thirty-two years have passed since the initial defeat of the Invaders. A.E.G.I.S is all but dismantled now and has become an underground organization consisting of only a few Gate Keepers left to save humanity. One of the members, Ayane Isuzu, is sick of society as a whole, though she continues to defeat the Invaders out of spite for her father. Suddenly, she learns of the revival of Machine General (Kikai Shogun) and Devil Count (Akuma Hakushaku), but a mysterious ghost girl now accompanies them. It is up to Ayane and the remnants of A.E.G.I.S to stop them and save humanity once again. Since I dropped original midway, and this is sequel, not much to say about it except that it feels more serious and overall better. Overall Rating: 6/10 28. Galerians: Rion ガレリアンズ：リオン [Enterbrain] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Shounen Military, Psychological Adventure, Drama, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Supernatural Six years have passed since Rion discovered his own identity as an artificial being, yet succeeded in destroying the genocidal Mother Computer, Dorothy, before perishing himself. Now reactivated by Lilia, Rion awakens to find that Dorothy managed to execute one final catastrophic program, rendering a new evil crew to finish her goal of human annihilation. It is a fully 3D CGI animated OVA based on the hit PlayStation game, called Galerians, released in August, 1999. CGI is still of poor quality, story is not good and characters pretty horrible . Overall Rating: 4/10 29. Armitage III: Dual-Matrix アミテージ・ザ・サード DUAL-MATRIX [AIC] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Mecha Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi A few years after they first met, Naomi Armitage and Ross Syllabus have started a family. Despite their normal lives, they must keep their identities a secret because many people believe that Robots do not deserve equal status with humans. Ross has an opportunity to abolish these ideas on Earth through a vote, but organizations in the shadows are working so that it doesn't happen. Miracle did not happen. Action is still nice, plot still moderately confusing, but simple in the main part. Satisfaction is there, but could not enjoy it. Still loses to everything from Ghost in the Shell. Overall Rating: 6/10 30. Crayon Shin-chan Movie 10: Arashi wo Yobu Appare! Sengoku Daikassen クレヨンしんちゃん 嵐を呼ぶ アッパレ! 戦国大合戦 [Shin-Ei Animation] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Seinen Historical, Samurai Award Winning, Drama, Romance A full-scale historical drama set in the last days (the year 1574) of the Sengoku Era of feudal Japan. It is the story of the Nohara family, who has been transferred into the Sengoku Era by time warp, and a tragic love between a princess Ren Kasuga (a daughter of the feudal lord Kasuga at the Province of Musashi) and a samurai warrior Matabei Ijiri (a retainer of the Lord Kasuga). Sengoku is always a safe choice, and Himawari got almost zero screen time, but story turned into drama, and that did not suit Shin-chan. No matter how I look at it, it's only decent. Overall Rating: 6/10 31. Guilstein ギルスティン [ACC Production] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Gore Action, Horror, Sci-Fi The theatrical anime film is a full digital (3-D) action/horror film based on a manga by Tamaki Hisao, best known to Western fans for his manga adaptation of Star Wars: A New Hope. Characters were designed by Yasushi Nirasawa, a well acclaimed maker of creature action figures. Monkey Punch (Lupin III creator) served as the film's script superviser. Set in the year 2088, it depicts a dark future in which humans have been transformed into the "Guilstein," creatures with no human souls in them... A chaotic action with super ugly CGI that are used in some battles, story itself is not bad. Overall Rating: 5/10

No masterpieces as usual, personally enjoyed Palme no Ki more than others. 1. Full Metal Panic! フルメタル・パニック！ [Gonzo] (Finished 3/24) Tags: Mecha, Military Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi Mithril, a covert military institution using state-of-the-art technology to combat terrorist operations, assigns a specialized team to a sensitive mission. Under the command of superior officer Melissa Mao, sergeants Sousuke Sagara and Kurz Weber must secretly protect Kaname Chidori—a teenage girl who unconsciously holds breakthrough scientific knowledge and is considered a "Whispered"—from intelligence agencies and other organizations pursuing her abilities. While Kurz and Melissa are to assist him remotely, Sousuke enrolls at Kaname's high school as one of her classmates to closely monitor her. However, his militaristic upbringing and poor social skills lead to a difficult adjustment to civilian life. Not only does he attract unnecessary attention, but his actions frequently make Kaname suspicious of him. Despite the earnest attempts to fulfill his duty, a terrorist ambush further complicates Sousuke's task. Recognizing the vicious mastermind behind the assault, Sousuke abandons his orders to ensure Kaname's safety. Watched it all in the past. but did not expect it to be so old. And even at that time it lost its charm by some 9th episode and started to be a drag. It never felt like mecha to me, more like romcom with rather flat humor. Today it looks even worse as the number of cliché characters and situations outrages even though it might not be the case back then. Overall Rating: 5/10 2. Onegai☆Teacher Please Teacher! おねがい☆ティーチャー [Daume] (Finished 12/12) Tags: School Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi One day, Kei Kusanagi notices a strange glowing woman by the lake. He discovers that the woman is actually an alien officer from the Galaxy Federation named Mizuho Kazami, and even more shocking—she's also his teacher! In spite of this setback, he and his teacher gradually get to know each other and a romance blossoms between them. However, soon enough, the principal of the school finds out about their relationship. The solution? Get married! Together, the newlyweds must keep their marriage a secret, not only from Kei's high school friends, but also the Galaxy Federation. Onegai☆Teacher is the fragile but comedic love story of an alien and her student. Another familiar title that looked fine and even interesting in the past. Today I'd say its best advantage is adequate length as alien female interfering into everyday life is nothing new, and romance is rather strange and forced. Humor is average at best. It aged too much. Overall Rating: 5/10 3. RahXephon ラーゼフォン [Bones] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Mecha, Music, Psychological Action, Drama, Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi The ordinary life of high school student Ayato Kamina is turned upside down when Tokyo is suddenly invaded by futuristic fighter jets. Amidst the chaos, he encounters a woman called Haruka Shitow who claims to be from a government organization called TERRA. She reveals that he has been living in a time bubble named "Tokyo Jupiter" that was put in place by the Mulians—humanoids from another dimension—in an attempt to isolate and take over Tokyo. TERRA has been trying to break through the barrier surrounding the city ever since. Unable to process the revelation, Ayato panics and flees. He runs into his classmate Reika Mishima who leads him to a place called "The Shrine of Xephon" where a large egg slumbers. She starts to sing and an unknown power awakens within Ayato, connecting him to a being called RahXephon that breaks out of the egg. Shortly after, Haruka finds him again and tries to make him join her cause of fighting against the Mulians. Caught between the crosshairs of the Mulians and TERRA, Ayato begins to question his purpose, navigating altered memories and ultimately his very identity in this chaotic new world. Another overextended show, and moreover with singing mecha. It starts rather chaotically and no explanations ever follow. Guess some explanations will only occur after the filler-filled middle, so I'd prefer to wait for the movie to see if it makes any sense at all. Overall Rating: 5/10 4. Bakuten Shoot Beyblade 2002 Beyblade V-Force 爆転シュート　ベイブレード2002 [Nippon Animation] (Finished 1/51) Tags: Shounen Action, Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Sports The Bladebreakers have to join forces once again because a mysterious group under the lead of Oozuma has defeated them, but the real enemy is not Oozuma. The real threath is formed by a group of people who use cyber-BitBeasts to capture the original ones from the Bladebreakers. I don't remember prequel , because it was properly marked as material for kids. Brief sampling is enough to prove the same about sequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 5. Kanon カノン [Toei Animation] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Drama, Romance, Supernatural It’s been 7 years since Yuuichi Aizawa visited his aunt Akiko, but now that his parents have gone to Africa to pursue their careers, he is finally back in the little northern town. Yuuichi is not really overjoyed with the prospect of living here though, because all of his memories of this place and the people living in it have mysteriously vanished. His cute cousin Nayuki seems like a stranger as well, even though he used to play with her all the time when they were younger. On the day of moving into his new home, Yuuichi starts unpacking the boxes and stumbles upon a red headband that no one seems to recognize. This is one of the first clues that will make Yuuichi take a stroll through the snow-covered town and make him start recalling fragments of his past, broken promises and buried secrets. Yuuichi soon realizes that there is something supernatural going on, and all of his new female acquaintances seem to have links to his forgotten past. It felt quite fresh back then. Today it's still interesting, because it's based on a lot of material from the game and thus does not repeat or have any fillers. There is some humor and cuteness, plus a lot of conversations are lively. But the whole stage of boring MC with amnesia or something returning to home town and by huge consequent strokes of luck making a harem from girls is more interesting from writer's viewpoint than from viewers'. Overall Rating: 6/10 6. Kinnikuman II Sei Ultimate Muscle キン肉マンII世 [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/51) Tags: Shounen Combat Sports, Martial Arts Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Sports Kinnikuman II Sei takes place several years after the events of the original Kinnikuman. Mantarou Kinniku is the 59th prince of Planet Kinniku and son of the renowned wrestler, King Suguru. Lazy, immature, and cowardly, Mantarou seems to have little in common with his heroic father. When a powerful group calling themselves the dMP threatens the Earth, only someone as powerful as Kinnikuman stands a chance against them. Not knowing the current whereabouts of the King, a plan is formed to have his son Mantarou take up the mantle. The idea of fighting super villains does not sit well with Mantarou, who initially runs away from his duty. He flees to Earth where he encounters Meat, his father’s old trainer. Despite Mantarou's shortcomings, Meat sees King Suguru in him, and believes he can set the prince on the right path. Thus begins Mantarou's journey to better himself and save the world. I've lost count of Kinnikuman iterations by now and - frankly - I'm sick of it and its unfunny humor. The changes in allies are actually welcome , but this series is long beyond redemption. Overall Rating: 5/10 7. Ojamajo Doremi Dokkaan! おジャ魔女どれみドッカ〜ン！ [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/51) Tags: Shoujo Comedy Hana now becomes a peer of the Ojamajo. When Majotourbillon's spirit revives, the witches now have to break her curse. From the help from Pao-chan, Doremi, Hana, and the other witches are able to defeat the curses. Did not expect it to last for four huge seasons. Flow is still nice, and kid with body of pupil provides ample humor opportunities. Overall Rating: 6/10 8. Aquarian Age: Sign for Evolution アクエリアンエイジ Sign for Evolution [Madhouse] (Finished 6/13) Tags: Music, Super Power Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Romance, Sci-Fi, Supernatural Five supernatural factions have been fighting against each other for who knows how many centuries, with the beginning of Aquarian Age always in mind. Kyouta, soon begins to see visions of mystical girls fighting, except they do exist. Soon he and his girlfriend Yoriko become involved and the battle for Earth and Aquarian Age lies in their hands. What intrigued me the most is the fact of five factions - why would so many be needed? And the answer to this question is basically just because there are five girls in semi-romantic relations with MC, and at emotional states they have spiritual power outbursts. It's all really super confusing and it's probably leading to some resolution, but it's very poorly done and absolutely sour. Overall Rating: 5/10 9. Galaxy Angel Z ギャラクシーエンジェルＺ [Madhouse] (Finished 1/9) Tags: Comedy, Sci-Fi In the far future, the human race advanced to space, and prospered. However, Jikushin ( earthquake of time and space ) which occurred suddenly intercepted all networks, and all the civilizations were reset. However, the human race begins to revive, and enters the prosperity age of The Second by the Transvaal imperial country which rises at the center of the galactic system. The science and technology before the civilization was reset, that is, "Lost Technology" was considered to be god`s task. And, it came to be worshiped by the priest who was called "Tsuki no miko". On the other hand, a certain guard fleet was stationed in the frontier of the galactic system. Though it was the seemingly perfectly ordinary army, the team composed only of the woman called "Angel Corps" existed in this army. They controlled the spaceship which was called "Angel Frame" which was the relic of Lost Technology. And, they collected the lost technology by using the angel frame, and carried out the duties to manage them. They were not the elite pilots, but Angel Corps was rather an eccentric person`s group. Arms mania`s Forte, costume player`s Mint, taciturn Vanilla, showy Ranpha and Milfeulle who likes cooking ... Every time, they cause a big trouble in the mission. More of aimless trifle adventures, but humor has improved, so for those who don't care about actual plot it may be even decent. Overall Rating: 6/10 10. Patapata Hikousen no Bouken The Secret of Cerulean Sand パタパタ飛行船の冒険 [Telecom Animation Film] (Finished 4/26) Tags: Adventure, Sci-Fi Jane's mother dies when she is born, and her father, a rich English aristocrat, soon remarries to a woman with a son, William, who despises his new father and brother. George and Jane grow up with a dream to make a flying machine. George believes the distant Asian sands hold a secret: a mysterious cerulean sand which can make machines fly. He goes on an expedition to find it, and soon is reported executed for treason. William disappears too. After she recieves an unsigned letter holding a handful of pale-blue sand which floats in the air, Jane is sure her brother is alive and leaves to the East to find him and prove him innocent. There are many mysteries to unravel in store for Jane and her new friends on her journey. But perhaps a mystery should forever remain a mystery... It's similar to Nadia: Secret of the Blue Water in most aspects. I often complain about confusing narration, but this is the opposite case - everything is explained instantly and thoroughly, as many as three episodes are given for introduction, and we even know the antagonist by the end of this period. So what's left is action adventure to lead to antagonist and return the good name and goods. Basically, it becomes too simple and not interesting enough, as for me, but it's a decent anime for family watch or for younger auditory. Overall Rating: 6/10 11. Shichinin no Nana 七人のナナ [A.C.G.T.] (Finished 3/25) Tags: School Adventure, Comedy, Romance On the last Valentine's Day before her high school entrance exams, Nana Suzuki tries to build up the courage to confess to her longtime crush. However, when her chocolates are accidentally ruined, she rushes back to her house to make more—not realizing that the microwave has been turned into a strange invention by her grandfather. Suddenly, six additional copies of Nana appear, each possessing their own extreme personality and a crystal that grants them magic powers! With her plans ruined, Nana vows to confess to her crush in her first year of high school. The only problem is that her crush is top student Yuuichi Kamichika, and following him to his elite high school will mean that she has to hit the books. With six new allies to help her, Nana begins to prepare for anything that the exam season might throw at her. Cute little shoujo comedy that satisfies the need of synchronized actions as if it's a constant idol gig. It's rather silly, so just can't take it seriously. Overall Rating: 6/10 12. Kakutou Ryouri Densetsu Bistro Recipe Fighting Foodons 格闘料理伝説ビストロレシピ [Group TAC] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Shounen Strategy Game Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Gourmet An 11-year old boy named Zen bands together with his younger sister, Karen, and a young boy who has a large appetite, Pitan, to battle an evil empire by using their "Foodons"; strange monsters that are created from various foods. Dub only. Did not expect a cooking show to be a show for kids, but it's more fighting action than cooking anime, just fights participants are... cooked dishes... Probably resembles Pokemon the most. Overall Rating: 5/10 13. Genma Taisen: Shinwa Zenya no Shou Genma Wars 幻魔大戦－神話前夜の章 [E&G Films] (Finished 6/13) Tags: Shounen Adventure, Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi, Supernatural In the distant future, monsters and inhumans roam the land, and the ruling Evil King seeks a human woman to bear him powerful, force-adept heirs. Non offers herself to the Evil King in order to save her village from Ape Clan raiders, and gives him twin sons, Loof and Jin. She and her sons are exiled by the ungrateful villagers, however, and Non's companion Nue (a Demon Clan member changed into a wolf for disobedience) takes Loof to be raised by his father, the Evil King. The Evil One's Queen Parome despises humans, however, and her malevolence towards Loof deepens... Manga is from 60s, so character designs are corresponding. Genma Taisen movie from 80s had a different plot about psychics and robots war. This one is more like fantasy with psychic powers. Actually, I remember a very similar fantasy anime movie with two brothers with similar names separated in the childhood and one getting brought up as hero and the other as villain, but could not find that movie. Feels too morally old already. Overall Rating: 5/10 14. Kick Off 2002 Kick Off (2002) キックオフ２００２ [-] (Finished 0/26) Tags: Team Sports A soccer animation produced for the 2002 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by Korea and Japan. The main characters are two young men, a Japanese playmaker and a Korean striker. Friendship with teammates, their growth as soccer players, etc. are drawn. Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10 15. Hoshi no Koe Voices of a Distant Star ほしのこえ [CoMix Wave Films] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Mecha, Space Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi It is the year 2046, Noboru Terao and Mikako Nagamine are close friends who will soon be graduating junior high school. But after an alien attack on humanity, Mikako is selected for the UN military space expedition set to retaliate against the aliens. Separated, Noboru and Mikako attempt to keep in touch by sending emails to each other with their cell phones. Yet as the expedition journeys farther from Earth, the time it takes for them to transmit and receive each other's messages increases substantially. Hoshi no Koe revolves around the relationship between this couple as they try to stay connected despite the growing distance between them. Slightly over 20 minutes, seriously? I have not watched much from Makoto Shinkai , but his style is guessed instantly It's a too short work to seriously discuss. Overall Rating: 6/10 16. Arcade Gamer Fubuki アーケードゲーマーふぶき [Shaft] (Finished 4/4) Tags: Shounen Parody, Super Power, Video Game Action, Comedy, Sports, Ecchi Fubuki Sakuragasaki is a powerful gamer who, with the power of her Passion Panties, climbs up the ranks of the BAG (Best of Arcade Gamer) tournament to become the greatest Arcade Gamer in the world. However, the evil Gulasic Group is out to conquer the world through said tournament, and their gaming skills will prove to be a challenge. Fubuki must team up with the legendary Mr. Mystery to combat the four Gods of Gaming and make the world of arcade gaming safe for all. It's a ridiculous fanservice superpower parody comedy... at least I could not come with a better definition for all that mess. It's a weird mix, but it does not feel good, even humor is so-so. Overall Rating: 5/10 17. Koukou Tekken-den Tough Shootfighter Tekken 高校鉄拳伝　タフ [AIC] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Shounen Martial Arts Action Years ago there was an underground match between Pro Wrestling and Nanshin Shadow Stlye (a secret and deadly form of martial arts) to see which form of martial arts was dominant, The Nanshin Shadow style came out victorious in the battle. Now in the present, the man who was defending Pro-Wrestling is back and is out to destroy Nanshin Shadow style in any way he can; however, it is now up to Kiichi, the son of the previous victor to defend the name of Nanshin Shadow style and it is his job to keep it from being completely erased from existance. The most manly writer ever is back with most manly manliness in every scene. For those who did not like Riki-Oh best not even start. Contents is rather stupid as it's another Bruce Lee story variation , but may be worth a laugh. Overall Rating: 5/10 18. Sweat Punch スウェットパンチ [Studio 4°C] (Finished 3/5) Tags: Historical, Mecha Action, Fantasy Sweat Punch is a series of five Studio 4°C shorts collected as a direct-to-DVD package film entitled Deep Imagination. Absurdity rules the show during short episodic stories, so it's alien to me. Overall Rating: 5/10 19. Harukanaru Toki no Naka de: Ajisai Yumegatari 遙かなる時空の中で 〜紫陽花ゆめ語り〜 [Zexcs] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Shoujo Historical, Isekai, Mythology, Time Travel Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural Whisked away to the land of Kyou, Akane learns that she is the Ryuujin no Miko, and meets the Hachiyou, her protectors. They must defeat Akuram, a demon who wants to destroy Kyou using the power of Azusa, a woman who has the power to absorb human energy. If Akane and the Hachiyou cannot defeat Akuram and bring peace to Kyou, Azusa'a power will destroy the humans. Again shoujo with a harem of bishounen protectors. Only rushed concept explanation and some action fit into those 50 minutes. Overall Rating: 5/10 20. WXIII Kidou Keisatsu Patlabor WXIII 機動警察パトレイバー [Madhouse] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Detective, Mecha Sci-Fi When the level of Labor accidents begin to escalate around Tokyo Bay, police detectives Kusumi and Hata are assigned to investigate. What they discover leads to a series of government cover-ups, conspiracy concerning a new biological weapon entitled WXIII-Wasted Thirteen and a tragic, personal connection to Hata. The only hope to stop this threat is to cooperate with the military and lead WXIII into a showdown with the Labors of Special Vehicle Division 2. Patlabor was never a great franchise for me, but this is just a different show made by different director. It's detective mystery with two detective protagonists vs monsters, and mecha are only flashed in the end. I think that story came first and then it was put into the most fitting franchise, so some more characters and mecha from original got added. Movie is a good enough gig, but calling it an enjoyable masterpiece would be an overkill. Overall Rating: 6/10 21. Palme no Ki A Tree of Palme パルムの樹 [Palm Studio] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Romance Palme is a puppet created by a man to care for his sickly wife. After her death Palme becomes paralyzed with sorrow, that is, until a woman being pursed happens to cross paths with Palme and his creator and ask them to deliver something precious to a sacred place called Tama. Palme, mistaking her for his masters late wife, accepts the request. This becomes his first step to becoming more human in order to understand his own feelings. A new take on Pinocchio. It's confusing, slow, and over 2 hours long. Childish character designs don't fit the excessively complicated plot and disturbing themes. It provides some fresh imagery and moves, but I ask myself whether I'll remember it in a month , and answer is that probably not. Overall Rating: 6/10 22. Turn A Gundam I Movie: Earth Light ∀ Gundam I: Earth Light 劇場版∀ガンダムI 地球光 [Sunrise] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Mecha, Military, Space Action, Drama, Sci-Fi A movie retelling of the first half of the Turn A Gundam series. Did not expect that much SOL. Hope it all leads somewhere. Overall Rating: 5/10 23. Turn A Gundam II Movie: Moonlight Butterfly 劇場版∀ガンダムII 月光蝶 [Sunrise] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Mecha, Military, Space Action, Drama, Sci-Fi The movie retelling of the final half of the Turn A Gundam series. I'd lie if I said that I understood much of it. Gundam series have this unique trait to make me not care about characters or politics completely. Some lousy sci-fi with sky high ambitions. Overall Rating: 5/10 24. Mari Iyagi 마리 이야기 [ADV Films] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Drama, Fantasy, Slice of Life When office worker Nam-woo receives a package from childhood friend Jun-ho it transports him back to their last summer together. Back to their hometown in a small fishing village it the last few days before Jun-ho left for boarding school in Seoul. When a marble and an abandoned lighthouse had the power to transport him to a fantastic world where a mysterious flying girl named Mari lived. Guess it's important for Korean animation as it's the first serious story if we count out historical pieces, but on the objective side after gorgeous intro it's visually minimalistic 3D. Contents-wise it's imitation of Only Yesterday, just with more chaos, confusion and fantastic elements. Overall Rating: 5/10 25. Ecchan no Sensou えっちゃんのせんそう [Mushi Production] (Finished 0/1) Tags: Historical Drama Based on a children's novel by Etsuko Kishikawa. Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10

Hellsing is the only title I deemed worthy at the end of 2001. 1. Hellsing Hellsing [ヘルシング] [Gonzo] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Seinen Adult Cast, Gore, Vampire Action, Horror, Supernatural Hellsing, an organization specializing in dealing with supernatural threats, is called in to eliminate a vampire that is turning the villagers of Cheddar into ghouls. To put an end to this, the leader of the organization, Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, dispatches her most formidable asset: a powerful vampire known as Alucard. Armed with only a single handgun, Alucard wreaks havoc on the monsters plaguing Cheddar. However, a young police officer, Seras Victoria, gets caught up in the chaos and becomes mortally wounded as a result. Taking pity on the girl, Alucard gives her a choice: die as a human or live on as a vampire. Seras accepts his offer and begins a new life as a member of Hellsing. Though it was her decision, Seras struggles with the fact that she is no longer human. Nevertheless, she must embrace being a creature of the night soon if she wants to survive on the front lines in the fight between humans and the supernatural. One of the first watched anime, and for quite some time I thought that all Japanese anime are bloody. It's super cool, but coolness can't get over 8 in my evaluation system. Overall Rating: 8/10 2. Tennis no Ouji-sama The Prince of Tennis テニスの王子様 [Trans Arts] (Finished 1/178) Tags: Shounen School Sports At the request of his father, tennis prodigy Ryouma Echizen has returned from America and is ready to take the Japanese tennis scene by storm. Aiming to become the best tennis player in the country, he enrolls in Seishun Academy—home to one of the best middle school tennis teams in Japan. After Ryouma catches the captain's eye, he finds himself playing for a spot on the starting lineup in the intra-school ranking matches despite only being a freshman. Due to his age, the rest of the Seishun Boys' Tennis Team are initially reluctant to accept him, but his skill and determination convinces them to let him in. Armed with their new "super rookie," Seishun sets out to claim a spot in the National Tournament, hoping to take the coveted title for themselves. In order to do so, the team must qualify by playing through the Tokyo Prefectural and Kanto Regionals. Yet, the road ahead of them is shared by a plethora of strong schools, each playing tennis in unique ways for their own reasons. Ryouma and his teammates must learn to cooperate if they want to become the champions they aspire to be. How many episodes? Anyway, it's an acclaimed spokon franchise with bishounens for girls. It's already super irritating from beginning, and I can only guess the depths of deterioration after several years of running . Overall Rating: 5/10 3. Hikaru no Go ヒカルの碁 [Pierrot] (Finished 5/75) Tags: Shounen School, Strategy Game Comedy, Drama, Supernatural While searching through his grandfather's attic, Hikaru Shindou stumbles upon an old go board. Touching it, he is greeted by a mysterious voice, and soon after falls unconscious. When he regains his senses, he discovers that the voice is still present and belongs to Fujiwara no Sai, the spirit of an ancient go expert. A go instructor for the Japanese Emperor in the Heian Era, Sai's passion for the game transcends time and space, allowing him to continue playing his beloved game as a ghostly entity. Sai's ultimate goal is to master a divine go technique that no player has achieved so far, and he seeks to accomplish this by playing the board game through Hikaru. Despite having no interest in board games, Hikaru reluctantly agrees to play, executing moves as instructed by Sai. However, when he encounters the young go prodigy Akira Touya, a passion for the game is slowly ignited within him. Inspired by his newfound rival, Hikaru's journey into the world of go is just beginning. I just don't consider Go a serious game. But the Japanese can make an anime out of absolutely anything, even out of pachinko as we saw recently. Then cheating one's way through ancient champion and showing off that you're playing for the first time is pathetic. There's too much focus on artistic beauty of actions rather than main matter. And of course everyone resigns like after filling a quarter of the field and viewers should believe that it was all calculated in advance for hundreds of turns. Bullshit. Two words were ringing in my head after every stupidity - March Lion. It's not fair to compare old anime with modern one, but March Lion is at least tenfold better in every regard. I admit Hikaru no Go has a nice flow and is more interesting than any spokon so far, but I don't give bonus scores for being older, and it's far from masterpiece considered the more modern rivals. Overall Rating: 6/10 4. Groove Adventure Rave レイヴ [Studio Deen] (Finished 2/51) Tags: Shounen Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance Fifty years ago, malevolent stones known as Dark Brings brought about the "Overdrive," a calamitous event that destroyed one-tenth of the world. In the present day, the nefarious organization Demon Card seeks the Dark Brings' power for their all but innocent intentions. Haru Glory, a sword-wielding silver-haired teenager, inherits the title of Rave Master: the person who wields the power of the legendary Rave Stones, artifacts capable of destroying the Dark Brings. However, the many Rave Stones were scattered across the globe as a result of the Overdrive, allowing Demon Card to continue their malpractices. Groove Adventure Rave follows Haru, his strange dog Plue, the fiery blonde Ellie, and the infamous thief Musica, as they embark on a great journey that will take them around the vast world, searching for the Rave Stones that will finally end Demon Card's injustice. Influx of brainless shounens is what I was afraid of after One Piece started, and this is exactly that case. Don't even know what more to say. It's horrible and flat and imitational . Overall Rating: 5/10 5. X X−エックス− [Madhouse] (Finished 3/24) Tags: Shoujo Super Power Action, Drama, Fantasy, Romance His destiny has finally arrived as the young Shirou Kamui returns to Tokyo after 6 years. A powerful psychic, Kamui vows to protect the happiness of his childhood friends Fuuma and Kotori, even if it means avoiding them. But fate is cruel, whether or not Kamui wants to be involved; he holds the future of the world in his hands, given the choice of becoming a Dragon of Heaven or a Dragon of Earth. The Seven Seals gather, and so do the Seven Angels; all individuals who have their destiny carved out as one who would battle for the fate of the world. What future will Kamui choose to become reality? Bishounents, psychics, heavens and earth dichotomy... sigh, just synopsis triggers three red lights. There was already anime about those seven elemental dragons and bishounens Legend of the Dragon Kings, why go through all that anew... half of Chinese series have all that elemental cringe. I utterly refuse to understand what to like here. Overall Rating: 5/10 6. Mahoromatic: Automatic Maiden まほろまてぃっく [Gainax, Shaft] (Finished 5/12) Tags: Seinen Military Comedy, Romance, Sci-Fi, Ecchi Mahoro Andou is a powerful combat android designed by Vesper, a secret organization protecting the world against alien invaders. Unfortunately, her remaining operational time is running short. If she continues to fight, she will shut down in about one month. However, if she chooses to avoid combat, she can live freely for over a year. Suguru Misato is a high school boy who lives alone in a large house left behind by his late parents. Like any other boy his age, he has trouble taking care of the house on his own, so he decides to enlist the help of a maid. His problem is solved in the most unexpected way: when a couple of thugs hijack the bus he is riding, a young, beautiful girl wearing a maid outfit saves the day. It turns out that this girl is Mahoro, who has chosen to live her remaining days as Suguru's new maid. Mahoro makes the best of her remaining time and develops bonds with Suguru and his friends during their peaceful yet lively everyday interactions. However, Mahoro is hiding her true intentions behind becoming Suguru's maid, and it seems that their pasts are more intertwined than Suguru realizes. Watched first and last episodes in hope to see a small revolution that Gainax did with previous titles, and alas. It has some right points like discussion of contract, and there is also enough fighting action closer to the end, but this was a bad stage from the start. This concept of artificial girl showing up at boy's house is morally old and thus is not used nowadays as such concept provides only expected elements - the same story with alterations, fanservice and humor. Overall Rating: 6/10 7. Captain Tsubasa: Road to 2002 Captain Tsubasa キャプテン翼 (2001) [Group TAC] (Finished 1/52) Tags: Shounen Team Sports Sports Tsubasa Oozora loves everything about soccer: the cheer of the crowd, the speed of the ball, the passion of the players, and the excitement that comes from striving to be the best soccer player he can be. His goal is to aim for the World Cup, and to do that, he’s spent countless hours practicing soccer, ever since the moment he could walk on two legs. Now, as he plays for the Barcelona team in a fierce game, it seems as though his dreams are on the verge of coming true. Captain Tsubasa: Road to 2002 tells the story of how Tsubasa climbed his way through the ranks, featuring his roots in the town of Nankatsu as well as his epic journey to master the art of soccer. World championship in Korea in 2002 gave some new breath to old franchises about soccer, but it does not mean shows have become better. Overall Rating: 5/10 8. Vandread: The Second Stage ヴァンドレッド the second stage [Gonzo] (Finished 2/13) Tags: Mecha, Space Action, Sci-Fi, Ecchi Though Hibiki and crew defeated a super-huge battleship of the earth in the last of the first stage, they noticed five battleships further aiming at Mejeiru and Tarahk. And, crew of NIRVANA learnt Tarahk and Mejeiru which were their home had been faced to the crisis of Karitori (reaping). Travel to their home is speed up so that they may inform of the crisis. On the way, current information of the earth having been brought by girl Misty who had come to travel with them was worse than they can imagine. Hibiki and crew noticed a true fight was in the future. VANDREAD is finally changed into final system by the attack of the enemy who becomes violent more and more. Can they save their home? And, what happens to the relations between Hibiki and Dita? Hey, we've got a new heroine! Sadly, this anime has much more grave issues than lack of heroines. It seems to have become a bit more coherent and slightly less obnoxious and sexist, but too little too late. Overall Rating: 5/10 9. Final Fantasy: Unlimited ファイナルファンタジー：アンリミテッド [Gonzo] (Finished 5/25) Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi Years ago, the opening of an interdimensional portal released two beasts into the skies over the Sea of Japan, visible to all the countries along the coast. After destroying the naval patrol sent to investigate the disturbance, the two beasts then turned against each other. Witnessing the fight from Japan, scientists Joe and Marie Hayakawa were sucked into the rift. Upon returning to Earth, they compiled and published the academic findings from their voyage in a legendary book titled ''Day of Succession''. Attempting a second expedition to that other dimension twelve years later, the couple have not returned. Twins Ai and Yu Hayakawa decide to set forth in search of their parents and the mysterious Wonderland they studied. In the ruins of an abandoned subway station, the two wait for a train to take them to the world beyond. On board they meet Lisa Pacifist, who quickly decides to aid the two in the search for their missing family. Can the three of them manage to find Joe and Marie? With two non-fighting protagonists and vague goal of finding parents during adventures it's rather boring. Overextension and rather edgy CGI don't add points as well. Two kid protagonists are plain and irritating, and leftover fighting characters aren't given same amount of attention. Overall Rating: 5/10 10. Cyborg 009: The Cyborg Soldier Cyborg 009 サイボーグ009 THE CYBORG SOLDIER [Japan Vistec] (Finished 3/50) Tags: Shounen Mecha Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi Skull, the evil leader of the terrorist organization known as Black Ghost, has nine powerful cyborgs under his control. But Dr. Isaac Gilmore, the Black Ghosts cybernetics scientist, decides to go rogue, helping the cyborgs turn against Skull and his evil organization. Black Ghost wishes to start the next major world war by flooding the market with weapons of mass destruction. It seems the nine brave cyborgs have their work cut out for them, as Black Ghost is determined to bring those nine cyborgs down. None of Cyborg 009 movies or OVAs were great, reinstallment series are also decent at best. Overall Rating: 6/10 11. Hoshi no Kirby Kirby: Right Back at Ya! 星のカービィ [Studio Sign] (Finished 1/100) Tags: Parody Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy A diminutive pink creature orbiting in space called "Kirby" crash lands into Dream Land. Once getting acquainted with the citizens who live there in Cappy Town, he begins to defend the town from the monsters that King Dedede, the self-proclaimed ruler of Cappy Town, orders from the evil Nightmare Enterprises. Kids stuff, or for those who liked original games. Overall Rating: 5/10 12. Chicchana Yukitsukai Sugar A Little Snow Fairy Sugar ちっちゃな雪使いシュガー [J.C.Staff] (Finished 3/24) Tags: Comedy, Fantasy Season Fairies create and control the weather using special musical instruments. They make the wind blow, the snow fall, the sun shine; if it's something weather related, they are the ones who make it happen. Sugar, an apprentice Snow Fairy, and her friends Salt and Pepper, all want to become full-fledged Season Fairies, and the only way to achieve this is to search for and find the "Twinkles" that will make their magical flowers bloom. The only problem is that none of them have any idea what a Twinkle is. They enlist the somewhat unwilling help of Saga, a human girl who can see Season Fairies. Much to her annoyance, Saga's perfectly planned and ordered life has just become a little too lively for her taste. Together, they search for the mysterious Twinkles while trying to perfect their magic. It's all cute and childish ... and weird with all the weather fairy and precise time planning obsession. So there's no story and character development is getting sold as the core which is already very bad. And on top of that it's done during 24 empty episodes. Unless you can fare on cuteness alone, better not even start. Overall Rating: 5/10 13. Otogi Story Tenshi no Shippo おとぎストーリー　天使のしっぽ [Tokyo Kids] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Harem Comedy, Fantasy, Romance Goro's down on his luck. He keeps losing jobs and has little money. One day he meets a fortune-teller outside of a pet store who predicts that his luck will change. That night three girls appear in his appartment claiming to be his guardian angels. Soon a total of twelve girls appear to help him, each one a reincarnation of a deceased pet once owned by Goro. Luck as main moving force , harem with 12 girls, reincarnation as half-pets - it's a serious rival for the title of the most irritating stage ever created. Totally bland and typical. Overall Rating: 5/10 14. Najica Dengeki Sakusen Najica Blitz Tactics ナジカ電撃作戦 [Studio Fantasia] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Ecchi Najica Hiiragi, perfumer and secret agent, is sent out on a number of recovery missions to round up rogue humaritts, androids with combat abilities. Najica is assigned a humaritt partner, Lila, whom Najica is to groom as an agent and receive assistance from along the way. As Najica grows to accept Lila, each new mission they embark on reveals more and more about the capabilities and mysterious origins of the humaritts. It's so similar to Agent AIKa in everything including theme and designs and number of pantsu-shots , so I have a hard time deciding which one is actually worse. Let's settle this match with a Not Recommended draw. Overall Rating: 4/10 15. Kaze no Youjinbou Kaze no Yojimbo 旋風の用心棒 [Pierrot] (Finished 9/25) Tags: Action, Drama, Mystery In search for Araki Genzo, George Kodama finds himself in the small town of Kimujuku. George quickly realizes that he is unwelcome and is warned to leave as soon as possible. With two rival syndicates roaming the streets and a dark violent past, the town of Kimujuku isn't what it appears to be. George challenges the town of Kimujuku in order to reveal the towns dark hidden past and discover the truth. The premise is actually good, but it all depends on material and execution, and with 25 episodes nothing saturated and thrilling was hardly possible. So after three great episodes it becomes very random - some character story, some criminal investigation, some murder attempt. In the end you just need to like slow mystery crime thriller as a genre to like it. Overall Rating: 6/10 16. I: Wish You Were Here Zaion: I Wish You Were Here i -wish you were here- ～あなたがここにいてほしい～ [Gonzo] (Finished 4/4) Tags: Action, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi In the future, a meteor crashes into Earth and brings with it a virulent form of life. This virus is known as M34 and attacks humans, turning them into vicious monsters. Most of the human population is wiped out, thus government agencies are formed to fight the virus. One of the groups, NOA, inserts nanomachines into the bodies of its soldiers; these machines allow them to transform and fight off the infected. Unfortunately, the virus mutates and becomes too strong for NOA to handle. Now the fate of the world rests in the hands of 16-year-old girl with the power to defeat the virus. Alien virus pandemic is generally a good stage, depending on details, characters and execution. But four episodes are only enough to show defeats in the first three quarters and getting girl brainwave superweapon revenge later on. Sadly, result is only average. Overall Rating: 5/10 17. Kokoro Toshokan ココロ図書館 [Studio Deen] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Iyashikei, Workplace Comedy, Drama, Slice of Life Hidden away on a remote mountaintop, the Kokoro Library struggles to attract many visitors. Nevertheless, it is the home of sisters Iina, Aruto, and Kokoro, who consider it their mission to keep the library running in their parents' stead. Kokoro has long dreamed of becoming a librarian at the library with the same name as her, and tries her best to keep up with her older sisters. Due to the lack of patrons, the girls mainly spend their time sipping tea, chatting, and reading. However, as the number of mysterious visitors progressively increases, Kokoro begins to learn about the strange history of Kokoro Library—a place where small miracles seem to blossom. Probably originator of genre where girls just do ordinary stuff in cute way as this is literally in the synopsis "girls mainly spend their time sipping tea, chatting, and reading". Waste of time, as for me. Overall Rating: 5/10 18. Gekitou! Crush Gear Turbo 激闘! クラッシュギアTURBO [Sunrise] (Finished 2/68) Tags: Sports After losing almost all their members the Tobita Crush Gear club is facing extinction. Kouya who dreams of being a Crush Gear Fighting Champion doesn't want to see the club become extinct and will do whatever he can to keep the club running and become a Cush Gear Champion. There have been at least two anime about toy robot battles already, and I consider it to be the most useless and pointless and incorrigible stage for anime. For me it's a clear indicator of kids show even if show tries to prove otherwise. Overall Rating: 5/10 19. Project ARMS: The 2nd Chapter PROJECT ARMS -The 2nd Chapter- [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Shounen Martial Arts, School, Super Power Action, Fantasy The 2nd Chapter continues the story of Ryo Takatsuki and his companions' quest to discover the secret of the mysterious A.R.M.S. they all possess and what the future may hold for them. They now know where the answers lie but to get to them, they must fight a desperate fight of survival against a powerful military corporation that wants their secrets no matter what the cost. As a sequel, it's enough to sample a single episode. One of sad cases when there is a lot of effort applied to tell a so-so story that's plain not interesting no matter how many characters are introduced. Overall Rating: 6/10 20. Babel Nisei (2001) Babel II: Beyond Infinity バビル２世 [Vega Entertainment] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Shounen Action, Adventure, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Supernatural Life seems simple for Kouichi, a young student, until he learns that he is the reincarnation of an alien protector who crashed onto the mantle of responsibility as "defender of the Earth," Kouichi/Babel teams up with a trio of super-powered alien companions to battle the the dark forces of an evil cult leader. The war to save humanity takes Babel from the deserts of southern Asia to the upper east side of Manhattan and ultimately to a final showdown with "the master" in a hidden base nestled in the Swiss Alps. The action is fast-paced and deadly. The fate of the world rests in the ability of this courageous youth to tame his latent psychic power and use it to defeat the enemies of mankind. Babel Nisei is one of my most hated franchises ever and I hoped it would settle down already after ancient series and OVA. Abomination. Overall Rating: 1/10 21. Shiawase Sou no Okojo-san しあわせソウのオコジョさん [Radix] (Finished 3/51) Tags: Pets Comedy Haruka Tsuchiya is a plain and simple university student who has a pet by the name of Okojo-san. Okojo-san was actually born in one of the mountains in the North and brought to one of the pet shops to be sold. Determined to get out of the pet shop, Okojo-san formulated an escape strategy and ended up in the house of Haruka. There are always funny and strange occurances happening around the two, be it the people or animals who are near them. This is a gag anime in which absurdity is the main feature of the story. Partly translated. Surprisingly fun, but it's still mostly just gags about aggressive pets. If it was fully translated, I might consider a masterpiece score. Overall Rating: 6/10 22. Geisters: Fractions of the Earth ガイスターズ FRACTIONS OF THE EARTH [Plum] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Military Action, Sci-Fi At the end of the 21st century, a meteorite collision plunged Earth into apocalypse, and the remnants of humanity went in two different directions to survive. The aristocratic Dobias headed into space, while the earthy Shioru went underground. Centuries later, they returned to Earth's surface and are now fighting for control of the planet—that is, when they're not busy fending off a new species of predators known simply as Creatures. Amidst this conflict, an elite team of five soldiers known as Geisters protects humanity from the Creatures and from each other. Although part of the Dobias, the Geisters have recently accepted a soldier of Shioru descent onto the team, and her take-charge personality leaves the other members unsure about her loyalty and usefulness to the group. With Dobias and Shioru tensions heating up on the political floor, Creatures running rampant, and a dangerous new weapon being developed in secret, the Geisters must maintain peace among themselves and the rest of society. Not translated, but half of it is dubbed. It reminds starship troopers, but with ugly CGI for enemies and battle suits transforming humans into some kind of Guyver. Can't say it's bad, closer to average, and in current translation form not watchable. Overall Rating: 5/10 23. A-jang.com 아장닷컴 [-] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Fantasy The spirit world, the real world and the Internet cyber world maintain peace and harmony by the Dimension stone, which was created by the three deities named Dragon King, Zeus and Zoolu. One day, Doddery had a date therefore he switched the stone guard duty with the Super Baby by bribing him with milk. A-jang fights hard with LuPin and Pigu till the end but in that process something goes wrong with the Dimension Stone and due to that unusual energy Spirit world becomes chaotic. Many spirits including LuPin and Pigu falls into cyber space and A-jang just manages to escape. Not translated. Korean anime is still too childish and as usual linked to virtual reality and gadgets. It's good to see more variation as one protagonist is a kid god from Olympus and others are ordingary kids with gadgets, but I'd lie if I said that I understood much of it. Overall Rating: 5/10 24. 6 Angels シックス・エンジェルズ [Arcturus] (Finished 2/6) Tags: Action, Sci-Fi Deep in the deserts of southwestern United States lies "Neo Purgatory." Formerly a nuclear waste disposal site, the facility has been turned into a prison for hardened criminals; that is, until the prisoners weaponize the nuclear waste and riot, turning Neo Purgatory into an international disaster. Maki Aoba, Doris Nicholas, Marilyn Moreau, and Naomi Jones make up the "Guard of Rose," an all-female special police task force. Along with stowaway Katherine Hook and multi-purpose robot Link, the Guard of Rose is on patrol investigating rumors of an "angel" near Neo Purgatory when their helicopter is shot down. As the crisis within the prison rapidly devolves, the Guard of Rose members might be the only ones who can stop the prisoners before they unleash nuclear armageddon. Torn jumpy directorship, incomprehensible logic, difficult to follow story, bland characters. That's more than enough to bury this anime forever. Overall Rating: 4/10 25. Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan - Seisou-hen Samurai X: Reflection るろうに剣心 -明治剣客浪漫譚- 星霜編 [Studio Deen] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Shounen Historical, Samurai Drama, Romance Kaoru goes to the harbor every day to see if Kenshin has returned. After a while, she starts looking back at her life with Kenshin and all the things that have happened. It's basically previously great OVA moving by inertia, and since there's nothing really to tell, it introduces some meaningless duels to show transformation from assassin to protector. It's only an hour long overall , and there's no substance here for me. Overall Rating: 6/10 26. Fushigi Yuugi: Eikouden Mysterious Play: Eikoden ふしぎ遊戯 -永光伝 [Pierrot] (Finished 4/4) Tags: Shoujo Isekai Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Romance After years of hardships interfered with their love, Miaka Yuuki and Taka Sukunami are finally married and expecting a baby—the pinnacle of their unbreakable bond. Unfortunately, not everyone rejoices alongside the blessed couple. Mayo Sakaki, one of Taka's students, has a crush on him and cannot bear witnessing the pair's flourishing relationship. Upon discovering The Universe of the Four Gods, Mayo learns that the old book is where Miaka and Taka first met as the priestess of the god Suzaku and the god's Celestial Warrior Tamahome. Unscrupulous about destroying a happy family, Mayo readily ventures inside with hopes of becoming the new priestess of Suzaku and rewriting the story to her advantage. Meanwhile, her actions do not delay to show devastating effects. Leaving an unconscious Miaka at the hospital, Taka must follow Mayo to The Universe of the Four Gods and stop her before the circumstances worsen for his wife and their unborn child. So we've had two epilogue OVAs, but of course that's not enough and we need the third epilogue OVA. This fanfic has an irritating heroine and feels different, not in a good way. Making a fantasy romance into a tricked pregnancy blackmail drama... weird, and bad. Overall Rating: 5/10 27. Kai Doh Maru 怪童丸 [Production I.G] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Historical Action, Fantasy This story takes place during the Heian Period of Japan`s history, when evil spirits still resided in the forests, mountains and rivers. A girl, accompanied by her loved one, battles against these evil spirits, while she is disguised as man. This brave woman, aka "Kaidomaru", with a Chinese character "Flame" tatooed on her upper arm, was one of the "Four Devas". Kaidomaru fights for the honor of her lost love, Raikou Minamotono, who had sacrified his life in order to protect the capital Kyoto, from the evils deeds of a "princess" cursed by a malicious ogre. The princess, whom Kaidomaru used to play with as a child, has now become her ultimate enemy. It's only 45 minutes long and very messy with jumping across characters all the time. Palette is bleak and toned down, so it's not even good visually. Too chaotic and rushed to make sense. Overall Rating: 4/10 28. Canvas: Sepia-iro no Motif Canvas ～セピア色のモチーフ [Studio Kyuuma] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Visual Arts Comedy, Romance, Slice of Life Asou Daisuke is a high school student and a gifted artist - but he is currently suffering from a block, which keeps him from painting. His childhood friend, Tachibana Amane, who loves him deeply, persuades him to do a portrait of Kimikage Yurina, a girl with a heart condition, before Yurina undergoes surgery. In the process of rediscovering his art, Daisuke also realises the love that he and Amane feel for each other Just telling the main story with two episodes would be fine, but with inclusion of ecchi it's compromised even at that. Overall Rating: 5/10 29. Usagi-chan de Cue!! うさぎちゃんで ＣＵＥ!! [Chaos Project] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Action, Comedy, Romance, Ecchi Mikami Inaba was fighting a person from another school on her school's rooftop. As they fought, her friend Haru appeared. Seeing Mikami distracted, the man charged at her, causing both of them to break the nearby rabbit cages & fall off the roof. As Mikami fell, she desperately grabbed the rabbit. Suddenly, a flash or pink light appeared. Mikami fused with the rabbit, and gained another personality, called Mimika. Now, Mikami only appears when various people threaten her and her friends. Otherwise, she takes on the form of Mimika. Hard to find anything remarkable here but ecchi itself. Overall Rating: 4/10 30. Memories Off Memories Off (メモリーズオフ) [E&G Films] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Drama, Romance Tomoya Mikami's life changed one day when his girlfriend Ayaka was hit by a car and killed on her way to meet Tomoya. He blamed himself for her death and never was the same after the accident. He began acting callously towards Yue and his other friends. Furthermore, every time Tomoya gets involved with a new girl, he sees images of Ayaka in his dreams. He decides he needs to find a way to say goodbye to his lost love once and for all, while dealing with several side romances at the same time. Hate this ever-tragic story, but it's a marker for the whole series to come. Good only for learning the roots . Overall Rating: 5/10 31. Mahou Yuugi 3D 魔法遊戯 3D [AIC] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Comedy Padudu is a 12-year-old apprentice witch, chosen to represent her town in the coliseum. Donning her magical fish costume, which keeps her warm and fed, she sets off on her journey. But on the way she's swept away by a river to Dance Valley. Mayor Koffy captures her and throws her into the dungeon, hoping to eliminate the competition for Dance Valley's own coliseum candidate. Luckily for Padudu, this dungeon holds the mysterious witch Nonononn. They join together in a magical fight for survival. At the end of Blue Gender Trailer, the Magical witchland word came out! 3D is very poor, 30 minutes is really short, random development is the worst. Overall Rating: 4/10 32. Urarochi Diamond 裏路地ダイヤモンド [Studio 4°C] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Adventure Uraroji Diamond is a very interactive DVD which takes you inside a Studio-4C-style town with all the weirdness inside, while you scour for episodes (very short, black and white, weird episodes). Not translated. It's mostly just still manga strips with minimal animation. It's not animation, so I'm not even going to try to evaluate sketches themselves. Overall Rating: 4/10 33. Slayers Premium スレイヤーズぷれみあむ [Hal Film Maker] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy Lina and Gourry travel to a seaside town named Acassi, where octopus tentacle is a delicacy. However, the octopus meat carries a curse that dooms the eater to only speak Takogo (octopus language). Amelia, Zelgadiss, and Xelloss all show up, and the main four characters (Lina, Gourry, Ameria, Zelgadiss) get cursed. The octopi enlist the power of a mazoku to get rid of the humans once and for all. The white sorceress Ruma must learn the cure to the curse from her long-lost master in order to save the town. It's good that they finally understood not to use Naga in OVAs anymore, but this particular OVA is too short with 30 minutes, and it only has time for some slacking and some small unimpressive adventure. Overall Rating: 5/10 34. Sakura Taisen: Katsudou Shashin サクラ大戦 活動写真 [Production I.G] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Mecha, Performing Arts Adventure, Sci-Fi The Imperial Fighting Troupe is called again to defend Tokyo against the demons. However, this time, the Douglas-Stewart Company is selling a superior fighting machine that will revolutionize Japan's defense and make the Flower Division obsolete. However, the girls suspect something may be wrong when members of their team begin to vanish! But what can they do when their division has been placed on indefinite stand-by status? I hoped it would be summary of all fighting from all games, but of course it's rather just a filler between two games... well, at least it's battles and not theater. Overall Rating: 6/10 35. The Siamese: First Mission シャム猫 / ファーストミッション [Maxell E-Cube] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action Jun and Naomi are a pair of two attractive women who both work as radio station DJs by day, but when night falls they are elite counter-terrorism agents under the code name The Siamese Cats. Not translated. Something like Dirty Pair or Noir mission with grown up heroines. It's pure action, so a normal representative of the genre. Overall Rating: 5/10

Ended up choosing no masterpieces, but Cowboy Bebop: Tengoku no Tobira is my personal preference. 1. Fruits Basket フルーツバスケット [Studio Deen] (Finished 2/26) Tags: Shoujo Love Polygon, School Drama, Romance, Supernatural After the accident in which she lost her mother, 16-year-old Tooru moves in with her grandfather, but due to his home being renovated, is unable to continue living with him. Claiming she will find someone to stay with but also fearing the criticism of her family and not wanting to burden any of her friends, Tooru resorts to secretly living on her own in a tent in the woods. One night on her way back from work, she finds her tent buried underneath a landslide. Yuki Souma, the "prince" of her school, and his cousin Shigure Souma, a famous author, stumble across Tooru's situation and invite her to stay with them until her grandfather's home renovations are complete. Upon arriving at the Souma house, Tooru discovers their secret: if a Souma is hugged by someone of the opposite gender, they temporarily transform into one of the animals of the zodiac! However, this strange phenomenon is no laughing matter; rather, it is a terrible curse that holds a dark history. As she continues her journey, meeting more members of the zodiac family, will Tooru's kindhearted yet resilient nature be enough to prepare her for what lies behind the Souma household's doors What horrible stage and tasteless plain humor for events... My facepalms limit is already exceeded after two episodes. Overall Rating: 5/10 2. Shaman King シャーマンキング [Xebec] (Finished 3/64) Tags: Shounen Super Power Action, Adventure, Comedy, Supernatural A battle is about to begin in Tokyo: the Shaman Fight, a tournament held every five hundred years where shaman—those who can command spirits—confront each other in combat. The victor of this contest becomes the Shaman King and the only one who is able to contact and control the Great Spirit, allowing them to reshape the world as they please through its immense power. During a late night walk, Manta Oyamada runs into his classmate, the carefree You Asakura, who invites him to come stargazing with some friends, who, to Manta's horror, turn out to be ghosts from a local cemetery! However, the knowledge that Manta possesses—a rare sixth sense that allows Manta to see these spirits—endears the boy to You. So when You finds out that his new comrade has been beaten up by a local gang, he decides to avenge him with the help of Amidamaru, a samurai ghost whose tomb was broken by the gang leader. Soon Manta uncovers more about the world of spirits, including the Shaman Fight, in which his new friend You aims to claim victory. Brainless shounen extended to horrific 64 episodes. If I see no additional interesting layer or complexity in starting episodes, it's just average, same as One Piece. Overall Rating: 5/10 3. s.CRY.ed s-CRY-ed スクライド [Sunrise] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Super Power Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi A strange environmental phenomenon 22 years ago in the Kanazawa prefecture caused the land to split and protrude upwards reaching unprecedented heights, creating the secluded area known as The Lost Ground. Kazuma is a young mercenary who lives in the Lost Ground, looking for any work he can find to sustain his livelihood within the harsh environment. He is one of the few people that are gifted with the Alter ability, which allows him to plaster his right arm and torso with a metallic alloy. When this mercenary encounters HOLY, an order whose purpose is to suppress and capture what they call Native Alter Users, and one of the elite members of HOLY, Ryuho, an epic rivalry begins. The flow, action and visuals are pleasant enough, but there is not enough material for 26 episodes, so it inevitably starts to drag soon. It's still a tad better than typical shounen. Overall Rating: 6/10 4. Grappler Baki: Saidai Tournament-hen グラップラー刃牙(バキ) 最大トーナメント編 [Group TAC] (Finished 1/24) Tags: Shounen Combat Sports, Gore Action, Sports Mitsunari Tokugawa, the organizer of the historic Tokugawa underground fighting ring, has created a tournament featuring 38 of the world's best fighters, many of whom are grandmasters in their respective form of martial arts. With the exception of weapons, anything goes in Tokugawa's ring so that each fighter is able to showcase their true power and strongest secret moves. Baki Hanma earned a place in the tournament due to his status as the reigning champion of Tokugawa's fighting ring. Will he be able to come out on top? Baki favored tournaments even in original, so just a sample episode is enough to confirm that it's more or less the same. Overall Rating: 6/10 5. I My Me! Strawberry Eggs あぃまぃみぃ！ストロベリー・エッグ [TNK] (Finished 2/13) Tags: Crossdressing, School Comedy, Drama, Romance Amawa Hibiki is a young man just out of college, with an education to be an athletics teacher. He's been having a hard time finding a job since he graduated, so all his money has gone towards living expenses. When his landlady demands his first payment to live in her living establishment upfront, he heads to the local middle school to get hired as a teacher. However, the principal refuses to hire him without hesitation. She will not hire men as teachers and makes it clear that she hates all men, saying they put no love into their passions and work. Amawa does not give up and with the help of his landlady, he crossdresses as a woman without a second thought, and gets hired, so he can earn money and also prove the principal wrong. Now, he has to keep his real gender a secret, and avoid strange situations, including the affections of his students (from both genders). As it turns out, my aversion for trap stories is still strong. Or maybe it is strong because of such worthless slapstick pervy anime. Overall Rating: 5/10 6. Seikai no Senki II Banner of the Stars II 星界の戦旗 II [Sunrise] (Finished 10/10) Tags: Military, Space Action, Romance, Sci-Fi Due to a lack of ambassadors for the recently-conquered worlds the rapidly advancing fleet of the Bebaus brothers leave behind, Lafiel is appointed Territorial Ambassador of the planet Lobnas II. Upon arriving to the planet Jinto and Lafiel discover that the planet was used by the United Mankind as a prison planet and now has a million prisoners on the only inhabited island. The prisoners are parted in three blocks. The western where women are housed, the eastern belongs to the men and the central is mixed under the restriction that all prisoners living there are sterilized. The women in the western sector want to emigrate from the planet of fear for the men and when they do the men in the east rebel, overthrowing the guards and capturing Jinto to try to stop the emigration of the women. At the same time an enemy fleet heads toward the system forcing Lafiel to abandon Jinto. Since story is a one-sided mess with everlasting streak of victories anyway, let's just sidetrack for a single planet to add at least some complexity. The whole season is one big filler. Overall Rating: 5/10 7. Samurai Girl Real Bout High School SAMURAI GIRL　リアルバウトハイスクール [Gonzo] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy At Daimon High School, kids settle their disputes by dueling with each other in the school's official K-Fight battle arena. Ryoko Mitsurugi, samurai girl and undefeated K-Fight champion, is called upon by a mysterious Priestess to protect the Earth from an invasion coming from the alternate universe of Solvania. She must face battles that will test her skills, her friendships, and her heart in order to find her true strength as a samurai warrior. Some typical fighting action without good distinguishing features, humor is corresponding. Overall Rating: 5/10 8. Magical Nyan Nyan Taruto Magical Meow Meow Taruto 魔法少女猫[まじかる にゃん にゃん]たると [Madhouse, TNK] (Finished 5/12) Tags: Comedy Taruto is a little cat who has just moved to a new city with her master's family. Taruto spends her days making friends and exploring her new home town. She also has a knack for getting herself into trouble. And it turns out that Taruto just might be a legendary magical princess. Almost none of Taruto’s friends believe that she can use magic or that she’s a princess, but Taruto is determined to prove it to them. But Taruto's magic is so unpredictable, you never know what's going to happen when she uses it. A constant streak of silliness that's supposed to be cute or something. Overall Rating: 5/10 9. Cosmo Warrior Zero コスモウォーリアー零 [Vega Entertainment] (Finished 4/13) Tags: Military, Space Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi The long war between the planet Earth and the machine men is finally over, resulting in a peace that is more a victory for the machine men than the Earth. Warrius Zero lost his family in the war to the machine men but despite this he is still is a member of the Earth fleet that is now working in concert with the machine men. His ship, made up of both humans and machine men, has been given a near impossible task: capture the space pirate Captain Harlock. While Zero struggles to accomplish this task, evidence begins to surface that the peace between machine men and Earth may not be as it seems... Don't think I liked anything from Leiji after first battleship Yamato. Even if we omit character designs recycled over and over, this is difficult to watch as camera jumps from some characters to others rapidly and I often can't understand at which point character on a spaceship got landed on a planet, things like that. Show tries to persuade us that we're still pursuing Harlock, but in fact we need to concentrate on the bits of information provided about machine men in a very incoherent fashion. I blame directorship as it would be possible to make a normal story out of it all, but it just crumbles. Overall Rating: 5/10 10. Saiko Robot Kombock Cubix 로보짱 큐빅스 [Xebec] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Mecha Sci-Fi The year is 2040. Japanese robot technology is making remarkable progress; they can understand human language, and they've even succeeded in developing a humanoid robot that can feel emotions. The setting is a future town on the outskirts of Musashino in the Tokyo area, where humans and robots live together, "New Musashino City." In this town, our main character Ichiro and his friends, as well as some robots, all get along very well. Before these friends appears a mad scientist, Professor K, bent on taking over the world. Ichiro and his robot partner, Kombock, and his other friends stand against him to crush his schemes. Will they be able to protect the peaceful lives of humans and robots from this evil?! The story of the friendship of Ichiro, Kombock, and their friends begins!! It's Korean and has only dub in English. It's full CGI. It's for kids. Overall Rating: 5/10 11. Nono-chan ののちゃん [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/61) Tags: Comedy, Slice of Life Nono-chan is the eldest daughter in the Yamada family and a third-grade elementary school student. Her family consists of her father, Mr Yamada Takashi, her mother, Mrs Yamada Matsuko and her brother, Noboru, a junior high student. Together with her grandmother, the family of five makes up a pleasant Japanese family. Everyone is special and everyday is always filled with joy and surprise. Not translated. Very simply drawn SOL comedy, same one we've seen from Ghibli as Yamadas, and I rated it as 5 even then. Overall Rating: 5/10 12. Kinniku Banzuke: Kongou-kun no Daibouken! 筋肉番付 金剛くんの大冒険! [Pierrot] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Shounen Action, Sports A group of school children are invited to compete in the strongest man competition. As the first match is starting, the bored organizer announces that all matches will now be to the death. None of the competitors have a problem with the change. Who will survive and be crowned the strongest? It's death tournament, but teams prefer to fail together or avoid deaths in other ways in various competitions. Competitions are the gist as there is just no time for anything else. Can't say it's not interesting, but it's unclear why viewers should care in the first place. Overall Rating: 5/10 13. Sabaku no Kaizoku! Captain Kuppa Captain Kuppa 砂漠の海賊！ キャプテンクッパ [Bee Train] (Finished 0/26) Tags: Action, Adventure Sometime in the future, the world was completely dried up and became all desert. They had little rivers and lakes left, which villians and dangerous animals lived. Water has become the most valueable thing on the world. Whoever can control water will rule over the world. Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10 14. Uniminipet 유니미니펫 [Dongwoo A&E] (Finished 2/26) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy Dong Woo is a very pleasant, responsible and cheerful boy. He gets weird feelings every time he opens his closet door and is the only one that can sense these feelings. Why is this? Dong Woo is destined to be "the person that opens the Door". His closet is a secret channel that connects the real world to the fourth dimension world called "Uniland ". Whenever he opens the door, the wavelength from the other world is transferred to him. Not translated. Childish anime with two pets. From time to time aggressive small enemies come through the breach and are getting dealt with. Overall Rating: 5/10 15. Happy☆Lesson [Studio Kyuuma, Venet, Chaos Project] (Finished 2/5) Tags: Harem, School Comedy, Romance One guy. Five girls. One roof. It's a recycled idea, but it never gets old. Happy Lesson is a kinetic take on an old genre. Chitose shares his house with five ladies. One might think the continued attention of this many girls would be a good thing, but too much attention can prove to be painful. Did I mention they're also instructors at his school (hence the title)? Not only is he the subject of their abuse at home, but at school as well. Even when things finally calm down at night, all the rooms are taken so Chitose must sleep on the couch. It's all in the synopsis - lots of cuteness and silly abuse humor. Overall Rating: 5/10 16. One: Kagayaku Kisetsu e ONE ～輝く季節へ～ [Arms] (Finished 4/4) Tags: Drama, Supernatural Orihara Kouhei returns to his town after a long disappearance to fullfil the promises he made to several girls in his childhood. He suffered from memory loss, and carries a tragic past. An strange ambience surrounds the OVA...It's almost like a dream, like memories from the past trying to come together in one piece but without being able to... Aim is to introduce characters and show their endings, and anime does that pretty well. It differs from traditional anime flow where focus is on one male protagonist, so it can be somewhat confusing, but it's the problem of viewers and their expectations. Overall Rating: 6/10 17. Generation of Chaos ジェネレーション オブ カオス [Idea Factory] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Mythology Action, Adventure, Fantasy In the world of Neverland, humans and monsters live alongside each other. Generation of Chaos details the start of the adventures of the two heroes of Neverland, Chiffon and Roze. Departure of Chiffon Chiffon is a boy with the power to train monsters. After realizing that his power is waning, he sets out to Hiyoko Forest to return his Hiyokomushi—a fish-like mount and companion—back to its homeland, the Hiyoko Forest. However, the journey there is anything but uneventful as his control over his monster gradually loosens. Roze's Decision Roze is of half-demon descent, living a quiet life among humans with her sister Emilia. One day, as Roze returns from work, she sees her house being set on fire.The destruction of her home shatters her dream of being able to live peacefully with humankind, as she is reminded that harmony between demons and humans is far from becoming a reality. More of game promo with 24 minutes length (twice less for each of protagonists) and 3D rendered town. It introduced characters, and that's it. Overall Rating: 4/10 18. Tokyo Juushouden: Fuuma Gogyou Denshou 倒凶十将伝 封魔五行伝承 [T.P.O] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Shounen Action, Adventure, Supernatural Long ago, in feudal Japan, there was a fierce warrior named the Demon King. He controlled a band of demons, known as the Kyouma. Only the powers of ten warriors sealed the Demon King away and kept the Kyouma under control. But now, Lord Shindigan, a powerful Kyouma is planning to free the Demon King, and the reincarnations of the ten warriors must band together and save the earth. Ah, so it's last three episodes of Tokyo Juushouden. Mediocre in all aspects. Overall Rating: 5/10 19. Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi Spirited Away 千と千尋の神隠し [Studio Ghibli] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Mythology Adventure, Award Winning, Supernatural Stubborn, spoiled, and naïve, 10-year-old Chihiro Ogino is less than pleased when she and her parents discover an abandoned amusement park on the way to their new house. Cautiously venturing inside, she realizes that there is more to this place than meets the eye, as strange things begin to happen once dusk falls. Ghostly apparitions and food that turns her parents into pigs are just the start—Chihiro has unwittingly crossed over into the spirit world. Now trapped, she must summon the courage to live and work amongst spirits, with the help of the enigmatic Haku and the cast of unique characters she meets along the way. Vivid and intriguing, Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi tells the story of Chihiro's journey through an unfamiliar world as she strives to save her parents and return home. It ran on TV many times, but I never cared to watch it from beginning to end before. Don't expect me to like it as it's a high quality movie for kids, but as an adult I start to ask questions and search for logic, and that's not welcome here. From the travel to the bogs and till the end it's just super cheesy. And it teaches nothing - everything will settle somehow on its own. It's toothless, that's why it's exported worldwide. Overall Rating: 6/10 20. Cowboy Bebop: Tengoku no Tobira Cowboy Bebop: The Movie カウボーイビバップ 天国の扉 [Bones] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Adult Cast, Space Action, Sci-Fi Another day, another bounty—such is the life of the often unlucky crew of the Bebop. However, this routine is interrupted when Faye, who is chasing a fairly worthless target on Mars, witnesses an oil tanker suddenly explode, causing mass hysteria. As casualties mount due to a strange disease spreading through the smoke from the blast, a whopping three hundred million woolong price is placed on the head of the supposed perpetrator. With lives at stake and a solution to their money problems in sight, the Bebop crew springs into action. Spike, Jet, Faye, and Edward, followed closely by Ein, split up to pursue different leads across Alba City. Through their individual investigations, they discover a cover-up scheme involving a pharmaceutical company, revealing a plot that reaches much further than the ragtag team of bounty hunters could have realized. An omnipotent criminal who steals... kisses? I don't like this generic villain who miraculously survives each time and screenwriters just forget to show or tell , how. There are a lot of nonsense moves, and if writer takes viewers for idiots, I'll do the same in his regards. Overall Rating: 6/10 21. Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within ファイナルファンタジー [Square Pictures] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Sci-Fi The year is 2065, and the planet of Earth is far removed from the place that it was in the past. Deadly alien creatures known as Phantoms have appeared all over the planet, and mere contact with these entities is lethal, whether it be an instant death or a prolonged decline. In order to try and salvage what little of the human race is left, large force-field barriers have been constructed around certain cities to repel the Phantoms. Seeking a more permanent solution to this invasion are scientists Aki Ross and her mentor, Dr. Sid, whose investigations have revealed that there exists a form of spiritual, Gaia energy that can eradicate the Phantom's presence from this world. Aki and Sid aren't alone in their quest through Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within; the human council and the military squad "Deep Eyes" are ready to help. Not everyone is convinced of this plan though. Aki, Sid, Grey, and their allies have to band together against forces both alien and human if they are to have any chance at restoring peace to Earth. An enemy whose mere touch is fatal, the Phantoms appear the more dangerous enemy, but as they will come to find out, their human nemeses are also not to be trifled with. Only dub version available. For the first time in history 3D actually looks totally ok if not counting some difficult animations. Story about cool adult guys with guns confronting virus and losing allies in the process suits Resident Evil franchise much more than Final Fantasy franchise, but there are also aliens both in solid form from the past and as spirits, so let's stick with a series that allows pretty much everything. As for me, for a 105 minute movie it lacks excitement. Majority of time characters jut turn on some apparatus all over the planet and try to figure out remedy for the spirit aliens. Protagonists are forgettable and general impression is black and red as the movie main palette. It does not feel like a masterpiece. Overall Rating: 6/10 22. Arete Hime Princess Arete アリーテ姫 [Studio 4°C] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Fantasy Confined in the castle tower by her father, princess Arete spends her days watching the world outside her window. Sometimes she seeks out to watch the common people at work. The knights of the kingdom compete for the right to marry her and rule the land by competing to see who can find powerful magic objects made by a long dead race of sorcerers. Arete wants none of this. She longs to meet the common people and travel to exotic lands she has only seen in the books she keeps hidden under her bed. One day the sorcerer Boax arrives in a fantastic flying machine and offers to take Arete as his wife and transform her into a proper princess. Rather boring story with bland characters overall, but at least the ending is unexpected and inspirational. It's a fairy tale that criticizes fairy tales. But it's only common sense, can't praise a story for just using logic and common sense instead of believing in superstitious tales. Overall Rating: 5/10 23. Shenmue: The Movie シェンムー・ザ・ムービー [-] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Martial Arts, Strategy Game Action, Adventure Using scenes from the original SEGA Dreamcast game plus some extra made for the movie, Shenmue: the Movie details the events of the first game. After Ryo's father is murdered and a mysterious mirror taken, Ryo sets himself on a quest for revenge. Shenmue is just not an interesting story for me. Sega footage makes it even worse. Overall Rating: 5/10 24. Inochi no Chikyuu: Dioxin no Natsu いのちの地球 ダイオキシンの夏 [Magic Bus] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Historical Drama The anime follows a group of friends Giulia, Maria, Enrico, Lucio and Angelon during the disaster as they team up with a Japanese journalist Shiro Ando, and begin their own investigation of what's occurring (during the week long period of exposure when the ICMESA refused to notify citizens of the poison). As many animals are dying and people are getting sick. The children and Shiro discover deadly dioxin was released and inform Enrico's father, the town mayor, who evacuates all the citizens. Shiro continues investigating more and learns of the negligence of La Roche, a company who controls ICMESA. La Roche knew they were in violating of existing safety laws/protocols and destroyed evidence of their crimes. The children attend a press conference to ruin La Roche's reputation as the destroyed proof might not be enough in a court of law to punish them. Giulia's pregnant sister, who opted to not abort, gave birth to a healthy girl. The happiness is short lived, as the baby prematurely dies from dioxin poisoning. Not translated. Another historical disaster movie. If you read the synopsis, there's no real need to watch it. Overall Rating: 5/10 25. Blue Remains ブルーリメイン [Arts Magic] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Adventure, Sci-Fi Post-nuclear Earth is barren, and life can't survive on the surface, so the few remaining people have lived under-water waiting for their time to be able to go to the surface. Amamiku and her faithful computer guardians, Pyron and Mayzamik, guard the seeds that contain the DNA for life and re-growth on the surface when the air is breathable again, but not everyone wants that to happen. Post-apocaliptic underwater confrontation with giant monsters is nothing revolutional. But these CGI are just godawful. Logic is also not the strong side here. Overall Rating: 4/10

Jungle wa Itsumo Hare nochi Guu is unrivalled champion in Spring 2001. 1. Digimon Tamers デジモンテイマーズ [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/51) Tags: Isekai Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy Digimon Tamers takes place in a world where the popular Digimon franchise is all the rage, consisting of a cartoon, video games, and the trading card game. Takato Matsuda is a huge Digimon fan that's particularly obsessed with the card game, and constantly daydreams about the universe therein. One day, he finds a mysterious blue card, which he slides through a scanner toy to use in the popular battle game. His toy suddenly glows and transforms into a Digivice, and Takato's fan-made design, Guilmon, materialises in front of him. Thrilled by the prospect of having a real-life Digimon, Takato embraces his new partner, and his adventures as a Digimon Tamer begin. Takato quickly discovers that being a Digimon Tamer is not all fun and games—in reality, it's much more dangerous than the card games he's accustomed to. Wild Digimon have begun to appear all across Japan, causing rampages that result in chaos and mayhem. Armed with his Digivice, which can scan trading cards to strengthen Guilmon, Takato and his new partner set out to combat the rogue Digimon. They are tasked with protecting the world from Digimon attacks, whilst a mysterious organization determined to eliminate all Digimon and their Tamers lurks in the shadows... Guess why I missed Digimon Adventure in 1999. Because it's marked as kids show. And introductory episode of tamers did not convince me otherwise, so I'll gladly skip it entirely. Overall Rating: 5/10 2. Noir ノワール [Bee Train] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Action, Drama, Mystery On a sunny afternoon in her Paris apartment, assassin-for-hire Mireille Bouquet receives a strange email from Kirika Yuumura, a young student from Japan, inviting her to "make a pilgrimage to the past" together. Initially thinking the email is nonsense, she changes her mind when it begins playing a song that she recognizes from her youth. Upon first meeting each other in person, the two are suddenly ambushed by gun-wielding men. While Mireille is capable of fending off the assault, she discovers that Kirika is quite adept in combat situations after she takes out several gunmen on her own. Despite her proficiency at killing, Kirika laments her inability to feel remorse for her victims. In addition, Kirika apparently has no memory of how she came to acquire the skills she possesses or even of her real identity. Sensing shared history between them, Mireille agrees to team up with Kirika, and together, they embark on a journey to uncover the mysteries of their pasts. Operating under the codename "Noir," the duo's fragile alliance is tested as they begin accepting jobs, each one bringing them closer to the truth of who they really are. As for me, it's difficult to make an interesting assassin story, though not impossible as first Gunslinger girls proved. Noir does not put much effort into it, just like Golgo 13 before. Each episode is a new similar case with a baddie , and there may be some flashbacks that keep suspense and supposedly approach us to resolution. Without a good story characters are the only driving force here, and this resource is far from infinite . Overall Rating: 6/10 3. Shin Shirayuki-hime Densetsu Prétear Prétear: The New Legend of Snow White 新白雪姫伝説プリーティア [Hal Film Maker] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Mahou Shoujo, Reverse Harem, Super Power Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance Due to her father's remarriage, robust 16-year-old Himeno Awayuki moves into a large mansion with a beautiful garden—the quintessential dream house for any girl her age. However, much to Himeno's disappointment, her new stepfamily doesn't really seem to like her, as her stepmother often occupies herself with her father, her younger stepsister Mawata ignores her, and her other stepsister—the equally aged Mayune—tries to prank her at every opportunity. But Himeno doesn't have time to dwell into thoughts of hopelessness—her new life has now become involved with a group of seven magical boys known as the Leafe Knights, after they ask her to become a magical princess who can borrow their powers! Although Himeno accepts their request and becomes the Prétear, she feels doubtful in her abilities to protect the world and its Leafe, the source of energy for all life. Will Himeno be able to find happiness among her new family and also save the Earth from the enemy, the Princess of Disaster? Reverse harem is somewhat fresh, and this anime tries to pose some questions in the right direction about the cost of power, consequences and aftermath, but with rather obnoxious main heroine and lots of cliché it fails to keep interest even with short format of 13 episodes. Overall Rating: 5/10 4. Kidou Tenshi Angelic Layer Battle Doll Angelic Layer 機動天使エンジェリックレイヤ [Bones] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Shounen Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi, Sports 12-year-old Misaki Suzuhara has just gotten involved in Angelic Layer, a battling game using electronic dolls called angels. Even as a newbie, Misaki shows advanced skills as she meets new friends and enters Angelic Layer tournaments to fight the greatest Angelic Layer champions of the nation. It's real pity that old anime did not care much about story, only about stage where things would settle somehow on its own. Basically, I see Angelic Layer as an attempt to make Hajime no Ippo for girls , but keeping battles cute and remote rather than brutal. Add many interesting adversaries with a bit of background , and that's more than enough for children. Sorry, but that's not storytelling , and it can satisfy only simple needs. Overall Rating: 6/10 5. Jungle wa Itsumo Hare nochi Guu Haré+Guu ジャングルはいつもハレのちグゥ [Shin-Ei Animation] (Finished 26/26) Tags: Shounen Gag Humor, School Comedy, Slice of Life Haré was a happy boy living out his days in the jungle with his mother, but then one day Guu showed up and became a member of their household. Throughout the series he faces many hardships as he tries to keep Guu out of trouble in the jungle. It happens to hold middle ground in absurdity, so I was able to enjoy and even finish it in over a decade ago. I find it more enjoyable that Ping-Pong club and thus it deserves the highest reserved score for comedies. I especially like it that there aren't irritating characters here and that development does not get stale and there are even some slightly more serious plot episodes. A truly unique and entertaining comedy. Overall Rating: 8/10 6. Hanaukyou Maid-tai 花右京メイド隊 [Daume] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Shounen Harem Comedy, Romance, Ecchi After losing his mother, 14-year-old Taro journeys to Tokyo to live with his grandfather. But he gets the biggest surprise when he discovers that his grandfather's home is a huge mansion with hundreds of beautiful maids ready to serve him. Making matters worse (at least for Taro, but not for our viewing) is that not only does he inherit the Hanaukyo mansion, he gets the services of all of the maids 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Boring ecchi premise, boring development. Haven't seen such unfunny comedy in a while. Overall Rating: 5/10 7. Galaxy Angel ギャラクシーエンジェル [Madhouse] (Finished 3/24) Tags: Comedy, Sci-Fi The Angel Brigade, an elite branch of the Transbaal Empire military, are assigned to search for The Lost Technology, mysterious items from the past that hold unknown powers. Led by the soon to retire Colonel Volcott O' Huey, the Angel Brigade travel to different planets using their specially designed Emblem Frame ships to search for Lost Technology. Unfortunately, they usually mess up somehow and end up getting into all kinds of weird and troublesome situations. Never fancied the game. So it's angel brigade that embarks on most pathetic and trifle missions possible. Humor is rather average too... Overall Rating: 5/10 8. The SoulTaker: Tamashii-gari SoulTaker The SoulTaker～魂狩～ [Tatsunoko Production] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Mythology Horror, Supernatural Kyousuke Date comes home one night and finds his mother dying in a pool of her own blood. In her final moments, she stabs him in the chest. After a swift recovery, Kyousuke searches for answers regarding his mother's motives, but finds more than he bargained for when he is attacked by two rival organizations: the Hospital and the Kirihara Group. Kyousuke is surprised to discover that he has a twin sister named Runa, and both groups try to coerce information out of him about her despite his ignorance to her existence. As their assault continues, Kyousuke soon makes another discovery—he has the ability to transform into a terrifying mutant called SoulTaker. With these newfound powers, Kyousuke resolves to crush both organizations, uncover the truth behind his mother's actions, and protect Runa. So you need to get through all the avant garde horrible graphics and torn directorship just to receive an average action story as a result. Not cool. Not cool at all. Overall Rating: 4/10 9. Sister Princess シスター・プリンセス [Zexcs] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Harem Comedy, Drama, Romance Wataru Minakami is a top student who failed his high school entrance exam because of a computer glitch. He later discovered that he was accepted to Stargazer Hill Academy, which is located at a mysterious place called Promised Island. At the request of his father, Wataru is whisked away to the island, and before he can settle in, a dozen of cute and charming girls start to flock him and claim to be his younger sisters. As Wataru gets closer to his newfound siblings, a deeper mystery as to why they were sent to the island comes to play. Wow, never thought it'd be possible to provide nothing at all except many cute sisters and rest on laurels. Thus it has only one trick to captivate viewer - by character personalities. And if it misses, there's nothing to see here. Overall Rating: 5/10 10. Mahou Senshi Louie Rune Soldier 魔法戦士リウイ [J.C.Staff] (Finished 24/24) Tags: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy Louie, a brawny student at the mage's guild, is reluctantly accepted by three girls (Merrill-thief, Genie-fighter, and Melissa-priestess) as a companion for their adventuring party. As the foursome explore ruins, battle dark creatures, and make new friends, they also uncover a sinister plot within the kingdom. I'm a sucker for adventurer parties. Strangely enough, Rune Soldier feels surprisingly modern as such anime with upgraded visuals could easily show up today. I'm very sad to admit that after first several dungeons there are no more dungeons and it becomes more and more of a lousy comedy, and no real story shows up. I really wanted to call it a masterpiece, but not with this resolution and not with relatively big format of 24 episodes. Overall Rating: 6/10 11. Super GALS! Kotobuki Ran Super GALS! 超GALS! 寿蘭 [Pierrot] (Finished 3/52) Tags: Shoujo Comedy, Slice of Life Sporting designer clothes, make-up, and nails, Ran Kotobuki is the very picture of a trendy, young Shibuya girl, but don't let that fool you. This girl comes from a family of cops, and she’s ready to lay you out flat if you even think about causing trouble in her town! At least, she will... when she’s not distracted with karaoke, shopping, and dodging her homework. Join Ran and her friends as they defend the streets of Shibuya and attempt to shop their way into the history books as the most famous Gals ever! What... why... I mean, it's a rather narrow niche even inside Shoujo. I refuse to acknowledge this "culture" in general and this anime in particular as first three episodes have not provided anything resembling believable drama or funny humor let alone real story. Overall Rating: 5/10 12. Comic Party こみっくパーティー [OLM] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Otaku Culture Comedy, Drama Destiny or delusion? It's a hilarious rollercoaster of laughter and confusion when Taishi, the ultimate otaku, drags his friend Kazuki into the swirling world of ambition, hatred, and love—the world of fan comics! Poor clueless Kazuki must sink or swim when he's dumped straight into the middle of a massive comic convention. Lost amidst hoards of buyers, sellers, and cosplayers, Kazuki is about to be baptized by fire, all in order to lead him toward his true calling: to take over the world through fan comics! Meanwhile, Kazuki's childhood friend Mizuki isn't about to let him be dragged from his normal life without a fight! But will she be able to stop the addictive draw of the new world that lies before Kazuki? Little by little, Kazuki is slipping down the path towards destiny—and Taishi is shoving him every step of the way! I usually like anime about production, but this is just the barebones of doujinshi and cosplay. And the whole approach is rather discouraging as protagonist has to spend lots of time with sleep deprivation and money on utensils and printing and registry fee and he's already some 10k yen in the red. And since it's rather difficult to sell 20 copies of doujinshi, he needs to work at part-time job to get money for new participation, and the cycle of misery goes on and on. I remember game being a sim mostly about getting to the green balance, but such mechanistic approach overshadows the actual art and culture. Characters are mostly nice, but show up occasionally without much screen time. Overall Rating: 6/10 13. Geneshaft ジーンシャフト [Satelight] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Mecha, Space Adventure, Sci-Fi In the 21st century mankind was on the brink of destruction. Through genetic engineering however they eradicated such feelings as love and the desire for power. Since women are naturally less agressive than men, women to man ratio was set to 9:1. Now people are engineered to have skills that others view as being necessary. There is a giant ring that now orbits the earth, that sits there and relays information back to an alien race that sent it. Now a team of five women will try to eradicate the alien threat. Pace is so slow and story so vague that I could not make up my mind on it and had to watch in full. The result is that is that it's mostly about inner squabbles with a bit of everything else on the side including mecha and comedy. It's all a huge mess with humanity survival at stake. I'm pretty sure that Gal Force was the main inspiration for this anime, but I liked every single part of Gal Force more, at the very least those were short and specific, not chasing some weird spirits across lifeless planets. Overall Rating: 5/10 14. Project ARMS プロジェクトアームズ [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 8/26) Tags: Shounen Martial Arts, Super Power Action A boy gets involved in an accident when in kindergarten, horribly damaging his arm, but the doctors somehow manage to save it. Now, several years later, his arm seems to be becoming the focus of strange events as it turns out to be more than a normal arm. Meanwhile, a secret organization is out to get hold of him and the power he possess. A fine serious action about transforming arms with own conscience. Nice to see a team of protagonists and some kind of teamplay. But is it interesting? As a story not really as it's just running away from organization and getting attacked. But if you liked Guyver, you'll probably like this one as action is satisfactory and characters aren't irritating. Overall Rating: 6/10 15. Figure 17: Tsubasa & Hikaru フィギュア17 つばさ&ヒカル [OLM] (Finished 4/13) Tags: Sci-Fi, Slice of Life Tsubasa Shiina is a 10-year-old girl who recently moved to Hokkaido to live with her father. In school, she is very quiet and unsociable with her classmates. Then one night, she witnesses a UFO crash in the forest near her home. She rushes to the scene and finds the pilot, codenamed "D.D.", in a barely stable condition. Also in the scene is a Maguar, a hideous alien that hatched aboard D.D.'s ship. As the Maguar is close to taking Tsubasa's life, an alien lifeform fuses with her body to form the Riberus battle armor Figure 17, which shortly destroys the alien threat. The life form takes the name Hikaru and turns into an identical twin of Tsubasa. As time passes, Tsubasa becomes more open to everyone around her, thanks to her new twin sister Hikaru. However, with Maguar eggs scattered all over Hokkaido, their ability to form Figure 17 is needed to eliminate all hatched Maguars until backup from D.D.'s home planet arrives on Earth. Are you interested in school and sports SOL of 10 year old girls? That's the core question for this show, because it takes the most time and because aliens sub-plot is rather sour and short. I'm probably too old to enjoy a friendship and socialization story about four-graders. With episodes twice longer than usual all that naïve childish SOL inevitably bores. Overall Rating: 6/10 16. Star Ocean EX スターオーシャンEX [Studio Deen] (Finished 26/26) Tags: Shounen Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi Claude C. Kenni, a crewmember on the spaceship Calnus and son of the commander of the ship, is transported to Expel, a backwards planet with swords and magic. He teams up with Rena Lanford, who thinks he is the legendary Warrior of Light, and other characters to investigate the Sorcery Globe, a meteorite that has been causing problems all over the world. RPG adaptation, and again in 26 episodes, so pacing is not going to be fast. In 6th episode full party gathers and only by 23rd episode they come to Sorcery Globe that they go to from first episode. Feels a lot like dragon quest anime with older characters and some sci-fi. As usual for RPG adaptations, not bad, but overextended and often simplified . Overall Rating: 6/10 17. Koutetsu Tenshi Kurumi 2 Steel Angel Kurumi 2 鋼鉄天使くるみ2式 [OLM] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Shounen Mecha Comedy, Girls Love, Romance, Sci-Fi Taking place 75 years after the first series, Steel Angel Kurumi 2 brings the Steel Angels in a new mis-adventure. High school student and aspiring cellist Nako Kagura accidentally discovers and kisses Kurumi Mk. II at her home, thus making her Kurumi's master. But things go awry as Nako's best friend Uruka gets jealous and tries anything - including her father's army of top-secret mecha - to destroy Kurumi and win back Nako. Things get more out of control when Saki Mk. II is awakened by Uruka, and Karinka Mk. II joins in to steal Nako away from Kurumi. It's not the first season, so should be clear. Overall Rating: 5/10 18. Zone of the Enders: Dolores, I Zone of the Enders: Dolores [Sunrise] (Finished 5/26) Tags: Mecha, Military, Space Action, Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi 49-year-old James Lynx was an officer (LEV pilot) in the United Nations global army, one day he received notification that his wife—a Martian scientist—was killed during a lab experiment. Hateful and resentful for letting her go, his children blamed him and cast him aside, depressed and in despair, James quit the military and took up a job as a transporter between Earth and Mars, he had some slight hope of his wife still being alive and to find her he wanted to be out there. After a few years, he seemed to have given up all hope and turned to drinking, until one day he receives an orbital frame by the name of "Dolores," sent by his dead wife. Once again, he dares to hope and sets off on a wild and wacky adventure to find the truth and to reunite his family. Game adaptation, and with prequel movie launched before I expected more. I did not see much story. It is probably pushed to the end, but why extend to 26 episodes at all then. Lots of filler scenes and torn directorship. It's rare to see mecha with humor, but humor here is also not satisfactory. Overall Rating: 6/10 19. Taiho Shichau zo: Second Season You're Under Arrest: Fast & Furious 逮捕しちゃうぞ SECOND SEASON [Studio Deen] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Shounen Adult Cast, Detective, Workplace Action, Comedy AA! Megami Sama creator, Kosuke Fujishima, is back with the second season of Taiho Schihauzo (You're Under Arrest). Same characters, two policewomen, the gentle Miyuki and the wild Natsumi teamed up together in Bokuto police station`s traffic division. Other characters including Kenichi, the motorcycle cop who has a feeling for Miyuki; Yoriko with her gossip and Aoi, a transvestite. They all ready to take on harmless criminals and costumed weirdos... You think you can have a better police station? I had a small hope that direction of previous movie rather than series would be taken now. But of course it's again just traffic police on trivial cases and with goofy humor. Overall Rating: 6/10 20. Shin Chou Kyou Ryo: Condor Hero Legend of the Condor Hero 神鵰侠侶 コンドルヒーロー [Nippon Animation] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Historical Adventure, Drama, Romance Youka is a young 13-year-old boy. One day, his Uncle, Kakusei, has him follow in his steps of martial arts and has him study the art of Zenshinkyou. After being mistreated, Youka runs away Zenshinkyou. He stumbles on a Forbidden Tomb where he finds a beautiful young woman, by the name of Shouryuujo. After a short time, Youka is eventually accepted by Shouryuujo to study the techniques of the Koboha under her, and thus begins their adventure through martial arts and love. There's only Chinese and English dub versions available, that's already alerting and disappointing. Contents is indeed travelling across ancient China and martial arts with some romance. It looks very random, and I'm definitely not going to watch 78 episodes of three paired seasons to see where it all is going if I don't enjoy the flow in the least . Overall Rating: 5/10 21. Gakuen Senki Muryou Shingu: Secret of the Stellar Wars 学園戦記ムリョウ [Madhouse] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Mecha, Space Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Supernatural The world is about to be turned upside down for Hajime Murata. First, a strange alien ship appears over Tokyo, and then a mysterious new transfer student arrives at his school wearing an ancient school uniform. His name is Muryou, and with his arrival, everything begins to change. Students suddenly begin to display amazing psychic powers, a giant white guardian keeps appearing in the skies over the city to fight off gigantic alien creatures, and men with threatening weapons are haunting the shadows of the school grounds. With all these strange events taking place around him, Hajime is determined to figure out the truth about a world he thought he already knew. This is his story: a tale of aliens and humans, starships and spies, and friends who are often more than they appear. Join Hajime as he uncovers the mystery of Shingu: Secret of the Stellar Wars! Decent school SOL. Decent action. It's slow pace, relaxing and easy to watch. Even psychic powers and mecha feel surprisingly fine here. Is it interesting? Probably, but not for me since it's just another stage with episodic attacks and unveiling the mystery of psychic users through characters blah-blah-blah. Basically, I just prefer modern anime where story is in the center and events are so concentrated and fast-paced that characters develop through interesting events rather than through just talks. There's no excitement here for me. I ask myself why I should care and there's no good answer I can find . Overall Rating: 6/10 22. Chance Triangle Session Chance Pop Session チャンス　トライアングルセッション [Madhouse] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Idols (Female), Music Drama, Slice of Life This anime is based on a 1999 radio drama about three very different girls: Akari, Yuki and Nozomi; going to see the concert of top pop idol Reika and by going to see this concert their lives are greatly influenced by it. Akari was raised in a very religious background, she is bright and cheerful and a big Reika fan. Yuki is an independent girl who ran away from her home in Hakodate. She is working in the concert hall of Reika's performance. Nozomi is the daughter from a wealthy family in Kobe. She's got one of the VIP seats at the concert. The three girls are so inspired by Reika's performance, that they all enroll in the Akiba music school and endeavor to become pop idols themselves. It's the barebones of pop idol training show - rather simple and predictable. From the show about entertainment I don't even expect entertainment, but please make sure to provide something memorable. And there's nothing I can remember it by. Overall Rating: 5/10 23. Dr. Rin ni Kiitemite! Dr.リンにきいてみて！ [Studio Comet] (Finished 3/51) Tags: Shoujo School Comedy, Fantasy, Romance Kanzaki Meirin, a junior high school student, posseses fusui power which can drive away evil spirits away whenever they appeared. She is in fact, the fortune teller Dr. Rin. She is in love with her best friend, soccer club member, Yuuki Asuka. However, Yuuki does not like fortune-telling and superstitious things. Mahou shoujo... without actual magic and transformation scene... without transformation. It's rather simple and episodic. Airing such concept for a whole year takes a lot of confidence. It's easygoing and occasionally funny ... and has a funny pet monkey, but that's not enough, as for me. Overall Rating: 5/10 24. Cosmic Baton Girl Comet-san☆ Cosmic Baton Girl コメットさん☆ Cosmic Baton Girl コメットさん☆ [Nippon Animation] (Finished 3/43) Tags: Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi Comet (12 years old in human years) is the princess of the Harmonica Star country and was to meet the prince of the Tambourine Star country at a ball where he'd pick a bride. But he isn't there and so Comet is sent to Earth to find him. He'll be known by the starlight in his eyes. She finds the Earth and she loves the people she meets there. Meanwhile, Princess Meteor of the Castanet Star country also arrives on Earth in search of the prince. Comet's companion is a little puppy with a star at the end of his tail named Rubba Ball. Of course, Comet was not the first to visit the Earth and love it, another before her did as well and married. Her pet (a white cat with bunny ears and a tiny heart on her tail named Bunny) continued life as a kind of fairy in the forest. Comet's power is drawn from the stars of her home and is channeled through her baton; she also wears a special pendant from where Rubba Ball immerges, and with which she can detect and find the prince. Concept instantly reminded me the first mahou shoujo from 1960s like Sally the Witch, so it was cool to find out that Comet-chan origins lie in the 1960s as well. It's a funny energetic show for children, but it's childish and episodic - total miss for me. Overall Rating: 6/10 25. Parappa the Rapper パラッパラッパー [J.C.Staff, Production I.G] (Finished 1/30) Tags: Comedy, Fantasy Parappa is just your ordinary talking dog; he enjoys spending time with his friends, listening to music, and going on adventures. Together with his friends, Parappa gets into many strange situations, all the while learning to navigate through life, get along with his friends, and pine for the girl of his dreams, Sunny Funny. Based on an equally quirky rhythm game, Parappa the Rapper boasts a unique flat style, blasts of color, and a string of strange but charming characters. Among Parappa’s friends are an anthropomorphized blue cat, lamb, and even a flower. Parappa's adventures range from the ordinary to the bizarre. He crosses paths with mischievous baddies, helps resolve questions of friendship and love, and even goes on trips through time itself. Nothing can change Parappa's positive outlook on life. A senseless kid game turned into a senseless anime. It hurts. Overall Rating: 5/10 26. Offside (TV) オフサイド [Ashi Productions] (Finished 1/39) Tags: Team Sports Action, Drama, Sports Goro Kumagaya is an established, tall middle-school goalkeeper who wanted to enter Yokonan high-school that is considered to be among the elites in terms of its football club, only to fail and end up in the lowly-ranked school opposite to Yokonan because of an accident. However, he met Shingo, Hideki and Kazuhito Oda who are all skillful footballers there and together in the Kawasaki High School football club, they challenge Yokonan and any other schools that they have to face in order to improve and become the champions. Any setbacks that they face would instead be an opportunity for a better improvement; one of which was the discovery of Goro's natural talent as an ace striker. Not translated into English even though showed in many other languages. All football anime look the same to me, apart of small details. Goalkeeper viewpoint is unexpected, but now it's great goalkeeper and totally lousy team who only scores with faraway goalkeeper throws. And let's leave it at that for spokon fans. Overall Rating: 5/10 27. Haja Kyosei G Dangaiou 破邪巨星Gダンガイオ [AIC] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Mecha Action, Sci-Fi A mysterious explosion on Futagami Island begins a new chapter in the Dangaioh mythos! Led by the evil Professor Katou, a band of warriors calling themselves the "Tartarus Knights" have begun their campaign to lay waste to the world by way of a small research station on Futagami Island. Katou's victory seems almost certain until he encounters an advanced fortress guarding the island. From it, a group of three humanoid robots are launched—Dangaioh! I rated prequel from 1980s as 3/10 , and since psychics seem to be gone it deserves a promotion. Overall Rating: 4/10 28. Dennou Boukenki Webdiver Brain Adventure Record Webdiver 電脳冒険記ウェブダイバー [Radix] (Finished 3/52) Tags: Shounen Mecha Adventure, Sci-Fi Set in the year 2100 where the world is tied together by a computer network. The children of the world become Web Divers, adapting their consciousnesses into data, and love to play together in the cyber park called Magical Gate. However, a mysterious computer virus appears beginning to destroy Magical Gate from the inside out. In cyberspace, programs called Web Knights have been created to protect the children. But, the computer virus has turned all the Web Knights against the children. The only Web Knight to escape the "brainwashing" is Gladion. Gladion seeks the help of Kaito Yuki, a Web Diver who is in the fourth grade. Another simple and repetitive mecha that does not try to have big plot, so need to like the flow itself. Overall Rating: 5/10 29. Run=Dim RUN=DIM (ランディム) [Idea Factory] (Finished 2/13) Tags: Mecha Action, Sci-Fi In the year 2050 A.D, approximately 1/10th of Japan is now under water due to the global warming effect. The city of Tokyo was no exception. The economy of Japan is crippled from this disaster and the government is willing for anything to help revive the country. As a result, the Japanese government forms "JESAS", a military foundation that has evil intentions of controlling Japan's future. JESAS handles the dumping of nuclear wastes into outer space. To insure their protection from other countries, JESAS has developed "R.B." Robotic Weaponry, which is controlled by pilots with "A.I. (Accurate Intuition)". On the opposite side of the law is the "Green Frontier", a united protection agency that was formed by countries sharing the same beliefs, to save the Earth. Featuring JESAS pilots Kanna and Kazuto and Green Frontier's Doota Kang and Mira Yu, these four youngsters will decide the fate of the Earth through love, friendship and the passion for their duty. It's all ugly early CGI with horrible actions animation. Basically, it tries to play in Gundam as there are two big factions with different reasoning who use giant mecha to fight. Guess need to really like politics here or be mecha enthusiast to go on. Overall Rating: 4/10 30. Genei Toushi Bastof Lemon BASToF Syndrome 幻影闘士バストフレモン [Dongwoo A&E] (Finished 2/26) Tags: Mecha Adventure, Sci-Fi The story takes place in the year 2097 and in the city of Xenon. An ultimate cyber game, where players fight as bio-mechanical cyber robots, has been developed. However, there's something wrong. The game's cyberspace and the real world are linked. The damage that occurs in the game's cyberspace creates destruction in the city of Xenon. This all started when players heard a painful scream, saw a ghostly face, and a powerful scent of lemon overcame them. To solve this mystery, the creator of the game assembles a "Dream Team," which is the top three gamers in all of Xenon. The team is composed of rebellious and arrogant teens, who, have to overcome their attitudes and fears to find the answers, answers to the mystery that are much bigger than just the game. It's in Korean, so of course it's about virtual reality or games, and now also mecha... And basically Korean anime is still too simple and imitational, it just can't let fantasy fly or produce something remotely serious yet. Overall Rating: 5/10 31. Pachislo Kizoku Gin パチスロ貴族 銀 [Fuji TV] (Finished 3/23) Tags: High Stakes Game, Strategy Game Action Ginya Otonashi is a college dropout who works part-time for a pachislot publishing company while aspiring to become a novelist. One day, Ginya comes across a secret organization and gets pulled into a competition to become #1 in "Pachi Battle," which is all a part of the Slotseum, a pachislot competition. Anime about... slot machines... wow. There are all kinds of competitions and power groups in the underground casino. Basically, it's better than expected due to fine execution and some attention to characters, but concept is too stupid for something decent. Overall Rating: 5/10 32. Go! Go! Itsutsugo Land ゴーゴー五つ子ら・ん・ど [Eiken] (Finished 1/50) Tags: School The series is about five quintuplets, Kabuto, Hinoki, Arashi, Kinoko and Kodama Morino, who have all kinds of adventures together. Each has their own talent and personality. Not translated. Characters have only started elementary school and behave like kindergarten kids and have corresponding "adventures". Comedy for kids. Overall Rating: 5/10 33. Gyouten Ningen Batsealer Captain Fatz and the Seamorphs 仰天人間バトシーラー [Group TAC] (Finished 1/52) Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy With the ability to transcend time, Captain Fatz and comrades embarked on a journey of battle and adventure to gather the eight scattered stone pieces (namely Light, Darkness, Fire, Water, Air, Earth, Wood & Metal) which was granulated by the lord of destruction, in order to restore the chaotic world back to peace. Not translated. And another kids anime not marked properly. Feels a lot like One Piece imitation. Overall Rating: 5/10 34. Ajimu: Kaigan Monogatari あじむ ～海岸物語～ [Actas] (Finished 4/4) Tags: Music, School Comedy, Drama, Romance Seventeen year old Nakaido Hirosuke is just your average high school student. One morning as he arrives at the train station on his way to school, he catches sight of a beautiful girl, Ajimu Yasuna, and immediately falls for her. The two of them get to know each other and become friends, but he can't confess his feelings and she is unsure of hers. As events and other people present obstacles for the potential couple to clear, their relationship begins to develop and their feelings become clear. A very awkward romance, both in wording and situations. Generic and predictable to the point of nausea . Overall Rating: 5/10 35. R.O.D: Read or Die R.O.D - Read or Die R.O.D リード・オア・ダイ [Studio Deen] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Adult Cast, Historical Action, Adventure, Mystery, Sci-Fi Yomiko Readman is a lovable, near-sighted bibliomaniac working as a substitute teacher at a Japanese high school. Her real identity, however, is that of a secret agent for the British Library Special Operations Division. Her codename: "The Paper." The moniker denotes her supernatural ability to freely manipulate paper into any object she can imagine, including tools and weapons in her fight against the powerful and self-serving IJIN (Great Historical Figure) Army! Along with her partner, the enigmatic "Ms. Deep," Yomiko travels across the world in attempt to solve the mystery behind the reincarnation of historical figures and their attempt to control the world. In a mess of a stage like this books are just a pretext to introduce lots of silly super-agent action with books transforming into weapons. But there are a lot of even more absurd elements, and it's the kind of full absurdity that I can't stand. Overall Rating: 5/10 36. Alien 9 エイリアン9 [J.C.Staff] (Finished 4/4) Tags: Psychological, School Horror, Sci-Fi Soon after entering middle school, Yuri Otani is coerced into joining the "Alien Party," a single-minded group with one goal: capture any alien attempting to enter school grounds. Terrified of aliens her entire life, Otani is anything but thrilled, and to make matters worse, her kit includes a "Borg"—an alien-like creature tasked with ensuring her safety. Despite this, she finds solace in her two partners: the independent and reliable Kumi Kawamura, and the smart and energetic Kasumi Tomine. As the Alien Party works to fend off extraterrestrial threats, will their roller blades and lacrosse sticks be enough to overcome the dire challenges ahead, or will they succumb to fear and suffer the grim consequences of defeat? Well, it's exactly the shoujo with a twist that I did not expect before Madoka. But Alien 9 deliberately tries to bluntly shock and things get really ugly occasionally. The problem is that it does not give much in return and it's even not cute. It's fresh and solid and has enough complexity with interesting thoughts, but it gives a sour aftertaste and no memorable impressions, so I would not want to highlight it. Overall Rating: 6/10 37. [email protected] [email protected] マリスドール [Soeishinsha] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Psychological Horror, Sci-Fi Malice, a sex robot living in an abandoned human city, is assaulted and violated by a mysterious creature. Upon awakening, Malice finds out that she has become human and can pass on her humanity to her fellow machines. However, her gift soon becomes a curse when her fellow robots rage out of control after being exposed to the pleasures of life. First CGI movie that I can promote from not recommended to average as it's not repulsive, just uninteresting, short, poorly done and directed, although with claims of a serious AI self-consciousness work. Basically, it tells that author did Lain Experiments before as it's similar mess. Overall Rating: 5/10 38. Medaka no Gakkou めだかの学校 [Office AO] (Finished 0/5) Tags: Comedy Medaka is a high school student. She wants to be a doctor, and she’s just transferred to Tanaka Private School on the recommendation of her parents. But she finds that his school looks a bit strange. For example, Pochi is such a smart student who always gets full marks, but he is a dog. And there are other classmates: Nekoko, a cat, who thinks of Pochi as a rival, Misa, a five-years-old girl. Of course, her home room teacher, Mr. Tanaka, is not normal. His face is ... A fish?! Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10 39. Metropolis メトロポリス [Madhouse] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Shounen Detective Adventure, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi In the great city of Metropolis, severe community structures and prejudice dominate a world where humans and robots live together. Unrest and violence increase with each new day. Searching for the scientist Dr. Laughton, suspected to violate human rights by trading organs, the Japanese detective Shunsaku Ban and his nephew Kenichi arrive at Metropolis. In the scientist's laboratory, Kenichi discovers a girl without any memory of her past life. He decides to help her, so they run away together. His uncle follows him and penetrates the dark secrets of the city to find Duke Red, the man ruling from the shadows. Meanwhile, Kenichi desperately tries to protect the mysterious girl from the people hunting her. However, Duke Red and his adoptive son have their own deep reasons for chasing the girl. These reasons are connected to her true identity and the struggle for the domination of Metropolis... It's a beautiful action adventure in a a dystopian city, but at the same time story develops just through chaotic events and lacks substance. It's rather decent than average, and I remember I enjoyed it a bit when watched for the first time, now circumstances have changed. Overall Rating: 6/10 40. Crayon Shin-chan Movie 09: Arashi wo Yobu Mouretsu! Otona Teikoku no Gyakushuu 映画　クレヨンしんちゃん　嵐を呼ぶモーレツ！オトナ帝国の逆襲 [Shin-Ei Animation] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Seinen Comedy, Sci-Fi Adult people all over Japan had been captivated by 20th Century Expo, theme parks that reenacted good old days of the 1970s (the last days of Japan's high economic growth). One day the adults disappeared into the theme parks, leaving their children abandoned. That was a plot by "Yesterday Once More," an organization who despises the 21st century and tries to bring Japan back to the 20th century with the dreams and hopes. Shinnosuke and his parents, Hiroshi and Misae, fight against the plot of "Yesterday Once More" in order to live together with family in the 21st century. Guess can call it being on the better end of the movies. Big tilt into parodies at beginning feels nice. Infantile middle is fun. Another crazy organization confrontation is better than usual. Still can't say I'm impressed enough. Overall Rating: 6/10

Calm before the storm of titles in spring. No masterpieces again, my favor goes to Animation Seisaku Shinkou Kuromi-chan 1. Grappler Baki (TV) グラップラー刃牙 [Group TAC] (Finished 3/24) Tags: Shounen Combat Sports, Gore, Martial Arts Action, Sports Ever since he was born, Baki Hanma has always known nothing but fighting—strengthening every single muscle and learning different techniques from various martial arts under the supervision of his mother, Emi Akezawa. He trains in order to prepare himself to face and eventually surpass his own father, Yuujirou Hanma, a man feared by the masses as the "Ogre" and deemed the strongest being in the world. However, when Baki realizes his mother's techniques are no longer enough, he sets out to become stronger in his own way. Seeking out powerful opponents and forming unbreakable bonds with them, he continues to grow both body and his soul, as the clock continues to tick closer toward the inevitable showdown against his father... This series is well done and fulfils niche of exotic boxer - as Ashita no Joe was - just fine. It still loses to Hajime no Ippo which I don't consider masterpiece as well. Overall Rating: 6/10 2. Chikyuu Shoujo Arjuna 地球少女アルジュナ [Satelight] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi Juna Ariyoshi is an ordinary Japanese schoolgirl, who possesses a childlike curiosity and a strong admiration toward nature. One day, while on a trip with her boyfriend, Tokio Oshima, Juna dies from a motorcycle accident. However, she is given a chance to live by an individual named Chris Hawken. He offers her powers that make her the avatar of time; in exchange, she must fight to protect the Earth from evil forces called raaja, which are born out of the toxic pollution human beings have caused. She soon discovers that this is no easy task. While trying to master her newfound powers, she must also seek answers to deep questions about the ways science and technology have taken away humans' primal and instinctive connections with nature. With the help of Chris, his assistant Cindy Klein, and a powerful international organization named SEED, it is up to Juna to overcome her fears and find a way to stop the raaja from destroying everyone and everything she cares for. It tries to play into ecology and transform heroine from mahou shoujo into something more advanced, but the gist remains the same, and it remains a beautiful bore with CGI. Overall Rating: 5/10 3. Zoids Shinseiki/Zero Zoids: New Century ゾイド新世紀／ゼロ [Xebec] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Sports Zoids—powerful animal-shaped combat mechs—are no longer used in warfare, but in organized sporting competitions. The Blitz Team, a group of pilots struggling to carve out a niche for themselves in the Zoid battling leagues, experience a stroke of luck when Bit Cloud, a vagrant junk dealer, wanders into their midst and proves himself capable of piloting the temperamental Liger Zero, a Zoid that refuses to let anyone else into its cockpit. Led by Bit and the Liger, the Blitz Team steadily make their way to the top—but along the way they attract the unwelcome attention of the Backdraft Group, an organization of Zoid pilots that operates outside the laws set down by the Zoid Battle Commission. The Backdraft want powerful Zoids to add to their ranks, and they have their eye on the Liger Zero... With only dub available can't tolerate it for long. Still bad. Overall Rating: 5/10 4. Motto! Ojamajo Doremi も〜っと！おジャ魔女どれみ [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/50) Tags: Shoujo Comedy, Fantasy After losing their magical abilities, the girls once again become witches. However, now they have to go through tests from the Witches of the Witch World. They also meet a new member from New York, Momoko. Third season already, so useless to say anything. Overall Rating: 5/10 5. Tales of Eternia The Animation Tales of Eternia テイルズ オブ エターニア THE ANIMATION [Xebec] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance In order to prevent the catastrophe called the Grand Fall, Rid Hershel and his companions Farah, Keel and Meredy have obtained the three Greater Spirits ("Craymels" in the game version) of Inferia. En route to Mount Farlos, Rid is kidnapped by the bounty hunter Marone Blucarno, and the party is compelled to head to Belcarnu, an archipelago far from the major cities of Inferia. A series of adventures forces them to remain on the islands, where a more immediate threat to Inferia sleeps. It's a filler side-story to feed on game's fame. Since it does not have much in the story department, it tries to imbue more depth into personalities... and it's done in the familiar way by slapstick comedy and fanservice. Overall Rating: 5/10 6. Salaryman Kintarou サラリーマン金太郎 [JCF] (Finished 3/20) Tags: Seinen Martial Arts Comedy, Drama The story follows Kintaro, former leader of a widely feared and respected biker gang, who decides that its time to "straighten out" and become a "salaryman" since his wife died and he has to take care of his young son. GTO is liked, because characters behave in a realistic way . Kintarou problem is that it is unrealistic in both personalities and behavior. How believable is that Kintarou job is sharpening pencils to earn his salary? R u freaking serious. All women love him... because he was a hooligan in a band... sure... Too many issues like that make the whole concept just playground for showing off. Overall Rating: 6/10 7. Hakaima Sadamitsu Sadamitsu the Destroyer 破壊魔定光 [Studio Deen] (Finished 3/10) Tags: Seinen Mecha, School Action, Sci-Fi Sadamitsu, a high-school delinguents turned to a masked-hero, while not dealing with his rocky relationship with the strong female protagonist, he puts on a motorcycle-helmet-like mask and becomes a semi-robotic superhero who fights. He is assisted by other possibly- mechanical creatures in order to save the earth from the invasion of 20,000,000 escaped alien convicts. A generic action, something like toned down Guyver with comedy and even romance. Overall Rating: 5/10 8. Chikyuu Bouei Kazoku The Daichis: Earth's Defense Family 地球防衛家族 [Group TAC] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Action, Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi The Daichis are a family in danger of tearing itself apart. Dissatisfied and money obsessed mom Seiko has served wimpy and otaku dad Mamoru with divorce papers. Daughter Nozomi who has always been saddled with all the housework, feels pained that everyone is using her. The youngest albeit most foul mouthed, Dai is forced to watch all this as everything is going to pieces. However when the Galaxy Federation recruits the Daichis to combat alien threats to the wellbeing of the Earth, it will be a chance for the family to save the world and maybe themselves. Don't remember a single interesting media piece about superhero family. As a parody, it tries to be everything and wants to show as much action as possible. Just noisy senseless mess. Overall Rating: 5/10 9. Nekojiru-sou Cat Soup [J.C.Staff] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Anthropomorphic, Psychological Avant Garde, Award Winning, Comedy The main character, a cat named Nyatto, embarks upon a journey to save his sister's soul, which was ripped in two when Nyatto tried to save her from Death. She trails after him, brain-dead. They encounter many brilliant, mind-bending situations, beginning with a disturbing magic show. I strongly believe that piece of media without words can't be good. This one is both wordless and absurd. The end. Overall Rating: 5/10 10. Puni Puni☆Poemii Puni Puni Poemy ぷにぷに☆ぽえみぃ [J.C.Staff] (Finished 1/2) Tags: Gag Humor, Mahou Shoujo Comedy, Sci-Fi Poemi Watanabe (a.k.a. Kobayashi) is a 10-year-old girl with aspirations of being a famous voice actress. Unfortunately, her school grades are bad and her voice acting is even worse. But when a mysterious alien kills her parents and wreaks havoc all over Tokyo, Poemi grabs a talking fish, skins it into a wand and becomes the magical girl Puni Puni Poemi to save the day. I can't even watch second episode. Excel saga humor is that bad. Overall Rating: 5/10 11. Animation Seisaku Shinkou Kuromi-chan Animation Runner Kuromi アニメーション制作進行くろみちゃん [Yumeta Company] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Otaku Culture, Parody Comedy, Drama After being inspired by the fictional anime, "Luis Monde III", Mikiko "Kuromi" Oguro goes to animation school and finally lands the job of her dreams at Studio Petit. Upon arriving, she meets the head of production. Unfortunately for her, he dies soon after meeting her and passes his position unto her. Now that she's head of production of "Time Journeys", it's up to her to rally up the lazy animator's and finish the second episode in a week. I generally enjoy anime about production, but... under 40 minutes? I know I called Battle Angel Alita 10/10 with just 55 minutes length, but it had lots of intense storytelling over that time. Can't make exceptions for comedy SOL though. Overall Rating: 6/10 12. Zone of the Enders: 2167 Idolo Z.O.E. 2167 Idolo [Sunrise] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Mecha, Military, Space Action, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi Z.O.E. 2167 Idolo takes place a few years prior to the events of the series Z.O.E Dolores, i, and is centered on the "Deimos Incident," an act of terrorism by the Mars revolutionaries. The BAHRAM army pilots Radium and Viola are the best in their class, and have such have been chosen to do spearhead testing on a new type of weapon; Mars hopes this weapon will liberate them from the UNSF's (United Nations Space Force) tyranny. This new technology called the "Orbital Frame," is powered by an extremely rare and powerful source of energy known as the Metatron ore. Never heard of Z.O.E. games. It's alright as prequel, but rather boring as a separate piece. Overall Rating: 5/10 13. Spirit of Wonder: Shounen Kagaku Club ザスピリットオブワンダー : 少年科學倶楽部 [Ajia-Do] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Seinen Space Drama, Sci-Fi The now 50 year old Scientific Boys Club decides to built a ship that sails to Mars on the "Ethereal Current" - a thesis of the wife of a club member which claims that the universe is flooded with Ethereal energy. On this stream they travel to Mars in order to prove an old theory about channels on Mars built by Martians, but there is no life. Many years later, when both theories are considered to be nonsense, a Mars expedition discovers a stone with the inscription "Scientific Boys Club 1954". I absolutely loathed first Spirit of Wonder OVA and this one is only slightly better. Have a look at something super short and incoherent, but supposedly related to science, and be happy about it... because... science? Incompetent and shallow. Overall Rating: 5/10 14. Sabaku no Kuni no Oujosama The Princess of the Desert Kingdom さばくの国の王女さま [Toei Animation] (Finished 0/1) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy When the spring that supplies water to her kingdom dries up, the Princess decides to go into the desert in search of a faraway oasis that is said to exist. The Princess and her animal friends face many challenges in their journey to save the draught-stricken kingdom. Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10

Can't call anything masterpiece , but Hajime no Ippo is the closest to it. 1. InuYasha 犬夜叉 [Sunrise] (Finished 3/167) Tags: Historical, Mythology, Time Travel Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural Kagome Higurashi's 15th birthday takes a sudden turn when she is forcefully pulled by a demon into the old well of her family's shrine. Brought to the past, when demons were a common sight in feudal Japan, Kagome finds herself persistently hunted by these vile creatures, all yearning for an item she unknowingly carries: the Shikon Jewel, a small sphere holding extraordinary power. Amid such a predicament, Kagome encounters a half-demon boy named Inuyasha who mistakes her for Kikyou, a shrine maiden he seems to resent. Because of her resemblance to Kikyou, Inuyasha takes a violent dislike to Kagome. However, after realizing the dire circumstances they are both in, he sets aside his hostility and lends her a hand. Unfortunately, during a fight for the Shikon Jewel, the miraculous object ends up shattered into pieces and scattered across the land. Fearing the disastrous consequences of this accident, Kagome and Inuyasha set out on a challenging quest to recover the shards before they fall into the wrong hands. I honestly fail to understand what to like here at all. Just less funny Dragonball with female protagonist and jokes as if from Urusei Yatsura. Overall Rating: 5/10 2. Hajime no Ippo Fighting Spirit はじめの一歩 THE FIGHTING! [Madhouse] (Finished 3/75) Tags: Shounen Combat Sports In his father's absence, teenager Ippo Makunouchi works hard to help his mother run her fishing boat rental business. Ippo's timid nature, his lack of sleep, and the sea smell make him an easy target for relentless bullies who leave him bruised and beaten on a daily basis. Mamoru Takamura, an up-and-coming boxer, rescues Ippo from a violent after-school incident and takes him back to the Kamogawa Boxing Gym for recovery. Takamura and his fellow boxers, Masaru Aoki and Tatsuya Kimura, are stunned by Ippo's powerful punches—a result of strong muscles developed through years serving his physically taxing family business. Following brief training under Takamura, Ippo impresses the other boxers in a practice match against prodigy Ichirou Miyata. He gains a rival in Miyata and a coach in Genji Kamogawa, the gym owner and a former boxer himself. As Ippo takes the first steps in his official boxing career, he faces off against a series of challenging opponents, each more powerful than the last. Victory, loss, and a cycle of dedicated training await Ippo on his journey to achieve greatness. With his tough body and unstoppable fighting spirit, the kind young man seeks to take on the world. Never tried it as it's spokon, and the only thing that interests me here is what makes it special, just like in all the other famous anime in the genres I detest. And my answer is that there is nothing special, just a little talent and a lot of diligence , practice and endurance, thus the title. Concept is basically taken from Ashita no Joe where enemies were more interesting than protagonist. But Joe was an adult hooligan dealing with homeless children , so he was rather difficult to empathize with. A totally normal kid is a better material for a lasting story. And with that I'll consider this gestalt closed. Overall Rating: 6/10 3. Gakkou no Kaidan Ghost Stories 学校の怪談 [Pierrot] (Finished 3/19) Tags: Horror, Mystery, Supernatural Years ago, all of the ghosts in a haunted schoolhouse were banished by a certain student. Now, they're back—and they want revenge... Satsuki and Keiichirou Miyanoshita are two siblings recovering from the tragic loss of their mother. After moving to their mother's hometown, they learn that the local school they have transferred to is an old building—one said to be haunted. Despite initially brushing it off as a silly rumor, the two soon discover that ghosts are indeed real and that they're after them! Gakkou no Kaidan is the creepy tale of the lives of these siblings and their newfound friends as they try to survive the school's ghosts—with a little help from their pet cat along the way. Could not care less about dub, original anime is trash with the only redeeming quality being that it tries to be bright and even humorous for the most part and gets dark only around climax. Overall Rating: 5/10 4. Vandread ヴァンドレッド [Gonzo] (Finished 2/13) Tags: Mecha, Space Action, Sci-Fi, Ecchi In Vandread, men are from Mars and women are from Venus! Well, not quite. Technology has allowed mankind to colonize the entire Milky Way galaxy, and in one star system, the men and women live on two different planets, Taraak and Mejere. A bitter and very literal gender war rages, to the point where they don't even see each other as the sames species anymore! Hibiki Tokai, a male third-class laborer from Taraak, ends up stuck on a battleship after a botched attempt at stealing a robot. When female pirates capture the Taraakian Vanguard, things don't look like they could get any worse for Hibiki. Unfortunately, they do; when the male crew of the Vanguard fire on their captured vessel out of desperation, they created a giant wormhole, which sucks the Vanguard and the Mejeran pirate's ships into itself! Now, stuck far away from their home planets, these men and women must learn to work together if they ever wish to make it back home. This anime knows well that it's going to be silly mecha with CGI, so it adapts absurd plot and is ready to go to extremes such as flattest possible gender humor. Need to have an ability to turn off head to keep watching it to the end without any loss of self-respect. Overall Rating: 5/10 5. Argento Soma アルジェント ソーマ [Sunrise] (Finished 4/25) Tags: Mecha, Military Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi In the year 2059, the earth has been plagued by aliens for several years. In an effort to learn more about these aliens, Dr. Noguchi and his assistants Maki Agata and Takuto Kaneshiro try to revive the professor's experiment, a large Bio-Mechanical alien named Frank. During this process the alien comes to 'life' and the lab is subsequently destroyed leaving Takuto the only survivor and the alien disappearing into the wilderness. While Frank roams the wilderness he meets Hattie, an emotionally distressed young girl whose parents are killed in the first 'close encounter' war. Oddly enough she is able to communicate with Frank and soon after they are taken into custody by a secret agency known only as 'Funeral'. Meanwhile, Takuto wakes up in a hospital bed with his life in shambles, and his face disfigured. Motivated by vengeance and heart break, Takuto accepts an offer from the mysterious 'Mr. X' and receives a new identity as a ranking Funeral officer named Ryu Soma. Sunrise original always sounds very suspicious, because it usually means targeting as large audience as possible, and the easiest way to it is imitation of already popular products, namely, Eva. Maybe it changes drastically on the way, but first four episodes don't leave the slightest desire to keep going. . Overall Rating: 5/10 6. Jinzou Ningen Kikaider The Animation 人造人間キカイダーTHE ANIMATION [Radix] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Shounen Mecha Action, Drama, Sci-Fi The genius robotics professor, Dr. Komyoji has created Kikaider—a humanoid robot tasked with the protection of Dr. Komyoji's son and daughter. Gifted with the conscience circuit, Kikaider is given the power to simulate real emotions that helps to distinguish between "right and wrong." Can Kikaider protect Dr. Komyoji's children and battle against the evil Dr. Gill and his army of androids? The fight against world domination lies in the hands of Kikaider. It feels so terribly old... because its source material is kids only and lies in the early 70s. The result is slow, boring, cliché series. Overall Rating: 5/10 7. Shoubushi Densetsu Tetsuya 勝負師伝説哲也 [Toei Animation] (Finished 2/20) Tags: Shounen Historical, Strategy Game In the year 1947, the people of Shinjuku are down on their luck. With little money to buy food or necessities, some resort to gambling in order to survive. Traveling Tetsuya chooses to spend his time at Mahjong parlors where he is wiping the floor clean with his adversaries. However, when Tetsuya meets the intensely skilled Boushu-san, he realizes that his skills are still lacking. I'm at a total loss when it comes to mahjong anime, because it looks and sounds total gibberish. And since there's not much besides gambling, can't even evaluate it. Watching an anime that relies on luck and momentum after Kaiji... feels so wrong. Overall Rating: 5/10 8. Sci-fi Harry サイファイハリー [APPP] (Finished 4/20) Tags: Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi Harry is definitely not your average American teenager. Instead, he is the epitome of an "alienated youth"—friendless at school, extremely weird, and nervous to the point of paranoia. But a chance occurrence causes Harry to start to demonstrate what appear to be psychic powers—yet he neither believes in them nor consciously controls them. However, there are other ominous forces at work who do believe in Harry and attempt to make use of him in ways that are threatening and frightful. It's once again collection of elements I can't stand. Ugly drawn psychic detective thriller with protagonist so indecisive that he can't tie several words together. Overall Rating: 5/10 9. Dotto Koni-chan .Koni-chan ドッとKONIちゃん [Shaft] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Comedy Koni (whose character is based on the famous Sumo-wrestler) and his gang have lots of crazy and incoherent adventures in their town. From fighting with their "Lovely-Teacher" and dealing with Samurai fish, to confirming if "The Armored-Guy's" wife has an affair and saving the world, Koni, High, Moro, Nari and Afro, the Afro-dog, do the craziest and funniest things to have fun. Not translated to English. Absurd episodic comedy with three stories inside each episode. Feels horrible like any absurd comedy. Overall Rating: 5/10 10. Gear Fighter Dendoh GEAR戦士 電童 [Sunrise] (Finished 3/38) Tags: Mecha, School, Space Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi The story takes place in the future where war machines from evil mechanical alien empire Garufa finally reaches Earth. In order to protect earth, an Earth defense organization called GEAR (Guard Earth and Advanced Reconnaissance) is formed. GEAR has an ultimate weapon in a form of war mecha, GEAR Fighter Dendoh, which is piloted by two elementary school students, namely Kusanagi Hokuto and Izumo Ginga. Can the friendship between Hokuto and Ginga unleashed the full potential power of Dendoh in order to fight Garufa? Kids would have a hard time watching Argento Soma, so to milk this audience as well let's make another mecha just for kids. Terrible as everything Sunrise does specially for kids. Overall Rating: 5/10 11. Karakuri Kiden: Hiwou Senki Hiwou War Chronicles 機巧奇傳　ヒヲウ戦記 [Bones] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Historical, Mecha Action, Adventure 8 years ago, Western Civilization visited 19th century Japan. Mechanized dolls and new steam-powered creations began spreading throughout the country. The Wind Gang is a group of doll and steam users who believe in using their creations to violently bring about a new Industrial Era. They attack and destroy the peaceful village of a young doll user named Hiwou one day. Hiwou and his friends escape with a giant doll named Homura. Hiwou now wants to find his father, so that he can help defeat the Wind Gang, and bring peace back to Japan. Pre-school kids accompanied by giant mecha in Edo period competing in clockwork dolls with Wind Gang - what could possibly go wrong? So much effort is wasted on a nonsense concept like that. Overall Rating: 5/10 12. Mutekiou Tri-Zenon Invincible King Tri-Zenon 無敵王トライゼノン [E&G Films] (Finished 3/22) Tags: Mecha Sci-Fi During the Edo Period, 3 mysterious space capsules were sent down to earth. Fear that it might bring chaos to the earth, the humans at that time buried these 3 objects down beneath the ground and entrusted a piece of descriptive map to the Kamui family. Today, these 3 objects were awaken one by one. The first to awaken, Tri-Zenon, one of the Zenon Guardians is now driven by the descendant of the Kamui family, Akira Kamui, his brother Ai Kamui and his friend Kanna. Aliens who descend to earth with a purpose will now have to face Tri-Zenon. Another nonsense mecha for kids with plastic characters antics. It manages to be both stupid and absolutely undistinguished at the same time. Overall Rating: 5/10 13. Sin: The Movie [Phoenix Entertainment] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Detective Action, Horror, Sci-Fi, Supernatural In Sin, Blade must unravel a series of mysterious kidnappings. As he delves into the city's merciless underworld, an elaborate mystery unfold; at is heart, the SinTEK corporation and its leader, the ruthless and beautiful Elexis Sinclair. A Brilliant biochemist, Sinclair will stop at nothing to achieve her goal: a plan that could force the next step of human evolution-or spell doom for mankind. It's mostly just violent fighting action with poor explanations, and after another action cycle it just ends. I've seen worse. Overall Rating: 5/10 14. De:vadasy Devadasy 創世聖紀デヴァダシー [Studio Gazelle] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Mecha, Psychological Action, Ecchi For young men like Kei, life is still plagued by nothing but homework and girl trouble. When an unknown force besieges Earth with robotic war machines, however, it is Kei who is chosen to defend the human race. Another weird game adaptation. Peaceful SOL constantly interchanges with bloody mecha fights and masturbation needed for that. It tries to mimic EVA mental distortion and ends with a fluke. Overall Rating: 5/10 15. Grandeek [Group TAC, animate Film] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy This is a tale of swords and sorcery as the young warrior-woman Tia Allbright and her hapless assistant, Luke, battle demon assassins in a fantasy land. Tia arrives on the island of Marcleida with her trusted sword 'Grandeek,' which holds a spirit within that helps her on her quests. She is soon turned away however. Determined to get on the island, Tia searches for a way past the fences that guard the entrance, as another stranger arrives on the island to take on a mysterious job. Someone has been killing the inhabitants of the island and has the ability to appear and disappear at will. Seems the sword 'Aihorn' has been stolen and the spirit that resides within it seeks vengenance on those who killed its master 50 years before. As Tia makes her way inside the island, it becomes clear that both she, and the stranger, are after the sword Aihorn, hoping to bring to an end its bloody goal. But the sword has the ability to possess the person who wields it - putting Tia and the stranger at a great disadvantage. Based on the manga by Kohime Ohse, Tia and Grandeek will have to face their most difficult challenge yet... Hard to weave a good story in 40 minutes... especially with no efforts applied to make it coherent. Narration constantly jumps among different stuff with unclear time sequence. There's a girl who seeks a way into town, there are two swordsmen who investigate murders and search for a girl, there are cadavers, scenes with swordsman getting wounded, some women at unknown location , some girl behind bars and it just goes on and on... By the very end all the characters get somewhere close to each other and sword evil nature is getting dealt with somehow. Such lousy directorship should not exist at all . Overall Rating: 4/10 16. With You: Mitsumeteitai With You ~みつめていたい~ [Arms] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Love Polygon, School Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance Based on a H-game with the same title released by Cocktail Soft in 1998, With You: Mitsumeteitai focuses on love triangle between the main characters who were childhood friends. They were separated because one of them had to move to Myanmar (an Asian country formerly known as Burma). After six years, they are re-united again and the story begins... Never finished the game, so was glad to learn about all the connected mythology stuff. Quite a typical early visual novel plot, but good to know the basics. Overall Rating: 5/10 17. Blood: The Last Vampire BLOOD THE LAST VAMPIRE (ブラッド ザ ラスト ヴァンパイア) [Production I.G] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Gore, Vampire Award Winning, Horror, Supernatural Teropterids are evil beasts which pose as humans and live only to drink human blood. Fortunately for the human world there are groups dedicated to destroying them. A brooding and mysterious girl named Saya is the best teropterid slayer there is, and now, in 1960s Japan, she is sent to a U. S. army base which may be infested... It's pure fighting action, so can't be rated too high. Overall Rating: 6/10 18. Aa! Megami-sama! Movie 劇場版　ああっ女神さまっ [AIC] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Seinen Comedy, Romance, Supernatural For centuries, a god named Celestin has been imprisoned on the moon for betraying the kingdom of Yggdrasil. Released by the fairy Morgan Le Fey, Celestin travels to Earth to reunite with his former pupil, the goddess Belldandy. Things go awry as Celestin erases Belldandy's memories of her boyfriend Keiichi and uses her as a catalyst to wreak havoc on Earth and Yggdrasil. I was glad that it's continuation and not retelling, but OVA was dealing with departure for last episodes and movie ... deals with departure again, just great. I'm not fan of this franchise or anything, and this probably is a logical ending to TV series, but after OVA it looks really bad as it's almost the same ending, just with more communication with Heavens. And if you ask me right now what the series is about, I'll say that I don't know because all forces in the world are constantly trying to separate main characters so they hardly have a chance to talk at all . Overall Rating: 5/10

Strange Dawn made my day. Vampire Hunter D (2000) also deserves a mention. 1. Hand Maid May HAND MAID メイ [TNK] (Finished 3/10) Tags: Harem Comedy, Romance, Sci-Fi, Ecchi Saotome Kazuya is a computer whiz. One day his friend Nanbara, threatens him with a computer virus. Trying to stop the virus, Kazuya ends up making a special order. May is a cyberdoll that arrives at his door a few minutes later and she is 1/6th the size of a normal person, which makes for many awkward situations. Not to mention the fact Kazuya can't even afford to keep May. Cyberdyne is not satisfied with Kazuya's non-payments and will do anything to retrieve CBD May. One of the most boring slapstick comedies that I've seen in a while. I don't even see Moe here, actually, don't see absolutely anything of interest. If there is any humor, it's of lowest quality. Overall Rating: 5/10 2. Medarot Damashii Medabots Spirits メダロット魂 [Trans Arts] (Finished 1/39) Tags: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi The sequel to the famous Medabots series, following the continuing adventures of Ikki and Metabee. The two encountered a strange enemy named Jinkai and the so called Death Medabots. Along with Nae and Erica, they will defeat Jinkai and the Death Medabots. Same kids stuff. Overall Rating: 5/10 3. Brigadoon: Marin to Melan Brigadoon ブリガドーン まりんとメラン [Sunrise] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Mecha Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi Marin is a typical junior high school girl with a sunny disposition and a loving adoptive family. Her life takes a drastic change when a mysterious mirage is seen in the sky above the entire earth. Killer androids called Monomakia descend to earth from the formation in the sky called Brigadoon and begin to hunt down little Marin. She discovers a blue bottle in a shrine as she seeks escape and from the bottle comes a protector, a sword carrying gun slinging alien called Melan Blue, together they must save the earth and deal with family crisis, school prejudice and the police and come to an understanding of Marins past and Melans unexplained mission, as well as learn to trust each other. Set in 1969 Japan with a colorful cast of friends and enemies. Finally Sunrise starts experimenting with mecha, namely, mecha here are small and of different shapes. Main genre is nonsense comedy, but with occasional serious drama elements. There's no real plot to develop, so need to enjoy flow or characters to keep watching. And count me out on both. Overall Rating: 6/10 4. Strange Dawn ストレンジ・ドーン [Hal Film Maker] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Isekai Adventure, Drama, Fantasy Yuko and Eri are two normal girls who are sucked into the alternate world filled with tiny people. The people of this mysterious world sees them as their "Great Protectors" who can protect their land in a time of strife. The two girls set out on a mission with a group of warriors from the village to find out how they were brought here and how might they return home. However, there is a war brewing and these two Great Protectors are the political tool that every faction lusts for to rally the people to their side. Wow, what a surprising and pleasant ride. Isekai is still my favorite genre. What I especially liked is natural and believable reactions of high school student girls, nice system of politics with three factions and some rivaling leaders inside factions, humor overall, including great running jokes about worms and shoes. Second half got a bit loose after girls split up, but ending after reuniting impressed. Plot scale is not big enough to grant it something more than minor masterpiece, but this anime definitely needs some highlight as I never heard about it before. Overall Rating: 7/10 5. eX-Driver エクスドライバー [Actas ] (Finished 3/6) Tags: Racing Action, Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi Ex-Driver is set in the future, when all transportation is easily controlled by AI. Though like all machines they tend to break down or lose control or re-programmed. This is where three high schoolers with non AI cars, Subaru WRX, Super 7, Lotus comes in to save the day and make sure the public is safe at all times. I can only enjoy non-racing parts in racing anime, and this one does not have much to offer on the side. Overall Rating: 5/10 6. Honoo no Labyrinth Labyrinth Of Flames 炎のらびりんす [Studio Fantasia] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Samurai Adventure, Comedy, Ecchi Meet Galan, a Russian spastic geek who`d do anything to be a real, live samurai. But that`s just an impossible dream... or is it? When his friend Natsu, who is a successor of Japanese emigrants family, gives him the gift of an ancient sword, strange events unfold, and even stranger people drop out of the sky to attack. Now Galan must overcome his ineptitude and join a bunch of beautiful women in a wacky romp through a kingdom that time forgot. Hey, what could be better? It's too short , fanservice-heavy and unserious to rate it highly. But it's sure decent among trashy comedies. Overall Rating: 6/10 7. Koutetsu Tenshi Kurumi Encore Steel Angel Kurumi Encore 鋼鉄天使くるみ 25-28話 [OLM] (Finished 4/4) Tags: Shounen Historical Comedy, Romance, Sci-Fi Four additional short stories of the Steel Angels: Saki becomes a film actress, Karinka goes on a blind date with Kamihito, Kurumi practices the art of becoming a traditional Japanese woman, and the rest of the Steel Angels engage in a contest to win Nakahito's heart. Too few new titles this season, so can't afford luxury of blocking even supplementary season ovas. Anyway, just fanservice OVA in both senses as personality highlights and even more ecchi. Overall Rating: 5/10 8. Kirara [Ashi Productions] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Comedy, Romance, Slice of Life, Supernatural, Ecchi Twenty-four-year-old Kirara is on her way to her wedding when she is killed in a car accident. However her love for her fiance is so strong that she is permitted to return to earth as a ghost to see him. But she is sent back 8 years in time, to when she and her fiancé first met. However her own meddling in the past may make her 16 year-old-self turn away from her would-be fiance. Great. Ghost tries to seduce a high-school student. There's no end to stupidity in here. Overall Rating: 5/10 9. Geobreeders 2: Mouryou Yuugekitai File-XX Ransen Toppa ジオブリーダーズ２ 魍魎遊撃隊 [Chaos Project] (Finished 4/4) Tags: Shounen Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi Taba and the Girls of Kagura Total Security Inc. are at it again. This time they have to battle a Gang of Phantom Cats and a mysterious enemy and assassin. And there are the run ins with the Government, the need for a new office, as well as sorting out the past to deal with. Luckily, they've got a stock pile of weapons and super technology to help. Original OVA had weird concept, rather bland characters and weak nonsense comedy. Doubt anyone waited for continuation, but here we are with all poor elements intact and some blood with ecchi added. Average in most aspects. Overall Rating: 5/10 10. Vampire Hunter D (2000) Vampire Hunter D : Bloodlust バンパイアハンターD [Madhouse] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Vampire Action, Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Romance, Sci-Fi The story revolves around D, the infamous "dhampir" (born of a vampire father and a human mother) outcast and renowned vampire hunter. His prowess at hunting the creatures of the night allowing his acceptance among humans, he is called upon to locate Charlotte Elbourne, the lovely daughter of an affluent family who has been mysteriously kidnapped. When the sun sets, the hunt goes on! Charlotte's father offers a rich bounty, be she dead or alive, a task D willingly accepts, even with notorious Markus brothers and their gang of bounty hunters seeking the prize as well. Amidst the chase and unknown to all lurks, a sinister evil which has been secretly manipulating their every move and has set a chilling trap that none will expect and few will survive. With the tables turned and the secrets revealed, the hunters could quickly become the hunted! On one hand, it's brainless action with predictable flow from the moment Leila rode bike towards D, and I'm sorry for invested time. On other hand, it's almost flawlessly done movie with given concept. Lastly, I usually evaluate highly stories like Gantz:O where an omnipotent team faces even more overwhelming force. I guess I can still call it a minor honorary masterpiece by sum of factors. Overall Rating: 7/10 11. Cardcaptor Sakura Movie 2: Fuuin Sareta Card 劇場版 カードキャプターさくら 封印されたカード [Madhouse] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance For this year's Nadeshiko Festival, Sakura Kinomoto's elementary school class is presenting a play. She will portray a princess who struggles to respond to the love confession of the neighboring country's prince. Sakura empathizes with her character all too well, since she herself still owes an answer to the boy who confessed his love for her four months ago. When cousins Shaoran and Meiling Li return from Hong Kong to pay a surprise visit to their friends in Japan, Sakura receives further encouragement to finally declare her feelings. However, she is repeatedly distracted by a presence reminiscent of a Clow Card as well as unexplained disappearances around town. Eventually, Sakura learns of another of Clow Reed's creations—the "Nothing"—which was formerly sealed away beneath the magician's old house. It has power equal to all 52 cards Sakura possesses, and furthermore, it wants to take those cards away from her! Objects, space, and people disappear from Tomoeda with each card that is stolen. Sakura sets out to capture the Nothing so everything will return to normal, but what must she sacrifice in the process? A much better movie with focus on school, and there is even song here. Concept is still alien to me. Overall Rating: 6/10 12. Kaze wo Mita Shounen 風を見た少年 [Brain's Base] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Adventure, Drama, Fantasy Young boy Amon has mysterious powers. His dad is the cheif scientist for the Empire of the Golden Snake. He's invented weapons for this country in the past, but does not want his boy's powers to be used for destruction so he burns his research and tries to escape the country with his family. The mom and dad die in the escape and only Amon is left. He runs from the military, ends up on an island where he learns about the ancient people who could fly on the wind and talk to animals (as he can). Amon then ends up in a fishermen's village and makes friends with Maria. After this village is attacked by the Golden Snake army, the two run away with a band of rebels. Together, they try to stop the Empire of the Golden Snake from destroying and conquering everything. Based on the book by C.W. Nicol. I don't know why it's so boring. It seems to follow other similar popular works, but with only scratching the surface to stay family friendly. Lots of imitation and simplification together with totally failed characters, probably. Overall Rating: 5/10 13. The Aurora: Umi no Aurora The Aurora 海のオーロラ [Nippon Television Network] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Adventure, Sci-Fi Deep-sea archeologist Hiroshi Ibuki is the member of the digging team working at the bottom of the sea hoping to uncover the origins of Earth's existence but instead uncovers a mysterious colony of bacteria which gives off light similar to the Aurora Borealis. The ancient bacteria, once revived, attempt to make the world habitable for themselves —a process that would bring Earth back to its early primal form, killing all current life in the process. Early CGI are awful. Plot concept is super primitive, another "Alien". Execution just can't be good with these terrible torn animations. Overall Rating: 4/10

FLCL deserves a minor masterpiece for its impact alone . 1. Yu☆Gi☆Oh! Duel Monsters Yu-Gi-Oh! 遊☆戯☆王　デュエルモンスターズ [Gallop] (Finished 3/224) Tags: Shounen Strategy Game Action, Adventure, Fantasy Yuugi Mutou is a naïve and lonely high school student who is fascinated by games. While staying with his grandfather, the owner of a game shop, he comes across an ancient Egyption relic known as the "Millennium Puzzle." Rumored to grant any wish to those who solve the Puzzle, Yuugi becomes determined to solve it to wish for some friends. After years of struggling, Yuugi manages to complete the puzzle and mysteriously finds that his wish has been fulfilled. Meanwhile, a new card game known as "Duel Monsters" starts rising in popularity. In this game, players called duelists fight against each other with "monsters" by using magic and trap cards to foil their opponent's plans. Yuugi quickly becomes skilled at the game and lives a peaceful life with his newfound friends. However, Yuugi's peace is short-lived. The undefeated duelist and egocentric billionaire Seto Kaiba suddenly abducts Yuugi's grandfather, forcing him to duel against the rare "Blue Eyes White Dragon'' card. Yuugi is thrown into a new world of fierce battles and the stakes continue to rise as dark forces interfere from the shadows. After unexpectedly defeating Kaiba with the help of his "other self"—the spirit of a nameless pharaoh—contained in the puzzle, he unofficially becomes the top duelist known as "The King of Games." However, this new title will attract covetousness and Yuugi will have to use all his intelligence and willpower in order to protect what he holds the dearest to him. I evaluated original low, but this is even worse because the skill in all other games is gone and because of some cheater moves used in Duel Monsters game. Overall Rating: 5/10 2. Love Hina ラブひな [Xebec] (Finished 3/24) Tags: Shounen Harem Comedy, Romance, Ecchi Keitaro Urashima promised a girl when he was young that they would meet up again at Tokyo University in the future. Sadly, in the National Practice Exam, Keitaro ranked 27th from the bottom. Knowing his grandmother owned a hotel, Keitaro intended to stay there while continuing his studies for Tokyo U, only to find out the hotel had long been transformed into an all-girls dormitory. Through an odd twist of fate, Keitaro eventually became the manager of the dorm, beginning his life of living with five other girls. If I'm not mistaken, it's only third romcom harem series , so it was still fresh , and harem anime are usually better remembered due to the concept. But since it stands at the barebones of the genre, a lot of its elements and moves would be considered cliché nowadays. After so many years can only treat it as average. Overall Rating: 5/10 3. Ayashi no Ceres Ceres, Celestial Legend 妖しのセレス [Pierrot] (Finished 3/24) Tags: Shoujo Psychological, Reincarnation Adventure, Drama, Horror, Romance, Supernatural, Suspense Ceres was a tennyo (Celestial maiden) who came down from the heavens to bathe in a stream. She hung her hagoromo (robe) on a tree nearby, which was her key to returning to the heavens. But the robe was stolen and the man who had stolen it forced her to become his wife, thus producing a family full of human and tennyo blood mixed. Now, in modern day time, Aya Mikage is a descendent of Ceres, and has quite an amount of tennyo blood. On her 16th birthday, she and her twin brother, Aki, are thrown a party. At the "party," Aya's grandpa plans to kill her, for she has tennyo powers unlike the rest of the family, and can actually become Ceres herself and destroy the Mikage family. Aya, however, can switch back, so this transformation happens quite frequently. With protector Yuuhi by her side, it is up to Aya to control Ceres and keep her from coming back, but her relationship with an ex-worker for her evil grandpa may be a distraction. It's a memorable dark shoujo. But I like only smart shoujo while here heroine is brainless and naïve, basically an object. Logic is also a universally weak side here for everyone . Overall Rating: 6/10 4. Gensoumaden Saiyuuki Saiyuki 幻想魔伝 最遊記 [Pierrot] (Finished 3/50) Tags: Shounen Mythology Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Supernatural Many years ago, humans and demons lived in harmony. But that unity ended when demons started attacking humans and plotted a mission to unleash Gyumao—an evil demon imprisoned for thousands of years. Now, Genjo Sanzo, a rogue priest, must team up with three demons—Sha Gojyo, Son Goku, and Cho Hakkai—and embark on a perilous journey to the west to stop these demons from resurrecting Gyumao and restore the balance between humans and demons on Earth. I don't like character designs and I don't like travelling concept as it's always coming somewhere and fighting similar demons who lost their human parts or something. Overall Rating: 5/10 5. NieA Under 7 ニア アンダーセブン [Triangle Staff] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Iyashikei Comedy, Sci-Fi, Slice of Life In the 21st century, aliens have arrived on Earth and live among humans. In sleepy Enohana, the dirt-poor student Chigasaki Mayuko finds herself living together with NieA, a low-caste ("Under Seven") alien. While Mayuko struggles diligently to make ends meet, NieA seems to be totally unconcerned with the consequences of her actions. As the odd couple throws off the expected sparks, the wrecked alien mothership looms in the background... Aimless SOL with a very annoying alien who does everything to ruin others life. That spoils all leftover hopes. Overall Rating: 5/10 6. Seikai no Senki Banner of the Stars 星界の戦旗 [Sunrise] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Military, Space Action, Romance, Sci-Fi Three years since the end of their intergalactic excursion, both Lafiel Abriel and Jinto Linn have reunited; Lafiel as the captain of the attack ship Basroil and Jinto as her supply officer. The restart of the war between the Abh Empire and the Triple Alliance thrusts the inexperienced duo into the forefront of the deadly conflict. As the catastrophic battle between pure humankind and their greatest creation, the Abh, rages on, both sides accept that their conflict is not merely about territory, but about settling the inherent differences between themselves. If Crest of the Stars showed ugly chaotic roots of turmoil, in Banner of Stars viewer feels like consumer of Abh Empire propaganda in already conquered star system. The total war till the dominion was justified because Abh ship got destroyed under mysterious and never investigated circumstances. The war was inevitable , because democratic human union supposedly thought lowly of Abh and wanted to make them all slaves. Abh commanders act as they want and without any remorse for their own or enemy forces - and it's propaganda task to make those actions look good as they supposedly turned out for the better. Human counterparts are very seldom shown and each their action is portrayed as having egoistic reasoning at heart while Abh commanders are never criticized even though they act literally to have fun and get more entertainment. Show only one side and repeat the same theses over and over - just as Goebbels instructed. It's a genius show in justifying aggressor and the appeal of evil, a truly propagandistic piece of art. That's what happens when fundamentals are cast off as insignificant in favor of aesthetics and simplifications to just present some cool space fighting action. Overall Rating: 4/10 7. Sakura Taisen Sakura Wars TV サクラ大戦 [Madhouse] (Finished 8/25) Tags: Mecha, Performing Arts Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi Sakura travels to the capital with aspirations of defending the city from the demonic forces of the Black Sanctum Council like her father before her. However, things are not as she imagined as in addition to using her great spiritual energy to pilot a mech called a Kobu, she must also perform on stage as an actor as The Imperial Flower Division's cover is an art theater. Making a fool of herself and ruining a production gets her on everyone's bad side and somehow she must learn to work with them as well as prevent the enemy from destroying several shrines which protect the city. After two filler OVA series it's finally time for action ! Or so I thought. The beginning is again gathering of the team and the middle is again mostly theater rehearsals. I did not expect this anime to be about theater and on a sidenote somewhere about mecha piloting. And demon forces are just spawning, getting defeated, rince and repeat, there's no big plan for the most part till the end, and I'm not going to watch it all just to know what it ends with. It does not know what it wants to be and thus it's a bore. Overall Rating: 6/10 8. Daa! Daa! Daa! だぁ! だぁ! だぁ! [J.C.Staff] (Finished 3/78) Tags: Shoujo Childcare Comedy, Sci-Fi Miyu is an 8th grade girl, whose parents have been hired by NASA. They take off to America leaving Miyu with Mr. Saionji. Later, Mr. Saionji decides to go on a 1 year long trip to India leaving Miyu alone with his son, Kanata. More complications rise when an Alien baby and his babysitter pet crashes/lands in their house. To make things worse, alien baby starts calling Miyu and Kanata Mom and Dad, also showing ESP power and floating around. We already got two shows when school students had to assume role of parent and there were rather negatives sides - first, kid always cried, second, kid required 100% of attention depriving of any former usual activities. This anime tries to mend those drawbacks. Alien boy is always smiling or may become a bit serious, but never cries. And alien boy comes with a talking nursing transforming pet, so protagonists have much more free time on their hands and they can even go to school leaving kid alone. Oh, and alien boy also flies so that he can get out of almost any danger. I have to admit that it's brighter and easier to watch now. But I still can't enjoy such concept, now it's more like comedy with constant searching for lost alien kid. Overall Rating: 6/10 9. Boys Be... ボーイズ・ビー [Hal Film Maker] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Shounen Comedy, Romance, Slice of Life There are two sides to every love story, and Boys Be... reveals what's really going on—from the guy's point of view! Meet three normal high school guys with just one thing on their minds: girls. Quiet Kyoichi has been friends with Chiharu ever since they were young, but lately, his feelings have begun to change. Lecherous Makoto, a self-proclaimed master of the rules of romance, is ready to sweep the ladies off their feet. And Yoshihiko, a handsome sports nut, is unfortunately a bit clueless in matters of the heart. Join this hapless trio for a year of romantic misadventures that will change their lives forever! So each episode tries to present a complete romance story which always feels super rushed and cliché. Never thought I could say it, but even brainless boys adventures at Green Green are better for being continuous story. Overall Rating: 5/10 10. Gate Keepers ゲートキーパーズ [Gonzo] (Finished 4/24) Tags: Mecha Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Sci-Fi Technology, science, and industry—this is 1969 Tokyo, and there is no better time to be alive! But a shadow looms quietly around every corner: "Invaders" have infiltrated the populace, and nobody knows who or what they are. Only the members of the top-secret agency AEGIS know of their existence. Covertly fighting the enemy is their job, but only those with the ability to open "Gates" to another world can truly defeat them. Within AEGIS is a specialized task force known as the "Gate Keepers." Composed of extraordinary individuals with a variety of Gate-related abilities, they are the only ones who can save humanity from the vicious Invaders plaguing the planet. Shun Ukiya is an average high school student who lives with his widowed mother and little sister. While on his way home from school one day, he comes across a group of Invaders heading toward his house. In a desperate plight to save his family, Shun discovers he possesses the ability to open a Gate, allowing him to harness massive amounts of energy. With his newfound ability exposed, he catches the attention of AEGIS, and particularly the interest of one of its Gate Keepers, Shun's childhood friend Ruriko Ikusawa. A rather weird action comedy with a very varied team cast. By the end of 4th episode only four out of seven team members gathered, so pacing is rather slow and enemy attacks are quite random and not carrying any big plan in mind. Guess it's for those who can turn off head and enjoy easy-minded comedy with fighting. Overall Rating: 6/10 11. Monster Farm: Legend e no Michi Monster Rancher (2000) モンスターファーム～伝説[レジェンド]への道～ [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 3/25) Tags: Isekai Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy Genki is a boy who loves playing video games. One day he's zapped into the world of Monster Rancher and meets the girl Holly and the monsters Mochi, Suezo, Golem, Tiger and Hare. Continuing from where the original story left off, Genki and friends journey to conquer the legend cup in hopes of freeing Holly's father from the mystery disc. Did not see difference from prequel. Overall Rating: 5/10 12. Transformers: Car Robots Transformers: Robots in Disguise トランスフォーマー・カーロボット [Gallop] (Finished 3/39) Tags: Mecha Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi The evil Gigatron has led his forces of Destrongers to Earth, where they seek to pillage the planet for its vast energy resources in order to fuel their war against the Autobots. If successful, the Destrongers will finally be able to tip the scale of power in the war to their favor, eliminating the Autobots and moving on to conquer the universe. To this end, the Destrongers kidnap the scientist Dr. Ohnishi, Earth's leading scientist on energy and natural resources. Dr. Oonishi's son, Koji, is contacted by none other than Fire Convoy, who takes the boy on a mission to rescue his father. Although Fire Convoy and the other Autobots fight valiantly, they are unable to rescue the doctor from the Destrongers. Now it is up to the Autobots and Koji to rescue Dr. Oonishi and protect the Earth and its resources from Gigatron and his army. Ancient mecha franchise is back. Same horrible as always. Overall Rating: 5/10 13. Dokidoki♡Densetsu: Mahoujin Guruguru Magical Circle Guru Guru 2 ドキドキ♡伝説 魔法陣グルグル [Nippon Animation] (Finished 1/38) Tags: Shounen Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy Join the new legend of Guruguru, where Nike, the reluctant hero, and Kukuri, the innocent heroine, return to save the world. The magical adventure that unfolds, with its unique monsters and eccentric characters, is sure to draw you into this curious and exciting realm. To save the world from evil King Giri, Kukuri must locate the monsters in each territory and win them, one by one, over to her side. Meanwhile Nike's task is to be recognized by the Four Kings of Nature and collect their swords. These swords are known as the "Sword of Wind," the "Sword of Water," the "Sword of Earth" and the "Sword of Fire." Can Nike and Kukuri truly become hero and heroine? Follow their journey and find out! The very beginning of this second season was only moderately crazy so I hoped I could watch some of it, but - alas - total absurd got back very soon and with that my headache. Overall Rating: 6/10 14. Hidamari no Ki Tree in the Sun 陽だまりの樹 [Madhouse] (Finished 3/25) Tags: Historical, Medical, Samurai Action, Award Winning, Drama A story set in the mid-1800's about a young doctor who has been trained in Western-style medicine and a young samurai who is trying to live up to the old traditions of his class and culture. The story is actually based upon real people - the doctor, Ryo-an, was Tezuka's great grandfather. During the Second Year of Ansei (1855) in Edo's Koishigawa are two young men, Manjiro Ibutani and Ryoan Tezuka. Ibutani is a low-ranking samurai who is a gifted swordsman and has a straightforward and strong sense of justice. Tezuka has a more carefree attitude. He has an eye for the ladies, but he is passionate about becoming a doctor. The two opposite characters come of age during the backdrop of the turbulent end of the Tokugawa Period (1600-1868 CE). I don't like stories based on real people. Edo period is always nice to watch, but the conflict of the anime is western vs eastern medicine and some clans clashes... nothing even remotely great. So partly it's Black Jack spiritual successor which I already hate immensely. Overall Rating: 6/10 15. Ginsoukikou Ordian 銀装騎攻オーディアン [Plum] (Finished 3/24) Tags: Mecha Sci-Fi Kananase Yu is just an ordinary high-school student. Since he has mysterious inside knowledge about piloting a mecha, he is recruited by the International Military Organization as a potential test pilot for a new mobile armor. However, apparently there are other young recruits around his age, including one of his classmates, were recruited as test pilot as well. Now Kananase Yu must prove that he is the best to be the test pilot. Mecha, bishounens, hectic narration. What could possibly go wrong? Still main problem is that something keeps happening without explanation and most of the time it's insignificant stuff or something running with unknown purpose. Poor directorship can ruin anything. Overall Rating: 5/10 16. Time Bokan 2000: Kaitou Kiramekiman タイムボカン2000 怪盗きらめきマン [Tatsunoko Production] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Mecha Action, Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi More Time Bokan adventures. Just one episode is translated as everyone is sick of this franchise that has like 10th iteration already. Villain heroine is surprisingly decent this time, but all the adult related humor is toned town greatly, so it's just another kid show now. Overall Rating: 5/10 17. Fabre-sensei wa Meitantei ファーブル先生は名探偵 [E&G Films] (Finished 0/26) Tags: Mystery The world of insects is full of enchantment and amazement. This animation series is inspired by "the Diary of Insects" written by Jean Henri Fabre, an outstanding French entomologist and author in the 19th Century. In his original works, Mr. Fabre vividly described the life of insects. In this series all the insects and bugs have been personified and drawn into marvelous animated characters. This is the story of the exciting adventures of a crime-buster in the world of insects! Our hero's way of investigation is so unique and always ends with surprising solutions. The interesting ecology of various insects will be described while our "cool" hero, Inspector Fabre, analyzes and unties the knots of crimes and conspiracy a la fashion of Sherlock Holmes! Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10 18. Anime Roukyoku Kikou Shimizu no Jirochouden アニメ浪曲紀行 清水次郎長伝 [-] (Finished 0/30) Tags: Historical Comedy, Drama A story based on Shimizu no Jirochou, an early yakuza who specialized in gambling and maritime transport. The anime is composed of 10 stories. Each story was told over 3 episodes. The particular tale is based on Hirosawa Torazo II's telling; Hirosawa is a roukyoku/naniwabushi. Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10 19. FLCL フリクリ [Gainax, Production I.G] (Finished 6/6) Tags: Mecha, Parody, Psychological Action, Avant Garde, Comedy, Sci-Fi Naota Nandaba is an ordinary sixth grader living in a city where nothing amazing ever seems to happen. After his brother Tasuku leaves town to play baseball in America, Naota takes it upon himself to look after everything Tasuku left behind—from his top bunk bed to his ex-girlfriend Mamimi Samejima, who hasn't stopped clinging to Naota since Tasuku left. Little does Naota know, however, that his mundane existence is on the verge of being changed forever: enter Haruko Haruhara, a Vespa-riding, bass guitar-wielding, pink-haired psychopath whose first encounter with Naota leaves him with tire tracks on his back and a giant horn on his head. Though all he wants is some peace and quiet, when Haruko takes up residence at his parents' home, Naota finds himself dragged into the heart of the greatest battle for supremacy that Earth—and quite possibly the entire universe—has ever seen. For some reason this kind of absurdism does not get me tired as there is usually some kind of explanation, not total randomness. For me FLCL marks revolution in anime that goes against all rules and that creates own rules instead. Don't limit imagination, there's a whole world of possibilities. Don't try to appeal to masses, do what you like and you'll find your niche. Fast pace and some clever humor findings as well. Overall Rating: 7/10 20. JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken: Adventure JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (OVA) ジョジョの奇妙な冒険 ADVENTURE [APPP] (Finished 3/7) Tags: Shounen Vampire Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Supernatural Kujo Jotaro is a normal, popular Japanese high-schooler, until he thinks that he is possessed by a spirit, and locks himself in prison. After seeing his grandfather, Joseph Joestar, and fighting Joseph's friend Muhammad Abdul, Jotaro learns that the "Spirit" is actually Star Platinum, his Stand, or fighting energy given a semi-solid form. Later, his mother gains a Stand, and becomes sick. Jotaro learns that it is because the vampire Dio Brando has been revived 100 years after his defeat to Jonathan Joestar, Jotaro's great-great-grandfather. Jotaro decides to join Joseph and Abdul in a trip to Egypt to defeat Dio once and for all. I grasped the nature of JoJo from last OVA well enough, so no need to watch second OVA to the end. Same manly epic noise with zero substance . Overall Rating: 5/10 21. Tenshi Kinryouku Angel Sanctuary 天使禁猟区 [Hal Film Maker] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Shoujo Reincarnation Action, Drama, Romance, Supernatural Setsuna Mudo is a 16-year-old high school student just trying to get by without running afoul of his bullying seniors. It doesn't help that he's in love with his younger sister, Sara, who only sees him once a month. But there's more to his life than just keeping his head down. Setsuna is ambushed by mysterious beings, angels, and demons, all professing to know his true destiny. The angels say he is the reincarnation of their leader Alexiel, while the demons claim he led them to war against God himself. As Setsuna struggles with his identity in such strange times, the eternal conflict between Heaven and Hell threatens to reignite. Will he be prepared when it does? Tasteless eschatological confrontation, now with bishounens and emotional outbursts. Feels so rushed and artificial and having dummy personalities and just bad. Overall Rating: 5/10 22. Amon: Devilman Mokushiroku Amon: Apocalypse of Devilman AMON デビルマン黙示録 [Studio Live] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Gore, Mythology, Psychological Horror, Supernatural Fear runs rampant throughout Tokyo with the revelation that demons in fact exist amongst us. Paranoia and the darker side of humanity boils onto the streets as people turn on one another, suspecting that anyone could in fact be a demon hiding in human clothing. Amidst the growing tensions, tragedy strikes Akira causing his mind to snap, retreating into his subconscious, allowing his Devilish alter-ego Amon to break free from Akira's cage of flesh and wreak havoc on both human and demons alike. A very bloody Devilman franchise movie. Unless someone likes gore or is already an established fan of Devilman series, I see no reason to recommend it. Overall Rating: 5/10 23. Refrain Blue [PP Project] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Drama, Romance A trip to the beach turns out to be more than expected for two people who are mourning the losses of their beloved. Perhaps a mysterious girl known as the "Umi Warabe" can help them to heal their wounds and move on with their lives. Matsunaga Yoshihiro is the chaperone for a group of high-school students on a summer trip to the beach. One night he saves one of the students, Morisawa Nao, as she attempts to drown herself. She had been on this same trip a year ago, with her fiancee, who was later killed in a plane crash. As these two get to know each other, we find that Yoshihiro also has a painful secret from his past. Watching over everything is a mysterious young girl who somehow is always there at decisive moments. I see drama as cheesy here and the romance SOL as insignificant. Average is a good word for it, but it's still great that it exists as visual novel is even worse. Overall Rating: 5/10 24. Space Travelers The Animation Space Travelers スペーストラベラーズ The Animation [Fuji TV, Robot Communications] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Space Sci-Fi In the New Cosmic Century 038, humanity is suddenly attacked by an unknown alien civilization known as the Orbital Ring System. Soon, the entire Earth Civilization Sphere has been cut off from the space colonies, and is under the control of the ORS. Only Hayabusha Jetter, along with his band of misfit space pirates and smugglers, can break through ORS lines. It's only one hour long, and majority of time the supposedly bright crew just sits in their ship as it evades space dangers first on the way to and then from the Earth. There's nothing to look at. Overall Rating: 4/10 25. Jin-Rou Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade 人狼 JIN-ROH [Production I.G] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Adult Cast, Detective, Military Award Winning, Drama, Romance In an alternate history, following World War II, civil unrest and terrorism run rampant in a devastated Japan under foreign occupation. During a botched interception of underground munitions being transferred by a terrorist organization, Constable Kazuki Fuse, a soldier in an elite counter-terrorism unit, witnesses the true terror of human nature. He fails to prevent a teenage girl from carrying out a desperate suicide bombing that subsequently causes immense destruction to Tokyo. With mental scars and his competence under question, Fuse is sent back to the military academy for re-evaluation. Unbeknownst to him, he will soon be caught up in a web of government conspiracies that have the power to determine the future of all of Japan. As Fuse treads the fine line between human and beast, he ultimately discovers to which side he truly belongs. Pace is slow, there's not much explanation in words, and the seemingly great scale of story turns out to be not so great so to say in order not to spoiler, it disappointed me. It's a nice piece of art with all the little Robin the Hood references, but as a story there's nothing much, and I just can't recommend to invest two hours to get only some emotions and impressions out of it. Overall Rating: 6/10 26. Escaflowne Escaflowne: A Girl in Gaea エスカフローネ [Bones, Sunrise] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Isekai, Mecha Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Sci-Fi Hitomi Kanzaki is in a very depressed mood. She only wants to sleep and fade away. Her misery summons Lord Folken who sends her to Gaea. The people of Gaea think she is the Wing Goddess, who can call upon the legendary Dragon Armor called Escaflowne. On Gaea, King Van, the sole survior of the White Dragon Clan, is also in a depressed state. Swearing an oath to get his revenge on the Black Dragon Clan that obliterated Van's kingdom, he lives by the sword. Now that the Wing Goddess has finally appeared, she posseses Gaea's world fate in her heart. Escaflowne will either lead Gaea to peace or total ruin. Series started to resemble a usual mecha very soon after introduction, so I'm happy that almost everything mecha is cut from the movie. It's a beautiful show now albeit rather simple and occasionally silly. Overall Rating: 6/10 27. Crayon Shin-chan Movie 08: Arashi wo Yobu Jungle 映画 クレヨンしんちゃん　嵐を呼ぶジャングル [Shin-Ei Animation] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Seinen Action, Adventure, Comedy An adventure set in a south island. Shinnosuke with his parents and friends joined a tour with the preview of Action Kamen's new movie 'South Sea Millennium Wars' on a luxury liner, but a funky guy who names himself Paradise King and his slave gang of gibbon monkeys took away all the adults to a south island. Gotaro Go, an actor playing the role of Action Kamen, with Shinnosuke, fights a martial-arts battle and air battle against Paradise King. Somehow, was not great again. Little sister Himawari does not contribute to humor and only adds filler events. Overall Rating: 5/10 28. Ghiblies ギブリーズ [Studio Ghibli] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Comedy Two Ghibli created shorts about the happenings in a fictional animation studio, presumably based to some extent on their own. It's slightly over 30 minutes overall and includes live action scenes and CGI while animation is even worse than in Tonari no Yamada-kun , so it's hardly watchable at all, just doodles for the first episode. Second episode looks better than Yamadas, but also uses more CGI and live action. Humor is ok. Overall Rating: 5/10

No masterpieces and only a few decent anime this season. Among them my preference goes to Miami Guns 1. Boogiepop wa Warawanai Boogiepop Phantom ブギーポップは笑わない [Madhouse] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Psychological Avant Garde, Drama, Horror, Mystery, Supernatural Five years ago, a string of grisly murders shook the city to its core and now the rumors have begun once more. Boogiepop... Everyone knows about Boogiepop: meet her one dark night and you are taken. People tell each other the stories and laugh: no one believes that she can possibly exist in this day and age. Still, strange things appear to be going on and the darkness is taking on many forms. Something is out there. Are you safe? What is this... even if it's a puzzle, why it is so poorly done... Anyway, I don't like mystery hunting and watching something just for the atmosphere with the lack of substance, that's why Lain Experiments got no masterpiece from me. This one is even worse as it's mostly just scenes of someone eating flesh or some face in agony or anything else that is used in horrors. Hits so many red lights for me that any thought of enjoyment is absolutely out of question. Overall Rating: 5/10 2. Megami Kouhosei Candidate for Goddesses 女神候補生 [Xebec] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Mecha, Military, Space Action, Sci-Fi In the future humankind has expanded and colonized other planets. Then an alien species, Victim, attacks the human colonies leaving only one planet, Zion. In an effort to stop Victim from destroying the last planet a training school, GOA, is set up to gather boys from the Zion colonies and train them to become pilots of the Ingrids AKA The Goddesses, five fighting robots that protect Zion. The boys must possess a rare blood type, EO, as well as a special ability, or EX. Zero (Candidate 88) has just arrived in GOA when he falls into the cockpit of the Ingrid Eeva-Leena. Since the synch between pilot and Ingrid are very sensitive everyone believes the Goddess will kill Zero in an attempt to synch. Just before Zero passes out he makes a full synch with the Goddess. Before he can find out more about the incident, his pilot training begins. Pretty generic mecha. Studio uses a lot of cheap CGI, never bothered to buy an opening song for it and probably forgot to order scenario as well as it goes worse with each subsequent episode. Overall Rating: 5/10 3. Ojamajo Doremi Sharp おジャ魔女どれみ＃ [Toei Animation] (Finished 3/49) Tags: Shoujo Childcare Comedy At the end of the first season, Doremi and her friends all had to give up their witch powers and be normal girls again. This also meant that they couldn't see Majorika, Lala, and the fairies again. The MAHO-Dou was also deserted and the door to the Majokai was locked. The Queen, having seen all this through her crystal ball, secretly makes it so that Doremi and co. all end up heading into the Majokai again, with the excuse to return Majorika's hair dryer. However they end up stumbling into a garden, and one of the roses reveals a baby! The Queen tells the girls that they must raise the baby for a whole year. To help them, they receive newer and stronger witch powers than before! The adventure isn't over yet! For those who liked prequel. Overall Rating: 6/10 4. Kazemakase Tsukikage Ran Carried by the Wind: Tsukikage Ran 風まかせ月影蘭 [Madhouse] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Historical, Martial Arts, Samurai Adventure, Comedy In the Edo or Tokugawa period (1600–1868), Ran, a female wandering samurai whose skill with the katana is only matched by her taste for sake (rice wine), is joined by a chinese martial artist who calls herself Lady Meow of the Iron Cat Fist. Tsukikage Ran has individual episodes that are just short stories of their adventures. Just episodic stories from adventures... without bigger goal it does not sound enticing unless it's Samurai Champloo. It's ok, but in the end it's just samurai SOL with a very similar formula in each episode. Overall Rating: 6/10 5. Mushrambo Shinzo マシュランボー [Toei Animation] (Finished 3/32) Tags: Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi In the world of Mushrambo, human life has all but come to an end. After a deadly virus threatened the extinction of mankind, a new race called the Enterrans was created to preserve life on Earth. However, relations between the Enterrans and their creators did not remain peaceful. Soon a war broke out with the Enterrans fighting against the humans and their robots. Ultimately the Enterrans were the victors of this conflict, renaming Earth as Enterra in honor of their victory. Before the last vestiges of humanity fell, one of the few remaining scientists put his daughter, Yakumo Shindou, into a sleep chamber. His hope was that his daughter would one day reawaken and find the human sanctuary known as Shinzo, reviving humanity and restoring peace between humans and Enterrans. Centuries have passed since the war; Yakumo now awakens and meets an Enterran named Mashura who pledges to assist in her quest. Also joined by the Enterrans Sago and Kutal, the group must now work to locate Yakumo's missing memories and locate Shinzo. But not every Enterran is as kind as Yakumo's new friends and some are prepared to commit any atrocity to prevent the return of humanity. Plot felt cheesy instantly, but learning that it's another fantasy on Chinese mythology Journey to the West put the dots to the right places. So it's another loose travelling adventure with vague goal and lots of nonsense. It's even worse than original Journey to the West anime, seriously . Overall Rating: 5/10 6. Miami Guns マイアミ☆ガンズ [Group TAC] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Shounen Detective Comedy, Ecchi Spoiled rich girl Yao Sakurakouji decides to join the Miami police force to enjoy car chases, gunfights and wanton destruction. The psychotic and not-too-bright Yao is partnered with Lu Amano, the soft-spoken and sharp-tongued daughter of the police chief. Together the dirty duo clean up the streets of Miami and take on a mysterious crime syndicate known only as 'The Organization'. Humor is of medium absurdity, so even I can follow it alright. But if I compare it with Ping-pong club that also had moderately absurd humor, quality of humor here is significantly lower, so can't rate too high. Overall Rating: 6/10 7. Oh! Super Milk-chan OH! The Super Milk-Chan Show スーパーミルクチャン [Pierrot] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Parody Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi Milk-chan is a drooling, potty-mouthed baby who lives in an apartment with an obsolete robot named Tetsuko, a slug named Hanage, and an uncontrollable pet named Robodog. Whenever the President calls, Milk-chan and the gang rush to the scene to solve any type of problem - whether it's stopping a money counterfeiter hungry for Belgian waffles or counselling a school of drunk fish. At the same time, they have to avoid a nagging landlord, as they're six months behind their rent. Visuals are schematic, and comedy is random , mostly speech-related and with focus on references. The majority of it all can't be called funny. Overall Rating: 5/10 8. Track City 트랙시티 [SBS TV Production] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Racing Action Jimmy was a typical boy who liked to play computer games. One day he was playing a game called 'Track City' when suddenly he got transported into the game world! Once he regained consciousness, a woman who apparently is the mayoress of the city explains to him that the world is threaten by a powerful malign virus and her allies and their only hope is to ask for the help of the "Legendary racer", the best player of 'Track City". Things get complicated when Jimmy learns that the game made a mistake and confused him with the Legendary racer! Will Jimmy learn the necessary skills to defeat the viruses that threaten the world? Or will he be erased by the 'big head', the heavenly punisher that annihilates those who cannot achieve victory? Not translated and in Korean. Can't be picky with this small number of anime in the beginning of the year. Anyway, shounen racing with a bit dip into virtual reality is way out my sphere of interests, feels childish and even worse than cyberformula that it probably imitates. Overall Rating: 5/10 9. Yuusha-Ou GaoGaiGar Final 勇者王ガオガイガーFINAL [Sunrise] (Finished 1/8) Tags: Mecha Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi Following Gutsy Galaxy Guard's victory over the Zonder Empire and the 31 Primevals, a new threat makes their appearance on Earth. GGG—with Guy Shishio and the newly-constructed GaoFighGar—team up with their French counterpart Chasseur to battle the evil organization BioNet. Among Chasseur's ranks is Renais Cardiff Shishioh, a former BioNet cyborg with the relentless pursuit of destroying those who took away her humanity. But as GGG and Chasseur fight the BioNet, GGG's bases around the world are suddenly attacked, and the recently-discovered "Q-Parts" and the original Gao Machines are stolen by Mamoru Amami, who has been abducted and cloned by an even greater threat known as the "Eleven Kings of Sol." Evicted from Earth by the United Nations, GGG must now travel to the far reaches of the galaxy to battle the Eleven Kings of Sol and save Mamoru before it's too late. I rated original as 5 and in this advanced stage it has become even more creepy and messy. The same word over and over surfaces consciousness every second I watch it - what a cringe. Overall Rating: 5/10 10. Karakuri no Kimi Puppet Princess Puppet Princess からくりの君 [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Shounen Historical, Martial Arts, Samurai Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Horror, Supernatural Princess Rangiku lost her entire family to Lord Karimata, who invaded her home seeking her father's life work, puppets with unique capabilities. As her duty, Rangiku sets out with three of her father's greatest puppet warriors to seek revenge. She can manipulate these to battle the strongest of warriors, however manipulating the puppets leaves her own self vulnerable to direct attacks, so she seeks a ninja warrior named Manajiri to aid and protect her in her quest. A short action story with horror elements about controlled mechanical warriors fighting other mechanical warriors. It's original and memorable, but not sure I can call it good. Overall Rating: 6/10 11. Angelique: Shiroi Tsubasa no Memoire アンジェリーク　～白い翼のメモワール～ [] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Shoujo Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Sci-Fi Angelique... ...started as a dating simulation game for girls back in 1994 on the Super Famicom. The player took on the role of Angelique Limoges, an ordinary schoolgirl summoned to the Sanctuary of the Queen of the Cosmos. She had been chosen to compete in a contest to determine the next Queen. Angelique was clumsy and foolish in comparison to her rival, Rosalia de Cartagena, a refined girl who had been training since birth to compete in the Queen Examination. What was this Examination, anyway? The girls had to use the powers, or Sacrea, of the Queen's nine Guardians to cultivate a barren continent. The girl whose population reached the center island connecting the two continents would become the next Queen. But with the nine handsome Guardians around, it was hard to decide between power or love... Made up of 4 OVAs, each of which has multiple parts. Originator of otome games is quite simple, so I don't want to include further OVAs of it. Overall Rating: 5/10 12. First Kiss Monogatari First Kiss Story ファーストＫｉｓｓ☆物語 [Garyuu Studio] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Drama, Romance Moments before her upperclassman, Yoshihiko, left for college, Kana Orikura finally built up the courage to confess her love to him. Sharing their first kiss, the two decided to enter a relationship—a dream come true for Kana. Since that first moment, however, Kana and Yoshihiko have struggled with their relationship, resulting in Kana feeling lonely and depressed. But things take an unexpected turn when Shougo Hayakawa—the young and attractive teacher assigned to Kana's class—starts living in her house! Will Kana betray Yoshihiko for this new contender, or remain loyal to the man who took her first kiss? Yet another simple visual novel adaptation, and with just 30 minutes length only basic story was possible. Overall Rating: 5/10 13. Sango no Umi to Ouji The Prince and the Coral Sea サンゴの海と王子 [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Fantasy On the island of Okinawa, driven by his kindhearted nature, a boy named Ray determines to stop the destruction of the island's natural forests and coral reef, no matter what he has to give. What will he give to stop a tidal wave from killing the island's people? Length is of one usual episode, so should not expect much of it, just a simple mermaid story. Overall Rating: 5/10 14. One Piece Movie 01 [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Shounen Action, Adventure, Fantasy Many years ago, Woonan, a legendary pirate, plundered one-third of the world's gold and stashed it away on his secret island shrouded in mystery. In the present, Luffy and the rest of the Straw Hats continue on their journey to the Grand Line. They are robbed by a group of bandits. Led by their captain, El Drago, these same bandits are headed towards Woonan's famed island. Even though the Straw Hat Pirates must now recover their stolen treasure, they have gained another objective: to discover the lost island, its treasures, and learn about the legend of Woonan. I hoped that movies would be arc summaries, and instead this movie is just a side-story between 18th and 19th episodes. Having second thoughts about the need to watch One Piece movies further. No real difference from the series, so no reason to change score. Overall Rating: 5/10 15. A.LI.CE [GAGA] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Sci-Fi In the year 2000, Alice Hayashi wins a trip to the moon in a sweepstake. However, when her shuttle launches, something goes terribly wrong, and the next thing she knows, she has crashed somewhere in a frozen wasteland. Before she can get her bearings, strange soldiers begin to attack her, forcing her to flee. Eventually, Alice meets a young man called Yuan, who tells her that she is in Lapland in the year 2030. The soldiers pursuing her belong to Nero, an enigmatic leader who controls the world through his supercomputer. He is also responsible for reducing the Earth's population by over seven billion. Convinced that Nero has something to do with her time jump, Alice, Yuan, and the android maid Maria journey to Kingdom, the shadowy fortress that Nero rules from. CGI is ugly and time travel totally failed, so would not recommend to anyone. Overall Rating: 4/10

Lots of nice works at the turn of centuries with my choice being Ima, Soko ni Iru Boku , Blue Gender and Seraphim Call , 1. One Piece [Toei Animation] (Finished 6/?) Tags: Shounen Action, Adventure, Fantasy Gol D. Roger was known as the "Pirate King," the strongest and most infamous being to have sailed the Grand Line. The capture and execution of Roger by the World Government brought a change throughout the world. His last words before his death revealed the existence of the greatest treasure in the world, One Piece. It was this revelation that brought about the Grand Age of Pirates, men who dreamed of finding One Piece—which promises an unlimited amount of riches and fame—and quite possibly the pinnacle of glory and the title of the Pirate King. Enter Monkey D. Luffy, a 17-year-old boy who defies your standard definition of a pirate. Rather than the popular persona of a wicked, hardened, toothless pirate ransacking villages for fun, Luffy's reason for being a pirate is one of pure wonder: the thought of an exciting adventure that leads him to intriguing people and ultimately, the promised treasure. Following in the footsteps of his childhood hero, Luffy and his crew travel across the Grand Line, experiencing crazy adventures, unveiling dark mysteries and battling strong enemies, all in order to reach the most coveted of all fortunes—One Piece. I could never understand appeal of action shounens and even had to listen to some anime podcasts to see what's there to like and be excited about. Can't say I got articulate answers - just good visuals, fast pacing, lots of cool special fighting moves, confrontation between parties of extraordinary strength and aura, great character interaction. It all amounts to zero, because, as for me, it's just aimless adventure that develops in cycles with different enemies and character arcs horizontally and keeps attention only by self-reflection or by forged links between characters. Watched three episodes from the start and three newest ones, and it's all really bad. And One Piece does not even provide positive effect unlike Naruto or Hunter x Hunter - it's what appeals to lowly qualities in viewers personalities and as supposed mainstream has a negative impact on the industry overall as it spawns imitators in search for a quick buck. Basically, for me One Piece and similar brainless shounens are the new mecha - artifact of history that clings to some ancient illusionary fame and that just keeps going by inertia, because it satisfies nostalgy feelings of both providing and receiving sides. Overall Rating: 5/10 2. Hunter x Hunter HUNTER×HUNTER（ハンター×ハンター） [Nippon Animation] (Finished 4/62) Tags: Shounen Action, Adventure, Fantasy Hunters are specialized in a wide variety of fields, ranging from treasure hunting to cooking. They have access to otherwise unavailable funds and information that allow them to pursue their dreams and interests. However, being a hunter is a special privilege, only attained by taking a deadly exam with an extremely low success rate. Gon Freecss, a 12-year-old boy with the hope of finding his missing father, sets out on a quest to take the Hunter Exam. Along the way, he picks up three companions who also aim to take the dangerous test: the revenge-seeking Kurapika, aspiring doctor Leorio Paladiknight, and a mischievous child the same age as Gon, Killua Zoldyck. Hunter x Hunter is a classic shounen that follows the story of four aspiring hunters as they embark on a perilous adventure, fighting for their dreams while defying the odds. I heard that Hunter x Hunter had healing effect on some people, and it's understandable as HxH has a lot of human dimension and tries to be anti-brainless while still staying shounen. Compared to One Piece, HxH has actual story and ending, does not get to overpowered stage , limits the number of characters rather than expanding eternally, concentrates on relations between main characters , does not try be flashy or cool. It's rather continuation of Yu Yu Hakusho tradition in a new unique world and younger protagonist who still learns things. Of course, for me story is too abstract, protagonist too childish, pace too slow, setting too mundane, attitude too naïve and companions rather average, but I'm not the target audience and it's the genre I don't like overall. Still, I can at least understand the appeal. Overall Rating: 6/10 3. Initial D Second Stage 頭文字〈イニシャル〉D SECOND STAGE [Pastel] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Seinen Racing Action, Drama Accumulating an impressive series of victories with his AE86, Takumi Fujiwara has imposed himself as street racing's newest rising star. However, his newly found confidence of winning at his home turf of Mount Akina has been put in jeopardy by a new Emperor team exclusively using a car model favored by most professional racing pilots: the Mitsubishi four-wheel drive Lancer Evolutions—also known as Lan Evos. The Emperor team leader, Kyouichi Sudou, looks down on Takumi and regards him as an inferior pilot for driving an antique car that lacks the makings of a true modern race car. Kyouichi's elitist philosophy is also the reason why his team is only made of Lan Evo drivers. Will Takumi be able to keep his perfect track record intact against the highly skilled and mechanically superior Emperor team, or does his hot streak end here? Only goofy emotionless protagonist duo with super-emotional buddy makes this franchise stand out as special, like manzai comedy. That's not enough to enjoy it, and all the competition part is alien to me. Overall Rating: 6/10 4. Ima, Soko ni Iru Boku Now and Then, Here and There 今、そこにいる僕 [AIC] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Isekai, Military Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi Shuuzou "Shuu" Matsutani lives his ordinary life in peace. He has friends, a crush, and a passion for kendo. Dejected after losing to his kendo rival, Shuu climbs a smokestack to watch the sunset where he finds Lala-Ru, a quiet, blue-haired girl wearing a strange pendant. Shuu attempts to befriend her, despite her uninterested, bland responses. However, his hopes are crushed when a woman, accompanied by two serpentine machines, appear out of thin air with one goal in mind: capture Lala-Ru. Shuu, bull-headed as he is, tries to save his new friend from her kidnappers and is transported to a desert world, unlike anything he has ever seen before. Yet, despite the circumstances, Shuu only thinks of saving Lala-Ru, until he is thoroughly beaten up by some soldiers. As he soon finds out, Lala-Ru can manipulate water and her pendant is the source from which she is able to bring forth the liquid, a scarce commodity in his new environment. But now, the pendant is lost, and Shuu is the prime suspect. Ima, Soko ni Iru Boku is the haunting story of a dystopian world, and of Shuu, who has to endure torture, hunger, and the horrors of war in order to save the lonely girl he found sitting atop a smokestack. Watched it as a part of dystopia anime run. It has a lot of Future boy Conan vibes and just like it also strikes as dealing with heights too much. It really impressed me that time, less so now, but I generally don't enjoy rewatching things that I still have enough recollections of. Such short unique dystopia story with enough emotional charge definitely deserves to be pointed out as masterpiece, but the final score should be calculated in comparison with closest rival Future boy Conan... and just can't rate Ima, Soko ni Iru Boku any lower as themes are more serious and grown-up here. Overall Rating: 8/10 5. Heppoko Jikken Animation Excel♥Saga Excel Saga へっぽこ実験アニメーション エクセル♥サーガ [J.C.Staff] (Finished 4/26) Tags: Seinen Gag Humor, Parody Comedy, Sci-Fi It's hard to take over the world, and the enigmatic Il Palazzo, head of the ACROSS organization, knows this, so he aims to start small by conquering the city of Fukuoka. Two young officers, the Excel and her partner Hyatt, are tasked with executing this plan, but standing in their way are the City Security workers, a group consisting of three (mostly) normal guys, a very severe girl, and some robots. Regardless of simplicity, Excel and Hyatt always manage to screw up their missions, which usually result in death and lots of destruction. Heppoko Jikken Animation Excel♥Saga chronicles the elaborate troubles that the ACROSS officers get themselves into, as Excel and Hyatt never fail to do their jobs improperly. It might be the best known absurd anime out there. I tried to watch it at least twice, another attempt now did not do any good as well. Just nonsense. Overall Rating: 5/10 6. The Big O THEビッグオー [Sunrise] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Mecha, Psychological Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi Paradigm City, a city of amnesia and a place of belonging. It remains populated by forgotten pasts and the ruins of their labors due to a calamity 40 years ago. Shrouded in a fog-like mystery, it is up to people like Roger Smith to shine a light through the mist. Acting as a professional negotiator and suave agent, Roger is a self-tailored ladies man whose only love is for funeral black. However, as he gets deeply involved with his clients, what often starts as a simple negotiation evolves into Roger saving Paradigm from crime and peril. In the process, Roger stumbles even deeper into the untold folds of the city. As a rule, things are hardly ever as they appear. Serving as gray knight in a gray world, Roger is not without allies. By his side are Norman, a loyal and widely skilled butler, and Dorothy, a human-like android with deadpan snark. Together with the relic Big O, a jet-black mecha of gargantuan size and weight, they help Roger serve iron justice to Paradigm's lurking villains as he discovers the truth about 40 years ago. I see this show as yet another reinvention of Gigantor with aesthetics coming from Batman. Just episodic stories with detective context. It's difficult to understand what's here to like. And if you like style here, better watch original Batman. Overall Rating: 5/10 7. Blue Gender [AIC] (Finished 26/26) Tags: Mecha, Military, Space Adventure, Drama, Horror, Romance, Sci-Fi Blue Gender takes place in the not too distant future in a world where things have gone terribly wrong for humanity. Humans have been replaced at the top of the food chain by the Blue, a race of bug-like aliens that have colonized Earth and pushed humans aside. A space station, Second Earth, has been constructed as a safe haven for humans, with the hope of one day reclaiming the Earth once more. Yuji Kaido was cryogenically frozen, having been suffering from a disease known as B-Cells. Once awakened, he joins a team of soldiers that have come to Earth to extract him. Unfortunately, nothing goes according to plan as they make their way back to Second Earth. Yuji will have to deal with the horrors of fighting a bloody war as he and the fighters from Second Earth look to survive. Will they be able to win back Earth without losing their humanity? I watched it all twice now, and I liked it both times, but memory cut the first insignificant half. Episode 1-9 is just getting lost and sidetracked, three more episodes is to reunite again, so real story only starts from episode 14. It's a unique experience of post-apocalyptic full of despair struggle against invaders, something like Starship Troopers on the brink of full conquest of the Earth. I can't even consider it mecha as enemies are monsters and battle suits are just armored vehicles and it could be some tanks, plus there are a lot of battles with just guns and no mecha. Sadly, in the end story goes easy and convenient way rather than hard way that Muv Luv Alternative later went, but that's all the hints I can give. Due to needless first half and quite much mental instability can't give it a score higher than borderline masterpiece. Overall Rating: 7/10 8. Zoids ゾイド [Xebec] (Finished 3/67) Tags: Mecha Action, Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi In a remote desert on the Planet Zi, a boy named Van discovers an abandoned, dilapidated facility. Inside, he finds an opaque cocoon that breaks on its own, and a dinosaur-like robot known as an "Organoid" emerges from the shell. Van names the creature Zeke and claims it for himself, but a group of bandits come after him to seize the Organoid. The bandits are equipped with "Zoids," beast-like mechanical units that are used for combat. Van is able to fend off his pursuers by reviving and fusing with an old Zoid dubbed the "Shield Liger." Van returns to the facility with Zeke in tow and finds a new cocoon. He is ecstatic that he may have obtained another Organoid, but when the cocoon breaks, a girl emerges from it instead. Unaware of her origins, the girl only remembers that her name is Fiona and that she has to locate an object called the "Zoid Eve." Determined to solve the mystery behind her existence, Fiona ventures out alongside Van and Zeke to uncover what the Zoid Eve truly is. The trio runs across many friends and foes in their adventure, encountering various dangers and experiencing slices of light-heartedness as they travel. It's an easygoing mecha about kid controlling robot pets in forms of CGI beasts and fighting some stereotypical baddies controlling similar mecha... actual episodes are even worse than it sounds. Overall Rating: 4/10 9. Mugen no Ryvius Infinite Ryvius 無限のリヴァイアス [Sunrise] (Finished 26/26) Tags: Mecha, Military, Psychological, Space Drama, Sci-Fi The year is AD 2225. Kouji Aiba and Aoi Housen are serving as astronauts in-training in Liebe Delta which is located on the edge of the Geduld Sea. When saboteurs with unknown intents suddenly strike during a routine dive procedure, the space station plummets into the Geduld, a plasma field that links all the planets like a nervous system and crushes any ship that strays too far into it. With all the adults onboard killed, the young astronauts will have to survive this long journey home in midst of the growing tension amongst each other. Meanwhile the organizers of the sabotage look on and prepare to attack once more. Watched it long ago, because it resembled space opera, and those memories are ambiguous at best. In fact it's another interpretation of Vifam, just with teenagers in place of pre-school kids. Some cool teenagers dealing maturely with arising problems sounds like a good concept , but teenagers here are rather bland or stereotypical , and a huge amount of time everyone just shouts at each other or has some emotional outbursts. Such story needs some solid source material to add uniqueness, but Sunrise original is something that guarantees exactly the opposite - all kinds of cliché. Overall Rating: 6/10 10. Koutetsu Tenshi Kurumi Steel Angel Kurumi 鋼鉄天使くるみ [OLM] (Finished 3/24) Tags: Historical, Mecha, Military Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Romance During Japan's Taisho Era (1912-1926), a scientist named Ayanokoji developed the Steel Angel - an artificial humanoid with superhuman physical abilities. While the Imperial Army wanted to use the Steel Angel as a new means of modern warfare, Ayanokoji wanted his creation to be a new step in the future of mankind. Thus, he defied orders from the Army and secretly made the Steel Angel codenamed "Kurumi". Then one day, a young boy named Nakahito Kagura snuck into Ayanokoji's house as a dare by his friends and stumbled upon Kurumi's lifeless body. A sudden attack by the Imperial Army shook the house, causing Kurumi to fall on Nakahito. At that moment, their lips met, and Kurumi woke up from "the kiss that started a miracle". Our usual boy suddenly getting an android girl plot, but this time in the beginning of 20th century, just for a change. Random adventure, attacking mecha and lots of fanservice ensues . Overall Rating: 5/10 11. Majutsushi Orphen: Revenge 魔術士オーフェンRevenge [J.C.Staff] (Finished 3/23) Tags: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy Orphen and his gang has set out on an all new adventure with many monsters to battle and no peace and quiet. But a new friend has joined the group. Her name Lycorus who was sent to find Orphen. Many mysterious shadows are overhanging over head. Need to like prequel, but I prefer 2020 remake. Overall Rating: 5/10 12. Jibaku-kun Bucky: The Incredible Kid ジバクくん [Trans Arts] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy Bucky, the protagonist of the history, is a normal boy that lives in the first world. He lives with a single and humble ambition: to dominate the world (in the sense of the whole planet). He is very certain and he would certainly die to reach his dream. One day he meets with Spark, the Great Child of Primas (World One). Spark is known as the strongest Great Child of all of the worlds, and he is a successor's search. After finding Bucky and talk a little with him, Spark without apparent reason choose Bucky his successor. Bucky has just become a Great Child and to win the company of Jibaki, the spirit of the first world. Not translated to English. Has quite a lot of nonsense humor, so does not look like I could enjoy it. Overall Rating: 5/10 13. Karakuri Zoushi Ayatsuri Sakon 人形草紙あやつり左近 [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Shounen Horror, Mystery, Suspense The dark-haired bishounen is Sakon Tachibana, a puppeteer, and the other is Ukon, his favorite puppet, and best friend. Sakon is the (only) grandson of Saemon Tachibana, a national treasure of Japan famous for his manipulation of Bunraku puppets. Ukon is a child doll puppet made in the early Meiji era by the famous female dollmaker Unosuke. Together they run into murders and solve them. Detective with more exotic coating. Need to appreciate the genre to comment on it. Overall Rating: 6/10 14. Cybersix サイバーシックス [Telecom Animation Film] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Action, Adventure, Romance, Sci-Fi Anime based upon the original Argentine graphic novel series of the same name. The story follows the titular character who is a genetically engineered super-soldier; one of the creations of Dr. Von Reichter's diabolic experiments. (The fictional) Von Reichter is actually a former Nazi who conducted horrendous experiments during the second world war. He flees to South America where he continues his experiments which culminate in the creation of the "Cybers," one of which happens to be Cybersix. However, since the Cybers exhibit free will at an young age (an undesired trait), Von Reichter destroys all the Cybers to prevent a rebellion. In the present day, Cybersix is one of the Cybers who managed to escape and is living a quiet life under the alias of "Adrian Seidelman"; however, she finds out that her survival is dependent on a special substance that Von Reichter created and thus she is forced to hunt down the "Technos," a newer generation of super-soldiers created by him, in order to survive. Unintentionally, in the process, Cybersix becomes a superhero protecting the world from Dr. Von Reichter's creations and his evil plans. It's more of western show with western roots, western looking animation and designs, only official dub available and no subs. Compared to other typical western action animations, this one is indeed above average, but I'm not fan of western animation and its consistently horrible dub. At all. Overall Rating: 6/10 15. Chikyuu Bouei Kigyou Dai-Guard Dai-Guard: Terrestrial Defense Corp. 地球防衛企業ダイ・ガード [Xebec] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Mecha, Military Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi Thirteen years after their sudden disappearance, an alien race known as the Heterodyne resurface without warning. To combat the Heterodyne, three office workers from the 21st Century Security Corporation operate Dai-Guard - a giant robot no longer regarded as an oversized paperweight. Unfortunately, Dai-Guard is somewhat obsolete and in disrepair. It's a tough job, but salarymen can also save the world. It's basically a parody on old mecha with some interesting findings and character interactions, but it does not stop to be just monster of the week mecha. Overall Rating: 6/10 16. Cyborg Kuro-chan サイボーグクロちゃん [Studio Bogey] (Finished 3/66) Tags: Comedy, Sci-Fi Kuro is just an ordinary cat who only wants to protect his owners who are an old couple that can't fend for themselves. One day while on a date with his girlfriend Pooly who is a dog, he is kidnapped by an evil scientist and turned into a robot. Kuro somehow removes the chip that controlled him and notices that people get scared with his new robotic appearance and that he can now talk like a human. He decides to disguise himself with the skin of a stuffed toy and to continue living as a pet. Partly translated. Rather absurd and simply drawn anthropomorphic comedy that I can't emphasize with. Overall Rating: 5/10 17. Wild Arms: Twilight Venom Wild Arms ワイルドアームズ トワイライトヴェノム [Bee Train] (Finished 5/22) Tags: Vampire Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi This anime is based on a playstation game under the same title. The story is about four people who travel the desolated land of Filgaea and carve themselves a legendary story while they're at it. These adventurers are Sheyenne Rainstorm, a gunslinger who holds the legendary weapon called ARMs; Kiel Aromax, a scientist who looks like he should be carrying a sword; Roleta Oratorio the Crest Sorceress, a magic-user who uses cards called Crests to cast spells; and Mirabelle Graceland, one of the Noble Red, which are a family of vampiric creatures who live alongside human beings They also travel with cute little intelligent furry things, from the Popepi Pipepo Tribe, named Isaac and Jerusha. Source material is RPG game, so tempo is horrible and there's a lot of side-tracking from the already inarticulate story. Don't see anything for motivation to cling to. Overall Rating: 6/10 18. Trouble Chocolate トラブルチョコレート [AIC] (Finished 3/20) Tags: Shounen Comedy, Romance, Sci-Fi Cacao, a student at Micro Grand Academy, wakes up one morning to find a girl made of wood sleeping in bed with him. She is Hinano, a tree spirit who possessed the body of a wooden puppet after Cacao messed up his magic teacher's spell. Having taken an instant liking to Cacao, Hinano enrolls in his school. Between Hinano, monsters, two strange twins and their four-eyed cat master, a demon boy, odd teachers and students, and the fact that he may have the potential to be one of the greatest magic users of all time, Cacao's life seems to have taken several turns for the worse...and the weird. Another stereotypical boy finds a girl in his house anime. At the very least it's a parody that tries to present stupidity as self-irony. Overall Rating: 6/10 19. Seraphim Call セラフィムコール [Sunrise] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi Eleven young hearts with eleven dreams. Deep in their hearts, each girl has a secret dream of love and sadness. They meet together at Acropolis Tower to see if their dreams will come true. Imagine what happens when eleven average girls with eleven special talents join together to make the world a better place. I usually don't like anthologies, but for some reason I used to call this one 10/10. Now I still appreciate mind play, breaking of 4th wall , crazy stunt in 5-6 episodes, nice life lesson in 3rd episode, just varied cases of overcoming psychological barriers. It all deserves a minor masterpiece, and coming from a person who hates anthologies, that means something. Overall Rating: 7/10 20. Mirai Shounen Conan 2: Taiga Daibouken Future Boy Conan 2: River Adventure 未来少年コナンII　タイガアドベンチャー [Nippon Animation] (Finished 1/24) Tags: Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi An adventure story about "Ooparts Egg" and a huge stone statue called "Oobats" which was excavated from the remains of ancient times around two thousand years ago. Taiga travels around the world with his father, archeologist Dr. Daino. They come to South America to investigate ancient ruins discovered by treasure hunters. There they find a stone statue of a gigantic bird which is more than 50 meters long. How was this statue made more than 20,000 years ago? Who made it and for what purpose? To their surprise, the stone bird wakes up and flies away before their very eyes. They discover that this stone bird is called "Oobats" and that when it has "Ooparts Egg", it becomes a dangerous weapon which could destroy the whole universe. The stone bird in the ruins wakes up and flies away to seek Ooparts Egg! Taiga must not allow this to happen... Just one episode is translated, and - honestly - there's no will to watch it further. It's something like child Indiana Jones with Western drawing now and zero connection to original Future Boy Conan. Overall Rating: 5/10 21. Rerere no Tensai Bakabon レレレの天才バカボン [Pierrot] (Finished 3/24) Tags: Gag Humor Comedy This story contains a lot of humor and edgy jokes that attract an audience ranging from toddlers to adults. Bakabon and his father turn common sense on its head. After all, common sense, that we take for granted, is frequently nonsensical, but comical. Bakabon's father has his own philosophy and he leaves no stone unturned in his quest for answers. Bakabon joins him in his philosophical quests which drive the people in their town crazy. Not translated. It's the best version of Bakabon that I've seen so far, but there are a lot of versions ahead, even with translation. Overall Rating: 6/10 22. Shuukan Storyland 週刊ストーリーランド [Satelight] (Finished 2/56) Tags: Seinen Comedy, Drama, Slice of Life This was an anthology program containing several different anime each week along with some non-animated segments. Several of the animated films were short series including: Nazo no Rouba [謎の老婆] (tvss), Meibugyou Bun-san [名奉行・文さん], Jo Keibu Jinguuji Youko [女警部・神宮寺葉子], Remon Suzumori's Soudanjo [鈴森なんでも相談所]. Only two episodes seem to be translated. Both look very much like Laughting Salesman as mysterious item with wonderful power is bought and in the end it turns for the worse. Overall Rating: 5/10 23. Gozonji! Gekkou Kamen-kun ごぞんじ！月光仮面くん [Actas, TMS Entertainment] (Finished 0/25) Tags: Parody Comedy, Sci-Fi Gekkou Kamen is retired on the moon, so his trusty motorbike returns to Earth to find a new hero to take over the job of defending the Earth from alien invaders. Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10 24. Weiß Kreuz OVA Knight Hunters OVA Weiß Kreuz ヴァイスクロイツ [Triangle Staff, animate Film] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Action, Drama Someone out there is determined to see the fall of Weiss Kreuz, and it looks like they have found the perfect plan for it. The four assassins find themselves trapped in a deadly game of deceit, where the question of honor versus duty comes to surface. Now they must fight for their own reasons to survive--and there can be only be one victor in this field of death. Could not tolerate series for long, but why not refresh impression with OVA. Have to say that at such advanced stage action feels much better. It' still a simple revenge story, so far from enjoyable. Overall Rating: 6/10 25. Sakura Taisen: Gouka Kenran Sakura Wars 2: Return of the Spirit Warriors サクラ大戦 轟華絢爛 [Radix] (Finished 6/6) Tags: Mecha, Performing Arts Adventure, Sci-Fi, Slice of Life The end of the demon wars has ended and now the Flower Division has been able to rest up after their fighting. The second Sakura Wars developes studies on every Flower Division Combatee in every episode while they go on their miscellanious adventures around Japan. So let's wrap it up. First season was useless because it only finalized gathering of the team. Now second season is useless again, because it's a pause now and time to concentrate on the team again. Does it have any story at all? Because I'm starting to have second thoughts. Basically, one more filler season that can be safely skipped. Overall Rating: 5/10 26. Pia Carrot e Youkoso!! 2 DX Pia キャロット へ ようこそ!! 2 DX [Garyuu Studio] (Finished 6/6) Tags: Comedy, Romance Kouji wants to work part-time, so, when he saw a cute girl with the Pia Carrot uniform, he tried to get a job there. When he's on the way, he accidentally bumped Azusa, and with some misunderstanding, they literally hate each other. What is the surprise of Kouji when he finds that she also got a job in the Pia Carrot, facing her daily. But as time passes, he will discover that 'hate' is not the appropriate word to describe his feelings... If fulfils role of easygoing cute romcom just right, but best to approach it in the fitting mood. Overall Rating: 5/10 27. Kaitouranma The Animation 快刀乱麻 THE ANIMATION [animate Film] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Martial Arts, Samurai Action, Adventure It is the late Edo period, and there are many who desire to usurp the Tokugawa shogunate. Shinjuro Tateoka is the unassuming son of a notable dojo's leader. When his father Tessyusai is suddenly sent on a mission by the shogunate, the dojo's management falls into Shinjuro's hands. After losing most of its regular students, the dojo welcomes several young girls into its walls. Despite the changes, life at the swordsmanship school is surprisingly peaceful—until the shogunate calls upon all prominent dojos to patrol the city following a slew of burglaries. Now facing a group of cunning thieves who seem to have greater aims than just stealing a few treasures, Shinjuro struggles to find a balance between his exciting life with beautiful women and the needs of the government. Game had too difficult systems, so I'm glad there is anime. Dojo management story during Tokugawa coup was well within expectations range - decent. Overall Rating: 6/10 28. Choushin Hime Dangaizer 3 超神姫ダンガイザー3 [KSS] (Finished 4/4) Tags: Mecha Adventure, Sci-Fi, Ecchi 10,000 years ago, acting as judge, jury and executioner, Dangaizer sealed the fate of mankind by reducing it to ashes. Slowly, mankind rebuilt their civilization and once again stands at its peak. Hiding amongst the survivors of mankind, the evil organization of Goma lies in wait for the return of Dangaizer. This time, it’s a race to stop the awakening of the 3 that can pilot Dangaizer and subjugate the world to their rule. Will the 3rd pilot learn her true destiny and awaken in time, or will the world find a new destiny in the hands of Goma? Can't remember mecha with ecchi elements, so it might be first such fusion. And it looks a bit off as girls have to fight other girls in a flashy way and mecha opposes other mecha. Overall Rating: 5/10 29. Street Fighter Zero The Animation ストリートファイターZERO THE ANIMATION [Plum] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Martial Arts, Super Power Action, Drama Ryu, the current Street Fighter champion, must overcome the power of the "Dark Hadou" which consumed Akuma, the brother of his sensei, Gouken. Plus, he deals with the unexpected arrival of Shun, a young boy who proclaims to be his long-lost brother. It should be a treat for fans, but for outsiders rather average and not without drawbacks. Overall Rating: 5/10 30. Kochira Katsushikaku Kameari Kouenmae Hashutsujo The Movie Kameari Park Precinct [Gallop] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Shounen Adult Cast, Detective, Gag Humor Action, Comedy, Mystery The wicked multi-billionaire, Shinatora, builds wretched, ugly buildings. The explosives genius calling himself Benten has targeted Shinatora's empire and begins to destroy the monstrosities that are wiping out whole sections of downtown Tokyo. In cooperation with the local police force, the FBI has sent Lisa Hoshino, a bomb disposal expert, and her robot assistant, Dandy, on a lecture tour of Japan. Ryotsu is reluctantly paired with Lisa to protect the people of the Kameari district. Why does Benten only target Shinatora's buildings? What is his next target? Another email warning arrives at the Katsushika Police Station. Benten's next target is the newly built, gigantic amusement park, Shinatora World. Lisa and Ryotsu hurry to the scene. What they find is a huge Soviet-era rocket armed with a massive bomb powerful enough to obliterate the entire area of Katsushika. What can Ryotsu do? Goofy policeman is still funny, and now there are also two more female protagonists. The action part of the film with bombs disarming was not as good. Overall Rating: 6/10

Lots of companies show up in December . 1. Shinigami ~Shibito Magire~ 死噛 ～シビトマギレ～ [221201] Experience In the suburbs of Tokyo’s H City is a private institution called “Konoehara Academy,” which was established over 100 years ago. There were rumors that every 10 years, the dead would creep into the academy and spread a curse. Around the end of summer, some students of the academy died an inexplicable death in the academy garden… While a police investigation was unable to confirm the nature of the incident, many rumors spread among the students regarding their tragic death, such as “it was the work of the dead” and “they were summoned by spirits.” In order to regain a sense of composure within the academy, the chairman requested an investigation from the Kujou house, which has been involved in rituals since ancient times. A strange and sullen middle-aged man able to “examine” the supernatural, the head of the Kujou house begins an undercover investigation as a temporary teacher in order to determine the truth of the rumors. And to experience the terrible curse from the dead that has crept into the academy… Detective console exclusive 2. Juusangatsu no Futari Hime 十三月のふたり姫 [221202] Kobayashimaru LLC 1 The princess was just too beautiful. She was given all the good qualities of this world, such things as beauty, grace, kindness, tolerance, and honesty. It would soon be the princess’ 16th birthday. On the day of her birthday, a young girl visited the castle. She was a witch. The witch spoke words of incantation, and the princess fell into an eternal sleep. The days would pass with none but the two girls together in the confines of the princess’ room. On the 100th year of the princess’ sleep, a brave prince visited her sleeping form. The princes had been told by a wise man that the princess would awaken with a kiss. However, the princess would not awaken, and the prince defeatedly returned home. Every 100 years a new prince would visit the princess. Heroes from history, legendary figures, people from alternate worlds… Everyone tried to awaken the princess. The witch, with the desire to protect the princess, would gaze with frigid eyes upon those who wished to awaken her. What is the motive of this mysterious witch? What secret was entrusted to the princess? All is still unclear. Let us open the magic door and look quietly in upon the sleeping princess. There we may find the answers to our burning questions. There are English reviews 3. Soukai Tenki 滄海天記 [221208] ALTERGEAR Minato is an amnesiac boy who remembers only his name, banished as an exile—someone who has committed a crime—to Ikishima, an island far from the Wa no Kuni mainland. Unable to comprehend the situation and confused, the mysterious Minato is accepted by island boys Kazuya, Nagisa, and Reiji, with whom he gradually forms strong “bonds” as they interact, occasionally fight, and grow. Although his memory had not returned, Minato was living a new and peaceful life. However, the powers of darkness were gradually stealing the sunlight from this peaceful island far from the mainland. Several months prior, the Honnoji Incident occurred on the mainland. It is said that Nobunaga Oda, the lord who was close to unifying the country, was killed by insurrection, but his corpse was never found. What happened at Honnoji? What future will Minato arrive at and build up as he defies, follows, and faces the difficulties of the destiny and mission expected of him by the gods…? Console exclusive 4. Napoleon Shoujo ~Fukanou to Iu Moji no Nai Shoujo~ ナポレオン少女 ~不可能という文字のない少女~ [221215] moesoft — Change Your Fate. My Dictionary Doesn't Have the Word "Impossible". Shoichi Sakikawa is an ordinary high school sophomore. That is, up until the day he is involved in a car accident. When he opens his eyes again, the scene that appears before him is that of France during the most intense period of its 18th-century proletarian revolution. At the moment that he is in imminent danger due to shells exploding and bombs going off, a girl holding a sword saves him. "— I'm Napoleon Bonaparte, France's future emperor." Subsequently, his gratitude to the girl Napoleon for saving him means that he must continually accompany her. Unexpectedly, this is not part of the world's past, but a different world. Here, girls whom the gods have entrusted as "oracles" with the fate of famous historical figures use an unusual ability known as "The Revelation" to display their intense fighting skills. Will he be able to safely return to his own world? What will the future be like as he and Napoleon gradually develop feelings for each other? Partial release console exclusive and thus obscure as of now 5. Gizoku Tantei Nosuri 義賊探偵ノスリ [221222] AQUAPLUS It was a trivial matter that started it. Haku is living a busy life in the imperial capital of the great nation Yamato. Peaceful times seemed like they would last forever. However… Among the reliable friends that surrounded him, one sensed something strange. With clear wisdom and a discerning eye, and bold and delicate reasoning and judgment, a “good woman” who possesses the qualities of a “great” detective speaks. If someone in the east is suffering, she will be there to lend a hand. If someone in the west is troubled, she will save them. A chivalrous thief is sensitive to the signs of those in need. —It is from here that the curtains rise on the great Nosuri theater. It is she who will bring to light the true identity of the great evil that undermines the imperial capital. Haku: “What, I gotta get involved in all that?!”” Console exclusive detective 6. Hoshi to Otome ga Uranau Mirai 星と乙女が占う未来 [221222] iMel Inc. -Even small things, like “making someone happy”, or “being able to support someone”, are what makes being an astrologer worthwhile. The Astrologer “Izumi Mizushiro”, who lives with her younger sister, “Towa”, divines her clients in a corner of the coffee shop “Rino” runs. The clients Izumi divines leave their seat with a smile and seeing them smile makes Izumi feel happy and rewarded. However, unusual things begin to happen around Izumi. Due to an overwhelming increase in requests for her Divination, and the methods or reputation etc., she starts encountering trouble. Then, while Izumi is looking for the cause of her problems, she is visited by a girl named “Maki”. Triggered by that, a series of unexpected events happen, and their peaceful daily life takes a turn. Towards the future foretold by stars and the maiden. Console exclusive as of now, with full localized version next month will get many reviews 7. Arcana Alchemia アルカナ・アルケミア [221223] Lump of Sugar Alchemy―― It is the process that can transform an "existence" into another "existence", The Great Work. In the City of Alchemy, Allenbeek. Since ancient times, the alchemy here has been actively researched and developed in its own way. But, that was a long time ago―― Nowadays, most of the residents here immersed themselves in SNS, social games, and online shopping...... They spends their days using technology, with no interest in alchemy! With the development of science, technology, and the changing times, the alchemy is now a thing of the past! "Alchemy is a wonderful technology.......! It's a venerable culture that shouldn't be allowed to fade away!!"; Said the daughter of the owners of a long-established alchemy supply store, Ruri. Joined by the protagonist and her childhood friend, Io; A kouhai who comes to the city to study alchemy, Kanon; And a girl with excellent skills, but only interested in her own research, Sara; Together, in order to revive the alchemy, they tried to make "Something amazing that will surprise everyone". But in that process, they accidentally created―― A non-human girl with beast ears and tail. A life created by alchemy―― A homunculus. With her birth, the city, and the wishes of the girls; The era of the alchemy which has almost come to a halt, begins to move once again―― Story is just the stage, the contents is flirt with cute dere heroines of various genesis 8. Asuka-san wa Nabikanai アスカさんはなびかない [221223] Azarashi Soft The female lead is the student council president of a prestigious school. She is beautiful, attractive, intelligent, and possesses exceptional motor skills as if heaven endowed her with not just two but five or six blessings. She is truly a flower on a high peak and has rejected innumerable male confessions. As a commoner, I thought she was the kind of woman who was way out of my league...... "Hey, Asuma!" "Yes?" As I walked down the corridor after school, a teacher called out to me, and as I was about to respond, I heard a woman's voice behind me. I turned around and saw the student council president, who is also nicknamed "Ice Princess." "No, the one that I called is "Asuma"." "......!!!" Her clear white cheeks turned red in an instant. It was the first time that I saw her face like that. "E.. Excuse me!!" From that moment on, I learned the student council president's name was Asuka Shishidou, and I caught her attention through a notebook I had picked up earlier. Romance with a single heroine 9. Girls Frantic Clan ガールズフランティッククラン [221223] Team Plus Plus This is not a beautiful story where you go back and forth between the game world and reality while bonding with a girl. Is this another world reincarnation? Stranded alone in a game world? -No. He is not dead. -He gets to return to reality every day. So what should we call the events he is experiencing? "I'm the only one who falls into a network game in the flesh, and every day I repeat the process of returning to reality when I die in the game world. Also, I can't see my stats or anything. I mean, I'm so weak that I can die just from falling down...what's is this? YES, that is exactly what this is! Shikigi Yuuri is a temporary teacher at the Nijou Crane Academy, the real-life setting of the school. On the day he first set foot in the school, he traveled to the world of "XR", a network game operated by the school..... and he returned safely a few hours later to reality after he died in the game. From there, he was cursed. If he dies in the game world, he returned to reality. But after school each day, he returns to the game world again against his will. Not to mention that all his students that play the game... are all quite frantic An assassin with an obsession of killing the protagonist: Eiko A saintly woman who will even kidnap the weak to protect them: Suika A self-paced mage with an obsessive thirst for knowledge: Minami A knight who never listens to anyone and wild-eyed young lady: Ponkotsu And finally, the hero who does not care about saving the world: Kiki He has no true friends, and no one is in their right mind. And yet, he continues to fight day in and day out to break the curse! Well, he doesn't have the strength to fight, so he just gives orders from behind. Will he be able to escape from the game world?.... Or else.. RPG with weak scenario and super dated grindy game system 10. Tonari ni Kanojo no Iru Shiawase ~in first snow with her~ となりに彼女のいる幸せ～ in first snow with her ～ [221223] Prekano "Hmph, even though I... this much..." "... How much what?" "I-It's nothing~!" September. Summer vacation is over and autumn is now approaching. Me, the president of Literature Club that is on the verge of disbandment, fell in love with club member Serizawa Chisa and we became lovers. However, we are so nervous of each other that we couldn't do anything lovers usually do. "We can't keep going on like this!" she expressed her dissatisfaction. It was supposed to be our first date, on our school festival, and most importantly, it was on Christmas... "Sorry, Serizawa!" What will happen in this winter with mischievous, a bit selfish girlfriend? Romance with a single heroine 11. LACKGIRL [221231] Dontsugel Girls who become able to use magic enroll to a special high school. They never wished for this curse as it comes with growing flaws in their hearts. This is a story of their battle and growth. First part of partial release after some four years in development is released in the very Eve, so no reviews yet

As expected, nothing could rival Great Teacher Onizuka this season. 1. Great Teacher Onizuka グレート・ティーチャー・オニヅカ [Pierrot] (Finished 43/43) Tags: Shounen Delinquents, School, Workplace Comedy, Drama Twenty-two-year-old Eikichi Onizuka—ex-biker gang leader, conqueror of Shonan, and virgin—has a dream: to become the greatest high school teacher in all of Japan. This isn't because of a passion for teaching, but because he wants a loving teenage wife when he's old and gray. Still, for a perverted, greedy, and lazy delinquent, there is more to Onizuka than meets the eye. So when he lands a job as the homeroom teacher of the Class 3-4 at the prestigious Holy Forest Academy—despite suplexing the Vice Principal—all of his talents are put to the test, as this class is particularly infamous. Due to their utter contempt for all teachers, the class' students use psychological warfare to mentally break any new homeroom teacher they get, forcing them to quit and leave school. However, Onizuka isn't your average teacher, and he's ready for any challenge in his way. Bullying, suicide, and sexual harassment are just a few of the issues his students face daily. By tackling the roots of their problems, Onizuka supports them with his unpredictable and unconventional methods—even if it means jumping off a building to save a suicidal child. Thanks to his eccentric charm and fun-loving nature, Class 3-4 slowly learns just how enjoyable school can be when you're the pupils of the Great Teacher Onizuka. Watched it in the past, but never had any piety towards it despite it heading many ancient ratings. Weird phrases like "GTO taught me how to live" alienate even more. I don't consider it a genius masterpiece, but at the same time I gave 8 even to its youth prequel, so 9 is a just right score to differentiate it . Overall Rating: 9/10 2. Medarot Medabots メダロット [Bee Train] (Finished 3/52) Tags: Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi Medabots—powerful robots granted artificial intelligence through special "medals"—serve at the whims of their owner. They are more commonly used in "Robbatling," a popular combat sport where two medabots face off against one another. In its professional form, Medafighters use their Medabots to qualify for the World Tournament and fight amongst the elite to gain the title of champion. Elementary schooler Ikki Tenryou has just gained his first Medabot: Metabee, an outdated model with no medal. Fortunately, however, Ikki manages to find a medal in the nearby river; but when Ikki places it into Metabee's head, the latter starts to exhibit strange behaviour. Short-tempered and rebellious, he refuses to obey Ikki's orders. However, to climb the ranks to the World Tournament, Ikki and Metabee must first learn to work together, no matter how difficult the prospect may seem… How can anyone older than 12 y.o. like it... Another Pokemon imitation to sell merchandise. I might understand if humor was great, but no, absolutely average like everything in this anime. Overall Rating: 5/10 3. Kachou Ouji Legend of Black Heaven 課長王子 [AIC, APPP] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Music, Space Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Slice of Life Oji Tanaka has a wife, a child and a mundane job as a salary man in Tokyo's modern society. But life wasn't dull for him to begin with; 15 years ago, he was known as "Gabriel", leader of a short-lived heavy metal band called Black Heaven. Oji's life gets a sudden change in direction when he is invited by a mysterious blonde woman named Layla to pick up his Gibson Flying V and once again display his "legendary" guitar skills, not knowing that his music generates power for a massive weapon in an intergalactic war. For a long time I could not understand the concept of this series, so in the end watched it all. And I want to say that it has charm as long as mystery remains. In the end it's just another variation of Macross 7 , and all the other subplots end nowhere. I can't call it a musical show either , because it's literally a single song show, plus one more for finale. It's not a bad show, but shallow concept does not allow to bring it to recommendation list. Overall Rating: 6/10 4. Senkaiden Houshin Engi 仙界伝 封神演義 [Studio Deen] (Finished 6/26) Tags: Shounen Historical Adventure, Fantasy, Supernatural Thousands of years ago, it was a time of witchcraft and dark magic. An evil sorceress has bewitched the emperor of the mighty dynasty and he has become a mindless puppet. The country is in shambles, and evil spirits lurk everywhere. The human world is on the verge of utter destruction. A bold mission is planned by the Confederation of the Immortal Masters. They send a young master wizard to hunt down the villains and evil warlocks in the devastated lands. Had to watch as many as 6 episodes to make sure I got concept right , but it kept tasting like an old chewing gum - outrageously bland. Overall Rating: 5/10 5. Mahoutsukai Tai! (TV) Magic User's Club 魔法使いTai! [Madhouse, Triangle Staff] (Finished 3/13) Tags: School Comedy, Romance, Sci-Fi The aliens have been defeated, and the Bell has been transformed into a gigantic cherry tree. Now, the brave Magic User's Club must reconvene to deal with a new problem. Apparently, some inconsiderate persons left a skyscraper sized cherry tree in the middle of Tokyo, and it's become a major inconvenience to everyone in the city. Even though they have no idea who could have done such a thing, the Club feels strangely responsible and springs into action. Meanwhile, a mysterious person is spying on the magic club in the form of a small boy. OVA was decent and provided a new look on mahou shoujo, but it was already getting tiresome by the end. They managed to return the novelty mood from the beginning and added cute SOL that was never present in OVA, but this franchise never had direction or aim to follow. Can't recommend aimless pastime. Overall Rating: 6/10 6. Alexander Senki Reign: The Conqueror アレクサンダー戦記 [Madhouse] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Historical Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Supernatural In 356 BC, Alexander the Great arrives in Greece with the ominous destiny that he will become the "destroyer of the world." Inheriting the crown, he becomes king of the Macedonians and starts down a road of conquest with terrific speed. Alexander ultimately confronts his fated nemesis, Darius the Third, in a war with Persia which changes Alexander into the devil he was fated to become, assuring the destruction of all in his path, and possibly himself. Eeeeeh... what the hell. Lots of half-naked bishounens weave intrigues and sometimes clash in weird battles. With somewhat traditional anime style it might be passable, but visual style is absolutely repelling. Overall Rating: 4/10 7. Kakyuusei (TV) 下級生 [PP Project] (Finished 13/13) Tags: Harem, School Drama, Romance When Tsuyoshi rushed to school as usual, he found a girl who tried to help a kitten which couldn't get down from a tree. It was Minamizato Ai who had loved Tsuyoshi secretly for a long time. It's cute all right, but if there's nothing else, cuteness must be at Godly level. Protagonist is also here better than average, but that's not enough, and I'm not giving away masterpieces for cuteness. Overall Rating: 6/10 8. Kyoro-chan キョロちゃん [Group TAC] (Finished 3/91) Tags: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy While exploring ruins on Angel Island, a doctor finds a myserious newborn bird called Kyoro-chan. Together they form a bond and decide to travel the world together. Three years later when the Doctor and Kyoro-chan try to return to Angel Island they become shipwrecked from a storm. Kyoro-chan was able to make it safely to the island but the Doctor was nowhere to be found. Kyoro-chan prays for his safety and hope he returns as he now starts his new life on Angel Island. Not translated. Anthropomorphic comedy - rather simple and straightforward. Overall Rating: 5/10 9. Uchuu Kaizoku Mito no Daibouken: Futari no Joou-sama Space Pirate Mito 2 宇宙海賊ミトの大冒険 2人の女王様 [Triangle Staff] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi Aoi was raised as a normal boy on Earth. Little did he know he was the heir apparent to Mito, the Queen-turned-Space-Pirate of an alien race that chooses their sex at puberty! Aoi fell in love with Mutsuki, the police officer who was chasing Mito, and the three of them saved the Universe. The only side effect was that Aoi blossomed into a beautiful young woman. Now a malevolent entity calling herself the true Queen of the Universe appears with enough power to destroy entire planets. Aoi must defend her new throne, but she needs Mutsuki's help. Mutsuki must come to terms with her own feelings for Aoi so they can defend Earth together and become the galaxy's first royal pair of queens. For those who liked prequel, naturally. Overall Rating: 5/10 10. Xi You Ji Journey to the West: Legends of the Monkey King 西游记 [CCTV Animation] (Finished 3/52) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy Sun Wukong, who was born from a magic stone, has been imprisoned underneath a mountain for five centuries for his mischief in the heavens. One day, the Diety Guanyin told Wukong that the Monk Tangsen will set him free, and Wukong will join him on a pilgrimage from China to India. The next day, Xuanzang came and set him free, and the two started their Journey to the west. Along the way, they meet two new friends, Zhu Bajie and the Hermit Sha Wujing who joins them on the journey; together, they face many dangers and evil creatures and sorcerers and learn to get along. There are two reasons to watch this - either you're a child or have no other ways to learn story of Journey to the West. In my case I don't even want to learn because ancient mythology is inevitably aimless adventures with miracles. Overall Rating: 6/10 11. Nanako Kaitai Shinsho Amazing Nurse Nanako 菜々子解体診書 [Radix] (Finished 3/6) Tags: Mecha, Military Comedy, Sci-Fi Nanako is a an inept apprentice nurse to the brilliant young Dr. Kouji. Now for some reason, Nanako is always being targeted by various elements which makes Nanako wonder if she has done anything wrong. But there are certain secrets to Nanako's past that only Dr. Kouji and his family know about. Fanservice is the only outstanding feature here. Overall Rating: 5/10 12. Sol Bianca: Taiyou no Fune Sol Bianca: The Legacy 太陽の船　ソルビアンカ [AIC] (Finished 6/6) Tags: Mecha, Space Adventure, Sci-Fi Thousands of years into the future, mankind has colonized other planets across the galaxy and completely forgotten about Earth. On one part of the galaxy, the female space pirates and their colossal starship Sol Bianca get a surprise when a young girl named Mayo stows away on board the ship. The crew then embarks on a journey to Earth to find the whereabouts of Mayo's parents and discover the secrets of the lost planet. It's sad to see how visuals, character designs and personalities have got only worse after a decade, but it's still a passable space adventure action story. Overall Rating: 6/10 13. Chivas 1-2-3 Sorcerer on the Rocks シーバス１-２-３ [Daume] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Supernatural, Ecchi Ruthless sorcerer Chivas Scotch is hired by a count named Cuttlefish to destroy an evil monster attacking a nearby village. But things go awry when Chivas fails to destroy the monster and he's forced to transfer his spirit in the body of his beautiful servant Gin Fizz. OVA itself is nice and is better than sorcerer hunters, even in humor, but too short and focused on exploitation a bit too much. Overall Rating: 6/10 14. Tokyo Juushouden Ten Tokyo Warriors 倒凶十将伝 [Zexcs] (Finished 6/6) Tags: Shounen Action, Adventure, Supernatural Long ago, in feudal Japan, there was a fierce warrior named the Demon King. He controlled a band of demons, known as the Kyouma. Only the powers of ten warriors sealed the Demon King away and kept the Kyouma under control. But now, Lord Shindigan, a powerful Kyouma is planning to free the Demon King, and the reincarnations of the ten warriors must band together and save the earth. MAL misinformed about number of episodes. Early episodes are mostly just to introduce this big number of characters, and only by mid-fifth episode team gathers. Boring buildup, boring resolution . Overall Rating: 5/10 15. Doukyuusei 2 (OVA) Special: Sotsugyousei 同級生２ Special　卒業生 [Pink Pineapple] (Finished 3/3) Tags: Harem, School Ecchi Based on the game by ELF. As a special it tries to provide as much fanservice as possible, so there's very little time for anything else. Overall Rating: 5/10 16. Break-Age [Ripple Film] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Shounen Mecha Sci-Fi In 2007, the inhabitants of Danger Planet II fight their battles using remote-controlled robots or "virtual puppets." Kirio Nimura is a high school student and the strongest puppeteer on the planet, until he falls for Sairi Takahara, who insists that nobody may make advances until they have beaten her puppet, Benkei. Not translated. Virtual mecha controlled battles is not a good theme to develop. In 40 minutes nothing outstanding was made of it. Overall Rating: 5/10 17. Himalaya no Hikari no Oukoku ヒマラヤの光の王国 [Toei Animation] (Finished 0/1) Tags: Music Adventure, Fantasy In a small village overlooking the scenic Himalayas, a young boy, Suruya, receives a letter from a princess. It was a heartbreaking cry for help. So Suruya who is not the most courageous of boys, sets out to rescue a princess and along the way, through his adventures, he manages to find the courage to carry out his mission. Not found. Overall Rating: 0/10 18. Cardcaptor Sakura Movie 1 Cardcaptor Sakura The Movie 劇場版 カードキャプターさくら [Madhouse] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Comedy, Drama, Fantasy During an after-school shopping trip, Sakura Kinomoto decides to participate in the Tomoeda Shopping District's year-end lottery, with the grand prize being a round trip to Hong Kong. Surprisingly, she draws the winning ball. Alongside her best friend Tomoyo Daidouji, her older brother Touya, her crush Yukito Tsukishiro, and Keroberos, Sakura heads off to Hong Kong. However, vacation for the Cardcaptor will get cut short. Little does Sakura know, the trip may be connected to her recent, prophetic dreams featuring a mysterious woman and Clow Reed himself, creator of the Clow Cards. Movies usually present refine version of the series, so I was a bit curious. But Cardcaptor series was of already high quality , so movie ended up just an overextended episode with poor tempo. Overall Rating: 5/10 19. Shoujo Kakumei Utena: Adolescence Mokushiroku Revolutionary Girl Utena: The Adolescence of Utena 少女革命ウテナ　アドゥレセンス黙示録 [J.C.Staff] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Avant Garde, Drama, Fantasy, Girls Love, Romance All eyes are on Utena Tenjou, a mysterious transfer student to Ohtori Academy. But Utena's eyes seem to be fixed on one familiar face that stands out among the rest—Touga Kiryuu, Utena's childhood friend. Touga knows of Utena's past and possesses knowledge of the Mark of the Rose, a set of unique rings worn by those who compete for the hand of the Rose Bride. The Rose Bride, Himemiya Anthy, belongs to whomever wins her in a duel, and the one that wins all the duels is said to be given the power to bring revolution to the world. Utena is drawn into the duels, but Touga and their complicated history together may end up unraveling everything. Nothing is as it seems in this retelling of the original anime series. Movie is just series retelling with changed material only to serve as shortcuts. It fixes important problem of tempo, but concept itself remains intact. Movie introduces a whole new density of symbols, so it's perfect to write some culturology review, but enjoying it as entertainment product... is still questionable. Overall Rating: 6/10 20. Tonari no Yamada-kun My Neighbors the Yamadas ホーホケキョ となりの山田くん [Studio Ghibli] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Award Winning, Comedy, Slice of Life From squabbles about groceries against the ambient noise of the TV to their daily shenanigans, the Yamada family invites only a few unusual gazes—similar to any typical household. But despite their prickly exteriors, each of them genuinely cares for one another, making sure to smile and laugh through their otherwise dull and mundane lives. Tonari no Yamada-kun is an intimate and fun look into the lives of a typical Japanese family. It's among the worst works of Studio Ghibli, as for me. Always thought that yonkoma was supposed to be humorous, but apparently not. The only funny moment was pantomime about fighting for remote control.... As usual, the middle is bleak, and there's nostalgy push with a song at the end. Seriously, watching just unfunny episodic SOL for 2 hours is the new low. Overall Rating: 5/10 21. Megumi no Daigo: Kajiba no Baka Yarou め組の大吾 火事場のバカヤロー [Sunrise] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action, Drama Daigo Asahina is Medaka Gumi #2's/Me Gumi's new rookie firefighter, and already he's done crazy things, like throwing people off of a rooftop to save them from an explosion. He had good intentions, but his deeds are starting to hurt the company's reputation. At Sengoku City's Concert Hall, a fire breaks, and the some Emergency Rescue Squad needs rescuing. Daigo will do all he can to keep his promise: Not to let anyone die on the job. Again, making a high-tension drama about firefighter... is a dubious choice to put into a 40-minute one-shot. Can't even treat it seriously. Overall Rating: 5/10

Taiho Shichau zo The Movie managed to jump to the last wagon of the masterpiece train. 1. Turn A Gundam ∀ Gundam ∀ガンダム [Sunrise, Nakamura Production] (Finished 3/50) Tags: Mecha, Military, Space Action, Adventure, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi It is the Correct Century, two millennia after a devastating conflict which left the world broken. Earth is now mostly uninhabitable, and thus a remnant of humanity has resided on the Moon while the Earth and its few survivors recover. For years, the "Moonrace," the people of the Moon, have continued to check if Earth is fit for resettlement. A boy named Rolan Cehack and two others are sent down to Earth for a reconnaissance mission. Rolan ends up spending a year on the planet working for the Heim Family, aristocrats living in a Victorian-like society. This family, like others of similar wealthy status, celebrates one's coming of age with a ceremony involving a giant stone statue known as the "White Doll." To Rolan's surprise, the Moonrace suddenly touches down on Earth with the intent of taking it by force. During the attack, the White Doll is broken apart, revealing a mobile suit called the "Turn A Gundam" inside. With Rolan in its cockpit, the Turn A causes a standoff between the forces of Earth and Moon. The young pilot, along with the people of both sides, must keep the peace and avoid another all-out, catastrophic war. Gundam has come with a new epic! Or so they probably think because they take such ridiculously slow pacing to stretch it all to 50 episodes that it's hard to stay awake for long. Nothing of interest happens in first three episodes, and then - bam - air attack without any signs of it. Feels like War of the Worlds as one tech side destroys 2nd steam tech side, but steam tech side finds a Gundam literally in a rock, who could have thought . Characters are just laughable. It's all even more silly and boring than usual. Overall Rating: 5/10 2. Monster Farm: Enbanseki no Himitsu モンスターファーム [TMS Entertainment] (Finished 3/48) Tags: Isekai Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy Genki is a boy who loves playing video games. One day he's zapped into the world of Monster Rancher and meets the girl Holly and the monsters Mochi, Suezo, Golem, Tiger and Hare. Together, they are searching for a way to revive the Phoenix, which is the only monster capable of stopping the evil Moo. If Pokemon had adventures in fantasy land, they'd look something like that. Too primitive for adults. Overall Rating: 5/10 3. To Heart トゥハート [OLM] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Harem, School Drama, Romance For as long as Akari can remember, she and Hiroyuki have always been friends. But with time, everything changes, and her feelings have turned into something more. As a new semester of high school begins, will the two childhood friends come closer together or drift further apart? Join Hiroyuki, Akari and all their friends—the bubbly Shiho, the quiet Serika, the lovely Kotone, and more—in this heartwarming tale of love, relationships and friendship! I've always loathed this franchise with all my heart. There might be some more decent iteration on the way, but this introduction is epithome of boredom . Overall Rating: 5/10 4. Juubee-chan: Lovely Gantai no Himitsu Jubei-chan the Ninja Girl: Secret of the Lovely Eyepatch 十兵衛ちゃん ーラブリー眼帯の秘密 [Madhouse] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama Jiyu Nanohana is an ordinary schoolgirl until she runs across a scatterbrained 300 year old samurai who tells her that she is the reincarnation of Yagyu Jubei. With the help of the "Lovely Eyepatch" she transforms into the legendary swordsman whenever she needs to use his awesome fighting ability, which she needs to do quite often as a rival clan is dead set on conquering Yagyu to satisfy an old family grudge. Famous samurai reincarnation is quite a frequent plot to see nowadays. I guess it might still be fresh, but it's totally mundane and uninventive, as for me. Overall Rating: 5/10 5. Dual! Parallel Lun-Lun Monogatari Dual! Parallel Trouble Adventure デュアル！ぱられルンルン物語 [AIC] (Finished 4/13) Tags: Harem, Isekai, Mecha Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi Kazuki Yotsuga is your regular average nerd in high-school, except he isn't smart. He has this website which relates to his visions that only he can see. His visions are about robots who keep fighting each other battle after battle. One day he is sent to a "parallel world" where these visions exist and he joins a company to fight back against the devious RaRa, who want to take over the world. Fusion of Tenchi and Evangelion. But the mere thought that if Tenchi with all his harem are distributed by mecha it's going to get great - that means considering viewers stupid as corks. Overall Rating: 5/10 6. Arc the Lad アークザラッド [Bee Train] (Finished 26/26) Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Horror, Sci-Fi The story follows Elk, a bounty hunter in some strange futuristic world. On this world archaic but advanced technology exists side by side with primitive attitudes, beasts and magic. In other words it's got a bit of everything. It also has an evil conspiracy who are able to produce powerful monsters called chimera, who can also appear as human. Naturally it is not long before Elk has rescued a young female beast-master and gained himself some serious enemies. I never had access to console RPGs, so tried to learn plots through anime. And it's indeed very RPG-like story as we have some mysteries and lots of aimless wandering to chase those mysteries. I usually say that I'd cut length in two, but in this case more radical cut might be required. It has its small moments and stories, but they can't justify 9 hours of stale development. Overall Rating: 6/10 7. Corrector Yui コレクター・ユイ [Nippon Animation] (Finished 3/52) Tags: Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi Yui is an average schoolgirl who lives in a future where all computers are supported by a single global network known as COMNET. Yui is a computer-illiterate girl who after a computer-lab accident is approached by IR, a raccoon looking corrector computer program, which tells her she must save COMNET. She must stop the rogue A.I. (Artificial Intelligence) computer program known as Grosser and his hench-programs from taking over the world. Grosser was originally designed to be that manager of all of COMNET. At first she's very reluctant to play the heroine because of her complete lack of knowledge and ability with computers. To save COMNET she must find and gain the trust of the other seven wayward corrector programs. They must also find the creator or COMNET Professor Inukai, to help stop Grosser for good. It's basically usual mahou shoujo, just in virtual reality and fighting viruses. Episodic and senseless. Overall Rating: 5/10 8. Gokudou-kun Manyuuki Gokudo ゴクドーくん漫遊記 [Trans Arts] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy It all starts when Gokudou steals a pouch from a fortuneteller, thinking that it contains a gem. Instead, it turns out to be a rock, from which emerges Djinn. The genie grants Gokudou the standard three wishes, but our anti-hero doesn't think heavily about his wishes. Gokudou does get his wishes, though not exactly in the fashion that he expected. The best thing he gets out of his wishes is Honou no Maken, a magical sword that enables its owner to do fire attacks and it can be summoned from anywhere in the world. Even with an enchanted sword, Gokudou doesn't get much respect. He gets turned into a woman by Djinn, who is also a shapeshifter. He is followed by Rubette La Late, a potential love interest who is more interested in adventure, karaoke and outperforming Gokudou. He gets whapped on the head a lot, especially by the fortuneteller who reappears throughout the series just to plague Gokudou it seems. Later in the series, he gets another sidekick, a former evil magician named Prince, who is more handsome and a better womanizer than Gokudou. If I try to find something similar to compare, it would be Slayers, but with more annoying characters and even wilder nonsense humor. It's unusual for story to move in arcs instead of episodical stories, but with so much irritating stuff I find trouble enjoying anything in it . Overall Rating: 5/10 9. Betterman ベターマン [Sunrise] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Mecha, Psychological Action, Adventure, Drama, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi A deadly virus known as "Algernon" has attacked humanity with vicious meaning. At the forefront of the battle is the mystifying Akamatsu Industries—disguised as a heavy machine factory in Tokyo, this undercover organization uses neural enhanced weapons known as NeuroNoids to battle Algernon. Also helping with their secret efforts is the mysterious mutant who is only known as "Betterman." It's a creepy action about genetics modification with concept of monster of the week with a bit of everything on the side. It's not just not funny, but rather harmful. Overall Rating: 5/10 10. Kaikan Phrase 快感 フレーズ [Studio Hibari] (Finished 3/44) Tags: Shoujo Music, Showbiz Drama, Romance After the break up of their old band, guitarist Yuki & drummer Santa decide to form a new one. They recruit bass player Towa, young guitarist Atsuro, and after much persuasion, vocalist Sakuya. Together they form Lucifer and they struggle to make it in the music business, and also to stay together. As well, they have to deal with personal issues, such as parental objections, and watching their old bands succeed ahead of them. Sakuya is the most troubled band member, as he has to deal with his tragic past, and his relationship with teenaged lyricist Aine. Many hot-tempered bishounens show off, pass through problems of their youth and throw something like "I think I'm in love" casually. I'm glad I'm not target audience , because I could not care less . Overall Rating: 5/10 11. A.D. Police (TV) A.D. Police: To Protect and Serve アドバンスドポリス [Plum] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Adult Cast, Mecha Action, Sci-Fi Set a few years before Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040, A.D. Police chronicles the tales of Mega-Tokyo's special police division designed to control rogue Boomers in the city. A.D. Police Officer Kenji Sasaki faces a major dilemma: he loses another partner to a rabid boomer. A day after he's sent off-duty, he receives a new partner in the form of German cop Hans Kleif. Funny thing is that Kenji sucker-punched Hans at a bar the night before. Not only does Kenji face the everyday task of controlling Boomers, he has to learn to adjust with his new partner. Catch many criminals and then will be able to catch even smarter criminals. That might work for an RPG, but episodic concept is bad for any anime. Content is generic cop show with some body horror. Overall Rating: 5/10 12. Seihou Tenshi Angel Links Angel Links 星方天使エンジェルリンクス [Sunrise] (Finished 3/13) Tags: Space Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi Li Meifon is the head of a free, no expenses paid protection/security agency for escorting ships across outer space. Though only 16, she posesses great skill and leadership qualities while commanding her crew aboard their ship, the "Angel Links." However, some unpleasant memories begin to trouble her and she starts questioning her own past and reason for existence. Join Li Meifon and the rest of the Angel Links crew on their adventures through the Oracion star system as they battle pirates, government organizations, and a Tao master, all while finally uncovering Meifon's dark and mysterious past. Characters are all about cool looks, and no interesting story is going on. Sadly it's not that easy to repeat success of Outlaw Star or Cowboy Bebop, and there are enough of forgotten failed rivals like Moby Dick . Overall Rating: 5/10 13. Power Stone パワーストーン [Pierrot] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Historical Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy An ancient legend tells of a magical Powerstone that granted its owner any wish desired. Adventurers from all over the globe clash as they seek this mystical gem. Based upon the Dreamcast game, POWERSTONE tries to entertain us with the story behind the game's premise. The plot begins with our hero, Fokker, training to be a fighter like his idol, Vargas. There's official dub and no sub for this game adaptation, and that's how I instantly learn that it's a safe kid's show that no one cares about. Let's not waste time and move on. Overall Rating: 5/10 14. Tenshi ni Narumon! I'm Gonna Be an Angel! 天使になるもんっ！ [Pierrot] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Vampire Comedy, Fantasy, Romance Yuusuke was just a normal kid going to high school. Then one day, the cute and behaloed Noelle fell, quite literally, into his life, naked as a baby and every bit as innocent. Before he can even fathom what's just happened, Yuusuke is inducted into a rather odd family of otherworldly beings. Papa is a Frankenstein monster with a taste for calisthenics. Mama is a gorgeous lady with a penchant for "round objects" -- really! The eldest sister, Sara, is literally invisible; the brother, Gabriel, is a teenage vampire with an attitude problem; and the youngest sister, Ruka, loves inventing things. There's a disapproving Grandma, who's a witch to the nth degree, and her vulture familiar. All Yuusuke wanted was for the beautiful Natsumi to even notice his attention, but now he has an angel-in-training to follow him wherever he goes. And Noelle, too, has a guide on her path to being an angel, the mysterious Michael. This anime manages to stop just a few steps from total absurd, but I'm having trouble even with just high amounts of absurd. Generates too much headache. Overall Rating: 5/10 15. Eden's Bowy エデンズ　ボゥイ [Studio Deen] (Finished 6/26) Tags: Shounen Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Romance, Sci-Fi Yorn gazes up at two massive cities floating in the sky and dreams of discovering their mysteries. Without warning, those mysteries come looking for him. Edenic assassins murder his father and Yorn is next on the hit list. A nameless old man and a mysterious young girl help Yorn on his quest to find his long-lost mother and the truth. Known as the God Hunter, Yorn leads a race against the dark designs of the technological overlords. It's a fantasy shounen, but it also has mechanical enemies and memories from modern town life, so it's more of a fusion with present like Yu Yu Hakusho. Boy is younger than usual and has a family sword that can kill gods, and thus he is called God hunter. He travels with a girl who transfers in an older fighting girl and seems to have some relation to angels. And there's one old guy who they travel together just because they seem to travel in the same direction. And the rest we need to learn from encounters with some enemies, different locations and some new acquaintances. And this vagueness of concept is supposed to be point of attraction. But if I look at it from the side - it does not have a captivating story, it does not have mature interesting characters, it does not even has goals of characters. Guess it's mostly for those who can appreciate ongoing shounens and learn characters little by little while following some faraway goal and getting into situations. I can't stand pretty much any generally acclaimed shounens like hunter x hunter or naruto or pretty much everything similar, so such inability to present a story in any acceptable manner only irritates . Overall Rating: 6/10 16. Shin Hakkenden 神八剣伝 [Public & Basic] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Martial Arts Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi Based on the long cherished, classic Japanese novel Nanso Satomi Hakkenden by Bakin Kyokutei Takizawa (1767), a modified version of it was made into animation. Taking place in the future, during this time wars were occuring in heaven, mostly for possession between the eight moons created by the savior Fuse that surrounded God's land. When the war ended, there was only one ruling family - that of the Oowaris, and the remaining son gained control of all the moons of heaven, except for one. Meiten, the moon of the pope, where people refrained from war and were therefore out of it's terms. Eight people. Each from one of the eight moons. Each possessing one of the jewels - the elements that compose Earth. They are those who are destined to become saviors of humanity. All of them have sacrificed for these jewels, and are determined to complete their duty to Queen Fuse who entrusted these to them. When the mad emperor Kai threatens to revive a ghost who wants to prevent the restoration of Earth, these eight must battle using the powers given by their jewels in order to create Earth and defeat those who want to prevent it. So they all go to Kusanagi, the ship in the center of God's land. They must gather the jewels in the key called Yatsufusa at Kusanagi's center, in order to create Earth. Basically, I can't enjoy such mess of fantasy , religion and scifi setting. Scenes shift places in fast progression, and there's often no background or only a very basic one. A lot of people are shown in random order, and by the end of episode 6 party only started to gather. Awful directorship , designs and visuals overall don't add motivation. Overall Rating: 5/10 17. Soreyuke! Uchuu Senkan Yamamoto Youko (1999) それゆけ!宇宙戦艦　ヤマモト・ヨーコ [J.C.Staff] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi In the year 2999: humanity is split into two factions, Terra and Ness, in a war fought by starships. One of the foremost of the pilots is the cocky teenager Yamamoto Yohko, and during one of her missions, she and her crew are sucked into a temporal anomaly (a la Star Trek) that sends her back to our time. Amnesiac, she only thinks of herself as a typical high school student - until a course of events sends her back to her ship the TA-29, with her newfound friends fighting at her side in a war that looks suspiciously like an arcade game (complete with 100 yen ignition costs!). I hoped this franchise would die quietly after two OVAs. Despite being a reset rather than continuation, miracle did not happen and series developed the same concept of maximally unserious rivalry parties with much character interaction. Overall Rating: 5/10 18. Masou Kishin Cybuster Cybuster 魔装機神サイバスター [Production Reed] (Finished 3/26) Tags: Shounen Mecha Adventure, Sci-Fi In an enviromentally wrecked future Tokyo, a young man named Ken Ando joins an organization called DC. Little does he realize that his fate and that of Earth will be linked to a mysterious mecha from another world. This is mecha that wants to look like mecha from 1970s in 1999. Its sin is grave. Overall Rating: 5/10 19. Saiyuuki (OVA) Saiyuki 最遊記 [Tokyo Kids] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Shounen Mythology Adventure, Supernatural The story of Sanzo and his three companions in their quest to the west, to stop the resurrection of Gyuumao. On the way they are fighting youkai, getting into trouble and helping the townspeople. I never could watch more than couple episodes of Saiyuuki series, now I finally understand where jeep and so different fighting techniques come from. Can't say OVA put me in awe, though. Overall Rating: 5/10 20. Tenamonya Voyagers てなもんやボイジャーズ [Pierrot] (Finished 4/4) Tags: Mecha Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Ecchi Paraila was an agent for a war organization in the space, but suddenly the supreme court of planets accused her of betrayal and she was forced to be a fugitive to escape from jail. Now she forms a team with a clueless school teacher, a bazooka lover girl and Paraila's former sidekick. They will battle against Paraila's enemies, and try to go to earth to escape from space justice. A surprisingly decent feeling comedy with high production values. But it's not finished, so above average is the maximum score that's available for it. Overall Rating: 6/10 21. Tokimeki Memorial: Forever With You ときめきメモリアル 〜forever with you〜 [Pierrot] (Finished 2/2) Tags: School Drama, Romance Tokimeki Memorial brings together the twelve young girls from Kirameki High School, but revolves around the main girl, Fujisaki Shiori. The story starts at the beginning of the third school year, which is the last year before the main character can choose a girl and date her at the graduation. Source material is only slightly better than To Heart, so outcome is obvious. Overall Rating: 5/10 22. Samurai Spirits 2: Asura Zanmaden Samurai Spirits 2 サムライスピリッツ2 アスラ斬魔伝 [Ajia-Do] (Finished 2/2) Tags: Martial Arts, Samurai, Super Power Action, Fantasy One hundred years after their deaths at the hands of a former colleage, six legendary holy warriors are reborn to seek justice against the teammate who betrayed them into the hands of an evil god. Based upon one of the most popular video games of all time, Samurai Shodown is a sprawling feature-length saga of reincarnation and revenge, featuring some of the most spectacular battle sequences ever animated! Join Charlotte, Wan Fu, Nakoruru, Galford and Tamtam as they search the feudal province of Edo questing for their lost comrade, Haohmaru, and their sworn nemesis Shirou Amakusa. Will the followers of the divine light triumph over the forces of the dark, or is the course of history destined to repeat itself? Before their hundred-year journey has ended, six samurai will prove that the only thing stronger than their holy blades is the steel of their wills! It's actually an improvement as characters are shown in natural environments and only by the middle baddie shows up, and afterwards it's again just damage management to show personalities and not fight. Overall Rating: 6/10 23. Melty Lancer メルティランサー [Gonzo] (Finished 6/6) Tags: Space Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi Meltylancer is a Galaxy Police Organization unit comprised by six girls, all of which who have their own special skills and talents. A year has passed since the unit's disbandment, but a new threat leaves the GPO no choice but to recall all the members. With a new commander and a new aide, Meltylancer is deployed once again. As game adaptation, creators had to play safe, so it ended up with average action and weak comedy. Overall Rating: 5/10 24. Taiho Shichau zo The Movie You're Under Arrest The Movie 逮捕しちゃうぞ　the MOVIE [Studio Deen] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Shounen Adult Cast, Detective, Workplace Action, Comedy, Drama Bokutou Precinct rarely deals with criminals more nefarious than speeding sportscar drivers. So when Officers Nikaido Yoriko and Aoi Futaba find a cache of illegal firearms in a stolen car, and a rash of traffic control malfunctions snarls traffic along Tokyo's streets, it is up to Tokyo's finest to figure out what's gone wrong. And of course, it'll take the talents of Kobayakawa Miyuki and Tsujimoto Natsumi to crack the case. But will Miyuki's trusty Mini-Pat and Natsumi's fierce determination be enough to stop a devious mastermind from exploiting the weaknesses of the system and crippling Tokyo—and the world—for good? Series lacked cases scale and implemented too much whacky comedy. This movie is many steps in the right direction. I already gave masterpieces to such movies as Patlabor 2 and Roujin Z , and this one is on comparable level. Overall Rating: 7/10 25. Crayon Shin-chan Movie 07: Bakuhatsu! Onsen Wakuwaku Daikessen 映画 クレヨンしんちゃん　爆発！温泉わくわく大決戦 [Shin-Ei Animation] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Seinen School Comedy, Slice of Life, Ecchi The Nohara family and "Onsen G-Men", the secret government agency maintaining all the hot springs in Japan, fight against "Yuzame", a bath-hating terrorist organization plotting to wipe out all the hot springs in Japan. Movie 6 was just one step from the masterpiece, but this one is an unfunny drawback again. Overall Rating: 5/10 26. Marco: Haha wo Tazunete Sanzenri 母をたずねて三千里 [Nippon Animation] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Adventure, Drama In the 19th century, Genoa (Italy), 9-year-old Marco must face separation from his mother Anna, who leaves for work in Argentina to escape heavy taxes and a deep economic depression. Remaining at home with his father-a doctor at the hospital for the poor-Marco cannot help but miss his mother. When Anna suddenly stops writing to them, Marco becomes anxious about her and decides to travel all the way to Argentina by himself. Marco sets out a long and arduous adventure of over 10,000 miles. All he carries with him is love, courage, friendship and a longing to see his mother again. The story will take you on an exciting journey across the Atlantic, the Andes, and the spiritual border as we watch Marco come of age. Old series from 70s turned into a movie. There was little chance I could like it, but with horrible tearjerkers it's just repulsive. Overall Rating: 5/10 27. Zeno: Kagirinaki Ai ni ゼノ かぎりなき愛に [-] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Historical Drama Zeno: Kagirinaki Ai ni is a movie about life and work of Brother Zenon Zebrowski, a Polish missionary in Japan. Brother Zenon was renown for his charitable work among victims of war and the poor in Japan. Life of a missionary, as expected, without anything even remotely interesting. Overall Rating: 5/10